Please feel free to contribute news, ask questions or make comments on our website. Just click on the mailbox and leave your information. Everyone looks forward to hearing from "The Family".
Start Your Day with Breakfast
Trying to lose weight? Don't skimp or skip breakfast...Eat Healthy....Eat Early....
It’s a well-known weight-loss truism: Eating a lot at night can promote weight gain, primarily because the body doesn’t burn as many calories while you sleep. Happily, the reverse is true: The calories you consume at breakfast are the most likely to be burned (especially if your morning is active) and the least likely to put on extra pounds. Eating breakfast also helps to jump-start your metabolism after a night’s sleep. If you’re trying to lose weight, do not skimp on breakfast. Eat a well-balanced meal that includes protein and complex carbohydrates.
Weight Fluctuation Throughout the Day
Trying to lose weight? Don't check the scale everyday....
If you're trying to lose weight, in can be hard to suppress the urge to check the scale often. It's better to exercise some restraint, though, because it's very normal for body weight to fluctuate a few pounds from day to day - or even within a day. For example, if you have a large meal, you could weigh as much as 5 pounds more immediately afterwards. If you eat food that's high in sodium, you're likelier to gain a few pounds of water weight in the short term. The solution: Weigh yourself no more than once a week. You'll get a more accurate picture of how well you're losing weight over time.
Drinking During a Work Out
What to Avoid and Why....
When drinking to replace the fluids you’re losing during exercise, it’s probably best to avoid carbonated beverages if possible. Sodas, seltzer waters and other carbonated beverages can cause stomach bloating, and they are absorbed into the body less quickly than non-carbonated fluids. Carbonated beverages can also cause “throat burn,” which may make it less comfortable to continue drinking any fluids. By all means, stay away from caffeinated beverages during exercise. Caffeine causes the body to become even more dehydrated – which is NOT what you want during an intense workout.
What drink is best for getting and staying hydrated during exercise? Should you choose water? Are sports drinks best? What about juice or carbonated soft drinks? Coffee or tea? Beer? Water
The natural choice for hydration is water. It hydrates better than any other liquid, both before and during exercise. Water tends to be less expensive and more available than any other drink. You need to drink 4-6 ounces of water for every 15-20 minutes of exercise. That can add up to a lot of water! While some people prefer the taste of water over other drinks, most people find it relatively bland and will stop drinking water before becoming fully hydrated. Water is the best, but it only helps you if you drink it.
Sports Drinks
Sports drinks don't hydrate better than water, but you are more likely to drink larger volumes, which leads to better hydration. The typical sweet-tart taste combination doesn't quench thirst, so you will keep drinking a sports drink long after water has lost its appeal. An attractive array of colors and flavors are available. You can get a carbohydrate boost from sports drinks, in addition to electrolytes which may be lost from perspiration, but these drinks tend to offer lower calories than juice or soft drinks.
Juice
Juice may be nutritious, but it isn't the best choice for hydration. The fructose, or fruit sugar, reduces the rate of water absorption so cells don't get hydrated very quickly. Juice is a food in its own right and it's uncommon for a person to drink sufficient quantities to keep hydrated. Juice has carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes, but it isn't a great thirst quencher.
Carbonated Soft Drinks
When you get right down to it, the colas and uncolas of the world aren't good for the body. The acids used to carbonate and flavor these beverages will damage your teeth and may even weaken your bones. Soft drinks are devoid of any real nutritional content. Even so, they taste great! You are more likely to drink what you like, so if you love soft drinks then they might be a good way to hydrate. The carbohydrates will slow your absorption of water, but they will also provide a quick energy boost. In the long run, they aren't good for you, but if hydration is your goal, soft drinks aren't a bad choice. Avoid drinks with lots of sugar or caffeine, which will lessen the speed or degree of hydration.
Coffee and Tea
Coffee and tea can sabotage hydration. Both drinks act as diuretics, meaning they cause your kidneys to pull more water out of your bloodstream even as the digestive system is pulling water into your body. It's a two-steps-forward-one-step-back scenario. If you add milk or sugar, then you reduce the rate of water absorption even further. The bottom line? Save the latte for later.
Alcoholic Beverages
A beer might be great after the game, as long as you were the spectator and not the athlete. Alcohol dehydrates your body. Alcoholic beverages are better for hydration than, say, seawater, but that's about it.
