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Encouragement: Ending May with Some Thoughts on Hope!

5/31/2019

Spring is always a welcomed sight after our beautiful, but cold winters. It is a time when flowers begin to bloom and the air seems crisper and clearer. This May was filled with showers of rain and sunshine, usually in the same day. We have covered a lot of subjects this month. Hopefully, they were helpful to you.

We found out how to lower our blood pressure naturally. Hopefully, someone has been able to use that information and it helped them.

I hope during May you started a walking routine, if you didn't already have one. Walking is the best exercise anyone can do. I even saw a man in a wheelchair "walking" his dog in the park the other day. There are very, very few people who can not walk for exercise. It takes a change of thinking sometimes, it takes "making yourself go" even when you don't feel like it, it takes making a decision to do something good for your health.

I use the word "hope" and "hopefully" a lot in my blog, if you haven't noticed. The reason is this, I believe in hope. I believe we should have hope in our future, no matter how old we are. I believe we should have hope in what we can accomplish and then do it. I believe in the hope of better health and a longer life because of the way we live. Finally, I believe in the hope that no matter what illness or injury we sustain, we will have the hope of healing and improved health. I hope we will not lose hope in ourselves no matter how old we are.

Here are a few thoughts of men and women along with scriptures on HOPE:

"Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing,
that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost."
Romans 15:13 NKJV

"Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement.
Nothing can be done without hope and confidence."
Helen Keller - Author, Died Age 88

"Hope lies in dreams, in imagination,
and in the courage of those who dare to make dreams into reality."
Jonas Salk - American Scientist, Died Age 81

"For I know the thoughts (plans) that I think toward you, says the Lord,
thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."
Jeremiah 29:11

"A little more persistence, a little more effort,
and what seemed hopeless failure
may turn to glorious success."
Elbert Hubbard - American Writer, Died Age 59

"Love recognizes no barriers.
It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls
to arrive at its destination full of hope."
Maya Angelou - American Poet, Died Age 86

"Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness."
Desmond Tutu - South African Leader, Alive Age 88

In a nutshell, all of these quotes and scriptures are saying the same thing. They are saying that hope is the key to happiness, success, accomplishments, and everything else positive in our life. So find that hope within yourself and put it to good use!

Do you see hope despite all the negatives in your life? Do you love yourself as well as others enough to turn your desires or plans into action? For example, have you started your walking routine?

XOXO

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Health and Wellness: Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure - For the Over 50!

5/24/2019

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As we age, our bodies change and not always for the better. Often we find that we have hypertension when we have always had perfect blood pressure.
We try to eat right, but we still find our blood pressure elevated. To make matters worse, the standards for normal blood pressure numbers change.
At one time 140/80 was considered healthy, now it's below 120/79. If you have a blood pressure reading of 130/80 or higher you have high blood pressure.

The following is the new standard for blood pressure numbers according to the American Heart Association:

What do you do if you have elevated numbers?
High blood pressure or even borderline high blood pressure?

You have options:

One is to take medications. This may be your only option if you have tried everything else or if your blood pressure is dangerously high. Your doctor will know if medication is required. Take your medication if it decided that you need it. This doesn't mean you will be on it forever. You can use option Two at the same time.
Two is to try make lifestyle changes that will lower your blood pressure. You can try this by itself if your blood pressure is borderline or slightly elevated, otherwise try this along with your prescribed medication.

Lifestyle Changes can be:

Walk and Exercise Regularly: 150 minutes of moderate per week or 75 minutes of vigorous per week
Reduce sodium: We get sodium from a lot of our foods - canned, some frozen, and even some raw. We don't really need to add salt to our food. Try to get used to unsalted food. It has two benefits: You may reduce your blood pressure and you will learn to love the real flavor of your food and not the salted version.
Drink less alcohol: Always good advice.
Eat Potassium Rich Foods: bananas, leafy greens, sweet potatoes, potatoes, tomatoes, melons, avocados, oranges, apricots, just to name a few.
Consume Milk and Yogurt.
Eat Tuna and Salmon.
Eat nuts and seeds.
Add beans to your diet.
Cut back on caffeine.
Manage stress: Use breathing exercises, yoga, meditation.
Consume a little Dark Chocolate and Cocoa.
Lose Weight.
Stop smoking.
Eliminate added sugars and refined carbs.
Eat berries: Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, just to name a few.
Eat Calcium Rich Foods.
Take Supplements (natural when possible, but any kind is better than nothing):

Garlic - tablet form or spice added to food
Berberine - a chemical found in several plants such as barberry, goldenseal, goldthread, Oregon grape, phellodendron, tree tumeric, etc., taken by mouth for diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.
Whey Protein
Fish Oil - preferably wild caught sources, krill, salmon - but any fish oil is better than none.
Hibiscus in the form of a tea.
Magnesium as capsule or powder added to drinks or water.

