From the category archives:

Health

How to Prevent Arthritis Or 20 Ways to Stay Out of Arthur’s Reach

by joi on August 29, 2010

Arthritis is one of the most painful conditions an individual can live with.  Unfortunately our risk of learning this truth firsthand increases with age.  Fortunately, as with a lot of diseases, there are certain things we can do and certain things we can avoid to keep ourselves off of the arthritis radar.

  1. Drink your orange juice. Studies show that the antioxidants found in citrus fruit greatly reduce our odds of developing arthritis.
  2. Got milk? You should.  Calcium should be a part of your daily diet, especially if staying out of arthritis’ path is high on your “must do” list.  Drink milk and enjoy yogurt, cheese, and other dairy products.   If you are lactose intolerant (such as moi), remember that salmon and broccoli are sources of calcium.
  3. Watch your weight. Extra weight puts pressure on your joints and, when trying to hide from arthritis, you certainly don’t want to stress out your joints.  Just add arthritis to the list of diseases and ailments that can be discouraged by maintaining a healthy weight.  I read somewhere that if you lose 12 pounds, you cut your risk for developing arthritis in half.
  4. Stay active. Inactivity is a dangerous thing – for the body as well as the mind.  Brisk daily walks, strength – training, pilates, swimming, tennis, or yoga are excellent ways to keep your body active.  They’ll also help you with #3.  Stretching exercises and swimming are two of the best ways to keep your joints happy and stress-free and your muscles in top working condition.  Try to get at least 30 minutes of activity daily.  Exercise builds your muscles and your muscles support your joints.  See the connection? Weak muscles don’t offer the support your joints need but strong muscles will keep them honest.
  5. Use common sense. When home, at work, or at play, pay closer attention to what you put your joints through.  Find ways to lessen lifting and carrying activities.  Avoid things that put excess stress on your hips and knees.  Also, take extra care when playing sports.  Never put yourself at risk for injuries and remember to warm up before an activity and cool down afterward.
  6. Quit smoking. As if there aren’t enough reasons, already, to quit a habit that’s so bad for you! Cigarette – smoking is a habit that’s bad for you in every way conceivable.  It weakens your immune system and compromises your overall health. People who smoke cigarettes even age faster than others.
  7. Wear comfortable shoes. Never compromise your feet for stylish shoes.  Be certain that your shoes are the size you need and make sure they’re padded.  Neglected feet can cause a whole world of problems and none of them are pretty.
  8. Don’t sit still for long periods of time. If you have a desk job (or you simply enjoy sitting a great deal!), make it a point to get up and stretch periodically.  Using gentle movements, stretch all of your muscles to keep them nice and limber.  As an extra bonus, stretching will make you feel better.  It’ll also help you stay more alert.
  9. Try to avoid repetitive motions. If your job calls for you to make repetitive motions on a consistent basis, make it a point to find ways to take some of the pressure off of your joints.  Always remember:  When it comes to preventing arthritis, you want to keep your joints as stress free as possible.
  10. Take fish oil supplements.  Add preventing arthritis to the long list of benefits of taking daily fish oil supplements.
  11. Practice good posture. Sit up straight and walk tall.  Keep your back straight and your abs pulled in.
  12. Sleep on a firm mattress. Again, it’s all about supporting your joints and keeping them happy.
  13. Drink plenty of water. Water is necessary for joint lubrication.  It’ll also help with weight maintenance.  Think of drinking water as ridding your body of toxins – after all, that’s exactly what you’re doing.
  14. Get plenty of rest and relaxation. If you’re tired or run down, you’ll increase your risks of harming your muscles or other parts of your body.  Be sure to get plenty of sleep AND be sure to take breaks during the day.
  15. Be informed. I can’t possibly tell you how important it is to stay on top of information and news – especially health news.  Read, read, read, read.  Then read some more.  Stay current with health issues and advice from reputable doctors and other experts in the health field.
  16. Bundle up in cold weather. If it’s cold outside, don’t be a hero – dress warmly. Keep your joints warm and protected from the frigid cold.  Be extra thoughtful and considerate of your hands and protect them with a great pair of gloves.  Think of all your hands do for you – protect them and keep them safe.  Also, keep your poor knees in mind!  Wear thick pants or even long underwear.  As for your feet (also pretty important, right?) wear thick, appropriate socks and waterproof footwear.
  17. Use Heat Therapy. When you’re feeling achy and kind of stiff, take a warm bath or a warm shower or snuggle up with a heating pad.  Heat therapy soothes and relaxes over-worked muscles and joints.
  18. Learn relaxation techniques. Not only should you get plenty of sleep and rest, you should become a master of relaxation techniques.  Tense muscles cause joints to become stressed and, as we’ve already determined, we want our joints to be as stress free as a trophy wife.
  19. Don’t carry extra burdens. No, I’m not talking about worries this time – I’m talking about literally carrying extra burdens.  If you can pull it or push it, don’t lift it.  Also, use wheelbarrows, wagons, or other useful tools to do the hard work for you.  Don’t exert undo pressure on your joints.
  20. Consider Cod liver oil and Vitamin E.  Each of these reduce inflammation in the body.  Experts tell us that eating fruits and vegetables each day also reduce inflammation.

Brain Power: Make Yourself Smarter and Improve Your Memory

by joi on August 16, 2010

Terracotta Warriors: Better than Prime Time

Brain Power: Make Yourself Smarter!

Since one of my websites deals with Mental Fitness, I spend a great deal of time wrapping my brain around mental fitness, brain health, memory, brain games, Alzheimer’s prevention, and so forth.  Truth be told, even if it weren’t for this particular website, I’d still be found reading every book, magazine, and article I could get my hands on that dealt with the health of the brain.

