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Gratitude as a Health Tool

Gratitude can improve your life, and may even save it! No really. Dartmouth posted this web page on the importance of gratitude: http://www.umassd.edu/counseling/forparents/reccomendedreadings/theimportanceofgratitude/

 

Here’s a clip from that page:

 

"Researchers ... are turning their attention to the study of gratitude and its relationship to health and mental well-being. I will present some of their findings here to help us understand how gratitude is helpful and why it's important to our well-being.

 

People who keep gratitude journals on a weekly basis have been found to exercise more regularly, have fewer physical symptoms, feel better about their lives as a whole, and feel more optimistic about their upcoming week as compared to those who keep journals recording the stressors or neutral events of their lives.


Daily discussion of gratitude results in higher reported levels of alertness, enthusiasm, determination, attentiveness, energy, and sleep duration and quality. Grateful people also report lower levels of depression and stress, although they do not deny or ignore the negative aspects of life.


People who think about, talk about, or write about gratitude daily are more likely to report having helped someone with a personal problem or offered emotional support to another person.


Those with a disposition towards gratitude are found to place less importance on material goods, are less likely to judge their own or others success in terms of possessions accumulated, are less envious of wealthy people, and are more likely to share their possessions with others.


Emerging research suggests that daily gratitude practices may have some preventative benefits in warding of coronary artery disease."

"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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@wilfulwrote:

What a cool contraption that is!  Have never seen such a thing - and I live in SoCal!   I may have to get me one! 

 

Am wondering - Do you wear a helmet?  While in Denver a few months ago - we noted that even the motorcycle riders did not wear helmets.  Here in Ca - all motorcycle riders must wear helmets,  and minors must wear them even on bycycles.


Yeppers: we wear helmets, have LED lights flashing, bright flags, reflectors, air horns ... and we stay off the roads. (Only use bike trails: these bikes are super low profile, nobody is looking down at that level, even those who are looking for a bike)

 

People here are free to kill and maim themselves by hogg if'n they want. Chalk one up for the gene pool, right?

 

Here's a pic of what we wear: 

Da Brim brand bicycling helmet visor

 

"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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@wilful wrote:

What a cool contraption that is!  Have never seen such a thing - and I live in SoCal!   I may have to get me one! 

 

Am wondering - Do you wear a helmet?  While in Denver a few months ago - we noted that even the motorcycle riders did not wear helmets.  Here in Ca - all motorcycle riders must wear helmets,  and minors must wear them even on bycycles.


Ditto for NJ! I'd rather have "helmet hair", than nothing intact to put a helmet on!


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Grateful for the changing of the seasons. Adore autumn's crisp air, warm colors, harvest bounty.

"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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Also grateful for the 2 mule deer 3-pointer bucks in the front yard a minute ago. Gorgeous.

 

And that we harvested and processed the remains of this year's homegrown organic, non-ocean depleting, glacier-sourced-water raised, fish this weekend. Now we can make a few upgrades to the 400 gallon fish farm we've kept in the greenhouse these past 5 years. Huzzbah!

 

2 month old tilapia in our wee family-sized farm9 months later; harvested homegrown tilapia

 

 

 

"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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@retiredtraveler wrote:

@Epster wrote:

I am grateful to be in a marriage that allows, nay expects, me to grow as a human being. I am grateful for a mate who is secure enough to allow me to keep reinventing myself. 


     I'm still waiting for DW to reinvent herself as a pole dancer...........................


Like this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeQ6jYzt6cM (<- Polish Dancers)

"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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I'm grateful for serendipity: those happy accidents, beneficial surprises of life. 

 

"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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As a chef, I am grateful for a husband who makes the world's best wild mushroom and wild onion omelets! Third morning in a row that I've been spoiled with one of these beauties! (Yep: a wee bit of bragging mixed in with this gratitude. Sorry.)

"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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@Epster - How close can/do you want to get, to the wildlife surrounding you? Do you put food out for them in bad winters?

 

I was watching "North Woods Law" on Animal Planet (Maine) the other day, and a fawn only a few days old got hung up in fencing. Although it was taken to a vet, it had too much damage to one leg, that they put it down. I feel terrible about the suffering of animals, especially the babies, who haven't even had a chance at life! 😞


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I'm grateful for a tip a friend gave a few months ago, about what to put on routine insect bites, to stop the itching!! Her tip was "toothpaste"; paste not gel, and preferrably mint. I've been doing a lot of gardening this summer, and have gotten bitten up from the knees down .. and the toothpaste works better than anything else I've tried!


