…is very difficult as the year progresses. We’re so full of hope and good intentions in January, but by December the reservoir is empty and the well has run dry.

That’s why, in the interest of good health, I’d like to suggest a resolution for all of us. Have faith in our Creator, in our community and in ourselves.

Keep the Faith!

This is my interpretation of Imani, which is celebrated on the last day of Kwanzaa. The original language talks about having faith in “our people …and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.” I don’t quarrel with that approach; it never hurts to realize that you are part of a community and can often reach out to others for support and help – or help them yourself.

But I want to bring this principle down to the individual level. So many times, when we’re trying to make a change, we lose faith in ourselves. This can be on a mundane level – doubting our abilities to exercise more or eat less. Or our lack of faith can be larger, as in doubting our power to really make a difference in our lives and the lives of others.

When you sit down to list your resolutions for 2008, consider the importance of keeping the faith. If you only keep one resolution next year, make it this one.

A word about the link below. I’ve placed this blog on Technorati.com, a site listing millions of blogs from all over the world. If you want to learn what others are writing on African-American topics, check it out. If you enjoy this site, post it as a technorati fave. The goal is to bring more users to Vital Signs and keep our community informed.

Today marks the start of Kwanzaa, the seven-day cultural observance created by Maulana Karenga, a professor in the Black Studies Department at California State University, Long Beach

Each day of Kwanzaa is dedicated to a principle from the Nguzo Saba, the ethical system that is the foundation for the observance. The principle for Wednesday is Umoja, or Unity. But I want to talk about the principle for Thursday, or the second day of Kwanzaa.

It’s Kujichagulia, or self-determination. “Kujichagulia is the right to define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves,” according to officialkwanzaawebsite.org. I interpret Kujichagulia to mean self-empowerment. And with power comes responsibility.

How can this principle guide us, as we work to improve our health for the coming year? If I’m going to speak for myself, I should be well-informed. That means staying up to date on medical developments. It means reading before I go to the physician or to a medical professional. It means being pro-active when it comes to taking care of myself, physically, emotionally and mentally.

And it means saying “No” to practices, habits and relationships that are unhealthy, or toxic.

Kujichagulia – standing up for myself and my health.

Here’s a quick tip for the night before Christmas, when all through the town, the eating and drinking and parties abound.

Eat before you go.

If you’re heading to a place that’s filled with food – and you want to exercise some restraint – prepare ahead of time by having a light meal at home.

Try a salad,  maybe a slice of deli meat on a bagel or cracker, or even some steamed vegetables. If you eat at home, you can control the portions and the selections. Later on, you can sample one or two of the goodies before honestly saying, “My, I’m full!”

Happy Holidays.

Maybe I shouldn’t admit it; I am, after all, a health blogger. But I love to eat good food. I don’t like bad food.

Since this is the first in a series on healthy holiday eating, instead of talking about ways to cut down on calories or trim fat or delete sugar, I’m going to discuss an approach I call “eating mindfully.”

I got this idea after reading “It’s Easier than You Think,” by Sylvia Boorstein. Her thin book does a great job of explaining Buddhism to a lay audience. Buddhism challenges adherents to be conscious and aware of each action. I’m not a Buddhist, but I’ve found that paying attention keeps me more than alert. It helps me think about what I’m doing and the consequences of my actions.

What does this have to do with food? If I’m eating mindfully, I’m completely focused on the experience of eating: how the food tastes; how it feels in my mouth; how its smell stimulates my appetite. I find that mindful eating makes my meals more enjoyable. I don’t have to gorge because I’m satisfied both physically and emotionally.

Mindful eating is my defense during the holidays when, it seems, everyone is pulling out those special treats. Next time you’re facing a tray of goodies, put a couple on your plate. Then leave the table or buffet area and go to a place where you can enjoy your food comfortably and slowly. Don’t rush. Think about each mouthful. Savor it. If you can’t, don’t let guilt over wasting food trick you into eating something you don’t want.

When you’re finished, stay in the moment a bit. Then put the plate aside and do something else.

