Category Archives: health

First Day Hike

This morning we went on a First Day Hike at Bull Shoals White River Park.

I had never heard of a First Day Hike before but apparently, it’s a nationwide initiative to encourage people to get outdoors and enjoy the benefits of spending time in nature. State parks and other organizations lead guided hikes of varying difficulty levels on New Year’s Day. There were over 40 First Day Hikes in Arkansas alone!

We hiked the Big Bluff trail, a loop trail that is 1.75 miles long. There was a lot of climbing involved in the first half of the hike. We ended our climbing at a bluff over looking the White River.

We were lead through the hike by Arkansas State Parks Interpreter, Jackie. She told us facts about Bull Shoals Dam along the way. It was pretty interesting. I had no idea a conveyor belt had been built to get the concrete to the dam when it was being built and you can still see parts of it today.

Although I prefer to hike on our own, I’m glad we did this hike. It was fun to visit with the other hikers. I was surprised by how many people participated! There were people of all ages and dogs!

It was a little chilly to start but after going up hill for the first half of the trail, I was plenty warm when we finally started going down. At the end we got a sticker!

Crawdad Days

A few weeks ago, I crowned my successor as Ms. Classic Crawdad Days. I had so much fun holding that title last year. First, I was so excited to have won!

I competed in the 40+, Ms. Classic, division. At 62, I was the oldest person in the pageant. I’ve been competing in pageants for 25 years and it was the firs time I’d ever been crowned on stage and it was thrilling. I loved the ladies I competed with. They were so kind and fun to hang out with all day. It helped to wipe out a previous bad pageant experience and even if I hadn’t won, it would’ve been a great experience.

The Crawdad Festival was fun and we hung out all day at the festival, held a baby contest, rode rides, and went to the rodeo. I’d never been to a rodeo before and that was a high point, one I definitely want to experience again.

There is a 5k run for the festival. It was super early and it was COLD last year so I didn’t get to the festival in time for the race. And this year, I didn’t go to the festival at all but I’ve been paying attention on Facebook

On Saturday was this year’s 5K race. Do you know there was not one woman over 60 who participated in that 5K? The oldest woman to run was 58. There were for 60+ men and 2, 70+ men!

It’s things like this that cause me to add to my goals list. I keep a goals list and there are around 50 or so items on it at all times. Big things, little things, but all things I for sure what to do or try.

I have added the Crawdad Days 5K to my goals list. Next year, darnit, there will be a woman over 60 who competes. I actually have the USMC Marathon on my goals list for 2025. It takes place in November so a 5K in mid-May seems more than reasonable.

Who’s going to join me?

Laughter is the Best Medicine

I love to laugh and I love to make other people laugh. If I can make someone else laugh, even just one person, it will make my day.

Laughing is good for you, too! You’ve probably heard the quote, “Laughter is the best medicine”. There’s no one to attribute it to but if you look at Proverbs 17:21 in the Bible,

A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones.

you can see that sentiment. It’s been around a long time!

Recently, I started doing dad jokes on YouTube. The first time I told one, I got so much HATE and engagement that I thought, “I think I’m going to do that some more”. I just don’t understand how you can just groan and go on. Or better yet, if you don’t want to see that content, block it.

Anyway, I reposted a dad joke from last year to facebook and guess what? I got even MORE engagement there! So now, when I do a dad joke, I put it everywhere: Youtube, Facebook, and Instagram. The more people I can make laugh, the happier I am.

Laughing truly is good for you in the following ways:

Stress Relief: A 2018 study published in Frontiers in Psychology found that laughter therapy effectively delays cardiovascular complications of type 2 diabetes. The study suggests that laughter helps reduce stress hormones like cortisol, which can contribute to various health problems [1].

Immune System Boost: A Mayo Clinic article cites research suggesting that laughter may help boost the immune system by increasing the production of antibodies [2]. However, the Mayo Clinic clarifies that more research is needed to confirm this connection definitively.

Pain Reduction: A 2011 study published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that mirthful laughter led to a significant reduction in pain perception in participants [3].

Improved Mood: Laughter is well-known to elevate mood and reduce feelings of anxiety and depression. A 2019 review published in The Permanente Journal acknowledges the powerful connection between laughter and emotional well-being [4].

So why wouldn’t you want to laugh and be as healthy as possible? I know that’s the way I roll and will continue to roll. Laughing in my favorite. How about you?