That's Fit

Since the United States does not have federal smoking control legislation and each individual state must determine legislative bans, only about half of Americans are covered by a smoke free ordinance of some degree. Efforts to ban smoking have been developing since the early 1990s when research showed that secondhand smoke not only was an annoyance to nonsmokers, but actually was contributing to their death from lung cancer.

So I know some of you feel this subject is beat up but I have to speak out as a cancer survivor and also someone who is presently battling cancer and I am not a smoker. This is my two minutes. Moving back home to Virginia was nice to be around family members and old friends, but it has put a damper on how many times I will actually go out to eat or even go enjoy bowling or other social events. Because it means breathing second hand smoke. Going to a bar or even to a coffee shop to listen to live music is even a health risk and I just won't do it. As a songwriter and performer if I want to get paid shows in this state I have to breathe the smoke that comes with the places I would perform like restaurants, bars, or coffee shops. Could it be the fact that the largest manufacturer of cigarettes, Phillip Morris, is located in the state capital of Virginia in Richmond?

And coincidence or not, to even go south of me 15 minutes into North Carolina is not any relief either because North Carolina is the home of R.J. Reynolds tobacco company located in Winston Salem and legislation to ban smoking in public places has not passed in that state either.

When people talk about freedoms and being able to smoke in public, I think somebody else's freedom ends when it enters my lungs and causes serious health risks and forces me to give up the freedoms of going to places that I enjoy or need to work in to survive. Looking at research it seems for people to escape smoking in public places they have to move to northern states or to the west coast. The R.J Reynolds website states "Adults who smoke should avoid exposing minors to secondhand smoke." Well what about adults? See a map of the states with smoking bans by clicking here.

Not only is the sea calming for our souls by watching the waves coming in and going out and helping us unwind and relieve stress, but it is a provider of that fun summer vacation to soak up the sun we need and the exercise we need by walking, swimming, or biking.

But we need to look to the sea a little more often for the thousands of types of sea vegetables that we can eat. Sea vegetables are classified into categories by colors of brown, red or green. Each having a distinct shape, taste and texture. The sea cucumber sounds like one of our favorite salad foods but it is not a plant or vegetable. But here are some sea vegetables that are an excellent source of iodine, vitamin K, folate, magnesium and are a good source of calcium, iron and tryptophan. These are some of the most popular types of sea vegetables.

Nori is dark purple almost black in color and turns phosphorescent green when toasted. It is famous for its role in making sushi rolls. You can also slice nori into small strips and sprinkle on top of salads. Kelp is light brown to dark green in color and most often is available in flake form. You can sprinkle on salads or add to water to make a delicious broth. Hijiki looks like small strands of black wiry pasta and has a strong flavor. Kombu is very dark in color and generally sold in strips or sheets. It is used mostly as a flavoring for soups. Wakame is similar to kombu and most commonly used to make Japanese miso soup. Arame has a lacy, wiry look and this sea vegetable is sweeter and milder in taste than many others. Dulse is soft and chewy in texture and a reddish brown color.

If you are having trouble balancing during certain exercises using a spotter is a good idea until you build up body muscles that will hold you for that particular exercise. Spotters are not just for weight lifting.

One of the most important things to know with exercise is proper body alignment and balance. Maintaining a good position with your head so that you are not pulling on your neck while doing sit ups or other ab exercises is important to reduce your risks of injuries. If you're doing a set of abdominal exercises and your neck hurts but not your stomach then you might want to look and see how you were lying or how you were holding your head because you're neck shouldn't hurt after you've been doing abdominal exercises. You need to check your body alignment. If you are holding your hands behind your neck and you're actually irritating your neck or straining then you are doing either too much or trying to go too fast and you are straining and that is creating stress on your neck.

