I am excited to announce the launch of The 15 Minute Focus series. The Focus series came into being after a number of readers (and potential readers!) suggested that they were interested in focusing on one particular issue. With the clear categorizations within each book, it made sense to offer targeted programs at a lower price for those who want to focus on one particular area or who want to dip a toe in the water before buying one of the bigger books. 

Focus series books will have 15-20 exercises, tracking/progress tests, and a workout plan, all targeted toward the particular focus of each book. For the time being, Focus series books will be offered in eBook form only. As with the previous 15 Minute Fix eBooks, all of the exercises are designed to be easily read from smartphones.

The initial four books, containing selections from The 15 Minute Fix: VISION are: NEAR VISION, FAR VISION, DEPTH PERCEPTION, and SPORTS VISION.

Future editions of the Focus series will include targeted selections from FACE and SENSES!

Let me know if you like them!

Age well my friends!

I run a lot. I try to get out there and get some sort of run in at least five days a week. It might be for 20 minutes; the other day it was for an hour and half. Sometimes I listen to music or an audiobook. Other times I just enjoy the sounds (or quiet) of the outdoors. Recently, however, I’ve had fun working eye and sensory exercises into my run. Sometimes this just seems like a good way to fit in some of my exercises, sometimes it gives me something to do if I’m a little bored with the run, sometimes it distracts me when I’m dragging a bit.

I started playing around with this a bit after reading about this study in an article in Men’s Journal. It suggests that focusing on markers along your route can make your run seem easier and actually lead to faster times. Emily Balcetis, coauthor of the study and a psychology professor at NYU, suggests that runners "Pick a landmark a few blocks ahead, like a stop sign or a tree. When you hit your target, repeat. Pick the next landmark in view."

As soon as I went out and tried this trick, it became obvious that a slight modification would turn it into a great eye exercise: I look ahead as far as I can (this sometimes depends on the contour of the road) for a branch, mailbox, sign, or anything else that is likely to have some detail when viewed up close and that my head is likely to pass within a few feet of. While it’s still distant I work on picking out details (such as writing) as soon as I can. Once I identify something, I look for something new (perhaps a crack or smaller bit of writing). Once I get in the 10-20 foot range, I try to bring all of the details into focus and hold them there. Ideally, I can pass within a couple of feet of the object - close enough to force me to adjust my near vision focus. Once I have passed it, I find a new object in the distance. I have found that I’m getting a good eye workout and that the time seems to speed by a bit quicker (I don’t think I’m actually running any faster!).

Once I figured out that neat trick, I began to play around with some other eye exercises while running. For example, trying to hold mailboxes that are on opposite sides of the street in my peripheral vision for as long as possible. Or guessing how many steps it will take me to reach a certain landmark (ie. does my perception of distance match the actual distance). Or seeing how quickly I can determine the color or shape of a car coming from behind me.

I have also played around with other sensory exercises. How long before I can pick up ten distinct scents. If I see something that I know has a scent, how far away can I smell it (farms, bakeries, coffee shops, smoking chimney, roadkill - lots of good options out there). Do the same thing with sounds. Can I identify 10 distinct sounds before I get to Chestnut St? How far away can I hear the river that’s up ahead. With touch, it’s a bit tougher, but you can try to focus on the feel of different surfaces under your feet as you run (how does a trail feel vs. the road, can you feel that crack or leaf, can you feel if a surface is smooth or rough?).

We’ll leave taste out of it for now. Nobody wants to focus on that taste in your mouth after a long run….

Remember, just by being out there exercising, you will be helping all of your senses (and your overall health). They all typically function better after exercise.

Age well my friends!

The bulk of the medical community and, to a certain extent, conventional wisdom has preached for decades that eye exercises are ineffectual with nearsightedness (myopia) because the problem is rooted in the fact that the eyeball is the wrong shape and eye exercises can't fix that. Although I am very hesitant to claim otherwise due to the lack of rigorous medical studies supporting it, I have put forth numerous times that the arguments against the effectiveness of eye exercises in combating nearsightedness seem to ignore some of the data out there.

