More Health Blogs
- HEAD LICE - don't let it get you down
- The Story of Cosmetics
- Allergies - What's behind the watery eyes and runny nose?
- MILK! Is it doing your body good?
- Down There
- Trick or Treat
- What is WRONG with me? I JUST CAN'T SLEEP!
- Body Talk Are You Listening?
- Bubble Bubble, Fizz Fizz
- Splish Splash, time for a bath?
- Yummy Lunch Recipe
- What is 'FAD DIET' and do they really work?
- The Truth about Marijuana
- LUNCH What are YOU eating everyday?
- Just Tired and Sad? Or is it Depression?
- An Awkward Topic
- SMILE ...and show off your pearly whites!
- Health: Keeping your BALANCE
- Sweating and smelly, what's a girl to do?
- Smoking - Making the Big Decision
- SWEEEEET!
- Understanding Cancer
- Break it down so you don't BREAK DOWN!
- Zzzzzzzzzz... good night = good morning
- Death and the Loss of a Loved One
- WATER are you getting enough?
- Want to have a toned body? It's not about eating less...
- Not all FATS are created equal!
- I tried smoking. Now how do I say no?
- Carbs Schmarbs... what's the big deal anyway?
- Are You Eating Toxins?
September 2008 Blogs
- Real Girl: Mariah
- Ask a Girl: be any age, life at home, beauty to you, you in 20 years
- Eyebrows, Nose Piercings, Hair Dying
- Sweating and smelly, what's a girl to do?
- Sports: Curling
- Getting beyond your fears to make new friends!
- Career Watch: Being a Life Coach
- Gas Prices - should it matter to you?
- Body Image + Eating Disorders - It hurts the whole family...
- Ask a Guy: teen role model, famous band, best food, you in 20 years
- Health: Keeping your BALANCE
- On your mark, get set...GO! Women in the Olympics.
- Death Cab for Cutie, Indie/Rock
- Sister Squabbles
- The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks
- Recent RAKs and RAK Ideas
Health: Keeping your BALANCE
HEALTH, September 2008, by Dr. Jay
Keeping Your
BALANCE
Those of you who read my column know that I always say balance is key! I thought it was time to explain that a little further.
Have you ever tried to balance something, like a popsicle stick on your finger (Mmmm, popsicles)? To do it, you had to find the exact spot where the weight was equal on both sides. Then you found it and it seemed almost weightless.
Life Balance
Balance in your life is a lot like that. When things are balanced, life is easy. The trick is to balance LOTS of things at the same time; school, friends, exercise, family, health, fun, sleep, boys, and so on! To find that ‘balance’, you need to give time and attention to ALL the important things in your life. Just like the popsicle stick, if there is too much weight in one place: no balance.
Off Balance
Have you ever been focused on something really important for several days at a time? When it’s over, you realize that other important things were missed. Maybe your room is a mess, you’re tired and stressed out, or you missed some fun stuff with your friends. You were giving a LOT of focus to one important thing and you were out of balance with other things. Sometimes certain things require more attention than others, but it’s not all or nothing. When you find time to sleep, eat well, and take fun breaks, you‘ll find that the thing you’re focusing so hard on seems easier.
Maybe you changed how you eat recently. You might have cut out junk food or done a cleanse. You became super focused on everything you ate and maybe you missed out on some fun. Your friends may have been going out for pizza and you didn’t go, maybe they bought some ice cream at the movies and you ate your rice crackers. I’m not saying don’t eat healthy (you know me better than that) but balance is key! Eat the pizza once in a while. Do it in moderation. Go ahead and order popcorn at the movies but just not every time. Maybe you can pass on the butter.
There is always another side to whatever choices you make and it’s good to consider those for balance. If you stay up late – get some sleep; if you watched TV for a week on summer vacation – get outside and play some sports; if you haven’t eaten any junk food for two weeks – treat yourself to a sundae; balance is good for your body and for you!
Not An Option
One last point – I would never tell you to smoke or do drugs once in a while for balance. There is no healthy balance to the ‘amount’ of drugs and alcohol. The balance there would be to hang out with your friends, go to the parties, but say NO to the drugs and alcohol. Some things don’t come into the ‘balance’ equation the same way and you know what they are…
Knowing You’re In Balance
You’ll know when you have balance because you’ll feel great! Lots of energy, fun to be around, a smile on your face and you’ll wake up looking forward to the day. And on the days when you wake up feeling crabby or have a headache, remember that those feelings are part of the balance. And maybe they are a reminder to ease up on some area of your life, and enjoy another a bit more.
~ Dr. Jay