Here’s the caveat: mindful eating isn’t always easy. Recently I cooked a batch of Greek butter cookies. They were melt-in-my-mouth delicious. Even though I ate mindfully, I found myself eating more than I should. So I stopped, put the top on the cookie tin and left the room.

FYI: I’ll post on Sunday and Monday with some tips for healthful holiday eating and cooking. Later in the week, I’ll observe Kwanzaa by discussing how to use the Nguzo Saba when making New Year’s resolutions.

Although Donda West died a month ago, there are so many lessons to be learned from her passing that I want to revisit it when appropriate.

The latest news comes with the release of the 911 tapes  from the day of her death.  According to a story from the Associated Press, two guardians tried to revive West by administering CPR. The women, however, didn’t know the procedure.  The dispatcher tried to instruct them, but the women were too panicked to follow directions.

The seconds between life and death are not the time to become a student. Let’s all resolve to learn CPR, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and other basic first aid skills.

Here’s a link to “Learn CPR” , a site from the University of Washington School of Medicine. Print copies of the page and post them prominently around your house. Better yet, take a CPR class. The American Heart Association has a great search engine for finding CPR and other first aid classes. Just put in your zip code.

No, that’s not a mistake in the headline. The Internet is a mother lode of informative – and not so informative – websites for people who are interested in helping themselves to better health.

I’m not talking about diagnosis and treatment. I’m a fan of certified and trained medical personnel, be they doctors or nurses, versed in mainstream or complementary/alternatives medicine. Still, the structure of the modern health care system means an office visit may only last 10 minutes. We have to educate ourselves before we sit in a patient’s chair.

That’s what I’m talking about when I say “self help, self health.”

The Internet can make that task easy or hard. It will be easy if you know where to go for accurate, up-to-date information. It will be hard if you have to sift through all the sites that pop up when you put an illnesses or condition in a search engine.

I want to make your life easier, so I’m listing some of the sites I’ve found to be most reliable. I’ve linked to the most relevant pages. And I’ve included snopes.com, a site I use when I get those ubiquitous emails telling me about the latest “health advance” or “emerging epidemic.”

• www.mayoclinic.com This web page for the famous Mayo Clinic provides a wealth of information for anyone wanting to up their “self health” score. The home page features podcasts and  wellness resources for healthy living. The Disease and Condition Information Section includes facts about a range of illnesses, as well as a symptom checker and information on managing common chronic or long-term conditions.
• www.medlineplus.gov is a massive site with information from the the National Institutes of Health, and other governmental and private health organizations.The site includes information about more than 750 health topics, a medical encyclopedia, and a dictionary of medical terms. This is the place to go for everything from the prescription you just received, to the location of the closest hospital.
• www.webmd.com is a online magazine-type site filled with the latest health news and information. Although the site has sponsors – i.e. advertisers – all articles are reviewed for accuracy before publication. And the reviewer is listed on each page, along with the reporter.
• www.snopes.comis dedicated to debunking or confirming all rumors and urban legends. This is a good place to go to see whether that urgent email is true. You’ll be happy to know that you can reuse your plastic water bottle without risking cancer. You’ll be shocked to learn that some brands of sidewalk chalk actually do contain lead.

Browse away and help yourself to better health.

If you’re tired of tossing and turning, here are a few rules that can help you get the rest you’re looking for.

1. Turn off the lights

Our systems are programmed to become more alert during the day and to rest at night. Darkening a room signals our bodies that it’s time to calm down and get ready to rest.

2. Cut out the caffeine

Caffeine can stay in the system at least six hours. Make sure you have your last drink early enough so that the drug has left your body when you’re ready to hit the sack.

3. Exercise early in the evening

Exercise stimulates hormones that promote wakefulness, physicians say. Schedule at least four hours between your workout and your bedtime.

4. Change the environment

If you’re having trouble falling asleep, consider a change of surroundings. Leave one bedroom and go to another. Or try a comfortable lounger until you get drowsy, then return to the bed.

5. If all else fails, get up

That’s right. Worry about anything – including sleep – can keep you up. If you’re wide awake after 20 minutes, get up and move around. Just make sure your activity isn’t too stimulating.

