Work Smart Live Smart Stress and Wellness Tips

Moving These Posts

2012-05-05T16:50:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone
Thank you for following this blog over these past years. I am moving it so that it will become part of my full website and to ensure that you get the full access to all of the related stress and wellness materials.

However, I need your help. Please confirm me as the author of this site through your networkedblog/facebook account. Until I get 20 of you to do this, I can not finish this process.

In about a week, I will be able to announce that the new website and blog will be live and i will invite all of you to explore and enjoy.

Have a great day,
Beverly

Underdog Day

2011-12-12T11:00:00.001-05:00

Underdog Day - December 16
Do you hate it when the interviewer goes after the second place person and asks them how it feels to lose the race? Do you always cheer for the underdog, the team not expected to win? Are your favourite movies the one where the underdog prevails?

Today is the day to salute all of the underdogs and unsung heroes.

An underdog is a person or group who is expected to lose. However, sometimes they pull off the unexpected.

Isn't that what life is like for most of us? Sometimes we win and sometimes, no matter how hard we prepare or try, it just doesn't work out.

Beverly's Hot Tips For Celebrating Underdog Day:

Who are the underdogs in your workplace, family or community who could use a little extra encouragement or know that someone is in their corner? Go out and be their cheerleader.
Are you letting your fear of not winning, stopping you from even being a part of the game?
Take a look at the underdogs. See how they carry themselves in the face of defeat. Most of the underdogs that we celebrate in our society and in our movies have a few things in common. They don't throw in the towel just because they aren't expected to win. They give it their all until the very end. And in the end, they are looking forward to the next opportunity to try again.

When my son was just starting out in hockey, they use to rotate the goalies. His team was badly beat by one particular team. On the next re-match, my son was to be the goalie. He donned his gear and was determined to stop the pucks that came his way.

In the end, they lost by 10 goals. I was fully prepared to go into the dressing room and provide my motherly comforting and 'you'll get them next time' speech. To my great surprise, my son's first comment, was "Well at least we didn't lose by 15 like the last time".

Improvement is improvement and who knows what the outcome will be the next time....good lesson for all of us.

Some interesting FYI's

Popular Underdogs who went on to win major upsets:
Mohammad Ali against Sonny Liston and George Foreman
1972 Team Canada vs the Soviets
1980 US hockey team vs the Soviets
Susan Boyle...UK's Got Talent most unlikely winner

Who else would you place on this list?

The original meaning of the word "underdog" originated from sawsmen who built ships. Planks of wood called "dogs" were placed over the top of a pit, and two men would have to supervise the placing of these planks. One man would stand on top of the planks, and one man would stand underneath the planks in the dark pit, where he would be covered in sawdust. This poor man was known as the underdog.

If you would like to find more strategies to help you deal with health, wellness and stress - please visit the resource section at http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/pages/stress_resources

If you have some strategies to share - comment on this posting!

To bring Beverly to present her stress and wellness strategies to your team or to find more wellness days, weeks and months - visit http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/

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Bathtub Party Day

2011-12-05T12:22:00.004-05:00

Bathtub Party Day - December 5

"Scrub a dub dub, baby's in the tub"

Remember the joys of bath time when you were little or when your children were little. There were bubbles and toys and lots of giggles.

Most of us don't have time for a leisurely bath today. A shower is quicker, easier and a whole lot simpler. Today is the day to slow things down a bit and take some personal me time.

It is Bathtub Party Day. So you may set up a party for one. Or it may be an intimate party for two. Or if you have a hot tub on your back deck, it may truly be a party for your friends.

Beverly's Hot Tips To Celebrate Bathtub Party Day:

Turn off the phone and turn on the music
Light a few candles and turn the lights down low
Add your favourite scents to the water
Relax and let the warmth and the relaxation flood over you

And if a bathtub is not your thing, consider this. Part of the S-O-S Principle that I developed involves finding strategies that get your mind off of the stressful situations around you. These techniques may be our hobbies such as gardening or wood working or it may be activities such as karate or running. It may be downtime relaxation strategies such as deep breathing, yoga, hot shower or a hot bath. The key is to find something that works for you.

If you would like to find more strategies to help you deal with health, wellness and stress - please visit the resource section at http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/pages/stress_resources

If you have some strategies to share - comment on this posting!

To bring Beverly to present her stress and wellness strategies to your team or to find more wellness days, weeks and months - visit http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/

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Special Kids Day

2011-11-28T13:02:00.003-05:00

Special Kids Day - December 1

We take for granted our health and the health of our children. But what if you are a family that has children who are facing special challenges? Your child's health and well-being is always at the forefront of every decision that you make.

Special Kids Day was put together to help families during the holidays. Started in 1990, Special Kids Day began as a holiday event that provided an opportunity for children with special needs and their families to visit Santa Claus without having to face some of the obstacles that they might encounter when trying to experience a visit with Santa in a mall.

Though Special Kids Day may not be hosted in your area of the country, it is still a time to celebrate the strength, resilience and determination of these children and their families.

Beverly's Hot Tips For Celebrating Special Kids Day and showing your support for these special families:

If you are hosting a party:

Invite the family, but don't be disappointed if they are not able to attend. The invite alone says that you care and are thinking of them.
Ask if there is anything special that you should consider or anything special that you can do to make the party a success for the special needs child and their family.
There may be access or food issues to consider. Ask what the child's favourite food might be and have it on the menu, even if it doesn't fit with your holiday theme.
Have a quiet place for the child and the family to decompress if things become to hectic.

Provide the gift of time:

You may be able to pick up items that would save a run to the mall or the grocery store for the family.
You may be able to step in and babysit while the parent's go out for dinner or go shopping on their own.
There is often very little time to get things done around the house. See if there are any to-do items that you are capable of taking care of such as window washing or safety proofing.
Provide ready to eat meals for the 'crazy' days...the days were it is non-stop appointments or that are especially difficult to cope.

Let them know that you are there for their family. It can be very isolating and lonely and true friends are hard to come by. But don't wait to be asked as it is hard for many parents of special needs children to reach out and ask for help.

If you would like to find more strategies to help you deal with health, wellness and stress - please visit the resource section at http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/pages/stress_resources

If you have some strategies to share - comment on this posting!

To bring Beverly to present her stress and wellness strategies to your team or to find more wellness days, weeks and months - visit http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/

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World Television Day

2011-11-21T09:57:00.003-05:00

World Television Day - November 21

The United Nations declared November 21 as World Television Day in 1996 as part of its recognition that the television is used to educate many people about the world, and its issues. Television is one of the most influential forms of media for communication and information dissemination by alerting the world to conflicts and threats to peace and security and its potential role in sharpening the focus on other major issues, including economic and social issues. Viewers can watch a weather report to prepare for the day. Cartoons and sport provide relaxation and fun. Documentaries and the news teach us about the world. And advertisements inform us about products and new ideas.

But what is the future of television?
In 2006, 64% of Americans said that they considered the TV set to be a necessity. That was down to 42% in 2010. Whereas, high-speed Internet jumped three percentage points, from 31% in 2009 to 34% in 2010.

Can you imagine talking to your doctor while he examines your surgery scars over the screen on your television set. This isn't the future, but the present. Doctors in the UK are experimenting with this new technology and are finding surprising benefits. By 2020 it is expected that 500 million homes will have the televisions connected to the Internet in a way that will allow this to happen all over the world.

Television has been passive, where you would lean back and just take it all in. Television content of the future will be on-demand and not just on our television sets.

So how is this all related to stress and wellness?

It is still about having a finite amount of time throughout the day and using that time wisely to accomplish or to take care. Our television time is still discretionary time. The monthly average of 3 hours and 37 minutes of mobile viewing is a fraction of the 153 hours the typical U.S.user spends in front of a TV. We will still need to ask if this is the best use of our time.

