12 Healthy Things to do While sitting in Front of the TV.

1) Stretch. Learn some easy stretches that can be done seated (like the ones you learned for sitting in a plane or to do at your computer) specifically, isometric movements, ankle and wrist rolls, and finger, arm, and leg stretches. What could be easier? No equipment necessary!

2) Breathe Deeply. Tons of material has been written about the benefits of deep breathing—and it’s so easy to do. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. In through the nose, out through the mouth. Hold those tummy muscles tight! Breathe with full expansions of the lungs and chest.

3) Lift Weights. Not large weights—tiny ones. I use two-pound weights that wrap around the wrist or leg. Will this make you a body builder? No way, but it will tone up those flabby arms, give your muscles a little workout, and burn more calories than you would just sitting there. Both lower and upper body can be exercised while sitting. Be sure you lift correctly—even a two-pound weight can be dangerous if used improperly.

4) Ride an Exercise Bike. You know, the one in the den that you bought but never rode? Why not move it into the living room? Unsightly? I hide mine behind a large potted plant and can pull it out easily when I turn on the TV. You’d be amazed at how fast and painless 30 minutes or an hour of aerobic exercise can be when it’s accompanied by your favorite drama or comedy show. Some experts recommend that you not exercise at night. I say exercise whenever you can, regardless of the time of day. Most people watch a few hours of TV a night—ride your bike during that first program you watch.

5) Trigger Your Trigger Points. Trigger points are areas of sensitivity and malfunction in your muscles. You can find them by pressing gently on your muscles. Trigger points are the areas that are tender when you press on them; and they may also feel harder than the muscle tissue around them. Call around to health stores or chiropractic offices to find someone who carries a trigger-point tool. One brand, the Knobber, comes with a booklet on how to use it, including information on where your trigger points are likely to be located. With a trigger-point tool you can even reach those tender areas on your back. Go easy at first—if you press too hard, you’ll be sore the next day. Start with mild pressure and work your way up to more.

6) Exercise Your Face. Like all other muscles in the body, those in the face benefit from exercise. Because true health includes healthy self-image and self-esteem (and looking younger seems to contribute to those), include facial exercises in your health routine. There are books and videos available to teach you how, and promoters swear they look twenty years younger after they’ve firmed those loose facial muscles. The videotape I have suggests that these exercises can be done anywhere, even standing in line at the bank or grocery store. But if you’ve seen the faces you have to make to execute these exercises, I think you’ll agree: the privacy of your own home is a better idea.

7) Massage Your Feet. This one can be done alone or as a family affair. No, you don’t have to know much about massage. Just remember the golden rule: Don’t push so hard that it hurts. Use some massage oil; an inexpensive cocoa butter from the drug store will do. (You can add essential oils if you like.) Put a towel under your foot so you don’t get the couch oily. Get the whole family involved, relaxing side by side with one person’s foot in the next person’s lap. (In some healing traditions, it is thought that different areas of the sole of the foot represent different parts of the body, and that by massaging the foot you are, in essence, massaging the whole body.)

8) Floss Your Teeth. What better time to floss than in the 30 minutes it takes to watch your favorite sitcom? That’s enough time to do an extra-complete job of flossing (which, by the way, should be done at least once daily).

9) Drink Water. How many TV shows do you watch a day? Why not drink one 8-oz. glass of water at the beginning of each show? It’s always good to drink more water, and this routine will get you closer to drinking your recommended daily allowance.

10) Enjoy a Pot of Herb Tea. There are so many herb teas on the market, why not sample a different one each evening? Remember, many herbs act as medicines, causing your body to react in certain ways. Choose teas that make your body healthier: maybe green tea, which is known to contain antioxidants; or chamomile, to help relax you; mint, for the digestive system; or even an iced, fruit-flavored herb tea instead of that soda you used to drink. Some herb teas contain caffeine or other stimulants; read the labels.