Trust me, it’s an incredibly fascinating field.  One can’t underestimate it’s value, either.  Think about it, we spend a great deal of time and money in the pursuit of physical fitness – and rightfully so!  But, what good will any of that do us if we allow our brains to turn to mush?

I don’t want to give details – because it would be decidedly uncool to do so – but I recently had a conversation with someone who told me (with as much shock on their face as I had on mine) that their co-workers were unable to do simple arithmetic.  I’m talking about the sort of arithmetic that a fourth grader knocks out within 5 minutes.  The co-workers range in age from about 28 to 50.

Before I could pick up my jaw, I was told that they also struggled with simple spelling and vocabulary words.

I’m afraid that this isn’t a rare thing.  I’m part of a large, wonderful family – but, aside from them, I’m somewhat kind of sheltered from society.  I work from home, so I don’t have a lot of experience with face to face human interaction.  However, from what I’ve seen and heard, it seems that many people aren’t just letting their minds turn to mush, they’re facilitating the process.

What would it take to snap people out of the mental rut they’re allowing themselves to sink into?  I have no idea but, truth be told, it kind of scares me.  Make no mistake about it, you won’t agree with 100 percent of the things you read on Self Help Daily or Out of Bounds.   I wouldn’t want every visitor to agree with every word.  That would mean I wasn’t – in any way – encouraging you to think or encouraging you to challenge other ideas, beliefs, and concepts.

One of the things nearest and dearest to my heart is mental health and brain fitness.  I spend hours each day researching, reading, and writing within this area.  Maybe that’s why I often come across as almost desperate to get through to people.  If we don’t use our brains, challenge our minds, and pursue mental growth… you guessed it, mush.

We become adults who require a 4th grader to show us how to add fractions, tell us how to spell Antarctica, and clarify the capital of Texas when we aren’t sure if it’s Austin or Dallas.  Granted, as adults we sort of step away from these subjects.  Antarctica, Austin, and fractions may not necessarily come up in our everyday conversations and activities…

…. especially if these activities never vary and especially if the majority of these activities take place in front of sitcoms, reality television, or YouTube.  Oh-my-God, no she didn’t go there.

Mental Exercises and Brain Games

This would be me encouraging you… perhaps even pleading with you…. to broaden your mental horizons – each and every day. Put aside a little time each day to challenge yourself, mentally.  Below are a few mental exercises that you can do just about anywhere.  Occasionally leave the radio off in the car and give your mind something it really craves – challenging brain games and mental exercises.  They’re invigorating, they’re rewarding, and they’ll increase your mental power.

Experts tell us that we can increase our brain’s powers and strength by working it out.  Please make this part of your everyday activities and put it at the forefront of your goals.  In no time at all, fourth graders will be coming to you for all the answers.

  • Name all 50 states, alphabetically.
  • Name each state’s capital (and I promise Nashville IS the capital of Tennessee – no matter how badly you want it to be Knoxville!)
  • Name the 8 planets.  Remember, Pluto was stripped of its planet status.  Eh, don’t feel bad, Pluto, I’m not a planet either.
  • Name the 7 continents.
  • In the grocery store, calculate the cost of your purchase as you put things into the cart – see if you can come within $2.00.  It’s harder than you think – especially when you have a large purchase and ESPECIALLY when you’re as mathematically challenged as I am.
  • When you’re reading, write down and look up all unfamiliar words.
  • Whenever you hear a word you aren’t 100 percent how to spell, find out how and write the word down 10 times.  Test yourself the next day.
  • Read at least 1 classic this year.
  • Brain Games! Try the Lumosity Brain Training Program. Only $6.60 a month.
  • Read the newspaper more often.  When you read about a person or place that’s unfamiliar to you, do a little research and soak up the new information.  It’s sort of like turning each newspaper into a stimulating mental workout.
  • Work a crossword puzzle each day.
  • Think of favorite television shows from your youth – challenge yourself to remember each character’s name as well as the actors and actresses who played them.  Depending on the length of time (and the size of the cast!), it could take an hour or more for a name to come to you.  But here’s the thing, even if you have to work for the answer, you’re still getting a great mental workout.  A few days ago, I racked my brain for nearly an hour to remember the name of a guest star on The Golden Girls.  I refused to research his name! It came to me while making supper and I felt like I’d ran a mental marathon.
  • Pick up a few grade school workbooks if you need a great refresher’s course in math.  They’re beside the coloring books and you have my permission to grab one of those as well.  Express yourself.
  • Pick an animal, bird, or fish that you know absolutely nothing about and spend the next week reading about your new friend.  Spiders, sharks, polar bears, penguins, hummingbirds, possums, squirrels, bulldogs, iguanas… the list is endless and the opportunities are priceless.  Each week, take on a new animal.
  • Read National Geographic magazine regularly.  Collect old issues – ebay, yard sales, and Goodwill stores make it an unexpectedly fun scavenger hunt.  The pictures and the information can’t be beaten.
  • Each month, tackle a period of history or an ancient culture.  Few things are more fascinating to read about than Ancient China.  Again, National Geographic magazines are a wealth of  information.
  • Tune in to the History Channel, the National Geographic Channel, Discovery Channel, and Animal Planet.  These outstanding channels serve information on platters of entertainment and your brain will love every fascinating minute.
  • Read old books as well as new books.  Old books challenge your mind and stimulate your thinking in a way that new books don’t quite measure up to.  This is part of the reason why I have a Thursday Throwback feature on Self Help Daily.  I can take an author from the distant past and sort of hand the forum over to them for a day.  If you’ve never read older books, I encourage you to browse through the articles in the Thursday Throwback category.  I know you’ll love them – they’re pretty special.
  • This one will surely be unexpected, but sign up for Twitter!  Find a number of people to “follow” from a wide range of interests. Reading other’s opinions and updates will broaden your range.  And, quite frankly, it’s a challenge to express yourself in a limited number of words – at least it’s tough for me.  Shhhhh… You’ll find yourself reading more, interacting more, and thinking more.

