I have an idea for the coming year. Before fulfilling the rest of your resolutions, you might want to try this: Think positively!

There is always a lot of talk about the <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/personality/why-optimism-good-for-me">power of positive thinking</a>. Is there any basis to it? Research suggests that there is.

A recent study done in England followed 166 senior citizens for six years to see how attitude affected their health. The researchers administered a questionnaire to see how people approached health problems. They also took saliva and blood tests that measured <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/endocrine-system/what-is-function-cortisol-hormone">cortisol</a> levels and <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/protein-diet-nutrient/what-is-c-reactive-protein">C-reactive protein</a>, markers for stress and inflammation.

Over the years, people who looked at their health problems in a more positive light had lower cortisol and C-reactive protein levels. The positive thinkers handled stress better and had less inflammation than their more pessimistic counterparts.

Another study done at Yale followed 598 people who were at least 70 years of age (and initially without disability) for 11 years. As some became ill or disabled, those with a positive attitude were 44 percent more likely to fully recover than those with a negative attitude.

In addition, a review of 84 studies found a strong relationship between optimism and physical outcomes. Regardless of the severity of disease, the effect held. This included cancer outcomes, heart disease, pregnancy outcomes and immune strength.

Cultivate positive thinking 
There are some people who look at the glass as half empty others who see it as half full. And then there is another group that sees it as always totally full (with liquid and air). How can you become the latter? Here are five ways to start.

<ol>
	<li>Hang out with positive people. Negativity can be contagious and conversely, so can positivity.</li>
	<li>In a stressful situation, try to find the silver lining. As an example, if you get lost driving with your husband because he refuses to ask for directions, start paying attention to where you are and enjoy the different scenery.</li>
	<li>Give positive feedback to those around you. There is always something positive you can say even when it might be tough. In the above scenario you can thank your husband for driving safely.</li>
	<li>Give positive feedback to yourself. We are often harder on ourselves than anyone else. Cut yourself some slack. As an example, you can be proud of yourself for not losing your temper with your husband who is getting you hopelessly lost!</li>
	<li>Keep a <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/mental-health/gratitude-journal">gratitude journal</a>. If you can find several things a day to be grateful for, your attitude will change and you will find that you feel better physically.</li>
</ol>

It is important to your emotional and physical well-being that you find a way to be optimistic. It is all in how you look at things. In the words of Abraham Lincoln, &ldquo;Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.&rdquo;

Medically reviewed in January 2020.

This Year, Think Yourself Healthier

My patient came in with wrist pain. She had fallen and seen a general orthopedic surgeon in her small town, who did an x-ray and saw no fracture. Still in pain, she went to see him a week later with the same results, so she came to the ER. I didn&rsquo;t see any fracture either, so I snapped a picture of her x-ray on my phone and texted it to an orthopedic surgeon that specialized in hand and wrist. In five minutes he texted me back. He agreed that there was no fracture, but on his iPhone screen he had noticed that the bones were about 2 mm further apart than they should be&mdash;a subtle sign that she had ruptured the ligament connecting them and needed immediate surgery. Her surgery was arranged and she was soon on the road to recovery.

Am I criticizing the first orthopedist? Not at all. This woman had a complex injury that required someone who examined 20 wrist x-rays a day. Given the second doctor&rsquo;s specialty, he was better able to pick up on a tiny discrepancy. For a different type of bone-related injury (say a broken leg), the first orthopedist would likely have been a better choice than a hand surgeon.

The reality is that all doctors are not created equal. Many doctors have trained for many years and hours and they are exceptional. But no one can be exceptional at everything and each has his or her own strengths. When you have a particular condition, you should go to the physician best trained and experienced to care for you.

The problem is, most patients I speak with don&rsquo;t know that 1. These differences can have a major impact in their care and 2. They don&rsquo;t know how to find the right doctor for their condition. So, here&rsquo;s a cheat sheet of what I tell friends to look for in a doctor. Take these questions as a group&mdash;no one factor comes with any guarantees. But when you consider them together, you&rsquo;ll likely find a doctor who&rsquo;s the best fit for you.

1. Education: Where did the doctor go to medical school? Is it a name you&rsquo;re familiar with?

2. Training: How much&mdash;and what type&mdash;of training does the doctor have? All doctors are required to complete a residency that lasts three years or more, depending on their specialty. Also look for board certification, which means the doctor has a certain degree of experience and has passed multiple tests in that specialty. Some doctors go beyond that to a fellowship (a subspecialty). If you have a specific condition (glaucoma, ovarian cancer, ruptured MCL, carpal tunnel), it&rsquo;s always good to find out if the doctor you&rsquo;re considering has fellowship training. How do you do that? Look at their <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/experts">online profiles</a> and, if in doubt, call the doctor&rsquo;s office and ask.

3. Patient profile: What ages does the doctor treat? This is especially important if you&rsquo;re seeking care for a child. While most doctors receive some pediatric training, others have much more. It&rsquo;s imperative to see a doctor who understands how a child&rsquo;s growth will affect healing. The best way to be sure a doctor is, in fact, trained in pediatrics is to see which ones are affiliated with your local children&rsquo;s hospital.

