Welcome to the Spring 2007 edition of 'Well'. April has given the green light to my garden, the hockey play-offs have started and baseball has begun, albeit sometimes in the snow. 'Well' is aligned with John 10:10, which says, "I have come that you might have life and have it more abundantly." Amen to that. In this issue, we point out some parallels between global warming and globular bodies and look at the increasing evidence showing the positive impact of physical activity on the human brain. We document the remarkable spread of pedometers throughout North America and take a look at some new uploadable pedometers. Don Ardell's new book, "Aging Under the Influence of a Wellness Lifestyle" is introduced and ParticipACTION is welcomed back. I hope you have as much fun reading the 'Grins' as we do selecting them. Enjoy our other features. As always, big thanks to Ron Nye for making this the best-looking wellness webzine we've ever seen. :: Martin Collis
Four years ago, in the Summer 2003 edition of ‘Well’, I featured one of the most important and the most under-reported and ignored pieces of research in modern education. In this study the measured fitness of nearly a million California children in grades 5, 7 and 9 was correlated with their performance in standardized academic tests. As you can see from the bar graphs below there was a perfect correlation between fitness and performance in math and reading.
State Study Proves Physically Fit Kids Perform Better Academically California Department of Education Contacts: Nicole Winger and Mary Lou Thomas
Recently, a yet-to-be-published study by Charles Hillman on 259 Illinois 3rd and 5th graders found a similar pattern. So there is a growing body of evidence to support the old Latin saying of “Mens sana in corpore sano” (A healthy mind in a healthy body). Now armed with brain-scanning tools, neuroscientists are beginning to be able to say why a brain functions better in an active body.
Muscular activity leads to the release of IGF-1, which crosses the blood/brain barrier and triggers the release of BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor). BDNF is a key factor in the storage and recall of information.
In a recent paper by Small and Gage, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, it was shown that neurogenesis (the creation of new nerve tissue) was induced by physical activity in animal studies.
Small and Gage’s work showed neurogenesis in the hippocampus of the brain, an area associated with memory and mood, but studies by Dr. A Kramer of Illinois also saw development in other areas of the brain. Dr. Kramer’s work, published in the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, is intriguing. He took 59 sedentary volunteers, with ages ranging from 60 – 79 years and divided them into 2 groups. Half the sample did gentle stretching exercises, while the other half did brisk aerobic exercise, mostly walking. Pre- and post-MRI scans were performed on all participants. After 6 months, the aerobic exercise group showed significant increases in brain volume, while the control group did not. The greatest gains showed in the prefrontal and temporal cortices, the areas of the brain responsible for memory and information processing that are areas particularly sensitive to age related deterioration.
Dr. Kramer’s work reminds us that, “It’s never too late.”
There is now a growing body of research that shows a relationship between mental and physical fitness and that correlates lack of physical fitness and brain tissue loss in older adults.
The plasticity of developing brain matter in children enhances the neurotrophic benefits of exercise.
Exercise tends to increase blood flow to the brain and increases temperature, both of which assist cortical and subcortical functioning.
It is now widely recognized that physical activity is probably more effective than anti-depressant medication for many people. Physical activity leads to the sustained release of dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine, all of which can help stabilize and elevate feelings of relaxation and well-being. (Many anti-depressants are SSRIs [Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors], designed to extend the duration of serotonin in nerve synapses.)
I would be remiss in not mentioning the “exercise high” associated with brisk aerobic activity. It is believed that miracle motes known as endorphins flood the brainpan producing a feeling of well-being. This has been called into question by some scientists due to the difficulty of endorphins crossing the blood brain barrier. But whether it’s due to endorphins, serotonin, dopamine or norepinephrine there’s no doubt that vigorous exercise makes you feel good.
In summary, I’ll quote the words of Dr. Daniel Galper from the University of Texas SW Medical Centre in Dallas, “We know that exercise is good for the brain. Brain imaging studies show that exercise boosts activity in the brain’s frontal lobes and the hippocampus. But those effects are complex and it’s sometimes hard to identify the physiological processes.”
These are little more than ‘Cole’s Notes’ of the impact of physical exercise on the functioning of the brain, but it is interesting that scientists working in the area have a tendency to start elevating their personal activity levels. Any school administrator who claims that academic pressures leave no room for physical activity will have to re-think their position. As academic pressures increase it becomes ever more important that students increase their activity levels so their brains can be closer to an optimal level of functioning.
You know that pedometers have ‘arrived’ when they’re included in the goodie bags at the Oscars and also featured on Oprah.
