For many of us, it’s quite common to be up for 17 or even 18 hours!

That’s a long time, and there’s a tremendous amount of energy needed to sustain it.

Whether we’re at the office, in school, at home or on the road, it’s easy to feel like we just need to go, go, go!

But the human body can’t just keep going – we’re not machines. We can’t keep up from this pace all the time, and eventually we collapse from exhaustion. Repeating this cycle on a regular basis will only wear us down at a faster rate.

We all need breaks in the day to recharge – and you can do it in less than an hour!

Time away can also help us gain clarity, greater perspective, and new insights – often our best ideas come when we’re on a walk, not at our desk!

With just one minute, you can recharge and feel refreshed! The fact that you’re taking this time to recharge is what’s important.

This concept of “mini-breaks” can help to “break up” your day! Every 20 minutes, you may want to take one minute to close your eyes, and give your system (your brain, your eyes) a rest.

At the start of each hour, take a few minutes for yourself to assess how you’re feeling, how your energy is, and if you need to recharge.

Grab a quick 20-minute power nap if you need a bit of energy in the afternoon. If you think you might feel more tired afterward, it’s unlikely – in 20 minutes, you haven’t given your body a chance to fall into a deep sleep. It should be fairly easy to rouse yourself and re-tackle the day!

Here are several other great ways to recharge yourself quickly:

• Meditation (just focusing on your breath)
• Brisk walk or other light exercise
• Cup of Green or Herbal Tea
• Snacks for alertness: carrots, nuts, seeds

Photo: Mr.Mac2009

Whenever you’re away and sleeping somewhere else, you just can’t wait to get back there.

You know you’ll fall asleep easily, you won’t toss and turn, and you’ll feel rested when you wake up.

So how do you recreate that experience, wherever you might be sleeping?

With just two items, you can have a healthy and restful sleep.

You can use these in hotels, while camping, on a couch, or even on an airplane – and they hardly take any room to pack.

What are they?

1. Ear Plugs
2. Eye Mask

If you’re a light sleeper, ear plugs can greatly reduce ambient noise, allowing you to sleep through minor sounds throughout the night, such as birds or clocks.

As our brains cease producing melatonin when our eyes are exposed to light, eye masks can help us continue a restful slumber even if the sun has risen. You can even take a mid-day nap and effectively “turn off all the lights!”

Where can you get these?

The good news is that you can pick them up at just about any drugstore and convenience store, or you can shop for them online.

For samples, here’s one eye mask and a set of ear plugs.

There are many different variations and options out there with both of these products, so try out different ones and see which combination works best for you.

Here’s to your relaxing and deep snooze – tonight and every night!

Photo: MaryLane

Did your day just start, or did you start your day?

What’s the difference?

If your day just started, you probably rolled out of bed and were sweeped right up in what you needed to do that day: shower, eat whatever you can, and get right into work.

Now if you start your day, you take a much more focused approach in the morning, preparing yourself mentally, physically, and spiritually for whatever comes your way.

Take the time right when you get up as “me” time – it could be 5 minutes or 60 – whatever works for your schedule.

Do something for yourself!

Before all the craziness of the day gets going, you’ll have a chance to focus on yourself and whatever activity is going to support, maintain, energize, or inspire you throughout the day!

You could take time for:

• Meditation
• Exercise
• Journaling
• Reading
• Talking with family
• Taking a walk

And YES – even if you only have five minutes, it’s worth it to spend time this way! You’ve at least spent five minutes focused on yourself and your well-being, and that’s good news!

So what ONE activity can you start integrating into your morning routine?

What’s the ONE thing that you know if you started doing, it would have a wonderful impact on your life (and thus, on the lives of those around you)?

If it’s a new habit, start small: five minutes (or even two) are a perfect way to begin. You can gradually add more time as momentum builds and your schedule allows.

Photo: Chickens in the Trees

We all know eating fruits and vegetables are good for us.

What we’re understanding now is that many of these foods are grown with the use of chemicals and pesticides, which contain toxins harmful to our bodies, leading to numerous diseases and ailments.

Eating organic means avoiding any pesticide residue left on fruits and vegetables.

