The financial mindset (and mindfulness) of the minimalist

Ramon Khan and his family enjoy their lifestyle — a diet made up largely of organic foods, a gym membership and an expansive home theater.

“Many people often wonder how we can afford some of the things that we enjoy in our lifestyle, and what they don't know is that it's because of our careful spending habits and minimalistic way of living,” said the 29-year-old online marketer from Houston.

Minimalism, touted for its mental and spiritual benefits, can come across as living a deprived, spartan existence. But for those who practice it, minimalism is a form of financial planning and management to free up resources for things that matter most.

“By having less stuff, a person will be able to focus on what truly matters in life instead of wasting time by adding items they do not need to their home,” said Michelle Schroeder, who operates the financial website MakingSenseofCents.com. “This can help a person be more organized, focus on family and work, and more.”

Financial benefit

Minimalists are certainly a minority. According to a report from the Worldwatch Institute titled “The State of Consumption Today,” consumers in the United States use about a quarter of the world’s fossil fuel resources. Another data point is that new houses in the U.S. were 38 percent bigger in the early 21st century than in 1975, despite having fewer people per household on average.

But attaching a definitive description of minimalism can be tricky. For some, it means owning a certain amount of things and nothing more; others insist it’s more a matter of what you own rather than how much.

The website The Minimalists offers this definition: “Minimalism is a tool to rid yourself of life’s excess in favor of focusing on what’s important — so you can find happiness, fulfillment and freedom.”

“I define minimalism as mental, emotional and physical decluttering,” added Toronto life coach Jo Bennett. “Minimalism is really mindfulness around living with less unimportant stuff and then deciding what is meaningful to occupy that new-found space.”

Although minimalists tout the emotional and spiritual benefits of living as simply as possible, another plus to the mindset is financial.

“Minimalism can impact a family's finances in that it can help them save money,” said Schroeder. “By not engaging in impulse spending and cluttering your home with items you do not need, you will be spending less money.”

Diverse approaches

For Ben Nettleton, a 34-year-old Web editor from Houston, personal priorities dictate the financial aspects of his minimalism. “I pretty much spend money on clothes and consumables,” he said. “Ninety-eight percent of the time, if I can't wear it or consume it, I don't buy it. No money spent on little doodads or neat toys of the moment.”

In addition to keeping a rein on overall spending, the Khans shop aggressively for the best possible deal when they do decide on a purchase.

“We typically buy the best appliances that we can invest in,” said Khan. “We have both a Vitamix and a Blendtec blender for example, both retail for over $500 each, but were bought at a fraction of a price because we buy refurbished and used. I buy on Craigslist often to find great deals locally — we were able to buy a $220 citrus press for only $20.”

Being a do-it-yourselfer has helped. Khan built the family's home theater himself rather than buying a prefab setup. They continue to save money on outings to the movies. “We can enjoy a theater experience with surround sound and a 120-inch screen everyday if we wanted to,” he said.

Nor is minimalism confined to simply not buying something in the first place. For Nettleton, it’s ongoing attention to everything that might find a more suitable home somewhere else: “The great stuff goes on eBay, the good stuff goes in the garage sale pile.”

Not merely for savings’ sake

Saving money on extraneous expenses isn’t just a simple exercise of always saying no. As Bennett explained, the process can be boiled down to a question of need versus want.

“As for needs, do you need a house this big?” she said. “Also, revisit all utilities and gadgetry. Does everyone need a separate computer? Can we get more efficient with water and heat?”

Nor do savings merely sit around as some sort of testimony to frugality. As Khan noted, funds saved through minimalism are effectively “reinvested” into items most important to his family.

“All of our combined practices allow us to save a lot of money each month on living expenses and use that money to pay a premium for the things that matter most like our organic food, wind energy and monthly activities,” he said. “If we were not minimalist, we likely would not be able to afford some of the nice things that we do get to splurge on, which are usually related to mental and physical health.”

Minimalism — whether it relates to a financial issue or something else — can also boil down to a simple mental process: do whatever’s necessary to make certain that your choices are genuinely beneficial.