Finally, read up on the different foods that are great for promoting brain health.  I have a great number of articles on Out of Bounds (which I recently treated to a new look) detailing which foods are best for your brain’s health.  I read earlier that a favorite snack of mine, sunflower seeds, are an excellent “brain food.”

From Real Age: “In a study, those who reported getting the highest amount of vitamin E — 19 milligrams a day — were about 25 percent less likely to be diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease over a 10-year period. People in the study got much of their vitamin E from processed or sat-fat foods, like butter, margarine, and mayo. Our suggestion? Get your E from healthy sources, such as nuts, seeds, veggies, plant oils, and nut butters. The bonus with nuts and seeds is that you also get a shot of hunger-quelling protein. Not to mention some heart-healthy fats.”

You can gain more brain power.  It’s a fact.  The flip side, however, reads like a horror story:  You can lose brain power.  Like a coin that’s in the air, waiting to land……. it’s your call.

    Heart Health: Seven Steps to a Healthier Heart from the AHA

    by joi on August 12, 2010

    In a great story on US News Health about heart health, the American Heart Association outlines the most important factors in achieving optimal heart health.  Seven steps were outlined – steps which each and every one of us should (literally) take  seriously.  Let’s be honest , heart health is one scary monster.  He has a list of victims that I don’t even want to think about.  Fortunately, there are steps we take can  to keep our names off of this massive list.

    Wouldn’t a person be a fool to take their chances with a monster?

    Below are the 7 steps for heart health from the American Heart Association:

    1. Don’t smoke and Quit if you do. The AHA reports that smoking  is considered to be the most important preventable cause of premature death in the United States.
    2. Achieve and maintain your ideal weight. The AHA recommends aiming for a body mass index less than 25 percent. Clyde Yancy, president of the AHA and medical director at the Baylor Heart and Vascular Institute at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas points out that the USA is “under assault” from obesity and that being overweight or obese is the “first step toward adult-onset diabetes.”   (Click the link to quickly determine your own Body Mass Index – fast, easy, somewhat painless.)
    3. Exercise several times a week. A routine that includes at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week—brisk walking, ballroom dancing, or gardening, for example—or 75 minutes per week of vigorous activity, such as jogging, aerobic dancing, or jumping rope, is one of the targets for achieving ideal heart health, according to the AHA. I love how Yancy breaks it down, “If you’re doing nothing, do something, and if you’re doing something, do more.”
    4. Eat a healthy diet. When it comes to eating more healthy foods, most of us ride a roller coaster.  We’ll eat healthy foods for a few days, then slack off for a while.  Then we’ll return to a healthy diet.  We need to adopt a healthy diet and stick with it! The AHA recommends eating plenty of fruits and vegetables.  Further dietary advice: Also, eat unrefined whole-grain foods, which help you feel full faster and improve your cholesterol level. Eating fish at least two times per week may help decrease your risk of death from heart disease by supplying you with omega-3 fatty acids. Select lean meat and skinless poultry, and when it comes to dairy products, buy fat-free, 1 percent fat, and low-fat items. Seek out healthy recipes and get creative in the kitchen. Healthy food is delicious AND can protect you from many evils.
    5. Control your cholesterol. A total cholesterol level of less than 200 milligrams per deciliter is the goal for ideal heart health.
    6. Lower your blood pressure. One in three adults has high blood pressure.  One in three! Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80, you can find your own reading at a doctor’s office or even in some pharmacies.  Doctors, of course, can prescribe medications to help control your blood pressure, but there are also very effective drug-free approaches:  eating a nutritious diet, regular exercise, stress management, decreasing alcohol use, staying away from tobacco smoke, and keeping your body at a healthy weight.  For more ways to lower blood pressure (including information about the DASH diet) click the link.
    7. Aim for a fasting blood glucose level less than 100 mg/dL. There’s a reason heart health experts always preach avoiding diabetes with all the fight you have within you: Adults who have diabetes are two to four times as likely to end up with heart disease or stroke as people without diabetes, according to the AHA. Frightening numbers. My mother, a diabetic, died at an early age from heart problems.  Simply having diabetes heightens the chance of heart disease and stroke.

    Why do we tend to ignore things until it’s too late?  Think about it.  Each winter, we don’t give the common cold a single thought until the first sniffle – THEN we load up on Vitamin C, frequent hand-washing, chicken soup, and so on. Even worse, we don’t give diabetes, heart disease, cancer, or any other “health monsters” much thought until we’re sitting across from a serious-faced doctor telling us things we never thought we’d hear.

    Let’s vow to begin doing the things we know we should do, eating the things we know we should eat, and avoiding the things we know we should avoid.  Let’s promise ourselves to…

    • Get at least 30 minutes of activity daily – gardening, walking, yard work, aerobics, intense house cleaning…
    • Eat more fruits and more vegetables.  Here’s a trick I’ve found:  If you replace things you know you shouldn’t eat with things you know you should eat, you’re giving your health twice the benefit.  Replace fries with salad, soft drinks with green tea (or black tea – studies show that it’s actually as healthy as green tea… tons of antioxidants), have fruit as dessert, eat vegetable soup instead of pasta, etc.
    • Not put anything into our bodies that we wouldn’t recommend to one of our children.
    • Get plenty of rest and relaxation.
    • Find a way to cope with stress.  Stress wears a person down and makes them more susceptible to illness.  Refuse to give it the chance.

    Let’s make the vow to take better care of our health. and let’s do it as though our lives depend on it.

