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A Shock to the System

Electrical shocks aren’t the most common form of home accident, says Taylor. But they can be among the most harmful. “Even mild electrical shocks can result in serious internal injuries,” adds Dr. Alton Thygerson of Brigham Young University and the National Safety Council’s First-Aid Institute. “Even standard household current of 110 volts can be deadly.”

The most basic way to avoid getting an unwanted shock to your system is to make it a cardinal rule not to mess with the wiring in your house unless you’re a trained professional, Taylor says. “Be especially careful when you’re drilling,” he adds. “You don’t want to be drilling around places where there could be electrical wires present, like outlets. When in doubt, always call an electrician. Your life is more important than the ego boost of doing it yourself.”

If you do receive a shock, seek medical attention immediately, Dr. Thygerson says. “The burns on the skin that result from an electrical shock often are small and don’t look like much, but electricity travels along your nerves and blood vessels before exiting your body. And even relatively minor shocks can cause internal damage.”

Yardwork Woes

Your home doesn’t end when you walk out the door. If you’re like most homeowners, you likely have a patch of green-or more often stubbornly brown-that you call home for cookouts and lazy Sunday lounges. If you thought the inside of your house was an accident zone, check out what awaits in the backyard. The following are common yard-improvement tools, along with the number of handymen they send to the emergency room each year.

Nails, screws, and tacks or bolts:         191,037

Ladders:         151,327

Fences and fence posts:         114,055

Pruners, trimmers, and edgers:          36,204

Chain saws:          35,132

Gasoline and other fuels:          18,924

Pliers, wire cutters, and wrenches:          14,543

Just like accidents that happen inside the house, accidents that happen in the yard are often the result of cutting corners or being overly confident,” Taylor says. The following tips can help.

Cover up. “We tell people that if they’re going to be working around the old house, take their cue from Bob Vila or Norm Abram,” says Taylor. “They always wear gloves and safety goggles and take the little precautions that can keep you out of big trouble.” It’s especially important to take these safety precautions when handling power equipment, like mowers and pruners.

Take your time. Whatever you do, don’t rush yourself on a domestic-repair or improvement job. Haste can waste you. “The worst thing you can do,” Taylor says, “is not allow yourself enough time to do the job properly. Many accidents occur when you try to do too much in too little time.” If you really don’t have time to do the job right, get somebody else to do it-like a professional-or don’t do it at all.

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Comments (0) Apr 23 2009

Stress seekers must learn to slow down and calm down, to put things into perspective. Here are some guidelines:

1. Slow down the pace of your life; even a little bit will help. Learn to walk more leisurely, talk a bit slower, chew your food longer, and drive in the slow lane.

2. Set aside time every day for relaxation, meditation and exercise. The little time you invest in this way will pay you handsome dividends in years to come.

3. Don’t try to do more than one thing at a time. Nothing is that important.

4. Don’t plan to do more in a day than you can comfortably accomplish. If you finish early, go home and relax. Don’t take on new responsibilities that will overload your schedule.

5. On your way to work, to the market, or anywhere, take some time to appreciate the beauty of the scenery: the sky, the people, the architecture.

6. Spend time with your loved ones and friends. Holidays, birthdays, anniversaries and graduations are great opportunities for fun.

7. Leave ten minutes early, no matter where you’re going. Now you won’t have to drive with an eye on the clock, fretting about being late.

8. If you find yourself too busy to do something, you’re trying to do too much. Get someone else to do it or leave it undone until tomorrow, or the next day.

9. Don’t always volunteer to take on more work, go to more classes or supervise more people. If you have the time and energy, fine. If not, skip it.

10. If your work environment is constantly pressuring you, it may be time for you to look for a new job.

11. If you can’t seem to finish everything you want to, learn to live with it. Remember, the only thing that is completely finished is a corpse.

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Comments (0) Apr 20 2009

With continued exercise, the tiny blood vessels that carry fresh blood throughout your body begin to relax: resistance to the blood flow decreases, and blood pressure is lowered. This effect can last for many hours, during and after exercise. That’s why it’s especially important for the person with high blood pressure to exercise.

NOTE: If you have high blood pressure or any other medical problems, see your doctor before beginning an exercise program.

Exercise For Air

During exercise, your lungs work harder to make sure that enough oxygen gets into the blood. But it’s the muscles between the ribs (intercostal muscles) and the diaphragm that actually tighten, then relax, to expand and contract your lungs. Like any other muscles, the intercostals and the diaphragm get stronger with use. In the long run, sustained exercise increases your ability to take oxygen into your lungs. I’ve found that pulmonary (lung) functions improve in almost all patients after just four to six weeks of regular exercise.

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Comments (0) Apr 20 2009

Nuts:

Almonds
Hazelnuts
Pecans
Cashews
Lychees
Peanuts
Chestnuts
Macadamias
Walnuts
Filberts

Seeds:

Anise
Dill
Sesame
Caraway
Flax
Sunflower
Chia
Poppy
Pumpkin
Celery

• Nuts and seeds are high in fat, deriving about 70 percent to 87 percent of their calories from fat (depending on the nut). Use them sparingly. Macadamias contain the highest percentage of calories from fat. Chestnuts, which are very low in fat, are an exception, and roasted chestnuts taste great.

