Pump up your intellect with health information

Let's start this baby off with a quiz. What would an article on Intellectual Wellness be without an assessment, right?

Please rate yourself on the following questions using a 5-point scale.

5= Almost always, 4= Very often, 3= Often, 2= Occasionally, 1= Almost never.

I keep informed about social and political issues.

I am interested in learning about scientific discoveries.

I make an effort to maintain and improve my writing and verbal skills.

I seek opportunities to learn new things.

I participate in activities such as visiting museums, exhibits and zoos, or attend plays and concerts at least three times per year.

I watch educational programs on TV.

I maintain a continuing education program relative to my occupation or activities.

I read about different topics from a variety of newspapers, magazines, or books.

I gather information from several sources before making important decisions.

I am interested in understanding the views of others.

Count your total. How did you do? Did you get all 5s? If not, here are a few ways to improve:

• Try something new, starting today.

• Goodbye boredom, hello books. Pick up a "must read" at the Carson library.

• When's the last time you ventured over to the Brewery Arts Center?

• How about grabbin' some culture at Comma Coffee and join in one of their many monthly events.

You can also impress your buds with your intellectual wellness.

Here are some human body fun facts:

• Your body is 70 percent water.

• When you sneeze, air rushes through your nose at a rate of 100 mph.

• You use 14 muscles to smile, and 43 to frown.

• The strongest muscle of the body is the masseter muscle, which is located in the jaw.

• There are 230 joints in the body.

• The small intestines are 25 feet long.

• The large intestines are 5 feet long and 3 times wider than the small intestines.

• Most people shed 40 pounds of skin in a lifetime.

• 400 gallons of blood flow through your kidneys in one day.

• You blink your eyes about 20,000 times each day.

• Placed end to end, all of your body's blood vessels would measure about 62,000 miles long.

And, from the learning cone, people generally remember:

• 10 percent of what they read.

• 20 percent of what they hear.

• 30 percent of what they see.

• 50 percent of what they hear and see.

• 70 percent of what they say or write.

• 90 percent of what they say as they do a thing.

So, I encourage you get out there and expand yourself, knowledge, skills and brain to increase your total potential.

Remember, wellness is proactive, positive, energetic, and fun.

•Laura Brownlee recently moved to Carson City and works with the National Wellness Institute. She can be reached at editor@nevadaappeal.com