Health

Buy at AllPosters.com

 

 

Studies indicate a lack of sleep can be dangerous, causing significant mental impairment.

While looking through the newest issue of SUCCESS Magazine, the statement above pretty much jumped off the page and got in my face. Apparently it knows how much caffeine I drink, so it harassed me a little bit.

The article, “Sleep Your Way to Success,” by Lisette Hilton is a great read - albeit alarming (ironic pun intended). The author points out a very hard truth - most of us are sleep deprived. We’re filling out our to do lists so ambitiously that we neglect to figure in time for sleep.

We’re not doing ourselves any favors by skimping on sleep. In fact, as the article stresses, we’re doing ourselves a whole world of harm. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that most of us get between 7 and 8 hours of sleep each night. Sleeping less than this (on a regular basis) is associated with:

• Diabetes
• Stroke
• Hypertension
• Cardiovascular Disease
• A Shorter Life Span
• Weight Problems

At least one study suggested that decreased sleep time could lead, years later, to greater weight gain. - SUCCESS Magazine August/September 2008

The article included some great ways to improve your REM time or Quality of Sleep. A few are listed below:

1. Establish a relaxing bedtime routine.
2. Try to keep regular sleep and wake hours.
3. Get enough exercise durning the day but not too close to bedtime.
4. Get regular sunlight (or bright light) during the day

For more sleep tips, grab a copy of the August/September issue of SUCCESS Magazine and visit SUCCESS.com - Sleep Your Way to Success.   In the newest issue of the magazine (on page 26, to be exact!), you can find detailed information on how a lack of sleep leads to heart problems, immune deficiency, weight gain, and memory problems.

If you read a great deal about health and nutrition, you’re familiar with phrases such as  ”…..could help reduce….,“  “….has the potential to….,”  “…might decrease your risk for…”  Writers and researchers have to pull out fence-riding words to protect themselves as well as their readers.  I perfectly understand that.  I keep a bag of fence-riding words by my desk.

Being familiar with the terminology makes me pay extra attention to the words used in health reports.  When a particular research produces data with clear cut facts, I sit up and take notice. 

You may already know that my drinks of choice are coffee and tea.  My favorte tea is green tea - I drink at least 6 glasses of iced green tea daily as well as a mug of hot green tea in the evening.   I believe strongly in its benefits, so I keep trying “cool, kick-y” new ways to get my family to drink it.  If it’s made with added fruit juice or so much honey that bears from Tennessee show up at our door, they consent to drink it.

I really love it when my love of health and nutritional information collides with my love for green tea.  And if you’ll notice in the information that follows, the words don’t ride a fence.   

Green Tea Lowers Your Risk of Heart Disease

In the latest issue of the European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation, researchers reported that people who drink green tea have better blood vessel function just 30 minutes later. Inside of an hour, your heart is already enjoying benefits!

For the study, researchers gave either green tea, hot water, or a beverage containing the same caffeine as green tea to a group of volunteers. The researchers measured the voluteer’s blood flow 30, 90, and 120 minutes after drinking their beverages.

After drinking green tea, the voluteers experienced significantly increased artery widening. The widening was evident after just 30 minutes. The other beverages (the caffeinated beverage and hot water did not produce any significant changes in the same individuals).

According to WebMD.com, it comes down to endothelial cells. Green tea improves the function of these cells.  Mini Cardiovascular lesson: Unhealthy, uncooperative endothelial cells play a key role in the development of clogged arteries. Clogged arteries, of course, lead to every cardiovascular evil you can imagine.

This research only strengthens green tea’s reputation in the cardiovascular community.  And in my household.

If you haven’t, yet, fallen in love with green tea, give it another shot. Brew it yourself, then sweeten it with honey and lemon.   My daughters prefer it when I add a little fruit juice to their glass along with the green tea.

Also, Snapple has a great bottled Green Tea - and they offer several that are flavored.  Personally, I love Snapple’s Diet Green Tea.  It can be hard to find, but it has 0 calories - and unlike just about every other diet drink on the planet, it actually has 0 sodium.  Whenever I find it on the shelves at the store, I load up.

I’m also completely wild about Panera Bread’s Iced Green Tea and Starbuck’s Shaken Lemonade Green Tea.

Give them a try, I whole-heart-edly recommend them.

The following is a sponsored post. What exactly does that mean?! Simply this: In a sponsored review, a web publisher is paid to “look at” and/or “try” a product, website, or service and tell their readers about it. They don’t have to sugar coat it, they don’t have to say they like it - they simply have to tell what they thought. For me personally, I only accept the ones that I CAN give a glowing review of. My thinking is, Why bother with the rest? Eh, they’re on their own.

