My Plan For Health

Marblehead Lighthouse

I just got back from vacation in Lakeside Marblehead — a week of swimming, shopping, walking the shoreline and watching the surf.

We stayed in a resort on Sandusky Bay, and I enjoyed a spa package — a pedicure and my first-ever massage. The pedicure was excellent, and I was certain after the massage that the world was a bright, happy place and I was impervious to all evil.

Ommmmm.....ommmmm....

My thoughts did occasionally turn to work, and I felt a little stressed about falling behind at the office, but by the end of the week I think I had finally relaxed. It took a while to break out of my old mental patterns and actually feel like I was on vacation, you know?

What do you think? Do I look relaxed? My husband Bill took this photo one afternoon as we sat on the shore at Marblehead Lighthouse.

Everybody needs time away from work once in a while. Stress has very negative effects on the body. Ohio State researchers have shown, for instance, that stress slows the body’s ability to heal and even makes allergy attacks worse. That’s why, when I took the PHA test, WebMD advised me to lower stress for overall health.

In case you’re wondering why I look so blissed out above, here’s the video of what I was looking at (when my eyes were open, anyway). Video courtesy of Bill Gorder.

Click on the image to see a QuickTime movie of the waves at Marblehead Lighthouse

Things I learned from reading the Lantern today:

1. I am a researcher! (I’m not. I’m a science writer. I write *about* research.)

2. Making time to exercise despite a busy work schedule is something that I have mastered! (Alright! I like the sound of that.)

3. I am perhaps not losing weight because I am not following one consistent fitness program. (Hmm. Gonna have to talk to Rebecca about that one.)

4. When trying to think of a word for “fat” that starts with a “b,” the best the headline writer could come up with is “brawn.”

Brains and… Brawn? Brains and a Broad, maybe. Or how about Brains and Booty? Brains and…?

I had a good time at yoga last night with Holly Wagner. Just before savasana, we formed a laughing circle.

Here’s how it works: everyone lies back on their mats, and someone starts the circle by laughing once (”Ha!”). The second person laughs twice (”Ha ha!”) and so on around the circle.  Eventually, someone loses count, and then everyone has a good laugh.

Unless I’m in the circle, in which case “eventually” becomes “almost immediately.”

Holly: “Ha!”

Student: “Ha ha!”

Next student: “Ha ha ha!

Next student: “Ha ha ha… ha!”

Me: “Bwaaaaa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!”

So Holly started the circle from the other direction… and it happened again. Clearly I was the weak link in the laughing circle. But it was great fun, and we all reaped the benefits of deep breathing and relaxation.

Holly pointed me to Laughter Yoga International for more information. What do you know, World Laughter Day is May 3.

Laugh on! Here’s a video to get you started.