Make New Friends and Improve Your Life

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This article is from The National Wellness Institute:

Improve your friendships, make new friends and improve your health

The Mayo Clinic offers the following suggestions to improve your mental state by focusing on relationships and friendships. Most importantly, they offer several suggestions to strengthen relationships as well as ways to make new friends.

Why friendships are so important?

The connections of friendship can:

  • Increase your sense of belonging and purpose
  • Boost your happiness
  • Reduce stress
  • Improve your self-worth
  • Decrease your risk of serious mental illness
  • Help you weather traumas, such as divorce, serious illness, job loss or the death of a loved one
  • Encourage you to change unhealthy lifestyle habits, such as excessive drinking or lack of exercise
  • Share in your good times, such as a new baby, a new job, a new house

Ways to actively seek out friendships

Some people need more friends, some people need less. One thing is clear, sometimes developing new friendships is difficult: new communities, busy schedules, lack of hobbies, etc. all can lead to a more difficult time finding new friends. Developing good friendships does take some work. But remember that friends don’t have to be your age or share a similar cultural, religious or educational background.

Here are some ways you can develop friendships:

Get out with your pet. Seek out a popular dog park, make conversation with those who stop to talk on your daily neighborhood jaunts, or make pet play dates.

Work out. Join a class through a local gym, senior center or community fitness facility. Or start a lunchtime walking group at work.

Do lunch. Invite an acquaintance to join you for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Accept invites. When you’re invited to a party, dinner or social gathering, say yes. Resist the urge to say no just because you may not know everyone there or because you may initially feel awkward. You can always leave if you get too uncomfortable.

Volunteer. Hospitals, places of worship, museums, community centers, charitable groups and other organizations often need volunteers. You can form strong connections when you work with people who share a mutual interest.

Join a cause. Get together with a group of people working toward a goal you believe in, such as an election or the cleanup of a natural area.

Join a hobby group. Find a nearby group with similar interests in such things as auto racing, music, gardening, books or crafts.

Go back to school. Take a college or community education course to meet people with similar interests.

Hang out on your porch. Front porches used to be social centers for the neighborhood. If you don’t have a front porch, you can still pull up a chair and sit out front with a cup of coffee or a good book. Making yourself visible shows that you are friendly and open.

Join a church or faith community. Many churches and faith communities welcome new members.

Remember, even the most mundane meeting can be the start of a life-time friendship.

 

National Wellness Institute, Inc.
PO BOX 827
Stevens Point, WI 54481-0827
800-244-8922
www.nationalwellness.org

© 2008 National Wellness Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.

Staying Green at the New Sonrisa Salon and Day Spa Opening July 5th at The Village at Burlington Creek

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After purchasing Sonrisa four years ago, we undertook a major remodeling effort, placing a priority on eco-friendly building materials.  At that time, some green materials were difficult to find and relatively expensive, but we were happy with the results.  As our business grew and people embraced our eco friendly services and products we ran out […]

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A beautiful lawn-At a Price

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Our Golden Retriever, Charlotte died several years ago of cancer and at the time she was diagnosed the veterinarian advised us that she likely contracted it from exposure over the years to lawn chemicals.  She used to love rolling in the grass and sleeping in the flower beds before running back into the house.  While we never thought about it at the time studies now show that residues from pesticides, weed killer and insecticides aren’t restricted to the outdoors.  In fact, they drift in or are tracked into homes – by pets and people – where they contaminate air, surfaces and carpets and can expose children and adults to levels ten times higher than pre-application levels.

Today’s lawns, parks and ball fields often rely upon heavy doses of chemical fertilizers, weed killers and pesticides. Children age 6-11 who spend a lot of time playing on the nicely groomed yards and ball fields have higher levels of lawn chemicals in their blood than any other age category and because their organs are still developing at that young age, they are less able to detoxify those poisons.  Alarmingly, some studies indicates the chemicals most commonly used on or around our yards are linked to birth defects, hyperactivity, asthma and behavioral disorders – many of the same conditions that have shown an inexplicable increase among our children over the last 20 years in particular.

The ‘experts’ in this area may disagree over the real or proven health risks related to these chemicals but while they debate their positions we can at least mitigate our exposure through these simple steps:

Follow the Directions and Heed the Warnings: The application instructions and related warnings for fertilizers and pesticides are clear, purposeful – and they matter.  Remove shoes and clothes worn during the application before walking through the house and wash them immediately after use.  Keep children and pets off the treated areas at least until the chemicals have been absorbed into the ground.

Explore Organic Alternatives: Non toxic or less toxic applications for lawn care and insect relief are being developed by large and small manufacturers alike.  Even commercial services that spray lawns with liquid applications now provide organic alternatives.