One of the top exercises that you can do for abs is a reverse crunch. Lie down on a bench with your knees bent and your upper legs at a 90 degree angle with your torso. Hold the bench above your head for stability. Use your ab muscles to pull your knees toward your chest until they reach your elbows. Hold the crunch position for three seconds and return to the starting position. Doing ten of these in your exercise routine every day will give you a toner midsection.

When sitting down to eat in your favorite restaurant which steak do you order. Beef or Tuna? Tuna is a nutritious source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. Everyday we learn more about the health benefits of tuna. Mercury is not the public health risk that some claim. No studies have shown that fish consumption has led to dangerous levels of mercury within the human body. Studies show that eating fish high in omega-3 fatty acids may reduce people's overall risk for developing heart disease. Tuna is also a very good source of vitamin B6.

So weigh out the benefits of nutrients in 4 ounces of tuna versus lean organic beef.

4 ounces of tuna contains:
tryptophan 0.38g
selenium 53.07 mcg
protein 33.99g
vitamin B3 (niacin) 13.54mg
vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) 1.18mg
vitamin B1 (thiamin) 0.57mg
phosphorus 277.83mg
potassium 645.25mg
magnesium 72.58mg
omega 3 fatty acids 0.33g

4 ounces of lean organic beef contains:
tryptophan 0.36g
protein 32.04g
vitamin B12 (cobalamin) 2.92mcg
zinc 6.33mg
selenium 27.67mcg
phosphorus 269.89mg
vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) 0.49mg
iron 4.05mg
vitamin B3 (niacin) 4.44mg
vitamin B2 (riboflavin) 0.35mg

I was buying glucosamine tablets for my dog to cut down on arthritis inflammation. Then saw some in the drug store for people and thought I would give them a try for the pain in my joints from arthritis. I did not notice much change for either of us. Then I read an article today that glucosamine trials show little benefit against arthritis. The results of 15 trials of over the counter glucosamine vary so widely that industry bias may be a factor influencing the more positive outcomes, concludes a team writing in the July issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.

Click here to read the MSN health news article and you be the judge.

Native Americans have used cayenne pepper as both food and medicine for at least 9,000 years. It has also been used as a topical remedy for arthritis and muscle pain. So I think I will pull one of my favorite spices out of the cabinet and give it a try to remedy the knee joint pain the natural way. The University of Maryland Medical Center has an article on the healing powers of cayenne pepper. Click here to read their report.

Vitamin D is a nutrient that is crucial to bone health. Older Americans greater than age 50 are thought to have a higher risk of developing vitamin D deficiency. It is found naturally in only a few foods like the oily fish salmon, tuna, mackerel, and sardines and fish liver oil. It is often added to milk, cereals, and orange juice. But sunlight is the main source for most people. The ultraviolet rays from sunlight stimulate the skin to produce vitamin D. Many Americans don't have enough vitamin D in their bodies.

During the winter, sun exposure is considerably less for the average person and vitamin D blood levels are usually lowest from October to April. Many individuals don't spend much time outdoors, even during the summer, and are using sunscreen as a safety measure for skin cancer. But are we at more risk for vitamin D deficiencies or skin cancer. Sunscreens block vitamin D manufacture and decrease natural production even more. In addition, individuals with darker skin make less vitamin D after the same level of sun exposure as a person with lighter skin. Sunscreens decrease natural production of vitamin D even more.

vitamin D lowers the risk of many autoimmune diseases and also lowers the risk for cancers like colon, breast, lung, pancreatic, and endometrial. Taking a daily 15 to 30 minute walk in the sunshine without sunscreen is recommended for your body to produce natural vitamin D.

Want to have the freshest best tasting organic tomatoes to put on your sandwiches, salads or to make your sauces? Tomatoes are full of vitamins and nutrients as well as being a lycopene rich food. You don't have to have a big plot of land to garden and grow these delectable vegetables. All you need is a 5 gallon bucket, a stake and some string, some garden soil, and one healthy tomato plant. Planting your own is a sure fire way to know you are eating organic. When purchasing tomato plants at your local garden center, select stocky, dark green plants. One plant per bucket will produce a lot of tomatoes. Planting tomatoes should be done before the end of June so hurry and get yours planted.

