Love Harder AND Live Longer

Study results show that people in good, supportive relationships live longer and have better lives, according to research done by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

In addition, the research also revealed that happy couples look younger and are much healthier than those who are single (making the dating rounds), or in bad relationships.

There are several factors to consider when understanding why happily married couples enjoy life more than their single or unhappily married counterparts.

I. Happily married couples tend to be more sexually active:
Certainly everyone knows that “feel good” endorphins are released when someone is having enjoyable sex with a trusted person. These endorphins help the body to suppress pain and reduce depression. Sex also increases metabolic rates and causes blood circulation in the body to improve (even up to hours afterwards).

And according to the research done by University of Pittsburg Medical Center, About 40% of married people have sex twice a week, compared to 20-25% of single and cohabitating men and women. Over 40% of married women said their sex life was emotionally and physically satisfying, compared to about 30% of single women. For men, it’s 50% of married men are physically and emotionally contents versus 38% of cohabitating men.

II. Happily married couples tend to be more financially stable:
Two people tend to live as cheaply as one and a half person; says authors Linda J. Waite and Maggie Gallagher in, The Case for Marriage. Sharing food, furniture, insurance benefits, cars, and doubling income can be a big boost financially. And, limiting financial stress alone reduces the majority of stress experienced by most people in this day and age.

III. Happily married couples tend to have better health:
Based on life expectancies, nine of ten married men and women alive at age 48 are alive at 65, while only six of ten single men and eight of ten single women make it to 65. (Cohen et al, 1997). And married men tend to have better immune systems (due to regularly cooked home meals), and they go to the doctor more regularly for check-ups (due to most wives scheduling their appointments).

IV. Happily married couples tend to stress less:
Single people always have thoughts in the back of their minds that if they or their children become ill, loss their job, or have an unexpected tragedy…”Then who can they turn to for help?” And, these thoughts alone can contribute to subliminal stress.

What You Should Know About Mercury in Fish & Shellfish

Fish and shellfish are essential to a healthy diet because they contain high quality protein that is low in fat, and high in omega-3 fatty acids. Fish also contains many essential nutrients that are important to a healthy diet.

Fish has been contributed to improving heart health and the proper growth and development of children.

On the other hand, nearly all fish and shellfish contain concentrated levels of mercury in their bodies known as methylmercury.

Methylmercury is a highly toxic organic compound of mercury.

Fish that are higher on the food chain tend to live longer to accumulate larger levels of methylmercury in their system.This form of mercury is easily absorbed by fish, but slowly excreted.

Methylmercury can be harmful for children, women who are pregnant or becoming pregnant, nursing moms, and for young children.

Mercury affects the human body on a cellular level, hormonal level, and enzymatic levels. Therefore, the term micromercurialism is used to describe chronic low-level mercury toxicity.

The signs and symptoms of mercury toxicity can be vague and non-specific in nature.

SOME PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS OF MERCURY TOXICITY:

• Sleep disorders
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Autism
• Chronic fatigue
• Loss of sensation (Paresthesias and neuralgias)
• Amyotropic lateral sclerosis
• Ankylosing spondylitis
• Myasthenia gravis
• Vision, taste, smell and hearing disturbances
• Vertigo and tinnitus
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Parkinson’s disease
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Other dementias
• Hypothyroidism/Cold Extremities
• Infertility
• Poor libido
• Impotency
• Underactive thyroid
• Other Endocrine problem
• Hypertension
• Fibromyalgia
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Gastritis and Colitis


WAYS TO REDUCE EXPOSURE TO MERCURY IN FISH AND SHELLFISH

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, “By following these three recommendations for selecting and eating fish or shellfish, women and young children will receive the benefits of eating fish and shellfish and be confident that they have reduced their exposure to the harmful effects of mercury.

1. Do not eat Shark, Swordfish, King Mackerel, or Tilefish because they contain high levels of mercury.

2. Eat up to 12 ounces (2 average meals) a week of a variety of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury.

            *Five of the most commonly eaten fish that are low in mercury are shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, Pollock, and catfish.

            *Another commonly eaten fish, albacore ("white") tuna has more mercury than canned light tuna. So, when choosing your two meals of fish and shellfish, you may eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal) of albacore tuna per week.

3. Check local advisories about the safety of fish caught by family and friends in your local lakes, rivers, and coastal areas. If no advice is available, eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal) per week of fish you catch from local waters, but don't consume any other fish during that week.

Follow these same recommendations when feeding fish and shellfish to your young child, but serve smaller portions.”

TREATMENTS FOR MERCURY TOXICITY:

General treatment for mercury toxicity is done with the use of charcoal and a cathartic (laxative).

In addition, there are many herbal detoxification programs that are designed to cleanse the body of heavy metals such as excess iron, mercury, aluminum, and lead.

Although the presence of mercury in the body can cause many health issues, Harvard School of Public Health say that health benefits gained from fish outweighs the risks.

According to Maximum Immunity (2009), editors of Prevention Magazine, “In fact, (Harvard School of Public Health) their study reported that overall mortality was 17 percent lower among people who ate fish twice a week, compared with people who ate little or no seafood.”

Therefore, eating fish and shellfish is well worth the risk of toxicity, if no allergies to shellfish exit.

Nutritionist and colonic therapist recommend regular herbal cleanses that helps the body with removal of mercury and other heavy metals that are absorbed from the atmosphere, drinking water, foods, and body care products (such as in some deodorants).