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@EveRH wrote:

I'm grateful for a tip a friend gave a few months ago, about what to put on routine insect bites, to stop the itching!! Her tip was "toothpaste"; paste not gel, and preferrably mint. I've been doing a lot of gardening this summer, and have gotten bitten up from the knees down .. and the toothpaste works better than anything else I've tried!


Haha, I too am grateful for this tip.  I must remember this this.  Putting mint toothpaste on my grocery list.

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"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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@Epster wrote:

Three additional options for treating insect bites when/if you've no toothpaste: crush plaintain leaves and rub over affected area. Or use yellow (AKA curly) dock leaves. Or use any aerial part of the white yarrow plant (natural disinfectant, yarrow). Each of these plants grow wild.

 

P.S. There's a terrific take-with-you insect repellent one can make using a mixture of herbs (lavender, peppermint, tansy, lemon balm ...) and it has an amazing shelf life. An interested person could Google the recipe. We keep a bottle in our packs. Mosquitos HATE it, and the formula does not use chemicals, which, of course, is grand.


I have to believe it's much more likely that I'll have toothpaste available, than plantain or curley dock leaves! 🙂 As far as "repellent"; I just went out on the deck to refill the bird feeder, and in 3 minutes got a new bite on my foot. Maybe I should make that mixture of herbs & use it after my bath!!


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@EveRH wrote:
@Epster wrote:

Three additional options for treating insect bites when/if you've no toothpaste: crush plaintain leaves and rub over affected area. Or use yellow (AKA curly) dock leaves. Or use any aerial part of the white yarrow plant (natural disinfectant, yarrow). Each of these plants grow wild.

 

P.S. There's a terrific take-with-you insect repellent one can make using a mixture of herbs (lavender, peppermint, tansy, lemon balm ...) and it has an amazing shelf life. An interested person could Google the recipe. We keep a bottle in our packs. Mosquitos HATE it, and the formula does not use chemicals, which, of course, is grand.


I have to believe it's much more likely that I'll have toothpaste available, than plantain or curley dock leaves! 🙂 As far as "repellent"; I just went out on the deck to refill the bird feeder, and in 3 minutes got a new bite on my foot. Maybe I should make that mixture of herbs & use it after my bath!!


I laughed out loud, really.   

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"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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@Epster wrote:

@EveRH wrote:
@Epster wrote:

Three additional options for treating insect bites when/if you've no toothpaste: crush plaintain leaves and rub over affected area. Or use yellow (AKA curly) dock leaves. Or use any aerial part of the white yarrow plant (natural disinfectant, yarrow). Each of these plants grow wild.

 

P.S. There's a terrific take-with-you insect repellent one can make using a mixture of herbs (lavender, peppermint, tansy, lemon balm ...) and it has an amazing shelf life. An interested person could Google the recipe. We keep a bottle in our packs. Mosquitos HATE it, and the formula does not use chemicals, which, of course, is grand.


I have to believe it's much more likely that I'll have toothpaste available, than plantain or curley dock leaves! 🙂 



LOL! Possibly so, however these are widespread weeds, so you'll likely have one or two of them in your neighborhood.

 

As for me, I brush my teeth with baking soda (a paste made out of which is good for reducing the sting and swelling of bee stings) so the plant approach is generally more convenient.


I'm grateful for the 3 days spent with a couple of my sons and grandsons up in the high Sierras, camping and fishing.  Camped at the 9000 foot level.  Caught lotsa fish. Very tasty!

 

Epster - Check it out:

 

ww.md-health.com/Brushing-Teeth-With-Baking-Soda.html

 

Although baking soda is a natural teeth whitener, there are some negative side effects to brushing with it regularly.

  • A major disadvantage of baking soda is that it is slightly abrasive to the teeth's enamel, and if used repeatedly over time it can weaken the enamel. The erosion of the enamel can make the teeth more sensitive and more vulnerable to dental cavities. This type of damage is irreversible and can worsen over time.
  • Another disadvantage is the fact that baking soda doesn't kill bacteria, to prevent cavities you have to brush your teeth with toothpaste after brushing with baking soda.
  • Finally, if you have braces or permanent retainers you should not brush with baking soda, because baking soda can cause them to fall out and leave darker spots due to reactions with the baking soda."
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epster wrote: 

As for me, I brush my teeth with baking soda (a paste made out of which is good for reducing the sting and swelling of bee stings) so the plant approach is generally more convenient.


Boy, "everything old is new again"! I remember as a kid, my grandmother used some canned powder, that you'd make into paste for your teeth! Now there have to be close to 50 commercial toothpastes in supermarkets .. different brands, different flavors, different compositions (paste, gel, ??)