4. Experience: Is the doctor practiced in dealing with your condition? When you need to have a procedure done, you want a doctor who does it all the time. You can increase these chances by going to a doctor with that subspecialty, but also try to find out the number of procedures the doctor does each year. Again, you can&rsquo;t just go by the numbers, but it&rsquo;s another piece in the puzzle to help you decide.

5. Get a referral: <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/health-care-basics/why-see-medical-specialist">Need a specialist</a>? Ask your primary doctor for a referral. In the nuanced world of medicine, physicians often know which doctors are better for certain conditions than others and can help point you in the right direction.

Still not sure? Use the same criteria above to find another doctor and get a <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/managing-your-health-care/when-second-opinion">second opinion</a>. This is especially important if you&rsquo;re having an elective procedure. By getting a second opinion you&rsquo;ll learn more about your condition and gain a different doctor&rsquo;s perspective for treating it.

Yes, these steps take time. But if you&rsquo;ve ever spent longer choosing a hairstylist/mechanic/caterer/home contractor than you have choosing a doctor, it&rsquo;s time to change that focus. Do yourself (and your health) a favor&mdash;take time to do the research. You&rsquo;ll have a better chance of finding just the right doctor when you need him or her the most.

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Life insurance is an important way to provide protection for your family. However, it&#39;s often misunderstood, and misconceptions are plentiful&mdash;including that it&#39;s expensive and difficult to purchase. But once you have a basic understanding of what life insurance is, how it works and the two main types of life insurance, you&rsquo;ll be on your way to providing protection and financial security for your family.

What is life insurance? 
<a href="https://www.sharecare.com/video/health-topics-a-z/financial-health/how-do-i-know-which-type-of-life-insurance-is-right-for-me">Life insurance</a> is a contract between you and an insurance company where you make a monthly or annual payment&mdash;the premium&mdash;and the insurance company pays a specified amount of money&mdash;the death benefit&mdash;to your beneficiaries when you pass away.

If you have people who depend on your income, like underage children, a spouse or elderly parents, then life insurance is imperative. You should also consider life insurance if someone would incur additional costs if you pass away (like childcare for example). The money obtained from a policy can help your family pay their regular monthly bills, your children&rsquo;s future college tuition or for your funeral expenses and outstanding medical bills. In some cases, people decide to purchase a policy when a major life event takes place&mdash;like getting married, buying a home, starting a business or having a baby&mdash;but life insurance can be purchased at any time.

In fact, the sooner you buy life insurance, the lower your monthly or annual payments will likely be. Other factors that determine the cost of life insurance are your health status, medical history and driving record. Smoking status is also a large determinant of your payments, with non-smokers generally receiving significantly better rates.

While historically, purchasing life insurance required medical exams and blood testing, this is often no longer the case. In fact, for relatively healthy individuals, many insurance companies offer a benefit of up to $1 million without a medical exam or blood test. For larger policies or for people with extensive medical histories, a medical exam can still be required.

Two basic types of life insurance 
The <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/financial-planning-health-care/what-different-types-life-insurance">two main types of policies</a> are term life insurance and permanent life insurance.

Term life insurance offers a cash payout if you pass away during a specific period of time (for example, 10, 20 or 30 years); you pay via a fixed monthly or annual premium during the term of the policy. Term insurance is a viable option for covering specific costs such as a mortgage or college education. Often times, insurance companies will allow you to convert your term policy into a permanent policy for a specified period of time after purchase.

Permanent life insurance offers lifetime protection with a cash payout at the time of death, regardless of when that is. It often includes a cash account value that you may be able to access while you are alive, which has the ability to grow, similar to money in other investments (mutual funds, or bonds). Your monthly payments may be fixed or they may be flexible depending on the type of policy you choose. Permanent life insurance is a viable option for people looking to pass money on to their family after they pass away, or for people concerned about paying for funeral costs or medical bills at the time of their passing.

Some employers offer life insurance as a benefit to their employees. While this is generally temporary&mdash;good only while you are employed with the company&mdash;it may be wise to take advantage of this benefit, as the monthly payments may be offset by your employer. But if you have family who is dependent upon your income, additional insurance, outside of work is generally required. Life insurance can be purchased online, over the phone or from a licensed financial professional.

Medically reviewed in July 2018.

What Is Life Insurance?

The holidays are a time of festivities with family and friends, making merry and, for some, increased risk of a heart attack. In fact, a study presented at a 2013 European Society of Cardiology meeting found that death from heart disease tends to be higher during January and February. We talked with cardiologists Frank Arena, MD, of <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/group/lakeview-regional-medical-center">Lakeview Regional Medical Center</a>, Hoang Nguyen, DO, of Regional Medical Center and Taral Patel, MD, of <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/group/tristar-summit-medical-center">TriStar Summit Medical Center</a> about potential heart attack triggers during the winter season and what you can do to keep your ticker going strong.

