BRAND GUYS — by Bill Vernick and Claire Farber

Review by Scott Keith

Editor’s note: I thought it would be fun to take this blog in another direction by reviewing an entertaining book that deals with a subject many baby boomers struggle with…how to get back in the dating scene.

These days, it’s hard to start a relationship. It seems everybody is multi-tasking.  There’s not enough time in the day to map a strategy for finding that significant other. While there are dating web sites, and the ever-popular produce aisle at the corner supermarket, there’s one approach you probably have never thought about.

Bill Vernick and Claire Farber have written Brand Guys to show a woman how to choose Mr. Right based on the products he purchases.

In an email interview with Men and Health: It’s a Guy Thing, Vernick says the idea of Brand Guys came from a routine consumer marketing focus group.

According to Vernick, “At the group, a woman said that when the time came and she agreed to go back to ‘his place,’ she liked to search through a guy’s bathroom. She figured the products he used might tell her something about this guy. We said, ‘ah-HA!’ and asked other women if they did the same thing.” Many woman did, the authors found out.

Vernick and Farber believe women can really get to know a guy by the brands he buys. “The brand a man uses creates HIS brand. If he drives a Beemer and drinks Johnnie Walker, he’s one brand; if he drives a Volvo and drinks Ocean Spray, he’s another. Women told us brands helped them figure who a guy really is,” Vernick said.

Brand Guys reveals that a lot of guys who use similar brands all share similar personalities.

“Brands are like comfort food,” Vernick said. “A guy feels good about Tom’s of Maine Toothpaste. He knows it’s safe to use, doesn’t harm animals and respects nature. Other guys who like Tom’s are the same way. They care about the same things; their personalities reflect this!”

As you read the book, you’ll discover ten brands of guys. Vernick said, “Each chapter focuses on a certain brand of guy, like Bud Guy, Beemer Guy and Redbull Guy. The chapters give us a look at this brand’s personality, looks, clothes, dating habits, clues to know him, how to find him, the perks of being with him!”

Brand Guys offers testimonials from women. The idea is to help women find the perfect guy.

Vernick and Farber believe Brand Guys will take the guesswork out of relationships.

“We know dating is crazy difficult. Brand Guys can help women point themselves in the right direction – the book says be true to yourself, don’t change yourself – then we’ll help you find the brand of guy that matches you.”

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Bill Vernick (co-author) worked as a film editor in his first job cutting documentaries, commercials, movie trailers and low budget features. During this time he sold his first screenplay, but spent years explaining that the resulting film had little to do with the script he wrote.  It later found an audience on video and a surprising number of fans on the web.  Bill wrote other screenplays, including “She Kills Me”, and worked in Los Angeles adapting novels for the screen.  He headed back to NYC and found work at advertising agencies as a writer and creative director, during which time he co-created “The Best Part Of Wakin’ Up Is Folgers In Your Cup” and many other campaigns.  Bill wrote and directed “You’d Better Be Right” a short film which won awards at the Houston International and Suffolk County Film Festivals, was distributed internationally, gaining a following in Scandanavia, which Bill is hard-pressed to explain.  Today, he writes screenplays, TV commercials and has branched out into new product invention, creating over 8000 new product concepts.  Bill makes short films (one has 30,000 hits on YouTube) and has also written numerous magazine articles, which are gathered at ezine.com. Bill is currently at work on two other books, one non-fiction and the other a novel based on his own screenplay.

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Claire Farber (co-author) has been a Branding and Brand Innovation Consultant for nearly 20 years.  Her passion is for figuring out what makes consumers tick, and leveraging that deep understanding of unmet consumer needs and wants in order to build better brands and brand innovations that will help create more meaningful relationships between brands and their users.  Some of the brands she has worked with include J &J, Colgate, Unilever, Hershey, Pepsi, Kraft, Pepperidge Farm, Campbell Soup, American Express, Pfizer, and more.  Much of this passion for brands and brand insight comes from her years in the field of advertising, working at such shops as J Water Thompson, Leo Burnett and Ogilvy & Mather. In her spare time, Claire has penned a novel, collaborated on several screenplays, and is an avid lover of yoga.  She is also a big believer in the power of authentic love and its ability to transform the world. Her hope is that Brand Guys will help to make the world a better place one happy relationship at a time.  Claire is a graduate of the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University, where she obtained her MBA in Marketing, and she holds a Bachelors Degree from Tufts University.

