Play Golf Prolongs Life

Golf Prolongs Life, Swedish Study Finds

Golf can be a good investment for the health, according to a new study from the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet. The death rate for golfers is 40 per cent lower than for other people of the same sex, age and socioeconomic status, which correspond to a 5 year increase in life expectancy. Golfers with a low handicap are the safest.

 

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It is a well-known fact that exercise is good for the health, but the expected health gains of particular activities are still largely unknown. A team of researchers from Karolinska Institutet has now presented a study of the health effects of golf -- a low-intensity form of exercise in which over 600,000 Swedes engage.

The study, which is published in Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, is based on data from 300,000 Swedish golfers and shows that golf has beneficial health effects. The death rate amongst golfers is 40 per cent lower than the rest of the population, which equates to an increased life expectancy of five years.
 

 

Professor Anders Ahlbom, who has led the study with Bahman Farahmand is not surprised at the result, as he believes that there are several aspects of the game that are proved to be good for the health.  

'A round of golf means being outside for four or five hours, walking at a fast pace for six to seven kilometres, something which is known to be good for the health,' he says. 'People play golf into old age, and there are also positive social and psychological aspects to the game that can be of help.'
 

 

The study does not rule out that other factors than the actual playing, such as a generally healthy lifestyle, are also behind the lower death rate observed amongst golfers. However, the researchers believe it is likely that the playing of the game in itself has a significant impact on health.
 

 Golf players have a lower death rate regardless of sex, age and social group. The effect is greater for golfers from blue-collar professions than for those from white-collar professions. The lowest rates are found in the group of players with the lowest handicap (i.e. the best golfers).
 

'Maintaining a low handicap involves playing a lot, so this supports the idea that it is largely the game itself that is good for the health,' says Professor Ahlbom.
 

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Journal reference:
 

1.      B. Farahmand, G. Broman, U. de Faire, D. Vågerö, A. Ahlbom. Golf: a game of life and death - reduced mortality in Swedish golf players. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, Published article online: 28-May-2008 DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0838.2008.00814.x

Top Foods for Healthy Skin

Almonds + Dark Chocolate

Talk about a match made in heaven! These two not only taste delicious together, they also are a free-radical fighting duo.
Almonds are crunchy, satisfying and packed full of Vitamin E. Vitamin E is a known antioxidant and can be very beneficial for repairing damaged cells, helping your skin look and feel amazing.
A delicious partner, dark chocolate is also rich in antioxidants, called flavonoids, which gobble up free radicals to protect your skin from visible damage. Combine these two for a tasty and useful snack.

Tomatoes

Delicious red, juicy tomatoes are known for their high amounts of Lycopene, a carotenoid recognized for its antioxidant power. Studies have shown that consuming tomatoes or tomato paste on a regular basis can help reduce the appearance of sunburn.
Similar studies also show a boost in collagen attributed to the large amounts of lycopene in tomatoes which helps fight the look of aging. Freshly sliced, cooked, or pureed, tomatoes are your skin’s best friend.

Sweet Potatoes

How sweet it is — sweet potatoes are a wonderful source for Vitamin C, a known wrinkle-fighter, as well as beta-carotene. Vitamin C has long proven its effectiveness in protecting our skin from visible damage caused by the sun.
Vitamin C, a natural skin-lightener, also plays in a role in keeping a clear, even-toned complexion. Sweet potatoes are a perfect addition for holiday meals. Mash them or bake them for a yummy side dish to compliment any feast.

Salmon

Salmon is a fresh, mild-tasting fish that also happens to be a miracle food for skin. Add rich luster to your skin with omega-3 fatty acids by lightly sautéing the fish in olive oil on low to medium heat.
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential healthy fats that help nourish the skin and regulate oil production for a beautiful glow.

Remember to Supplement

It’s important to note that a diet rich in these foods can help you look and feel better, but supplements will provide you with guaranteed amounts of vital nutrients. Try the MyHealthPak Beauty Edition for a synergistic blend of nutrients known to help your complexion.
Well there’s the scoop!
Wishing you all beauty and health.

5 Delicious “Bad Foods” That Are Actually Healthy

If you’ve had high blood pressure for a while, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes or any other chronic disease dominating modern society, chances are you’re trying to eat healthy.
The problem is “what’s healthy” seems to change daily. What was deadly yesterday is life-saving today. Sometimes there seems to be no way to keep up with the changes.
That’s why in this feature article I’m going to tell you about five delicious foods that are often considered “no-no” but have actually been proven healthy both in scientific studies and common sense tests.
These foods lower blood pressure, balance cholesterol and improve your overall health.

Chocolate

Most sweets are rightfully considered unhealthy. Moderate consumption of chocolate has, however, in several studies been proven to lower high blood pressure, improve cholesterol level and deliver several other health benefits.
There is a small catch, though. It’s really the cocoa that is healthy, so you should consume at least 70% dark chocolate. It’s also easy to overdo it. Just 50 grams of dark chocolate is plenty to get its health benefit.

Eggs

Once cursed as the devil’s advocate, new studies have shown that the cholesterol in eggs does not raise your bad cholesterol or promote plaque build up. Not only that, there are even indications that eggs promote good cholesterol.
Eggs also contain high quality protein and are low in calories. They are therefore ideal for reaching weight loss goals. And there are several antioxidant ingredients in eggs that promote your overall health.

Nuts

High in calories, high in fat, doctors and nutritionists alike used to warn against the consumption of nuts. But then studies began to roll in proving that several types of nuts improve heart health, and lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Even the FDA had to give in and allow producers of many types of nuts such as walnuts to mark their products “heart healthy.”
No need to go overboard, but one or two handfuls of nuts daily (despite their high calorie count) have also been proven in several studies not to add to the stubborn belly flab.

Salt

The debate over salt continues. Yes, it’s a fact that a high consumption of salt can raise your blood pressure. But the highest rise in blood pressure ever recorded due to salt intake was only 4-5 points. And we’re talking about extremely high salt consumption.
However, studies are showing that decreasing salt intake does not lower your risk of dying from stroke, heart attack or any other known disease.
Furthermore, it may not actually be the salt that increases blood pressure; but rather, the chemicals added to salt and how it’s processed. There are great indicators that high quality sea salt actually improves your overall health.
What you should restrict are highly processed foods full of chemicals and industrial type salt.

Potatoes

No we’re not giving you a free pass to load your plate with deep fried French-fries. This type of trans-fat is still considered bad.
Chewing on a big juicy baked potato is, however, as healthy as any other vegetable. Yes, it’s high in starch but these are complex carbohydrates so they drip into the blood stream slowly.
We need carbohydrates. But not highly processed carbohydrates like white, bleached wheat and especially not highly processed fructose carbohydrates like white sugar and high fructose corn syrup.
Potatoes are also extremely high in potassium, vitamin C and fiber, which all help lower your blood pressure and improve overall health.

These are just 5 examples of healthy foods that are too often labeled as bad for you.