Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast cancer awareness month, and the slogan for this year is "Help us find the cures."  Although National Breast Cancer Awareness Month is October, the goal of campaign is to raise awareness and educate individuals about breast cancer throughout the year.

Over the past 20 years there has been such much progress in the fight against breast cancer, including new research, and more effective therapies and treatments. Additionally, five-year survival rates have improved with early diagnosis and early treatment. Now the five-year survival rate is over 80%.  There are more then 2.5 million breast cancer survivors!

The best way to overcome breast cancer is to stop the disease from occurring in the first place. To do this we need to know who is at most risk and how to best prevent the disease.  A few of the risk factors you can change include:

*         certain types of hormone therapy after menopause

*         excess weight

*         sedentary lifestyle

Some of the risk factors that you cannot change are:

*         Age

*         Family history

It's important to remember, however, that many women with the risk factors don't get breast cancer and many women who do get breast cancer don't have any known risk factors other than being female and getting older. So even if you don't have any of the above-mentioned risk factors, you still should take measures to lower your risk. Following are some suggestions to lower your chances of getting breast cancer:

*         Stay at a healthy weight

*         Do a monthly breast exam

*         Eat a healthy diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains

*         Get plenty of physical activity

*         Limit alcohol to no more than one drink per day

*         Don't smoke

*         Early detection through screenings, clinical breast examination and Mammogram

Additionally, you should know what is normal for your breasts. You should know and remain familiar both with their appearance and how they feel, so that you will notice any abnormality. And, if you do notice an abnormality, you should notify your doctor right away. Some things to look for are:

 

*         Thickening in the breast or armpit

*         Change in the size or shape of the breast

*         Changes in the skin of the breast, like a dimple or orange peel-looking skin

*         Change in the nipple, like scaling of the skin or a nipple that turns in

*         Green or bloody fluid that comes from the nipple

*         Change in the color or feel of the skin around the nipple.

 

Help spread the word  on risks,  signs of breast cancer,  how to detect and how to lower the risks!

Managing Loss

Most all of us have had lost a loved one, on this the 12th commencement of 9/11, I would just like to write concerning dealing with the loss of a loved one.

Losing someone you love is difficult and painful. Everyone handles this differently; therefore, there is no right or wrong way to go about it. However, there are some strategies that help can help deal with your loss in a healthy way. There are also ways to know when to seek additional, professional help dealing with the loss.

The first thing to remember is that grief is natural. It is OK to feel pain, and it is not a sign of weakness. Second, the goal of a healthy grieving process shouldn't be to "overcome" anything.  Instead it is to accept it and move forward, knowing that, although the person you lost is not here, they have made a significant impact on your life; and their influence will always be with you. 

Don't pressure yourself to feel or express your grief in a certain way. Many people are familiar with "the five stages of grief" developed by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance. These are feelings often experienced while grieving. And it can be comforting to know that what you are experiencing is normal. However, these stages were never meant to be a guide for how to experience grief. You don't need experience them in order, or even experience all of the steps. So don't force your grief to fit any pre-fabricated mold.

Here are a few tips to help when grieving:

Allow others to help: Friends and family will often want to help you. Don't try to avoid them. Accept their help when offered. Advise them, if you can, on how they can best help you. Also, there are many support groups where you can connect with others who are going through a similar experience. These can be very helpful. And if you feel like you need additional help, do not be afraid to seek the help of a mental health professional.

Allow yourself to grieve: Don't suppress your feelings. This will only make them worse. Instead, find some way to express them. Maybe you can start a journal to write about your grief. Or you can start painting or dancing--whatever helps you express your feelings in a constructive manner.

Take care of your body: It's often tempting to let yourself go when grieving, to bury one's feelings in junk food, or to forget about exercise for a while. However, the emotions and the body are intricately connected. If you take care of your body, it will help you feel better emotionally. So eat well, exercise, and get enough sleep.

