Why Does Jim Love Mondays? Because Loneliness Is Killing Us… And He Found the Antidote

Before I start this week’s blurb, I want to welcome the new subscribers who attended my seminar last week for the University of Innovative Distribution and signed up to get my Blurb (BTW, 91% of the attendees rated the seminar as Excellent!!!).

Now for the Blurb.

I recently saw an ad in Time Magazine, that I actually said to myself, “I never thought of that.”  The title of the ad was "Why does Jim Love Mondays?" Since a lot of people love the weekends and dread Mondays, the question itself caught my attention.

The ad's answer is simple but profound. Jim loves Mondays because of the people he works with. Jim was diagnosed with cancer which he shared with his colleagues. 

His colleagues made sure he stayed connected. They took turns driving him to conferences and meetings. They made him feel included and valued as a vital member of the team.

Work helped him maintain one of the most important parts of his identity, and it allowed him to see beyond the illness.

I want to explore this further because what Jim experienced isn't just a feel-good workplace story. It touches on one of the most serious health crises of our time which is one that most doctors still aren't asking about when you sit down in their office.

It’s all about loneliness

Let me give you some numbers that may surprise you.

The World Health Organization found that 1 in 6 people worldwide is affected by loneliness, with loneliness linked to an estimated 100 deaths every hour. That’s more than 871,000 deaths annually.

Let that sink in. One hundred deaths per hour. Not from a virus, not from a toxin. From loneliness.

A large meta-analysis involving 148 studies and over 308,000 individuals followed for an average of 7.5 years found that social isolation increased mortality risks comparable to high blood pressure, smoking, and obesity.

We spend billions of dollars and enormous public health energy on those three things. Meanwhile, loneliness barely makes the radar.

In fact, researchers have found that strong social relationships can increase the likelihood of survival by as much as 50% relative to individuals whose relationships are weaker.

What Loneliness Actually Does to Your Body

Loneliness isn't just a feeling. It triggers a cascade of physical changes in your body.

Research has shown that lonely individuals have increased peripheral vascular resistance and elevated blood pressure. Chronic social stress leads to glucocorticoid resistance, enhanced inflammation, and oxidative stress. 

In other words, your body reads loneliness as a threat, and responds accordingly, putting you into a state of chronic low-grade emergency.

According to the American Heart Association, social isolation and loneliness are associated with about a 29% increased risk of heart attack or heart disease death, and a 32% increased risk of stroke and stroke death.

And here's something that may really get your attention: people with heart disease who were socially isolated had a two-to-three-fold increase in deaths during a six-year follow-up study.

Loneliness also affects mental health directly, with lonely people twice as likely to experience depression. And it goes beyond the heart and the mind.

Research from the University of Cambridge studying blood proteins in over 42,000 adults found that social isolation and loneliness are linked to higher susceptibility to infection which means your immune system is literally weakened when you don't have meaningful human connection.

So…we're talking about your heart, your brain, your immune system, and your lifespan. This is not a small health issue.

Back to Jim and Why the Workplace Matters More Than We Think

Now let's go back to that Time Magazine ad, because it carries a message that is more medically important than it might appear.

Most of us spend more waking hours at work than anywhere else even if you are working remotely. And for a lot of people, particularly those who live alone, or whose family connections have faded over the years, the workplace may be their primary source of human interaction. 

Their colleagues might be the people who notice first if something is wrong. The people who make them laugh. The people who make them feel like they belong somewhere even if they are on Zoom or TEAMS.

Jim's colleagues did exactly what the research tells us matters most. They paid attention. They reached out. They made him feel connected. And as a result, Jim didn’t just tolerate Mondays, he looks forward to them.

That is not a small thing. That is the difference between a person who is thriving and a person who is quietly deteriorating.

As I mentioned in a recent post about water aerobics, community and social connection are often the most underestimated benefits of any group activity, and loneliness in older people, in particular, can be a killer. The Jim story brings that principle right into the office.

What Can You Do About This?

