A new study by scientists at the Nestle Research Center in Lausanne Switzerland has found more about the health benefits of dark chocolate and that enjoying dark chocolate might not just be a tasty indulgence, but it also appears to lower levels of stress hormones in those who are feeling stressed out.

Add this to the growing number of potential benefits to your heart that come from dark chocolate and all those good-for-you flavonoids inside that tasty package, and you’ll be choosing dark chocolate over any other kind.

Enjoying one dark chocolate candy bar daily for two weeks was found in this latest study to actually reduce levels of cortisol as well as the “fight or flight” hormones known as catecholamines in highly stressed people.

So, if you’re dealing with constant stress, a small amount of dark chocolate each day might be just the thing to help you cope.

In the study, the team examined the effects on 30 healthy adults of eating 1.4 ounces (40 grams, the size of an average candy bar) of rich and yummy dark chocolate every day for a two-week period on measures of stress.

Half the candy bar was eaten mid-morning, the other half mid-afternoon. The anxiety levels of the subjects were determined at the start of the study using validated psychological questionnaires, allowing the team to classify subjects as low or high anxiety.

Body fluids (blood and urine) were also collected and analyzed at the beginning and end of the research period.

The result was that those with lots of anxiety who ate dark chocolate daily cut stress hormone levels. The dark chocolate also seems to have a beneficial effect on the metabolism and microbial action of the digestive system.

“Consuming dark chocolate daily can positively impact the metabolism of people that report having high-stress levels,” explains Sunil Kochhar, a Nestlé researcher leading the study. “These results strongly support our ongoing metabonomics research efforts to ascertain the impact of certain foods on human metabolism through the adaptation of gut microbial activities.”

The study appears in the Journal of Proteome Research and was conducted by a team of experts at the Nestle Research Center located in Lausanne, Switzerland.

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Chocolate Removes Stress Continued…

It makes sense that chocolate, which comes from plants, should have some of the same natural, good-for-you substances found in dark veggies.

Flavonoids in this kind of chocolate are nearly 8 times what you find in strawberries, and act as antioxidants that protect the body from damage caused by free radicals.

They also help relax blood pressure by producing nitric oxide, as well as balancing some hormones in the body.

And while chocolate of any kind does contain fats, only 1/3 of the fat in dark chocolate is bad for you. That doesn’t mean indulge all you like… keep your dark chocolate intake to no more than 100 grams (about 3.5 ounces) a day to get the benefits without suffering because of the added calories.

Remember too, that the calories you take in from chocolate must be balanced to get the best health benefits of dark chocolate, by lessening the amount you take in someplace else so you won’t be packing on the pounds while you’re coping with an especially stressful time.

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In 2005 he and his team found that laughter could open up blood vessels so that blood circulates more freely all through the body. The next logical question was would music have a similar effect.

It turns out, music (and not just meditating music) is one of the best, most natural, easily accessible stress relievers out there. Either playing or active listening to music you find pleasing may in fact be incredibly good for your heart and your entire cardiovascular system.

Of course it’s also important to understand that everyone responds to types of music in a unique way – what may be joyful to one, may be utterly horrible to another.

Still, any music lover can tell you that a piece of favorite music can bring out an amazing range of emotions as you listen, physically relax you, even exhilarate (or bother) you.

And who can deny the impact music has when the chorus of a song (loved or hated) repeats through our heads even when we try our hardest to ignore it.

In this latest work, Dr. Miller asked ten healthy nonsmokers (70% men, average age 36) to participate in a four-phase study. Participants were instructed to fast overnight and told not to listen to the music they liked for a minimum of two weeks before the appointment.

The first phase of the study involved subjects listening to their favorite music – everything from rap and classic rock to jazz and showtunes.

The second phase called for subjects to listen to music that made them feel anxious.

In the third phase, subjects listened to audio tapes intended to promote relaxation, and in the forth phase they watched videos that made them laugh.

