Sophomore year of college, my mother and I entered into a friendly competition. We donned pedometers every day of the spring semester, recording each night the number of steps we had taken. At the end of the term, whoever had out-walked the other received a free lunch. I viewed the contest’s parameters suspiciously. My mother, a teacher, seemed to have an advantage over her bookworm, English-major daughter. But, I was determined to win. My daily goals increased with every step. Suddenly the city surrounding my school was my constant stomping ground. If I had a choice between driving to the store and walking two miles, I walked two miles. I roamed through more of Scranton in three months than I had in the previous year and probably in the two years that followed. When I returned home in May, I had beaten my mother by more than 30,000 steps.

The pedometer is a powerful motivator. Worn at your waist, it counts every step you take. If you hoof it through the day, walking miles upon miles, you’ll know. If you sit idly and take no more than ten steps, you’ll know that, too. So it’s only logical to assume that clipping one to a pair of pants can improve the wearer’s fitness, weight and blood pressure, but researchers wanted to be sure. They reviewed 26 studies with 2,767 people. Those who had worn pedometers took more than 2,000 extra steps a day.  Their blood pressure was down, and their weight loss was accelerated. They were increasing their health with every stride.

It’s a simple step towards fitness that is easy to take. Pedometers are relatively inexpensive, portable and constant reminders of how close you are to your daily movement goal. But before you buy, make sure that your step-counter counts properly.  Some miss steps. Some note each stride twice, and some interpret bumps in the road as an additional step. Some are also affected by speed. If you are walking too slowly, your activity won’t be recorded. However, this should not be too much of a concern, since you want to increase your gait, anyway. 

Once you have your pedometer, get going. Shoot for ten thousand steps a day, and walk away ill health.

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Shoe selection can be a taxing and time consuming morning ritual. You have to take into account your day’s activities, the weather, the rest of your outfit and environment-suitability. A beat-up running shoe, for example, does not correspond with your office, nor does it match your slacks.  These types of considerations can make getting dressed extremely difficult but for most, are ultimately mere nuisances. For some, however, footwear is far more complicated and important, as it affects not only their fashion but their health as well.

Individuals with knee osteoarthritis suffer from chronic pain, which is combated with medication, physical therapy and, occasionally, surgery, but those treatments don’t always alleviate the entire ache.  Therefore, it is important that their everyday choices work to lessen any additional discomfort. This includes footwear.  A shoe’s impact is not confined to the foot. It affects other joints, especially the knees. Certain shoes place more of a load on the knee during movement and are, thus, less beneficial to arthritis sufferers. But how do you know which ones those are?

Until recently, it was assumed that the best covers for your foot were the shock-absorbing, athletic shoes and clogs. They offer the wearer comfort, support and stability. Yet according to current findings, they also maximize the impact on the knees, when compared to more flexible walking shoes and bare feet.  So it could be better for a knee-osteoarthritis patient to opt out of them, but, if that’s you, don’t rush into a pair of floppy Keds. The study had flaws; more research needs to be done. In the meantime, you and your doctor can take away from the findings a heightened awareness of footwear and how it’s affecting your knees. If your shoe is providing you with a cushy rest but lots of aches, you’ll know that there is an everyday change you can make to alleviate the pain.�

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I spent the last ten minutes staring blankly at the computer screen, dreaming about massages rather than focusing on stringing together sentences. That is the effect the mere idea of massage has on me and quite likely you. A massage is a luxurious, knot-kneading indulgence that all of us fantasize about but few receive. It does, after all, require time and money, commodities that are increasingly scarcer in our lives, and a removal of guilt, since we view it as a rare treat. But perhaps that should change.

Massage is more than a path to relaxation. It has been used for thousands of years to heal, today treating ailments ranging from arthritis to diabetes to fatigue.  Doctors regularly recommend it as a way to relieve anxiety and lessen pain, claiming that the powers of massage stretch into nearly every aspect of health. And they do. Take, for example, post-op recovery. When patients received five months of massage therapy after heart surgery, their reported levels of pain all but disappeared. In fact, they went from an average rating of three (on a scale from one to 10) to less than one.  The patients were considerably more comfortable, making the recovery process a great deal easier. The same would hold true for most conditions, but, as with everything, you have to be careful.

