Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Join Us in the Fight against Breast Cancer


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Saturday, September 19, 2009

September is National Yoga Month

Make this the month to Learn Yoga.

Have you thought about trying yoga lately? It’s a fun alternative to high-impact exercise and offers just as many health benefits, such as:
• Decreased stress
• Improved hand-eye coordination
• Enhanced concentration
• Pain management
• Better sleep
• Improved flexibility
• Lower blood pressure
• Strengthened bones and joints
• Weight loss

Yoga realigns and rebalances your body on a regular basis. When your body is finely tuned, your chances for injuries and illnesses decrease. The practice of yoga involves performing a variety of poses, called asanas, along with breathing exercises or meditation to cleanse and detoxify your body. These actions increase blood circulation.

Regular practice of stretches, twists, bends and inversions – the basic movements of yoga poses – also restore strength and stamina to the body.

Are you out of shape or new to yoga? Don’t let that stop you. Many of the poses involved in yoga can be altered for beginners.Start out slowly and you will likely be surprised at how far you can come in just a few weeks.

If you are trying to lose weight, add yoga with aerobic exercise and weight training. Along with a diet filled with whole grains, protein, fruits and vegetables. You should be able to see (and feel) the difference in about a month.

Yoga can be practiced by anyone, at any fitness level, at any age, pretty much anywhere.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Be Kitchen Smart


The below few tips can save you from getting sick.


** Cook meat thoroughly and use a food thermometer to make sure it's hot enough to kill bacteria.

** Wash anything that has been in contact with raw meat, poultry, or eggs, including your hands, before touching other foods.

** Use separate plates and cutting boards for raw and cooked food, and separate boards for each type of food (only half of all Americans do this, according to an International Food Information Council Foundation survey).

** Refrigerate leftovers within two hours.

** Remove and throw away the outer layers of lettuce and cabbage heads; rub all fresh fruits and vegetables under cool running water to loosen dirt and germs. Rinse for about 10 seconds, then blot with a paper towel.

Monday, September 7, 2009

ASPIRIN Can Save Your Life

If you take an aspirin or a baby aspirin once a day, take it at night.
The reason: aspirin has a 24-hour "half-life".
Therefore, if most heart attacks happen in the wee hours of the morning, the aspirin would be strongest in your system.

Aspirin lasts a really long time in your medicine chest...years. When it gets old, it will smell like vinegar.

WHY you should have aspirin near your bed - It saves lives! It is important to always have ASPIRIN in the home!!!

ABOUT HEART ATTACKS
There are other symptoms of a heart attack besides the pain on the left arm.
One must also be aware of an intense pain on the chin, as well as nausea and lots of sweating.
However, these symptoms may occur less frequently.

NOTE: There may be no pain in the chest during a heart attack.
The majority of people (about 60%) who had a heart attack during their sleep, did not wake up.
However, if it occurs, the chest pain may wake you up from your deep sleep.

If that happens, IMMEDIATELY DISSOLVE TWO ASPIRINS IN YOUR MOUTH and swallow them with a bit of water.

Afterwards, first phone 911, then a neighbor or a family member who lives very close by and state "HEART ATTACK!!!"
And that you have taken 2 ASPIRINS.
Take a seat on a chair or sofa and wait for their arrival and ....DO NOT LIE DOWN!!!

Saturday, August 29, 2009

7 Ways to Keep Your Brain Sharp and Youthful

Around the time we hit 30, our brains begin a slow, steady downward trajectory, or so popular wisdom would have it.

But cognitive decline is by no means an inescapable side effect of aging. In fact, according to a flurry of new reports, you can counteract age-related changes in the brain with a surprisingly simple regimen of activities guaranteed to nurture and fortify your mental musclepower. Here are seven easy ways to keep your brain quick, sharp, and bristling with youthful vigor.

1. Google Often

When you search the Internet, you engage key centers in your brain that control decision-making and complex reasoning.