Try Integrated Pest Management (IPM):  A concept practiced for centuries protects natural enemies of lawn pests (most pesticides are designed to kill all living insects – even the good ones), nurtures lawns that naturally strengthen grass and control weeds and uses pesticides judiciously and only when needed.

Most importantly, we should continue to educate ourselves on the topic in order to make informed decisions on taking care of our lawns – and our families. The Environmental Protection Agency’s brochure “Healthy Lawn – Healthy Environment. Caring for Your Lawn in an Environmentally Friendly Way”  is a great place to start.

 

 

 

 

National Fruits and Vegetables Month

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Today is the last day for National Fruits and Vegetables Month but we can enjoy nature’s bounty until harvest. Sometimes nature tries to make things simple for us to pursue a more healthy diet.  Last week I ran across a short article on how the shape, structure and even the color of some common fruits […]

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Girlfriends

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A recent USA Today headline read “Friendship Really Can Get Better With Age”.  The author began by saying that she didn’t imagine back in the 1970’s that the relationships she was building then would still be strong, and growing decades later.  Like sisters in many ways.  I can relate to that.

I am fortunate to have so many people I can call friends, but especially blessed by a group of women I’ve known for more than 30 years.  We were in or at each other’s weddings, and now attending our children’s weddings together.  We’ve supported each other with ailing parents or family funerals.  But more importantly we’ve made a point not become like others who only get together at a wedding or funeral.  We don’t always have time to talk on the phone given our busy lives, but we regularly schedule time to have lunch, dinner or a girl’s weekend away. Recently we have started to rotate dinner parties for each other and our spouses.   Interestingly enough, our husbands have known each other for as many years and while they may not see each other as regularly their relationships don’t seem to skip a beat when they do get together.  We have all commented that our husbands are very much alike in that they aren’t so apt to make new friends – the ones they nurtured as teenagers seem to be enduring, and enough for them.

Research notes that whether a close one on one relationship or close group relationships, women’s friendships in particular are at their root biologically driven.  Gail Saltz, a clinical associate professor of psychiatry says “Humans are hard wired to attach in a non romantic way.  There are evolutionary advantages for women to bond: to take care of each other, to provide a community and share responsibilities that increase the likelihood of survival”.  Friendships also fend off loneliness and depression.  “There are women in this second half of life who don’t necessarily have a partner, or who have a partner who isn’t their everything.  And you could even question if it’s good for a partner to be their everything anyway.”

Some women may find comfort deepening the bonds of longtime friends while good friendships can also spring up at any time in life.  Samantha Litzinger, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral science notes that women often form close relationships based on similar experiences or interests later in life such as parenting, marriage struggles or hobbies. Some people believe new friends, or friendships that are deepened later in life can bloom because competitiveness that might have existed earlier may be fading allowing for less threatening relationships.

“Creating a bond with other women creates a rich space in our lives” says Litzinger.  I couldn’t have said it better myself.

 

 

Keep an emergency kit in your car

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Still on the travel topic I want everyone to be prepared for emergencies while traveling. This article from the National Wellness Institute:

Keep a Survival Kit in Your Car

No car should be without a survival kit of items that you might need in the event you’re in an accident, run out of gas, have a breakdown, or get stuck. Items to include:

First-aid kit

Flares

White cloth, for distress signal

Flashlight with spare batteries

Snow shovel

Knife or other basic tools

Empty gas can, for purchasing gas

Small fire extinguisher

Paper and pencil

Blanket

Change, for phone calls and tolls  and a cell phone with a car charger

Food and water, for long trips through unpopulated areas

Whistle / Pepper Spray

Adapted from the original publication below:

A YEAR OF HEALTH HINTS – 365 Practical Ways to Feel Better and Live Longer © 1998 by Don R. Powell. American Institute for Preventive Medicine.

 

 

 

Eating Heathy While Traveling

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On the road again and trying to eat healthy!!!

Whether you are traveling for vacation or business, road trips can wreck havoc on your desire to eat healthy. Best-case scenario you will find a grocery store with a salad bar and healthy prepared food for you to choose, but too often fast food chains are all that can be found between countless towns along the highway system and this article for the National Wellness Institute can serve a healthy guide for you on your trip.  Have a safe and healthy trip!

 

Nine Tips for Healthier Fast-Food Meals

Fortunately for the 50 million Americans who eat at fast-food restaurants each day, choices are no longer limited to burgers, fries, and shakes. Many chains now offer salads, baked potatoes, soups, and whole-wheat products in addition to traditional selections. Here are some suggestions for more nutritious fast-food meals.