11) Snack Healthfully. If you must munch in front of the TV, pick things that are good for you. A traditional favorite is popcorn, which actually is healthy if you don’t smother it in fat and salt. I know that microwaved popcorn is so easy, but read what’s in it. Then try an air popper instead. It doesn’t take much longer to make than the microwave variety. Measure the butter and salt you use, and then, each time you make popcorn, reduce the amounts by a little bit. Or try it instead with garlic powder and pepper, or Cajun spices. Remember to measure your snacks—don’t take the whole box of low-salt crackers into the living room. Count out a single serving (read the label!) and put it on a plate. Have fruit or veggies, a yogurt shake, or a small salad.

12) Last But Not Least, hold your loved ones. The more a person is held, hugged, and loved, the healthier they are. Cuddle with your honey, and let the kids sit in your lap.

Snuggle the whole family—include the pets—on the couch. A 30-minute snuggle session with those you love is timeless and priceless. Each time you watch the tube, it’s an opportunity to express your love. The average American watches 21.5 hours of TV a week. That’s a lot of hugs.

What is a Good Breakfast, and how quick can I make one?

 

To “break-fast” means to break the fast of the night-to put food into your body to start your day. Do you ever go eight or nine hours during the day without eating? Probably not, but that’s exactly what you do when you’re sleeping. Your body continues to move throughout the night (an average of forty times), your metabolic processes continue, and you rebuild cells that are old or damaged. You may not be as active as you are during the day, but don’t be fooled into thinking that your body does nothing at night.

After your dinner is all digested, your blood-sugar levels are balanced, as they should be. Then, over time, they begin to fall, just as they do between meals during the day. By morning, the fuel value of your dinner is all used up and your body is running on empty. When your body doesn’t receive food for a number of hours, your metabolism slows down to conserve energy.

You may not feel hungry in the morning-it’s been so long since you ate that your body interprets the situation as “no food available,” and your metabolism slows down. You know what that means-your body starts to store calories instead of burning them, and it stores them in the form of fat. But eating breakfast in the morning signals your body that there is food available, and that it’s okay to start using the food for energy. Your metabolism goes back up, and you start to burn calories rather than store them. This is why, if you want to lose weight, eating breakfast is so important: A fresh supply of food signals your body that it’s okay to burn calories. Breakfast is also important for producing energy in the morning. You wouldn’t expect your car to run without gas; why would you expect your body to run without food?

When it comes to breakfast, there are two kinds of people: those who love that first meal of the day and those who can’t imagine eating in the morning. Regardless of which type you are, or whether you have a light diet shake or a full breakfast, your first meal of the day should produce a steady supply of energy and stay with you for a few hours. That means your first meal of the day should be a balance of protein and carbohydrates. Coffee and soda do not count as breakfast foods. Nor do sugar and caffeine, which give you a false start; the energy they produce wears off before long lunch.

If you’re hungry in the morning, you enjoy breakfast, and you have the time, an elaborate meal of organic whole-grain waffles (easy on the sweet syrup!) and soy sausages is ideal. Eggs and toast are also a balanced meal of carbohydrates and protein, as are eggs and fruit or potatoes, pancakes and bacon (or a soy substitute for bacon), or muffins served with yogurt or cheese.

We’re programmed to eat cereal, toast, juice, and milk for breakfast, but those don’t add up to a great morning meal-they’re all carbohydrates with very little protein. In many parts of the world, fish, grains, meats, and vegetables are featured for the first meal of the day, and these constitute a more balanced meal. On a recent trip to Hawai’i, I stayed in a resort that caters to tourists from Japan. Their breakfast buffet included fish and rice (balanced protein and carbohydrate), a deliciously different way to start the day. You don’t have to limit breakfast choices to “breakfast” foods. If you really enjoy carbohydrates such as cereal, toast, or a low-fat, totally organic (of course) whole-grain muffin for breakfast, have a glass of soy milk to add protein to the meal, or a glass of water with protein powder.

