The Simple Things- It's Full On!

I have been contemplating whether or not I should put a link to this youtube video I saw for a couple of weeks. Well, I have decided to share with you "The Double Rainbow"




When I first saw it I both laughed like crazy, and felt inspired by "Hungry Bear" and his appreciation of the simple things in life.

While diet, exercise, sleep, and stress reduction are all crucial to our health and well being, we need to truly enjoy life and what we are doing. Doing something you like and having a positive emotional response to it releases endorphins, reduces cortisol, reduces blood pressure, and heart rate, and makes you smile which relaxes the muscles in your face and promotes a smooth flow of qi.

Make a point today to do something just purely for the enjoyment of it!

~Think Vitality!~

Slow Down to 10 mph

I watched an off beat documentary this weekend called "10 Miles Per Hour" which chronicled a journey from Seattle to Boston on a Segway- you know those odd 2 wheeled scooters that were supposed to take over the world?

It was about a group of people from "corporate America" who decided that life was moving too quickly and time was passing them by, so they decided to go coast to coast across America at the rate a horse would walk at; 10 miles per hour. It took them over 100 days and they generated some media buzz but I had never heard about them until just recently.

While the movie wasn't amazing it did bring up a good idea- slow down. For all the hustle and hurry we have in our modern day living, has it really made us healthier, happier, or more connected with ourselves or others?

As part of your regular health regime you should include something that makes time go by slowly- walk in nature, look out a window, enjoy tea in silence, go to the beach and simply observe the water, listen to music. You only need a few minutes of 'slow time' to reap the benefits, so try something simple today!

~Think Vitality!~

Sleepy Time

I read an article in the New York Times recently about sleep and the risk to our health if we just don't get enough. There is significant research that links the lack of sleep with cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, premature aging, and weight gain.

A few years ago I had the fortune of spending some time in the Sahara desert and I remember feeling ready to go to bed really early, around 7:30pm or so. The reason was because there was no, I mean absolutely no, light!



When our eyes register that there is no light, a cascade of chemical processes begin and we start to ease into sleep. When we have bright lights, computer monitors, and TV's bombarding us with artificial light that chemical process does not happen as easily.

So, to help yourself sleep better try turning down the brightness on your tv and computer as the sun goes down. Most monitors and tvs have a night time setting and they are well worth it to use. Also, make sure your bathroom lights aren't too bright and shining directly into your eyes when you are brushing your teeth just before bed.

~Think Vitality

photo from dailycal.org