Playing For Change

For me, singing sad songs often has a way of healing a situation. It gets the hurt out in the open into the light, out of the darkness.

Reba McEntire

There have been studies done to show the impact music has on our lives. Researchers have found that music can reduce anxiety (Wiley-Blackwell) and can help improve performance (British). There have even been studies on linking  the long effects of being a musician to better hearing (Baycrest). All of these studies show that music produces positive results in every form.

A group of people believe that music can change the world and created a movement called Playing For Change in 2005. What they did was travel around the world recording street musicians playing the same songs and then put them together in one track. From the video below you can feel how inspiring and beautiful the results were.

You can get involved as well. Some of the musicians travel the states together replicating the music and spreading the idea that music can bring us all together in harmony. The link here will take you to their website where you can purchase their documentary and read more about their hope for positive change through one of the most profound and abundant resources we have on earth.

Playing for Change Website

Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care (2011, September 13). Older musicians experience less age-related decline in hearing abilities than non-musicians. ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 1, 2012, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2011/09/110913091557.htm

British Psychological Society (BPS) (2012, April 17). Listening to your favorite music boosts performance. ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 1, 2012, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2012/04/120417221709.htm

Wiley-Blackwell (2011, August 9). Music reduces anxiety in cancer patients. ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 1, 2012, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2011/08/110809212424.htm

Spring Funnies

As Easter has just past us and we are well headed into spring I thought it would be fun to search around for some funny Spring comics. Everyone should laugh, chuckle and giggle.

(Scientifically it has proven to lower stress!)

 Science has never drummed up quite as effective a tranquilizing agent as a sunny spring day.  ~W. Earl Hall

The naked earth is warm with Spring,

And with green grass and bursting trees

Leans to the sun's kiss glorying,

And quivers in the sunny breeze.

~Julian Grenfell

In the spring I have counted one hundred and thirty-six different kinds of weather inside of four and twenty hours.  ~Mark Twain

Laughing is the Cure

Give your stress wings and let it fly away.  ~Terri Guillemets

On those off day's where stress has taken over and it's hard to stay optimistic, there is a way to fix it. Studies have shown that laughing at problems, problems you have no control over or those little daily glitches can make it easier to manage. Too much stress can lead to weight gain, heart disease and cancer. Forcing yourself to laugh, at first is not easy, but the longer you do it, the more your mood has a chance to lift and you can face the challenge head on in a positive way.

What is stress?
Stress is what we describe as our response to threatening or challenging events.

Many things can cause stress throughout our lives, that we never thought would. There are the obvious "stressors" (the actual things that cause stress) like major live changes, moving to a new city, financial difficulty or a death in the family. On the other end of the stressor scale are little things like being late to an event, procrastinating or forgetting your tooth brush while traveling. Many problems with stress, besides the health and those are the specific factors in stress. Pressure, uncontrollably, frustration and aggression are all negative outcomes of stress.

However, not all stress is a bad thing. Many good things come from pressures, as long as they are not overwhelming or happen too often. But be sure that when things are becoming too much, you reach to your healthy outlet. Below are some suggestions for healthy outlets, and a list of unhealthy outlets that you should be aware of.

Healthy Outlets

• Laughter
• Meditation
• Yoga
• Reading
• Taking a long hot bath 
• Going for a walk (witch can also be a motivator)

Unhealthy Outlets

• Browsing the internet (This is a huge one! If you want to get away from things, surfing the web is the least helpful.)
• Smoking 
• Alchohol/Depressants 

If you have a different way to deal with stress let us know! Follow us on Twitter and like our Facebook page.

The mark of a successful man is one that has spent an entire day on the bank of a river without feeling guilty about it.  ~Author Unknown

Exercise - Ultimate Guide to a Smile

"I must do something" 

always solves more problems than 

"Something must be done."

Yoga is not for the faint of heart and if done incorrectly can hurt your body. But yoga can also have a positive impact on your life, increasing happiness, relaxation, flexibility, strength, posture and balance. That's not to mention the positive impact it can have on your heart, concentration and mood. Yoga is meant to focus the mind on the body to become relaxed and de-stress from the day.

Tai Chi is a lot like yoga because of all the health benefits they share-the heart is an example. I best remember Tai Chi from the movie Meet the Fockers. To the right is an example of this meditation.

However, yoga and Tai Chi may not be for the elderly, due to a lot of bending and stretching. there are still exercise classes created specifically to bend to those challenges.

When elderly are in situations where they feel more in control of their lives, being able to cook for themselves, or help cook and clean they tend to be happier and healthier. Getting out of the house and going for daily walks or taking bi-weekly water aerobics classes are things to improve the lifestyle of a loved one. Be sure to have your senior talk with their doctor before getting started.

Water Aerobics not only helps joint pain and Osteoarthritis but it's a low impact movement activity which reduces the possibility for injuries. Below there is a link to a few water aerobic exercises which can be done outside of an aerobics class during public swim. 

It is very beneficial to to everyone involved when a loved senior is active when they can be and there are simple ways to do this. Down below are not only links to water aerobic classes for beginners but places that offer Yoga and Tai Chi as well. If cost is a problem there are many scholarships available. Call the numbers on the different websites and ask for scholarship information for their classes.

Yoga - Ashland and Medford
Yoga - Klamath Falls

Tai Chi - Medford
Tai Chi - Ashland and Medford

Water Aerobics - Medford
Water Aerobics - Klamath Falls
Water Aerobics - Grants Pass

Water Aerobic Exercises