Be prepared: Some days are especially hard. Be prepared for birthdays, anniversaries, and other days that you associate with the loved one you lost. Know that these days can be especially painful and that that's OK. Find ways to honor you’re loved on these days.

Additionally, sometimes grief becomes extremely complicated, or leads to intense depression. In these cases, it is best to see a mental health professional. Some signs that you should seek a mental health professional include:

Feelings that you no longer want to live

Imagining that your loved one is alive

Intense guilt

Difficulty functioning

Feeling that life is meaningless

Extreme anger

Prolonged denial

Remember that these are only a few signs. If at anytime you feel you need help, do not hesitate to seek professional help.

The Summer Challenge 2013

For the summer challenge this year you need to do:

·         Daily:  Exercise for at least 20 minutes, plus a five minute warm-up, and a five minute cool-down.

·         Daily:  Keep a food journal

·         Stretches

·         Weekly: Have a “date” night with a friend or family member (report on Fridays)

·         Six-week:  Complete a service project (reported at the end of the Challenge)

For the daily challenge of exercising for 30 minutes you could use stretches for the warm-up phase and the cool-down phase.

There are three different types of stretches – active, passive and resistance.  You should warm up before doing any active stretches. 

·         Passive stretches are gravity stretches, or use of a partner.  You can do these without warming up first. Gravity assisted is done by using the force of gravity against a limb.  Like when you stretch you’re back lying back over an exercise ball. Or the use of a partner to stretch another’s limb in an attempt to gain greater range of motion.

·         Active stretches are those that stretch the muscles while using opposing muscles to complete the movement.  This type of stretching helps increase flexibility and strengthens the muscles.  A good example of this is yoga.

·         Resistance stretching uses tension on the muscle.  When the muscle goes from a shortened, contracted position to a lengthened one while under some kind of load.   An example of this is the “lowering” phase of a dumbbell curl.

Starting your exercise with five minutes using a passive stretch, will help warm up your muscles and reduce injury, in preparation for your 20 minutes of the cardio exercise of your choice.  Follow up your cardio with five minutes of some passive or resistance stretches, to help elongate and release your muscles.

Good luck on the Summer Challenge for 2013.

Getting a Good Night Sleep on a Hot Summer Night

Recently, much of the country has been experiencing heat waves. In some cases, these are so severe that people are having trouble sleeping. 

 One of my favorite methods of keeping cool at night (and not having to have the air conditioning on) is to fill a bowl with water every morning and putting it in the freezer. Before going to bed, take the ice out and place it on a big pan, so when the ice melts the water won't run onto the floor.  Then place the  pan in front of a fan. The fan will circulate the air that the ice cools throughout the entire room. And, even after the ice melts, the water will be cold and continue to cool off the room.

 

Following are a few more ideas that could help you get the sleep you need, even when it's extremely hot out:

 

Sleep lower: Because heat rises, if your house has more than one story, sleeping on a lower level can help you sleep better.

 

Make sure there's good air-circulation: Fans help you feel cooler by causing perspiration to evaporate more quickly.

 

Avoid heat build-up during the day: Keep the blinds closed, and do anything you can to keep as much of the sun's heat out during the day.

 

Take a cool shower: This will lower your body's temperature and help you fall asleep. It may be helpful to take a cool shower again in the middle of the night if you wake up covered in perspiration.

 

There are many other ways to stay cool at night. Whatever you do, make sure to take care of yourself and your family. And drink plenty of water, so that you don't become dehydrated.

Patriotism

The month of July is full of barbecues, parades, fairs, outdoor concerts, and fireworks. Of course, much of these are patriotic celebrations of the founding of our country; others are simply fun ways to enjoy the summer. 

These events and celebrations can have many positive affects on our health. Gatherings such as barbecues and picnics can help reduce stress as we interact with people we like in laid-back circumstances. And because stress is often a factor in bad health, these outings can be quite beneficial to our health. 

