Another year means another resolution
Improve your health... not only physically, but mentally
Jan 3, 2019, 4:44 am
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Now that the holidays are behind us, it's time to kick into your New Year's resolution! …so does 1) "eat healthier" and 2) "exercise more" look familiar? I'm sure it has been on your New Year's resolution list for the last couple years. Especially the older we get. In fact, almost a third of all Americans who make New Year's Resolutions circle around eating habits, losing weight, and exercise! And according to a recent study as few as 8% actually will accomplish their New Year's Resolution. The study says to be successful, motivation for a change has to come from personal desire. So, when you sit down to review your resolutions of ultimately being a healthier person overall and how you are going to get there, keep in mind your mental health is just as important (if not more) as your physical. So important, you should want to make sure you get your mind right before getting your body on point!
Mental and physical health have recently been the center of health insurance marketing campaigns. Most recently, a health insurance company has pumped out a ton of commercials with TV celebrities, encouraging people to take care of their health. Their website not only talks about dietary dangers, but mental health and self-improvement. National Alliance of Mental Illness, over 40 million US adults will experience a mental illness in a year. There are so many mental stressors that can affect your mental health, that's why it is so important to take note of these few simple ideas.
1) Meditate- Whether it's 1 minute or 1 hour, give yourself some "me" time to close your eyes and relax. Research shows how meditation can reduce your stress levels.
2) Sleep- Make sure to get 7-8 hours of good sleep a night. "The top way to improve sleep is to have a consistent bed time and awake time," says Patricia Thornton, a psychologist in New York City. "Don't sleep in on weekends. Don't try to catch up on sleep with naps." You should strive for a consistent seven to eight hours a night. "That will go a long way to helping people feel better," she explains.
3) Stretch- Keep young! Regular stretching improves your health, while protecting you from aches, pains, and strains you would potentially if you didn't stretch!
4) Relax and get off your phone- Become more aware of your surroundings and be present!
- Don't go down a rabbit hole getting caught up in social media
- Work emails can just add stress also
- So if you are going to be on your phone, do get "brain" apps. There are all kind of brain training games you can download, that will help your brain stay alert and be active.
5) Physical health – Tons of research prove that exercise is good for mental health. 30 minutes of exercise a day can also help lower the risk of depression. Remember to start at your own pace, whether it is walking, or speed walking, whatever it is. And make sure that it is a goal that is attainable and desired to achieve.
Last, don't forget to love yourself, and put YOU first. :)
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With the Astros now officially ten games under .500 for the season, manager Joe Espada is taking a lot of heat from the fanbase for the team's struggles.
While we don't agree with the sentiment, we even hear fans clamoring for the return of Dusty Baker and Martin Maldonado, thinking the Astros wouldn't be in this mess if they were still here.
Which is ridiculous. First of all, Maldonado has been awful for the White Sox, hitting .048 (even worse than Jose Abreu's .065). And for those of you that think his work with the pitching staff justifies his pathetic offense. Let me say this: Where was Maldy's game calling genius for Hunter Brown, Cristian Javier, and Framber Valdez last year? All of them regressed significantly.
And as far as Baker is concerned, we have no idea how much a difference he would make, we can only speculate. Baker would also be dealing with a pitching staff ravaged with injuries. And let's not forget, Baker was the guy that refused to move Jose Abreu down in the batting order, even though he would finish the regular season with the ninth-worst OPS in baseball.
The reality of the situation is managers can only do so much in baseball. Which leads us to something else that needs to be considered. Is Espada being handcuffed by the front office? Espada and GM Dana Brown both said recently that Jon Singleton was going to get more at-bats while they give Abreu time off to try to figure things out. Yet, there Abreu was in the lineup again in the opening game of the Cubs series.
It makes us wonder how much power does Espada truly have? The Astros have some other options at first base. Yainer Diaz may only have eight games played at the position, but how much worse could he be than Abreu defensively? Abreu already has four errors, and Diaz is obviously a way better hitter. Victor Caratini isn't considered a plus offensive player, but his .276 batting average makes him look like Babe Ruth compared to Abreu. Let him catch more often and play Diaz at first. Starting Diaz at first more often could also lengthen his career long-term.
Maybe that's too wild of a move. Okay, fine. How about playing Mauricio Dubon at first base? I understand he doesn't have much experience at that position, but what's the downside of trying him there? If he can play shortstop, he can play first base. He's driving in runs at a higher rate (11 RBIs) than everyone on the team outside of Kyle Tucker and Yordan Alvarez. And he's producing like that as part-time player right now.
The other criticism we see of Espada is his use of Jon Singleton to pinch hit late in games. Let's be real, though, who else does Espada have on the roster to go to? Batting Abreu late in games in which you're trailing should be considered malpractice. Espada can only use who he has to work with. This all really stems from the Astros poor farm system.
They don't have anyone else to turn to. The draft picks the club lost from the sign-stealing scandal are really hurting them right now. First and second rounders from 2020 and 2021 should be helping you in 2024 at the big league level.
Maybe they go to Astros prospect Joey Loperfido soon, but after a hot start he has only two hits in his last six games.
Finally, we have to talk about what seems like a committee making baseball decisions. Lost in a committee is accountability. Who gets the blame for making poor decisions?
As time continues to pass it looks like moving on from former GM James Click was a massive mistake. He's the guy that didn't sign Abreu, but did trade Myles Straw (recently DFA'd) for Yainer Diaz and Phil Maton. He also built an elite bullpen without breaking the bank, and helped the club win a World Series in 2022.
The reality of the situation is Dusty Baker and James Click are not walking back through that door. And all good runs come to an end at some point. Is this what we're witnessing?
Don't miss the video above as we hit on all the points discussed and much more!
Catch Stone Cold 'Stros (an Astros podcast) with Charlie Pallilo, Brandon Strange, and Josh Jordan. We drop two episodes every week on SportsMapHouston's YouTube channel. You can also listen on Apple Podcast, Spotifyor wherever you get your podcasts.