10 Tips for a Stress Free Monday

The following was written by Donna Kozik and I thought it was an interesting post with some ideas on how to start your week in a positive manner

Get Monday started the "stress-free" way with these 10 tips!   

1.  Tidy Up 
Take 15 minutes and straighten up your desk or work space.  A clean, organized environment is the key to maximizing productivity. 

2.  Lighten the Load 
Schedule meetings and more intensive tasks after lunch, so you've eased into the day. 

3.  Share Some Sunshine 
Pay a compliment to someone by singling out a recent achievement worthy of praise; the effort will make you both feel like winners and start the morning on a positive note. 

4.  Take a Bite of the "Reality Sandwich" 
Set realistic goals for the day. If completing Monday's to-do list means you must be much, much, much more productive than usual, you are going to get stressed. Scratch off every task that can wait until Tuesday. 

5.  Make a Decision 
Big decisions can be stressful, and you don't want to rush them. But don’t waffle on the small stuff—just make a decision and move on. 

6.  Take Control 
The act of taking control empowers you. Sit up straight and recognize it’s always your choice-- and there’s a solution to every problem. 

7.  Build Your Network 
The best way to “get out of your head” is to connect with another, be it a coach, colleague or mastermind partner. No doubt there will be at least one laugh in the conversation, which is an excellent stress reliever. 

8.  Confidence Through Learning 
Build your self-confidence by seeking out something new to learn. It will make you more emotionally resilient, arm you with knowledge and reduce stress. 
  
9.  Focus on the Vitals 
If you’re a business owner, your top-of-list activity is marketing. If you’re a writer, it’s writing. If you’re a speaker, it’s speaking. Make sure you focus on what matters most. 

10.  Accentuate the Positive 
You’re in this for the long haul, so make it a practice to look on the bright side of things and stay positive. Shift this by thinking of what you "get" to do on Monday mornings, versus what you "have" to do. 

Doctors have views on everything

Thanks to Margaret for the following:

Trips that amuse and some that don't

I recently had knee replacement surgery at the University of British Columbia hospital and had an adverse reaction to the pain medication they used to help me. As a result of the adverse reaction to he medication I was in hospital for 8 days and had two falls after the operation. The normal time in hospital for this operation is 3days/

For the first few days after surgery, I was feeling a bit of pain, and some nausea,  but I was coping. I was coping but from time to time I did notice butterfly's and little people popping into my line of sight . They were not scary, just an interesting departure from the hum drum routine of the hospital.  By the third day I had started on physiotherapy and was doing a bit of walking with the help of the physiotherapist, so in the middle of the day I decided I would practice walking by myself.  Big mistake.

I got up using the walker, but I did knock something off the bed. So I decided that I should be the one to pick it up. I walked around the bed, bent down and fell, knocking myself out. The staff were there very quickly and I was rushed off for tests, but to calm me down they gave me more medication, to which I did not react well.

Two days later I woke up in another hospital strapped to a bed and wondering what happened as I had no recollection of the previous two days. Evidently (from what I could peace together from others) I had become very aggressive in trying to get up and walk, while under what ever medication they gave me on Thursday. 

Because of my state of delirium,  UBC Hospital felt that they could not give me the one on one attention I deserved, so they made arrangements to transfer me to Burnaby General on the Friday.  I arrived at Burnaby at about 4:00 pm and my wife stayed with me. According to her I kept trying to get out of bed and I told her the reason was that I had no choice I had to get up. She left me at 8:30 pm  after what I would describe as a horrific tiring day for her. At 10:20 pm  I was able to get out of bed and try to walk. The nurses station was about 15 feet from my bed and I could only surmise that the staff could see me, but they were busy and did not pay attention to me, although they would have had notice from UBC hospital that I needed special attention. I did get it when I fell. My ward mates told me that it was very exciting when I fell. This time I did not fall on my head, I fell on my knee. I was given more tests and then tied to he bed so I would not try to get up.

By Saturday morning the drugs were out of my system and the I was made aware of where I was and what had happened. I set a goal to be out of the hospital by Monday and I was able to meet the goal. 

The trip I had when I was on the narcotics, was fun for part of it but nasty for some of it. I now know to stay away from narcotics with morphine in them as they set me off on a trip of a life time.  I was lucky and my knee is recovering as I think it should at this point, but I have worked hard to make sure that I follow the physiotherapist and the Dr. instruction to the letter. 