One of the best Online Support Groups and Self Help Programs live at the same url: Tools to Life.com.

Tools To Life

One of the phrases I use the most often when talking about self help and self improvement is, “Improve your world by first improving yourself.” That’s the order it has to go in. We get frustrated, overwhelmed, and…. well, downright nasty…. when we wait for our circumstances to improve first. We put the cart in front of the horse and watch in amazement as nothing happens.

We have to set the change(s) in motion or things will always be like they’ve always been.

That’s why I’m especially excited to be able to tell you about one of the best Self Help Programs I’ve ever seen. Tools to Life is a completely free, online self help coaching system and support network. They have been helping people loose weight, improve their relationships, resolve depression, overcome anxiety and get better careers for over 20 years! Now that’s a reputation worth being proud of. They wanted to bring this success “online” so they could reach even more people ith Inspirational motivation and community support. It’s a labor of love and, take it from someone who recognizes the symptoms, is a clear case of people who simply want to save the world.

Oh, I love the way they think!

The article archive is amazing. You’ll find help, advice, and motivation for every aspect of your self improvement journey. Physical fitness, mental fitness, relationships, health, careers… you name it, they’ve covered it beautifully. I’m glad to see people who realize that there isn’t just one magical area of a person’s life that needs attention. We’re made up of so many different threads, not just one!

There are hundreds and hundreds of articles on Tools to Life. I came across so many that I not only enjoyed, but gained insight and helpful advice from. One of the first ones I read was titled “Healthy Eating on a Limited Budget” - that one gets us all where we live, doesn’t it?! We all want to eat healthy, just as the experts advise us to. But we go to the grocery store and are stopped dead in our tracks by the price of blueberries, red peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, seafood (Three times a week? On who’s budget?!) This is a really great article and I highly recommend it.

Another section of the site that you’re going to love are the Inspirational Videos. These are amazing - you won’t want to stop until you’ve seen them all. They’ve inspired me to add an Inspirational Videos section to Self Help Daily. I only hope to find some half as amazing as the ones they’ve gathered together. Honestly, they’ll blow you away.

The Life Coaching Support Groups seem to be a favorite with people in the Tools to Life community. I like that word, don’t you - Community. It makes you feel as though you’re a part of something. That’s exactly how you’ll feel when you join the Tools to Life Community. Sign up is 100 percent free, and the amazing thing is that you’ll have the opportunity to motivate and inspire just as many people as are motivating and inspiring you.

Does it get any better than that?

According to the National Sleep Foundation, Memorial Day weekend is one of the most dangerous times on our roads. One of the reasons is “drowsy” drivers. Some people are more susceptible than others to nodding off behind the wheel. Personally, my own driving concerns me too much to drift off. By “concerns,” of course, I mean my driving scares the spit out of my mouth.

“Too many Americans are too tired to drive. In fact, according to NSF’s recently released 2008 Sleep in America poll, an alarming 36 percent of respondents admit to actually nodding off or falling asleep while driving,” David M. Cloud, NSF’s chief executive officer, said in a prepared statement.

“Hectic weekend getaways may add to the problem as many get on the road at ungodly hours to beat traffic. Not getting enough sleep puts everyone at increased risk for fall-asleep crashes. Understanding crucial warning signs and countermeasures is key to preventing sleep-related crashes,” he added.

If you ever experience any of the following, be sure to pull off of the road asap:

• Heavy eyelids
• You find yourself swerving out of your lane
• You lose touch with your surroundings
• You’re frequently yawning
• Your head keeps nodding forward or falling backward

Never take any risks.  Ever!  If you won’t be extra cautious for yourself, think of your passengers or other drivers’ safety.  

The following are some suggestions that’ll help keep you safe:

• Always get a really good night’s sleep the night before a trip.  Don’t stay up late, packing, or finishing up preparations.  Do that earlier in the day and aim for at least 7 hours of quality sleep - more if you can get it.
• Give yourself plenty of time.  This way, you can stop frequently during the trip to stretch your legs and get your blood circulating. 
• Make frequent stops.  Stop at least every two hours - the movement will do you a world of good.
• Don’t take any medications that’ll cause drowsiness.  Benadryl and other allergy medications knock most people flat on their backs.  If you aren’t sure how a medication will affect you, try not to take it until after the trip.
• C-O-F-F-E-E!  Caffeine makes a perfect  co-pilot for all of us, but for those who fall asleep easily at the wheel, it might just be the perk they need.  A word of caution, however, if you aren’t used to high levels of caffeine (the mind boggles), drinking a great deal might give you the jitters.  A jittery driver’s just a little bit better than a woozy one!  Bottom line:  Don’t go ape.  Two cups of coffee should keep you alert for about two hours.
• If you can avoid it, don’t travel alone.
• Turn the radio on, turn the radio up, and sing out loud.  Louder!

