Traditional exercise has a number of wicked benefits -- not only for your body but for your mind too. But there's one exercise in particular that can have a positive impact on your marriage, relationships ... and driving record. Give up? It's yoga.

According to our friends over at Lemondrop, practicing yoga can:

• Increase your flexibility and body awareness, making you better at sex ... and more confident about your body
  
• Improve your reaction times by helping you build concentration skills
  
• Reduce rage by increasing your tolerance for difficult situations

A yogi for a few years now, I can attest to all of these. What about you?

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Is your child heading back to school soon? If so, be sure to get an A on the healthy lunches you provide.

Good nutrition can improve kids' concentration and help them get through the school day successfully. If your child is lucky enough to attend a school with healthy hot lunch options, then your job is a bit easier. But if your child's school is like my son's, pizza and chicken nuggets just don't make the grade.

Foods that are high in fat and/or high in sugar will only lead to an energy crash later in the day. You don't want your kiddo zonking out in the middle of math class, so be sure to provide long-lasting energy with good nutrition. First, make sure your child eats a healthy breakfast. Oatmeal, fruit, eggs, and whole-grain (low-sugar) cereals all make good options. For lunch, pack lean protein such as tuna or turkey, whole grains such as whole-wheat crackers or pita, fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, and 100% juice.

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When I'm filled with anxiety, panic, or worry, exercise usually helps. It allows me to clear my head, focus inward, and collect a fresh perspective. There's nothing groundbreaking about my strategy. It helps loads of people who find themselves in all sorts of stressful scenarios.

Health experts have long recommended 30 minutes of moderate daily exercise to relieve stress. Researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia agree. But they've got an even better recommendation. They say studies show high-intensity workouts pack a much bigger punch against stress than any other form of exercise. Why? There are several theories. We know intense aerobic exercise strengthens the heart and lungs, and these two vital organs bear the brunt of the body's stress response. So the more we exercise, the better these organs respond to negative emotion. Another possibility: Vigorous workouts require major concentration and limit the ability to obsess about weighty matters. It could also be that this type of exercise increases the release of endorphins, our feel-good hormones. The harder we work, the better we feel.

I guess it doesn't really matter why strenuous activity does the trick. It just does. And that's reason enough for me to keep at it.

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When pain sets in, you might as well just sit or lay down and do nothing. Well, nothing that takes thinking intently or paying attention, anyway. A new study concluded that pain indeed can override a sufferer's ability to concentrate.

In addition to throwing concentration out the window, pain makes it much more difficult to recognize images as well. In other words, sight is affected. From soldiers on the battlefield to the bike rider who winces while catching up to the race leader, the loss of the ability to recognize images is a biggie when it comes to pain management.

When pain happens, what can you do? Taking mild over-the-counter drugs like acetaminophen or ibuprofen helps millions a day stay away from pain, but with chronic pain, more medical assistance seems needed. That is, unless you don't need to think or process images you see.

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Instead of exercising -- or using a punching bag -- to reduce stress, sitting somewhere quiet and intently meditating on something peaceful or inspirational can be just as stress-relieving. While exercising is an excellent tonic for reducing stress, so are the yoga and meditation arenas. I say "arenas," as there are many different ways to use your emotional state to reduce stress.

However, trying to find the time and place for meditation in our activity-packed schedules is the ever-increasing challenge. But if you can find a place (even in your car) to find quiet time and meditate (pick your focus), a possible lower blood pressure and reduced breathing rate brought on by meditation can have tremendous effects on your personal well-being.

Using the tried-and-true "relaxation response" is something I've done many times, much to the benefit of my entire outlook on the day. Try it and see what it does for you. Proof is in the trying and achieving, so all you need is a quiet place free of distractions. Once you find it, keep it in your back pocket for daily use.

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