And these few clicks may be more mentally stimulating than reading, say UCLA scientists. Their studies found that Internet searching uses neural circuitry that's not activated during reading--but only in people with prior Internet experience. MRI results showed almost 3 times more brain activity in regular Internet searchers than in first-timers, suggesting that repeated Googling can be a great way to build cognitive strength over time.

Tip: Spend around 20 minutes a few days a week searching topics you've always wanted to learn more about—regardless of how seemingly frivolous: Whether you're researching a celebrity's latest pratfalls or musical harmony, the benefits to your brain are the same.

2. Exercise

Yes, exercise can stave off or delay dementia—but did you know it can actually reverse brain aging too?

A team from the University of Illinois' Beckman Institute recently reviewed dozens of past studies and found that aerobic exercise boosts not only speed and sharpness of thought but also the volume of brain tissue. As little as 50 minutes of brisk walking 3 times a week was found to have this brain-expanding effect.

Tip: For an added boost, walk in the park: University of Michigan researchers found that volunteers whose course took them through a tree-filled setting performed 20% better on memory and attention tests than those who walked downtown.

3. Brush and Floss

Oral health is clearly linked to brain health, according to a team of British psychiatrists and dentists.

After studying thousands of subjects ages 20 to 59, they found that gingivitis and periodontal disease were associated with worse cognitive function throughout adult life—not just in later years.

Tip: Follow your dentist's advice—floss daily and brush your teeth for 2 minutes at least once a day.

4. Drink Sparingly

Limiting cocktails is beneficial for cognitive function.

Keep your alcohol consumption within the safe and healthful limit: no more than one drink a day. The more alcohol a person drinks, the smaller his or her total brain volume becomes, according to a recent Wellesley College study. The link between drinking and reduced brain volume was stronger in women—probably because smaller people are more susceptible to alcohol's effects.

Tip: If you like a glass of white wine with dinner, make a spritzer by replacing some of the wine with sparkling water. You'll cut your intake even more.

5. Eat Blueberries

New research shows that the purple-hued fruits may help sharpen your thought processes.

After National Institute on Aging and Tufts University researchers injected male rats with kainic acid to simulate the oxidative stress that occurs with aging, rats that had been fed a diet containing 2% blueberry extract did better navigating a maze than rats that didn't get the compound. In another study, the same researchers found that rats that ate blueberries showed increased cell growth in the hippocampus region of the brain. The researchers theorize that anthocyanin—the dark blue pigment found in blueberries—is responsible for these cognitive changes; it contains chemicals that may cross the blood-brain barrier and lodge in regions that govern learning and memory.

Tip: Stock up on blueberries when they're on sale, and sprinkle them over your cereal or yogurt or fold them into your smoothie. Off-season, buy them frozen; they're every bit as nutritious as fresh.

6. Do Puzzles

Amazingly, you'll knock a decade off your cognitive age.

In a University of Alabama study of nearly 3,000 older men and women, those who participated in 10 60-to 75-minute sessions of brain-boosting exercise sharpened their mental abilities so much that their brains performed like those of people more than 10 years younger.

Tip: Start small—whip out a booklet of basic puzzles when you're riding to work on the train or waiting in a long checkout line. As your skills improve, graduate to more challenging brainteasers.

7. Meditate
More than just a great stress reliever, meditation can also enhance your brain’s gray matter

Participants in a new study from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston appear to have experienced growth in the cortex, an area of the brain that controls memory, language, and sensory processing. In addition, meditators in a University of Kentucky study performed better than their non-meditating counterparts on a series of mental acuity tests.

Tip: Make the practice a regular habit—the participants in a recent study meditated an average of 40 minutes a day. But you can start with 15 on your lunch break or before you leave for work. Sit upright, close your eyes, and focus on whatever you're experiencing in the present moment, whether it's birds chirping in the distance or just the sound of your own breathing.

Get Smarter Every Day: Give your mind a workout—and boost memory, concentration, vocab, and more, with Prevention.com’s brain games.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Sunglasses an Eyecare Must

For years, we’ve referred to them casually as “shades.” For sure, that nickname reflects the laid-back, cool vibe that goes along with sunglasses. And, for many, they mean fashion, not health.