Here's the good news: unlike some health problems, this one has a solution that doesn't require a prescription or a medical procedure.

The WHO has identified that social connections can reduce inflammation, lower the risk of serious health problems, foster mental health, and help prevent early death.

Simple, consistent human contact, the kind Jim's coworkers provided, has real, measurable biological effects.

So, here are some things worth thinking about:

At work, take a page from Jim's colleagues. Check in with the people around you whether on Zoom or live in the office. It’s not just about the project deadline; it needs to also be about how they're actually doing. That three-minute conversation may matter more than you know.

At home, think about where your social connections come from and whether they're enough. A book club, a faith community, a class, a volunteer role…these aren't just hobbies. They're medicine.

For older adults especially, please take this seriously. Social isolation is not just uncomfortable, as the research makes very clear, it is dangerous. If you have an elderly parent, neighbor, or friend who seems to be withdrawing, your outreach could literally be lifesaving.

And for healthcare providers, the American Heart Association is now urging clinicians to ask patients about the frequency of their social activity and whether they feel satisfied with their relationships, and to be ready to connect socially isolated people with community resources. 

That's a sea change in how we think about health, and it's long overdue.

Final Thoughts

So why does Jim love Mondays?

Because people at his workplace decided how he was doing mattered. That he mattered. And that simple act of human attention gave him something that no supplement, no medication, and no fitness routine alone can provide…the feeling of genuine connection.

So…reach out to someone today. Not because it's on your wellness checklist. But because it might just be the most important health intervention either of you will have all week.

The Latest Benefits of Vitamin D: New Research You Should Know About

Now that we’re starting to move into Spring and having warmer weather, so we can get out in the Sun, we need to take a fresh look at the benefits from vitamin D besides supporting bone health.

First of all, scientists now recognize that vitamin D functions more like a hormone in the body and plays a role in immune health, mood, aging, and even cancer prevention.

In recent years, research has begun to confirm what many natural health practitioners (including me!) have believed for decades: adequate vitamin D may be one of the simplest and most important factors in maintaining overall health.

Let’s explore some of these new areas.

Vitamin D and Healthy Aging

One of the most interesting areas of new research involves vitamin D and aging. Scientists studying participants in the large VITAL trial found that people who took 2,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily experienced less shortening of their telomeres compared to those taking a placebo.

In case you don’t know what telomeres are, they are the protective caps on the ends of DNA strands that naturally shorten as we age. Shorter telomeres are associated with aging and age-related diseases. When they get too short, it’s the end of life.

According to researchers at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, participants taking vitamin D lost about 140 fewer DNA base pairs over four years than those not taking the supplement. 

This means using vitamin D slowed shortening by 70–90% relative to normal loss in that time period. These findings suggest vitamin D may help support cellular health and healthy aging.

Vitamin D and Mental Health

Another area receiving attention is the connection between vitamin D and mental health. Several recent studies have found that people with low vitamin D levels are more likely to experience symptoms of depression.

A 2025 meta-analysis of 20 randomized controlled trials found that vitamin D supplementation significantly reduced depressive symptoms compared to a placebo.

Researchers believe vitamin D may influence mood by supporting brain signaling pathways, reducing inflammation, and interacting with receptors located in several areas of the brain.

Immune System Support

Vitamin D is also well known for its role in supporting the immune system. It helps regulate immune responses and may reduce excessive inflammation in the body.

Several meta-analyses examining respiratory infections, including COVID-19, found that adequate vitamin D levels were associated with reduced severity and improved outcomes in patients.

Scientists believe vitamin D supports immune health by stimulating antimicrobial peptides and helping immune cells communicate effectively during infections.

Possible Protection Against Certain Cancers

Research has also suggested that vitamin D may play a role in cancer prevention.

Studies published in the journal Nutrients found that individuals with higher vitamin D levels had a significantly lower risk of colorectal cancer. Some studies showed reductions in risk ranging from 25 to 58 percent among individuals with the highest vitamin D intake.

