Wellness Tips
Exercise and Eating Tips
- Shape Up America C. Everett Koop's Exercise, Fitness and Nutrition pages.
- EatRight Tip of the Day from the American Dietetic Association.
- Pure Food Campaign from the Organic Consumers Association campaigning for Food Safety, Organic Agriculture, and Sustainability.
Holiday Stress Tips
The holiday season can be stressful for many people. Here are some helpful tips to manage stress:
- Adjust your expectations... focus on your accomplishments.
- Delegate responsibility... don't try to do everything yourself.
- Treat yourself to some quiet time.
- Make plans for something fun to do in January. Avoid the post-holiday blues.
- Prioritize the events you want to participate in. Don't over-commit your time.
- Give yourself plenty of time to reach your destination.
- Budget your money. Consider all the ways you would spend your money over the holiday season.
At-Work Exercise Tips - Dave Mueller, www.creatingreality.com, 1999-01-31.
Reciprocal inhibition is a simple, powerful technique that can release pain and tension . Utilize the same process as Relaxation Stretching by adding resistance to the stretch. Resist for 3-5 seconds and repeat three times. This will cue the areas of tension to release.
The general rule is: identify the area of tension or pain, and move the body to stretch the muscles in that area while resisting the movement.
Two excellent books on stretching are: Stretching by Bob Anderson and Stretch and Strengthen by Judy Alter.
Here is a list of some of the movements for the specific areas where you can use reciprocal inhibition to release and relax.
Allow the movement to be a strong slow pull. Do it three times. This technique can be used in any area of the body where groups of muscles oppose each other.
- The neck at the base of the skull:
Hold the forehead while bringing the chin to the chest.
- The side of neck:
Hold the side of the head while turning the head sideways.
- The side of neck:
Hold the side of the head while pressing the ear to your shoulder.
- The side of the jaws:
Hold the chin with two hands while opening the mouth in a yawning motion.
- Between the shoulder blades:
Push the elbow forward while resisting with the opposite hand.
- The upper shoulder:
Press the forearm down upon a desk or table.
- The outside of the hand:
Make a fist with the opposite hand & squeeze the fist like it a ball.
- The low back:
Lie on your back bring your knees to your chest while resisting with the palms of your hands on the front of your legs.