I did not like losing two days of my life, but I feel lucky that I did not feel the pain of the second fall. I did write down some of what I remembered while I was in the hospital, but have not read it yet, so I may have more to the story when I get the time to read my own account of my trip.

Is coconut a superfood?

An interesting question posed and answered by Fiona Baker in an interesting and I thought informative column on this food, which she published in  Body and Soul in September 2012

Our experts weigh in...

A growing band of supporters - including scientists - are singing the healing and restorative praises of coconut.

They cite research and evidence to back their arguments and claim this humble, hairy fruit contains properties that can prevent, or even cure, a wide range of ailments from heart disease to Alzheimer's.

They haven't convinced everyone: the Heart Foundation strongly disputes their claims and says coconut oil in particular is an unhealthy saturated fat and should be avoided. But retired CSIRO scientist and honorary research fellow at the University of Queensland, Mike Foale, says the Heart Foundation has got it wrong. Foale has been studying the coconut palm for more than four decades and believes coconut is a superfood.

"There is both scientific and abundant anecdotal evidence of great health benefits, including increased energy, weight loss, natural antibiotic activity, cholesterol reduction and insulin stabilisation," Foale says.

While the popularity of bottled coconut water could be described as a fad, Foale is a devotee of the oil. "Coconut oil is a staple for millions of tropical coastal people worldwide and those people do not suffer from heart disease while on their traditional diet," he says.

The case for coconut

"Coconut oil is the healthiest oil on earth," says Dr Bruce Fife, who runs the Coconut Research Center in the US. While he doesn't dispute that the oil, extracted from the meat of mature coconuts, is mostly made up of saturated fat, Fife says scientific evidence shows it is a healthier version.

"Coconut oil is unique because it is composed predominately of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs)," he says. "The size of the fatty acid is extremely important because physiological effects of medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil are distinctly different from the long-chain fatty acids more commonly found in our diet.

"It's the MCTs in coconut oil that make it different from all other fats and, for the most part, gives it its unique character and healing properties. Few foods nowadays contain MCT. By adding coconut oil to your diet you can literally eat your way to better health."

He cites a long list of ways coconut oil has been found to benefit human bodies. He says it:

• Protects against heart disease by increasing good cholesterol and lowering the ratio of bad and good cholesterol.
• Helps treat malnutrition because it is easy to digest and absorb.
• Kills disease-causing bacteria, fungi, yeasts and viruses because of the antimicrobial effects of its fatty acids.
• Helps diabetics by slowing sugar release into the bloodstream.
• Prevents strokes and brain disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
• Boosts metabolism and increases energy because it is more likely to be burned as fuel than stored as body fat.

However, these claims are hotly contested by major organisations such as the Heart Foundation and the Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA). Fife dismisses such bodies' lack of support for coconut oil as "prejudiced and outdated".

"Saturated fats do not cause or even promote heart disease," he says, citing a 2010 research survey that looked at 21 different studies. "There was no evidence saturated fats were harmful."

The case against

While protection against heart disease is one of the claimed benefits of coconut oil, the Heart Foundation ironically strongly recommends avoiding it.

"Coconut oil, milk and cream are all high in unhealthy saturated fat, which raises bad cholesterol levels, clogs the arteries and increases the risk of heart disease," says Barbara Eden, the Heart Foundation's senior manager of food supply.

"Our recommendations are based on good-quality scientific evidence and don't recommend eating foods high in saturated fat. There are many healthier oils that don't raise cholesterol levels or increase the risk of heart disease."

DAA spokeswoman Tania Ferraretto agrees and says the evidence of any health benefits from coconut oil is inconclusive.

She believes it is a dietary fad and consumers should beware of any product that makes broad-sweeping health claims.

"It has a high saturated fat content – 85 to 90 per cent – which should be avoided," Ferraretto says. "A product like coconut oil is not ever going to provide a miracle cure. If you want to be healthy, eat a healthy diet and exercise."

Perhaps the last word should go to the findings of a 2010 research conference that concluded the effect of a particular food on heart disease should not be judged solely by how much saturated fat it contains, because different saturated fatty acids may have different cardiovascular effects.

More research is needed, but in the meantime, there's one thing we can all agree on: coconut products taste great.

Coconut oil prevents tooth decay

Coconut oil fights bacteria responsible for tooth decay and could be a healthy, non-chemical additive in toothpaste and mouthwash, Irish research suggests. Scientists found that when the oil was treated with digestive enzymes it became a powerful killer of mouth bugs that can lead to dental caries.

