Are You Taking Care Of Your Body Before You Have A Problem?

How often do we think we are saving money only to find out we have done just the opposite? For instance, how often do we hesitate to do the regular maintenance on our cars—at 25,0000, 50,000 miles…..and then wind up with a bigger, more expensive, problem that could have been prevented? I followed the (wrong)advice of a mechanic who did a big repair on our van. He said nothing else needed to be done until 100,000 miles—all the regular maintenance had been done. Turns out, he was 100% wrong, but I only found that out when we had to pay over $2,000.00 for repairs and a complete transmission overhaul.

Our bodies are fearfully and wonderfully made, but we must take care of them and not wait until we have a major health problem. Sometimes we are downright silly!! We will spend 5.95 or more on a dessert at a restaurant. We will buy candy bars and other snacks and are not concerned what we pay for them!! These foods are not promoting health.  Yet we often don’t want to pay a small price for HEALTH!!

How about your KIDNEYS? Are you taking care of them?

Do you ever consider how important your kidneys are to your overall health? Most of us don’t think about our kidneys as long as they are functioning correctly. They are vital organs!! Did you know the kidneys process about 2.2 pints of blood per minute? They filter wastes (up to two quarts) from the blood and send it to the bladder. Their function also helps to regulate your blood pressure and balance acidity and electrolyte levels.

Here are some simple ways to protect and support your kidneys:

Trying To Lose Weight And The Scales Won’t Budge?

Need to lose weight, but your dieting efforts are producing little to no results. Most of us make dieting/losing weight a big process–a complete change. Sometimes we just have to make a few simple changes to start getting good results.

We know the right foods to eat and despite our good eating habits, the scales just won’t budge. You might just need more activity or small changes in your diet to increase your metabolism. Here are a few easy ways to tweak your efforts and start getting the results you want:

My Favorite Fruit–Or Is it A Vegetable?

Summer in the United States begins on June 21, 2018. Is the time of year the children are off from school—we plan fun in the sun activities and vacations. When I think of summer, one word comes to mind—WATERMELON!! It has always been my favorite fruit and I eat it for breakfast whenever possible. AND it is good for us! It contains 92% water and is nutrient dense.

You notice I called it a fruit. Others say it is a vegetable in the squash and cucumber family. In fact, in 20017 Oklahoma made it their state vegetable.

Does The Summer Heat Put You In Danger?

We look forward to the warmer weather after a very cold winter, but the extreme heat can cause problems. Health problems related to HEAT can range from minor to medical emergencies. Read our blog article, You Could Be At Risk For Heat Exhaustion for more information.

Let’s consider those of us who are older—We are at great risk for getting a heat-related illness –and if we have a chronic illness, our risk is even greater. As reported by The National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health, hypothermia is the failure of the body’s heat regulating mechanism to deal with a hot environment. After being in heat for long periods Hypothermia can cause heat fatigue, sudden dizziness, cramps, and heat stroke.

Use My Mouthwash for What??

Next time you see your mouthwash on sale, you might want to pick up an extra bottle. Just be sure it is sugar free and alcohol based.

Growing up, mom had me use mouthwash for three things. Of course the first use was as a mouthwash. I also had to gargle with it before leaving the house if it was cold and flu season –I am not sure this was effective, but at least I had sweet smelling breath. The other use was as a treatment for dandruff. We would soak a cotton ball in mouthwash (listerene) and dab it on the scalp—wait a few minutes and then wash and condition as usual—and it worked!!

Would You Know If Someone Was Having A Stroke?

As I was scrolling through my Facebook feed today, I saw information shared by one of my friends on the signs of a stroke. Would I recognize the signs or know what to do if one of my friends or family was having a stroke? Would you?

I read the article, did a little more research and have compiled basic information we all need to know. Please read and share this information with everyone you know.

If you suspect someone is having a stroke act F.A.S.T.

 F – FACE DROOPING—Has the person’s face fallen on one side—ask the person to smile. Ask them to stick their tongue out—does it go to either side?

A – ARM WEAKNESS—Ask the person to raise both arms

S – SPEECH DIFFICULTY—Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence

T –  TIME TO CALL—If you see even one of these signs, call 911 immediately.

Shape Up In 2018!

One easy weight loss trick I learned years ago is to eat at least 5 fruits/vegetables in a day. Think about a typical day for you. Do you sometimes get to the end of a day and have included few, if any, fruits or vegetables in your diet? When I realize that is happening to me, I have to re-evaluate my eating habits. Adding at least 5 servings is a healthy thing to do and it fills me up…so hopefully I won’t eat so many of the empty calorie snacks.

Here are some great reasons to start eating more fruits and vegetables: