Debbie Mandel’s
Turn On Your Inner Light
Weekly Wellness Newsletter
May 8, 2005
www.TurnOnYourInnerLight.com


Affirmation of the Week
 How can you kiss
through a messenger?
Weekly Wellness Radio Show

The Turn On your Inner Light Radio Show airs Tuesday evenings 7:00 to 7:30pm, on WGBB 1240AM in Long Island. Listeners outside the Long Island area can listen to the show live by going to WGBB Live. The shows are archived for your listening pleasure.

Guest of the Week - Judi Culbertson

On May 10, 2005 - Judi Culbertson, organizing expert and author of Scaling Down. Get some practical ideas about the emotional roadblocks that keep you from getting rid of the clutter.

Health Tips of the Week

  • The latest research from a Canadian study: Parents take better care of more attractive children than they do ugly ones. One possible explanation: We take better care of what we value and in our society physical attractiveness appears to be what we value.
  • Researchers have found that older people who take folic acid or folate a common ingredient in multivitamins seem to be linked to faster mental deterioration, even at recommended doses. The findings are a surprise and more investigation is planned.
  • Loneliness is linked to a weakened immune system! It’s not how many friends you have, but your subjective feelings about being lonely. Feeling lonely and isolated is stressful.
  • The latest evidence shows that Western medicine views meditation as a powerful tool for lowering stress, reducing chronic pain, and even lowering blood pressure. They believe for those with cardiovascular disease, particularly high blood pressure, meditation will prolong your life.
  • Drivers inhaling the aroma of strawberry or pine are better, less aggressive drivers. Peppermint and cinnamon triggered greater awareness and less stress behind the wheel than odor-free vehicles.
  • When it comes to Omega 3’s all fish is not equal. Only fish that's broiled or baked actually protects against heart disease. Most fish served fried are types that contain only small amounts of omega-3 fatty acids.

Article of the Week -
How the Japanese “Kaizen” Method Can Change Your Life

I am fascinated by the success and contentment inherent in many Japanese companies. The secret – they use the Kaizen management concept for gradual, continuous improvement. Literally, kai means change; zen means to become good. The foundation of Kaizen is built on the willingness to change, using small steps to improve every aspect of life constantly. It is process-oriented - - in contrast to Western business concepts of radical innovation and fast results.

If we apply this business management principle to manage our personal lives, we can transform our failures and regrets into successes. Success comes at different moments in life and is rarely spread evenly during a lifetime. Often we are so intimidated by failure that we never try to become all that we yearn to be. Basically, we are afraid to make fools of ourselves. However, when we risk nothing, we gain nothing. The secret of success is the dogged, determination to succeed, not the determination to avoid failure. Using Kaizen thinking, rather than worrying about quick and dramatic results, we can move slowly with discipline and awareness. Eventually, change becomes part of our mindset.

Kaizen stresses teamwork and therefore to succeed we need to ask for help or advice. This includes suggestions for improvements. When there is criticism or things don’t work out, we need to change what we are doing, cut our losses so to speak. Kaizen is non-judgmental leading us to determine what is wrong, not who is wrong. Problems and mistakes need to be corrected. We must remember not to shoot the messenger, either. Criticism polishes our mirrors. More

Frank Mikulka's Fitness Tip Of The Week
Why You Really Need to Work Your Abs

I’ve been training over a year now; I’m cutting my calories – eating protein, complex carbs and fiber- doing my cardio and strength training. I’m happy with the overall results except I can’t get my abdominals to look cut. I’ve come to the conclusion that I won’t look like the guys in the magazines and that’s okay, so do I need to work my abs? I hold in my abdominals when I lift weights – isn’t that enough? (Ricky, Freeport) Answer

Send your fitness question to: fitness@turnonyourinnerlight.com

Debbie Mandel, MA is the author of Turn On Your Inner Light: Fitness for Body, Mind and Soul, a stress-reduction specialist, motivational speaker, a personal trainer and mind/body lecturer. She is the host of the weekly Turn On Your Inner Light Show on WGBB 1240 AM in Long Island and has been featured on radio/ TV and print media.

To learn more: www.turnonyourinnerlight.com