The phases were administered in random order and scheduled at least one week apart from the one before.

A baseline blood vessel dilation test was conducted at the beginning and at regular points during each session of each phase. All in all the study took about eight months to complete, and involved a total of 160 dilation measurements for each participant. The findings were worth the wait – showing that listening to music you truly enjoy can counter the effects of stress (vessels opened 26%); just as listening to music you dislike can increase your stress and narrow vessels by 6%.

Experts know that long-term stress can cause real problems for your body. Stress causes blood vessels stiffen and become rigid, and as we get older, arteriosclerosis adds to this as a natural condition of the body as it ages.

Blood pressure goes up when blood is pumped through tight, constricted blood vessels, and this increases the risk of heart attack or stroke. Today cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the U.S.

Stress is also known to suppress the immune system, speed aging, contribute to infertility and maybe even re-wire the brain, leaving us more vulnerable to anxiety and depression.

Another study on the power of music out of Stanford University found that older patients diagnosed with depression saw an improvement in mood when visited by a music therapist.

There are hospitals all over the country that use music therapy as a way to help healing. The Mayo Clinic uses music as part of the heart surgery healing program. Relaxing in this way is thought to ease pain, lift mood and improve sleep.

But when it comes to music’s effect on the body, variety is key. “You just don’t get that boost if you listen to the same song over and over again,” Dr. Miller points out. “You need to vary your songs, so when you hear the song fresh, it brings back the sense of joy and opens up the system.”

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Acute stress has been shown to galvanize the immune system, while chronic stress has long been thought to weaken immunity and increase the risk of disease.

For the research, 30 lab mice were exposed to doses of cancer-causing ultraviolet light for ten weeks. The light didn’t cause blisters or burns, but rather left the subjects with only a slight reddening of the skin after exposure.

One group of mice was also subjected to nine periods of short-term stress, confined in a well-ventilated plastic tube that limited how much they could move. This method is known to bring on a behavioral and hormonal stress response in mice. Each stress period lasted 2.5 hours. A second group of mice were not stressed in order to provide controls for the research.

When the stressed and non-stressed mice were compared, fewer of the acutely stressed mice developed squamous cell carcinoma (the second most common form of skin cancer) during the ten weeks that followed the study period. The stressed mice that did develop tumors had noticeably fewer than the non-stressed mice.

“This is the first evidence that this type of short-lived stress may enhance anti-tumor activity,” explains Firdaus Dhabhar, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine, and a member of Stanford’s Cancer Center and Institute for Immunity, Transplantation and Infection.

“This is a promising new way of thinking that calls for more research. We hope that it will eventually lead to applications that help us to care for those who are ill, by maximally harnessing the body’s natural defenses while also using other medical treatments.”

Interestingly, the protective effect wasn’t permanent. After week 22 of observation about 90% of mice of both groups developed skin cancer. The mice that had been stressed continued to have fewer tumors for an additional four weeks.

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Short Term Stress Might Protect Against Skin Cancer Continued…

What’s more, the skin of the stressed mice had higher levels of immune-activating genes than the non-stressed mice.

As the most common form of cancer in the United States, skin cancer can happen to anyone, at any time, even if you’re free from risk factors (fair complexion, family history, severe sunburn or age) known to make this form of cancer more likely. An estimated 1 million cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. this year.

Always talk to your doctor about any growth on your skin that bleeds or doesn’t heal. Experts also suggest you look over your skin (using a mirror as necessary) on a regular basis for any mole, sore or skin growth that appears or changes. Watch for:

Asymmetry – one half of the area in question is different than the other.

Border – the outlines of the area are irregular

Color – can vary from one area to another in shades of tan, brown or black, sometimes even white, red or blue

Diameter – almost always bigger than 6 mm (about the size of a pencil eraser)

The intriguing findings from this research will be published in a future print issue of the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity.