Research on TV watching, multi-media and health

The University of Pennsylvania found that many individuals who watch TV in the two hours preceding their bedtime stay awake past the point of feeling tired. For this reason, the University of Maryland Medical Center recommends that people not put televisions in their bedrooms.
According to the University of Michigan Health System, excessive TV watching habits in children and adolescents interferes with sleep quality, and may lead to sleep problems. Adolescents who watch too much TV are also at risk for sleep problems into early adulthood.
30% of all males who play video games regularly may be physiologically addicted to game playing. The more violent the game is, the more potentially addictive it is.
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation’s most recent study of children ages 8 to 18:

Young people spend an average of 6.5 hours per day with entertainment media, or over 44 hours per week.
Internet use for fun averages about 1 hour per day.
Playing of video games averages 1 hour per day.
By comparison, reading books, magazines, or newspapers averages only 45 minutes per day. Doing chores averages 30 minutes per day, and doing homework averages 50 minutes per day.
U.S. homes average 3.6 CD players, 3.5 television sets, 3.3 radios, 3.9 DVD players, 2.1 video game consoles, and 1.5 computers. In fact, 25% of children are growing up in homes with five or more TV sets.

Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons, and the New York State Psychiatric Institute study showed that teenagers who spent a lot of time watching TV were more likely to have attention and learning problems “that persist, and interfere with their long-term educational achievement.”
LimiTV recommends little-to-no TV viewing for children four-and-under and less than 10 hours per week (about 1 ½ hours per day) for children in grades K-12. These recommendations parallel similar guidelines of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
According to an American Journal of Public Health study, an adult who watches three hours of TV a day is far more likely to be obese than an adult who watches less than one hour.

Television is changing. Content and delivery are changing. But the question of how our time is spent will still persist into the future. Our viewing time is not all bad. Our viewing time can be used for relaxation and/or for learning. But we should still be making active choices on how our time is being used, so that we don't find that our time has been sucked away and that the things we would have liked to have accomplished have been left undone.

If you would like to find more strategies to help you deal with health, wellness and stress - please visit the resource section at http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/pages/stress_resources

If you have some strategies to share - comment on this posting!

To bring Beverly to present her stress and wellness strategies to your team or to find more wellness days, weeks and months - visit http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/

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Use Less Stuff Day

2011-11-17T11:53:00.017-05:00

Use Less Stuff Day - November 17
I have a lot of stuff! Some stuff I use regularly. Some stuff is more seasonal. Some stuff hardly sees the light of day and other stuff, is just stuff taking up space.

As we prepare for the holidays and the new year, it is a good time to look and see how you can less stuff and/or get rid of the stuff that you have. It is also a good time to evaluate the stuff that you give as presents to others.

Beverly's Hot Tips For Celebrating Use Less Stuff Day:

As you are preparing to clean and decorate your home for the holidays, take a few extra moments to evaluate whether or not you need the stuff that you are organizing or cleaning around.
As I converted my boy's play room into the dining room for my holiday guests, we went through old toy bins, bookshelves and computer games and came up with 4 bags of toys to donate to their old daycare plus two bags of toys to give to younger cousins. 2 bags of toys were recycled or thrown away as they were broken and taking up space. The same parring down occurred in our closets with clothes that were too small being passed along or donated. The benefits: less clutter for us and a new life for many of the items that were taking up space and collecting dust. It was also a wake up call for my children to the amount of stuff that they were collecting.

De-junking expert, Don Aslett estimates that 40% of the time spent cleaning is spent just handling, getting around, and moving clutter out of the way. Add on the time spent cleaning the stuff you don't need or use and that's a huge slice of time spent just servicing your clutter.
Get rid of items that are useful, but you have too many of. Do you really need 5 frying pans, 30 mugs or 10 hammers?
As we cleaned out grandma's house when she moved into a nursing home, it amazed me how much stuff we really do accumulate over the years. She had piles of bowls, though I could only remember her using one or two favourites. There were things that she had received as gifts that she was waiting for the right occasion to use...in 91 years, I guess that the right occasion never came around. In the end, we had piles of stuff that we donated to others who could really use the stuff instead of letting it sit in cupboards and closets.
Are you good at recycling, reducing and reusing things? Do you take your lunch to work or do you buy it? Do you grab extra napkins then throw them out without even using them? Do you use a reusable mug when getting your daily cup of java? Do you turn off lights and unplug electrical devices when not in use? Have bins easily accessible in your workplace and homes to make the recycling decision easy.
Take a look at the "Story of Stuff" - http://www.storyofstuff.org/movies-all/story-of-stuff/

Here are some more holiday tips for the ULS website - http://use-less-stuff.com/:

Turn down the heat before the guests arrive. You’ll save energy while the extra body heat of your guests will warm up the room.
Did you know that over 28 billion pounds of food are wasted each year in the US..that's over 100 lbs per person. So, party plan appropriately so that food doesn't go to waste.
Use less gas. Organize your shopping time so that you don't waste time and gas making many unnecessary trips. Did you know that if each family in the US reduced their holiday gasoline consumption by one gallon we’d reduce greenhouse gas emissions by one million tons.
Hang lights with smaller bulbs. The have lower wattage which consumes less energy and gives off less heat, making your lights safer.
Consolidate your purchases into one bag rather than getting a new bag at each store on your shopping rounds.
Donate unwanted gifts, along with last year’s gifts that the kids have outgrown, to charity.
With New Years fast approaching. Now would be a great time to commit to stop smoking. In the U.S. each year, approximately 24 billion empty cigarette packs end up in the garbage, and cigarettes represent roughly 20% of litter on roads and beaches, by far the single largest source of litter.

Use Less Stuff Day is an awareness day to take stock and make choices about the stuff that we gather, organize and clean around. It is a time to ask if our stuff is taking over our lives. It is a time to decide that our energies may be better spent on the non-material things in the world.

If you would like to find more strategies to help you deal with health, wellness and stress - please visit the resource section at http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/pages/stress_resources

If you have some strategies to share - comment on this posting!

To bring Beverly to present her stress and wellness strategies to your team or to find more wellness days, weeks and months - visit http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/

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National Ample Time Day

2011-11-07T08:55:00.004-05:00

National Ample Time Day - November 8, 2011

Ample – to have more than enough.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have ample time…More than enough time to get the things done that we would like to be able to get done?

Do you remember the 1996 movie “Multiplicity” with Michael Keaton? I would love to have several clones of myself all existing at the same time to get all of the many things done that I wanted to get done. There would be the Magnificent Mom: the one who would cuddle and make things better. Who had nothing to do but to listen, help out and taxi her adoring children everywhere they needed to be with a nutritious snack in hand. There would be the Super-Sexy-Always-Well-Put-Together-And-Attentive Wife. There would be the Super Efficient Housekeeper and Fixer Upper Extraordinaire who could tidy at the speed of light and who was able to win the battle against the dust bunnies. There would be the World Renown Stress Speaker who had time to research and stay on top of everything that was in the news and who flew from city to city sharing the strategies that would make the world a better place. And then there would be the Business Savvy me, who could pump out websites and create marketing materials faster than a speeding bullet. I am sure that I could think of more me’s that I would need, but even 1 or 2 would be a great start.

Unfortunately and probably fortunately, this kind of cloning will never happen. And it’s also true that we won’t get more than 24 hours in any given day. However, there are ways to use your time more effectively so that you get the most out of the time that you have.

Beverly’s Hot Tips For Celebrating National Ample Time Day:

· Know what your priorities are in each area of your life. Write them down and map them out. Be sure to include your own health on that map. Once we know what is important to us, it is a lot easier to make decisions about how we use our time in the best way possible.

· Make a weekly and daily to-do list. The Weekly list is a big picture list of the priorities that you want to make sure that you work on. The daily list may have these big picture items on it as well as the chores and tasks that need to be done, but are necessarily all that important to your top priorities. Do not underestimate the amount of time each activity will take and add buffers to your schedule so that you don’t find yourself running behind.

· Watch out for ‘black holes’. Those things that we do, that aren’t part of our priority, but that seem to suck a lot of our time away. Watching TV, checking social media sites, playing computer games, chatty co-workers etc. These activities may be enjoyable, they may be part of your relaxation program, but they also tend to eat up more time then we allocated or expected.