Sources: The National Sleep Foundation,
The Mayo Clinic

We all know what happens when sleepiness hits. Our breathing slows down, our eyelids get heavy and our muscles relax. If a bed is nearby, great. If not, a couch or comfortable chair will have to do. We stretch out, get comfortable, close our eyes and give the body a rest.

Although most bodily functions slow during sleep, the brain never stops working. It alternates between two states – rapid-eye-movement or REM sleep, and non-REM sleep – each lasting roughly 90 minutes. Throughout eight hours of sleep – the average amount adults usually need – the body goes through 4 or 5 cycles that include both states.

Each cycle consists of four stages: drowsiness or dozing; drifting into sleep; actual sleep and deep sleep. In the first three stages, the eyes remain still. In the fourth stage, though, the eyes move quickly. The pattern of brain waves change and dreaming occurs. If you’re awakened during stage three or four, you’d be groggy and probably, disoriented.

Now that you know what sleep is, it’s important to remember what it does. Lack of sleep can make you irritable and forgetful because the body and the brain haven’t been able to refresh themselves. Scientists say long-term sleeplessness contributes to heart disease, diabetes and even cancer.

Adequate sleep is as necessary to good health as exercise and eating the right foods. Don’t skimp. Go to bed. And don’t forget to turn out the light.

If you’re trying to get a good night’s sleep, watch what you eat before bedtime. That late night snack can determine whether you’ll be tossing and turning, or sawing logs.

It’s all about metabolism.

Now, cutting down or out on caffeine is a no-brainer. Its strength as a stimulant is why McDonalds and Starbucks are going head to head over good-tasting, strong coffee. If you have problems getting to sleep, though, you’ll want to have your last cup of caffeine not at 8 p.m., but around 3 p.m.

Caffeine takes about 12 hours to leave your system. If you drink a small cup of coffee – say a 6-ounce serving containing 100 mg of caffeine – at 3 p.m., then 50 mg of the drug is still in your body around 9 p.m., when you should be winding down. But most of us don’t drink 6 ounce servings of coffee – or cola or tea, which also contain varying amounts of caffeine. We drink 12, 16 or even 20 ounces of the stuff. Do the math and see how much caffeine is running through your veins late at night.

“But I’m good!” you protest. “I avoid caffeine and I still can’t get to sleep.” In that case, try a light snack: some turkey on a half of a bagel, a glass of warm milk, or peanut butter on crackers.

All these foods and combinations produce tryptophan, an amino acid the brain needs to produce serotonin. Serotonin is a chemical that induces sleep.

Avoid a glass of wine or a shot of whiskey. Alcoholic beverages induce a shallow, non-restorative type of sleep. You want deep, restful shut-eye. And the next posting will explain exactly what happens to the body after going to bed.

If you want to learn about food and sleep, head over to “How Caffeine Works” at www.howstuffworks.com, or go to “Foods That Help You Sleep” at www.mayoclinic.com

Why aren’t you asleep?

If stress, worry or just plain wakefulness is keeping you up, you’re in good company. You’re a member in of the “30-Winkers” club – the term demographer Mark Penn created for the estimated 34 million Americans who sleep six hours or fewer a night.

Research shows African American men are charter members, because they sleep less well than black women, or whites of either gender. But women aren’t frolicking in Dreamland. Sixty-seven percent of women say they rarely get a good night’s sleep, according to the 2007 “Sleep in America” survey. The poll is conducted annually by the National Sleep Foundation.

Young folks aren’t counting sheep either. The 2006 survey found 45 percent of adolescents slept less than eight hours on school nights, and at least a quarter of high-school students fell asleep in class.

In fact, the foundation says, Americans as a whole are getting less sleep than we need. The habit starts when we’re young and gets worse we get older. Lack of sleep is becoming so pervasive, the Centers for Disease Control are calling sleepiness “a public health challenge.”

Therefore, my next few postings will address sleep: what it is; how much you need; how to insure you get enough; and how to recognize when you have a sleep disorder.

Don’t nod off on me. Since too little shut-eye sleep puts folks at risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity, you’ll want to stay awake for this.

So go to bed, and be sure to get all 40 of your winks.