Is Facebook Affecting Your Happiness?
Researchers from the Happiness Research Institute in Denmark think so. In a recent study, they found that 88 percent of users who quit Facebook reported feeling “happy,” while only 81 percent of those who continued using the social network said they felt “happy.”
Researchers recruited 1,095 Facebook users between the ages of 16 and 76, 94 percent of whom said they visited Facebook daily.
Those who gave up Facebook felt “more enthusiastic, less lonely, less worried, and more decisive,” and said that quitting allowed them to spend more time with family and friends.
Read more at
www.mindbodygreen.com/0-22537/science-says-you-should-probably-quit-facebook-heres-why.html.
New App Promotes Healthy Eating
Have you ever spent too much time in the grocery store reading labels and trying to decide what items to buy based on your or your family’s nutritional preferences?
Ipiit, a new app for Android and iPhone, lets consumers create personal profiles based on allergies or food preferences. Users can scan barcodes with their smartphones, and the app instantly indicates whether a scanned food fits within their dietary parameters and is safe for them to consume. Additional features include food comparison, product ratings, and social sharing functions. Learn more at www.ipiit.com.
Brisk Walks May Help Reduce Risk of Heart Disease
Walking 20 minutes a day may cut your risk of heart disease by as much as 30 percent, according to the November 2015 issue of Harvard Heart Letter.
The key factor for most people is finding the motivation to start, and stick with, a regular walking program. One of the best ways to do that is to find walking buddies, says Lauren Elson, MD, physical medicine and rehabilitation instructor at Harvard Medical School. “I find that if I can get someone to walk with a partner—a spouse or a friend—that helps a lot.”
Brisk walking is defined as moderate intensity: your breathing rate should increase, but you should still be able to speak in full sentences.
When you begin a walking program, you should plan to start slowly and work gradually toward better fitness, especially if you haven’t exercised in a while.
Read the full article at www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/marching-orders-how-to-start-a-walking-program.