Approaching the New Year with a Healthier Perspective

It's so common at this time of year to come up with a list of resolutions--goals for the new year that are often loftier than the way we live our lives.  For many people, the refreshed feeling of the new year has worn off by valentines' day, and the goals we set in January become one more example of our belief that the only way to improve ourselves is to be perfect.

In spite of all these cultural expectations around perfection, taking a few small steps and being gentle with ourselves is often the path to a more fulfilled, happier, healthier life.

Instead of thinking about 2013 in terms of things you want to get done, I challenge you instead to think about how you want to feel.  List 3-4 feelings that you want to experience in the new year, and then what you plan to do this week to achieve those feelings.  By thinking about yourself in terms of your internal experience instead of by external goals, you may find yourself making choices that are more in line with your heart, with your soul, and with your health.

Many thanks to Kris Carr and Danielle LaPorte for their thinking and writing on this topic.

Happy 2013!

5 tips for getting more sleep

May these sleeping puppies
 inspire you to go to bed.

We have all heard that we should sleep at least eight hours a night.   However, most of us function with some level of sleep deprivation.  I, too, have a long history of being sleep-deprived, so this post is as much of a reminder to me as it is for you.

When we are well -rested, we make smart decisions, feel emotionally balanced, and feel ready to face the world.  It turns out that we are also healthier. Here are a few things about sleep and health outcomes that you may not know (research compiled by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care):

Obesity:
Several studies have linked insufficient sleep and weight gain.  One study found that people who slept fewer than six hours per night on a regular basis were much more likely to have excess body weight, while people who slept an average of eight hours per night had the lowest relative body fat of the study group.

Diabetes:
Studies have shown that people who report sleeping fewer than five hours per night had a greatly increased risk of having or developing type 2 diabetes.  Studies have also shown that improved sleep can positively influence blood sugar control and reduce the effects of type 2 diabetes.

Cardiovascular Disease and Hypertension:
A recent study found that even modestly reduced sleep (six to seven hours per night) was associated with an increased risk for heart attack and heart disease.

Immune Function:
Several studies suggest that sleep deprivation may decrease the body's ability to fight off infection.

The Common Cold:
In a recent study, people who averaged less than seven hours of sleep a night were about three times more likely to develop cold symptoms than those who got eight or more hours of sleep when exposed to the virus that causes colds.  And those who got better quality sleep were the least likely to come down with a cold.


So, knowing all of that, how do we get more sleep?  Here are five tips.

1) Go to bed at the same time every night and get up at the same time every morning.  This will help your body set an internal clock and help it understand that it's time to sleep when you go to bed.

2) Go to bed before 11pm.  There is evidence to show that our bodies create a new "awake cycle" at 11pm and that it's more difficult to fall asleep after that time.

3) Create a regular evening ritual. You want this ritual to signal to yourself that it's time to get ready for sleep.This could involve turning off your electronics and turning down the lights an hour before bed or cuddling up with a book and some herbal tea.

4) Avoid caffeine in the evening.  It can interfere with your ability to fall asleep at bed time.

5) Do something relaxing before bed.  Try taking a bath or doing some restorative yoga before bed to relax your muscles and your mind.


Have you had success in getting 8 hours of sleep a night?  If so, I'd love to hear about it. Write below or shoot me an email! And good luck getting those ZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzz's.

Exercise: A little bit's better than nothing

September, for me, is a month of chaos.  

New schedules begin, a slew of commitments I've been talking about all summer suddenly materialize.  I have a slew of new students, clients, and artistic projects.  There are less daylight hours.  Staying grounded and sticking to an exercise schedule can be very difficult.

So, today's post is a little reminder.

All studies show that even a little bit of exercise will improve your health.  That walking 10 or 20 minutes a day actually is VERY beneficial compared to not being active at all.  

For most of us, this is a difficult way to think.  We want to get back into the best shape of our lives.  We feel like the choices are either work out like a fiend or not work out at all.  The truth is, not exercising at all is terrible for your health.  

So, your mini goal is to remind yourself to get little bits of exercise during the day.  Take the stairs.  Take a walk during your lunch break.  Move your body in some way.