The bottom line: Drink water for maximum hydration, but feel free to mix things up a bit to cater to your personal taste. You will drink more of what you like. In the end, the quantity of liquid is the biggest factor for getting and staying hydrated.
">
<
Running and Emotional Wellbeing
Runner's high is often described as a feeling of emotional well-being (euphoria, even) that some folks experience during long-distance runs. They become mentally detached from the act of running, achieving a meditation-like state. They relish this high as a completely natural, wholesome reward - and, ultimately, an incentive - for rigorous training. So who WOULDN'T want runner's high?
Elite runners, for one. Most of these athletes work hard to tune into their body's signals and to use those signals to shape their racing strategy during competition. From their viewpoint, the mental detachment of the runner's high would be detrimental to their performance.
Warm UP!
Bally Fitness Both cardiovascular and strength training workouts should ALWAYS be preceded by a warm-up.
A warm-up is a low-intensity cardiovascular exercise performed for 5-10 minutes at a level just before perspiration begins. Exercising "cold" muscles will greatly increase your risk of injury.
Cool Down!
Bally Fitness A cool-down is a slow return toward a normal resting heart rate after exercise. Always cool down immediately following cardiovascular exercise. A cool-down should last between 5-10 minutes and will help prevent dizziness, fainting and muscle soreness. Continue to cool-down until your heart rate reaches 100 beats per minute or less
10 Lifesavers That Only Take a Minute
1. Buckle your seat belt 2. Get your blood pressure checked. 3. Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. 4. Wear a helmet when you`re biking. 5. Get a flu shot. 6. Women over 40; Schedule a mammogram. 7. Men over 50; Schedule a prostate screening. 8. Women over 18; Schedule a Pap Test. 9. Wash your hands frequently. 10. Wear sunscreen while outdoors.
”The ABC`s of Diabetes”
**If you have diabetes, you are at high risk for heart attack and stroke. Heart disease is more lilely to strike you -- and at an earlier age -- than someone without diabetes. **But you can fight back. Be smart about your heart. Take control of the ABC`s of diabetes and live a long and healthy life.
***A is for A1C The A1C(AoneC)test - Short for hemoglobin A1C - measures your average blood glucose (sugar) over the last three months. Suggested target: below 7 ***B is for blood pressure High blood pressure makes your heart work too hard. Suggested target below 130/80 ***C is for Cholesterol Bad cholesterol, or LDL, builds up and clogs your arteries. Suggested LDL target: below 100 Source American Diabetes Association.
Diabetes Statistics
There are 20.8 million children and adults in the United States, or 7% of the population, who have diabetes. While an estimated 14.6 million have been diagnosed, unfortunately, 6.2 million people (or nearly one-third) are unaware that they have the disease.
The total cost of diabetes for people in Michigan in 2006 is estimated at $5,426,000,000. This estimate includes excess medical costs of $3,471,000,000 attributed to diabetes, and lost productivity valued at $1,955,000,000.
Complications of Diabetes in the United States.
Diabetes is associated with an increased risk for a number of serious, sometimes life-threatening complications and certain populations experience an even greater threat. Good diabetes control can help reduce your risk, however many people are not even aware that they have diabetes until they develop one of its complications..
The Dangerous Toll of Diabetes
Based on death certificate data, diabetes contributed to 224,092 deaths in 2002. Studies indicate that diabetes in generally under-reported on death certificates, particularly in the cases of older persons with multiples chronic conditions such as heart disease and hypertension. Because of this, the toll of diabetes is believed to be much higher than officially reported.
Direct and Indirect Costs of Diabetes in the United States
The total annual economic cost of diabetes in 2002 was estimated to be $132 billion, or one out of every 10 health care dollars spent in the United States.
Pre-Diabetes
Before people develop type 2 diabetes, they almost always have "pre-diabetes" -- blood glucose levels that are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. There are 41 million people in the United States, ages 40 to 74, who have pre-diabetes. Recent research has shown that some long-term damage to the body, especially the heart and circulatory system, may already be occurring during pre-diabetes.
