1. Fool the eye: Sometimes warmth is a matter of perception. Warm colors and textures make you feel warmer so change out your decor. Try a throw so you can snuggle under it.
2. Cut a rug: Cover up your bare floors with a rug.
3. Bake something: Stews, roasts, casseroles and soups are made for the cold weather because they cook at low temperatures for a long period of time and, of course, they warm you up going down.
4. Drink something: Wrap your hands around a warm mug of tea, cocoa or coffee.
5. Let the sun in: Open curtains and blinds during the day.
6. Change your bedding: Switch to flannel sheets, a down comforter, use extra blankets.
7. Clean the house: Not only will your house be cleaner but activity will get your blood pumping.
8. Cover your head: It sounds silly but wearing a hat (and socks) to bed at night, even if the rest of you is clad in skimpy clothing, will keep you warm.
9. It's muggy in here: Use a humidifier. Humid air feels warmer. No humidifier? Open the bathroom door while you're showering.
10. Reverse the fan: We've heard that, since heat rises, running your ceiling fan in reverse will push the warm air back down to the ground.
11. Do your laundry: Nothing warms you up like clothing straight from the dryer.
12. It's drafty in here: Block drafts with weather stripping, a rolled up towel or a draft stopper.
13. It takes two: Snuggle up with your friends, or your significant other.
14. Something old fashioned: Try a hot water bottle or, before you get into bed, running a hot pan over your sheets. Bags of rice or dried beans, warmed in the microwave, are another option
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Staying healthy with the weather changes
Staying Healthy any time of year can be challenge but it’s particularly tough when seasons change. Our bodies also changes when the world around it does.
1. Simply eat right. That means lay off the junk food and learn to love fruits and vegetables. Raw food is real food.
2. Exercise, exercise, exercise. The benefits of exercise on robust health are too numerous to mention here. It’s not an option, it’s something that you have to do. If you’re just starting out, begin walking and work up to 30 minutes sessions, 3- 5 days a week.
3. Get some sun. Vitamin D is made when our skin comes in contact with sunlight. That’s a problem because this vitamin is vital to the immune system. Using sun block interferes with that process. 20 minutes of sunlight can produce quite a bit of Vitamin D. If you remain unconvinced, take a Vitamin D3 supplement.
4. Omega 3 – Fish oil. This is a must. Since the majority of our food is processed, our diets have too many Omega 6 oils and very little Omega 3’s. Omega 3 comes from flax and cold water fish. Taking an Omega 3 supplements will support the heart, brain and immune system.
5. Detoxify. Face it, most of us are walking garbage cans. We’ve been eating bad food, breathing bad air and drinking polluted water for years. Eating right and drinking plenty of water help. There are also many supplements that stimulate the liver and help cleanse the colon. That’s a subject for another article.
6. Sleep. Some times we get so caught up in our overloaded schedules, that we put off sleeping to get more done. Bad idea. Lack of sleep reduces the production of T-cells, the linchpin of the immune system. Get a good night’s sleep every night and keep your immune system at peak performance.
1. Simply eat right. That means lay off the junk food and learn to love fruits and vegetables. Raw food is real food.
2. Exercise, exercise, exercise. The benefits of exercise on robust health are too numerous to mention here. It’s not an option, it’s something that you have to do. If you’re just starting out, begin walking and work up to 30 minutes sessions, 3- 5 days a week.
3. Get some sun. Vitamin D is made when our skin comes in contact with sunlight. That’s a problem because this vitamin is vital to the immune system. Using sun block interferes with that process. 20 minutes of sunlight can produce quite a bit of Vitamin D. If you remain unconvinced, take a Vitamin D3 supplement.
4. Omega 3 – Fish oil. This is a must. Since the majority of our food is processed, our diets have too many Omega 6 oils and very little Omega 3’s. Omega 3 comes from flax and cold water fish. Taking an Omega 3 supplements will support the heart, brain and immune system.
5. Detoxify. Face it, most of us are walking garbage cans. We’ve been eating bad food, breathing bad air and drinking polluted water for years. Eating right and drinking plenty of water help. There are also many supplements that stimulate the liver and help cleanse the colon. That’s a subject for another article.
6. Sleep. Some times we get so caught up in our overloaded schedules, that we put off sleeping to get more done. Bad idea. Lack of sleep reduces the production of T-cells, the linchpin of the immune system. Get a good night’s sleep every night and keep your immune system at peak performance.