 

ABOUT THE PUBLISHER:

Motivational Press is the leading mid-tier publisher of transformational and influential books, and is aligned with some of the greatest and most distinguished experts in personal development, health, leadership, business, relationships, and teens.

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Available at:

AMAZON: Click here

Barnes and Noble: Click here

Catch Brand Guys videos on YouTube

What to do if you’re bedridden — guest post by Austin Sheeley

A Hill-Rom hospital bed (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Being bedridden is a challenge both physically and mentally. You may start to feel lonely or depressed and your body  could develop bedsores. But remember, you’re not alone. This is an issue many people have faced. You may not be able  to control the circumstances that made you bedridden, but  you can control how you adapt and grow because of it.

Caring for Your Mental State

If you’re bedridden, don’t allow boredom, or worse yet, depression take over. Instead, keep yourself mentally active  and have some fun! Here are just a few ways.

1.    Pray/Meditate
Prayer and meditation help us center ourselves and remember  what’s important. They’ve helped many, many people  through trying times.
2.    Practice Thankfulness
Many psychologists believe that true, lasting happiness  comes not from getting everything you want, but from being  thankful for everything you have. Don’t let life’s  trials stop you from seeing life’s blessings.
3.    Learn!
Now is the perfect time to learn. Take an online class. Or  simply choose a subject that interests you and learn  everything you can about it. Thanks to computers and the  internet you may even be able to get a job or do volunteer  work online.
4.    Do Physical Activities From Bed
Even though you can’t run a 4K at the moment, that  doesn’t mean you can’t do any physical activities. If  you’re able, try playing guitar, knitting, or doing other  simple things from bed.
5.    Do Good for Others
Some believe that true happiness comes from doing good for  others. Send a loved one an encouraging email. Call a lonely  friend. Answer people’s questions online, or provide  encouraging feedback to one of the internet’s many wannabe  authors.
6.    Read
If ever there was a good time to catch up on reading, this  is it. See if your caretaker can bring you some books from  the library.

Caring for Your Physical State

Another way to avoid becoming depressed is to take good care  of your physical body. Now more than ever it’s important  to—

1.    Eat Healthy
Proper eating will help you maintain strength and avoid  physical decline. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables, and  make sure to get some protein. Avoid excessive sugars or  fatty foods.
2.    Drink Lots of Water
Water is important for circulation and cleansing so you can  stay healthy.
3.    Exercise If You Can
Some bedridden people may be able to walk across the room.
Others can sit up in a chair for a while. Whatever you can  do,  do it—even if it’s simply rolling from side  to side in bed.
4.    Reposition Yourself Every 2 Hours

If you can, reposition yourself every two hours with the  help of a bed rail or bed trapeze. This will help you  prevent bedsores—injuries to the skin caused by the  prolonged pressure of lying in one position.
5.    Use Pressure Prevention Products
In addition to repositioning yourself, you may want to use a  pressure prevention pad or mattress. These products help  prevent bedsores and can allow current bedsores to heal.
Bony areas of your body, such as hips, elbows, and the back  of feet, are particularly susceptible to bedsores so  consider getting a cushion or bed wedge to protect them.
6.    Keep Your Skin Clean
Ask your caregiver to regularly wash your skin with mild  soap and warm water, dry it off and inspect it daily for  bedsores. Depending on your condition, you may be able to do  some of the inspecting yourself.

Austin Sheeley is a senior health blogger for home medical  supplies store, http://www.justhomemedical.com, which offers a wide  variety of pressure prevention pads and other bedsore  related products.

Oncologist: Meditation is now Science-approved medicine — guest post

English: Meditation (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There have been countless anecdotal claims about the benefits of practicing meditation since the Eastern tradition has become more popular in the West. Now, there’s plenty of Western-based scientific evidence to support them, says Dr. Matt Mumber, a radiation oncologist and co-director of a non-profit integrative oncology program.

“Meditation is to the brain what physical activity is to the body. We’ve found meditation to be an important facet of health care, both for prevention and maintenance as well as in the treatment of disease, including cancer,” says Dr. Mumber, co-author with colleague and Yoga instructor Heather Reed of “Sustainable Wellness: An Integrative Approach to Transform Your Mind, Body, and Spirit,” (www.sustainablewellnessonline.com).