Fortunately, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has determined what foods have the most pesticide residue, and which ones to buy organic: say hello to the Dirty Dozen!

Many people see “organic” as costing more, and in some cases it’s true, which makes the EWG list so valuable: you don’t need to switch to the organic version of every item you buy; rather, just focus on these 12. The EWG estimates that individuals can reduce their exposure by 80% if they switch to organic when buying these 12 foods.

Foods that have thicker skins that are peeled before eating (melons, avocado, etc.) are not as susceptible to the pesticides: these are known as the Clean 15, and so you can save your money and buy non-organic for these items.

The folks over at Whole Foods, as part of their Health Starts Here campaign, created the “Aggregate Nutrient Density Index” (ANDI).

An ANDI score shows the nutrient density of a food on a scale from 1 to 1000 based on nutrient content. ANDI scores are calculated by evaluating an extensive range of micronutrients, including vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidant capacities.

Here are a few quick lists for you to reference. The ANDI score is noted after foods when available.

There are links after for you to download this info and carry it with you the next time you’re shopping!

The Dirty Dozen

1. Apples – 72
2. Celery
3. Strawberries – 212
4. Peaches – 73
5. Spinach – 739
6. Nectarines
7. Grapes
8. Sweet Bell Peppers – 366
9. Potatoes
10. Blueberries – 130
11. Lettuce
12. Kale/Collard Greens – 1000

The Clean 15

1. Onion
2. Sweet Corn
3. Pineapple – 64
4. Avocado
5. Asparagus
6. Sweet Peas
7. Mangoes
8. Eggplant
9. Cantaloupe – 100
10. Kiwi – 97
11. Cabbage – 704
12. Watermelon – 91
13. Sweet Potatoes
14. Grapefruit
15. Mushrooms

Top ANDI Foods

1. Mustard/Turnip/Collard Greens – 1000
2. Kale – 1000
3. Watercress – 1000
4. Bok Choy/Baby Bok Choy – 824
5. Spinach – 739
6. Radish – 554
7. Bean Sprouts – 444
8. Red Pepper – 366
9. Radicchio – 359
10. Turnip – 337
11. Strawberries – 212
12. Blackberries – 178
13. Plum – 157
14. Raspberries – 145
15. Blueberries – 130
16. Sunflower Seeds – 78
17. Sesame Seeds – 65
18. Flax Seeds – 65
19. Pumpkin Seeds – 52
20. Pistachios – 48

Download the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 lists from the EWG!

Find out many more ANDI scores from Whole Foods!

 Image: BlissTree

Would you like to tighten and tone your legs and glutes?

Take the stairs!

Whether it’s at home, while you’re out, or at work, the more often you’re taking the stairs, the more you’re giving your hamstrings, calves, glutes, quads, and hips a fantastic workout.

In some cases, taking the stairs is even quicker than the elevator or escalator!

Now here’s a radical concept…

Instead of walking up the stairs just one at a time, or even two at a time, MASTER the stairs and go for THREE at a time!

You’ll be engaging even more of your leg muscles and really opening up your hips. Every time you come across the stairs, you have an opportunity for a mini-workout, to engage your heart, lungs, and your legs!

PLUS – you’ll get to the top even faster!

Master the stairs at the office, in the park, at the shops, in the museum, at the theatre – wherever you can find them!

This is a particularly useful tip when you’re in a stairwell: there’s nothing to look at, so might as well make good use of the time.

You might also live in an apartment building with no elevator and are faced with the stairs every day: now you can make them a game!

Notes on form and safety:

• As you step up, raise your thigh so that it’s at (at least) a 90-degree angle to your torso; depending on the stairs and your body, you may need to adjust.
• Watch your balance! Plant your feet firmly and squarely – and keep the railing near in case you need it.
• If you have a particularly high climb, feel free to take the elevator or escalator to 2-3 floors short of your goal and walk the rest of the way up.
• Mastering (three at a time) is not recommended for going down the stairs! Be careful and use your judgment.

The stairs no longer have to be something dreaded or annoying: they are now something to conquer!

Seize the stairs! Go forth and master them!

photo: PNNL

• •Eat
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• •Relax
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