Daily Exercise…Yes…No…Maybe

Submited by Sara-Lynn Reynolds, Home Instead Senior Healthcare

What is exercise…Why is it so important?

Would you exercise daily if someone told you it would help you live longer?

Maybe yes…maybe no…maybe maybe. Would I live healthier and longer or just longer? What is exercise? Why is it so important?

Well first let me state that living longer hinges on many things… including diet and lifestyle. Exercise is just a one part of the BIGGER picture.

It doesn't matter if you eat well, but then remain a couch potato (lifestyle here)!

Look, I'm a HUGE advocate for being active, however, I think you need to find what works for you. Take for instance, the title "BOOT CAMP" …it can either inspire or have you running for shelter! STRETCHING is also a form of exercise…have you ever watched a cat and felt envious?

As I age I’ve turned my own ‘exercise emphasis’ to music and stretching…sometimes just for ONE song...and sometimes it ends up I have time for a half hour of songs. Come on, EVERYONE can stretch for one 3-minute song.

This much I know…we can’t change everything about ourselves overnight (we may not even want to) but we can (if we want to prod ourselves) change direction, attitude and way of thinking.

So often I hear people talk about aerobic activity like it is the only form of activity that is important. It isn’t…first and foremost it is important to find and work with a balanced fitness program - a program that includes some aerobic, some strength and some flexibility exercise. DUMP the word training and/or exercise and change it up.

Use a word (or words) that make it seem more like something you just might want to participate in. ‘Fit and fun program’? Sure sounds less tiresome than work-out or training. It’s all in the way you frame your health adventure that makes YOU decide to follow through on it. Nearing 60, I prefer to frame it in terms of play, as opposed to work!

As we talk about increasing our activity levels, the emphasis on a flexibility program becomes increasingly important if you are overweight, sedentary or ‘older and oldest’. Having good flexibility helps maintain good posture and gives better stability in balancing soooo - well, you remain upright for longer periods.Additionally and more serious is that muscle strengthening is crucial as both men and women can begin to see mild signs of osteoporosis in their 30's…strengthening helps to counteract that.

With regards to aerobics…you can run, walk, swim, dance, jump rope…whatever, just get out there and move fast enough and long enough to get your heart rate up for at least 15+ minutes a day.

What is surprising today is how many people think living healthy just means eating right. They omit enough sleep, they add anxiety and stress and just all around have unhealthy lifestyles…smoking and drinking in excess - ooops, and they forget movement.

Good health is predicated on daily movement. So, change your direction and way of thinking. Walk every day with a pet or friend, dance until the stars come out, stretch like a cat. What can you lose besides excess weight, poor circulation, poor appetite and isolation?

Movement is key and whatever gets a person moving, both physically and in their spirit is a great start! Too many people insist good health is all about food…but realistically you need to be looking beyond poor eating habits and look also at the amount of time you spend being inactive.

When we were younger we spent most of our days outside, but today what with the internet, Wii and video games…you know the outcome…

OK, so we have established that:

1. ‘Movement’ is one of the keys to longevity and each person needs to choose the ‘movement’ that speaks to them (I am not a runner but I love to dance)
2. Each persons wellness is an ‘individual program’. Wellness goals are personal and as such one needs to do what works for them
3. Do not blindly follow something someone else likes…see if it is a good fit for you.

Live better…and maybe longer…
Everyone knows “without your health, you have nothing”…so we agree wellness is most important, yet most of us virtually ignore it. We take good health and wellness for granted when we have it and then desperately wish for it when we fall into decline.

While I’m pontificating…where’s your attitude stand?

For REAL fitness and good health I advocate a realistic, positive mind, body, soul approach because being successfully healthy requires more than just changing your diet and exercise. It is vitally important to change the way you think… address any negative mental/emotional issues first. Many times, our physical body is just a reflection of our mental, emotional and spiritual state of mind. It is vital to shift your focus to that which is POSITIVE.

Let me draw your attention to three local options I investigated recently…Check ‘em out yourself. Each one has value. Each one is different. Mix ‘em up…use one…or two…or all three…

• The first brings music culture and dance and fun to all ages…ZUMBA…the Zumba fitness craze may even cause a look back to the days of dance halls...Check it out… Zumba Dance Fitness with Karen Emery in Easton
• ‘Smartraining Systems” courtesy of Koko Fit Club, also in Easton. Looking for an affordable ‘private trainer like atmosphere and program’ without the personal trainer…this may be your place. Ask owner Craig McMahon for a free demonstration and trial run…revolutionary and very very cool!
• And for those that are trying to get off the weightloss and lack of fitness merry-go-round…the see-sawing bad habits and/or neurosis that needs to end…Take a look at Kathy Jordan and her well written books and classes on the topic of all around health and fitness…mind, body and soul may be the answer to your prayers.

