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!

Age well my friends!

I am thrilled to announce that the first four books in The 15 Minute Fix series are now on sale at Amazon. VISION, FACE, SENSES, and SCALP are all currently available as Kindle eBooks with print versions to be available shortly. 

To celebrate (and of course to peak your interest...), I have created a free sample version of The 15 Minute Fix: VISION. It contains five of the exercises from the book, tips on how to get the most out of the exercises, and a few extras. This mini-book includes examples of relaxation and stress relief exercises, flexibility exercises,  near vision exercises,  distance vision exercises,  binocular vision and depth perception exercises,  peripheral vision exercises, and  tracking and sports training exercises. Give it a try!

Curious? Submit your email to download the 5 free exercises from The 15 Minute Fix: VISION.

Age well my friends!

Launch date is just around the corner, and I couldn't be more excited! The first 4 books will focus on eye, facial, sensory, and hair & scalp exercises.

While it is easy to figure out the point of the individual books in The 15 Minute Fix series, it may not be as clear what the point of the series is. 

The 15 Minute Fix is about helping you age well. 

What do I mean by aging well? 

Whether you are moving from your 20's into your 30's or from your 60's into your 70's, your body and your mind are constantly changing. We call this aging. You don't want to stop this process (the side effects are pretty bad...), but you can take steps to adapt to these changes and mitigate the environmental factors that are constantly working against us. I want you to be comfortable with the fact that you are getting older and to take steps to keep your body and brain healthy and vibrant. I want to help you stay youthful! 

Because we are all busy, I have designed the various 15 Minute Fix programs to be short and easily integrated into your daily schedule (hence the 15 minutes...). Use the books in The 15 Minute Fix series to transform your daily routine into a lifelong program of keeping your mind and body functioning at their highest possible levels. If you do this, you will find that you look and act more youthful and that you have improved your overall health.

In addition to the main focus area of each book, the exercises in each book in The 15 Minute Fix series are designed to help you age well by:

• Lowering your stress levels, 
  
• Elevating your cognitive function, 
  
• Increasing your energy levels, 
  
• Raising your social confidence, 
  
• Improving your performance at work, and
  
• Maintaining an active, healthy lifestyle much longer than you otherwise would have.
  

As you dig into each of The 15 Minute Fix books, you will see that they consist of more than just a group of exercises. Each book will contribute toward a comprehensive lifelong plan to age well.


So, join me as we embark on a lifelong journey of aging well!