How much coconut oil?

The Coconut Research Center's Dr Bruce Fife recommends one to three tablespoons of coconut oil a day for health maintenance. It can be used for frying and baking or it can be added to foods such as popcorn instead of butter.

+ Coconut meat (raw): The super high-fibre content acts like a probiotic, feeding  the good bacteria in the intestines and keeping you regular.

+ Fresh coconut juice: Rich in electrolytes, it aids in hydration, providing minerals essential for bodily functions such as movement and brain function.

+ Coconut oil (from the meat): Said to have numerous benefi ts, from protecting against heart disease to helping with weight management.

+ Coconut cream/milk: High in lauric acid, it may boost your immune system and protect against viral and bacterial infections.

Your Conscious Thoughts Regulate Your Health

Your conscious thoughts regulate your health. The persistent idea of illness will make you ill. While you believe that you become ill because of viruses, infections, or accidents, then you must go to doctors who operate within that system of belief. In addition, because you believe in their cures, you will be relieved of your difficulty. Because you do not understand that your thoughts create illness you will continue to undergo it ... and new symptoms will appear ... While you are in the process of changing beliefs - when you are beginning to realize that your thoughts and beliefs cause illness - then for a while you may not know what to do.... You may realize that the doctor can at best give you temporary relief, yet you may not be completely convinced yet of your own ability to change your thoughts; or you may be so cowed by their effectiveness that you are frightened.

When traditional practitioners of the ancient eastern religion of Zen Buddhism want to achieve greater spiritual insight, they turn to a technique is called "meditation.

Today more and more doctors are prescribing meditation as a way to lower blood pressure, improve exercise performance in people with angina, and help people with asthma breathe easier, relieve insomnia, and generally relax the everyday stresses of life. Meditation is a safe and simple way to balance a person's physical, emotional, and mental states. It is simple; but can benefit everybody. When you feel joyful, your body benefits and becomes stronger.

While you believe that only doctors can cure you, you had better go to them.... While you may be cured of one difficulty, you will only replace it with another as long as your beliefs cause you to have physical problems....'The healing energy [is] always within you.

A review of scientific studies identified relaxation, concentration, an altered state of awareness, a suspension of logical thought and the maintenance of a self-observing attitude as the behavioral components of meditation; it is accompanied by a host of biochemical and physical changes in the body that alter metabolism, heart rate, respiration, blood pressure and brain chemistry. Meditation has been used in clinical settings as a method of stress and pain reduction. Meditation has also been studied specifically for its effects on stress.

Studies have shown that meditation can bring about a healthy state of relaxation by causing a generalized reduction in multiple physiological and biochemical markers, such as decreased heart rate, decreased respiration rate, decreased plasma cortisol (a major stress hormone), decreased pulse rate, and increased EEG (electroencephalogram) alpha, a brain wave associated with relaxation. Research conducted by R. Keith Wallace at U.C.L.A. on Transcendental Meditation, revealed that during meditation, the body gains a state of profound rest. At the same time, the brain and mind become more alert, indicating a state of restful alertness. Studies show that after TM, reactions are faster, creativity greater, and comprehension broader.

Research has also shown that Meditation can contribute to an individual's psychological and physiological well-being. This is accomplished as Meditation brings the brainwave pattern into an alpha state, which is a level of consciousness that promotes the healing state.

Physical Benefits

• Deep rest-as measured by decreased metabolic rate, lower heart rate, and reduced work load of the heart.
• Lowered levels of cortisol and lactate-two chemicals associated with stress.
• Decreased high blood pressure.
• Low skin resistance is correlated with higher stress and anxiety levels.
• Drop in cholesterol levels. High cholesterol is associated with cardiovascular disease.
• Improved flow of air to the lungs resulting in easier breathing. This has been very helpful to asthma patients.

 Psychological Benefits

• Increased brain wave coherence. Harmony of brain wave activity in different parts of the brain is associated with greater creativity, improved moral reasoning, and higher IQ.
• Decreased anxiety.
• Decreased depression.
• Decreased irritability and moodiness.
• Improved learning ability and memory.
• Increased self-actualization.
• Increased feelings of vitality and rejuvenation.
• Increased happiness.
• Increased emotional stability

Meditation is a multidimensional phenomenon that may be useful in a variety of ways. First, meditation is associated with states of physiological relaxation that can be utilized to alleviate stress, anxiety, and other physical symptoms. Secondly, meditation brings about cognitive shifts that can be applied to behavioural self-observation and management, and to understanding limiting or self-destructive cognitive patterns.