Finally a ‘shout out’ to all parents…YOU are absolutely critical in the lives and wellness of your children…talk and participate with them in MOVEMENT activities, food selection, strength building and stretching options…life is not forever…so make it well and swell for the time you are here!

Reposted courtesy of Easton Patch

Sara-Lynn Reynolds

Community and Education Liaison
Home Instead Senior Care
555 Pleasant St.,  Unit #104, Attleboro, MA 02703
508-222-0800       774-254-3413

Whya Writer?

submitted by Fran Fahey - Fran's Fine Editing

I had been thinking about starting a post on why business people hafta hire me as a writer. Afta all (sorry about the diction—I’m from Boston), we have all gone too (or is it to?) school and know howta write, right?

Then, before I could even begin scratching my head (yes, studies have shown that head scratching really does help the ideas to flow better), I found some great excuses to put off the task at hand and play with my neglected Twitter account instead. Neglected because I still can’t quite get the advantage of using Twitter (or as I call it, Twitta), and I thought maybe I’d find out if I at least tried to use it.

Lo, I found that some people in my absence had decided to “follow” me! Poor neglected beings. My last Twitta post (OK, OK, it’s a Tweet) was September 23, 2010.

 So I jumped on again and decided to find some people of my own to follow. And then the magic of social media happened. Two hours later, I finally came up for air. I had found tweets by Liz Craig, a fellow writer and friend, and that led me to her fine blog which then led me to her beautifully written post on why people should hire a professional writer! My work’s done, baby!!!

Here’s the link to Liz’s excellent explanation of what a professional writer can do for you (which I could never top if I took a million years to scratch one out—thanks, Liz). And here’s to Twitta, which I guess does play a useful role in getting all of us to hook up with one anotha.

Fran Fahey

Fran’s Fine Editing

413-529-1189

Redecorating Dining Room - Inspiration (1)

 Submitted by Dotty Wyman - Dotty Wyman Designs


I am going to give my dining room a little bit of a face lift and wanted to give you some insight about the process from beginning to end. The plan is to give the dining space a bold new look without replacing everything in the room. The big ticket items such as the dining room set and oriental are staying put. I will work with these pieces, because I like them and they have classic designs. I will accomplish this new look by changing the walls, the fabrics, drapery hardware and a few different accessories.

I have not done anything to the dining room in over ten years and it is due for a change. The draperies have faded, the curtain rods are dated and so are the fabrics. The positives about the room are the hardwood floors, the detailed crown moulding and the 8' ceiling height. The space is good size for a dining room 13.5' x 14.5', so there is plenty of room for the large scale furniture.

My first step is to find an inspiration for the room. This could be anything from a piece of artwork you want to build the room around or a room you saw and want to recreate it in your home. I was inspired by the lobby of the Winn Hotel in Las Vegas for my dining room. The lobby has a sophisticated harlequin theme with dark walls, luxurious fabrics and playful colorful accents sprinkled around. I want to incorporate some of the same rich fabrics, dark walls and colorful accents they used, but tailor it for my home. Included are a few pictures of the Wynn Hotel lobby.

Now that I have my inspiration I can pull together a plan for the redesign of my dining room. I will go over planning in my next blog.

Dotty Wyman
Dotty Wyman Designs
 508.219.4739
http://www.dottywymandesigns.com/

Wild about Color!

Submitted by Sira D'Arpino - City Chic Image Consultants

Unleash your animal instincts, with zebra-striped tunics, leopard-spot bags, and sassy  dresses! This Spring has so much incredible color inspiration that even animal prints are taking on new hues!  Some of the same rules still apply when wearing neutral or colorful prints such as these:


Rule #1: Only one item can be an animal print otherwise it takes on the look of a costume. One item is more than enough to pull off this look.

 

Rule #2:  Pair it with solid coordinating colors.  Turn to your neutrals like black, white and denim to keep the look both sassy and classy!
                                                                                                             

Sira D'Arpino
City Chic Image Consultants
http://www.citychicri.com/
citychicri@yahoo.com
401.525.1494



A Blogger’s Best Friend

Post submitted by Jen Vondenbrink - Life Simplified

Your alarm clock goes off.  You sit up, rub your eyes and stumble to the kitchen for your morning coffee.  You pour a cup and read up on the headlines of the day.

There's nothing unusual about this routine.  Did you ever stop to think how those articles magically appeared?

Time To Get Organized
Long before your coffee was brewed, editors gathered and mapped out content (online, offline, and even the morning news).  It's been going on for centuries. 
Today, however, you as the author of a blog, online articles, etc. need to learn what keeps these editors organized.
Newspapers, radio, television, magazines use an editorial calendar.  It helps them focus their content, make it relevant to their audience and meet their deadlines.
If you are publishing your own content, an editorial calendar is key to your success.

