TRAVERSE CITY -- Nobody wants to get sick and, nowadays, no one can afford to get sick.
So just stay healthy, OK? It's a lot cheaper.
"We spend more than $7,000 per person, per year on health care," said Dr. Gregory Chappell, of Chappell Chiropractic Wellness Center in Acme, "yet have a deplorable state of health in this country in relation to the rest of the world.
"The crux of the problem is that our system is reactive as to health -- wait until it breaks down, then fix it," Chappell said. "This is a very expensive approach and often the side effects cause even more problems. Our system is, therefore, not a 'health' care system; it is a 'sickness and disease' care system."
"You have to take control of your health," Chapell said. "Start off slow. Choose one simple activity you know you can be successful at. Then choose another one."
Sleeping right
Sleep is free. And sleep is good for you.
Dr. Margaret Moen, a sleep specialist at Munson Medical Center, says society doesn't value sleep.
"People think you're lazy if you sleep too much," she said. "But people who don't get enough sleep -- less than six hours a night -- have higher mortality rates."
She said obesity rates also go up in people who don't sleep enough. "It shifts your metabolism. Your body starts putting calories in storage."
She recommends concentrating more on the time you wake up than on the time you go to bed. And she stresses that a regular schedule is important.
She said kids need eight to nine hours of sleep each night and teenagers need nine hours. For people in their mid-20s until old age, "seven hours seems to be an amount that produces healthy people."
If you have trouble falling asleep at night, get out of bed, Moen said.
"Bed should be a friendly place," she said, and if you're lying awake worrying, it's not friendly.
"Get up, go in another room and be peaceful," she said. Don't watch TV or use the computer, she said. Read, do a jigsaw or crossword puzzle or, if you're worrying about everything you have to do in the morning, make a list.
Just don't watch the clock.
Moen said sleep doctors call watching the clock "sleeping with the enemy."
"Put it on the floor, turn it against the wall, make it so you can't see it," she said. "You can still hear the alarm, but you can't see the clock."
She said some people are able to nap, which is fine, as long as you go with "power naps."
"Don't nap more than 20 minutes," she said. "Longer naps leave you groggy and can subtract from your night sleep."
Eating right
Stay to the outside of the grocery store.
That's advice from nutritionists and dietitians who say that most "whole" foods are along the perimeter of the grocery stores.
Plan a menu, too, said Jennifer Berkey, extension educator with Michigan State University Extension in Traverse City.
"You can save tons of money over a week or a month just by sitting down on the weekend, writing up a menu, then shopping according to that menu," Berkey said. "Pay attention to serving size and make healthy choices," she said.
Produce shouldn't be cost-prohibitive, even in the winter.
"I'll just put 'fruit' on my list, then look for what's on sale," Berkey said. "Last week, Clementines were on sale and we got a whole box. Good standbys are frozen blueberries, strawberries, applesauce, mandarin oranges, canned pears ... look for fruit packed in its own juice, or low-sugar fruit."
For families on food stamps and WIC budgets, Ginny Girard at the extension service holds classes or gives one-on-one help in getting the most out of a food budget. She runs the federally funded Family Nutrition Program and helps families come up with menus, shopping lists and healthy food choices. Call 922-4620 for more information.
"People who go through her classes end up saving a lot of money and eating healthier," Berkey said.
Staying fit
"Walking is one of the best things you can do," said Randy Nelson, physical therapist and co-owner of Grand Traverse Physical Therapy in Traverse City.
But it's soooo cold!
"Go to the mall. Go to the basement. Go to the garage," he said.
Or you can try strapping on a couple one-pound ankle weights and wear those as you go about your chores, said Sandi Wills, a fitness instructor who's been running Aerobics Plus for more than 27 years.
"It makes your muscles stronger," Wills said. "You have to put more stress on your body to improve it." She said your body will respond by building bone.
If you want to avoid back pain, think about your gut, Wills said.
"If your abdominal muscles pooch out, it means they're weak," she said. "That puts more strain on your back muscles. The abdominal muscles and the back muscles work together."
So don't just watch Jack Bauer; do crunches, sit-ups, curls, whatever you want to call them from your living room floor.
And make sure you're doing things properly, Nelson said.
"People tend to ignore pain," he said. "That's your body yelling at you to take care of it. Pay attention. You may need to spend a little (money) now so you don't have to spend big later." He said it's worth it in the long run to learn how to do things properly, like shoveling, lifting and bending.
Wills also said you can get good deals on exercise equipment like treadmills and elliptical machines at garage sales or on Freecycle, but there's a reason they're there.
"I've got an elliptical trainer upstairs right now that I never use," she said.
The one thing that does motivate her is other people, she said. To that end, she's leading free fitness classes every Tuesday and Thursday, from 6:15 to 7:30 p.m. at Mill Creek Elementary in Williamsburg. Call Wills at 267-5236 for more information.
Keep fit mentally
"Exercise and movement have been shown to be at least as effective as Paxil and Prozac for depression," Chappell said. A high-quality Omega III fish oil is also helpful. As to managing stress, try one of these:
"Take a mini-mental vacation," Chappell said. "Sit quietly and visualize a peaceful place you've been before or create one in your mind. The key is to use all your senses -- feel the breeze, smell the flowers, taste the piña colada, listen to the water gurgling through the stream ... The more 'real' you make it, the more powerfully relaxing it will be," he said.
"Deep breathing is very relaxing and can help you get refocused. Breathe in slowly, hold for 8 to 10 seconds, and breathe out slowly," Chappell said. (Don't do this this while driving.)
Chappell says your surroundings matter, too, and recommends appropriate colors.
"Blues tend to be relaxing and reds and oranges stimulating," he said.
Then there's meditation. Sit in a comfortable position, Chappell said, and plan on 15 to 30 minutes. Focus on a short phrase or even just a word. Use one that gives you a sense of peace. Keep repeating it and let your thoughts drift off, he said.
Physical therapist Nelson said taking time for yourself is a great stress-reducer.
"Build it into your schedule," he suggested. "Even 15 minutes a day is great."
If you do get sick ...
Pinch your toes.
Huh?
Penny Nelson, a certified athletic traner and reflexologist at Grand Traverse Physical Therapy, said there are trigger points in our bodies that directly tie into nerves.
If you have an ear infection, for instance, she said there are five spots on your toes that you can pinch with your thumbnail. The spots work for sinus infections, too, she said, because the sinuses and ears are connected.
"To stimulate the immune system you stimulate the nerve endings," she said. "There's a map on the bottom of the foot that correlates to the body."
"I never go with antibiotics," she said. "Pharmaceuticals are not our friend."
Penny Nelson offers training in reflexology so you can learn how to, well, pinch your own toes.
Healthy foods for under $1
Many of these foods can be found for a dollar or less, even if it's for one serving.
-- Oats
-- Eggs
-- Kale
-- Potatoes
-- Apples
-- Nuts
-- Bananas
-- Garbanzo Beans
-- Broccoli
-- Wild Rice
-- Beets
-- Butternut Squash
-- Whole Grain Pasta
-- Sardines
-- Spinach
-- Tofu
-- Lowfat Milk
-- Pumpkin Seeds
-- Coffee
Source: DivineCaroline.com
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