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Archive for the ‘Health and Fitness’ Category

There are many health benefits of consuming fish on a weekly basis because of their omega-3 fatty acids content.

Fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. They help prevent the formation of clots by making them less sticky. It decreases the risk of embolic and thrombolic strokes. Other benefits of omega-3 fatty acids guards against hypertension, breast cancer, depression and lowers the risk of heart disease and reduce inflammation in arthritis.

Wild salmon, herring, tuna, mackerel, trout, sardines, hoki and halibut contain the most omega-3 fatty acids.

Here’s a simple and healthy salmon dish that is packed with flavour. It’s wonderful on a bed of salad.

Salmon over Greens
Try it with any green leafy vegetable like a spring mix. Add cubed cucumbers to the greens and any regular or flavoured balsamic vinegar dressing. Set aside.

Take a salmon filet (remove skin) and cut into chunks, add a bit of extra virgin olive oil in a non-stick frying pan. Sear the salmon chunks, add salt and pepper and about 1-1 1/2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard. Toss well. If your frying pan is oven proof put it into a 400 degrees F oven, otherwise transfer it into a corning ware and bake for 5-7 minutes or when done depending on your oven. Serve over the salad.

My family also enjoys lingcod with a fruit salsa. Lingcod is not high in essential fatty acids, but it’s high in vitamin B12 and selenium.

Fruit Salsa
1 cup blueberries
1 cup raspberries
1 cup strawberries cut up
1 bunch cilantro chopped
1 red onion diced
Salt & pepper
2 oz lime juice
Touch of honey
1 tsp roasted cumin

Mix all ingredients

It is recommended to eat two servings of fish per week. If you’re not a big fish eater other foods such as walnuts, flaxseed and canola oil all contain omega-3 fatty acids or you can take fish oil supplements.

Cold and flu season is among us. What can we do to prevent the spreading of viruses like the H1N1 swine flu?

First of all, H1N1 swine flu is no deadlier than seasonal flu.

What are the symptoms of H1N1 flu?
They are somewhat similar to symptoms of the seasonal flu. You can expect:

*Fever
*Cough
*Body Aches
*Sore Throat
*Headaches
*Chills and fatigue
*Eye pain
*Occasionally runny nose, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting
*Lack of appetite
*Shortness of breath

What preventative measures can you take to avoid the H1N1 flu virus?

*Frequent hand washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
*Avoid touching the face especially the mouth, nose and eyes
*Boost your immune system by eating a balanced diet. More fresh fruits and vegetables, drink plenty of water, eat foods that contain vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc and omega 3 oils
*Exercise
*Avoid unnecessary stress
*Get plenty of sleep
*Drink lots of water
*Cough or sneeze into your elbow or kleenex and dispose of the kleenex immediately. Then wash your hands
*Avoid crowds or crowded places

It’s not necessary to get the H1N1 flu vaccination if you’re healthy and you have a healthy immune system.

Keep in mind the H1N1 vaccine was produced very quickly and it hasn’t been tested on humans.

Here are some interesting articles.

Swine Flu and Homeopathy
Seasonal Flu Vaccine Increases Risk of H1N1 Swine Flu

As busy mothers, we often spend all of our time taking care of the children, doing household chores and running the family errands. When was the last time that you scheduled in some personal ‘me’ time? If you had to stop and think about your answer, it has been too long.

Here is a fact that you should know. If you take 30 minutes of ‘me’ time every day for yourself, you can eliminate symptoms of depression and increase your ability to have fun. Scientific studies show that if you allow some time for yourself every day, you will lead a healthier and happier life.

When it comes to spending some ‘me’ time, here are a few ideas of things you can do.

1. Sit down and read a good book.
2. Take a hot shower.
3. Take a nice bubble bath.
4. Give yourself a manicure or pedicure.
5. Soak your feet and then follow up with a foot massage.
6. Give yourself a homemade facial.
7. Enjoy a cup of coffee or hot tea in a quiet area of your home.
8. Spend a few minutes writing in your journal
9. Do some deep breathing exercises and meditate.
10. Do Pilate’s or Yoga
11. Sit down and write a letter to a friend or family member.
12. Spend some time working on a craft project.
13. Take a 30 minute walk outdoors.
14. Take a small power nap.
15. Spend a few minutes reading your bible or saying a prayer.

The most important thing that you can do for yourself and your family is to take a few minutes every day and spend that time on yourself. You will find that you will get more things accomplished and you will be physically and mentally healthier.

This article is copyright 2009 by Shelly Hill, All Rights Reserved.

Finding a good primary care physician is the most important step in being proactive in your own healthcare.

These days I see way too many people just opening up their local phone books and selecting a physician by viewing an advertisement in the yellow pages or by seeing an advertisement on television. In my opinion, this is the wrong way to be selecting your own personal physician.

