Just 20 minutes of weekly housework boosts mental health

Just 20 minutes of any physical activity, including housework, in a week is enough to boost mental health, reveals a large study published ahead of print in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

While regular exercise is known to be good for mental health, no one seems able to agree on how much, or what type of activity, is best.

The findings are based on a representative sample of almost 20 000 men and women who were quizzed for the Scottish Health Survey about their state of mind and how much weekly physical activity they engaged in.

Over 3000 participants were deemed to be suffering from stress or anxiety, using a validated scoring system.

But any form of daily physical activity was associated with a lower risk of distress, when other influential factors, such as age, gender, and the presence of a long term condition, were taken into account.

As reported Journal News, the range of activities, which proved beneficial, included housework, gardening, walking, and sports, although the strongest effect was seen for sports, which lowered the risk of distress by 33%.

The results also indicated that while just 20 minutes improved mental state, the more activity a person indulged in, the lower were their chances of psychological distress.

Physical activity curbs the risks of a range of serious diseases, such as heart disease and certain cancers.

And it improves several biological risk factors, such as glucose intolerance and inflammation, which have themselves been linked to depression and dementia, say the authors.

7 Biggest Medical Scandals in Recent Years

You would think a profession bound by the ethical rule of "do no harm" would be pretty much immune to scandals. Sadly, this is not the case. The medical profession is rife with scandals in recent years that would make any patient cringe in horror. Newspapers scream the dreadful headlines of surgeries gone wrong, medications with awful side effects, and unsanitary conditions. While these are uncomfortable things to contend with, patients should be aware of them. Only then can we learn to carefully screen the doctors and surgeons whom we entrust with our lives. In this article, we'll run down 7 of the biggest medical scandals making the rounds lately.

1. Reused Syringes in Nevada

We've all grown up with the horror stories of sharing or reusing syringes. Doing so can lead to contamination of the bloodstream, the spread of deadly disease, infections, and more. Accordingly, doctors are required by law to dispose of syringes after they are used. However, it seems that not every medical facility is abiding by this requirement. The result is patients unknowingly allowing used needles to enter their flesh and veins containing God knows what. An article called "Nevada's Medial Scandal" tells one such horrifying story:

The Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada reusing syringes on infected patients and contaminated vials of medicine shared among patients has infected a known six people with hepatitis C. 40,000 of those patients may also be at risk of hepatitis and HIV. That is just in Las Vegas. What about Reno, Carson City and the other towns throughout the state.

http://nyenevada.blogspot.com/2008/03/nevadas-medical-scandal.html

2. The Walter Reed Fiasco

In a country whose government pays farmers not to grow corn, you would think the soldiers who die for our freedom would at least get top-notch medical care. Well, the Washington Post tells a far gloomier tale. The conditions at the Army's top medical facility (Walter Reed) are so atrocious that few of us would send our friends or family there. From the Post article:

Behind the door of Army Spec. Jeremy Duncan's room, part of the wall is torn and hangs in the air, weighted down with black mold. When the wounded combat engineer stands in his shower and looks up, he can see the bathtub on the floor above through a rotted hole. The entire building, constructed between the world wars, often smells like greasy carry-out. Signs of neglect are everywhere: mouse droppings, belly-up cockroaches, stained carpets, cheap mattresses.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/17/AR2007021701172.html

3. Children with AIDS

In a tragic story out of Kazakhstan, dozens of innocent children have contracted the AIDS virus thanks to totally preventable medical errors and negligence. This scandal is particularly troubling, as AIDS is a sexually transmitted disease that the children would not have otherwise gotten. An article on this travesty gives some specific numbers, as well as the status of those children:

Sixty-one children are now known to have been infected with the AIDS virus in southern Kazakhstan as a result of medical negligence, the health ministry said. Five of them have died. "As of today we have detected 61 children infected with the HIV virus in southern Kazakhstan, of whom five have died," ministry spokesman Moris Abdulin told AFP.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_kmafp/is_200609/ai_n16929449

4. Tainted Vaccine Research

It's getting harder and harder to know who to trust when it comes to medical research. More often than not, the conclusions being reached are published by people with a financial interest in that conclusion, not an overriding desire for the truth. This was the case in 2004, when one doctor was outed for publishing conclusions he was more or less paid to reach.

