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With high crime rates, traffic congestion, and long commutes, the quality of life in most major cities may exclude them from being the best places to live. Yes, you are close to a lot of different amenities, but you can get many of the same benefits without the hustle that can cause so much stress.

1. Vienna
Vienna has been considered the best place to live since 2009, and with all of the history, that doesn’t sound too bad. Vienna has the largest population in Austria and quite a bit of cultural, economic, and political diversity. Vienna transforms the old to new, and they won the urban planning award in 2010 for improving living conditions across the city.

2. Zurich
The largest city in Switzerland, you have access to many different amenities. This particular city offers the economic backbone of Switzerland offering 1/9 of the total jobs. Low tax rates attract businesses and individuals alike, and overseas company have also set up shop here. There are 82 banks here, and this is also Switzerland’s biggest tourist destination. Zurich has a lakeside location combined with many leisure activities.

3. Auckland, NZ
Auckand is found in a beautiful country and houses 1.35 million people, which makes up 30% of the country’s total population. 63% of residents are European and Maoris and Pacific islanders make up about 24%. Auckland has 11 extinct volcanoes, two harbors, and the largest boat ownership per capita in the world. This is also the second safest city in the Asian region. Singapore is #1.

4. Munich
The third largest city in Germany, Munich is one of the key economic centers of the country. This city houses some of the biggest businesses including the engineering firm Siemens and the insurer Allianz. As the population has aged, this city does have a shortage of skilled laborers, even though there is an extremely prosperous economy.

5. Dusseldorf, Germany/British Columbia
In a tie, Dusseldorf is 7th in line in Germany for having the highest population. Dusseldorf has a high center of fashion and trade fairs, and this is one of the top telecommunications centers in the country. Dusseldorf also comes with Hewlett Packard and Nokia Siemens.

British Columbia on the other hand is the only Canadian city to rank. It is known as one of the most livable cities in the world in the past decade and ranked in the top 5 in the Mercer quality of life survey for the past 5 years straight. Vancouver has one of the mildest climates in Canada, even being quite pleasant, and the city is famous for green building, snowy mountains, water, etc.

Everybody from scientologists to health enthusiasts have been known to tell us all about how toxins can harm our bodies, and ultimately, how toxins can drag us down and cause us stress. There are of course skeptics, and there are medical professionals who are unsure of the benefits of detoxes. However, no one has disputed the harmful effects of things like air pollution, processed foods, and other things that supporters claim toxify your body. However, whatever you think, there are a few easy ways to detox your life. At the very least, avoiding certain types of extra steps like sleeping pills might help.

1. Buy different sheets
Something as simple as buying new sheets could get you in a more comfortable position and help you to avoid sleeping pills. Of course, this is not enough for everybody, but for some, the difference is just that small. Untreated cotton sheets taken from the dryer can make a more significant difference than you might think.

2. Avoid pressed woods
Pressed woods can contain formaldehyde, and avoiding these woods can help you to detoxify your life without much effort from you according to Dr. Laura Beane Freeman PhD, an investigator with the National Cancer Institute. In fact, Dr. Freeman has actually linked the formaldehyde in these woods to myeloid leukemia in factory workers.

3. Use a hose in your garden
If you happen to grow your own gardens, try something as simple as spraying your harvest with a hose instead of dousing your lawn with chemicals. It can be just as effective in certain ways, and herbacides made with corn gluten meal or vinegar can again be just as effective without all of the chemicals. You can also try setting your lawn mower to 3 inches or longer.

4. Choose organic foods
There are a lot of people who have never necessarily believed in the effects of organic foods, and there are quite a few people who believe that it’s just another way to charge you more. We can even see that logic. However, when you eat organic foods as it turns out, you consume fewer pesticides, which is actually healthier.

5. When it comes to dry cleaning
Cleaning fluid used in dry cleaning can lead to headaches, liver damage, and serious kidney damage. Eventually, this can even lead to problems with uterine cancer in lab animals. You should look for “wet cleaning” or carbon dioxide methods. However, if you choose to dry clean, make sure to keep clothes bagged on the way home and then air clothes out outside or in an apartment stairwell for an hour without the bags.

