| First of all, fun is good for you! The enjoyment of | | | | others...maybe even meet in person. If you are |
| life affects your health in a positive way. It's a | | | | retired or don't feel that your work or family is |
| fact! Your attitude, feelings, and emotions can | | | | providing the personal relationships you seek, |
| have a positive or negative effect on your health. | | | | become a volunteer for something that really |
| You can improve your health in many ways, and | | | | matters to you...support your local library, collect |
| we are going to talk about a few. We are going | | | | toys for tots, teach people to read. The |
| to have a little fun with vitamins and minerals, | | | | possibilities are endless.A personal note on this |
| antioxidants, exercise, personal relationships, | | | | subject: Several years ago, while I was the |
| mental gymnastics, and relaxation and rest. | | | | business manager of a community mental health |
| Sounds exciting to me! I'm having fun already! So | | | | facility I would often have discussions with the |
| let me show you a few ways to have a little fun | | | | head of the geriatric day care program. She often |
| and get healthier in the process.VITAMINS AND | | | | told me that most of the doddering souls in |
| MINERALSI never stop preaching that everyone | | | | attendance wouldn't have wound up there except, |
| should take a multivitamin supplement daily. I've | | | | as they aged, they lost their ties to, and interest |
| covered the arguments for this in other articles, | | | | in, friends, family, and humanity. In losing their |
| but, for the moment, however, let's just assume | | | | relationships, they lost themselves.By the way, a |
| I'm right (I am, you know) and you SHOULD take | | | | pet works almost as well as a person. In fact, for |
| a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement and | | | | some people, possibly better!MENTAL |
| you know it, don't you?It's a hassle, isn't it? That's | | | | GYMNASTICS...EXERCISE FOR THE BRAINYou |
| the biggest problem for most people. Then there's | | | | can't teach an old dog new tricks!Wrong!It has |
| the people that just don't like taking pills. Some | | | | been shown that using your brain regularly can |
| forget until they are on the way to work, or at | | | | not only keep your thought processes sharp, but |
| work. The list of reasons goes on, doesn't it?Try | | | | can help maintain your physical health. You don't |
| this? Go buy three bottles of Flintstone chewable | | | | have to be an Einstein. Take courses on subjects |
| vitamins with all the minerals possible. Centrum | | | | that interest you. Local colleges and community |
| also makes an adult chewable, but I am told that | | | | organizations often have life enriching courses that |
| they don't taste as good as Flintstones. What's | | | | are free or relatively inexpensive...okay, cheap! |
| that? No, I have never tasted chewable vitamins - | | | | Don't worry about the end results, like yoga, it's |
| I remember to take my multivitamin daily, | | | | the attempt that counts. Just because you take a |
| because I'm a good guy and it's fun to be | | | | course in baking doesn't mean you ever have to |
| healthy.Anyway, take one of your bottles of | | | | REALLY BAKE anything! However, you WILL |
| Flinstones and put it in your bathroom, near | | | | have exercised your brain and maybe you made |
| where you do your hair, brush your teeth (I put | | | | a few new and interesting relationships. You can |
| mine in a glass), or whatever. Put another one in | | | | attend lectures, local theatrical presentations (I |
| the console, door pocket, or glove compartment | | | | just saw my daughter's boyfriend in "A Streetcar |
| of your car. Put the last one in your desk at | | | | Named Desire", and it was fun and entertaining), |
| work, in your lunch box, locker...whatever. | | | | learn a language, or simply work puzzles or read |
| Sometime during the day, you, as a responsible | | | | the books you always wanted to read. NOT the |
| adult concerned about your health, will surely find | | | | ones your high school teacher TOLD you SHOULD |
| the ten seconds necessary to open the bottle, | | | | be read, but the ones YOU HAVE ALWAYS |
| pop one in your mouth, and chew it. Take the | | | | WANTED TO READ.RELAXATION AND |
| bottle with you on trips. If you go on a lot of | | | | REST...YOU DESERVE ITYou deserve to rest and |
