The word resolution means “a firm decision to do or not to do something;” however, I suspect that the word actually has the opposite affect on most people. By the end of January, people have typically given up those resolutions and gone back to the status quo, never having actually accomplished what it was that they were really striving for: A Life Change.

Changing the way you see your resolution — as a goal and a life style change — will help immensely in your ability to achieve that goal.

It takes twenty-one days to form a new habit and your mind is a powerful tool in helping you form and keep those positive new life style changes. In fact our mind is so powerful that, if we don’t stay focused, it will “help” us break the goals within the first week of setting them. We are going to walk you through some simple things you can do that will help you finally achieve that life style change you have been craving.

• Positive Thoughts: It’s true what your Grandma told you– “If you think you can, You Can. If you think you can’t, you won’t.”  You become what you think and if your thoughts are focused — for the first week of your new goals — on positive and inspiring ones your chances of achieving your goals increase by 50%. Put post-it notes up all over the house saying “I’m powerful and I WILL achieve my goals.”

• Live in Reality: Don’t put the cart before the horse. In other words: If your end goal is to “be in shape” don’t try to run a marathon before you can walk a mile. Once you have your end goal in mind, you need to set smaller goals that you can accomplish one month at a time.  If your end goal is to “be in shape” but your couch has a permanent imprint of your rear, set the goal this month to walk every day for 15 minutes. Once you have accomplished that you can move on to the next level of accomplishing your final goal of “being in shape.”  You may need to refine that goal, ultimately, and be more specific in what it is that you want to accomplish. But, “being in shape” is a good beginning.

• Envision the End Result: It sounds hokey, I know. But it works. Whatever that end goal is that you have — envision yourself accomplishing it. How does it feel? Memorize those feelings. Set a specific date that you want to have your goal accomplished by and write it down. Hang this goal with the specific end date in a prominent place that you will see on a daily basis. This will help keep your goal in the forefront of your mind, making it easier to accomplish.  Lets say you want to be able to run a 5k without dying. You need to first find one, that is far enough in the future that you can train for it, and then register for it. You now have something concrete that will help push forward, keep you motivated as well helping you be accountable.

• Do It: If you can keep yourself focused for twenty-one days then you will have the beginnings of a new habit– a new lifestyle. Don’t get frustrated or discouraged. Thoughts are the key to your accomplishing your goals– so keep your thoughts upbeat and positive. Negative thoughts are not allowed this year!

Recently we have had several articles about having a healthy sense of humor. We’ve talked about how to refine your sense of humor– or get one if necessary– listing some basic steps, that if followed, will help cultivate your funny bone.We also talked briefly about some of the physical benefits of having a healthy sense of humor and regular laughter be apart of your life. Now we wanted to go further into depth and talk specifically about the physical benefits that one can experience if they have a healthy sense of humor.

It was noted in a national study several years ago that if the average person experiences a good, hearty laugh daily, their life expectancy increases while making them look on average 5-7 years younger than they actually are. Who doesn’t want both of those things?

Here are some of the other physical benefits one can experience from laughing, and having a good sense of humor.

• Laughter relaxes the whole body. A good, hearty laugh relieves physical tension and stress, leaving your muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes after.
• Laughter boosts the immune system. Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease.
• Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. Endorphins promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.
• Laughter protects the heart. Laughter improves the function of blood vessels and increases blood flow, which can help protect you against a heart attack and other cardiovascular problems.
• Laughter eases anxiety, fear and stress – nothing helps ground you quicker than a good friend pointing out how you just might be over-reacting and then helping you laugh at the silliness of it all. Laughing helps clear your head and see the situation with a different  set of eyes.

 

Deal with your stress– don’t avoid it.  Stress is a major impediment to humor and laughter. Incorporating a healthy sense of humor along with good diet and regular exercise can do wonders for a persons personal outlook not only on life, but on their life expectancy. When all else fails, pay attention to the children in your life and emulate them. They are the experts on playing, taking life lightly, and laughing.