At Speakwell we have watched our sales of pedometers double, double again and then double again as individuals and organizations realize the health benefits of walking and the motivational impact of pedometers on adherence to walking programs. I see my pedometer as the odometer of my life, but unlike the odometer in my car, the higher the number on my personal odometer the better shape I’m in, and the longer I’m likely to last.
To reaffirm the value of walking I will begin by quoting from the Cleveland Clinic’s Health Extra, a supplement published by the well-known hospital and research centre.
The health benefits of walking are astonishing. They begin with stress reduction and include a reduction in the risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, stroke, and breast or colon cancer. Some experts say walking relieves constipation and cures impotence. At the very least, it makes you stronger, better looking and — best of all — more aerobically fit.
The downside of using walking is this: there is no downside. There is no reason not to do it, especially if you are depressed or in a bad mood. Walking stimulates the brain to release endorphins, the body’s natural opiates, which can make you feel better about life right away. It also stimulates the brain to increase production of the neurotransmitter serotonin, another potent mood elevator. The mental benefits of walking are not unlike those produced by the popular antidepressant Prozac, yet without the potential side effects and certainly without the cost. Walking requires neither club membership nor permission from your healthcare provider. Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, believed that “Of all exercises, walking is the best."
Walking at Work
Pedometer based walking programs are now the centerpiece of a number of company wellness programs. Many companies, from Google to IBM, have discovered that employees need more than medical insurance, they need an active wellness program.
As there are persons who mend torn garments, so there are physicians who heal the sick; but your duty is far nobler — namely, to keep your people in health. :: Xenophon, 400 BC
In Canada, Speakwell has been working with Ivanhoe Cambridge, the largest developer/owner of shopping centers in the country. The employees of 15 shopping centers are competing with each other as teams to do a virtual walk around the country using our “Circle Canada” [speakwell.com/ipedcanada].
The Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA) have so far purchased 3000 pedometers for their employees and it is good to see that physicians, nurses, technicians and other health employees are looking after their own health in addition to that of their patients.
It’s not just the major corporate programs that purchase pedometers and I was delighted to stumble on the story of staffers at the Santa Barbara Film Festival, whose modest staff wore pedometers for the duration of the festival. The winner, crowned the Champion Pedometrist of the World, covered 94.72 miles in 11 days. For some very funny interviews with competitors, including talk of doping and supplement use, go to this link.
Ever mindful of creating a great working environment, Google created 11 themed cafes where employees can dine free of charge on meals prepared by some of the leading chefs in the Bay area. The employees even have a song based on the hockey favorite “Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye” by Steam, which goes “Na na, na na na, I eat at Google”, not epic lyrics, but not many people sing about company food. One employee, 29-year-old Brett Lider, is such a fan of the food that he has taken more than 100 digital photos of his meals and posted them to his blog and Flickr.com, the photo-sharing Web site, here. A vegetarian, he is impressed, but he tries to hold himself back. "I have a rule: I don't eat more than two meals a day at Google," Lider said. "I don't want to get sick of it.”
The only problem with the 11 cafes and 44 snack stations is “the Google 15”, which refers to the 15lbs, which employees often pack on in their first year with Google. To counterbalance this Google have developed walking programs and their on-site doctor is distributing free pedometers.
Walking Spree Inc. now offers sophisticated corporate walking and health programs using Omron uploadable pedometers.
Regional Programs
Pedometers are popping up everywhere and many mayors, premiers, governors, and other elected officials have led the way in well-photographed walks. Currently the 12 municipalities in my home city of Victoria are participating in the Highway to Health, which involves a virtual walk around Vancouver Island [fitinfitness.ca]. This is part of the Active Communities initiative, which aims to make BC the fittest province or state in North America by 2010. I’d be remiss in not mentioning another hotbed of pedometry in BC.
This is the city of Penticton, which may have the most pedometers per capita in the country. The Penticton Steps Out program, created by Bob Pope and Edis Computers, has become a template for more than 50 communities in the province.
Other major pedometer based walking initiatives are in the works in British Columbia, but as yet no details have been released. I will report on these in the next edition of ‘Well’. I know of state sponsored pedometer based walking programs in Arkansas, Michigan, West Virginia, North Carolina, Montana, Maine, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Kentucky, New Mexico and Ohio and I’m sure there are more.
(Our Fitnet friend, Tim Lane, in Iowa distributed an analogue pedometer long before pedometers became de rigueur for health conscious organizations.)
With so many pedometers are out there, and so many people on the move; as it says in the song, “You’ll never walk alone.” This certainly applies in Sao Paolo, where over 18,000 people participated in the Agita Mundo Walking 2007.
