“The Night Before Wellness”

Holiday Classic Poem with a Wellness Twist

Enjoy a health promoter’s version of “The Night Before Christmas”.  Health Care-toon author Jeff Haebig adapted Clement C. Moore’s poem to “The Night Before Wellness”… with lines like…

 “Nutrition was taught but despite what I said, visions of junk food danced in their heads.” 

“And rather than walking or running their laps, most people wanted their long winter naps.”

“When all of a sudden there arose such a clatter, as people discovered they were getting much fatter.”  

 E-mail Jeff for the complete version of the holiday poem at JeffHaebig@gmail.com

  

Musical Brain Massage (video)

        Relax the body/brain with music

Paul Collier offers deeply relaxing music for your enjoyment, free on YouTube.  Close your eyes, deepen your breath, and let your stresses melt.  What a gift!

 
 

Smile, Breathe and Go Slowly

                Reduce Holiday Stress!

Zen Habits website offers dozens of effective ways to simplify and savor life and achieve greater happiness and goals.  Read through the Archive of articles offered by Leo Babauta, suggesting effective ways to live a fuller life.  

101 Physical Activities for Parents and Children

Free Online Book Shows Fun-Filled Physical Exercises

Enjoy dozens of balancing, bonding activities sure to build coordination and imagination with your children or grandchildren.  Piggy-back, rowboat, flying angel, and dozens of other activities illustrated with pictures come from Frank, John and Heather Adams.  What a delight! 

The significance of such activities is immense, building the vestibular, sensory and motor systems called upon to live and learn effectively. Read many articles in this  blog to understand the contribution you will make in your child’s physical, mental and social development.

You Belong With Me (video)

 

 Wellness expressed through music

Taylor Swift performing “You Belong to Me” available through Big Machine Records, captures the essence of wellness. Taylor has used her celebrity to exercise her philanthropy. 

Determine Your Natural Body Type

Do your body a favor… respect your somatotype!

 

Distinguishing between Ectomorph, Mesomorph, and Endomorph and honoring your body type is a huge component of wellness.  We can’t all be thin, or have the athletic build we strive for.  What body type are you?  Work within your body type to achieve perfection.  Wikipedia does a good job describing somatotypes.

 

Baseball and the Brain (fun web cast)

Discussion of Brain Science and Baseball is a Hit!

Boneheaded, clutch hitting, and other baseball language permeates this lively conversation connecting baseball, sports and living to brain function.  Former Giant baseball great Bobby Thomson joins neuroscientists and Dan Gordon, author of Your Brain on Cubs who moderates the discussion on mirror neurons, reward circuits, team loyalty, bonding, social defeat, and more.  DANA.org provides this web cast and a host of other web casts and articles helping all of us relate brain science to living and learning.

ADHD article is really an AD?

Medications are suggested – but why?

EverydayHealth.com posts excellent articles on pressing topics such as Lesley Alderman’s Rise of ADHD.  I rarely include their articles on my blog because solutions, written in their articles or shown on the side panels, involve medications.  This Body Brain BOOGIE blog posts many natural, non-drug ways to harness ADHD, using ADHD tendencies to maximize learning in a healthy way.

ADHD and Bipolar Disorder Research

May lead to better diagnosis and treatment

Researchers distinguish between ADHD and Pediatric Bipolar Disorder using fMRI brain imaging at the brain network level.  This research from the University of Illinois at Chicago may lead to better diagnosis and treatment.  Dr. Mani Pavuluri and John Sweeney co-authored the study.

NOTE:  Go back through this Body Brain Boogie blog and find articles showing natural (non-drug) ways to treat these neurological deficits.

Brighter Children through Music (2 videos)

Marvel over music’s power

 

Madeline Frank has amassed dozens of articles citing music’s influence over effective teaching and learning, mental health, and motivation.  Start by watching two amazing children entertain us with their musical gifts.  Six years old Viljami Morander and the Ukulele boy, both are precious.  When you finish smiling, take time enjoying Madeline’s collection of research-based music articles.  Insist your school offers music to every child and teen!  Music is essential for total brain development!

Finland’s education success (video)

 

Less is more – free from politicians

 Children don’t start proper school until age seven.  By that time they are itching to start classes.  (Note: They are more developmentally ready to learn reading having a more mature visual system that can focus and track.  I wish NBC News would have reported that last night as they featured the world’s most successful educational system.) Watch this video showing the relaxed school atmosphere.  

Take your shoes off and watch how learning is more like a team game… without winners and losers.  Trust is important – students head off unaccompanied during their PE cross-country skiing.  Listen to the music, and enjoy a moment in Finland.  Better yet, move to the music and feel the joy!

Essence of Wellness Put to Movement (fun video)

Jeff Haebig, BBBP

Mimic the Wellness Gestures

Capture the spirit of Wellness Promotion led by Jeff Haebig, BBBP, Body Brain Boogie Person, and the participants at the International Wellness Coordinators conference.  Feel the passion… follow along!

Take the True Age Test (free)

Perform physical feats -- Answer questions

Barry Stein, President at Get Fit for Life, LLC, offers an interesting self-test helping you determine your wellness age.  This fun test is free and takes only a few minutes.  Check out the many articles, links, blogs and discussions on.MyTrueAge.com.  I like the free download materials, including a coloring book, teaching kids Healthy Habits.

Baby Boomer Fitness (fun video)

Born to Be Wild!  
Bored, Tubby, Mild!

"Get your Motrin ready - Head out on a treadmill.”  Xharska’s cartoon video of baby boomers singing a twisted version of Steppenwolf’s hit “Born to Be Wild” rocks!  The fun lyrics hit lightheartedly on the perils of aging. 

Child-driven Education (video)

Real-life experiments show how children learn best

Alternative Education Resource Organization, AERO Blog posts videos, articles, tweets and blogs showing the most effective ways children learn.  Watch Sugata Mitra’s entertaining video posted on AERO showing how children in remote and impoverished settings excel through self-discovery.  Spend time on the AERO blog, better yet, attend AERO’s annual conference – it involves the whole family!

Wellspring – Go to the Source

The Webs most comprehensive collection of wellness writings

 

John W. Travis and Meryn G. Callander offer an all-inclusive array of wellness articles focusing on personal, child/family, and global wellness.  You will be amazed by what has been amassed!  Then again, those of us who know John, are not surprised.  He was the pioneering doctor who first brought wellness to public awareness.  Spend time on this inspiring website .

 

Sleep and Learning

                             Good Sleep – the Most Important School Supply

Sweet Dreams

Newswise cites Jodi Mindell’s article regarding sleep and learning.  WikiHow describes 12 steps to Sleep Better, 8 of which use natural, non-drug approaches.  Many other sleep articles are listed.  Enjoy The Lion Sleeps Tonight video, better yet sing along and move.  Expressing joy and movement throughout the day will help create nighttime comfort.