WARNING: This article could save someone’s life!

While I’ve laughed at Bette Davis’s famous quote: “Fasten your seat belts. It’s going to be a bumpy night!”, I’ve been truly careless when it comes to the use of seat belts. As a baby boomer, the logic goes, “Well, I’ve lived thirty-two years without a seat belt and never had an accident. I used to curl up in the back window of the folks Plymouth when I was a kid. What’s all the fuss about?”

Pause that tape.

We left with high expectations on Wednesday morning. The trip was 1.22 hours long according to Google Maps, but with my lead foot I figured we’d be there in an hour. A leisure lunch with a friend from up North and some antique shopping was on the docket. The sun was shining, traffic was cruising on the five-lane freeway and the three of us had that all’s-right-with-the-world kind of feeling. The conversation jumped from Africa to politics to UCSD extension courses.

The passenger in the front seat was in the midst of discussing her latest class work when she started coughing. As the coughing intensified, she reached in her bag for some water. That didn’t seem to do the trick. Her face was turning red and tears started streaming down her cheeks. Yikes! You know that feeling where you just can’t squelch an involuntary cough?

In an attempt to relieve her discomfort, she unbuckled her seat belt. As the driver, I failed to give it a moment’s notice.

Three seconds later, the traffic at the crest of a hill came to a dead STOP. It was SLAM on the brakes time, veer to the left shoulder and burn a little rubber off those tires. Phew! It’s one of those heart-pounding moments when you can almost hear the crunching sound of hitting the car in front of you. Life goes into slow motion. The kaleidoscope is narrowed to one frame at a time!

Ka-Bam! My beloved friend catapulted forward, slamming her head into the windshield, and her knees into the glove box. My heart stopped and I started to shake. I pushed back the feeling of nausea.

There was no visible damage; however (while she will hate me for saying this), she is an elderly woman. How hard had she hit the windshield? What was her physical condition?

She applied ice to her head and knees as we rode on to San Juan Capistrano. Being the trooper she is there was no complaining on her part, in fact, she refused to talk about it.

But the frivolity of the day had been changed forever. I attempted to block out the “what if’s” in my mind, but they persisted. The potential for severe injury was but one breath away. As the driver, it was MY responsibility to make sure all the passengers were safe. It was a devastating feeling to realize that in a millisecond, someone could have been severely hurt.

I looked up towards the blue, cloudless sky and thanked the angels for this gut-wrenching lesson.

Let us not be maudlin, but the take away lesson is HUGE! Whenever anyone in the car needs to take off their seat belt, I implore you to drive to the shoulder of the road FIRST. It does not matter if you are in a parking lot or on a freeway. One tiny act of carelessness can alter your life forever.

Forget the argument of how many years you’ve lived without using seat belts. In our fast-paced world, a few extra seconds can save a myriad of grief.

Your comments mean a lot to me. Are you ready to buckle up?

Early morning appointments can interrupt a daily routine.  When you spill coffee down the front of your shirt and have to do a wardrobe change, it merely adds to the pressure of hitting the appointment on time.

Having fallen prey to this problem, I hopped into my car and almost flew to the San Diego freeway.  8:15 a.m. was right around the corner (Yes, I love to push the speed limit beyond the boundaries).

Fast forward several hours and I am back on the freeway heading home.  It is hot and as I reach over to flip the air conditioner on, I see that the gas gauge is totally empty.  The yellow light is blinking, there are zero bars left on the meter.  This could be major trouble.

Panic time!  I can visualize being stranded on the side of 163 North, with traffic whizzing by at 75 MPH.  There’s ten, maybe twelve miles to go before a gas station is handy.  It is time to drive in the slow lane, without the air conditioner and keep my fingers , toes and legs crossed in hopes of making those last few miles.

That stretch of road lasts for an eternity.  It is time to refocus on reaching-the-gas-station goal.

How often do we pay more attention to our cars than our own body?   We change the oil regularly, rotate the tires, take them in for scheduled checkups and fill the gas tanks (unless we have a senior moment where we fail to LOOK at the gauge).

Juxtapose that with how we treat our bodies.  How often do you:

•    Sit at your computer for hour after hour without stretching?
•    Just grab something from the refrigerator and fail to eat a balanced diet?
•    Hit the 9:00 p.m. part of the day without your daily workout, thinking manana?
•    Put off drinking the recommended amount of water for your body type?
•    Have a 10:00 p.m. waffle or toast oozing with butter and peanut butter?
•    Delay that dental appointment because you are too busy?

