REAL Wellness!

Real Wellness or Woo Woo?

Don Ardell literally launched the wellness movement over 3 decades ago with his best-selling book, High Level Wellness: An Alternative to Doctors, Drugs, and Disease. It is fascinating to hear Don speak today of the wellness movement, citing his concerns over ways people have used the word ‘wellness’ at times to sell their ‘woo woo’ goods and services.

Don does a masterful job distinguishing between health-risk reduction and medical treatment… often confused with REAL wellness practices leading towards happiness, reason, exuberance, vitality, love, friendship, freedom, joy and serenity—as much as possible.

Read Don’s insightful, delightful, hard-hitting articles. Subscribe to the free Ardell Wellness Report dedicated to the idea that, ‘REAL Wellness is Too Important to Be Presented or Lived Grimly.’

Senior Moments (fun video)

Are You Lonesome Tonight

Dave William’s song making fun of aging is so true for us seniors, ha! This is a masterpiece… “does your back give you pain… do your knees predict rain… tell me dear, are you lonesome tonight.”

Great job Dave Williams! Pass this video on, if you can remember. By the way, if you are lonesome tonight, perhaps Dave’s rendition of “If Not You” may ease the pain.

Fix Neck Pain (free e-book)

Request a free e-book!

John Miller from ‘down under’ is on top of his profession helping people relieve body pain, (back, neck, shoulder, wrist, hip, calf) not through drugs or shake and bake, but with well conceived stretching and strengthening exercises putting muscles and joints back into alignment.

I requested and read my free eBook ‘Fix Neck Pain’ and found John’s approach very helpful. I was able to quickly diagnose the cause of my pain, then stretched and strengthened my muscles in the neck and further down the body to relieve the problem. John’s website articles include ‘Principles of better musculo-skeletal function’ – excellent material and ‘Fact Sheets’ covering various wellness topics. John is direct and humorous… a master Physical Educator and exceptional self-healing advocate.

Healthier Students are Better Learners

A Missing Link in School Reforms
To Close the Achievement Gap

Charles Basch from the Teachers College, Columbia University offers a comprehensive essay on effective School Health programs. Topics including vision, asthma, teen pregnancy, aggression and violence, physical activity, breakfast, and inattention and hyperactivity are addressed. Thanks to Charles for offering this Research Initiative of the Campaign for Educational Equity.

Bottom line – “Healthier Students are Better Learners!”

Best Brain Foods

Eat healthy to keep your mind sharp!

Everyday Health features an article by Katherine Lee focused on a healthy diet for brain fitness. This article is a good summation of both healthy and unhealthy foods and beverages. I wonder if you’ll need the product advertised on the website if you follow the nutritional guidelines offered?

Physical Activity for Seniors

Free CHAMP Manuals and Great Resources!

How cool! Community Healthy Activities Model Program for Seniors, CHAMPS, offers a free manual helping you conduct an effective exercise program for seniors in your community. The CHAMPS II Program Manual, (2003) was produced by the University of California, San Francisco: Institute for Health and Aging, San Francisco, CA. Check out the many resources for physical activity and wellness targeting older adults on the CHAMPS website! Wow!

Physical Activity Campaigns

Recommended ways to promote

physical activities and physical fitness

Task Force on Community Preventive Services provides free research and publications helping people choose programs and policies to improve health and prevent disease within their community. More than 200 interventions have been reviewed by the Task Force on Community Services. Free Community Guides are available addressing 19 health topics including physical activity. Strong evidence suggests using a community-wide campaign to increase physical activity and improve physical fitness among adults and children. Now is the best time to act using these best practices.

Coffee Break Physicals

Workplace Medical Check-ups

are Sound Investments

Loyola University Health System offers employers an effective way to lower ‘presentism’ occurring when employees come to work with undertreated or possibly unrecognized medical diagnosis. One way businesses can respond is offering employees short 15 minutes ‘coffee break’ physicals, including screening tests and symptom surveys.

‘Lunch and learn’ wellness sessions about relevant health topics help empower employees to take more control over their health. Reported in Newswise, such workplace health promotion approaches help protect productivity and contain health-care costs.

