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Join the Vitality Project and Live Healthier and Longer

Posted by SheSue on August 15, 2009 under Awesome Events, Healthy livin

Okinawa, Japan

Okinawa, Japan

The AARP/Blue Zones Vitality Project would like to see you live a longer, healthier life.  They have put together a program to help you do just that.  It is all online, so you don’t even have to leave your house to participate.  You’ll find lots of useful tools plus support to help guide you.  Instead of focusing on just diet and exercise, the Vitality Project encourages you to live like communities with the world’s greatest percentage of longevity.

Dan Buettner, an educator and explorer, is the co-director of the Vitality Project. The idea for the Project came from his Blue Zones Quests which he launched in 2005 in order to research the reasons people in small geographic areas live so long.  The term ‘Blue Zone’ came about by accident when a demographer used a blue marker to highlight a region where a lot of centenarians lived.

Costa Rica

Costa Rica

So far, Buettner has studied three regions:  Okinawa, Japan; the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica; and the Greek island of Ikaría.  He found  that not only do these people live longer; they also have a much lower rate of heart disease and cancer.  Some of the lifestyle habits he finds common among all the regions are:  eating lots of greens, drinking herbal tea, napping daily, plenty of exercise, close friends, eating produce fresh from the garden, spirituality and not stressing about time.

The Vitality Project has chosen a small American community to become America’s healthiest town.  In January, Project experts began working with the town leaders of Albert Lea, Minnesota to change the way the residents eat, work, exercise and play.   In May, the residents were asked to sign the Vitality Project Pledge.  In September, Albert Lea will go online for six weeks issuing videos, photos and narratives on their progress.

You are invited to join the town of Albert Lea.  You will be asked to sign a pledge agreeing to follow the guidelines set forth by the Vitality Project.  Next you will be asked to take the Vitality Compass which consists of answering questions about your current lifestyle.  Using your answers, the compass calculates your biological age, life expectancy, Blue Zones years, and extra years of life you can add if you optimize your lifestyle.  Once you have completed the Compass, you qualify for a Vitality Coach who will guide you via email through your lifestyle changes.  You can also sign up for Longevity Tips, a weekly email giving you tips and information about the program.

The Vitality Project is sponsored by United Health Foundation.  With the desire to help people live healthier lives, the foundation provides information and support to the project.  They hope to see other towns follow in the footsteps of Albert Lea in pledging to become healthier.

Are you ready for a longer and healthier life?  Head on over the Vitality Project!

Ikaria

Ikaria

Is the Sun Good for You or Bad for You?

Posted by SheSue on August 5, 2009 under Healthy livin, Reality Rants

How many times have you been told to stay out of the sun or wear your sunscreen? In reality, this may be bad for you, especially for women. I’m not saying that you should go lay out in the sun all day, but you should get out for short periods of time every day. Is it vitamin D I am talking about. It takes direct sunlight for your skin to absorb the recommended daily amount of this vitamin.

Many studies have already shown that vitamin D deficiency can result in weak bones. New studies are now showing that the deficiency can be connected to cardiovascular risk. According to Dr. Thomas J. Wang, of Harvard Medical School, “Vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased cardiovascular risk, above and beyond established cardiovascular risk factors,” said Wang. “The higher risk associated with vitamin D deficiency was particularly evident among individuals with high blood pressure.” More on his report can be found in an article at Science Daily.

More disturbing is a recent study showing 70% of U.S. children are deficient in vitamin D. “We expected the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency would be high, but the magnitude of the problem nationwide was shocking,” said Dr. Juhi Kumar of Children’s Hospital at Montefiore Medical Center. The blame lies in poor diet and lack of being outdoors. When children are outdoors, they use sunscreen which, blocks UV-B rays and compounds the problem. The body uses UV-B sunlight to convert a form of cholesterol in the skin into vitamin D.

