Tucked away in one artery of the Mayo Clinic subway system is a series of posters put together by Mayo staff entitled, 12 Habits of Highly Healthy People. Here’s the list:
1. Physical activity
2. Forgiveness
3. Portion sizes
4. Preventive healthcare testing
5. Adequate sleep
6. Try something new
7. Strength and flexibility
8. Laugh
9. Family and friends
10. Address addictive behaviors
11. Quiet your mind
12. Gratitude
The posters discuss health benefits related to each habit. I was intrigued by the list, because it includes things that have long been promoted by religion (e.g. forgiveness, quieting your mind, gratitude). For example, forgiveness reduces stress and anxiety, lowers blood pressure, builds the immune system, improves heart health, and reduces the symptoms of depression. Here’s more from Mayo on forgiveness:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/forgiveness/art-20047692
I would love to see Mayo publish a book based on the posters. But for the time being, you’ll have to hunt down the list in the Mayo subway!
The Olson Family 