Research has also shown that if you take action to manage your blood glucose when you have pre-diabetes, you can delay or prevent type 2 diabetes from ever developing. Together with the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the American Diabetes Association published a Position Statement on "The Prevention or Delay of Type 2 Diabetes" to help guide health care professionals in treating their patients with pre-diabetes.
There is a lot you can do yourself to know your risks for pre-diabetes and to take action to prevent diabetes if you have, or are at risk for, pre-diabetes. The American Diabetes Association has a wealth of resources for people with diabetes. People with pre-diabetes can expect to benefit from much of the same advice for good nutrition and physical activity.
Here are a few of the Charities I donate my time and energy:
I have walked in the annual walk-a-thon and collected donations to benefit these worthy causes for more than 25 years. It is so important to give and be a part of the search for a cure to these dibilitaing and sometimes deadly diseases. 2006 proved to be the most challengeing year in my life. In January my mother entered the hospital and was found to have a cancer in her chest. It was successfully removed. However, three days later I was diagnosed with Bladder Cancer. While I was afraid and unable to discuss this with my mother, I felt deep dispair. Then I prayed. I decided that I must do what needed to be done to beat this cancer. Fortuneately, the cancer had been found early enough that it had not begun to spread outside of the affected organ. I am blessed to be a cancer survivor today
A friend and I have joined forces to raise funds and awareness for selected charities annually. We call ourselves "Lucy and Ethel Unlimited". We are unlimited in the dedication we offer to these charities to help them reach their goal of educating society to the severity of these diseases and the hope of finding a cure. Also, offering support groups and better management of the illness until there is a cure.
2007 "Lucy & Ethel Unlimited" chose to raise funds for Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation.
What is Triple Negative Breast Cancer?
It is only in the last few years that professionals studying breast cancer have concluded that breast cancer is not one disease, but many different forms of cancer all originating in the breast. Depending on its stage of diagnosis, triple negative breast cancer can be extremely aggressive and more likely to recur and metastasize than other subtypes of breast cancer. It typically is responsive to chemotherapy, although it can be more difficult to treat because it is unresponsive to the most effective receptor targeted treatments.
Who They Are
TNBC Foundation was started by a group of young women who have been personally affected by triple negative breast cancer. The foundation's staff is comprised entirely of volunteers. Their Goals are:
to ignite interest in the study of triple negative breast cancer among researchers, physicians, educators and scientists
to support professionals seeking to identify the cause(s) of triple negative breast cancer and to discover new and effective treatment options
to increase public awareness and support of this subtype of breast cancer.
Lucy & Ethel Unlimited donated, thanks to our wonderful donors, $414.00 to the National MS Society, Michigan Chapter, April 2008.
Those who may have intended to give, but missed this chance, please feel free, if your giving spirit dictates, and send your check made out to the foundation, at anytime. There is no expiration date on giving. Again, thanks to all who donated this year. We look forward to you joining us in our giving campaign next year as well.
Much Luv
Lucy & Ethel
Breast Cancer Vaccines Look Promising
Published: 06/26/08
THURSDAY, June 26 (HealthDay News) -- Women with metastatic breast cancer who developed an immune response to an investigational vaccine lived twice as long as those who didn't have an immune response, new research shows.
"If you were an immune responder, you had double the survival of a non-responder," said study author Dr. Susan Domchek, an associate professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
Her report is one of several focusing on breast cancer vaccines expected to be discussed this week at the Department of Defense Era of Hope breast cancer research meeting, in Baltimore.
"Metastatic breast cancer is treatable but not curable," Domchek said. While the ultimate hope is to cure the cancer, breast cancer vaccines are one possible way to try to control the disease's spread.
Although most people think of vaccines as shots given to healthy people to prevent infectious diseases such as measles and the flu, various cancer vaccines that have been studied for decades use cancer cells, parts of cells or substances called antigens to trigger an immune response against cancer cells already in the body.
In her study, Domchek used pieces of a protein called human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) peptide to vaccinate 19 women with breast cancer that had spread. The peptide is nearly universally overexpressed in human cancers and is recognized by certain T-cells in the body's immune system.
At the start of the study, the women had no measurable T-cell response to hTERT. After up to eight vaccinations with the hTERT peptide, however, 13 of the 19 women made T-cells that reacted to the peptide.