Researchers believe vitamin D may help regulate cell growth, reduce inflammation, and support the body’s natural ability to destroy abnormal cells.

Vitamin D and Metabolic Health

Vitamin D may also help support metabolic health, which includes high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, abnormal cholesterol levels, and increased abdominal fat.

Some studies have found that higher vitamin D levels are associated with a lower risk of metabolic syndrome. As you can see from the list, metabolic syndrome significantly increased the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Why Vitamin D Deficiency Is So Common

Despite its importance, vitamin D deficiency is very common. Researchers estimate that between 30 and 50 percent of people worldwide may have insufficient levels of vitamin D. Several factors contribute to this, including limited sun exposure, indoor lifestyles, sunscreen use, aging, and diets that contain few vitamin D-rich foods.

A major part of this deficiency in the US is all the advertising about using sunscreen products and how we need to lather up before we even go out into the sun. The message is: “God forbid, we go out unprotected by sunscreen products!”

Natural Ways to Improve Vitamin D Levels

While there are natural sources of vitamin D besides sunlight, such as fatty fish - salmon and sardines, egg yolks, and certain mushrooms. Most people will not get enough vitamin D that way.

That’s why many health practitioners, including me, recommend vitamin D3 supplements.

Also, the only way to tell if you’re getting enough vitamin D is through a blood test. Years ago, I was taking a vitamin D supplement and thought I was going to test well with my level of D being in the range of 40 to 60 ng/mL (ng/mL is how they measure vitamin D). My blood test showed I was at only 20 ng/mL! Oops!!

I switched to another brand, and on the next blood test, I had moved up to around 40ng/mL. So, make sure to have your Doc run a blood test now, and again after a couple of months of taking a supplement.

Final Thoughts

So…vitamin D may be one of the simplest steps you can take to support your overall health and well-being.

Oh yeah, don’t forget to get out in the sun for 20 minutes per day, when you can, on each side of your body, if you are sunbathing before you put on that sunscreen!

So…here comes the sun!!!!

 

Sleep and Meditation, and Needing Less Sleep

Most sleep experts agree that adults need about 7–9 hours of sleep a night to function well. In practical terms, many people find that 6–8 hours is the range where they feel their best.

Sleep is when the body restores itself. Hormones rebalance, tissues repair, memories consolidate, and the brain clears metabolic waste. When people consistently sleep too little, research shows it can affect mood, concentration, immune function, and overall health.

So yes, sleep matters.

But there’s another factor that often gets overlooked when we talk about rest. It’s meditation!

Meditation and Deep Rest

Meditation triggers the body’s relaxation response, shifting the nervous system out of the fight-or-flight stress mode and into the parasympathetic “rest and restore” state. When that happens, breathing slows, blood pressure decreases, and the mind becomes quieter.

In a sense, meditation provides a form of deep rest while you are still awake.

Researchers have studied this effect for years. One study published in Behavioral and Brain Functions found that meditation improved reaction time and alertness. This occurred even in people who were sleep-deprived. Another interesting finding was that long-term meditators tended to sleep less than non-meditators while maintaining normal performance levels.

Other studies examining experienced meditators have also found differences in brain activity during sleep, suggesting that meditation may change how the brain rests and recovers.

In other words, meditation doesn’t replace sleep, but it may make the rest you get more efficient and effective.

My Personal Experience After 50+ Years of Meditation

I’ve been practicing meditation for more than 50 years, and I’ve noticed some of the same things many long-term meditators report.

I simply don’t seem to need as much sleep as I once did.

When I was younger, I felt like I needed a full night’s sleep to function well. Over the decades of maintaining a regular meditation practice of doing it twice a day – morning and late afternoon or early evening, I’ve found that I wake up feeling refreshed even when I’ve slept fewer hours.

I do have one complaint about the medical forms I have had to fill out, where they ask how many hours you sleep. I’ve never run across a form that asked if you meditated. This means the docs never get the real picture of how I’m managing my sleep and how much I get a night.

