A follow up….remember our guest post with Mark in Train for Humanity?

Stop over with Pam as she asks: Who are you? Healthy regimens give you an identity.

Please visit Annette, as she shares another chapter during her amazing journey—>Healthy Role Model~~~~ 6 Months Continued. Way to go Annette!

Finally as you Tips to avoid food allergies and still have fun this Halloween…..Thanks again Dr. Hubbard!

Enjoy Halloween, be safe, be smart and of course NEVER, NEVER, NEVER give up on your journey!

Home HeartBeat

New and innovative way to increase your home awareness by giving you vital information about the essential systems in your home (Gas, electric, water, temp, windows open? etc.). No matter where you are the system delivers the information you want about your home, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to your cell phone.

………………………………………UV Disinfectant Wand

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“The Intense ultra-violet radiation emanates from a lens on the face, killing 99.9% of bacteria and viruses on your mouse, keyboard, phone, action-figures, what have you! Pass it over your contaminated objects for 10 seconds, and you’re virtually germ-free.” **

Wenger Giant Swiss Army Knife™

85 implements with 110 functions!

…………………………………………………………Flee Digital Camera “flying digital camera”

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ChildMinder Device “parenting by remote control”

“The Child ‘Minder® system will significantly reduce that one in a hundred thousand chance that your child maybe inadvertently left unattended in a motor vehicle while seated in their child safety seat.”

Finally some healthy gadgets that are probably familiar to most….

Resistance Bands………. Physio Ball…………….Kettlebells

Some you could use, some just might be fun.

Also See: Healthy Gadgets and More Healthy Gadgets

MBT The anti-shoe

“MBT creates a natural instability underfoot, which stimulates and exercises the body’s supporting muscle system.”

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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Foldable Mountain Bike- “At the end of the day this .durable mountain bike also folds to fit in a car trunk”

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Triple Timer- “Time three events at once”

Pandigital Kitchen Technology Center-”Want a recipe? Don’t run back to the computer or crack open a cook book — just access the KTC”

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Amazon Kindle-”A book is auto-delivered wirelessly in less than one minute.”

Some interesting, maybe useful products….what do you think?

If you didn’t get a chance check out a recent post with more gadgets… Healthy Gadgets

“Most Americans get little vigorous exercise at work or during leisure hours. Today, only a few jobs require vigorous physical activity. People usually ride in cars or buses and watch TV during their free time rather than be physically active. Activities like golfing and bowling provide people with some benefit. But they do not provide the same benefits as regular, more vigorous exercise.

Evidence suggests that even low- to moderate-intensity activities can have both short- and long-term benefits. If done daily, they help lower your risk of heart disease. Such activities include pleasure walking, stair climbing, gardening, yard work, moderate to heavy housework, dancing and home exercise. More vigorous exercise can help improve fitness of the heart and lungs, which can provide even more consistent benefits for lowering heart disease risk.

Today, many people are rediscovering the benefits of regular, vigorous exercise – activities like swimming, brisk walking, running, or jumping rope. These kinds of activities are sometimes called “aerobic” – meaning the body uses oxygen to produce the energy needed for the activity. Aerobic exercises can condition your heart and lungs if performed at the proper intensity for at least 30 minutes, 3-4 times a week.

But you don’t have to train like a marathon runner to become more physically fit! Any activity that gets you moving around, even it it’s done for just a few minutes each day, is better than none at all. For inactive people, the trick is to get started. One great way is to take a walk for 10-15 minutes during your lunch break.
What are the benefits of regular physical activity?

These are the benefits often experienced by people who get regular physical activity.

Feeling better

Regular physical activity -

* gives you more energy
* helps in coping with stress
* improves your self-image
* increases resistance to fatigue
* helps counter anxiety and depression
* helps you to relax and feel less tense
* improves the ability to fall asleep quickly and sleep well
* provides an easy way to share an activity with friends or family and an opportunity to meet new friends

Some great activities around the house can include mowing the lawn…yes MOWING the lawn! You will burn calories while completing a project, “tackling two things at once.” Try vacuuming….or in the winter try shoveling. The bottom line is we should keep busy, stay active.

