Ever notice how some people just naturally seem to have a high metabolism?  It could be fidgeting that keeps it that way.  Researchers at the Mayo Clinic have discovered something called NEAT, which stands for “NonExercise Activity Thermogenesis.”  Huh?  Basically it means the calories we burn while fidgeting.  All those little activities we do without even realizing we’re doing them, like moving around, fidgeting, doodling, foot tapping.  Turns out we can burn between 350-500 calories a day like this, which translates to about 50 pounds a year!  To up our NEAT habits, we can simply pay attention.  Take stretch breaks, walk around the block, get up and change the TV channel without the remote, dance around the kitchen making dinner.  It’s the little things that can add up to making a big difference in our lives!

We all know the impact that color has on our lives.  I found a really cool book that takes the science of color to another level.  Colorstrology uses astrology and numerology to look at the colors that vibrate on any particular day.  Looking at “our” particular color, we can see where we complement other colors, and where we might clash, what colors might make us feel more comfortable, or more energetic.  The book uses the Pantone system, the same system that artists use, so we can easily translate the colors into paint, or carry them with us to match fabrics.  It’s really fun!  My birthday color is “Azure Blue” and the description suits me, I think.  It’s great to have the book, because you can carry it around with you to stores as you decorate, and look up friends’ birthday colors to get some insight into their personalities.  And there’s a website where you can find your birthday color right now!

Colorstrology.com

Aromatherapy is the science of using the fragrance of essential plant oils in healing treatments.  Plants have been used for their healing properties for thousands of years.  In 4500 B.C. for example, Egyptians used perfumed oils derived from natural sources.  They knew that the aromatic quality of plants and herbs could improve digestion, and they used spices in their cooking.  Garlic also provided antibacterial properties and helped to prevent epidemics. According to a translation of the inscription on the Pyramid of Cheops, every morning each slave, who worked to build the pyramid, was given a clove of garlic because its aromatic properties would provide him with strength and good health.  Now aromatherapy is used with great success all over the world.

Aromatherapy is an energetic healing technique that uses the vibratory energy of various aromas to shift the body’s energy system and bring relief from physical symptoms.  The aromas used are distilled directly from plants and placed in an oil base, forming what is called essential oils.

This is an excerpt from “The Healthy Family Handbook” e-book.

When we know something, without knowing exactly why or how we know it, that’s our intuition kicking in.  Our intuition guides us in the direction we need to go, if only we’d listen to it more often!  We can tune in more, and learn to trust ourselves more, and see the results of this in our lives.  The first thing we need to do is to find some quiet space so that we can actually hear that inner voice.  When we’re stressed out, or running around, or inundated with media like the car radio blasting all the time, that intuitive voice can’t get through to us through all the commotion.  Give yourself some down-time, some space to just relax and listen.  Take a walk, or just retreat to a quiet room for a few minutes.  Make it a habit to ask yourself questions, and to pay attention to the answers that come to you.  Pay attention to the signals that your body gives you.  Our bodies act as a kind of radar, they pick up the energy of any given situation, and it resonates within us as a good or bad feeling.  This can help us to make better decisions.  And think things through, do your homework, and make sure that you are thinking with both your intelligence and your intuition.  One study showed that 62% of successful CEOs surveyed say that they make decisions based on their intuition.  You can trust your intuition.  Make notes of when your intuition was right, and you’ll be surprised at how often it has led you in the right direction.

Dancing is one exercise that doesn’t feel like exercise to me, it’s just fun!  You can actually burn between 200 and 400 calories in a half an hour of dancing.  One study showed that square dancers covered almost five miles each in a single evening.  Dancing also helps with cardiovascular conditioning, how much depends upon how vigorously you dance, how long you dance and how regularly you do it.  Dancing can help to strengthen bones and to also prevent or slow the loss of bone mass.  It’s a great alternative to aerobics or jogging is you’re prone to knee injury, and there’s also a strong social component to dance, it’s fun to dance with people!  Crank up the music, and let yourself go, it is freeing, and energizing to just dance.  My friend Hemalayaa, who is the instructor on our “Dosha Yoga” DVD, has a new DVD out called “The Bollywood Dance Workout.”   It’s a full-body workout, no dance experience required, with sexy and saucy moves and wonderful music.  You’ll have so much fun you won’t even know you’re exercising!

http://www.doshayoga.com

A good energy level let’s us feel great and stay healthy.  And studies show that recharging our batteries, by meditating, breathing, practicing our favorite hobbies or partaking in other activities, can help to promote faster healing, increased mental acuity, better emotional well-being and greater productivity.  So how to we get our energy up?  First thing in the morning, set the tone for the day with intention.  Think about what you want to accomplish, and how you choose to make a difference in another person’s life.  Then during the day, make sure that you get at least one thing completed.  A sense of completion on one projects allows us to focus our attention more completely on something new.  Also, spend some part of the day doing something you really love to do, something that you feel is meaningful to you.  Then, make sure you connect with people you care about.  Relationships feed the soul, we need this nourishment to really thrive.

