Deana's Health Corner

As a Nation, let’s show appreciation to and for our United States Veterans. The first Armistice Day on Nov. 11, 1919, marked the one-year anniversary of the end of World War I, what many proclaimed, with an optimism that turned out to be wildly misplaced, “the war to end all wars.”

It became a U.S. national holiday in 1938 and in 1954 was renamed Veterans Day to honor all veterans. With the end of the draft and the passing of the World War II generation, military service is not the common denominator in American life it once was.

There are currently 23.2 million veterans, down from a peak of 28.6 million in 1980. There is no danger of those numbers dwindling to a point where the nation begins to overlook its veterans. We spend generously on them ― over $84 billion last year, mainly for pensions and medical benefits ― and will continue to do so.

But as the scandalous treatment of the wounded undergoing rehabilitation at Walter Reed Army Medical Center showed, bureaucracies can move in fits and starts. That’s why it’s encouraging that the Obama administration ― specifically Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki and Defense Secretary Robert Gates ― have undertaken several worthwhile initiatives.

The two pledged to attack the cumbersome and maddeningly complex paperwork needed to process veterans’ disability claims that have created a huge backlog at the VA. And they have doubled the funding for treatment of the side effects of the nature of the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan ― traumatic brain injuries and mental health issues.

Shinseki has also vowed to end veterans’ homelessness in five years. There are an estimated 130,000 homeless vets. That’s down substantially from 195,000 six years ago, but Shinseki doesn’t believe any should be out on the streets. He proposes to attack the problem by preventing veterans from becoming homeless in the first place.

Sunday, President Barack Obama signed an executive order intended to ramp up the federal government’s employment of veterans across its agencies. And Congress has passed a law to make the VA’s funding more secure and predictable.

Help me spread the word….Veterans, We Appreciate You!

Tags: health, President Obama, veterans, war
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Drinking water can prove to be highly beneficial and powerful in a variety of ways. It is known that a person can survive for 2-3 weeks without food, but only a few days without water. Most people don’t drink enough water and are in fact dehydrated without knowing it. Canned drinks, sweet liquids, coffee, tea, alcohol and similar drinks do not count, as they’re believed to make your body lose even more water.  Mother may have told you to drink more water when you were young.   Now your doctor does, but you still find yourself ignoring the good advice.   Most likely, Mother didn’t always say why water is so important, so here are some good reasons to increase your water intake.

Get Healthy Skin

Flush Toxins

Reduce Your Risk Of Heart Attack

Cushion And Lube Your Joints And Muscles

Get Energized And Be Alert

Regulate Bowel Movements

Reduce Your Risk Of Disease And Infection

Regulate Your Body Temperature

Burn More Fat And Build More Muscle

Tags: drink, flush toxins, health, water
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If you’re like me, you probably try to help friends and family find the culprit that brings pain and discomfort, especially when asked.  I’ve questioned myself time and time again…Why can’t I leave people alone and let them go to their Doctor’s Office to find relief from their agony?   I think the answer is that I like to help as much as I can.  Consequently, I’m usually giving advice.   Of course, I haven’t replaced anyone’s Doctor, please don’t be alarmed.  However, I do have a reputation of helping people feel stronger and healthier.  My husband and I both do actually.

Have you ever noticed in the movies that a person can faint or even fall down and twist an ankle and the next scene shows them being served a crystal clear glass of water?  Water?  Why water?  As if water is a cure all.

Strangely enough, I seem to follow that same script.  While giving input to others to help them around their health issues, I commonly ask the age old question:  Are you drinking enough water?  As much as I try to avoid it, I seem to visit the water question every time.  Could there be truth to water as a cure all?

Here are some facts:  Approximately 60% of the human body is made up of water. Because this number is so high, it’s important that you consume the right amount of water each day to replenish your body with this vital nutrient. It’s also important to consume water if you’re trying to lose weight. Water is essential for the majority of important functions in your body – it helps regulate and maintain your body temperature, transports nutrients and oxygen, removes waste products and moistens your mouth, eyes, nose, hair, skin, joints and digestive tract.

