What the Research Shows

• Antibodies in the saliva that protect against colds are higher on days when people are in a positive mood.
• Church-goers have nearly half the risk of a heart attack than nonchurch-goers, and their blood pressure is lower.
• Deaths due to lack of regular physical activity are comparable to those from smoking, high blood pressure, and an elevated cholesterol level.
• Inadequate social support is as dangerous ot your health as lack of exercise, smoking, and elevated cholesterol.
  
• Patients with chronic pain who had ten sessions of mind-body techniques saw the doctor 36% less in the following two years. They felt more in control, and less depressed and anxious.
• Mentally prepared surgery patients have fewer complications, less discomfort, recover more quickly, and leave the hospital sooner.
• Patients undergoing open-heart surgery who received strength and comfort from religion were three times more likely to survive than those without religious support.
• Nursing home residents who were given more contorl over things such as what to have for lunch or what night to see a movie were happier and more active. After 18 months, they had half the death rate as those who were not offered as much control.
• One group of patients with a deadly skin cancer (malignant melanoma) received a group support and education program for six weeks in addition to standard surgical treatment. They learned about their condition, stress management, relaxation, and coping skills. The group receiving this training had a 60% reduction in death rate six years later.
• Treating premature infants with music therapy (Brahm's Lullaby) resulted in greater weight gain, and earlier discharge from the hospital by one week, producing a savings of $4,800.

From The Healthy Mind, Healthy Body Handbook

100 Weird Facts About the Human Body

So interesting!!
http://www.scribd.com/doc/2466500/100-Weird-Facts-About-the-Human-Body

Something to think about

The average women is 5’5” and weighs 164 pounds. size 12-14

If Barbie was real she would be 6’ tall, 108 pounds and wear a 44DD bra.

Introduction to The Happy Healthy Life

Welcome to my blog! As a Public Health Major I have taken a wide variety of health classes and have learned a lot of interesting and valuable information in regards to living a healthy life. I want to share this information with other people in hopes that they too will be inspired to make positive changes in their life, as well as the lives of their friends and family. One area I'd like to specifically focus on is Mind/Body Health and how stress can physically effect the body. Did you know:

80 percent of Americans say that during the past few years they have become more aware of how their mental health and emotions can affect their physical health (APA 2005)

Two-thirds of all office visits to family physicians are due to stress-related symptoms (American Academy of Family Physicians)

43 percent of all adults suffer adverse health effects from stress ("The Stress Solution: An Action Plan to Manage the Stress in Your Life", Lyle H. Miller, Ph.D., and Alma Dell Smith, Ph.D.)

93 percent of Americans say that perceptions, thoughts, and choices affects physical health (APA 2005)

-Info found from: http://www.apahelpcenter.org/articles/article.php?id=103

Please feel free to leave comments and share anything you feel is applicable to this blog and to other readers!