5 Surprising Ways to Improve Your Overall Health

There are some unusual ways to boost your health naturally that are not often talked about. Of course everyone knows to eat right, exercise, and get enough sleep, but what about the other details of your healthy life? Here are five surprising ways to boost your overall health.

Laugh Hysterically
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, laughter and an active sense of humor can boost heart health, decreasing the risk of a heart attack. The study found that people who have heart disease are 40% less likely to laugh in typically funny situations than people without heart disease of the same age.

Although the correlation is not completely known between laughter and heart health, researchers know that mental stress impairs the protective barrier that lines blood vessels, leading to a series of inflammatory reactions. This can then lead to the buildup of fat and cholesterol in the coronary arteries, resulting in a heart attack.

Researchers suggest it could be possible to incorporate laughter into daily activities, just like we do with exercise and other heart healthy activities. Reading something funny or watching a comedy can be ways to bring a bit more light to life.

Dance
Dance can inspire happiness and provide boosts of mental and physical health. Dance strengthens the muscles, lungs, and heart. It makes the bones strong, decreasing the risk of osteoporosis. Mentally, dancing gives you a sense of confidence and can improve your self-esteem. It also enhances the function of the mind and the nervous system. With the improved general and psychological well-being that dancing provides, it can also help boost social skills.

Sing
Time magazine reports that science has been working to try to explain how singing is able to bring people both a sense of calm and an energy boost. Research is starting to show that singing is the perfect mix of soothing the nerves and elevating the spirits.

This may be due to the endorphins that are released by singing. Alternatively, it could be due to the oxytocin that is released during singing. Oxytocin releases stress and enhances feelings of bonding and trust, which possibly explains why more studies have found that singing alleviates feelings of depression.

Water Therapy
Water helps to flush out toxins from the body that are often the root cause of illness, according to Health & Wellness Ohio Medical Center. Drinking water improves bowel movement, increases metabolism, reduces constipation, and improves appetite. Water also works to strengthen the immune system and enhance mental clarity. Doing water therapy requires drinking 5-6 glasses of water every morning prior to brushing your teeth. After drinking the water, wait 45 minutes before eating or drinking anything. Be sure to space the water out as you drink it, as drinking too much water too quickly can lead to water intoxication.

Walk Barefoot
Walking barefoot has gone from a trend of the past, to a scientifically-researched practice. It has several notable health advantages, such as improving sleep, increasing antioxidants, and reducing inflammation.

Walking barefoot on natural surfaces such as grass, soil, sand give our bodies a relationship with the electrons in the earth. When we are in direct contact with the planet, we tend to have health benefits due to its own natural charge.

According to the Journal of Environmental and Public Health, drawing electrons directly from the surface of the earth improves health. In one study in particular, patients who were experiencing chronic pain using grounded carbon fiber mattresses were able to sleep better and had less pain.