Strength. Aerobics. Flexibility. Balance.
If you read any articles on physical fitness, attend any fitness classes, or watch any shows on TV about fitness, you’ve undoubtedly heard how we need to work on all of these aspects of fitness. Focusing on one isn’t enough. (more…)
Even as a little girl I was never a big fan of pink. I tend to wear mostly blues, greens, and probably way too much black and gray. But on October 1, before leaving for work, I pulled out a pretty beaded pink bracelet and put it on my wrist. I also put on a new pair of pink earrings. And I’ve done the same thing each morning since then. Because once again, it’s National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I’m not wearing pink just to support the cause and heighten general awareness, because really, I doubt if anyone has even noticed my pink jewelry. I’m doing it to remind myself of just how far I’ve come over the last 12 years, and how very lucky I am to be a 12-year breast cancer survivor.
Here are two facts about me: I like modern art, and I suffer from migraines. The day before yesterday, I visited the Städel Museum in Frankfurt, where there’s a huge new wing for modern art built underneath the garden, two stories below. The ceiling is huge, and there are glassy domes in it which you can see from the outside, too. At first you think that they are used to let in some daylight, but once inside, you realise that they are some sort of neon lamps. And the light they emit is utterly weird. (more…)
No, this isn’t a favorite song and you don’t need to wear your sunglasses at night, but it is a public service reminder to wear your sunglasses during the day. Most of us are very conscious of using sunscreen but do you always remember to protect your eyes?
Recently I went in for my yearly eye exam for new contacts and since several older members in my family developed macular degeneration (usually an age-related condition) I asked if there were any preventative measures I could do to head it off. I was informed that one potential cause is sun damage. However, I did a little research and found conflicting information on this. (more…)
Because you gave such excellent advice following my post last week, I wanted to inform you that the visit has passed, and that it went far easier than anticipated. (more…)
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Will you wear something blue tomorrow? If not a whole outfit, perhaps a blue blouse, a pair of blue earrings or a blue bracelet? Why, you ask? Because Friday, March 2 is the Colon Cancer Alliance’s annual Dress in Blue Day, designed to raise awareness for colon cancer. It’s also a major kickoff for National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month during March.
For years the health benefits of salmon have been touted in the media. As a source of Omega-3 fatty acids – one of the good fats – salmon’s health benefits also have been widely researched. Chief among the advantages is lowering one’s risk of heart disease. Although some other fish are also high in Omega-3 fatty acids (including mackerel, herring, and sardines), salmon seems to be most frequently mentioned. The American Heart Association currently recommends that adults try to incorporate two or more servings a week of one of these fish into their diet. (more…)
You think that I am probably thinking about getting over a break-up don’t you? No, I am talking about your actual heart. February is American Heart Month. Most of us think of heart disease as something that affects adults as they grow older, and that there is plenty out there on how to prevent heart disease, like eating healthy foods and exercise. But children have heart problems, with the most common being a congenital heart defect - something they are born with.
February 7 thru February 14 is Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week. Each year almost 40,000 babies are born with a heart defect. CHD affects approximately 1.8 millions families in the U.S. and this subject is very special to my heart since each week I take care of a child with a heart defect.
The CDC webpage has some great information, as does Congenital Heart Information Network and this video. It uses a lot of fancy words but in simple English these children’s hearts did not develop correctly:
I recently discovered how fun it is to listen to audio books while walking, but to be honest, if I want to ramp it up faster than a walk I have to have music. Over the years I have spent hundreds of hours searching for the right songs. It can’t just be any song. I have to like it and it has to have the right tempo. I can’t tell you how many songs I loaded into my playlist only to find that certain parts dragged me down. There is all sorts of scientific evidence to support using music and you can read more about it in this article. But it boils down to finding music that has the right beats per minute (BPM) for my pace. (more…)
…which is what I’ve been, for the past few days. I’ve been trying to make it through autumn in a public school, which is a positive germ’s playground, but no success. Combination flu, fever, cold, and all-round yuckiness.
Being sick has its downsides (duh), but the good side is that I’ve been getting tons of well-needed rest, and I’ve been reading heaps. I’ve been puttering around the house between the sofa, my bed, and the kitchen. The sofa and bed are just to give variety to my routine, when my aching muscles can stand to get up.
The kitchen, of course, is for well-needed sustenance. My go-to food, for general illnesses, is good old chicken noodle soup. Amazing how water, MSG, and pasta can be so comforting. And my go-to drink is good old lemon-honey water. It sure does the hurting throat good.
What do you do when you’re sick? Any special home remedies?
- Jean AAR