From The 15 Minute Fix: VISION:

There is strong evidence that nearsightedness is largely caused by our environment. Statistics indicate that 100 years ago, around 5% of the U.S. population suffered from myopia (nearsightedness), while today nearly a third of the U.S. population is nearsighted. It stands to reason that the ability to read well into the night, the shift from outdoor jobs to factory jobs to desk jobs, and the introduction of computers are likely reasons for the degeneration of modern eyeballs. Therefore, it stands to reason, that if our environment is causing the damage, then we can take steps to stop or even repair the damage. 

This is why I found this article "Is Nearsightedness An Epidemic?" in U.S. News and World Report so interesting. Research by Christine Wildsoet, professor of vision science and optometry at the University of California–Berkeley, found that:

In the early 1970s, about 25 percent of 12- to 54-year-old Americans were myopic. By the 2000s, more than 41 percent had the condition..... Other countries, particularly those in East Asia where schooling starts earlier and lasts longer each day, have beat us to the chase..... In Taiwan, the myopia prevalence among 7-year-olds increased from 5.8 percent in 1983 to 21 percent in 2000. And in South Korea, a large, representative study of 19-year-olds showed that more than 96 percent were myopic in 2010.

So does the research indicate that anything can be done about it? 

Australia is one country that’s traditionally lagged behind in myopia progression trends. That’s likely due in part to the down-under lifestyle and landscape that promotes time outdoors, says Wildsoet..... Research has linked more time outdoors with decreased risk of myopia progression, even when controlling for the amount of time indoors and reading.

This sounds an awful lot like engaging in eye exercises.

The article also suggests doing 20-20-20, the second exercise in The 15 Minute Fix: VISION. A couple of the other suggestions seem to have come straight from the book as well: eat a nutritious diet with lots of eye healthy foods and taking steps to avoid Computer Vision Syndrome.

This article and the research behind it lead me to further question the claim that eye exercises can do nothing to prevent nor improve myopia. The evidence clearly supports the view that many cases of myopia are brought on by lifestyle and environment. Given that, there are steps that can be taken to avoid the damage caused by these factors and possibly even reverse damage done. Some might say that taking breaks and getting outside don't qualify as eye exercises. I disagree - getting outside has always been a form of exercise. However, we often engage in more structured exercise (going to the gym, running, cross-fit, etc.) because adding structure to our exercise allows us to improve ourselves in less time and in a more focused manner. 

It's no different with eye exercises. If you can consistently get outside and continue to use your eyes in a dynamic, varied way every day (this includes actively using near vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and tracking), then you probably don't need eye exercises. But for those of you who have lives that make this difficult, eye exercises are a great substitute - just as the gym can be for physical fitness.

I am optimistic that research like this will get the ball rolling on more serious long term research on how dynamic eye usage (sometimes known as eye exercises) can delay, prevent, or even lessen nearsightedness.

Age well my friends....

I enjoyed reading this article - it has some good examples of people who were able to naturally improve their vision. Besides referencing the UCR study I wrote about a few weeks ago, it also gives a nice history of eye exercises.

I especially appreciated the author’s point about relaxing into better vision. One of the reasons that Nancy Neff, whose case the article focuses on, had so much success, was that she was able to relax - her eyes “simply held an enormous amount of tension.” I also love her advice on how to approach eye exercises: “Don't make it a chore and a struggle. Make it an adventure."

As I discuss in VISION, eye exercises are not intended to be like weightlifting for your eyes, they should be relaxing, soothing, and healing. And remember, the benefits extend well beyond vision improvement. Use them to lower your stress, improve your cognitive function, and boost your energy levels.

Age well my friends... and relax....

I love the slightly out of the box thinking that incorporates peripheral vision exercises into the balance program for seniors described in this article. Both eye exercises and sensory exercises can help develop and maintain balance.

Working on peripheral vision exercises, as discussed in the article, is an excellent way to give your sense of balance a little boost. As you probably know, it is difficult to maintain balance with your eyes closed (just try standing on one foot with your eyes closed). While diminished peripheral vision will not have the same impact on your balance as closing your eyes, it can still lessen your sense of balance. Keep your peripheral vision active.