Mumber and Reed, who are co-facilitators of non-profit residential retreats for cancer patients, say one can experience sustainable wellness by developing a life practice grounded in the cultivation of awareness. This awareness is paying attention without attachment. The ability to be aware can be increased by a meditation tool called mindfulness.

“Life is a constant series of adjustments, matching your inner being with your outer doing,” Reed says. “One way to heighten your awareness is through practicing meditation.”

Mumber and Reed say there’s plenty of new evidence that the resulting sense of balance and peace is not just a psychological effect:

• Mindfulness meditation leads to increases in regional brain gray matter density: Recently published in Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, shows that measurable changes in gray-matter density in parts of the brain associated with memory, sense of self, empathy, and stress occurred with study participants who meditated for 30 minutes a day for eight weeks.

• Meditation practitioners have longer attention spans: Published by the journal PloS Biology, a study analyzed people with three months of rigorous training and found that they gained a drastically improved attention span – not only longer, but less susceptible to internal or external distraction. They also showed improved memory and enhanced performance in several tasks, from driving a car to playing piano.

• Reduces stress and blood pressure: Presented to the American Heart Association by researchers at the at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee and the Institute for Natural Medicine and Prevention, a study including 200 high-risk patients for heart attack found that meditation reduced their chances for heart attack by 50 percent.

“Studies involving people seeking to reduce stress and other problems in their lives via meditation will continue, as well as for those who want to enhance performance of various duties,” Mumber says.

“For those skeptical of the medical benefits of this Eastern practice, there’s now plenty of Western proof.”

About Matt Mumber, MD & Heather Reed

Matt Mumber, MD, is a practicing board-certified radiation oncologist with the Harbin Clinic in Rome, Ga. He completed his radiation oncology residency at Wake Forest University Bowman Gray School of Medicine and graduated from the Associate Fellowship Program in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona. Dr. Mumber is past president of the Georgia Society of Clinical Oncology. He founded Cancer Navigators Inc, a non-profit organization offering cancer patients access to nurse navigation, social services and educational programs to support and augment the clinical care they receive. Dr. Mumber received the Hamilton Jordan Founders Award for involvement in statewide oncology activities and in 2008 he was named a Health Care Hero by Georgia Trend magazine. He serves on the editorial board for the journals Current Oncology and Journal of Oncology Practice and is on the board for the Society of Integrative Oncology. 

Heather Reed has been teaching Yoga since 1996. She expresses an integrative, adaptive approach and specializes in using Yoga and meditation techniques for people living with cancer, post-polio syndrome and other chronic illnesses. Heather received an Experienced Teacher Certification from Esther Myers Yoga Teacher Training Program and has had extensive training with senior staff of the Commonweal Cancer Help program and Dr. Dean Ornish’s Program for Reversing Heart Disease. She developed Yoga classes for cancer patients at The Wellness Community, Atlanta. Since 2008, she has been Yoga teacher and co-facilitator for the Residential Retreat Program for Cancer Navigators of Rome, Ga.

 

Think you’re healthy? Would you know if you weren’t? Oncologist offers 7 tips for increasing awareness — guest post

Not too long ago – just after World War II – few people in the United States brushed their teeth with any regularity. Now, the mere thought of going an entire day or night without brushing one’s teeth is simply out of the question for most.

Hopefully, someday in the near future, a similar attitude will prevail regarding mental well-being, says Dr. Matt Mumber, an oncologist and author of “Sustainable Wellness: An Integrative Approach to Transform Your Mind, Body, and Spirit,” (www.sustainablewellnessonline.com), coauthored by Yoga therapist Heather Reed. 

“Human happiness and well-being are rudderless without awareness, which I define as the quality of paying attention to what’s going on in the present moment from an inquisitive, nonjudgmental and focused perspective,” he says.

An easy way to think of optimal wellbeing might be to envision a three-legged stool, says Reed.

“The three legs include physical activity, nutrition and that underappreciated component missing from too many Americans’ lives – stress management, or a healthy mental state,” she says.

After checking off a healthy diet and exercise from the list, how does one go about ensuring a healthy mind? Mumber and Reed say the key is mindfulness, which they define as paying attention on purpose, non-judgmentally and as though your life depended on it. Framed another way, mindfulness means focusing on something without trying to change it, like the sky holding passing clouds without clinging to them.