Meditation may also permit deepened access to the unconscious. Meditation techniques help us to focus attention on the manner in which unconscious conflicts are being processed and recreated in the mind on a moment-to-moment basis. Thus, it offers the possibility of not just understanding such conflicts conceptually, but of actually penetrating and gradually dismantling them through meditative insight

Out of knowledge of the contents of your own conscious mind by using meditation, you can definitely start to use your mind to be more aware of stresses on your body and move toward a place of healing.

Travelling through customs with a cane

As I have said in earlier posts, I have a great deal of respect for those who have to live with chronic pain. I have been lucky in that I have only had to live with chronic pain for about a year and when I have my hip and knee operations, my hope is that I will no longer have the chronic pain that has forced me to change my lifestyle. 

I did take my cane with me when we travelled to Australia as I was not sure how sitting on a plane for 14 hours would affect my hip and my knee. On the flight I did spend a great deal of time, standing and walking, which helped keep the discomfort to a minimum. Once we were off the plane, I had to use my cane to help me walk and since I am new at walking with a cane, I did walk rather slowly. My wife and son were able to move a lot quicker than I could, but I was used to this and was not uncomfortable with them moving ahead. 

Once we got to the custom area in Sydney, the signs I found were confusing. I am not sure if that was because of lack of sleep from the flight or because of the medication. So I saw a flight attendant from our plane and I asked her about which line we should move into in the customs. I was walking with my cane and she was with a number of passengers who were in wheelchairs. She looked at me and asked if I was on her flight. I said yes and she said come with me. I signalled my wife, and son, and we followed her and within five minutes, we were through customs. All of the people who were in wheel chairs and their families were given the same treatment. I was quite happy and we saved ourselves about 45 minutes of waiting. 

I found that this was the only time that I gained an advantage by using a cane. I am now better at walking with my cane, and I am hopeful that within the next three months I will no longer need it.

Parrots and cockatoos in the morning

When I was in Australia, I loved getting up in the morning, going out onto the patio sitting at the table and watching the cockatoos, parrots, Rosella's  go about their morning routine. These beautiful birds added to the ambiance of the setting and the joy of being close to family.  They also made the Australian Experience more fun,as we could feed them and the braver ones would eat out of our hands. Finally, they added to a peaceful, easy feeling, which could only be good for blood pressure and ease of stress.

Life goes on....

Even after the thrill of living is gone John Mellencamp

Over the past few weeks, I seem to have surrounded myself with people who seem to have lost the thrill of living and are just moving through life. This happens from time to time--as we move through life we create a circle of friends and acquaintances of about 200 people. These people help us keep with the paradigms we have created for ourselves to make living easier.

But from time to time, people creep into our circle without our realizing they are becoming a greater part of our life then they should. For some people life is routine, the joy of living is not part of their routine, but they like to be around people who find joy in life, living and other people. What they do however is suck the energy out of the people who find joy and soon the joyful person is caught in a downward spin, and without great determination will lose their joy of living. I wonder when did these people lose the thrill of living go? I watch my grandson, and my nieces and great nephews, and the thrill of living is alive and thriving in them. I watched Jackie Evancho on PBS and saw a great singer, but also a twelve year old girl, who appeared to be excited about what she was doing. 

When do we lose the thrill of living and life goes on, when do we settle and not become excited about what life means? When do we forget the wonders of the universe and  the beauty of life around us? 

Maybe retirement is a time to recapture the joy and thrill of living rather than settling for what we have had to put up with when we were working to raise a family and make our mark on the world. I know that over the next few weeks, I will be moving the people who have lost the joy of living out of my inner circle, I will do it in a positive way and will move back to finding the joy in life. I  wonder at the joy the small things in life bring me, the sunlight touching the frost on the window, the cat playing with the ball  of string, hearing a bird singing as we wake up, seeing the smile on a young persons face as they delight in the music in the are. These and other small things are amazing reminders of how wonderful life can be for us.

The mark we leave on the world, will not be about our successes in business, but our mark will be with the people that we touch and bring joy and happiness to in our everyday interactions.

Life goes on, keep the thrill of living with you as we pass through the time we are given and be thankful everyday for the opportunities life has given us to bring joy to others and ourselves.

