The chatter surrounding Google’s fab tribute to the 30th anniversary of a great game, Pac-Man, is so odd at times. CNN reports that over $120 million had been wasted as visitors to Google’s site played the game.

Really?

This article misses the point of this historic game. The amount of discovery joy engendered by playing the game is beyond calculation. Creativity often comes from this type of play as mental exercise. In a word, Americans need to play a helluva lot more than we are playing now. Play of all kinds: games and social games. Do it for your health, your sanity, taking back your personal power from where-ever-the-hell-you-gave-it-this-week, for generativity. Go play some Pac-Man of whatever variety or persuasion and then share your experience. Is that not part of the fun of social media?

Celebrate the joy of play for daily wellness: do it and share it. @DoctorJames

Discovery of these health news reports spurred this digest for the week of 15 March 2010. Three items are reviewed and followed by suggested action plans to enhance one’s health.
@DoctorJames

Touch and Interaction are Essential

Feelings of loneliness increases blood pressure over time in those who are 50 years or older

SUGGESTED ACTIONS

• Ensure personal knowledge of one’s baseline blood pressure (BP)
• Seek appropriate treatment from a licensed health care professional for BP problems AND STICK TO IT
• Actively participate in groups: community, religious, gym, recreational, or affinity social groups
• Actively cultivate and nurture friendships
• Positively engage relatives and those who are surrogate family members
• Practice the 10 Easy Steps to Happiness that Really Work from the Slough, England year-old social experiment THAT WORKED

Preventive behaviors reduced H1N1 household transmission in 2009

SUGGESTED ACTIONS

• WASH YOUR HANDS – handwashing saves lives, resources, and elevates your health and wellness: HERE’S HOW TO DO IT PROPERLY


Handwashing is Vital to Good Health

• Unless medically disadvised, get the annual seasonal or other influenza vaccination
• Talk with your housemates about how to prevent the transmission of influenza
• Teach and persistently reinforce good handwashing and basic hygiene to all children
• Cough or sneeze into your elbow – not your hands

Local carbon dioxide domes reduce air quality

SUGGESTED ACTIONS

• Pay attention to local air quality ratings and alter your outside behaviors as recommended
• Minimize or avoid outdoor grilling or trash-burning
• Change your commute practices to enhance environmental qualities: biking, carsharing, use of public transit, or walking
• Recycle and reuse, compost, and pre-cycle so that packaging trash is minimized
• Act to better air quality by pushing local and regional initiatives to negate carbon output at the source