January 10, 2010
The CDC ranked our states on a happiness scale and the results were not very shocking.
Rounding out the happy five were Hawaii, Florida, Tennessee and Arizona.
At the other end of the scale, last in happiness — is New York state.
The places where people are most likely to report happiness also tend to rate high on studies comparing things like climate, crime rates, air quality and schools.
Economist Andrew J. Oswald of the University of Warwick in England suggested the long commutes, congestion and high prices around New York City account for some of the unhappiness. He said he has been asked if the researchers expected that states like New York and California, which ranked 46th, would do so badly in the happiness ranking.
“I am only a little surprised,” he said. “Many people think these states would be marvelous places to live in. The problem is that if too many individuals think that way, they move into those states, and the resulting congestion and house prices make it a non-fulfilling prophecy.”
HAPPIEST RANKINGS
The state-by-state list (including Washington, D.C.), from happiest to least cheery:
1. Louisiana
2. Hawaii
3. Florida
4. Tennessee
5. Arizona
6. South Carolina
7. Mississippi
8. Montana
9. Alabama
10. Maine
Continue reading New York finishes Last in Happiness
January 10, 2010
By Paul Chek, HHP, NMT
Founder, C.H.E.K Institute
Stretching is an ancient form of exercise that goes deeper into evolution
than man himself. If you wonder what I mean, watch any cat or dog and you
will often see them stretch upon rising after a rest. Birds can often be
seen stretching their wing muscles too.
Most ancient martial arts and athlete conditioning systems incorporate
stretching as an integral part of athlete development. Stretching has also
been part of healing practices for thousands of years. But have we learned
anything recently that will improve our results with stretching?
YES, we have.
In this article, I will share the following tips for getting maximum results
in minimum time with stretching. You will:
Learn about tonic, phasic and mixed muscle types and which ones should be
stretched first
Discover when the best time to stretch is depending on the desired outcome
Learn two basic approaches to lengthening the muscle-tendon unit and which
is best for your situation
Realize that as your body, or your activities change, so too must your
stretching routine if you want the best results
1. Not all Muscles Are The Same
You are likely to have heard the term “postural muscles” before. This term
refers to those muscles ideally suited to hold you up against gravity. The
term “tonic muscles” is often used synonymously with the term “postural
muscles,” yet in actuality, the tonic muscles and postural muscles are
somewhat different.
Continue reading Everything You Wanted to Know about Stretching