• If you use nuts and seeds, use them sparingly as a condiment, to give your food extra taste and crunch.

Anise Basil

Bay Leaves Cardomom Cayenne Pepper Celery Seeds Cinnamon Cloves Coriander Cumin (ground) Curry Powder

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Comments (0) Apr 20 2009

There’s more to stress than being yelled at by your boss or being stuck in traffic. Stress results any time your body is called upon to adapt to different circumstances, and there are “good” and “bad” stresses. Anger, negative thoughts and depression are stressors that harm your “doctor within.” I’ll talk more about stress later, but for now let me say that stress is a major health problem.

Stress contributes to disease. And disease, in turn, is a very stressful event. You must protect your “doctor within” by learning how to avoid the dangerous stress-disease, more-stress-more disease cycle.

Mr. Grossbaum was an angry 60-year-old man. “That lousy partner of mine!” he used to say, shaking his fist. Mr. Grossbaum and his partner had founded a successful chain of dry cleaning stores on the West Coast. Two excitable men, they never got along well. Every time they fought, which was often, Mr. Grossbaum wound up with headaches and stomach pain. Finally, after 25 years of stress, he sold his share of the business to his partner.

He came to see me soon after, complaining of abdominal pain, headaches, high blood pressure, insomnia, nightmares and irritability. “My wife insisted I come,” he said. “There’s nothing wrong with me that going back and telling off that lousy ex-partner of mine won’t cure.”

Instead of learning to avoid stress, as I suggested, he called up his old partner to tell him exactly what he thought of him. They yelled at each other on the phone for ten minutes before Mr. Grossbaum ended the conversation by ripping the cord out of the wall and hurling the phone across the room. With his blood pressure sky high, his heart pounding and his hands shaking, he sat down to rest. Five minutes later he had a massive heart attack and died.

Mr. Grossbaum didn’t know it, but fighting with his partner— or even thinking about fighting—caused his sympathetic nervous system to spew out high-voltage chemicals that eventually triggered the heart attack.

So there’s no way to get around it: we’ve been wired in such a way that our thoughts are felt throughout our bodies. Good thoughts improve our health. Bad, distressful thoughts induce poor health.

We tend to think of our body and mind as distinct entities. That isn’t true. Our mind and body are actually one and the same. It’s convenient to separate them for discussion’s sake, but they are really both aspects of a singular entity: you. What happens in your mind is reflected throughout your body; changing the chemical composition of your cells and body fluids, even affecting your ability to fight off disease. I’ll talk more about this in Chapter Five, and show you how to keep your mind filled with the happy, positive thoughts that encourage good health.

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Comments (0) Apr 20 2009

2) Renal system— from birth to about age 30 the kidneys actually increase in weight, then a reversal of that process begins to take place. A cumulative decline of 20 to 30 percent is not unusual by age 80. In simpler terms, the kidneys filter waste more slowly as we age. Some women in their 40s who have had children may begin to experience a leakage of a few drops of urine whenever they cough or sneeze. That problem can be corrected with some basic exercises which strengthen the stretched pelvic muscles.

3) Coronary heart disease— after the age of 45, the leading cause of death is heart disease. According to research scientists, one American man in five develops symptoms of heart disease by the age of 60. Statistics show that from the age of 40 to the age of 60, heart disease claims more lives than does stroke, bronchitis, and cancers of the lung, stomach, and breast, combined.

Up until menopause women are far less vulnerable to coronary heart disease than men. Estrogen may work as a protector by affecting the “good” cholesterol (HDLs) which keeps the “bad” cholesterol under control. By age 65, women begin dying of heart disease as often as men do.

Studies have shown that a lifelong low-fat diet and exercise program can help prevent coronary heart disease. And it is never too late to change. Regular exercise and good eating habits can give both men and women protection from heart disease, even in the most vulnerable years.

4) Functional capacity— as we get older, our ability to generate energy for work and play decreases. By age 40, many men and women find that hills seem a little steeper and that they run out of energy quicker. While the aging process plays a part in this “slowing down”, sedentary lifestyles are also often at least partly to blame. Many people in their 40s are under more pressure and stress than they were at 20, and they devote less time to exercise. Research has shown that stress can lead to lethargy and that regular exercise can help people cope better with stress.

As part of a decade-long study, sedentary women from 35 to 65 were enrolled in a program of aerobic exercise. At the end of 10 years, their functional capacities were a full 6 percent higher than when they began.

In another study, a group of men and women with an average age of 90 worked with weights and increased their muscle sizes by 10 percent and nearly tripled their strength. The results seem to indicate that proper training can build muscle and increase or maintain functional capacity at any age

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Comments (0) Mar 24 2009

Even though restrictions on the levels of lead allowed in paint, cookware and other products are stricter than ever, thousands of Americans still suffer from lead poisoning. Lead poisoning has been linked to decreased coordination and mental abilities, as well as damage to the nervous system, kidneys and red blood cells.