| trips, buy a fourth bottle and put it in the bag you | | | | relax, and you need to do it well for your health. |
| always take with you...toiletries or | | | | It's important, so do it right. It won't hurt to learn |
| something.ANTIOXIDANTSAntioxidants fight free | | | | a little about relaxation...things like meditation and |
| radicals and in so doing, they help defend you | | | | yoga can help, but there are other relaxation |
| against cancer, cataracts, wrinkles, and other | | | | techniques as well. You don't have to become an |
| really negative aspects of aging. I've got some | | | | expert. You might be surprised at how much |
| good news for you. That Flintstones chewable | | | | relaxation you can accomplish just learning a little |
| vitamin you decided to take contained several | | | | on these subjects.A classic book to read is still |
| antioxidants, so you're already going to do | | | | Dale Carnegie's "How To Stop Worrying And |
| yourself and your body a big favor.Here's some | | | | Start Living". It's a little dated and may seem a |
| more good news! Chocolate, coffee, green tea | | | | little simple as well, but by the time you're finished |
| and wine all contain bioflavonoids which are | | | | with it, you will be pleased with the insight you |
| antioxidants. So, swing into Starbucks and get a | | | | have gotten into things that have been eating at |
| cup of coffee, drink some green tea (lots of | | | | you...and how to minimize the power they have |
| different flavors), pop a green tea extract | | | | over you.Take a trip...just to Bed, Bath, and |
| capsule, sip a glass of wine, or have a piece of | | | | Beyond, The Linen Store, or even Wal-Mart. Get |
| chocolate. Not all at one time, please. Yes, they | | | | some high thread count sheets. You'll be surprised |
| ARE good for you, but sweeten your tea or | | | | at how good they feel. Pamper yourself in the |
| coffee with stevia or an artificial sweetener, and | | | | evening before bedtime and give yourself some |
| don't go overboard on the wine or | | | | pleasant wind-down time and take some |
| chocolate.EXERCISECan exercise really be fun? | | | | mini-breaks throughout the day. That's one of the |
| Well, it CAN be if you don't try to start an | | | | reasons I recommend things like yoga, meditation, |
| "exercise program" while you're out of shape! Just | | | | and Dale Carnegie. What you learn from these |
| look around for a fun physical activity instead. | | | | can help you relax your way like a pro through |
| What's a fun physical activity? I don't know! Well, I | | | | each day and into your night's rest.Today's over, |
| DO know what I like. I like yoga, walking outside | | | | but tomorrow's another good day.Have fun. Stay |
| or on a treadmill, and lifting dumbbells. Maybe you | | | | healthy.The author is retired from the Army after |
| like swimming, or tennis, or gardening, or playing | | | | 21 years of service, has worked as an |
| with the kids or grandkids (spoil 'em and then run | | | | accountant, optical lab manager, restaurant |
| away...that's what I do.)This is SUPPOSED to be | | | | manager, and instructor. He has been a member |
| fun! Whatever you decide is good for you, there's | | | | of Mensa for several years, and has written and |
| a good chance you are out of shape at the | | | | published poetry, essays, and articles on various |
| moment, so start off slow. Remember, part of | | | | subjects for the last 40 years. He developed an |
| the fun is knowing that you can do it again | | | | interest in health and fitness in the '70s after |
| tomorrow or the next day.PERSONAL | | | | reading numerous books, including Dr. Kenneth |
| RELATIONSHIPSHaving good, pleasurable | | | | Cooper's "Aerobics". This has led him to continue |
| relationships with others can improve your health, | | | | his personal research into health and fitness for |
| help you live longer, give more purpose to your | | | | over 30 years, and to pursue course work on the |
| life, and help you get more enjoyment out of | | | | subjects of health and fitness, including yoga, |
| life.Remember that activity you were going to | | | | which he practices regularly. He also has a website |
| engage in? Why not find others who like it too | | | | where you can learn more about vitamins. He also |
| and do it with them? You could look online for | | | | has a blog where he posts articles on health and |
| forums or discussion groups on the subject and | | | | related matters such as weight loss. |
| exchange ideas and experiences with | | | | |