September brings the subtle change of seasons and the not so subtle change of schedules.  Even those without school-age children can get a sense that it’s time for a change.  We challenge you this month to simplify your schedule, stop over-scheduling and take some time for your self.  Here are a few recommendations on how to get control of your schedule from High Octane Women by Sherrie Bourg Carter, PsyD:

Book like a therapist.  Make appointments that are 50 minutes long, leaving 10 minutes of flex time to return calls, e-mails or to simply take a few minutes to stop and pause.

Get real.  Trim the obligations that are causing you more angst and pain than they are worth.  Ask yourself, “What was my original goal when I signed up for this?” If this task or obligation doesn’t answer that question, it’s time to drop it.

Focus.  Put an end to multi-tasking and focus on one thing at a time.

Put yourself on the calendar.  Write or type yourself in, even if it’s just for a 10-minute break, walk, talk or laugh.  And DON”T cancel it!

Use this month’s momentum to make the changes that really can make a difference in both your personal and professional life.

When you're trying to reach health and wellness goals, it's common to experience plateaus.  If you have a setback, you may have to give yourself a motivation boost. You can to strengthen and clarify your reasons for making healthy lifestyle changes by painting a picture of your future.

Try this great idea from Duke Diet & Fitness Center: Visualize what you want your life to look like three months, six months, or one year from now. Take out a sheet of paper and sketch your vision — whether in images or in words. Make your "picture" as detailed and specific as possible. Focus not only on what you look like but on where are you are and who and what are surrounding you. Be creative – dream big!

When you're done, take a look at what you came up with. Which parts of your current life are in the picture, and which aren't? Did you include anything that surprised you? Did the exercise bring something new to your consciousness?

Save the paper and go back to it when you need motivation or a reminder of what matters to you. Use it as a vision of what your life will become through your efforts.


If you can imagine it, you can do it!

Summer is officially here.  The sun is shining, no jackets required, flip-flops are the shoe of choice, strawberries and watermelons are in season, umbrellas perch on the sides of drinks and many of us will head to the beach.  To truly enjoy this season you should keep in mind the following beach health tips to have a truly safe and spectacular summer.

Sunscreen, sunscreen and more sunscreen – Don’t leave home without it on. Slather it on from your face, to your toes.  Lather on more than you think you need and you’ll still probably be shy of doctors recommended amounts.  Having the same tube or can of sunscreen all season is not a good thing and yes, you need to re-apply frequently. 

Safe swimming – Remember to swim in areas that have Lifeguards, and never ignore a warning sign for unsafe waters.  The myth of waiting an hour after you eat before you go swimming is just that – a myth.  But be careful to not be too quick to enter the water if you had a really big lunch – you might experience cramps or nausea.  If you are swimming laps, a small nutritious snack (think less than 200 calories) eaten 10 minutes before your swim might actually help fuel your workout.

Creatures of the Sea - Jellyfish stings hurt!  But don’t make it worse by having someone pee on the sting.  Vinegar is what you need to deactivate the venom.  According to Mark Schick, collections manager at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium as you pour the vinegar, scrape off any barbs with the edge of a credit card.  If you feel nauseated after being stung, head to the hospital for a thorough exam.

Hold the Mayo – Nothing ruins a beach picnic worse than spoiled food.  Ok, maybe sand in your food that then crunches between your teeth can put a damper on things, but that is only annoying – spoiled food is sickening.  Pack foods with lots of ice and be mindful to create a spread that doesn’t have mayo or many refrigerated items.

Summertime is the season for easy, carefree times.  Keep it that way by following the tips listed above.  Now sit back, sip and relax.

Do these sound familiar?  “I forgot to get that at the store” or “ I can’t remember their name/phone number or e-mail.”  If so, it’s time for some cerebral strength training.  Here are a few ways from Health magazine to protect your memory:

Join or start a Book Club – A 2009 study found that reading books led to a 30-50% decrease in the risk of developing memory loss.  Reading coupled with social interaction is a win-win, because those who participate in social activities may be 40% less likely to experience memory loss.

Move! – Dance, work out or do any activity that makes you break a sweat.  Exercise increases the blood flow to your brain and helps neurons grow there.

Play on Your Computer – Now you have a reason for playing Boggle, Word with Friends or Scrabble on your computer.  A North Carolina State University study found that seniors who played an online computer game for more than two weeks improved their cognitive functioning.

Cross- train your Brain  - To optimize your memory, you need to strengthen both sides of your brain (Left = analytical, verbal and Right=visual, emotional).  Not a number’s person?  Try balancing your checkbook or playing Sudoku.  If you are not usually the social type, make a lunch date with an old friend.

Challenge yourself to incorporate one or all of these into your daily routine.  You’ll get the brain-boosting benefits and will have some fun in the process.  Just don’t forget to give it a try 

It’s that time of the year for many.  The time for tissues, scratchy-throats, watery eyes, sneezing and general discomfort from seasonal allergies.  Consider trying something new with edible medicine and you may get some natural relief.

According to the medical director at the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine the following foods may be your new super foods:

Oranges – these juicy gems get their orange color from quercetin, which can keep your body from reacting as strongly to pollen.  An added anti-allergy benefit also comes from the vitamin C found in this citrus powerhouse.

Salmon – what can’t this fabulous fish do?  It’ omega-3s have anti-inflammatory properties that may ease your runny nose and itchy eyes.  Try incorporating salmon into your weekly meal plans. (Vegetarians can get similar benefits from walnuts and ground flaxseeds)

Greek Yogurt – the “it” yogurt can soothe seasonal allergy symptoms (thanks to the live cultures) according to a study from the University of California Davis.