Memory loss
Getting older is not the cause of mild memory lapses or called senior moments. This study found that the early changes in memory that are more common in old age than dementia are caused by the same brain lesions associated with Alzheimer's and other Dementia's. The early cognitive changes thought to be signs of aging are signs of progressive dementia. Alzheimer's and related Dementia's ate the root cause of virtually all loss of cognition and memory loss. There are other factors that affect how vulnerable we are to the pathology and to its effects. Recognizing that the earlier changes in memory are related to Alzheimer's pathology can lead to early diagnosis and will be critical information if a treatment is developed that can alter the diseases course.
The flu shot reduces your risk of heart attack
The earlier you get the flu vaccination the more heart protection it provides. A new study shows that the vaccine appears to reduce the chances of a first heart attack by 19%. Heart attacks significantly increase in the winter when pneumonia and the flu are prevalent. Earlier vaccination (sept-nov) had a higher reduction rate of heart attacks (21%), compared with late vaccinations (12%).
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Enjoying your labor day week!
SUN AND OUTDOOR SAFETY
1. Sun Screen - While the sun may not be at full blast this late into the summer, sun screen must be applied at all times. Even on cloudy days, the sun's UV rays can do serious damage to the skin if not protected. An SPF 15 or higher should be used on adults, while an SPF 50 or higher should be used on children.
2. Wear Sun-Protective Gear - Over-exposure to the sun can be avoided by simply wearing a hat or sunglasses. Nothing is more painful than getting a sunburn on the scalp, so especially on sunny days, a hat should be worn at all times. Wearing sunglasses will prevent UV rays from hitting the eyes, which could cause diseases like cataracts later in life. Simply finding shade or wearing longer clothing can also protect you from the sun.
3. Bug Spray and Insect Repellent- With West Nile Virus a threat around this time of the year, make sure to put on a good dose of insect repellent, especially later in the night. The bugs are known to come out during the evening, so if your party continues late into the night, bug spray is never a bad option to put on. To avoid mosquitoes, put on a sweatshirt and jeans at night when they're worst.
4. Allergies - Before taking one step outside, always take your allergy medicine or any necessary vitamins. Allergic reactions are known to make a return in late summer, so don't take the risk of being outdoors and stay immune to your allergy threats.
1. Sun Screen - While the sun may not be at full blast this late into the summer, sun screen must be applied at all times. Even on cloudy days, the sun's UV rays can do serious damage to the skin if not protected. An SPF 15 or higher should be used on adults, while an SPF 50 or higher should be used on children.
2. Wear Sun-Protective Gear - Over-exposure to the sun can be avoided by simply wearing a hat or sunglasses. Nothing is more painful than getting a sunburn on the scalp, so especially on sunny days, a hat should be worn at all times. Wearing sunglasses will prevent UV rays from hitting the eyes, which could cause diseases like cataracts later in life. Simply finding shade or wearing longer clothing can also protect you from the sun.
3. Bug Spray and Insect Repellent- With West Nile Virus a threat around this time of the year, make sure to put on a good dose of insect repellent, especially later in the night. The bugs are known to come out during the evening, so if your party continues late into the night, bug spray is never a bad option to put on. To avoid mosquitoes, put on a sweatshirt and jeans at night when they're worst.
4. Allergies - Before taking one step outside, always take your allergy medicine or any necessary vitamins. Allergic reactions are known to make a return in late summer, so don't take the risk of being outdoors and stay immune to your allergy threats.
Tobacco counseling for Medicare beneficiaries
There is a change being made at Medicare that will help seniors now to stop smoking. Before medicare only covered counseling for individuals diagnosed with a tobacco related disease. For too long tobacco users had been denied access to counseling. With this new coverage any smoker will be able to get counseling. Tobacco remains the leading cause of preventable illness and death in the United States. Smokers who successfully quit, the health benefits will begin immediately and continue for the rest of your lives. These benefits include reducing death from coronary heart disease, chronic obstructive lung disease, lung and other cancers. This new coverage will apply to services under Parts A and B of Medicare, and does not change Part D. And in the coming months there will be a new benefit for pregnant women to receive Medicaid covered tobacco counseling.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Chocolate may lower your risk of heart failure
Chocolate has a rich source of flavonoids, which act as antioxidants, and are believed to protect against heart disease, cancer, and other medical conditions. Women who ate an average of 1-2 servings of high quality chocolate per week had 32% lower risk of developing heart failure. Chocolate is a relatively calorie dense food, but large amounts risk weight gain. Studies also show that eating chocolate can lower blood pressure, and reduce LDL cholesterol. Majority of people eat processed chocolate which has added sugars, corn syrup, and milk fats. If people were to consume pure cocoa they would enjoy a few health benefits. If your going to have a treat make sure its in moderation. Heart failure occurs in about 1% of Americans over 65, and anything that helps decrease heart failure is worth examining. This is not a 'eat all you want' message, but rather a little chocolate can be healthful.
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