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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News AP Entertainment Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Distinctly Northwest Readers' Choice Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Holiday Guide Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend December 26, 2006 Healthier Mondays replace resolutions By Sharon Johnson Let's call it "the day all health breaks lose." At least that's what the folks at Columbia University, and their public-private collaborators, are calling it. The idea is "Healthy Monday." Here's the deal. If you're like me, any New Year's resolve to "become a healthier person" evaporates fairly quickly in the first few weeks. Even the best and most creative resolutions seem to drift away in the busyness of a new year. But here's an opportunity I had not considered, by making each and every Monday the day I start a specific healthy behavior, I get 52 chances. For example, last year I make a plan to start each day with 10 minutes of meditation (eyes closed, sitting quietly, completely unplugged — a sort of guided self-imagery). I thought it would frame my day more positively and keep me mentally sharper (I read somewhere that it provided "a release of stress," "clearer thought processes "and an inner sense of well-being," and I thought, "Yup, I definitely want more of that.") I started out well with my resolve to meditate daily, really got into it. But on the fourth day, the dog (legs almost crossed) needed to go outside during my meditative getaway, and the following weekend we had guests who were literally sleeping all over the house (getaway was definitely not available, let alone any meditation). I faltered and then I stopped, beat myself up a little about it but soon forgot I'd even put forward any meditative resolve. A year passed, during which I kept bumping into people who meditated. To a person, they seemed stress-free, mentally clear, and generally quite relaxed. So when I heard about the "Healthy Monday" approach I thought "why not, what's the worst thing that could happen?" I think it almost guarantees me 52 10-minute meditations in the coming year. Advertisement Go to www.healthymonday.com for more detail on this concept or read about it in Tufts University Health and Nutrition Newsletter (December 2006). The approach appears to be catching on with advertisers and within universities. Who knows, it might help people stop smoking, one Monday at a time, or it could turn oatmeal-eating into an (at least) weekly routine. But before you leave, here is a little more information about meditation. It's usually described as the process of sitting quietly, eyes closed in a semi-darkened room and totally focusing your awareness on a meaningless word or a simple thought. The more often you do it the better you get. Hard science is sparse on the overall benefits, but there was an article in the journal "Stroke" a few year's back that said Transcendental Meditation (a particular form where you are given a "mantra" a two-syllable sound individually tailored to you) had measurable effects on reducing likelihood of stroke and, therefore (potentially) the risk of heart attack and stroke. (Two daily 20-minute sessions reduced arterial thickening notably.) Other articles (not necessarily rigorous science) say meditation positively affects cholesterol readings and lowers blood pressure. So next Monday (after I let the dog out) I am going to start meditating again. I'm not sure how it will go. I'll let you know in 52 Mondays. Sharon Johnson is as associate professor in the College of Health and Human Sciences at Oregon State University and on the faculty of the OSU Extension Service. Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2007 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems Online Casino Reviews Men's Clothing Fundraisers UK Homeowner Loans Discount Hotel Reservations Send Flowers Casinos Canada Texas Electric Choice Compare Electric rates in Texas Windermere Van Vleet Trunks, Footlocker Online poker at AbsolutePoker.com