Sorry to admit it, but I’m guilty of ALL of the above infractions.

How many of us take better care of our cars or pets than we take care of ourselves?

Prior to 2005 I took health for granted.  I broke most (if not all) of the rules for healthy living.  July 9, 2005 was a pivotal moment where I was told that I had primary progressive multiple sclerosis.  Suffice it to say that I no longer consider health a “given”.  It is a sacred treasure!  Cars can be replaced.  It is much more difficult to rebuild your body.

If my example can help one other person reform their health habits before it is too late, then this experience has been worth it.

Stop before you blithely continue to ignore your most important asset—YOU!

To Your Vibrant Health,

Dar

At the bottom of a musty, dust-filled trunk that hadn’t seen the light of day for decades, lay a packet of letters, abandoned for perhaps 130 years?  There were 51 of them—yellowed and brittle with age.  Each page was a treasure trove of love, gardening tips, the weather, and religious services.  They were passionate in a formal sort of way.

The year was 1880.  With quill pen in hand, and a crocheted flower in the upper left-hand corner, my great grandmother had written these letters by the light of a kerosene lantern.  Each one had been given a huge amount of TLC.  Reaching back into her history, here were some of my initial impressions of her:

•    Writing style was an art form
•    Spelling was impeccable
•    Sentence structure was complete
•    Attention to detail left little to the imagination

This was a woman who probably did not finish high school.  Who knows how much she read books or newspapers.   But she cared enough to develop the rich gift of writing.  Without any of the modern-day conveniences, she took immense pride in her style of writing.

My lesson from reading her letters was multifold.  I’m going to take Nancy Burke Barr’s advice and re-read The Elements of Style.  Fifteen minutes a day will be set aside to honing writing skills.  Here are a few tips worth employing:

1.    Appropriate vocabulary.  Be specific.  Use adjectives and powerful phrases, i.e., “the ceaseless grind of the earth mover on this blistery day” rather than the noisy machine across the street.

2.    Word choices.  This would include words that relate to the five senses.  Onomatopoeia might be a good choice here:   “Zipping up the zipper …”

3.    Structural clarity.  Each paragraph builds on the last one.

4.    Variety.  The length of sentences should change to capture the reader’s interest.

5.    Overuse of one word.  This has been the most difficult step for me to employ.  Each week I take out one word from my vocabulary that I’m overusing, like “great” or “awesome” or “you know,”  and replace it with a more powerful word.  It is okay to overwork the Thesaurus!

6.    Conversational tone.  This is not a term paper, my friends.  It is meant to be a dialog that is shared and enjoyed.

Writing is an art.  I often wish I would have taken those English classes a lot more seriously in college, however, it is never too late to develop excellent, thoughtful writing skills.

My friend, Jennifer Akers, a freelance writer, offers many different resources to guide you through the maze of effective writing.  I highly recommend studying her suggestions.   She’s an encyclopedia of information on writing sites!

What skill sets have you developed in writing?  Does finishing a blog post just flow for you or do you agonize over each paragraph?  Are there any books or refresher courses that you’d recommend   in this vein?  Please share your  tips in the comment section below.  I’m anxious to hear your strategy.

Always Learning,

Dar

This morning, while stumbling out of bed, a set of 4 lb. green dumbbells were staring at me.  My son had purchased them last night.  Huge, supportive hint, right?  It is time to take the mushy arms (aka relief society arms) and work them into muscles of steel.

Need you review a few of the gazillion reasons for exercise?  Check out the Mayo Clinic’s top ten list.

Are you willing to set an exercise goal with me?  I’ll promise to hold you accountable if you do.  I’m ready to get down to business, start sweating, and make exercising fun!?!

Let’s Rock,

Dar

While I generally am able to re-frame the least enjoyable items on my “To Do List” into more positive goals, when it comes to exercise, it’s a different story.   Moan, groan, there are so many other things to do, right?  So this article could have easily been titled “Note To Self On WHY To Exercise.”