    Heart Health on a String: A Shoestring, That Is

    by joi on July 17, 2010

    If heart health isn’t something you think about very often, the time has come to right that mental ship.  Heart health should be at the forethought of everyone’s mind – irregardless of their age.  If you’ve ever watched a loved one struggle with heart problems, heart medications, and/or literally fight for his or her life, you know that this isn’t something to mess with or take for granted.

    Heart health also isn’t something to put off for sometime in the future, “I’ll worry about that when I’m older…“  What if it’s too late then? The time to think about heart health is now – while you still have the upper hand.

    I’m not trying to scare anyone and I’m not (entirely) trying to be your own personal mother hen.  The feathers just fit so nicely.

    Many people (including me, in the past) are convinced that eating healthy and living a healthy lifestyle are too costly to bother with.  They think that lowering your blood pressure, improving your diet, exercise, and healthy living are outside of their budget.

    This misconception actually has a pretty good root system.  Yes, many fruits and vegetables are higher now than they once were.  Fish?  It can be outrageous.  Doctor visits and prescriptions?  Do we really want to go there?

    But here’s the thing.  What’s the alternative?  How costly will the heart procedures be that are necessary to keep you alive?  Hospital stays make visits to the doctor’s office look like a trip to the Dollar General Store.

    Preventive medicine is the best medicine.

    Here are things you can begin doing (and not doing) today to improve your heart’s health.  Some are even free!

    • Walk for at least 30 minutes each day.  Come on, it doesn’t get any budget friendly than a free walk.  Experts all agree that walking is one of the best things we can do for our heart.  If the weather isn’t conducive to a walk outdoors, walk at the mall.  You could even walk at a large department store.  The main thing is to just keep that body moving and that heart pumping.  If walking outside isn’t an option AND you can’t get to a store, I’m not letting you off the hook just yet.  Walk around your house (your cat or dog will think it’s great entertainment) or simply march in place while watching a favorite television show.  Again, just keep your heart pumping and your body moving for at least 30 minutes.
    • Find ways to fill up on fruit and vegetables.  It’s funny how we’ll think very little of paying over $8 for a sack of fast food – burgers, fries, and a drink – but the thought of spending $8 in the produce aisle sends us into a tizzy!  Think of it this way: The $8 for produce is an investment in our health and the $8 for  junk food is a drop in the bucket – just piling up future health costs, loss of work, suffering, prescriptions…
    • Look for produce stands.  Their prices are almost always better than supermarkets.
    • Buy frozen fruit and vegetables as well as cans.  Fresh is always best, of course, but frozen is outstanding as well.
    • Cut back on salt.  This one certainly doesn’t cost anything! Your heart despises too much salt. If it had a voice, I’m pretty sure it’d say, “Enough, already!”
    • When ordering food out, go for grilled instead of fried every time.
    • Eat more fish and chicken than red meat.
    • Check the supermarket circulars for specials, clip coupons, and buy healthy food in bulk.
    • Read labels.  Many cereals are fortified with excellent things for heart health.
    • Fall in love with oatmeal. Your heart loves oatmeal!
    • Forget that fried foods exist.
    • If you smoke, stop.  If you don’t smoke, don’t start.  This one will save you more money than you could ever imagine – in the present and future.
    • This is something else to keep in mind: When we improve one area of our health, we improve other areas as well. Did you know that you can protect your hearing as you improve your heart health?
    • Find ways to relax.  Relaxation techniques are key to good heart health (as well as mental health, emotional health, and spiritual health).  When it comes to relaxation tips, you simply have to find what works for YOU.  What works for me (playing with my cats, cooking, watching and feeding birds, watching baseball) may not do a thing for you – especially if you’re allergic to cats, can’t cook, have a bird phobia, or your team causes you great suffering.  When will those Cubs escape the goat? You don’t find quiet time, you make quiet time.

    The following appeared in a recent article on a wonderful website, Everyday Health:

    Rediscover Home Cooking

    A heart healthy diet doesn’t have to break your budget. “Buy foods on sale — read your supermarket’s sale flyer, make a shopping list, and plan your menu around what’s on special,” advises Schmidt, who says the real problem is that people aren’t cooking enough. “Cooking at home is the cheap way — fast food is not cheap. You can end up spending $15 to $20 at McDonald’s when you could buy a roasting chicken for $3.” Homemade food is not only more economical and heart healthy, it usually tastes better.

    There’s also a big difference between the low-nutrition value of a greasy fast food meal and the heart health benefits of a hearty, homemade chicken soup or one made with fiber-rich lentils, onions, garlic, and carrots — two of Schmidt’s favorite one-pot dishes. She likes to finish each off with a can of crushed tomatoes for flavor, color, and the antioxidant lycopene.

    If fresh produce is too expensive, buy large bags of frozen veggies and berries. And as for fish, Schmidt says you don’t always have to go for the expensive types. When she’s counseling patients, she reminds them that the cheapest option, sardines, is the best choice when it comes to getting heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Schmidt suggests serving them on whole-wheat toast.  – Source: Everyday Health

    There are tons of great, healthy recipes online – including on my own food blog.  You can also learn a lot about cooking by becoming a regular viewer of the Food Network.  Trust me, there’s nothing on tv quite as addictive as the great shows on this channel.  Ace of Cakes, Sunny Anderson, Down Home with the Neely’s, Paula Deen, Alton Brown, Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives… this is the good stuff!

    Bonus? Some of the Food Network stars are incredibly relaxing to watch. The whole process of food being cut, chopped, prepared, it can sometimes lull you into the most supreme state of relaxation imaginable.

    Now tell me your heart won’t love that.

    Also See: How to Follow a Mediterranean Diet and Why You Should

    Top 20 Superfoods According to South Beach Diet

    by joi on May 27, 2010

    The following delicious foods (it reads like a grocery list I’d be most interested in) are handpicked by South Beach Diet as the top 20 foods containing the highest antioxidant concentration.