Many who are looking for ways to live longer have found that lower levels of stress can add years to one’s life. However, there are quite a few things that go into stress if you haven’t already noticed, and there are quite a few other things to consider if you want to live a lot longer.

So here are a few tips if you want to help yourself out:

1. Control your portion sizes
People who are obese or overweight are more likely to die younger, and those who overeat are more likely to be obese or even slightly overweight. So therefore, if you want to live longer, you should avoid overeating, try to control your portion sizes, and therefore have better control over your wieght.

2. Have Sex
Having sex regularly, even 2-3 times per week can be enjoyable. However, sex can also be a great stress reliever, adding years to your life as it burns calories, sometimes comparable to running for 30 minutes. Regular sex can lower blood pressure, improve sleep, boost immunity, and improve heart health.

3. Don’t watch as much TV
Cutting out just an hour a day of TV can significantly help you to improve your health. A 2010 study showed that people who watch 4 hours of TV or more per day were 46% more likely to die period as compared to those who only watched 2 hours a day. Experts estimate that an extra hour of TV per day increases your risk of dying by 11% and your risk of dying specifically from heart disease by 18%.

4. Avoid the sun or put on a hat
Putting on a hat, a little sunscreen, or otherwise protecting yourself from the sun can make a big difference. It can prevent wrinkles, fine lines, saggy skin, and skin cancer. It is never too early or for that matter too late to start on this kind of approach, and frankly, if you can, you should start earlier rather than later.

5. Have more friends
Especially for the elderly, who are more prone to depression anyway, having friends and close family can be vital to your health and a longer life. Loneliness can actually lead to inflammation and high cholesterol, even moreso than those who smoke or have high cholesterol.

6. Drink a little
Don’t drink a lot. The liver damage and other problems that happen over time is not worth it if you drink a lot. However, drinking in moderation can actually be healthier for you. Studies have shown that those who drink a glass of wine a day have lower rates of heart disease than those who do not drink at all.

When Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, medical experts stated that he had the heart of a 60 year old man, which could have eventually lead to an early death due to all of the stress that came with the 13 year civil rights movement that he effectively led. Judging by changes in hair color that seem inevitable for US Presidents, you would think that these individuals would have the same problems, especially when times are hard as they have been for Obama and other presidents before him. Just think about events like Pearl Harbor for example, which is being memorialized today by the way.

However, as it turns out the idea that US presidents die earlier due to the stress is actually a myth. Vice president Cheney did suffer heart problems during his run as vice president, but that was a pre-existing condition.

Even though presidents clearly show signs of premature aging such as accelerated wrinkles and gray hair that increases with every year in office, US presidents actually live much longer than their peers in the same age groups according to a new study released on Tuesday.

According to S. Jay Olshansky, a demographer at the University of Illinois in Chicago, “Just because they experience what would appear to be accelerated aging outwardly, doesn’t mean they will die any sooner.” His study currently appears in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Media coverage of President Obama’s 50th birthday in his hometown of Chicago sparked the interest, especially with the 44th US President’s gray hair and deepening wrinkles that are hard to mistake. It is a common belief that presidents in office age at twice the rate the rest of us experience, leading to the conclusion that these individuals would die earlier. However, when he tested that theory, the theory turned out to be completely false.

Olansky specifically calculated how long a former US president should live based on their age, the year they were inaugurated, and how long they spent in office and compared it to how long they actually lived. The four assassinated presidents were excluded from this study, because there is no way to logically tell how long they would have lived were they not assassinated.

This researcher estimated the expected lifespan by subtracting 2 days for every day in office, and estimated that a four year term would cut a president’s estimated life expectancy by 8 years. However, despite our thoughts on the subject, 23 of the 34 recorded US presidents who died from natural causes did not have a shorter lifespan because of their presidency. In fact, they outlived many men of their same age and era.