Golfing on January 3rd

I love to golf even though I am not good at it nor will I ever be good at the game. Not because I lack the skills but I only golf roughly once a week starting in March and ending in September and I do not practice. To build a skill one has to work hard at the skill and I am not yet prepared to do this. I find that there are too many other exciting things to do and to experience in life. I do enjoy the walk through the course with my friends and the conversations we have about life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

One of my goals, when I was in Australia, was to golf on New Year’s Day, I did not get to do that but I did get to golf on January 3^rd. The day we went golfing the temperature in town went up to 42 degrees Celsius but since we went at about 6:00 in the afternoon, the temperature had dropped to about 34 degrees. Now I was hoping that I would be able to rent a cart so I could drive the course because of my knee and hip issues.

However, that was not to be as the receptionist explained to us, I get to work at 6:30 am and I leave at 6:30 pm and I cannot leave the carts out. I understood and made a decision to only play nine holes and to walk the course.

I had fun on three holes but by the sixth hole I was using my hand cart as a crutch and the last three holes I was on automatic just swing and hit and endure the pain. For all of the pain, I was able to finish the nine holes with a respectable score for me and so I have bragging rights among my friends for playing golf the earliest in 2013. Now I may not be able to play much golf this year because of upcoming operations so whatever bragging rights I have I will hold on to with tenacity. What some of us men will do to prove we still are young:-)

Living in pain hip and knee

Like most men, I tend to procrastinate when going to the doctor. I do go when I need my medication renewed or I am not feeling well for a couple of weeks. However my hip and knee have been bothering me for a while so before we went to Australia, I thought I should get them looked at. 

Realizing that wait lists are long and only start once you see the specialist (which in BC could be a year or more), I went early. I did not go as soon as I was in pain however; I lived with moderate pain (about a two or three out of ten,  on the pain scale) for about three years before I told the doctor that the pain level had moved to about a six on the scale. When I finally let him know the pain was so high he arranged for the X-rays and other tests needed and put out a call to the specialist. 

I was lucky; I saw a specialist in about seven months, which was in November of last year. After the initial examination, which showed the specialist that I was a candidate for both hip, and knee replacement I was asked which hurt more. I said my knee, and I was told that I might get knee replacement in February. 

When we returned from Australia, I was told by the receptionist at the Doctors  office that the Dr. did not have a clue about scheduling patients but that he was just trying to be positive when he told me I would get an operation in Feb. She told me I would more likely have my knee replaced in April (if I was lucky). She was very nice and very apologetic, I understand now that I should have confirmed with her rather than rely on the Dr. 

Now I do not mind the wait, as I have good pain control medication, which I take most of the time, which keeps the pain level about seven out of ten. I have great admiration for those of you who live with chronic pain and still have a wonderful bright outlook on life. I still look on life as wonderful, fun and exciting, but I sometimes get cross with people I love when the pain gets too intense. I also find that I am limited in my mobility but I am learning to use a cane and hope to get around more and April is only two months away.

Why You Have to Pee in the Middle of the Night

The Interenet is so interesting, I saw this a while back and thought I would share:

 Why You Have to Pee in the Middle of the Night Deborah Dunham May 31st, 2012 posted in You Beauty

Let’s face it, nothing is more annoying than being woken up mid-slumber because you have to go to the bathroom. While you may chastise yourself for drinking too much wine with dinner and vow never to do that again, your urgency to pee may have more to do with your genes than how much you drank before bed.

A team of Japanese researchers looked at the urination patterns of mice. What they found was that bladder muscle cells are often regulated by circadian rhythms, which is our internal sleep/wake cycle that can be influenced by our genes. A person with a normal circadian rhythm pees less at night so their body has time to rest and restore without being disturbed. But mice with an abnormal circadian rhythm peed just as much during the day as they did at night, according to the research published in Nature Communications.

The researchers also found that a specific protein, Cx43, which is found in bladder muscle cells and largely controlled by our genes, can determine how much urine your bladder can hold and how often you have to pee. The mice with lower levels of the Cx43 protein had to pee more frequently during the night, leading some to believe that our genes could very well be responsible for those annoying, have-to-pee 2am awakenings. Thanks, mom and dad!

Occasionally having to pee at night or even having to go once a night isn’t considered to be much of an issue, according to Beri Ridgeway, M.D., a urogynecologist at the Cleveland Clinic. “The issue becomes problematic when that happens two or more times a night—that’s called nocturia [or nocturnal polyuria],” she explains. “It’s waking with the need to urinate, and it’s so strong that you can’t go back to sleep until you empty your bladder.”

