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HEALTH BYTES: NEWS YOU CAN USE
Dr. Evan will be offering tips on a wide range of healthcare topics. Check here on a regular basis to read the latest tips.
Use it or lose it! The next four Bytes will address different strategies for incorporating exercises into your daily routine. But be prepared . . . the "muscles" that you'll be building are not all physical. Emotional Exercise. Part of your health requires that you exercise a responsible range of emotions. Don't be afraid of FEELING. Too often, we are taught that strong emotions (anger, excitement, grief, etc.) are BAD. Nothing could be further from the truth. However, how we act on these feelings must be done responsibly. Emotion is short for Energy in MOTION. Problems arise when we block the flow of energy. Learning how to enjoy this movement of energy is very important for your health. First, and most importantly, don't make anyone else responsible for your feelings. "She made me angry" or "He made me feel sad" is not accurate. Your anger/sadness/grief are YOUR feelings, in response to a given situation. We cannot be made to feel any emotion. It is ours to enjoy and process. All of our emotional difficulties arise when we fail to acknowledge personal responsibility for our feelings. Enjoy the movement of energy and then ask, "What have I learned about myself from this?" Remember . . . you cannot control people and / or events around you; only how you think and, therefore, feel about them. And what we think and how we feel is within our control. Challenge your thoughts and change your feelings. Check out Byron Katie (www.thework.com) for a wonderful introduction to this simple but profound process. Intellectual Exercise. The brain is often overlooked as an important target for daily exercise. This is a mistake. In an effort to understand the nature of a healthy brain and its concomitant mental functioning, Dr. David Snowdon and his colleagues at the University of Minnesota began a pilot study using data collected from School Sisters of Notre Dame living in Mankato, Minnesota in 1986. Dr. Snowdon wanted to learn why these retired nuns -- many in their 90's and older -- had a significantly lower rate of Alzheimer's and dementia than the general population. Dr. Snowdon discovered that these nuns, although retired, engaged in daily activities that challenged and exercised their mental abilities: cognitive, verbal/language, executive, memory, visual-spatial, and mathematical skills. They did crossword puzzles, played Scrabble and other word games, and played math games for fun. Dr. Snowdon discovered that the nuns with advanced degrees who continued to study new subjects throughout their retirement had the highest functional levels in the group. Don't overlook this important area of exercise if you want to enjoy a long and healthy life. Check out the free Brain Games on the AARP website (http://www.aarp.org). Select your demographics (gender, educational level attained, year of birth) and a game and difficulty level, and have fun. You'll receive a score that reflects your ability at various levels of difficulty compared to other individuals in the same demographic. Some games are untimed and some are timed. Start at level one for all games . . . don't beat up on yourself if you do not perform consistently at the top of the scale . . . progress slowly . . . and don't avoid the games that are "hard" or are not "fun" and concentrate on the easy ones. With practice, you will show an improvement in all of the areas that are exercised and measured. Don't overlook a number of excellent games that are available as free apps on your smart-phones and iPads. Surgical students in medical schools are encouraged to play these games in order to development quick problem-solving skills. Try FLOW! |
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