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A key ingredient in this delicious fruit is an enzyme called superoxide dismutase (SOD) that has helpful antioxidant properties known to prevent damage to body tissues. This remarkable enzyme may help to cut the damage caused by oxidative stress, which is the process that releases those troublesome atoms known as free radicals into the tissues of the body.

Melons, it turns out, are a rich source of an extract dubbed “the enzyme of life” when it was first discovered in 1968. It’s believed by many experts to be even more powerful than antioxidant vitamins because it encourages the body to produce its own antioxidants such as catalase and glutathione peroxidase.

The placebo-controlled, double-blind study involved representatives from Seppic France (the distributor of a commercial extract of SOD known as Extramel) working in collaboration with scientists from the University Henri Poincaré and Isoclin to investigate the anti-stress effects of this natural compound on 70 healthy volunteers aged 30 to 55.

Earlier work had shown that there may be a link between psychological stress and oxidative stress, and this team wanted to see if helping the body to deal with oxidative stress might also help people cope with mental stress too.

The lead researcher, Marie-Anne Milesi of Seppic points out, “Several studies have shown that there is a link between psychological stress and intracellular oxidative stress. We wanted to test whether augmenting the body’s ability to deal with oxidative species might help a person’s ability to resist burnout.”

Damage from oxidative stress has been implicated in many diseases – life changing conditions such as cancer and Alzheimer’s disease – as well as how we age. Free radicals come from the natural intake of oxygen as your breathe, interacting with other molecules inside your cells. Beyond what happens inside the body, things from the environment such as pollution, sunlight and smoking can also trigger the production of dangerous free radicals.

The research randomly assigned stressed but healthy volunteers to two different groups. One group of subjects took a capsule with 10 mg Extramel, equal to 140 international units of the SOD enzyme, the other group got a capsule with an inactive starch compound.

Continues below…

An All-Natural Way To Fight Stress – Eat Melon Continued…

The group taking the SOD enzyme reported fewer stress or fatigue symptoms than those who took the placebo capsule. In fact, the positive effects on stress and fatigue was much greater and longer lasting than the researchers had expected.

Taking the enzyme seemed to offer significant improvements to concentration, cut feelings of being tired, lessened irritability and improved sleeping problems.

There was a strong placebo effect in the 35 subjects who got the placebo capsule, though the effect only seemed to last for the first week of the study. This may have been because the levels of fatigue and stress were not out of the ordinary in these volunteers.

The authors suggest that the results might have been more pronounced if subjects with higher levels of stress or fatigue had been a part of the work.

Further research of a longer duration with a larger number of subjects will be needed to confirm these results that this can reduce cortisol levels. In the meantime, a serving of juicy, delicious melon might just be the natural answer to dealing with everyday stress.

To your good health,

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Fat in this area isn’t just awful to look at, its known to be trouble, making conditions like blocked arteries and metabolic syndrome much more likely according to Carol A. Shively, Ph.D. and her team out of Wake Forest University. The research is set to appear in the next issue of the journal Obesity.

Shively and her team had shown before how socially stressed moneys (at the bottom of the pecking order in the monkey world) get blocked arteries faster than control monkeys fed the very same diet but without the stress.

With the latest work the team wanted to learn more about stress, and how something outside your body seems to be turned into troublesome plaque on the inside of your body.

Female monkeys are much like human females in that they aren’t as likely to get heart disease as males. Yet the stressed female monkeys who had the dangerous belly fat were just as likely to develop heart disease as male monkeys.

What this says for women is that if you have visceral fat and metabolic syndrome you pretty much obliterate any protection you get from being female.

Over the two-year study period Shively and her colleagues collected a whole lot of data on female cynomolgus monkeys – ones who were considered under stress and those considered being stress free.

The stressed subjects had higher levels of cortisol, known to be a stress hormone, than did monkeys not under stress. The stressed monkeys also had abnormal menstrual cycles, meaning they were much less likely to ovulate than non-stressed monkeys.