Think again. Sunglasses used to be more about looking stylish than about
taking care of your vision, but not anymore. Today, there’s increasing
evidence that ultraviolet rays in sunlight can significantly increase
your risk of developing cataracts and macular degeneration. Both conditions
usually affect older people, and no wonder: years and years of sun exposure
leave their mark over time.

Because both conditions can threaten healthy vision, it is recommended
that you wear sunglasses on sunny days year-round. Also, you’ll experience
better night vision when you wear sunglasses on sunny days.

There are a few main things to look for when picking the right pair of
shades for you. When buying sunglasses, make sure they carry a consumer
protection label stating they’re 99 or 100% UV-absorbent, or provide
UV absorption up to 400 nanometers (nm).

Once you’ve eliminated the threat from UV light, you can focus on
other issues, such as reducing glare and choosing a tint that will allow
you to control the degree of brightness reaching your eyes.

Here’s a rundown of other things to consider when picking the perfect pair:

• Go big or wrap it. Bigger frames and lenses, and also wrap-around styles,
give you more UV protection (by blocking peripheral rays)

• Go Polarized. These lenses block out sunlight glare bouncing off
windshields, pavement and other smooth surfaces

• Consider color. Gray lenses are best. Why? They don’t change colors.
Green and brown lenses are good too

• Rx effects. If you wear prescription glasses, why not add prescription
sunglasses to your eyewear wardrobe?

• Shade your specs. You can make your regular glasses into sunglasses.
Look for clip-on or magnetic tinted lenses that can attach to your specs

• Automate. Ask your eye doctor about photochromic lenses. They
automatically get darker outside, then return to normal inside.

Friday, June 12, 2009

Global Pandemic for Swine Flu

On June 11,2009, the World Health Organization DECLARES Global Pandemic for Swine Flu.

In response to the global spread of the virus, a Phase 6 was assigned, which means a global pandemic is underway. More than 70 countries are reporting cases and over the last weeks, the numbers are increasing. Many reports are cases linked to travel or localized breakouts within a community.

I know in my area, there are many cases reported in the schools. Several surrounding towns have been affected.

Stay informed. Health officials should provide information as it becomes available. To help protect yourself, you should cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and make sure you immediately throw away that tissue.

Wash your hands often and use soap. There are also hand sanitizers you can carry, so when soap and water is not available,you can keep your hands germ free at all times. Do not touch your face: eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way. It is not always easy, but try and avoid people you know are sick.

For more information, click HERE and you can read in detail about Phase 6 and what it means.

More Links:
Explanation of Phases link

U. S. Cases Increasing

National Swine Flu Situation Page

THE EMERGENCY EMAIL & WIRELESS NETWORK

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Your Well-Being Is Not Found in the Pharmacy

Are you feeling under the weather? Since there were alot of people who were sick all around me, no wonder I came down with a bug too.

Our well-being is not found in the pharmacy, but in the aisles of our supermarkets.
We can warm up our colds, send the viruses packing and boost our immune system with food.

Ginseng tea (hot or iced)helps kill invading viruses by increasing the body's production of key immune cells. In a Candaian study, people who took 400mg og ginseng a day had 25% less colds than the people who did not.

Drink Green Tea. EGCG,is a chemical very potent in green tea. It is known to stop the adenovrus (which is one bug responsible for colds). At the first sign of a cold, start drinking green tea. In most studies, it is found that the brand, Tetley is the most effective.

Eat alot of oranges. The zinc and vitamin C in oranges, won't prevent an oncoming cold, but it might decrease the severitiy of symptoms and the duration of your cold.
One orange provides more than 100% of your daily recommended intake of vitamin C.

The use of olive oil or avocados will provide you with healthy fats, which can help in the aid of inflammation. In one study, the anit-inflammatory compound found in olive oil suppresses the same pain as ibuprofen.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Healthier Food Choices

A healthier alternative to giving into your sweet tooth is munching on some grapes, pineapple, cherries or berries. You can also try raisins or cranberries and Sugarless candy.