However, they also present some health risks. While enjoying the company of friends and family, try to avoid over-eating, or eating just because there is so much food available. Simply staying conscious of how much and what you are eating can help prevent this.  Also try replacing some of the less-healthy barbecue items with healthy alternatives. That's not to say you can't indulge a little in your favorite barbecue staple, but maybe try replacing potato chips with a side of vegetables. Or instead of grilling up a third hot-dog, try some grilled pineapple or watermelon.

Also, it is very beneficial to your health to enjoy outdoor activities such as swimming, hiking or biking. These provide good exercise--strengthening the body and reducing stress. Other summer outdoors activities, such as parades, fairs, and concerts, improve health by providing necessary relaxation. One should avoid, however, the health risks associated with the out of doors by staying well-hydrated and applying ample sunscreen. 

I hope all of you enjoy your patriotic and summer activities this month

Having a Postive AttitudeTowards Yourself

Having a positive attitude about yourself is much more effective, then a negative one. The excess stress caused by being too hard on yourself works to counteract your best efforts. Not only can this excess stress cause you to look tired, it can also cause you to give up on your goals too early--before results of your efforts become visibly apparent.

If you think positively and respect yourself, then you will do better. Having a positive attitude will give you more energy and motivation to achieve your goals.

If you think you can do something, then you have much better chances of doing it. 

Use the following poem as motivation to maintain a positive attitude:

Thinking, by Walter Wintle

“If you think you are Beaten, you are.

If you think you dare not, you don’t.

If you’d like to win but think you can’t,

It’s almost a cinch you won’t.

If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost,

For out in the world we find,

Success begins with a fellow’s will.

It’s all in the state of mind.

If you think you are outclassed, you are,

You’ve got to think high to rise,

You’ve got to be sure of yourself before

You can ever win a prize.

Life’s battles don’t always go

To the stronger or faster man.

But soon or late the man who wins,

Is the one who thinks he can. “

 

Gardening

Gardening is a great pastime and a fun activity for the entire family. Gardening gives you the opportunity to spend time in nature, beautify your environment and grow vegetables so delicious that your neighbors will be jealous. It is also a great way to build a better relationship with your children, create many memories that they will have for a lifetime. In addition, gardening is also great exercise and a good stress reliever. 

Benefits of Gardening:

1.       Exercise:  Gardening will move your body in different ways and improve your strength and stamina.  Continuing to care for a garden is a healthy habit that will build short-term and lifelong physical health benefits.  It is an effective form aerobic and of resistance training, if you do it regularly through the summer. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that if you garden for 30-45 minutes you can burn up to 150 calories. 

2.       Relieves stress and anxiety:  Gardening is a way to relax and manage your stress.  Getting out in nature will help to restore a positive mood and help boost general mental well-being!  It helps us remain grounded and lets us focus on creating something.

3.       Creates family time together:  There is a significant benefit for families to get out and garden together.  It helps teach children a new skill that they can use in the future. If a child gets to design and plant their own little space, it helps build their personal identity and their creativity.  Gardening also will build memories as you and your children get out there and interact with each other, talking and learning together.

4.       Provides nutritious veggies:  Tending to a garden means you will have access to foods that you know are healthful.  Food that you have grown yourself will just taste better. It will have no additives or harmful insecticides--all natural!  Having the veggies there handy, will make it easier for you and your family to eat more veggies and learn new ways to have them in your meals. This will help your family learn healthy eating habits that will benefit them throughout their life.

Enjoy your time gardening, trying new vegetables, and spending needed time with your family and nature.

 

Walking Meditation

Regular meditation offers many benefits, ranging from decreased stress, to increased immunity. And while meditation is usually associated with sitting motionless,  it is also possible to meditate while walking. Walking meditation can even be easier for some people than sitting meditation.  And walking meditation has the added benefit of burning a few calories.

This time of year, with the flowers blooming and the trees just starting to bud, is the perfect time to get out and try, walking meditation. To practice walking meditation, set aside twenty minutes where you can walk in open space. It's usually best to go outside, and the quieter the environment, the better, so try to get away from traffic. 

