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January 2010 [Volume 9, Issue 1] To Your Health is brought to you by: |
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In this issue of To Your Health:
It's a well-known saying that may actually be true, according to a number of studies. Evidence suggests laughter is a true health promoter, helping reduce stress, boost your heart rate, increase circulation, and even burn calories. For example, laughter helps combat stress, which is well-known to decrease immune-system response. Less stress means a better immune system, making your body less prone to infection and disease. Reducing stress levels also makes it easier to fall asleep, and poor and/or inadequate sleep can contribute to a whole host of negative health consequences. But how could laughter possibly burn calories? It's actually a simple concept, if you think about it: When you laugh, your body moves in various ways; muscles throughout the body stretch and, depending on the strength of the laugh, your abdomen and other areas of the body may even contract repeatedly. Now that's a workout and a laugh all in one! Exercise: Good for You, Good for Baby It's common knowledge that regular exercise is all-the-more important during pregnancy. Why? Well, for one thing, because the combination of developing child, hormonal fluctuations, and other factors means you will likely gain a moderate amount of weight as part of the natural process. Moreover, as any mother will tell you, delivering a baby can be a physically traumatic - albeit joyous - experience; exercise in the months leading up to that day helps strengthen your muscles and heart, which can be placed under severe stress during delivery. Less well-known is that exercising during pregnancy may make for a healthier child. Consider a recent study involving pregnant women (ages 30-35) who were divided into two groups - one group that performed moderate-intensity aerobic exercise for 30 minutes per day at least three times per week, and a second group that did not perform regular exercise over the same time period. The study revealed the following:
Talk to your doctor about the benefits of exercise and which specific exercises are most appropriate to perform (and which are best to avoid altogether) during pregnancy. 11 Ways to Get a Great Night's Sleep
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