To give you an idea of what this means, the first eight US presidents reached an average age of 79.8 when the life expectancy at that time was actually less than 40. This could be related to better living conditions despite the stress and higher income levels. The average president at that time could definitely be considered to be rich, rich enough to afford regular and better quality food. Not working in the fields or in other areas of manual labor could factor in. However, how do you explain later presidents who have continued this tradition despite more equal and even living conditions with the general public, at least when it comes to eating?

The average president is actually 55.1 years old before holding office, which means that they have gotten through most of their younger years before taking office, and that is not something to ignore. However, it is important to note that not all presidents have done as well. There have been 11 who died earlier than expected, averaging 62.1 years when the average estimated lifespan should have been 67.78 years.

Racism has been extensively studied in many different settings as a major cause of stress, but it has only been recently that scientists have officially connected racism to health problems. While we have long known that stress can increase blood pressure, cholesterol, etc., the scientific community has never really connected stress associated with racism with the fact that many African American and other minority communities have a higher rate of heart disease and other similar conditions.

We have always blamed it on things like diet patterns, fried foods, etc. However, there are actually 66 previous studies that have studied more than 18,000 black adults assessing their response to the stress and trauma associated with racism. Studies have separated out groups who respond with somatization, interpersonal sensitivity and anxiety, etc. Somatization has simply become the higher focus, because we want to know if stress is really connected to serious and even life threatening health problems on more of a global level.

When combined, these studies were examined and the results published online in the Journal of Counseling Psychology, suggesting that racism could be positively linked to the disparity between blacks and other Americans when it comes to things like heart disease.

According to lead study author Alex Pieterse from the University of Albany, “The relationship between perceived racism and self-reported depression and anxiety is quite robust, providing a reminder that experiences of racism may play an important role in the health disparities phenomenon.”

Is This True?

There are some who would argue the validity of this study, because while stereotyped to be more adaptive, Asians and many other racial minorities face many similar struggles against racism. Native Americans in particular have been depicted as a “lost” group who never recovered from the European invasions of early America.

Asians typically have lower rates of heart disease and other obesity related diseases, and while Hispanic groups and Native American groups generally have higher rates of obesity related disease, it is also recognized that certain unhealthy dietary habits are more common in both groups, and alcoholism is a more common issue among some Native American populations. In other words, while stress is a contributor, it is possible to say that there really isn’t a significant difference between the amount of stress placed on many different minority groups.

Based on that, this rule should apply to all minority groups with minority groups changing depending on the country. For example, Caucasian citizens’ rates of heart disease, diabetes, etc. should significantly spike in countries that are not primarily populated by other Caucasians. So far, there is no research to support that kind of worldwide standard.

In this economy, many have faced the trouble involved with unemployment or being laid off. Things don’t always turn out the way you want, despite your best efforts, and sometimes you just have to face change. Unfortunately, this can cause quite a bit of stress, how are you going to pay your bills, how are you going to find another job, etc. The best thing that you can do is to take a minute, step back, and evaluate. People take different approaches, but it’s completely possible to get through it and move on with life.

1. Try Taking a Vacation
Losing your job is a lot to take in, but more and more, people are taking vacations to recupe and figure out where they want to go with things. A vacation gives you time to relax and get back in your right mind before you get back on your way to a new career or even part time job.

2. Take a Spa Day
A spa day is typically relaxing and it is cheaper than a full vacation. If you don’t feel that you have the money for that kind of thing, take a minute and relax for a couple of hours at the spa.

3. Get on the Web
The web is chalked full of job offers and advertisements. Take initiative and start looking for jobs when you are ready, applying with a lot of different companies.

4. Revamp Your Resume
Chances are you haven’t really looked at your resume since you got a job. Clean up your resume, make sure all of the information is up to date, etc. You wouldn’t be the first person to have an old number on your resume or otherwise, old and outdated information.

5. Take a Look at Your Closet
Looking professional is a must if you want to get a job. So make sure that you look nice, that your wardrobe is professional, and that you are otherwise ready to go and compete with others who may be applying for the same positions.

Holidays are the most stressful time of year, and it has been said before, many were basically created by the card companies (sometimes based on old Greek celebrations) to sell more merchandise. In fact, Christmas is said to have the highest rates of reported suicide. Go figure.