"We biopsied the patients' breast cancer and saw that we could see these T-cells in the tumors themselves," she said. "And, in some cases, we could see evidence of tumor cells' death."
"Those who responded lived significantly longer," she said. "People who responded lived 32 months versus a median of 17 [for those who did not respond]. Three of the women who were responders have lived more than three years."
Among the questions that remain, however, said Domchek, is this: "Were those women going to do well no matter what we did? Is immune response just a marker for a healthier patient?"
Other research on breast cancer vaccines expected to be presented at the meeting include:
A study that focused on breast cancer patients with HER-2-positive tumors (for whom relapse is common after treatment) treated with a combination of vaccine plus an anti-cancer drug. Dr. Lupe Salazar, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Washington, in Seattle, and her team sequenced the HER-2 protein and put pieces of it into a vaccine. They gave it to patients, along with the anti-cancer drug Herceptin. The combination helped to generate significant levels of T-cell immunity specific to the HER-2 cells, she said. As of now, "all eight [women] have done this," she said. The study will eventually include 52 women.
A study that uses immunostimulatory peptides as a vaccine looked at the best way to deliver them. Dr. Davorka Messmer, an assistant project scientist at the Moores Cancer Center at the University of California San Diego, and her team tested a vaccine using nanoparticles loaded with the HER2 peptide that carry an immune system-stimulating peptide, called Hp91, on the outside or the inside. "We found it more potent if the immunostimulatory peptide was put on the is likely, he said, that some of the vaccines will be specific to one cancer, and others may work on more than one type of cancer.
More information
To learn more about breast cancer vaccines, visit the www.breastcancer.org
The Dickey Family (The Beginning)
Grandpa John Wesley Dickey was married to Garphelia Frey
To that union were born four children, two daughters and two sons.
Nellie, Annie, Willie and John II.
Nellie Nellie was the eldest child. She had no children.
Ann - 1917 - 1993 Ann was the second eldest child. She had four children, Kenny, Shirley, Linda and Carl. Willie - 1920 - 2007 Willie James was the second to the youngest. He had ten children. Thomas, Cleola, Calvin, Carolyn, Birdia, Barbara, Robert, Rhonda, Glenda and Diane. John II - 1922 - 2005 John was the youngest child. He had five children. John Wesley III, Sharon,Garphelia, Corvella and Debra.
>
>
How to Eat Fruit
Drinking Cold Water
Surviving a Heart Attack when Alone
Tell Someone
EATING FRUIT
We all think eating fruits means just buying fruits, cutting it and just
popping it into our mouths. It's not as easy as you think. It's
important to know how and when to eat.
What is the correct way of eating fruits?
IT MEANS NOT EATING FRUITS AFTER YOUR MEALS! * FRUITS SHOULD BE EATEN ON
AN EMPTY STOMACH.
If you eat fruit on an empty stomach, it will play a major role in
detoxifying your system, supplying you with a great deal of energy for
weight loss and other life activities.
FRUIT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FOOD.
Let's say you eat two slices of bread and then a slice of fruit. The
slice of fruit is ready to go straight through the stomach into the
intestines, but it is prevented from doing so.
In the meantime the whole meal rots and ferments and turns to acid. The
minute the fruit comes into contact with the food in the stomach and
digestive juices, the entire mass of food begins to spoil.
So please eat your fruits on an empty stomach or before your meals! You
have heard people complaining - every time I eat water-melon I burp,
when I eat durian my stomach bloats up, when I eat a banana I feel like
running to the toilet etc - actually all this will not arise if you eat
the fruit on an empty stomach. The fruit mixes with the putrefying other
food and produces gas and hence you will bloat!
Graying hair, balding, nervous outburst, and dark circles under the eyes
all these will not happen if you take fruits on an empty stomach.
There is no such thing as some fruits, like oranges and lemons are
acidic. The truth is all fruits become alkaline in our body, according
to Dr. Herbert Shelton who did research on this matter. If you have
mastered the correct way of eating fruits, you have the Secret of
beauty, longevity, health, energy, happiness and normal weight.
When you need to drink fruit juice - drink only fresh fruit juice, NOT
from the cans. Don't even drink juice that has been heated up. Don't eat
cooked fruits because you don't get the nutrients at all. You only get
to taste. Cooking destroys all the vitamins.