Andrew Wakefield, the doctor who champions the alleged link between measles, mumps and rubella vaccine and autism in young children, stands discredited for misleading his medical colleagues and The Lancet, the professional journal that published his findings.

The investigation has found that when he warned parents to avoid MMR, and published research claiming a link with autism, he did not disclose he was being funded through solicitors seeking evidence to use against vaccine manufacturers.

http://briandeer.com/mmr/lancet-deer-1.htm

5. Softball and Narcotics

Back in 2003, a softball coach got the axe when it became known that she was doling out narcotics to her players. Little did the world know back then that this story was just a prelude to the widespread scandal of performance enhancing drug use in both softball and baseball. A USA Today article describes some of the events leading up to the coach's firing:

In October, state health investigators suspended the license of William Scheyer, who had been team physician for softball, after determining he improperly prescribed and dispensed large quantities of narcotics, tranquilizers and other prescription drugs to Huskies softball players in recent years.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/soccer/2003-12-22-wilson-firing_x.htm

6. Medical Company Price Fixing

Competition might be the law of the marketplace, but many big name companies conspire to fix prices anyway. Doing this allows all of the companies to profit by agreeing amongst themselves to never charge less than a certain amount. This is exactly what has been going on in the medical industry as of late, as a YourHealthAndBalance.com article explains:

The supply of medicine to public hospitals is lucrative business worth billions of rands annually. Adcock Ingram, the leading supplier of hospital products in the country, teamed up with its competitors - Dismed Criticare, Thusanong Health Care and Fresenius Kabi South Africa - to rig government tenders worth hundreds of millions of rands.

http://blog.yourhealthandbalance.com/2008/02/medicine-industry-hit-by-pricing-fixing.html

7. Medical School Kickbacks

One of the most outrageous practices in medicine is when an institution gives advice based on money and not on health, such as prescribing a certain drug because the manufacturer pays you a kickback. A similar case unfolded in 2006 at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. It turns out that the school has been paying kickbacks to doctors in exchange for the doctors agreeing to refer heart patients to the school. A New York Times article offers further insights into the details of the scandal:

A report issued last week by the monitor, Herbert J. Stern, a former federal judge and United States attorney, charged that 18 cardiologists had taken part in the illegal kickback scheme and had defrauded Medicare and Medicaid of $36 million. The report also accused the university's interim president, Bruce C. Vladeck, whom Gov. Jon S. Corzine appointed in the spring, of covering up the misconduct.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/24/nyregion/24hosp.html

docshop.com

The Top 100 Open Source Software Tools for Medical Professionals

Open source software benefits professionals in all industries: government, Internet, business, education, and even health care. Expensive software and subscriptions for anti virus systems, supporting electronic medical records and even phone or e-mail communications can put on a strain on small clinics as well as larger hospitals. Open source tools are free, highly customizable, and secure enough to handle the sensitive data that medical professionals often work with. Read below for our list of the top 100 open source software tools that benefit health care professionals.

Medical Billing and Electronic Medical Records

These open software tools will help you manage your medical practice, from organizing EMRs to billing.

FreeMED The FreeMED project is a “system for medical providers that runs in any web browser in multiple languages.” FreeMED will keep your EMRs safe and organized.

Despite being free, open source software maintains the same integrity of its commerical counter-parts.

OpenEMR Take paperless billing to the next level by transitioning to an open source format. OpenEMR features appointment scheduling, patient registration, payment tracking and more.

OpenEMR Current OpenEMR Current is another electronic medical records software system.

OpenEMR Virtual Appliance This version of OpenEMR open source software runs with the FreeVMware Player and features the FreeB billing application.

FreeB This GPL medical billing program can be used with any EHR system and “tracks basic demographics, procedure codes and diagnosis codes.”

