General Health Articles

Healthy Living Nap More! It’s Good for You!

Kids hate to take them and parents beg for one… what are they? NAPS!  If you are the type of person that takes a daily nap, then you are definitely already following what new research shows that we should be catching our zzzz’s during the day.

Here are some of the top reasons why researchers say you should be taking a nap: 

• Napping makes you a more enjoyable person. One researcher said, "Napping is a means to rejuvenate the mind and body and has a positive effect on quality of life. Resting the body for even a short period of time allows the body's systems to rest and rebalance. This translates into more efficient as well as more rewarding work, which in turn makes work more enjoyable."
• Napping increases your productivity on the job. "Napping improves alertness, sharpens memory, and reduces fatigue - all of which makes us more productive"
• Napping can reduce stress and anxiety. "In working people who are stressed (physically and/or mentally), their bodies produce substances such as cortisol, catecholamines, and neuropeptides that aid them in getting things accomplished on a short-term basis without harmful effects. However, long-term, unopposed production of such substances can adversely affect the immune system and vital organs, causing many medical conditions - including anxiety, depression, and memory/concentration problems. Napping both decreases the production and negates the effects of these substances and helps prevent them from damaging tissues of the body." 

In the News Break those Bad Habits

From overeating to watching too much TV, there’s really only one way to break a bad habit – make a plan!  Unfortunately what may work for one person, may not work for another.  So here are some ways to break some of the most popular bad habits.  Hopefully it works for you!

Watching too much TV. – Studies show that people watch an average of 4 hours of television each day and these studies also show that excessive T.V. watching can be linked to developing Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.  Here are some ways to avoid watching too much TV: only watch when there is something specific you want to see, do chores during commercials, make a list of things you need to accomplish before sitting down to watch TV, and create a TV-watching plan and stick to it. 

Drinking too much alcohol. – Tired of being hung over and sluggish? Then you should do everything you can to cut back on drinking too much alcohol.  To cut back try these tips: drink one glass of water for every alcoholic drink you have, drink only when you are having a meal, or try drinking something that looks like an alcoholic drink, like root beer or a drink with a slice of fruit in it. 

Smoking. – While this may be one of the hardest habits to break, it’s still possible as many, many people do it every year. The best plan is to talk things over with your doctor because they can offer the best cessation treatment for you.  But some other approaches that you may consider include: hypnotherapy, exercise or electronic cigarettes. 

Overeating. – No matter how hard you try to cut calories, it still seems like sometimes the cravings are still there.  Experts say that sometimes it is best to give into those cravings.  When people do give into their cravings every once in awhile they have a better chance of losing weight and keeping it off, than those who ignore their cravings and avoid certain foods.  Experts also advise that if you can avoid nighttime eating that you will be well on your way to prevent overeating as well.

In the News Women’s Health by the Decades

Women of all ages need to make sure to stay healthy and most experts break down women’s health routines by their age.  Here are some different checks and measures that should be met as women age, through their 60s.

In your 20s…

1. Kick your unhealthy habits.  Sure, we all drank too much, ate too much, and maybe smoked too much during our college days, but those days should be left at college. Many habits that you form in your 20s stick with you throughout your life, so let go of the bad ones!
2. Plan for an annual physical.  Schedule an annual check-up into your life and stick to it.  You will thank yourself and will be assured that you are doing as well as you feel.
3. Get your fill of calcium and vitamin D.

In your 30s…

1. Keep an eye on the scale as many women begin to deal with weight struggles in their 30s.
2. Get your sleep – all eight hours – if you can!

In your 40s…

1. Get a mammogram.
2. Have a diabetes screening done, as your chances of having Type II diabetes is more common in your 40s.
3. Try to get at least 20 to 30 minutes of exercise in per day.

In your 50s…

1. Pay attention to your heart and your risk factors like cholesterol and blood pressure.
2. Schedule a colonoscopy.
3. Get the flu vaccine every year.

In your 60s…

1. Have a bone density test done.
2. Make sure to increase your intake of vitamin B12, which helps to produce healthy red blood cells.
3. Inquire about getting a shingles vaccine and be careful of your risk factors for catching pneumonia.

Burning Calories While Spring Cleaning

Sure, you would be hard-pressed to find a woman or a man who says that they actually enjoy the thoughts of spring cleaning.  But, if you just take into consideration how many calories are burned while you are doing your spring cleaning, then you may be a little more excited when spring rolls around this year. 

The actual number of calories burned will depend on your weight, gender and age, but their calculators that you can find online (FitDay or NutriStrategy) that will help you to calculate your actual calories burned. 

So, dust off your mops, break out the cleaner and begin to sweat off the weight! 

Editor’s Note: The calories burned estimates listed here are based on one hour of cleaning for a 155-pound woman.

Gardening: 226 calories 

Window washing: 226 calories 

Scrubbing floors (on hands and knees): 291 calories 

Laundry, ironing: 84 calories 

Sewing repairs: 36 calories 

Dusting: 97 calories 

Scrubbing toilets, tub: 246 calories 

Vacuuming: 317 calories 

Cleaning gutters: 258 calories 

Moving furniture, household items: 387 calories 

Painting, papering, plastering: 317 calories

Sweeping: 194 calories

Mopping: 153 calories 

Healthy Living: Benefits of Massage Therapy

For more than 125 years, experts have been researching the benefits of massage therapy, and besides the obvious stress-free feeling that people have following a massage, there are plenty of other benefits to this ancient healing procedure.

One major benefit of massage therapy that researchers have found is that people who get massages on a regular basis have noticed a decrease in their blood pressure.  

Massages also help to alleviate the pain of those who suffer from migraine headaches. 

Massage can also: reduce your heart rate, increase blood circulation and lymph flow, relax your muscles, improve your range of motion, and increase endorphins. Some other physical benefits of massage therapy include relieving muscle tension and stiffness, alleviating discomfort during pregnancy, reducing muscle spasms, promoting deeper and easier breathing, enhancing the health and nourishment of your skin, and improving your posture. 

Massage therapy, while a physical act, is not all about physical benefits.  There are plenty of mental benefits that having a massage can give you. 

Some of these mental benefits include promoting mental alertness, relieving mental stress, reducing levels of anxiety, improving motor skills, creating   body awareness, and fostering a feeling of well-being. 

While this article only touches on a few benefits of massage therapy, both physical and mental, there are plenty more out there that researchers are learning about every day. 

So, go pamper yourself!