Sip of Relaxation

I sat in the communal kitchen of our hostel in Manuel Antonio, near one of Costa Rica’s most famous national parks. Framed by banana trees and coconuts, I looked over the Pacific and heard the distant sound of crashing waves. Monkeys chased each other in the ravine below. Guests began drifting in for their morning coffee – from college age to seniors – all out for adventure and relaxation in the hot January summer. Belgians, French, Swiss, Germans and a few scattered Americans made up the mix. Holidays for EU citizens are longer and at times of the year not familiar to most Americans.

I like to travel simply, a small pack, a few changes of easy-wash clothes. I enjoy the spontaneity of having no reservations in advance, perhaps a vague idea of when we will head where, and figuring it out as we go along. On this trip, we slowed down and, after befriending some locals, headed back into the coastal mountains on impossibly rough dirt roads. An hour ride in the back of a 4WD pick-up gave my organs a good massage, I assure you. Along the road, colorfully dressed indigenous people from Panama carried large woven baskets filled with red coffee beans, just picked from the bushes hanging precipitously on the sheer hillsides. Dropping almost vertically, I nodded my head in respect for these sure footed people who risk their lives, it seemed to me, to earn a dollar an hour. My Pete’s coffee grounds will never look quite the same to me. Along with a refreshed mind, this holiday brought me a wealth of insights. More to come.

Feeding Hungry American Kids, but Not at Home

While sharing a family dinner at the end of the day may be the ideal, sadly, as I see it, this tradition is becoming a rarity in American culture. There are many reasons for this shift, but even when a meal might be possible, 1 in 6 Americans reports having difficulty having enough money for food. A child coming home from school, for example, might not have enough to eat that night.

At a time when child poverty in the United States is on the rise, under a new federal program, meals are increasingly being provided through after-school programs. Education Week reports on a new activity in an increasing number of after-school programs – serving supper. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is providing money for the meals to qualifying after-school programs pursuant to the 2010 Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. As part of the program, kids learn essential nutrition facts as they eat healthier meals.

Separately, the U.S. government just launched its first major overhaul of the school nutrition program in 15 years! At long last, less fats and sodium, and more whole grains and veggies will be part of school lunch meals.

It’s Recess Time for Everyone!

My having a big dog in a city apartment has inadvertently resulted in an affirmation of something I knew but, too often, ignored. Getting up out of the chair and taking a walk helps my brain to think better when I get back to the chair.

Researchers in the Netherlands report that “children who get more exercise, whether at school or on their own, then to have higher GPAs and better scores on standardized tests.” In this Time article, author Alice Park writes that in a review of 14 studies that looked at physical activity and academic performance, better grades in school (especially the basics) were achieved by the children who moved more! Ironically, P.E. programs in many schools have been curtailed with the concern that gym time took away from classroom time. A Texas district recently decided to cut its entire sports program so students had more time to study.

Old or young, take time for recess. Make taking a few “move the body” breaks during your day, and supporting your child or grandchild to exercise regularly, does a lot of good. An hour of physical activity a day is a healthy goal for kids.

What level of activity helps your brain feel at its optimum?

Add Up the Benefits of Music

We relax to music. We are energized by music. As a vocalist, I am drawn to certain types of music, others I avoid. Did you know that research on music and music therapy suggests that math and music are related in the brain from very early in life? So reports the Journal of the National Association for the Education of Young Children in an article “The Patterns of Music: Young Children Learning Mathematics through Beat, Rhythm, and Melody.”

Researchers have found that mathematical learning begins very early in life and is associated with learning patterns. Music is filled with rhythmic patterns – complex and simple. Melodies are a construct of patterns – tones, intervals, beats. Exposing young children from infancy to 5 years old to music is part of everyday learning that scientists say helps develop mathematical concepts.

Says the author “Music is a highly social, natural, and developmentally appropriate way to engage even the youngest child in math learning.” Children for whom I have performed love the great melodious hits, like Cole Porter’s ‘Friendship’, Irving Berlin’s ‘I Got the Sun in the Morning’, and Stephen Sondheim’s ‘Not While I’m Around’. It is good to know that my new life skills series for kids, using these songs and many more, helps young child with health, language arts and mathematical concepts!

Dance for Your Brain

Get the kids and grandma out on the dance floor!  And you, too! I have been writing a series of blogs on the brain, and advances being made in understanding this most amazing organ. Imagine my delight to find that my personal favorite physical exercise, ballroom dancing, turns out to be not only good for stress reduction and increased sense of well-being (by increasing serotonin levels), but dancing has now been found to be great at increasing cognitive acuity at all ages.

Do you think that various kinds of cognitive activities, such as reading books, doing crossword puzzles, playing instruments, etc. offer equal protection against dementia?  Think again.  In a study that looked to see if any physical or cognitive recreational activities influenced mental acuity, it was found that some had a significant beneficial effect, while others had none.

The 21-year study of senior citizens, 75 and older, was led by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, funded by the National Institute on Aging, and published in the New England Journal of Medicine.  The study has been summarized in an article by Richard Powers.

In this long-term study, the only physical activity to offer protection against dementia was frequent dancing. Playing golf, biking and swimming offered 0% reduced risk.  Among the cognitive recreational activities, frequent dancing far surpassed crossword puzzles and reading with a whopping 76% reduced risk of dementia.

I am putting on the dance shoes right now. Turn on the music and boogie.

