Posts Tagged ‘Health’
Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010
What should you look for in a good friend whose companionship will bring health and happiness to you instead of just raising your blood pressure? There are a few things you should ask yourself before befriending someone. First of all, make sure to choose a friend who has positive things to say to you. Every once in a while, a good friend may need to tell you something that might be tough to hear—“hard truths”—but these remarks should be very infrequent and you should generally walk away after spending time with them feeling better about yourself.
Also, look for friends who are living life in a responsible manner. Otherwise, the stress of their own lives due to their bad habits and poor decisions will surely stress you out. Nobody is perfect, but avoid befriending people who are making bad life decisions such as abusing drugs, having extramarital affairs, and engaging in criminal activity, for instance. Every once in a while, a good friend may make a bad decision; this doesn’t mean you should abandon the friendship, but help them instead. However, my best advice is that if you meet someone and find right off the bat that his life is out of control, it’s best to refer him to help and save your energy for friends who are overall positively contributing to society.
Having lots of friends can boost your immune system, help you survive longer after a heart attack, fight serious illnesses such as cancer, and increase your life span. With such positive advantages, you should make sure to increase your number of friends, but also keep in mind the importance of avoiding stressful, low-quality friendship and seeking out positive companionship.
Tina Turbin
Tags: Aging, anti-aging, Baby Boomers, Friendship, girlfriends, Health, tina turbin, Women's Health
Posted in Advice, Baby Boomers, Friendship, Health, High Quality of Life, Managing Life, Natural Alternatives, Relationships, Women's Health, Women's Issues | 27 Comments »
Wednesday, October 6th, 2010
Start looking at the glass half-full! Keeping oneself in a good mood is likely to stretch your life span. Studies show that people with a positive way of looking at things—even just regarding the aging process—can increase their life span by seven years. Stress and negativity can lead to overall bad health, affecting the heart, immune system, and endocrine system. Choose whatever healthy mood-boosters you know work for you—such as reading a good book, baking cookies, or taking a relaxing bath.
Tags: Advice, Baby Boomers, Health, immune system, mood-boosting, relaxation, stress, tina turbin, Women's Health
Posted in Advice, Author, Baby Boomers, Exercise, Friendship, Health, High Quality of Life, Managing Life, Natural Alternatives, Women's Health | 32 Comments »
Wednesday, September 29th, 2010
Having friends certainly makes you feel good. Now studies are showing that they may in fact be good for you! According to a recent Australian study, there’s evidence that friends may actually help your life last longer.
The study, which was conducted by the Centre for Ageing Studies at Flinders University, followed about 1500 older people for 10 years and found that those with a large network of friends were outliving those with the fewest friends by 22 percent. By contrast, close relationships with children and relatives had almost no effect on longevity. Lynne C. Giles, one of the researchers, emphasized that family ties are important; they just seem to have little effect on longevity.
So why is this? Good friends are there to discourage you from unhealthy behavior, such as excessive drinking and smoking, and to encourage a healthy lifestyle by supporting you in activities such as following a balanced diet and exercising. The companionship they offer is also important in fighting stress, depression, and low self-esteem, Their emotional support can back you up in taking healthy risks such as going back to school for a degree in a new field, opening a business, or having children, all of which can vastly improve the quality of life and thus decrease overall stress.
Tina Turbin
Tags: Aging, anti-aging, Baby Boomers, Friendship, girlfriends, Health, longevity, quality of life, tina turbin, Tina Turbin researcher, women, Women's Health, women's issues
Posted in Advice, Baby Boomers, Friendship, Health, High Quality of Life, Natural Alternatives, Relationships, Women's Health, Women's Issues | 29 Comments »
Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010
Recently, I’ve begun talking about how important it is for women to maintain balanced hormones as they age. Hormones are essential to every cell in the body. When they’re out of balance, you yourself are out of balance!
Getting more sleep is the most effective way of naturally increasing growth hormones. Usually seven to eight hours of sleep is sufficient. Go to bed a little earlier or get up later by getting certain morning activities out of the way the night before, such as showering and packing your lunch before bed.
A diet change is also an effective way to change the balance of your hormones. Eliminate all artificial sweeteners, making sure to take fish oil and vitamins D, B and CoQ10 in your daily supplements, and avoiding foods that stress your adrenals such as alcohol and caffeine. As you age, you may also need to begin avoiding dairy and wheat products, as the body can becomes less able to process them, causing physical stress. I maintain a gluten-free diet and find that my hormonal levels have benefited from this diet change.