What Does An Editorial Calendar Do For You?
Basically...it saves you time.  We all can use that right?

When you have a central place to put your ideas, track your progress and know what needs to get done in a day, you know where to start.  If you don't, you can waste hours procrastinating or even worse, writing content no one reads.

Think about the last couple blogs or articles you wrote. 
How long did it take you from start to finish to come up with the idea and write the article? How much time did you spend between steps (or staring at a blank screen)?  How consistently do you publish your articles?  Do you know what your next article is about?
If you're not happy with your answers to the questions above, an editorial calendar will help.

Keep It Simple

The best way for an editorial calendar to save you time is to keep it simple.  The simplest editorial calendar can have your ideas and publication dates.

Some additions to the calendar could be:

• Working titles
• Notes or bullet points to cover in the article
• Draft due date
• Publication location (blog, newsletter, online e-zine)
• Author (if several are contributing to a blog or if your having guest bloggers)

I've even adding some tracking to my editorial calendar.  I note the dates I publish the article to different sites and track responses.  This feedback has helped me refine my content and distribution strategies.

 

Resources I've Found Helpful

Here are some resources and articles I've found helpful as I put my calendar together

• Editorial Calendar - plug-in for Wordpress blogs (I use this)  
• Video on Benefits of Blog Post
• Great Blog Post on How To Create An Editorial Calendar (has good resources and templates)

That's A Lot Of Work

Initially it may seem a lot of work to set up your calendar.  That's why I advocate starting simple and adding features as you grow.

 

Anything that's worth it takes some work.  That coffee you've been sipping while reading this article...can take weeks to months to process, not to mention the 5 years it takes a coffee bush to mature before it can be harvested.

 

See, nothing comes without a little sweat equity.

 

If you're using an editorial calendar, I would love to hear about what has worked for you and what hasn't. 

 

 Feel free to comment below or share on Facebook.

_________________________________________________

Whatcha doing this summer?  Does Social Media Summer Camp sound interesting?  (Notice I didn't say school because we'll be having much more fun).  Email me if you want to hear more.

 

 

Jen

Jen Vondenbrink

Life Simplified

http://www.yourlifesimplified.com/

Life Enrichment and Leadership Training

781-864-1782

 

Connect with us on Facebook and LinkedIn

How Can Being Organized Help Seniors ( and the rest of us) ?

       Home Instead Senior Care provides a cable show for viewers in the area that are in the need of or soon to be in need of home services or other ‘care’ services that may be of help to either themselves or their aging parents. 

CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIDEO

  
    A recent show featured Janine Cavanaugh, Professional Organizer (helpfulorganizer.com ).  Janine shared her ‘how to’ knowledge and expertise on organizing for those wishing to improve their quality of life by eliminating the stress and frustration caused by clutter and disorganization.  Janine works one-on-one with her clients as your ‘personal assistant’ for the duration of the project.  Her clients remain in charge…while she motivates, encourages, guides and educates to create a custom tailored organization system that fits her clients’ needs and lifestyle.

     It is the goal of Home Instead Senior Care through this show to identify companies and people that offer services that can and do make living easier for those persons that have noticed a decline in their level of skill in day to day activities or just want help making sense out of their ‘living conditions’ or help supporting some new plans for future needs in their life…i.e., insurance, investments, moving, downsizing, socializing, better health, exercise and eating tips etc.  We may also from time to time have guests that demonstrate activities and/or crafts that just may surprise both you and your loved ones!

  View Janine’s cable presentation with Home Instead Senior Care to learn more…contact Sara-Lynn if you feel your service or business would be helpful to seniors in the greater Attleboro area.

 

helpfulorganizer.com

508-699-6652

To receive Janine's quarterly newlsetter:  Click Here

 
Sara-Lynn Reynolds-Community and Education Liaison
Home Instead Senior Care
508-222-0800
BLOG:  http://www.homeinstead590.wordpress.com/
WEBSITE:  www.homeinstead.com/590

Pills and Shots, Health and Heart, Eat or Not to Eat

Submitted by Sara-Lynn Reynolds  of  Home Instead Senior Care
reposted from Easton Patch

Who Do You Believe?



      Clearly article after article has been written advocating for this or that…‘take me’ and you’ll feel better in days, ‘lose weight’ miraculously while gorging on ‘fat’ food; strengthen those aging bones with Boniva…Sally Fields’ does (she also gets paid to be their spokesperson).  Suzanne Somers (Three’s Company Fame) takes over 60 vitamins a day…talk about overload!

