You might expect I would share my experience running this Hawaii-based marathon as someone over 60.

However, here’s the thing: you can also participate in a 10K run at the event.

Did you know that walking is an option too?

Or that you could walk it?

If that hasn’t captured your attention yet, there’s more: high school students cheerfully offer scrumptious malasadas (Portuguese donuts) as a reward for completing the event.

While I didn’t formally train for my 10K walk, I seized the opportunity to experience the Honolulu Marathon in my way.

“With a little harder work, a more organized training plan, I could …”

That is true, but I did not formally prepare for my 10K walk; I embraced the chance to experience the Honolulu Marathon.

Today, I’ll share why I prize experiences over things.

(Or, you might think, use an essay to share some recent photos from my recent Oahu adventures.)

Borges on Life

First, a bit from Borges:

Nothing is built on stone; all is built on sand, but we must build as if the sand were stone. Any life is made up of a single moment, the moment in which a man finds out, once and for all, who he is. — Jorge Luis Borges.

Why Borges?

The Argentinian writer was a “literature man.”

But mathematicians, philosophers, and philologists all admire him.

Is it his perfect language?

Extraordinarily broad knowledge?

The universality of his ideas or originality of his fiction?

No matter. Just read him.

Consider exploring Ficciones, a collection of short stories exploring motifs such as dreams, chance, labyrinths, infinity, libraries, mirrors, fictional writers, and mythology.

Doing the Honolulu Marathon

Last week, I did the Honolulu marathon.

It’s the fourth largest even in the United States (after New York, Chicago, and Boston).

There is no time limit, and everyone is allowed to finish.

Fireworks preceded sunrise, and the race began at 5 a.m.

Diverse Experiences Promote Happiness

There is a link between new and diverse experiences, enhanced happiness, and increased brain activity.

Writing in Nature Neuroscience, researchers note this:

We feel happier when we have more variety in our daily routines.

Going to novel places and having many activities in my daily routine facilitates joy.

The reverse is also true: I am much more likely to seek out rewarding experiences when I am positive.

Study Details

This study examined whether having various experiences in your day-to-day life makes you feel more positive.

Researchers tracked people’s locations in New York and Miami for a few months and asked them about their feelings.

They found that people who visited more places and spent time in different locations reported feeling happier and more positive overall.

Then, they imaged (with MRI) the brains of some participants and found something interesting.

The people who seemed to benefit from this variety had more activity in certain brain areas (the hippocampus and striatum) linked to experiencing new things and feeling rewarded.

Final Thoughts

I finished my 10K, received a participation medal, and joined my fellow runners and walkers in the festival area in Kapiolani Park.

Not everyone can travel to Hawaii, but we can stretch to do diverse activities.

The post Why Your Comfort Zone is Killing Your Happiness (and What to Do About It) appeared first on Medika Life.

What causes a foot blister?

If you have formed a small pocket of fluid on some part of your body, you may have had a blister. These bubbles vary in size and have many causes. For example, you may get one after infection, trauma, or even an insect bite. The location of it can influence the effects on your quality of life. For example, foot blisters may lead to challenges in walking, standing, or exercising.

Let’s turn to some of the causes of blisters. For ones on foot, friction is often the causative agent. Walk or stand for hours, and you put pressure on various parts of your feet, including the heels, toes, and soles. Poorly fitted shoes may result in fluid-filled bubbles, whether the shoes are too tight or too loose. The resultant friction causes a fluid buildup just beneath the upper layer of the skin.

Other potential causes include:

• an allergic reaction
• chemical exposure (for example, to cosmetics or detergents)
• chickenpox
• eczema
• frostbite
• infection (fungal, bacterial, or herpes)

How do you know if you have a blister?

Usually, blisters on the feet that result from friction will spontaneously resolve after a few days. If they don’t heal over time or in response to treatment, please see a valued healthcare professional, particularly if you have severe pain, fever, nausea, or chills. You may have an infection. A doctor or other healthcare professional may drain the blister using a sterile needle. If she suspects an infection, the fluid can be examined to get to the root causes.

Got any home remedies?

Why yes. First, don’t pick at the blister or burst it. If you do so, you may cause an infection. First, many blisters that are left alone will eventually harden and go away. However, in the interval, you may experience discomfort, depending on the size and location of the lesion. Instead of bursting it, Healthline suggests these steps to properly train a blister at home:

1. Wash your hands with warm water and antibacterial soap.
2. Using a cotton swab, disinfect a needle with rubbing alcohol.
3. Clean the blister with antiseptic.
4. Take the needle and make a small puncture in the blister.
5. Allow fluid to completely drain from the blister.
6. Apple antibacterial ointment or cream to the blister.
7. Cover the blister with a bandage of gauze.
8. Clean and reapply antibacterial ointment daily. Keep the blister covered until it heals.

Blister risk-reduction

• If you are in a race, check-in at a medical station.
• Make sure you have properly fitted shoes. If your feet rub along with a certain area of your shoe, wearing an insole may provide extra padding and reduce friction. Leave a bit of room in the toebox, and learn what amount of lacing is optimal for you.
• Check your socks. Many prefer ones made specifically for running, including WrightSocks or synthetic-fiber (non-cotton) brands such as CoolMax to reduce moisture. Running socks are often shaped better for those who jog or run. Try some smooth socks with no seams or even double-layer socks.
• Keep your feet dry. Some apply foot powder, while others wear moisture-wicking socks designed for sports.
• Keep your calluses. Don’t remove them with an emery board, for example.
• Consider tape or pads. You may wish to try moleskin or athletic tape over high-risk areas that are prone to blisters. If you try this approach, avoid wrinkles, and don’t apply it too tightly.
• Use lubricant. Substances such as BodyGlide or vaseline on high-risk areas may help, but keep the amount small. We don’t want your foot slip-sliding around.
• If powders, lotions, or soaps trigger blisters, stop using them.
• If a medical condition triggers the blisters, consult a valued healthcare professional.

The post Running and Blisters: Coping appeared first on Medika Life.