Avoid fried foods. Choose baked or broiled instead. If you order fried food, remove the breading (it sops up most of the grease). Order pizza with mushrooms, onions, or peppers instead of pepperoni and sausage. Avoid mayonnaise-laced salads. Instead, opt for fresh, unadorned fruits and vegetables. Steer clear of bacon bits, croutons, rich salad dressings, and fried noodles. Use high-sodium condiments like mustard or pickles sparingly. (And don’t salt fast food–it doesn’t need it.) Ask for skim or 1/2 % low-fat milk, fruit juice, or plain water instead of milk shakes or soft drinks. Use skim or 1/2 % low-fat milk instead of cream or nondairy creamer in your coffee or tea. Avoid high-fat, calorie-rich pastries and desserts-they offer very little nutritionally.

A YEAR OF HEALTH HINTS – 365 Practical Ways to Feel Better and Live Longer © 1998 by Don R. Powell. American Institute for Preventive Medicine.

 

National Wellness Institute, Inc.

· PO BOX 827

Stevens Point, WI 54481-0827

800-244-8922 ·

· www.nationalwellness.org

© 2008 National Wellness Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.

 

Beauty is deeper than skin!

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Wonderful information to help your skin proving that beauty  goes deeper than the skin! I loved this article on healthy diets for beautiful skin :

http://www.themedguru.com/20110114/feature/winter-diet-gorgeous-skin-86143304.html

Beat the Winter Maladies: Four Good Ideas

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I wanted to share this article from The National Wellness Institute

Beat the Winter Maladies: Four Good Ideas

Along with the winter season comes cold and flu season. This is the time of year when drinking plenty of fluids, getting an adequate amount of sleep, and dressing appropriately are extremely important. Although these three suggestions are helpful in avoiding the winter maladies, there are many more things you can do to remain healthy.

Not only is it important to drink enough fluids during the winter season, but it is even more beneficial if those fluids are hot. So, you don’t drink tea? That’s okay! This suggestion also includes hot liquids such as soups and warm fruit drinks (i.e. apple cider). It is said that warm liquids not only keep you hydrated, but also help to loosen any congestion.

Getting plenty of vitamin C is also important during the cold winter months. Eating fresh oranges, grapefruits, and other foods high in vitamin C (or drinking them in juice form) can aide your immune system functioning.

Aside from everything you can do to prevent illness, one of the most important things you can do is something you were probably taught as a child: Wash your hands. Using soap and water to frequently wash your hands is one of the easiest steps you can take to help avoid becoming ill.

If you do happen to get sick during winter, it benefits everyone when you think in terms of sanitation. Be sure to sanitize your toothbrush (or buy a new one) after getting over an illness. This will provide you a fresh start, free of any contagious bacteria that may have been left on your toothbrush while sick. Also, be sure to wash any pillows and pillowcases you used in order to avoid spreading viruses to other people. Plus, consider treating surfaces such as door knobs, cabinet handles, the refrigerator door, and other commonly touched services with anti-bacterial washes. These easy steps will help to keep you, as well as those around you, healthy.

Winter has only just begun. For the benefit of yourself and others close to you, make every attempt possible to have a safe, happy, and healthy season!

Source: www.health.com

From The National Wellness Institute

Time to Detox-Everything

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Time to detox- everything

A new year and a new you after overindulging from Thanksgiving to New Years I know that I need to detox and here are tips for detoxing that are tried and true:

1-    Lemon juice squeezed into a pitcher of water; try to consume the juice of half a lemon daily. It cleans your liver, boosts your metabolism and helps flush fat.

2-    It is time to reduce refined sugar, flour and processed food, eliminate if you can but significantly reducing is a great start.

3-    Use Qigong, Yoga or Pilates for body cleansing moves and stretches

4-    SWEAT through exercise, infrared sauna, or steam treatments to remove toxins from the body

5-    Cleanse your mind and spirit through decluttering your space, meditation, and limiting your exposure to energy drainers.

6-    Balance the electromagnetic field (EMF) around your home and work space with fountains, Himalayan salt lamps and green plants, which emit negative ions and promote a sense of well being. To protect against radiation from your phone and computer use a qlink product. http://www.qlinkproducts.com/Scripts/products.asp

7-    Get a massage

8-    Sleep at least 7 hours a night and nap when you can

9-    Limit alcohol, quit smoking and use personal heath and beauty products that are plant derived and free of petro chemicals

10- Breath deeply 10 times every hour.

For more information on EMF, detoxing, meditation and life balance please email your questions to  karen@sonrisawellness.com