Good news from the Great Oz

I gladly yield my blog today to Doctors Mehmet Oz and Michael Roizen, who confirmed something that I had already figured out but am happy to see in print. Here’s their recent posting, which also appears in today’s Houston Chronicle StarHealth section:

Reading Makes You Healthier and Happier

There’s reading — and then there’s reading while you’re doing something else!

Emergency-room visits from distracted walking are up 35 percent over the past half-decade, and reading and texting on your cellphone while walking down the street accounts for more than 10 percent of pedestrian injuries.

Don’t get us started on texting and driving.

None of that is the kind of reading that makes you feel younger

But neuromarketing researchers from the University of Sussex’s Mindlab found that reading an old-fashion, open-a-book-and-learn-something text or an escape-to-the-beach novel for even six minutes a day is more relaxing than listening to music, taking a walk or even having a cup of tea.

The study says getting into a good read eases muscle tension and slows down your heart rate.

In addition, reading keeps your brain sharp, improves sleep, and makes you a more interesting social animal.

Also, if you know someone, especially a child, who has difficulty with reading, spend some time with them and read aloud together.

Lots of kids have a hard time learning to read, so if you’re a parent, grandparent, or just a good neighbor, help them out.

You’re giving a gift of learning. Traveling the world through the written word opens doors in the mind and in life.