I have glittering points that downward thrust and sparkling spears that never rust.
What am I?
August 30, 2013
August 29, 2013
Back to School Safety Tips
It's back to school time!
Starting school can mean getting back to routine, learning and fun; but
it can also mean back to sickness, injuries and stress. The following article from Reader's Digest
discusses the most common ways children are injured at schools and gives great
tips on how to put safety first!
Whether travelling to school, enjoying play time at recess or taking the
bus, learn the most important safety tips to pass along to your kids.
August 28, 2013
I Already Passed Kindergarten
Every September I take some time to write letters to the
teachers my children will have for the upcoming year. I have found this to be an effective way to
help the teacher get to know my child more quickly, and to understand who they
are beyond their informal and scripted report card from the year before.
In this letter I describe my child – what they are like as a
student and a person, and what they do and don’t do well. But beyond this, I also explain the culture
of our family when it comes to homework.
I remember when my daughter was in kindergarten she didn’t finish a
homework assignment. I got a note home
from the teacher highlighting this. It
was written to me. I responded with: “I
already passed kindergarten, please hold my child responsible for not meeting
her classroom expectations”. I have enough to do. I have to parent them, keep them safe, plan
for the present and future, make sure they get along with their siblings,
ensure they become responsible and respectful adults, have clean clothes, food
to eat. I really don’t need to do their
homework.
My children know my philosophy on schoolwork. This is for them, not me. It is up to them to know what is due and
when, and to ask for help if they need it.
They are not to cram and ask for things the night before. Bedtime is bedtime, not to be extended
because of homework procrastination.
When I help them this is in the form of assisting them to organize the
work, break it into manageable chunks, showing them simple ways to understand
the content, and asking them if they feel this will meet the expectations of
the classroom.
I expect teachers to hold my children accountable for completing
their assignments. If this means no
recess, extra homework, a failing grade, trip to the principal’s office, so be
it. I trust the school system and the
measures they have in place to educate my children – if I didn’t, I would
pursue other options. Learning, like
working, involves responsibility, commitment, accountability, organization,
planning and time-management.
Kindergarten and beyond is the perfect place to accumulate these skills,
as I feel the true value of school is not in the content, but in learning how
to learn, be around others, and manage the expectations of someone in
charge.
In Kindergarten my girls had to participate in a car
rally. The task was simple - make a car,
and parade around the school in a foot race, holding the car around your
waist. One kid arrived with a car made
of wood. It had working lights, mirrors,
and tires that rotated on a functional axle.
He couldn't even lift it. I
wonder if his dad failed the assignment.
Daily Dose of Inspiration
"Beyond the door, there's peace I'm sure. And I know there'll be no more, tears in heaven."
"Tears in Heaven," by Eric Clapton
Find on iTunes:
August 27, 2013
Back to School Doesn't Have to be Stressful
No matter your age, whether you are starting school for the
first time, returning to the same school, moving up to middle or high school,
moving away to university or going back to school after years in the workforce,
the words "Back to school" can bring on both excitement and
anxiety. Many feel excited for the
opportunities and experiences that may come, however, many also feel frightened
and anxious over what lies ahead. The
specific anxieties may differ depending on the age of the student or the
specific situation, however, how you as a parent or caregiver helps and
supports the student through them is extremely important. The following article published by Global
News discusses the best strategies for calming anxious minds and making
"back to school" as pleasant as possible!
August 26, 2013
Mean Lady at the Bus Stop
Yup, that is me. That
mom at the bus stop that, while waiting for my kids to board the bus, ends up
supervising and “parenting” the other kids that are not behaving. I remember a few years back I was waiting for
the bus with my daughter. There were
several kids waiting with us, and a few parents. Three boys were first in line, standing on
the curb. They were pushing, shoving and
playing around as boys do, each time falling or running onto the road. I told them to stop what they were doing,
stand in line properly and patiently wait for the bus. My neighbor called me a meanie.