Laughter is a powerful antidote to stress, pain, and conflict. Nothing more precisely or quite as fast to bring your mind and body back into balance than a good laugh (aside from medication). Humor lightens your mind, makes your burdens seem bearable. It connects you with others, inspires hope and helps to keep you not only focused and alert, but also grounded.Humor is also infectious. Nothing is more infectious than the sound of a roaring laugh. It is more contagious than any cough, sniffle, or sneeze could be.  When laughter is shared, it binds people together and increases not only happiness but intimacy as well. It can have the domino effect of creating the feelings of joy and amusement.Laughter also triggers healthy physical changes in the body. Humor and laughter strengthen your immune system, boost your energy, diminish pain, and protect you from the damaging effects of stress. Best of all, this priceless medicine is fun, free, and easy to use.

The million dollar question we all want the answer to is how do you learn to find the humor in life? Especially it feels like life is handing you tacky lemons? There are lots of ways you can develop, or refine your sense of humor, and it is a lot easier than you may think.

• Make Humor a Focal Point. Find a few simple items, such as funny comic strips or photos that make you giggle. Hang them up at home or in your office– where you will see them often. Take a 5 minute “funny bone break” and watch funny clips or shows you remember from your childhood.  Add some of your favorite comedians to your iPod to shuffle through when you need a good laugh break.
• Everything is Funny– You just have to find it. Even the most stressful situations can be funny– it’s just all in how you choose to look at them. Allow yourself to feel the anger, pain or stress. Then try to find the one funny thing from the situation and focus on that. By doing that you will feel your stress start to fade away and your outlook on life start to change. Even if it feels forced at first, practice laughing. It does your body good.
• Share a laugh. Make it a habit to spend time with friends who make you laugh. And then return the favor by sharing funny stories or jokes with those around you.
• Knock-knock. Nothing is funnier than hearing a good joke. Especially when it’s well delivered. Browse through your local bookstore’s selection of joke books and get a few rib ticklers in your repertoire that you can share with friends.
• Know what isn’t funny. Never laugh at the expense of others. Some forms of humor are not appropriate. Use your best judgment to discern a good joke from a bad, or hurtful one.

With so much power to heal and renew, the ability to laugh easily and frequently is a tremendous resource for surmounting problems, enhancing your relationships, and supporting both physical and emotional health.

This time of year has a tendency to bring out our inner Grinch. Not because we don’t love the forced family fun time celebrating this world-wide holiday, but because we are so stinking stressed out we can’t think straight. That stress has a tendency to make us do and say things that under normal circumstances we would never dream of saying.We are trying our hardest to make the holiday’s memorable and exciting and we have a tendency to forget what matters most. It’s not the amount of packages wrapped under the tree or the candy or fudge we spend hours making. It’s the time we spend  making memories with our loved ones. And, how do you do that? By having fun and laughing with our family and friends.When you find yourself being taken over by your inner Grinch, ask yourself these questions:

• Is it really worth getting upset over?
• Is it worth upsetting others?
• Is it that important?

• Is it that bad?
• Is the situation irreparable?
• Is it really your problem?

After asking yourself these questions, if you still feel like you are being possessed by The Grinch-Meister, then its time to up your game and laugh. It has been proven that people who laugh on a regular basis look on average five to seven years younger than those who do not.

Laughing doesn’t just help you look younger or lighten your load mentally, it can actually cause physical changes in your body. A good gut-busting laugh can have both short and long term benefits. Some of the short term benefits are:

• Stimulate many organs. Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles. It also increases the endorphins that are released by your brain.
• Activate and relieve your stress response. A rollicking laugh fires up and then cools down your stress response and increases your heart rate and blood pressure. The result? A good, relaxed feeling.
• Soothe tension. Laughter can also stimulate circulation and aid muscle relaxation, both of which help reduce some of the physical symptoms of stress.

In a study done of nearly 150 college students, those that complained and “vented” to their friends felt less satisfied than those who put their problems in a funny or positive light. Venting keeps the angry thoughts alive and percolating, laughing relaxes you and it just feels good.

