health
Helpful Websites
- National Institutes of Health: www.nih.gov/health-information
- Mayo Clinic: www.mayoclinic.org/
- HealthFinder, Your Source for Reliable Health Information: healthfinder.gov/
- Harvard Health, Trusted advice for a healthier life: www.health.harvard.edu/
- MedlinePlus, Health Information from the National Library of Medicine: medlineplus.gov/
- CDC: www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/toolstemplates/entertainmented/tips/preventivehealth.html
Elements of Health
Like the other aspects of a well-balanced life, your health consists of a daily consistency of activities, including:
Proper nutrition (see Nutrition, below) - eat from the 5 food groups:
Exercise - aerobic and weight lifting; find something you enjoy doing!
Maintain your ideal weight; here is a site to calculate your BMI: www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm
Get adequate sleep. Here's a link to a handy Sleep Calculator: sleep-calculator.com/
Avoid harmful substances (drugs, cigarettes, etc.)
Control stress; prayer is the best method.
Aim for about 10 minutes of sunshine on sunny days (vitamin D and mood-lifter).
Laugh often.
Social relationships provide many health benefits; we were not created to be alone.
Like the other aspects of a well-balanced life, your health consists of a daily consistency of activities, including:
Proper nutrition (see Nutrition, below) - eat from the 5 food groups:
- Fruit
- Vegetables
- Protein - lean meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts, and beans
- Grains - bread, cereals, rice, pasta, noodles, etc.
- Dairy - milk, cheese, yogurt, etc.
Exercise - aerobic and weight lifting; find something you enjoy doing!
Maintain your ideal weight; here is a site to calculate your BMI: www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm
Get adequate sleep. Here's a link to a handy Sleep Calculator: sleep-calculator.com/
Avoid harmful substances (drugs, cigarettes, etc.)
Control stress; prayer is the best method.
Aim for about 10 minutes of sunshine on sunny days (vitamin D and mood-lifter).
Laugh often.
Social relationships provide many health benefits; we were not created to be alone.
nutrition
Choose my plate website:
CAlorie counter
Mediterranean diet
Healthy Eating with the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid
oldwayspt.org |
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FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY
Fruit MacroClose-up colors and textures
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DragonfruitBeautiful tropical fruit colors
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Pasta + sausage + veggiesTastes as good as it looks!
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exercise & fitness
Exercise Equipment for the home
No need to pay expensive gym membership fees; there are plenty of fun and useful tools for exercising in the privacy and comfort of your own home. Take it from me, a former exercise-hater; equipment makes all the difference in getting in a daily workout. Most can be purchased for under $100 on amazon.com or kohl.com, and can be stored in a medium-sized home closet.
Note: information provided here is geared toward those 50+ years young.
Some examples:
Mini Trampoline - great fun and excellent exercise, just jump up and down! Beginners should find a door jamb or something else to hold onto for safety.
Bosu ball (my favorite) - fun source of all sorts of exercises such as balance, core strengthening, stepping on/off, arms and abs
Hand weights - 2, 3, 5, 8, 10 pounds; heavier for pros
Ankle weights - 2, 3, 5 lbs.; sit on bench and lift legs singly or both at one time
Bench
Kettlebell - (10 lbs. recommended) for arm strengthening
Yoga mat - prevents slipping and great to use on hard flooring
Foam roller - comes in various lengths and diameters, good for helping with back pain
Core sliders - just step on them and move your legs around for great stretching exercise
To be continued...
Note: information provided here is geared toward those 50+ years young.
Some examples:
Mini Trampoline - great fun and excellent exercise, just jump up and down! Beginners should find a door jamb or something else to hold onto for safety.
Bosu ball (my favorite) - fun source of all sorts of exercises such as balance, core strengthening, stepping on/off, arms and abs
Hand weights - 2, 3, 5, 8, 10 pounds; heavier for pros
Ankle weights - 2, 3, 5 lbs.; sit on bench and lift legs singly or both at one time
Bench
Kettlebell - (10 lbs. recommended) for arm strengthening
Yoga mat - prevents slipping and great to use on hard flooring
Foam roller - comes in various lengths and diameters, good for helping with back pain
Core sliders - just step on them and move your legs around for great stretching exercise
To be continued...
Types of exercise
Exercise takes many forms; here are a few types:
- Stretching - forget the yoga (based on Hinduism), just STRETCH! I like to come up with my own exercises rather than follow others' regimens.
- Weight lifting - dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, etc. Builds muscles in arms.
- Core - Those 50+ probably know all about "middle-age spread"; here's where core strengthening comes in. Try an ab roller. I recommend rolling out in front of a wall to stop yourself. Be warned, it's hard, so take it very easy at first.
- Aerobic - Walking comes to mind as the best for us seniors. Also to get some great aerobic exercise indoors/all seasons, just jump on your mini-trampoline! I do not recommend jogging--it's hard on the joints.
- To be continued...