Friday's Top 5 Tips and Trends

What’s new in the world of natural health? Find out in our newest Tips and Trends blog post!

1. Become a smarter shopper

Do you start your shopping with grocery list and budget in hand, only to end up splurging on products just because they’re on sale? If so, you’re not alone. This new research suggests that we’re a great deal less logical than we think when it comes to purchasing decisions. While we begin shopping logically, emotions end up taking over after approximately 23 minutes, leading to more money being spent.

Common nonsensical decisions that the researchers found us doing includes buying more expensive products when they’re advertised as on sale (even when they were still more expensive than the other options) and only buying one item in “buy one get one free” offers. Next time (especially during holiday shopping!), try to be aware of this research: go slowly, compare labels, and make sure you really are getting the deal that you’re after.

2. Parents fitter than their kids

More bad news about the fitness levels of kids these days: a huge analysis of 25 million children around the world found that they’re less fit than their parents were back in the day. The current generation of kids can’t run as far or as fast as their parents did, suggesting that their level of cardiovascular fitness has significantly declined. This can have major impacts when the kids grow up, as they could have much greater health problems.

Promoting physical activity as a family can lead to better kids’ fitness. Try these quick fit activities or have fun in the winter wonderland outside.

3. Offices install treadmill desks

Now for some good news: a fitness trend that’s growing in popularity is that of standing desks and even treadmill desks in offices. Spurred by new research that regular physical activity outside of work may not be enough to counteract the negative health consequences of a desk job, employers are warming up to the idea of spending money on standing or treadmill desks for happier, healthier employees. Not only that, but many argue that they can increase efficiency.

To cut costs, some offices install one of these desks that can be shared by employees, allowing everyone to benefit for a few hours each day (if they like). Time to have a conversation with your employer?

4. Slow progression of Alzheimer’s with meditation

If you’ve been diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (or you know someone who has), that means that there’s a high risk of it turning into Alzheimer’s disease within five years. But new research has found that meditation may help slow the progression by changing the way the brain works—effectually strengthening it.

You can teach yourself to meditate, but to get the ball rolling, it might be easier to try a guided meditation class or workshop. Many are available through community centres or yoga studios, so ask around and do a bit of research to find one near you.

5. Consistent bedtime and wake time = healthier weight

We already know that getting a longer sleep can help reduce your risk of obesity, but new research has uncovered some other interesting connections between our sleep and our waistlines. Both quality of sleep, and having a consistent sleep/wake schedule are also linked to a healthier weight and body composition.

This means that sacrificing sleep quality for quantity (for example, by using conventional sleep aids or a glass of wine to help fall asleep) has its drawbacks—and we probably don’t want to sleep in too long on weekends either. Check out these alive tips for more healthy sleep advice.