Your Health
2 Adopt a pet Whether finned, feathered or furry, pets are good for your health.
People who own pets have healthier hearts
and make fewer visits to the doctor. During
times of stress, a pet can lower blood pressure. Pet owners are more physically fit and
tend to be less lonely or fearful than those
without pets. And if you want to get in shape,
dogs make better exercise partners than humans—they never want to skip a walk. “
Animals provide us with much of the same kind
of social support that people do,” says Alan
Beck, director of Purdue University’s Center
for the Human-Animal Bond. And they’re
always there when you need them.
3 Choose chocolate The sweet
news about chocolate—that once-guilty plea-
sure—is that it has now become a darling of
the heart-healthy-diet family. How does it
work its magic? Dark chocolate is rich in plant
compounds called flavonoids, natural anti-
oxidants that help the body’s cells resist dam-
age that may contribute to cancer and other
maladies. In addition to their antioxidant
properties, flavonoids help lower blood pres-
sure, improve blood flow to the brain and
heart, raise “good” HDL cholesterol levels and
lower “bad” LDL levels—all of which protect
against heart attack and stroke. To reap its
benefits, “choose dark chocolate that contains
at least 70 percent cacao, or cocoa,” says Rich-
ard Stein, M.D., professor of medicine at New
York University School of Medicine. “Re-
searchers don’t yet know the exact amount to
advise, so limit yourself to about an ounce a
day.” Remember, dark chocolate has calories.
4 Savor your coffee If you’re a hardcore cofee drinker, scientists have some good
news for you. For older adults, cofee—regular
or decaf—appears to lower the risk of dying
from chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart
disease and pneumonia, according to new research from the National Institutes of Health.
Other research concludes that cafeinated coffee may protect against skin cancer, liver damage, type 2 diabetes and Parkinson’s. And research from the University of South Florida
and the University of Miami finds that three
cups of cofee a day may protect against Alzheimer’s disease or delay its onset. So if cofee
doesn’t keep you awake at night or give you
agita, enjoy that cup of joe—just go easy on the
cream and sugar.
5 Raise a glass of wine or beer
A glass of wine, either red or white, is heart-healthy. There’s also good news for those who
would rather have a beer instead of a Beaujolais: Beer is good for the heart, according to
research published in the European Journal of
Epidemiology. Although scientists still don’t
know whether the protective efects come from
the alcohol itself or from some nonalcoholic
component, they agree that both beverages also
protect against diabetes and certain types of
cancer. But remember: The key to drinking either wine or beer is moderation—one glass a
day for women, two for men. More than that
can cause serious problems.
6 Have sex The most damaging myth
about older adults is that aging means saying
good-bye to sex. On the contrary: In a national survey of more than 3,000 men and women
ages 57 to 85, more than half of those 75 to 85
said they have sex more than two or three
times a month, and 23 percent claimed to have
sex at least once a week. The benefits? Sex
causes the brain to release endorphins, the
feel-good chemicals that act as painkillers and
reduce anxiety. Sex also prompts the release
of substances that bolster the immune system.
What’s more, sexual activity is associated with
lower levels of depression in both men and
women, according to a study in the journal
Society and Mental Health.
7 Listen to your favorite music
We can hear music even before we’re born,
and we continue to respond to it all our lives.
Indeed, music profoundly afects health. Listening to your favorite music may be good for
your heart. Emotions aroused by joyful music
cause tissue in the inner lining of blood vessels
to expand, increasing blood flow,
researchers at the
University of
Maryland School
of Medicine report. Music also
brings on sound
sleep, boosts mood
and reduces anxiety. And studies show that patients feel less
pain and need less pain medication after surgery if they listen to music while recuperating.
Neuroscientists hope to discover why music
afects us the way it does. But for now, just play
your favorites, sit back and enjoy.
8 Take a nap A midafternoon nap can
help improve mood, memory, alertness and
learning—and it won’t interfere with your
nighttime zzz’s, according to New York’s Weill
Cornell Medical Center. Naps come in diferent lengths. Researchers at the University of
California, Berkeley, find that a 90-minute
siesta clears the brain’s short-term memory
storage center and makes room for new information. Snoozing for 20 minutes improves
alertness and performance without leaving