1. Be kind to your body 
According to Dr. Patel, those at increased risk include people with diagnosed heart disease, those who have already had a heart attack, been treated with stents or had bypass surgeries, smokers and people with diabetes. But even if this doesn&rsquo;t describe you, your heart may not be as healthy as you think. &ldquo;A heart attack is not a singular event,&rdquo; says Dr. Arena. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s the end result of the culmination of a series of events. You have a heart attack because you&rsquo;ve spent years and years building up plaque around the arteries.&rdquo;

Maintain good health: Healthy eating habits and regular exercise throughout the year can help keep problems at bay. If you have diabetes, be sure that it&rsquo;s under control. Smokers could give themselves the best gift of all by <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/quit-smoking">kicking the habit</a>.

2. Take a chill pill 
While the holiday season is a celebratory time of the year, it can also bring about added stress from strained family relationships and overstretched finances.

&ldquo;One thing that surprises me is how much stress and emotion play into it,&rdquo; says Patel. &ldquo;Mental and emotional stress is a huge factor that I think we downplay.&rdquo; Some may suffer from <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/circulatory-system-health/what-broken-heart-syndrome">broken heart syndrome</a>: &ldquo;A sudden stressful event can cause a person to have chest pain and a sudden heart attack,&rdquo; says Patel. Stress overload can also make it tough to get enough sleep, which can fuel overeating. &ldquo;Insomnia makes adrenaline levels go up, blood pressure goes up, we get carb cravings,&rdquo; says Arena. &ldquo;You just continue to make poor choices in the moment because you aren&rsquo;t sleeping.&rdquo;

Stress less: Take time to relax; try <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/meditation/how-meditation-help-relieve-stress">meditation to calm down</a>. Make sleep a priority. You&rsquo;ll be more clear-headed for handling family issues and <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/anxiety/money-stress">making spending decisions.</a> Get enough shut-eye to prevent spikes in <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/endocrine-system/how-does-cortisol-affect-body">the stress hormone cortisol,</a> which increases appetite.

3. Maintain your medicationsI 
If you regularly take prescription drugs to treat a chronic condition like heart disease, continue to do so during the holidays. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re very busy during the holidays,&rdquo; says Dr. Nguyen. &ldquo;People are doing things they shouldn&rsquo;t be doing and eating things they shouldn&rsquo;t be eating. They forget to take their medication; they forget to check in with their doctor. Things like that tend to lead to heart attacks.&rdquo;

Be prepared: Don&rsquo;t rely on your memory for taking your pills; separate them into pill containers labeled by day. Set reminders in your phone. If you&rsquo;re traveling, take the entire bottle of each medication with you. If your return trip is delayed, you won&rsquo;t run out. You&rsquo;ll also have a list of your medications and dosage if needed.

4. Take it easy on the alcohol 
More partying means the toasting flutes and champagne will be in full force. While celebrating in moderation is ok, going overboard is not. &ldquo;If you&rsquo;re drinking a fair amount, say, more than two or three drinks or anything enough to give you a hangover, you&rsquo;re creating a lot of adrenaline,&rdquo; says Arena. This can lead to <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/arrhythmia/what-is-holiday-heart" style="line-height: 1.6em;">holiday heart syndrome,</a> or atrial fibrillation, which is characterized by a fast, irregular heartbeat. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s contributed to by the buildup of adrenaline that comes when&nbsp;people overindulge and become dehydrated, which makes their hearts start pounding,&rdquo; says Arena. &ldquo;The adrenaline is what leads to heart issues. The same triggers that cause you to go into atrial fibrillation can cause a heart attack as well.&rdquo;

Tame the tipples: Avoid drinking on an empty stomach. Don&rsquo;t have more than one drink per hour, and alternate drinks with water to stay hydrated. Skip sugary drinks; it&rsquo;s more difficult to tell how much alcohol you&rsquo;re imbibing. Stay festive by switching to seltzer water and lime or mixers&mdash;sans the alcohol. If you have heart disease risk factors, you&rsquo;ll want to take extra precautions to avoid holiday heart syndrome: Limit yourself to no more than two drinks per day, avoid overeating (it may trigger a reflex response that can cause an arrhythmia) and avoid caffeine.

5. Beware of cold-weather activities 
If you&rsquo;re tempted to join the family for a sled ride or feel compelled to shovel snow, you may want to think twice, especially if you&rsquo;re not physically active throughout the year. &ldquo;Winter activities can increase stress hormone levels and blood pressure,&rdquo; warns Patel, adding stress on the vessel wall. &ldquo;This is what causes the rupture, which causes the heart attack,&rdquo; he says. Cooler temperatures can also play a role. &ldquo;Even if you&rsquo;re not shoveling snow and it&rsquo;s not super cold, your arteries constrict a bit to keep your core warm,&rdquo; Patel says. &ldquo;That also increases blood pressure and shear stress [on the blood vessels].&rdquo;

Know your limits: If you&rsquo;re not used to lots of strenuous activity limit your time outside, dress warmly and don&rsquo;t overexert yourself.