But eating a whole fruit is better than drinking the juice. If you
should drink the juice, drink it mouthful by mouthful slowly, because
you must let it mix with your saliva before swallowing it.
You can go on a 3-day fruit fast to cleanse your body. Just eat fruits
and drink fruit juice throughout the 3 days and you will be surprised
when your friends tell you how radiant you look!
KIWI: Tiny but mighty. This is a good source of potassium, magnesium,
vitamin E & fiber. Its vitamin C content is twice that of an orange.
APPLE: An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Although an apple has a
low vitamin C content, it has antioxidants & flavonoids which enhance
the activity of vitamin C thereby helping to lower the risks of colon
cancer, heart attack & stroke.
STRAWBERRY: Protective Fruit. Strawberries have the highest total
antioxidant power among major fruits & protect the body from
cancer-causing, blood vessel-clogging free radicals.
ORANGE : Sweetest medicine. Taking 2-4 oranges a day may help keep
colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent & dissolve kidney stones as well
as lessens the risk of colon cancer.
WATERMELON: Coolest thirst quencher. Composed of 92% water, it is also
packed with a giant dose of glutathione, which helps boost our immune
system. They are also a key source of lycopene - the cancer fighting
oxidant. Other nutrients found in watermelon are vitamin C & Potassium.
GUAVA & PAPAYA: Top awards for vitamin C. They are the clear winners for
their high vitamin C content. Guava is also rich in fiber, which helps
prevent constipation. Papaya is rich in carotene; this is good for your
eyes.
Drinking Cold water after a meal = Cancer! Can you believe this??
For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to
you. It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the
cold beverage will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed.
It will slow down the digestion. Once this 'sludge' reacts with the
acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than
the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn
into fats that lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm
water after a meal.
A serious note about heart attacks
HEART ATTACK PROCEDURE': (THIS IS NOT A JOKE!) Women should know that
not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting. Be
aware of intense pain in the jaw line. You may never have the first
chest pain during the course of a heart attack . Nausea and intense
sweating are also common symptoms. Sixty percent of people who have a
heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up. Pain in the jaw can
wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we
know the better chance we could survive...
Let's say it's 6.15 pm and you're driving home. Suddenly you start
experiencing severe pain in your chest that starts to radiate out into
your arm and up into your jaw. You are only about five miles from the
hospital nearest your home. Unfortunately you don't know if you'll be
able to make it that far. You have been trained in CPR, but the guy that
taught the course did not tell you how to perform it on
yourself. Read on.....
'HOW TO SURVIVE A HEART ATTACK WHEN ALONE':
Since many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack, without
help, the person whose heart is beating improperly and who begins to
feel faint, has only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness.
However, these victims can help themselves by coughing repeatedly and
vigorously. A deep breath should be taken before each cough, deep and
prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest.
A breath and a cough must be repeated about every two seconds without
let-up until help arrives, or until the heart is felt to be beating
normally again.
Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and coughing movements squeeze
the heart and keep the blood circulating. The squeezing pressure on the
heart also helps it regain normal rhythm. This allows the heart attack
victim to get to a hospital.
Tell as many people as possible about this. It could save their lives!!
Prayer List
One Love ---- Always, Lend-a-Hand
Click the "24" picture above to see Barb, and other Winning Heros who were invited to attend the "Season 7 Premiere" and "150th Episode Party" in Hollywood California. The party took place Tuesday night January 6, 2009 at the XIV Restaurant.
What runners can learn from Yoga
Bally Fitness At first glance, they might seem diametrically opposed: action-oriented, forward-moving running versus often sedentary, inward-focused yoga. But there are valuable skills you can build through yoga that can make a huge difference in your running performance. Here are a few:
BREATHING TECHNIQUES Many runners don't know how to breathe properly. Through yoga, you can learn how to control your breathing, a skill that can help relax you and lower your heart rate when running.
FOCUS It's easy to be distracted while running, especially if you're racing competitively. Yoga can help you build your powers of concentration.
BALANCE. Some experts believe that imbalance problems are at the root of many running injuries. By practicing certain yoga poses, you can improve your overall balance.
FLEXIBILITY Increasing your joints' range-of-motion helps prevent running injuries and increases power. And in running, more power means more speed. Yoga stretches promote joint relaxation and can help improve your flexibility.
