We would like to wish everyone a healthy & joyous holiday season!  Remember, make sure you take steps to enjoy yourself and keep a positive attitude.

 

 

Here’s One Good Reason To Keep A Positive Attitude Even AFTER The Holidays

The holidays are a time of joy for many. And for others, they can be a big source of stress.  Either way, new research shows us that you’ll want to keep a positive attitude – long after the holidays and well into the New Year.

Why?

It’s good for your heart and will help you live longer.  Plenty of studies have already been done on the benefits of a positive attitude and how it increases the lifespan of heart patients.

And now, a recent study published in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes adds to the growing evidence that a positive outlook keeps you healthier and living longer.

Researchers in the Netherlands followed 600 patients who had ischemic heart disease. So we’re on the same page, this is when the arteries to the heart have hardened and narrowed, or have been blocked.

The study lasted 5 years and found that those with a positive attitude had a 42 percent LESS chance of dying from any reason at all.

What’s more, those who kept a positive attitude had far less heart incidents that required going to the hospital. [1]

“We should focus not only on increasing positive attitude in cardiac rehabilitation, but also make sure that patients perform exercise on a regular basis, as exercise is associated with both increased levels of optimism and better health,” said Dr. Susane Pedersen, one of the study’s lead authors.

So this holiday season, cheer up. Don’t let external circumstances get you down.

A few things that can help you do this:

1. Practice gratitude every day. Every morning when you wake up, write down in a journal. You’ll want to find at least 5 things you are grateful for. Genuinely feel the gratitude as you write these things down. Then, before you go to bed, do the same thing. This practice alone can go a long way to drastically changing your attitude for the better.

2. Get plenty of exercise. Getting your heart pumping is a proven mood-booster. So make sure to get some exercise in, even if the weather makes you feel like staying at home.

3. Start a meditative practice. Reducing the stress – whether emotional or physical – in your life can go a long way to improving your attitude and outlook on things. So maybe sit and meditate every morning after doing your gratitude practice. Join a yoga class. Maybe start doing Tai Chi. Whatever you find enjoyable. Even just a little deep breathing every day can do wonders.

4. Put things in perspective. Sometimes we overdramatize the problems in our lives. So if something is stressing you out, get some perspective on it. Are things really that bad? Are you making a mountain out of a molehill? More often than not, you’ll find that this is truly the case. Remember the ancient proverb, “I complained I had no shoes, until I met a man with no feet.”

Well, there you have it. This holiday season, stay positive. And then, make sure you stay positive well into the New Year. It’ll help you stay motivated, focused, and much more likely to stay fit, stay healthy, and achieve your resolutions!

And by the way, if you’re serious about taking your overall health and fitness to the next level this coming year, why not take advantage of a Sky Fitness Assessment

During this fitness assessment, you’ll receive detailed information on how to get fit and trim that’s tailored to YOUR body.  For more information stop by the fitness desk on the 2nd level.

References:

[1]. Madelein T. Hoogwegt, Susane S. Pedersen, et. Al. Exercise Mediates the Association Between Positive Affect and 5-Year Mortality in Patients With Ischemic Heart Disease. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes. 2013;6:559-566,

 

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Quote Corner

“There are no traffic jams along the extra mile” – Roger Staubach

 

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Eat Yourself Thin

Simple Baked Apples
(Serves Twelve)

6 apples – peeled, cored and sliced
1/2 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup whole milk
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 2-quart casserole dish, or coat with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Place apples in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix together sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Stir spice mixture into apples until evenly distributed. Fold in raisins and walnuts. Spoon into prepared dish. Pour milk evenly over apple mixture.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 60 minutes, or until soft and bubbly. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 60 mins
Ready: 1 hr 30 mins

Amount Per Serving – Calories: 136 / Total Fat: 3.8g / Cholesterol: 1mg / Sodium: 6mg / Total Carbs: 26.1g / Dietary Fiber: 2.4g / Protein: 1.7g

Recipe from AllRecipes.com.