6. Don&rsquo;t ignore the symptoms 
Maybe you&rsquo;ve just sat down for Christmas dinner or have begun exchanging gifts&mdash;and you&rsquo;re not feeling quite right. Don&rsquo;t worry about ruining the moment&mdash;it will only become worse if you&rsquo;re having a heart attack. Nguyen says&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/heart-attack/symptoms-of-a-heart-attack?myAttribute=yay" style="line-height: 1.6em;">heart attack symptoms</a> like chest pain, discomfort or shortness of breath require immediate medical attention. &ldquo;You should never ignore symptoms when it comes to the heart,&rdquo; he adds.

Medically reviewed in January 2020.

6 Ways To Prevent a Holiday Heart Attack

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60 Seconds To Better Health

When it comes to money and happiness, a lot of us think the grass is greener on the richer side. We&rsquo;d be happier in a bigger house with a heated pool and plenty of money left over to treat our kids, grandkids and friends. Wouldn&rsquo;t we?

Some happiness experts, including psychologist Ron Siegel, say we would likely readjust to our &ldquo;happiness set point&rdquo; after the novelty wears off. In this sense, money can&rsquo;t buy lasting happiness.

Other researchers say money&nbsp;can&nbsp;buy happiness&mdash;to an extent. One 2009 study asked participants to report how happy they were in relation to their household income. The study, as well as past research, found that happiness tends to increase with income up to a point ($75,000 in one study, and about $90,000 in this study), but the increase is relatively small. Money makes you a little happier up to a point, but not a lot.

Participants were asked to predict how happy they thought other people feel at different income levels. Respondents were fairly accurate in predicting that higher levels of household income are not associated with higher levels of happiness at the top end of the income distribution (e.g., at $90,000 compared with $125,000). That is, both predicted and actual happiness leveled off at $90,000+.&nbsp;But they greatly underestimated the happiness of people who made less money.

Bottom line: Money does matter, but not as much as many people think. What seems to matter more is what people do with their money. Here are two ways to spend it that really can bring more joy to your life&mdash;no matter your income.

<ol>
	<li>Be charitable.&nbsp;Research shows that those who spend their money on others are consistently happier people. This finding held true for both the rich and the poor. And it&rsquo;s not like you have to give it all away to achieve happiness; if you can see your money making a difference in other people&rsquo;s lives, it will make you happy even if the amount you gave was quite small.</li>
	<li>Pursue experiences instead of material items.&nbsp;This bit of advice has been floating around for years, but research shows that even though people know this to be true, many still believe material goods are a better use of their money. A 2014 study surveyed how participants felt before and after making a purchase. Before buying, participants said they believed that life experiences would make them happier, but that material items had more value. But after their purchases, they felt that life experiences not only made them happier, but also had higher value.</li>
</ol>

If you&rsquo;re worried that &ldquo;life experiences&rdquo; are out of your budget, don&rsquo;t stress. Life experiences can range from a hiking trip an hour away to a salsa dancing lesson nearby. As long as it&rsquo;s an experience you&rsquo;ll be able to bank in your memory, you&rsquo;ll be glad you did it.

There&#39;s a strong connection between our finances and our emotions&mdash;and too much money stress can harm your health.

Medically reviewed in June 2019.

Can Money Buy Happiness?

Your environment has a relationship to your health and well-being.

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Are you satisfied with your life? Think carefully&mdash;the answer to this question may have an impact on how long you live. Previous research has shown that people who are <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/happiness/slideshow/3-habits-happy-people">happy</a>&nbsp;tend to live longer. But researchers at Chapman University, the University of Kentucky and the Harvard School of Public Health wanted to know how the ups and downs in life&mdash;fluctuations in happiness&mdash;might make a difference in <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/live-to-one-hundred/what-key-longevity">longevity</a>.

The 2015 study followed 4,458 adults over a nine-year period; they were at least 50 years old when the study began. Once a year the participants were asked to rate their life satisfaction on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the most satisfied. The researchers also tracked important health indicators such as whether or not they smoked, <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/cardiovascular-exercise/getting-started-cardio-exercise">exercise</a>, existing medical conditions and more.

Those at the higher end of the satisfaction scale had 18 percent lower mortality over the nine years. This doesn&rsquo;t surprise Sharecare&rsquo;s Chief Medical Officer <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/user/dr-keith-roach">Keith Roach, MD</a>. &ldquo;This actually has been shown in several studies in the past so this is really confirming previous research,&rdquo; he says.

On the other hand, people whose life satisfaction fluctuated over the nine years saw a 20 percent increase in their mortality rate. The researchers noted that the satisfaction swings were especially impactful for people who didn&rsquo;t have a high rate of life satisfaction to begin with. &ldquo;This has to do more with who people are,&rdquo; says Dr. Roach. &ldquo;If someone takes things really terribly one day and not so well the next it&rsquo;s not as good as someone who is more at an even keel all the time.&rdquo;

But can someone make changes to boost their life satisfaction&mdash;and increase their longevity? &ldquo;Here we run into a big problem with a study like this,&rdquo; says Roach. &ldquo;What we&rsquo;re really looking at is personality traits. I&rsquo;m not completely convinced that this is something we can change in ourselves. Some people&mdash;things don&rsquo;t bother them. They go along and do okay. For others, trying to change who you are may not be easy or even possible. And even if you do, whether that gives you the same mortality benefits as somebody who has been that way their whole life is up for grabs.&rdquo;

While the study didn&rsquo;t specify what&rsquo;s meant by life satisfaction, it&rsquo;s safe to say that managing your health by doing things like eating healthy and getting regular exercise can improve your outlook. Reducing stress&mdash;using time-honored techniques such as breathing exercises, yoga and meditation&mdash;can also make it easier to cope. Social connections add another piece to the puzzle. &ldquo;One of the biggest ways we can reduce the harmful effects of stress is by talking to our loved ones, friends and relatives,&rdquo; says Roach. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s really important. There&rsquo;s no way to get around the fact that our lives are stressful.&rdquo; And just knowing you don&rsquo;t have to go it alone can make the ride a little less bumpy&mdash;and more satisfying.