SmartCare This software develops EMR programs that can be used in disadvantaged countries, particularly Zambia.

XChart XChart is a project by the Open Healthcare Group that promotes EMR, based in XML.

OpenMRS This medical record system is a Web-based open source program that is designed for medical professionals working in developing countries.

Open Dental Software This set of tools is designed just for dental offices. Doctors and staff can manage inventory, appointments and more.

ClearHealth ClearHealth is powered by open source software and “covers the five major areas of practice operations including scheduling, billing, EMR, HIPAA Security and accounts receivable.”

Antivirus, Security and Privacy

From protecting and saving your research data to keeping patient information private, these open source security tools are vital for any medical professional.

PeerGuardian 2 PeerGuardian is an IP blocker for Windows operating systems.

Eraser This free software program lets users remove private files from their hard drive through an advanced overwriting technique.

Clam Win Perfect for health care professionals on a budget, this antivirus software is completely free. It also features high detection rates for spyware, a scanning scheduler, and an app that searches Outlook for virus-infected attachments.

PktFilter Certain Windows users can utilize this security tool which configures IPv4 filtering devices.

The Open Anti Virus Project Access a free anti virus system here.

SuperShredder This file-shredding software makes sure sensitive data is completely destroyed.

Communications

Zimbra Zimbra’s e-mail solution is used in government offices, education institutes and other business environments. Medical professionals will benefit from its fast backup and recovery of mailboxes, anti-spam and anti-virus protection, BlackBerry and other mobile device support, and flexible applications.

Thunderbird 2 Organize your inbox with the help of Thunderbird 2, a tool that “allows you to customize your e-mail to suit your needs.”

phpBB Set up a forum on your medical blog or website with this popular program.

Mirth This solution supports HL7 messaging, letting healthcare professionals manage and customize data interfaces.

Asterisk This “complete telecommunications platform” features telephony actions like voicemail set up and call conferencing, so you can cut down on phone bills.

hMailServer Cut down on costs with this free e-mail server for Windows.

Pidgin This tool is especially useful for medical professionals who travel or are in private practice. Consolidate all of your IM accounts with this tool, which allows you to communicate with patients, family and vendors from AIM, Google Talk and other IM clients.

aMSN If you’re addicted to your MSN chat service but need to communicate with contacts who use other clients, use aMSN to chat with users from any network. aMSN also features webcam support, offline messaging and chat logs.

MailArchiva Organize your inbox with this open source tool that will help you archive incoming and outgoing e-mails.

OpenMoko Learn about the project to “free your phone” and customize your mobile experience here.

Podcast Generator Design and publish your own podcast with this open source software program. It comes with multi-language support, Web mp3 streaming and the ability to support any media file type, including mp3s, oggs, and mixed audio/video podcasts.

Graphics and Imaging

Use these graphics and imaging tools to view brain images, 3D images and more.

Eviewbox DICOM This Java tool is a portable digital light box that lets medical professionals view all kinds of images, including DICOM images.

Gallery Share photos with patients and office staff by using this open source tool. You can upload pictures onto your website and organize online photo albums.

Medical Image Viewer This free program reads DICOM, raster and Analyze/Nifti images. Doctors can upload and manipulate medical images on their computers with this program.

Medical Imaging Interaction Toolkit Also known as MITK, this tool features plane rotation modes, 2D and 3D views, RAW image import and data storage.

BrainVisa This interactive software shows different images of the brain.

ParaView ParaView is used “for parallel, interactive, scientific visualization,” according to Wikipedia.

ClearCanvas Workstation ClearCanvas’ Workstation 1.0 is a DICOM PACS viewer for medical professionals.

Endrov Endrove is a plugin that acts as a database, library and imaging program. Users can create their own editing tools, and the program can support XYZ, time and channel dimensions.

3D Slicer This multi-platform visual and image computing software system features manual editing capabilities, fusion and data co-registering, “visualization of tracking information for image-guided procedures” and interactive options.