A fantastic online resource for medical tips and advice, that I highly recommend is: http://www.familydoctormag.com

*Of course I recommend to check with your doctor if you have questions or concerns.*

Stay Healthy!

treadmill-based workstation?

Nutritional Food-Scale

Blender Bottle

Cereal On the Go

. . GPS Sneakers

Wii Fit

Some might make life a bit easier, some will make life healthier….what do you think?

Why is sleep so important you ask?

Virtual Relaxation Solutions provides us with five very good reasons:

Sleep helps you to restore and rejuvenate many body functions:

• Memory and learning – Sleep seems to organize memories, as well as help you to recover memories. After you learn something new, sleep may solidify the learning in your brain.
• Mood enhancement and social behaviors – The parts of the brain that control emotions, decision-making, and social interactions slow down dramatically during sleep, allowing optimal performance when awake. REM sleep seems especially important for a good mood during the day. Tired people are often cranky and easily frustrated.
• Nervous system – Some sleep experts suggest that neurons used during the day repair themselves during sleep. When we experience sleep deprivation, neurons are unable to perform effectively, and the nervous system is impaired.
• Immune system – Without adequate sleep, the immune system becomes weak, and the body becomes more vulnerable to infection and disease.
• Growth and development – Growth hormones are released during sleep, and sleep is vital to proper physical and mental development.

Now we know why sleep is so important.

How much do I need? This depends…

• Your inherited genetic need
• Your sleep hygiene (those daily activities you control, from drinking coffee or alcohol to smoking and exercise)take the sleep hygiene quiz.
• The quality of the sleep
• Your 24hour cycle known as the circadian rhythm
• Most important listen to your body, are you physically weak? How is your mind, are you sharp or are you daydreaming often? What about your emotions, are you short with your kids, less patience with those around you?

What can we do to get better sleep?

The first step is to figure out what’s making you tired.

Healthy Me offers some possible causes and tips:

Skimping on sleep

Most people need a solid 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night to feel their best. But with today’s hectic lifestyles, that can sometimes be difficult to achieve.

How to feel better: Try to make up for lost nighttime sleep by taking a 20- to 40-minute nap during the day, sleeping in on weekends, and turning in early on Wednesdays so that lack of sleep doesn’t accumulate throughout the long work week.

Insomnia

Sometimes the problem isn’t lack of time to sleep–it’s that you can’t fall asleep.

How to feel better: Try getting more exercise; it’s one of the most effective ways to combat insomnia. It’s also a good idea to cut back on caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol, especially before bedtime. (Although alcohol is a sedative, it tends to keep you in light sleep rather than more restful deep sleep, so you wake up feeling tired.) You might also try putting a few drops of essential oil of lavender on your pillow, which one study found can make you sleepy. Finally, don’t lie awake in bed. If you can’t sleep, get up and do something relaxing–read a book or watch TV–until you feel drowsy.

Sleep Apnea

People with sleep apnea generally snore up a storm, then suddenly stop breathing–which is marked by a period of eerie silence. After a minute or two without air, they wake up with a start, often gasping and snorting. This may happen hundreds of times a night, and sufferers may not remember ever waking up. But when they rouse in the morning after such a restless night, they’re exhausted.

How to feel better: Sleep apnea is caused by a blockage in the airway. Losing excess pounds can often ease the problem, as can sleeping on your side. Your doctor may also suggest that you wear a dental device at night to keep your airway clear or a mask hooked up to a machine that can help you breathe. Finally, in some cases surgery is recommended to remove obstructions or enlarge the airway.

Recent illness

Just because you’ve gotten over a cold or the flu doesn’t mean you’re back to your usual self. Being sick can make you feel tired — sometimes for weeks after the illness has passed.

How to feel better: Take it easy, and let your body recover at its own pace.

Side effects from drugs

Many medications can cause drowsiness and fatigue, including antihistamines, antidepressants, and beta blockers.

How to feel better: Talk to your physician about switching medications.

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From what I see, it is very important that I make more of an effort (or less) in getting a better sleep.

*Always remember to seek medical advice from your doctor.*

Happy ZZZZZs!