    Why should we be interested in antioxidant-rich foods?  Here’s why: Antioxidants are naturally occurring nutrients that help prevent heart disease and cancer, and even the effects of aging.  Any time prevent comes before that cast of characters, we need to perk up and pay attention!

    1. Pomegranates
    2. Small red beans (dried)
    3. Wild blueberries
    4. Red kidney beans
    5. Pinto beans
    6. Blueberries (cultivated)
    7. Cranberries
    8. Artichokes (cooked)
    9. Blackberries
    10. Prunes
    11. Raspberries
    12. Strawberries
    13. Red Delicious apples
    14. Granny Smith apples
    15. Pecans
    16. Sweet cherries
    17. Black plums
    18. Gala apples
    19. Black beans (dried)
    20. Plums

    Lately, I’ve been focusing really intently on holding each and every food and drink that I put into my body under the microscope.  Okay, not literally, my family would send me off somewhere and my cats would disown me. I simply ask myself what that particular food or drink will do FOR me:  Will it help my health or fitness goals in any way? Will it hurt them in any way?  Do studies exist that indicate this food or drink could actually be harmful?

    In the same way that we wouldn’t want to inhale polluted air, we should never rush to throw unhealthy food into our bodies.  We want to breathe pure, clean, life-giving air and we should take the same approach with our food and drinks.

    As a wife and mother, wanting to give healthier foods and drinks to my family drives me even more.  I don’t want to bring things into the house that are going to harm any of these beautiful smiling faces.

    Just look at the superfoods named above.  As a fruit lover extraordinaire, I was delighted to see so many fruits on the list of superfoods. What an outstanding fruit salad you could make!  As for the beans, these beans would work well together in a bean soup or even a bean salad. Black beans and kidney beans are also wonderful in tossed salads.

    Check out this delicious, quick and easy recipe for fruit dip that’ll turn fruit into dessert in your household.

    What We Can Learn From The Biggest Loser’s Ashley

    by joi on May 14, 2010

    As you know, I’m a self-confessed addict of The Biggest Loser.  I never make it through an episode without crying, laughing out loud, and feasting on high levels of inspiration and motivation.  And that’s all before the first commercial break.  This show is in a league of its own. It’s one of the few truly important shows on television and one of few that I’d totally recommend to anyone and everyone.  It can change your life.

    This has been one of the best seasons of The Biggest Loser yet.  There hasn’t been one single contestant that I wanted to drop kick to Kansas (Remember Tracy?). In fact, each elimination has kind of smarted and a few brought tears.  Any of these remaining 4 could be – and should be – the winner.

    I’ve got nothing but love for the entire group, but there’s one particular contestant that I fell hard for:  Ashley.  What a doll! As the mother of three girls, I’m always a bit partial to young girls.  When they’re on the show, I pull for them with the same passion I shop for coffee with. There’s something extra special about this girl, though, and it’s all in her beautiful personality. She and her gorgeous smile have lit up this entire season and I guess I always knew that there’d be a future “Ashley post.”

    Understandably, these contestants are going through huge, emotional changes.  They’ve been uprooted and forced to face – head on – past mistakes and unhealthy lifestyles.  We cry as they cry, we curse fatty, fried foods with them, and we feel their pain when they see the original number on the scale.

    They struggle with challenges – especially early on.  Again, understandably. They get frustrated and some lash out while others cry. Some, like Daris  just summon up fresh, newly-found courage and charge right through it.  My girl, Ashley, fell countless times early on.  How she kept from really hurting herself is beyond me.

    But she kept getting back up.  And what’s truly remarkable – none of it ever took her personality away and it never wiped the smile off of her beautiful face.  She seemed to always be extremely thankful for being on the show and always ready to give it her all.

    In the last episode, the contestants were watching early clips of themselves.  Like most past contestants, the  rest of these contestants cried at the sight of their former selves.  Ashley smiled.  That struck a chord with me.  She didn’t seem to detest the old Ashley – she knew that she was still a beautiful, vivacious, fun, spirited, and lovely girl.   In a clip that was about to show one of her epic falls, Ashley laughed and said something like, “Here it comes!”

    She’s having fun with life and that’s probably the number one trait I’m drawn to in people.

    I realize that it’s risky to write an article or tribute like this when the season isn’t quite through – I mean my girl could go all swamp girl psycho in the next episode… push Daris, curse Koli, and spit on Mike.  Since I adore these guys, too, I truly hope she doesnt’!  If she does get in touch with the dark side, I’ll have to come back here and apologize!

    But I’m going ahead with the post because I trust that she’ll finish as beautifully as she started.

    We can learn something from Ashley’s attitude and upbeat personality.  Our situation shouldn’t dictate our personality or our happiness.  We should be who we are regardless of what’s happening to us or around us.  You can tell Ashley would be a fun person to be around.  She wouldn’t mope around, complain, or wallow in misery or self-pity.  Since she is human, I’m sure she’d have her moments – but I’m also sure she’d have the humor and spirit to overcome them in record time.

    At the first of the season, Ashley seemed like a complete underdog.  There was something about her, though, that told me she’d be around for a while.  There was a certain determination and focus in her eyes – plus, whenever she fell she didn’t yell at Jillian or snap at Bob.  She didn’t  whine.

    She just got up.

    At one point she was talking to the camera (how odd must that feel?) about how she knew she was considered the underdog.  She was even smiling about it.  It was right here that she became one of my all-time favorite reality show contestants.  She said, “I’m going to sneak up like a ninja on their a$$es.”

    And she did.