It is often suggested that we “think globally, act locally” so it is fitting to go from Agita Mundo to an initiative in my local village. Naz Rayani, pharmacist at People’s Pharmacy, is encouraging his customers to walk to his store, and offering a special package deal on my book and pedometer [You can check it out in our wellMart]. In order to facilitate the walking program both the pharmacy and next-door supermarket will deliver purchases at no charge. Everybody (as in every body) wins: people get a health-enhancing walk, there’s more room in the parking lot and a few less hydrocarbons in the atmosphere.
Life’s a struggle to become in fact that which we are by design. :: Ortega y Gassett (Remember, we are designed to walk.)
There are certain similarities about the warming of the planet and the fattening of those who inhabit it. People with IQs above room temperature have been aware of the trends for the last 25 years and yet only recently have these problems seemed able to permeate the brains of politicians and the media moguls. It’s as though someone threw a switch and suddenly every politician has a green agenda and every newspaper, magazine and talk show has discovered obesity. There is much hand-wringing and gnashing of teeth about our overweight children, diabetic adults and the social and health costs that go along with the bloated bodies. There are also dire warnings of how much real estate will be submerged as the polar icecaps melt.
Awareness has arrived and we are beginning to respond, but there has been a lot of momentum in the wrong direction and it’s like trying to turn a supertanker around with a couple of ski-boats pulling the other way. Progress is like the story of the elk hunters who were flown into a remote lake in Canada. The pilot dropped them off and said he’d be back in 3 days and would be able to carry 2 elk, no more. The pilot returns at the appointed time to find the hunters have 4 elk ready to load. He tells them that the limit is 2, but they are persuasive and say that previous pilots allowed them to take 4 elk. So the elk are loaded, the plane skims across the lake, barely lifts off, hits some trees and subsides into the forest. One hunter looks at the other and says, “Where are we?” His colleague replies, “About 200 meters farther than last year.”
The story reflects our progress in countering global warming and obesity. We get a tax break for a Prius, erect a bunch of windmills and start talking about ‘carbon footprints’; but meanwhile our friends in China are building 100 new 500 megawatt coal-fired plants every year. Each plant will throw off 3.7 million tons of carbon dioxide, which makes changing a few light bulbs seem insignificant. Perhaps the only positive spin we can put on global warming is that it can only be tackled by a global response. Rising waters do not respect national boundaries, religious affiliations or massive weaponry, so the threat of submersion just might be enough to unify all nations in an effort to survive.
The obesity problem is somewhat more manageable, because while the culture might favor fast food, sofas and screens, individuals and groups can take charge of their own destiny. The CDC (Centre for Disease Control) Obesity Maps tell the North American story better than any words. In an earlier edition of ‘Well’, I showed the obesity progression from 1985 – 2003, in 2004 and 2005 things went from bad to worse with an increasing number of states showing more than 30% of their population obese. In the words of Dr. William Dietz of the Centre for Disease Control, “A rise of this magnitude in unique in the annals of chronic disease.”
Canadians are fattening up along with Americans. In a recent report to the House of Commons titled “Healthy Weights for Healthy Children”, it was noted that between 1978 to 2006 the number of overweight and obese children between the ages of 2 and 17 more than doubled, going from 12% in 1978 to 26% in 2004. The bar graph illustrates what’s happening to the children of ‘The True North Soft and Free’.
We all know the reasons.
Children being driven to school
Hours of screen time
Insignificant, or non-existent, physical education in many grades
Heavy promotion of junk food on children’s TV shows (Except in Quebec)
Vending machines, which dispense mostly soft drinks and candy
A safety-first mentality in parents, which restricts free play for their children
There are many more. Progress is being made in dealing with some of the above problems. Physical education is now creeping back into the curriculum; vending machines carry increasing amounts of nutritious snacks and drinks and in Canada there is now a modest tax break for fees paid for children’s sports participation. However, Silken Laumann of Silken’s Active Kids Movement notes that, “Children today are enrolled in twice as many sport activities as they were 20 years ago, and yet they are half as active and certainly not as healthy.”
Silken feels that children have lost the art of spontaneous active play. In a recent newspaper article she wrote, “In our efforts to keep our kids safe we’ve limited their freedom to explore their world, ride their bikes, play road hockey and even walk to school. Driven by fear – of injury, of abduction, of not keeping up with their peers – we’ve overscheduled and overprotected them to the point where they’ve lost the ability to play, both physically and creatively.”
The game was never worth a rap For rational folks to play In which no accident, no mishap, Could ever find a way. :: Adam Gordon, 1936
“Can Johnny come out to eat?”
