Must-Reads from the Wellness World (Week of January 12, 2021)

In Pandemic, People Are Turning to Nature, Especially Women – Neurosciencenews.com, December 16, 2020 People report spending more time relaxing and enjoying nature as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Women, especially, report spending more time outdoors during the pandemic. A Top Neurosurgeon Reveals His Simple Tips for Protecting Your Brain as You Age – Prevention, January 5, 2021 Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains what we…

Wellness Evidence Study: 11 Minutes of Exercise a Day Counters Effects of Sitting; 35 Minutes Is the Sweet Spot

An important new study from global researchers, relying on movement tracking data from tens of thousands of people worldwide, found that people that were the most sedentary were significantly more likely to die young. The good news: It doesn’t take a whole lot of movement to counteract that threat. Just 11 minutes of brisk walking or other mild exercise each day (even for the group…

Must-Reads from the Wellness World (Week of December 15, 2020)

52 things I learned in 2020–Medium, December 1, 2020 A yearly celebration! Always fun to read with invariably a few insightful snippets like: “For the first time ever, Americans are saying they want more immigration, not less,” or “For VC companies in 2004, the average time from first contact to funding was 90 days. Today, it’s just nine days.” Our favorite: 10% of the GDP…

December’s Wellness Moonshot: Express More Thanks

The Wellness Moonshot for December is to express more thanks. Science teaches us that living and leading with gratitude improves our mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health. Gratitude is part of the daily practice of virtually every world faith, according to psychology professor Robert Emmons. A heartfelt thank-you reminds us that we’re part of a human community, brings the spiritual into our lives, helps us forge more…

Wellness Evidence Study: Weight Training Reduces Anxiety

A new study from the University of Limerick-Ireland found that a basic, twice-weekly program of lunges, lifts, squats and crunches (sometimes using equipment like dumbbells) led to 20% better scores on tests for anxiety. The researchers noted that the effect was larger than expected, and with so much anxiety in the world, resistance training looks to be a promising stress-management tool. ACCESS STUDY

Meditation Up 2,900% Globally during Pandemic, According to Fitbit Data

Fitbit recently aggregated its user activity data (March–September 2020) to see how people worldwide are adapting their fitness and wellness practices during the pandemic while gyms have been shuttered and people are forced to stay at home. The data shows that people are desperate for stress relief. Meditation saw a massive 2,900% increase globally (New Zealand saw the largest spike in meditation at 9,017%, followed…