Running Shoes: Width Matters
When you're shopping for running shoes, it's easy to tell when a pair is too narrow. But it may not be so easy to tell if a shoe is wider than you need.
Having shoes that are too wide can be a problem. You're more prone to painful blisters which, in turn, can keep you from running - or at least from running enjoyably.
The solution's pretty simple. Ask the salesperson to measure your foot for both length and width. You want a fit that is snug without being tight or uncomfortable.
...Speaking of Feet
You don't have to qualify as an "athlete" to get athlete's foot.
A common fungal infection affecting the outer layer of skin, athlete's foot can cause a scaly dry rash on the bottom and sides of feet, or cracks between the toes. It can be spread from person to person by direct contact with a contaminated surface, such as a shower mat, locker room carpet, or towel.
The good news: There's plenty you can do to prevent athlete's foot:
1. Don't go barefoot in locker rooms. Wear shower sandals instead.
2. Use antifungal sprays, powders and lotions.
3. Wear socks made of breathable fibers, such as cotton or wool.
4. Change socks 1 to 3 times a day.
5. Alternate between different pairs of sneakers.
6. Avoid wearing shoes with plastic insoles.
Grate Tips for getting Veggies in Your Diet
Here's how:
If you're trying to include more vegetables in your diet, here are a few ways to sneak them into other foods you are preparing:
If you're trying to include more vegetables in your diet, here are a few ways to sneak them into other foods you are preparing:
1. BAKED GOODS: Grate raw veggies - such as carrots, sweet potatoes, zucchini - into batter for muffins, breads and even cookies.
2. SOUPS: Instead of using milk to thicken soups, use pureed vegetables.
3. GROUND MEAT DISHES: Grate raw carrot into ground beef (or ground turkey) when making burgers, meatballs or meatloaf.
Vegetables
Eating Healthy
1. Keep fruit out where you can see it. That way you'll be more likely to eat it. Keep it out on the counter or in the front of the fridge.
2. Get some every meal, every day. Try filling half your plate with vegetables at each meal. Serving up salads, stir fry, or other vegetable-rich fare makes it easier to reach this goal. Bonus points if you can get some fruits and vegetables at snack time, too.
3. Explore the produce aisle and choose something new. Variety is the key to a healthy diet. Get out of a rut and try some new fruits and vegetables.
4. Bag the potatoes. Choose other vegetables that are packed with more nutrients and more slowly digested carbs. Read the "Carbohydrates" section of The Nutrition Source to learn how to add good carbs to your diet.
5. Make it a meal. Try some new recipes where vegetables take center stage, such as Mollie Katzen's asparagus with warm tarragon-pecan vinaigrette, or Nina Simonds' spicy broccolini with red pepper.
Returning to School as an Adult
Congratulations! It takes real ambition to think about returning to college. You should be very proud! It is a hard decision and adults thinking about returning to college often feel "strange" or "out of place," but you shouldn't. Lots of other people are doing it successfully, so you are in very good company. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Education, in 2001, there were 2.1 million adults age 25-80 enrolled in college, 41% of all college students at the time! So don't feel that college is just for kids; it simply isn't true.
GOING BACK
There are many great resources out there for adult learners. Returning to school is an avenue that I have chosen. I have only attended and completed one class, 3 crdit hours successfully so far, but I would reccommend this avenue if you are passionate about completing your degree. Make your dreams happen!
Laugh Three Times and Call Me in the Morning
by Tina Coleman
Is laughing the cure?
Can laughter really help us heal? Anecdotal evidence and some studies seem to point in that direction. Scientists aren't sure. But why wait for them to figure it out? Just yuck it up. It certainly can't hurt.
Scientists know that laughing increases the rate at which the heart beats and the muscles contract. Laughter stimulates the cardiovascular, circulatory, and endocrine systems. Some studies have even shown that laughter bolsters the immune system, reduces stress hormones, and increases tolerance to pain.
In his book Anatomy of an Illness, Norman Cousins likened laughter to "internal jogging." Suffering from a painful degenerative illness, Cousins found that twenty minutes of hearty laughter gave him two hours of pain-free sleep. Interest in the topic of laughter and healing was piqued again when the movie Patch Adams was released. Medical schools are beginning to incorporate humor training into their curricula while all over the country, seminar leaders teach medical personnel how humor can relieve job stress and enhance their interactions with patients.