Meanwhile many multi-national companies still pour billions of dollars into making it as difficult as possible for children to fulfill their genetic destiny by eating well and being physically active. Asked where he like to play a 10-year-old boy replied, “Indoors, where the plugs are.”
In response to the brain washing of children with TV advertising, the Office of Communications (OFCOM) in the UK has launched the following timetable to restrict advertisements for foods and drinks, which are high in fat, salt and sugar from children’s programming.
1 April 2007 – ads for foods high in fat, sugar and salt will be banned during or around programmes made specifically for children or those which would particularly appeal to children aged seven to nine,
1 January 2008 – junk food ads will be banned in and around programmes aimed at, or which appeal to, children aged four to 15,
By December 2008 – Dedicated children’s channels will have to have phased out all junk food ads.
Part of the answer to childhood obesity might lie in legislation, part in education, but most of it must come from the home. Feeding children large quantities of empty calories and not expecting them to be physically active is a, not so subtle, form of child abuse. The headline on the CBC reporting on “Healthy Weight for Healthy Children” read, “Obese children will die younger than their parents”, which would probably be true were it not for the fact that many parents are obese and will probably beat their kids to the Grim Reaper. Whether the parent or child dies first is not the issue, what is at stake is being healthy enough to make the most of our time on the planet, and also help the planet to be healthy enough to support the generations to come.
Obesity in the Workplace
Obese employees cost seven times as much in medical claims as their non-obese colleagues
Obese employees lost many more workdays and filed twice as many workers' compensation claims, and those cases cost nearly seven times as much as those filed by their slimmer counterparts, according to a recent report.
The average workers' compensation medical claims cost per 100 employees was $51,019 for obese workers and $7,503 for non-obese workers, according to the study, conducted by Duke University researchers and published in an April edition of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
The report comes as employers are grappling with rising health care and workers' compensation costs, and are focusing on wellness programs and other ways to create a healthier workforce and reduce medical expenses.
"We all know obesity is bad for the individual, but it isn't solely a personal medical problem — it spills over into the workplace and has concrete economic costs," Dr. Truls Ostbye, a study author and professor of community and family medicine, said in a statement.
Researchers examined the records of 11,728 Duke University employees who received medical appraisals between 1997 and 2004. They used the records to compare the relationship between body mass index and the rate of workers' compensation claims.
Duke employees with BMIs greater than 40 filed 11.65 claims per 100 workers, compared with 5.8 claims per 100 workers filed by those who weighed within the recommended range.
The study found the most obese workers lost 13 times as many days of work as their colleagues who weighed less. Obese workers lost an average of 183.63 days of work per 100 employees compared with 14.19 for non-obese workers.
The most common injuries experienced by obese workers affected the lower extremities, wrists or hands, and backs. Most injuries were caused by falls and lifting. These job-related medical costs wind up costing the worker more than the employer, said Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, assistant professor of medicine and health economist at Stanford University. Bhattacharya co-authored a 2005 study that showed employers compensate for anticipated higher medical costs of obese workers by paying them less than slimmer employees and passing them over for promotions.
Bhattacharya was surprised by the large difference in sick days shown in the Duke study but said existing research supported similar increased medical costs.
Duke researchers said the study results highlighted the need to target both obesity and ways to reduce the risks of injury in the workplace.
An inevitable trend in the evolution of pedometers is the ability to upload information to your computer. This is not going to catch on immediately with the average community walking program, but as peoplae grow up with technology it will seem logical to store and graph their walking data on their home computers. There are also obvious medical and research uses to be able to analyze walking activity of patients and subjects and natural corporate applications.
Speakwell is planning a testing series of pedometers with upload capabilities, but until we complete this we are not able to provide objective data. This article will help raise your awareness level about some of the currently available products.
Walk Styles The WalkStyles Dash Trak pedometer retails on their web site for $129US (which includes a heart-strap monitor for recording heart rate). It is a typical, full-featured pedometer (steps, distance, calories and stopwatch) and comes with a USB cord to link to your computer. Possible concerns:
The lithium battery needs to be charged every 1–3 days
It does not appear to be compatible with Macs
After the first month, which is free, you will have to pay $9.95US a month to access the WalkStyles web site as a member. Check with this site.