Dance! Dance! Dance! (video)

Dance to Inspire... Inspire to Dance!

Eddie Uehara’s video inspires dancing with many quotes put to music and dance. “So you can’t dance? Not at all? Not even one step?”

“DANCE is music made visible.” “DANCE is silent poetry.” “DANCE is the mother of all arts.” “DANCE is the hidden language of the soul.”

Rather than watching the dance… stand up… right now… and join in!

“DANCE like nobody’s watching.”

Rest and Relaxation

R & R is Essential for Creativity

Julie Lusk, writes in her Mind Body Help blog the significance of relaxation, including its connection to creativity. Albert Einstein’s quote, “Play is the best research” states this beautifully. According to Julie, “relaxing muscular tension is important to clearing away the mental ruckus and emotional debris to make room for clear thinking.” Good thought Julie!

Connect Massage and Movement

Maximize healing -- maintain youthfulness

A variety of massage therapy styles help heal injuries, resolve health conditions, integrate primitive reflexes, and promote overall wellness. Combining massage and physical therapy has worked well with MS patients. Thai Yoga Massage combines movement and massage to stretch muscles and boost the immune and circulatory systems, getting the synovial fluids and lymphatic system flowing. Infant massage and movement stimulates neurological develop speeding myelination of the brain/nervous system. Chinese medical body work Tuina Massage, uses pulling and plucking and Feldendrais offers natural effortless movements. Let’s combine massage and movement techniques, creating a powerful means to maximize our living and learning potential.

Aerobics to Weights

Nurse Researcher Offers Exercise Tips

David A. Boley at John Hopkins University School of Nursing has interesting things to say about physical fitness. According to a Newswise article, he believes “We have a tendency to focus too much on aerobic exercise,” adding that, “evidence shows that resistance exercises alter the cellular structure of muscle in a way that aerobic exercise doesn’t.”

How does your exercise program shape up? Do you include cardiovascular (aerobics), flexibility, strength and balance training?

Dr. Weil’s Food Pyramid

New Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid

Reduce risks of age-related diseases and improve overall health through diet. Click on the pyramid for serving amounts and healthy choices. This anti-inflammatory diet is a blueprint for a lifetime of optimum nutrition according to Dr. Andrew Weil. Read the articles posted on this website including Diet Tips.

Skirt Alzheimer’s

Cut the risk of dementia in half with exercise

RealAge reports moderately intense exercise twice a week for 20 to 30 minutes has been shown to cut Alzheimer’s disease by as much as 60%. Blood vessel health and the brain’s ability to repair damage are the suspected benefits. The Brain Pills article is also of interest.

Movement Nature Meant # 2 (video)

Wisdom of Stomach/Back Balance

Ruthy Alon demonstrates restorative potential of natural movements. Experiment with your body’s natural movements. Develop a wise stomach… let go of your hard abs! Listen to the relationships of your body to the ground. Don’t sacrifice your comfort. Keep your stomach soft.

Enjoy arching movements that release the full length of your body. Feel pulsating rhythm of motion having fun with Feldenkrais.

Pump Up on Caffeine

Protect Your Blood Brain Barrier

Ken Currier writing for Stuff Your Brain Likes website reports how a daily cup of java may help protect your brain according to a study at the University of North Dakota by Jonathan D. Geiger.

Research on rabbits may help you avoid saying, “What’s up Doc?” What do you think… ‘Is it too early to jump to conclusions?’

Physical Education Excellence!

What PE Needs to Be!

Gerry Cernicky is Physical Education’s most ardent advocate, encouraging developmentally appropriate physical education activities that are fun, creating a lifetime of health and fitness. Retired by not resigned to see his profession slip, Gerry offers voice recordings and hundreds of activities professionals can use to achieve a super successful program.

One of Gerry’s quotes, "He who dares to teach must never cease to learn" describes Gerry to the T! Visit this Master Physical Education teacher’s site and encourage others to the same.

