6 Awesome (and Unexpected) International Cities That are Great for Cyclists

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Green Space Keeps You From Feeling Blue

If you start feeling better as spring begins pushing up its tender shoots, you might be living proof of a trend discovered in data from the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin: The more green space in the neighborhood, the happier people reported feeling.

"Across neighborhoods of Wisconsin, from the North Woods to the cities, the results are striking," says Dr. Kristen Malecki, assistant professor of population health sciences at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health. "Higher levels of green space were associated with lower symptoms of anxiety, depression and stress."

The study, published recently in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, combines mental-health data from the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin (SHOW) and Landsat 5 satellite data from July 2009 that analyzed how much vegetation was present in each of the SHOW census blocks.

About 2,500 Wisconsin residents from 229 neighborhoods answered an assessment that asked them to rate their symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress. The research team, which was also led by Dr. Kirsten Beyer of the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, adjusted the results to make sure they weren't confounded by race, age, income level, education, marital status, employment and other factors.

They found that across all strata of society, people who lived in a neighborhood with less than 10 percent tree canopy were much more likely to report symptoms of depression, stress and anxiety. So, for example, a poor person living on a logging road in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest was more likely to be happy than a wealthier person living on a treeless block in Milwaukee.

Malecki notes that the study gives credence to the "attention restoration theory," which holds that more time in nature restores the ability to concentrate and reduces mental fatigue. This idea is also the theme of the book "Last Child in the Woods," which suggested that indoor lifestyle and more screen time hurt children's attention spans. It also suggests a relatively simple solution to improving the mental health of poor urban neighborhoods: Plant trees and grass.

"The greening of neighborhoods could be a simple solution to reducing stress," says Malecki. "If you want to feel better, go outside."

Research Support

The SHOW project is supported by grants from the Wisconsin Partnership Program, the National Institutes of Health (IRC2HL101468-01), and the UW Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (KL2-RR025012). This research was also supported by the Clinical and Translational Research Institute of Southeast Wisconsin (NIH UL1RR031973.)

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by University of Wisconsin-Madison. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Journal Reference:

1.     Kirsten Beyer, Andrea Kaltenbach, Aniko Szabo, Sandra Bogar, F. Nieto, Kristen Malecki. Exposure to Neighborhood Green Space and Mental Health: Evidence from the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2014; 11 (3): 3453 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph110303453

VIDEO: 6 Smart Home Products Which Will Cut Your Energy Bill

Feeling the pinch when it comes time to pay your monthly bills? Lucky for you there are a few simple steps you can take to cut down your energy costs. With just a few simple and inexpensive products – some of which you probably even already have in your home – you can potentially to knock hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars off your annual energy bill. On top of that, a home that is energy efficient can also dramatically transform how you and your family live by creating a comfortable space that promotes both health and well-being. Watch our video guide above and learn about these 6 smart, simple and affordable home products that will leave you with lower heating bills, a pocket full of cash saved, and a house full of happy inhabitants!


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Operation: Monsanto Stock Plunge and Panic

Do you invest in Mutual Funds? Then, watch this:



http://youtu.be/ovCrpTcfF3M

Lower Your Cholesterol with Beans, Lentils, & Peas

Black bean quesadillas, lentil stew, hummus, and split pea soup: Add these recipes to your cooking rotation if you are at risk for heart disease. A systematic analysis of 26 studies, covering over 1,000 subjects from America and Canada revealed that just one serving—that's 3/4 cup—per day of beans, peas, lentils, and chickpeas can lower LDL cholesterol levels by 5 percent. LDL cholesterol levels, the "bad" kind, are known to be one of the most important risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Beans, peas, lentils, and chickpeas, all of which fall into the category of legumes, lower cholesterol in two ways. First, because they are high in protein, they often displace red meat, which can be high in cholesterol raising saturated fat and trans fat. Also, they are high in fiber and in minerals like magnesium and potassium—all components that are individually associated with lowering cholesterol.

Currently, on average, Americans eat only 20 percent of a serving of these particular legumes daily. This study suggests that bumping that up to a full serving could have big effects. "Research has shown that the 5 percent decrease in cholesterol translates to a 5 percent decrease in risk for cardiovascular diseases, like heart attack or stroke," said study author Vanessa Ha, MSc, with St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto.

If you still think that these heart-healthy powerfoods aren't worth a hill of beans when compared to pharmaceuticals like statins, you may want to talk to your doctor. "Statins lower LDL cholesterol by 20 to 60 percent," explains Ha, "But research has found that if you add multiple foods with cholesterol-lowering properties to your portfolio of foods, their combined cholesterol-lowering ability can add up to that of a first generation statin, 20 percent." While 5 percent may seem small on its own, Ha points out adding more cholesterol-lowering foods has an additive effect comparable to a low dose statin. She recommends also adding oats and barley to your diet.

Need more ways to lower cholesterol with food? Check out these tips for a low-cholesterol diet.

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