I would recommend getting the iStep X1 or X2 rather than the iStep X, which only displays step count on the pedometer. You can purchase an iStep X1 on the SportBrain website for the reasonable price of $39.95US. The X1 and X2 display steps, distance, calories and a clock and have a USB interface for graphing and recording your walking performance. Possible concerns:
It’s bulky, which might be fine for sports attire, but maybe not for a well-dressed man or woman in business clothing
The plastic clip could be improved
You need to become a member to access the SportBrain web site, but the Silver membership is apparently free. I had difficulty in signing up as a new member or ‘SportGuest’, but this could be due to my technical deficits
The ‘Features Tour’ on the SportBrain home page gives some good illustrations of the type of information, which can be displayed on your computer.
Omron HJ-720IT
There are a lot of things I like about the Omron HJ-720IT. In previous testing I was always impressed with the accuracy and design of the Omron pedometer line. The accuracy of the HJ 720IT comes from its use of accelerometer technology. This means that in addition to being worn on your belt, it can be placed in a pocket, worn around the neck like a necklace or carried in a bag. (Its sister product, the Omron HJ112 was rated number one in accuracy by both Consumer Reports and Speakwell). With the USB cord you can display a lot of information on your computer. The HJ 720IT tracks steps, aerobic steps, fat burned, distance walked and calories burned.
I have met with Hiran Perera, the CEO of Walking Spree, where we talked about the use of new web technology for pedometer applications and about the various corporate and consumer programs offered by WalkingSpree. They are a Canadian company that markets the HJ720IT pedometer that uploads data to a fun and interactive website. WalkingSpree has gone beyond the statistical reporting of walking data. Member community support is encouraged with Walking Clubs, blogging, forums and coaches’ tips. A member can upload other activities such as swimming or cycling to get a full picture of the calories burned. A food tracker is offered that displays the calories consumed and nutritional details. Online fitness & nutritional coaching adds a new dimension to this pedometry functionality. The one-time cost of the pedometer is priced at CAD $59.95 while lifetime access to the website, activity tracker, dashboard, walking clubs and community support is priced at CAD $50, with both items packaged together at CAD $99.95. Access to nutrition and online coaching as an optional add-on is priced at CAD $8.95 per month. WalkingSpree is very active in the US as they are now the multi-city sponsor of the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. Our US readers can go directly to WalkingSpree.com for US pricing.
The good news for my Well Newsletter readers is that you can receive an additional $10 discount from WalkingSpree if you simply insert SPEAKWELL in the promotion code at their website shopping cart.
Summary
I have described 3 examples of the new uploadable pedometers. They are gaining increasing acceptance in the corporate world, where the expense of the pedometers and web site membership can be more than offset by increased productivity and decreased health care costs of employees. I am surprised that none of the products I have described are compatible with Macs, but I am sure this will soon be rectified. There is a tendency of companies to market their pedometer and software packages rather like a cell phone or cable TV, in that they like you paying a monthly fee to access all the goodies. (I’m actually surprised that I haven’t found a cell phone that includes a pedometer, along with the camera and MP3 player.) There is little doubt we will find increasing number of PC and Mac compatible pedometers in the future.
Beyond Pedometers
The ultimate high-tech package is designed more for runners than walkers, but it gives us a glimpse into the future. All you need is an iPod Nano, a pair of Nike+ shoes and the Nike+ iPod Sport Package. The Nike+ shoes have a built-in pocket under the insole engineered to house the Nike+ iPod sensor. You can not only run or walk to your favorite tunes but, if you choose, get real time spoken feedback on your performance. After the workout, everything can be uploaded to your computer from your iPod Nano.
Technology is wonderful but we must still remember that accelerometers, pedometers and chips in your shoes will be ineffective unless we keep putting one foot in front of the other.
“Aging Under the Influence of a Wellness Lifestyle” is the latest book from the prolific pen of Dr. Donald Ardell. (Published by Whole Person Press, Duluth, Minnesota). Don is a long time friend and relentless promoter of a rational wellness lifestyle. What follows are Don’s thoughts about the book taken from his long running newsletter, “The Ardell Wellness Report”, which he describes as the “official newsletter for ‘real’ wellness, not the other wimpy kind”.
The stated idea of the book is to assist you to “intelligently design your own evolution”. Over to Don:
Aging. Getting older, slowing down, the autumn years. Not something any of us would choose for the discounts, if we could stay 39 for another year or, better yet, a few more decades. But, aging happens. We all do it, until the final curtain call.
