Some interesting facts and figures to inspire you.......

Research has shown that 20 seconds of hearty laughing is as beneficial as 3 minutes on a rowing machine

You are 16 times more likely to suffer from panic attacks if you smoke.

Laughter is the best medicine – The American College of Cardiology: Laughing appears to boost your blood flow, researchers say it may reduce the risk of developing heart disease, but the benefits don’t stop there! Laughing has also been found to help fight infections, reduce hay fever, ease pain and help control diabetes. Researchers found that laughing increases blood flow by more than 20% - similar effect to that of an aerobic activity and has a positive effect lasting 30 – 45 minutes.

Up and Running! At the launch of their campaign “Up and Running” the Mental Health Foundation (March 2005) called for GPs to offer exercise on prescription to all patients with depression. Mounting awareness shows that a supervised programme of exercise can be as effective as anti-depressants in treating mild or moderate depression. 78% of GPs have prescribed anti-depressants in the last 3 years believing that an alternative might have been more appropriate. Two thirds of the GPs polled have said that a suitable alternative was not available 62% because there was a waiting list for the alternative.

You Must Eat This! In May 2005 a Mintel survey reported that almost half of Britons are fed up of being told what to eat! 48% are fed up being told what to eat, 69% complained that it was hard enough to know what foods were healthy, because expert advice changed so often.
Two-thirds of overweight women feel that life is not worth living because of their size – National Slimming Survey. Slimming World found overweight men faced similar angst.

Stress Busters;

Sea view – 42%

Walk in the park – 33%

Smell of fresh cut grass – 10%

Tell us what helps you unwind from a stressful day / situation?