10 ways to take control of your health

OrlandoSentinel.com
10 ways to take control of your health
By Julie Deardorff
Tribune Newspapers
November 10, 2009
CHICAGO

If you're ready to take control of your health, start by washing your hands for 15 to 20 seconds, about as long as it takes to sing "Happy Birthday" twice.Doing this simple act, while avoiding certain behaviors -- smoking, excessive drinking and eating too much -- can dramatically improve your health, said internist William Meller, who specializes in evolutionary medicine in Santa Barbara, Calif.Prevention goes well beyond the mammograms, prostate screenings or blood tests that we can get at the doctor's office. It's the little steps you take that can keep you healthy."Ideally, prevention should also emphasize healthy lifestyles, a practice that isn't only health-conscious, but [is] inexpensive," said James Pivarnik, president of the American College of Sports Medicine.

Here are 10 easy ways to get started.

Take a walk.
Humans are designed to be on the move, Meller said. "Walking triggers all of our bodily systems: digestion, stress relief, thinking and preparation for sleep."It's easy, simple, free and confers the benefits of exercise without the risk of damage from more energetic pursuits, Meller said. Walk every day -- barefoot is fine -- and get a pedometer to track your steps, shooting for a minimum of 10,000. Stay committed by setting walking dates with a friend.

Keep a food journal.
Writing down everything you eat can double your weight loss, according to a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine."The more food records people kept, the more weight they lost," said lead author Jack Hollis, a researcher at Kaiser Permanente's Center for Health Research.Scribble down your dietary transgressions on a note pad, use an online food journal or send yourself text messages."It's the process of reflecting on what you eat that helps us become aware of our habits, and hopefully change our behavior," said Dr. Keith Bachman, a member of the Kaiser Permanente Care Management Institute's Weight Management Initiative.

Stop drinking soda.
Soda and other caloric, sugar-sweetened beverages have contributed to skyrocketing rates of obesity and Type 2 diabetes. But there's also evidence that drinking diet soda leads to weight gain. Researchers suspect that tricking the brain -- getting sweetness without the calories -- makes you crave more sugar than ever. Your best bet is to stop drinking calories altogether, said obesity specialist Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, founder of Ottawa's Bariatric Medical Institute, a multidisciplinary weight-management center.His most confused patients seem to be doing everything right but may have two glasses of milk, one glass of juice and one glass of wine a day."That's roughly 40 pounds of liquid calories per year," he wrote on his blog, Weighty Matters. Freedhoff's advice: Don't rely on beverages for nourishment."A well-balanced diet replete with fruits, vegetables and proteins should satisfy all of one's nutritional needs," he said. "Liquid calories are not satiating and in studies tend only to add calories to a meal."

Strengthen your muscles.
If you want to keep your muscles from weakening as you age, start strength training. It's "the only style of exercise that maintains and increases lean muscle tissue and burns between 22 and 36 calories per day," said personal trainer Jim Karas.He suggests starting with push-ups for the upper body and lunges and squats for the lower body. "Move slowly, and think about the muscles you are engaging. One slow set of 10 is all you need, but make sure to fail," which means you can't perform another repetition.

Chill out.
Stressed-out people are more vulnerable to colds and other viruses, they take longer to recover from illness, and they gain more weight than their relaxed counterparts, research has shown.We also know that "the inability to feel in control of stress, rather than the stressful event itself, is the most damaging to immunity," wrote Joan Borysenko in Mending the Body, Mending the Mind.Another stress expert, Debbie Mandel, likes to lift weights when her stress levels creep up. "Then I'm ready to reframe negatives into positives to turn stress into strength," said Mandel, the author of Addicted to Stress. In addition to exercise, deep-breathing techniques, meditation, tai chi and yoga are proven stress relievers.