Massage therapy should only be performed by a licensed professional.  This includes massage therapists, physical therapists and occupational therapists. An untrained masseuse can actually worsen your health, causing internal bleeding, nerve damage and temporary paralysis.  You should also only enlist it as a complementary treatment if your doctor approves it. Certain conditions make massage therapy more dangerous to the individual, something you want to avoid. Finally, you should ensure that you are at ease with the idea of a massage. You are going to disrobe, oils may be rubbed on you, a stranger will most certainly be manipulating every inch of your body with his/her hands and you could experience temporary discomfort. If any of these aspects render massage unappealing, you shouldn’t get one. Massage therapy only works when your mind and body are open to it, but when it does, it does.

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Are you sick?
No, just congested.

Do you smell that?
I can’t smell anything.

What do you want to get for dinner?
A pound of tissues and a box of Sudafed.

If any of that sounded familiar, you are probably one of the 36 million Americans suffering from chronic sinus problems or one of the millions more with a simple stuffy nose.  Your days, regardless of season, are filled with incessant sniffling, the search for one more Kleenex, dulled senses and every ache available. You are constantly miserable and undeniably reliant on medications, whether they are antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs or antihistamines. But perhaps your dependence should lie elsewhere . . . in salt water.

Saline irrigation is one of the easiest and best ways to relieve nasal symptoms.  A regular flush of salt water can lessen the severity and frequency of your condition better even than a saline spray. In a study of 121 adults, those who rinsed rather than sprayed reported more overall improvement after eight weeks. Their quality of life was significantly better and their quality of nose was significantly clearer. So how can you achieve this flood of relief? Continue Reading >>

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You probably thought I’d forgotten or, at the very least, quit, ashamed by the magnitude of my previous failure. But I didn’t. I took the advice Rick offered after reading “Meditating on Meditation, Part 2: Concentrative Meditation” and continued with my practice.  I can’t honestly say that I was successful. I have gotten marginally better with each attempt, but I still have a long way to go. That being said, I have started looking for alternate meditation venues, as my bedroom and accompanying self-discipline seem to be lacking.

A few nights ago, I attended a group meditation hour in my hometown. It was hosted by the local Buddhist community but open to all. When I arrived, I was somewhat hesitant, having never attended a similar event and being completely on my own.  However, the other participants quickly eased my anxiety, providing me with information about what to expect and guiding me to the meeting room. The hour began with Buddhist readings and then immediately segued into 20 minutes of deep meditation.  Ten minutes of walking meditation, in which individuals walked as they felt moved to and created their own paths, followed.  The hour concluded much as it began, with another 20 minutes of meditation and some final readings.

I benefited greatly that evening. No, I didn’t achieve enlightenment or spend the entire time in a deep, meditative state. I wasted far too many minutes concerned that I wasn’t doing something properly and wondering what would come next. However, I did spend a great deal more time than usual attempting to center myself. Rather than scurrying away at my first stray thought, I did as I had been instructed to do. I acknowledged its presence and allowed it to leave. Thus, I was automatically more successful. I also realized that meditation comes in many forms. The people around me were not all sitting in the lotus position. Some knelt while others were cross-legged and still more were traditionally seated. We are not meant to meditate as everyone else. It is a personal, individual practice and should be approached as such.

If you are attempting to take up meditation, find the way that is best for you. Don’t become consumed by defined methods and seeming failures. The goal is to better your health not your stress.

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I have taken the first step in my meditation experiment, with the first method. The results so far are . . . well, we’ll get to those momentarily. Let’s start by talking about concentrative meditation. It is generally recommended that you begin with this type, as it is the most widely used and, apparently, the easier practice to adopt. In concentrative meditation, you sit, stand or lie in a quiet place for five- to 30-minute sessions.  During that time, you concentrate on one thing. It can be your breath, a mental image, a physical object, or a word or phrase. If you’re just starting, select your breath. This will ensure that you not only maximize the concentrative aspect but the basic meditative aspect (by deliberately practicing deep breathing) as well. Should you prefer one of the other three, choose something that has meaning for you, something spiritually significant.  As you sit, relax; breathe deeply but naturally. Pay attention only to your focal point. If a stray thought enters your mind, acknowledge and immediately dismiss it. Continue this for five minutes, eventually working up to 30 minutes, twice a day.