“For those new to minimalism, think of it as a lens through which to view your life," Bennett said. "Regarding any issue, ask yourself what is important and ask three times. Refining your answer each time will reveal to you the real reason for wanting something.”

Summary
Minimalism aims to make life simpler and more rewarding. There are financial benefits along the way as well.

This article originally appeared on desertnews.com and was written by Jeff Wuorio.

Foot and Ankle Pain: Osteopathy Sets Pace for Restored Function

Pain can occur in the foot and ankles for a number of reasons.

The foot and ankle is made up of a number of small bones interconnected by ligaments, muscles and fascia all working together to give the strength, stability and flexibility the foot and ankle needs to function properly.
Common conditions of the foot, ankle and areas which can give rise to pain include:

Acquired flat foot – when the inner side of the foot or inner arch flattens. The foot may roll over to the inner side (known as over-pronation). It is often apparent if the heels of shoes wear out quickly and unevenly. Over-pronation can damage your ankle joint and achilles tendon (the tendon at the back of your ankle) and can also cause shin pain. Symptoms can include, pain, swelling, change in foot shape and knee pain or swelling.

Plantar fasciitis –is pain and inflammation in the plantar fascia – the tough fibrous band of tissue that supports the arches of the foot and runs under the small bones from the underside of the heel and sole towards the toes, Often, people who have plantar fasciitis describe it as a sharp pain, most often under the heel or instep of the foot. It tends to be made worse by standing for long periods of time in poor footwear. Sufferers commonly mention that it is worse when standing after being off their feet for a long time, and it can hurt more putting the foot on the floor first thing in the morning. The sole of the foot can occasionally feel a little numb, tingly or swell slightly. In some cases of plantar fasciitis, a small spur of bone can grow where the plantar fascia attaches and pulls on the heel which can cause a sharp pain.

Achilles pain –The Achilles tendon is formed by the tendon of the two calf muscles, the gastrocnemius and soleus coming together and attaching onto the bone at the back of the heel called the calcaneus) Pain, inflammation or tendonitis in the Achilles can cause pain and tightness in this area.

Sprained ankle. Typically the result of a sudden twisting or “going over” on the ankle joint and more commonly it is the ligaments on the outside of the ankle that are strained. Typical symptoms are swelling, bruising, pain and instability of the ankle. Sometimes an x-ray is required to rule out any fracture. Rest, ice, elevation and compression are often advisable in the first 24 to 48 hours.

How can an osteopath help with foot and ankle pain?

• Depending on the diagnosis and your age and fitness we can use a variety of gentle massage and manipulative techniques to increase the mobility of the joints and the flexibility of the muscles in the foot.
• We will often look at muscles and joints in the lower limb, the knee, hip and lower back and may treat any joint restrictions and muscle tightness we find there. Often improving the movement in the joints of the lower will help the foot and ankle function better.
• We may offer specific balancing, strengthening or loosening exercises
• We may offer advice on strapping and brace supports, footwear and any lifestyle factors that might be hindering healing. We may refer you to a podiatrist for their opinion and specialist foot supports
• X-rays, scans or other tests may be required to make a diagnosis  and we may refer you to your  GP for any additional  investigations and treatment  such as advice on pain killers and anti-inflammatory medications.
  
  This article originally appeared on http://www.osteopathy.org

When you feel discomfort in your feet and ankles you are feeling the imbalance of your body's weight distributed unevenly. Help your body reset and restore itself by moving your feet outside their normal range, keeping your hips flexible, and always moving your arms behind your torso for short and frequent periods of time. #Moveintobetterhealth

Manual Osteopathy moves your joints toward their naturally balanced and proportioned state of force distribution and absorption, helping your body fit together again! 

Early-Life Exercise Alters Gut Microbes, Promotes Healthy Brain

The human gut harbors a teeming menagerie of over 100 trillion microorganisms, and researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder have discovered that exercising early in life can alter that microbial community for the better, promoting healthier brain and metabolic activity over the course of a lifetime.

The research, which was recently published in the journal Immunology and Cell Biology, indicates that there may be a window of opportunity during early human development to optimize the chances of better lifelong health.