Android users:&nbsp;See how stress could be affecting your happiness. <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/static/voice" target="_blank">Download the FREE app.</a>

Take the first steps to growing younger and healthier with the <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/static/realage">RealAge Test</a>.

Medically reviewed in June 2019.

Be Happy, Live Longer

What really makes you happy?

Mounting obligations and hectic schedules can make it all too easy to lose track. But whether it&#39;s the little things in life that make you smile, or the joy of working toward a larger goal, focusing on your happiness each day can help protect your emotional well-being and your physical health.

Follow these simple steps to rediscover your passion for life.

1. Value Your Daily Diversions 
When you&#39;re adding items to your to-do list, don&#39;t forget the good stuff. If you look forward to reading in bed, going out to breakfast, taking long walks, listening to music, or just sitting quietly outside, make time for at least one of your favorite diversions every day.

Consider crossing out pesky items on your list that you keep saying you&#39;re going to do but haven&#39;t gotten to in over a year, like alphabetizing your bills or organizing your sock drawer. Or get rid of a time-consuming chore that isn&#39;t enhancing your life one bit.

2. Build Your Strength and Independence 
We all have low-energy days, but if you can resist the urge to skip your daily workout when you&#39;re feeling low, you&#39;ll be rewarded both now and later. Try this trick: Tell yourself that you need to do only 10 minutes of exercise. Once you&#39;re up and moving (and feeling better) you&#39;ll most likely want to finish your workout. Even if you can&#39;t push past the 10-minute mark on the occasional bad day, you&#39;ll feel good about doing at least a little something. Sticking with an exercise plan helps you feel good about yourself, strengthens your immune system, and enhances production of mood-boosting hormones.

<a href="https://www.sharecare.com/video/fitness-and-exercise/walking/walking--part-1-start-quick-easy" target="_blank">Use this video to get moving without even leaving home!</a>

3. Squash Your Stressors 
Defuse daily hassles by practicing stress-reduction strategies. Try taking deep-breathing breaks throughout the day, inhaling through your nose and then exhaling slowly through your mouth. Repeating this action three or four times allows more oxygen to get into your bloodstream, creating a feeling of calm. Progressive muscle relaxation, yoga, and meditation also are effective ways of reducing tension, stress, depression, and anxiety. And a brisk 10-minute walk will do far more to dissipate your stress and lift your spirits than eating the bad-for-you snacks you might crave when feeling frantic.

<a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/stress-reduction/how-can-manage-stress" target="_blank">Try these stress-busting tips.</a>

4. Celebrate and Share Your Skills 
Volunteer at a local school, club, or community organization. Not only will sharing your unique talents and expertise benefit others, but research shows that volunteering can make you happier and improve your well-being, too. Feeling engaged and involved in your local community is good for your emotional health. It&#39;s also an opportunity to learn new skills and meet new people. Win-win.

5. Appreciate the People Around You 
Unwind and share a few laughs with your family or friends at least once or twice each month. The openness and trust you share with the important people in your life can help give you the perspective you need to cope with everyday challenges. These regular connections will also have a positive impact on your health, especially when you share a good laugh. Laughing lowers blood pressure, reduces stress hormones, and releases endorphins that can ease pain.

Also, don&#39;t neglect relationships at work. Colleagues and coworkers can provide valuable support and keep your blood pressure under control during stressful situations.

Feeling satisfied and fulfilled with your life is an essential part of your emotional and physical well-being. As you grow to appreciate your time, independence, self-assurance, skills, and relationships, you will be amazed at just how good you feel, both in body and in spirit.

Love Your Life: 5 Simple Steps

Visiting the Aloha State can help your body, mind and spirit.

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Sometimes a healthy lifestyle&mdash;one that includes <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/longevity/article/3-ways-keep-realage-down">a good diet and plenty of exercise</a>&mdash;is the best medicine. A 2012 study of more than 8,300 people, published in Preventive Medicine, found that the risk of death dropped by 56 percent for nonsmokers compared to smokers, 47 percent for people who were physically active and 26 percent for people who ate a healthy diet.

