Twelve Different Health Secrets

Advice on health issues is rampant and very often free; everybody seems to possess at least one secret or magical formula for one health-related issue or another. The following tips are not necessarily best described as health secrets. They are simply not as well known nor as well publicized as others. Not yet, at least.

A study conducted at Duke University Medical Center revealed that men with domineering personalities are 60 percent more likely to die at a younger age than men with more laid-back personalities. To increase your chance of living longer, learn to allow others to dominate.

A Brooklyn College study of heart attack victims found that those who owned dogs were less likely to die within a year after the heart attack than those who did not own dogs. In addition, people who own dogs tend to have lower blood pressure when facing stressful situations while they have their dogs by their side.

Drinking purple grape juice can help prevent blood clots. Flavonoids in the grape juice act to reduce the ability of blood platelets to efficiently stick together and cause clots.

Those who experience chronic foot pain should always wear footwear and avoid walking in their bare feet. Walking barefoot can tear scar tissue that has formed overnight, delaying the healing process.

A very simple way to avoid food cravings is to create a distraction for yourself. Whenever you begin to feel the urge to snack, set your mind to a specific task and force yourself to accomplish it. Usually, this distraction needs only 5 minutes before the craving passes.

Take two capsules of ginger root 2 hours before traveling or heading to the fair or theme park to prevent motion sickness.

A University of Colorado study found that ear thermometers are far less reliable than oral thermometers. In the study, ear thermometers accurately detected a high temperature only 60 percent of the time.

A study published in the Journal of Holistic Nursing found that listening to classical or new age music at bedtime can help those suffering from insomnia. Patients reported falling asleep faster and sleeping better once they did fall asleep.

To avoid heartburn, resist lying down on your back for at least 3 hours after eating. The horizontal positioning of the body makes it easier for acid to rise into the esophagus. Another tip is to avoid wearing tight clothing while eating because the construction also tends to back up acid into the esophagus.

Exercising for shorter periods at greater frequency may help improve weight loss over longer exercise periods done less frequently. The reasoning behind this is that the body continues to burn calories after the exercise has been completed, so exercising more often means more post-exercise calorie burning.

Take a hot shower for 2 minutes immediately followed by a cold shower for 2 minutes and repeat through five cycles to bring relief to sore muscle pain. The changes in temperature serves to flush lactic acid from the muscles. Lactic acid is a chemical that contributes to the pain of sore muscles.

Regardless of the specific diet being followed, those who ask for and receive support from family members and friends are more successful in losing weight than those without support. Support can include everything from positive motivation to refusing to allow certain foods into the house. Successful dieters also find ways other than food to enjoy life so that eating no longer becomes their reward.