· Simplify in as many areas of your life as you can. No time for cleaning? Get rid of the knick knacks that require extra time moving and dusting. Get rid of clutter in cupboards and closets. Spending too much time driving here, there and everywhere? Set up a route for shopping, getting gas and picking up the kids that reduces the time on the road. Volunteering activities taking over? Say no to extra tasks if they are not part of your priority or if they are going to take time away from a higher priority activity. Dreading meal time? Plan out meals in advance so you don’t have to waste time thinking about what to cook for dinner. Need more suggestions in this area? Look on-line. There really is no shortage of suggestions on how to make things simpler, more efficient and less cluttered.

· Ask for help. Set up a plan or a list of responsibilities that you would like others to help out on. Let go of perfectionistic attitudes that prevent you from asking for help because it may not be done up to your expectations and standards. Sometimes good is good enough. Can you arrange car pools, so that you aren’t driving everyday to pick up your children? Can you hire a student to cut the grass?

· Make sure that you are taking care of yourself, otherwise you will be tired out and lack the energy to use your time wisely. Get enough sleep each night. Eat for energy and nutrition. Learn to build in downtime to renew your energy and exercise your body so that it is ready to react as necessary.

Cranky Co-worker Day

2011-10-24T09:25:00.013-04:00

Cranky Co-worker Day – October 28

There are days when you think that everyone around you has taken a cranky pill. Do you have days when you are more ‘prickly’ than others or woke up on the wrong side of the bed?

Sometimes we have these types of days when everything just seems to go wrong…we couldn’t find our keys, we had a battle with our teenager, we got stuck in traffic or we are getting a cold. Other times, our bad mood just seems to engulf us and we have no idea why.

Today is the day to celebrate the crankiness in all of us…or just realize that we all have these days and we can help each other through them.

Beverly’s Hot Tips for Being A Cranky Co-Worker:

· Certainly don’t be nice or helpful.

· Don’t say thank you.

· Don’t hold the door open for anyone.

· Walk past your co-workers while looking the other way.

· Leave the company kitchen in a mess.

· Slam your office door.

· Don’t say goodbye when you hang up the phone.

· Don’t answer your phone.

· Growl at anyone who seems perky.

· Say “It can’t be done” to any suggestion that is made.

· Sigh loudly.

· Kick the photocopier.

· Complain about the rain, snow, wind, sunshine, heat, blue sky….

· Go to your meeting late and leave early.

· Wear really tight underwear or at least the kind that seem to want to climb higher and higher…that always seems to increase my crankiness.

Beverly’s Hot Tips For Helping A Cranky Co-Worker:

· Smile and ignore the crankiness if it is just temporary behaviour

· Address the behaviour if it is inappropriate and impacting others

· Ask how you can help. Maybe the person has a lot on their plate and just doesn’t know what to do or who to turn to.

· Try a simple act of kindness.

· Don’t personalize their crankiness. It is about them and not about you.

· Give attention and recognition for the positive things that they have done and not the cranky behaviours that you see.

· Try whistling while you work…it worked for the 7 dwarves !

Pet Peeve Week - October 10-16

2011-10-10T08:20:00.004-04:00

Pet Peeve Week

Squeaky doors. Slow Internet connections. No subject heading in an email message. Poor customer service. Ants. Flies. Nose picking. Cracking Knuckles. People who use their linen napkin to blow their nose. Creepy Crawly Underwear. Toilet lid being left up. Toothpaste left in the sink. Empty milk bag in the fridge. Crowded clothing racks when shopping. Air conditioned restaurants and stores that are so cold in the summer that I have to wear a coat. Being put on hold...music while on hold...repeated messages while on hold. People who think that motivation and improvement come through yelling or criticism. Pay-at-the-Pump not working. Using a full service gas station and finding out that you have to go in to use the chip on your credit card. Credit Card chip not working...

A pet peeve is a minor irritation that an individual identifies as particularly annoying to him or her. A key aspect of a pet peeve is that it seems to be acceptable to others.

Some of our pet peeves can move from simple annoyances into being rude or aggressive. Think of road rage. It usually starts because one person was not paying attention or assumed that they had the right to do what they did. The offended party gets annoyed, then angry and then may retaliate.

Beverly`s Hot Tips For Celebrating Pet Peeve Week:

Make a list of your pet peeves. There is something cathartic and humorous about doing this. Often awareness can help us to see the lighter side.
Often it’s these little things that can irritate us the most. Learn how to move on and not waste your mental energy or let your blood pressure skyrocket.
Understand that someone else`s behaviour that annoys you, wasn`t targeted specifically to you. Don`t personalize it and read more into it than there is.

I don’t have pet peeves, I have whole kennels of irritation. – Whoopie Goldberg

Enjoy this perspective from one pet peeve site:

10 Pet Peeves That Dogs Have About Humans

1) Blaming your farts on me... not funny... not funny at all!!

2) Yelling at me for barking. I'M A FRIGGIN' DOG!

3) Taking me for a walk, then not letting me check stuff out. Exactly whose walk is this anyway?

4) Any good that involves balancing food on my nose, stop it!

5) Any haircut that involves bows or ribbons. Now you know why we chew your stuff up when you're not home.

6) The sleight of hand, fake fetch throw. You fooled a dog! Whooooooooo Hoooooooooo - what a proud moment for the top of the food chain.

7) Taking me to the vet for 'the big snip', then acting surprised when I freak out every time we go back!

8) Getting upset when I sniff the crotches of your guests. Sorry, but I haven't quite mastered that handshake thing yet.

9) Dog sweaters. Hello??? Have you noticed the fur??

10) How you act disgusted when I lick myself. Look, we both know the truth... You're just jealous.

Now lay off me on some of these things. We both know who's boss here! You don't see me picking up your poop do you?

World Smile Day - October 7, 2011

2011-10-07T09:57:00.002-04:00

World Smile Day

SMILING IS A FUN WAY TO LIVE LONGER!

Harvey Ball, a commercial artist from Worcester, Massachusetts created the smiley face in 1963. That image went on to become the most recognizable symbol of good will and good cheer on the planet. The smiley face knows no politics, no geography and no religion. the first Friday in October each year is known as World Smile Day and it is a day to share your smile with the world.

``A laugh is a smile that bursts`` Mary H. Waldrip

Smiling is contagious. It changes our mood. Smiling boosts your immune system. It lowers your blood pressure and blocks pain. Smiling makes your face look younger.

``Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been`` Mark Twain

Beverly`s Hot Tips For Celebrating World Smile Day:

Use It.
``If you're not using your smile, you're like a man with a million dollars in the bank and no checkbook.`` Les Giblin

Fake It Until You Make It. We have been conditioned to worry. Having some worries to think about has been imposed by society as a “normal” state. Don`t follow along. There is a theory entitled the "facial feedback" hypothesis. Research has shown that the muscles in our faces that allow us to smile actually stimulate our brain and when this part of the brain is stimulated, it makes us feel happy. Combat worry with a smile.
Share It. There are friendly smiles and romantic smile. There are many different smiles and different ways the act of smiling can be done. Smiles can communicate feelings, show kindness. or help take someone’s mind off their problems. It is free and it is easy to do.

Less Than Perfect Day - October 1

2011-09-26T10:44:00.007-04:00

Less Than Perfect Day

I am a perfectionist. I like things done my way. I often have trouble letting things go. I am continually looking for ways to improve upon things. I even notice how the trees are arranged haphazardly in my bush and I have to resist the urge to `clean it up``.

Perfectionists are extremely hard workers and they generally accomplish more than the average person.

Perfectionists are extremely hard on themselves and on those around them. They see the smallest details of imperfection when the average person would not notice them.

Perfectionism has been linked to anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, eating disorders, alcoholism and many other destructive behaviors and problems.

Perfectionism is a bad habit.

I found a quote that said that Less Than Perfect Is A Perfect Start.

Something I need to keep in mind.

Beverly`s Hot Tips For Celebrating Less Than Perfect Day:

No one is perfect and that is okay. Give yourself permission to not be perfect.
Challenge those thoughts of criticism and unrealistic expectations. Stop them in their tracks and change them to something less critical or better yet, take note of the positive in the situation.
Use positive affirmations like the ones below:

I am not perfect. Nobody is perfect.

I don't have to be perfect. My best is good enough.

If things don't go the way I want, it's okay, I can accept that.

Even if I don't succeed, it's okay, what matters is that I try my best.

Know your priorities. Is what you are spending your time trying to perfect apart of your priorities and values. If not move on.