They describe the states necessary for attaining mindfulness:

• Beginner’s mind is the ability to see things with new eyes. The Bible warns against putting new wine in old wine skins – doing so risks tainting the new stock. A beginner’s mind opens people to the world of possibilities that exist in the present moment. That does not mean throwing away good ideas from the past; rather, it means to entertain new ideas with a truly open sensibility.

• Trust: Believe in your authority to know your own body, thoughts and feelings. We need to have the confidence necessary to trust that our thoughts and feelings at any given moment have value.

• Non-judging is the ability to see things for what they are, to hold an open and neutral place for whatever comes up within and around you, without thinking of anything as categorically better or worse than anything else.

• Patience is a willingness to continue with the process of paying attention on purpose even when it appears that no progress is being made. Learning and growing through mindful practice happens with time, and we can’t force the outcome.

• Acceptance refers to allowing whatever comes up in the moment to be held in our field of awareness. This is not the same as giving up or being passive; acceptance is merely acknowledgement.

• Letting go is refusing to attach to specific thoughts, feelings or behaviors. This can feel like losing something, but every time we let go, we open ourselves to something new and, potentially, deeper.

• Non-striving: In our goal-oriented society, this may seem counterintuitive. However, non-striving refers only to practicing mindfulness without expectation of some future goal or dream, which helps us better live in the now.

“By having our three-legged stool firmly planted in awareness, we can drop into what we typically call a sense of spiritual wellbeing,’ says Mumber.

About Matt Mumber, MD & Heather Reed

Matt Mumber, MD, is a practicing board-certified radiation oncologist with the Harbin Clinic in Rome, Ga. He completed his radiation oncology residency at Wake Forest University Bowman Gray School of Medicine and graduated from the Associate Fellowship Program in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona. Dr. Mumber is past president of the Georgia Society of Clinical Oncology. He founded Cancer Navigators Inc, a non-profit organization offering cancer patients access to nurse navigation, social services and educational programs to support and augment the clinical care they receive. Dr. Mumber received the Hamilton Jordan Founders Award for involvement in statewide oncology activities and in 2008 he was named a Health Care Hero by Georgia Trend magazine.

Heather Reed has been teaching Yoga since 1996. She expresses an integrative, adaptive approach and specializes in using Yoga and meditation techniques for people living with cancer, post-polio syndrome and other chronic illnesses. Heather received an Experienced Teacher Certification from Esther Myers Yoga Teacher Training Program and has had extensive training with senior staff of the Commonweal Cancer Help program and Dr. Dean Ornish’s Program for Reversing Heart Disease. She developed Yoga classes for cancer patients at The Wellness Community, Atlanta. Since 2008, she has been Yoga teacher and co-facilitator for the Residential Retreat Program for Cancer Navigators of Rome, Ga.

Safe and natural ways to treat hair loss — guest post by Lou Hobbs

English: Bald head (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A simple Internet search results in a long list of natural remedies for hair loss. Creams, tonics

and supplements abound to treat baldness and thinning hair. Do these products really work?

Dermatologists spend a lot of time and energy steering their patients away from these

products. Most commercial hair loss treatments are expensive, and they rarely provide

measurable benefits. A few, however, can help some men keep their thinning hair a little longer.

Hair Loss Causes

People see more hair on their combs or brushes for a number of different reasons. In women,

perimenopause and menopause are the common culprits. Thyroid problems and vitamin

deficiencies also affect hair growth and loss.

Men typically see four types of hair loss. Smooth, round bald patches usually signal alopecia

areata, a condition that stems from stress or genetics. Corticosteroid injections can ease scalp

inflammation and promote new hair growth.

A round and scaly, hairless patch may indicate tinea capitis, a fungal infection that is similar to

athlete’s foot. Antifungal creams or shampoos can kill the infection and encourage hair re-

growth. Dermatologists usually recommend over-the-counter solutions before prescribing

something stronger.

Sudden hair loss is often triggered by physical or emotional trauma. Shock can cause a

condition known as telogen effluvium, which suddenly halts hair growth. As the mind and body

recover from trauma, the hair will grow again naturally.

A steady and gradual hair loss usually stems from a man’s diet. Too little iron, zinc or biotin can

starve the hair follicles and stop the hair from growing. Nutrient-rich foods and supplements

feed the body and restore hair growth.

