Health & Fitness

9 Health Facts You Should Know

Knowledge is power, especially when it comes to keeping your health in top shape

By Wellness Matters /

Credit: Flickr/@Doug88888

Laughter is Medicine

Laughing out loud can reduce unhealthy cortisol levels and improve your bone density.



Credit: Flickr/Anne

Muscle Loss Accelerates After 30

After the age of 30 we lose about one pound of lean muscle mass every year.



Credit: Flickr/Dangerously Fit

You Are as Fit as Your Friends

There’s a high correlation between the fitness level of the people close to you and your own physical fitness.



Credit: Flickr/Stacy Spensley

Chia Seeds Are the New Flax

Marketing hype is now focusing on chia seeds as a superfood, but flax seeds are just as healthful.



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Your Brain Requires a Lot of Oxygen

Your brain uses 20% of the oxygen that enters your bloodstream.



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Second-hand Smoke Hurts More than Your Lungs

Exposure to second-hand smoke has been found to increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.



Credit: Flickr/Berenice Decados

Your Nails Grow at Varying Speeds

The fastest growing nail is on the middle finger.



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Bubble Tea Has More Sugar than Pop

One cup of bubble tea can contain as much as 54 g of sugar.



Credit: Flickr/PNASH

More Canadians Have High Blood Pressure

The number of people in Canada with high blood pressure rose from 16% in 2007 to 17.6% in 2011.


Originally published in Wellness Matters, Canada Wide Media’s quarterly newsletter on health and wellness.