Last Wishes

Making your last wishes known no matter what age you are is important. Of course, it is vital to live in the moment, but it is also important to prepare for the future. You never know what the future holds. According to a 1991 Gallup poll, 75% of Americans feel advance directives are a good idea, yet only 20% actually complete them. By preparing an advance directive ahead of time, you can make sure your decisions are thoughtful and the right decisions.

How to Alleviate Pain

Finding methods to alleviate pain is very important. When a person feels pain, they may be much more unlikely to exercise or keep moving. This is very harmful for the body as exercise and movement are vital. Pain could also result in moodiness. A possible option for pain alleviation is CBD. Many people are quite skeptical of CBD, but it is a great pain reliever.

CBD or cannabidiol is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in the hemp plant. CBD consists of several health benefits. It interacts with receptors that send signals to wake up and strengthen the immune system naturally. There are many ways to add CBD to your life. There are CBD oils that you can drop under the tongue. You can also inhale and exhale the vapor produced by a vaporizer. You can eat CBD edibles as food or another substance into the body by swallowing. There is also a topical CBD cream that you can apply directly onto your skin. All of these options will help alleviate pain, inflammation, and discomfort.

There are also alternative homeopathic methods including acupuncture, auriculotherapy, reflexology, and reiki.

Success Starts With Positivity

Your mind is like a computer. Everyday you take in all new types of information, some that could be beneficial and others that could be harmful. This information could soon become good or bad memories. Just like a computer, you must program your mind for success. If you tell yourself you will succeed, you will. If you tell yourself you will fail, you will fail. In order to achieve success, you must remove all the negative memories in your mind with positive ones.

Steps to removing negative memories:

1. Identify the negative thought that causes your unhappiness
2. Release the thought
3. Replace it with positive thoughts
4. Repeat these positive thoughts in the form of affirmations frequently until you achieve your goal

In short terms: identify, release, replace, and repeat.

A great way to remember positive thoughts is to keep a journal. Everyday, you should write at least two things for which you are grateful.

Summer 2019 Golf Tournament

Spent the day supporting Benchmark One Company Fund at their 9th Annual North Golf Classic! It was an excellent way to give back to the community. We were able to make an impact while keeping our bodies active!

Oxidative Stress

Oxidative stress is an imbalance between free radicals and
antioxidants in the body. When there are more free radicals than antioxidants,
the free radicals could begin causing damage in the body. They could start
damaging fatty tissue, DNA, and proteins. Over time, these damages can lead to
diseases like diabetes, atherosclerosis which is the hardening of blood
vessels, inflammatory conditions, hypertension, heart disease,
neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s, and cancer. Also,
oxidative stress contributes to aging.

Ways to minimize oxidative stress

The most effective way is increasing your levels of
antioxidants. Eating five servings of fruits and vegetables a day is the best
way to provide your body what it needs to produce antioxidants. Fruits and
vegetables rich in antioxidants include apples, berries, raisins, red grapes, prunes,
plums, onions, alfalfa sprouts, beans, and eggplant. The best way for your body
to benefit from these nutrients is by eating them raw. Boiling or overcooking
veggies only lower their nutrient content. Other ways to minimize oxidative
stress is regular exercise, no smoking, wearing sunscreen, getting plenty of
sleep, decreasing alcohol intake, and avoiding overeating.

Fruits and Vegetables

Now that it is summer, farmers markets are a lot more
common! Buying fruits and vegetables at local farmers markets would be beneficial
for your body and support local farmers. It is an easy way to get all the nutritional
fruits and veggies that your body needs. In fact, people should be eating 9 to
13 fruits and vegetables a day. These vital nutrients will help give you energy,
detoxify from free radicals, cleanse your blood and keep it pumping freely
through your body, keep your skin healthy, improve your immune system,
strengthen your bones and teeth, and improve your overall health!

Why should we take daily walks?

1. Reduces stress
2. Allows one to lose weight by walking just for 30 minutes a day
3. Lowers blood pressure
4. Decreases the risk of many cancers
5. Improves immune system functioning
6. Improves quality of sleep
7. Keeps you energized
8. Decreases snack-cravings during and after a 15-minute walk
9. Reduces chronic back pain
10. Improves memory
11. Increases creativity
12. Helps clear your mind
13. Makes your bones stronger
14. Improves concentration

Reminders for the summer!

As the summer and heat continue, it is very important to take care of your body. Hydration is a vital aspect of a healthy body not only in the summertime, but all year round. During the hot months, a lot of our electrolytes and water in our body get depleted from sweating. So, make sure to always keep a water bottle around! Also, while beach days are a lot of fun, they are only fun if you remember to apply sunscreen. There are many damaging effects that could result from not wearing sunscreen. The most obvious effect of not wearing sunscreen is getting a sunburn. Although the sunburn may disappear within a few days, the effect may show up in a few years as skin cancer. Severe sunburns could also lead to sun poisoning. By not wearing sunscreen, you are putting your skin at risk of sun spots and speeding up the overall effects of aging. In the summer, heat stroke is also a concern. In order to avoid heat stroke eat hydrating foods like watermelon, drinks plenty of water, avoid direct sunlight, stay in air-conditioning, and avoid sugary drinks and alcohol. Have fun this summer, but be safe!

Arthritis

Arthritis is inflammation of one or more joints. Symptoms of arthritis include joint pain and stiffness. The two main types are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis involves wear-and-tear damage to cartilage in the joints. In rheumatoid arthritis, it is the body’s immune system attacking lining of the joint capsule. This disease could eventually destroy cartilage and bone within the joint.

Ways to improve arthritis

Exercises helps increase strength and flexibility, reduces joint pain, and fights fatigue. People may think that exercise will only worsen the pain, but actually it only benefits arthritis. Any type of range-of-motion exercise would be helpful in relieving stiffness and increasing movement. Strengthening exercises help build strong muscles to help support and protect joints. Weight training is an example of a strengthening exercise. Aerobic exercise can help improve overall fitness. Aerobic exercises that are easier on the joints include walking, bicycling, and swimming. Any type of movement can help! Paying attention to your diet can help you lessen the symptoms of arthritis. Omega-3 has proven to be anti-inflammatory which can help with arthritis flare-ups. Avoid omega-6 fatty acids because it has been shown to actually boost inflammation. Increase your intake of fruits and vegetables. Adding broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts to your daily diet can decrease inflammation. Fruits that decrease inflammation include cherries, blueberries, and strawberries.

International Day of Yoga

Not only is tomorrow World Alzheimer’s Day, but it is also International Day of Yoga. Remember to wear purple for Alzheimer’s Day! Yoga has many benefits for the mind and body. It helps build strength, flexibility, and mind-body awareness. It is an excellent method of reducing stress. So tomorrow make sure to wear purple, spread awareness for Alzheimer’s, and attend a yoga class!