I am happy to be a meanie when it comes to safety, especially
with children. Part of this is the curse
of working in auto insurance. I know if
one of these boys gets hit by a passing car, this could be life threatening or
at the least, life altering. I also know
the driver of that car will likely suffer life-long mental anguish knowing they
inadvertently harmed a child – even if this was not their fault. Also, my child, and the other children at the
bus stop that would witness such an accident would never be the same. They could have nightmares, flashbacks, and
suffer from traffic anxiety, an aversion to riding the bus, or attending
school. Lastly, from a personal
liability perspective, I can’t help thinking that if children are being unsafe,
and get injured, and this is witnessed by a responsible adult who did not try
to prevent it, that adult could be held partially responsible. Either way, the outcome is bad for all
involved.
Transportation by bus is one of the safest ways to get
children to and from school. According
to transport Canada, only .3 percent of personal injury or death from
collisions involved school buses. Of the
142 deaths involving a school bus over the last 10 years, only 5 have involved
passengers of the bus with the rest being drivers, pedestrians, cyclists or
other motorists (http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/roadsafety/tp-tp2436-rs200702-menu-133.htm). Therefore,
children are more unsafe around buses than they are in buses. In fact, riding the bus is safer than walking
or getting a ride in a regular vehicle.
What becomes key then is helping children to understand pedestrian
safety, the rules for getting on an off a bus, and waiting at the bus
stop.
It is back to school time.
We all need to remember that children are both careless and
carefree. Children are not expected to
understand and process the dangers of traffic until age 10 and beyond, and as such,
as responsible adults and parents we need to help them understand all aspects
of bus safety and, if needed, be “meanies” when monitoring their behavior –
even if they don’t belong to us.
Daily Dose of Inspiration
"The consequences of today are determined by the actions of the past. To change your future, alter your decisions today."
Anonymous
August 23, 2013
Weekly Mind Bender
I fly, yet I have no wings. I cry, yet I have no eyes. Darkness follows me; lower light I never see.
What am I?
Daily Dose of Inspiration
"We all die. The goal isn't to live forever; the goal is to create something that will."
Chuck Palahniuk
August 22, 2013
E-Cigarettes: Can This Technology Help You Quit?
Electronic cigarettes have become a popular
replacement for traditional cigarettes and are helping many "quit"
smoking (at least traditionally). However,
because they are relatively new to the market, research is still being compiled
on whether or not they are safer than regular cigarettes, and if
they are even effectively helping people quit. Currently in Canada, e-cigarettes are not
government approved and have not been recognized as safe by Health Canada. It is said the sale of e-cigarettes will
outweigh the sale of normal cigarettes by the end of the decade. The following article from The Toronto Star
discusses the popularity of e-cigarettes and the arguments from supporters and
those who aren't so sure. What's your
opinion?
August 21, 2013
Hot Day. Distracted Mind. Child Dies.
In keeping with my earlier post about safe driving and bad
habits, I thought I would touch on another very tragic, but preventable,
circumstance surrounding cars and children.
It was the first very hot and humid day this summer when I heard of the
death of a two year old after his grandmother left him in the car. She just forgot he was there and went about
her day. While it might seem
inconceivable that this could happen to any caring and well-intentioned adult,
I read an article recently that helped me to understand how possible this
is.
Several years ago a mother in Calgary was returning to her
job as a University Professor after a one year maternity leave following the
birth of her second child. She was a
well-educated and diligent mother that did everything she could to protect the
safety of her children during pregnancy, at home, and in the community. With
her return to work the family had to adopt a new routine. She dropped her older child at day care and
proceeded to take her daughter (11 months) to her new child care provider. The mother and daughter were singing and
laughing in the car when the child fell asleep.
The mother then spent the next several minutes putting together a very
detailed mental plan of how she was going to get her child out of the car seat
and into the day care without waking her.
Once she visualized that process, and understood how it would all work,
her mind rapidly switched to thoughts about her first week back at work and all
the things she needed to accomplish. She
arrived at work, went about her day, and realized when she came to her car to
go home that her daughter was still in the car seat.