MedINRIA This medical image and processing tool displays high-quality algorithms.

AMIDE This tool is “a competely free tool for viewing, analyzing, and registering volumetric medical imaging data sets.” AMIDE runs on Macs, PCs, Linux machines and more.

Tempo Tempo displays brain electrical activity on your computer in a 3D format. Features include animated topographic maps, a 3D rotating head model and a free download.

Content Management Tools

Manage your medical blog or website with these user-friendly open source tools, which allow you to reach a wider audience and share your advice.

Joomla Joomla supports “cutting edge content management” that stores images, presentations, and documents. It also has a simple installer, features an image manager and more.

XOOPS Manage your web content with XOOPS, whether you’re setting up a forum on your site or just want to work on your blog.

Drupal Drupal is flexible enough to support personal blogs and large interactive sites. Features include easy searching capabilities, indexing, customization accessories, online help and more.

WebGUI WebGUI is “web done right.” It currently runs 10,000 websites, and allows users to sell and advertise products, maintain subscription services, beef up site security, publish articles, upload photos and more. It works whether you want to start your own healthcare business or simply dispense advice and attract new patients.

Caisis This program tracks and manages data relating to cancer patients.

Research and Reference

For quick assistance for your research studies, take advantage of these open source reference items.

XTerm Medical Dictionary This medical dictionary and database is updated twice a month, so you’re always current.

OpenClinica This open source project is a “web-based electronic data capture system for clinical research.” The tool lets users manage data, submit new information, extract data, manage accounts and more.

PubMed The U.S. National Library of Medicine sponsors this search tool that includes life science journals and other references.

caGrid 1.1 In an effort to connect scientists, tools and the medical community, this project makes cancer research data more accessible.

MEDLINE Medline is a free web-based database that holds journals, articles and other references for scientists and medical researchers.

MIX MIX is a meta-analysis tool that’s free and open source. It works with Microsoft Excel and “can be used to reproduce the meta-analytical calculations and graphical data explorations of virtually all” meta-analysis data sets.

LOINC This free and open database is designed to “facilitate the exchange and pooling of results…for clinical care, outcomes management, and research.” LOINC stands for Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes.

The National Drug Code Directory Look up drug products and information in this government directory.

Multimedia

For open source software to make the most of your audio, visual and mobile files, look to these free tools.

Krut Computer Recorder Save and record audio and video from your computer screen with the Krut Computer Recorder.

Juice If you’re in surgery while your favorite medical podcast or Internet program runs, you can use Juice to “create your own custom online audio anytime.”

National Heart Lung and Blood Institute Interactive Tools and Resources Access applications and reference tools from the NHLBI for your Palm OS or PocketPC device.

WFDB Software Package WFDB, or WaveForm DataBase, Software Package is a toolkit “for viewing, analyzing and creating recordings of physiologic signals. It comes with a WFDB library, a set of user-friendly applications and more.

Sispread Sispread allows medical professionals to simulate the effects and tracking of the spreading of infectious diseases.

Miro With Miro, you can “turn your computer into an Internet TV.” Look up medical stories on the Discovery channel, catch up on the news during your break in the office, or upload your own YouTube tutorial to help others learn more about their health problems.

Audacity Record patient interviews or your own notes using Audacity, a free, cross-platform sound editor that works with Mac OS X, Windows, GNU/Linux and other systems.

Moosic De-stress in your office or in the operating room with this computer jukebox for Unix systems.

HandBrake This version of HandBrake can translate audio and DVD files, as well as access Apple audio support, letting users watch video on their iPhones in a seamless format.

puka puka is a software program from Physionet that is designed “for detection of breaths in strain gauge recordings.” The system is written in Java, and can read and write data from MySQL databases.

PeerCast This p2p broadcasting tool lets medical professionals watch and listen to relevant tutorials, lectures and podcasts online. PeerCast also “lets anyone become a broadcaster without the costs of traditional streaming.”

MediaPortal Since you spend so much time at work anyway, why not turn your PC into a media center to help you de-stress, catch up on the news, or even listen to music while you operate?