Laughing It Off
While the scientific community seeks to understand and prove the beneficial physiologic effects of laughter, there are some undisputed benefits.
"There are three ways humor and laughter help us when life gets bumpy," says Steve Sultanoff, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist and president of the American Association for Therapeutic Humor. "The first is that humor gives us perspective and changes the way we see the world," allowing us to positively change our attitudes when the going gets rough. Secondly, humor changes our cognitive state, which is directly related to our physical well-being. You can't experience humor and be distressed at the same time, Sultanoff says. Finally, humor triggers laughter, which gives us that internal workout Cousins spoke about.
The bottom line, Sultanoff says, is that after we laugh, we feel good.
Humor and Aging
As we grow older, we begin experiencing things that are definitely not funny, including aches and pains, illnesses, losses, diminished abilities, etc.
"Serious illness is not funny. Death and dying are not funny. But funny things happen in those situations," says Allen Klein, author of The Healing Power of Humor. The key, he says, is to focus on those small things that make you laugh because they can give you a new perspective and help you cope. Klein has found that people who can laugh seem to be more resilient.
"Poke a little fun at yourself," he suggests. "I do. At my age, my back goes out more than I do," he jokes. "Humor is all around. You just have to look for it."
Attitude Is Everything
Katherine Russell Rich, author of The Red Devil: To Hell with Cancer and Back, had been told she had a year to live when she saw a TV program claiming that people who were happy coped better with illness.
"I put myself under medical orders to be happy," she says. "It wasn't easy. I made gratitude lists. Read Norman Cousins. Fell totally and unexpectedly in love with a good friend. He's got a wicked sense of humor and so do I. I've never laughed so hard in my life."
That was several years ago.
"When you're told you have a year to live and that you'll die an extremely painful death, you have two choices: you can either prepare to die, or you can say, 'Oh hell, might as well have the best time I can with what I have left.' For me, laughter tipped the balance," says Rich. "I truly believe a positive attitude helped save my life."
Humor also distracts us from our aches and pains. Pain sensation, Sultanoff says, doesn't come from just the physiologic sensation, but also from your attitude regarding that sensation. Your attitude can increase or decrease the pain you feel.
Humor Buddies
The ability to cultivate friendships—in which humor plays an important role—is particularly important to aging people because friendships are so important to maintaining independence and good health, says Virginia Cornell, author of The Latest Wrinkle and Other Signs of Aging. Plus, it's hard to laugh alone. Klein suggests we find ourselves humor buddies to laugh with.
Looking for "good and funny stuff" about growing older can boost your attitude. Cornell says that for one thing, growing old means no longer having to cough up the kids' lunch money every morning.
"As you get older," she says, "you must give up the constant fussing about things you can do nothing about, so you learn to see the small funny things about them."
Timing Is Everything
Everyone likes a good joke, but few of us are very good at telling them. Fortunately, there are (at least) 57 varieties of humor out there, says Joel Goodman, Ed.D., founder and director of The Humor Project and author of Laffirmations: 1,001 Ways to Add Humor to Your Life and Work. Here are some of his favorites:
Asking yourself how your favorite comedian or cartoon character would portray your situation.
Exaggerating a situation until it takes on absurd proportions to lighten a stressful moment.
Keeping a file of cartoons or jokes that make you laugh and sharing them.
Looking for the humor around you. Road signs, for instance, can be very funny. Sultanoff cites one he's found alongside a California freeway that reads: "Cruise Ships Use Airport Exit."
When Things Get Serious
If you find yourself facing a frightening medical diagnosis, prepare a "mirth kit," suggests Goodman. Fill it with things that make you laugh—videos, audiotapes, photographs, books, funny props, etc.
"Give yourself a shot in the arm with whatever tickles your funny bone," he says. "Humor and laughter aren't substitutes for medical care, but they can be adjuncts. Humor can be a tremendous liberating source for coping in tough times."
When using humor to help a loved one through a difficult time, Goodman points out that having a good sense of humor means having a good sensitivity to humor. Gauge how receptive your loved one might be before you jump in feet first and end up with those feet in your mouth. If the time seems right, plan to share fond, funny memories, or photos. Let your knowledge of what makes them laugh or brings them joy dictate your approach.
