wellness

One of the very highest risk factors for stroke is having high blood pressure. In fact, close to 80% of those suffering an initial stroke do.

As hard as it feels in those moments, the best thing you can do is to take action, with intent, to start to get out of that emotional funk so you can move on.

For people who struggle with depression, it can give the listener a feeling of having been "moved or touched--a type of 'pleasurable sadness.'"

Give it a try. Get a simple journal. Write everyday consistently everyday for around ten minutes. Do it for a month, at least. Let me know what happens.

We may not even notice the behaviors we're engaging in on a daily basis that may be contributing to mental and emotional degradation.

Believe it or not, according to the studies, "clutter can cause your stress levels to rise, which in turn can affect your physical and mental health."

"Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive..." Walter Scott from his poem Marmion

More than ever, we must be intentional about caring for ourselves. Like--really. It's not just optional anymore.

After seven studies, a review showed those who slept less than seven hours--once they began sleeping more--found they had reduced appetite. But that's not all.

Some confuse solitude with being lonely. But this is different. It's choosing to spend time getting to know yourself--almost as you would a friend.

There's no denying if you're depressed, lonely, or feeling generally melancholy during a time of year that's meant to be extra merry, it can make one extra sad.

You'll want to do each of the these exercises for 30 seconds each. After each 30-second stint, make sure and take a 10-second break before resuming.