Category Archives: Health

“Just keep swimming.”

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“Just keep swimming.”

—Dory, in Finding Nemo

Image from Unsplash by Tyler Nix

I recently watch the Netflix series Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones. During his exploration, author Dan Buettner travels around the world to places such as Okinawa, Sardinia, Singapore, the Greek islands, and even places in the U.S. to discover the secrets of a long and vibrant life.

Among the variety of strategies for living longer, healthier lives is a focus on movement. Unlike many western societies where lifestyles can be fairly sedentary, it is pleasing to see the simple practices of physical daily chores and walking comprise a majority component of their fitness endeavors.

EXERCISE:

Where and how can and do your incorporate movement into your days?

How might a few more laps, a bike ride, walking with friends, or taking the stairs add a few more years to your life and life to your years?

Friday Review: Health

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FRIDAY REVIEW: HEALTH

Where would you rate your health on your list of priorities? Here are a few related posts you may have missed:

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”

 

 

 

 

“It is no measure of health to be well-adjusted to a profoundly sick society.”

 

 

 

 

“When you live on a round planet, there is no choosing sides.”

 

 

 

Even the finest sword plunged into salt water will eventually rust

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“Even the finest sword plunged into salt water will eventually rust.”

—Sun Tzu, Ancient Chinese Military general & Philosopher

Image from Unsplash by Ricardo Cruz

What is your personal assessment of your health? Consider all aspects including your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual status.

What current habits and practices enhance your well-being and nourish your vitality?

Despite all of our best Blue Zone efforts, we all eventually decline and rust.

Our telomeres shorten and our cells don’t always replace themselves with the exact genetic codes of our youth.

I’ve heard that over the years about 70% of our health can be positively influenced by our actions.

Regardless of the exact number it is in our best interest to keep our life swords sharp and strong.

EXERCISE:

What factors in your world act like salt water, having a corrosive effect on your life?

How can you minimize or eliminate their toxic effects to optimize your chances of a long and healthy life?

Check out Blue Zones and investigate the work of the Human Longevity Institute for some approaches being used to galvanize our lives for the better.

I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the journey-work of the stars

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“I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the journey-work of the stars.”

—Walt Whitman, 19th Century American poet, essayist and journalist

Image from Unsplash by Chang Qing

As part of my health and fitness efforts I take a daily shot of wheat grass juice each morning. Although some people might describe this practice as drinking a lawn, I’ve learned to appreciate its fresh scent and unique flavor.

As a superfood touted by many, I’ve learned that this plant is made of the stuff of stars. About 70% of this plant is chlorophyll. If you add in vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E, amino acids, and a host of other phytonutrients, you get a veritable chemistry set of elements supporting your life.

EXERCISE:

Examine the eating habits of the world’s largest land animals. When you think of elephants, giraffes, rhinos, it is clear that plants do a body good. How might you incorporate more plants in your diet to live a healthier, star-studded life?

Taking care of yourself doesn’t mean me first. It means me too

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“Taking care of yourself doesn’t mean me first. It means me too.”

—L.R. Knost, Editor-in-Chief of Holistic Parenting Magazine

Image from Amazon

Do you eat a healthy diet? Get regular exercise? How much sleep and rest do you get to recharge and renew?

If your answers aren’t to your liking, most experts would suggest some significant upgrades.

We all fall out of balance from time to time but far too many people—for a variety of seemingly good reasons—are paying a very high price. They assume being selfless and always putting others first is the optimal way of living a meaningful life.

EXERCISE:

Pick up a copy of Adam Grant’s book Give and Take for an expert analysis of being other-ish as the way to go. I also recommend the book On Target Living by Chris Johnson if you want to re-evaluate your eating, sleeping and exercise strategies.

“To descend into ourselves, we must first lift ourselves up.”

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“To descend into ourselves, we must first lift ourselves up.”

—Joseph Joubert, 18th Century French moralist and essayist

Image from Unsplash by Zac Durant

Toward the end of October, I was knocked out of my usual activities by a bad cold and an extra heavy dose of seasonal pollen to activate my allergies. I even took a Covid test before I went to my doctor, who told me it was most likely viral and to keep up my palliative care efforts of chicken soup, tea, and rest.

About the only activities that remained consistent were my meditation practice and some reading. Looking through the lens of my illness with modest energy at best, I found my descent into my thoughts and feelings revealing. A big takeaway that I thought I always knew is that the ultimate wealth is health.

EXERCISE:

How do you perceive the ups and downs of your life?

How do you lift yourself up so that you can more fully descend into yourself to live a richer more fulfilling life?

When you live on a round planet, there is no choosing sides

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“When you live on a round planet, there is no choosing sides.”

—Dr. Wayne Dyer, late American self-help author and motivational speaker

Image from Unsplash by gebhartyler

The health of our planet and therefore ourselves depends on many factors.

Astronauts speaking from their experience in space say there are no lines separating us like on our maps. Our air, water, and even the network of fungi below the surface of our world connects us in ways we don’t always recognize.

Within the past century or so, man’s use and often abuse of this planet’s resources have created an increasingly urgent cascade of climate and environmental issues that are affecting us all.

EXERCISE:

Where do you find yourself taking sides in your various communities?

What can you do to help them come together to make things better for everyone?

Consider listening to the 2010 song “We are the World” as a good reminder that we are all in this together.

Please read The Carbon Almanac and help carry its information and message of hope to others.

If you enjoy fiction you may also want to check out The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson.

When is being lazy just what the doctor ordered

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When is being lazy just what the doctor ordered?

—Calm App Reflection

Image from Unsplash by Aleksandar Cvetanovic

Being lazy is an approach to living that most people avoid or judge negatively. Taking the easy way out, goofing off, and not pulling your weight in your personal and professional activities will annoy and upset others.

Consider the animal kingdom for an alternative perspective.

Domestic dogs and cats can often be found lounging and relaxing. Select a few of your favorite wild animals to determine their levels of activity and leisure especially when food, water, and shelter are not an issue.

How often do you wish you could trade places with them to have a slower, lower stressed life?

EXERCISE:

Where and when can you prescribe and take a healthy dose of laziness?

Look to your pets as doctors for some coaching when you forget.

Slow movements help slow the mind

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“Slow movements help slow the mind, so it can enjoy its reunion with the body.”

—Therese Jornlin, therapist and transformational coach

Image from Unsplash by Jose Vazquez

Over the past several months, I’ve added the CALM app’s “daily move” to my morning routine. With the years adding up, I’ve found these 5-7 minute exercises helpful in soothing my creaky joints and  muscles.

Many of the movements — based on  yoga, Tai Chi, and Qi Gong — have helped me enter my day with greater energy and focus.

EXERCISE:

Where and how could you include various forms of slow movement to your day and benefit from the reunion of your mind and body?

Consider trying CALM‘s daily move for yourself and let me know what you think.

I think you should always bear in mind that entropy is not on your side

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“I think you should always bear in mind that entropy is not on your side.”

—Elon Musk, entrepreneur, investor, and business magnate

Image from Unsplash by Ravi Patel

I’ve recently noticed more and more people in my communities simplifying their lives as they age. Entropy causes both people and things to fall apart, and it takes considerable energy and effort to keep things in working order. With this in mind and with the hands of time always turning, we get to choose where to focus our energies to keep our most essential life elements going and slow entropy’s inevitable victory.

EXERCISE:

What essential infrastructure projects in your life are getting the most attention and energy? Where do the issues of health and quality relationship stand on your list of priorities? What other areas are most important to maintain in good working order for as long as possible?