Why is it that some of the most simple, basic things in life are so easy to forget (such as looking after our health)?  Why should I push through that cardio exercise today?  There are so many other urgent matters to attend to.  Here’s why:

According to the Mayo Clinic, the top 10 reasons to get physical are:

1.    Weight control. Combined with a healthy diet, aerobic exercise helps you maintain/lose weight.

2.    Increase your stamina. Over the long term, you’ll enjoy increased stamina and reduced fatigue.

3.    Ward off viral illnesses. Aerobic exercise activates your immune system.

4.    Reduce health risks. Aerobic exercise reduces the risk of many conditions, including obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke and certain types of cancer. Weight-bearing aerobic exercises, such as walking, reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

5.    Manage chronic conditions. Aerobic exercise helps lower high blood pressure and control blood sugar.

6.    Strengthen your heart.  A stronger heart doesn’t need to beat as fast. A stronger heart also pumps blood more efficiently, which improves blood flow to all parts of your body.

7.    Keep your arteries clear. Aerobic exercise boosts your high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good,” cholesterol and lowers your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad,” cholesterol.

8.    Elevate your mood. Aerobic exercise can ease the gloominess of depression, reduce the tension associated with anxiety and promote relaxation.  Let those good old endorphins kick in!

9.    Stay active and independent as you age. Aerobic exercise keeps your muscles strong, which can help you maintain mobility as you get older. Aerobic exercise also keeps your mind sharp. At least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise three days a week can reduce cognitive decline in older adults.

10.    Live longer. People who participate in regular aerobic exercise live longer than those who don’t exercise regularly.

If you want to have improved digestion, a sparkle and radiance to your complexion, and improved posture, please join me in the greatest body tune-up of all time.

I’ve made a commitment to gradually work up to an hour of daily exercise by September, 23rd, the end of the summer.  Can I count you in on the challenge?  Are you willing to step up to the plate and maximize your health?  If you are, I’d love to know what your specific goals will be.  What will you commit to achieving by September 23, 2010?

To Our Sparkling Health,

Dar

Fast forward to July of 2005.  A visit to the neurologist’s office confirmed what physical changes were taking place.  In his cold, disinterested manner he stated the following:

1.    I had primary progressive multiple sclerosis
2.    There were no effective drugs on the market to use with this type of MS
3.    Get a second opinion
4.    He would write a prescription for a wheelchair.

Decision time:  Just live ABOVE the MS.  Rip up the ******* wheelchair Rx.  Don’t let it stop me from being a whole person WITHOUT a disability.  I’m a stubborn Aries and I can do whatever I put my mind to.  That has been my thought process every waking day for the last five years.

When balance became a bit of an issue I learned to walk (sometimes) with a cane.  It’s a purple one with lots of flowers on it and it makes people laugh.

Several weeks ago my favorite cousin flew in from Ohio for six days of “r and r” in San Diego.  Whether we were goofy kids at Sea World feeding and petting the dolphins or at the Ranunculus Flower Show in Carlsbad, she was my legs.

This is difficult to explain, but here goes a shot at it.  I’m only brave enough to talk about this because of fellow MS survivor, Linda G. Cox.  For an independent, confident, stubborn soul, asking for (or wanting for that matter) any assistance from anyone is out of the question.  No matter how tired your legs get, the attitude remains that “I can do it all!”

It requires a very loving person to fill a “caretaker” position without stepping on your toes—no pun intended!  They need to sense your weakness, take over without saying a word, and still treat you as “normal.”  No looks, no stares, no “can I help you?”  They just DO it!  It is a true balancing act that my cousin knew how to fill.

While it was her vacation, she gave me the greatest gift by being herself and helping me straddle the fence of looking at disability head on.   She knew when to get the walker out for me to use, how to offer an arm for stability, and how to make getting a motorized cart at Sea World an adventure (yes, you can do donuts in them).  She never ONCE treated me as less than a whole person.  Mind you, we have gotten in a whole lot of trouble together throughout our lifetime.  It would have been easy for her to regret walking on the beach without me.  That hesitation was never there!

My hat’s off to this incredible lady.  I thank HER for being a caretaker without making me feel like a burden to her.   She should write a book about unassumingly assisting someone in need.  I call it filling in the cracks.

My message to you is to NEVER take your health and the simple things in life like walking for granted.  While I live a rich, full life, walking is a treasured activity.  I revel in walking to get the mail, grocery shopping or playing in the back yard with my toy poodle.  I also anticipate the day when walking will once again be an activity I can take for granted!

