Matt Abrahams, ’91, lecturer in organizational behavior, Graduate School of Business

#mattabrahams #talkfaster #talksmarter #relationships

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It’s natural to long for spring when it’s cold outside. But did you know, there’s a good reason why you may pine for green? Living landscapes are an important part of the outdoor lifestyle that Americans enjoy, but the benefits go beyond the barbeque and backyard baseball. Green spaces are necessary for your health.

“The advantages of grass and landscaping surpass the usual physical benefits that result from outdoor activity,” said Kris Kiser, president and CEO, Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI). “Numerous studies have found that people who spend more time outside or are exposed to living landscapes are happier, healthier and smarter. As you get ready to get outside this spring with your lawn mower and other outdoor power equipment, it’s great to know being outside is good for you.”

Researchers have studied the impact of nature on human well-being for years, but recent studies have found a more direct correlation between human health, particularly related to stress, and the importance of people’s access to nature and managed landscapes.

Getting dirty is actually good for you. Soil is the new Prozac, according to Dr. Christopher Lowry, a neuroscientist at the University of Bristol in England. Mycobacterium vaccae in soil mirrors the effect on neurons that Prozac provides. The bacterium stimulates serotonin production, which explains why people who spend time gardening, doing yard work, and have direct contact with soil feel more relaxed and happier.

Children who are raised on farms in a “dirtier” environment than an urban setting not only have a stronger immune system but are also better able to manage social stress, according to the National Academy of Sciences.

Living near living landscapes can improve your mental health. Researchers in England found that people moving to greener areas experienced an immediate improvement in mental health that was sustained for at least three years after they moved. The study also showed that people relocating to a more developed area suffered a drop in mental health.

Greening of vacant urban areas in Philadelphia reduced feelings of depression by 41.5% and reduced poor mental health by 62.8% for those living near the vacant lots, according to a study by a research team.

Green spaces can make you healthier too. People who live within a half mile of green space (such parks, public gardens, and greenways) were found to have a lower incidence of fifteen diseases by Dutch researchers — including depression, anxiety, heart disease, diabetes, asthma and migraines.

A 2015 study found that people living on streets with more trees had a boost in heart and metabolic health. Studies show that tasks conducted under the calming influence of nature are performed better and with greater accuracy, yielding a higher quality result. Spending time in gardens, for instance, can improve memory performance and attention span by 20%.

Living landscapes make you smarter. Children gain attention and working memory benefits when they are exposed to greenery, says a study led by Payam Dadvand of the Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology in Barcelona, In addition, exposure to natural settings may be widely effective in reducing attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms in children.

This applies to adults as well. Research has also shown that being around plants helps you concentrate better at home and at work. Charlie Hall, Ellison Chair in International Floriculture believes that spending time in gardens can improve attention span and memory performance by as much as 20 percent.

A National Institute of Health study found that adults demonstrate significant cognitive gains after going on a nature walk. In addition, a Stanford University study found that walking in nature, rather than a concrete-oriented, urban environment, resulted in decreased anxiety, rumination, and negative affect, and produced cognitive benefits, such as increased working memory performance.

Living landscapes help you heal faster. Multiple studies have discovered that plants in hospital recovery rooms or views of aesthetically-pleasing gardens help patients heal up to one day faster than those who are in more sterile or austere environments.

Physicians are now prescribing time outdoors for some patients, according to recent reports. Park Rx America is a non-profit with a mission to encourage physicians to prescribe doses of nature.

All of these benefits reinforce the importance of maintaining our yards, parks and other community green spaces. Trees, shrubs, grass, and flowering plants are integral to human health. Not only do they provide a place for kids and pets to play, they directly contribute to our mental and physical well-being.

More information can be found by visiting www.turfmutt.com

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Do you forget things easily?

Do you get derailed from a task easily or distracted by sounds and noises?

What about your IQ?

When my now 24-year-old son was just 9, a doctor thought he had ADHD, and I came this close to putting him on a stimulant. Even though I declined the medicine, I used natural fish oils high in DHA. He turned out to be naturally brilliant without any of those prescribed stimulants.

I’m not trying to alarm you about medications, but you should be informed so you can choose the best option for your loved ones. DHA fish oils are known to support a healthy brain and attention span in all people, young and old.

Studies have involved children and teenagers who had low levels of DHA and they, not surprisingly, had poor reading scores as well as behavioral problems. Could these children benefit from omega 3 supplementation? Low DHA in children aged 7 through 9 were associated with reading and comprehension that was below average, as well as behavioral issues. Why aren’t physicians considering DHA supplementation as a first-line treatment? Probably because the pharmaceutical sales people aren’t hyping those up.

Some studies point to DHA supplementation as a method of increasing overall intelligence as you get older. Can you imagine?! They based this finding on kids between the ages of 3 and 5 years old who had received omega 3 fat supplements as infants. Those kids outscored children who were in the placebo group who did not get the omega fats. By “outscored” I mean they had better results across the board on bot vocabulary and intelligence tests.

Omega-3 fatty acids seem to boost and balance your brain function. Basically, I’m saying we’re all fatheads and need good fats for our brain which consists of lipophilic cells.

About 60 percent or slightly more brain material is comprised of fat. Of the total fat, DHA makes up approximately 20 percent of your brain’s cerebral cortex. That’s the part of your brain that helps you think, learn a language, correctly perceive things, reason and comprehend. It is involved in voluntary movement so when you think I need to pick up that pen, your arm automatically does that for you, compliments of your cerebral cortex.

DHA plays an undeniable role for your cerebral cortex and your nerves. It’s found in unusually high levels in your neurons (the cells of your brain and spinal cord). That’s why patients with a TBI (traumatic brain injury) are told to take omega 3 fatty acids that are high in DHA content.

When you combine DHA fish oil with vitamin D or the calming mineral magnesium, the result can be even more astonishing, especially if you have other signs of cognitive decline such as memory loss, senior moments and problems making decisions.

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Jim Morelli, Nationally Recognized Health, Nutrition, Fitness and Lifestyle Expert

National Nutrition Month® is a nutrition education and information campaign sponsored annually by the American Dietetic Association. The campaign is designed to focus attention on the importance of making informed food choices and develop sound eating and physical activity habits. National Registered Pharmacist and Healthy, Nutrition and Wellness Expert Jim Morelli will provide the latest nutritional facts and key tips to help us eat smarter.

Jim will discuss:

• Make smart choices from every food group

• Finding a balance between food and physical activity

• Getting the most nutrition out of your calories

• How to make healthy choices when eating out

• Play it safe with foods. How to prepare, handle and store food properly to keep you and your family safe!!!

Jim Morelli:

Jim Morelli is an author, television personality and national lifestyle expert. Jim has appeared numerous times on a number of national TV, Radio, Internet stations as well as broadcast network affiliate stations across the country.

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About Colleen Burns
I havent always been a Mom on the Run. I used to chase stories as a reporter and anchor for a national news network, and covered local beats for CBS affiliates in Illinois and Minnesota. I was also producer for the nationally syndicated Emmy Award winning show Smarter Living, and contributed regularly for PBS and The Weather Channel. Once I started having kids (…and kept having them) I realized time-management had become my biggest job. If I could just get time on my side I might have a fighting chance at this Supermom-thing. So, I began searching out the best products, the quickest recipes, timesaving gadgets…you get the idea.
Time. Its a bugger. But, it doesnt have to rule our lives. There are products out there to help us. Look around the web site, and see what works for you. And if you have any ideas, let me know. We gals have to look out for each other.

http://www.momontherun.tv/

#colleenburns #momontherun

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