The evaluation of the subjects included a CT scan that identified visceral fat -the medical term for the fat in your abdomen that sometimes sticks out (the “beer belly”), though other times this fat isn’t visible on the outside. Visible or not, belly fat wraps itself around the internal organs.

Even when compared to monkeys, who were the same weight, the CT scans showed that the subjects under stress had a lot more belly fat.

When the team looked at the animals’ arteries, they found plaque as well. High levels of cortisol, over the long term are known to cause belly fat to accumulate, as well as making fat cells throughout the body bigger.

This is what’s known as “sick fat” according to Harold Bays, MD, the medical director of the Louisville Metabolic and Atherosclerosis Research Center who reviewed the study.

“Your body fat can become diseased like any other body tissue,” Bays explains. “Your fat cells are getting bigger and your fat tissue is getting bigger and neither the cells nor the tissues work as well as they should. The fat is sick.”

What’s more, the monkeys with all the belly fat had metabolic syndrome, just like people do. Metabolic syndrome, a problem for an estimated 50 million Americans, is actually a group of risk factors all found in one person and are what put patients at risk for heart disease, stroke and other peripheral vascular disorders as well as type 2 diabetes.

If you’re worried about your own belly bulge it’s not too late to do something about it.

While fat in this part of the body is more worrisome than carrying weight in other areas, the good news is that by making real, solid lifestyle changes (forget “miracle diets” or the latest ab-flattening gadget) and doing a few targeted abdominal exercises you can be rid of that unsightly bulge in no time.

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This according to the findings of a new cross sectional study out of the University of Mainz in Germany that appears in the early online edition of BMC Public Health.

The research team evaluated data on more than 9.000 subjects, 949 who were in debt and filled out a questionnaire that reported a full 25% of those who were in debt also met criteria for obesity.

By contrast, of the 8,318 subjects intended to represent a cross section of the general population, questioned in a 2003 telephone survey, only 11% could be categorized as obese.

These numbers held even after taking into account income level and other socioeconomic factors (age, sex, education) and health issues (depression, smoking) of the subjects.

Socio-economic status is usually measured using education, income and job status; the amount of household debt isn’t usually a part of the mix.

Over-indebtedness is defined as when the level of debt is no longer manageable, a state that’s become all-too-familiar for too many households.

The team found that over-indebtedness was linked to an increased prevalence of overweight and obesity that was unexplained by traditional definitions of socioeconomic status. Still, it’s important to note that because of the design of the study, cause and effect can’t be absolutely confirmed.

“Our survey has shown that there is an increased probability that a private individual who is over-indebted will be overweight, that is, clinically obese, irrespective of whether the other cited socio-economic factors apply,” points out lead researcher Eva Munster, a professor out of the Institute of Occupational, Social, and Environmental Medicine. “We’ve shown that debt can be associated with the probability of being overweight or obese, independent of these factors.”

The team also speculates that obese or overweight people are more likely to lose their jobs, and job loss is the most likely cause of falling into debt.

When it comes to financial hard times, Munster and her team believe that there are lifestyle changes that come with increased debt, things like comfort eating, poorer food choices (energy dense foods like sweets and snacks are less expensive as a rule) and being less active during the day.

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As Debt Increases So Do Our Waistlines Continued…

Lots of times people aren’t aware of cheaper but still good-for-you foods, so they see no choice but to put unhealthy things into their bodies. Not to mention the tremendous stress load people in debt are dealing with each and every day. What’s more, the level of indebtedness affects everyone in the house, adults and kids.

At the end of 2008, credit card debt in America had reached the astonishing $972.73 billion mark, a rise of 1.12% from the year before.

In light of this latest work on debt and health, and the potential for debt to drive more of us to pack on the pounds. If you’re struggling with debt, don’t let this rob you of your health, do all you can to stay healthy. Look for lower cost, healthy foods, be sure to stay active both to burn calories and help with the added stress.