If you’re one of the many who have a hard time eating in the morning, my advice is to at least drink a small glass of juice with protein powder. Better yet, have a protein shake; it’s quick, easy, loaded with nutritional value, and tastes great. And it’s not at all heavy, so you won’t feel as if you ate a big breakfast. This is also a good choice for those of you who have little time in which to get up and off to work or school in the mornings. Another good choice if you’re in a hurry is a protein bar.

You’ve probably seen TV commercials depicting a loving parent sending a child off to school with a toaster pastry for breakfast. This is a terrible thing to do to a child. To encourage a child to eat white flour and sugar for breakfast is to set up that child for obesity. If the kids are running late, give them a couple of protein bars: one for breakfast, one for a mid-morning snack. Studies show that children who eat breakfast have higher grades than those who don’t. Your brain is like the rest of your body: In order to function properly, it needs food.

Further Reading

 

A Real American Breakfast, by Cheryl Alters Jamison

Laurel’s Kitchen, by Laurel Robertson, Carol Flinders, and Bronwen Godfrey

The Breakfast Book, by Marion Cunningham

Love Your Job, Love Your Life

       Let’s face it: The only place most of us spend much time besides our homes is at work. In fact, we may spend more time at work and with co-workers than we do at home with our families. You can’t possible be healthy if you hate your job. You can’t spend 40-plus hours a week in an environment you don’t like and remain healthy.

We know that attitude affects health. Let’s look at how your job can affect your attitude. Working day in and day out at a job you hate will increase the stress in your body and, over time, will reduce immune-system function, decrease digestive function, increase blood pressure, and cause other biochemical changes that will reduce your quality of health.

One study showed that job satisfaction was the most important indicator of whether or not a person injured on the job would be able to heal fully. If a person was unhappy with their job before the injury, they were less likely to heal and return to work than those who were satisfied with their jobs.

If you lose sleep, if you come home exhausted, if you dread Monday morning, if your boss or co-workers intimidate you, if your boss or company has unrealistic demands, if your co-workers don’t treat you with respect, or if your work environment is hazardous or unhealthy, then you’re more likely to get sick.

When someone is in an abusive personal relationship, we encourage them to get out of it, and sadly shake our heads in disbelief if they don’t. But when someone is in the same type of relationship with their boss or job, we call them “dedicated,” a real “go-getter.” Would you accept your spouse or friends screaming at you? No? Then why accept that from your boss? You deserve to be treated at all times with respect by your boss, regardless of how your opinions may differ or what mistakes you may have made.

Your company should be kind to its employees. If it is not, you should be looking for another job. You should not put up with hostile or unkind coworkers. You have the right to work in an environment free of harassment. You also have the right to say “Enough.”

Some people are expected to work many more hours a day than full time. It’s one thing to be hired to work sixty hours a week, and quite another to be hired to work forty hours a week and then be regularly expected to work sixty hours. I know that lots of people do it, but does that mean it’s right? No, it just means that it’s common. If you’re being asked to work more hours than you were hired for, and it’s making you exhausted, stressed, unhappy, or all three, maybe you should be looking for another job.

I’m not saying you should march into the boss’s office and quit. But take a serious look at your work situation. If you’re not happy with it, start by identifying why you’re unhappy. Is it the tasks that make up the job? Problems with your boss or co-workers? Are you working too many hours? Is your work environment uncomfortable? Once you’ve identified what makes your job unhealthy for you, work with your Human Resources department to make changes that will benefit not only you, but every employee. If you feel you can’t work with your boss or company on positive changes in the workplace, then it may be time to look for another job.

Is it possible that you’re unhappy because you’re in the wrong line of work for the person you are? Your true work might be something totally different from what you’re currently doing. If you work at a desk but would like to be outside all day, or you love to interact with people but your current job means that you work more or less alone, then maybe a career change is in order. As they age, mature, and change, many people find themselves in careers that no longer suit the persons they have become. If this is happening to you, acknowledge your ability to grow and change, and embrace the need for a new career. It’s bound to be better than the old one you’ve already begun to hate.