If you’ve taken the precautions but STILL start to feel sloppy-eyed and drowsy, don’t be a hero.  Pull off the road and, if you have to, take a nap.  Even 15 to 30 minutes can help you feel better and fresher.  Just be sure you’re in a safe place.  And lock the doors!  Great, now I’m mothering you.  Next thing you know I’ll be asking if you’re eating enough vegetables lately.

Well, are you?

My aunt sent me this in an e-mail and, of course, I had to pass it along. There’s some great advice here, guys. The cool thing is, the title could just as easily read, “How to Have Less Stress in Your Life,” “How to Enjoy Life More,” “How to Make People Want to Be Around You,” etc.

HOW TO STAY YOUNG

1. Try everything twice. On Madams tombstone (of Whelan’s and Madam) she
said she wanted this epitaph: Tried everything twice… loved it both times!

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down. (Keep this in mind if you are one of those
grouches)

3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain get idle. ‘An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.’ And the devil’s name is Alzheimer’s!

4. Enjoy the simple things.

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath. And if you have a friend who makes you laugh, spend lots and lots of time with him/her.

6. The tears happen: Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person who is with us our entire life is ourselves. LIVE while you are alive.

7. Surround yourself with what you love. Whether it’s family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health. If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don’t take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county, to a foreign country, but NOT to where the guilt is.

10. Tell the people you love that you love them at every opportunity.

11. Forgive now those who made you cry. You might not get a second chance.

These 11 admonishings should be written down and lived out!

According to Everyday Health.com, taking an aspirin at bedtime can help control hypertension.   Dr. Ramon C. Hermida reported Wednesday at the American Society of Hypertension annual meeting, in New Orleans, that his study proves that aspirin can help people who suffer from prehypertension, but only if the aspirin is taken at bedtime.

Prehypertension is defined as blood pressure just below the 140/90 level. Prehypertension is a known to be a warning sign of future risk of heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular problems.

Research was done on 244 individuals with prehypertension over the course of three months.

A third of the group were put on a special diet designed to reduce blood pressure, another third were told to take a 100-milligram aspirin tablet every night at bedtime, and the final third were told to take the same aspirin dose when they awoke in the morning.

Their blood pressure levels were monitored closely and the following results were found: Systolic blood pressure (the first number in a blood pressure reading) dropped 5.4 points and diastolic (the second number) pressure by 3.4 points for those taking aspirin before bedtime. No drop in blood pressure was found in those taking morning aspirin or following the general guidelines.

Dr. Hermida admitted that they aren’t sure why aspirin’s benefits for prehypertension only show up when taken at bedtime.
 

Every now and again, there are so many things buzzing around my head that I want to post about that I just have to corral them all together in one place.  That would be now. 

Each of the links I’m posting will open in a new window, so you won’t lose the rest.

First of all, I’ve been reading a great deal lately about blood pressure and heart health.  My mom died from heart problems, and a much, much beloved uncle has problems with his heart as well.  High blood pressure  runs in both my husband’s family as well as my own, so I’ve been doing my homework in an effort to compile information that’ll keep both of us, as well as our three daughters, healthy.

The American Heart Association is a great place to start your own research, but don’t limit your education to just one “instructor”.  Collect as much information as possible - you’ll see a trend develop.  If everyone says something is extremely harmful (smoking, salt, being overweight, inactivity….) - get rid of it.  If everyone says something is extremely helpful (activity, losing weight, bananas, orange juice, fruit, vegetables, salmon, tuna…), welcome it into your world.

In all of the countless articles, books, interviews, and magazines I’ve read on Blood Pressure, do you know what enemy number one seems to be?  Before researching, I would have thought caffeine…. maybe stress… possibly red meat.  I would have been totally wrong.  Salt is the culprit that every expert I read mentioned first.  When asked what people could do to lower high blood pressure or maintain a healthy blood pressure, the experts all agree that cutting WAY back on salt is one of our smartest moves.

And it seems so harmless!

