Pesticides Hurt Your Brain

Parkinson's disease is second only to Alzheimer's when it comes to neurological disorders. People with Parkinson's disease experience an imbalance in their brain chemistry that leads to tremors and problems with muscular control.

This devastating neurological condition affects more than a million Americans.

Research shows that there is a link between exposure to certain pesticides and the development of Parkinson's disease. Scientists believe that compounds in the pesticides interact with certain genetic factors to trigger the onset of Parkinson's disease.

If you've been exposed to high levels of pesticides or herbicides in your lifetime, you may be at higher risk for Parkinson's disease. That means that you might benefit from taking preventative action. There are many safe, natural ways to reduce your Parkinson's disease risk.

Drink Coffee: Studies indicate that people who drink between one and four cups of coffee each day are less likely to develop Parkinson's. Scientists aren't sure why, but they think the caffeine may have a protective effect.

Exercise Regularly: People who are very active in their free time—those who dance, bike, hike, swim, or play a sport like tennis—are significantly lower risk.

Eat Foods Rich in Vitamin E: People who eat foods rich in vitamin E also lower their risk. Avocados, nuts and sunflower seeds are all good choices for boosting dietary vitamin E intake. Plus you get the added bonus of more fiber.

If you know you've been exposed to high levels of pesticides in your life, then you are at greater risk for this degenerative disease. By making these three small changes, you can help to protect your brain and your quality of life.


Stay well,
Danny Wallace

Secrets to a Happy Relationship

Relationships are an important part of a healthy life. If your primary relationship—the one you share with your spouse or lifelong partner—is healthy and happy, you'll tend to be healthier, and well, happier.

So with half of committed couples splitting up, what is it that keeps that other half together?

Too many couples put their relationships on autopilot. It's like you see in the movies—the guy and girl get together and that's the end… all the rest is just cruise control. Nothing interesting. No problems. No work. But no fun, either. Nothing new at all.

That doesn't work in the real world. Successful couples tend to do five things that other couples don't.

1. Happy couples spend time each day talking about stuff that's important them. Whether it's what's happened during the day to changes you want to make to dreams you have, take time to share these things with your partner.
2. Couples in strong relationships are affectionate and open about their sexual thoughts. That doesn't mean they have sex every single day—but they do think about it and (here's the key) they share their thoughts with each other.
3. Successful couples have things they love to do together. Whether it's hiking, watching the latest blockbuster movie, or playing a round of cribbage, find an activity that you and your partner can share and enjoy.
4. They also have things they like to do on their own. In the strongest relationships, each person has their own hobbies, too.
5. The longest-lasting relationships are between couples who share a spiritual life. This doesn't mean you have to join the same church or even attend a church. It might mean talking about life's mysteries, saying a prayer together before dinner, or even just spending some time meditating together each week.

If you take a look around, it seems like finding a lasting relationship is hit and miss. But it doesn't have to be. If you want to make your relationship stronger, try these things. They can make a real difference in the long run. And a strong, fulfilling committed relationship will improve your health and your happiness.

Stay well,
Meghan Krohn

Tone Up for Summer

With summer coming up fast, many people are thinking about getting a little more toned, sculpted look to their bodies. The areas that people usually want to focus on are their abs, their rear end, their thighs, their upper arms, and their chest.

As you get older, these are the areas that tend to store fat and get that soft look. Fortunately, you can do just a few quick exercises a day to tighten these areas up... no gym required. Not only will you look and feel better, you'll also have more strength, which is an important health benefit.

For your abs, try doing fifty crunches a day. It doesn't take much time to do and it won't be long till you notice your belly firming up. I recommend twenty regular crunches, then ten crunches with your knees to one side and ten more to the other side. Finish off with leg lifts to work your lower abdomen.

For you rear end and thighs, I recommend frog hops. Keeping your back straight and your feet hip width apart, squat down until your hands nearly touch the floor. Then explode to a jump. When you land, come back down into the starting squat position. Do this ten times a day and you'll have a firmer butt and thighs in no time. (Hint: Start off slowly with these--they can make you sore.)

For your upper arms and your chest, try doing a slanted push-up. Just put your hands on the edge of your kitchen counter. Push your feet back a bit. Keeping your body as straight as possible, lower yourself toward the counter and then push up.

Even if you don't plan to spend a lot of time in your swimsuit at the public pool this summer, these moves can benefit you anyway. They increase your strength, which means you'll be less prone to injuries and falls. They only take about five minutes to complete and you don't even need weights. It's an easy, positive change, so give it a try.

Stay healthy,
Meghan Kronh

Avoid Stress Fractures When You Start a New Exercise Plan

Around this time of the year, if you're like most people, you start thinking about getting into shape. The weather is getting warmer (in most places), spring is coming, and soon you'll be spending more time outside.

If you're planning to start a new exercise plane, follow these tips to prevent injuries like sprains, pulled muscles and stress fractures.

1. Always warm up. If you're going for a run, start out with a five-minute brisk walk. If you're going for a bike ride, do some jumping jacks before you get started. Talking five minutes to prepare your muscles for your workout can help cut down on injuries like pulled muscles.

2. Do different workouts on different days. Stress fractures and strained muscles happen because you've overworked a specific muscle group. By doing different workouts during the week—biking one day, interval training the next, and swimming the day after that, for example—you can prevent your muscles from becoming overworked and that can reduce injuries.

3. Start slow and build up over time. If you've never run before, don't decide your going to run a mile in five minutes on your first day. Set a reasonable goal. Run a quarter mile without stopping. Then the next time, try to go a little farther or do the same run a little faster. I only use running as an example—no matter what activity you choose, start out slow and build up the intensity of your workout over time.

