Saturday, October 25, 2008

Eat to Sleep

New research suggests that people with severe sleep apnea tend to eat a less healthy diet than people with milder apnea symptoms and those without the disorder. Obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA, occurs when the soft tissues at the back of the throat temporarily collapse during sleep, causing repeated breathing interruptions. Major symptoms include loud snoring and daytime sleepiness.

In the new study, researchers found that among 320 adults they assessed, those with severe symptoms of sleep apnea generally ate diets higher in cholesterol and saturated fat. While obesity does raise the risk of severe sleep apnea, the findings were not explained by the study participants' weight. The results, say the researchers, suggest that eating habits may contribute to the increased risks of heart disease and stroke seen in people with sleep apnea.

"This unhealthy diet may be one reason why sleep apnea contributes to a greater risk of cardiovascular disease," observed senior researcher Dr. Stuart Quan, of Harvard Medical School in Boston.

Among the patients assessed, those with severe OSA consumed an average of 9 extra grams of saturated fat and 88 extra milligrams of cholesterol per day compared with patients with mild symptoms or none at all. Those with severe OSA also exercised less, but that link appeared to be explained by their higher rate of obesity. In contrast, the higher fat and cholesterol intakes were independent of patients' weight, Quan said.

Dr. Quan and his colleagues report their findings in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.

Coaching Inquiries: What sleeping problems do you have, if any? Who do you know who suffers from sleep apnea? What changes, if any, would you like to make in light of this study? How could you improve your diet to eat more fruits, vegetables, fish, and lean, free-range meats?

If you would like to learn more about our Coaching Programs and to arrange for a complementary coaching session, Click Here or Email Us.

Friday, October 10, 2008

The Human Slinky

OK, this one is pure fun. A friend recently put me on to a video of the human slinky, performing at halftime during a basketball game at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. Turn on the sounds, take four minutes, and enjoy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdbJlErcWZw

And if that's not enough, you might enjoy the home video of the human slinky teaching his 4-year old daughter how to do the routine. It's really quite adorable:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go_gyJ24W4I

Coaching Inquiries: What brings a smile to your face? When was the last time you played with a slinky? How could you find more time this week for rest and recovery?

If you would like to learn more about our Coaching Programs and to arrange for a complementary coaching session, Click Here or Email Us.

Saturday, October 04, 2008

Lighten Up

Perhaps you have seen the email going around with images of actual newspaper headlines and stories that will lighten up anyone's day. I don't have a link to the images themselves, but you can Google the headlines and read the stories. Just imagine reading one of these with your morning cup of tea. More than one brought a big smile to my face:

  • Alton attorney accidentally sues himself
  • County to pay $250,000 to advertise lack of funds
  • Volunteers search for old Civil War planes
  • Army vehicle disappears after being painted with camouflage
  • Meeting on open meetings is closed
  • DOE to do NEPA's EIS on BNFL's AMWTP at INEEL after SRA protest
  • Caskets found as workers demolish mausoleum
  • Waterford boy, 8, saves sister's life "I wouldn't do it again. She's been a pain this week."
  • Ten Commandments: Supreme Court says some OK, some not
  • Utah poison control center reminds everyone not to take poison
  • Federal Agents Raid Gun Shop, Find Weapons
  • Local toddler wins gun from fundraiser
  • Statistics show that teen pregnancy drops off considerably after age 25

Coaching Inquiries: What do you do to lighten up and laugh? What's stopping you from laughing right now? Who could join the chuckle? How could you make laughter a greater part of your everyday life?

If you would like to learn more about our Coaching Programs and to arrange for a complementary coaching session, Click Here or Email Us.

Play Smart

Why do children play? And what might be lost if children have no time or too much stress to play? New research indicates that play deprivation stunts the growth of brain cells with lifelong effects.

A story from the New York Times Magazine reviews a wide variety of hypotheses as to the value of play, including the play-as preparation hypothesis, the flexibility hypothesis, and the neurological hypothesis. Each have their proponents as well as their limitations when it comes to research-based evidence.

The author of the article concludes with the following paragraph:

"In the end, it comes down to a matter of trade-offs. There are only six hours in a school day, only another six or so till bedtime, and adults are forever trying to cram those hours with activities that are productive, educational and (almost as an afterthought) fun. Animal findings about how play influences brain growth suggest that playing, though it might look silly and purposeless, warrants a place in every child’s day. Not too overblown a place, not too sanctimonious a place, but a place that embraces all styles of play and that recognizes play as every bit as essential to healthful neurological development as test-taking drills, Spanish lessons or Suzuki violin."

I encourage you to read the entire article. Even more, however, I encourage you to make room for play in your own lives and the lives of the children you love. It warrants a place in all our days.

Coaching Inquiries: What do you do for fun? Who do you like to play with? How could you play more? Where are the children with whom you could connect and play?

If you would like to learn more about our Coaching Programs and to arrange for a complementary coaching session, Click Here or Email Us.