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Job insecurity, financial pressures and constant uncertainty that on top of the hustle-bustle of our everyday lives all contribute to a steadily mounting stress level.

What’s worse, if you ignore stress (prolonged, unexpected or unmanageable) this doesn’t make it go away. In fact, the destructive consequences of long-term stress on the body and mind are all the worse if you don’t do anything to manage it.

With regular reports of gloomy economic numbers, it’s no surprise that the most recent Stress in America survey found that our financial worries are taking a physical and emotional toll on everyone, with working women bearing the brunt of the stress.

Nearly half of the nearly 1,800 adult respondents said their stress levels were up over a year ago. People reported fatigue, being irritable or angry, or lying awake at night because of stress.

Women are more likely to report these stress symptoms than men.

Veterans of the stress management world, clinical professor of medicine and psychiatry Dr. Paul J. Rosch, and research psychologist Deborah Rozman recommend these strategies to cope:

1. Volunteer - not the thing you’d expect to top a list like this, but Rozman insists it’s a great strategy. “Volunteering actually opens you up to possibilities,” she explains. The amazing thing is that there is no shortage of opportunities. Think about a church or local event, a food pantry or soup kitchen, driving elderly neighbors to appointments – All these are examples of ways to get your mind off you. What’s more this will “reopen the heart,” according to Rozman, “because the heart gets shut down when you worry.”

2. Practice appreciation – by changing your outlook, focusing on what you still have, you can do yourself a world of good. Rozman explains. “If you still have a job, appreciate that.” Look for the good in your life and take a moment to enjoy these things, whatever they might be. She contends that doing this will help to bring hope back to your heart.

3. Tweak traditional de-stress advice - do what works for you. You’ve heard about regular exercising, eating healthy, getting enough sleep and the relaxation techniques you might use to calm yourself. “You have to find out what works for you so that you will practice and adhere to it because it relieves tension and makes you feel better,” Dr. Rosch points out. “Jogging, meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, yoga and listening to music are great for some but dull, boring and stressful when arbitrarily imposed on others.”

4. Decrease the drama - that’s around you as much as possible. Even if you can’t be rid of it all, cut some out. For example, Rozman points out that those who are in fear of losing a job might tend to grumble more. This only adds to your stress and makes the environment around you miserable too. “Drama is when we amp up anger, anxiety or fear,” Rozman continues. Rather than piling on to a stress filled discussion, try to change the subject or the tone.

5. Ration your news diet - and you’ll notice the difference at once. The news, now always-on and intent on disaster is full of gloom and doom. Limit your viewing, Rozman suggests, deciding how much you can watch to stay informed without being overwhelmed.

6. Stop the comparisons - they’re hard to avoid in times like these, but they are no help in the end. “Don’t compare the present with the past,” Rozman says. Give yourself time to mourn and heal after a setback. But then you must move on. Instead of thinking about what you’ve lost, think instead about what you can still do to reach your goals.

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Six Secrets To De-Stressing Your Life During A Recession Continued…

By using these suggestions to cope with the stress around you, shifting focus to the positive, you’ll be able to put this troublesome feature of our modern world in its place.

While experts have found that stress can add years to a person, they also know that those who cope effectively have higher levels of good cholesterol.

Finding coping strategies that work for you and keeping a positive, upbeat attitude are the sure-fire ways to manage the stressful situations to come and to help you stop feeling depressed.

To your good health,

Kirsten Whittaker
Daily Health Bulletin Editor

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You’re not alone according to the results of the 2009 Sleep in America™ poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation. The numbers tell a troubling tale:

- 90% of us report some insomnia a few nights a week over the last month
- 16% of Americans stay awake due to personal financial concerns
- 15% cite worries about the economy
- 10% are worried about employment
- 8% report losing sleep due to costs of health care
- 6% worry over the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan
- 3% blame the threat of terrorism
- 3% lose sleep over global warming

“It’s easy to understand why so many people are concerned over the economy and jobs, but sacrificing sleep is the wrong solution,” points out David Cloud, chief executive officer of the National Sleep Foundation. “Sleep is essential for productivity and alertness and is a vital sign for one’s overall health.”

