Motivate Yourself to Get Healthy with Fun!

A friend of mine got a Wii Fit as an anniversary present… and her excitement and enthusiasm was absolutely contagious! (Anybody have a Wii Fit they want to let me try?) I’ll be honest — I don’t usually feel excited and enthusiastic about exercising. I know it’s good for me. I know it helps my body stay healthy and flexible and strong. But exercise isn’t something I think of as fun. When healthy choices are chores, you’re less likely to stick with them (whether we’re talking about a diet or an exercise plan). But if you can make your lifestyle … Continue reading →

Beating the Mid-Afternoon Slump

I recently had the opportunity to do some temp work for a friend of mine in an office setting. As a freelancer, I’m used to setting my own schedule. I love having the freedom to work for a few hours, take a break to walk the dogs or do something else, and then going back to the keyboard for another few hours. I’m out of the habit of working an eight hour day! One thing I noticed was the mid-afternoon slump — an hour or two after lunch, I found myself tired and unfocused. I’ll admit that I went for … Continue reading →

Walking Across the USA

A survey from the American Podiatric Medical Association looked at five hundred cities around the United States and ranked them based on walkability. The researchers looked for things like green spaces for walking, what percentage of the population walks to work, how safe the streets are, and more. Here are some of the winners! I’m pleased to see my own new home of Portland, Oregon made the list, thanks to the efforts of the community to make the town more walkable. Other towns that are working to improve walkability include Trenton, NJ, Denver, CO, and Kansas City, MO. There are … Continue reading →

The Value of Vacation

One of the drawbacks of being a freelancer is that just about every day is a work day for me. If I’m not writing, I’m at the cats-only boarding facility — a job I took mainly so I’d have some work outside the home, and a chance to interact with people. There are many days when I do both. This week, I took two days in a row off. I wrote ahead so my clients would have their projects covered. Time off was scheduled from the cats-only boarding facility. I had absolutely nothing to do. It was great. I didn’t … Continue reading →

Seven Ways Scent Can Enhance Your Health

Your nose is as much as ten thousand times sharper than your taste buds. That can make your sniffer a pretty powerful tool for your health! Here are some ways you can use aromatherapy to boost your health. Food scents can actually help you lose weight! A study from the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago found that sniffing food scents like apple, banana, and peppermint could help stave off cravings. Try keeping your favorite food scent handy and see if you a whiff of something delicious can keep your stomach happy. Use rosemary to boost brainpower. … Continue reading →

What Your Nose Knows

Don’t knock your nose — scientists believe that the nose is capable of recognizing thousands of smells. In fact, studies are showing that your sense of smell may be as much as ten thousand times sharper than your sense of taste. That’s pretty amazing! So how does smell work? Inside your nose are millions are cells that act as scent receptors. We have hundreds of different kinds of smell receptors that allow us to identify lots of different odors. Once your scent receptors detect a smell, they send the information to a cluster of neurons in the brain known as … Continue reading →

Pick the Healthiest Water

I’m a fan of flavored water. What can I say? I like drinks with flavor. Plain old water is okay once in a while, but I’m far more likely to get my eight glasses a day if they actually taste like something. But not all flavored waters are created equal. Here are some tips to help you pick the best water — and stay away from the stuff that isn’t as good for you. Watch the sweeteners. Check the label for sugars, whether natural or artificial. Sweeteners play a big role in calorie count — and how many calories do … Continue reading →

What Does Light do for Your Body?

Natural light isn’t just good for maintaining your circadian rhythms. The right amount of light at the right time of day can do amazing things for your body! Light helps you wake up. Head for the brightest light you can find when your alarm clock goes off and you’ll shake off sleep faster. Want to be even more alert? Don’t wear sunglasses during your ride to work. If you have to wake up before the sun is up, try putting a compact fluorescent bulb in your bedside lamp. (Look for bulbs marked daylight or 6500K.) The color range of this … Continue reading →

Marriage Can Make You Smarter

A study from Brigham Young University recently reported that a happy marriage could lower your blood pressure. Now neuroscience is noticing that marriage can make you smarter, too. In the early stages of a relationship (that first, exciting rush of love), your brain might not be in the right state for intellectual pursuits. A lot of the beginnings of love are driven by the euphoric feelings that come from dopamine — a brain chemical that produces powerful, pleasurable feelings. As relationships mature, dopamine levels become less important and other parts of the brain are engaged. In the later stages of … Continue reading →

Healthy Houseplants

If you’re looking for a way to keep your houseplants healthy, you can check the Home Blog. If you’re looking for houseplants that can keep YOU healthy, you’re in the right place. Plants can brighten your home — but they have a ton of health benefits. Lower stress with some greens in your workspace. Even in low light or offices without windows, you can keep a dragon tree, bamboo palm, snake plant, or arrowhead vine. Studies from Washington State University have shown that exposure to plants can lower your systolic blood pressure by as much as four points. Compare it … Continue reading →