World Alzheimer's Day - September 21

2011-09-19T12:02:00.004-04:00

World Alzheimer's Day - September 21
Alzheimer's disease is the second most feared disease by Canadians as we age.

"We take care of our prostate better than our brain. It's one thing to lose control of your bowels and it's another thing to lose control of your identity. Those are pretty profound differences and that's what scares people so much," said Richard Taylor, Ph.D., author of Alzheimer's from the INSIDE OUT.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia and accounts for 50-60% of all cases. It is caused by abnormal brain tissue changes. It is a progressive, degenerative brain syndrome that affects memory, thinking, behaviour and emotion.

Alzheimer's disease as a global health issue.

1 in 11 Canadians over the age of 65 currently has Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia. Women represent 72% of all cases of Alzheimer’s disease. Worldwide there are an estimated 35.6 million people with dementia. By 2050 the number will rise to over 115 million. The total estimated worldwide costs of dementia are $604 billion US in 2010, according to ADI's World Alzheimer Report.

Myths of Alzheimer's

Myth 1: Because someone in my family has Alzheimer's disease, I'm going to get it.

Although genetics play a role in the disease, only about 7% of cases are associated with genes that cause the early onset inherited familial form of the disease.

Myth 2: Memory loss means Alzheimer's disease.

Many people have trouble with their memory, but that does not mean they have Alzheimer's disease. When memory loss affects day-to-day function and is coupled with lack of judgment and reasoning, or changes in communication abilities, it's best to take this seriously and visit a doctor to determine the cause of the symptoms.

What Should You Look For - Ten early symptoms of dementia:

Memory loss
Difficulty in performing everyday tasks
Problems with language
Disorientation to time and place
Poor or decreased judgment
Problems with keeping track of things
Misplacing things
Changes in mood or behaviour
Changes in personality
Loss of initiative

To know more about these symptoms visit: http://alzheimer.ca/english/disease/warningsigns.htm

Beverly's Hot Tips For World Alzheimer's Day:

Many people see the early symptoms of dementia as a normal consequence of aging and do not come forward for the help. Be aware of the symptoms and get help early.

Information and education empowers people to understand what is happening to them and their loved one and how to cope better. Check out the Alzheimer's website at http://alzheimer.ca/english/index.php

Research has shown that most people with dementia live in their own homes and are cared for by a female caregiver usually a spouse or daughter and that caring is associated with substantial psychological and financial strain. (Int J Geriatric Psychiatry 2004 19 170-177). If you are a caregiver, make sure that you take care of yourself first, that you have balance in your life and that you reach out for support.

A break from caring is essential, respite can be achieved informally by arranging for the person with dementia to stay with relatives or friends or formally through services such as daycare and short stays in residential units.

Support groups provide an opportunity to share experiences and feelings. Professional counselling has been shown to be effective in improving morale and decreasing feelings of stress.

National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week - Sept 11-17

2011-09-12T16:02:00.002-04:00

National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week - Sept 11-17

96% of illnesses are invisible. These people do no use a cane or any assistive device and may look perfectly healthy. Sixty percent are between the ages of 18 and 64.

A “chronic” condition can be defined as any medical state of pain or symptoms that last 3 months or longer. This definition by the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics reports that chronic conditions typically have symptoms or pain that persists, regardless of treatment, such as the autoimmune illness chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple sclerosis, lyme disease, Alzheimer’s disease, migraines, or back pain from an event like a car accident.

ICI Statistics

According to the report “Chronic Care in America, nearly 1 in 2 American live with a kind of chronic pain, condition, or illness. This can include anything from chronic migraines to disabling back pain.

According to a US Public Health Report 90% of seniors have at least one chronic disease and 77% have two or more chronic diseases.

According to a report by Rifkin, Depression in Physically Ill Patients, Depression is 15-20% higher for the chronically ill than for the average person

According to a National Health Interview Survey, the divorce rate among the chronically ill is over 75 percent.

For individuals, living with an ICI may result in lack of treatment, lack of income, and lack of social support services. Invisibility may also result in neglect of medical research into these illnesses, which in turn can hold back progress in diagnosis and treatment.

Beverly's Hot Tips For National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week:

It is hard to know what to do when you know a person has an illness. It is even harder when it is virtually invisible. Do you ask them how they are feeling? Do you let them know that they can count on you? Absolutely. Don't be afraid to talk about it. Open the lines of communication and follow the other person's lead. If they want to go into details they will. If they would rather talk about other things, they will let you know. It doesn't need to be the only part of the conversation, but it shouldn't be avoided as taboo either.

It is important to be your own best advocate. Because your illness may not be one of the 'big' ones, may mean that you are not receiving the health care support that you need. One of my longest, dearest friends had to do her own research to come up with her diagnosis as she talked to doctor after doctor.

As much as possible, keep connected to other areas in your life. It is easier to get sucked into the negativity of a debilitating illness when we let go of these other areas. Working, socializing and even day-today activities can be extremely difficult, but it is essential that you have something that can take you outside of yourself, if only for a short while. If you are unable to work, find something like reading or other hobbies.

Reach out for support. It is only by opening up about your illness can you educate people and invite them to be there for you. You may be surprised that they might be dealing with their own ICI and could really use your support as well. Or they may become one of your biggest advocates or confidants. You won't know until you give them a chance.

Marriage Health Month - September

2011-09-05T17:54:00.002-04:00

Marriage Health Month - September

A happy marriage requires more maintenance than your car!

I have been married for 20 years...and yes, to the same person. I love the way that we fit together. We have our own interests and our own very different careers. We share in the chores and in being the 'bad' guy to our children. I like hanging out with him. I miss him when he is gone away. He can make me laugh.

Is it perfect? No. We argue. We are loud. We go to bed angry...but not very often.

But, I think it is a healthy marriage and I couldn't imagine him not being a part of my life.

Statistics show that about 90% of adults will get married at least once in their lives but many of them get disappointed because in the end, it is not the stuff that fairly tales are made of. It isn't all "lovey dovey" or hot and passionate.

Beverly's Hot Tips for creating a happy marriage:
A happy marriage is created. It doesn't just happen. It is more than love and passion. It is commitment, respect, and believing in your future together.

I was doing a web search of how to have a happy, healthy marriage...here are some of my favourites...

Marry someone that you enjoy listening and talking to. It's a sad that we are often more polite to strangers than we are to the people we love the most. Don't try to finish their sentences, don't try to solve their problems, and don't say, "I told you so!".
Compliment more than you criticize.
Remember that people do fight. It's how you do it that matters. Do you want to be right or do you want to be married? Try fighting naked and see if that changes things :)
Never air your dirty laundry as a couple in public.
Marriage is not 50/50, it's two people giving all of themselves.
Never pass up an opportunity to say "I love you".
Hold hands.
Love isn't always a feeling, it's a decision.
Be each other's champion. No matter what, take your husband or wife's side first!
Never compare your marriage to others. What you see on the outside is not always what it is on the inside. The grass always seems greener until you get there.

A healthy marriage is part luck and a lot of work. Luck that you meet the person that you can make happy and that can make you happy. Work to keep it going so that you can continue to make that other person happy and they can continue to make you happy.

If you would like to find more strategies to help you deal with health, wellness and stress - please visit the resource section at http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/pages/stress_resources

If you have some strategies to share - comment on this posting!

To bring Beverly to present her stress and wellness strategies to your team or to find more wellness days, weeks and months - visit http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/

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National Hug Your Boss Day - August 19

2011-08-15T12:43:00.003-04:00

National Hug Your Boss Day - August 19

Would you? Could you hug your boss?

Really?!...Not in a sexual harassment policy sort of way...but in celebration of National Hug Your Boss Day?

How is your relationship with your boss? According to the National Hug Your Boss Day website out of the UK (http://www.nationalhugyourbossday.co.uk/test.html), this quiz may help you determine if you have a good or poor relationship with your boss.

Does your boss trust you?
Do you trust your boss?
Do you share personal stories and weekend activities?
Do you work well with your boss? Are you productive?
Do you know where you stand with your boss?
Do you work towards the same goals?
Do you socialize together?
Can you speak to your boss openly about problems you have at work?
Can you tell your boss a joke or funny story?
Do you feel like you are both on the same side?