Balance is also closely related to hearing. A recent Johns Hopkins study found that even mild hearing loss increases the likelihood of falling threefold. Whether or not you try to improve your hearing through auditory exercises, be sure to test your hearing periodically. You should know if you have an increased risk of falling. Even if you scoff at the idea because you think you are too young for it to be a problem, now is the time to prepare your body, senses, and brain for the future - when it will become an issue. Catching hearing loss early will also allow you to take steps to stop or counter it early in the process so that you can avoid many of the associated  complications. In addition to balance, hearing loss can lead to or be a sign of depression, loss of social confidence, dementia, other medical problems, and safety issues.

Touch exercises can also be helpful in maintaining good balance, especially when those exercises include a visual component (i.e. see what you feel). Training the brain to use all of the sensory clues at its disposal to help determine the body’s position and orientation in space will help keep you healthy and safe well into old age - and it’s never too early to start preparing.

The 15 Minute Fix: VISION includes exercises specifically designed to develop peripheral vision. The 15 Minute Fix: SENSES includes exercises for hearing and touch along with tests for tracking both, so that you can be aware of any sensory problems well before they become medical or safety issues.

Age well my friends….

If you are reading this, you probably spend enough time looking at screens (computer, tablet, and/or smartphone) that you need to be aware of the symptoms, risks, and treatments for Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS).

The most common symptoms associated with CVS are:

• Eyestrain
• Headaches
  
• Blurred vision
  
• Dry eyes
  
• Neck and shoulder pain

These problems can all be compounded by vision problems such as farsightedness, astigmatism, poor convergence insufficiency, and aging conditions, such as presbyopia.

While many of the problems resulting from CVS are temporary, their impact on your well being can be significant. CVS frequently causes fatigue which can lead to minor issues such as loss of productivity at work to more major issues like falling asleep at the wheel. Those who experience CVS symptoms over longer periods of time, may find that their existing eye conditions worsen more than they otherwise would have, that CVS symptoms are no longer temporary, and that they begin to the effects of stress - both mental (anxiety, depression, etc.) and physical (neck and back problems).

So, other than abandoning your computer and phone, how do you combat CVS?

1. Have your eyes checked regularly and discuss your usage patterns with your eye doctor. If you wear glasses your optometrist might be able to recommend computer friendly lenses; if you don't wear glasses, try these.
   
2. Manage your environment - good lighting, seat position, and distance to screen will all help.
   
3. Take breaks - 20 seconds every 20 minutes and 15 minutes every two hours.
   
4. Eye exercises  - both simple ones such as blinking that you can do throughout the day and structured eye workouts will help keep your eyes and brain from atrophying..
   

The American Optometric Association has a good summary of CVS along with other tips for taking care of eyes.

Age well my friends….

This recent article in Popular Science about tetrachromacy - having four channels for conveying color to the brain rather than the usual three - really got me thinking about the vast potential for tapping into the plasticity of the brain. Tetrachromacy is a rare genetic condition to begin with, but taking advantage of it is rarer still, because tetrachromats’ brains are wired to interpret vision through three color receptors - the same way as everyone else. What researchers have found however, is that with training, a tetrachromat can teach their brain to use the fourth color receptor to see an exponentially greater range of color.

The article profiles Concetta Antico, who is a tetrachromat and, as a lifelong artist, has naturally trained her brain to use this fourth receptor. As a result, she “can process more than 100 million colors compared to the average person who processes only 100,000 to one million.” Although it sounds hard to believe, Ms. Antico’s tetrachromat ability has been confirmed in a study by Kimberly Jameson, a cognitive scientist at the Institute for Mathematical Behavioral Sciences at the University of California in Irvine and Alissa Winkler at the University of Nevada in Reno. They are also principal members of The Human Tetrachromacy Research Collaborative, an excellent resource on tetrachromacy.