Exercise helps to stimulate the body’s production of hormones, making you feel better. Going for fast-paced walks for at least thirty minutes three times a week can make a big difference, especially if you’re usually sedentary.
It is becoming clearer with increased research that hormone levels have a lot to do with how a person feels physically, mentally, and emotionally. It’s also becoming clear that not regulating these hormones can have serious effects on your health and well-being. Try these natural remedies to bring balance to your hormones!
Tina Turbin
Tags: Aging, Baby Boomers, diet, Exercise, Health, hormonal imbalance, hormones, nutition, tina turbin, Tina Turbin researcher, vitamins, Women's Health, women's issues
Posted in Advice, Baby Boomers, Being a Mom, Exercise, Health, Natural Alternatives, Women's Health, Women's Issues | 26 Comments »
Wednesday, September 15th, 2010
The National Sleep Foundation offers a few tips which I’ll pass along. First, make sure bedtime is a routine and relaxing affair; keep your bedroom quiet, dark, and cool. Make sure to exercise regularly, but make sure you don’t exercise in the evenings, as this can interfere with your ability to fall asleep. Next, avoid caffeine for at least eight hours and alcohol for a few hours before you go to sleep. You may not think your cola from dinner at five o’clock is disrupting your sleep at midnight; not only can it prevent you from falling asleep, but it can interrupt your sleep throughout the night. Finally, make your bedroom your bedroom, removing work, paperwork, computers, and the TV; by associating your bedroom only with sleep, you’ll find it much easier to get a good night’s sleep.
I truly believe that the quality of your sleep determines the quality of your waking life. Just as you can’t afford to not eat right and exercise, it’s imperative to handle any sleep problems you may be having.
Tina Turbin
Tags: Advice, Baby Boomers, diet, Exercise, Health, helpful tips, nutrition, sleep, tina turbin, Tina Turbin researcher, Women's Health
Posted in Advice, Baby Boomers, Being a Mom, Exercise, Health, High Quality of Life, Managing Life, Motherhood, Natural Alternatives, Women's Health, Women's Issues | 13 Comments »
Wednesday, August 25th, 2010
First, remember that it’s never too late to start. No matter your age or your fitness level, you can get started now and soon see your work pay off. Remember, though, to check with your doctor before starting an exercise regime if you’re currently experiencing any health conditions such as high blood pressure.
Start off gently. In your first workouts, remember you’re a beginner and don’t overdo it. Start off by warming up and stretching every time you exercise, and gently cool off after each work out as well.
Find what works for you. What really gets you going? Do you like to go for a jog with the dogs and reflect upon your day, or do you prefer competitive games with others such as one-on-one basketball? There are a variety of ways to get exercise, and every woman is different—going to the gym, doing laps in your pool, or working out to DVDs. Discovering the ways you love to get active can be lots of fun.
Studies show that keeping variety in your exercise is the key to keeping your body challenged and keeping you interested in working out. How would you like to eat the same thing for dinner every night? Exercise isn’t very different.
Make sure to have a high-protein snack of about 200 calories before your workout in order to stay energized, and drink water before, during, and after your workout. Taking your multi-vitamin and supplements such as calcium and magnesium will deliver to the body the nutrients it needs for exercise. A healthy diet and exercise go hand in hand.
With the above tips, soon you’ll be enjoying a regular exercise regimen just like I do—as well as the incredible benefits such as increased happiness, more energy, and improved self-esteem.
Tina Turbin
Tags: Advice, anti-aging, Baby Boomers, Exercise, Health, helpful tips, tina turbin, tips, Women's Health
Posted in Advice, Baby Boomers, Being a Mom, Exercise, Goals, Health, High Quality of Life, Managing Life, Motherhood, Natural Alternatives, Women's Health, Women's Issues | 15 Comments »
Wednesday, August 11th, 2010
You know what a difference it makes when you’re well-rested. How much sleep you get can make or break your day and also your health. However, sometimes no matter how early you hit the hay, getting a restful sleep can be tough, especially as you age. There have been times when healthy sleep eluded me, but luckily I’ve learned a few things about how to get a healthy sleep naturally, and now I’m happy to say that it is rare that I don’t catch a solid night of peaceful sleep.
About 70 million Americans experience sleep problems ranging from chronic sleep disorders to sporadic sleep troubles. Studies show that just one night of insufficient sleep can affect memory, productivity, and even the ability y to carry on a regular conversation. As a writer, researcher, and humanitarian, with several radio interviews a week, I can’t afford to not be at my mental peak, and chances are you can’t either. Long-term sleep deprivation can have serious effects such as higher risk for high blood pressure, depression, heart attack, decreased immunity, obesity, and diabetes. As you can see, getting enough sleep should be as much a part of your health regimen as eating well and exercising are!
