Green Living

Antibiotic Overuse

As soon as we get the sniffles, sore throat or a drippy nose the first thing many of us do is reach for an antibiotic. They’re usually readily available in our medicine cabinets. They are available because they are over-prescribed by doctors and emergency rooms everywhere and all the time.

47,000,000 prescriptions in the U.S. are unnecessarily prescribed causing efforts to improving the way we take and the way physicians prescribe antibiotics to become a national priority.

This article from the Centers for Disease Control outlines the dangers of overuse of antibiotics. Surprisingly at least 23,000 people a year die from antibiotic misuse.

The article points out when antibiotics should be taken and when they are needed. It also tells us when they shouldn’t be taken and when they are NOT needed. It also recommends alternatives that you can use (and things you can do) to feel better. While antibiotics can be very effective when prescribed and taken properly, they can also cause physical problems like reductions in good bacteria and immunity to the antibiotics themselves.

Of course, the best way to fight disease is to stay healthy in the first place. A good diet, plenty of water and moderate to vigorous exercise are good lifestyle choices to avoid the onset of disease. A pure and effective vitamin regime can also be effective. Be sure that you research the supplements that you choose and make sure that there are studies that support your choice.

Centers for Disease Control  article

Alter your environment to improve your body and mind

Genes contain information that determine everything from appearance to intelligence.
A person inherits genes from their parents, and how parents live affects their children’s genes.


However, it’s a mistaken assumption that everything you inherited in your genes is permanent. Your lifestyle and circumstances can awaken individual genes and/or suppress others. Here are four ways you can alter your environment and lifestyle to improve your body and mind.

1. YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT. Food and nutrition are important. If you regularly consume healthy and nutritious food, your genes will respond accordingly. Healthy nutrition awakens essential genes that have a positive impact on your mind and body. It’s critical to have a consistently healthy diet for the good genes to remain active.

2. STRESS CAN ACTIVATE CHANGE. Everyone deals with stress, which can have an impact on our health and genes. Becoming stressed-out on a consistent basis can cause the good genes to become suppressed impacting your productivity and health. Destressing exercises can activate these genes to help you cope.

3. AN ACTIVE LIFESTYLE WILL AWAKEN THE BEST GENES. An active lifestyle influences change. You don’t need to become an exercise junkie for good results. you only need to take part in a physical activity such as dancing or running on a regular basis. Your body will activate genes needed to support those activities over time. The impact has a net positive on your health, mind and productivity.

4. CHANGE YOUR ENVIRONMENT. Sometimes changing your environment isn’t all that easy, but it can be controlled it in small ways. Regular exposure to morning sunlight, a clean home environment and living near a wooded area can influence your active genes, mind, body and even your mood.

In addition to making these four changes, regular visits with your general healthcare provider can make sure you live a long, healthy life.

Today is a good day to start!

The most physically fit U.S. city

Arlington, Virginia came in on top in this year’s ranking of the most physically fit U.S. cities by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), which determined that Arlington had the lowest smoking rate among the largest cities and the best reports of good or excellent health.

Also in the top 10: Minneapolis, MN; Madison, WI; Portland, OR; Seattle; Denver; St. Paul, MN; San Jose, CA; and Boise, ID.

Arlington edged out Minneapolis, MN by only half a point, and beat Washington, D.C., just across the Potomac River by 3.7 points. The lowest ranked cities on the list were Oklahoma City, OK; Indianapolis, IN; Louisville, KY; Detroit, MI; and Toledo, OH. *

The ACSM fitness index assesses 33 measures of health behaviors, diseases and community infrastructure to determine the most fit city. It reported that more than three-quarters of adults in all 100 cities were physically active in the month before the survey, although only half of them met aerobic activity guidelines and merely 22 percent met both strength and aerobic guidelines. In terms of diet, the ACSM found that only 30 percent of adults responding reported eating at least two servings of fruit daily and only 18 percent said they eat three or more servings of vegetables per day.

*Source: consumer.healthday.com/fitness-information-14/misc-fitness-health-news-312/america-s-fittest-city-arlington-va-733713.html

Happy Wellness Wednesday

This is a truism! I love helping others on their wellness journey!
❤ Happy Wellness Wednesday!

#givingback #healthiswealth #wedoittogether #we #wellnesswednesday

Men’s Skin Care and More

In the past, Men’s toiletries were largely deodorants, fragrances and shaving products. As this CNBC article points out, that is no longer the case. In fact, the men’s skin and personal care market is booming.

Since 2012, beauty and personal care products targeting men has grown by more than 70% and now represents close to 10 billion dollars. Many companies are, understandably, now paying attention, with a 100 million a year in growth, the industry has even “coined” a word for it: Mampering.

While many national and global companies are investing millions into developing products specifically targeted to the men’s segment, many men are using products that are used by women.

Men, particularly millennials, say that the use of personal care products boosts their self-esteem. But the use of these personal care products are not limited to the millennial segment, more and more adult men are using these products to counteract the effects of dry and aging skin.