With Gratitude and Love,

Dar

Along with miscellaneous grody containers, 5 jars of Cinnamon, a broken salt shaker and 3 bottles of Parsley Flakes, I found spices with the following expiration dates:

Ginger – 9/23/09
Cinnamon – 08/09
Hazelnut Cream – 12/31/05
Minced Onion – 07/03

You get the point … there were many expired containers that were just filling space.  Since the smell test wouldn’t be too helpful (I have chronic congestion), I tipped bottles without expiration dates upside down.  If they stuck to the bottom or fell forward in big clumps, they were pitched.  33 bottles later I have a clean, sparkling shelf of spices that are waiting to create delicious recipes.

When my son lugged the bulging trash bag out the front door he set it down for a second and some muck came oozing out of the bottom.  It left an 8-inch dark spot right below the Welcome mat.  Yuck!

I followed him out the door, picked up the garden hose, turned the water on full tilt and said “Run or I’ll soak you.”  “No you won’t”, he challenged me.  He was faster than I was, but he got the point that in the line of fire he would have received his SECOND shower of the day.  We laughed like two silly little kids.  I can still see his face peeking around the garage door, incredulous that I’d REALLY get him wet.

Spring cleaning time!  This simple exercise made me think of how much “junk” I carry around unnecessarily.  While this is just one tangible example, there are many crevices that need to be sorted.  This example applies not only to the home, but also to your diet, your thoughts, and every aspect of your life.

During this 45-minute exercise, I committed to taking 30 minutes a day to delve into closets, filing cabinets and (b-i-g deep breath) the GARAGE, and either give away or throw out items that have “expired” in my life.   Am already visualizing how cool it will be to have a CLEAN environment that is filled with only up-to-date, useful stuff.

What is stale in your life?  Do you have a cupboard filled with outdated spices?  You’ll feel 10 pounds lighter if you clean ‘em out, I promise!

Here’s to Spicing It Up!

“Sweet childish days, that were as long, As twenty days are now.” William Wordsworth

How often have we said, “Time flies.”  It felt like we just finished a rollover into the next decade and it is already March.

I begin work at 8:00 in the morning and somewhere around 12:30 p.m. I’ll come up for air and ask, “Where have the last four hours gone?”  Then with a snap of the fingers it is the end of the day … week … month …

And the adage is true that as you age time speeds up.  It is Monday, then Friday— with a few deep breaths.

So what happens when time stands still?  As Benjamin Franklin warned, “Remember that time is money. “

We left a concert in La Jolla on a rainy Sunday afternoon, jumped into the car, threw on our seat belts and started the car … or ATTEMPTED to start the car.  There was simply a fast clicking noise when I turned the key in the ignition.  Okay, what had been left on to drain the battery juice?  Nothing!  So I waited a few minutes, tried again … the same result.

Time to call my insurance carrier.  The customer service lady with a beautiful southern drawl informed me that the first tow truck company she could reach said they would be there within 45 minutes.  Wow!  That’s a l-o-n-g time to wait!  She tried several other companies and they had longer estimates.

So we sat in the car and looked at each other.  Could we find a place to eat?  Not close by.  Was there a Chess game in the trunk?  No, not one.  Book or magazine we could check out?  Lost on that one too.  Laptops?  At home.  Flip cam?  Why had I forgotten it?

So we sat and looked at our watches.  Only five minutes had passed.  It seemed like an hour …

Okay, do some people watching … Checked the time … Two more minutes had passed.   Darn it—time was crawling.

We looked at each other speechless.  Now mind you I’m sitting in the car with a dear friend I can have a two-and-a-half-hour lunch with and never run out of things to talk about.

You check every car that passes by, praying for the tow truck.  Check your watch again … one more minute gone.   Try to start the car just one more time … click, click, click.  Check your watch again …

Mentally run through the concert program.  Check your watch again … one more minute ticked by.  Try to start the car … click, click, click.  Check your watch again … Ask your friend what time they have?  Maybe my watch is broken …

The ASAP Towing Company appeared on the scene 19 minutes after I placed the call.   Jose pulled out the jumper cables and we were on our way in less than 4 minutes.

Am still pondering that 19 minutes.  Is it so vital to always have something to do?  Have we become such a gadget-oriented society that our fingers must always be fiddling with something?  Or was the impatience merely a distraction from being jerked away from a schedule?