Think about it: The last time you laughed so hard you cried, how did you feel after? More than likely you felt really great and the stressful situation was momentarily diffused. A good laugh is a powerful tool.

Laughter isn’t just a quick pick-me-up, though. It’s also good for you over the long haul. What are some of the long term benefits?

• Improve your immune system. Negative thoughts manifest into chemical reactions that can impact your body by bringing more stress into your system and decreasing your immunity. In contrast, positive thoughts actually release neuropeptides that help fight stress and potentially more-serious illnesses.
• Relieve pain. Laughter may ease pain by causing the body to produce its own natural painkillers. Laughter may also break the pain-spasm cycle common to some muscle disorders.
• Increase personal satisfaction. Laughter can also make it easier to cope with difficult situations. It also helps you connect with other people.

Check back on Wednesday when we will help you uncover your hidden funny bone.

For most people, finding an extra hour, a babysitter and then the motivation to get the gym everyday is difficult. However, most everyone has those basic things around the house that needs getting done, so why not do those chores AND get some exercising in?It has been proven that if you just get up and move for 15 minutes a day, you can increase your life expectancy by up to three years. That is a lot of time to add to your quality of life simply by getting up and moving– and then if you add a little more to your daily routine, you can become healthy and live longer. Win Win for everyone.

Here are few more ideas on basic things you can do in 15 minutes or less that will help tone your body and get your household chores done.

1. A Basic Push Up that you can do at your sink, countertop (while waiting for that dinner to finish) or at the changing table. Every time you throw a dish in the sink, or when you’re at your changing table, make a little rule for yourself “I’m going to do 5-10 Basic Push ups every time I do ____”. It will take you less than 5 minutes and you will get a fantastic workout.

Here is how:
Place your hands on your counter top while keeping your back and neck in a straight line. Slowly bring your chest to the counter while keeping your abs tight. Come up and repeat. Remember to keep your neck straight in line with your spine, and your abs tight.

2. Wax On/Wax Off – we all have showers that need cleaning, tables that need dusting. floors that need moping and windows that need cleaning. Whenever you do these chores, pull out your inner Mr. Miyagi and use wax on/wax off in exaggerated motions. This firms up your arm muscles and works that flabby area. If you keep your back straight and tighten your ab muscles at the same time, you can add to this “chore workout.”

While you are on all fours, moping the floor with your exaggerated Mr. Miyagi moves, do your leg lifts behind you. You will work back quad muscles, and your bum WHILE you clean your floor.

3. The bathrooms are a great place to begin cleaning. And exercising.  Scrub the bathtub by cleaning the tile with long sweeping motions. Exaggerate the movement up and down until you feel the burn. Get on your knees to scrub the tub, and use long motions back and forth to work the arms and shoulders. As you clean the toilet bowl and sink, use round circular movements with your arms. After you finish cleaning, stretch by raising your arms above your head.

4. Vacuuming and Lunging. Just plain old vacuuming is so last year. To be hip and cool, you should be vacuuming AND lunging. Make sure your knees do not go lower than your toes. Also make sure your shoulders are square and your stomach is tight.

5. Push Mow your Lawn. I know. That’s a total drag, but if you do that 1x a week for just 15 minutes you are getting not only a cardio workout, but a strength training one as well. It works your upper arms (holding the mower and pushing) and your legs. You can even take it one step further and Lunge WHILE you mow. The neighbors might get a kick out of watching you and you might look a little silly, but your body will look amazing.

Did you miss the first list?  Find it here.

Most of us are faced with simple choices, that when used correctly, could improve a persons life expectancy.  In a recent study, it was proven that just 15 minutes a day of exercise could add up to three years to a persons life expectancy. Each additional 15 minutes of daily exercise (up to 100 minutes a day) can also reduce the risk of death by an additional 4%. People who get 30 minutes of activity a day can add about four extra years to their life expectancy. Would you make the simple choices necessary to increase your life expectancy? Most people would.  So, what are  those simple, easy choices that could be so beneficial?1. Taking the stairs instead of riding the escalator/elevator. This simple task, while taking a little while longer, could potentially add up over the day to be more than 15 minutes a day. Taking the stairs, in the middle of the work day, can count as exercise and be the needed “wake up” to help get your brain circulating again.