The more 'no's' the more likely you are able to give your boss a hug.

Beverly's Hot Tips For Celebrating National Hug Your Boss Day:

Understand the differences between you and your boss. Are they more detail-focused or more the ideas type of person. Do they tend to procrastinate or have unrealistic time frames? Do they maintain their composure during stressful times. Do the shout and stomp or play the silent game? Are the aloof or outgoing? Are they able to delegate or do they like to be hands-on? Are they participatory or more a dictator?
Work on various ways to improve the relationship between you. Develop strategies that help you to minimize the differences and maximize the similarities.
Be true to your word. Do what you say you are going to do.
Share not only the 'bad' news but the good news with your boss. Many times all we talk about are the issues, the difficulties and the challenges and your boss learns to expect that negativity. Help them to see that you can recognize and celebrate the successes and talk to them in positive ways as well. Communication is the key to a successful relationship.

I love this recommendation of things not to say to your boss from the NHYBD website:

I hate this company and I want to leave
Only 10 minutes to go!
Be my friend on Facebook
I don’t get paid enough for this
I got so wasted last night
That is not in my job description
Does it matter if I don’t finish this
It was not my fault!
How much money do you earn?
Yeah, whatever!

So reach out, improve you relationship and communication skills. And if you can't hug your boss today, then maybe the next time National Hug Your Boss Day rolls around, you will be able to.

Want to create a picture of what your ideal boss would look like, visit the National Hug Your Boss Day website at http://www.nationalhugyourbossday.co.uk/game.html. Pretty funny!

Want to try to win a bottle of bubbly send them your picture of you hugging your boss by emailing marketing@tiptopjob.com.

If you would like to find more strategies to help you deal with health, wellness and stress - please visit the resource section at http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/pages/stress_resources .

If you have some strategies to share - comment on this posting!

To bring Beverly to present her stress and wellness strategies to your team or to find more wellness days, weeks and months - visit http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/

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National Hand Holding Day - August 9

2011-08-08T09:15:00.003-04:00

National Hand Holding Day

Everybody has their preferred technique: some like interlocking, others prefer cupping. Some like the pinky-link while others prefer being on top...others on the bottom. Some swing both ways.

When it comes to holding hands it is not all about romance. When you hold the hands of another you are sending the message that the other person is valued, important and noticed.

James Coan of the University of Virginia found that when people hold hands, their brains don't work as hard to cope with stress. When we hold hands, (or hug and touch), our bodies release oxytocin. Its role is to calm and destress, and it is thought that touch triggers the body into producing this hormone.

Touch stimulates the production of oxytocin which, in turn, promotes a desire to touch and be touched. In another study, researchers from the University of North Carolina told couples they would have to give speeches. Before they did so, 100 of the couples sat holding hands for a short time, then they embraced for 20 seconds. Another group of couples rested quietly and were separated from their partners. During their speeches, heart rates and blood pressure rose twice as high in the second group compared to the hand-holders. Research further suggests that oxytocin is the chemical that can give marriage its beneficial effect on health over those that are single.

To hold someone's hand is to offer them affection, protection or comfort. A poll of 3,000 people by Abbeyfield in the UK showed that more than half of people couldn't remember the last time they held their grandparents hand and more than a quarter had never done so. However, almost a fifth of respondents, when asked whose hands they would most like to hold, said it would be the hand of a grandparent who has died.

Just one in twenty respondents had held the hand of their grandma in the last month and only one in twenty five made this contact with their granddad. The report revealed a similar gender trend with parents, while only six percent of those surveyed had never held hands with their mother, twice as many had never held hands with their father.

The poll also revealed that the older you get, the more you regretted that lack of contact. Almost half (48 percent) of respondents over 55, when asked whose hand they would most like to hold, said it would be that of a departed parent.

The majority of respondents (80 percent) associated holding hands with romance but this contact was most popular amongst the young. Of those surveyed aged 17 and under, 64 percent most wanted to hold hands with someone they were attracted to. This figure decreased with age until only 21 percent of those over 55 wanted to hold hands for romance. This older group were most likely to associate holding hands with dying. (15 percent compared to less than two percent of those surveyed aged 17 and under)

Loneliness and depression are rampant in today's society. Holding someone's hand, especially of someone who is isolated, dealing with an illness or elderly can help them to be more resilient against the impact of stress, promote better health and combat their feelings of isolation.

Beverly's Hot Tips For Celebrating Hand Holding Day:

Reach out and touch the hand of someone you love or someone in need. Not only do they reap the benefit but so do you.
Don't wait until it's too late and end up regretting that you didn't grab at the opportunity.
Holding hands has the benefits of keeping not only your heart warm, but your hands too...which is really important in the winter months here in Canada.
Get past the embarrassment. Little kids do it naturally to their parents and with their friends...because it feels nice.

Robert Fulgham (Everything I Learned, I Learned In Kindergarten) said:
. . . Share everything. . .
When you go out in the world,
Watch out for traffic, hold hands,
And stick together. . . .

If you would like to find more strategies to help you deal with health, wellness and stress - please visit the resource section at http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/pages/stress_resources

If you have some strategies to share - comment on this posting!

To bring Beverly to present her stress and wellness strategies to your team or to find more wellness days, weeks and months - visit http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/

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Simplify Your Life Week - August 1-7

2011-08-01T10:34:00.004-04:00

Simplify Your Life Week - August 1-7

Life can get very complicated what with all of the 'hats' we wear.

How many hats are you wearing? List all of them. Keep going, I'm sure there is more.

These roles and responsibilities can make our life feel out of balance. So how do we simplify it so that our life is more manageable and enjoyable?

"A lack of balance, in most cases, is due to a loss of control over our lives."

We sometimes let others control our activities and determine our priorities. And sometimes it is due to a lack of clearly defined goals and the determination to maintain those goals at the forefront of our decision making process. Our work life interferes with our personal life. Family transitions, parenting issues, or caregiving strain interferes with our work life or our enjoyment of our various roles. Social obligations and holidays make us feel frazzled.

We fall prey to the ‘superhuman’ syndrome. We try to be everything to everyone, at all times. Realization and acceptance can be the first steps to gaining control. Accept that it’s impossible to do it all and it’s all right if you don’t, in fact, it’s much better if you don’t.

"Planning allows us to anticipate and get excited about our lives, and gives us a sense of accomplishment from having ‘designed’ our life."

Beverly's Hot Tips for Simplifying Your Life:

Avoid blaming others and situations – WE have the ultimate decision on how OUR time will be spent.
Develop and set your priorities and say ‘No’ to those things which are not your priority.
Planning and time management are essential skills. Planning should include not just career tasks, but home, family, leisure, social, and self.
Treat your household like your own small business. If daily tasks are organized and routine, everything is easier. 30% of our time is spent doing ‘pile-up’ items such as chores and maintenance activities – By being aware of this time we can begin to plan more effectively. Organization will help you to finish your chores in less time.
Organize your weeknight and weekends in the same way you do other work-related tasks.
Prepare for the transition from work to home by planning your work-related activities for the next day before you leave the office. Try, as best as you can, to complete your work-related tasks on Friday, so that you can concentrate on other items over the weekend, and start with a clean slate on Monday.
Do not over-program yourself or your family.
Most behavioural problems occur upon first arriving at home. Take 10 minutes when you first get home to get reconnected and rebuild the family bond.
Make the morning routine as simple as possible, leaving yourself more than enough time for ‘emergencies’.
Piggyback activities – spend time talking to your children while making dinner, read a good book or plan out your grocery list while waiting for a doctor’s appointment, listen to your favourite music while doing chores.

Develop a menu for 1-2 weeks that you can easily follow. Ensure that you always have these items on hand when grocery shopping. Have a list on fridge with running shopping list.

Get rid of clutter -keep only the essential items in kitchen drawers, do not use closets and garage as storage space, weed out clothes that do not fit, purge unused files, give away ‘knick knacks’, and if it’s broke - repair it or get rid of it. Let go of mementos if they have lost their meaning -pictures, old cards, programs. Touch flyers, junk mail, newspapers, and magazines only once. Pull out relevant material and recycle the rest.

