Panda Picks-Seniors Work on the Net!

Seniors go on line to use affirmations to make those changes in our lifestyle so important to us. Do you need to exercise, lose weight, give up a habit, make decisions, then use affirmations to provide the wisdom and strength to carry through.

Subconscious affirmations are mentioned   on Awake 200.com.
“The conscious mind primarily functions with the left side of your brain and the subconscious mind through the right side. Each side of your brain, also known as hemispheres control different actions and responses. The left side is responsible for more rationalized and logical behavior such as thinking, where the right side is more imaginative and expressive with feelings and emotions.”
The article continues “The conscious mind discriminates what we want to believe and accept. ” In other words it can talk us out of affirmations. This site suggests that the subconscious mind will allow thoughts to be accepted if we hear them in our sleep. This is a good article to read to understand how our mind controls our positive affirmations.

Reading affirmations: Whether you wish to read a whole book or one line quotes, what we read affects our thinking. How often you read and for what length of time will seal the affirmations in your mind and actions.

Writing: Gems for friends.com     gives this explanation. Simply sit down at a table and write what you would like in your life 15 times every day. An example is: “I am healthy, happy, wise and free”. When you are done know that the universe is taking care of it.”

Some people will take that writing and tuck it into a revered place, such as their bible, or some other place of respect. Don’t just toss it into the junk drawer. That means that you are disrespectful of your thoughts.

Throw away the negative by writing down the statement and burning, throwing in trash, or flush it down the toilet.  Replace the negative with the positive written statements.
Affirmations while walking.
“As I walked, I crafted my affirmation today, and noticed that as I said it to myself, my stride changed. I walked taller, more confidently, more powerfully. I want that all the time!” Valorie’s Link Blog .

Affirmations change our physical well being as our brain convinces our body of our worth.

Singing affirmations I had the experience of singing an affirmation as I walked, singing just one song over and over.  As I sang I picked up courage and strength  completing a 7 mile walk in the dark and through a dangerous part of town.

Choosing Friends Ever think about why we reject and accept friendships. Those who affirm our worth are welcomed into our circle of friends. Those who would pull us down or defeat our goals are pushed aside. Choose friends on line who build you up and who you can give a boost  so that we can lose those pounds, build muscles, write that book or whatever we wish to attain.

Panda Picked affirmations as a great method to keep us positive and always growing  as we age.  Whether you want to read one liners or find books on affirmations, go on line for your reading materials, walk or run while you repeat your affirmations, look on line for great places where you can enjoy nature. We seniors can even put on that tape recorder and do it while we take that famous afternoon nap. Skype, on line communities and other messenger services provide us with on line friends who affirm our worth when we can’t leave the house.

Panda Lady

We seniors know the effects of good food , exhilarating exercise, and prescribed medicine to maintain good health. Consider music as the good food, exercise, and medicine for all that ales you.

 As we age, we seniors look for alternative ways to prevent and heal or at least deal with the effects of aging. Google the words brain, music and healing to do your own research. The fewer medicines we take, the less chance we have of getting dangerous reactions to bad combinations.

By the way, Happy 100th Birthday to  George Beverly Shea, Feb. 1, 2009, evangelist singer for Billy Graham. Mr. Shea holds the world record for singing in person to the most people ever. The text  reads: “George Beverly Shea of Canada has sung to the most people during his career  on every continent in front of 220 million people, since first becoming the soloist for gospel preacher Billy Graham in 1943 on the radio show “Songs in The Night”.”

Panda Picked Music as a natural alternative form of healing.  Try it and post your comments here.

Panda Lady

 

 

FOOT FIXES For FROSTY WEATHER

3. MASSAGE- increase circulation and rejuvenate the skin. Using lotion, rub toes in all directions

4. Lie down and elevate legs by putting feet higher than your heart

5. Wear smart shoes.  Carry the high heels and fashion shoes to put on when you arrive or use shoes with good treads  or clip on cleatts in the winter months of snow and ice .                                                              

Panda Picked the subject of seniors going on line to do research because it is so convenient, and we have many resources to tap into.  On line research  is another scource of information as we check out information for our own personal use or for the purposes of publishing.