Storing Patient Information

Keep track of patient records with tools these open source office suites, address books and more.

Open Office Open Office is the open source solution to the office suite. Create word processing documents, spreadsheets, and databases to stay organized. It’s also compliant with all other office suites.

The Address Book Simply known as The Address Book, this tool can hold a “virtually unlimited” amount of contact info.

Rubrica Rubrica is an address book for GNOME desktop users. It stores data based on XML but can export information to HTML and text formats too.

PostgreSQL This program claims to be “the world’s most advanced open source database.” It can read foreign keys, works on many different operating systems and supports features like a point-in-time recovery system, online backups and more.

Freemed YiRC Often abbreviated as FMYiRC, this tool is designed for child care agencies and youth in residential care organizations that need help setting up case management and information systems.

Bots Share patient information and records by taking advantage of Bots’ “any-to-any-format” data conversions, secure communications and other features.

Chiapas Chiapas is an HIPAA data translation solution that lets users supplement their SQL databases and patient information.

Future SQL Administrators can manage, configure, and set up records and files on their MySQL database with this tool, which includes a data dictionary, customizable templates and more.

SugarCRM Visit the SugarCRM site for open source tools that help you manage vendor information, patient contacts and more.

General Tools that Work for Everyone

Below is a list of general open source tools that prove useful to medical professionals too.

Firefox This popular open source browser is fast and extremely customizable. From reference dictionaries to search engine add-ons, you can easily access research material and client information from your Firefox toolbar.

Feedreader Feedreader is a tool that brings you the news you want quickly and easily. A user-friendly format means that you won’t have to waste time clicking through pages or figuring out the next step.

BitPim BitPim “allows you to view and manipulate data on many CDMA phones from LG, Samsung, Sanyo and other manufacturers,” so that you don’t have to put up with annoying ring tones or sloppy display formats.

DBDesigner 4 Design your own database using DBDesigner 4.

Sunbird Use this desktop calendar to keep you on schedule and up to date on appointments, presentations and more.

K-Meleon Make your Internet search even faster when you use this highly customizable, “light” Internet browser.

FreeMind FreeMind is a free mind mapping software tool that will help you brainstorm, make decisions and prioritize.

Bluefish Medical professionals who are also web savvy can edit websites, write scripts and develop programming codes for their sites and blogs with Bluefish.

Time Stamp This tool helps freelance and private practice healthcare professionals keep track of their billable hours.

Collaboration Tools

Collaborate with other medical professionals by networking online, inviting them to work on your desktop or taking advantage of remote access applications.

GNOME This version of the GNOME desktop features a remote desktop, simplified keyboard settings, networked filesystems, DVD and Digital TV capabilities and more.

Portable Apps Medical professionals who use Windows can take all of their computer’s applications with them wherever they go with this nifty tool.

MirrorMed MirrorMed is a web-based, open source EHR and practice management system that “is capable of running a healthcare practice.”

MedMapper Download this “medical decision-making algorithm tool” here. Medical professionals can create visual algorithms to explain processes and collaborate on projects.

MyDrugRef Find out what other healthcare professionals think about drugs and prescription medicines on this online forum and networking site.

Storing, Sharing and Managing Files

Manage and share files with these two open source tools, which are free and customizable.

Filezilla This FTP solution is free, easy to use and multilingual. The system runs on Windows, Linux and Mac, and can transfer files larger than 4GB.

eMule eMule is a peer-to-peer file sharing client that lets you download all types of files from the Internet, making it useful for research and preparing presentations.

For Patients

From public health to patient diaries, these open source programs are highly beneficial for medical professionals who work on cases large and small.

Diets in Details Help your patients lose weight by introducing them to this free software program. It includes a database with over 50,000 food names and info., a calorie counter and a diary.

HippoDiary This spreadsheet-like medical diary gives patients the tools they need to document their health and keep a health diary. It includes an XY-chart, customizable fields, and the ability to do mathematical calculations.

