Drink to Your Health

Water is the Healthy Beverage

Now that summer is on the way, I’d like to help you start the season off in a healthy way by encouraging you to add an important ingredient to your diet — water.  We need to be drinking enough water all year round but it is even more important in the summer when we lose more water due to heat and perspiration.

Your body weight is made up of 50 – 75% water depending on your size.  Many bodily systems only function at optimum levels when you are well hydrated.  For example, water transports nutrients and oxygen throughout the body keeping your immune system strong.  It prevents illness by carrying toxins out of the body.  And studies have shown that water helps the body to metabolize stored fat.
 
There’s a good chance that your body may be dehydrated if you experience any one or more of the following problems:
 
– dry skin or eyes
– fogginess or fatigue
– constipation
– low mental performance
– dizziness
– low blood pressure
– sore joints
– swollen feet, legs or hands
 
We usually don’t think about drinking water until we feel thirsty.  But by then the body is already dehydrated.  Most of us know that we should drink more water yet we usually forget, so here are some ways you might remind yourself:

1. Purchase a large water bottle and make it a point to finish at least 3 a day.
2. Keep a bottle of water in your car, your office or briefcase. Make sure the bottle is made of a “safe” plastic (to avoid chemicals leaching into the water) or use glass or stainless steel.
3. Drink a large glass of water before every meal.
4. Write the word “water” on a card and place it where you will see it every day.
5. Set an alarm to ring every hour and drink a glass of water when it goes off.
    

Under certain circumstances you will need to drink more than the recommended 8 glasses of water a day.  For example, if you exercise regularly you’ll need to drink more.  And, if you drink alcohol or caffeine, you’ll need an extra glass for every drink you have (both cause dehydration).
 
Stop and check in with your body right now.  Are you thirsty? Does your skin feel dry?  Is your thinking clear or foggy?  Make it your goal to increase your water consumption every day.  You’ll know you’ve created a new healthy habit when you find yourself automatically reaching for more water throughout the day.

Baby Boomer Health: Make Friends With Probiotics

If you view bacteria as only being associated with illness and disease, then you may want to take a closer look.  Our bodies actually require certain bacteria to stay healthy.  These “friendly” bacteria, called probiotics, can provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition. 

Did you know that about 70% percent of your body’s immune system is located in the digestive tract?  Definitely a good reason to keep that part of the body healthy! Taking drugs such antibiotics, penicillin, steroids and birth control pills, and issues such as yeasts and fungus, irritable bowel syndrome, colitis and some cancers can decrease intestinal flora. Research has shown that consuming certain specific probiotics on a regular basis can help strengthen the body’s natural defenses, or improve digestive health, particularly in folks over 60 who have far fewer friendly bacteria in the gut than others. 

I can be friendly

Probiotics can be taken as supplements or as components of fermented milk, products such as kefir, yogurt and cheeses or fermented vegetable products like sauerkraut. Generally, supplements contain a greater number and variety of bacteria and are therefore more effective than yogurt which is required to only contain two starter cultures.  A recommended dosage for supplements is between one billion and ten billion bacteria per day. More is better!

The bacteria should be stored properly (refrigerated in dark glass) and taken between meals to avoid the acidity of the stomach which can dissolve them. Products should list the number of viable bacteria and carry an expiration date to ensure freshness.  Taking the bacteria as a powder is preferable since they can be damaged when formed into tablets and capsules.  For long-term benefits, bacteria should be taken on a regular basis to maintain a healthy balance of bacteria in the intestinal tract.

 
Scientific studies have demonstrated that conditions commonly experienced by aging Baby Boomers —constipation, calcium deficiency and a weakening of the immune system — are all improved by probiotics. So maybe it’s time to start thinking of bacteria as friends rather than foes!

Tips for the Calorie Conscious Baby Boomer

Eating Too Much?

Is overeating an issue for you?  Here are some tips that might help:

1.  Take smaller bites and chew your food more slowly. Take at least 20 minutes to consume a meal because that’s how long it takes for your body to give you the “I’ve had enough” message.  Taking longer to eat will make you feel as though you are actually eating more. 

 
2.  Sit down to eat.  If you stand or eat on the run, you are more likely to eat more food. Making it a point to sit down while eating will help you think about how much you are consuming.

 
3.  Change to smaller plates. You will feel as if you are eating more than if you put a small amount of food on a large plate.

