Pistachios: One ounce of pistachios contain about 25 percent of your daily value of vitamin B6, a vitamin necessary for the production of serotonin and melatonin, hormones that help us get better sleep. Get your fill of B6 by consuming pistachios, along with a variety of foods containing vitamin B6 such as animal proteins like fish, chicken, turkey, pork, eggs and milk, along with whole grains and soy products such as edamame or tofu.
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Month: July 2019
Stress Hack: Use a Mantra
A mantra is just a simple phrase or word that you repeat to calm your mind. Research has shown that repeating a mantra reduces activity in the part of your brain that is responsible for self-judgment and reflection. This is the part of the brain that spends so much time rehashing the past and worrying about the future. You can use any word, sound, or saying you want. You could try something like, “Om,” “Life is good,” or “Everything is OK.” Repeat your phrase over and over, focusing your thoughts only on your mantra. If your mind wanders, return to your mantra. You can practice this almost anytime, even going around the supermarket or on your commute home from work.
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Longevity Tip: Settle into a Routine & Don’t Settle for Less
Be a creature of habit. Centenarians tend to live by strict routines. eating the same kind of diet and doing the same kinds of activities their whole lives. Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day is another good habit to keep your body in the steady equilibrium that can be easily disrupted as you get on in years. “Your physiology becomes frailer when you get older,” explains Ferrucci, “and it’s harder for your body to bounce back if you, say, miss a few hours of sleep one night or drink too much alcohol.” This can weaken immune defenses, leaving you more susceptible to circulating flu viruses or bacterial infections.
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Health Hack: Protect Your Beautiful Eyes
Did You Know the Suns’s UV Rays Can Hurt Your Eyes?
You know that ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun can burn your skin, but did you know they can also harm your eyes? Potential eye health problems that result from excessive UV sun exposure include cornea burns, cataracts and macular degeneration. You may even develop skin cancer on the eyelids. Always wear sunglasses that block 99% to 100% of UVA and UVB ray when you are outside, even on cloudy days. Effective sunglasses do not have to be expensive. Read the label to see the level of protection against UV exposure that they offer. Remember that certain things reflect UV rays including concrete, sand, snow, and water. You can also rely on wide-brimmed hats and umbrellas to shield your eyes from harmful UV rays.
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Writers wisdom
“No one says a novel has to be one thing. It can be anything it wants to be, a vaudeville show, the six o’clock news, the mumblings of wild men saddled by demons.” ~ Ishmael Reed
But Not Forgotten ~ Dorothy Parker
But Not Forgotten
Dorothy Parker
I think, no matter where you stray,
That I shall go with you a way.
Though you may wander sweeter lands,
You will not soon forget my hands,
Nor yet the way I held my head,
Nor all the tremulous things I said.
You still will see me, small and white
And smiling, in the secret night,
And feel my arms about you when
The day comes fluttering back again.
I think, no matter where you be,
You'll hold me in your memory
And keep my image, there without me,
By telling later loves about me.
Today’s Reflection: Fear of Failure
There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure. ~ Paulo Coehlo
Sleep Hack: Spinach Might Help You Sleep
Spinach: Spinach is a rich source of magnesium. In addition to being a muscle relaxer, research has also found that too little magnesium in your diet can make it hard to stay asleep. Fill up on spinach and other foods rich in magnesium like avocado, quinoa, bananas, nuts, seeds, beans and lentils.
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Stress Hack: #4 of 4 Tips to Reduce Stress
Face Your Fear Regularly
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If your fear is something like being eaten by a shark or run over by a speeding car, this may sound unreasonable. Don’t jump into your local aquarium’s shark tank or in front of a speeding car. What I mean by “facing” your fear is to look at images or fear-inducing representations of what scares you as often as you can. Pin an image of your fear on your vision board. Again, this may seem counterintuitive since the purpose of a vision board is to see the things you want for yourself in your future, and you probably don’t want your greatest fear to be part of it. But that’s exactly why you should have a visual representation of any fear that’s inhibiting you on your vision board. By looking at that visual representation of your fear often, you will see and feel it gradually lose its potency. That’s the powerful concept of habituation at work. So stare at the space it holds on your vision board often until the only feeling it elicits is boredom. Once you see it can’t scare you, take it down. Then start looking at the reminders you actually want on that vision board that make you happy. And now that you’re not scared anymore, go get that life.
Longevity Tip: Chill Out
Be less neurotic. It may work for Woody Allen, who infuses his worries with a healthy dose of humor, but the rest of us neurotics may want to find a new way to deal with stress. “We have a new study coming out that shows that centenarians tend not to internalize things or dwell on their troubles,” says Perls. “They are great at rolling with the punches.” If this inborn trait is hard to overcome, find better ways to manage when you’re stressed: Yoga, exercise, meditation, tai chi, or just deep breathing for a few moments are all good. Ruminating, eating chips in front of the TV, binge drinking? Bad, very bad.
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