Her purpose of engaging in the interview and having the
article published was to help people understand how this could happen and how
it can be prevented. For her, she
believes that the process of “visualizing” the drop off of her daughter made
her mind believe that it actually happened.
When her mind switched to thinking about work, it was convinced that her
other responsibilities had been completed.
This is the power of visualization, and of a distracted mind.
But I feel the most important aspect of the article were the
strategies for prevention. The mother went
on to have other children and talked openly about the steps she now takes to
ensure she does not relive this tragedy.
She explained that she always makes sure she puts something in the back
seat with her children. Her purse, work
bag, lunch. This requires her to enter the back seat of her car when getting
out. Or, the opposite could also work –
put a diaper bag, toy or child backpack in the front seat to cue you to their
presence. This mother also said she has
asked her child care providers to call her directly if
her children are not dropped off on time, as expected. Lastly, when putting her children in their
car seat she puts on a bracelet that is kept in the seat. She takes it off when getting them out. This
serves as a visual cue, but has also become part of her new car seat routine
that will reinforce a new behavior (put the bracelet back in the car seat when
leaving the vehicle, making her access the seat).
According to WebMD “there is no safe amount of time to leave
a child (or pet) in a car”. The
temperature inside a car can rise or fall exponentially faster than the
temperature outside, as your car functions as a greenhouse. Just get in your car on a hot day and try to
breathe. Preventing child death from
being left in a car is possible, and parents need to be wary of new routines,
changes in schedules, and the cognitive process of remembering multiple
things. And most of all, don’t be naïve
enough to believe the self-fulfilling “this could never happen to me”
phenomenon. Any oversight, regardless of
how significant, can happen to us all.
Daily Dose of Inspiration
"And even when you've paid enough, been pulled apart or been held up. With every single memory of the good or bad faces of luck. Don't lose any sleep tonight, I'm sure everything will end up alright. You may win or lose; but to be yourself is all that you can do."
"Be Yourself" by Audioslave
Find on iTunes:
August 20, 2013
Reduce Your Risk: Eat Breakfast
It is said that "breakfast is the most important meal
of the day," as it helps to wake us, provides fuel throughout the day, and
can boost metabolism and energy, but do you realize how truly important this
first meal may be? Researchers have
found a link which shows that, especially in men, skipping breakfast on a
regular basis can increase the risk of heart attacks. Why?
Because skipping breakfast can lead to higher cholesterol, higher blood
pressure and obesity. In an article from
CBC News Health, the study which shows this important link is discussed. Is it time for you to change your eating
habits and ensure you are starting your day properly?
August 19, 2013
Can You Traffic Circle?
Working with people injured in car accidents is a straight
path to insanity when I start to think about my own kids behind the wheel. I am not sure I will ever feel comfortable
with them borrowing the car, getting a ride with others, or even taking their
siblings anywhere. I apologize to my
kids in advance for being a basket case when we get there.
But the fact that I now allow my 13 year old to ride in the
front seat has made me acutely aware of the very important responsibility I
have to model safe driving. She watches
me drive, asks questions, and is trying to understand the rules of the
road. I have three years to demonstrate to
her how important it is to take this privilege seriously, and what safe driving
looks like.
The problem is this:
driving, like many daily tasks, becomes highly overlearned. This means that the brain can manage it
without really “thinking”. That explains
why sometimes you might arrive somewhere, somewhat oblivious to the path you
took to get there, or the sights you saw on the way. This is especially true if the brain is
distracted en route – via phone calls, checking messages at a stop light, enjoying
breakfast, belting out your favorite tune, or talking to a passenger. So
driving, as a skill, is something we can do without a lot of conscious thought
and our behaviors when driving become more and more ingrained as we log more
hours behind the wheel.
In being hyper-diligent about this new responsibility to
model safe driving for my daughter, I have become attuned to some of the bad
habits people have developed. Some
people drive too fast, some too slow (I see these as equally dangerous). Some don’t signal, and some don’t turn the
signal off. Some people are too
aggressive, too risky, and too impatient.