BMI Calculator Quickly calculate your BMI or a patient’s BMR with this simple tool.

Food Additives Nutritionists will enjoy this program that lists the food additives to avoid and checks the food you just bought to see how many harmful additives it contains.

AcreSoft Health Stars For patients who have trouble staying on schedule and remembering to take their pills, introduce them to this free program that tracks blood sugar, miles walked, steps walked, doctor’s visits and more.

NetEPI This public health and epidemiology project includes several different open source tools that feature a web-based outbreak database tool and more.

InfluSim This tool lets medical professionals witness the simulated effects of an influenza pandemic.

Tapeworm GNOME desktop users can use Tapeworm to track calorie, fat, protein and carb intake, as well as exercise efforts, weight gain or loss and more.

Miscellaneous

Find more miscellaneous tools here, from health information systems to free operating systems.

Care2X This open source project includes a central data server, health exchange protocol, practice management and hospital/healthservice information system.

Open Health Services This program “allow[s] for a wide variety of safe, secure reports and services to be delivered to consumers, leveraging the power of their electronic medical records.” Patients can access personal health records, manage sleeping and dietary habits, and more.

Debian Debian isn’t just one open source software tool: it’s a free operating system based on Linux.

ondd.org

7 Simple Ways To Burst Out of Bed Each Morning

7 Simple Ways To Burst Out of Bed Each Morning:

1. Appointment With Waking
2. The King and The Pauper Way Of Eating
3. Living With Purpose
4. Plan Your Day
5. The Water Hack
6. Work That Body
7. Have 'Me' Time

Shop and Eat Locally

Innumerable books and other media extol the virtues of eating food that's grown and processed near you: it benefits the planet, it benefits the farmers, it tastes better, it's better for you. Read Michael Pollan or Barbara Kingsolver for examples.

But piecing together a local menu isn't as easy as going to the Local aisle of your supermarket. Here are some tips for bringing your meals closer to home.

1. Start small. Shopping locally goes against the grain (pun intended) of our globalized economy, so it's not the easiest thing to do. Even if you live in a region that's rich in vegetables and meats, chances are you won't have easy access to staples like sugar, salt, oil, and flour. Just focus on what you can get, and keep an eye out for sources and/or substitutes for what you can't.

2. Personalize. If you want to try the classic 100-mile diet, you can find your personal 100-mile radius at 100milediet.org.

3. Get a supplier. You can find farms, greenmarkets, and locally oriented stores in your area using web tools offered at Eatwellguide.org and Localharvest.org. If you live in a city, investigate CSA -- Community-Supported Agriculture. Citydwellers pay a fee to subscribe to a farm, and get a share of its output delivered in weekly boxes of joy. Just Food offers a listing for New Yorkers.

4. Assure authenticity of local supplier. Some so-called farmers markets allow vendors to resell wholesale produce to unsuspecting consumers. The best markets, in contrast, are producer-only markets with rules that prohibit reselling. There are resources on the Web that can help you distinguish real farmers markets from the imposters, such as Truly Local. If you are unfamiliar with a farmers market, you should ask the vendors or the market manager what rules they follow.

5. Find support. The web offers plenty of community and support for local eaters. Eat Local Challenge is a group blog with first-person stories, advice, and tips on every aspect of eating locally, as well as plenty of links to local groups, including one near you.

6. Share the burden; share the wealth. Throw a 100-mile potluck dinner.

7. Reach out. Most importantly, talk to friends and neighbors, blogmates and the food vendors in your area. Learn about what you eat and what other people eat. Start a blog, form a community, bring people closer.

wired.com

12 Ways to Kill Stress Before Stress Kills You

1. Make quiet time: Whether you meditate daily, go to the gym three times a week, practice yoga, go hiking on the weekends, or just spend an hour a night with a book, you need to create a space where you can clear your mind of everything that’s dragging at you.

2. Stop procrastinating: You can put off important tasks, but you can’t put off worrying about them — and the stress that causes.

