HOW TO LIVE LONG AND PROSPER!

Another prosperous Christmas, and as I said long ago, we should just stay in touch with friends and colleagues, volunteer, and help others when and where we can. Interestingly, I re-read some of the studies of over 1,500 children who were 10 years old when they were first studied in 1921. This study was used to create the most comprehensive longitudinal data on how live long and prosper.

The findings were published in "The Longevity Project: Surprising Discoveries in Health and Longevity from an Important Study in the 1980s." The project tracked children who collected information such as family and relationship history, teacher and parent grades, hobbies, pet ownership, performance progress, education levels, service military and other details. Surprisingly, one of the findings was that people who had the happiest and most humorous children lived shorter lives on average than those who were the least cheerful. It was the wisest and most stubborn people who stayed healthy and lived the longest. According to research, happiness is not the main reason for good health. On the contrary, happiness and health go hand in hand because they have common roots. The most surprising finding is that personality traits and social relationships from an early age can predict the risk of death decades later. Many conclusions do not meet your expectations. For instance:

• Marriage is good for a man's health, but it doesn't matter for a woman.
• Divorce is harmful for men but less harmful for women.
• "Don't work hard, don't stress" - bad advice for good health and longevity.
• Early education is a risk factor for premature death.
• Having enough time for games and having friends at school is very important for children.
• Playing with pets is not associated with increased life expectancy. Pets can improve well-being, but they are no substitute for friends.
• Veterans of hostilities are unlikely to live long, but surprisingly the psychological stress of war alone is not necessarily a serious health threat.
• People who feel loved and cared for report better well-being, but it doesn't help them live longer.
• The most obvious health benefits of social relationships come from sharing and helping others.

The groups you interact with often determine the type of person you will become healthy or unhealthy. This study shows that we can change and become happier and healthier just by taking small steps that can change our lives for the better. It takes perseverance, discipline and hard work for as long as possible. We need to keep in touch with friends and colleagues and we need to volunteer and give to others when and where we can... Good Christmas tip!!