4. Get enough vitamins. When you workout, you burn through nutrients faster. Make sure you take a good multivitamin. This will help prevent injuries and reduce muscle cramps during your workout.

Now is the perfect time to start a new workout routine. Just follow these simple steps to avoid setbacks due to injury and you'll be looking and feeling great by summer.

Stay well,
Danny Wallace

Caregivers at Risk of Health Strain

If you care for a loved-one—an aging parent, a sick spouse, or a disabled child—chances are high that you're putting your own health at risk. This isn't to say that you should stop what you're doing… I wouldn't dream of suggesting that.

But I do want to make some suggestions to help you better care for yourself. After all if your health fails, it puts both you and the one you care for in a difficult spot.

A recent study shows that caregivers often eat an unhealthy diet. They also struggle with feelings of depression and isolation. The combination of poor foods and psychological stress ups the risk of heart disease.

By knowing you're at risk, you can take steps to help you stay healthy so you can make sure the person in your care stays healthy, too.

Your first step to staying healthy is to make sure you are eating well. Often, time constraints force caregivers to turn to prepackaged foods just to get a meal in. Instead, try to keep easy and healthy options on hand. Fruits make quick snacks. So does yogurt or whole-wheat toast. There are many canned soups available that are vegetable-rich don't contain additives. Pair these with a salad or some cheese and whole grain crackers and you have a quick, healthy meal.

If you can, set aside one afternoon to precook several meals. You can then pull these from your freezer when you need them, knowing you're getting a home cooked meal and treating your body well.

Aside from eating, caregivers need to make sure they have good social support. If you have friends and family close by, make arrangements for someone to come in and be with your loved one once or twice a week so that you can run errands and spend some time doing things you enjoy.

Often caregivers feel selfish doing this, but it's so crucial to your mental health—it will actually improve the quality of care you give. So put your guilt aside and make sure you get out a little each week.

Finally, consider joining a support group. Being able to share your feelings and concerns with people in a similar situation can make a big difference.

Being a caregiver is an important role, but it can also take a toll on your health. Follow the steps here and you'll keep your mind and body healthy so that you can give your loved one the very best care.

Stay well,
Meghan Krohn

Water Supply Contaminated

A new study reveals that the water coming from your tap has problems. Forty-one million households have water running through their pipes that's contaminated with all manner of prescription drugs. From anti-depressants to synthetic hormones to antibiotics—the water supplies of most major cities and many smaller ones test positive for pharmaceutical contamination.

The amount of drugs in your water supply is very small. In fact, it's low enough to pass safety standards. But that doesn't mean that it isn't worrying.

Drugs can have side effects even in small doses. Drugs in the water supply mean you're getting long-term exposure to chemicals your body doesn't need in combinations that doctors may never have intended.

But what can you do?

I recommend that you get a good water filter. Some of these drugs like synthetic hormones have a very small molecular size so look for a water filter that filters out particles smaller than a tenth of a micron… the finer the filtering size the better.

Filtering your water can help reduce your exposure to a number of undesirable substances including bacteria and carcinogens. And it will help you be more certain that you are only taking the drugs your doctor prescribes… not those being prescribed to your whole community.

Stay well,
Heather Robwell

Don't Let Daylight Savings Time Get the Best of You

This weekend we move the clocks forward one hour. That means you lose an hour of sleep this Saturday night.

An hour may not seem like much, but daylight savings time can throw your internal clock for a real loop. I know several people who feel a bit "off" for weeks after the switch. That's no fun, but if you take the proper steps, you can hit the ground running next Monday.

Starting today, begin going to bed a little earlier. It's best if you go to be an hour earlier, but even a half-hour will help. The early bed time will help your body feel ready to wake up earlier—then the time switch won't be such a shock. You can help your body adjust even more quickly by adjusting your dinner time a couple of days early, too.

After the switch, fight the urge to take a nap during the day. That will only confuse your body clock more. Instead, stay awake all day and then turn in at your new normal bedtime… you know, the one your going to implement over the next couple of days.

Also, make it a point to exercise and drink lots of water on Sunday and Monday. Staying active and hydrated will help you keep your energy up and get into step with your new schedule even faster.

Finally, on Monday try to schedule mostly routine activities… the ones that don't require too much in the way of innovative thought.

Following these steps over the next couple of days will make the time change a breeze, or at least less of a pain in the neck than it usually is.

Stay well,
Danny Wallace

A Good (Tasty) Turn for Your Heart

You've already heard, I'm sure, that berries are one of the richest sources of antioxidants you can find. Blueberries especially pack a powerful antioxidant punch. You probably think, "Hey, that's good." But what does it really mean?

Antioxidants have a well-earned reputation as cancer-fighters and immune boosters. They also play an important role in your heart health.

A study in the most recent issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition demonstrates just how powerful berries are. Middle-aged participants at higher risk for heart disease either ate a moderate amount of berries each day or they didn't.

After eight weeks, those eating berries had lowered platelet activity by 11%. Platelet aggregation is responsible for blood clotting, which can lead to heart attacks. HDL cholesterol—the good kind—went up for the berry-consumers. They also experienced a significant drop in blood pressure.

That's quite a difference for eating a serving or two of berries each day.

Berries are easy to integrate into your diet. I buy bags of frozen berries and mix them in with yogurt… or I just eat them plain.

Fresh berries are wonderful by themselves or served with salads. You can also make a sauce with most berries that's really good with salmon or pork or even beef. Finally, you can find a lot of juice choices that include blueberry and raspberry juices, another good way to up your berry intake.

Eating more berries is a simple way to improve your heart health. And it's tasty, too. Talk about a win-win situation.

Stay well,
Heather Robwell