Here are several things you can do to help “lead-proof” your home and reduce your exposure:

1) Don’t remove any paint that you suspect may contain lead. Get an expert to test and remove the paint. (Current estimates indicate that nearly 75 percent of American homes built before 1980 have some lead-based paint.)

2) If you have any questions about lead testing or removal, contact your local health department or call the Toxic Substances Hotline

3) Test your drinking water for lead.

A new, fast and effective home test can help you detect the presence of lead in your dishes and cookware. The home test uses swabs, which change color if lead is present. Although the swabs won’t indicate how much lead is present, all dishes or cookware that test positive should not be used for either food or drinks.

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Comments (0) Mar 24 2009

The most important part of any effective plan to control stress is learning how to relax. The following technique was designed by medical experts to promote deep muscle relaxation. With regular practice, the technique can provide you with such muscle relaxation in as little time as two minutes. For best results, it is recommended that you practice this technique once or twice a day before meals, or at least one hour after you have eaten.

1) The first step is to find a quiet, peaceful place where there are no distractions. Be sure to wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothes. You should take off your shoes, and undo any belts or tight buttons.

2) Lie down on your back with your feet about 18 inches apart. Your hands should rest on the floor, palms upward and about a half foot from your sides.

3) Once you have settled into position, begin tensing and then relaxing each part of your body. Start with your feet, then proceed with your legs, buttocks, abdomen, back, chest, shoulders, arms and hands, head, and face. You should tense each part in its turn as hard as you can, then let it relax.

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Comments (0) Mar 24 2009

Chew Your Food Slowly To Eat Less At Mealtimes

One way to ensure that you eat less at mealtime is to eat slowly. By eating slower you provide extra time which lets your body know when it has received enough fuel and doesn’t require any more. One of the most natural and healthful ways to slow down eating is to consume more fiber. Fiber is not only satisfying but it provides mouthfuls that must be chewed thoroughly. In other words, when eating fiber, you must take your time. The end result is that you’ll eat less food than you would if you hurried through your meal. Fiber also requires a lot of room in the stomach, which reduces the appetite and makes you feel full longer.

Water And Your Appetite

One of your best weapons in the “battle of the bulge” is water. Many times we think we are hungry when we are actually thirsty. Sipping water throughout the day— especially when you feel a craving for food—may satisfy your hunger and help you avoid unnecessary eating.

Exercise Is A Must To Lose Weight

Any weight control program must include regular exercise. It doesn’t necessarily have to be vigorous exercise like aerobics, jogging, or swimming. A brisk 20 to 30 minute walk can be very helpful as well as increasing the rate that excess calories are burned off. Here are some common exercises and the number of calories that are expended practicing each one for an hour at a time:

1) Brisk Walking (4 mph)— 440 calories expended in one hour.

2) Jogging (5 mph)— 740 calories expended in one hour.

3) Bicycling (6 mph)— 240 calories expended in one hour.

4) Running in place— 650 calories expended in one hour.

5) Jumping Rope— 750 calories expended in one hour.

6) Swimming (25 yards per minute)— 275 calories expended in one hour.

7) Tennis (singles)— 400 calories expended in one hour.

Recent research indicates that aerobic exercise may reduce fat first and quickest in the stomach. A study conducted at the University of Washington monitored a group of men participating in an intensive six-month aerobic program. The men lost 20 percent of their abdomen fat— practically twice the amount of fat reduction in their arms and legs.

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Comments (0) Mar 24 2009

Most people already know some of the worst offenders in this group— candy bars, soda, and potato chips. All of those foods are either loaded with fat or sugar, and high in calories.

Candy bars are heavy with saturated fat and calories, but as long as you are also eating a well-balanced diet, they are not especially bad for your health. However, a more sensible and healthful alternative is low-fat or no-fat candies, such as jelly beans, gumdrops, marshmallows, and hard candies.

Sugar is the big culprit in soda. Drinking one can of soda is about the equivalent of eating 10 packets of sugar and washing it down with water. Soda will also make you thirstier than you were before you drank it, because your body will require more fluids to dilute that much sugar. As an alternative to soda, try a 16 ounce drink made from equal parts of your favorite fruit juice and flavored seltzer. This 16 oz. drink has only about 55 calories (1 12 oz. can of soda has about 128 calories) and the sugar will appease your appetite.

Even if the label states “no cholesterol”, potato chips get as much as 60% of their calories from fat. In just one ounce of potato chips (10 or 12 chips) there are about 150 calories and 9.8 grams of fat. And most corn chips are just about as bad. Instead of chips, try snacking on baked tortilla chips. There are only about 110 calories and 1.4 grams of fat in an ounce of tortilla chips that are baked instead of fried.

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Comments (0) Mar 24 2009