You can use the bucket method to plant tomatoes year round inside. Save your egg containers and use them as seed starters. Fill each cavity with potting soil and put one seed per cavity. Then as the sprouts get 4 inches tall, transfer them to their own bucket. Set plants into the soil up to their first true leaves.

Tomatoes need 6 hours of sunlight a day so if you are starting them inside, be sure to have them near a window that gets a lot of sunlight.

We are so used to negative feedback that we are more aware of our weaknesses than our strengths. So it is often hard to enjoy success, no matter how small each success might be. Celebrating your strengths and achievements is a natural process to building self esteem. Learning to recognize that we are human and that we will make mistakes will also help us build self esteem so we all need to learn to forgive ourselves.

Self acceptance is required before self esteem can develop. Self esteem is built by experiencing success whether small or large. To build self esteem you need to stop dwelling on your weaknesses and learn to forgive yourself for your mistakes. Beating yourself up is only defeating yourself and your energy is better spent if you build positive thoughts about yourself even when things are not as successful as they can be. Learning to recognize if you are judging yourself against unreasonable standards will help you to know your strengths. So setting goals that you can reach is a good way to set yourself up for success and will continue to build strength in yourself.

A self help exercise is to write down the things you do successfully. Every mistake a person makes can be an opportunity to learn. We can't be afraid to make mistakes, this is how we learn to improve. Persistence and learning from past mistakes will help us succeed.

80 percent of all cancers are due to identified factors according to the National Cancer Institute. Which means a lot of cancers can be preventable. So why is the disease increasing and why don't Americans pay more attention to the facts?

30 percent of cancers are due to smoking. Up to 50 percent of cancers are due to the foods we eat. Drinking excessive alcohol raises the risks for breast, mouth, pharynx, and esophagus cancers. Drinking alcohol and smoking makes cancer risks skyrocket as well as raises the risks for stomach, liver, and colon cancers.

In my humble opinion the following basic food facts should be taped to every refrigerator in this country.

Some vitamins in plant foods are known to be cancer inhibitors and dietary fat is known to be a promoter in cancer by helping the abnormal cells grow quickly. Especially animal fat. The best diet for cancer prevention points to a low fat, high fiber diet that includes a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans and also minimizes or excludes alcohol and eliminates smoking. The best diets are pure vegetarian diets.

Exercising while you are pregnant has proven to help reduce fatigue, build endurance, and can help women have a shorter labor. This is particularly true if you use movement in labor by changing positions. Despite the differences in your body, exercise is still important. One of the things you need to determine before you jump right into an exercise program is how fit you are and if you have not previously been on any exercise routine. There are several exercises that you can do while pregnant, even if you were previously a couch potato or sedentary.

Here are four exercises that are safe while pregnant.

Yoga combines exercise and relaxation.
Walking is a great workout for muscles and aerobic fitness.
Pilates emphasizes balance, strength, and flexibility.
Swimming helps relieve stress and strain on muscles and builds endurance.

One hundred years ago, only 3 million people in this country were aged 65 or older. Today, more than 36 million Americans are in this age group, and that number is expected to grow during the next 25 years to over 70 million as baby boomers age.

Regular physical activity, keeping the mind busy, and a healthy diet are key to healthy aging and physical independence. Not only does it keep the body strong, but keeping the body moving protects and improves your emotional and cognitive health and people who mentally challenge themselves, and stay connected with loved ones are less likely to suffer from anxiety, depression, short-term memory loss, and illness in general. Maintaining a healthy diet keeps the body and mind sharper. Avoid high sodium, sugar, and high fat diets. Stay away from smoking or heavy alcohol use.