Our stress can be negatively impacted by the way in which we organize our daily activities and routines, and by the organization or lack there of in our physical environment. Simplifying routines and de-junking physical space can increase our efficiency, our effectiveness and can add to a sense of control which can help us create a calm and peaceful presence.

If you would like to find more strategies to help you deal with health, wellness and stress - please visit the resource section at http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/pages/stress_resources

If you have some strategies to share - comment on this posting!

To bring Beverly to present her stress and wellness strategies to your team or to find more wellness days, weeks and months - visit http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/

Take Your Houseplants For A Walk Day - July 27

2011-07-25T13:27:00.004-04:00

Take Your Houseplants For A Walk Day - July 27

Well, I'm not sure that I am going to take my plants for a walk, but I will try to be nicer to them.

Many of my plants have 'taken a walk' to the dump when they failed to survive my watering and care routine (or lack of). Some species of plants and I do very well, others, I have given up on completely.

After reading a report from NASA where they found that some houseplants were able to remove up to 87 percent of air toxins in 24 hours, I decided I may need to give houseplants another try. This list I found may give me a place to start.

Top 9 Air Purifying Plants
The following plants are most effective in removing potentially harmful chemicals-including those in paints, varnishes, dry cleaning fluids, car exhaust fumes and tobacco smoke-from the air in your home.

Dragon tree

Ficus

Philodendrons

Spider plants

Peace lilies

Ferns (Mother Fern)

Chrysanthemums

Palms (Dragon Tree)

I have tried spider plants, ivy, ficus, chrysanthemums and palms with very little luck. Maybe a fern is next on my list.

Did You Know?
Plants can make you feel calmer and heal faster.
Some studies have shown that hospital patients who face a window with a garden view recovered more quickly than those who had to look at a wall. According to a University of Agriculture in Norway study, indoor plants can reduce fatigue, coughs, sore throats and other cold-related illnesses by more than 30 percent, partially by increasing humidity levels and decreasing dust.

Plants can make you smarter.
The University of Technology Sydney found that classroom plants consistently led to improved performance in spelling, mathematics and science.

Plants can reduce stress.
Washington State University, found that participants in the presence of plants were less stressed and reacted 12% more quickly than those in the absence of plants.

Beverly's Hot Tips For Celebrating Take Your Houseplants For A Walk Day:

Give a houseplant a try. Some are better suited for some rooms in your home than others. So don't give up. I have had a spider plant in my bathroom for over 10 years, but have failed to keep one alive in my kitchen for more than 6 months.

Look for varieties that are low maintenance. Ask your friends which variety they have had success with and which ones they have taken on the long walk to the garbage can.

Try to remember to water and fertilize them regularly. Even better, make it someone else's responsibility and you just enjoy their benefits without the work.

Plants not only add beauty to a living space, but they have proven health benefits. However, if trying to have a green thumb is creating too much stress in your life, forgo the growing at home and get out and enjoy the gardens of someone else and get the benefits the easier way.

Gorgeous Grandma Day - June 23

2011-07-18T20:33:00.001-04:00

Gorgeous Grandma Day - June 23

Her smile can light up a room
Her presence is of grace
Her opinions are heard without one word
but by the look upon her face
Her touch is so gentle
Her heart as big as the moon
Her spirit is kindhearted
and warm as a summer’s afternoon
Her hair a river of gray
Her eyes radiant as the sun
Her time she’ll take no matter how long
until the work is done
Her kisses are so soft
Her hugs preferred from the rest
My granny is mine forever and ever
and she’ll always be the best
© *demecia Dean

I am blessed to have a grandma who has been a huge influence on my life. She makes me feel accepted, wanted, and truly loved. She has taught me how to sew, play cards, roller skate, and hug. She cheered me on. She always remembers my birthday even in the midst of the Christmas rush. She showed me what love and partnership looked like and how to keep going even when life got a bit rough. She could dress it up for a night out and she could get down and dirty in the garden. And she is gorgeous.

It doesn't matter what she is wearing. It doesn't matter if her hair is done or her lipstick is on. Her soul and her heart are what make her truly beautiful. I don't know if she sees herself the way I see her, but I hope that she knows how much she means to me.

My sons are blessed. They had 3 great grandmas and 3 grandmas that got to share in their early years. I hope that they remember them as being gorgeous women too. They are young men now and I hope that I can teach them that beauty is not about what is on the outside but on the character of the soul.

These are lessons that we all need to remember. Our worth is not about the job that we have, the goals that we achieve or the beauty of our youth. Jobs change. Goals change. Looks change. Our beauty is in the connections that we make with others.

I see young girls move through their primary and secondary school years who put on 'airs' and try to mould themselves into the popular image of beauty. It is so sad that they can't 'hear' the message that they don't have to do this to be beautiful. But it is lost in the media noise of music videos, magazine photos and Hollywood glam.

My grandma is gorgeous. I can only hope that I can make as much of a difference in someones life by the time I become a grandma.

Beverly's Hot Tips For Celebrating Gorgeous Grandma Day:

How do you see yourself when you look in the mirror? Do you pick out the flaws or celebrate the person who looks back at you? Work harder at celebrating.
Tell the gorgeous women in your life what you see when you look at them. Don't describe their physical beauty, but what you see that radiates from them or the positive impact that they have on those around them.
If you have young girls and women in your life - daughters, nieces etc., help them to see that beauty is not found in a product or in the clothes that they buy.

Grandma...if you get to see this....you are amazing...and truly gorgeous!

If you would like to find more strategies to help you deal with health, wellness and stress - please visit the resource section at http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/pages/stress_resources

If you have some strategies to share - comment on this posting!

To bring Beverly to present her stress and wellness strategies to your team or to find more wellness days, weeks and months - visit http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/

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National Ice Cream Day - July 17

2011-07-11T06:33:00.003-04:00

National Ice Cream Day - July 17

Can you guess what my favourite snack food is?

Ice cream. Creamy. Cold. Sweet. Hard or Soft...doesn't matter. I love ice cream.

It can be high in fat and it contains a lot of sugar. It's not the kind of snack food that I should have everyday...though wouldn't that be absolutely wonderful?

But it is not all bad.

It may be useful in PMS.
It contains calcium which helps control blood pressure, reduces the risk of colon cancer, may lower the chances of developing kidney stones and it puts a damper on PMS...I knew there was a reason that I crave it more at different times.

It may help in maintaining weight.
How interesting is that? Ice cream for weight control. Research from the American Society of Experimental Biology found that a diet that included dairy prevented about 50 percent of weight regain and 80 percent of fat regain after the animals had lost weight and were allowed to eat at will, compared to those on the low-calcium, dairy-free diet. Now this research was done with animals, but if it works there it may work on humans....I would at least like to be a part of the experimental group...test group...not the control group.

Ice cream may actually help me to keep my girlish figure.
But there is other research to go along with the benefits of dairy...aka ice cream :). The North American Association for the Study of Obesity found in a study of 800 men and women that those who ate the most calcium were also the leanest. Research from Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Woman's University in Houston reported an association between the consumption of low-fat milk and dairy products and a lower waist-to-hip ratio.

It may keep me from shrinking.
Calcium is essential in preventing osteoporosis. Adults need 1,000 mg of calcium a day, and those age 50 and older need at least 1,200 mg a day. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that postmenopausal women who are not on hormones get 1,500 mg of calcium a day for bone maintenance. One reasonable (insert small) serving of ice cream can give you 10% of your daily calcium intake. One hospital is even giving out a complimentary ice cream bar to all women who call before Aug. 31 to schedule an appointment for a DXA Scan to screen for osteoporosis. Someone say free ice cream...sign me up!

Did you know...

Ice cream is not a new treat...people have been creating frozen delicacies since 400 BC
Britain's Margaret Thatcher was part of a research team that helped to develop soft ice cream
The average American eats 18.3 litres of ice cream each year while Canadians eat 8.7 litres. Japan has the lowest consumption with .01 litres per year.
Scientists are tinkering with ice cream – not to remove sugar or fat, but to add enough nutritional value that ice cream will be classified a “multifunctional” food. The advantages of ice cream they’re proposing will include: Antioxidants, Dietary Fiber, Probiotics and Prebiotics. This new breed of ice cream can play a role in preventing cancer, aid in digestion, encourage good bacteria in gut flora, bolster the immune system, lower cholesterol and lose weight. Yahoo!