If you are successful at concentrative meditation, you will see numerous benefits. The most obvious is better concentration. You won’t be as easily distracted and will find that you can focus more adeptly on your daily tasks. You’ll also be calmer, more peaceful, more restful. Little problems will cause less anxiety. Your mind will be more open and tranquil yet more alert and centered. All around, you will approach life with a better outlook, but, of course, this is only if you succeed. I, sadly, have not.

Perhaps, I lack dedication, although I’ve tried every day for the last week, sometimes several times a day. I block out the noise, find a serene location, close my eyes and eliminate unnecessary thoughts from my mind . . .  theoretically. I can’t seem to get the thoughts out of my head. Every time I “acknowledge and dismiss ”, I wind up acknowledging and embracing. I’ve never come up with so many reasons to e-mail absolute strangers or already overly-harassed friends. I have outlined stories, posts, conversations – anything, really. I’ve thought of everything, except for nothing. I tried focusing on a phrase rather than my breath, but in my mind phrases lead to sentences, which lead to paragraphs, which lead to unlimited possibilities. I am truly disappointed in myself. I know that one week is not enough time to become “good” at a certain method of meditation, but shouldn’t I have succeeded in concentrating for at least five minutes? I am resolved to go home tonight and try one more time, before I move on, but I am doubtful. I can only hope that my next foray into meditation is a little less counterproductive.

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As if cold, dry skin, chapped lips and blue toes weren’t enough, this winter, many of us will spend our snow days fighting the flu. We’ll be beaten down by fever, headache, fatigue, coughing, sore throat, a runny nose and, if we’re really lucky, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.  We’ll spend hours draped across our beds, bemoaning our fate – a fate that we could have avoided if, in October, we had thought ahead.

Flu season doesn’t peak until January, but it starts in October, which is why the flu vaccine is available now. There are two types of vaccinations: the shot and the nasal spray. The shot is a shot, an injection of dead flu viruses into your arm. The nasal spray is a blast of weakened, live viruses, right into your nose. Both methods are effective; however, neither is necessarily safe for everyone.  For example, children under six months should not receive either. And, only people between five and 49 years of age, who are not pregnant and who don’t have preexisting medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes or heart disease), should consider the nasal spray. It’s been known to elicit flu-like symptoms in the excluded groups. But, those are generally the only times when flu will follow a flu shot, even if you think otherwise . . .  

My mother swears that the only time she got the flu followed the only time she got the flu shot. While that may be true, it’s not the vaccination’s fault. Scientists have to estimate which strain of flu will be the most dominant each season. Sometimes, they’re wrong, or you get an alternate strain. It’s going to happen, but having a flu vaccine will lessen the possibility, particularly if you are more susceptible than others, which raises the question: Who’s more susceptible? The answer is, actually, fairly cut and dry. People who are over 55 or under five , who live in nursing homes or long care assisted-living facilities, who have chronic conditions  or who have  daily contact with any of the previous individuals are far more likely to get the flu than anyone else. If you don’t fall into any of those categories, the flu shot is optional. You don’t have to get it, but think about how smug you’ll be if you get through flu season without the flu.

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I recently had the opportunity to speak with several yoga and meditation instructors on the phone. While each one had different techniques and thoughts on meditation, I found one common thread. When I hung up, I was calm, often much calmer than I had been prior to dialing. The frenzied finger tapping as I listened to another ring and the anxiety over my lengthy to-do list was silenced, for about five minutes. But, five minutes or not, I was shocked. These women had achieved a level of serenity that not only permanently affected their lives but temporarily affected mine as well. How had they done it? More importantly, how could I?