WARNING:
As with all medications, be sure to check out the side effects of supplements and medications before you start taking them. Also, check with your doctor especially if you take medications, some supplements interact poorly with certain medications.

If you are concerned about your blood pressure or if you have higher than normal readings, after you check with your doctor, try these suggestions.

Hopefully, you can lower your high blood pressure.

Do you have high blood pressure and want to lower it without medications? Have you ever tried these ideas and if so, did they help? Do you control your high blood pressure using these or any combination of these suggestions? Do you have any suggestions or comments about the information in this article?

XOXO

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Health and Wellness: Beverages and Aging - Good Drinks vs Not So Good Drinks

5/17/2019

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Many articles are written about super foods, power foods, organic foods, meat and just food in general. We can find recipes for food all over the internet. Once in a while you will see an article or recipe for a beverage - usually a smoothie or a tea.

Beverages are the hidden thorns in our side. Some are really good for us, other just plain bad, and some look healthy, but are not. Many of us don't consider a beverage a food. Some don't count the calories of beverages in their diets or pay attention to the ingredients.

As women (and men) over 50, we have to adjust our thinking about beverages due to our age and/or health issues. When we were younger we could get away (most of the time) with excesses in our alcohol, sugar, and caffeine beverage consumption.

However, as we get older, our weight, our blood sugar, or circulatory system, and many other factors, must be considered before we down a soda, a third or fourth mixed drink, or even a glass of orange juice.
Hopefully, this week's blog post will help you in making those choices.

Let's look at a few beverages and make up our own minds about "beverages" - the good and the bad.
Facts:

Fact #1: Some beverages have hidden sugars in them, making them unhealthy.

Fact #2: Some beverages that are advertised as "healthy or energizing" are actually dangerous to your health due to additives.

Fact #3: Clean water is the best beverage for your body - period!

Fact #4: Alcohol consumption is actually good for the health of some people, but not everyone. (The problem here is the definition of moderate and the drinker's tendency towards alcoholism.)

There are a few who believe the only healthy beverage is water. The following list of beverages are considered by most to be healthy:

Clean water
Green or White Tea (Even Black teas have health benefits)
Coffee (in moderation, no more than 1-2 cups per day)

The following list are what I call the "iffie" drinks. They have the potential to be healthy, “if” they are done right (but they rarely are):

1. Alcohol (Wine specifically)
2. Fruit Juices
3. Smoothies
4. Kombucha and all other pro-biotic drinks

The last list contains beverages that are of no nutritional value and in some cases harmful to your health:

1. All sodas - sweet and sugar free (diet)
2. Mixed Alcoholic Drinks
3. Any drink with artificial sweeteners
4. Beer
5. All alcoholic liquers (including sake and other alternative forms)
6. Flavored waters that contain either sugar or artificial sweeteners
7. Energy drinks
8. Sports drinks (Gatoraide)

The good list is short, I agree; however, if you drink the amount of water recommended by the experts every day, you really won't want a lot of other beverages.
The benefits of green and white teas are strong and unsweetened, they are perfect for health and weight loss.

While there is no concrete proof as studies are still out, coffee does seem to have health benefits as long as you don't over do it. It shows reduction in sugar levels in Type 2 Diabetic patients.

Also, Health.com:

Half of Americans start their day with coffee,
and according to a recent study,
working out after downing a cup of java
may offer a weight-loss advantage.

The Spanish study, published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, found that trained athletes:

Who took in caffeine pre-exercise
burned about 15% more calories
for three hours post-exercise,
compared to those who ingested a placebo.

(See http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/coffee-new-health-food#1 for more information.)

The beverages on the "iffie" list have potential to be healthy, but most are ruined by excess caffeine additives, artificial sweeteners, high sugar content, artificial flavors or dyes, and some have questionable additives such as guarana.

"Guarana is a plant named for the Guarani tribe in the Amazon, who used the seeds to brew a drink. Today, guarana seeds are still used as medicine.

Guarana is used for weight loss, to enhance athletic performance, as a stimulant, and to reduce mental and physical fatigue. It is a frequent addition to energy and weight loss products. Some people also use guarana to treat low blood pressure and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), and to prevent malaria and dysentery. It is also used to enhance sexual desire, to increase urine flow, and as an astringent.

Other uses include treatment of ongoing diarrhea, fever, heart problems, headache, joint pain, backache, and heat stress. In food manufacturing, guarana has been used as a flavoring ingredient in beverages and candy.

How does it work? Guarana contains caffeine. Caffeine works by stimulating the central nervous system (CNS), heart, and muscles. Guarana also contains theophylline and theobromine, which are chemicals similar to caffeine."