We know this, as up to 40% of Americans understand that sleep is as vital as diet and exercise to staying healthy.

The encouraging news is that only two out of every 10 of us sleep fewer than 6 hours a night and this makes us less able to work effectively, to exercise or eat right.

What’s of most concern is that 28% of those surveyed reported nodding off while at the wheel – a major public safety problem.

If you’re having trouble sleeping, talk with your doctor about what’s going on. And make an effort to practice good sleep habits.

Start by taking a good look at where you sleep.

Look at the mattress and pillow you’re using – how old are they? are they comfortable and supportive enough for you?

Now look at the space itself, is it too bright? too noisy? too hot or cold?

A bedroom that isn’t set up to encourage sleep won’t do any good – you need a sleeping space that’s as peaceful, comfortable and restful as possible.

Once you have the sleeping space set up the way you like, here are other changes to your routine to encourage restful sleep.

- Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, even on weekends, holidays or when you’re on vacation.

- Cut out caffeine, nicotine, chocolate, sugar and alcohol, especially in the hours leading up to bedtime.

- Resist the urge to nap during the day.

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Economic Worries Are Keeping Almost A Third Of Us Awake continued…

- Don’t eat large meals at least 3 hours before going to bed, and limit fluids from late afternoon to avoid repeated nighttime trips to the bathroom.

- Don’t watch the news, or engage in any stimulating or stressful activity within an hour of bedtime.

- Use techniques like deep breathing, progressive relaxation or guided imagery to quiet your mind.

- Wind down with a warm shower or bath, or with a warm, non-caffeinated beverage while listening to relaxing music.

If you cannot sleep, doing all you can to develop healthy sleep habits is one of the best things you can do to give your body the rest it needs. Just as eating right and exercise help you keep your body in good working order… the right amount of sleep makes sure you’re able to rest and recharge so your ready to face the day.

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The American Psychological Association completed a survey called Stress in America, released in October 2008 (with data collected as late as September, just as the stock market was heading downward) found a full 46% of us were already worried about providing for our families basic needs.

Money was a concern for 72%, work for 68%, housing for 47% and job insecurity by 34%.

What’s worse, more of us are reporting physical symptoms from all that stress compared to a year ago. The sleepless nights and a shorter fuse. The wrangling and worry are chipping away at our health.

At these unhealthy (and constant) stress levels, coupled with eating fat and calorie laden foods and dropping workout sessions to take on more hours at work, we’re all taking a pretty big chance with the health of one of our most vital organs – our heart.

What can you do to help yourself?

One of the first, best things you can do is to take better care of your body by eating a healthy diet that gives you the 5 servings of fruits and vegetables experts recommend we eat each day.

Cooking foods at home, instead of using prepared ones or eating out, can help you save money and give your body good-for-you basics at the same time.

Food closer to it’s natural state is almost always more affordable than a prepared alternative – think salad in a bag vs. the old fashioned head of lettuce, tomatoes, radishes and such. Convenience is expensive, and it isn’t always good for us.

But diet is only one part of the heart health picture.

You also need to know the risks your body has for heart disease.

- Do you have a family history of heart disease?
- What are your cholesterol numbers?
- Do you have low enough LDL (bad) cholesterol and high enough HDL (good) cholesterol?
- And what about your blood pressure, is it high or low?

Recognize too that the heart is a muscle, and like other muscles, to stay strong and healthy it must be exercised and exercised regularly. Even just half an hour of walking a day is a good start.

Almost as important, finding a way to manage your stress level is another key to keeping your heart healthy.

You need a positive outlet for all that nervous energy – rigorous workouts or cleaning, meditation or relaxation breathing, hobbies or laughter – all are great for reducing the stress in your life.