 
4.  Drink a 12-ounce glass of water before eating.  It will take up room in your stomach and make you feel less hungry. Sometimes you are really thirsty rather than hungry. If the sensation of hunger comes on in an instant, it usually means you are thirsty.  Feelings of hunger generally come on more slowly.

 
5.  Wait 10 minutes before having a snack.  It will often make you realize you weren’t hungry at all.  Between meal snacks are often impulsive acts. 

 
6.  Keep the “right stuff” where you can see it.  Make foods such as fruits and vegetables readily available by keeping them in the front of the refrigerator.

 
7.  Avoid eating distractions.  If you find you are constantly eating too much food, then you may want to consider reducing distractions during your meal. A French study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (August 2001) reported that women who ate lunch while listening to a detective story consumed significantly more calories than when eating without distractions, even though their hunger level was the same. So the next time you sit down for lunch or dinner, turn off the phone, the television and any other distraction.

Boomer Health: To See or Not to See!

Aside from aging eyes, you might also find yourself suffering from eyestrain particularly if you spend a considerable amount of time in front of the computer. Long hours staring at a screen often cause us to forget to blink and replenish moisture to our eyes. 

 
Here are a couple of ways in which you can relieve eyestrain.

 
• Rub your hands together briskly for 10 seconds, generating heat. Close your eyes and place your palms over your eyes, resting the heels of your hands on your cheekbones and your fingertips on your forehead. Do not apply pressure.  Hold your hands in place for at least one minute while you relax your facial muscles and breathe deeply.  The deep breathing together with the warmth of your palms combines to relax the muscles around your eyes.

 
• Eye rolls.  Keeping your eyes open, roll them around in clockwise circles, then anti-clockwise circles.  Do each direction for about 15 or so rolls. Begin slowly and gradually increase your speed, ensuring that you roll your eyes in as wide a circle as you can.  This stretches and tones the eye muscles and increases blood circulation.

Boomer Health: Concerned about Swine Flu?

With all the press about swine flu, I thought I’d share what I would take if it seemed I might be exposed. This natural remedy would, in fact, be excellent for any type of flu. May not be the tastiest concoction for some folks but would definitely give the flu bug a “run for its money”!

Enjoy!
The Master Tonic: A Natural Antibiotic

by Richard Schulze, University of Natural Healing
Based on a tonic by Dr. John Christopher

Raw unfiltered unbleached non-distilled apple cider vinegar
1 part fresh chopped garlic cloves
1 part fresh chopped white onion (or hottest onions)
1 part fresh grated ginger root
1 part fresh grated horseradish root
1 part fresh chopped cayenne peppers or the hottest peppers available, i.e. habanero, African Bird, or Scotch Bonnets, etc.

Fill a glass jar 3/4 of the way full with equal parts by volume (i.e. a cupful each) of the above fresh chopped and grated herbs. Then fill jar to the top with raw, unfiltered, unbleached, non-distilled apple cider vinegar. Close and shake vigorously and then top off the vinegar if necessary.

Shake at least once a day for two weeks, then filter the mixture through a clean piece of cotton (cheesecloth, old T-shirt, etc.), bottle and label. Make sure that when you make this tonic that you shake it every time you walk by it, a minimum of once per day. Remember that all the herbs and vegetables should be fresh (and organically grown if possible) and use dried herbs only in an emergency.

This tonic is extremely powerful because all the ingredients are fresh. Its power should not be underestimated.  It stimulates maximum blood circulation, while putting the best detoxifying herbs into the blood.

The dosage is 1/2 to 1 ounce, two or more times daily (1- 2 Tbs.). Gargle and swallow. (Don’t dilute with water.)

For ordinary infections, 1 dropper full taken 5-6 times a day will deal with most conditions. It can be used during pregnancies, is safe for children (use smaller doses) and as a food is completely non-toxic. Make up plenty as it does not need refrigeration and lasts indefinitely without any special storage conditions.

Ingredient properties:

– Garlic cloves (anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, anti-parasitical)

– White Onion, or hottest onions available (similar properties to garlic)

– Ginger Root (increases circulation to the extremities)

– Horseradish Root (increases blood flow to the head)

– Cayenne Peppers, or the hottest peppers available – a great blood stimulant

– Probiotic – antiviral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-parasitical

All material is provided for informational or educational purposes only. Please consult a physician regarding the applicability of any opinions or recommendations with respect to your symptoms or condition.

