Show love, destress

Couples should give each other regular massage. Give each other a shoulder and neck rub for 10 to 15 minute sessions and switch. Use a timer like the one on your microwave. 

Since my fiancee doesn't have the strength to push hard enough to my liking, she walks on my back, which loosens the spine up quite nicely.

The great coffee debate

One day coffee is good for you. The next day it's going to kill you. Either way I love grinding some dark roast beans and enjoying a big cup of coffee every day. I've held my coffee intake to a decent moderation: one cup only during the weekdays. If I need another caffeinated beverage I drink tea.

The latest news published in the New York Times saying that coffee could help ward off dementia. Check out the article.

Good coffee is delicious. Quite wasting money at Starbucks and get a decent commuter mug and buy it by the pound. I like Trader Joe's French roast. It's nice and evil. My fiancee sets the timer on our coffee machine so I wake up to my favorite smell. It's a noiseless alarm!

Also, lose the milk and/or sugar habit. 

Wiser Health quote of the day

"Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

Michael Pollan, author of "In Defense of Food"

Thinking about bicycling? Here are some considerations

If you are new to cycling and are confused on what type of bike to buy here are some tips. 

1.) Most importantly get one that fits. A $2,000 bike that doesn't fit properly isn't as good as a $200 bike that fits. Make sure your reach to the handlebars feels right.

2.) Skip the department store bike and go to your local bike shop. You aren't getting bargain by buying a cheap bike that has parts that can't be replaced. Trust me, there's a huge difference even for a kid's bike. (Thanks, dad, for dropping some coin on that Schwinn Predator for me. I was the happiest third grader ever.)

3.) A good bike store will help you with fit and find the right bike for your needs. If you want to do long distances go with a road bike. If you are really riding on dirt trails, get a mountain bike. If you are riding in the city, get a simple bike that won't be attractive to thieves. 

4.) In the end get a cool bike that fits your personal style. Again, if you look good doing, you'll feel good doing. Don't underestimate the importance of style. Lately I've been feeling old-school lugged-steel road bikes like the one pictured. Bob Weir once said, "Bicycles are almost as good as guitars for meeting girls."

Get out there and start spinning. Take in the fresh air and smile.

Real evidence there's no overnight solution

Everyone wants instant change. Not even Obama can do it instantly. People complain that they don't see results immediately after starting a workout program. Now there's evidence in a New York Times article that it's difficult to make significant physical changes in a few weeks of working out.

The point? Keep at it. Do something on most days of the week. Stretching counts.

Fancy looking, but easy-to-make lasagna

One of the first meals I've ever made for my fiancee was a pinwheel vegetarian lasagna. It's easy and impressive looking, and, most importantly, tasty. 

Saute some red onions, garlic and cremini mushrooms and then throw in a bag of pre-cleaned spinach once the rest of veggies are almost done. Salt and pepper to taste. Take your veggie mix and add it a bowl with ricotta cheese sprinkled with some of that handy Italian seasoning. 

Spread your lasagna strips out and put three dollops of the cheese and vegetable mix evenly spaced out across the noodle. Roll one end towards the center so that it forms a pinwheel. Layer a pan with tomato sauce and place each completed lasagna pinwheel in nice tidy rows. Throw another layer of tomato sauce over it all and sprinkle a layer of mozzarella over everything. Bake at 370 for about 45 minutes.

Wiser Health endorses...

The jump rope. A good jump rope costs maybe $20. I like ones that are light and fast and plenty adjustable. I tend like a little more slack for my meager height so I can really whip it around. Jump ropes are portable and fun. 

In my high school wrestling days, I used to try to show off my moves - doubles, crossing hands, through the legs, arm wraps - during warm-ups. Boxers have forever used them to improve their foot-speed. Get one now and you'll never have an excuse for not being able to work out.

Bring jump roping into you circuit training. Do three minutes, lift, crank out a set of burpees, another type of lift, repeat... 

It's deep into the winter freeze on the East Coast, so load up on Clementines. Grab a box and get your vitamin C the best way. Delicious.

Wiser Health guru no. 1

One of my favorite health advisors is Dr. Andrew Weil, who gives a lot of sound advice through his books and his Web site. His food tips are very good, and he favors a Mediterranean diet-based plan. He writes well and boils down the essentials for living healthy. His advice is sensible and he considers the constraints of everyday life. 

Besides, doesn't Dr. Weil just look jolly?

junk food is good

What do you mean junk food is good? Isn't this a blog about health?

Of course, junk food isn't good for you... if you eat too much of it. I try to eat healthy as much as I can. I am fortunate to have a nice little mom-and-pop grocery store with an excellent selection of fresh produce.