Continues below…

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In Stressful Times Like These, Be Good To Your Heart… continued

The American Psychological Association also offers some wonderful, common sense tips for managing your stress level during these uncertain economic times.

During times when money is tight, you might be tempted to put off your healthcare or cut your gym memberships.

But doing this hurts you more in the long run as you feel bad for longer than you have to, and end up spending more time and money getting yourself well (or in healthy shape) again.

If you’re having trouble affording your prescription medications, talk with your doctor.

Often the pharmaceutical companies have programs to help patients get the medicine they need at no cost, or the doctor might be able to supply samples to help you out.

Good heart health also comes, as we all know, from not smoking, and avoiding second hand smoke as much as possible.

Smoking, beyond the expense, greatly increases your risk of heart problems, as well as other dangerous diseases. Quitting now will start you on the road to reduced risk and saving some money too.

It’s easy to allow the bad news to take over and sabotage your health. The trick is to remember this isn’t the first time we’ve faced tough times, and it probably won’t be the last.

We may not be able to control what happens in the economy or the world around us, but we can control the toll it takes (or doesn’t take) on our heart and our health and ensure we stick to heart healthy living.

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The unusual finding is based on data supplied as part of the NIH funded Women’s Health Initiative and is published in Psychology and Health.

Science, much to our surprise (and delight) has delivered up absolute proof that older women who attend religious services on a regular basis cut their risk of death by 20%. Earlier studies had put the number at 25%.

Religious services are known to provide a social network with established rituals and routines that seem to be important to well being, but even when this was factored in, the older women were still less likely to die. This certainly exceeded the expectations of the researchers when they began the project.

“Interestingly, the protection against mortality provided by religion cannot be entirely explained by expected factors that include enhanced social support of friends or family, lifestyle choice, and reduced smoking and alcohol consumption,” lead author and clinical assistant professor of psychology, Eliezer Schnall is quoted in a news release.

“There is something here that we don’t quite understand. It is always possible that some unknown or unmeasured factors confounded these results.”

Researchers from Yeshiva University and its medical school, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, made no distinction as to the type of service, they were only concerned with the regularity of attendance and if services brought comfort.

The team evaluated the religious practices of 92,395 postmenopausal (ages 50 to 79) women participating in the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI), who gave information about their religious practices along with details about behavior and health conditions.

The female participants, volunteers collected from a variety of nationwide sources, answered three questions on religion at registration for the WHI study. These were:

1. Religious affiliation (yes or no)
2. How often services were attended (never, less than once per week, once per week, or more than once per week)
3. If religion provided strength and comfort (none, a little, a great deal)

Subjects were followed for about 7.7 years, and adjustments were made for risk factors like age and health history.

And yet, it didn’t seem to matter, women who went to religious services at least once a week had a 20% mortality risk reduction compared to those who didn’t attend services of any kind.

The service attendees did not, however, show any reduction in death that was specifically related to cardiovascular disease.

Continues below…

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Are these 7 mistakes killing your sleep?

Frustratingly, at least 25% of adults suffer from insomnia -

With around 18 million prescriptions written every year for expensive sleeping pills…

…it’s clear that there’s a national epidemic.

So, what do doctors do when they can’t sleep?

Here’s the answer.

Learn how a retired M.D. Laney Chouest from New Orleans broke his 5-year addiction to Ambien, and now sleeps peacefully without medication.

Also, how a Licensed Psychologist, Sharon Stein McNamara, Ed.D.from Minnesota broke the insomnia cycle.

Click through to regain your energy and finally get a full and restful nights sleep.

Attend Regular Religious Services, Live Longer continued

The press release for the work makes a point to note that the study didn’t try to measure spirituality in any way. Instead, it looked at self reported religious practices of this group of women, no matter what that faith might be.

So, while science can’t explain it fully, and the experts plan more studies, it would seem that whatever your beliefs, having a strong social network and engaging in wholesome “routines” can only be a good thing. You’ll live a richer, and now perhaps longer, life.

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