This article comes from a presentation by my good friend, Linda Gilgore, a chiropractic assistant at Levan Chiropractic in Harrisburg. Linda is also an expert on organic foods and farming, so she’s my “go-to” person when I have questions about these subjects!
Gilgore offers several ways to keep yourself healthy and free from colds, flus and viruses – a good topic as we switch seasons!
Take a Nap
I love to nap! I’ve learned over the past few years, though, that the best nap is what Gilgore calls a power nap – a 10 to 15-minute siesta; not deep sleep or a one hour nap, but a quick refresher. This can help improve mood, alertness and job performance and can help reduce mistakes and accidents. Gilgore adds some famous historical figures were confirmed nappers, like Winston Churchill, John F. Kennedy, Napoleon and Albert Einstein. The best naps, like our nighttime sleep, are best taken in a cool temperature, with limited distracting noise and light. Gilgore says naps relax and rejuvenate us.
Laugh, laugh, laugh!
There has been a lot written about the power of laughter – I’ve even written about it!
Gilgore tells us smiling and laughing actually cause a physiological response in our bodies. The response releases endorphins, which are natural pain killers. The actual process of laughter naturally reduces your level of cortisol, a stress hormone. And smiling makes your body produce white blood cells, which fight illness. Have you ever had a great belly laugh, where you sighed a contended sigh afterwards? Gilgore says this is because laughter expands the lungs, stretches the muscles in the body and replenishes your cells with nourishing oxygen. So, tell jokes, watch funny movies, hang out with fun people and look for the funny things in life. It’s good for you!
Exercise
We should try to think and behave more like children! Run around, shout and play, get yourself down on the floor – stay flexible! Find an activity you love so you’ll do it regularly. Exercise builds strong bones and muscles, keeps your blood pressure in control, and gives you a better outlook on life. It gets your heart pumping – and if done properly, can rev your metabolism for hours after you finish exercising. A stronger body is able to fight germs better than a sedentary one.
If you’d like help with any of these areas, give us a call! I know lots of good jokes. You can contact Linda Gilgore, Chiropractic Assistant at LeVan Chiropractic, 717-558-3500 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
To Your Vitality!