      Whole families are being deceived by the ‘quick fix’.  It doesn’t exist and in our heart of hearts I believe we all know it, which is why so many ‘flip flop’ from product to product…this for that and that for this.  Sleeping aids, pills to stay awake, energy additives etc…it’s crazy and it’s NOT healthy (this same excess sent Michael Jackson and Elvis to an early grave).

     Look, genetics play a huge and crucial role in our ‘life’ plans and obviously that has to be considered first and foremost.  Have you thought out in detail the ramifications of the ‘synthetic’ effect on your body?  Does the ‘pill’ or ‘drink’ offer more than eating balanced will? The many ‘short-cuts’ to good health available on the market today are just a bunch of baloney.  I ask you to list all of the persons you know on fad diets, using skin care or anti-aging products, and/or taking synthetic supplements etc.  Then ask them what they eat (in real food) and how they exercise.  Did you have an AH-HA moment when the culprit to poor health was found out to be none other than ourselves?
     Let’s not forget ‘over-the-counter’ aids.  I could have easily OD’d this winter when I got a two day case of the flu from my grandchildren.  Luckily I asked the pharmacist what all the different varieties of ONE cold product offered and why were they different.  In the end I left with one small package; greatly relieved that I had bothered to ask what all the package mumbo-jumbo meant (initially I didn’t want to disturb her; she looked busy).  I am sure she saved my life.  Have you ever felt foolish asking your doctor or pharmacist questions…do you feel pressured to ‘get in and get out’ because you know you are squeezed into a 15-minute (billing) slot?  Do you insist your doctor prescribe something…just because, well, how will you get better?

      Synthetic products are not the answer…and I would wager that more than half of the people ingesting or using these products are not receiving any ‘real’ benefits at all…in fact I am sure they ‘lose’ many pill solutions whole.  Why…because the pill needs to break up, and be absorbed into your system in order to release the ‘good stuff’, and many, many persons’ digestive systems do not absorb synthetics well, especially those in pill form!  Hence a lot of money spent for a placebo effect.

     I am not denying that there are some (not all) ‘natural’ products that may offer a strong rationale for why you might want to contemplate taking them, but every person is different and everyone’s digestion and absorption rate varies.  How does your doctor determine if your bodily make-up can withstand whatever it is they may prescribe?  How do YOU make this decision?  For the record ‘natural’ is defined by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a product that does not contain any additives or substances that are man made or manufactured, including color dyes.  Yet, artificial sweeteners are considered ‘natural’.  Go figure!  Take it from me, the term ‘natural’ is still largely unregulated, although ‘all natural’ is as popular a sales gimmick as any I’ve ever seen!  If the product was processed with any preservative or additive it is not natural.  Honestly, organic is the closet you will get to ‘real’ natural and even that can get complicated.
So, what am I saying?  MAKE EDUCATED CHOICES…be resourceful and research the subject…make family eating a good thing and put ‘synthetic’ foods and vitamins in the trash and your children will take that with them to their children and so on and so on and so on.  Stop denying yourself the foods you like…eat everything!  Just be cognizant of the fact that ‘everything’ needs to be in moderation.  In a perfect world ‘natural’ would really mean natural and synthetic would be outlawed, but...what can I say, that world does not exist.
     Keep in mind that over-eating or under-eating is NOT about eating too much or too little… it is more about something else, something psychological, feelings of inadequacy or low self esteem…the same rings true for those persons that are body-care perfectionists.  Expensive, pre-packaged products really do not offer any better results than those we can achieve by eating better and more balanced… dessert twice a week instead of everyday…scrumptious mashed potatoes or fries 3 days instead of 7…heck, knocking soda from your daily regime can cut 20 to 35 lbs off in a year if that is what you are looking to do.
Not to be left out is the government’s (not helpful and voluntary) junk food guidelines, which quite honestly puts the ball back in your court also.  See Mark Bittman’s BLOG…he says it as well as I would have.  Plus this months health story; salt might not be that bad for you after-all. So, it’s safe to say that in the end, you ‘own’ the process.

       Lots of fluids, fruits and veggies, and rest most times will keep you ‘running’ on full…it sounds too simple but hey, it’s the truth.  Healthy foods and rest will keep you looking and feeling good, and your skin and hair will shine…heck even bad food in moderation will not harm you! Consider purchasing a juicer and you’ll eat more fruits and veggies than you can imagine.  Or buy the already cut up and ready to eat versions…honestly it’ll be cheaper in the long run…you won’t be paying for medicine, skin care products, vitamins, headache treatments or unneeded Doctor’s visits …

Exercise helps too, but that’s a topic for another day…

Submitted by

Sara-Lynn Reynolds-Community and Education Liaison
Home Instead Senior Care
555 Pleasant St.,  Unit #104, Attleboro, MA 02703
508-222-0800       774-254-3413
BLOG:  http://www.homeinstead590.wordpress.com/
FB:  www.facebook.com/hisc590