On the Count of Five
When anxiety strikes, grounding exercises can help. According to the University of Rochester Medical Center, this five-step exercise can ground you into the present and distract from anxious, racing thoughts. Start by taking slow, deep breaths and look around for:
FIVE things you can see
FOUR things you can touch
THREE things you can hear
TWO things you can smell
ONE thing you can taste
Man’s Best Friend
According to the American Heart Association, owning a pet can help reduce stress, boost mood, and lower blood pressure and cholesterol, as pet ownership may change habits that lead to weight loss and increase likelihood of physical activity. In fact, the association’s research has shown that dog parents are 34% more likely to fit in 150 minutes of walking each week than non-dog owners.
Make a Run for It
According to the Cleveland Clinic, some research shows a strong link between worn-out running shoes and injuries. To best protect your physical health, it’s important to replace your running shoes every 400 to 600 miles, or about every six months, especially if the midsole begins to crack or wrinkle.
Harvesting Health
According to Harvard Health, gardening can do more than beautify your yard – it can help you meet your physical activity goals. Exercise researchers use metabolic equivalents (METs) to measure how much oxygen per minute the average person uses during a particular activity, with activities between 3 to 5.9 METs considered moderate-intensity exercise. Many common yard and garden chores fall into this range:
| Activity | METs |
|---|---|
| Raking lawn or leaves (moderate effort) | 4.0 |
| Pushing a wheelbarrow | 4.8 |
| Weeding, cultivating, or hoeing (moderate-to-vigorous effort) | 5.0 |
Meet the Author
Ali Lemmons, BS, Summa Cum Laude
Ali Lemmons is a graduate of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication with a minor in computer science. While at UTC, Ali also earned the distinction of Summa Cum Laude, the Outstanding Senior Award for the communication department, and was inducted into the Kappa Tau Alpha honor society. Now, as editor/digital content specialist for CMC Media & Marketing Group, Ali leads the ideation, conceptualization, and development of numerous health, wellness, business, sports, and lifestyle articles published in print and online for HealthScope®, CityScope®, and Choose Chattanooga® magazines – premier publications serving S.E. Tennessee and North Georgia. She is also involved in content creation for Digital Smart Marketing customers and is the lead copywriter for the company’s social media sites.
