Article by Make The Days Count Contributor Blake Cothron

As the weather outside dips well below freezing and coughing and sneezing become common place, there are simple natural ways you can maximize your health now to stay healthy through winter. 

Through the years I’ve battled more colds, infections, and childhood ills than you can shake a bottle of Echinacea at.  As I’ve gotten older, I’ve taken my health into my own hands and have discovered through much experimentation, old-time advice, and scientific evidence the great benefits of “natural healthcare”.  From diet to herbal supplements, there is an array of healthy, synthetic-chemical free ways to stay robust, energized, and healthy during the winter months, while minimizing discomfort and sickness. 

Attacking Weak Links

First off, we must understand that infections such as the cold and flu first attack weak links.  If you have a weak immune system, lack enough sleep, and have an unhealthy diet your risk for colds and disease rises exponentially.  People who follow very healthy, organic lifestyles get sick less.  Of course, everyone gets sick sometimes, period.  Scientists are discovering the age-old wisdom that diet is one of the foundations of good health.  In 431 BCE Hippocrates said “Let food be thy medicine” and I couldn’t agree more.  So we’ll start first on food as medicine. Read More »

Article by Make The Days Count Contributor Stefanie  Johnson

Yoga.  This small word has the power to raise many thoughts, feelings, and preconceptions.  Some see it as symbolic of a specific lifestyle and religion, something only the affluent can afford to do, or harped about by “health nuts.”  True, in the past the media and others have painted yoga in this way.  However as an exercise program yoga is for everyone. 

Yoga is now widely available to all, regardless of creed, cash, fitness, or diet.  Everywhere you go, there are DVDs, classes, books, articles, advice, and props.

No matter who you are, or what your fitness or financial situation is, yoga and the yoga mindset can improve the quality of your life, and you should be doing it as a part of your overall exercise program. Read More »

Article by Make The Days Count Contributor Marie Monroe

The word “multi-tasking” has become a common verb in our world.  It reflects an experience now well known to most of us.  We usually take pride in our ability to multi-task and many times, the word itself carries a decidedly positive tone.

It describes how we are on top of our game, how efficient, how important, how skilled or how clever we are.  It is also a powerful interpersonal boundary. It will stop our colleagues in their tracks when we say, “I am multi-tasking right now.”  Our loved ones, and even strangers, will also pause.

Not exactly a polite way to communicate, but effective and efficient.  Having had this experience themselves, people know how consumed we are at that moment and how intensely we have to concentrate in order to continue our tasks.  They also know that we are at maximum speed and capacity - that we can’t handle more at the moment. Read More »

This is the First in a Series of Articles on Motivation

By Make The Days Count Contributor Philip Wood

Midway through my final year at DePaul University, a recruiting banquet was held at the Chicago Athletic Club for the survivors in the honors accounting program.  For those of us not headed immediately to graduate school, the fete was the culmination of our academic careers. 

Four years prior, dozens of students entered the program.  A brutal attrition rate, however, reduced our number ninety percent by the time the recruiting banquet was held.  The survivors were the guests of honor at the banquet, there to be wined and dined by recruiters from the then Big 8 public accounting firms and other major local corporations. 

Attending the University on an academic scholarship and achieving near perfect grades to date, I believed myself to be at the top of the program.  Blindly arrogant, I expected that I would be the center of attention. Read More »

Article by Make The Days Count Contributor Judy Mosley

We had waited two hours to see the guy.  It was the annual “Picture with Santa” at my husbands’ work and we had brought the kids, prepared to take the perfect Christmas photo for the grandparents.  In addition, our kids would get a free gift afterwards, age appropriate, of course.

We sat down in the waiting area and ate the refreshments provided.  The kids wiggled in their seats, dropped cookies, smashed chips in the carpet, and even spilt some punch down the front of their shirts.  It had to be green.  I found some back-ups in the car.  Thank goodness for Hanes sweatshirts.

Finally, our number was called.  We walked to the front, and as we headed closer to Santa, I could feel my daughter gluing herself to my body.  By the time we came to Santa’s side, she refused to let go of me.  My son wasn’t excited about this, either.  We finally convinced them to stand in front of Santa.  While they obeyed their parents, we felt guilty.  My daughters’ lip quivered while my son looked to his daddy as if to say, “Why are you making me do this?” Read More »