    She did a couple of other things too:

    • She reminds us all that life is beautiful and is worthy of embracing whether we feel like we’re on top of the world or not.  No matter what we think we have that is so hideous, there are always others who have it far worse.  Would you like to explain to a young patient on their way to chemotherapy why you aren’t smiling?
    • With her beautiful face, stylish clothes, and perfect hair, Ashley proves that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes.  Do you always try to make the most of what you have or do you slack off?
    • Her sense of humor and lively personality shows that if a girl who is so vivacious and happy while climbing such a huge mountain can keep smiling, there’s no excuse for the rest of us! Do others perceive you as a happy person who is fun to be around or a grouch who must be avoided at all costs?!
    • Ashley seemed, to me, to be almost like a tonic to her friends.  When she was around Mike and Daris, they seemed happier.  We should all have that effect on people around us.  They should leave our presence happier than they were when they first entered it.  Are you a tonic or a wet blanket?
    • What others think of us or expect from us isn’t what counts. The only thing that matters is what WE think of us and expect from us. Who or what would you like to sneak up on like a Ninja?

    I can’t believe the finale is already around the corner. This has been my favorite season ever and I’ve got nothing but love for all of the brave contestants, the beautiful hostess, and the wonderfully entertaining and inspiring trainers.  A word about the hostess, Alison Sweeney.  This girl has become one of the best reality show hosts on television. She’s right up there with Jeff Probst.  It’s obvious that she cares for the contestants and, I’m convinced, has to fight back tears with the rest of us sometimes.  She has grown in this role and now wears it with beautiful ease.

    Good luck to all of the final four contestants.  You’ve made this a particularly enjoyable ride.

    The Ninja Assassin: They never saw her coming!

    How to Prevent Diabetes: Making Healthy Life Choices

    by joi on April 26, 2010

    My husband’s older brother was recently diagnosed with diabetes.  Diabetes is a word that, for me, conjures up an image of an ogre.  An huge, ugly, angry ogre.  My mom battled diabetes for years and I saw, first hand, just how relentless this disease can be.  I honestly admire diabetics because they fight a daily battle that most of us (hopefully.. prayerfully…) will never have to suit up for.

    My mom, like many diabetics, got the worse end of the deal:  Being diagnosed later in life.  Personally, I think this makes the whole fight nastier.  She, like my brother-in-law, was quite accustomed to strawberry shortcake, cokes, banana pudding and other lovelies we take for granted.  When you’re diagnosed as an adult, you have to stop right in the middle of the road and completely change directions.  The ogre stands in the way that you want to go – like a roadblock.  And if you try to sneak past him, you’re going to pay.

    My poor, hard-headed little mother (with a head-full of sweet teeth) tried to sneak past him often.  The toll it took on her health ultimately led to heart disease, many hospital visits, and even a stint.  In the end, she died far, far, far, far too young.

    So, yeah, I’ll always hate diabetes and heart disease with a cruel, unChristian passion. (Hence the many articles on Self Help Daily about heart health, healthy eating, and creating a healthy lifestyle.  The fight? It’s on!)

    “Exercise: You don’t have time not to.”
    - Author unknown

    My brother-in-law’s diagnosis has reignited the flames of hatred for this disease and made me realize that we all need to keep this ogre (Diabetes) in mind when we go about our daily lives – making choices that directly affect our health and, thereby, the lives of everyone we love.

    A few facts from Shop to Stop Diabetes.org:

    • Diabetes kills more Americans every year than breast cancer and AIDS combined.
    • It’s the #1 cause of blindness in adults.
    • It doubles the risk of heart attack & stroke.
    • 1 in 3 American children born today will develop diabetes if current trends continue.
    • In the next 24 hours, 4,320 new cases of diabetes will be diagnosed.
    • 1 in 4 Americans who have diabetes don’t know it.

    Ogre.

    Fortunately, there are actually things we can do to keep the ogre from showing up on our doorstep.  As the Crucifix sends Count Dracula on his way, there are things we can do and things we can avoid that’ll send Diabetes crawling back into its corner.

    “Did you ever stop to taste a carrot? Not just eat it, but taste it? You can’t taste the beauty and energy of the earth in a Twinkie.”
    - Astrid Alauda

    The American Diabetes Association and WebMD Provide A Wealth of Information Including:

    1. The larger your waist, the higher your risk of developing diabetes.   People with “Apple” shapes (more fat around your middle than around your hips) are at a higher risk than “Pear” shapes (more fat around your hips and backside).  All experts agree, getting in shape and maintaining a healthy weight is one of the most important steps to take for preventing diabetes.
    2. Watch how much you eat.  We’ve become a society of big eaters – we eat often and we eat a great deal.  Watch your portion sizes and eat to live, not live to eat.
    3. Get plenty of exercise.  Couch potatoes are ripe for trouble!  Be sure you get at least 30 minutes of activity at least 5 times a week.
    4. Address any health problems you have asap. If you’re overweight, lose the extra pounds.  If you have high blood pressure, see a doctor. Use common sense and take control of your health and your life.

    “When it comes to eating right and exercising, there is no ‘I’ll start tomorrow.’  Tomorrow is disease.” – Terri Guillemets

    From WebMD.com: “A study done by the Harvard School of Public Health and published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that being overweight and obese was the single most important risk factor that predicted who would develop type 2 diabetes. During a 16 year follow-up period, study results showed that regular exercise — at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week — and an improved diet that’s low in fat and high in fiber significantly helped with type 2 diabetes prevention. The bottom line: type 2 diabetes prevention could be as easy as adopting healthy lifestyle habits.”  – Preventing Type 2 Diabetes, WebMD.com (Click the link to learn more!)

    Also…

    • According to Medical News Today, broccoli may helpful in diabetes prevention. Broccoli contains phytonutrients — compounds that may help prevent diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.