According to a report from the Gallup-Sharecare State of American Well-Being series, many people have trouble adopting or sustaining healthy behaviors even though they are aware of the risks caused by a poor diet, lack of physical activity and other unhealthy practices. The report looked at the effects of the Ornish Lifestyle Medicine program on heart disease within several healthcare providers across the country. The Ornish Lifestyle Medicine program, developed by <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/user/dr-dean-ornish">Dean Ornish, MD</a>, has been scientifically proven to reverse the progression of heart disease and other chronic conditions.&nbsp;

Lifestyle practices for a lifetime of health 
Awareness&mdash;The first step in living healthier is being aware of how your diet and activity choices affect your health. That means educating yourself on what makes for a good lifestyle choice, and also recognizing when you&rsquo;re making poor choices and why you&rsquo;re doing it.

Diet&mdash;According to Dr. Ornish, foods are neither good nor bad, but some are healthier than others. Ornish&rsquo;s dietary guidelines focus heavily on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, soy, dairy, egg whites and <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/omega-3-fatty-acids/in-what-foods-can-i-get-omega-3-fatty-acids">foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids</a> such as fish, nuts and flaxseed.

Exercise&mdash;The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise or 75 minutes per week of vigorous exercise. According to the CDC, people who are active live longer and have a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, depression and certain cancers. A University College London study published in Diabetologia in October 2016 suggests that the recommended 150 minutes per week can cut the risk of type 2 diabetes by 26 percent. Doubling up on that (one hour of moderate exercise five days per week) reduces the risk by 36 percent.

Stress&mdash;Stress is tough to avoid in this day and age. Some stress is good; it kicks in the fight-or-flight response to physical danger, during which hormones flood your body, breathing quickens, your heart beats faster, your muscles tense and your brain works quicker. But when you have chronic stress, you&rsquo;re more susceptible to infection, high blood pressure, anxiety, depression and other illnesses. Ornish recommends a daily practice of gentle yoga, meditation, relaxation or deep breathing to manage stress.

Love and Support&mdash;Research suggests that social isolation and disconnectedness brings worse physical and mental health. Some of the longest-lived people in the world&mdash;who live in areas called <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/longevity/article/people-who-live-longest-do-this">Blue Zones</a>&mdash;almost always have some sort of robust community support system. Ornish suggests spending more time with family and friends, improving communication skills, and listening with empathy and compassion. &nbsp; &nbsp;

How hospitals implement lifestyle medicine 
Healthcare providers across the country are increasingly starting to realize the many benefits of lifestyle medicine. St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson, Mississippi has enrolled nearly 200 people in Ornish Lifestyle Medicine since early 2015. Participants have lost an average of 6.4 percent of their body weight, increased their exercise capacity by 60 percent, decreased their cholesterol by 18.2 percent and have had a drop of 48.6 percent in depression scores.&nbsp;

Healthcare providers are implementing a variety of tactics to promote lifestyle medicine, such as:

<ul>
	<li>Educating healthcare providers on the science of lifestyle medicine</li>
	<li>Informing patients about new programs</li>
	<li>Offering a variety of traditional and lifestyle-based programs</li>
	<li>Publically recognizing the healthcare providers who encourage their patients to make lifestyle changes</li>
	<li>Using patient testimonials to spread the word about lifestyle medicine programs</li>
</ul>

5 Lifestyle Changes That Can Save Your Life

Spend 20 easy minutes doing this and you could help guarantee a good mood for 12 hours: walk.

That&#39;s what a study revealed. A short, moderately paced workout produced feel-good brain chemicals that lasted up to 12 hours afterward.

Step up to a good mood 
In the study, college students either rested quietly for 20 minutes or cycled on a stationary bike for the same amount of time. And the cyclers weren&#39;t even really pushing it. They merely exercised at a mild to moderate pace (60 percent of maximum heart rate). Both groups reported lower levels of negative emotions&mdash;like anger, depression, fatigue and tension&mdash;immediately after the experiment as well as 2 hours later. But only the cyclers continued to enjoy their happier mindset a full 12 hours after the workout session.

Attitude adjustment 
Yep, it all boils down to those mood-enhancing brain chemicals that exercise is so good at producing. Here&#39;s the catch, though: To get the full exercise benefits as they relate to your temperament, you need to exercise all or most days of the week&mdash;not just once in a while. So lace up those walking shoes. It&#39;s only 20 minutes out of your day, right?

Exercise Benefits: Feel Happy for 12 Hours

As we kick off the 2021 Sharecare Awards, CNN&rsquo;s Dr. Sanjay Gupta, along with award-winning actor Courtney B. Vance and other influencers, join us to share the best health advice they wish they could give their younger selves.

Sleep more, create better habits: Dr. Sanjay Gupta and others offer their younger selves key health advice 

Are you a vacation slacker, someone who for one reason or another leaves precious, unused personal time on the table at the end of the year? If you are, and you think you&rsquo;re an outlier, think again.

A May 2018 survey of 1,200 full-time U.S. employees found that 53 percent of those polled failed to use all their paid vacation time the year before. In fact, 21 percent of the respondents still had more than five vacation days left by year&rsquo;s end.

A large 2017 online survey of more than 2,200 adults from the online career website Glassdoor also found that, on average, employees who get paid time off as a job-related benefit are only using slightly more than half of these days.

These surveys also provide some clues that could help explain why some employees forfeit a good percentage of their vacation time. Researchers found that many people worry about falling behind or work piling up while they are away. What they may not realize, however, is that not taking vacations could be affecting their health.

