Why Family Dinner Is Good For Your Health
I have always amazed at how little we know about our bodies
. I mean, we have been living inside these things all these years, yet every week there are new studies that change the way we think about our bodies.This week is no exception. I found some fascinating new research on eating, exercise, happiness and even talking to yourself. Read on for all the juicy details.
How often do you sit down to a family dinner? According to researchers from Rutgers University, the answer to that question could say a lot about your health.
Researchers found that children who eat more meals with their family have a healthier diet and a lower body mass index compared to those who eat out more often (which typically means fast food). Registered dietician Kristin Kirkpatrick believes the same holds true for adults. "If you're eating as a family and you're eating at home, you're less likely to be consuming the huge amounts of calories, sodium and fats that are in many restaurant foods," she says. (YouBeauty)
Now that our 10 month old is sitting at the table, we make it a point to sit and eat with him at dinner. He's just a little bit messier than I, but gathering my family around the table always makes me smile, and now it turns out that just might be good for my heart. A new study from Harvard finds that happy, optimistic people have less risk of heart attack or stroke. Here's the amazing thing: Happiness might actually offset other risk factors, including smoking and obesity. "Even if a person is overweight, smokes a lot and has high cholesterol, they can still benefit from positive emotions," according to one researcher. Amazing, right? This one is definitely worth a read! (Time.com/Healthland)
There are lots of good reasons for exercise and weight loss and heart health are the most common goals but now you can add brain health to that list. A new study finds that sedentary seniors are more than twice as likely as active seniors to develop Alzheimer's disease. Any type of physical activity seems to make a difference, but vigorous activity seems to have the biggest impact. I'm sure you're way to young to worry about this, but Wendy Bumgardner says the lesson is clear: "At any age, get moving to keep your brain healthy." (About.com/Walking)
Last but not least, if you find me muttering to myself in the supermarket aisles, it's not because I'm crazy. Which I may be. Researchers have discovered that shoppers looking for familiar items found those items faster when they repeatedly said the name of the item during their search. Scientists say that language and perception are connected, so talking to yourself can help activate the "visual properties in the brain." (Live Science)
It all starts with the dinner, and dinner starts at the grocery store. Be sure to grab some printable coupons from Coupon Network before you head out shopping!
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