Health

Here’s good news if you’re thinking about your golden years……

Retirement can make you healthier! 

Researchers from the University of Sydney studied the lifestyle habits of over 25-thousand working adults over age 45. They looked at things like their activity level, smoking, diet, alcohol consumption and sleep patterns.

Three years later, when around 11 percent of the participants had retired, they followed up to see how their habits had changed. And it was mostly for the better!

The researchers found that retirees were more active than those who were still working……and they sat less. In fact, on average, retired people got an additional 93 minutes of physical activity each week. They also got more sleep, sat one hour less each day – and women, in particular, were more likely to quit smoking after retirement. 

Why are you so tired today? It could be from all the sugar you ate yesterday!

Because, according to the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, eating a lot of sugar is linked to lighter, more disrupted and less restorative sleep. In fact, the more sugar you eat during the day, the more often you’re going to wake up in the middle of the night.

And even if you don’t fully wake up, the sugar in your system can prevent deep sleep, making you feel exhausted the next day. And the same goes for eating a bunch of refined carbs, like white bread and pastas. Because they turn to sugar in the body and delay the release of the sleep hormone melatonin.

So, the journal scientists suggest we cut back on sugar and refined carbs and get more fiber in our diet. Fiber improves sleep because it digests slowly and keeps blood sugar steady. And a higher fiber intake is associated with more time spent in the deepest, most restorative stage of sleep.

Here are the top germ “hot spots” to avoid according to microbiologist Dr. Kelly Reynolds from the University of Arizona.

First, the absolute dirtiest spots in airports are the touch screens on self check-in kiosks! In fact, a study found the average airport touch screen contains over 200-thousand potentially illness-causing bacteria and fungal cells per square inch…… Which is FOUR TIMES MORE than the average household toilet seat!

Also, beware the reusable bins at the security checkpoint. According to the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, HALF of those bins carry the viruses that cause common colds! And a “significant” number contain dangerous waste matter – due to all the shoes and bags loaded into them, which were recently touching the ground!

Finally, as you’re waiting to board your flight, try to avoid touching chair armrests at the airport gate. Research shows those are on par with public toilet seats when it comes to the amount of illness causing germs they contain. That’s because they get cleaned less frequently than the seats on planes…… and they’re constantly being touched by people who’ve just been eating food, changing diapers, or using the bathroom.

Right before your next big meal – take a brisk 5 minute walk.

Because 5-minute micro-bursts of exercise can boost your energy and decrease fatigue, and keep cravings under control. That’s according to the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.

That little bit of extra movement is enough to increase blood flow, which could play a role in helping you feel alert. Being active also suppresses hunger. Plus, aerobic activity before a meal can help keep levels of unhealthy triglyceride-rich proteins in check in the bloodstream.

The exercise encourages the body to release hormones that actually work to clear unhealthy particles from your bloodstream. It also makes your arteries more flexible.

So a short 5 minute power walk before a meal can keep your eating in check and your heart healthy.

Do you worry that you – or someone you love – is at high risk for age-related cognitive decline, like dementia or Alzheimer’s? Here’s an early sign to watch out for: Walking more slowly than usual.

A team from Monash University in Australia led by Dr. Taya Collyer kept tabs on nearly 17 thousand retirees over a 7-year period. Study participants took periodic tests to measure memory, mental speed, verbal fluency, overall cognitive decline, and walking speed. 

The result: Those walking at least 5% slower than the previous year, were at higher risk for dementia.

Dr. Collyer believes a declining walking speed is linked to shrinkage in the hippocampus, the brain area linked to memory, learning, and spatial navigation.

The good news is: We can slow the progress of age-related cognitive decline with consistent exercise! Psychologists from the University of Pittsburgh had seniors begin walking 10 minutes a day – and gradually increased it to 40 minutes a day. The result: Study participants increased the size of their hippocampus by up to 2%, which shaved 1 to 2 years off their brain’s actual age. 

Again, we now know one of the early signs of cognitive decline is a slower walking speed.

Do This to Cut the Risk of Heart Disease and Depression

You will love this trick for cutting your risk of heart disease and depression, and it can even help you lose weight: Take 2 minutes twice a day to massage your scalp! 

According to the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, scalp massages stimulate acupressure points linked to our adrenal glands……

Those are the glands that pump out the stress hormone cortisol and adrenaline. And two daily 2-minute head massages, for 2 weeks, can cut stress hormone production by 33% or more. 

So do one scalp massage when you’re getting ready for the day – like, in the shower while you’re washing your hair……and try another before bed. 

You’ll reduce the production of stress hormones long-term and it’ll help you relax.  That, in turn, will lower your risk of heart disease and depression – and less cortisol means your body won’t hold onto excess fat. Just remember: two 2-minute head massages a day for 2 weeks.

Why Should You Eat Fish Twice a Week

How many times have you heard that fish are brain food?

Well, we’re saying it again – and we have more proof. This time, it comes from the Fatty Acid Research Institute. 

Their research found that people with high blood levels of the Omega-3 fatty acid, called DHA, were nearly 50% less likely to develop dementia of any kind, including Alzheimer’s. 

And other research shows a link between the fatty acid DHA and improved cognitive performance and increased brain volume.

The reason? Because DHA limits the production and accumulation of a brain toxin linked to Alzheimer’s. 

The fish that contain the most Omega-3 DHAs are: Mackerel, salmon, herring, sardines, and oysters. And you should aim to get two servings a week.

Why It’s Important to Declutter Our Home

Clutter doesn’t just make your home look like a mess – it messes with your mental health! That’s according to the journal Personality and Social Psychology. 

For the study, researchers from USC asked families to record videos while touring their own homes and discussing their belongings. Their stress hormone levels were also recorded. 

The conclusion? People who perceived their homes as cluttered had unhealthy levels of the stress hormone cortisol, and felt more stress as the day went on. 

The researchers say it boils down to the feeling of never-ending work and obligation, and our brains don’t like the weight of all that responsibility. But when we de-clutter, our brains actually do relax.  That’s because we feel more in-control of our lives. It gives us a sense of accomplishment. 

So now we know, clutter can seriously mess with our mental health.

Do you want to make some changes, and shake up your life? 

Like, losing weight, finding a new job, or jumping back into the dating pool. 

The best time to do it is when there’s a new beginning…Whether it’s the first day of the week, the first of the month, or your first day back at work after a vacation. 

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School call it the “fresh start effect.” Because big, repeating moments – like birthdays, holidays, and back-to-school – are landmarks in our lives. They make us step back and look at the big picture, and re-adjust our goals accordingly. 

But any time you realize you’re losing focus on your goals, all you have to do is set your sights on the next “new beginning,” whether it’s a Monday, or the first of the month……And start fresh all over again.