If you feel guilty giving in, make sure you have plenty of healthy, sweet snacks in your refrerator and cabinets. This will make it easier for you to make a healthier choice.

The food choices you make, can affect your health. Improving our health can be as simple as adding a variety of grains, fruit and vegetables to our diet. Maintaining a diet that is low in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol. Your beverage choice should be water or low sugar and sodium content.

We can control our waistline and our health by monitoring our portion size. Do you still 'supersize'? If you must eat fast food, you can still be in control. Eat smaller hamburgers or chicken sandwiches and order your salad dressing on the side. Order fruit, low fat milk or 100% fruit juice...don't forget, you can pick water!

Tips:

*Eat BEFORE going grocery shopping

*Downsize your meal portions

*Eat s l o w l y, so your brain gets the message that your stomach is full before you overeat

*When dining out, eat half your meal and split your dessert

*If available on the menu, pick the small or medium portion

Friday, May 8, 2009

Understanding Your Cycle ~ Part 2

Days 15-26

This week is known for its high blood levels of progesterone. This hormone is responsible for building up the uterine lining. It also affects our brain function as it brings about the feelings of calm and clear headedness. This would be a great week to reflect, read, explore your interests and evaluate short/long term goals.

If in your 20’s-30’s you have monthly progesterone surges during these early reproductive years which accelerates the burning of stored fat during exercise. You should add variety to your workouts during this week. Progesterone also increases production of pain-killing endorphins. Young women can step up the intensity of their workouts for maximum results.

If in your 40’s, this is the week to give into your chocolate cravings! During perimenopause, declining estrogen production can allow progesterone to become overly dominant. This can trigger mood swings and other symptoms. Dark chocolate contains flavonoids, which is a powerful antioxidant that has a mild estrogen like effect. It also contains phenylethylamine, which is a plant compound that will elevate your mood. It is said that a single serving of dark chocolate can chase away the blues.

If in your 50’s, your estrogen is naturally diminishing, so you should snack on soy nuts, 2 tablespoons of tofu or have 8 oz of soy milk daily. Soy contains phytoestrogens which will elevate your mood, decrease your appetite and food cravings and enhance skin firming collagen production. Soy is also a proven way to reduce night sweats, hot flashes and vaginal dryness in about 50% of women.

Days 27 and 28

When there is an absence of a fertilized egg, the ovaries suppress production of all three major hormones. By the end of day 28, levels have returned to their starting point. Your roller coaster ride is over. This is a good time to meditate, engage in something spiritual

Maybe after reading Parts 1 and 2 of Understanding Your Cycle, it has helped you to actually have a Happy Period and enhance your health and happiness.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Understanding Your Cycle ~ Part 1

Have a Happy Period! What?! A Happy Period…? I saw a TV commercial advertising a feminine product and it uses that very line. I tell you…I just wanted to throw the TV out the window…a happy periodright. Who has a Happy period?!

Women have been getting a bad rap for a long long time due to our hormones causing crankiness, the feeling of sadness and other hormonal side effects. Whether we are in our prime or entering menopause, if we ‘tune’ in to our body and how it responds, we can enhance our health and happiness no matter what time of the month it is or what stage we are in our life.

Days 1 – 7

During this week, the three major reproductive hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone) hit their low and this is when you would get your period. This slump in hormones reduces your brain’s output of neuropeptides (such as serotonin), which causes blue moods. Give yourself a pick me up. Pamper yourself. Give yourself a facial, a massage or enjoy a funny movie. You can perk up your neuropeptide output by giving yourself alittle TLC

Days 8-14

Our estrogen and testosterone production peaks during these days, but progesterone stays low. This phase encourages the maturation of eggs and our brain goes into high gear. This is a great week for brainstorming, keeping up energy and confidence. This is also a good time for romance.

If you are in your 20’s – 30’s, eat nutrient rich whole grains, such as pastas, breads and cereals. These foods will help fuel the emotional highs of this week. Grains prevent the overproduction of insulin, a hormone that can destabilize ovarian function and throw off hormone levels.