According to Kumar, “Just 15 to 20 minutes a day should be enough. And unless they burn easily, don’t put sunscreen on them until they’ve been out in the sun for 10 minutes, so they get the good stuff but not sun damage.” This will create 3,000 IU’s of D. Recommended you get at least 2,000 IU’s per day. To read more about this study, check out Live Science.

suntanSome facts about vitamin D:

1. Vitamin D prevents osteoporosis, depression, prostate cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, schizophrenia and even effects diabetes and obesity.
2. It is pretty much impossible to get enough vitamin D from your diet or supplements.
3. Vitamin D is crucial for calcium absorption. Without it, your supplements are useless.
4. Rickets is a bone deteriorating disease caused by vitamin D deficiency.
5. Seasonal affective disorder is attributed to a lack of sunlight exposure.
6. Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency are muscle weakness, aches and pains which causes doctors to misdiagnose it as fibromyalgia.
7. The risk of diabetes and cancer is reduced by as much as 80% with limited exposure to sunlight 2-3 times per week.

So get out and catch some rays. But like everything else, do it in moderation.

Can Cayenne Pepper Help Your Allergies

Posted by SheSue on July 31, 2009 under Healthy livin, Reality Rants

grass-pollen Ahhh, a nice stroll down by the river and what do you see but piles of pollen gathered on the grass. All this hot weather has really brought out allergies in a lot of people. In fact, some 40 million people suffer from seasonal allergies according to allergist Dr. Cliff Bassett. 10% of those people suffer from allergies aggravated by pollen.

Allergies, simply put, are your bodies way of telling you something foreign has entered your body. This foreign substance can be from the environment such as pollen, from food or from chemicals. Your body, in turn, will react in a variety of ways including runny nose, headache, sneezing, rapid heart beat, skin reactions, intestinal issues or more.

Rather than reaching for drugs, many are seeking natural remedies. But listen to Dr. Bassett when he says, “natural” does not necessarily mean safe or effective, and people may have unintended side effects. Check with your doctor before trying any natural remedy, especially if you are pregnant or nursing”.

Some suggestion from Gayle Povis Alleman, M.S., R.D., who holds degrees in both alternative and conventional nutrition include:

1. Omega-3 Fatty Acids: A German study found that people who ate foods high in Omega-3 fatty acid had the least allergies. You can get this important supplement by eating fish like salmon or tuna or in nuts like walnuts or you can get the supplement at any health food store.

2. Vitamin C is a natural antihistamine. This helps to reduce nasal secretions and inflammation.

3. Flavonoids also have antihistamine properties and work well with vitamin C. Flavonoids and vitamin C can be found in berries, plums, citrus fruits, peppers, spinach, and broccoli.

4. CoQ10 is an immune booster and counters histamine.

5. Magnesium (Citrate) is known as the anti-stress mineral. Stress contributes to allergy symptoms.

6. Calcium (Citrate) helps to reduce histamine production.

7. And yes, Chili pepper, or cayenne, contains capsaicin. These will help desensitizes the nasal airways preventing inflammation when exposed to irritants.
pollen
No, this isn’t a snow storm, it’s pollen! For more information on allergies and natural remedies, check out Allergy Escape.

8 Ways to Better Sleep Without Drugs

Posted by SheSue on July 25, 2009 under Healthy livin

A good night’s sleep will allow you to have fewer cravings, be more creative and solve problems with ease. But many of us spend hours tossing and turning. Did you know that 43 million prescriptions for sleep medications are written each year? Instead of reaching for some pills, why not try some natural methods.

cat1. Simple Yoga – in a study led by neuroscientist Sat Bir Khalsa, PhD., it was found that doing this simple exercise created deeper and longer sleep. Before bed, sit on the floor with your legs crossed, pressing your palms together against the middle of the chest. Inhale deeply through your abdomen so that you feel your belly expand, then exhale and allow it to relax. Breath as slowly as you can focusing on your breath. The longer you go, the more relaxed and ready for sleep you will be.

2. Walking – Ahh, my favorite. In a study at University of Arizona, those who walked at least 6 brisk blocks daily slept longer and did not wake up during the night. The best time to walk is after work or early evening. Your body temperature rises during exercise, then falls about 1 1/2 hours later, helping you feel relaxed and drowsy.

3. Carbohydrates – Eating a snack that is rich in carbohydrates, but low in fat and protein helps make insulin levels rise. This decreases the levels of amino acids that prevent the brain from making serotonin, a chemical that helps you feel drowsy and relaxed. Eat foods such as a whole grain cracker at least 1/2 hour before bed. Any closer to bed time and your digestive system will react and keep you awake.