"Exercise affects many aspects of health, both metabolic and mental, and people are only now starting to look at the plasticity of these gut microbes," said Monika Fleshner, a professor in CU-Boulder's Department of Integrative Physiology and the senior author of the new study. "That is one of the novel aspects of this research."

Microbes take up residence within human intestines shortly after birth and are vital to the development of the immune system and various neural functions. These microbes can add as many 5 million genes to a person's overall genetic profile and thus have tremendous power to influence aspects of human physiology.

While this diverse microbial community remains somewhat malleable throughout adult life and can be influenced by environmental factors such as diet and sleep patterns, the researchers found that gut microorganisms are especially 'plastic' at a young age.

The study found that juvenile rats who voluntarily exercised every day developed a more beneficial microbial structure, including the expansion of probiotic bacterial species in their gut compared to both their sedentary counterparts and adult rats, even when the adult rats exercised as well.

The researchers have not, as of yet, pinpointed an exact age range when the gut microbe community is likeliest to change, but the preliminary findings indicate that earlier is better.

A robust, healthy community of gut microbes also appears to promote healthy brain function and provide anti-depressant effects, Fleshner said. Previous research has shown that the human brain responds to microbial signals from the gut, though the exact communication methods are still under investigation.

"Future research on this microbial ecosystem will hone in on how these microbes influence brain function in a long-lasting way," said Agniezka Mika, a graduate researcher in CU-Boulder's Department of Integrative Physiology and the lead author of the new study.

Going forward, the researchers also plan to explore novel means of encouraging positive gut microbe plasticity in adults, who tend to have stable microbial communities that are more resistant to change.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) supported this research.

The above post is reprinted from materials provided by University of Colorado at Boulder. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Your Facial Expression Is the Next Frontier in Big Data

The human face is powered, depending on how you count them, by between 23 and 43 muscles, many of which attach to the skin, serving no obvious function for survival. An alien examining a human specimen in isolation wouldn’t know what to make of them. Tugging on the forehead, eyebrows, lips and cheeks, the muscles broadcast a wealth of information about our emotional state, level of interest and alertness. It is a remarkably efficient means of communication—almost instantaneous, usually accurate, transcending most language and cultural barriers. But sometimes the data is lost, ignored or misinterpreted. If a logger smiles in the forest with no one around to see him, was he actually happy?

Rana el Kaliouby hates to see that information go to waste. Meeting el Kaliouby in her small office in Waltham, Massachusetts, I see her contract her zygomaticus major muscle, raising the corners of her mouth, and her orbicularis oculi, crinkling the outer corners of her eyes. She is smiling, and I deduce that she is welcoming me, before she even gets out the word “hello.” But many social exchanges today take place without real-time face-to-face interaction. That’s where el Kaliouby, and her company, come in.

El Kaliouby, who is 37, smiles often. She has a round, pleasant, expressive face and a solicitous manner, belying her position as the co-founder of a fast-growing tech start-up—an anti-Bezos, an un-Zuckerberg. Her company, Affectiva, which she founded in 2009 with a then-colleague at the MIT Media Lab, Rosalind Picard, occupies a position on the cutting edge of technology to use computers to detect and interpret human facial expressions. This field, known as “affective computing,” seeks to close the communication gap between human beings and machines by adding a new mode of interaction, including the nonverbal language of smiles, smirks and raised eyebrows. “The premise of what we do is that emotions are important,” says el Kaliouby. “Emotions don’t disrupt our rational thinking but guide and inform it. But they are missing from our digital experience. Your smartphone knows who you are and where you are, but it doesn’t know how you feel. We aim to fix that.”

Why does your smartphone need to know how you feel? El Kaliouby has a host of answers, all predicated on the seemingly boundless integration of computers into the routines of our daily lives. She envisions “technology to control lighting, temperature and music in our homes in response to our moods,” or apps that can adapt the content of a movie based on your subconscious reactions to it while you watch. She imagines programs that can monitor your expression as you drive and warn of inattention, drowsiness or anger. She smiles at the mention of her favorite idea—“a refrigerator that can sense when you are stressed out and locks up the ice cream.”

Read more: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/rana-el-kaliouby-ingenuity-awards-technology-180957204/#xYHMfwAxPsjZ5zO8.99
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