The #1 Fun Way to Get Healthy

The #1 Fun Way to Get Healthy

It’s the most social time of the year—but it’s also the most difficult time to stay on a diet, stick to a regular workout schedule or even look after your well being in general! Still, there’s good news: Your waistline and health won’t suffer as long as you celebrate the season with an eye toward the big picture. In fact, spending time with friends and loved ones has several proven mind and body benefits. Here are seven good-for-you reasons to say yes to yet another holiday fête invite.

Flatter abs

That’s right: Mingling may shrink your middle! Mice living in a stimulating group setting lost about 50 percent of their belly fat in a month without any dietary changes, a study in Cell Metabolism reveals. Socializing activated a gene that turns energy-storing white fat into calorie-burning brown fat. Scientists suspect this applies to us, too, so gather your gals!

Better spirits

Mingle with happy folks and you’re apt to feel happier, too, the British Medical Journal reveals. If you are friends with a joyful person, you’re 15 percent likelier to feel joyful. More surprising: You’re 10 percent likelier to be content if your pal’s pal is also content and 6 percent likelier to be upbeat if your friend’s friend’s friend is upbeat. Spread the cheer!

A stronger heart

Having a drink with friends is linked to lower rates of stroke and cardiovascular disease, a study from Osaka University in Japan shows. A lack of social support can cause heart-harmful mental stress in solo sippers, countering any of alcohol’s perks. Toast to the holidays—and your ticker—together

Fewer sniffles

With 200 cold viruses (not to mention dozens of flu strains) around us, it’s no wonder adults get two to four colds a year. But the more relationships you tap into (friends, family), the less susceptible you are to catching a cold, researchers at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh say. The reason is unclear, but who cares—just one more good excuse to schedule a gabfest with pals.

Less stress

Having a deep conversation with a close pal appears to reduce anxiety in women because it increases levels of the hormone progesterone, researchers from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor theorize. In terms of ways to unwind, bonding beats Chunky Monkey any day.

Craving control

The desire to overeat may come from the same part of the brain (the hippocampus) that cues addicts to use drugs, according to a study from Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, New York. In brain scans, this area was activated in people who wanted more food despite being full. Talking to friends delivers a similar chemical lift, so call a pal when temptation strikes.

A longer, healthier life

Back in 1988, a landmark study at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor found that people who lead an isolated life have an increased risk for mortality that’s on par with that of cigarette smokers’. Scores of more recent studies have also shown that lonely folks are more likely to develop dementia, have high blood pressure, sleep poorly and have weakened immunity. People who feel connected, on the other hand, “are simply healthier—they have better cardiovascular health and report a higher level of life satisfaction,” says Shelly Gable, Ph.D., professor of social psychology at the University of California in Santa Barbara.

Source: http://health.yahoo.net