Let’s do what we can to slow the advance of as many adverse affects of aging as possible, and thereby make the aging experience healthier and happier than it otherwise will be. Details will follow but humor, critical thinking, optimism and staying fit and well nourished are keys, more so than drugs, healers and charlatans. In a way, health and happiness build upon each other: the healthier you are, the more likely you are to be happy. The happier you are, the healthier. Self-evident but easily overlooked realities like this bring to mind the wisdom of 106-year-old Claude Choules of Perth. In an interview, Western Australia’s oldest person offered a few secrets for staying young. They included staying off the booze, dancing, laughing, daily workouts and surrounding oneself with youngsters. In Mr. Choules’ case, these include his daughters Daphne, 79, Anne, 77, and son Adrian, 72, 11 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren. The #1 secret of his longevity? “Don’t die.” (Source: Alison Batcheler, “At 106, the secret to long life is: Don’t die,” The West Australian, March 1, 2007)
As modeled by Mr. Choules, a keen sense of humor is an important wellness trait associated with health and longevity.
An aging person might ask: Should I struggle, resist, deny and/or invest in repairs and restorations? Or, should I resign myself to a gradual fade — into oblivion or Valhalla? Neither — this is a false dichotomy, a too-narrow choice. There are other pathways. You can age under the influence (AUI) — of a wellness lifestyle. The AUI book contains 69 suggestions or tips.
One more thing — I have pre-tested these tips. That is, I have and continue to follow and embrace every one. Thus, all are tested by my experience as a wellness enthusiast during numerous adult years, though not as many as Claude Choules. The tips are also based, to the extent possible, on science and reason! I have not “channeled” any tips from 16th century mystics (e.g. Nostradamus), nor did they arrive via a space ship. What’s more, there are no amazing revelations previously unknown to modern science. However, respect for science and reason is vital in health-related works and everything else, in my opinion. Therefore, efforts were made to ensure that the tips are consistent with reliable, verifiable evidence. I made up the tips, but I had a lot of help. Ideas came from bright people all over the world who studied aging in controlled ways. Carl Sagan famously described the elements of a baloney detection kit in his wonderful book entitled The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark. Everyone, young as well as old and in-between, should consider carrying such a kit, in his/her head, at all times.
I have not included tips I consider personally unattractive, even if some experts think they might add a few years of life. An example is calorie restriction. There is no tip to the effect that you should starve yourself in order to live longer. If doing so were a sure thing for added years (highly unlikely), I still would not recommend it. Finally, don’t even think of looking for really bizarre life extension notions, such as inhaling virgins’ breath, eating gold or implanting monkey glands. I’m guessing you are quite relieved to know that. (All three examples were once thought effective ways to protect vitality and prolong life. But, not by sensible people.) Naturally, it is better to be young than old, other things being the same, which they never are, just as it’s better to be rich than poor, fit than fat and alive than dead. But, so what? As noted in the chorus of John Prine’s immortal Dear Abby, “You have no complaint — You are what you are and you ain’t what you ain’t.” Not so grammatical, but so very true.
Aging is not always pleasant but, like gravity and evolution, it’s more than a theory. It’s part of life, at least for everyone fortunate enough to attain the status of “senior-hood.” Heck, count your good fortune: Throughout most of human history, life expectancy averaged out to about 23 years, which means most folks reading this newsletter would already be dead now, save for their good fortune in holding off their arrival on the planet until modern times. And now, without further ado, tips for AUI.
Ten Very Important Habits for AUI
Exercise daily for around an hour.
Find something to be passionate about, preferably of a positive nature, and pursue it accordingly (i.e. with gusto and panache).
Consume plenty (at least four servings) of vegetables and fruits daily.
Work on regaining positive, cheerful attitudes throughout the day. (Of course it’s hard. If it were easy, there wouldn’t be so many stereotypes about cranky old people).
Come to grips with reality, much of which ain’t pretty. Decide to deal with the rich variety of perturbations associated with getting older (e.g. nose and ear hairs, parts that require frequent repair, diminished capacities and so on) in as graceful a manner as possible. The goal — suffer less and pay less attention to what has to be endured.
Familiarize yourself with the nature, principles and applications of a wellness mindset.
Develop a devotion to reason, evidence and other critical assessment skills conducive to effective thinking. The world is overrun with scammers and flim-flammers — and a good number of them target seniors.
Focus on the things that really matter. It’s up to you to decide what that might be. Strong candidates are special friends and energizing additions to your sense of meaning and purpose.
Create a supportive network of friends with whom you can share common interests.
Protect your lifestyle as a treasured asset. Choose to live well and enjoy each day.”
Martin’s postscript
What can I add but a quote from one of my current favorite groups, “Cake”, from a song titled, “End of the Movie”.
People you love Will turn their backs on you You’ll lose your hair, your teeth Your knife will fall out of its sheath But you still don’t want to leave before the end of the movie, No you still don’t want to leave before the end of the show.