Movement Nature Meant (Video)

Master Effortless Movement

Part One --Lying to Sitting

Ruthy Alon demonstrates the restorative potential of natural movement. Part One video is an introduction of Awareness Through Movement, showing childlike pleasure discovering new movement options while restoring your senses. Lying down to sitting up, search the effortless spiraling trajectory moving against gravity. Let go of trying to control the world. Reclaim the belief that life can be easy –accept easy is right – sense this right as pleasurable.

Moshe Feldenkrais, outlined movement that nature meant. Without competition, relearn your authentic way of moving. Observe subtle changes producing profound differences within your entire self.

Exercise and Physical Activity

Your Everyday Guide from the National Institute on Aging

National Institute on Aging offers a free comprehensive eBook with seven chapters helping people establish and maintain a fitness program. Chapters include: 1. Get Ready 2. Get Set 3. Go! 4. Sample Exercises, Endurance, Strength, Balance, Flexibility 5. How Am I Doing? 6. Healthy Eating 7. Keep Going and Frequently Asked Questions. WOW! I can’t think of a more complete tool for seniors and anyone else interested in physical fitness. Check out the complete listing of Resources too!

See Ways to Prevent Dementia

How Eye Exams Keep Your Brain Young

Am I seeing this right? My eye health offers protection against dementia? According to RealAge, people with untreated vision problems were nine (9) times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. That’s because poor vision keeps people from engaging in brain stimulating activities – like reading this blog, playing games, walking and socializing. Talking about walking, read the ‘Walk on the Cerebral Side’ article when you get back from your hike.

Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans

At-A-Glance: A Fact Sheet for Professionals

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, HHS provides a fact sheet showing key exercise guidelines for children and adolescents, adults, and older adults 65 and over, as well as people with disabilities and pregnant and postpartum women. A list of Health Benefits is also provided. Check out the Be Active Your Way Blog.

Health Care Reform Bill

Six Wellness Provisions Are

Addressed in the Final Bill

Worksite health promotion programs are expected to increase according to the recent Health Care Reform bill approved by Congress. Don Powell, founder of the American Institute for Preventive Medicine outlined six provisions favorable to wellness promotion in his brief article. If you are a wellness promoter, now is the time to bring your work forward! AIPM offers excellent professional Journal Articles on their website addressing wellness.

Worksite Health Hub

Health Promotion with a G.L.A.D. Approach

Worksite Health Hub integrates, centralizes, and personalizes wellness activities offered by organizations. Worksites can achieve G.L.A.D. results using an interactive method that ‘Grabs’ attention daily, inspires ‘Learning’ in small segments of two minutes or less, helps individuals and families ‘Apply’ healthy practices, and for deeper reinforcement, encourages people to become ‘Dedicated’ to a healthy lifestyle. Participation throughout the program is celebrated, heightening the joy of wellness!

With over 26 years experience in the wellness field, I have been able to design the Worksite Health Hub combining the capabilities of the Internet and wireless devices with the experience Wellness Quest has gained developing motivational wellness programs. The integrated wellness portal Worksite Health Hub is a breakthrough in health promotion effectiveness. Check out Quest for Your Best! postings on this blog to see content that will soon come alive on our Worksite Health Hub! Jeff Haebig

Let's Walk the Talk on Obesity

Let’s replace lip service

with ‘hip service’!

Dr. Delos Cosgrove, CEO of the Cleveland Clinic, reported in the February 18, 2010 issue of FORTUNE magazine that, “Obesity accounts for 10% of the cost of health care in the U.S. — we will never be able to control the cost of health care until we begin to control the epidemic of obesity. Two-thirds of the U.S. is overweight, and one-third is obese. We are the fattest nation in the world. Our rate of obesity is going up so much that probably half the U.S. will be obese in the next 20 years. We have to do something, and there are plenty of things we can do.”

How about insisting on Daily Physical Education with a fitness focus in our preschools and beyond? Let’s replace lip service with ‘hip service’!

Obesity Outweighs Tobacco Risk

Obesity is now just as much

a drag on health as smoking

Katherine Harmon writing for Scientific American reports the results of a CDC study revealing that being overweight has replaced tobacco as the leading contributor to poor health in the U. S. Smoking still causes more cumulative years to be lost due to premature death.