We are a Sleep-Deprived Nation

We sleep for 18-22 hours a day

Do you often complain that you need more sleep? A 2002 sleep survey done by the National Sleep Foundation showed that almost 74% of Americans do not get enough sleep at night. Before Edison invented the light bulb, people slept for about 10 hours, on average.  That number is now 6 hours!

Without adequate periods of rest for physical and mental repair, you may not be able to function at your peak. Here are some of the short-term consequences of not getting enough sleep:

• Decreased daytime alertness 
• Impaired memory and cognitive ability, the ability to think and process information
• More than double the risk of sustaining an occupational injury
• Impaired immune system
• Stressed relationships & poor quality of life

Over the long term you may be faced with:

• High blood pressure
• Heart attack or heart failure
• Stroke
• Weight Gain
• Depression and other mood disorders
• Mental impairment
• Increased mortality risk
• Relationship problems
• Diabetes

The amount of sleep you need depends on many factors, including physical activity, emotional issues, diet and of course, age. Infants need 16 hours a day; teenagers – 9 hours on average; most adults – 7 to 8 hours and women in the first 3 months of pregnancy often need several more hours of sleep than usual.

Our internal body clock governs our daily or circadian rhythm – telling us when to wake up and when to feel sleepy.  In future posts I will give you some solutions for insomnia but right now you might want to visit an interesting site that allows you to do a very short test, the results of which produce a chart showing your natural sleeping and waking pattern over a 24-hour period. If you’re finding it difficult to get enough sleep, it could be that your natural body clock is at odds with your routine.

Check it out at – http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/sleep/crt/

Got a Cold?

Over the last few weeks a number of people in my office have come down with colds so I thought this would be a good time to mention a few natural remedies to help combat the common cold.

Astragalus – builds up the body’s resistance to colds and flu by stimulating the immune system to help kill and protect against viruses. It also helps protect the liver and builds up the blood.

Goldenseal – a natural antibiotic and anti-viral. It boosts the immune system, helps the mucous membranes, and relieves upper respiratory infections and sore throats.

Garlic – boosts the immune system, relieves respiratory infections and helps fight infection from bacteria and viruses.

Ginger – a natural anti-inflammatory that eases headaches and muscle pain with anti-viral properties to kill cold viruses and relieve strep throat.

Willow bark – a natural painkiller to relieve fever, mild headaches and inflammation associated with colds and flu. My favorite as an alternative to aspirin, ibuprofen and other over-the-counter pain relievers.

My Mother swears by the following remedy – to a cup of tea, add a shot of rum, some fresh lemon juice and honey.  Delicious!

Lemon – is a good source of vitamin C.  It has long been thought to boost the immune system and shorten the duration and/or prevent the common cold. It helps acidify the body, stimulates digestion and elimination, and acts as a natural antiseptic.

Honey – is an anti-bacterial, soothes the throat, and is a good source of antioxidants. Raw, unfiltered honey provides the most benefit.

All material is provided for informational or educational purposes only. Please consult a physician regarding the applicability of any opinions or recommendations with respect to your symptoms or condition.

Baby Boomer Health Tip: Breathe for Stress Relief and Anti-Aging

Deep breathing provides the body with numerous benefits. It is a simple but very effective method of relaxation.  It is an easy stress reliever that has numerous benefits for the body, including oxygenating the blood (which ‘wakes up’ the brain), relaxing muscles and quieting the mind. It can help you reduce muscle tension and manage the effects of the fight-or-flight response on your body. This is particularly important if you need to think clearly and perform precisely when you are under pressure.

Breathing exercises are especially helpful because you can do them anywhere, and they work quickly so you can de-stress in a flash.

As we go through life we pick up bad breathing habits. Being in a hurry most of the time, the increased stress of modern living and negative emotional states (anger, excitement, frustration) all impact the way we breathe, causing it to be shallow and fast. We become more fatigued since oxygen is important to energy production and our immune system is impaired so that we are more susceptible to disease.  Shallow breathing has also been linked to dizziness, fatigue, stomach problems, gas, sleep disorders, anxiety, muscle cramps, and chest pain

Degenerative diseases and premature aging start with low oxygen levels so start today with this simple exercise.
 
Place a hand on your abdomen, below your navel. Inhale slowly and deeply, feeling your abdomen rise beneath your hand as you fill with air. Exhale slowly, feeling your hand sink as you use your diaphragm to push the air out. Continue to breathe this way, focusing on using your diaphragm instead of your chest to move the air in and out of your body.  Remember to breathe through your nose, not your mouth.

Now take a number of deep breaths and relax your body further with each breath.  That’s all there is to it!