And while our bladder strength and capacity does change as we age, it’s important to find out what is causing those midnight disruptions. Dr. Ridgeway says that can range from sleep apnea to a small bladder, and yes, possibly, our genes.

 “Down the road, we may be able to harness the [Cx43 protein] idea as a treatment,” says Ridgeway, “by regulating those genes to produce more or less of that protein, which can change the amount of urine that the bladder can hold.”

In the meantime, if your doctor has ruled out any medical issues, here are some tips that may help you get a good—and uninterrupted—night’s sleep:

1. Put down that drink. Reducing the amount of fluid you drink before you hit the hay is an obvious solution to urinating less during the night. In particular, watch out for diuretics such as alcohol and caffeine, which can actually increase the urgency to pee. Avoid them starting four hours before bedtime.

2. Alleviate leg swelling. Believe it or not, elevating swollen legs so they’re level with your heart a couple of hours before bedtime can reduce the urgency to urinate during the night. “When we lie down, we absorb all of the fluid from those swollen tissues, which then goes to the kidneys for urine production,” explains Ridgeway. By releasing that extra fluid before bedtime, you can reduce the likelihood of having to use the bathroom later on.That glass of water you guzzled before bed isn’t the only reason you’re making a beeline for bathroom at night. Turns out, your genes are to blame, too.

3. Get checked out. If you suspect that you have an overactive bladder, talk to your doctor. There are medications and even physical therapy that can reduce the frequent urgency to go.

4. Reset your internal clock. By adjusting your circadian rhythms to a normal and predictable sleep/wake cycle each day, you may be able to limit nighttime urination.

5. Step away from the salt shaker. Loading up on salt and eating foods that are heavy in sodium  (think: frozen meals, cured meats and soy sauce) as well as protein and potassium can cause your body to store extra fluid and increase urine production during the night, according to Ridgeway. Your best bet? Avoid heavily salted foods, particularly at night, which is smart to do anyway.

6. Work it out. Exercise helps regulate your circadian rhythms, which is part of the equation for getting a good night’s sleep, notes Ridgeway. Working out also helps you lose any excess weight. That’s important since obesity is linked to poor sleep and sleep apnea.

Source:

Holiday tips on how to relax

If you do not take the time to let yourself unwind, it can lead to some serious fatigue problems, and you may begin to feel burned out. In a burned out state you are never as productive. There are ways to avoid letting this happen by balancing your work life properly with times of calm, recreation and relaxation. Below there are tips for achieving a good balance for your work life. If you follow some or all of these, it will help to relieve a lot of stress from your day-to-day operations.

11. Get plenty of sleep.

Oftentimes sleep Is one of the things we sacrifice in order to get more work done. Sleep is an essential part of maintaining a good energy level and a positive attitude. When you get an ample amount of sleep during the night, you are more ready to take on the challenges of a new day and are able to do so with a smile. Never overwork yourself to the point of sleepless nights. You will hurt yourself and your productivity in the long run.

12. Take a break during your workday.

Sometimes the work schedule can be a very hectic thing. During your fifteen or twenty minute break, you should try to make the most of your time away from work. If you can do something that will make you feel refreshed it will be good and help you be ready to finish your day. A good idea could be a nice fifteen-minute walk outside the premises. Fresh air could be just what you need to clear your mind.

13. Foster good work relationships with your colleagues.

Whether you are the boss or just a cog in the wheel of a bigger corporation, having friends at work can help the time you spend there seem less taxing. Trying to have a good report with your co-workers and make small talk when there is time for it. Even meeting up with co-workers outside of work can be a healthy thing, and will make your synergy in the workplace even better.

14. Reward yourself for a job well done.

When things go well at work you need to have something tangible to show that your efforts are paying off. Do not just simply keep throwing yourself at work again and again. Take the time to reward yourself for doing a good job. Buy yourself something nice now and again. Whether it is new clothes or new tech devices that you crave, the reward will help put you in a good place. When you work hard, you deserve to reap rewards.

15. Understand that nothing is perfect.

The need to be the best drives the successful, and often the most successful people consider themselves perfectionists. This is a good trait in many ways because it means that you are going to pay attention to detail and always make sure that something with your name attached to it is quality. You should not go overboard though. Don’t beat yourself over the head with little details all the time. Do your best but realize that perfection is simply an unattainable ideal in most regards. There will always be “one more little thing” you could have done on a project. Accept that you did a great job and move on. It is healthiest that way.