Here are the steps you should be taking:

1. Ask your family and friends who they are seeing for their primary healthcare. Ask them for referrences.

2. Call your local hospital or the hospital you prefer going to and asking them for a referral. These days, a lot of hospitals have Physician Referral Hotlines.

3. Call your local state medical board. Ask them to refer a few physicians to you and let them know upfront that you do not want any referrals to problematic physicians who have complaints against them. In addition, any physician that you are considering you should be checking out their credentials with your state medical board.

4. Ask some local nurses. If you don’t know any nurses personally, ask your friends and family if they do. I often find that the best referrals come from nurses who often know who is the best in the area in a specific medical speciality.

5. Call your insurance company. These days a lot of insurance companies will help you find the perfect physician and often times they are also aware of any physician who has complaints filed against he or she, information that you might not otherwise know about.

Sit down and right down the names of the physicians that have been referred to you and go over your list. If you are comfortable with a certain sex (male or female) eliminate the others.

You can call up the state medical board and check out their credentials. You can also get online and go to the American Medical Associations website and find out information there.

I also recommend that you do a web search for the physician you are considering by going to a major search engine online and typing in the physicians name. Usually, a lot of online information will pop up that you can continue your investigation.

You should always do your research before selecting a physician. One of the most important members of your healthcare team begins with the Primary Care Physician so make sure you have one that you fully trust and who is qualified to take care of you and your family.

Shelly Hill has been in the healthcare industry since 1988 both as a healthcare worker and as a patient. This article is copyright 2009 by Shelly Hill, All Rights Reserved.

A friend of mine came to me a few days ago concerned about her child’s obesity problem. Finally, she is seeing that there is a problem!

In the past I have tried to tactfully address this issue with her but my words and concern fell upon deaf ears so I backed off. Now that a few weeks have passed, she has approached me about the issue.

History: My friends daughter is a minimum of 35 lbs over weight for her age and she is 11 years old. This problem didn’t happen over night, it has been going on for several years. I will refer to the child as Jessica for the purpose of this blog post.

My friend Jane Doe was made aware of this problem a few years ago but totally got defensive when their doctor, family or friends tried to talk with her about the issue. Most of us got frustrated with her and eventually just backed off.

Now that she has brought up the subject with me, I was more than ready to give her some advice…advice I know she wasn’t ready to hear.

I have firmly told her that this problem with Jessica is her fault. Why am I saying it’s her fault you might ask? Because…she has continually purchased junk food and high fat foods for her to eat the past several years and furthermore, they are fast food drive-thru junkies and visit fast food places a minimum of 3 times a week.

Jessica’s bad eating habits are a learned behavior from her mother’s poor grocery shopping and eating out choices. Yes, I know some readers of this blog post are going to disagree with my opinion and that is fine…however I know this family very well and I am 100% positive that this is the problem.

When Jessica comes to visit me (which is often) all she wants to eat is chips, ice cream, candy, baked pastries, french fries and other junk style food. When I would offer her healthier choices, I would get a reply from her such as, “I don’t like that, I want ______.” Everything she wanted was junk food! I don’t eat like that nor do I feed my family like that.

Another issue that has compounded this problem is that fact that Jessica sits in front of the TV watching TV shows, movies and playing video games for hours during the evenings and the weekends instead of engaging in any type of physical activity. You need physical activity to burn calories and to build a strong body.

My advice to my friend was the following:

1. Purchase healthier food choices at the grocery store. Quit buying the junk food…if it’s not in the house, she won’t be able to eat it.

2. Quit eating out at fast food joints 3-4 times a week. When you do eat out…it should be an ocassional treat and order healthier choices.

3. Enroll Jessica in some physical activities such as a swim club, sports team or even a gym membership for children and as her mother, get involved and participate with her.

4. Turn off the TV. Invest in some outdoor games, bicycles, roller blades and other things to get outdoors and some physical activity going.

If you are truly interested in helping your child lose weight and obtain better health, you will find the time to make the changes. Talk to your doctor and a nutritionist for ideas and come up with a plan. Involve your child in the decision making so that they become part of the plan as it will yield better results.

The time to make the change is NOW!

~ Shelly ~

I can’t believe we’re a few days passed the middle of June. Where has the year gone? Didn’t we just welcome 2009? Time is passing us by very quickly. Days becomes months and months become years.

Everyone is busy, busy, busy and go, go, go and time waits for no one, but it’s important to take a breather and enjoy what you have in front of you. When was the last time you stopped and actually smelled the flowers or smelled the first raindrops hitting the pavement?

For our well-being find the time for you even if it’s only 30 minutes. Whether you enjoy walking, catchng up on a great book, doing yoga, baking, swimming, kickboxing or having coffee with a friend make time to unwind and refocus.

A re-energized body and an uncluttered mind works more efficiently. Take care of you today for a better and healthier you tomorrow.