PILLOW TALK

If you wake up with a backache or neck discomfort, don't immediately invest in a new mattress.  The problem could be your pillow -- be sure it holds your head in the same relation to your shoulders and spine as if you were standing up.  A fairly firm pillow works best for side sleepers, a medium-firm one for back sleepers, and a soft one for people who sleep on their backs.

Compare firmness by placing pillows on a flat surface and compressing them with your palm to about half of each pillow's thickness.  The more pressure you have to apply, the firmer the pillow, and the faster it returns to its original shape, the more resilient.  Look for secure stitches, straight seams, evenly distributed filling, a usable zipper, piping that reduces wear on the edges, and a tightly woven cover to protect the fill.  Check foam pillows for odors that may or may not dissipate over time.
Sources: Better Sleep Council, Consumer Reports



CELEBRATING MY 25th YEAR AS A PHYSICAL THERAPIST . . .
THANK YOU FOR YOUR REFERRALS!

BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS: WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW - Part 2

Guest Author: Beverly Zibrak, President of the Word Doc, Brookline, MA

Continued from 7/13/13 post . . .

You are already an expert.

Draw from your own personal and business experience  You are already an authority on many subjects.  What places have you visited?  What are your hobbies?  How have you built a successful small business?  Answers to these questions will shed light on the broad range of things you already know.  So go ahead and write about them.

Do not put style ahead of honest communication.

Writing about down-to-earth subjects may not seem to have any style.  It is very easy to be grandiose and convince yourself that you are a bold writer.  This is not true.  The key is to write in an informed manner.  Uninformed writing is not as interesting.  The most important thing in any of your writing is that it communicates in a clear, concise and engaging style.  This is critical to creative writing but more critical to business writing.

Put your thoughts and ideas on paper.  Rely on others to edit.

If you are not a professional writer - and most business people are not - then focus on your ideas.  They are unique to you.  Put your ideas on paper, and then turn to a professional writer or editor to turn them into solid writing.  You can develop the concepts, and then let someone else polish them up.

Beverly Zibrak is President of the Word Doc, a writing and editing services firm dedicated to helping small business with all their communication needs, including web content development, press releases and marketing communications, and blog posts.  You can reach Beverly at www.worddocusa.com or 617.584.9847.

SWEATING IT OUT - Part Two

Continued from 7/1/13 post . . .


When the heat is on, staying hydrated decreases stress on your body and is essential to stay healthy.  Be sure to schedule frequent fluid breaks, as sipping fluids over time is more effective than drinking large amounts in one sitting.  If you become dehydrated during an unusually long and strenuous bout of exercise, you will need to drink frequently for the next 24 - 48 hours to replace the sweat losses.

Water and 100% fruit juice are your healthiest beverage choices.  Sports drinks (Gatorade, Powerade) are only necessary if you are exercising hard for more than an hour -- be aware that a 20-ounce bottle contains about 130 calories.

Soda, vitamin waters, energy drinks (Red Bull), alcohol, and coffee shop drinks are less healthy options.  They usually contain lots of non-nutritious calories, sugar, and other dubious ingredients.
Source: Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook




CELEBRATING MY 25th YEAR AS A PHYSICAL THERAPIST . . . THANK YOU FOR YOUR REFERRALS!