There are many different ways to practice walking meditation. Following is a simple guide for one method of walking meditation:

Before beginning, stand still while  concentrating on your breathing and clear your mind of all thoughts and emotions. Once clear of thoughts, open your awareness to your body.  Feel its many different sensations. Feel your breath as it enters and departs your body.  

Begin walking at a natural pace. As you walk, try to keep your awareness from dispersing to the area around you; maintain it focused on your body. Pay close attention to the physical experience of walking. 

Become aware of how the entire body participates in this activity. Focus first on your feet, notice how they feel. Feel how they interact with their immediate surroundings: the fabric of your socks, your shoe, your ankle. Then move up your body, and take notice of your ankle and how it interacts with its surroundings. Continue upward until you've noticed your entire body.

If at any point you feel any tension, try to relax that part of your body. And if your mind wanders, quickly bring it back to the body.

While walking and concentrating on your feet, you will be more aware of what is going on around you, the wind, the sun, or rain and the sounds and smells.  Start to take note of each and every sound in nature, feel the warmth of the sun and the way it shines through the trees.  Fell the wetness of the rain.  The smell of the woods, the rain or flowers. 

After you finish walking, your mind should be exceptionally clear and sharp. Take advantage of this increased vitality.

Doing a Meatless Day Once a Week

The purpose of a meatless meals, one day a week,  is not to convert to vegetarianism, though some may be encouraged to make additional changes to their diet based on their experience.  The purpose is to improve health while simultaneously helping the environment.

 

Skipping meat once a week can help limit fat and cholesterol intake. This will in turn reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.

 

Because meat products take more resources to create, cutting back on meat will also benefit the environment. Producing meat requires much more land, fertilizer, fuel, water and other resources than plant-based foods. If every American were to participate in a meatless day, once a week, it would save the same amount of energy as taking 8 million cars off of the roads.

 

If that's not enough, meatless days can be fun. It will encourage you to try new foods that you may find you enjoy! It can even be a great opportunity to educate your children about a healthy and environmentally friendly lifestyle.

Strength Training Not Just For Body Builders

Strength training is not just for body builders; it can provide many benefits to everyday people:

 

Builds muscle: Strength training helps build muscle, which allows one to perform daily tasks more easily. It also reduces the risk of falling or severely injuring yourself. Adding muscle through strength training is especially important as one ages, because, without strength training, our body naturally loses up to ten pounds in muscle mass per decade. Strength training counteracts this effect.

Strengthens the heart: Strength training improves heart function, thereby reducing blood pressure and risk of heart disease.

 

Improves bone density: Studies have shown that strength training can increase bone density, thus reducing the risk of osteoporosis.

 

Burns calories: Strength training not only burns calories while one is working out, it also increases one's base metabolism so more calories are burned throughout the day. This is because lean muscles burn calories even while at rest.

 

Reduces pain: As one builds muscle, pain in certain areas, especially the lower back diminishes.

 

Increases confidence and self-esteem: As one gets healthier through strength training, one feels better. One can take advantage of the increased health and energy to recreational tasks that were difficult before. Also, as one increases muscle tone and loses body fat, physical attractiveness often improves. For many this is a great confidence boost.

 

To enjoy these benefits, You can start by adding a few minutes of strength training twice a week and work up to three times a week. Having a rest period in between workouts is essential to allow muscles to repair themselves.

 

It isn't necessary to go to the gym to perform strength training; it can be done at home with little or even no equipment. Small hand weights, resistance bands, balls or one's own body weight can serve as the needed resistance for a home strength training routine.

Are Headaches a Frequent Problem for You

Headaches, and the more severe migraine, are a frequent problem for many people. Generally headaches are caused by low blood sugar. This can often be remedied by eating more frequently throughout the day. Always try to eat at least three full meals a day. Additionally, people who suffer constantly from headaches might try eating up to six smaller meals a day in order to maintain blood sugar levels constant. 