16. Streamline your errands.

Errands can take up a good chunk of time. There seems to be so many things we need to get done on our days off that has been neglected throughout the week that it eats away our day off into nothing. Try your best not to let this happen, because you need to enjoy your day off and do something for you. Streamline your errand running by planning the best routes to go and get things done, and go at the least busy times of the day so you can be in and out.

17. No more skipping meals.

When you are busy at work it is easy to skip meals and just eat when you can. Your body runs at its best when you eat more small meals per day. Wake up with enough time in the morning to eat breakfast, and make sure that during your lunch break you actually eat something. You’ll have more energy and most likely a more positive demeanor.

18. When you aren’t at work, don’t think about work.

People are guilty of doing this constantly. When work is on your mind at home, it is as if you never truly stopped working. You need to take the time to enjoy yourself and all the wonders of your personal life. Work will be waiting for you when you clock back in. Don’t let it take up so much space in your head.

19. Listen to music.

Listening to music is an incredible way to wind down after a long day of work. The songs that we love always seem to have a way of putting us in good moods, and it can be very relaxing to just kick back, have some refreshments and listen. Relaxation is, as mentioned before, an important part of work life balance. You need the downtime.

20. Be honest about your limits.

If you are being overworked, be honest about the fact that you might have more than you can handle. If you are the boss, delegate some tasks to those subordinates you trust. If you are an employee, have an honest heartfelt talk with your manager. Get them to listen to you and assign more people to do all the tasks you had been handling alone.

Stroke has a new indicator

Stroke has a new indicator! They say if you forward this to ten people, you stand a chance of saving one life. Will you send this along? Blood Clots/Stroke - They Now Have a Fourth Indicator, the Tongue:

During a BBQ, a woman stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) ...she said she had just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes.

They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food. While she appeared a bit shaken up, Jane went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening.

Jane's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital - (at 6:00 PM Jane passed away.) She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ. Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Jane would be with us today. Some don't die. They end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead.

It only takes a minute to read this.

A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough. 

RECOGNIZING A STROKE

Thank God for the sense to remember the '3' steps, STR. Read and Learn!

Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.

Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:

S *Ask the individual to SMILE.

T *Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A  SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently)
(i.e. Chicken Soup)

R *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.

If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call emergency number immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

New Sign of a Stroke -------- Stick out Your Tongue

NOTE: Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out his tongue. If the tongue is
'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other that is also an indication of a stroke.

A cardiologist says if everyone lets 10 people know the signs posted above; you can bet that at least one life will be saved.

I have done my part. Will you?

Two cups of coffee a day cuts overall risk of dying

I love my coffee, so I was excited about the following article that shows that drinking coffee in moderation may help you live longer.

As I read the article, I wondered if two cups of coffee cut your risk of dying by 10% would twenty cups of coffee a day cut your risk by 100%. But no such luck, the research shows that drinking coffee in moderation is best and that coffee is only one factor in longevity.

Starbucks and Tim Hortons could use this as a way of getting more seniors into their coffee shops. (Slogan suggestion: Drink Coffee--live longer or some variation on this theme, I am sure there are brighter, copy writers out there that could come up with some very fancy lines)

Two cups of coffee a day cuts overall risk of dying by 10 percent, research shows

By  CBS News Staff  published May 17, 2012 11:24 AM

(CBS/AP)  How good is coffee for your health? For years, research has gone both ways, with some studies finding it boosts risk for heart disease, while other studies find it could be protective against breast and skin cancers.

A large-scale study of 400,000 people offers good news for coffee-drinkers: you might just live longer.

The study is the largest ever done on the issue, and the results should reassure any coffee lovers who think it's a guilty pleasure that may do harm. And whether it's regular or decaf doesn't even matter.

"There may actually be a modest benefit of coffee drinking," said lead researcher Neal Freedman of the National Cancer Institute.

The study, published online in the May 16 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, kicked off in 1995 and involved 402,260 AARP members ages 50 to 71 who lived in California, Florida, Louisiana, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Atlanta and Detroit. People who already had heart disease, stroke or cancer weren't included in the study, nor were extreme eaters who ate too many or too few calories per day. The rest gave information on coffee drinking once, at the start of the study.

"People are fairly consistent in their coffee drinking over their lifetime," so the single measure shouldn't be a study limitation, Freedman said.

Of the participants, about 42,000 drank no coffee. Most people had two or three cups each day, and about 15,000 reported drinking six cups or more a day.

