Mind/Body

Health, like wealth, is not much use without happiness. And happiness gives us a stronger immune system and less stress.

What do you enjoy eating? If it is only junk food, then you might be in trouble. If you enjoy eating a fairly reasonable diet, yet you stress out trying to eat a totally healthy diet you are being counter productive. One study a few years back compared two groups of people, one could eat what they want, the other was given a specific healthy diet. The healthy diet people actually did more poorly in that particular study. After some research, they decided it was because the people on the diet were more stressed and felt more out of control of their own lives.

Here’s another downer: If you want to lose weight and you are stressing out about your diet all the time, you may be increasing your production of cortisol, which will cause you to gain weight.

How to be happy

• Don’t take your thoughts so seriously. If you have a thought like “I screwed up”, “I’m not good enough”, or “How come I never get it right”, just let the thought go. It’s just a thought. Everyone does good things and dumb things, that’s just the way we are. You are still a lovable human being that deserves to be happy.

• Make other people’s happiness a priority. When we focus outside of ourselves we tend to be happier. Generally, unhappy people spend most of their time thinking about themselves.

• Don’t become a slave to others desires. There are needy people out there who stick themselves to people who are always willing to help. Those people will soon burn you out. So, help others, but recognize your own limits and stick to them.

• Don’t try to change others. People do that to their spouses, and it is a losing battle. Let each other be who they are. If you really can’t stand them, leave them. However, our lives become richer by enjoying the company of people not like ourselves. That’s probably what attracted you to that person you can’t stand in the first place.

• Pamper yourself regularly. What do you love to do? Every day spend some time doing things you love to do, and every week take time out to really pamper yourself.

• Recognize that your moods are always changing. Sometimes you are up, sometimes you are down. Don’t dwell on the down times, let them pass. Those can be good opportunities for pampering yourself. Sometimes when I am in a down mood I like to listen to sad music or watch a sad movie. That allows me to enjoy the mood, without dwelling on myself or making my mood about me. Sometimes I’ll do the opposite, listen to happy music or watch a comedy. If I’m lucky it brings me up again.

• Have purpose in your life. Figure out what you want to achieve or discover or learn or create. Go out and start working towards those goals. And keep coming up with new ones. Some people set a fairly lofty goal, then if they actually reach it, they get depressed because they lived their whole life for that one goal. There are limitless possible goals on this earth.

Study shows why exercise boosts brainpower.

We have so many reasons to exercise. The latest is that it keeps our memory in good condition. Researchers have found that exercise improves blood flow to the part of the brain that is responsible for memory, and builds new brain cells there. The more you exercise the less likely you are to get dementia as you age.

Spring is definitely in the air in the Northwest. I don’t know how the rest of the world is doing. Spring is a time of renewal and growth. It is also a good time for internal cleansing. Over the next couple of days I will be talking about cleansing the digestive system, the Gall Bladder, and the blood. Today I want to talk about clearing the cobwebs from the mind.

Every year, when gardening season starts again, I feel totally rejuvenated by getting my hands into the earth. I think as we have moved into the cities and let other people take care of our food production, we have lost an important part of our wellbeing. I feel more grounded, more at ease, more alive, when I am digging in the earth. Walking in the forest can have similar benefits. You could say it’s the fresh air and exercise, and those two are both very important, but I am sure that there is something about our connection with earth that our souls need.

Walking and other weight bearing exercise is the best way to prevent osteoporosis. In one recent study, healthy women, with an average age of 69, began an exercise program that included strength training, stair climbing, walking, and calisthenics, three times a week, for 32 weeks, boosted their bone density by 11%. That’s better than any drug could do.

Of course, that was more than just walking, but other studies have shown that walking, alone can boost bone density by lower, but healthful amounts. The studies also find that balance is improved and people are less likely to fall, which is very good for the bones, too.

If you work in an office building, take the stairs as much as you can. Use the restroom on a different floor, and take the stairs there. There are many ways to fit more walking and stair climbing into your day. Of course, if you are retired, you should have time for a good exercise program. It is never too late too start. Doing a combination of exercises, as mentioned above is the best way to keep the bones strong. Exercise has many other healthful benefits for our minds and bodies as well.