Panda Lady

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank goodness we seniors are more concerned with safety than with style.  But why not have both style and stay safe in this subzero weather.

Wear head gear.  Covered ears are essential to prevent frost bite  You think your hair will keep your head warm.  Think again as 40% of body heat can be lost from  your head. You might like ear pops, to add to your head covering options. Fleecy  or denim and very warm, they store easily in pockets and purses.

Keep fingers comfortableand warm in mittens rather than gloves.  Be sure to wear mittens that are snug at the wrist.  You might consider the mittens that double as gloves. Look for gloves or mittens that provide some traction for those times you want a secure hold.

Get a grip on that ice and snow  when you add treads to your shoes. Traction cleats provide that security with non slip ice treads that are easily added to any shoes.

Cover your mouth/nose with a scarf, mittened hand or mask to protect skin and lungs in extremely cold weather. we seniors shouldn’t be out long enough to need them, but mini heaters can be tucked inside some masks.

Wear layers of loose-fitting clothing, lightweight, warm clothing. Trapped air between the layers will insulate the body.

Keep at least a half tank of gas in your vehicle. A full tank of gas will prevent fuel line freeze up and allow for running the heater periodically if stranded.

Safety Note: Stay with your car while its warming . Don’t invite car thieves.

Keep walks free of ice. Look for pet friendly products to protect furry paws of our housemates with 4 legs. Lawn lovers also look for gentle ice removers that don’t leave residue on floors and carpets.

Panda Lady picked Safe and Warm for this discussion  as some of us are not snow birds.  We stay in the fridged north to be near our families and stay active in our community during the winter months.  The joy of staying in our community can be atained if we stay safe and warm in winter weather. 

Weather information for Ottawa Canada provides vital information for staying safe: They report 80 people a year die in Canada from Winter weather related issues.

Panda Lady

Seniors love to use the internet to research subjects.  It saves a trip to the library, saves gas, and the internet is easy reading.  While checking out  information on one of the leading causes of death, heart disease.  I came across a nice magazine article in Lifescript.beta, written by Carly Young, where she lists 10 foods which give us healthy happy hearts.

check these for happy hearts

The list is:  Oatmeal, almonds, flax-seeds, garlic, apples, beans, soy protein, psyllium husk or hulls and exercise.

I set out to see how much I could include in my breakfast yesterday.  My hot oatmeal – was what I was planning.  A chopped apple with the skins still on, some nuts, psyllium hulls, unprocessed wheat bran made quite a combination using 5 of the 10 items on their list.

If you read their 10 foods list, you will find ways to sneak the items into your diet.  So now all we need to do is to get those happy feet going for a nice long walk.

While doing the research to find the best heart foods, I came across the American Heart Association web site which gives us another neat way to use the internet.  They have directions for making your happy  heart shopping list. Their site teaches us another new skill, internet meal planning.

Panda Lady searched for the best products that we could find to help not only seniors, but all people  who use Psyllium, flaxseed and oatmeal.  Our top recommendations are:
flaxseed products

Oatmeal Bread

psyllium 

Mary Hofstetter AKA The Panda Lady

As we seniors age a little known change takes place in our body. The compound known as glucosamines made naturally in our body from glucose (sugar) and amino acid glutamine (protein, brain and muscle food) is needed to produce glycosaminoglycan, a molecule used in the formation and repair of cartilage and other body tissue. However as we age, like so many other processes, we produce less and less glucosamine affecting the elasticity in our knees and producing bony additions to our fingers and toes.

We can augment our glucosamine production by taking a dietary supplement made from the skeletons of crustacean (shell fish creatures) , arthropods, or cell walls in fungi to replenish the dwindling supply of glucosamine . It is widely used for osteoarthritis, particularly knee osteoarthritis. In osteoarthritis, cartilage–the rubbery material that cushions joints becomes still and loses its elasticity. That means we are prone to damage and suffer with pain, swelling, loss of movement and further deterioration.