If you decide it’s time to find another job, start by making a clear commitment to yourself to keep looking until you find something that really fits you. Use all the resources available-the Internet, job fairs, networking with friends and business associates. Make yourself a regular at the job-placement and career-counseling centers at your local university. Use trade journals and trade fairs to explore other companies. Keep an open mind-who knows what might come your way?

While you’re exploring the endless possibilities, remember that you’re looking for a change. It’s easy to get into the rut of looking only at a certain career classification, or certain hours and certain wages. Take the chance of at least exploring outside your usual realm. You may find that a company offers a similar job, with similar wages and a better work environment. Or maybe it’s a totally different job, one that actually makes you smile, but the wages are lower. Then it’s time to decide what’s really important, your money or your health. Making less money may be okay if it means less stress, fun co-workers, and more interesting work.

You may even find a new job where the wages are higher, the boss actually works with you and not against you, and the other employees treat you like a member of the family. It could happen. All I’m saying is that you don’t know until you start looking around.

You spend a lot of time at work, your health is important, and you deserve to be happy. If your job is adversely affecting your health, choose to make a change.

Further Reading

Do What You Love, The Money Will Follow, by Marsha Sinetar

What Color Is My Parachute?, by Richard Bolles

How to Find The Work You Love, by Laurence G. Boldt

Finding Your Perfect Work, by Paul and Sarah Edwards

What Should I do With my Life?, by Po Bronson

www.jobhuntersbible.com

Laughter is the best medicine!

 Ever hear of the term “psychoneuroimmunology”? No? Well, let me tell you all about it.  Psychoneuroimmunology is the science of how mood affects the immune system and overall good health. It’s not really a new science ­—doctors have always seen a difference in how a person’s attitude and life circumstances can affect their rate of recovery from illness. However, now it’s been officially discovered, studied, and named.

It has been proven that a good attitude contributes to your good health, and that laughter makes you healthier. Studies show that a positive attitude and laughter can increase the number of white blood cells in your body. White blood cells are the ones that fight such invaders as bacteria and viruses— you want to have lots of white blood cells. They’re essential to the functioning of your immune system. Studies also show that depression causes a lack of those same white cells. When you’re depressed and thinking you just want to die, your body actually begins to stop fighting disease.

 Studies also show that children laugh 300 times a day, adults only three times. That is sad. Why does laughter leave us as we age? Have we adults become too serious for our own good? Increasing your joy and laughing more will increase your chances of living a longer, healthier life. With that in mind, make it your mission to add more laughter to your life.

 How do you do it? Well, how about watching a comedy show or movie? If you’re feeling down, a movie that makes you laugh could be the best medicine. Record your favorite sitcom each week so you can watch it again when the need for laughter arises. Keep a stock of comedies on hand, or have recordings of your favorite comedians available for listening to when you have the blues. I like to start each day by reading the comics. The library has whole books full of comics. The internet has comedy central.

 You probably have friends who know how to make you laugh; after all, a shared sense of humor is one of the things that attracts people to their friends. If you’re in need of a little laughter therapy, call those friends. Make sure they know they can call you, too.

Check your e-mail, FB, twitter and any other networks you are involved in. You know how you get those stupid jokes and goofy photos from people you barely know? Well, this may be the time to click Open rather than Delete. You might luck out and find that today’s offering really is funny.

            Take some time to think about what makes you laugh, and have a laugh list ready for times when you’ve had a rough week or are feeling blue (when you’re sad or stressed is not the time to be figuring out what to do). Pull out your laugh list and take action on one of your ideas. Let yourself go, and enjoy. Beef up your psychoneuroimmunological system. You’ll be healthier for it.

Further Reading

Anatomy of an Illness, by Norman Cousins