Now
I got to admit, for me this is a bit counter-intuitive. Can you imagine eating
seven (7) helpings of fruits and vegetables a day and being happier than with, say, one or two
helpings a day? Figuring out how to make, let alone eat seven (7) helpings a
day gives me a headache.
But
a 2012 study from the University of Warwick reports that, “Happiness and mental
health are highest among people who eat seven portions of fruit and vegetables a
day.”
My
initial thought was, “Ok, they talked to a dozen (12) people in a couple of
focus groups and extrapolated…or maybe even exploited the findings.”
I
was wrong.
According
to an article in ScienceDaily.com, “Economists
and public health researchers from the University of Warwick studied the eating
habits of 80,000 people in Britain. They found mental wellbeing appeared to
rise with the number of daily portions of fruit and vegetables people consumed.
Wellbeing peaked at seven portions a day.”
Somehow,
I’ve never thought of Brits as big veggie eaters: drinkers – yes, veggies – no.
I
felt somewhat vindicated and better about the research findings when the
researchers admitted that “In Britain today, a quarter of the population eat
just one portion or no portions of fruit and vegetables per day. Only a tenth
of the British population currently consume the magic number of seven or more
daily portions.”
Somehow
a tenth seems high for us Americans.
I
felt I needed to write about this because almost every brain tumor victim or
caregiver or friend or relative I know or have met really needs better mental
health or to be happier, usually both.
Will
I be eating seven (7) helpings? I doubt it.
Here’s
a link to the ScienceDaily.com article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/10/121009102003.htm
And
here’s a link to the original press release issued by the University of
Warwick: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/pressreleases/7-a-day_for_happiness/
Image
credit: <a
href='http://www.123rf.com/photo_18988597_composition-of-fruit-and-vegetables-framed-in-wood.html'>franckito
/ 123RF Stock Photo</a>
No comments:
Post a Comment