Others are too nervous, lack confidence, or don’t seem to recognize how dangerous
it is to be hesitant and unpredictable.
Too many people are still holding their phone to their ear, or think
that using the speakerphone instead of a headset is less-illegal (it is not if
the phone is still in your hand). People
are still texting or emailing when driving, usually while controlling the
steering wheel with their knees (if that were safe people without arms would do
that too). I see many people (especially
in my neighborhood) that don’t “stop” at stop signs, but kind of “roll” through
them - often after they have crossed the stopping line, and the sidewalk curb
cut, and are already entering the intersection.
Pedestrians beware. Traffic
circles are another new problem. When I
was 16, my driver’s ed classes did not include “traffic circle 101” and based
on how the teens drive near the high school in my neighborhood, I am not sure
it does now either. All too often I see
people cut the circle, or when going straight fail to yield to someone already
making a turn. But the best (worst) thing
I saw recently was a guy with a mini-van who was trying to transport his new
mattress by holding this to the roof of his car with his left hand (while
driving with his right). Luckily when
the mattress flew off into the traffic behind him, it didn’t cause an
accident.
Motor vehicle accidents are one of the top five leading
causes of death and injury for Canadian adults and children. Getting a license at 16, that is not reviewed
again until 80, should not be an automatic ticket to oblivion. Take a moment to review your own habits
behind the wheel. Old habits die hard, and
you don’t want these to kill you, or anyone else. And if you are driving children, remember that
little eyes are watching you and your children are likely to drive just like
you – good or bad.
Daily Dose of Inspiration
"Life is a gift. Never forget to enjoy and bask in every moment you are in."
Unknown Author
August 16, 2013
August 15, 2013
Gardening Ergonomics
Do you have, or are aspiring to
have, a "green thumb" ?
Or do you simply enjoy spending time beautifying your home or spending
time connecting with nature? Whether you
garden for pleasure or purpose you may from time to time suffer from a sore
back and achy muscles brought on by the hard work and
bending involved. The following
article from the Toronto Star gives helpful tips on how to ergonomically garden without ending up with a sore back.
Daily Dose of Inspiration
Raising an infant can be a difficult task for any parent. Diaper changes, bathing, feedings, soothing, and sleepless nights are something all parents must learn to deal with. This incredible Mother, despite her disability, has learned to live a full life, and is enjoying every moment of raising her child.
August 14, 2013
Attendant Care for “Normal”?
Like “happiness”, the word “normal” is one
of those subjective words defined differently by all. Yet, in the world of disability, “normal”
becomes a question. Can someone “live a
normal life”, or are they “back to normal”?
How do you answer these questions when normal is so hard to define?
On a recent holiday, I witnessed a woman
with a disability engage in compelling acts of what I call “normal”. I was so taken by this that I had to take the
below picture. What do you notice? The location of the wheelchair makes the
owner of this unidentifiable. This was
not an isolated event. Everyday I would
see this wheelchair stashed somewhere – off to the side, in a deserted hallway,
or almost out of sight. The wheelchair
was so far removed from the person that it could never “define her” and really
was just a means of transportation. I
would watch her husband wheel her to the poolside, into the restaurant, or out
in the theatre then she would transfer to a “normal” chair and he would move
her wheelchair out of sight. True, maybe
they just wanted this out of the way, but if the goal was practicality, she
would not have taken the time and effort to transfer when sitting in the wheelchair
for most things would be easier.
I believe that this woman just wanted to
feel “normal”. She didn’t want to be
recognized by her chair, and wanted to experience the world the way
non-disabled people do – sitting on a pool lounger, in a dining chair, on a
couch, or even in the water on a floaty.
And who allowed this to happen?
Her husband. He pushed her around
the resort, secured her chair for transfers, moved this out of the way, and
re-secured it when changing locations. I also saw him carry her in and out of
the pool so she could float in the water, and he was her personal waiter for
drinks, food and other items she needed that she could not obtain herself. In my world this is a perfect example of attendant
care. Transfers, mobility, equipment
maintenance, and ensuring comfort and security are all parts of the current
form used by Occupational Therapists in auto (and WSIB) to calculate attendant
care. So, let’s not underestimate the
time someone might take to help someone feel “normal”, whatever that means to
that person, in that environment and at that time. I believe “facilitating normal” is a valuable
and important part of being an attendant and should be fairly represented in
our calculations of care.
