10 Reasons You're Healthier Than You Think

10 Reasons You're Healthier Than You Think

Convinced everything you do is unhealthy? Fitness explains why hanging out with friends and other staples of your weekly routine are actually good for you.

1. You hang out with friends two or three times a week. Research shows that women with large social networks of six close relationships or more weighed less and had lower rates of smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure and depression than those with fewer friends.

2. You drink three cups of coffee a day. Consuming three eight-ounce cups of coffee daily can cut your risk of Parkinson's disease by 40% and slash your risk of Alzheimer's 20%.

3. You rented Wedding Crashers - again - this past weekend. Laughter really is the best medicine and can be as healthy as exercise. Research suggests that watching a funny movie can cause viewers' blood vessels to expand more effectively.

4. You never sleep for eight hours. Seven hours of sleep is ideal for your health. Women who slept more than eight hours or less than four have been found to have at least a 15 percent increased risk of dying.

5. You take your lunch hour. A 15-20 minute outdoor break can boost your mood, increase productivity and even prevent disease. Exposure to sunlight can increase vitamin D production and reduce the risk of colon, breast, prostate and ovarian cancers.

6. You brush twice a day. Brushing your teeth not only preserves teeth and gums, but also may protect against stroke and heart attack.

7. You wear a sports bra when you work out. Running a mile without wearing a sports bra can cause breasts to bounce nearly 472 feet. To reduce stress on the outer skin and connective tissue, wear a sports bra that fits well and make sure to replace it every six to nine months for optimal elasticity.

8. You read the newspaper this morning. Your twenties and thirties are the best time to build brain power. Aim to do mentally challenging activities at least three times a week.

9. You had sex last night. Lovemaking can help reduce stress. Blood pressure has also been proven to increase less in those who have had sex.

10. You eat cereal for breakfast. People who ate cereal for breakfast felt more positive, performed better at memory-related tasks and were less stressed than those who had a cup of coffee, according to studies. Cereal may also ward off colds, as those who eat it report fewer respiratory illnesses.

HOW TO MAKE ANYONE FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU

HOW TO MAKE ANYONE FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU

Form author Tracy Cox, here are Five Ways To Make Anyone Fall In Love With You:

1. Hang Around Lots ... but Then Be Unavailable. Several studies show repeated exposure to practically any stimulus makes us like it more (* except the "You're Beautiful" song). So, find lots of excuses to spend time with him. And just when you're convinced you've won them over and they like you, start being a little less available. And then even less, until they hardly see you at all. You've now effectively instigated the "law of scarcity." People want what they can't have.

2. Don't Do Nice Things for Them. Let Them Do Nice Things for You. If you do something nice for someone, it makes you feel good on two levels. You feel pleased with yourself and extra-warm toward the person you've just spoiled. When we're infatuated with someone, we're desperate to do nice things for him. You're much better off letting him spoil you.

3. Stare Into Their Eye. If you look at someone you like 75 percent of the time when they're talking to you, you trick their brain. The brain knows the last time that someone looked at them that long and often, it meant they were in love. So it thinks OK, I'm obviously in love with this person as well, and starts to release phenylethylamine (PEA). PEA is a chemical cousin to amphetamines and is secreted by the nervous system when we first fall in love. PEA is what makes our palms sweat, our tummies flip over, and our hearts race. The more PEA the person you want has pumping through the bloodstream, the more likely he is to fall in love with you.

4. Don't Look Away. If someone else joins your conversation while you're looking at each other, don't look away. If you do this to someone who's not in love with you (yet), you trick his brain into thinking he is, and even more PEA floods into his bloodstream.

5. Make Your Pupils Bigger. Scientists showed two sets of pictures of a woman's face to men. The photograph was identical, except for one thing; the pupils in one set had been doctored to make them larger. When shown the doctored photograph, men judged the woman as twice more attractive than when shown the real photo. It was repeated with a man's face and tested on women and gave the same result. You can't consciously control your pupils, but if you set the mood with a darker space, your pupils will naturally become bigger.