So, I’m not saying that doesn’t mean sleep isn’t important…it absolutely is. But meditation appears to give the body and mind an additional form of deep rest that helps support overall balance.

Many people who begin meditating regularly notice similar changes. They fall asleep more easily, wake up clearer, and sometimes find they naturally require a little less sleep than before.

I did have an interesting experience a couple of years ago when I was in the hospital for a few days. They had me wired up with all kinds of measuring devices. In the morning, I decided to do my regular meditation. After meditating for a few minutes, the nurse comes rushing into the room and says, “Are you okay? Your heart rate dropped from 7 beats per minute down to 40!”

I assured her that I was meditating and just continued doing it!

Learning to Meditate

If you’ve never tried meditation, it doesn’t have to be complicated. Even 10–20 minutes a day can begin to calm the nervous system and reduce the impact of stress.

Because stress levels today are higher than many of us have experienced in the past, I’ve included several easy to learn meditation techniques in my e-book, Managing Your Stress in Difficult Times: Succeeding in Times of Change.

In it, I explain practical techniques you can use to quiet your mind, reduce stress, and improve your overall well-being, including meditation practices that anyone can learn.

If you’d like to explore it, the book is available at https://teplitz.com/Managing-Stress-Teplitz.html.

The interesting thing about meditation is that the benefits often show up where we least expect them.

You start meditating to say reduce stress.

And along the way, you may discover that you sleep better, wake up clearer, and even need less sleep than before.

 

Surprise - Water Aerobics Is One of Nature’s Most Healing Workouts

When someone says to you, “I’m going to work out,”  What do you think of - going to a gym, walking, riding a bike, jogging? I'll bet you don’t think of water. I know I didn’t until I ran across an article that talked about water being a great form of exercise.

It turns out exercising in water can be gentler, more effective, and more life-affirming than almost anything done on land. So, I want to share why water aerobics deserves a place in your health routine.

First, let me tell you about my extensive past background with water. In High School, I was on my school’s swim team. I swam the 50-yard freestyle, 200-yard freestyle, and 100-yard backstroke. I was certified as a Water Safety Instructor, I was a Lifeguard for 5 summers at 2 hotels, and one summer I was a teacher of swimming for the New York City Board of Education.

After all that, I realized I never thought of the health benefits of water.

So, let’s explore some of the aspects that make water such a great form of exercise.

Buoyancy Is Joint Protection

One of the first things people notice when they step into a pool is that they feel lighter. That buoyancy feeling isn’t just pleasant…it’s also therapeutic. Water supports your body weight, reducing stress on joints and decreasing pain during movements. 

This makes water aerobics ideal for people with arthritis, joint conditions, or simply those who find land-based workouts uncomfortable or difficult to do.

This gentle support lets people build endurance, strength, balance, and confidence without the pounding impact that land workouts can create.

A Safe, Effective Weight Management Tool

You might be surprised, as I was, to learn that water workouts can help with weight loss and waist management. Really!

A pooled data analysis published in BMJ Open found that people who did water aerobics for 10 or more weeks lost an average of nearly 6.6 pounds and more than 1 inch in waist circumference.

This is significant, especially because the workout feels more like a gentle motion than a heavy-duty exercise routine. It turns out you’re burning calories and improving body composition without putting extra strain on your bones or joints, which is a win-win for long-term health.

Strength, Balance, and Fall Prevention

As we age, muscle strength and balance become cornerstones of your being able to live independently. Water has a unique way of challenging muscles from all directions. Every movement in the pool requires you to work constantly against the water’s natural resistance. It’s a resistance that’s gentle, yet powerful enough to build muscle tone and stabilize balance.

In research published in the Journal of Physical Therapy Sciences, older adults who participated in regular water exercise programs improved their balance and felt more confident walking and moving in their daily life. This translates into less risk of falls and injuries.

A Dual Workout: Cardio + Strength

When you move in water, your body works harder again because every motion meets resistance from all sides. Water is denser than air, so you’re doing aerobic training and strengthening muscles simultaneously.