One final thought: The 15 Minute Fix: VISION does not focus much on training the eyes to better interpret color. Having read this article and the research, I’m excited to explore this area to find specific exercises for a future edition that might improve one’s ability to distinguish between colors, see greater depth of color, and to identify subtleties of color. Meanwhile, if you want to experiment with improving your ability to see color, I would suggest adapting the following exercises from VISION:

• 8.  Visualization - focusing on a color rather than an object,
• 33.  Round and Round - use paint chips (like these Pantone color cards) instead of letters and try to work through the rainbow (if using a full range of colors) or from light to dark (if using different shades of the same color), and
• 39. Colored Dot Drill - make the colors more similar so that they are harder to tell apart.
  

I have never been great with color myself, so I’m really excited to play around with this. I’ll share what I find.

Age well my friends….

The ability to improve one's vision with eye exercises remains a controversial area, with many eye care professionals continuing to argue that eye exercises provide no benefit. Researchers out of the University of California, Riverside (UCR) and Boston University, however, recently showed in a study published in the Journal of Vision that specific eye exercises can improve vision among those over 65.

The study showed that consistent practice of vision tasks that pushed the subject's visual limits, resulted in improved vision. "We found that just two days of training in one hour sessions with difficult stimuli resulted in older subjects seeing as well as younger college-age subjects," stated chief researcher G. John Andersen, professor of psychology at UCR. 

The task that the participants used to train their eyes, is essentially a pattern recognition exercise. Typically, this process involved the participants viewing a pattern which is then masked in such a way to make it difficult to see the pattern. Participants were instructed to focus on a central point in the image and identify the pattern using peripheral vision. Here is an example of masked images:



Without specialized equipment to create a series, it it's hard to duplicate the exercise on your own. However, you can help train your eyes, your brain, and their ability to work together by trying your hand at visual puzzles. Here are a couple of good examples: 

Here's another hidden star puzzle....

The visual puzzle concept is a nice compliment to the eye workouts available in The 15 Minute Fix: VISION. Any type of visual puzzle that requires you to send a wide variety of detailed information to your brain for interpretation and analysis will help train you to make better use of your eyes on a day to day basis. (Reading can provide similar benefits.)

If you want to try to create an exercise that you can work into your 15 Minute Fix eye workout, try this: Find a variable textured surface (wood, stone, brick, etc) and over the course of 3 minutes, try to identify 3 shapes or patterns. Sort of like looking for a shape in the clouds. If you are struggling to find any sort of shape or pattern, try creating letters or shapes by "connecting the dots" using imperfections in the surface. Also, be sure to use a different surface each time you do this exercise.
 
Age well my friends!

A number of recent studies have shown multiple benefits of chewing gum. Although gum chewing is not defined as a full exercise in any of The 15 Minute Fix books (though some do suggest chewing gum as a bonus activity), the mechanics and benefits are similar to those found in many of the exercises in SENSES (those targeting sense of taste) and FACE (those helping to support and firm chin and mouth areas).


A study out of the Department of Psychology at St. Lawrence University (New York, USA) showed that chewing gum results in a 15-20 minute boost in cognitive performance. The study found that this brain boost resulted from the act of chewing, not from the ingredients in the gum. This is consistent with the idea that performing a facial, sensory, or other 15 Minute Fix exercise can provide a quick mental recharge.

A study out of the School of Psychology at Cardiff University (UK) associated chewing gum with greater alertness, quicker reaction time, improved selective and sustained attention, and better mood. Gum flavor did not seem to affect outcomes, again supporting the idea that it is the chewing motion that provides these benefits.

A study by researchers from the Brain Sciences Institute at Swinburne University (Melbourne, Australia) found that chewing gum appeared to lower stress levels and improve alertness. Although they were not able to definitively identify the underlying mechanism of these effects, they stipulated that they may involve improved cerebral blood flow - a benefit of a majority of 15 Minute Fix exercises.

Because these and many other studies found that it was the act of chewing, rather than the gum that led to these benefits, the results support the idea that exercising different muscles in and attached to the head, can help improve cognitive function, reaction time, and alertness, along with lowering stress and improving mood. These are in addition to the benefit of helping your face look more youthful, improving your sense of taste (or smell or hearing), sharpening your eyesight, or reinvigorating your scalp.

