The Road to Wellness, Week 3
<b>To Creet or Not to Creet</b>
A recent article in The New York Times suggested that workplace stress is costing us $300 billion a year in the United States, and that's just what corporations are spending on stress in terms of health care, lost productivity and stress-reduction technologies. What we, as individuals, pay in terms of health and dollar costs is probably quite a bit greater than that.
Road to Wellness, Week 4
<b>A Change In Lifestyle</b>
"So how is your diet going?" wrote David, my best friend from grade school, who pops up on iChat for a conversation every day or two.
The Road to Wellness, Week 5
Super Deluxe Lifestyle Diet
I've managed to completely swear off sodas in the past few weeks—I've switched mostly to unsweetened brewed tea and water. Likewise, I've kept away from fried chips, except on Fridays when I give myself a day off. And with the weather finally—knock on wood—turning to fall, it's a great time for some long walks.
The Road to Wellness, Week 6
<b>Walking on the Dock of The Bay</b>
Since I pretty much get to decide where the Road to Wellness takes me, then I say it goes through Bay St. Louis, Miss. Ms. D and I always enjoy any free moments we have to spend down on the Gulf Coast, and Bay St. Louis has its share of the things that appeal to us most—happy, creative, artistic people; good coffee and a place to walk or roam through a touch of nature.
The Road to Wellness, Week 7
<b>: Fruits For Our Labors</b>
Ms. D is a fan of the book "The Healthy Hedonist," by Janet Bridgers, which, while it may have a title that scares off some of our fundamentalist-leaning friends, need not be feared. The "hedonism" here is simply an approach to a lifestyle that says you don't have to be on a strict diet in order to be healthy. Chocolate, an evening drink and even guacamole are allowed as occasional indulgences. In fact, the book's approach—that getting healthier should be a bit more fun—is the approach I need this week.
The Road to Wellness, Week 8
<b>'Uncombining' Your Meals</b>
Adding more discipline to your diet means that the occasional indulgence is more satisfying. That's how things felt when we settled into some decadent desserts after a fine Italian dinner at Amerigo the other night to celebrate Ms. D's birthday. She even gathered up half her key lime pie to bring home with her—partly out of a sense of extending the pleasure, partly in a show of strength in the face of temptation and mostly because they gave her nearly half of the damn pie.
The Road to Wellness, Week 9
<b>Getting Well Again</b>
This past week has been a challenge for wellness—both Ms. D and I have been under the weather, she more so than I. That's meant relatively little exercise and, while we continue to try to eat healthily, the focus has turned to managing and recovering from our illnesses.
The Road to Wellness, Week 10
<b>Working to Live</b>
After 10 weeks of the wellness column, I'm still no wellness guru. There's an awful lot more that I could be doing for myself, but when I started I promised that I would take things slow. And did I ever.
Dr. Weil Answers Daily Questions
A good source for health information from both a holistic and medical approach is the Web site of Dr. Andrew Weil. He answers a new question daily, as well as has lots of info on his site and hints on how to achieve wellness: that is, a healthy combination of mind, body and spirit.
Lose the Chemicals!
The The Georgia Straight helps you figure out how to purge your home of household toxins: "Just as not smoking can reduce the risk of lung cancer, not using harmful chemicals to clean your countertops could help decrease the chance of acquiring other forms of the disease. According to the Vancouver-based Labour Environmental Alliance Society, the link between human health and the environment is commonly overlooked. To help people better understand what's in the products they buy--and help them find safer options--the organization recently published the CancerSmart Consumer Guide."
[Road to Wellness] Start Walkin', Weeks 1 and 2
As we prepare to launch another wellness campaign, read Bingo Holman's fun 12-week road to wellness from last year. Change your lifestyle, feel better, have a good life.
[Road to Wellness] Now We're Cookin', Weeks 3 and 4
I don't know about y'all, but this wellness shtick is not as easy as I thought it was going to be. The hardest thing I've found is that I have absolutely no willpower. I'll do well for one day and then reward myself the next day with a trip to Keifer's for a pita with mozzarella (and feta cheese dressing) and cottage fries (big slabs of fried potatoes).
[Road to Wellness] Onward and Upward, Weeks 5 and 6
Well, gang, we've put in a full month of trying to live a well-rounded, healthier life. Mr. Gunter and I are still (pretty) hard at it. He's discovered a new addiction: honey-roasted soy nuts. I found them at the Jitney 14 (Winn Dixie) in the produce section, and I can't seem to keep him away from them. I'm admittedly not doing as well on the walking lately, but I promise to pick it back up if all y'all do, too. So without any further ado … onward and upward.
[Road to Wellness] Keep On Keepin' On, Weeks 7 and 8
I finally joined the Y this week and promise to regale all of you with my (no doubt funny) escapades there. I've been drinking smoothies every day and eating OK, not great yet, but better. My favorite find lately is Luna bars, made by the Clif Bar Company. They're made especially for women, packed with soy, and come in a lot of great flavors; my personal favorite is lemon. What's in store for us these next couple of weeks? More of the same, my friends, more of the same.
[Road to Wellness] Skating into Health, Weeks 9 and 10
Can you believe we're almost done with our 12 weeks? After this one, there's only one more installment. I don't know about y'all, but I actually feel better, both mentally and physically. I feel stronger. Proof of that is in the pudding, as it were. Some friends and I are trying to start a roller derby league. A few weeks ago I would have said, "No way, Jose!" But now I'm raring to go. Our first meeting was last Saturday, and we had a blast. The music in the roller rink was pumping, a lot different from "Drop a Bomb On Me"—they were playing that last time I was there. Let me tell you, skating is some kind of workout, and I am beginning to love working out (don't tell anybody).