By 2008, about 52,000 of the participants had died. Compared to those who drank no coffee, men who had two or three cups a day were 10 percent less likely to die at any age. For women, it was 13 percent. Even a single cup a day seemed to lower risk by 6 percent in men and 5 percent in women.

The strongest effect seen in the study was in women who had four or five cups a day - an impressive 16 percent lower risk of death. In general, coffee drinkers were less likely to die from heart or respiratory disease, stroke, diabetes, injuries, accidents or infections. No effect was seen on cancer death risk. None of the risk reductions were big numbers though, and Freedman can't say how much extra life coffee might buy.

"I really can't calculate that," especially because smoking is a key factor that affects longevity at every age, he said
For more on this research go here

Hospital stay

After a lifetime of spending very little time in hospitals as a patient,  I had the opportunity a week or so ago to spend four days in our local hospital, first two days in the emergency room and then two days on a floor in a private room. (I was not there because I wanted the private room, but I was there because the doctors thought I was contagious). 

I learned that self diagnoses is not  terribly smart idea and now I know to check with the Doctor sooner than later when I am sick. I thought I had the flu and for four days treated myself by staying in bed, and suffering with a fever, vomiting, chest pains and a headache. By Friday I was in such bad shape that my wife called the emergency number and off I went to the hospital. 

The firemen and the ambulance crew were at my home within minutes and after a few tests and questions, I was moved to the hospital.  The staff at the hospital that worked on me were wonderful, caring people. They responded to my questions, my needs and they were very thorough. I think I had more tests done in the four days I was in the hospital then I have had in my life.  After three days of testing, the doctor took me off the intravenous antibodies and put me on to some pills, and I started to feel better and by the fourth day I was ready to leave and the doctor agreed.

The front line staff were, in my humble observations, overworked. A few things I need to comment on, the cleaning staff in the emergency ward were working very hard, but they appeared to be rushed and I noticed that they missed several areas around my bed when they were cleaning.  When I was in my room, the cleaner came in once and did a very quick clean, but again missed several areas. I am not sure if she was rushed or whether she did not want to be in a room with a contagious patient.  

The food once I was allowed to eat, was surprisingly not bad, however the food trays were left in the room and not picked up, once they determined I was  not contagious, I took the trays out of the room and told the staff they should be picked up; I noticed that the food trays sat in the area where I left them for about 4 to 6 hours after I had informed the staff. 

I was taken up to the room by an LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) who told me that she was working as a porter, because they hospital was short staffed, I also talked to a Registered Nurse who had come in off holidays to work and she told me about working a 20 hour shift because no one was available. This speaks to poor management of the hospital, and my sister-in-law, who is also a Registered Nurse also speaks to me of the lack of mangement skills in running the hospital where she works.

We tend to take our health care for granted, and think it will be there when we need it, but the Federal and Provincial governments are slowly defunding the public health care system and  my fear is that when we need care, it will not be available unless one has the money to pay for it.

I was struck in my two days in emergency by the fact that many of the people in the emergency  were my age or older, many had fallen, or had symptoms of heart attacks r strokes. I was also struck my the level of support that many of these people had, adult children spending hours waiting with their parents. When people were in life threatening situations  what was important was the friends and relationships.

Back to the food, when the last Doctor saw me on Monday afternoon, he told me I could go home and I then commented that I had found the food not too bad. The Dr. looked at me and became very serious, and then said, "I have to reconsider about you going home, your last comment tells me that you are a very, very, very sick man and we have to hold you for more tests." I recovered enough to say, "I didn't finish, the food was not as bad as I thought it would be" The Dr. laughed and said, "Ok, you can go home". We both laughed. 

A sense of humour is important in all situations. My thanks to the staff, the Doctors and Nurses and EagleRidge hospital for their help, support and caring while I was under their care. 

I am still undergoing tests and hope to find out why I was out for the 9 days, but now I am back to normal, I know that we have to continue to fight for our right to good medical care in Canada.

Hands only CPR

Great funny video that may help you save a life. Thanks to William for this


CPR saves lives, right? Well, in the decades since they invented CPR, the docs learned some things.  You'll enjoy the simplicity of the updated version as demonstrated by British tough guy, Vinnie Jones.

Even if you don't care to save lives - it's a hoot.  http://www.wimp.com/vinniejones/

And do note the thugs, his partners, in the background.

http://www.wimp.com/vinniejones/