Mark Twain once said, “The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated” and I’m delighted to say the same applies to ParticipACTION. Over 5 years ago the Federal Government ‘killed’ ParticipACTION by cutting its modest operating budget to unsustainable levels. Why they did this is a mystery, but it illustrates with remarkable clarity how oblivious the government was to the wellness needs of Canadians.
A few ParticipACTION facts:
ParticipACTION developed the most copied social marketing approach to health and physical activity in the western world
The cumulative value of media support during ParticipACTION’s life span is close to $300 million in donated time on TV and radio and space in the print media
From 1981 to 1993 ParticipACTION annually involved over 500 cities and towns, more than 22,000 volunteer leaders and more than 4 million registered participants in the CrownLife ParticipACTION Challenge.
I could go on and on, ParticipACTION’s name recognition exceeded that of many Prime Ministers. (Maybe that was the problem.) Over 30 years after it first appeared, people of my generation still remember the unfavorable comparison of fitness between a 60-year-old Swede and a 30-year-old Canadian.
Godlike, the Federal Government moves in mysterious ways and, nearly six years after choking off funding to this remarkable organization, it has decided to fund it once more. I, for one, am looking forward to a new web site and infusion of programs, media spots, energy, imagination and simple wisdom that have literally made ParticipACTION a household word.
In honoring ParticipACTION’s long-time CEO, Russ Kisby, at an event last year I did a parody of the old Stones’ song.
I can’t get no ParticipACTION, I can’t get no government action
But now I can and were I in a position to give out knighthoods for service to this country, we would be talking about Sir Russ Kisby.
When Italian artist Guido Daniele was hired by an advertising agency to create body paintings of animals, he loved the idea. "I researched each animal in depth to see how I could transfer it to a hand, and then set
about bringing it to life." The hardest part of his job is watching his creations disappear down the drain after they're photographed. "I'm getting
used to it," Daniele shrugs. "At least I get to start each day with a fresh
canvas." Guido Daniele lives and works in Milan.
This is amazing stuff. Click on his logo to visit his website:
Daisy the Wonder(ful) Goose!
It's worth waiting through the weight loss ad to see this remarkable
video
the illusion is that you are simply reading this poem. the reality is that this is more than a poem. this is a beggar's knife. this is a tulip. this is a soldier marching through Madrid. this is you on your death bed. this is Li Po laughing underground. this is not a god-damned poem. this is a horse asleep. a butterfly in your brain. this is the devil's circus. you are not reading this on a page. the page is reading you. feel it? it's like a cobra. it's a hungry eagle circling the room.
this is not a poem. poems are dull, they make you sleep.
these words force you to a new madness.
you have been blessed, you have been pushed into a blinding area of light.
the elephant dreams with you now. the curve of space bends and laughs.
you can die now. you can die now as people were meant to die: great, victorious, hearing the music, being the music, roaring, roaring, roaring.
:: Charles Bukowski
Spring
Somewhere a black bear has just risen from sleep and is staring
down the mountain. All night in the brisk and shallow restlessness of early spring
I think of her, her four black fists flicking the gravel, her tongue
like a red fire touching the grass, the cold water. There is only one question:
how to love this world. I think of her rising like a black and leafy ledge
to sharpen her claws against the silence of the trees. Whatever else
my life is with its poems and its music and its cities,
it is also this dazzling darkness coming down the mountain, breathing and tasting;
all day I think of her – her white teeth, her wordlessness, her perfect love.
I cull my quotations from many sources, but am especially indebted to Tim Lane, who provides me with a daily dose of quotations and wisdom every weekday in his Fitnet email [To subscribe, send a blank email to join-fitnet@lists.ia.gov].
It's easier to fight for one's principles than to live up to them.
:: Adlai Stevenson
If you don't like how things are, change them. You're not a tree.
:: Jim Rohn
If we wait for the moment when everything, absolutely everything is ready, we shall never begin.
:: Ivan Turgenev
A professor is one who talks in someone else's sleep.
:: W H Auden
Did you sleep well? No, I made a couple of mistakes.
:: Steven Wright
You can lead people to the data, but you can't make them think.
:: Unknown
Before enlightenment, hewing wood and drawing water. After enlightenment, hewing wood and drawing water.
:: Zen wisdom
One doesn't discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a long time.
:: Andre Gide
When your will is ready, your feet are light.
:: George Herbert
Life is short, and it's up to us to make it sweet.
:: Sarah Louise Delaney [painting: Jo Adang]
The longest journey begins with a single step, not the turn of an ignition key.
:: Edward Abbey
To be good is noble, but to teach others to be good is nobler... and no trouble.
:: Mark Twain
What good am I that say and don't do?