    The best six doctors anywhere
    And no one can deny it
    Are sunshine, water, rest, and air
    Exercise and diet.
    These six will gladly you attend
    If only you are willing
    Your mind they’ll ease
    Your will they’ll mend
    And charge you not a shilling.
    - Nursery rhyme quoted by Wayne Fields, What the River Knows, 1990

    Protect Your Hearing as You Improve Your Heart’s Health

    by joi on April 25, 2010

    We all know the obvious benefits of regular exercise:

    • Regular exercise is great for your heart.
    • Regular exercise lessens your chances of getting many types of cancer, diabetes, and a host of other monsters under the bed.
    • Regular exercise helps take off extra weight and keep it off.
    • Exercise can improve your mood.
    • Exercise helps your mobility.
    • Exercise is as good for your mental health as it it your physical health.
    • Exercise makes you fell, and look, younger.

    As if that weren’t enough reason to start exercising each and every day, there’s more!   A very interesting, and perhaps unexpected, study from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) has just sweetened the physical fitness pot:  The study suggests that as people age, one of their greatest concerns (hearing loss) is directly tied to their heart’s health.

    While the concept of “the ear bone’s connected to the heart” may cause us to do an initial double-take, if you think about it, it’s kind of obvious.  Exercise improves our cardiovascular health.  This  increases blood flow in our bodies, and this certainly includes the blood that flows to our head.

    This increase in blood flow helps keep our ears working the way we want them to.  The study shows a person in their 50s who is in good shape can hear as well as a person in their 30s!

    Experts are challenging the long-held assumptions about growing older.  The so-called loss of memory, hearing, mobility, vision and so forth.  Hog wash! I read and research each day online and offline and I’m excited about recent studies that show just how much power we actually have when it comes to our bodies, our minds, and our many years ahead.

    Like so many things, it all comes down to making GOOD, HEALTHY, SMART choices.  It’s common sense, really. 

    • Eat the things you know you should eat (such as plenty of vegetables and fruit…)
    • Avoid eating the things you know you shouldn’t eat (fried food, too many sweets…)
    • Get plenty of exercise (walking, gardening, golf, tennis, yoga…)
    • Don’t smoke!

    Just as this recent study proves, when something is good for one area of your body, it’s good for another.  And another. And another.  By the same token, if it’s bad for one area of your body, it’s bad for another. And another. And another.

    Making good choices… healthy choices… is just as easy as making bad ones. What’s more, making good choices on a consistent basis will lead to forming good habits – the kind of habits that have the potential to improve your health from the tip of your head to the tips of your toes.

    Who wouldn’t want to aim for that?!

    Forget about yesterday and forget about any bad habits you’ve picked up over the years.  Choose to start right now… right here….

    Choose to make better choices and form healthier habits.  Eat more fruits and vegetables and less junk food.  Make smarter choices at the grocery store and in the drive thrus. Make this the week you start getting more activity each and every day.  Walk, work in the yard, or simply put music on and dance around the house.

    Move it, baby, move it!

    Prevention’s 2010 Picture of Health Has Contestants You’ll Never Forget

    by joi on April 14, 2010

    I’m a firm believer that you can learn something from every single person you meet – and often even those you don’t meet.  I’m the sort of person who wants to learn something new and/or be inspired and motivated as many times as possible during the day.  Whether I’m reading a favorite magazine, blog posts, Twitter updates, or watching something on television. My “live to learn” antenna is up at all times!

    Case in point:  This morning, I was reading a story on one of my favorite websites – Prevention.com.   The story profiled 5 finalists in the 2010 Picture of Health competition. 5 finalists – 5 motivating and inspiring hits to the antenna. I’ll hit the highs with these finalists below, so you can be inspired by them as much as I have been.

    Paula Bruchhaus (43 – on the far right in the picture above), from Florida, is an elementary school teacher who lost 80 pounds and inspired her students to fall in love with running. “We’re not all going to be super fast or strong, but our goal is simply to improve,” Bruchhaus tells her students. “It is possible to change simply by eating healthy and exercising.” Her kids have run in marathons and over the years have raised $25,000 for charity.

    I love that she’s reaching out to kids and to her community. She improved her own life and now has her mind set on improving other’s lives as well.

    Dawn Forgione (51 – on the far left in the picture above), also from Florida, has had her fair share of scrapes and bruises, literally. She endured serious injuries, including 40 stitches to her face and knocked-out teeth, after a bad bike spill while training for a 150-mile charity ride. That was apparently one of her better days.

    She has also faced bouts of cervical dysplasia, endometriosis (which led to multiple surgeries and ultimately a radical hysterectomy), knee surgery, two hip replacements, and breast and skin cancer.

    Instead of sitting around feeling sorry for herself, she has been a busy girl! She has helped many organizations through the years, such as the American Cancer Society, the Children’s Cancer Caring Center in Miami, and the March of Dimes. “I love to be a positive role model and show others that a diagnosis is not a death sentence.” Those words just jumped off the screen at me – A diagnosis is not a death sentence. I’d say that she made diagnosis a life sentence! You. Go. Girl.

    Linda Goff (42 – second from right in the picture above), from Missouri, once weighed over 300 pounds. She realized that her eating habits were setting a bad example for her kids and her weight wasn’t doing her marriage any favors. She prayed for the courage to take the first step —and it worked. A switch flipped, and by exercising and eating right, she went from a size 26 to 6.

    Today, Goff says she feels better than she did at 25. She helps counsel weight loss support groups at the hospital, gym, and church. “I want to let people know that good choices are just like bad ones—they can become lifelong habits too.”