I got to thinking about my family’s own diet and my salty jaw hit the floor.  My biggest culprit is diet soda.  I honestly worry that Diet Dr. Pepper may have trouble staying in business now that I’ve switched to tea.  My daughters’ number one problem would be things like chips and fries.  When you’re so young, you just don’t think about things like blood pressure and sodium.  Big mistake.

The experts agree that adding potassium (white baked potatoes, bananas, orange juice…) to your diet is a great move to make as well.  Needless to say, increasing our activity is another smart thing to do for our heart’s health.

Regardless of the state of our blood pressure or heart health, losing extra weight is one of the most important things we can do for ourselves, our health, and our loved ones.  We’re all familiar with the campaigns that urged smokers to quit, “If not for yourself, for your loved ones…“  Very effective, very true.  However, it’s just as important to take care of ourselves in other areas.  If we want to be around (and be healthy while we are around) for a long time with, and for, our loved ones - we have to get serious about what we eat, what we drink, what we don’t eat, what we don’t drink, how much rest we get, how much we exercise, and how we live our lives.

No food, no drink…NOTHING… is as important as a quality life with those we love.

Of course, what I learned about stress in relation to blood pressure and heart problems was pretty expected.  We MUST do everything we can to remove as much stress as possible.  At the risk of sounding like a drama queen, our lives depend on it.

We should first identify what stresses us out, then make moves to cope with it.  If we feel overwhelmed or overworked, we should cut back asap.  Life is to be enjoyed, after all.  So many people lose sight of that.  They get so caught up in the rat race that they fail to realize that they’re a racing rodent until life has breezed right past them and their left worn out and spent.

Not a pretty image.

In that vein, I’d like you to check out: Relax:50+ Simple 30-Second Ways to Bring Tranquility To Your Life - it’s a wonderful compilation of things you can do to bring more relaxation to our days.  If that doesn’t get your attention, nothing will.  This is an amazing list and, I promise, you’ll get a lot from it.

A few more heart-y links:

• Heart Insight.com 
• Lowering Your Blood Pressure with DASH (PDF)
• Power for Healthy Living with Al Sears, MD

My motto: 

Laugh as often as possible, Live out loud, and Love everything and everyone around you - including yourself.

As I often say, one of the perkiest perks of being a web publisher is the luxury of having wonderful books sent to you.  For a book maniac like me, it’s nearly as good as cash (although I have to confess, the ones who’ve sent a Starbucks gift card along with the book have earned a friend for life).

A book I finished reading last night was Unlocking the Healing Code: Discover the 7 Keys to Unlimited Healing Power by Dr. Bruce Forciea.  Beyond fascinating!

The headline on the back cover gives the best, although briefest, synopsis possible:  A Revolutionary New Approach to Healing.  The author, Dr. Bruce Forciea, holds a doctorate in Chiropractic and is a college professor or anatomy and physiology. He also has an appropriately titled web site, Informational Healing.  He’s sitting on a wealth of information!

One of my favorite subjects of Unlocking the Healing Code: Discover the 7 Keys to Unlimited Healing Power involves the FASCINATING technique known as imagery.  Imagery is one of the most amazing relaxation techniques I’ve ever known.  It allows your body and mind to work together to overcome any tension that’s trying to get the upper hand.  IMAGINE that!

Imagery, as well as other relaxation techniques found throughout the book could go a very long way in reducing stress.  I love the thought of what the author refers to as taking periodical body scans throughout the day.  When you find where tension is holding court, the book’s techniques can help your body say, “Court dismissed!”

Given the fact that stress can, and does, lead to endless diseases and ailments, reducing it in our lives could do more than jus make us feel better.

It could very well add years to our life and life to our years.

Yeah, I went there.

Another wonderful section of the book is the information the author shareds about a health scare he had with his heart.  He details his different healing methods and it’s fascinating every step of the way.  If the thought of discovering 7 keys to unlimited healing power sounds like something you would be interested in, click one of the links within this post (or the image at the top). 

Also, be sure to visit the author’s website:  Informational Healing.com

When it comes to staying young, a mind lift beats a face lift any day. - Marty Bucella

I preach the importance of staying mentally active as often as I drink coffee, and believe me when I say through coffee breath, “That’s saying something.” 

About a year ago, I hurt my ankle while saving my cats from a playful pit bull.  I had to stay off of my feet for quite a while, and even when I was mobile again, it was slow going for weeks.  When the ankle finally decided to man up, I found that my legs were SO weak that short walks left me with jello knees.  I remember having to sit on a park bench as squirrels laughed at me.  Not a personal best for me.