As a practice, meditation has gained mass popularity only recently, in the United States. It was thought, at first, to be a strange Eastern tradition employed by hippies amidst their beads. Then, it was thought to be a luxury used by people with a lot of free time to de-stress (although what stress they could have when they had time to meditate, was beyond understanding to the crazed, over-busy, “normal” people). Now it is seen as a means of alternative medicine. In conjunction with conventional methods, meditation is used to treat addictions, anxiety, stress, depression, menopausal symptoms and pain.  It has been proven to help combat blood pressure  and blood sugar complications, and improves mental and physical alertness as well as intellect. It is, when done correctly, a source of unlimited benefits.  So why aren’t more people meditating? Continue Reading >>

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They look strange. Let’s just start there. Crocs are a weird-looking shoe. They are wide, round-toed, hole-filled, rubber-made clogs, available in every color from black to teal to cotton candy.  A few years ago, wearing them in public would have resulted in any number of curious looks and raised eyebrows. Today, however, the shoes are a footwear phenomenon. They are worn by kids, adults, professionals, loafers, the fashion-forward and the fashion-backward.  There is a style for every individual, every season and every imaginable situation. They are the universal shoe. But, is wearing them hurting or helping our feet?

Recent reports would suggest the first. Crocs are currently being blamed for the sudden upswing in escalator foot-entrapments. The flexible, non-slip shoe has been linked to ripped off toes, torn off nails and deep-cut gashes.  Small children are clamoring onto escalators and getting their Crocs-clad feet stuck in between the steps.  But that’s not the only concern. The shoe, which has become popular among doctors and nurses, is being banned from hospitals. Officials worry that the holes on the tops and sides may increase the risk of infection. A scalpel or needle could drop, landing right on the foot. Blood or other fluids could drip through the openings, hitting the skin more quickly than with sneakers and increasing the likelihood of contamination. Moreover, the shoes generate static electricity, which may cause medical equipment to malfunction.  Now if you only consider those facts, the prognosis isn’t good. However, as with everything, there are two sides to the shoe. Continue Reading >>

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We are all aware that the choices we make on an everyday basis can affect our health and wellbeing.  Smoking, alcohol and drug abuse, lack of exercise and poor nutrition can all contribute to poor health.  You may also believe that because you avoid the bad and embrace the good that you are at the peak point of health.  But you may not be as safe as you think.  You know your own history, but what do you know about your family history? 

Your gene pool can shape your future health as well, so knowing the health history of your family members can also help you and your doctor predict what possible health issues you may face in the future.  And being knowledgeable may also help you avoid some potential health threats altogether.  The United States Department of Health and Human Services points out that knowing your family history can help determine potential susceptibility to such diseases as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and even rare diseases like cystic fibrosis and sickle cell anemia. 

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If I’m going to spend money, it’s going to be for something I enjoy (aside from the majority of my income that goes to taxes, student loans and various other costs of living). I’m not going to go out and buy something ordinary, plain, inconspicuous and BOOORING. No way. So when it comes to your everyday personal care products, I’ve found a new love (brought to me courtesy of a fellow employee who also happens to possess a love for the zany). Indigo Wild’s Zum products are a big hit with me. It’s not necessarily the products themselves that are so intriguing, but rather the people that create and run the company. Check out the descriptions of their products. Their Clove-Mint Room/Body Spray product description notes “make sweet clove to the atmosphere and create a little mint condition.” The wordplay is fabulous and I must admit, makes me want to throw a little mula their way to see if the products are as delightful as their descriptions. And with their new line of Indigo Wild Coco Zum products, it would be pretty hard to turn me off.

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Globe trotters beware. How prepared are you to stay healthy in your travels this year? Whether you’re going across the state or around the world, there are certain precautions that you should take. In fact, several components to staying healthy on the road involve what you eat and drink. Taking precautions to drink only clean, filtered water and eating food that is prepared following the standard rules of thumb for sanitary, healthy eating is key. Also, if you’re traveling across the globe, make sure you receive all of the appropriate vaccines. And protect yourself against foreign pests…the flying kind. Insect repellent is an important product to have along. But remember the new laws of the air and leave anything liquid in your luggage until you depart the plane and embark on that glorious yet elusive thing…the summer vacation.

 1 Comment, latest by Penny

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