One of the biggest challenges that companies have in developing these products is that men want their grooming routine to run no more than 30 minutes. Combining products seems to be the answer they have found. Stay tuned for the compromises that must be made for combination products.

Results will always be the way these products will be judged. For that reason, it may make sense to use female-targeted products as a unisex solution. Afterall, billions of dollars have been invested in the development of these women’s products and solutions. The results are what you are seeking regardless of whether you achieve them with a woman’s or a men’s product. 




Barbara Hay
732.233.6541
hayseeds@me.com

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Maintaining Your Personal Energy

No matter who you are or what you do; your energy levels (and motivation) will hit flat spots. This article from Whole Life Challenge will give you some insight and tips on dealing with these energy flat spots and reenergize yourself when they “rear” their ugly heads.

The energy we refer to is not just physical. It is a combination of physical, mental, emotional and professional phenomena. Physically the signs can be fairly obvious; fatigue, headaches, slowing of reflexes and even blurred vision. Mentally and emotionally, it can produce moodiness, irritability, and lack of focus and concentration.

All in all, these symptoms can dramatically affect your personal and professional lives. It can even make you more susceptible to illness and disease. It is easy to see why guarding against these energy “valleys” is to your advantage. But, how do you do it?

Physically: Eat well, move well, and sleep well. Manage your ultradyne rhythms (our energy cycle repeats every 90-120 minutes). Take regular breaks; a 5-minute walk, stretching, and deep breathing can all help. Avoid distractions; believe it or not, multitasking is a myth. It is not efficient or productive.

Emotionally: Emotional and mental levels can be restored, by feeding your mind. Stop negative self-talk. Be conscious and aware of the things that drain you. Make a list of the things that uplift you and do them often. There are people who drain your energy, avoid them and connect with the ones that make you feel happy. Finally, set some time aside to decompress.

Professionally: Manage the physical mental, and emotional challenges you face daily and it will manifest solutions to your professional energy problems. My company has a coaching construct, which allows me to turn to others whom I respect for advice and support. But remember, these flat spots are, for the most part, temporary so do not let them defeat you. Victory is around the corner. 

www.wholelifechallenge.com/your-personal-energy-plan-how-to-protect-manage-and-boost-it/

Healthy choices.

If you’ve ever been on a diet and failed, you will love how simple this is.
You are not required to weigh food, measure, count calories or keep a journal.

I love that it’s not a diet. Most of all I love my results and how I feel!
So glad I took a chance, I’ll never go back. Its all about healthy choices.

Peak Performance

At 83 years of age, Frank Ledoux is still competing in the one-minute sprint row. In fact, he’s ranked #2 in the world in the 80+ age category. Frank and his wife Judy attribute much of their vitality to Peak Performance Total Health. “I just feel wonderful,” Frank says. “We work out three days a week, we hike, we play golf, we do everything. How can we feel so good at our age? It has to be the nutrition in the Peak Performance Pack.” —Frank & Judy Ledoux

I love my Peak Performance, how about you?


#enhancelives #liveschangehere

Can The Fear Of Success Cause Me To Fail?

The fear of failure is easy to understand. We all experience it, even if it
is only from time to time (but it is likely more often). Fear of failure is
right there “in your face”. It presents itself right up front and is obvious.
As I said, fear of failure is easy to understand.

But it may be that the fear of success is your biggest obstacle. It is much more insidious and more difficult to identify. The linked article below Lifehack can be very helpful in identifying that you fear success.

Try saying it to yourself, “I am afraid of being successful”, it doesn’t sound right. It sounds counter-intuitive. Check the behaviors, which indicate that you may, indeed, fear success. The article explains some things that you can do. You probably have heard that your subconscious mind is in charge much more than your conscious mind is.

Don’t be afraid of being extraordinary. Having a strong why can help you overcome the fear of success. Revisit your why often or, more importantly, write it down and keep it in front of you where you will see it often. You and what you can do for you is powerful beyond measure.

If you work hard doing results producing activities, becoming successful is inevitable. You will have your share of failures. It is just part of life. Believing that you deserve or even are entitled to success can make it all happen. It all begins with you. Don’t fear to become rich, standing out or change. Don’t avoid doing two things every day that will lead you to become the awesome you that is within you.

Lifehack article:  Can the fear of success cause me to fail?/


Something to ponder:

In the Spring of 2000, Netflix’s CEO tried to form an alliance with Blockbuster Video (remember them?) Netflix offered 49% of their company to Blockbuster and the two companies would become one. Blockbuster would still have the brick and mortar buildings to rent out DVD’s and Netflix would be used to send out DVD’s though the mail.

Blockbuster basically laughed Netflix out of the meeting and passed on the offer because they didn’t understand the business model.

Are you being left behind on an opportunity because you don’t understand it?

Things are changing faster than ever before. Old ways of doing business are dying daily. Don’t be left behind! Just because you haven’t shopped or don’t shop online for your household items YET doesn’t mean it won’t be EXACTLY what your busy life is looking for!

❤ #whyilovewellness