Staying Healthy on a Bender

Bender: Slang. A drinking spree, frolic, rampage, and such other things that lead to hijinks.

Put away those Demonia heels and tie on your tennis shoes, because we're about to tie another one on, if you know what I mean. Not a chocolatini kind of bender, but a writing bender. That sort of orgiastic bliss that only hits you when the verbiage flows like the very blood from your veins.

That's all well and good, but unless you want the mother of all hangovers (I know! A word hangover, how cruel is that?) you need to take care of yourself while you're in the flow. There's a few things that you can do to keep your mind and body operating at maximum potential. (Here's some fine print too. I'm not a doctor. Just in case you couldn't figure that out from all my posts about writing. *g* Check with a doctor before starting any new health program.)

Water. Simple, right? So many people don't drink enough water in their daily lives, but it's especially important for brain function. A dehydrated brain is a brain that's shutting down and focusing on survival rather than the cool places that there are to see up there in your mindscape. Keep a gallon of water next to you and make sure you drink it. Yes, I know you'll be interrupted to pee, but you'll feel better all around.

Vitamins. First, fish oil. Great stuff for the brain. Remember that story about the miner who was in a coma? Yeah. An insane amount of fish oil and he woke up. So, don't doubt it. Get the enteric coated so you're not hit with the fish burps, because those are, in a word, yarkalicious. Siberian Ginseng and Ginko Biloba, plus a B-Complex and a B-12. These are great for concentration and energy. You may be tempted to dive into the dark and seedy underbelly world of energy drinks. DON'T! Those things are addictive, the crash is awful and they're filled with sugar and caffeine. If you need your caffeine to write, as most of us do, try green tea or coffee. Green tea is the better choice though...

Breaks. When the flow starts to lag, don't be afraid to take a break. It's what you do in during the commercial messages that's important. Run up and down the stairs, or do a few minutes of Yoga, take a walk. I've found the Yoga to be very beneficial to keeping with the flow and keeping my ass from shaping itself to my chair. That's always important.

These are just a few things that you can do that will keep your "butt in chair" longer and keep your body healthy while you do it. Who knew that health would lead to higher productivity? Oh, wait...

I've also started drinking a protein shake for breakfast and lunch, it not only saves me from having to prepare something, or eating something unhealthy because it's fast and easy, but it's got some great vitamins too. Did I mention it feeds my chocolate craving?