Daily Dose of Inspiration
"So make the best of this test, and don't ask why, it's not a question, but a lesson learned in time. It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right, I hope you had the time of your life."
Green Day: "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)"
Find on iTunes:
August 13, 2013
Protect Your Peepers
Whether you choose to
wear designer sunglasses, knock offs, or an inexpensive pair from your local
department store, research shows the important point is that you WEAR
them. In the summer months especially
many tend to focus on protecting their skin from sun damage and harmful UV
rays, however, it is equally important to protect your eyes. Did you know your
eyes can suffer a sun burn? The best way to prevent this and to protect
your eyes is through the wearing of sunglasses.
The following article from The Globe and Mail discusses the dangers sun
exposure can have to your eyes and how you can protect them.
August 12, 2013
A Place Called Vertigo
I am not sure what the word “vertigo”
refers to in U2’s hit song, but as someone living with vertigo, I can tell you
it is not a place you want to be. Vertigo is highly unpleasant and can be caused
by multiple factors including visual or auditory problems, or more commonly, head
injury. I best describe my vertigo as my
eyes and ears sending different messages to my brain regarding the position of
my body in space. So, while my eyes tell
me I am sitting still in a chair, my ears tell me I am on a boat in the middle
of a hurricane. The result of these
mixed messages is spinning, nausea, dizziness, problems walking, and ultimately
dysfunction.
For me, my benign positional vertigo (BPV)
lives in my right ear. As a result, I
cannot lie on my right side, laterally flex my head to the right, lie flat with
my neck extended, or look down into extreme flexion. While I can tolerate these movements
momentarily, I cannot hold these positions for more than a few seconds
otherwise I am sent into a spin that can last for days. I am fortunate to know my triggers and do my
best to avoid them (no yoga for me). I have
also learned, after living with this problem for two decades, how to catch my
symptoms early to prevent a slight episode of dizziness from turning into days
of bed rest.
When my clients experience vertigo, and describe
this to me, I can fully appreciate where they are coming from. The story is a book I too could write. But,
like other “hidden” ailments, I get concerned when the medical community does
not take this complaint seriously. This
is especially true in my industry where insurers and their assessors often want
“proof” of a health problem to support someone’s recovery. While I recognize
that people can be dishonest, my experience is that people don’t make this
stuff up. Health professionals need to
give people the benefit of the doubt, including insurance situations. To
understand, or better yet, support someone with any “invisible” problem like vertigo,
health professionals need to be compassionate, and should care enough to
listen, to research and learn, and ultimately believe. Empathy, TRUST, and understanding will go a
long way to support those that need it. I can only imagine how frustrating, devastating
and angering it would be for someone to assume or opine that my “place called
vertigo” is not a place at all: because, believe me, I live here.
August 9, 2013
Daily Dose of Inspiration
"Human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives."
William James
August 8, 2013
Juicing Vs. Blending
Health professionals are increasingly recommending juices
and smoothies as a great way to increase your fruit and vegetable intake and to
help you increase your overall health and wellness. These "power" beverages can help to
boost energy, are more eco-friendly and help to
ensure you are getting the proper nutrients from your diet without the need for
costly supplements. The following info
graphic from www.mindbodygreen.com discusses the differences between juicing
and blending so you can find the method that works best for your budget, and
nutritional needs. Check it out and find
out which way works best for you!
Daily Dose of Inspiration
August 7, 2013
Schooling on Pooling
I was a fortunate child who grew up with an inground
pool. As the only house on the street
with a pool in our yard, the neighborhood kids would loiter around our home
hoping for an invite. My mom developed a
wonderful system using a Canada flag. If
the flag on our fence was up – everyone was welcome for a swim. The only rule was that the kids needed to
bring a parent. Mandatory. And despite the kids that would sit on our
lawn whining about not having an adult to join them, my mom was firm to the
rule.