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I'm grateful that some people still understand "customer service"! After my car battery died Thursday, and was replaced, the door lock setting returned to the unwanted auto-lock default. According to the manual, it should be a 3 minute reset, but didn't work .. an experience other people blogged about online too. Yesterday I went to the dealer, thinking that if it was a 3 minute reset for the average car owner, it should be a 2 minute courtesy by a mechanic .. but was told there would be a "small charge" .. which wound up > $40! I wasn't pleased, but didn't want to take it out on the representative. I went home & e-mailed the dealership manager! An hour later, I got a call that a long-time customer shouldn't have been charged for such a minor adjustment, and they were crediting the full amount! I'm grateful .. it's not the money, but that I think something small like that should be a courtesy!!


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@EveRH wrote:
I'm grateful .. it's not the money, but that I think something small like that should be a courtesy!!
___

 

Rah! Let's hear it for the power of ask! The fellow to whom we are about to give our spendy recumbent order is the one and only dealer who said yes when I asked for a senior discount. 

"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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Grateful for good health and the time to enjoy it ...

"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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... and the free* organic greens and fruit salad dinner. Thanks Rewards for Good ...

 

 

 

* OK, it cost me 1,200 points, which is about a week's worth of mad clicking around, but, but, but hey BOGO is a good deal, especially when discovering a new-to-you healthy real food restaurant.

"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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... not to mention the 16 mile bike ride at a State Park ... or the abundance of pelican sightings along the route ...

"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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... but none of that compares to my gratitude for today's hiking itinerary (Hellllloo high country! Didja miss me?). Smiley Wink

"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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Returning this thread to its subject: gratitude ...

 

I'm grateful that our country set aside recreation lands so that interested parties could hike up to  alpine lakes such as this one, visited yesterday by DH and me.

 

italy lake.jpg

 

"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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@Epster wrote:

Returning this thread to its subject: gratitude ...

 

I'm grateful that our country set aside recreation lands so that interested parties could hike up to  alpine lakes such as this one, visited yesterday by DH and me.

 

italy lake.jpg

 


Methinks I best state gratitude for the bliss that was this weekend before the muscle pain kicks in tomorrow. 60 miles we did in three days of hiking and biking. 35 of those today on recumbent bikes. Completely grateful (in this moment) that we set aside time to hike to 5 alpine lakes this weekend (including the one above, though technically that's a tarn) and the afternoon of biking today. 

 

Tomorrow I expect to be grateful for aspirin.

"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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Huh. Instead of being grateful for aspirin this morning, I am just astounded (make that grateful) that I can walk without pain.
If you missed the why, see below.
@Epster wrote:


 

 

italy lake.jpg

 


Methinks I best state gratitude for the bliss that was this weekend before the muscle pain kicks in tomorrow. 60 miles we did in three days of hiking and biking. 35 of those today on recumbent bikes. Completely grateful (in this moment) that we set aside time to hike to 5 alpine lakes this weekend (including the one above, though technically that's a tarn) and the afternoon of biking today. 

 

Tomorrow I expect to be grateful for aspirin.


 

"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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epster wrote: 

Rah! Let's hear it for the power of ask! ..


All the way home from the dealer yesterday, I was annoyed at myself, for not pressing harder for them doing it as a "courtesy", asking to speak to a manager (I didn't think anyone was there on a Saturday). I shouldn't have tried to act laid-back, when the guy said the "small fee" was $40! Without attacking him, I felt I should have said, "A "small fee" would be $9.99 .. NOT $40 + tax!"


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@EveRH wrote:
I shouldn't have tried to act laid-back, when the guy said the "small fee" was $40! Without attacking him, I felt I should have said, "A "small fee" would be $9.99 .. NOT $40 + tax!"

Eh, I think I'd have done what you did. (I'm way better through email than face to face) The manager has the power to respond.

"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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@Epster wrote:
Eh, I think I'd have done what you did. (I'm way better through email than face to face) The manager has the power to respond.

I'm definitely better in writing too, when I can eliminate the emotion, and carefully craft my words!

 

A couple of years ago, I stopped in to the same dealership, because one of my brake lights was out. I thought I needed a new bulb, The service advisor removed the bulb himself & cleaned the base contact, then put the bulb back in .. and it worked again! he said it was a common occurrence, and wasn't worth the paperwork! But he's a senior guy, and I'd never seen the guy yesterday before. He may be following "the rules" to the letter .. if he doesn't feel comfortable using his own discretion .. or asking a senior person for guidance!


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I am grateful that the 2nd week of my big masonry project is finished. I can't believe that they'll have the whole thing done next week .. but it would be terrific, if they did!


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Grateful for the irrepressible American spirit, that's me.

"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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