Don't sit too long

This is an article from WSJ on 7/11/2012.

Stand Up To Read This

If you’re on the subway, don’t scramble to find a seat. If you’re reading, why not stand up? And if you work in an office, install motion sensors that turn lights on and off.

Those are just three pieces of advice from I-Min Lee, a co-author of a study published Tuesday in the online journal BMJ Open that shows that sitting down for more than three hours a day can cut a person’s life expectancy by two years, even if he or she is physically active and refrains from dangerous habits like smoking.

Watching TV for more than two hours a day can also shave life expectancy by another 1.4 years, according to the report, which analyzed five underlying studies of nearly 167,000 people over a range of four to 14 years.

The study adds to a growing body of evidence that points to the potential consequences of leading a sedentary lifestyle. Last year, scientists found a link between sedentary jobs, or jobs that don’t require a lot of energy expenditure, with colon and rectal cancer. Scientists uncovered similar findings in March, when they found that cancers linked to obesity and lack of physical activity rose every year from 1999 through 2008.

In light of these findings, Dr. Lee, a researcher in the department of epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health, recommended that people avoid sitting for prolonged periods of time. In addition to limiting the amount of time you spend watching TV, Dr. Lee offered an interesting tip.

“My office is long in dimension, so the sensor is quite a distance from where I sit.  It has been annoying me that the lights go off periodically, since it doesn’t sense me.  Maybe that’s a good thing – every so often, I have to go jump up and down to activate the sensor!” she said in an email.  And, she added,  ”make the sensor less ‘sensitive’ – so it is more apt to make the lights go off.”

And there’s another bonus: “Besides making one get up and move, it’s energy saving,” Dr. Lee said.

如何才能睡好覺？做到「3不｣

如何才能睡好覺？專家：睡前1小時別碰手機、電腦

 「淺眠」、「睡不飽」、「翻來覆去」…，現代人的睡眠狀況愈來愈多，根據一份最新調查顯示，高達97.2%民眾在睡前一小時內有使用智慧型手機、電視、電 腦等3C產品的習慣，且因為這個因素有高達8成以上的受訪者因此而延後就寢時間，且其中有3~4成的人躺在床上超過30分鐘才能入睡，已出現程度大小不一 的睡眠障礙。

此外，調查還發現，有6成的人覺得自己睡不好、也睡不夠，超過四分之一每天睡不到6小時。另有超過半數受訪者回答沒有定時就寢的習慣，分析顯示，睡眠時間 不固定的人，睡眠品質也會比較差；而在全部的受訪者中，有34%需躺在床上30分鐘以上才能入睡。但，即便如此，卻只有20%認為「規律上床是一種美德， 時間到了就該去睡」。
而當問到如果前一晚睡不好，對第二天會有什麼影響，29%的人回答會反應變慢、專注力變差，26.8%的人則表示會精神不濟、一直打瞌睡，還有12%的人說晚上睡不好，第二天會心情變down，臉很臭、愛生氣！
但，究竟如何才能真正睡好覺？長庚醫院睡眠中心臨床心理師吳家碩表示，人體的睡眠系統通常需要1個小時來運作，使身體為睡眠做好準備，因此睡前的活動型態 對睡眠品質有非常直接的影響。然而，臨床觀察還發現，睡前使用智慧型手機、iPad、電腦等3C產品，會使肩頸及手腕痠痛、心情處於興奮高亢的狀態，都會 讓人不易放鬆、影響入睡時間，而3C產品的近距離光源更會抑制腦內褪黑激素分泌，造成讓入睡困難。
吳家碩建議，要有優質、無負擔的睡眠，就必須讓身心靈真正放鬆。同時，他也呼籲國人謹記「睡前321 頭腦不當機」的美眠守則，在「睡前的黃金1小時｣做到「3不｣：不使用3C產品，不加班工作過度用腦、也不要再做刺激性的活動。以及「2要」：要養成良好 的睡眠習慣，像是讓心情放空、運用腹式呼吸、漸進式肌肉放鬆法調整身心的節奏，並且定時上床；也要營造良好舒適的睡眠環境，將房間燈光調整為橘黃色、選擇 一張均勻撐托各部位的獨立筒床墊，就能輕鬆享受一夜美眠，才能讓頭腦靈光不當機。

腹部呼吸抗壓、助放鬆！教你怎麼做

from  優活健康網 – 2012年2月25日

長期處在壓力中不懂得調適，會造成身心極大的傷害，除影響免疫系統，進而百病纏身，也容易罹癌。署立嘉義醫院身心醫學科主任許哲華建議大家學習腹部呼吸，吸入最大量氧氣，提供大腦及全身細胞足夠的氧氣，刺激副交感神經系統，減低焦慮與疲倦，增加身心調節及代謝。