Eat out less.
We often use restaurants in the same way our parents used supermarkets, one of the main reasons for the dramatic global rise in chronic diseases such as obesity, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease, Freedhoff said."Nutrition and calories aren't intuitive," he said. "When restaurant salads can have more calories and fat than a Big Mac, you know you're putting your health at risk. You'll save more than your money by eating meals in. You might even save your life."

Be a social butterfly.
Human beings are social creatures, if only because we need to reproduce. But research has shown that joining a club or sports team, belonging to a church group or keeping in contact with friends creates a sense of social identity that can help significantly reduce your risk of having a stroke, dementia and even the common cold."We do not outgrow our need for others," according to the MacArthur Foundation Study of Aging in America. "Loneliness breeds both illness and early death."

Get some sleep.
Sleeping well is the single most overlooked factor critical to good health, especially during the flu season, said sleep specialist Dr. Rubin Naiman, an assistant professor at the University of Arizona's Center for Integrative Medicine. But because focusing on doing all the right things before bed can make it harder to sleep, Naiman suggests lightening things up, perhaps by watching comedy on television before bed."Too often sleep is approached with an anxious mind and heavy heart," he said. "Laughter is good medicine -- and good sleep medicine. I recommend it over sleeping pills."

Eat whole foods.
Whole foods -- fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, eggs and whole grains -- are unprocessed and unrefined and typically don't have added sugar, salt or fat. They often have a low glycemic index, which means they don't raise blood sugar and insulin levels as quickly as processed foods.Choose a baked potato instead of French fries, eat whole wheat bread instead of white bread, or start the day with oatmeal, rather than a sugary breakfast cereal."I eat as many fresh veggies and fruits as possible and stay away from anything in a bag, a box or a can," said Yvonne Conte of Syracuse, N.Y., the author of a guidebook to living a happier and healthier life. "When I started this, I lost 22 pounds. And it has stayed off. Best thing I ever did."

Find your passion.
Do things that bring meaning to your days, said Patricia Boyle, a neuropsychologist in the Alzheimer's Disease Center at the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, whose research has shown that having a higher purpose can reduce the risk of death among older adults."Purpose is cognitively stimulating, and this is very much along the lines of the adage 'Use it or lose it,' which certainly has merit," said Dr. Thomas Perls, director of the New England Centenarian study.

Tumeric

I was listening to the John Tesh radio show and I heard about this spice that is supposed to help with a lot of disease prevention.

At the end of this post is a link to an article about it but I've included some of the points below.

"The medicinal properties of this spice have been slowly revealing themselves over the centuries. Long known for its anti-inflammatory properties, recent research has revealed that turmeric is a natural wonder, proving beneficial in the treatment of many different health conditions from cancer to Alzheimer's disease."

• It is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent, useful in disinfecting cuts and burns.
• May prevent melanoma and cause existing melanoma cells to commit suicide.
• Is a natural liver detoxifier.
• May prevent and slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease by removing amyloyd plaque buildup in the brain.
• It is a potent natural anti-inflammatory that works as well as many anti-inflammatory drugs but without the side effects.

http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/20-health-benefits-of-turmeric.html

Out of Energy?

Here is an article I found about increasing vitality. Any thoughts or comments on this subject?

Out of Energy?
See nine things that zap your vitality and how to get it back
By Denise Schipani Posted October 09, 2009 from Woman's Day; November 3, 2009

