9 Things That Are Surprisingly Good for Your Health
'What are you thankful for?'
"Family." "Friends." "Good health." "Warm food." "A steady income." And so goes the obligatory Thanksgiving roundtable of what each guest is grateful for. While such expected examples are indeed praise-worthy, break the mold this year by offering thanks for the underappreciated or even lamented. You may be surprised to learn what's good for your health.
1. Stress
Family tensions, strained budgets and not enough time can all make the holiday season feel more like a burden than a joy. But temporary stress can motivate us under pressure and may even make us more alert and mentally sharper. In fact, a 2013 study from the University of California--Berkeley found that confining rats to their cages for a few hours (their form of short-term stress) spurred development of the rodents' brain cells and helped them score better on memory tests two weeks later.
2. Your commute
You appreciate your job, but curse your commute. Don't, says Dr. Pamela Peeke, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and U.S. News Eat + Run blogger. Traveling alongside aggressive drivers is a "golden opportunity" to practice patience and mindfulness, she says. If you don't master that, your stress levels rise -- "putting you at risk for high blood pressure as well as self-destructive habits like reaching for junk food to self-soothe when it really gets bad," Peeke says.
3. The prep
A spread complete with juicy turkey, warm stuffing and tart cranberries deserves a genuine "thanks," but so does the process you went through to get it on the table. "Experiences build and strengthen connections, and these positive emotions grow in us and all those we reach," says Rebecca Scritchfield, a registered dietitian in the District of Columbia and contributor to the U.S. News Eat+Run blog. Translation: Give thanks for the quality time you spent cooking with your family -- not just its end result.
4. Spices
Poor black pepper. Whoever mentions this ubiquitous spice when giving thanks? It should be you, says Catherine Taylor, a registered dietitian at VIDA Fitness & Aura Spa in the District of Columbia. "[Pepper is] rich in manganese, which aids in the digestion and absorption of nutrients," she says. "Manganese also helps support wound healing and bone health." Also pour on the chili pepper, which is believed to have anti-cancer and pain-relief benefits, and cumin, which can reduce chronic inflammation and improve heart health, Taylor suggests.
5. Your single status
If you're the only family member at the Thanksgiving table without a significant other, rejoice! Research shows that people who have never married exercise more than those of any other relationship status. And, while marriage is linked with plenty of positive health outcomes, married men are 25 percent more likely to be overweight or obese than their unmarried peers, a 2014 study showed.
6. Nonpaying work
Whether you come to the aid of someone with a flat tire or volunteer regularly, helping others off the clock is linked to lower mortality, better ability to perform daily tasks and lower rates of depression -- particularly among older adults, according to a Corporation for National and Community Service report on the health benefits of volunteering. "When you are kind to someone else, both of you feel more joyful emotions," Scritchfield says. "This works even when you aren't in a good mood -- you don't have to wait to be happy to make someone else happy."
7. Housework
After you've cleaned your plate, the sad reality that Thanksgiving is over sinks in. To make things worse, you're stuck on dish duty. But wait: Housework is good for your health. One study this year, for example, found that older adults who keep their homes tidy feel better physically and emotionally after their chores are completed. Sweeping, clearing the table and washing the dishes also burns more calories than a post-feast couch fest.
8. Your office printer
While "shared office printer" doesn't exactly evoke warm feelings of holiday spirit, it can help your health by "forcing you to get up and walk all the way down the hall every time you print something," says Neal Pire, president of the American College of Sports Medicine's greater New York chapter. Every step -- be it to your printer or from a faraway parking spot -- counts toward your daily physical activity requirements and can help reduce your risk of chronic disease and premature death, according to the surgeon general's call to action to promote walking.
9. Strangers
Friends and family deserve our thanks this season, but so do strangers. A study published this year in the journal Psychological Science found that people who hugged others -- even strangers -- were better protected against stress-induced illness due to their boosted sense of social support. "Indulge in as many hugs as you can this holiday season," says San Francisco psychiatrist Dr. Mimi Winsberg, "and don't underestimate the healing power of holding someone's hand."
Express your gratitude.
No matter what you're thankful for, the simple act of expressing gratitude can help reduce blood pressure, squelch chronic pain and improve immune function, says Robert Emmons, a psychology professor at the University of California--Davis, who studies gratitude. "People who employ grateful thinking bounce back faster following a stressful event because finding blessings in misfortune ... is incompatible with fear, stress [and] anxiety." Giving thanks is also linked to social support -- a health benefit in itself, Emmons says.