This kind of dual workout raises your heart rate, boosts circulation, and improves muscular endurance…all while being far gentler than pounding pavement or lifting heavy weights.

Mind-Body Harmony and Stress Relief

Water isn’t just a physical support; it’s a sensory environment. The feeling of water around your skin and the rhythm of movement can soothe your nervous system and calm your mind.

This sensory feedback supports what is called proprioception, which is your body’s awareness of movement and its position.

It also turns out that water aerobics helps improve a person’s mood and enhances their mental focus.

All of this can lead to less stress, better sleep, and more joy in a person’s daily life, and not just stronger muscles.

Community and Motivation

This is one benefit that didn’t even dawn on me, and it’s actually one of the underestimated benefits of water aerobics. It’s that a community forms around everyone doing the exercises.

Group classes give people a reason to show up, to laugh, and to move together. That social connection itself carries health benefits by reducing isolation, improving adherence to exercise, and enriching emotional well-being. Keep in mind that loneliness in older people can be a killer.

When exercise becomes a shared experience, it stops being a chore and becomes something you look forward to.

So, if you have health issues, first check with your health care provider and then …get out your water wings and get yourself to a pool…and if you can find it, make it a saltwater pool.

2-21-26 Honey + Coffee for Coughs? Putting the 2 Together for a Positive Outome

If you’re a healthy adult dealing with a lingering cough after a cold, a warm honey-coffee mixture is generally low-risk and inexpensive. 

When you’ve got a nagging cough that just won’t quit, you’ll try almost anything. Cough syrup. Drugs. Herbal tea. Steamy showers. Standing in the kitchen at midnight, questioning your life choices.

So, what if a friend says to take honey and coffee – what would you think? Are they crazy?

Well, it turns out there is actually research on mixing the two together for a soothing outcome.

Let me explain. Let’s look at Honey by itself first.

Honey: The Classic Cough Soother

You may have heard this one before: “Take a spoonful of honey.” Turns out, the person might’ve been onto something.

Several studies have looked at honey for cough relief, especially for coughs caused by upper respiratory infections (like colds). Overall, the research shows honey can:

• Reduce how often you cough.
• Reduce how severe the cough feels.
• Help kids (and adults) sleep better at night.

Some reviews even suggest honey works as well as certain over-the-counter cough suppressants.

So…why might it help? There are several possibilities:

• It’s thick and coats the throat, which can calm irritation.
• Its sweetness may trigger nerve pathways that reduce the urge to cough.
• It has mild antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.

Important note: Never give honey to babies under 1 year old.

So, what about just taking honey alone? There’s pretty solid evidence for short-term cough relief.

Now, Why Would Coffee Help?

Coffee contains caffeine, which is chemically similar to theophylline, a medication that can relax airway muscles and is a mild bronchodilator.

Caffeine can slightly improve airway function for a few hours. It’s not a replacement for asthma medication or anything serious, but it does have measurable respiratory effects.

With both remedies taken separately, you may get short-term relief.

So, What Happens When You Combine the Two?

First of all, I’m not talking about having a cup of coffee and adding some honey. The researchers in this one study used 20.8 grams of honey combined with 2.9 grams of instant coffee. They combined the ingredients into a paste that they added to water.

The researchers did this in a randomized controlled trial published in the Primary Care Respiratory Journal

What were the researchers studying?

They looked at adults with a persistent post-infectious cough. The kind that sticks around for weeks after you’ve recovered from a cold.

The study included 97 adults who were divided into three groups:

1. A honey + coffee mixture
2. A steroid medication (prednisolone)
3. A placebo

Participants took their assigned treatment for one week.

The Results

Here’s the surprising part:

The honey + coffee group improved significantly more than both the steroid group and the placebo group. The honey + coffee group had a 93% reduction in their cough’s severity, while the prednisolone group only had a 20% reduction in their cough’s severity.

This is a big deal because steroids are often prescribed for persistent coughs and they have a long list of side effects.

So… Should You Try It?

If it works great and if it doesn’t, you’ll know very quickly that you’re not getting relief.