It’s 3 p.m.—do you know where your energy’s gone? You probably expect to feel that late-afternoon drag, but you don’t always have to. Turns out, some of your regular habits may be sneakily zapping your zip. Fix some or all of these energy stealers, and you just may be feeling brighter this afternoon.
Energy Zapper #1: Being Addicted to E-mail Isn’t being wired to the hilt—e-mail, voice mail, IM, BlackBerry— supposed to boost productivity, freeing up your energy? More often, the opposite is true. If you continually halt what you’re doing to answer e-mail, check voice mail, and attend to a thousand other beeps and blips, your attention becomes diluted, which leaves you feeling depleted.
There are two things going on here, says John Salerno, MD, a New York City family physician and director of the Salerno Center for Complementary Medicine. “The brain needs a lot of physical and mental energy to multitask, which gets drained,” he says. And continually redirecting your attention from the BlackBerry to other stimuli siphons more energy and distracts your brain further.
Energy Fix Switch off electronic gadgets during your most productive work hours, which for most people tend to be in the morning, says Laura Stack, author of The Exhaustion Cure. As for e-mail, try to limit yourself to checking it once every hour, instead of hopping to whenever it beeps. (Hint: Turn off the beep sound.) If something pops into your mind that you need to remember—call back your mom, e-mail the soccer coach about the snack schedule—write it down and take care of it later.
Energy Zapper #2: Visual Clutter We may be used to living in enclosed spaces with lots of stuff—a refrigerator door packed with artwork, a countertop laden with mail, a desk that’s little more than a shifting pile of folders and paper—but it’s not how we’re meant to live, says Dr. Salerno. “Clutter signals disorder, which makes us anxious. Our brains sense that anxiety.”
Energy Fix Do your best to clear visual clutter, so when you look around, your eyes can “rest” rather than dart from mess to mess, says Janice Ash, organization expert and owner of I Declutter!. Instead of layering papers on a bulletin board, leave a small border of space around them. Clear the front of the fridge of all but the most current kids’ artwork, and make a habit of leaving the kitchen counter stuff-free before bed each night.
Energy Zapper #3: Being BoredEver sat around for an hour or more not tackling a chore or work because it’s just so darned monotonous? Mental foot-dragging, boredom and lack of motivation are draining, says Dr. Salerno. “Put simply, we like to see results, and getting things done gives us a mental energy boost.” So avoiding tasks deprives you of that high.
Energy Fix Find a partner for encouragement—a friend, a coworker—and call or e-mail to enlist her in a time challenge. “Say, ‘I’ll check back in with you in an hour, and we’ll see if we’ve gotten these reports/ organizing chores done.’” Or promise yourself motivational rewards for completing the task at hand, suggests Dr. Salerno.
Energy Zapper #4: Poor PostureYou already know that not sitting or standing straight is bad for your body. But all that hunching over a computer screen or cradling a phone on your shoulder wreaks havoc on your energy level, too, says Pia Martin, a San Diego health and wellness chiropractor. “When you sit for long periods, you tend to slump forward, leading to rounded shoulders and a tilted lower spine. Your muscles contract, and blood flow is impaired,” which limits the amount of oxygen to your brain.
Energy Fix Sit up straight! Your legs should be at right angles to the floor, your arms at right angles to your keyboard. Be conscious of keeping your shoulders down, not up near your ears. Adjust your computer screen so your eyes gaze at the middle of it. And don’t just sit there—if you have to, set a timer to go off hourly to remind you to get up, stretch and get a drink of water. When you get back to your desk, do a quick posture check: Shoulders down!
Energy Zapper #5: Toxic Indoor Air Humming copy machines. Cleaning products. Dry-cleaning chemicals. Synthetic carpeting. Even the desks in your office may be contributing to the load of toxins you breathe each day, because all of them release chemicals into the air. “No one knows for sure how much harm these cause to our bodies, but they do build up over time, and can drain your energy by potentially interfering with thyroid function and overloading the body’s detox system,” says Frank Lipman, MD, a New York City physician and author of Spent: End Exhaustion and Feel Great Again.
