According to a scientist’s study published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, smoking is also bad for vision. This study found that older smokers were twice as likely as non-smokers to suffer age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which blurs the central vision by affecting the macula. It may not be too late to quit, however: Former smokers who had kicked the habit more than 20 years earlier showed no increased risk for AMD.
The workout, developed in the early 20th century for dancers that is now popular for anybody trying to get shape, was put to test by researchers. Monitoring a small group of 10 Pilates veterans, the researchers found that a basic workout used only as many calories as a session of moderate stretching–276 calories an hour for a 165-pound person. So if your plan is to loose weight, look into a program that will use large muscle groups, increase your heart rate and thus use more calories. If you want to tone your abs or “core”, pilates is perfect for you.
Laughter may be good for the heart. Depression can have effects other than just the mood, potentially raising the risk of heart disease. Two studies spotlighting the connections between psychological factors and heart health are presented at American College of Cardiology.Laughing at a good joke, a funny situation or ourselves is also distracting. It is difficult to laugh and worry at the same time. Part of a healthy life style includes a place and a time for fun, for finding something funny and having a good laugh. It helps us enjoy friends and family. It diffuses stressful situations. It allows us the opportunity not to take ourselves too seriously; so have a laugh and live healthy (and if you come across a good joke, would you let me in on it!).
According to a study by the National Public Health Institute in Finland, exercise can help people with type 2 diabetes live longer. Participants who reported moderate or high levels of physical activity were less likely to die from any cause, including cardiovascular disease, than less-active individuals.
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2005 - Dr. Brian Perry