Practitioners of Oriental medicine believe that vital energy has a definite, predictable route throughout the body.  It flows along pathways that traverse the body in a fixed pattern somewhat like the network of a complex railway system.  These pathways are divided into major routes called meridians, which are named for the organ or function they serve.  On these routes are numerous “tiny points” called acupunture or acupressure points where the energy comes to the surface of the body.  It is interesting to note that modern electronic instruments makes Kirlian photography possible which now enables us to locate acupuncture/acupressure points precisely.  This has proven that the points are exactly where the ancient Chinese showed them to be.  These points respond to any change in the flow of vital energy.  They appear to act somewhat like resistors in an electrical current by adjusting the speed and power of the flow.  The response is a kind of fluid elasticity that tightens or slackens as necessary.  The vital energy reaches the organs through the meridians and acupressure points.  If the organ or gland nourished by a particular flow is not functioning properly, points along the meridian will be painful or stiff.  By reestablishing the energy flow along this pathway, the organ or gland will be revitalized and health will be restored.  The meridians also can be thrown off balance by the tensions and stresses of modern life.  When this happens, the flow of vital energy becomes blocked, too intense, or too weak, resulting in the development of disorders in body functioning.

A meridian that is low or deficient in energy must be stimulated to bring a fresh supply of energy to it.  When a meridian is lacking energy, the organ involved as well as the nearby muscles and nerves are not working at peak performance.  Then ultimately this can have an adverse effect on the vitality of the entire body.  Stimulating the specific point, depending on the ailment, will generate a revitalization of that particular energy flow and thereby remove blocks within the organ’s meridian system that could prevent a state of good health.

This is an excerpt from “The Healthy Family Handbook” e-book.

The music is playing on the car radio, and we’re humming along, chiming in every once in awhile when we know the words.  It’s fun, and it makes us feel good.  Humming is like chanting, where sound waves evoke positive responses in both the body and spirit.  But did you know that this simple practice is actually good for the sinuses?  It’s true!  Studies show that humming helps to improve the out-put of nitric oxide, which is an indication of effective sinus function.  Breathe easy, humming is a healthy habit!

I am proud to say that both of my sons have black belts in Tang Soo Do Karate.  They worked hard for this designation, and Freddy has since branched out and learned other forms of martial arts.  I was really happy when he told me that he is now learning Tai Chi.  Tai Chi, which means “the supreme ultimate” is like a moving meditation.  It originated about 2,000 years ago in China as a form of self-defense.  The motions are designed to unite body, mind, and spirit, which results in improved physical and mental well-being.  Tai Chi is based on the ancient Taoist philosophy of yin and yang.  Yin represents the passive force, and yang represents the aggressive force.  The idea is to combine these opposing forces through soft, smooth, yet powerful movements to cultivate the “chi” (life energy) the circulates through the body.  There are many different style of Tai Chi, and whichever you choose, the benefits are the same, including:

-Improved circulation and stamina

-Increased energy

-Better balance, reduced risk of falls

-Lower blood pressure

-Reduced joint pain

-Improved flexibility

-Lower levels of stress

A good friend of mine recently landed her dream job.  After being a full-time mom for many years, she was so excited to get back to work in the corporate world.  After one week, she called me, disillusioned.  She said that she was having a hard time fitting in with the other people in the company.  She felt like they had already formed their relationships and she was viewed as an outsider.  Although she loved the work that she was doing, she didn’t feel welcomed in the office environment and she didn’t know what to do about it.  I offered this advice: “It sounds like your co-workers are acting like a bunch of cats.  Instead of trying to be a cat, go in and be the dog.  Open that door with a big smile on your face, tail wagging, full of enthusiasm!  Look at how dogs win people over just by being themselves, by being happy and comfortable right where they are.  Be the dog.”  She laughed at this very zen concept and promised to try it.  One week later I got another call.  It worked!  My friend realized that by changing the way she looked at things, she was able to shift the energy in her environment.  She told me she put “Be the Dog” on a note on her computer to remind herself of this.  I decided to surprise her and put our new slogan on a coaster for her desk, and while I was at it, I put it on some tee-shirts and a bunch of other stuff.  You can check it out in “The Inspired Store!”

http://www.cafepress.com/coffey_talk/1411337