We have a pool in our yard.
This is separately fenced. As our
kids are getting older, and have been able to swim for years, we are giving
them more freedom around the pool. As
long as an adult is home, they are welcome to swim. However, the other day I was reminded of an
important lesson – just because my kids can swim, that is not necessarily true
for others of the same age. We had a
pool party for our twins’ birthday and all the kids arrived and proceeded to
jump in the pool. One child was hanging
around the shallow end and I asked her if she could swim – nope. I was surprised that in dropping her off to a
pool party, her parents would not mention this very important fact.
Last year in my small community an 18 month old child
drowned when he was able to get outside while his father had a 15 minute
nap. Drowning is the second most common
cause of accidental death among children aged 14 and under in Ontario, after
motor vehicle accidents. Yet, like many
risks, drowning is absolutely preventable.
Here are some safety precautions to consider:
Constant and vigilant
supervision. Supervision of any child is a full-time job. Most drowning’s
occur when a child is playing near the water and falls in - not while
“swimming”. So, when it comes to kids, a “within arm’s reach” rule should
always apply – whether they are in, or around, water.
Using safety devices
for the pool. These could include:
o
Poolside
Alarm- A motion sensor is installed along the pool edge, which sounds an
alarm when waves are detected from a body falling into the water.
o
Child
Immersion Alarm- A wristband worn by a child, which will sound an alarm
when they come into contact with water.
o
Pool
Fences- Fences should be at least four feet tall, surround the entire pool
and have self-latching gates out of the reach of children. Specialized gate locks prevent children from
entering the pool area, as they are complex or require adult strength to open. Gate alarms can also be installed to
alert when the gate is unexpectedly opened.
o
Pool
Covers- A cover built to fit your pool dimensions will act as a barrier for
a falling body, as they will not enter the water.
o
Door locks
– special locks, difficult for children to open and installed at the top of
a door, prevent kids from being able to get into the yard without an
adult.
Use life jackets, not
just floaties. If your child is not a strong swimmer, they should always be
wearing a life jacket - in a pool, at the beach, or on a boat. Like wearing a
seat-belt and helmet, children should be taught from a young age that wearing a
life jacket is necessary around water. From a functional standpoint, life
jackets are safer than floaties.
Floaties can develop small holes that actually fill with water, or can
deflate, causing the child to slowly sink lower into the water. A well-fitting life jackets is designed to
keep a child’s head above water, and to flip a child over onto their back to
facilitate breathing. They cannot
deflate. It also provides something for an adult to grasp if they need to pull
the child out of the water.
Know the signs of
drowning. Contrary to popular belief, drowning does not happen when people
are flailing their arms, yelling and calling for help. It is actually the opposite. People that are getting into trouble in the
water often look like they are climbing an invisible ladder. They can’t yell or cry for help as their body
is low on oxygen and is focused on trying to keep air in, not yell it out. Know the signs - check out this link for the
“8 Quiet Signs of Drowning”: http://www.rd.com/advice/parenting/8-quiet-signs-of-someone-drowning/.
Knowledge of first
aid. Parents should always consider having knowledge of CPR or basic water
rescue. This could prove handy for many
situations beyond just water safety.
Swimming lessons. Give your kids a head start by helping them
to become comfortable in the water from a young age. Every minute they can stay afloat could save
their life.
But remember, when it
comes to children, nothing is safer than diligent and attentive supervision.
Daily Dose of Inspiration
"All of us get lost in the darkness, dreamers learn to steer by the stars."
"The Pass" by Rush
Find on iTunes
August 6, 2013
Give Yourself a Boost
Do you ever find yourself
struggling to get out of bed in the morning?
Or hitting a wall in the mid-afternoon needing a pick me up? Before you rush to your local coffee shop for
quick caffeine boost, try utilizing some natural energy boosters. The following article from Alive Magazine
provides tips on how to boost your energy naturally and effectively for the
long run so you can avoid that short term rush from your additional cup of
Joe.