Natural Food Remedies

From a holistic perspective, as natural remedies treat a problem in the body, the hair naturally

takes care of itself. While some hair loss may require medical treatment, dermatologists usually

suggest natural methods first.

Nutrition is the first step to preventing hair loss and encouraging re-growth. The diet greatly

impacts the eyes, skin, nails and hair. Protein is the most important nutrient for strong, healthy

hair. Beans, dairy products and lean meats are good protein sources. Eggs, fish, nuts and seeds

provide omega-3 fatty acids that reduce scalp inflammation.

Nutritionists recommend eating a variety of foods to prevent hair loss. They advise two-to-

three servings of protein, six-to-ten servings of vegetables, two-to-four fruits and an

assortment of grains. A multivitamin helps men replenish lost or lacking nutrients.

Nutritional Supplements

Some dietary supplements interact with medications, so vitamins, minerals and herbal

remedies are best taken with a doctor’s approval. Iron supplements are recommended only for

hair loss caused by iron deficiency anemia. Men with metabolic disorders may benefit from zinc

and biotin supplements. Saw palmetto, an herbal remedy used for prostate and urinary

disorders, may also promote hair growth.

Styling Suggestions

Using hair dyes and rubber bands can harm hair that is breaking or thinning. So can over-

washing, over-brushing and over-combing the hair. To minimize the appearance of hair loss,

men can use scalp coloring products or body-boosting shampoos and conditioners. Short

haircuts make hair appear thicker, and side parts take attention off the crown.

Stress Management

Hair loss can be stressful for men and women alike. Unfortunately, physical and emotional

stress can sometimes increase the problem. Alopecia areata, telogen effluvium and a condition

known as trichotillomania are associated with high levels of stress.

Stress management is a natural way to treat this kind of hair loss. In addition to nutritional

therapies, the best way to manage stress is to identify the triggers and find effective strategies

to deal with them.

Daily exercise is a good stress reduction technique; prayer and meditation are also effective

stress reducers. Yoga, tai chi and nature hikes are beneficial activities that combine the two. As

men learn to cope with life’s challenges, the chance is good that their hair will start growing

again.

Lou Hobbs is a dedicated health and wellness researcher and author. With over 10 years of

experience Lou has made it his life goal to discover products that can improve the lives of other

people.  

When Lou is not researching new health related products like hair loss supplements, he enjoys spending time with his family in the Idaho wilderness.

Baby boomers and depression — guest post by Jordan Dahlberg

We all hate to admit it, but the inevitable is happening; we are getting older.  As we age, a lot of changes seem to happen all at once – retirement, death of loved ones, increased isolation, medical problems and more.  Many people find these changes prevent them from enjoying life as they used to and can lead to depression.

However, depression is not inevitable.  Many people base their lives on the concept of, “prevention is the best form of medicine.”  Depression is no exception.  In this case, knowledge of depression – triggers, warning signs, and treatment options – can help you prevent it.

Causes of Baby Boomer Depression
There are lots of events that can trigger depression.  While many people find it is a combination of events, it is possible that just one solo thing can be the instigator.
Health problems like illnesses or disease (diabetes, thyroid disorder, vitamin B12 deficiency, and multiple sclerosis), disability, chronic or severe pain, cognitive decline or surgery can lead to depression.
An increased sense of loneliness and isolation because of living alone, a dwindling social circle, and decreased mobility can have negative ramifications on a person’s mental state.
Baby boomers often suffer from a reduced sense of purpose, feelings of purposelessness and loss of identity brought on by retirement and physical limitations on activities.
A heightened level of fear (about dying, financial problems, and health issues) can bring about depression.
The recent death of a family member, friend, pet or spouse is difficult to recover from.
Depression is a common side-effect of drugs for blood pressure, heart disease, high-cholesterol and arthritis.  It is also associated with sleeping pills, beta-blockers, and calcium-channel blockers.

Why People Don’t Seek Help
The reason depression is so sever amongst the elderly is because people don’t seek help.  Many times, individuals assume there is a good reason for their feelings – it is just a part of aging.  Or, they are so isolated that no one notices their distress.  Others may not recognize the physical symptoms of depression as warning signs.  Sadly, a lot of patients feel reluctant to talk about their feelings or ask for help.

