Stretching first thing in the morning has several health benefits and is well worth the few moments it takes.  

​The benefits of morning stretching include:

1. Increases circulation give you more energy. Who doesn't need a little more of that in the morning?
2. Better balance and coordination throughout the day, so you're less likely to trip or spill your coffee.
3. Relieves back and neck stiffness. For many people stiff back muscles and neck muscles can eventually turn into debilitating pain.  A few moments of stretching now might prevent pain down the road and even reduce the likelihood of future back injuries.
4. Better posture.  You are more likely to sit and stand up straight during the day when your muscles are relaxed and lengthened in the morning. Good posture looks great on everyone.
5. It feels So So good!  

Most of us know this sad reality already, but now there is science to back up the fact that we look better when we get a enough sleep.  During the day our skin is working hard to defend itself against UV rays, pollution and bacteria but during sleep skin function changes dramatically into repair mode, to remove cell debris and rebuild damaged areas.  A recent study from Case Medical Center in Ohio found that the skin of sleep-deprived test subjects actually aged faster and more noticeably than their well rested counterparts.  The skin of those categorized as "poor sleepers" had significantly more visible wrinkles, uneven tone and loss of elasticity; all the signs associated with aging.  Other studies are finding that exposure to artificial light during sleep is disrupting sleeper's circadian rhythms, stopping cells from releasing the chemicals that trigger their natural repair processes. 

To get most of out your sleep and keep your skin looking it's best no matter how many (or few) hours of sleep you can get per night, turn off your TV and dim any sources of light in your room, including that smart phone.  The darker the better, it seems. Using a night cream can also help.  Unlike protective day creams, night creams are designed to take advantage of skin's sleep-time repair cycle.  Night creams can even boost the rate of cell repair that happens during sleep so that more happens in less time.  Look for skin care products specifically labeled as "night cream" or "night repair" to take advantage of those benefits.

Hooray for blueberry season! Not only are blueberries packed with wrinkle-fighting antioxidants, but they can help regulate your skin's oil production to reduce acne breakouts. Toss a hand full on your morning cereal, or just eat them straight up. Yum!

Colds & flue are sweeping through. Here are a few tips to help you avoid getting sick:

1. Wash or sanitize hands often. Everything you touch at the office, the mall, in the club may have been touched by someone who just coughed in his hand or wiped his nose. Ewww.

2. Don't touch your face (esp. eyes, nose, mouth) when you're around a sick person, after shaking hands, or have been touching surfaces in a public place...like the door or the pen you just borrowed.
3. Don't smoke. Smoke irritates the airways, making you more susceptible to infection.

4. Don't share or re-use glasses/dishes/utensils if someone in your household is sick. Avoid cross contamination & reinfection.

5.  Throw away dirty tissues after each use.  Seems obvious, I know, but you'd be surprised how many stash a dirty tissue under their pillow or leave them in a pile next to the bed for someone else to pick up!

Now go wash your hands!