I’ve thought in 19-minute increments today.  It has put a different slant on the day.  In a way that defies logic, when you slice up the day into smaller segments it lasts longer.

The next time I’m at a l-o-n-g red light or (God forbid) my battery is dead, I’m going to attempt to do nothing (yep, not even meditate) and just enjoy it—without feeling guilty?!

How do you cope with the unexpected “off the clock” shift in your day?  Do you get all upset?  Reach for a gadget?  Or sit back and just let it flow?  Please share your ideas with me … I’m headed for another 19-minute increment day!

To Our Unbridled Success,

Dar

“Bodyblade® is unlike any other piece of exercise equipment on the market today. Why? Because Bodyblade uses low level vibration and inertia to train the body.  Bodyblade rapidly changes directions at a rhythm of 4.5 cycles per second, which translates to your body reacting 270 times per minute to resist the forces of the blade moving back and forth. We achieve this using inertia to challenge the body to contract its muscles to maintain balance, coordination, speed and strength.” Bruce Hymanson, Inventor

What do you do to get good cardio exercise throughout the day?  Do you spend hours sitting at your computer without exercising?  Does your body feel stiff and sore when you finally come up for air?

I would have answered yes to all of the questions above until I started using the Bodyblade.    I’ve learned to set a timer at my desk (as silly as that sounds) and after 55 minutes of working on the computer, take a five minute break and work out with the Bodyblade.  I tend to get really engrossed in what I’m doing and hours can slip by.  I call it crawling into my computer.  Well, my body is really unhappy with that, hence the timer.

The Bodyblade has so much to offer.  I’ve been using it for several months and I notice a change in my posture, greater endurance for those long computer hours, and an increased endorphin level.    Other Bodyblade advantages include:

1.    A workout that’s specifically targeted to you
2.    Improved muscle tone
3.    Great aerobic training
4.    Calories burned without impact or heavy lifting
5.    Increased creativity
6.    Since it is not dependent on gravity, it trains movement, not muscle
7.    Exercise movements that you design (although there is a chart that displays 42 individual exercises)
8.    Easy storage, inexpensive and simple to use.

The cost ranges from about $99 for a single blade to Fitness Packs (full starter package) with multiple blades for $291.65, or the Club Pack for $566.40.  I use the $99 blade and it’s a wonder worker.

What’s your favorite work out during “computer time”?  Have you developed exercise routines that  help  you stay loose, physically fit and ready to roll?  Please share your “how to’s” in the comment section below.  I’d love to expand on a quick exercise routine …

To Our Continued Vitality,

Dar

P.S.   Bodyblade is not a company I’m affiliated with.  I just wanted to share a cool exercise technique I’ve found that’s helping me boost my energy level!

Ever dreaded facing a weighty problem?  Maybe dreading it, even though it was weeks away?

How much time and energy have you wasted fretting about solutions?

Or do you wake up every day and “Hit the Reset Button”?

Life is fragile so it’s important to start the day with an attitude of gratitude.  Is that possible to do when you awake with worries running through your brain? No, but your options are open.

When your alarm clock chimes, think about what you could immediately do to re-frame your day and focus on how fantastic it is to be ALIVE!

Here are some carefree, one-day activities to help you “Hit The Reset Button”:

• Go barefoot for a day.  Feel the grass tickling your toes, the hot cement, the kitchen tile

• Stay in your pajamas – all day

• Crank up your music 10 decibels and sing and dance

• Wear your hair in pig tails (sorry, this one is not for the guys)

• Create a To Do List of your most difficult tasks and when they are finished—go to Coldstone and enjoy your favorite ice cream

• Shut your phone, your computer and your television OFF and read that book you’ve been planning to read

• Organize a special occasion for a friend.  Make it an all-day event that will leave them feeling thoroughly pampered.  This last one is one of my favorite activities and I try to include at least four components to the outing:

1. Something they LOVE
2. Something that’s totally outside the box (and comfort zone)
3. A fabulous meal
4. And memorialize the day with pictures, or something you’ve written, even a small commemorative gift is a great way to show you care.

When you train your mind to “Hit The Reset Button” by using simple, sometimes nonsensical activities, you will embrace life and improve your winning attitude.

You will see the world as a place where you can thrive!