Time off is linked to a slew of benefits, including better sleep and improved mental health. There&rsquo;s also mounting evidence that getting away can help protect your heart.

Vacations linked to heart health 
Time off could help reduce the risk for metabolic syndrome, a cluster of health woes&mdash;including high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess belly fat, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels&mdash;that raise the risk for heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.

In a small study published in June 2019 in&nbsp;Psychology and Health,&nbsp;researchers examined the health and vacation habits of more than 60 full-time workers (mostly women) who received paid time off. Over the course of a year, the participants used about two weeks of their vacation time. The researchers found that those who vacationed more frequently were less likely to meet the criteria for a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome. Notably, the risk went down by a quarter with each additional vacation taken.

It&rsquo;s important to note that this was a retrospective study that looked backwards to assess the workers&rsquo; risk for metabolic syndrome. Larger, prospective studies&mdash;which monitor outcomes as they occur over time&mdash;are needed to confirm results like these.

These findings do, however, build on one of the most well-known studies on the subject, the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention trial, published in&nbsp;Psychosomatic Medicine&nbsp;in 2000. The study followed more than 12,000 middle-aged men at high risk for heart disease for nine years and found that those who took more yearly vacations were less likely to die from any cause, including heart attacks and other heart problems.

Observational studies like these don&rsquo;t show a clear cause-and-effect relationship. What they demonstrate are associations, explains Jorge Montilla, MD, a cardiologist at&nbsp;Kendall Regional Medical Center&nbsp;in Miami, Florida. Meanwhile, there could be more to the picture than just the vacation, he points out. It&rsquo;s possible that people who are able to get away regularly are more financially stable or have good overall job security and satisfaction, which may be associated with other heart-healthy lifestyle choices.

One thing is clear, Dr. Montilla notes: Taking time off helps relieve stress, which has a correlation with heart disease.&nbsp;&nbsp;

How stress affects the heart 
Stress raises levels of certain hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline. In the short term, this can be helpful, triggering the &ldquo;fight or flight&rdquo; response that helps you deal with immediate threats. Over time, however,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sharecare.com/mental-health-behavior/stress-management/7-ways-stress-can-harm-your-body">chronic stress</a>&nbsp;could increase your risk for a slew of health issues, including heart disease.

Repeated bouts of stress can lead to high blood pressure, elevated heart rate, and irregular heart rhythms. You might also lose sleep or be tempted to overeat, smoke, or drink alcohol in a misguided attempt to de-stress. Those who respond to stress in such unhealthy ways may be increasing their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sharecare.com/circulatory-system/sneaky-threats-heart-health">risk for heart problems</a>.&nbsp;

Get away from it all, really 
People often worry about how a vacation may affect their workplace or their job status. You may, for example, be concerned that your absence will be too much of a burden on your coworkers or that it could reduce your likelihood of getting promoted.

But you shouldn&rsquo;t look at taking a vacation as an indulgence or something to feel guilty about doing. Instead, view time off as something well-deserved and positive that you&rsquo;re doing for your health, Montilla advises.

When you do leave the office for a getaway, it&rsquo;s important to actually unplug to make the most of your vacation, which is something many people don&rsquo;t do. The Glassdoor survey found that:

<ul>
	<li>66 percent of those polled reported working while on vacation</li>
	<li>46 percent of the participants felt like they could not fully &ldquo;check out&rdquo; while away</li>
	<li>23 percent of respondents had a hard time&nbsp;not&nbsp;thinking about work</li>
</ul>

Counterintuitively, taking time off may actually&nbsp;increase&nbsp;your productivity at work. Research has shown that workers expend less effort on routine tasks after their vacation than they did before.

So how do you leave work behind and effectively de-stress when you&rsquo;re on vacation? Consider these strategies:

<ul>
	<li>Set up your out-off-office email. Let coworkers, clients, and others know when you will be gone and leave information about who can answer questions until you get back. Hint: Set up these auto-replies for the day before you leave and a day after you return so you won&rsquo;t feel overwhelmed right before or after your trip.</li>
	<li>Limit access to work communications. If you must check email, texts, or voicemail while away, don&rsquo;t do it all day long. Set aside a half hour or so (perhaps in the late morning) to check in. If possible, delegate any problems that need immediate attention to colleagues.</li>
	<li>Take shorter vacations. If you feel like an entire week is too long to be away from your job, take several long weekends instead. A quick getaway to the beach, mountains, or another happy place can help recharge your batteries.</li>
	<li>Plan your next vacation. The simple act of planning your next trip can make you smile. A study published in the journal&nbsp;Applied Research in Quality of Life&nbsp;in 2010 found that &ldquo;vacation anticipation&rdquo; boosted happiness in the weeks before the trip.</li>
</ul>

Take a Vacation for Your Heart’s Sake 

It may be a nuisance, but sweating is critical to stay cool.

5 Down and Dirty Facts About Sweat 

Improving your health may be as easy as a walk in the park.