August 5, 2013
Working Up a Cognitive Sweat
My grandmother is legally blind and deaf, but my dad made a
great comment to me the other day: “she
is blind in one eye and sharp as a tack in the other”. Now 85, for the last 15 years she has had to
adjust to her hearing and vision loss through cognitive flexibility and acutely
tuning her other senses. The
result? An elderly woman who does not
appear to be experiencing any element of cognitive decline. In fact, she knows more about adaptive computers,
closed circuit reading machines, hearing aids and compensatory tools than I
do. The old cliché is true when we talk
of cognition – “use it or lose it”.
Our brains are made of billions of neurons, which interact
with each other to complete specific tasks. Signals are sent from one neuron to
another along neural pathways, and these determine our thoughts, emotions,
insights, and so much more. Each task relies on a different neural pathway, so
the pathway for reading a book is different than the pathway for putting on our
shirt. The more we use a pathway, the stronger the connection becomes.
These neurons have the ability to physically change
themselves when faced with new and difficult experiences. This ability is
called neuroplasticity. As we are exposed to new areas, tasks, information or
experiences, neural pathways are formed and existing ones are reshaped. This
will continue throughout our entire lives as we learn. As we have experienced
through practicing a musical instrument, memorizing our shopping list or
recalling a friend’s phone number, if we consciously focus and train our brains
in a certain area, they will become faster and more efficient at performing
those tasks.
Just as we need to exercise the muscles in our body, we also
need to exercise our brain. One form of brain exercise is called cognitive
training. Online training programs have been developed to allow anyone with an
Internet connection to have a daily cognitive workout by completing exercises
which strengthen our neural pathways. This could include memory, concentration
problem solving, visual perception – you name it!
Here is a list of some of the readily available online
cognitive training programs:
- · Lumosity (www.lumosity.com): Brain training exercises that focus on memory, attention, flexibility, speed of processing and problem solving. Specific areas to work on are selected as your create a personal profile. Lumosity will automatically create a set of five exercises to complete daily, and keep track of your progress. Membership can be purchased on a monthly ($15) or yearly ($80) basis. It can be trialed for free, but the trial has limited games available.
- · Mind Games (www.mindgames.com): Brain games selected to focus on memory, attention, spatial reasoning, problem solving, focus speed, fluid intelligence, stress, reaction time and visual perception. All games on the website can be played for free.
- · Actibrain (www.actibrain.com): Brain exercises to train in verbal, numerical, logical, memory and spatial areas. An online profile can be created for free and workout games played as frequently as you want. Progress charts keep track of your daily results.
- · The Brain Wizard (www.thebrainwizard.com): Brain training exercises focusing on attention, thinking, recall, concentration and memory. A trial version is available for three days and a full membership can be purchased for $0.25/day.
- · Brain Metrix (www.brainmetrix.com): Brain games focusing on reflection, creativity, memory, spatial intelligence, numbers and concentration. All games on the website can be played for free.
So, go bench press some
cognition, increase your reps, and work up a cognitive sweat!
Daily Dose of Inspiration
"Nothing will change in your life if you don't do something different from what you have been doing."
E. Perry Good, In Pursuit of Happiness
August 2, 2013
Weekly Mind Bender
You throw away the outside and cook the inside. Then you eat the outside and throw away the inside. What did you eat?
Daily Dose of Inspiration
"If you can imagine it, you can create it. If you dream it, you can become it."
William Arthur Ward
August 1, 2013
The Mind-Body Connection for Optimal Health
While traditional medicine is quite advanced and has many
remedies for what ails you, there is a greater focus on the mind-body
connection and how the two acting in harmony can improve your overall health
warding off many illnesses and health complaints. The following article by Alive Magazine
discusses how to achieve a greater mind-body health connection. By utilizing stress reduction therapies,
meditation, deep breathing, yoga, music and pet therapy and many more you can
be on your way to achieving overall balanced wellness.
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