Health Watch (Yes, Come and See and You'll Feel a Bit Better)

Research indicates that even low levels of exposure to nature significantly benefit our physical and mental health.  Whether we're on site or are simply looking at a picture or video, this "green" exercise has been shown to
--lower blood pressure and stress levels
--aid healing
--diminish headaches
--increase productivity
--sharpen attention, creativity and general cognition
--improve mood
--reduce anxiety
(*"What are the benefits of interacting with nature."L. Keniger, K. Gaston, K.Irvine & R.Fuller
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2013 Mar; 10(3): 913–935 )

So I'll invite you to give it a try. If you can't step outside for a walk in the park or a stroll through the woods here are seven one-minute videos to choose from for a moment of self-care.
(You know you can spare a minute.......)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WALZwXyxpHQ Ocean waves

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dT1acIHcls Forest  in North Carolina

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XC7iIJ4kIk Waterfall

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ercl6NiqyPA Trees and brook

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMIc4S_k5Uc Laurel Lakeside

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2L515SmPbRw Sunrise Sunset (time lapse)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fu0u8-XlLFs Calming Flowers (more than a minute--worth it)

"Good" News from The New York Times

We all know it's nice to balance the news of the day with some lighter fare. Some will choose the sports page. Others opt for the entertainment section. 

For the last three years I've chosen the "Smarter Living" page in Monday's New York Times. The Times says it wants to help its readers "live a more fulfilling life." I like how they gather well known researchers and professionals to tackle subjects ranging from how to approach difficult coworkers at your job to managing personal finances to learning how to say "no." 

Here's a link to a recent thought-provoking sample "Success Doesn't Always Bring Happiness" by A.C. Shilton. (June 3, 2019) 

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/28/smarter-living/you-accomplished-something-great-so-now-what.html

Behavioral psychology deserves to be getting ink on a regular basis. Of course, screen time is an option, too--you can sign up for a free summary of each week's offerings at their web site. 

It's just one more way to take good care.

Money Fixes Everything----Nope. How Much is Enough?

Money is often tangled up in our search for identity, accomplishment, affection and regard.

The blueprint for its meaning and importance comes directly from our families, our culture and generational cohort and the times we live in.

Every year Northwestern Mutual conducts a U.S. study of adult attitudes, behaviors and perspectives around financial security and decision making. For 2018 the results showed that money concerns (44%) were considered more stressful than either personal relationships (25%) or work (18%).
https://news.northwesternmutual.com/planning-and-progress-2018

It makes sense to look at our relationship with money. It gives us the chance to manage its influence consciously rather letting it run us.

Meaningful Social Relationships: Better than Broccoli

"No man is an island, 

Entire of itself, 

Every man is a piece of the continent."

(1692) John Dunne, poet

We're in modern times, so let's substitute "person" for "man", but you get the gist. 

The research is in. More than veggies, money or status, the ties that bind result in us living longer and healthier lives than our more socially isolated peers. Umberson & Montez (2010) Social Relationships and Health: A Flashpoint for Health Policy

Check out this short TED talk by Harvard Med School Prof, Robert Waldinger for a lively summary of the 75-year research study that shows that what connects us makes us stronger.

What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness | Robert Waldinger

I'll encourage you to go offline for these connections. Even the friendliest online chats lack what our human touch, tone of voice, rate of speech and non-verbal language add to getting to know someone better and enjoying our time together.

Good Company equals Good Living.

Depression: 16.2 million people say: "You're not alone."

Depression is a common mental condition.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health somewhere close to 16.2 million folks in the USA had at least one major depressive episode in 2016. 

That's a lot of fellow travelers.

One of the symptoms of depression is the distorted viewpoint that we are alone and helpless in our distress and pain. 

It just ain't so.

Take a moment to read the journey of the 2012 Olympic gold medal swimmer, Missy Franklin, who found support from a fellow gold medal Olympian swimmer, Michael Phelps.

It's a nice reminder that we are often in good company just when we need it.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/27/sports/missy-franklin-swimming.html

Battling Pain Both Physical and Mental, Missy Franklin Finds Hope

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Take a Walk (After You Read This)

I've been online quite a bit....perhaps too much.

It seems we pay a big price to be so "wired" and so directed in our attention.

The constant focus that's required as we gaze at our laptops, cellphone screens, TVs and personal electronic devices can lead us to feel irritable, unable to concentrate and feeling ungrounded. It's a condition called "directed attention fatigue"(DAF) by Dr. Rachel Kaplan (U. of Michigan) one of the earlier researchers in cognition and environment.
She notes "What is popularly called 'being stressed out' may more accurately be a reflection of a worn out attentional capacity."

Studies done by Dr. Kaplan and colleagues (January 2010 issue of Perspectives on Psychological Science) support the fact that there are "restorative" environments to reverse and/or prevent such mental exhaustion.

For example, we'd do well to stop for a moment and take a walk in the park or daydream while looking at the sky. The "voluntary" attention involved in interacting with natural settings is associated with lower stress levels, improved mental clarity and less aggression.

So, whether it's checking into Facebook, answering emails, watching TV or texting friends by phone (and playing solitaire while you wait for a response), let's take a break together.

For a more in-depth look at DAF theory and research check out:
R. Kaplan and S. Kaplan (1989) The experience of nature: A psychological perspective. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Eric Jaffe's great summary at http://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/this-side-of-paradise

Great DAF website called Troutfoot Science at http://www.troutfoot.com/attn/index.html

Promise you'll take that walk first!

"It's Getting Better All The Time"---Readings on Resiliency

Here's a nifty pass-along from Tara Parker-Pope, a Wellness columnist at The New York Times.
It has seven handy tips from the experts, Drs. Dennis Charney and Adam Grant on how to look at the brighter side of life once you're on the other side of 40.

It's never too late to learn how to stretch.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/25/well/mind/how-to-boost-resilience-in-midlife.html