Hello All,
*Whew*...We made it! What a year! 2009 will definitely be one for the history books in many ways. Let's make 2010 a better one! Here's how:
1. Let's take care of our Spiritual Health. Do what it takes to ensure that our belief systems are intact and nurtured in 2010. It's been proven that how we view the world and what we believe can significantly influence what we think about ourselves, our material possessions, and those around us. So, enjoy the "Spirit of the Season" but take it with you the rest of the year. The best gift we could give ourselves is to be 'resolute' to respect our God-given bodies and blessings by making the right decisions that lead to a good active lifespan filled with more happiness than sorrow and pain.
2. Let's develop our Emotional Health. Oxymoronic but true, it's important to take each opportunity to laugh seriously! Laughter really is the best medicine...look it up! Key word: serotonin. And...let's kindly banish road rage (smile). Yes, 'tis true, he/she can't drive...that's why it's our responsibility to drive defensively.
3. Let's ring in the New Year with strong Social Health. At the stroke of midnight tonight or shortly thereafter...will you be with those individuals in your life that you care about and who care about you? Remember it's been proven: We are social beings. But always remember to drink responsibly, use a designated driver, or use any free transit services if available. We know too much about the dangers of excessive alcohol and brain-altering drugs to have any excuse these days.
4. Let's care about our Environmental Health. 'Twas a big deal in 2009: From the Copenhagen Summit, to the Global Warming email scandal, to MJ's plea in "This is it!"...we must take care of our environment because, well, we sort of need it to survive on this planet (smile). We can start small by recycling or go big by getting involved politically.
5. Let's protect our Mental Health. It is vital to nurture our sanity. Let's do what we love to do so long as it doesn't adversely affect ourselves or others in the process. Sing, draw, garden, try new foods, travel. And if there are genetic considerations (what scientists call "nature"), i.e., if you are predisposed to mental imbalances owing to genes inherited from family members, please seek help (eg. see a genetic counselor and/or mental health professional). If your environment is the issue (what we call "nurture"), then wisely do whatever you can to improve it this year. In this economy, it just isn't wise to quit your job if that's the culprit...how about making a new friend maybe in a different department? And if you are between jobs, connect with others in your situation, prioritize your time and keep busy...never give up.
6. Let's boost our Intellectual Health. Sudoku, Cross words, Magic tricks, Brain Teaser games, Jeopardy, Family Feud, Cranium, Chess, using the calculator less, learning a new language, reading more/better TV programs, articles, books, and...ummm...blogs (smile)...I'm sure we can all find fun and diverse ways to 'get smarter'. It turns out that the human brain is 'plastic'...it can actually transform itself by creating new connections (synapses) and pathways which in turn makes the brain less susceptible to debilitating disorders like Alzheimer's later on in life. And believe me folks, learning can be fun! (Subscribe to my Youtube Channel and I'll prove it to you).
7. Let's respect our Physical Health. It's actually very simple. The best way to ensure long-term health physically, let's make sure that our bodies are provided with good nutrients and building blocks that keep them strong and intact (think of providing your car with premium engine oil/lead-free, high-quality gas, etc.). This will ensure that our bodies are powerful and contain enough energy (ATP) to get through our days. Meanwhile, 'balance' dictates that we exercise. Our bodies are built to move so we must strive to burn as much energy as we take in. It's hard to do so sitting around writing blogs (*ouch*...that one hit close to home...smile). Because most of our ATP is burned by moving our muscles, and, keeping in mind that our heart is a muscle, just 30 mins of cardio/weight training, 3 days a week will do.
8. And let's maintain good Endocrine Health. Our hormones control and regulate a myriad of systems and activities in our bodies. I can go on and on here, but will stick to two important endocrine functions that are often in the news: Stress and Sleep. If we don't eat breakfast, Cortisol, our stress hormone, rises in our blood in the morning...why? Because glucose -- our fuel used to create energy (ATP) so we could start our busy day -- is low in the morning since we generally haven't eaten for ~10-12 hours. So, cortisol steps up in this time of stress to create the glucose we need 'by any means necessary' (a process called gluconeogenesis). This includes breaking down fats and proteins to internally create new glucose. And don't get fooled, we need fat (for insulation/cell membranes/brain health/certain hormones eg. steroids) and proteins are basically everything you can readily see on your body (in the long run: hair is lost or goes gray, skin gets wrinkled, muscles get weak (think constipation/incontinence), etc.). So, no wonder breakfast is the most important meal of the day! And our sleep cycle is controlled by Melatonin, secreted from the brain's epithalamus (aka our pineal gland or 'third eye' that 'sees' the loss of sunlight as night approaches and increase in sunlight as morning dawns). Melatonin is actually used as a drug to help teenagers get to bed (there is often a melatonin imbalance during this time of development, hence the all-night videogames/parties and all-day snooze-fests). Briefly folks, if we don't get our minimum of 6-8 hours of sleep, we throw our melatonin secretion cycles out of whack. And believe it or not, there's no such thing as 'catching up' on sleep. The good news: 30 min. naps can help, but be aware that we must enter REM (Rapid Eye Movement) or deep sleep to get any real, effective, restfully slumber.
For more info, feel free to click on the associated Google Ads.
So, here's to good health in the New Year.
Cheers, Salut, and Chin-Chin,
Health and Wellness, Tenth Edition
Health and Wellness: A Holistic Approach (The Jones and Bartlett Series in Health Sciences)
Health and Wellness, Student Edition
Source Naturals Wellness Formula, Herbal Defense Complex, Capsules, 240 capsules
Natural Health, Natural Medicine: The Complete Guide to Wellness and Self-Care for Optimum Health
Wellness Book: The Comprehensive Guide to Maintaining Health and Treating Stress-Related Illnes
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