Symptoms and Warning Signs
If you are experiencing any of the following, your suffering may be a result of depression:
Lost of interest in activities you used to enjoy
Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness
Difficulty sleeping
Loss of appetite
Feeling like it is harder and harder to get through the day
Difficulty maintaining relationships

Your baby boomer loved one may be suffering from depression if he or she is exhibiting the following warning signs:
Sadness
Fatigue
Social withdraw and isolation
Weight loss or decreased appetite
Daytime sleepiness, difficulty falling asleep or oversleeping
Neglecting personal care – skipping meals, forgetting medications, neglecting personal hygiene)
Irritability

Treatment
Your doctor can prescribe a wide variety of anti-depression medication.  However, there are tons of ways you can reverse – and prevent – depression on your own.
Get enough sleep
Maintain a healthy diet
Exercise
o    Go for a walk
o    Play miniature golf or go to the putting green
o    Go to the local pool for the adult swim hour or join a water aerobics class
Spend time with other people
o    Invite the family to the park for a picnic
o    Host a karaoke night
o    Star a book club
o    Host a backyard BBQ
o    Host an ice cream social
Learn something new or revisit your old hobbies
o    Learn to play corn toss
o    Plant a raised-bed garden
o    Go fishing
o    Take up bird watching
o    Go to a baseball game
o    Go to an outdoor concert
o    Visit the zoo
o    Learn to bake

Help your baby boomer loved one fight depression by:
Inviting your loved one to do something you know he or she used to enjoy
Scheduling regular social activities
Planning and preparing healthy meals
Making sure all medications are taken as instructed

Guest blogger Jordan Dalhberg was looking for ways to help his grandpa beat the blues after his wife died.  Jordan works for customcorntoss.com; he decided to bring one of the corn toss game sets home from the office and helped his grandpa host a tournament.  Now, all of Grandpa’s buddies gather every Saturday to socialize and help each other get through one more day.  In the meantime, Jordan has become a self-taught expert on the issue of depression.  He is determined to help Grandpa get through this difficult time.  

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Living life to the longest: Routines for a longer life — guest post by Barbara Jolie

Throughout human existence, individuals have been on a quest to extend life as much as possible. Men have waged wars and epic quests to track down myths like the Fountain of Youth and the Tree of Life in the hopes of discovering immortality. At this point, I think it’s safe to say that no water or sap exists that will grant us eternal life. In fact, if there is one thing all of us have in common it’s the fact that we will all leave this world eventually.

There is no reason, however, that people shouldn’t make an effort to live life to the longest. Sure, we may not be able to cheat death, but by embracing certain routines and habits we may be able to extend life. Here are three items you can integrate into your routine to extend your years little by little.

Good Works

According to the Buck Institute for Age Research, individuals who actively volunteer have a 44 percent lower death rate than those who don’t. The work of helping others is known to boost people’s happiness levels, which is directly related to increasing antibodies and strengthening the brain and immune system. So try and find two organizations you’re interested in and exercise your charity bone.

Sleep

This may come as no surprise, but it’s still important to note. Sleep is essential to living a full, long life. So if you aren’t catching enough sleep, maybe it’s time you start hitting the pillow a little earlier. In fact, according to research from Penn State University, one reason women usually live longer than men is because they have more frequent, stable sleep patterns. Many people believe their busy schedules won’t allow them to head to bed early, but if going to bed earlier means living a few more years, I’d say it’s worth trying to catch at least an hour more of sleep each night.

Sex

Not only is sex essential to maintaining emotional health and loving relationships, it is quintessential to living a longer life. In fact, according to Drs. Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz, “men who have sex three times a week can decrease their risk of heart attack and stroke by 50 percent.” Maintaining good sexual health comes with a bit of work, however. In order to maintain sexual stamina, men must keep things like high cholesterol, hypertension, alcohol, and obesity in check. So if you want to keep things like impotence at bay, make sure to exercise and watch your alcohol intake. Furthermore, according to Dr. Oz, “sex can make your body feel two to eight years younger for…men who have 150 to 350 orgasms a year.”

Although we’ve been unable to find the secret to eternal life on earth, there are some remedies to extending life as much as possible. For those men who are looking to add some longevity to their life, try embracing more sex, more sleep, and more charitable volunteering. Before you know it, you’ll be on your way to a longer life.