If you are in your 40’s, Take an Omega 3. Women who are going into their perimenopausal years have erratic dopamine and norepinephrine hormone levels.

Taking an Omega 3 can increase your physical and mental energy levels and boost your mood. Fish omega3 oils can increase production of antidepressant brain chemicals.

If in your 50’s, practice deep breathing. Even when menstruation ceases, the brain continues to increase production of dopamine and norepinephrine during this week.. Even though estrogen production is reduced after menopause, you can preserve the estrogen your ovaries can produce to maximize their well being.

By practicing deep breathing, you can reduce production of cortisol, a hormone that disrupts menopausal ovarian function. Take 6 to 8 calm breaths per minute for 15 minutes each day. This can boost alertness, productivity and happiness.

Coming Next: Part 2 ~ Days 15-26 Days 27-28

Saturday, May 2, 2009

THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT

If Alzheimer's has touched your life in any way, you know very well how devastating this disease can be. For the one affected and those around them. I wanted to bring awareness to The Alzheimer's Project. The below was sent to me through email.

THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT, A PIONEERING MULTI-PART, MULTI-PLATFORM SERIES BRINGING NEW
UNDERSTANDING AND HOPE FOR MILLIONS AND REVEALING HUMAN FACES BEHIND THE DISEASE, DEBUTS MAY 10 ON HBO

Maria Shriver Executive Produces With HBO’s Award-Winning “Addiction” Team

One of the most devastating forms of memory loss is Alzheimer’s disease, an irreversible and progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills. Today, Alzheimer’s is the second most-feared illness in America, following cancer, and may affect as many as five million Americans. As the baby-boom generation reaches retirement, that number could soar to more than 11 million by 2040and have a huge economic impact on America’s already fragile health care system.

While there is no cure for the disease, THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT shows there is now genuine reason to be optimistic about the future. Debuting May 10 on HBO and created by the award-winning team behind HBO’s acclaimed “Addiction” project, this multi-platform series takes a close look at groundbreaking discoveries made by the country’s leading scientists, as well as the effects of this debilitating and fatal disease both on those with Alzheimer’s and on their families.

The first of the four documentaries in THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT is “The Memory Loss Tapes” (debuting May 10), which provides an up-close and personal look at seven individuals living with Alzheimer’s, each in an advancing state of dementia across the full spectrum of the progression of the disease. “Momentum In Science” (May 11 and 12) is a two-part state-of-the-science film that takes viewers inside the laboratories and clinics of 25 leading scientists and physicians, revealing some of the most cutting-edge research advances. “ ‘Grandpa, Do You Know Who I Am?’ with Maria Shriver” (May 11) captures what it means to be a child or grandchild of one with Alzheimer’s, while “Caregivers” (May 12) highlights the sacrifices and successes of people who experience their loved ones’ descent into dementia.

THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT is a presentation of HBO Documentary Films and the National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health in association with the Alzheimer’s Association®, Fidelity® Charitable Gift Fund and Geoffrey Beene Gives Back® Alzheimer’s Initiative. The series producer is John Hoffman; the executive producers are Sheila Nevins and Maria Shriver.

For more information on THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT and Alzheimer’s Disease, go to HBO.com/alzheimers.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Patience

Heavenly Father, Help us remember that the jerk who cut us off in traffic last night is a single mother who worked nine hours that day and is rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry and spend a few precious moments with her children.

Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can't make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student, balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester.

Remind us, Lord, that the scary looking bum, begging for money in the same spot every day ("who really ought to get a job") is a slave to addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares.

Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress are savoring this moment, knowing that based on the biopsy report she got back last week, this will be the last year that they go shopping together.

Heavenly Father, remind us each day That of all the gifts you give us Lord, the greatest gift is love. It is not enough to share that love with those we hold dear. Open our hearts not to just those who are close to us, but to all humanity.
Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive, show patience, empathy and love.

Working for God on earth doesn't pay much......but His retirement plan is out of this world.
 
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