It’s a fact, folks

It’s a fact, folks

FirstMed tries to keep up with all the new studies and reports that come out virtually every day. It can be tough work staying on top of what’s new in the wellness world but for your benefit, we’ve assembled 10 reliable health-related facts that just might give you pause for thought.

  1. Drink something hot to cool down

Conventional wisdom may say that drinking something cold will cool down your body when you are hot. But research has shown that this can be so because when you have a hot drink, your body produces sweat to lower your body temperature. Initially, you may be adding heat by drinking the hot liquid, but the amount of sweat that your body produces more than makes up for the added heat. The increased perspiration is key; when the sweat evaporates from your skin, it is able to cool down your body temperature.

  1. Your sweat is mostly made up of water

Speaking of sweat, it is composed mostly of water – about 99 percent. How much we sweat is unique to each individual; factors such as gender and/or age can contribute to a person sweating more or less.

  1. The strongest muscle in your body is ….

Our muscle strength can be measured in different ways. If you are referring to the muscle that can exert the most force, then your calf muscle, the soleus, would win. However, the muscle that can exert the most pressure is the jaw muscle or the masseter. The strong human jaw can close teeth with a force as great as 200 pounds, or 890 newtons.

  1. More than half your bones are in your hands and feet

We are born with some 300 bones and cartilage that eventually fuse together by the time we reach adulthood. The adult human body has 206 bones. Of these, 106 are in our hands and feet. Bones in the arms are among the most commonly broken, accounting for almost half of all adults’ bone injuries.

  1. You can physically see high cholesterol

It is possible to see signs on your body that you may have high cholesterol. Xanthelasmata, or xanthelasma, are cholesterol-filled bumps that form under your skin. It can be an indicator of possible heart disease. The lesions can be found all over the body and tend to appear on the skin of older people with diabetes or other heart ailments

  1. Cholesterol-free can be bad for your cholesterol

Food labels may say that it is cholesterol-free but this does not mean that the food is good for your cholesterol levels. Trans fats, which are cholesterol-raising, naturally have no cholesterol but can be detrimental to your cholesterol levels. Trans fats can be found in many fried foods and baked goods. Trans fat, such as partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, and saturated fats are not good for your cholesterol levels and should be avoided whenever possible.

  1. If you are tired, exercise will help

If you are physically tired, the best thing to do is exercise because it will give you more energy than sitting. Studies have found that the blood and oxygen flow through the body will give you more energy and improve your mood. The increase in endorphin levels can contribute to a feeling of well-being.

  1. Cold temperature can be good for your health

If you live outside the tropics, you know all about cold weather. But did you know that colder temperatures can benefit your health? They may help reduce allergies and inflammation, and research has shown that it can help you think more clearly and perform daily tasks better. The cold can also help lower the risk of disease; mosquitoes that carry diseases such as Zika, West Nile virus and malaria are not around during winter.

  1. Bananas can help improve your mood

A banana has some 30% of your daily recommended intake of vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 helps the brain produce serotonin, which is considered a mood stabilizer. Serotonin impacts your motor skills and emotions. It is also the chemical that helps you sleep and digest food. Eating a banana can help relieve depression and anxiety by stimulating the body’s serotonin levels.

  1. Optimism may help you live longer

Can seeing the glass half-full help you live longer? Studies have found that there is a correlation between increasing levels of optimism with decreasing levels of death from cancer, disease, infection and stroke. This is particularly true for cases of cardiovascular disease. Those who had the highest levels of optimism had an almost 40% lower risk of heart disease.

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