Optimism – good for business, good for long life
by Jeni Bone on 16 Nov 2009
Believing better times are ahead is not only good for business, but good for longevity. MIAA
The last thing we all need right now is another doom-and-gloom headline. So try this mantra as an antidote: 'Good times are coming'. Experts believe saying it with enough enthusiasm may just prolong your life.
Think it. Believe it. Say it to yourself often - as often as it takes to put yourself in a more positive frame of mind. The experts at RealAge.com – a cooperative of heart surgeons and anti-aging specialists – believe it not only works to put more bounce in your step, but may add miles to your life too.
It's all about attitude, espouses the charismatic and lithe Dr Oz. And the right attitude did a lot for the people in a study. Those with the most optimism - a belief that good things will happen - enjoyed a 14 percent lower risk of dying from any cause during the study, compared with their most pessimistic peers. And the people who saw the glass as half full were also 30 percent less likely to develop heart disease.
The study findings don't necessarily prove that a bad attitude shortens life. But cultivating a positive mood certainly can't hurt you. A positive attitude does a bunch of good stuff for your health, like setting you up to cope with stress in healthier ways (such as meditation instead of drinking). Positive people may also deal with stress better and live longer because they tend to enjoy deeper social bonds than cynical types do.
If you haven’t taken the RealAge test, visit www.realage.com and take the time to fill out the questionnaire to determine your body’s actual biological age. It can be scary, but it lets you know where you can work on your diet, exercise and habits to take the years off.
Now back to the mantra: '2010, good times are coming!'
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