Or…as my grandmother would say (with an accent) – It can’t hurt!

An Effective Natural Mouthwash – Matcha and Tea Tree Oil

I’ve been using a homemade natural mouthwash that has been blowing me and my dentists’ socks off, and I want to tell you about.

It’s using matcha tea powder and tea tree oil.

Let me tell you what the research is showing, then I’ll share with you my experience, and then I’ll give you the formula!

First of all, people interested in natural oral care are experimenting with plant-based alternatives to commercial rinses. Below is what the science is saying about each ingredient’s benefits and risks.

Why Matcha Might Help Your Mouth

First of all, Matcha is a finely ground green tea harvested from the Camellia sinensis plant. Like green tea, it’s rich in antioxidants and catechins. These are compounds known for antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Scientific research on matcha mouthwash has shown promising results. Let me give you a couple of examples:

• A 2024 study published in the peer-reviewed journal Microbiology Spectrum found that a mouthwash made from matcha significantly reduced levels of Porphyromonas gingivalis, which is a bacterium strongly linked to gum disease, such as periodontitis. People with periodontal disease who rinsed with matcha mouthwash showed significantly lower levels of these harmful bacteria compared with controls.
• In lab tests, matcha solutions were able to kill almost all P. gingivalis cells within hours, which means that it has real antimicrobial action.

This data indicates that matcha could be a useful natural adjunct to oral hygiene, particularly for supporting gum health alongside brushing and flossing.

Matcha also contains antioxidants, which may strengthen enamel and help protect tissues from oxidative stress.

Tea Tree Oil: Benefits and a Warning

Tea tree oil, derived from the Australian plant Melaleuca alternifolia, is widely touted for its antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory effects. Some older studies and clinical trials suggest that mouthwashes containing tea tree oil can help reduce plaque and gingivitis — sometimes comparing favorably with chlorhexidine, a gold-standard oral rinse.

However, there are some issues you need to be aware of:

• Tea tree oil should never be swallowed.
• It can cause irritation or allergic reactions to sensitive oral tissues or skin if used undiluted or in too high a concentration.

While the formula I’m going to be giving you only contains 2 drops of tea tree oil per ½ cup of water, which makes it a mild dilution, you do want to make sure to rinse thoroughly and avoid swallowing.

And remember: this isn’t a replacement for toothpaste, regular flossing, or professional dental care.

So…what has my experience been using this as a mouthwash?

I started using this twice a day, morning and nighttime, about 9 months ago. At night, I’d do what I’ve been doing for years – scrape my tongue, then floss, then use toothpaste, and then rinse with the matcha mouthwash, and finally rinse well with water.

Three months after I began, I had a dental appointment for a cleaning. The hygienist immediately commented about how much better my teeth looked with less plaque buildup.

Then, 6 months after this past Wednesday, I went to my periodontist for a routine cleaning. She took a look at my teeth and commented that she couldn’t see any plaque buildup. She could only see what she described as a very mild film. This meant that in doing the cleaning, she had to go by sound when she was scraping to determine if there was any plaque there.

She also checked around my teeth for pocket depths, and I had mostly 2s, some 3s, and a few 4s. She said my teeth were in great shape.

So…I hadn’t changed my toothpaste during these 9 months. I continued to floss every day and brush 3 times a day. The only difference was the Macha tea formula. My experience is it’s quite powerful (just don’t swallow it and rinse thoroughly).

 So, here’s the formula:

•  ½ cup water heated to about 170 °F (77 °C)
•  ½ tsp matcha powder
•  2 drops of tea tree oil

I’d suggest mixing up a batch and keeping the extra in a jar in the refrigerator. I’ll refill the dropper bottle when it’s empty.

A couple of final things:

·         Always spit, never swallow this mouthwash.

·         If you experience tingling, burning, or irritation, discontinue use.

·         This rinse can be a complement to traditional oral care. It is not a substitute.

·         If you have gum disease or sensitive gums, consult your dentist.first!