A Happy, Healthy You

“A cheerful heart is a good medicine; But a broken spirit drieth up the bones.” Proverbs (17:22). It turns out that happiness may in fact be one of the most important keys to good health.

A Happy, Healthy You
By Dr. Reginald B. Cherry, M.D.
Christian Post Contributor

It’s a big, happy cycle… Healthy people might be happier, and people who are happy and satisfied with their lives might be healthier.

On a number of varied and important indicators, happy people have better physical health than their less cheerful counterparts.

Happy people have younger hearts, younger arteries, lower blood pressure, a greater tolerance for better pain, and recover more quickly from surgery. Their immune systems are even more resistant stronger immune systems - happy people are less likely to get colds and flu viruses, and when they do, their symptoms tend to be mild. Happiness appears to protect against falling ill in general.

But the best indicator of all may be longevity: happy people have a longer life expectancy than unhappy people. In a broad-based study of adults aged 65 and older, the happy people in the study were half as likely to die and half as likely to become disabled as compared to people who were generally sad.

Not surprisingly, happy people are better at looking after their health, too. When people's happiness levels improve, so do their health behaviors. They exercise more, wear sunscreen, and go for regular checkups.

But does your current health affect your happiness? Actually, there seems to be little correlation between a person's objective health-as defined by medical assessment-and happiness. It's our subjective health-how we view our health-that affects our well-being.

Of course, poor health does have the potential to negatively affect almost every aspect of our lives. So it's no surprise that when your health takes a hit, your happiness does, as well. But that effect seems to be temporary; within a month or two of an adverse health event, most people have gravitated back toward the level of happiness they enjoyed before their health took a turn for the worse.

When the change in health status is severe, however-for example, involving chronic pain or multiple disabilities-the impact on happiness can be long-lasting. And both physical health and emotional health influence happiness. Mood disorders diminish quality of life even more than chronic physical ailments, such as arthritis, heart disease, or diabetes.

Other than health, what influences your happiness? While as much as 40-50% of a person's capacity for happiness may be genetically predetermined, the rest is up to you.

Here are a few ways to up your daily happiness quotient:

Stay optimistic: Happy people experience about the same amounts of negative and positive life events as sad people. But studies show that happy people dwelled on the positive more often. People who are positive remember the good events in their lives more readily, while they tend to remember fewer of the unhappy times. Similarly, when confronted with a problem, happy people believe they will soon regain control of their lives while unhappy people are more skeptical.

Research shows that life satisfaction trickles up from tiny, positive events that occur every day-not down from what you have or what you think you need. Ultimately, positive emotions predict your satisfaction with life, not the other way around. So rather than focus on the things you think should improve your quality of life, cultivate the tiniest of moments that make you feel good

Exercise: Exercise not only helps keep you healthy, it also keeps you happy. In general, increasing the amount of physical activity in your life increases well-being. Moderate exercise offers the biggest boost in happiness. In fact studies show that jogging for 30 minutes three times a week can be as good as psychotherapy in treating depression; but if jogging isn’t for you, any type of exercise can reduce depressive symptoms.

Volunteer: People who volunteer reported higher levels of happiness. As the saying goes, “If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.”
Maintain relationships. Having a strong support system made up of healthy relationships and friendships promotes happiness.

Nurture your faith: Religious faith is one of the most important factors in predicting life satisfaction. You surely know this from your own life, but study after study confirms that actively religious people are happier, and that they cope better with crises and stress.

So live your life with a cheerful heart – it really is good medicine.
www.thepathwaytohealing.com
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Dr. Reginald B. Cherry (drcherry.org) is a member of the American Medical Association, Texas Medical Association, Harris County Medical Society, and the American College of Preventive Medicine. Dr. Cherry has authored numerous articles on Preventive Medicine, emphasizing nutrition and exercise. He also speaks extensively on these topics nationwide and conducts numerous seminars for various groups and organizations. Currently, his weekly television program reaches 80 million homes. www.thepathwaytohealing.com
___________________________________________

Take care until…......and God Bless ya
http://jamesedgecombe2.blogspot.com/

Are you ready to face eternity? If you have not accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour of your life and desire to make that commitment now please repeat the following prayer:

Lord Jesus be merciful to me a sinner. I realize that I have sinned against you and come short of your glory. I confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and I believe in my heart that God has raised him from the dead. I pray for your forgiveness and ask that you save me now and accept me into your kingdom. Give me eternal life today.
In Jesus Name, Amen.

Read more!

5 Smooth Stones to Defeat Cardiovascular Disease

Before David faced Goliath, he went to a brook and found five smooth stones rounded over time by water. No matter how old you are, now is the time to address the Goliath of cardiovascular disease.

5 Smooth Stones to Defeat Cardiovascular Disease
By Dr. Reginald B. Cherry, M.D.
Christian Post Contributor

Cardiovascular disease, or CVD, includes coronary heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and heart failure. Together, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States, accounting for more than one in three deaths annually. In addition, more than 80 million Americans live with some form of CVD and its often debilitating effects, with stroke being the leading cause of serious, long-term disability.

But CVD is largely preventable. You can lower your blood pressure, reduce your risk of stroke, and prevent a heart attack, naturally.