Health-related Websites

Ten health-related websites to add to your favorites list

I just heard from Hollee Enright, OD, Certified Nutritionist whose website has interesting articles and a short blog that is worth your attention. The Ten Health-Related Websites article caught my eye.

Get High without Chemicals

Wellness Quest for Your Best! Sing, exercise, laugh and enjoy other natural ways to perk yourself up. Body-brain ‘feel good’ chemicals you create can last longer, without nasty hangovers.

Health Benefits: Natural endorphin chemicals produced in the body and brain can produce feelings of peaceful calm and euphoria, while easing physical pain.

Quote: "Let us endeavor to live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry." Mark Twain

Humor: “Why did you get drunk in the first place?” “I didn’t get drunk in the first place… it was the last place.” Author Unknown

Post Script: Feelings of blissful euphoria can result from soothing massage, brisk aerobic exercise, helping people, meditation and other natural acts.

Quest Link: 20 Natural Ways to Get High: Part 1 by LiveLighter.org

Take Steps: How to Get a Natural High on eHow.com

Video: Emotional Sobriety by Tian Dayton on YouTube.com

Note: The cartoon is taken from Health Care-toons Calendar by Jeff Haebig and cartoonist Ed Fischer.

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Hypo-Slow Vestibular System (video)

‘Fidget is Legit’ in classrooms to aid

our learning challenged students

Video: We are creating learning handicaps in our classrooms for students with vestibular weakness when we don’t provide enough physical movement that stimulates the vestibular and connected visual, auditory, tactile, and proprioception (muscular) sensory systems. Attention deficit may result as the RAS, Reticular Activation System is under-stimulated by a hypo-slow vestibular system.

NCLB, Leave No Child Behind by insisting our learning challenged students have frequent opportunities to strengthen their body brain systems called upon to succeed in school. Daily Physical Education strengthens the vestibular system with repeated movements (e.g., rolling, spinning, bouncing, stop and go, balancing, etc.). Let’s move on this!

Emotional Sobriety (video)

Natural highs – healthy ways to feel good

Tian Dayton’s video briefly shows the importance of ‘turning on’ the body’s opiate system… endorphins, serotonin, oxytocin, prolactin, and other calming and euphoric mood stabilizers released through wholesome activities. Emotional sobriety is learning how to live in the mid-range, achieving a balanced state to release the medicine chest within us, rather than resort to drugs and addictive behaviors.

Tian Dayton’s article, Body Comes to Therapy, excerpted from her book, The Magic of Forgiveness provides a thorough understanding of how emotions affects the body, including “How Emotion Travels Though the Body… The Positive Function of Fear and Anxiety… The Power of Thought… The Role of the Limbic System… It’s Never Too Late to Limbically Revise… and Limbic Resonance, Regulation and Revision.” Many forms of physical and emotional distress may be caused by pain internalize as a child. We need to confront these deeper origins of pain. Visit TianDayton.com for more insightful articles – this is a terrific site!

Use It... Or Lose It!

Wellness Quest for Your Best! Walk, bike, skate, swim, dance, or move another zestful way for 30 minutes today staying well within your fitness comfort zone. If you haven’t been exercising for a while, choose a shorter time period and activity you enjoy doing.

Health Benefits: Aerobic exercise helps build heart strength and efficiency, increases endurance, improves sleep, raises good cholesterol, and lowers blood pressure. Over time, aerobic exercise helps burn excess body fat and reduces risks of diabetes and other diseases including heart disease and certain cancers.

Quote: He who has health has hope; and he who has hope, has everything. Arabian Proverb

Humor: Just think, if you exercise for 1200 months you are guaranteed to live to a hundred! Author Unknown

Post Script: Be safe, check with your fitness specialist or health service before starting any new exercise program, especially if you are out of shape, over 40, or have a medical condition.

Quick Quest Link: The Benefits of Aerobic Exercise and many other excellent health related articles can be found on WeightLossforAll.com

Take Steps: How to Start an Aerobic Routine by eHow.com

Video: Walking -- Part 1: Start Quick and Easy

Note: The health cartoon is taken from the Health Care-toons Calendar by Jeff Haebig and cartoonist Ed Fischer.

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