     |
|
| Scientists say a person's cheer level is about 50 percent genetic. Everyone has a "set point" for happiness, just as they do for their weight, according to Martin E.P. Seligman, PhD, author of Learned Optimism. People can improve or hinder their well being, but they aren't likely to take big leaps in either direction from their set point. |
| How to get happier |
| Ideas to try |
 |
|
|
| The healing comfort of food |
| Our unique commitment to offering ethnic foods |
|
|
|
| Pet a dog, feel better |
| The story behind our pet therapy program |
|
|
|
|
|
| How to get happier |
|
| Here are a few ideas to improve the other 50 percent of your happiness potential: |
|
| Hop on the yoga train |
| You probably have a friend who has professed her love for yoga. She may be onto something. Research shows yoga can help people lose weight and reduce stress and irritability. See our upcoming classes including laughter yoga. |
|
| Exercise. Meditation. Knitting? |
| Researchers at the Mind/Body Medical Institute at Harvard Medical School have discovered that knitting, crocheting, and embroidery are as effective as meditation, yoga, or chanting in triggering the body's relaxation response. When you're knitting, the repetitive motions block stress-producing hormones while lowering your blood pressure and heart rate, leaving you feeling peaceful. In one study, knitters’ heart rates dropped by 11 beats a minute while they worked. And who couldn’t use a new scarf? |
|
|
|
|
|
| The healing comfort of food |
|
| Swedish Covenant Hospital is located in one of the most diverse communities in the country. So it only makes sense to provide ethnic foods for our patients, like they eat at home. Our patient food services manager, Maria Simmons (pictured at right), talks about the award-winning program. |
|
| How did the international menu begin? |
| "We've had an international menu for over 10 years, including Korean, Hispanic, and Indian/Muslim cuisine. But the food was still Americanized. One day, our Korean interpreter told me that patients appreciated our efforts, but the food didn't taste like home. So she started working with us to prepare recipes and write our menu.
"Her mother and aunt came over to taste the food and make sure each recipe was accurate. Now our Korean menu has items like seaweed soup and Korean BBQ beef—all made from scratch.
"Not long after that, our Hispanic nurse liaison came to me and said she and other Hispanic-Latin employees were willing to help us develop an authentic Hispanic-Latin menu. So we went through the same process. Now we have recipes from Mexico, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, and Puerto Rico." |
|
|
|
|
|
| Pet a dog, feel better |
|
| Science shows that hospital patients who receive a visit from a dog may require half the pain medication as others. We’re not surprised. Contact with dogs may lower blood pressure and stress, and help people forget they’re in a hospital.
The therapy dogs at Swedish Covenant Hospital come through Chenny Troupe, a volunteer organization that helps rehabilitate patients. Executive director, Janet Eaton, talks about our program. |
|
| How does a dog become a therapy dog? |
| "Dogs are trained by their individual owner. The dogs have to know basic commands, like 'come,' 'sit,' 'down,' and 'stay.' They also need to be able to walk on a loose lead and change their pace appropriately under verbal control.
"The dogs need to be extremely focused. Dogs, like people, can make mistakes. But when they're working in a hospital, there's no room for errors. On average, there's a 30 to 40 percent pass rate for the Chenny Troupe’s test. If the dogs make one mistake, they take the test over again." |
|
|
 |
|
| What breeds can be therapy dogs? |
| "Any breed of dog can be a therapy dog. At Swedish Covenant Hospital, we've had Terriers, Rottweillers, Pit Bulls, Poodles, Irish Wolfhounds and everything in between. In fact, we have a Doberman Pinscher, Gemma, who's among the most obedient Dobermans in the nation." |
|
| Do the dogs know their role in therapy? |
| “Definitely. A lot of dogs just want to hang out with people and have fun. Chenny Troupe dogs seem to know they’re working from the minute they put on their vests.” |
| Submit what makes you feel better | back to top> |
|
|
|
  |
|
Win healing spa services |
|
Show or tell what makes you feel better and you're automatically entered to win. |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Check out local music |
|
 |
Science shows light tunes can lower anxiety and your heart rate. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
