Archives for 2014

Aging is More than Coping

August 4, 2014 By Monica Hughes

Not many people enjoy getting old. Aging means the preconceived notion of gaining weight, contracting diseases and losing mobility. People in societies like America have this fetish with staying young as long as possible. They do whatever they can to look young; whether that be Botox, lipo-suction or excessive working out. It seems though that those who are able to stay looking young are those with the money to do so.

To prove this wrong and to help edge away from this mind set, letâ€™s look at another culture that is not used to instant gratification. Many of the third world countries with indigenous tribes revere their elders as something to aspire to. Old age is a trophy; a sort of accomplishment saying â€œwe look up to you because you survived this long.â€ Aging here in America is different. Having grey hair isnâ€™t necessarily frowned upon, but keeping the body healthy and young is chased after.

Your body getting older is simply a part of life. It is nothing to be ashamed of. But what about all those risks and things that naturally deteriorate in your body? Well, Iâ€™ll be honest there will always be some things that cannot be helped nor prevented, but most of them can be.

Exercise: thatâ€™s the key. Itâ€™s never too late to start. Your body will react to vigorous activity at any age, although it takes a bit longer to react at an older age. Eating healthy and working out regularly will change your body for the better and could actually become a natural fountain of youth.

If you are younger, start treating your body better now. Find a workout routine that works best for you and keep it up as you age.

If you are already over the hill and up the next one, donâ€™t worry so much. Start your workout in intervals. Take one minute every five minutes to walk at a high intensity rate for about a 20 minute walk and move on from there. Youâ€™ll get there! Just keep with it! If you need motivation, drag your partner or friends along!

Aging does not have to be â€œthe plague.â€ Learn to exercise and be proud of moving your body when you reach 100!

Moving to Stop the Smoking!

August 1, 2014 By Monica Hughes

Lessening your impulse to light up could get easier by adding a bit of exercise in your life. People with depression have a more difficult time of quitting and can smoke around twice as much as someone without depression. Those with depression, or another type of mental illness are more likely to pick up a cigarette anyways.

Studies have found that exercising, like taking a brisk walk, will reduce withdrawal symptoms and help your body to produce more of the â€œfeel goodâ€ hormones. In the future, researchers hope to use exercise in the treatment of both depression and stopping smoking, but more research needs to be done. The discoveries could bring about an easier way for those with depression to quit with the cigs.

Staying Healthy on the Road

July 30, 2014 By Monica Hughes

Traveling at any point in the year is a great excuse to simply give into relaxation and fast food. It may feel relaxing for the time being but the result and the recovery could be catastrophic. Many people donâ€™t even think about the consequences of such actions. Whether it is a vacation or business trip, our minds are sort of programmed to believe fun or business will take up too much time.

Making a commitment to exercise while traveling will have more benefits than letting it slide. Continue a workout routine to keep getting your body in shape. Working out while traveling also gives you the boost of endorphins that your body produces. You will be able to feel better naturally and be able to enjoy a vacation all the more or have a better focus in a business meeting. Here are a few things to remember when desiring to exercise while on the road:

1. Make a commitment â€“ Making a promise to yourself and keeping it is very important here. Taking the opportunity to keep yourself healthy, even when you are â€œtaking a breakâ€ from everything else in your daily life not only boost your health but your confidence as well.

2. Make it constant â€“ One of the ways to ensure that you will work out is to plan ahead. Give yourself a schedule. Setting aside a time each day to exercise even with a busy schedule will keep at least on part of your life constant while you are away from home. A good rule to follow is to never skip more than one session. Skipping something more than once makes it all that much easier to do it again and to get back on track

3. Make an effort â€“ Eating more than fast food while on the road will take some conscious effort and possibly extra planning. When itâ€™s possible, choose to eat items with proteins and veggies. Obviously, time and travel are unpredictable and sometimes unhealthy food is the only option available. Make an effort the next you eat to make up for it, or pack healthy snacks until you can find something better. Also, take extra care of your intake of fatty foods if you plan on drinking while out.

There will always be struggles to overcome in any workout regime and working out while traveling is no different. Making the decision is to do so is the first step in any workout routine.

Stressed Women and Weight Gain

July 28, 2014 By Monica Hughes

According to research, going through a stressful situation will cause cravings for less-healthy, high-fat foods. Ironically, stress also causes women to metabolize these types of unhealthy meals much more slowly. It is a lot harder to want to eat healthier foods when the stress of the day weighs down. This especially happens when there is no energy for making a healthy meal and fast food becomes the quickest option.

On average, women who are under stress can gain up to 11 pounds per year than a woman not under stress and eating the same thing.

For more on health and stress studies, visit cnn.com

Chikungunya Reaches the U.S.

July 26, 2014 By Monica Hughes

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the first case of Chikungunya; a debilitating tropical disease that is spread by mosquitoes. Until last Thursday, the disease had only about 25 to 28 cases that were brought back to the United States from foreign travels. This is the first case where the disease has been thought to be transferred from a mosquito within the country.

The disease causes joint pain and stiffness, and it was merely a matter of time before the virus would reach the U.S. The CDC will be monitoring for any new cases in the coming months. It is recommended that you take precautions against mosquito bites.

For more information visit cnn.com