When new health studies come out, they’re usually focused on what is bad for our bodies. Sure, we know smoking and red meat aren’t great, but now we also have to think about sitting too much, needing sunscreen all the time, and the effects of chronic stress.
Fortunately there are also plenty of researchers looking at the positives. They are studying the small changes we can make every day to lengthen our lives, but more importantly to improve the quality of our lives too. Here are just some of the exciting and weird things linked to living longer.
Racquet sports
We all know that physical activity leads to a longer, healthier life, but did you know that the type of exercise can make a difference? A study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine examined the exercise habits of over 80,000 participants. Once they divided the participants by sport of choice, there was a clear difference in health benefits.
When compared with individuals who did no exercise at all, racquet sports players were 47 percent less likely to die. Swimmers had a 28 percent lower risk, and aerobics fans had a 27 percent lower risk. Interestingly, runners had no difference in mortality risk from the non-exercisers. As a runner myself, I can attest that this is completely unfair. However, it may be time for me to grab a racquet and try this out.
Reading
On a rainy Saturday morning, is there anything better than snuggling in bed with warm coffee, cozy blankets, and a good book? Next time you manage to snag a little you time, don’t feel guilty for just sitting around. That book is good for your health!
A recent study from Yale University studied the effects of reading on nearly 4,000 individuals and found some exciting results. The book readers in the group showed a 20 percent reduction in mortality during the 12 years of study follow-up. This benefit was not shown in newspaper or magazine readers, so head to the library or get out your Kindle and get reading.
Japanese living
When you look at health and longevity, the U.S. is not exactly killing it. The country that continues to boast the oldest and healthiest nation is Japan, so what are they doing differently? “Part of that [lifespan] is the traditional Japanese diet,” John Beard, director of Aging and Life-course at the World Health Organization (WHO) told CNN. The traditional Japanese diet consists of fresh vegetables and fish. It is typically low in meat and saturated fat.
“But the traditional diet has changed,” Beard explained. “Another part of it is lifestyle . . . and that they have systems which identify and treat key issues like blood pressure.” In Japan, it’s common for the older members of society to still be very active.
Sarah Harper, professor of Gerontology at the University of Oxford added another reason why the Japanese tend to thrive in old age. “They tend to have a society which tends to promote a strong family set up and stress-relieving cultural activities,” she told CNN. In Japan, grandparents and older family members are valued and taken care of, so start instilling those values in your kids today!
Living near nature
Getting away from it all and escaping to nature is good for the soul. Turns out, it may even help you live longer. Researchers looked at data from the Nurses’ Health Study to determine if living near nature affects health and wellbeing. They found that women living in the greenest areas were 12 percent less likely to die than the city dwellers. “We were surprised to see that there was a 12 percent lower rate of mortality,” Peter James, a research associate and study author told CNN. “We know already that vegetation can help mitigate the effect of climate change. Our study suggests the potential co-benefit for health.”
Sure, living in nature means less pollution, but it could also be good for your mood. Researchers estimated that 30 percent of the benefits of nature are because of the mental health effects. Living near nature makes it easier to workout and see friends. “We were surprised at the magnitude of the mental health pathway,” James said.
Don’t think you have to go off the grid in order to be happy and live longer. Just add some greens to your life. “I want to point out that 84 percent of study participants live in urban areas,” he said. “We are not saying you need to live near a park.” Add a plant to your office or plant a tree in your backyard. Look for easy ways to take advantage of those feel-good greens.
Source: Thelist