:: Bob Dylan
Fit happens.
:: Unknown
Me thinks that the moment that my legs begin to move, my thoughts begin to flow.
:: Henry David Thoreau
Remember to walk and walk to remember.
:: Alan Joseph [painting: Maurice Lapp]
Country Wisdom Life is simpler when you plough around the stump.
Forgive your enemies; it messes up their heads.
Meanness don't just happen overnight.
Don't interfere with something that ain't bothering you none.
Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.
Don't judge folks by their relatives.
You don't fail overnight. Failure is usually made up of bad choices and errors in judgement repeated on a daily basis.
:: Jim Rohn
To say that my fate is not tied to your fate is like saying, "Your end of the boat is sinking".
:: Hugh Downs
The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time.
:: Abraham Lincoln
Dr. Laura Schlessinger is a radio personality who dispenses advice to people who call in to her radio show. Recently, she said that, as an observant Orthodox Jew, homosexuality is an abomination according to Leviticus 18:22 and cannot be condoned under any circumstance. The
following is an open letter to Dr. Laura penned by an east coast resident, which was posted on the Internet. It's funny, as well as informative:
Dear Dr. Laura:
Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the other specific laws and how to follow them:
When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord—Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?
I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?
I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness—Lev.15:19- 24. The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.
Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?
I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?
A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination—Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this?
Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?
Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?
I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?
My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them?—Lev.24:10-16. Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)
I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.
Your devoted fan,
Jim
The Grateful Tread?
Click the photo to pop into Martin's Movie Lounge and tread the fantastic with OK GO!
at last... a diagnosis
recently, i was diagnosed with aaadd—age activated attention deficit disorder. this is how it manifests:
i decide to water my garden. as i turn on the hose in the driveway, i look over at my car and decide my car needs washing.
as i start toward the garage, i notice that there is mail on the porch table that i brought up from the mail box earlier.
i decide to go through the mail before i wash the car. i lay my car keys down on the table, put the junk mail in the garbage can under the table, and notice that the can is full.
so, i decide to put the bills back on the table and take out the garbage first.
but then i think, since i'm going to be near the mailbox when i take out the garbage anyway, i may as well pay the bills first.
i take my check book off the table, and see that there is only 1 check left. my extra checks are in my desk in the study, so i go inside the house to my desk where i find the can of coke that i had been drinking.
i'm going to look for my checks, but first i need to push the coke aside so that i don't accidentally knock it over. i see that the coke is getting warm, and i decide i should put it in the refrigerator to keep it cold.
as i head toward the kitchen with the coke, a vase of flowers on the counter catches my eye--they need to be watered.
i set the coke down on the counter, and i discover my reading glasses that i've been searching for all morning.
i decide i better put them back on my desk, but first i'm going to water the flowers.
i set the glasses back down on the counter, fill a container with water and suddenly i spot the tv remote. someone left it on the kitchen table.
i realize that tonight when we go to watch tv, i will be looking for the remote, but i won't remember that it's on the kitchen table, so i decide to put it back in the den where it belongs, but first i'll water the flowers.
i pour some water in the flowers, but quite a bit of it spills on the floor.
so, i set the remote back down on the table, get some towels and wipe up the spill.
then, i head down the hall trying to remember what i was planning to do.
at the end of the day:
the car isn't washed
the bills aren't paid
there is a warm can of coke sitting on the counter
the flowers don't have enough water
there is still only 1 check in my check book
i can't find the remote
i can't find my glasses
and i don't remember what i did with the car keys
then, when i try to figure out why nothing got done today, i'm really baffled because i know i was busy all day long, and i'm really tired.
i realize this is a serious problem, and i'll try to get some help for it, but first i'll check my e-mail.
German? Yes. Germane? Not!
Click the photo to pop into Martin's Movie Lounge and be thankful you missed the sailing of das boot!
imaging studies show that exercise boosts activity in the brain’s frontal lobes and the hippocampus. But those effects are complex and it’s sometimes hard to identify the physiological processes.”
included in the goodie bags at the Oscars and also featured on Oprah.
A vegetarian, he is impressed, but he tries to hold himself back. "I have a rule: I don't eat more than two meals a day at Google," Lider said. "I don't want to get sick of it.”
Therefore, efforts were made to ensure that the tips are consistent with reliable, verifiable evidence. I made up the tips, but I had a lot of help. Ideas came from bright people all over the world who studied aging in controlled ways. Carl Sagan famously described the elements of a baloney detection kit in his wonderful book entitled The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark. Everyone, young as well as old and in-between, should consider carrying such a kit, in his/her head, at all times.
