We’ve come to our last post for this quarter. Remember, change takes time. From now to June, you should examine the action items from all 7 days, plan, implement and report.

I see destruction. We live in a time where couples aren’t staying together and when parents are dying, leaving a litany of orphans around the world. Surveys indicate that the number one reason couples separate is because of finances, the 2nd – infidelity. It would appear that people, the most intelligent species on the planet, can almost magically revert to animals – more like prehistoric man, than a 21st century evolved species, when it comes to sexual behavior.

I tend to believe that sexual promiscuity – be it in a man or woman is the result of a deeper problem. Some need unmet or some desire for power – absent in other aspects of the person’s life. This behavior, wielded like carnal weaponry,  would be bad enough if the wounded only included adults.

But our kids, the innocent bystanders are the ones that truly suffer. AIDS, poverty, anger, self-doubt and resentment have replaced apple pie, cartoons, games and hugs as the staples that make up some children’s lives. Rape, multiple partners and irresponsible breeding must stop or we run the risk of undoing everything that we’ve accomplished.

Your task? If you are guilty of any of the aforementioned behaviors – STOP.

A Harvard Health study indicated that 75% of us experience sleep problems at least a few nights a week. I’d guess that all of us have a sleep problem every now and again, but apparently this isn’t the issue. What is – is chronic sleep loss.

There are all sorts of serious health problems associated with sleep loss: weight gain, high blood pressure, lowered immune system. And we must also consider the psychological affects – irritability, reduced concentration and productivity. All things that prevent you from being the best that you can be – and we’ve got things to do (not the least of which is your 7 days of change activities), don’t we?

So, how can you increase your chances of getting a restful night of sleep? Here are some suggestions:

• Maintain a set schedule – go to sleep the same time every night and your body will begin to anticipate the rest. You may also need to go to sleep a little earlier and most importantly, if you have kids, set a similar schedule for them.
• Stop eating at least a couple hours before your bedtime, especially anything with caffeine or alcohol – energy boost doesn’t equal sleepy time.
• Exercise – See 7 Days of Change, Day 1
• Control the Environment – If you’re like me, noise, and excessive heat or cold interrupt my sleep
• Lavender – This essential oil has been known to aid in sleep. Dab a bit on your temples or put a few drops in water on your nightstand.

These are just a few tips, if you have others, chime in. Your task? If you’re not getting enough sleep, make 1 (or all) of these changes, renew, refresh, and report back here.

My journey on the road to embracing the “Green” movement began a few years ago. I’ve suffered with allergies my entire life and my skin is also sensitive. Cleaning (one of my favorite pastimes) would invoke sneezing fits, and if I dared get a drop of product on my skin – well, let’s just say it wasn’t pretty.

I looked at the back of the fine print on the backs of my cleaning products and saw things that alarmed me. “Use in a well ventilated area”, “Do not let this product come in contact with your skin – use gloves” – don’t even let me get started on the chemicals I couldn’t pronounce. So, I was cleaning my bathroom, kitchen and floors with products that I shouldn’t breathe in or touch and that made me sneeze?? And then, send all this down the drain, back to water recycling plants, so that it can come back out into my drinking and bathing water? Really?

A little visit to Whole Foods changed everything. I first tried Seventh Generation products. Those were great, but pricey. A google search uncovered some other truths – I could substitute natural (and cheap) household items for quite a few of my cleaning needs. Vinegar – great for windows and mirrors. Tea tree oi – combined with water and a few drops of castille soap (yes, all natural), make an excellent kitchen cleaner. There are tons of other combinations.

So, your task – take a look at what you’re using, if you don’t like what you see on those labels, try a natural product or come up with your own natural recipe. Save yourself and the environment in the process, report back here.

Quite a lively discussion going on the other challenge days. Don’t be shy, chime in.

Your challenge today – Mental health. In my view, there are two aspects of mental health: the medical kind, and the life enriching kind.

Mental health carries an irrational stigma. I’m not sure when it started, and don’t care to explore its origins, so I’ll just ask that we get over it. Depression, bi-polar disease and any of their variations are medical problems. The brain is an organ, much the same as your liver or pancreas. Treat it accordingly. If you are suffering, or know of someone suffering with mental illness, take the first step and seek out help.

The brain also needs food and exercise. Food for the brain is any activity that stimulates it – read, learn a new language, pick up a new hobby. Going to work everyday, coming home, doing homework with the kids and then plopping down in front of the tv doesn’t count. The idea is to do something that causes you to flex and exercise those brain muscles.