And if you need some pointers, here's a link to 10 ways to increase your daily physical activity, one of my earliest blog posts.  

If you've found some success incorporating small amounts of physical activity during the day, I'd love to hear about it.  Either post here or email me.  

You got questions?

My dear readers,

Do you have topics you'd like to see covered in this blog? Which posts have you particularly enjoyed and would you like to see more of?

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Tips for playing well with others

If you're working to build a healthy relationship with someone else, be it a partner, a friend, a family member, or a coworker, you might notice that the path is fraught with bumps and detours.  For today, let's talk about the four relationship destroyers (as defined by Dr Brad at the Daily Worth):


criticism
             contempt
                             defensiveness
                                                    disengagement

Hugs never hurt, either.

If you really look at your behavior, you will note that at least one of these nasty little guys creeps in upon occasion.  Here's a quick set of tips for consciously cutting the relationship destroyers out of your life.

1) Notice when these nasties creep up on you.  Is it when you feel threatened?  When you don't get what you expect? When you're running late?  During breakfast?  When you didn't get enough sleep?

2) Ask yourself why you default to this behavior.  What is it about the situation that particularly brings these out?

3) Create a scenario in your mind where you are put in one of these aggravating situations.  Now imagine yourself responding in a different way.

4) Take action.  Instead of following your same old script the next time you're in that situation, consciously choose a different response.


Choosing a different response and creating new habits will not happen overnight, but if you can work to change your behavior consistently, you will find that the relationship in question improves significantly.

Any other ideas for changing negative behavior in your relationships?  Share below or shoot me an email.

Your mission: Eat really well for one week and pay attention to how you feel

In the spirit of my last post about how pleasure reinforces good habits, this week's simple step to wellness is about focusing on enjoying eating well and the pleasure that brings.

For one week, eat food that is healthy, fresh, and delicious. Don't count calories or worry about portion sizes.  Just eat good food and enjoy it.




This includes:

lots of fresh vegetables and fruits

whole grains like quinoa, wild rice, millet

Eat protein with little or no processing.  If you eat meat, buy your meat at the farmer's market or from a butcher.  If you don't eat meat, eat fresh, clean dairy and eggs. Sprouted grains are the best way to get protein if you are vegan.  Stay clear of soy products unless they are fermeted (like tamari or tempeh).

Unsweetened (or very lightly sweetened) beverages

Lots of water

Homemade treats made with good ingredients   (now's the perfect time to experiment with that home made creme brule recipe you always wanted to try!)



For this week, notice how your body feels before, during, and after your meals made with whole foods.  As you eat, slow down.  Notice how good the food tastes and really ENJOY EATING.  If you need some recipe tips, check mine out here.

Try this for a week, and let me know how it goes.  Happy eating!

Sticking to your healthy habits: Focus on Immediate Pleasures

Jumping up and down on the beach looks fun. Good idea!

I recently read this article on the 99U, reinforcing that most people don't stick to healthy eating habits or an exercise routine if the only thing they are focused on the long term benefits of those things.

If you want to stick to your exercise and healthy-eating habits, one of the best things that you can do is focus on the immediate positive experiences while you do them.   Notice how great it feels to take that fantastic yoga class with the teacher that you love, or how sumptuous it is to eat a healthy brownie or homemade granola.

In fact, the reason that most people eat junk food, and why obesity is such an issue in this country, is really due to the fact that we like the immediate pleasure of consumption.   The more you focus on the immediate pleasure of making healthy choices instead, the more you're likely to stick to them.   This shift in focus will both help you be present in the world and will also help you feel the short term benefits of making healthy choices.  It can also lessen the overwhelming, unattainable, feeling that we often have when we think of long term goals for ourselves, and generally just makes us happier.  (And who doesn't want that?)


Here are some of my own ideas for enjoyable healthy activities to enjoy this summer.

Taking a long bike ride at sunset.
Biting into the summer's ripest fruit
Sweating during a nice workout at the gym
Resting your mind and body during a yoga class
Hiking to the top of a mountain
Enjoying an active and fun sex life
Eating a delicious homemade treat
Picking berries with a friend

Now, you.  Name one pleasurable, healthy activity that you are going to do this week and happily enjoy!