Regular walking and aerobic exercise is proven to help manage depression, anxiety, and stress and maintains balance, strength, and flexibility, which are key to preventing injuries and falls. Challenging your intellect on a daily basis by reading, learning a new musical instrument or language, doing crossword puzzles, or playing games of strategy or cards with others will keep the brain active and developing and less likely to lose its power and memory. Eating healthy will maintain your weight, as well as keep a handle on developing diabetic, heart, or colon problems.

Staying aware of the emotional health of your family members can also include the four legged members in your household. Does your dog have separation anxiety? Many bad behavior problems stem from separation anxiety. Know the below symptoms of canine separation anxiety and some of the things that can help ease their distress.

Your dog follows you around everywhere you go. Your dog acts overexcited when you return home or when you prepare to leave. Your dog whines and barks while you are gone. Your dog's appetite decreased while you were gone or will only eat when you are at home. Your dog develops digestive problems, and urinates or defecates excessively. Your dog becomes so upset they throw up. Your dog becomes destructive, and digs excessively, or chews only certain items while you are gone.

Here are some suggestions to help decrease the separation anxiety your dog may be experiencing.

Get another pet to keep them company. Take your dog to day care, or have a friend visit and walk your dog. Keep your TV or radio on. Give your dog a really great toy with your scent on it that it only receives when you are gone. Get your dog used to your routine when you are getting ready to leave. Keep your dog well exercised.

When you think of indigestion you think of stomach acid. In most cases it is not the stomach acid creating the indigestion but a lack of it. Hydrochloric acid and pepsin, an enzyme working in an acid environment are needed to break down food effectively. A shortage of the two will result in sluggish digestion of food and indigestion. In this pill popping era we live in, getting rid of indigestion could be as simple as a shot of Apple Cider Vinegar after a meal to get rid of the bloating and indigestion we sometimes experience. Now I am not a doctor and this is just my personal experience, but for the last 5 weeks I have been using natural organic Apple Cider Vinegar with "Mother" that I bought in a health food store and it has worked wonders for me. So much that I recommended it to a friend and it is helping with their indigestion problem also.

Vinegar is a popular folk remedy to be sure, and there is limited science research behind it. One thing doctors agree on is that in limited doses, vinegar will not hurt you and it just might work. So you can be the judge.

Unplanned parenthood happens every day. Remember that whenever there is sperm and eggs there is a chance for pregnancy no matter what birth control measures you take. There is not a single birth control method on the market that is 100 percent effective from preventing pregnancy. Not even tying your tubes or hysterectomies are full proof. The only full proof method of not getting pregnant is to not have sex.

Birth control pills, one of the most effective types of birth control, can not be effective if you forget a dose. And even if you take it correctly you still have a slight chance of getting pregnant. Another traditional form of birth control are condoms. Latex and vinyl condoms will prevent STDs, including HBV and HIV/AIDS from passing from one partner to another and prevent sperm from gaining access to the female reproductive tract. Male condoms can be faulty and most packages warn of 85 to 98 percent effectiveness. Female condoms are another choice but are 79 to 95 percent effective but they will also protect against STDs, including HBV and HIV/AIDS. Spermicide, whether foam or film, only has up to 80 percent effectiveness and that is with perfect use.

Get to know your birth control options and facts. Here is a link to a chart produced by Advocates For Youth on the effectiveness of contraceptives.

Omega-3s have the medically proven ability to reduce the amount of fat in your blood and help lower triglycerides. Triglycerides are a huge risk factor in heart attacks. Not only are they good for the heart but they help with depression, type 2 diabetes, fatigue, dry and itchy skin, brittle hair and nails, joint pain and other inflammation in the body, and the inability to concentrate. Here are some top 10 food sources for Omega-3s. Start a healthy habit by adding some of these items to your daily diet and remember to buy organic when available.

Flax Seeds
Dried Ground Cloves
Walnuts
Salmon, Halibut, Cod
Cauliflower
Cabbage
Dried Ground Oregano
Mustard Seeds
Brussel Sprouts
Cooked Soybeans