You already know a few basic facts: Stay Hydrated! Eat properly! Exercise! But, as it turns out, there's a lot more to it than that, continue reading to ignite your curiosity:
10. Mental health benefits from meditation more than vacations
Researchers from the Netherlands studied 91 female volunteers and divided them into three groups - those who meditated regularly, and those who had never meditated, both groups committed to 12 hours of mindfulness training over the course of a regular workweek and the third group who would let go of meditation entirely in favour of a week-long vacation.
While all 3 groups reported benefits of lowered stress and improved mood, the participants that continued meditating showed positive results 10 months later too, while the vacationers returned to their normal states after their trips ended.
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9. There is a link between depression and drinking coffee
We hear a lot about caffeine's negative effects on our health, but according to Harvard School of Public Health research, women who drank at least 4 cups of coffee per day could reduce their risk of depression by 20% and be less likely to commit suicide.
8. Sugar is as bad for your health as cigarettes
Smoking is notoriously bad for your health, but SUGAR has a similar effect. In addition to cancer, heart disease, and stroke, added sugar consumption has also been linked to these deadly conditions.
A study published in the journal Nutrients , excessive sugar consumption leads to obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, cognitive decline, and some forms of cancer.
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7. We consume 600 more calories per day than we did in the 1970s
we can see that we have gotten bigger on average than the previous generation. While this is likely due in part to the rise of fast food, hormones in meat and dairy products, chemical additives and preservatives, and less physical labou , and reflects a staggering increase in calorie consumption by approximately 600 calories since the 1970s, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
6. The risk of death increases by almost 50% when you sit at a desk Sitting up too straight can hurt your back
Beware, office workers: according to research from the University of Sydney, office workers who sit for more than 10 hours a day at their desk have a 48% higher risk of death than people who sit for less than 4 hours a day. Try incorporating five minutes of activity every hour and take frequent breaks.
5. Poor sleep habits can lead to weight gain
Getting a good night's sleep is like staying hydrated. According to a 2010 study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives , not getting enough sleep or maintaining an irregular sleep schedule is an independent risk factor for weight gain. It also increases the risk of sleep apnoea and other sleep disturbances, which contributes to weight gain.
4. You can save your life by standing up more often
According to Harvard Health , the average person spends more than half of their day sitting, whether it's in front of a computer at work or TV at home. Unfortunately, this trend is harmful to our health, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes, cancer, and obesity, which increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. In fact, standing up or moving frequently can save your life and burn 72 extra calories per day.
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3. ‘Text-neck’ has become an epidemic
When we look at our phones at a 60-degree angle, the neck is forced to hold the equivalent of 60 pounds, causing text-neck, a strain on the cervical spine. Our neck is designed to support your skull (which weighs about 12 pounds). The pressure we put on our necks exceeds their design capacity by 5 times. Reduce your device usage and practise better posture if you're feeling strained.
2. It doesn't matter if you use an atm machine or a public toilet - both are equally dirty!
We withdraw money from cash machines regularly, but how many of us wash our hands afterwards? ATM machines were found to be as filthy as toilets in Britain, according to cleanliness tests. Swabs taken from cash machine keyboards and public toilets nearby were examined by specialists, who discovered both samples contained the same bacteria known to cause several illnesses.
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1. There is no better medicine than laughter
Did you know that 100 laughs are equivalent to 15 minutes of stationary cycling?
In the end, even though there are still some unsolved mysteries about the human body, we are hoping that these surprising facts and scientific explanations are helpful for you to stay healthy.