Beverly's Hot Tips For Celebrating National Ice Cream Day:

Ice cream can be a healthy treat. But it is a treat. Until they develop ice cream that is more multifunctional, indulge, but not everyday.
I have nothing else...just go out and celebrate.

Now which kind to choose...DQ, Kawartha Dairy, Cold Stone, soft, hard, dipped, sauced, fruit, chocolate.....

If you would like to find more strategies to help you deal with health, wellness and stress - please visit the resource section at http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/pages/stress_resources

If you have some strategies to share - comment on this posting!

To bring Beverly to present her stress and wellness strategies to your team or to find more wellness days, weeks and months - visit http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/

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I Forgot Day - July 2

2011-07-04T07:47:00.001-04:00

I Forgot Day - July 2

Ever been standing there, looking at someone directly in their eyes, knowing that you have a history together and for the life of you, you can't remember their name?

Ever walked into a room and not remembered why you were heading there?

Been in the middle of a conversation and not remembered what you wanted to say?

Forgetting refers to the apparent loss of information already stored in an individual's memory. It can be a spontaneous or gradual process in which old memories are unable to be recalled or accessed from storage.

I hate forgetting things. I get annoyed when others seem to be able to remember the smallest details and I can't even remember being there. Sometimes I think I have early Alzheimer's.

I tend to believe that much of our 'forgetting' is based on interference theory. Interference occurs when the learning of something new causes the forgetting of older material on the basis of competition between the two. Simply...we often have way too much on our mind. There is competition for our attention and competition in juggling far too many things at once. We are stressed out and this interferes with what and how we store these things.

Forgetting also happens when things are also too similar to really distinguish between them. For example an event is difficult to remember if it is one of a number of similar events like what you ate for dinner last week. With so much on our 'plate' it is no wonder that these little details go by the wayside.

Beverly's Hot Tips For Celebrating I Forgot Day:

Forgetting is not such a bad thing. Sometimes it allows us to minimize negative situations.
Forgetting can be reduced by repetition and/or more elaborate cognitive processing of information. If you really need to remember it, write it down, repeat it out loud and review your notes again and again.
Slow down and try to live more in the moment. Go from multi-tasking to single tasking and see if these stress reducers are memory boosters
Try boosting your memory with foods rich in Omega-3 such as meat and dairy, seafood, vegetable oils, nuts and seeds.
I Forgot Day is a great day to make amends if you have forgotten some really important celebrations throughout the year...birthdays, anniversaries. Go the Hallmark way and send an "I'm sorry I forgot card".

And if you are really concerned that you are forgetting more than you should, go and see your doctor. It may not be Alzheimer's, but it could be the result of a number of different health issues including depression.

If you would like to find more strategies to help you deal with health, wellness and stress - please visit the resource section at http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/pages/stress_resources

If you have some strategies to share - comment on this posting!

To bring Beverly to present her stress and wellness strategies to your team or to find more wellness days, weeks and months - visit http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/

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SOS To STRESS Day - June 30

2011-06-30T00:30:00.016-04:00

SOS To STRESS Day - June 30

"Coping with stress is simple...though not always easy." S-O-S To STRESS Day

We hear so much about stress. Most of it negative. Most of it about the sources or symptoms. Some of it inaccurate. And much of it not helpful.

www.SOStoSTRESS.com

SOS To STRESS Day was conceived because we need to hear more about how to deal with stress. We already know that it is bad to be "under" too much stress. But what options do we have to deal with it?

SOS To STRESS Day was launched in the media and through organizations and associations interested in helping Canadians achieve wellness.

SOS To STRESS Day is about coping. It is about finding the right strategies to take care of the situations and ourself.

What Do Sleep, Sex and Sweaty Palms Have In Common?

They are all impacted by stress. Stress plays on our minds and keeps up awake at night. It can lower our libido. It brings about headaches, high blood pressure and sweaty palms. So, how do we determine the right strategies to deal with so many different sources of stress and such a large variety of symptoms?

S-O-S Principle

The S-O-S Principle helps us to ensure that no matter what we are facing we are able to best take care of the Situation and Ourselves and be Supported while we are doing this. Some may do well with exercise. Others may find that organizing and prioritizing is what is needed at the moment. Some situations require the input of others. Some require you to just do something - other times nothing. Sometimes you may need to evaluate the lifestyle that you are living. Other times, it may require you to cut ties with someone around you.

There is no one way to deal with stress...despite what others may suggest or tell you. It is about designing a plan with sufficient strategies to be successful, healthy and happy.

Beverly's Hot Tips for Celebrating SOS To STRESS Day:

Identify the sources of stress in your life. They may not all be large and in-your-face issues. Some sources of stress are irritating annoyances that have built up over time.
The Stress Test on Beverly's site might help:

http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/pages/Stress_Test

Evaluate what you are already doing that is positive to deal with your stress. How have you handled difficult situations in the past? What are you doing to keep yourself healthy? The answers to these questions may give you an idea of your positive copers. Then see what strategies may fill in the gaps.
Talk to those around you. Find out how others may have handled similar situations. Chances are someone in your social network has already 'been there and done that'. Their strategies may or may not be useful to you, but they can certainly give you a starting point.

Look to your community for more information. Your company, through it's HR department or EAP, may have access to additional information. The local health unit, CMHA and Distress Centres can also point you in the right direction. You may find that talking to your doctor, spiritual advisor or community leader may provide you with some insights.
Don't forget to check with your on-line community and reputable sites like:

Beverly's links to her www.SOStoSTRESS.com site or
Stress Articles from the Reading Room -
http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/articles/index/all

and her Stress and Wellness Blog
http://stressandwellnesstips.blogspot.com/

Baby Boomer's Recognition Day - June 21

2011-06-20T10:05:00.006-04:00

Baby Boomer's Recognition Day - June 21

The first Baby Boomers are turning 65 this year!

What is a Baby Boomer?
When World War II ended in 1945, thousands of young men returned from service, got jobs, got married and started families (not necessarily in that order). This resulted in a significant jump in the birth rate (more than 1 million more babies born in 1946, compared to 1945 in the US) and this increased birth rate continued until 1964.

Baby Boomers in Canada are usually defined as the generation born from 1947 to 1966. Canadian soldiers were repatriated later than American servicemen, and Canada's birthrate did not start to rise until 1947. In Canada, Baby Boomers account for close to one-third of our country's 32 million people.

In general, Baby Boomers are associated with a rejection or redefinition of traditional values. As a group, they were the healthiest and wealthiest generation to that time, and amongst the first to grow up genuinely expecting the world to improve with time. Baby Boomers control over 80% of personal financial assets and more than 50% of discretionary spending power. They are responsible for more than half of all consumer spending, buy 77% of all prescription drugs, 61% of OTC medication and 80% of all leisure travel.

Overall, Baby Boomers who eat well, exercise and take care of themselves can expect to be healthier than previous generations. However, indulgence has led many Baby Boomers to be over-weight and lethargic which can lead to higher rates of chronic illness. Another downside, Baby Boomers, on the whole, do not have enough money saved to cover the costs of retirement for a longer life expectancy.

Who Are They?

Work-Centric: Baby Boomers are extremely hardworking and motivated by position, perks and prestige. Baby Boomers relish long work weeks and define themselves by their professional accomplishments. They sacrificed a great deal to get where they are in their career and are considered and commonly called to workaholics

Independent: Baby Boomers are confident, independent and self-reliant. This generation grew up in an era of reform and believe they can change the world. They questioned established authority systems and challenged the status quo. Baby Boomers are not afraid of confrontation and will not hesitate to challenge established practices.

Goal-Oriented: With increased educational and financial opportunities, Baby Boomers are achievement-oriented, dedicated and career-focused. They welcome exciting, challenging projects and strive to make a difference.