 Another dietary factor connected with frequent headaches, is protein intake. Recent clinical studies indicate that sufficient protein intake reduces the severity of headaches caused by low blood pressure. In one clinical study, patients on a six-meal-a-day diet high in protein and low in carbohydrates saw a 75 percent improvement in migraines.

 To maintain sufficient levels of protein and thus possibly reduce headaches, avoid highly processed foods and refined flours. These provide high levels of calories but little to no protein. Also seek good sources of protein from foods such as meat, dairy products, soy, legumes, lentils, and some whole grains. The average person is recommended to consume from 50 to 65 grams of protein a day.

Exercising is Good for the Brain as Well as the Body

Of course exercising is good for the body. Less well-known is the fact that it is just as good for the mind! The brain and the body are intricately connected, and exercising the body has tremendous positive effects on the mind. John Ratey, Harvard Psychiatrist and author of Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, says that "Exercise is the single best thing you can do for your brain, in terms of mood, memory and learning." 

 

Exercise works to improve brain function on two levels: on a biochemical level and on a behavioral level. 

 

On a chemical level, exercise--especially aerobic exercise--limits production of adrenaline and cortisol which are linked to stress. It also increases level of endorphins, which produce a feeling of well-being. Combined, these two factors elevate the mood and rejuvenate the mind. This effect has been proven to combat stress and depression in clinical trials.

 

On a behavioral level, exercise can increase one's happiness and mental acuity. As one exercises and sees physical improvement--whether it's in muscle gained, weight lost, or simply in increased performance--they gain a sense of achievement and a boost in their confidence. That effects positively their performance in all aspects of their life.

 

To benefit most from these mental effects of exercise, one should perform some type of aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes a day. It doesn't have to be a vigorous work-out at a gym. One can simply engage in a moderate activity, such as jogging or walking briskly. If possible, break up the work day, in order to remove the effects of stress from the first half of the day and enjoy increased mental efficiency throughout the remainder of the day.

Mindful Eating

Being mindful of one's eating habits is essential to a healthy lifestyle. One of the best way to be conscious with what we are putting in our bodies is to set aside time specifically for eating a meal. With today's busy schedules, this can be difficult; however, it helps us eat less as we are able to really experience the food. 

To make the most out of each morsel, eat slowly and avoid multi-tasking while eating. Eating quickly or eating while doing other activities such as working, or watching TV diminishes the amount of satisfaction from a meal and can lead to overeating. 

 Try to set aside 20-30 minutes for each meal, during which you do nothing but enjoy your food.

Of course, sometimes, it is difficult to set aside a time for a whole meal, so here are a few tips to help us be mindful of our snack-intake:

·         Portion snack foods.  Placing snacks either on a dish or in individual bags helps one be conscious of the amount of food they are eating and thus helps them avoid overeating.

·         Use a smaller plate and glass.  Using a smaller plate also helps to moderate portions. This is equally important for drinking glasses. Unless it is for water, a smaller glass is best to help limit intake of sugary drinks. A tall, thin glass works especially well.

·         Avoid eating out of boredom.  Each time you reach for a snack, evaluate if you are actually eating due to hunger or if you are eating out of boredom.  Emotional eating is easy to identify; when you want a specific food and nothing else will do you are emotionally eating. If you find yourself in this situation, go for a walk, engage in a hobby, remove yourself from the kitchen.

February 1st is Wear Red Day

Did you know that heart disease kills more women every year then any cancer does! 

The national  Go Red For Women® movement started in 2004.  Each year, on the first Friday in February, millions of women and men wear red, to help increase awareness of heart disease in women.

National Wear Red day helps million of women and their families to be more aware of heart disease in women.  It urges women to eat healthier, be more physically active and talk to their doctors about their personal risk for heart disease. 

This means controlling your risk factors:

·         High blood pressure

·         High blood cholesterol

·         Diabetes

·         Smoking

·         Physical inactivity

·         Being overweight

This effort has saved many women, who thought of “Heart disease” as an old man disease. 

Help make women be more aware and wear “Red” on February 1^st!