This guest post is contributed by Barbara Jolie, who writes for the online classes blog. Barbara Jolie is an avid writer and blogger, interested in all things education. For questions or comments email her at barbara.jolie876@gmail.com.

An interview with Dr. Mark C. Brown, author of “Live Like a Window, Work like a Mirror” — article by Scott Keith

You don’t have to be a baby boomer guy to notice that the world is getting a lot more hectic. It’s hard to juggle our job responsibilities with our personal life. For those looking for a job in this sluggish economy, stress levels are high. We spend far too much time keeping track of emails and text messages. How do we relax and take life a bit more easily?

A doctor, who practices psychology and teaches meditation using EEG Biofeedback, has written a book titled, Live Like a Window, Work Like a Mirror: Enlightenment and the Practice of Eternity Consciousness.

In an email interview with Men and Health: It’s a Guy Thing,  Dr. Mark Brown said, “It is sad to note that most indicators of happiness and contentment show that men and women are struggling to find both. This is true even if their financial, health and social circumstances are what we might think of as stable.” In the interview, Brown pointed out that focus is a problem. “In this age of high and varied stimulation, focus is drawn all over the place with usually only a temporary desired effect.”

Live Like a Window, Work Like a Mirror offers a chance for people to find a bit of contentment in the modern world. “It (his book) relates more to the era-less observations of brilliant people such as Buddha and Lao-Tzu, who provided instructions for finding contentment and serenity regardless of cultural conditions,” Brown said, pointing out that his book presents their views in a contemporary Western format.

Taking a look at the book’s intriguing title, Brown described living like a window: “Living like a window involves becoming the pure space that exists within the frame of an open window and then practicing simply observing everything that arises in one’s awareness, literally everything, and allowing it free and unfettered passage through that space. The idea is that if we are merely space, nothing that comes up can possibly attach to us to weigh our spirits down.”

Working like a mirror, on the other hand, involves “being a perfectly clear looking glass that can only reflect anyone and anything that shows up in front of it just as that person or that event is,” said Brown, adding that,  “This practice takes our fears and desires in all of their expressions out of the relationship.”

Brown’s delightful book explores Ego. Brown observes, “We need to take time to be quiet and still, to remove our awareness from distraction, so that we can become facile non-reactors. Ego would prevent this if possible in order to keep the self going just as it is.”

Enlightened living, according to Brown,  involves tranquility, humility, non-attachment and unconditional love. Brown said, in the email interview, “They are eminently attainable if we know what they are and how to achieve them. My book lays out in detail what they are and how to go about manifesting them on a moment-to-moment basis.”

With help from this book, and a little practice, Brown said we can become serene and “not be distracted.”

Softcover, 194 pages, First Light Books, $16.95. Available at Amazon.com and can be ordered ordered from major bookstores.

Visit Dr. Brown at www.markcbrown.com

The benefits of yoga for baby boomer men — guest post by Erica Moss

A yoga class. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Yoga is an ancient discipline first practiced by Buddhists in 11th century India. According to recent estimates, around 20 million Americans currently practice yoga, but only a quarter of that population is male. This is unfortunate because the health benefits of yoga are not exclusive to women.

Full Body Exercise

Yoga works the entire body, something few exercises do. To compare, popular athletic activities like hockey, tennis and football only use 10 to 15 percent of our bodies. Yoga poses require you to use many more muscles, bones and joints, and the nature of such exercise actually oxygenates the blood, meaning yoga will leave you more energetic than when you started. In addition to this, yoga is also designed to work for people of all shapes and sizes.

Beyond offering a full body workout, yoga can also develop a person’s muscular strength. Even the United States Army has taken notice of these benefits, using yoga as part of the current training regiment for new soldiers.

Stress and Pain Relief

Another benefit of yoga is that can reduce stress. Hatha yoga, the sort most often practiced in the United States, is especially good at promoting relaxation. This is accomplished through slow meditative movements, enabling you to locate the specific places where tension exists in your body and your mind, thus increasing your ability to work toward releasing that tension. Since men tend to have higher levels of stress than women, men can especially benefit from the assuaging nature yoga.

