Skiing And Health

Sunlight.
1 in 50 people in the UK suffer from seasonal affective disorder which is a type of depression which commonly occurs during the winter months when the days are shorter. SADs can vary from mild winter blues to a more severe form where people can't function in the winter without treatment. So get treatment and get up on the mountain. You may get depressed about the cost of a beer on the slopes, but that's not quite the same thing.

Adrenalin.
What safer, or better, way of raising your adrenalin than searching out the steepest black run you can find, or something just a little bit beyond your normal comfort zone. The adrenalin surge will activate the beta receptors in your nervous system causing your heart to beat faster and increasing air to the lungs. This stimulates the brain, and the endorphin rush of relief when it's over, will make you feel like a super human after every run.

Altitude.
Just being at altitude can make you thin and fit. A couple of years ago the Austrian Moderate Altitude Study was carried out. Men who were overweight and suffered from high blood pressure and high cholesterol were prescribed walks at an altitude of between 1400m and 2000m. Exercise at altitude improves heart function and circulation, lowers blood pressure and burns calories. There was also an increased number of young red blood cells.

Fresh Air.
Spending time in the great outdoors helps to prevent disease and boost recovery. You can avoid the pretty nasty particles which float around in the urban air. According to some Harvard boffins in their Six Cities 1993 study those people living in the most polluted cities have a 26% greater risk of dying young than those in the cleanest. So give yourself a break from the congested traffic and polluted air and breath in that fresh, crisp, revitalizing mountain air.

Learning.
Learning is good for us. Your parents told you so and they were right, but they and you need to heed that advice. Learning new skills later in life can slow down the onset of dementia. Attempting challenges such as learning a foreign language - which you can practice at the bar - or new skills, such as skiing, will reduce the risk of getting age related symptoms and diseases such as Alzheimer?s.