Increase Your Natural Immunities by Being Happy

We know we can increase our immunities by the foods we eat (and avoid), and the way we exercise. But it is also possible to build our immune system by changing our lifestyle; that is, by being upbeat and positive. Traditional medicine has generally said talked down this whole idea, and for the cynic in us we may think that they would endorse this idea if it could be sold in the pharmacy. But unless you spend money on therapy, you can get it all for free if you put your mind to it.

The first I had heard of this concept was from the experience of Norman Cousins. In 1976 he wrote of the way he beat a painful, life-threatening form of arthritis after doctors gave him little chance of recovery. After leaving the hospital he checked into a hotel, took huge doses of vitamin C and watched endless Marx Brothers movies, all the while roaring out loud with laughter. He has gone on to write about how people can heal themselves through laughter.

Though many immunologists are reluctant to recognize that a positive emotional state will have any impact on overall health, everyone seems to be in agreement that depression or stress will have negative health consequences. Studies as far back as the 1980s showed a connection between the brain and the immune system. So if stress or any other negative feelings can negatively affect health, why is it so hard to accept that positive emotions can positively affect health?

It is also interesting to note that not all pleasurable experiences give the same immunity benefits. Happiness derived from short-term emotional experiences does not provide the same benefits as those derived from activities that give life a greater sense of meaning and purpose. In other words, it's good to take care of ourselves and our individual needs, but even better to gain happiness from helping others and have a greater community involvement. Yet more evidence that our emotional state is tied to our immune system.

Unfortunately most people will find happiness to be quite elusive, as it is pretty much a mind-set most everyone searches for. As Abraham Lincoln once said, "Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." But for most people a lot of different things go into being happy. Certainly reducing stress will play a part, and there are tricks we can play on ourselves to keep it to a minimum. People that were put into stressful situations and then were given exercises to take their mind off that stress had significantly lower stress markers in blood samples than those that ruminated on the stressful situation. To put it another way, put your stress behind you.

A whole lifestyle reboot may be needed more than just changing a person's way of thinking. Besides managing stress and getting ample sleep regularly, keeping your insulin levels under control with a healthy diet is vital. Making water your beverage that you consume almost all the time and exercise on a regular business all plays a vital part. Everything contributes to changing your lifestyle habits.

Cruising With a Dietitian: How to Avoid Gaining Weight While at Sea

My husband and I just returned from a 7 night cruise from Baltimore to the Bahamas on the Carnival Pride. Since we've been back, I've had several people ask me the million dollar question: "How much weight did you gain?" Since this article is about my experience I'll tell you: about 3 pounds. So, let me rephrase my title:

Cruising with a Dietitian - - how to gain "just a little bit" of weight while at sea.

See, not being allowed to gain any weight would be unrealistic and just not any fun! I must admit that I am a little bit of a foodie and we did indulge in many of the culinary adventures the ship and ports had to offer: The "Chef's Table" tour of the galley and 7 courses tasting menu, a night at "David's" steakhouse, several servings of molten chocolate cake and deep fried cracked Conch in the Bahamas. I even indulged in a couple of Pina Coladas while lounging in the hot tub.

My measly three pounds is really not that much considering the statistics. The personal trainer from the ship's gym quoted me a figure of 7-14 pounds per cruise. A UK poll published last year by the Daily Mail quotes 1 pound a day. CruiseReview.com found the average weight gain on a 7-day cruise ranges between 5 to 10 pounds. Judging by some of the eating behaviors I witnessed on the ship, I would say that this could be accurate for those who really "let loose."

Here are my top 10 tips for minimizing weight gain while cruising:

1. Be a "Picky" Eater. No, I am not implying that you need to order chicken fingers at every meal like my son does. What I mean by "picky" is regarding the quality of the food. "Picky" means really two things: 1) not indulging in chicken fingers, mac and cheese, soft ice cream and other items that you can easily get while not vacationing. Save your calories for more epicurean adventures. On my cruise, there were quite a few unique options such as oysters Rockefeller, escargot and chilled mango soup. 2) "Picky" also mean not eating something unless it's REALLY good. If the fish is dry and cold, don't finish it. If your buffet food tastes bland, let the waiter take it away. If the cake is tasteless, just take 1 bite and stop. Remember: the "clean plate club" is not in session on cruise ships. Only clean your plate if you truly enjoy the food and if it's a "4-star" dish.

2. Utilize the Gym. Not having enough time can't be used as an excuse while at sea! You should be exercising more, not less. Most ships have cardio equipment, free weights and exercise classes. Sign up for a fitness class. My husband and I signed up for a group cycling class at 4pm one day which saved us a few hundred calories of afternoon cocktails - - we didn't indulge in a drink until the class was over. If you don't like the gym, there is also usually an outdoor track for walking/jogging. Walk the halls and explore every nook and cranny of the ship. Take the stairs as much as possible instead of the elevators. Think of the cruise as a "spa vacation": take care of your body, exercise, use the steam room, indulge in a massage, etc. All of these activities are food free.

3. Opt for the dining room over the buffet. Yes, you can order anything you want, but you have to wait for the different courses. Slowing down the meal time will decrease the amount you eat. It can take 10-20 minutes for your stomach to send a message to your brain that it's full so having down time between each course is helpful. As an added bonus, the portions served in the dining room on many cruise ships are small - - just don't order 2 entrees! For most meals, I ordered a salad, a soup, an entrée and split a dessert with my husband.

4. "Scout the Buffet Line". If you must go the buffet, scout out your options. Choose 3-5 items in total that you most want to eat. Remember that there will be another buffet and more things to try for the next meal. Food researcher, Brian Wansink writes in the April 2013 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine: "Skinny people are more likely to scout out the food. They're more likely to look at the different alternatives before they pounce on something -heavy people just tend to pick up a plate and look at each item and say, 'Do I want it? Yes or no.'