最近許多人因職場的壓力過大而失控，許哲華表示，幾乎找不到沒有壓力的工作，壓力是隨時隨地存在，壓力像呼吸，不會消失，壓力像滾雪球，越滾越大，我們要學習管理壓力，而非一味的逃避壓力，否則健康容易出問題。



許哲華建議大家學習腹部呼吸疏導壓力，腹式呼吸的重點不在吸，而在吐氣，吐氣時要很慢、吐得多，如此副交感神經才會產生作用，讓情緒不會過度亢奮緊張，能吸入最大量氧氣，提供大腦及全身細胞足夠的氧氣，刺激副交感神經系統，減低焦慮與疲倦，增加身心調節及代謝。

※減壓方式─腹部呼吸法
•找個舒服的位置，或坐或躺，仰躺練習小腿屈起放鬆，放一本書在肚子上，一隻手放在胸部。由鼻子吸氣，嘴巴吐氣，呼吸時觀察及用手感覺胸部不能鼓起來，而是肚子上的書隆起來。
•吸氣時，將橫膈膜往下，胸部及腹部自然擴張，氣體流入胸腔，吐氣速度越慢越好。
•吐氣慢慢數1、2、3、4、5，在5秒後才能把氣吐光，等到熟練後再把吐氣的時間拉長到7秒鐘。
•每天練習3到5分鐘，進食後30分鐘內不要練習，不是焦慮、緊張、生氣才用，應該從平常練起。

Colon Cleansing

Beware of colon cleansing claims

Eric Boyd, Los Angeles Times

NATURAL METHOD: The easiest way to a “clean” system? Cut out junk foods and eat more fruits and vegetables.

Most people don't need to 'detoxify' their bodies. If you feel you must, ask questions and seek out board-certified professionals.

Judy Foreman, Health Sense
June 30, 2008

Go on reading the following article from LA Times

http://www.latimes.com/features/health/medicine/la-he-toxic30-2008jun30,0,4875078.column

Get your free credit reports

Q: How do I order my free report?

A: The three nationwide consumer reporting companies have set up a central website, a toll-free telephone number, and a mailing address through which you can order your free annual report.

To order, visit annualcreditreport.com

This info is from the government link below.
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/freereports.shtm

How to Make a Comfortable Hike

How to Make a Comfortable Hike

(The following suggestions are for the climate around Bay Area CA only)

It is winter now. It can be quite chilly in the morning and hot during the day time. You can sweat on the way up during your hike and feel cold on the way down.

How can you make yourself really comfortable?

Some suggestions for your references.

• Hats, Caps or Masks
• Gloves
• Polyester T-shirt underwear

Polyester wicks moisture and dries quickly to keep you comfortable during active pursuits. Try to avoid cotton underwear which makes feel uncomfortable and cold when it's wet.)

• Hiking boots

If you can't grip the ground properly, you will have hard time on the way down and also have the chance to injure yourslef.

Big 5 has some inexpensive ones ($25 to $40) or check with REI for some Vibram rubber outsoles featuring sticky rubber and deep lugs for stability and braking on various surfaces.

• Trekking poles

It gives you an opportunity to work out your upper body. It helps your lower body joints tremendously on the way down. Usually, one pole is enough. You can get those expensive ones with adjustable length, anti-shock spring and ergometric foam compact grip. It can cost you $60 to $150 for a pair. For a starter, I recommend to get a ski pole at garage sale for $2.

Sleep Well

Would you like to recover fast from the whole day of pressure? How can you sleep well so tomorrow will be a fresh day?

Here is some tips to sleep well.

* Don't work on your job or serious projects two hours before you go to bed. Relax. Read some non-work related books.

* If you can't fall asleep within 20 minutes, get up and do something boring until you feel sleepy .
For example, listen softer music at the dark, stare at moon or stars, etc. Remember not to expose yourself to much light.

* Don't take naps. This will ensure you are tired at bedtime.
If you just can't make it through the day without a nap, sleep less than one hour, before 3 pm.

* Get up and go to bed the same time every day .
Even on weekends! When your sleep cycle has a regular rhythm, you will feel better.

* Refrain from exercise at least 4 hours before bedtime.

Regular exercise is recommended to help you sleep well, but the timing of the workout is important. Exercising in the morning or early afternoon will not interfere with sleep.

* Develop sleep rituals.

It is important to give your body cues that it is time to slow down and sleep. Listen to relaxing music, read something soothing for 15 minutes, have a cup of caffeine free tea, do relaxation exercises.

* Have a light snack before bed

If your stomach is too empty, that can interfere with sleep. However, if you eat a heavy meal before bedtime, that can interfere as well. Dairy products and turkey contain tryptophan, which acts as a natural sleep inducer. Tryptophan is probably why a warm glass of milk is sometimes recommended.

* Take a hot bath 90 minutes before bedtime.

A hot bath will raise your body temperature, but it is the drop in body temperature that may leave you feeling sleepy.

I hope those tips are useful for you. Have a great sleep every night.