( www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-935-GUARANA.aspx?activeIngredientId=935&activeIngredientName=GUARANA )

Wine is said to be a healthy beverage and it is within reason. A serving (5 oz) per day has some health benefits, but the caloric content can ruin a diet (averages 127 calories per 5 oz serving).

"While the news about red wine might sound great if you enjoy a glass of red wine with your evening meal, doctors are wary of encouraging anyone to start drinking alcohol,
especially if you have a family history of alcohol abuse.
Too much alcohol can have many harmful effects on your body."
( www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/in-depth/red-wine/ART-20048281 )

Most fruit juice is high in sugar, both natural fruit sugars and added sugar. It can spike blood sugar and then drop blood sugar just as quickly. If you dilute fruit juice with sparkling water or club soda, it can turn it into a tasty, healthier beverage. (I like to add club soda to cranberry-grape or cranberry-apple juice. I mix 6 oz of club soda with 2 oz of juice in an 8 oz glass. This cuts sugar and calories way down and still tastes really good.)

As far as energy and sports drinks go, I feel that I can recover just as good with water enhanced with electrolytes and minerals. If I feel my blood sugar has taken a drop I opt for a piece of fruit over the juice or sports drink. It works for me. It also keeps the caloric intake down and I get no artificial ingredients such as dyes or extra caffeine.

"An energy drink is a type of beverage containing stimulant drugs, usually including caffeine, which is marketed as providing mental and physical stimulation. They may or may not be carbonated and many also contain sugar or other sweeteners, herbal extracts, taurine, and amino acids."
(www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_drink )

Kombucha - What in the world is that, you may be asking - well, it is a fermented tea beverage that is a probiotic. When done right it is a healthy, low calorie, no sugar, and really tasty beverage.

(DISCLAIMER: These lists are compiled using research based on available information and my own experiences. I am not telling you what you should or should not drink. I am not an expert, but a lot of this is just common sense and your own preferences. I have found for myself that the less sugar, calories, and artificial ingredients I consume, the better I feel.)

What is your beverage of choice after a workout? Do you crave sugar and drink sugary beverages? Do you intend to change your beverage choices in the future? Do you read labels to find out if your beverage has any artificial colors (dyes), sugars (both natural and artificial), or unusual ingredients (taurine caffeine or taurine)?

XOXO

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Health: 7 Steps to Better Walking! Get the exercise you need in a better way!

5/10/2019

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If you have read very many of my blogs, you know that I love to walk.
I think everyone could benefit from a good walk everyday. There are some things that can enhance your walking experience and if you are walking to lose weight will help you in that area also.

Here are 7 good steps to better walking:

Set a goal. Start small and gradually increase as you progress. Getting a pedometer or a Fitbit type of device will help you and make it more fun when you check your progress. Set a realistic goal for your own abilities and goals. If it's 500 steps, then go for it. If it's 10,000 steps then go for it. No matter how small or how ambitious your goal – set one!
Always stretch a little prior to your walk. This doesn't have to be a major session. Just take a minute or two and stretch out your legs, back, and core before you trek out the door.
Allow for a warm up at the beginning of your walk and a cool down at the end. This is important. Five minutes for each is a good number. The five minutes warm up can be your stretching time...but also remember to start walking slowing.
As you're walking try to increase your pace off and on. Walk normal for 5-10 minutes, then faster for 5 or so minutes, then return to normal for 5-10 minutes. This will get your heart rate up and help you strengthen your heart and burn more calories.
Change the scenery now and then. Walking the same old path day after day can get old. Try to walk some place new when you feel bored walking the same route. You can walk your neighborhood, change it up by walking new streets; you can park walk, if you have more than one then walk them on rotation; go downtown or to a town near you and walk those sidewalks as you window shop, and eat lunch down town for encouragement.
Add weights. You can add small hand weights (2 lbs in each hand, or 5 lbs in each hand, etc.) or you can add ankle weights. Most ankle weights have removable weights that can be taken out or added in depending on the amount of weight you want to carry. Don't over do it at first, start light and work your way up.
Be consistent. Set certain days to walk. I walk 5 out of 7 days. You can walk 2 days a week or more, every other day to allow you to recover, or every day if you choose. You set the schedule and it can be adjusted as you need. But! Go, even if you aren't in the mood, go and walk anyway, it will change your attitude about a bad day, open up creativity, or just give you a break from life. !

Just Do It!

There are other tips but these are 7 that are easy to implement and will make your daily walks much more fun and more productive.

Do you have any suggestions on enhancing your walk? What do you do to keep your walks fun, interesting, and productive to your health goals? Do you find it easy or hard to stay motivated to walk a certain number of times a week?

