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Without You

WITHOUT YOU

When you're not here,
something's not quite right.
It's like the stars and moon,
without the night.

It's something strange,
that I can't explain.
It's like Tarzan,
without Jane.

It's like peanut butter,
without the jelly.
It's like Santa Claus,
without his belly.

It's like a joke,
that isn't funny.
It's like Easter,
without the Bunny.

It's like Grandma's gravy,
without the lumps.
It's like a camel,
without any humps.

It's like a present,
without a bow.
It's like a planted seed,
that doesn't grow.

It's like a king,
without a crown.
It's like a circus,
without a clown.

It's like the birds,
without the bees.
Without you,
I'm just not me.

10 Ways to Live Longer

Eventually, we will all have to leave this earthly life behind us. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t maximize the time you have here. Backed by studies, here are some proven tips to extend your life:

1. Sleep Well. Don’t oversleep or be sleep deprived. According to a February 2002 study in the Archives of General Psychiatry people sleeping more than 8 hours per day had a significantly higher death rate than normal. That doesn’t mean that you deprive yourself either. People sleeping less than 4 hours also had a high death rate. People who slept between 6 and 7 hours lived the longest.

2. Be Positive. According to August 2002 issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, people who had a positive outlook as appose to pessimists had a 50% decrease risk of early death. Those who are positive about life handle stress and life situations better. Optimists also have lower blood pressure which is the result how they react to stress and adversities.

3. Have More Spousal Sex. Couples who do are generally less stressed, happier, and better rested. All these factors contribute to a lower blood pressure reading. An April 2004 Journal of the American Medical Association found that “high ejaculation frequency was related to decreased risk of total prostate cancer.” Cheating has the opposite effect, as it will definitely add more stress to you life. Stress = shorter life so stay faithful.

4. Have a Pet. People with dogs were shown to require less visits to their physicians. This could be due to fact that owning pets tends to decrease loneliness and depression, encouraging laughing and exercise. According to a study lead be Erica Friedmann heart attack victims who have pets live 12% longer than the people that did not.

5. Get a VAP Test. Cholesterol tests to detect heart disease has shown to be not as reliable as you may think. Half of all heart attack victims shows normal levels of cholesterol. A better test to take is the VAP test developed by the Birmingham, Ala.-based lab Atherotech. They have shown to detect 90% of heart attack disease patients. It’s important to get this test early as heart disease is cumulative, and often could be managed or corrected more easily at early stages. This is a simple blood test that could be done at most doctors’ offices.

6. Be Rich. Easily said than done right? If you don’t fit this category, strive for it. Keep your finances in check and don’t overspend. Money problems will add stress, which will shorten your life. It will also limit your access to life extending tools. Never less, The National Center for Health Statistics shows that 24% of families with income below $20,000 are “limited” by chronic disease. Whereas, only 6% of families with an income above $75,000 are affected. Possible explanations could be the fact that the rich have better access to health care, food, housing, and safer neighborhoods.

7. Stop Smoking. This one is obvious. According to findings from a study that appeared in the July 2003 issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, middle age men who are long term heavy smokers, are at a higher risk of developing aggressive forms of prostate cancer than men who have never smoked. The Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics study also states that cigarette smoking has been clearly linked to the most common causes of death in the elderly. The study states “Smoking is–for all but some exceptional subjects–incompatible with successful aging and compromises life expectancy even in extreme longevity,”.

8. Subdue Your Anger. Angry people live shorter lives. It’s due to the fact that they tend to have higher blood pressure which make them prone to heart disease. According to a 2002 study by the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, men who were classified as having the highest level of anger in response to stress were over three times more likely to develop premature heart disease when compared to men who reported lower anger responses. Additionally, angry men were over six times more likely to have a heart attack by the age of 55. With all that said, try to stay calm and collected and don’t sweat the small stuff. It could literally kill you.

9. Eat Your Antioxidants. Fruits and vegetables are a good source of antioxidants which help repair aging and damaged cells harmed by free radicals. Studies show that high levels of free radicals lead to degenerative diseases, including atherosclerosis, Alzheimer’s and cancer. Some common foods with good levels of antioxidants are: cinnamon, cloves, blueberries, artichokes, and certain type of beans.

10. Exercise. Studies show that staying physically active and exercising regularly can help prevent or delay many diseases and disabilities. Even moderate exercise and physical activity can improve the health of people who are frail or who have diseases that accompany aging. Exercise is good for your body, mind and heart. If you’re not active start today.

I hope these tips were helpful in your pursuit to a longer happier life. If you find them useful, print them out and post it on your wall to remind yourself everyday. Remember to share this information with friends. They will thank you for it.

How to Grow Old and Be Happy Doing So

Lot of retired people with lot of money living perhaps with their spouse, or living in a nursing or care facility. They seem to have everything that they worked for all their lives, yet they seem very empty and sad.Whether they were bedridden or had no other people about them at all, but there are many things one could do in life that perhaps they haven’t done. Perhaps they, too, might be able to start thinking this way, too.

Steps

1. First of all is one’s outlook on life. If circumstances get a person down, there is no way he or she can feel happy and alive. No matter how bad things get to be, there is probably some redeeming quality in what is happening.


2. Secondly, though it may be said too many times these days,that an older person needs to keep active and healthy.


3. Thirdly, eat as much as you need to to feel good.Don’t overeat.One must be careful not to gain too much weight, but be sure you enjoy what you eat, and eat healthy foods. Healthy foods are delicious, when added to one’s diet regularly.


4. Fourth, look good every day. Wear nice clothes, or as nice as you can afford. People treat you well if you wear things that are becoming and look nice and clean. Comb your hair and put on makeup if you are a woman. Take a bath every day and keep yourself clean and sparkling.


5. If you are in pain, take care of whatever ails you. If your leg hurts, find out why and take herbs or do physical therapy which will restore it to full use. See a doctor when you must, but don’t overdo the medical dependence. Read and talk to others about what they have done to relieve their aches and pains. Exercising regularly is very good for keeping aching muscles from spoiling your life.

Tips

• Some people have a problem with genetic ailments. Perhaps cancer is prevalent among family members. Perhaps cataracts or heart problems. In this case, one must take care to check on this particular weakness periodically and make sure it does not happen to you. Actually, the threat of an ailment can spur one on to do more to stay healthy. If you know that exercise is good for heart problems, you will exercise more. This will also be good for other problems that may plague you.


• If you are bored, find something to work on. Get outside the house and help someone else.
  If you find your activities limited, find things that might be possible within your limits. Reading or listening to music at concerts or other places is good fun. The trick is to apply yourself seriously to your chosen recreation.


• Remember what you wanted to do when you grew up. Did you do it? If not, do it now.

Warnings

• Be careful not to fall into a “waiting” trap, where you feel like you are waiting on the world to save you. It won’t happen. You are the only one who can do anything about your situation. If you act like it is the end of the world, it may be. But if you act like you are alive, you will attract others and life will be more worth living.


• If you don’t exercise, eat well or take care of yourself, you will become older fast. This is like giving up. You are still alive if you are reading this and you can do something about your own situation.


• So get out there and do something! Live it up! go dancing, have pets and paint pictures. There are a lot of things one can do.