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Being obese, defined as having a body mass index of 30 or more, is bad for one’s health but a new study reported in the New York Times states that being a few pounds overweight could protect people, especially the elderly, from an early death.

Researchers found that while underweight and obese people die earlier than people of normal weight, those who are overweight actually live longer than people of normal weight.

From this study it looks like keeping a healthy lifestyle is more important than losing a few extra pounds. However, the researchers are keen to emphasise that they are not encouraging people to put on weight as there are many negative health consequences associated with being overweight and obese.

In order to enjoy better health it is important to choose a healthy lifestyle by making good food choices, taking regular exercise and keeping blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar under control.

Perhaps we should all stop beating ourselves up about being a few pounds overweight and concentrate more on achieving a healthy lifestyle if we want to improve our overall health rather than just concentrating on what the scales tell us we weigh.

©2010 Quest For Health. All Rights Reserved.

According to the article, “Gossip is good for women’s health, scientists claim“, in the Telegraph regular chats with friends boost the levels of progesterone. Progesterone is a hormone produced by the ovaries. It fights infection and stops the over-production of oestrogen that could raise the risk of cancer. Research by scientists at the University of Michigan has shown that when a woman feels emotionally close to a friend the production of Progesterone is stimulated and thus helps to protect against disease.

So stop feeling guilty about the time you spend chatting with friends and enjoy the time spent together instead. It makes sense for good health.

©2010 Quest For Health. All Rights Reserved.

One big thing that is often overlooked in the pursuit of good health is the importance of happiness.

Dr Derek Cox, Director of Public Health at Dumfries and Galloway NHS in Scotland believes that happiness could be more important than smoking in determining our health. Like doctors everywhere he tried to promote health by advising his patients to give up smoking, eat correctly and take more exercise but he found that this had very little effect on the mortality rate in his area.

He then started to look at the health benefits of happiness. In the BBC news article, The Health Benefits of Happiness he is quoted as saying:

If you are happy you are likely in the future to have less in the way of physical illness than those who are unhappy

Andrew Steptoe, the British Heart Foundation Professor of Psychology at University College London, has found that happier people also have greater protection against things like heart disease and strokes. Studies in the USA have found a similar correlation between happiness and health. Research by Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough show that people who kept a daily gratitude journal had higher levels of emotional and physical well-being.

Sometimes it is difficult to have control over our environment and it is not always possible to take control and direct things in ways we think will make us happy. Financial worries, especially in the present economic climate, effect us all too. However, I think it is important to take a more positive outlook on life.

My sister has recently recovered from breast cancer and she is the most positive person I know. She has had a very difficult time this last decade but she always looks for the positive things in all situations, refuses to dwell on the bad things which have happened or may happen in the future, is grateful for what she has now and actively goes out to find the things which give her pleasure instead of waiting for happiness to find her.

I think we all have a lot to learn from my sister. We alone are the creators of our own happiness. Our happiness should not depend on other people, the material possessions we have or do not have, places or events in our lives. Grab life the way it comes and make the best of it. Count your blessings every day and hopefully we will all live much healthier lives as a result.

©2010 Quest For Health. All Rights Reserved.