So gather your five smooth stones for slaying the giant that is cardiovascular disease. The stones are smooth because they may take a period of time to work; they are part of long-term lifestyle, not a one-time fix. However, unlike David, you will need most, if not all of the stones to protect yourself against CVD

FIVE STONES

1. Stop Smoking And Avoid Second-Hand Smoke
Smoking is a primary indicator of CVD. It increases bad cholesterol, heart rate and blood pressure; damages blood vessels, increases and constricts the arteries; creates free radicals; and hampers the flow of oxygen and other nutrients throughout the body. Consistent exposure to smoke can have equally devastating effects.

2. Exercise and Control Weight
Being overweight contributes to high blood pressure and atherosclerosis as well as to diabetes – in itself a risk factor for heart disease. Lack of exercise over time weakens the heart and other muscles, allows the blood vessel lining to harden, weakens blood flow, and contributes to obesity.

On the other hand, cardiovascular exercise builds the aerobic capacity of your heart and lungs, and returns elasticity to arterial walls. It spurs your body to produce more antioxidants, and increases your ability to use them to combat free radicals. Exercise also helps in coping with stress, another CVD risk factor.

Walking, swimming, biking, tennis, running or any aerobic exercise for 30 minutes at least five days a week will bring about cardiovascular benefits. See Be Active Your Way for more on exercise guidelines.

3. Adopt the Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean Diet is low in red meat, hydrogenated oils, sodium and processed foods, and high in fiber, nuts, fish, fruits, vegetables and olive oil. It features foods mentioned in the Bible that are staples in countries such as Israel, Greece and Italy. See Dr. Cherry’s Mediterranean Diet video for more guidelines on following this healthy way of eating.

In addition to the foods in the Mediterranean Diet, adding soy to your diet has several benefits. It can substitute for red meats (often high in fat) because it is a complete protein, and is has plant antioxidants that appear to slow the oxidation of LDL cholesterol and reduces the chance of blood clot formation.

Switching from the typical American diet of processed, starchy and fatty foods to one made up of whole grains, fruits and vegetables may be the hardest of the five steps, but it could also be the difference between being satisfied with a long life and suffering at the hands of cardiovascular disease.

4. Begin a Daily Nutritional Supplement Program
While eating right is a major key to preventing CVD, it is important to realize that due to modern farming and food production techniques, the nutritional value of our foods is not what it used to be. Even those who eat a healthy diet are not getting optimal levels of all the nutrients, and those whose diets are not as wholesome are at even more of a nutritional deficit.

An article in the Journal of the American Medical Association stated, “Insufficient vitamin intake is the cause of chronic disease…Evidence shows that suboptimal levels, even those well above levels for sufficiency syndromes, are risk factors for chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis….A large portion of the general population is at increased risk for this reason.”

It goes onto say, “We recommend that all adults take a multivitamin daily. This practice is justified mainly by the known and suspected benefits of supplemental folate, vitamins B6 and B12 and vitamin D in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, cancer and osteoporosis, and because multi-vitamins at that dose are safe and inexpensive.” In addition, the American Heart Association suggests that those who have had coronary heart disease events should take essential fatty acids daily.

See Dr. Cherry’s Importance of Supplements video for more on why you should supplement.

A complete “basic” program should include a full spectrum of vitamins and minerals; fruit, vegetable and herbal extracts; digestive enzymes; omega-3 fatty acids; flavonoids and enhanced levels of antioxidants. Basic Nutrient Support provides all of these and more in its seven nutrient complexes.

5. Use Other Natural Compounds That Specifically Address Cardiovascular Disease
There are also specific natural compounds that address cardiovascular health that can be taken in addition to a basic nutritional program. As well, certain nutrients contained in a daily supplement, such as vitamins B6, B 12 and folate, can be taken in higher amounts when there is a risk of cardiovascular disease.

These compounds will be looked at in more detail in the next article, Nutrients Your Heart Will Love.

Because of the awareness focused on heart health, death rates from CVD have actually declined in the past decade. By combining the “five stones” on this list, you can protect your heart as well. God’s guidelines for healthy eating, exercise and the compounds God provided for our health in His natural creation are all signposts on the way to the fulfillment of /his promises for a long and satisfying full life.
www.thepathwaytohealing.com
___________________________________________

Dr. Reginald B. Cherry (drcherry.org) is a member of the American Medical Association, Texas Medical Association, Harris County Medical Society, and the American College of Preventive Medicine. Dr. Cherry has authored numerous articles on Preventive Medicine, emphasizing nutrition and exercise. He also speaks extensively on these topics nationwide and conducts numerous seminars for various groups and organizations. Currently, his weekly television program reaches 80 million homes. www.thepathwaytohealing.com
_____________________________________________

Take care until…......and God Bless ya
http://jamesedgecombe2.blogspot.com/

Are you ready to face eternity? If you have not accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour of your life and desire to make that commitment now please repeat the following prayer:

Lord Jesus be merciful to me a sinner. I realize that I have sinned against you and come short of your glory. I confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and I believe in my heart that God has raised him from the dead. I pray for your forgiveness and ask that you save me now and accept me into your kingdom. Give me eternal life today.
In Jesus Name, Amen. Read more!