A large, new meta-analysis of 33 studies (21,000 people) from the very stringent Cochrane Reviews found that paying people to stop smoking is very effective. Not only were people receiving financial rewards for kicking the habit more likely to quit, they were also more likely to remain smoke-free. The amount was irrelevant: It was just as effective to pay $100 as more than $700. ACCESS…
A new meta-analysis (49 studies) published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings indicates that yoga practice that emphasizes mental relaxation and breathing techniques can have as much of a positive impact on high blood pressure as aerobic exercise: It results in blood pressure reductions as large as 11/6 mmHg, equal to or exceeding those reported for aerobic exercise training. When yoga didn’t emphasize breathing techniques and…
An important new study from the National Institutes of Health is the first randomized trial to show that ultra-processed foods actually drive people to overeat and gain weight compared to whole/less processed foods. Those on an ultra-processed diet ate 508 more calories a week, gaining two pounds over the two-week study period, versus those on the unprocessed diet who lost two pounds a week. Key…
Meditation and vacations appear to have overlapping effects. A small study from the University of Groningen (Netherlands) found that 15 minutes of meditation led to similar emotional states as a day of vacation: low levels of negative emotions such as irritation and high levels of positive emotions such as gratitude. ACCESS THIS STUDY
Two new European studies agree that ultra-processed foods are very bad for your health—and not just junk food, but breads, jarred sauces and frozen meals that are staples for many. A French study (tracking 100,000 adults) found that people who ate the most packaged foods were 23 percent more likely to suffer cardiovascular trouble. A Spanish study (20,000 adults) found that those with the highest…
According to a new study from Oxford and Yale (data from 1.2 million people), exercise is more important to mental health than having money. People who exercise regularly feel “bad” for 35 days a year, while non-exercisers feel “bad” an additional 18 days. Physically active people feel just as good as those who don’t exercise but who earn $25,000 more a year. Three to five…