Yoga can also decrease muscle soreness while increasing muscle strength. Practicing yoga can make your muscles more limber and can help to alleviate the stiffness that other, rougher sports can cause. This is because the lactic acid that builds up when a person’s muscles are fatigued can be flushed away by yoga’s tension-relieving stretches. Runners in particular tend to favor yoga as lactic acid buildup is particularly painful and frequent in endurance sports.

Mental Benefits

Aside from the obvious physical benefits, yoga also provides a number of psychological benefits for its practitioners. Because of this, athletes as diverse as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Joe McEnroe and Wayne Gretzky have all used yoga to heighten their performances. Yoga requires not just physical strength, but mental and emotional engagement as well. During a yoga session, practitioners have to clear their minds of distraction and allow themselves to slip into more meditative terrain. This evolved form of control over one’s self is key to how yoga increases focus, concentration and mental well-being.

Yoga helps its practitioners to balance their bodies and their minds to achieve a greater sense of overall fitness. It grounds those who practice it, enabling them to live calmer, less stressful existences — precisely why men, who tend to stress over the minutia of life, can benefit so much from yoga.

This post is written by Erica Moss, who is the community manager for the online MSN degree program at Georgetown University. She also enjoys dabbling in photography and connecting with new people. You may email Erica at em1005@georgetown.edu

 

Ways men can maintain their mental health after retirement — guest post by Mariana Ashley

Retirement (Photo credit: Tax Credits)

When we’re young and wanting only to sleep in a few extra hours past our alarm for work, we dream of the day we can hang up our working shoes and snuggle into retirement and old age. However, many young, self-proclaimed tired workers don’t realize the unexpected consequences retirement may actually have on our health. While retirement is unquestionably a time to cherish and celebrate, it is also important that we realize that it will likely require a huge life adjustment.

We spend our entire lives building a career and a life supported by this career. Our work and our jobs become so much more than just that—they are our life and an aspect of what makes us who we are. With so much of our identity residing in the work we do each day, it’s not hard to imagine the struggles retirement might be met with. While the issue of adjustment and mental and physical health worries exist for all individuals entering retirement, historically men hold their careers as more central indicators of their identities. Consider these mental and physical adjustments you can make to your daily life in order to retire in a happier and healthier state.

Exercise

Of course, exercise and diet play an essential role in our overall health regardless of our age or place in life. This is something most all of us know. Regular exercise and a well-balanced diet do wonders to keep us healthy and maintain a strong mental state. However, when we enter retirement, we’re faced with significantly more time on our hands and significantly fewer responsibilities. One of the most difficult aspects of retirement for men can be losing that daily time consuming responsibility. We create a pattern of waking up at the same time, going to work, fulfilling our responsibilities, and rewarding ourselves at the end of the day with some “downtime”. Without the constant pattern of going to work each day, it can be very easy for the newly retired to lose sight of their sense of personal fulfillment. Try to create new daily patterns by exercising each and every day at the same time. Make exercise your new daily activity and routine. This is great for your physical health, necessary for your mental clarity, and can be extremely important in adjusting to your new daily life.

Find a hobby
Just as exercise and meal planning can become a wonderful replacement for daily activities, hobbies can also be extremely important during retirement. In many ways, men define who they are by the work that they perform. Entering retirement can really fragment an individual’s sense of being, even without them realizing it. By picking up a meaningful and time-consuming hobby, men can find a renewed sense of self-worth and awareness, while also filling their time with something important to them. Obviously, this hobby varies from one individual to the next—finding something that suits your interests and is sustainable is very important.
Extended learning
Mental wellness is a huge concern for individuals who have recently retired. Many men fall into bouts of depression or anxiety when their life circumstances alter because of retirement. That being said, there are many ways to combat this negativity associated with retirement at times. As the online world continues to flourish and expand, useful resources for education and extended learning are becoming more and more accessible and effective. Education can be a wonderful activity for retired individuals to take part in. Not only will taking classes, studying educational materials, and expanding one’s mind encourage the mental faculties, it can also bring greater joy and purpose to an individual’s life. Explore your many options on sites like Massachusetts Institute of Technology Open Courseware, TED talks, or the Khan Academy. These online resources offer easy and exceptional avenues for learning and education that can be extremely worthwhile for individuals interested in extending their education in their retirement.

This guest post is provided by Mariana Ashley, who writes about educational issues for OnlineColleges.net and can be reached by email at mariana.ashley031@gmail.com.