Research shows that  many illnesses are caused by not drinking enough water. Water is a very important element in our diet and can provide us with several health benefits. Clean, healthy drinking water, ingested in the right amount, can provide many health advantages, and lack of water can cause dehydration resulting in severe health problems. Health benefits surmount further if the water is alkaline as it helps the body bring itself back in pH balance and reduce the acidic contents in our body. Lack of water intake can cause many problems and discomforts which can be avoided simply by increasing the amount of water we drink. There are several health problems associated with lack of water and dehydration. The five illnesses that alkaline water can solve are:

• Heartburn
• Arthritis
• Angina
• Headaches including migraine
• Back Pain

Consider drinking more water.  Your body will feel much better if you do.

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Temple Fit Founder

“No Eating After 6pm?” Says Temple Fit Director, William Lane…”We are not ‘dogmatic’ about this, but there is tons of research that supports not eating after 6:00 p.m. If you’re trying to lose weight, one of the first things you need to do is to stop eating after 6:00 pm.” Eating late at night does not give your body time to burn calories consumed before you go to sleep at night. This is true for most people. What you eat and how much you eat along with exercise weigh heavily. Let’s apply each of these strategies and get the benefits of each. Give your body a break. Don’t spend your life feeling stuffed and full with food. Let’s use the “T” word. All together now….. say it with me. “TEMPERANCE”

www.templefit.homestead.com

Tags: eating, slimming down, temperance, weight loss
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10 Reasons to Smile

#1.   Smiling Makes Us Attractive.  We are drawn to people who smile. There is an attraction factor. We want to know a smiling person and figure out what is so good. Frowns, scowls and grimaces all push people away — but a smile draws them in.

#2.   Smiling Changes Our Mood.  Next time you are feeling down, try putting on a smile. There’s a good chance you mood will change for the better. Smiling can trick the body into helping you change your mood.

#3.  Smiling Is Contagious. When someone is smiling they lighten up the room, change the moods of others, and make things happier. A smiling person brings happiness with them. Smile lots and you will draw people to you.

#4.  Smiling Relieves Stress. Stress can really show up in our faces. Smiling helps to prevent us from looking tired, worn down, and overwhelmed. When you are stressed, take time to put on a smile. The stress should be reduced and you’ll be better able to take action.

#5.  Smiling Boosts Your Immune System. Smiling helps the immune system to work better. When you smile, immune function improves possibly because you are more relaxed. Prevent the flu and colds by smiling.

#6.  Smiling Lowers Your Blood Pressure.  When you smile, there is a measurable reduction in your blood pressure. Give it a try if you have a blood pressure monitor at home. Sit for a few minutes, take a reading. Then smile for a minute and take another reading while still smiling. Do you notice a difference?

#7.  Smiling Releases Endorphins, Natural Pain Killers and Serotonin. Studies have shown that smiling releases endorphins, natural pain killers, and serotonin. Together these three make us feel good. Smiling is a natural drug.

#8.   Smiling Lifts the Face and Makes You Look Younger. The muscles we use to smile lift the face, making a person appear younger. Don’t go for a face lift, just try smiling your way through the day — you’ll look younger and feel better.

#9.  Smiling Makes You Seem Successful.  Smiling people appear more confident, are more likely to be promoted, and more likely to be approached. Put on a smile at meetings and appointments and people will react to you differently.

#10.  Smiling Helps You Stay Positive.  Try this test: Smile. Now try to think of something negative without losing the smile. It’s hard. When we smile our body is sending the rest of us a message that “Life is Good!” Stay away from depression, stress and worry by smiling.

Resources:
http://www.terrawellington.com/Column2005/041405.htm
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=1424940
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/416134/health_benefits_of_smiling_.html?cat=25
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/416134/health_benefits_of_smiling_.html?cat=25

Life,

Tags: Benefits, health, life, Smile
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Researchers of a study led by Dr. Dacher Keltner of the University of California were able to predict the future success (30 years down the road!) of 21-year-old individuals just by looking at their photographs. The key appeared to be the intensity of their smiles.

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Researchers of a study led by Dr. Dacher Keltner of the University of California were able to predict the future success (30 years down the road!) of 21-year-old women just by looking at their photographs. The key appeared to be the intensity of the women’s smiles. 

Do you stil need convincing,?  Consider research  recently found just for those who still need somewhat of a prod to get going into the blissful  lifestyle of unconditional happiness. 

“Women who displayed more positive emotion were more likely to be married by 27, less likely to have remained single into middle adulthood and more likely to have satisfying marriages 30 years later. This means we can take photos at a wedding and from them we may be able to tell how the marriage will go,” said Dr. Keltner.

Deana

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