Competitive: Since Baby Boomers equate work and position with self-worth, they are quite competitive in the workplace. They are clever, resourceful and strive to win. Boomers believe in hierarchical structure

Beverly's Hot Tips For Celebrating Baby Boomer's Recognition Day:

Baby Boomers beware of missing out on life because of the need to succeed. Being a generation of workaholics has made you great achievers, but you may have paid a huge price in your health and relationships.
Plan for your retirement. Not just financially. Work has been your life. How will you transition out? What will you transition to? How will this impact how you see yourself?
Research shows boomers to be a stressed generation, struggling to balance the needs of your parents and your children while worrying about retirement. Find ways to take care of yourself while still helping others.

International Men's Health Week - June 13-19, 2011

2011-06-13T12:22:00.002-04:00

International Men's Health Week - June

"If it ain't broke, leave it alone!"

In celebration of Dads and Father's Day, we need to recognize that there is a difference between men and women when it comes to health.

Not only do various illness and diseases look and act differently in men and women, how men and women view prevention differs as well.

The purpose of Men’s Health Week is to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys.

Most men still follow the old adage above. In fact the Centre For Disease Control reports that women are 100% more likely to see their doctor for their annual check-up than men. According to research by Angus Reid on behalf of Amgen and Pfizer Canada, in 2011, one-quarter of men who have seen a doctor in the last six months reported that they waited until their symptoms were "very" or "extremely severe" before they made an appointment with their doctor.

Women are conditioned to go to see their doctor for a yearly check-up, where as men, often wait until things have gone array before they see their doctor. Because of poor health habits, failure to seek medical attention and dangerous occupations, men die younger than women.

"There is a silent health crisis in America...it’s that fact that, on average, American men live sicker and die younger than American women". Dr. David Gremillion, Men's Health Network.

Why Should Men Be Concerned:?

Men's Health Facts:

Men die at higher rates than women from the top 10 causes of death and are the victims of over 92% of workplace deaths. (BLS)

In 1920, women lived, on average, one year longer than men. Now, men, on average, die almost six years earlier than women. (CDC)

By the age of 100, women outnumber men eight to one. (NYT Magazine, 3-16-03)

Beverly's Hot Tips for Celebrating International Men's Health Week:

Wear a blue ribbon or pin to remind the men around you to get screened for prostrate cancer

10 Tips for men in particular:

Early detection can save lives. Take the time to get your annual physical.
Take prescription medicine as directed
Do a monthly testicular exam
Do a monthly skin exam for spots or changes
After 40, get a rectal exam every 1-2 years
Get your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugars tested yearly
Stay at home and take the time to recover when you are sick
Talk to someone if you are feeling pressured or anxious
Find ways to ensure a healthy Body Mass Index (BMI)
Keep physically active

Here's To Your Health!

If you would like to find more strategies to help you deal with health, wellness and stress - please visit the resource section at http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/pages/stress_resources

If you have some strategies to share - comment on this posting!

To bring Beverly to present her stress and wellness strategies to your team or to find more wellness days, weeks and months - visit http://www.worksmartlivesmart.com/

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National Headache Awareness Week - June 2011

2011-06-06T16:35:00.011-04:00

National Headache Awareness Week - June

Headaches Are No Small Matter

Almost half of all adults around the world suffer from headache disorders, such as migraines and tension headaches reported the World Health Organization this past May. "Headache and migraine disorders are greatly underrated and underreported by health systems and receive too little attention," said Dr. Shekhar Saxena, the WHO's Director of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Disorders.

Did You Know?...

More people in the U.S. suffer from migraines than from asthma and diabetes combined (Harris Decima)
Migraines affect around one in six women and one in 12 men (WHO)
Worldwide, migraines are the cause of 1.3% of all disability due to illness (WHO)
The European Union (EU) loses 190 million days every year because of migraines (WHO)
During migraine attacks, 90% of people postpone household chores, almost three-quarters have limited ability to work, and half of them miss work entirely (WHO)
Migraines have been estimated to be the most expensive brain disorder in the EU and the United States (WHO)
Research posted in the Journal of Neurology in 2008 found that 1 in 5 migraine suffers missed work or school because of their migraines
Migraines are the cause of an estimated 400,000 lost days from work or school every year per million of the population in developed countries (WHO)
The total annual cost of all headache has recently been estimated at 155 billion euros in the EU ($229 billion) (WHO)
2002 Harris Decima survey found that respondents said they lost the equivalent of more than four days of work a year on average because of migraines. Based on an estimated 18.5 million migraine sufferers in the workforce, migraines results in roughly 80 million lost workdays per year in the US.
Headaches, especially migraines, have a tendency to run in families. Most children and adolescents (90%) who have migraines have other family members with migraines. When both parents have a history of migraines, there is a 70% chance that the child will also develop migraines. If only one parent has a history of migraines, the risk drops to 25%-50%.

All Headache Pain Is Not Created Equal.

There are 150 diagnostic headache categories that have been established.

The most common types of headaches are:

Tension headaches: Also called chronic daily headaches or chronic non-progressive headaches, tension headaches are the most common type of headaches among adults and adolescents. These muscle contraction headaches cause mild to moderate pain and come and go over a prolonged period of time.

Migraines: The exact causes of migraines are unknown, although they are related to blood vessel contractions and other changes in the brain as well as inherited abnormalities in certain areas of the brain. Migraine pain is moderate to severe, often described as pounding, throbbing pain. They can last from four hours to three days and usually occur one to four times per month. Migraines are associated with symptoms such as sensitivity to light, noise, or odors; nausea or vomiting; loss of appetite; and stomach upset or abdominal pain. When a child is having a migraine they often look pale, feel dizzy, have blurred vision, fever, stomach upset, in addition to having the above listed symptoms.

Mixed headache syndrome: Also called transformed migraines, this is a combination of migraine and tension headaches. Both adults and children experience this type of headache.

Cluster headaches: The least common -- although the most severe -- type of primary headache. The pain of a cluster headache is intense and may be described as having a burning or piercing quality that is throbbing or constant. The pain is so severe that most cluster headache sufferers cannot sit still and will often pace during an attack. The pain is located behind one eye or in the eye region, without changing sides. The term "cluster headache" refers to headaches that have a characteristic grouping of attacks. Cluster headaches occur one to three times per day during a cluster period, which may last two weeks to three months. The headaches may disappear completely (go into "remission") for months or years, only to recur.

Sinus headaches: Sinus headaches are associated with a deep and constant pain in the cheekbones, forehead, or bridge of the nose. The pain usually intensifies with sudden head movement or straining and usually occurs with other sinus symptoms, such as nasal discharge, feeling of fullness in the ears, fever, and facial swelling.

Acute headaches: Seen in children, these are headaches that occur suddenly and for the first time and have symptoms that subside after a relatively short period of time. Acute headaches most commonly result in a visit to the pediatrician's office and/or the emergency room. If there are no neurological signs or symptoms, the most common cause for acute headaches in children and adolescents is a respiratory or sinus infection.

Hormone headaches: Headaches in women are often associated with changing hormone levels that occur during menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause. Chemically induced hormone changes, such as with birth control pills, also trigger headaches in some women.

Chronic progressive headaches: Also called traction or inflammatory headaches, chronic progressive headaches get worse and happen more often over time. These are the least common type of headache, accounting for less than 5% of all headaches in adults and less than 2% of all headaches in kids. Chronic progressive headaches may be the result of an illness or disorder of the brain or skull.

Chronic headache sufferers know that headaches can interfere with work, social activities and even completing the simplest task such as getting dressed.

Beverly’s Hot Tips for National Headache Awareness Week:

Learn what triggers your headaches – conflict, noise, food, wine, odours.
Keep a headache journal to give you some clues as to the triggers
Get plenty of sleep
Eat a balanced diet
Get outside
Exercise
Learn relaxation techniques such as pressure point, deep breathing, visualization and muscle relaxation
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your headaches

In the Workplace

Education is the key to assisting those suffering with headache disorders. Through education, appropriate accommodations can be determined and guilt and stigma reduced.

Accommodations can centre around the removal of common triggers such as poor lighting and the wearing of perfumes. Workplace accommodations for rest and non-stimulation during the experiencing of a headache can prevent the loss of a entire day's work. Not all headaches are created equal and by educating the entire workplace, those that suffer more severely may be able to feel supported and find the right strategies that will help them to stay productive and healthy.