What about black humor? It helps some people cope with adversity. Rich once said to her mother, "Mom, you know, according to statistics, I'm supposed to be dead in a month." Her mother responded, "Well, I guess you better hold your breath if you're going to make that deadline."
Don't feel put off, ashamed, or guilty when black humor is used to ease tense situations. It's cathartic, says Rich. "I think maybe black humor is a form of bravado, and also a release for the buildup of painful emotions."
We should take humor seriously, Goodman says. "It can add life to your years and, possibly, years to your life." And you won't have to fight your HMO to pay for it.
RESOURCES:
Allen Klein--The Jollytologist
http://www.allenklein.com
Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor
http://www.aath.org
The Humor Project
http://www.humorproject.com
CANADIAN RESOURCES:
Laughter Yoga
http://www.laughteryoga.ca/
Silent Strokes' Strike One in Ten Healthy People
Published: 06/26/08
THURSDAY, June 26 (HealthDay News) -- If you're an older American with no major health problems, chances are about one in 10 that you've had a stroke and didn't know it.
It was probably not severe enough to cause recognizable symptoms, such as vision problems, facial weakness or trouble walking, but it was still a blockage of a brain artery, and it reduced your thinking powers just a bit.
That estimate comes from a new study of 2,040 people, average age 62, in the long-running Framingham Offspring Study. MRI scans showed that 10.7 percent of them had experienced what study author Dr. Sudha Seshadri, an associate professor of neurology at Boston University, called "a silent brain infarct."
It's the cerebral equivalent of what physicians call a myocardial infarct -- blockage of a blood vessel that causes damage to tissue. In the case of a silent stroke, the blockage and the damage occurs in the brain, without symptoms.
A silent stroke is different from a transient ischemic attack (TIA), a momentary loss of brain function, Seshadri said. A TIA causes some symptoms, while a silent stroke, by definition, doesn't. But both are warning signs to pay attention to the well-known risk factors for stroke, such as cholesterol levels, blood pressure, obesity and smoking, she said.
The incidence found in the Framingham Offspring study "was within the ballpark of what prior studies have suggested," Seshadri said. "But this was a group of people who were younger than in most of the prior studies. The fact that one in 10 persons had silent attacks that had subtle side effects on the brain is something we should be concerned about and should address."
The report was published in the online issue of Stroke.
The effects of a silent brain infarct show up on an MRI scan as "small lesions in various parts of the brain," Seshadri said. "We can't tell from that whether they had a symptomatic attack." And the MRI scans give no clues as to when the silent stroke occurred.
Testing showed that "on average, compared to age-matched controls, those with lesions do have subtle signs, such as loss of flexibility of talk," she said.
The incidence seen in the study did not startle Dr. Claudette Brooks, director of the neurovascular laboratory at West Virginia University Health Sciences Center. "When I look for the cause of headaches and similar problems, it doesn't surprise me when I see these lesions, and other colleagues tell me they see them," Brooks said.
An even higher rate of silent strokes might be expected in a study of black Americans, she noted. "They have a higher incidence of hypertension [high blood pressure], atherosclerosis, and hyperlipidemia [excess blood fat]," Brooks said.
Nothing special needs to be done to reduce the risk of silent stroke, Seshadri and Brooks both said.
"I wouldn't recommend that people rush out to have an MRI," Seshadri said. "It's up to the medical and public health community to emphasize the importance of controlling risk factors."
"The whole thing boils down to modifying risk factors," Brooks said. "If you don't have risk factors such as high cholesterol, obesity and diabetes, try to keep yourself out of the group that does. If you do, modify them by keeping blood pressure and cholesterol down, things like that."
More information
Detailed advice on preventing strokes is offered by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
To all who have come to visit, We appreciate you all. Let us continue to be a blessing to one another Always, The Dickey Family
Thank you for visiting. Have a wonderful Day. Be a blessing to those you meet in your daily journey, through this we call life. Blessings to you and your family this day and all to come Always, The Dickey Family
Nellie
Ann - 1917 - 1993
Willie - 1920 - 2007
John II - 1922 - 2005
>
>
