Fruit salad, flying and fingernail ornamentation
By enlightened living
lisa belisle, M.D., M.P.H.
2007-04-10
March 23 was a momentous day. My husband turned 40, and my mom showed up to celebrate. Why was this momentous? My mother is a self-described introvert and lover of quiet. A 40th birthday fete populated with unfamiliar individuals from my husband’s workplace did not seem an automatic draw. Regardless, Mom was there, with a bowl of fruit salad in hand and my father by her side.
I enjoyed the fruit salad, but I was even more impressed with Mom. She’s been full of surprises lately. At my brother’s Oklahoma wedding in March, she had her hair AND her nails done. Earlier that month, she flew across the country with Dad to visit my other brother at Stanford. While these activities may be de rigueur for many, my mother hates to travel, and has perhaps had one other formal manicure in her life. Maybe.
Through her openness to flying and fingernail ornamentation, Mom is engaging in health-enhancing behaviors. Eleanor Roosevelt once said “Do something that scares you every day.” Attempting things that scare us forces us to adapt to change; that promotes mental and physical flexibility. I recently heard physician Larry Dossey lecture about the importance of this. In his presentation he showed side-by-side pictures of “neophile” and “neophobe” mice. The neophile mouse readily chose a variety of paths through his maze. The neophobe mouse cringed from a change in routine. The two differed dramatically in appearance: the neophile was bright-eyed and plump, while the neophobe mouse was wizened and underweight.
Our furry neophile friend is offering an obvious lesson: finding new ways through the maze can benefit the body. This is reinforced by human research. Studies have shown that older people who challenge their brains with problem-solving activities have better memories. Going beyond the boundaries of our minds — and our lives — can lead to a healthier, more satisfying existence.
Getting beyond our boundaries may be easier than we realize. How about:
• Biking with your child to school every Friday.
• Organizing a “Spring Fling” pot-luck for your neighbors.
• Learning to speak Spanish.
• Trying an adventuresome tofu recipe from “Vegetarian Times” or “Cooking Light.”
• Going on a Good Friday walk with Habitat for Humanity.
• Taking a class in belly dancing at the MaineHealth Learning Resource Centers.
• Traveling to Italy with your 11-year-old daughter and 2 close friends.
Wondering where that last suggestion came from? That one is from my own life. At 36, I just obtained my first passport and I’m trying something that scares me. Well, maybe not so scary. By the time you read this, I will be at the Spannocchia Foundation farm in Tuscany. Lovely landscapes, wonderful wine — I’m looking at these as both luxuries and life extenders.
While I realize that a Tuscan trip is a blessing not available to all, opportunities for other adventures abound in this fresh spring season. So grab your fruit salad and get ready to party. Being a neophile does a body good.
Dr. Lisa Belisle is a confirmed neophile, family physician and medical advisor for the MaineHealth Learning Resource Centers. She has an acupuncture practice in Yarmouth, where she lives with her husband and children. Contact her at: belisl@mmc.org.
I enjoyed the fruit salad, but I was even more impressed with Mom. She’s been full of surprises lately. At my brother’s Oklahoma wedding in March, she had her hair AND her nails done. Earlier that month, she flew across the country with Dad to visit my other brother at Stanford. While these activities may be de rigueur for many, my mother hates to travel, and has perhaps had one other formal manicure in her life. Maybe.
Through her openness to flying and fingernail ornamentation, Mom is engaging in health-enhancing behaviors. Eleanor Roosevelt once said “Do something that scares you every day.” Attempting things that scare us forces us to adapt to change; that promotes mental and physical flexibility. I recently heard physician Larry Dossey lecture about the importance of this. In his presentation he showed side-by-side pictures of “neophile” and “neophobe” mice. The neophile mouse readily chose a variety of paths through his maze. The neophobe mouse cringed from a change in routine. The two differed dramatically in appearance: the neophile was bright-eyed and plump, while the neophobe mouse was wizened and underweight.
Our furry neophile friend is offering an obvious lesson: finding new ways through the maze can benefit the body. This is reinforced by human research. Studies have shown that older people who challenge their brains with problem-solving activities have better memories. Going beyond the boundaries of our minds — and our lives — can lead to a healthier, more satisfying existence.
Getting beyond our boundaries may be easier than we realize. How about:
• Biking with your child to school every Friday.
• Organizing a “Spring Fling” pot-luck for your neighbors.
• Learning to speak Spanish.
• Trying an adventuresome tofu recipe from “Vegetarian Times” or “Cooking Light.”
• Going on a Good Friday walk with Habitat for Humanity.
• Taking a class in belly dancing at the MaineHealth Learning Resource Centers.
• Traveling to Italy with your 11-year-old daughter and 2 close friends.
Wondering where that last suggestion came from? That one is from my own life. At 36, I just obtained my first passport and I’m trying something that scares me. Well, maybe not so scary. By the time you read this, I will be at the Spannocchia Foundation farm in Tuscany. Lovely landscapes, wonderful wine — I’m looking at these as both luxuries and life extenders.
While I realize that a Tuscan trip is a blessing not available to all, opportunities for other adventures abound in this fresh spring season. So grab your fruit salad and get ready to party. Being a neophile does a body good.
Dr. Lisa Belisle is a confirmed neophile, family physician and medical advisor for the MaineHealth Learning Resource Centers. She has an acupuncture practice in Yarmouth, where she lives with her husband and children. Contact her at: belisl@mmc.org.