Tina Turbin
Tags: Advice, Baby Boomers, Health, moms, sleep, tina turbin, tina turbin author, Tina Turbin researcher, Tina Turbin writer, Women's Health
Posted in Advice, Author, Baby Boomers, Being a Mom, Health, High Quality of Life, Managing Life, Motherhood, Natural Alternatives, Women's Health, Women's Issues | 9 Comments »
Wednesday, July 28th, 2010
Boomers these days are looking to strengthen their heart with regular cardiovascular exercise while avoiding the wear and tear on joints that such exercise can cause. The answer is to look for low-impact exercise that works the heart while at the same time preserving your joints. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends 3-5 days of cardio for about 30-60 minutes. A regular routine of cardio exercise has many benefits, such as weight loss, stronger heart and lungs, increased bone density, reduced stress, and reduced risk of heart disease, some cancers, and depression and anxiety. It also boosts mood, reduces stress, improves the quality of sleep, and increases energy, among other advantages. With so many benefits, no wonder why so many boomers are getting into a regular routine of cardio exercise!
It’s important, however, to choose low-impact exercise which is gentler on the joints, especially if you suffer from arthritis. Low impact doesn’t mean low intensity, though. Low-impact exercise can be quite intense when you increase the energy in your moves. Luckily, there are a variety of low-impact choices available for boomers to choose from.
Tina Turbin
Tags: Advice, Aging, anti-aging, Baby Boomers, cardio exercise, Exercise, Health, low-impact exercise, tina turbin, tips, Women's Health
Posted in Advice, Baby Boomers, Being a Mom, Exercise, Health, Women's Health | 13 Comments »
Wednesday, July 21st, 2010
You’ve probably heard me talking about the health and longevity benefits of volunteering. Now people are asking me how to get started. First, volunteer at a local organization doing something you enjoy that you feel is important to the community. Studies show that people who volunteer at two or more organizations have a forty-four percent lower death rate than those who don’t volunteer at all. These results are comparable to the effects of exercising four times a week. Not only are you helping others, but also, just as in exercise, you’re boosting your body’s immune system with your good works. As someone who cares passionately about women’s issues, family issues, and children’s issues such as kids misdiagnosed or children’s literacy, it wasn’t hard to find several organizations to work with. Find something you care about, whether it’s reading to children or elderly care, and you’ll be able to find work which will bring you a high level of satisfaction. In no time, you’ll find yourself actively involved in activities that will improve your health and will help others!
Tina Turbin
Tags: boomers, Health, longevity, retirement, tina turbin, tina turbin author, tina turbin humanitarian, Tina Turbin researcher, Tina Turbin writer, volunteering, Women's Health
Posted in Advice, Baby Boomers, Being a Mom, Health, High Quality of Life, Managing Life, Natural Alternatives, Networking, Women's Health | 12 Comments »
Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010
Omega-3 oils reduce your risk of age-related problems, decreasing your chances of developing macular degeneration, the number one cause of blindness in people over the age of sixty-five, Alzheimer’s disease, and dementia. The physical appearance changes that go along with aging are also reduced. Omega-3 oils will return to your skin its natural oils, which the environment, sun, and harsh weather conditions strip away. This results in a glowing complexion. Studies also show a link to increased effectiveness of weight loss programs, probably due to the fact that polyunsaturated fats increase the ability of enzymes to burn fat.
So how much should you take? The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends eating fish twice a week, especially fatty fish like mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna, and salmon. These are high in EPA and DHA. The AHA also recommends eating tofu and other soybean products and canola, walnut, and flaxseed, and their oils, which contain (LNA), which can become omega-3 fatty acid in the body, but more research is needed in order to establish that there’s cause-and-effect relationship between alpha-linolenic acid and preventing heart disease. On the AHA website, you can find exact recommendations on how much omega-3 oils to eat each day.
As with a many good-for-you supplements, you may not notice changes right away, but within a few weeks, I suspect you’ll start to reap the benefits of an improved complexion, higher endurance, and increased ability to concentrate. In the end, you’re investing not only in your current physical and mental well-being, but also in your future as you age.
Tina Turbin
Tags: Aging, anti-aging, Baby Boomers, diet, Exercise, fish oil, Health, nutrition, omega-3 oils, tina turbin, Women's Health
Posted in Advice, Author, Baby Boomers, Being a Mom, Cooking, Gluten-Free, Health, High Quality of Life, Natural Alternatives, Recipes, Women's Health, Women's Issues | 11 Comments »
