One Coin Theory

This article labels an interesting mental ping pong game that I've bet we've all done.  Check it out.

 http://www.happiness-project.com/happiness_project/2013/03/do-you-make-excuses-for-yourself-based-on-the-one-coin-argument-i-do/

So, how many days can I excuse myself from an activity before I forget that I was committed to that activity?  For me, the newer the commitment is, the fewer days can I excuse myself from it before I just forget about it entirely.  I'm either in or I'm not.

How about you?


*************************** Remember my 100% GUARANTEE. Should you decide to stop walking and resume your old habits, I personally guarantee that you'll get back 100% of your former life - your pain, your lifestyle, your attitude. You can trust the information you find here. It's from a dedicated walker. Trust me and your life will get better! I promise.

Stepping Out

I just heard the actress Thandie Newton speak about the benefit of dancing, running, or walking in her life.  Her opinion is that such activity is essential to get out of one's own head, to breathe unfettered, to attain the fullest life.

She didn't say, for instance, that one needed to lose 50 lbs, eat only fruits and vegetables, or join a gym to attain the fullest life.  She 'gets' that the very notion of movement improves our feelings of wellbeing AND our actual wellbeing, both physical and mental.

Thandie Newton is a beautiful, petite actress who appears to have what many of us want - good looks, good health, and a good career.  I have no idea what her personal life looks like.  I do have an idea that with her head on so straight, her personal life is probably pretty good.

Imagine the freedom of a jete in ballet, a double axle in ice dancing, a 3 point jump shot in basketball! For most of us, those things will only be things we can imagine.  I'll happily settle for a much more humble and realistic ability to walk  - and keep at it.  My body type, and now my age, argue volumes against my ever having been capable of ballet, ice dancing, or effectively compete in basketball.  That's okay.  Walking makes my life better.  Just walking....



*************************** Remember my 100% GUARANTEE. Should you decide to stop walking and resume your old habits, I personally guarantee that you'll get back 100% of your former life - your pain, your lifestyle, your attitude. You can trust the information you find here. It's from a dedicated walker. Trust me and your life will get better! I promise.

Small Steps To Betterness

I heard a sad tale today about a guy I've know for about 40 years.  He moved away about 25 years ago for his work, so I have not seen him regularly although we share enough friends in common that I've kept up with his life.  He married a great gal about 40 years ago and they've been married all this time, living here and there, working, no kids.

A few years ago - probably 10 by now - this guy suffered a health set back which started with back pain.  He's a tall guy, almost 7 feet tall, and large all over.  With his back pain, he began using a walker.  He worked every day, but fell one day, broke his shoulder, lost his job, and things went from bad to worse.

Now, he walks only from the hospital bed in his house to the door where his wheel chair is as he can't fit the wheel chair through his bedroom door.  He sits all day, plays video games (often with another friend a couple states away), eats, bathes in his special tub, and then hobbles back to his bed.  Such a life I would wish on no one.

The friend who told me about the tall guy is heading to visit him in a few days.  We discussed our friend's miserable life - and miserable it is!  He has only his wife and his sister, no money, and a world that is encompassed in three rooms (one of which is a bathroom).  I think one guy is gonna take on the other guy, demanding that he do something with his life besides play video games!  We both think that our troubled friend could improve his life with just a little effort.

He doesn't seem to be depressed.  His wife is a great gal who loves him with her whole heart.  His sister is nearby, but he is almost unable to leave his home.  He owns a converted van to accommodate his wheelchair, but traveling is an ordeal to say the least.

Why did this happen?  How did this otherwise healthy, happy, friendly guy allow himself to fall into a deep well of unhealthy behaviors that resulted in his almost complete withdrawal from his own life?  How can he continue on this downward path when it would take only a few minutes a day to improve both is health and his outlook?

So, what can be done?  We discussed an intervention.  I can't be there physically, but all his friends can bombard him with phone calls and emails on the same subject.  Dude, we want you healthy.  We want you happy.  We want you alive!

Since he is still able to walk a bit, it makes sense to me that he would build on that to improve his outlook.  Walking only a few extra minutes each day - plus the 10 steps from his bed to his wheel chair - would quickly add up to benefit him.  The day might soon arrive when he could more easily walk to his van and fulfill his promise to drive to St. Louis to visit all his old buddies.

We can't make him do it.  We can only inform and encourage.  We can hope......




*************************** Remember my 100% GUARANTEE. Should you decide to stop walking and resume your old habits, I personally guarantee that you'll get back 100% of your former life - your pain, your lifestyle, your attitude. You can trust the information you find here. It's from a dedicated walker. Trust me and your life will get better! I promise.

A Cure For Pain

Many of us suffer from joint and/or muscle pain.  Osteoarthritis - the wear and tear type of arthritis that comes with aging - is rampant in our culture as we live longer, remain more active, but gain more weight.  Along with these lesser forms of pain, come chronic back pain, sciatica, neuropathy, and other ailments that are often treated with medications or surgery.

Now, a physician (and he's not alone) has written a book addressing non-surgical, non-medical therapies for pain.  Here's an excerpt from a recent interview:


What else can someone do to relieve pain besides take a prescription pain reliever or undergo a procedure?

A.

There are so many self-help things you can do. Something as simple as trying to do 30 minutes of aerobic exercise can help. With pain, you’re in a vicious cycle – you take more narcotics, your REM sleep decreases, and then you’re tired and you don’t want to exercise. If you can get through the first week or two of extra pain by doing the proper exercise, like 30 minutes of walking daily, long term that’s going to have an impact. Most people give up on simple walking, but it can have a huge impact long term.

End quote.

I totally agree with this doctor's philosophy.  I encourage you to read his entire interview here
 http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/14/stopping-pain-without-drugs/
and to look into getting a copy of his book.  I'm going to request it from my library right away.  If it's the gem I think it is, I'll buy it so I can be sure to have my own copy for reference.




*************************** Remember my 100% GUARANTEE. Should you decide to stop walking and resume your old habits, I personally guarantee that you'll get back 100% of your former life - your pain, your lifestyle, your attitude. You can trust the information you find here. It's from a dedicated walker. Trust me and your life will get better! I promise.