Greetings—
Here’s an interesting thing about health: Every day
your health condition is undergoing subtle changes
that you may not notice. Over the course of months
or years, these changes finally become apparent.
It’s like sitting in a well-lit room and someone is
very slowly turning down the dimmer switch on the
lighting. It happens so gradually that you’re
unaware of the diminishing amount of light until you
eventually realize it’s becoming difficult to see.
Your health can experience similar subtle changes.
Have you ever found yourself breathing hard halfway
up a flight of stairs that you used to be able to
climb easily—two steps at a time? As you wonder how
these changes crept up on you, know that reclaiming
your energy and stamina is possible.
A good starting point is to gradually and
consistently increase your level of physical
activity. Author Dr. Schmidt says, “Physical
activity and movement are vital to maintaining
health. They increase muscle mass, increase
oxygenation of the cells, promote the elimination of
toxins through sweating, ... stimulate immune
function, improve memory and cognitive function,
strengthen bones, ... [and] speed the burning of
fat...”
To learn more—and to see how massage can help—read
the main article. See you soon!
How's Your Energy?
What a
difference it makes in your everyday life to have plenty
of pep! Your energy level can serve as an indicator of
your current health condition, so it’s valuable to know
what your body may be telling you.
Everyone has experienced a decrease of energy during an
illness. When illness or injuries occur, the body
contributes to healing by directing available energy in
an effort to return to a state of health. You know when
your body has done its job, because you feel your energy
level return. But what about when you don’t seem to have
the same spark you once did?
Many things can affect your energy level. For instance,
digestion requires a lot of energy. When you eat certain
foods or consume a large meal, it can make you feel
tired. Those who get little physical exercise are more
likely to have lower energy levels as well.
Below are excerpts from the book Tired of Being Tired,
by Dr. Michael A. Schmidt, addressing some of the more
pertinent points regarding energy and health.
“We are not healthy one minute and sick the next ... The
progression from optimal health to disease is a gradual
descent that passes through phases. The descent can take
many years and involve many stressors. Likewise, the
road back to optimum health is a continuum that takes
time.
“It is important to consider that much illness arises
out of imbalance rather than because of a specific
thing. By restoring balance, many of the maladies that
afflict modern humans can be remedied. This idea is
based on research and borne out by clinical experience.
“I have seen a significant number of patients report
near-miraculous recoveries by changing how they live,
eat, behave, and view life—in
essence, by restoring balance.
“Before you embark on a complicated trek to seek out the
cause of your fatigue, you may want to try a series of
basic strategies designed to help boost your energy...”
Dr. Schmidt’s areas of focus include:
-
Exercise = Energy
-
Eat
food that optimizes your mood, take vitamins and
other nutritional supplements
-
Stretch every day
-
Practice deep breathing
-
Evaluate your sleep needs
-
Develop a positive attitude
-
Eliminate refined sugar for two months
-
Avoid caffeine, aspartame, and alcohol
-
Laugh
-
Reach out to others
-
Build your muscles to generate energy
-
Drink adequate amounts of pure water
-
Breathe fresh air
-
Get
massage
Dr.
Schmidt states, “Therapeutic massage can be a valuable
part of any effort to boost energy and restore balance.
Massage can improve immunity, promote circulation,
improve digestion, reduce muscle tension, reduce the
stress response, stimulate the elimination of metabolic
toxins that build up in body tissues, and stimulate the
nervous system. It also satisfies a need for touch that
is inherent in every human being.”
Give your energy a boost by including regular massage in
your health plans!
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Some healthy sleep aids
-
Block all noise. Listen to the silence.
-
Turn off the lights. Light blocks the release of the
sleep-promoting hormone melatonin.
-
Go
to bed at the same time every night. Research shows
that those who do get the best sleep.
-
Go
to bed sober. A nightcap interferes with rapid eye
movement (REM) sleep, which is the refreshing part.
-
Eat
early. Between 6 – 7 PM is good.
Source:
AARP magazine Mar/Apr 2004
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Sleep Makes You Smarter
"When you’re working
on a knotty problem, it actually does help to
sleep on it. A German study found that our
brains continue to work on baffling problems
while we sleep, allowing us to wake up with new
insights. Researchers at the University of
Luebeck gave subjects math problems that
involved transforming a string of eight numbers
into a new string, according to two mathematical
rules. A third rule—a shortcut to solving the
problem—was hidden in the puzzle. After working
on the problem for a while, some subjects slept
for eight hours before resuming their efforts,
while others stayed awake all night. A third
group tackled the problem in the morning and
then returned to it after an eight-hour break.
The sleepers were almost three times more likely
to figure out the shortcut than either of the
two groups that hadn’t slept. The results
suggest that the brain ‘restructures memories’
during sleep, researcher Jan Born tells Nature,
so we wake up with a fresh perspective. The
study, he says, underlines the importance of
getting a good night’s rest."
The Week, Vol 4
Issue 143
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What makes an ideal gift?
A massage gift certificate!
Perfect for virtually any occasion ...
A gift of health & well-being ...
Surprise someone
special—Call to order!