ADHD, Imaging & Meditation

ADHD is the most common psychiatric childhood disorder in the USA and it is increasing globally, with use of stimulants drugs on the rise since the early 1990s.

A new study (published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) using brain scans is shedding light on ADHD, and I’m happy to ready about it. A study offers insights into why kids with ADHD usually seem to grow out of it. The scans used new imaging technology to “watch” 40,000 points in the subjects’ brains over time. Apparently, the brain achieves a peak thickness in childhood. Typically developing kids’ cortex mature at age 7-1/2, says this Time article, but in children with ADHD, this development was three years behind. Aside from time, however, the brains develop the same way.

“The lag was most obvious in the prefrontal cortex, the study found, the area of the brain critical to cognitive functions like memory, attention focusing, higher-order motor control and the ability to suppress inappropriate responses and thoughts.” Interestingly, the primary motor cortex develops faster in the ADHD brain, which may explain the restless behaviors with kids with ADHD.

To learn more about how meditation may be able to help with mindful awareness, you will find valuable resources at UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center.

Brain Sense

If health is our greatest asset, our brain is the diamond. With the advent of brain imaging in the early 1990s, doctors have learned a great deal more about what helps our brain to remain healthy and what harms it. For one thing, circulation of blood to the brain is critical to keeping your brain healthy.

A list of factors that reduce circulation to the brain includes excess weight, stress, nicotine, and low hormone levels. Exercise helps. Get moving. Walk, dance, swim, rock climb or whatever you like most days of the week. Get to sleep. Most people need 7-8 hours of sleep, and lack of adequate sleep takes a toll on the brain.

Consume “good” fats. Omega-3s are good for the brain. Sardines, flax oil, and a variety of herbs are rich in the omega-3s. Animal fats and hydrogenated fats are not the fats the brain needs. For more about foods that are healthy, here is a helpful article. Learn how to relax at a deep physiological level. Cortisol build up apparently contributes to brain shrinking! This New Year, I promise to offer some good relaxation training programs on my website, so stay tuned.

Let me know what you are doing to take care of your precious asset: Your brain.

Too Few Fit Kids

Education Week published an excellent article by Theresa Harrington on the sad state of fitness of California students. I imagine the statistics are not much better elsewhere. An analysis of scores found that fewer than one-third of California students meet fitness goals! Overall, this is a drop from prior years. “Today’s results are clear,” said State Superintendent Tom Toriakson in a news release. “When only 31 percent of children are physically fit, that’s a public health challenge we can’t wait to address.” Goals in six categories are tested in grades 5, 7, and 9.

While there was variation between counties, the results are clear: More than two-thirds of our kids need regular exercise to build strength, aerobic capacity, flexibility and lower their BMI.

What we know from health research is that a wide range of chronic diseases that presently affect 50% or more American can be prevented, or symptoms much reduced, by healthy habits including fitness.

Habits established in the home will help teachers do their job at school. If you have a child, think about how you can increase getting out and moving. Share this article with parents you know.

The Gift of Quitting Smoking

Do you, a parent, grandparent or friend smoke cigarettes? Here’s some news. The CDC reports that 5 years after you quit smoking, the risk of stroke is like someone who’s never smoked! There are other immediate and long term benefits of stopping smoking.

Strokes are the third leading cause of death in the U.S. and among the top causes of disabilities according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recently, I have been writing on the topic of chronic disease. “Smoking harms nearly every organ of the body, causing many diseases and affecting the health of smokers.” Smoking has measurable negative effects on second hand smokers.

For an integrative approach to getting help to stop smoking, consider supporting the medical approach with a few sessions of hypnotherapy, mindfulness/relaxation training, energy medicine (acupressure, acupuncture), and dietary supplements recommended by a nutritionist or naturopathic doctor.

Think of those you love, like your children or grandchildren. Passive (“second hand”) smoking reduces the blood’s ability to deliver oxygen to the heart and compromises the myocardium’s ability to use oxygen to create adenosine triphosphate. “Nonsmokers exposed to secondhand smoke in everyday life exhibit an increased risk of both fatal and nonfatal cardiac events.” says JAMA.

If you know someone who smokes, please share this information.

Healthy Food, Made with Love #1: Turkey Pot Pie

Comfort food all the way. Whether you are a mother, father, grandmother or friend, cooking with LOVE can add that special something to a nutritious meal. I delivered Organic Roast Turkey Pot to someone close to me who’s expecting a baby. Serves 8-10. Reheats well. Health notes follow.

Usually I make up my own crust, but today I used pre-made crust. I put the lower crust into the deep-dish pie pan and baked it for 8 minutes or so at 350, then set on counter while I prepared the rest. Sauted chopped onion, celery, garlic, and basil were mixed with boiled locally grown carrots, red potatoes and peas. I added about 2 cups left-over organic roast turkey, cubed. On the side, heat a few tablespoons of butter and whisk in a few tablespoons of flour, then add 2 cups broth (preferably organic). Stir until sauce thickens, and pour over the rest. Put all onto the lower crust, add the upper crust, pinching the edges to make that cool pattern. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or so. Beautiful!

Health Notes: Notice that an average portion would have about ¼ cup turkey meat. This is not an excessive amount of meat protein to consume. Fowl is a good source of niacin and selenium, which helps repair cells. Garlic is known for its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antibacterial properties. Ditto for onions. Potatoes give us Vitamin B6 and are reported to have detoxifying effects.