Your job – take action, repeat, report here.

Keeping things rolling, we must talk about another topic many of us would rather we didn’t. That’s right, the dreaded annual exam.

If you haven’t done so already this year, and especially if you also neglected to do so last year – STOP what you’re doing and make an appoint for an annual exam today. A simple enough task, but one that so many of us put off. It has been proven time and again, that many life threatening illnesses can be thwarted by early detection.

Based on gender and age, different screening are applicable. Your doctor or WebMD can help you with what’s needed. So, your task today, make the call, schedule the appointment and show up – no cancellations, please. And while you’re at it, may be time to visit your dentist too. Made your appointment yet?

Our second day of change goes hand in hand with Day 1’s challenge – exercise. All the exercising in the world won’t amount to much if you don’t learn to control what goes into your body.

There are only two things we need to consider: type of food and the amount. In simple terms, you must eat less calories than you expend. Some experts will tell you to eliminate certain foods completely from your diet. If you’d like to go down that road, you can, but it’s not required for this exercise. Because I’ve come to believe that you can eat much of what you want, but the key is moderation.

Take a real assessment of what and how much you eat. If you eat McDonalds 3 times a week – then try 1 day a week. If you normally eat an entire chicken breast at dinner – try halfing it and take the other half to work the next day for lunch. One thing that you must do is to add more fruit, vegetables and water to your diet. Again, start with a small change – 1 additional piece of fruit a week, a half glass of water. Start with manageable change, and work your way up. Another thing to monitor is sodium – found in excess in many canned, frozen and processed foods. The Mayo Clinic recommends no more than 2400mg a day.

So, your challenge. Assess your eating habits. List what and how much you eat for 1 full week. Then, change it up – eat less, watch your sodium and cut back on fast food. Chart your progress, and come back here to share your results.

Over my past couple years of blogging, I’ve commented on issues and problems, both personal and collectively, that plague us as a people. But now it’s time for action, real steps that we can take on the road towards a better you (us). On Friday I introduced my new series of posts: 7 Days of Change. Again, for the first 7 days each quarter, we’ll outline 7 tasks aimed at changing our lives for the better. Up first: Exercise.

I hear the moans and excuses already: I don’t have time, I don’t like to exercise, I’m too tired, My hair….what about my hair??? I’ll give you another moment or two to whine and throw up all the typical roadblocks…done? Good, read on!

Though I tend to raise my eyebrows at what the current obesity standards are, I do recognize the seriousness of this wholly controllable killer in our communities. I don’t propose that women shrink to a size 2 or that men have a 29 inch waist – that would introduce medical issues on the other end of the spectrum. All I ask is that you exercise. It will be good for your weight, your heart and will help reduce the overall level of stress in your life.

So, your task (if not for yourself, do it for your friends, family, kids, grandkids, etc.) is to do 1 form of exercise at least 3 days a week. Here are some options:

• walking
• yoga
• biking
• playing basketball (or any other sport) with your kids
• park a little further than normal or take the stairs (at work, shopping, etc) – your heart will thank you for those accumulated extra steps

Exercise doesn’t have to be formal, and it doesn’t have to be for a long time – a little goes a long way. The idea is to just move, start small, build up a little at a time. Come back and tell me about your progress. If you have found new and unusual ways to fit in exercise, share it with your fellow 7 Day changers.

It seems to me that the same problems plague us – country to country, generation to generation, person to person. Year after year, woeful tales of love, money, hate and indifference whip and tumble through our lives like perpetual tornadoes.

So what am I going to do about it? I’m a planner, a thinker, an evaluator – sometimes to a fault. And with the help of my partner, have thought long and deep about this. What I want to do about it, is to give you a plan. A set of 7 tasks, set out across seven days, once a quarter. Why not every week, you ask? Take it from a planner, the quickest way to derail a plan is to not factor in time for testing and execution.

Ready for a change? Want to join me on the journey? All I ask is that you read, give it a try, then come back here and tell me how it works for you – good or bad. I won’t even fault you for leaving your comments anonymously. We start on Monday, March 1.

Some will be easy, some may find you clinging feebly to your safety blankets, and yet others may required flexing the braincells a bit. But in the end, if you choose to follow, in the words of the great Nina Simone, you’ll be “Feeling Good”.