THE WHOLE YOU
4. Spend time with grandkids or other children. Spending time together reaps physical and emotional health benefits for both grandparents and grandchildren, including reducing
1.
Enjoy nature. Spending just two hours a week in nature — hiking a woodland trail, strolling around a lake, sitting on a park bench — can decrease your stress levels, improve your overall health and even increase your life expectancy.
the risk of depression.
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5.
2.
Get a pet. Living with pets lowers blood pressure, eases anxiety and boosts your immune system. Did you know that dog owners walk about 20 minutes more per day than non-dog owners? If you need a more low- maintenance pet, cats can be great for those who travel a lot or have limited mobility.
Tend a garden. Gardening checks many of the boxes that can contribute to good health, such as spending time outdoors, being physically active, contributing to a sense of life purpose and providing access to fresh produce. Gardening may lower your risk of dementia, improve your mental and physical health overall and increase your life expectancy. Don’t have access to an outdoor garden? You can also reap health benefits — and improve your home’s air quality — by tending indoor plants.
3.
Spend time with friends. Enjoying time with friends can stave o depression, help you cope with life trauma such as divorce or illness, and even lead to lower blood pressure and BMI numbers. Bonus points if you and your friends exercise together or o er mutual support for other healthy habits.
6. Hug it out. A good hug from a
loved one feels great. Hugs can also strengthen relationships, lower blood pressure, ease stress, relieve chronic pain, help you heal faster from injuries, boost your immune system, lessen symptoms of the common cold, and ease anxiety and depression.
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MEDICA MAGAZINE | SPRING 2020
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