The Checkup: Why Being Thankful Is Good for You

• Tomorrow evening, when you go around the table and say something you’re thankful for, give yourself a pat on the back for doing something healthy: Research shows that being thankful on a regular basis helps with stress levels and depression. It also makes you a better person (duh) because gratitude is linked to humility. And perpetually thankful people are also the ones who are more likely to help others in need, which means they’re more compassionate, too. See where I’m going with this? The world would be a heckuva lot better place if we’d all stop and say thanks a little more often. Need more convincing? Check out these three awesome stories over at the Los Angeles Times about how a little gratitude can go a long, long way.

• Attention parents: A new study found that kids in daycare are 50 percent more likely to be overweight than their stay-at-home peers. And the difference can’t be attributed to socioeconomic status, whether or not the mother breastfed, or other such factors. My advice? Pack a lunch and healthy snacks for Junior when he heads off to daycare. Certainly can’t hurt.

• As if you needed motivation to stay out of the unemployment line, new research finds that unemployment ups heart attack risk. And multiple job losses makes it even worse. Sigh.

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