4. Stay away from caffeine – That means avoid coffee, tea and soda. Also watch out for chocolate, cold medicines and diet pills. Caffeine causes insomnia and restlessness.

5. Progressive muscle relaxation – A big cause of sleeplessness is the stress you bring to bed. Muscle relaxation will allow your body to relax and bring sleep. As you lie in bed, lie on your back in a comfortable position. Begin by tensing the muscles in your face for about 8 seconds, then relax. Feel the relaxation. Move to your neck and shoulders; tense the muscles, then relax. Continue to move down your body with each muscle group. Your arms, your chest, your back, your stomach, etc., right down to your toes. You may find that you all asleep before you get all the way through.

6. Visualization – Think of a scenario where you know you would be relaxed and stress free. Perhaps on a tropical beach or out in the woods. Imagine how your scene looks, imagine the sounds, and the smells. Hear the waves or the gurgle of a creek. Hear the birds, smell the flowers. The more vivid your imagination, the better to help you relax.

7. Reduce stimulation – If you love watching TV before bed, choose programming that does not have a lot of action. If you don’t, the action will become a part of your dreams keeping you awake. If you’ve been out to a party, you will be full of energy. Before going to bed, find something relaxing to do to unwind. Any of the techniques here would work.

8. Lavender – The essential oil distilled from lavender has been used widely for a natural sleep aid. Dab a drop on your pillow or put a sachet under your pillow. You can even apply some directly to tight muscles to help them relax, but watch for out allergic reactions.

Next time you have trouble sleeping, try out of these methods. Then be like this kitty. Good night, sleep tight.

Push Mowers – Good for You and the Environment

Posted by SheSue on July 23, 2009 under Healthy livin, Other Groovy Stuff

My very first house I bought from my grandparents. It had a pretty small yard which my grandfather mowed with a push mower. When we bought the house, we inherited that lawn mower. We didn’t have any money, so I used his old push mower. It wasn’t that hard and gave me a good workout.
mower
Years passed, we moved to a new house with a bigger yard. We opted for a gas powered mower which we have used ever since. Now that I’m in the process of landscaping, I have decided on having a small amount of grass with lots of low maintenance shrubs, plants and ground cover. I had been considering going back to a push mower, but wondered if you could even find one any more.

Not only can you find one, but they are making their way back to popularity, primarily as being good for the environment. According to Oregonian article Push Mowers Make the Cut, a typical gas powered mower emits as much pollution as 11 cars for every hour in use. A riding lawn mower emits as much as 34 cars.

Just as I got a good work out many years ago, push mowers are also finding their way into calorie burning charts these days. Mow for an hour and burn 373 calories. You will also build strong arms, shoulders, abs and legs. Who needs the gym!

For information and reviews on push mowers, check out People Powers Machines.

4 Hobbies for Health

Posted by SheSue on July 16, 2009 under Healthy livin

knitDo you enjoy knitting or gardening or even doing a puzzle? While hobbies fill our downtime, they also make you healthier. There are thousands of hobbies you can try, and that’s one of the biggest hopes with this blogsite. While a hobby may just start out as something to do because you are bored, the hobby can lead to something you are really passionate about. At this point the hobby gives you a sense of accomplishment.
sudoku

Hobbies also give you a way to connect with others. You may want to join a club based on your hobby. You may go to a trade show to display your hobby and meet other enthusiasts. You may even decide to teach others about your hobby. Connection to others is very important for your well being.

Hobbies can also provide you with fitness. Whether you take up walking or swimming or tennis, you will get the physical fitness required for a healthy lifestyle.

Let’s say you take up the hobby of knitting. How may sweaters can you possibly wear? What better opportunity to give back to your community. Whatever your hobby, there will be someplace or somebody who will appreciate your work.

4 Hobbies and what they do for you:

1. Tending to plants, whether indoors or outdoors will help you fend off depression and has been shown to help your wounds faster.

2. Journaling, doodling or painting will all hep you become more creative both with your hobby and in the rest of your life.

3. Do you go mad for sudoku? Or how about crosswords or word finds. Puzzles have been proven to increase your problem solving ability, ward off alzheimers and speed up your reaction time.

4. Speaking of knitting or scrapbooking or crafts; they all slow your heart rate. This reduces the stress on your heart.

What’s your favorite hobby?