Topophilia is a strong emotional pull to a special place.  Research says that people experience intense feelings of well-being, contentment, and belonging from places that evoke positive memories far more than treasured objects such as photographs or wedding rings. Why is contentment important to our well-being?  Happiness is about being able to make the most of the good times – but also to cope effectively with the inevitable bad times, in order to experience the best possible overall life. Happiness actually leads to a wide range of benefits for our performance, health, relationships, and... Read More

Planning a camping trip requires thought and preparation.  After ticking off the items on your gear checklist, take some time to think about some other important checklist items before you pitch your tent. Taking Fido? If you are taking your dog on a camping trip, don’t forget these things to make the trip safe and healthy for him. Dog first aid kit. Just like you, your dog may have a minor emergency. Consider butterfly bandages, tweezers and a muzzle. Make sure your dog’s tags and microchip are up to date. Know basic facts about dog first aid, like when to induce vomiting and when not to... Read More

People often struggle to find ways to preserve health and happiness when they live in stress-inducing urban environments. Recent research suggests parks have a unique capacity to enhance physical health and foster a sense of community for city dwellers. A study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine and the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, used information from the Gallup-Healthways Well-being Index, the U.S. sensus Bureau, and a variety of other sources and combined this analysis with city-level data on park quantity, quality and accessibility... Read More

Are you a glass half-full person? In other words, are you hopeful and confident about the future?  If so, you might be healthier than your friends who believe that the worst will happen. Many studies have reported that optimism influences health. Among the findings:   Highly pessimistic men were three times more likely to develop hypertension. People with positive emotions had lower blood pressures. The most pessimistic men were more than twice as likely to develop heart disease compared with the most optimistic. It is hard to know if optimism is the result of good health, or if good health... Read More

From birth to death, one of the most important parts of being human is the need for physical contact. Did you know that a firm hug can make you feel less negative emotion? Scientists found that getting a hug on the day of a conflict was linked to a slight rise in positive emotions and a comparable drop in negative ones, and appeared to linger into the following day. Evidence suggests that close physical contact — such as a hug — can play a part in reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases, blood pressure, stress, loneliness, aggression, anxiety and depression. When you hug someone, you release... Read More

We are busy! Competing for our time is a constant stream of notifications, emails, and texts, endless errands, work and family. Matching the hectic pace of living means that we might have bad eating habits. A growing body of research suggests that our bodies function optimally when we align our eating patterns with our circadian rhythms, the internal 24-hour cycles that tell our bodies when to wake up, when to eat, when to fall asleep. Studies show that chronically disrupting this rhythm — by eating late meals or nibbling on midnight snacks, for example — could be a recipe for weight gain and... Read More

Coconut is a unique fruit because it is available year-round rather than during a season. While loosely referred to as a fruit, a coconut is actually a drupe.  A drupe is a fruit that contains a seed. Also called a stone fruit, other drupes include plums, cherries, almonds, and olives. Botanically speaking, a coconut can be a fruit, a nut, and a seed. Coconut has been denoted with many benefits, some controversial.  For example, coconut oil has been touted as a good fat for cooking.  It is high in healthy fats that can boost fat burning and provide your body and brain with quick energy. They... Read More

A recent article in the journal The Conversation, asked the question “Is walking enough exercise?”  Four out of five experts said yes. The one expert who said no, qualified his response by saying that walking is better than no exercise at all. He goes on to point out that, ideally, strength training and higher intensity exercise is ideal for good health. While strength training and higher intensity exercise along with moderate exercise is the ideal situation for many, the National Runners’ Health Study found that moderate-intensity walking and vigorous-intensity running resulted in similar... Read More

Recently, an article in Forbes magazine highlighted a study in Australia that claimed, when it came to weight loss, there was no significant difference in people assigned to skip breakfast and those assigned to eat it. Some in the intermittent fasting community say you should not eat anything before 11AM, so your eating cycle can go on later in the day and make you less likely to break the fast before bedtime. While these assertions may be true, there are some good reasons to eat breakfast. There are studies that show those who eat earlier in the day lose more weight than those who eat later in... Read More

Over 200 million Americans use mouthwash. Most of us likely use it to freshen our breath, but it also reduces plaque build up on our teeth, removes food particles that may be trapped in our mouth, and helps prevent cavities. Recent research has pointed to some disconcerting evidence about how mouthwash negatively influences our health. Let’s review the research on the subject and the facts you need to know to make a sound decision for yourself. Claim: Blood pressure increases with regular mouthwash use. A Swedish study recently found that rinsing your mouth twice daily with mouthwash increases... Read More