Green or White Tea- either of these teas contain compounds called catechins, which block the creation of histamines (the chemicals that cause allergy symptoms).

Tumeric- this spice (best known for its role in curries) packs a potent anti-allergy kick.  It has some of the strongest natural anti-inflammatory properties that we know of.

So, how about a dinner tonight with all of the foods listed above?  You’ll sip some white or green tea as you eat your salmon topped with an Indian-inspired Greek Yogurt sauce and then have a sweet, juicy dessert of oranges(maybe with a square of dark chocolate).  Give it a try – it could be the natural relief you are looking for this time of year.

Have you found an exercise routine that fits you? When you work out, what messages are running through your head? How you think about exercise greatly influences how you feel about it — and how likely you are to stick with it, according to a study at Duke Diet and Fitness. If your self-talk during exercise is negative, your experience with exercise will be negative, too.

Do any of the following thoughts sound familiar?

I hate to exercise.

I'm not a athlete.

I stink at this.

Everyone is looking at me.

I missed a workout, so I may as well stop trying

I'm too exhausted to exercise.

I'm never going to reach my goal.

If any of these — or any other — negative messages come to mind during your workouts, try replacing them with the following:

I will keep trying new things, until I find an activity I enjoy.

I will get better at this over time.

I don’t care what others think of me.

I may have missed a workout, but today is a new day and I can get back to it.

I'm tired, but I'll try for just 10 minutes of exercise and then see how I feel.

I can and will reach my goal.

After I exercise, I really feel accomplished and good about myself.

This week, pay attention to the thoughts you're having during exercise and focus on replacing negative thoughts with positive ones. Doing so will make your workouts less work and more enjoyable.

“I’m not creative.”  How many times have you heard someone say that?  Many of us feel that creativity is something that only artists and famous visionaries have.  Creativity can seem like a fantastic magic that few possess.  But creativity isn’t magic, and there is no such thing as a creative type.  It isn’t an inherited gene - it is a skill.  Anyone can learn to be creative.

The Wall Street Journal article, “How to Be Creative” suggests the following “tricks”(but not the magic kind) to help foster your creativity:

Surround yourself with the color BLUE since it leads to more relaxed and associative thinking according to a 2009 study

Get groggy. People at their least alert time of day performed far better on various creative puzzles.

Daydream.

Think like a 7-year old.

Laugh.

Work outside the Box (realistically away from your normal workspace).

Next time you are faced with a problem that needs a little creativity to solve, try one of these tricks you might just be surprised what you pull out of your hat.

In a month that often brings unpredictable weather and limited sunshine our instincts might be to simply lower our wellness expectations.  February can bring a case of the winter blahs or we can make it fabulous.  Consider the following:

Chocolate is in abundance for the first 14 days of the month

President’s Day gives us an extra day off

It’s a short month

If that didn’t do it for you, then consider trying the following:

Movement and exercise are proven to improve your mood.  ANY activity helps, but exercising outside so you can get some fresh air and daylight is ideal. Walk the dog,  try a yoga class, learn how to use resistance bands or dance like crazy.

         

Certain foods can help your body produce chemicals that make you feel more energetic and upbeat.  Try to increase your intake of salmon, walnuts, oatmeal, green tea, fortified milk and don’t forget that small square of dark chocolate.

Tackle an indoor project you’ve been wanting to do.  Keep it small and enjoy the sense of accomplishment you get when it’s done.  Think about photo’s, de-cluttering the junk drawer, organizing your closet or growing something.

Contact a friend or family-member you haven’t recently spoken to.  Connecting with others can create a sense of community and caring. 

Start planning some healthy Spring-time activities.  Get your bike tuned up, browse seed catalogs, plan some new menus or sign-up for a class or workshop

It’s your choice, you can let the month get to you or you can get to making the best of it – all 28 days of it.

Are you a giver, a doer, a count on me type of person?  When was the last time you treated yourself as well as you treat your friends and family?  It’s a simple question that may not be easy to answer.  Many of us find the time and energy to be supportive or understanding to others, yet often berate ourselves for perceived personal failures. How kindly people view themselves, known as self-compassion is the basis for a burgeoning new area of psychological research and an area of self-care that we all must learn to adopt and adapt into our lives.

The research suggests that giving ourselves a break, taking time for ourselves and accepting our imperfections may be the first step toward better health.  People who score high on tests of self-compassion have less depression and anxiety, and tend to be happier and more optimistic.
 
So why aren’t we all full of self-compassion? Dr. Kristin Neff, a pioneer in the field and an associate professor of human development at the University of Texas at Austin has found, “In my research that the biggest reason people aren’t more self-compassionate is that they are afraid
they’ll become self-indulgent.  They believe self-criticism is what keeps them in line.  Most people have gotten it wrong because our culture says being hard on yourself is the way to be.”

Think of times when you’ve helped someone who is struggling in school or work or eating too much junk food. You offer support, like getting professional guidance or making an effort to find and prepare healthful foods the person will enjoy.  But when we find ourselves in similar situations- struggling at home or work, or overeating and gaining weight-we often fall into a cycle of
self-criticism and negativity. This can leave us feeling even less motivated to change.

“Self-compassion is really conducive to motivation,” Dr. Neff says.  “The reason you don’t let children (or spouses or friends) eat five big tubs of ice cream is because you care about them.  
With self-compassion, if you care about yourself, you do what’s healthy for you rather than what’s harmful to you.”

How can you start to do to develop self-compassion?  You can consider:

Creating a visual storyboard

Meditating or finding a personal mantra

Writing yourself a letter of support listing your best and worst traits

Remembering that nobody is perfect, think of steps you might take to help feel better about yourself
 
Finding a supportive class or creative outlet