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If we acknowledge that global warming is real, we also understand that exercise can become more difficult or unpleasant as things heat up. In any case, exercising in the summer, with or without global warming, requires some determination and creativity.

If you are lucky enough to live near a pool, lake or ocean, by all means try to spend some time in the water every day. Water’s natural resistance makes almost any activity into pretty good exercise; even just hanging out in the water will burn a lot of calories. If you are in water with a child, you know the meaning of “working out” while staying cool.

Unfortunately, most of us just aren’t that lucky.

A good alternative is a walking program. Walking has many attractive qualities.

We know that wellness is easier to achieve when weather is nice. In the Northeast, the long winter, piles of snow and reluctance to be outside challenge us in many ways – how to get enough exercise, how to avoid eating out of boredom, how to keep ourselves mentally upbeat and others. One of the positive aspects of cabin fever, though, is that we have much more time to think about and plan for our futures. As the Executive Editor at SeekWellness, I’ve spent this past winter and spring thinking about how we can make our website and company more relevant.

What I’ve been mulling over is that wellness doesn’t stop at us. Besides doing all the things that translate into wellness, we also must be aware of the consequences of our actions. Consider the old adage about throwing a pebble into a pool and watching the concentric ripples spread out. Our behaviors influence others and it’s helpful to realize that our own pursuit of wellness creates effects at many levels or spheres:

Andropause is the result of low testosterone, which can produce a wide range of symptoms. By the time men are between the ages of 40 and 55, they can experience a phenomenon similar to female menopause, called andropause. Unlike women, men do not have a clear-cut signpost such as the cessation of menstruation to mark this transition. Both, however, are distinguished by a drop in hormone levels - estrogen in the female, testosterone in the male. The bodily changes occur very gradually in men and may be accompanied by changes in attitudes and moods, fatigue, and a loss of energy, sex drive and physical agility.

More importantly, studies show that this decline in testosterone can actually put one at risk for other health problems such as heart disease and weakened bones caused by lack of calcium. Since this all happens at a time of life when many men begin to question their values, accomplishments and direction in life, it's often difficult to realize that the changes occurring are related to more than just external conditions.