But when I go home to Philly, I grab a buddy and head to Delessandro's for a cheesesteak, sauce and fried onions. It's one of the most unhealthy foods on earth - the white bread, the processed cheese and red meat overload.

However, this is time to enjoy with one of the best tasting foods on earth and a chance to spend time with getting down with a hometown ritual. Allow yourself some "bad foods" in life. Don't beat yourself up if you do indulge. Enjoy it... but just not too often.

great athlete #1

Great athletes inspire us. And playing sports is an incredible way to keep in shape without even thinking that you are working out. For me, nothing beats a day of mountain biking or two hours of hoops. 

The first athlete I'll write an ode to is none other than A.I. I remember when I first heard the Philadelphia Sixers had drafted Allen Iverson in the first round, I told someone that our basketball woes were over. I was somewhat right. Although the Iverson-led Sixers didn't beat the Shaq-led Lakers in the championship series in 2001. Iverson carried that talent-challenged team to new heights. 

Philadelphians like their professional athletes to go all-out. That's one thing that A.I. did every time he stepped on the court. Undersized, but full of heart and talent, Iverson inspires me with his sheer will.

Films, recent and older

One of the biggest pluses of moving to New York is that movies worth seeing are going to open here first. For me, going to the movies and losing yourself in the darkness and big screen is a great way to invigorate one's mental health.

Two notable films of 2008 for me were Gus Van Sant's "Paranoid Park" (pictured), a surreal odyssey of a skateboarder's grim discovery, and Woody Allen's "Vicki Cristina Barcelona," where Penelope Cruz delivers. It was good to see the Woodman going back to a simple romantic travel story. Javier Bardem was appropriately silly as the charming artist type.

Put these on your Netflix queue: the unsettling documentary "Capturing the Friedmans," Pedro Almodovar's "Bad Education" and Van Sant's "Elephant." "Persepolis," the most enjoyable story set against the Iranian revolution ever, is also on my must-see list.

Richard Hittleman rules

One of the goals of my blog is simplify ways to be healthy. If you are interested in yoga, you do not need a pricey class to get started. If you decide to really get into yoga later, a good instructor will take you to the next level.

A used copy of "Richard Hittleman's Yoga: A 28 Day Plan" is a fantastic resource. His book, published in 1969, has great directions, insights (sometimes outdated by modern societal standards) and clear photos (of some odd old-school yoga models). If you follow the plan, you will feel tangible results. It's a challenge if done to Hittleman's standards. 

note to exercise post

I was thinking that someone unfamiliar on how to squat might wonder why I didn't post a photo or video or more detailed directions. I am not a fitness pro and I don't really like typical muscle-bound fitness photography. Therefore I defer to the many great sources available to learn technique and form. 

Great exercise #1

Now and again, I'll post a description of an exercise that is highly effective.

Squats: The key is pretend you are sitting back onto a chair and go into a deep squat. They can be done without weights. This movement works muscle groups that help in real-life tasks.

Pomegranate juice?

I fell for the pomegranate juice craze, thinking it would be a delicious way to get the antioxidant benefits of the tasty fruit. It turns out there is a lot of hype about the juice promoted by the industry.

Here's a handy article from Smart Money on the truth behind the juice. Something about the price of the juice made me second guess its worth.

Now I simply eat the fruit, taking time to cut it in half and extract the seeds. I pop it as a snack or throw it into my morning oatmeal along with a handful of blueberries. Try it.

Gym shoes

If you look good doing it, you'll feel good doing it.

That's the mantra I go with when I pick shoes for exercising in. I've finally picked up a pair of Nike Air Max 95s on sale and boy these kicks are comfortable. There is plenty of cushioning and this is a legendary shoe as far as important sneakers go.

My pair is black and white, with pink laces, not my first color choice. But the point is pick out a pair sneakers, lace them up and get on with the sweating.

New Year's resolutions

Welcome to my blog/online magazine about being healthy. Some will automatically think exercise, diet, etc... But in my mind being healthy is an all-around attitude, one that encompasses intellectual health and overall happiness.

My blog will include coverage of sports, fitness, movies (I was once a paid film critic), food, New York City, design, bicycles (the ultimate machine) and racial identity.

The reason I wanted to start blogging about health is because the quest to achieve healthy living in our society tends to be over-commercialized, over-promising and too complicated. 

Here's some simple ways to improve your health:

1.) Eat more fruits and vegetables.

2.) Laugh a lot.

3.) Choose exercise that is difficult, but rewarding.

4.) Read a good book. Watch a good movie. Listen to a transcendent album.

5.) Get out of the house and feel life.