Possibly the Greatest Incentive Ever for Doing Chores
Time to bust out the shovel, because research proves gardening and housework make for a longer life.
Yeah, we know, it sounds like when your mom told you carrots taste like chips, but seriously, it's true.
As reported by the BBC, researchers at the Karolinska University Hospital in Sweden studied over 4,000 elderly people for 12 years and found that those who participated in activities "in-between sitting down and full-on exercise" lived longer. Activities include fixing up the car, home repairs, cutting the lawn, and blackberry picking.
Doing these sorts of things reduced the risk of a heart attack or stroke by 27%, and death from any cause by 30%. Researchers determined that sitting for long periods of time could lower people's metabolic rate or alter hormones, hence why moving around provides a boost.
The good news from all this is that it doesn't take much to get the juices flowing, and we suggest people of all ages get a head start on longer living!
To show you how simple this can be, here are five ideas to make chores an invigorating blast:
1.) Clean your floors while listening to Queen.
2.) Plant winter vegetables like asparagus, squash, and all jokes aside, carrots.
3.) Get a chic winter coat and walk to the grocery store. If you don't live near a grocery store or have bad luck with bag handles, park far away from the entrance and wheel your groceries with abandon.
4.) Host a painting party, invite your friends, cover the living room walls in red (just a suggestion), and also play Queen.
5.) We second that berry-picking idea, and add that you should bake a pie with your harvest.
More of the Good News:
Doing Good Has Its Perks!
How a 140-Acre Forest Could Change the Economy of Detroit
One Less Thing to Worry About! DiGiorno is Helping Prevent Pizza-Related Car Accidents