So don't be shy about chewing gum (sugar free!) or starting one of The 15 Minute Fix programs. Besides helping your eyes, face, senses, or scalp, you will be taking definitive, manageable steps to improve your productivity, happiness, and general well being. 

Age well my friends!

Today's Wall Street Journal has an interesting article about how 30 minutes of reading every day can lower stress and help your brain function better - just like eye exercises. It's not terribly surprising that eye exercises and reading provide many similar benefits. When done properly, both are relaxing and therapeutic while engaging and strengthening the brain.

The article has some great tips on how to read. Unlike the reading tips in The 15 Minute Fix: VISION, which are focused on supporting eyesight, the reading tips in the article are focused on maximizing comprehension and quality of your reading experience. The two sets of reading tips compliment each other well, so I encourage you to incorporate both sets into your reading routine. The tips in the article include:

Of course, the last one is my favorite. If you really want to get benefits beyond knowing what a book is about, you need to approach it as if it were exercise. This should not make reading any less enjoyable - read things you enjoy so that it never becomes a chore - but you do need planning, discipline, and commitment in order to maximize the benefits (if you have read any of The 15 Minute Fix books then you know that I believe these to be the cornerstones of a successful exercise program). 

Despite some overlapping benefits, eye exercises and reading have independent benefits that are both an important part of aging well. So I encourage you to read regularly, take good care of your eyes, and engage in an eye exercise routine. The 15 Minute Fix: VISION can help you with the care and the exercises, I'll let you take care of the reading....

Age well my friends!

A recent study by a group of researchers from the National Institutes of Health found that progressive loss of hearing showed a clear correlation with increased risk of depression. The study also found that the risk of depression in those suffering from hearing loss was greater for those less than 70 years old and that women were at greater risk than men.

Although many hearing experts, psychiatrists, and caregivers have long believed that a diminished sense of hearing leads to depression, support of this concept has largely been anecdotal. This study adds scientifically sound data to the argument.  "It is not surprising to me that they would be more likely to be depressed," said James Firman, president and CEO of the National Council on Aging. "People with hearing loss, especially those who don't use hearing aids, find it more difficult to communicate with other people, whether in family situations, social gatherings or at work." 

The study supports the idea that the ability to hear well is not simply an end in and of itself. It is also an important means of improving your communication skills, boosting your social and professional confidence, and promoting overall mental and physical well-being. Of course readers of The 15 Minute Fix: SENSES know that I believe this to be case with all of the senses. Taking care of your senses of smell, taste, touch, and sight (covered in VISION) is a vital part of managing your overall health. A few minutes a day exercising your senses, along with a few common sense lifestyle adjustments (turn down the volume, etc.), will go a long way toward keeping your mind, body, and soul healthy for the long run.

Age well my friends,

You don‘t need me to tell you that your vision is vital to your overall health and well-being. You might, however, need a reminder to get your eyes checked.  Since August is National Eye Exam Month, I’m reminding you to set up an appointment now.

Although I am an advocate of eye exercises, readers of The 15 Minute Fix: VISION know that I also believe that they are not something you do instead of getting your eyes checked. If you want to get the most out of your eye exercises, you should do them armed with a complete understanding of how good or bad your current vision is.

Remember, eye exercises are not a quick, easy way to avoid glasses. If your eyes are struggling to do their job because you refuse to wear glasses, you are working at cross purposes with any long-term eye exercise program. Eye exercises help keep your eyes flexible, relaxed, and vibrant. In addition to helping the functionality of your eyes, this will help relieve stress, stay alert, communicate better with others, and simply get more done. Don’t throw away these benefits by squinting, straining, or otherwise struggling with your vision day after day. Get your eyes checked by a qualified eye specialist.

The 15 Minute Fix: VISION is available on Amazon as an eBook. The print edition is on its way! If you want to check it out, download a free sample.

Age well my friends!