Avoiding the Modern Plague of Noise Pollution

Noisy aircraft and highway traffic. What could happen?

Noise pollution characterizes modern society: busy highways and railroads, bad commute traffic, aggressive motorists, construction, manufacturing plants, loud TVs, vacuum cleaners and neighbours. These are numerous, pervasive, persistent and socially significant.

You probably know about the ill-effects of processed food, lack of exercise, mental fatigue, but have you thought about the long-term consequences of noise pollution?

Recent studies show the health effects:

“The Blue Zones, Second Edition” book review

Is there a recipe to live past 100, and at the same time have a good quality of life?

That’s what Dan Bruettner tries to investigate in his book entitled “The Blue Zones, Second Edition: 9 Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who’ve Lived the Longest”.

With his team, Dan went to Barbagia in Sardinia (Italy), Ikaria (Greece), Okinawa (Japan), Loma Linda (California, United States), Nicoya (Costa Rica). These have relatively a high percentage of centenarians, and low occurrences of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes or COPD. Dan interviewed them on their diet, daily lifestyle, social networks and various habits. His findings are then discussed with doctors and health experts.

So how do you live a good life past 100?

Cancer : Working Against the “Bad Luck”

In my personal opinion, cancer is the worst type of disease.

I remember a friend who was diagnosed cancer. She was your typical urban geek : front-end programmer at a popular tech startup, lover of yoga, non-smoker, vegan and commuting by bike to work.

She is the kind of hip person you see around the latest bio-vegan-gluten-free coffee shop. You think they’d keep forever their slim waists and healthy composure.

Yet the worst came.

Walk in the forest

Medical conditions like chronic stress, fatigue, hypertension, anxiety, depression are common. Yet medications for them are costly, have adverse effects, lower quality of life and lower longevity.

An innovative and smart idea might just be walking in the nearby forest.

Like meditation or yoga, many make fun of forest walking. “Now that’s for hipsters”. “That’s what my grandpa would do”. “There’s a sucker born every minute”. It’s more trendy to sweat in the gym. Or relax by going to the local Starbucks and please yourself with a Venti Pumpkin latte. At least you can put those on Instagram and share how busy and connected you are.

Right?