New research which examined how college students felt after interacting with furry pets, and documented their cortisol levels, showed that being around furry animals can help reduce stress and improve mental health. The analyses, involving a group of 249 students, revealed that the students who interacted with furry animals registered significantly lower stress hormone or cortisol levels. These students experienced more positive emotions, whether or not they were feeling stressed before the interaction. The resultant reduction of stress hormones may have lasting benefits for physical and mental health.
Heart risks in later life connected to health before 40
It’s been proven that having higher-than normal blood pressure and cholesterol levels during one’s early adult years significantly affects one’s health post 40, raising the risk of heart disease. According to a new study, having 100mg/dL (LDL) cholesterol, or 130 mm Hg systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure of 80mm Hg, or higher, during younger years, increases risk for coronary disease later in life. The study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, took a closer look at the health date of adults aged 18-39 and then 40 and above, and stressed on the need for younger people to make healthier choices right away, as opposed to waiting to make them at a later age.
Working long hours could mean increased stroke risk
A study led by French researchers revealed that working more than 10 hours a day, over a long stretch of time, could put one at increased risk of stroke. After reviewing data from nearly 144,000 adults between the ages of 18 and 69, the study found that 29.6 percent worked 10-plus hours a day, for at least 50 days a year; 10.1 percent said they did the same for over a decade; and 1,224 from the group had suffered a stroke. Participants who did long shifts had 29 percent greater risk of stroke; this percentage increased to 45 for those who continued to do so for over a decade.
Eat 300 fewer calories a day for long-term health benefits
Just trimming out 300 calories a day could be what it takes to reduce risk of heart disease and diabetes, suggests a new research conducted on 200 adults under the age of 50. The target group, comprising people with a healthy weight, was asked to cut down calorie intake by 25 percent for two years; the average calorie reduction in the group was about 12 percent – 300 calories. Along with weight loss, this showed significant improvement in blood pressure, blood sugar and good cholesterol levels. The participants also registered lower levels in a chronic inflammation biomarker, which has been linked to coronary disease and mental decline.