Every part of us, every single thing that goes into making us who we are (from our heart to our heels) needs a steady diet of attention, challenges, and strengthening.  If we neglect anything, it’ll neglect us.

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER is this more true than it is for our minds.  That’s why I often stop right smack in the middle of a particularly gruelling day and smile.  I’m getting a mental workout and believe me I need all of those I can get!  We should all look for as many ways to challenge ourselves mentally as possible.  The article below (it continues after the link at the end) is a great source of ideas and inspiration.  Read through the author’s suggestions, then pluck out the ways you’ll start improving and strengthening your own mind.

When you make mental fitness a priority, you’ll be able to see the effects almost immediately.  Enjoy the article!

 Re-Energize Your Brain!

We all use tools in our work, and all of these tools need to be re-energized in some way over time. They need to be polished, sharpened, refurbished. They need new spark plugs or a tune up. Some times they even need new batteries.  We take these maintenance tasks seriously because we know that when the batteries are fully charged we get the full potential out of electrical devices and when the machinery has been maintained it lasts longer and works more economically. Doesn’t it make sense then to do some regularly scheduled maintenance on our brain - a tool far more valuable than the rest?  It happens to all of us. We get in ruts, we build routines and we develop habits, and in doing so we often don’t use our brain the way we could. It is one of our most valuable and precious resources and it is time to re-energize it. Here then are eight ways you can re-energize, re-invigorate and do some ongoing maintenance for your brain.
1. Ask Why? Our brains are wired to be curious. As we grow up and “mature” many of us stifle or deny our natural curiosity. Let yourself be curious! Wonder to yourself about why things are happening. Ask someone in the know. The best way to exercise our curiosity is by asking “Why?” Make it a new habit to ask “why?” at least 10 times a day. Your brain will be happier and you will be amazed at how many opportunities and solutions will show up in your life and work.

2.  Laugh.  Scientists tell us that laughter is good for our health; that it releases endorphins and other positively powerful chemicals into our system. We don’t really need scientists to tell us that it feels good to laugh. Laughing helps us reduce stress and break old patterns, too. So laughter can be like a “quick-charge” for our brain’s batteries. Laugh more, and laugh harder.

3.  Remember.  Get out an old photo album or high school yearbook. Your brain is a memory machine, so give it a chance to work! Spend time with your memories. Let your mind reflect on them and your mind will repay you in positive emotions and new connections from the memories to help you with your current tasks and challenges.

4 .Do a puzzle. Some of us like jigsaw puzzles, some crossword puzzles, some logic puzzles - it really doesn’t matter kind you choose to do. Doing puzzles in your free time is a great way to activate your brain and keep it in good working condition. Do the puzzle for fun, but do it knowing you are exercising your brain. 

Continue Reading Re-Energize Your Brain for the last 4 great ideas!

One of the things that I love even more than a trip to Starbucks with my husband (even when he’s paying) is to see someone take a creative, brilliant spark of an idea and set themselves on fire with it!

Heidi Roizen (second from the left in the picture below) recently set her world on fire, and the really sweet thing about it is this:  We can all benefit from her combustion. 

Heidi has created a CD, SKINNY SONGS, as well as a website and line of tee shirts  that all put a great big smile on the face of weight loss - I’m sure you’ll agree with the that that’s no small feat.  The songs, which are also available for downloading on iTunes, are hilarious and, quite frankly, very well-performed. 

The cd is perfect to play while doing pilates, calisthenics, and aerobics. The music keeps you fueled while the lyrics keep it fun.  My favorite use of the cd is to play it while cleaning house. I find myself getting a little workout while chores are far less tedious.  Heidi, who must have a wicked sense of humor, wrote the lyrics for all ten songs:

1. Skinny Jeans
2. Thin!
3. I’m a Hottie Now
4. Use it To Lose It
5. The Incredible Shrinking Woman
6. Think I’ll Go To Saks
7. You Da Boss
8. Objects in the Mirror
9. Who the Hell is That?
10. Blowin’ You Off at 8

Jump over to Skinny Songs.com to read the great reviews and Press articles to give you more information.  While there, you have to check out the tee shirts (some are pictured below) - they’re further proof of Heidi’s humor.  She seems to be one of those people who “get” what one of my favorite people, Maya Angelou, once said, “Life loves the liver of it!”

And I love pizza, onion rings, turtle cheesecake, and Mocha Lattes.  Guess I’d better keep my SKINNY SONGS near the cd player at all times.