It’s not that some people don’t like the holidays, and it’s not that we can’t get anything good out of them, but it puts a lot of pressure on the average individual, for what exactly? Essentially, there are reasons why people are so stressed.

1. A Short Process
We put all of this effort in and we plan the whole year long in some cases for things like Christmas, we spend hours slaving over a meal for Thanksgiving, all for what, one day, two if you count Christmas Eve. It seems pretty ridiculous if you take out all of the sentiment about something like Christmas and think about it on an objective level.

2. Cost
Yes, stores make hundreds of thousands, sometimes millions during the holiday season, and we are more generous with charities during the holiday season than any other time of year. I don’t necessarily see anything wrong with being more charitable, especially considering it’s the only motivator that seems to work for some people. However, I have a hard time justifying the kind of money we spend in a matter of a few days. If you take a look at your financials after, a lot of people can logically say the same thing.

3. Priorities, Priorities, Priorities
Think about it, you blow your money on that nice hot chocolate maker or some other gift for your brother, sister, significant other, grandmother, etc. That’s nice and all, but then your water heater breaks, and guess what, you don’t have the $1000 or more, which is a pretty typical cost for replacement. In fact, you may be strapped for cash as is, and you could be going into debt to measure up on this one holiday.

4. Worn Out
The holidays leave a lot of people worn out. Between the family gatherings, the shopping, the eating, and everything else, it can literally be exhausting.

5. Fighting the Tourists
Really, how many people don’t travel during the holidays? It’s complicated, the airports suck, and major stress of being a tourist in a major city or even a resident who has to deal with the tourists can take a major toll on your stress.

Traditionally, we are taught to and choose to believe that high cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes., etc. are all largely related to diet and exercise, which is true. In the general population, people who consume more antioxidants, stick to a low calorie diet, exercise, and maintain a healthy weight tend to have lower instances of those problems. In addition, some have been able to overcome type 2 diabetes through diet and exercise. What about the other cases though?
On one hand, you have the people who live perfectly healthy lives, diet, exercise, etc., and yet have serious largely obesity related health problems. We blame those on family history, or in some cases, if for example a man is a high powered fortune 500 executive, we admit that stress might play a role.

However, the Roseto effect, like the French paradox, calls all of that into question. Of course, it’s a lot easier to explain away the “French paradox” in part due to their significantly smaller portion sizes. However, the story of Roseto, a small community in Pennsylvania, is not quite so simple.

If you didn’t know where it was, you might not know that Roseto is there. It was first developed by the people of one Italian village, and it continues to be so. It is seen as the friendly town, the town that used to be, and interestingly enough, the only thing that Rosetans seem to die from is old age.

Roseta experiences extremely low and even non-existent rates of depression, ½ the occurrence of heart disease as compared to the general American population, and low rates of high cholesterol, diabetes, and in some cases even cancer. The first instinct would be to think they must eat an extremely healthy diet. Actually, Rosetans not only each rich and fatty foods, they cook with fattier oils than their traditional Italian heritage would have encouraged, and exercise is not necessarily regular.

The men of Roseto smoke heavily, drink on a regular basis, defying medical logic. Some would then think that it must be genetics. Subsequent studies have therefore gathered close biological relatives of Rosetans in other towns.

Again, while the Rosetans experience extremely low rates of certain disease, the rate of heart attacks among their relatives in other towns is comparable or higher than the average American in part due to similar dietary habits.

Finally, scientists looked into the possibility that maybe it was the area, the state’s country. The citizens of nearby neighboring towns again were just as unhealthy if not more so than the general American public.

What can explain this difference?

The difference is in the community. Citizens of Roseto still leave their doors unlocked, still live in close-knit family communities, still get together for family dinners, and in short, the people of Roseto are nourished by relationships with each other.

Associated stress levels (and crime rates) are significantly lower, and interestingly enough, town leaders preached higher education. Work ethic is encouraged, and neighbors help each other and can depend on one another. Despite what we may have thought about stress before, Roseto makes it clear that stress may have a larger impact than even dietary habits and genetics for some.