XOXO

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Life: Grief Classes, Emotional Pain, and Our Lives After Age 50

5/3/2019

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"Old friends pass away,
new friends appear.
It is just like the days.
An old day passes,
a new day arrives.
The important thing is
to make it meaningful:
a meaningful friend - or a meaningful day."
- Dalai Lama -
Author Profession: Leader
Nationality:
Born: July 6, 1935

Last month I started participating in a new grief group at my church. There were about eighteen women and one man in the group. I decided to take this class so that I can learn more about dying, grieving, and issues related to death and share what I learn. In order to help anyone, I need to keep learning and talking to people to gain more knowledge.

During the first meeting, almost everyone told why they were there. Many of the participants had lost husbands, some lost parents, and a few lost children. Everyone was in pain. Most of the participants had recent losses or within the last couple of years, but a few were still feeling pain many years after the loss.

While in Oklahoma visiting my family last week, I met a couple of people who had lost loved ones. One in particular sticks in my mind. She was a grandmother who had taken care of her 18 year old grandson since he was 6 years old. I met her grandson and she has done a wonderful job with her grandson, he is a gentleman.

The reason this lady sticks in my mind is because the death of her 20 month old daughter is still very fresh on her heart after 20 plus years. Her daughter died when she walked in the path of her grandfather's tractor. He died of depression and grief five and a half years later. The lady said her husband never recovered from the accident and the guilt he felt.

My sister was at the same table with us and until this was brought up, she was silent. After the subject of this lady's loss, my sister stepped in full speed. She shared her own story of the loss of her only daughter, my niece. After that, these two women (my sister and this grandmother) had created a bond. A bond that no one could create unless you have lost a child. It was wonderful to see this in action.

The grief meetings I have attended and this lady, have lead me to a new epiphany. Please don't take this lightly. It may sound like common sense, but until these experiences it didn't really set in:

"We never know what someone else
is going through if we don't talk to them.
We must be willing to step outside our comfort zone to start a conversation with a stranger or go to some place new to meet new people (such as the grief meeting)."

Communication in our present world is suffering. There are a number of situations that demonstrate this communication crisis we are experiencing:

Younger and younger children are refusing to listen to parents. Compared to when I grew up, you had to listen to your parents (and obey) with no questions asked.
Young adults don't always feel responsibility for caring for older parents or grandparents any longer and can and do go for long periods of time without even speaking to them.
Often husbands and wives are both working and involved in activities where they barely see each other and if not for an occasional text or phone call, rarely communicate, just for pleasure.
Texting, social media posts and comments, emails, voicemail, and rare phone calls have replaced sitting on the front porch and talking, or conversation at the dinner table, and often those little discussions right before you drift off to sleep.
Many times when someone goes out for some reason, they are in such a hurry or are so focused on the task, that they fail to notice other people around them and rarely strike up conversations with anyone.
Some people don't even know who their neighbors are or they don't develop friendships with them.

Basically, we are so digitally addicted, we are deprived in the human skill of actual communication. If we spent more time noticing other people and speaking to them, we would discover there are a lot of lonely people out there (not to mention people who need someone to talk to).

As we age, our social group decreases in size (most of the time). Many of our friends and family have either passed on, moved on, or have become ill and unable to maintain a friendship.

If we don't continually seek opportunities to meet new people and hopefully, increase the size of our social group, we will suffer mentally,
emotionally, and sometimes even physically.

My challenge to you is to start today - right where you are - and make a list of places or things you can go to or do that will bring you into a new group of people. Places where you can meet new people and develop new friendships.

You will be surprised to learn that many people are just as much in need of new friendships as you are. You won't meet new people by sitting in front of the television or sleeping all day.

By joining this grief group, I have learned more about people I already knew and our friendships are much stronger because of it. There are negatives here, I mean we are discussing death, but the positives are wonderful ones.

It helps to know people going through the same thing you are going through, no matter what that may be.

Do you actively seek new friendships? Where do you go to meet new people? Have you ever felt you have met someone for a reason? Please share your experiences and start a discussion. Help someone who may be going through a rough time.

XOXO

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Encouragement: Ending May with Some Thoughts on Hope!

Health and Wellness: Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure - For the Over 50!

Health and Wellness: Beverages and Aging - Good Drinks vs Not So Good Drinks

Health: 7 Steps to Better Walking! Get the exercise you need in a better way!

Life: Grief Classes, Emotional Pain, and Our Lives After Age 50

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Encouragement: Ending May with Some Thoughts on Hope!

Health and Wellness: Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure - For the Over 50!

Health and Wellness: Beverages and Aging - Good Drinks vs Not So Good Drinks

Health: 7 Steps to Better Walking! Get the exercise you need in a better way!

Life: Grief Classes, Emotional Pain, and Our Lives After Age 50

My mission​

Categories

Archives

About

Blog

Contact

My mission