    There were several things that stood out to me in Linda Goff’s story:

    1. She knew that it would all begin with a first step – the same place everything begins…. step number 1.
    2. Her quote about good choices becoming lifelong habits just like bad ones is a complete and total lesson in itself.  What’s more, it’s as much a self improvement lesson as it is a physical fitness lesson.  Anything we want to change in our lives can be cone by making good choices – then doing it again and again and again until these good choices become good habits.

    Kristi Marsh (39 – the young lady in the middle in the picture above), from Massachusetts, found a lump in her breast when she was 35 years old. She was diagnosed with an aggressive kind of breast cancer, but didn’t cave under the pressure.  What’s more, she used the horrifying experience to learn things about her body and to inspire her to make a difference.  “Our bodies try so hard to survive, but we often compromise that with unhealthy choices that increase our exposure to pesticides and pollutants.”

    She researched nontoxic products, joined a CSA (community supported agriculture) farm, and even started raising hens in her backyard for organic eggs!  I love that.  Seriously, I want some hens in my yard.  Stat.  My husband never knows exactly what kick I’m going to get on next or what will come out of my head or mouth next.. I hope he braces himself for this one.  I want hens.

    Krisit even started an educational organization called Choose Wiser, sharing her tips and advice with local groups. “I hope to educate people about what best fits into their lives so they can make healthy changes.”

    Chris Word (52 – Let’s see… I believe he’s second from the left :) ), from California, used his battle with colon cancer as a springboard for a life of service on the behalf of children. “My cancer struggle inspired me to help sick children.” Motivated by all the child cancer patients he met during his recovery, he decided to start the Lifedriven Foundation, a nonprofit foundation that supports research and treats children battling the disease with trips to Disneyland. How cool is that?!

    “There is so much about cancer that people have no control over, but we can give a family a moment in time to experience some joy,” Word says.

    If I were asked to design Heaven’s lay out (oddly enough, I have not been consulted), there’d be a special place… a very, very, very special place for people who help children.

    I love the spirit, the fight, the drive, and the compassion in these individuals.  If you ask me, they have plenty to teach all of us about life and about bouncing back.

    When these people were knocked down, they not only got back up, they got back up fighting!   This is the sort of spirit that makes the world a better place.  Think about it.  If everyone took their knocks and used them as inspiration to make the world around them a better place, can you imagine what a world we would live in?  Unfortunately, many people are far too busy whining, moaning, sighing, and feeling sorry for themselves to take the time to reach out to others.

    I hope you’ll read the full stories on each of these individuals by vising Prevention’s 2010 Picture of Health Story and Slideshow.  Whether you’re looking to lose 10 pounds, improve the way your family eats, or simply want a inspirational fodder  for your own antenna, these stories will touch your heart… flip a switch in your brain…. and light a fire under your feet.  If that sounds like something that’d be all kinds of cool beans – have at it!

    Photo Credit: Prevention.com

    Jillian Michaels On and In May’s Success Magazine

    by joi on April 9, 2010

    There are certain things that I love so much that I can’t even imagine life without them…

    • Favorite restaurants (Applebee’s, Ninki’s Japanese Steakhouse in Owensboro, Kentucky, Olive Garden, Cracker Barrel…)
    • Favorite magazines (SUCCESS Magazine, Taste Of Home, Psychology Today,Woman’s World…)
    • Favorite authors (Max Lucado, Dan Koontz, Dr. Oz, Grenville Kleiser…)
    • Favorite tv shows (The Biggest Loser, Survivor, LOST, The Amazing Race, the Food Network…yes, the entire network..)
    • The 4 6 food groups (vegetables, fruit, dairy, meats, chocolate, and coffee )

    Recently, I did a double take when a few of these lovelies intersected:  I pulled my SUCCESS magazine out of the mailbox and badabing, Jillian Michaels’ beautiful smile greeted me from the cover.

    If, like me, you’re a huge Jillian Michaels fan, you’ll want to grab this issue right away.  The article inside, “Tough Love,” gives you insight into the Holy Terror that paces back and forth in the gym looking for someone’s a$$ to land on.  A favorite part of the show for me is when she gets that spark in her eye when she sees a place to land.

    Priceless.

    I don’t allow people to be victims, because if they’re victims, they’re not in control of their own destiny.  – Jillian Michaels

    In the article, Jillian and her business partner (Giancarlo Chersich) discuss Jillian’s new reality show that will air this summer on NBC, “Losing It.” There’s no way I’ll miss a single episode.  In Losing It, she’ll spend a week living with an American family – identifying and treating their unhealthy habits.  In the interview, she also discusses why she cares so deeply for her contestants, what makes her tick, and what advice she has for people who are trying to achieve their own personal goals. The amazing thing is, her advice is spot on whether your goals are centered around the scale or not. In fact, Jillian has a personal development book coming out next year, “Unlimited: How to Build an Exceptional Life.” I look forward to it!

    It’s a great, great article and you won’t want to miss a single word.

    Also in this issue of SUCCESS (as if Jillian Michaels isn’t enough):

    • A really good article on Decision Making by best-selling author John C. Maxwell
    • A clever article on using reality shows to spark family conversations (some of our best discussions stem from tv shows – whether they’re debates over whether or not Boston Rob should have been voted off of Survivor or which contestant will lose the most weight on Loser)
    • An article about stress by Drs. Oz and Roizen – great tips
    • A profile and interview with Paul Newman’s daughter Nell Newman (she’s a lovely combination of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward’s features – one could do a heck of a lot worse than that!)
    • Much, much more!

    As I was reading through this issue of SUCCESS, I realized one of the things that makes this magazine one of my favorites:  It’s always relevant.

    Visit Success Magazine online and be sure to grab the newest issue.

    I also loved the following quote by Robin Williams, featured in a section about being yourself:  “You’re only given a little spark of madness. You mustn’t’ lose it.”

    Indeed!

    Books and DVDs by Jillian Michaels:

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