Stroke

The five leading causes of death in the United States are heart disease, cancer, chronic lower respiratory diseases COPD, stroke, and unintentional injuries. Together they accounted for 63 percent of all U.S. deaths in 2010, with rates for each cause varying greatly from state to state. The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, analyzed premature deaths (before age 80) […]
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COPD-smoking kills

Smoking kills more than 480,000 people annually in the U.S., according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 117,600 of those adult deaths are in the 12-state region containing Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee and West Virginia, dubbed “Tobacco Nation” by Truth Initiative, the anti-smoking […]
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COPD

Do you know what COPD stands for?  I didn’t until my father-in-law died from this debilitating disease.  COPD is the acronym for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and there is no known cure.  The primary cause is smoking and he was a heavy smoker.  From my memories, he had many of these symptoms by his early fifties: […]
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Cultivate social connections and support

The past few weeks I have been blogging about The Okinawa Program and the amazing health and longevity of this remarkable society.  To live the “Okinawa Way” strive to: get lifelong regular physical activity eat a mostly plant-based diet that includes fish and soy foods with a great variety of vegetables and moderate amounts of the […]
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Connecting bodies, minds and spirits

As I have often mentioned in my blog, being close to nature and connecting with family and friends both give me a spiritual boost.  I visited a cherished family friend on her beautiful property yesterday.  It was a perfect day for a visit.  I turned onto her drive and off in the distance I could […]
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Spirituality is good for you

Aging is inevitable, however how you age is up to you.  You may be in your 20’s, 40’s or 60’s, but how you feel is based on the choices you make every day regarding how you are going to take care of yourself-mind, body and spirit. Make healthy choices everyday. As outlined in the Okinawa Program […]
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Spiritual health and well-being

I believe spirituality is a concept that is personal and defined based on the perspectives of each individual. In his book, The Best Alternative Medicine, Dr. Kenneth R Pelletier defines spirituality as “an inner sense of something greater than oneself, a recognition of a meaning of existence” and also states that spirituality includes “a diminished […]
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“Actively” feeding your spirit

I have been blogging about the Okinawa Program for the past few weeks.  The Okinawan’s healthy lifestyle habits have contributed to amazing longevity.  The elders are active physically while connecting with their spiritual belief system.  For example: gardening-the plants and herbs considered imbued with spiritual energy Okinawan dance-is meditative and celebrates myths and stories Martial arts-demands […]
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Eating outside

An important aspect of health is spiritual well-being.  This week see how the Okinawans feed their spirit.  Having dinner on the deck on a beautiful evening feeds my spirit.

Walking for aerobic fitness

Walking can be competitive as in racewalking, the Olympic sport, or a perfect exercise that is available to everyone. There are studies that show that when walking at a pace greater than five miles per hour you will burn twice as many calories as runners traveling at the same pace. As you begin your regular […]
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