Researchers across the globe have been looking closely at how being surrounded by plants, trees, and flowers can help humans thrive. Interest in this topic is more relevant than ever as increasing urbanization has made it harder for many people to take advantage of nature&rsquo;s healing powers. More than half of the world&rsquo;s population lives in urban areas, in fact, and that number is expected to approach 70 percent by 2050.

It&rsquo;s in this context that trends such as &ldquo;<a href="https://www.sharecare.com/mental-health-behavior/can-walk-woods-make-happier">forest bathing</a>&rdquo;&mdash;a Japanese practice of walking meditatively in the woods, also known as &ldquo;forest therapy&rdquo;&mdash;have found enthusiastic followers around the world.

&ldquo;Taking walks outside in nature is good for both your physical and mental health,&rdquo; says Jeff Sarata, DO, an emergency medicine specialist at&nbsp;Fairview Park Hospital&nbsp;in Dublin, Georgia. Dr. Sarata points out that getting your muscles moving in a green setting can positively affect many parts of your body, from your heart to your lungs to your state of mind.

&ldquo;When you&rsquo;re walking or hiking in a natural setting like a forest, park, or even a greenhouse,&rdquo; he explains, &ldquo;you&rsquo;re not only getting&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sharecare.com/exercise-fitness/health-experts-urge-move-more-sit-less">physical exercise</a>, which provides the number one benefit. You&rsquo;re also surrounded by the organisms that produce the oxygen your body needs. No one ever feels worse after walking in nature!&rdquo;

Here are several ways your body can feel better with a simple trek through the woods:

It relaxes you deeply 
&ldquo;When you go for a walk in nature, rather than on a city street, you don&rsquo;t have cars honking and people talking on their cell phones around you,&rdquo; says Sarata. In fact, reviews of research published in 2016 and 2017 in&nbsp;International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health&nbsp;suggest that leaving the techno world behind to walk and breathe in a natural environment stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which puts you in a state of relaxation. Forest bathing has also been shown to lower levels of stress hormones, such as cortisol.

It can improve your cardiovascular health 
That slower pace and sense of peacefulness achieved by communing with nature helps slow down your heart rate and may even ease high blood pressure. One small study published in 2012 in&nbsp;Journal of Cardiology&nbsp;found that in elderly patients with hypertension, a calming seven-day sojourn in the forest led to a significant decrease in blood pressure, especially when compared to adults who spent the same time in an urban setting.

Exposure to green space&mdash;which can include undeveloped landscapes as well as urban parks&mdash;is also associated with decreased risks of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

It may boost your immune system 
One small but intriguing study out of Japan looked at the role forest therapy played in the activity of natural killer (NK) cells, which are crucial to fighting off diseases, including cancer. After three days on a forest retreat compared to days spent at the office, the men in the study saw increased levels of NK cells in their blood.

A follow-up study compared the effects of a three-day forest trip to an urban sight-seeing visit, finding that forest bathers experienced significant increases in NK activity while the city trippers did not. Although the studies suggest that walking in nature may help bolster immunity, more research will help determine any long-term effects on health.

It could help children with attention issues 
Parents of children with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sharecare.com/mental-health-behavior/add-adhd/adhd-facts-all-parents-should-know">attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder</a>&nbsp;(ADHD) may find non-pharmaceutical relief right outside their front door. In a national survey conducted by researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, parents indicated that their children&rsquo;s ADHD symptoms&mdash;such as impulsivity and inattention&mdash;were reduced after the kids were allowed to play in green settings, as opposed to indoors or in outdoor &ldquo;built&rdquo; spaces.

Experts theorize that spending time in nature engages the mind effortlessly and easily, providing children with a break from having to deliberately focus their attention, therefore freeing up their energy to focus again when needed.

Just the sight of nature may help you heal 
Surprisingly, even just resting your eyes on a green view may have the power to aid healing. One study published in 2011 in the journal&nbsp;Clinical Rehabilitation&nbsp;found that coronary patients in a physical rehab facility who had an unobstructed view of nature from their windows had a greater sense of well-being than those whose rooms had a view of buildings.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Getting into nature 
While these potential benefits are compelling, the body of research into the health benefits of nature is still young, and researchers don&rsquo;t yet have the kind of long-term studies to demonstrate that access to nature yields real health outcomes. Remember that a walk in the forest is no substitute for the care of a medical professional, particularly if you have ongoing conditions. Check with your healthcare provider about how a regular fitness regimen in green space may help support your overall wellness and any treatment you might be receiving.

Meanwhile, research has also shed light on the possible&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sharecare.com/mental-health-behavior/can-walk-woods-make-happier">mental health benefits of walking in nature</a>&mdash;including improved mood, fewer negative thoughts, and lower levels of stress&mdash;all of which may also positively influence your physical well-being. When your five senses are fully immersed in the natural world, the body&rsquo;s stress response is eased, which is akin to the type of benefit derived from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sharecare.com/mental-health-behavior/meditation/starting-a-meditation-practice">mindfulness practices and meditation</a>.

So, next time you have a choice between turning on the TV or going for a walk in the local park&mdash;or even down a tree-lined street&mdash;drop the remote and lace up your sneakers. Your mind and body may thank you for it.

Life and Family