2. Parking at the back of the parking lot and walking to the store. While it is easier, and more desirable to park closer, simply parking further away from the entrance to the store can also count as exercise and be beneficial. Especially when you are pushing your shopping cart full of groceries back out to the car– parked at the back of the parking lot. It’s a simple, easy way to exercise AND get your errands done.

3. Squats – Most everyone talks on the phone at some point during the day. While you’re shooting the breeze with your mother, why not do 3 repetitions (10 each) of squats?

Squats are where you keep your back straight and bend your knees until you are in a sitting position. Repeat this 10 times. It’s an excellent way to chat on the phone and tone your thigh muscles at the same time.

4. Do lunges while vacuuming (keep toes pointed straight ahead, and don’t bend your knees further than 90 degrees). You’ll feel it in your thighs.

5. Bath Tub Bench Press. You know that obnoxious skin that can wave at people in two, different directions? This simple exercise is one you can do while you’re bathing the kids.

• Face away from the bathtub and place your arms behind you on the tub’s edge, keeping them straight.
• Bend your knees and make sure your legs are shoulder width apart.
• Keeping your abs tight, and shoulders down, slowly bend your elbows and bring your tush down, without touching the floor.
• Hold for a count of one then come up slowly as you straighten your arms.
• Do this 10 times. If you can do another set, then repeat for an additional count of ten.

Check back on Wednesday when we will have more simple tricks that you can do while you’re doing your every day thing.

Do you have any “exercises” that you do while doing other chores? Share those in the comments below.

Many health experts believe that your diet can play a part in helping relieve ADHD/ADD symptons.  An ADHD specific diet — also known as A Brain Food Diet — can help the brain work better and lessen symptoms of the disorder, such as lack of focus or restlessness. It has been suggested that whatever is good for the brain more than likely will also be good for ADHD.

• Eat a high-protein diet, including beans, cheese, eggs, meat, and nuts. Add protein foods in the morning and for after-school snacks. This will help to improve concentration and possibly increase the time ADHD medications work.
• Eat fewer simple carbohydrates, such as candy, corn syrup, honey, sugar, products made from white flour, white rice, and potatoes without the skins.
• Eat more complex carbohydrates, such as vegetables and some fruits (including oranges, tangerines, pears, grapefruit, apples, and kiwi). Eating complex carbs at night can help aid in sleep.
• Eat more Omega-3 fatty acids, such as those found in tuna, salmon, other cold-water white fish, walnuts, Brazil nuts, and olive and canola oil. Omega-3 fatty acids are also available in supplement form.

You should also take 100% vitamin and mineral supplements each day. Many children, teens, and adults do not eat balanced diets, especially when they are rushing around trying to make it through the various activities.

Caffeine and ADHD
There have been several studies which have shown that small amounts of caffeine may help with some ADHD symptoms in children. However, the side effects of caffeine may outweigh any potential benefit. Most ADHD experts recommend avoiding caffeine.

Sugar and ADHD
Some children can become quite hyperactive after eating candy or other sugary foods. No evidence indicates, however, that this is a cause of ADHD. Overall,  sugary foods should be a small part of your diet. There is probably not much harm for a child or adult with ADHD to try eliminating sugary foods to see if their symptoms improve.

Don’t forget about other steps to help with ADHD. These include the following:

• Regularly take prescriptions that has been prescribed by your Doctor for ADHD.
• Get enough sleep: seven to eight hours each night.
• Get regular exercise: a minimum of 20 to 30 minutes daily.
• Deep-breathing techniques can  help lessen anger or anxiety associated with ADHD
• Relaxation training and meditation can help reduce distractibility as well as increase focus and concentration.

The more you know about ADHD, you or your child’s symptoms and your (their) overall health, the better you can assess which treatments — including dietary changes –might help.