The new group a friend and I are forming will have several activities.  We have 8 local members so far and will have our first formal meeting Sept. 11, 2012.  We will calculate BMI for each person and they will take responsibility for their weight and total body health.  We will share exercises for particular problems of each person and present information for a healthy lifestyle at each meeting.  No one's personal information will be shared in the group unless they share it.  Anyone wishing to join the group may do so on this blog site.
We need your preferred name or blog name, your gender and age.  You can go to an Ezine Articles site and calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI) so that you will know if you are overweight or under weight.  That will give you the number for your goal in the program.  We will give good health information in our blog here on total lifestyle health.  We will be using parts of "Living Temple or Rundown Shack." (Trafford.com/06-2391) Some of that health advice is outdated and we will update that in our healthy lifestyle presentations.
To your good health,joyduf

I am gathering  material for a group to be started locally in September.  The goal is to get a healthy body and then live a healthy life.  If you have an example you would like to share, I will welcome it.  We will be sharing healthy eating habits, walking and exercising for body strength.  All of these are necessary to maintain good health for a longer life.  We will be learning all the great benefits of this regimen, especially the preventive results gained by it.  I will be sharing some of the group's successes along the way.

Updated medical information on reports made in my book, "Living Temple or Rundown Shack," will be shared.  Much work to document all these is in store for me by September.

Come along with us if you wish, Joyduf

Good News

I have been off-line most of the last 6 months.  My house burned from a lightening strike.  We have been in a recovery mode since that event.
My husband discovered in recent recovery from surgery that our old formula still works.  Previously, I suggested in one of my blogs that you can lose the weight you want without purchasing a diet, provided you are not receiving meds that cause you to gain weight.  Big portions are the norm in the USA in most restaurants and large gatherings.  If you want to lose weight, eat 1/3 of the food served to you.  Eat some of each healthy food, but that clean plate that is encouraged will put extra pounds on you.  If you order unhealthy food, you must change your order.  Fried meat and potatoes are lethal.  Find healthy green vegetables and fruits that you like to eat, and eat small portions of meats.  Do NOT go hungry.  A fruit or nut snack between meals is much better than heavy eating at mealtime. 
I would love to hear from you if you try my 1/3 way to lose weight.  Best of health to you...
joyduf

Be a Patriot; Lose Weight

Have you been listening to the news lately?  Healthcare cost in the U.S.A. is going up.  The biggest driver of healthcare costs is obesity of our population.  Matters not if you are not overweight, you have to pay premiums for insurance that covers those persons who are obese.  Does not sound fair does it?  The national price for goods or services is determined by the demand or need for that item.  If you are healthy, you may need few, if any, medication or trips to your doctor's office.  Someone overweight may need several kinds of medication and regular trips to the doctor depending on how long they have been carrying that extra weight.  Diabetes II is caused by overweight or obesity.  We should all support friends and family who are trying to lose weight or attain a healthy life, whether it is eating right, exercising, seeking balance of work and rest or other personal goals.  I consider you a patriot if you are concerned enough to do these things or support someone who does them.  The status of healthcare costs in our country merits effort by all of us to be patriots with a passion.  If you are doing something I have not listed, please let me know.
To your good health, joyduf.
http://www.weightlift-off.com/;  http://EzineArticles.com/Sue Godwin

Exercise Tips

Walking is good for all of your body, mind and spirit.  For localizing exercise on certain parts of your body, there are good suggestions everywhere.  For arms and upper body, use at least a 5 pound weight to lift out and straight up from your body.  Repeat this 10-20 times each session dependent on being a beginner or a regular exerciser.  Even if you walk, this is good for your upper body if you have excess weight there.  If you are under 50, you should be able to do push-ups.  Over 50 you get torso results with a floor exercise.  Sit flat on the floor and raise both legs so that toes are same height as your head and stretch your arms straight out and hold for 5 seconds.  Repeat 5-10 times.  Add a forward type plank lying flat on floor raise your full body until your knees are straight up above your heels; clasp your hands underneath your body and stretch your arms out straight.  Hold for 5-10 seconds at least 10 times.  For arms, legs and central body balance, place knees and hands on floor and lift right arm and left leg at the same time.  Do the same with left arm and right leg at least 5 times each session.  These are the exercises you can do at home on rainy or cold days.  Do not skip days that you cannot go out to walk or run.
The above exercises help with balance besides the circulation from brain to toes.  You can find other helpful advice at my website:  http://www.weightlift-off.com/.
To your good health, joyduf

Diets and Herbal Teas

Did you know that people who follow a Mediterrean type diet live 6 and more years than persons who do not?  This type of diet consists of whole grains, fruits, vegetables (especially greens), olive oil, fish and chicken.  For the best chance at great health...prepare your own food.  Most westerners are not willing to prepare their own food every day because of time constraints.  Choose the number of days your family can work together to prepare meals and buy fresh vegetables and fruits for those days.  Weekends are the time most families eat more meals together and 3 days eating healthy are better than none.  The whole family would probably lose unwanted pounds in the process if you do not have unhealthy snacks lying around.  Eating out all weekend always puts on pounds because restaurants do not major on cooking healthy.  The appearance of food and flavor are what sells.  If your family tries this, I would love to know how it worked out for you.
For anxiety or elevated blood pressure, steep some herbal tea.  Several have a calming effect.  Try chamomile, or any of the green teas instead of coffee in the morning.  A cup of fresh brewed tea gives some people a good start for their day whether it is fruit tea or one of the herbs.  Ginseng tea is a good energy tea and very good for you. 
Please leave a comment if you have found benefit from tea or the foods mentioned above. 
joyduf

Childhood Obesity - Who is Responsible?

Deciding who is responsible for childhood obesity is a complex problem.  A recent Act passed by the Senate of our country seems to place primary blame on school lunches.  This is something easily targeted by the ruling bodies because they have control over it.  But, HOLD EVERYTHING!  Where do these children eat the other two meals each day and most of their snacks?  Parents can still control what their children eat every day regardless of who controls school lunch menus.  The mandate is more fruits and vegetables and less sugary deserts.  That is very good indeed.  So, what if your child will not eat these the way they are prepared at school, or they do not like and will not eat the particular choices served in school lunches?  The ball bounces right back to parents.  If you are serious about your child's weight and health, you have the right to pack a lunch the night before and send it to school with him/her.  You surely know which fruits and vegetables your child will eat, right?  Send these to school with him because if you send something he doesn't like, he will most likely trade it to some other child who has something he does like.

What does your family eat at home?  This is a healthy life or early death activity every day in our homes.  Most parents do not consider this fact when they buy and serve food at home.  Check with the CDC and other health report sites on the computer to see if I am right.  A fast food and pre-prepared menu for your family every day will not produce a long and healthy life for them.  Here is a valid thought...fresh fruit and vegetables are expensive but medicine and doctor bills cost much more!  Don't forget the milk and whole grain cereals and bread.  These, together with the fresh fruit and vegetables, could negate the need for those expensive vitamins you give your child every day.

The time factor is also a problem these days with busy families going in myriad of directions each day.  If you are concerned about the health of your family, you can manage a good schedule for eating on these busy days.  When you cook a meal, cook enough for two days and reheat on that busiest day.  Or, when serving salads, give an assignment to more than one family member for preparation of different ingredients.  Find an alternative to cholesterol and fat laden snack foods.  Check next week's blog for item suggestions.
http://markethealth.com/ can give you the starting point for weight loss.  A free BMI diagnosis.