Energy Fix Get outside. If you’re feeling tired, go out for 10 minutes to breathe fresh air. Indoors, cultivate houseplants, which are remarkably good at absorbing toxins. And don’t wear shoes inside the house—you’re dragging not just dirt indoors on your soles, but pesticides and other harmful chemicals too.
Energy Zapper #6: Eating Too Much at Once Consuming a big meal is always something that will cause a dip in energy later, but that effect is most noticeable in the afternoon because the slump happens at that reach-for-coffee-or-sugar hour: 3 p.m. Here’s what happens: You fill up on a carb- and calorie-rich lunch and, as nutrients are absorbed by your body, excess glucose is dumped into your bloodstream, and your body releases insulin to process all that sugar. “A better idea is to spread out what and how you eat throughout the day to keep energy levels steady,” says Gloria Tsang, RD, founder of the nutrition website HealthCastle.com.
Energy Fix Eat every four hours, instead of the usual six. To reform lunch, “try to brownbag more often than eating out,” says Tsang. It’s a fact that if you buy takeout or dine in a restaurant, you’re likely to eat more. Four hours after lunch, have a snack. If you’re going to eat dinner a couple of hours later, keep the snack small, such as half a turkey sandwich, or a yogurt and some crackers. Other ideas: Drink liquids (water, tea) all day. “Dehydration makes you tired, too,” says Tsang. If you usually have coffee right after lunch, try it a little later in the afternoon and make it a latte. The caffeine’s an obvious pick-me-up, but the little bit of fat and protein in the milk gives you a snack-like boost.
Energy Zapper #7: Living in Artificial Light Our natural body rhythms are keyed to the rising and setting of the sun, says Carol Ash, DO, medical director of Sleep for Life, a sleep-disorder clinic in Somerset, New Jersey. When you open your eyes in the morning and get your first glimpse of sunlight, your brain receives a signal that helps it set its sleep-wake clock for the day. Similarly, seeing sunlight during the day gives your brain a boost. So if you are awake before the sun, and/or don’t see much sun all day, your body is experiencing something a lot like jet lag.
Energy Fix Instead of hitting the coffee cart when you’re flagging, hit the sidewalk— the combination of physical exercise and a shot of sunlight will energize you. You don’t need much: “A 10- to 20-minute walk in the sunshine will give you a boost,” says Dr. Ash.
Energy Zapper #8: Listening to Negative Nellies You may be upbeat, but it can be exhausting to listen to complainers all day long, whether it’s the fellow mom who calls to trash-talk the neighbors or the coworker who never has a positive word to say. It’s not your imagination: A 2006 study at Chicago’s Northwestern University found that people forced to listen to “high-maintenance” colleagues became frustrated and unfocused, and suffered a decline in the quality of their work.
Energy Fix Insulate yourself as best you can. If a coworker loves to enumerate her complaints, cut her off with a firm but polite “I really have to get this finished,” then smile and get to work. She’ll get the message. If it’s your own negative thoughts that drag you down, train yourself to banish them by listing, daily, the things you’re grateful for, so you can pull out that list when the negative stuff intrudes.
Energy Zapper #9: Holding a Grudge It takes a surprising amount of energy to remember whom you have a grudge against, and to continually update the faults, missteps and things you’re mad about. “Resentment is a huge drain physically as well as mentally,” says Dr. Lipman. “Anger, resentment, grudges— all of these emotions are toxic, and we hang on to them in our bodies especially in tense, tired muscles.”
Energy Fix It takes practice, but try to forgive old mistakes. An easy way to start is to simply be aware of the times negative thoughts about others creep into your mind, says Dr. Lipman. “Think of others as flawed humans, which we all are,” which makes it easier to forgive—and free up energy.

Benefits of walking

Our wellness team sent out an email including the benefits of walking. I thought this was interesting.

BENEFITS OF WALKING
 Burns calories
 Strengthens back muscles
 Slims your waist
 Easy on your joints
 Strengthens your bones
 Lowers blood pressure
 Allows time with family and friends
 Shapes and tones your legs and butt
 Cuts cholesterol
 Reduces risk of heart disease, diabetes, & more
 Reduces stress
 Sleep better
 Improves mood and outlook on life
 Can be done almost anywhere
 Requires no equipment
 It's Free

Source: http://www.thewalkingsite.com/howtowalk.html