3. Write everything down: If forgetting something would cause you stress, make sure you’ve got it written down in a trusted system so you know you won’t forget.

4. Eat better: A good diet can help your body better deal with the effects of stress. A healthy diet isn’t all that complicated; as Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, puts it, Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. As a general rule, eat as much as you can from the "edges" of your supermarket — produce, bakery, butcher counter, dairy case — and save the stuff in the "middle" for once-in-a-while — Twinkies, Pop Tarts, potato chips, canned foods, instant meals, etc.

5. Make family time: Try to eat at least one meal a day with your family (or with friends if you’re single). Better yet, eat at least one homecooked meal a day with your family/friends.

6. Talk it out: Bottling up your frustrations, even the little ones, leads to stress. Learn to express dissatisfaction (in a constructive, non-hurtful way) and to voice your worries and fears to someone close to you.

7. Prioritize: Figure out what in your life actually needs attention and what doesn’t. Know what you can easily let slide — and what you can drop entirely — and focus your energy on things that will actually make a difference in your life.

8. Have routines: Having a set routine means you don’t have to worry about what comes next; after a while, it becomes second nature.

9. Accept interruptions gracefully: Don’t let your rituals become so rigid that you can’t function if they’re interrupted. Leave yourself enough wiggle room to adapt to changing conditions.

10. Know when to quit: Don’t stand for employers, friends, or lovers who treat you badly. Decide how much of yourself you’re willing to put into a relationship, job, or activity; when you cross that line, walk away and don’t look back. This applies to the little things ("At 5 pm, I go home") and the big things ("If things aren’t better after 6 months of marriage therapy, I want a divorce").

11. Pay attention to yourself: Notice when you feel stressed, and determine the cause. Notice when your body hurts or you feel unhappy, and determine why — or see a doctor. Figure out whether the things you’re doing are fulfilling your own definition of a good, productive life — or somebody else’s. Give up unnecessary competition (you need to make a better product than your competitor does; you don’t need to have a prettier girlfriend or a faster car than he does).

12. Love: Build relationships. Share yourself. Feel human warmth.

lifehack.org

50 Ideas for a Healthy Lifestyle that take 10 Minutes or Less

1. Brush your teeth

2. Do 15 sit-ups

3. Read the health news headlines of the day

4. Straighten your posture

5. Eat an apple

6. Stand up and stretch

7. Send a friendly email to a friend

8. Resist the impulse purchase of a candy bar

9. Post an inspirational quote on Twitter

10. Do 10 lunges

11. Drink a glass of water

12. Smile

13. Put a package of oatmeal in your pocket or purse for a healthy breakfast or snack

14. Throw a bottle of water in there as well

15. Plug your cell phone into the charger

16. Pay a bill online

17. Ask to have your salad dressing on the side

18. Start a dollar jar to be added to once per day

19. Open a window

20. Say thank you to someone who deserves it

21. Take a deep breath

22. Put on your seat belt

23. Wake up 10 minutes earlier

24. Post a comment on a blog

25. Turn off the lights when you’re the last one out

26. Put on your make-up (this usually pertains to the ladies, but hey, whatever makes you happy)

27. Share a healthy recipe

28. Give your mother a call

29. Wash your hands

30. Put on hand lotion

31. Check your blood pressure

32. Jog in place for 9 minutes

33. Throw away that pen that doesn’t work

34. Take a canvas tote bag to the grocery store

35. Ask a friend to join you for a healthy dinner

36. Put down the remote control and get up to change the TV channel

37. Hug your kids

38. Replace your next cup of coffee with a cup of tea

39. Lay out your clothes for the next day

40. Put your car keys in the same place everyday

41. Take a 10 minute break

42. Suck on a breath mint

43. Add a little pepper to your salad

44. Load the dishwasher

45. Play FreeRice for 5 minutes

46. Take a quick walk

47. Prepare your coffee maker the night before

48. Skip your late evening grocery store run

49. While watching TV, do 5 push-ups during the commercial

50. Read this list over again and count how many things pertain to you

dumblittleman.com