USES

Glucosamine is also found in sports drinks and cosmetics. Glucosamine is often combined with chondroitin (cow cartilage) as we produce less of that too. In the US these are not approved by the the Food and Drug Administration. In Europe it is considered helpful as a medicine. Even animals use the dietary supplement for stiff and swollen joints. Because glusosamine is important to healthy skin, glusosamine plays a major role in the healing of surgical incisions and skin wounds. Some take glucosamine before and after surgery for healing of the skin resulting in less scaring. Wound dressings have been developed using a modified form of glucosamine. Studies are under way considering the effects of glucosamine for treating inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn’s Disease.

Although widely used by us seniors, no one has proven the effectiveness of glucosamine. You can read about some of the studies on Wikipedia. Because the studies used different forms of glucosamine there is no conclusive evidence from data gathered, participants were not consistent in providing evidence.. All I can say is I feel better having less joint pain so for me the evidence is in.

Disclaimer: When glucosamine was Googled I found 5 million 100 thousand entries. To lighten your load of reading up on the subject I read through a few of the entries. Many are medical statements which you and I don’t follow to well. I hope this summary gives you an idea of what you are putting in your mouth when you take glucosamine chondroitin sulfate. The safety and effectiveness have not been proven. Some of our conditions are potentially serious and we should always consult with a qualified health care provider. The statements made here are not medical fact and I do not claim to be a health care provider. Make yourself knowledgeable and use all dietary supplements with discretion.

Disclaimer given by Mayo Clinic—The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not strictly regulate herbs and supplements. There is no guarantee of strength, purity or safety of products, and effects may vary. You should always read product labels. If you have a medical condition, or are taking other drugs, herbs, or supplements, you should speak with a qualified healthcare provider before starting a new therapy. Consult a health-care provider immediately if you experience side effects.

Panda Picked Glucosamine as a word we hear, used as dietary supplements but most of us have no clue as to what gluicosamine is.  This is written from the view point of a layperson with no pretense of knowing all the medical jargon.  I didn’t even know I had ever produced it let alone stopped making it. Here’s to your health and well being.

We are experiencing a beautiful fall here in Northwestern Ohio as mother nature dons her prettiest dresses. The evenings are crisp and cool which is great for high school football games.  The nights are cold in the 30’s so that we can bundle under the blankets we had caste aside for summer.  The frost tolerant plants like beets, swiss chard, kohlrabi and cilantro are enjoying the sunny days without the stress of extreme heat.

However, there is a dark side to this season.  S.A.D. aka Seasonal Affective Disorder has reared its ugly  head.  About Sept. 17 I feel the effects of this disorder as the amount of light has diminished enough to bring on depression.  It manifests itself in eating too much, wanting to go to bed early as the sun sets, and taking more naps. Many people feel these manifestations but people with SAD have a more serious reaction. Short days  and long nights affect my attitude, enthusiasm, interest in activities which must affect my feeling of well being if not my health.

By Thanksgiving SAD will be in full force as we have not only less light in the days, but we tend to have  fog, rain, snow showers, cloudy days end upon end. This  depression does not lift until the end of Dec. when we have more sunshine although cold and snowy days prevail.  The feelings of SAD begins to turn around in the middle of February.  I can almost know the day when my body says “ok we had enough light and it is all over”.

So how does one cope with SAD.  I have read that it helps to increase the wattage of light bulbs so I bought the new energy efficient  natural light bulbs. They are more expensive but quite effective.  It is suggested to use  light box therapy.  Those are expensive so I find the brightest place to sit and soak up the light like a turtle.

Several years ago I accidently discovered that a cup of Earl Grey tea, bergemont tea leaves, lifted my spirits.  A late afternoon  4:00 cup of tea will get me through the worst part of the day. Sun down is particularly hard as my body wants to cry out, “Stop, I haven’t had enough light for today”.  Closing the drapes and curtains helps to fool my body.  You know out of site, out of mind. If I don’t see  the sun is setting I can’t complain.  Have you ever noticed your mood change with certain types of music.  A jazz station from Dayton Ohio will kick my serotonin on so that I can concentrate on activities. The last way I  deal with SAD is to be very occupied and interested in some activity late in the afternoon.  If the problem gets too bad especially in the worst month of Nov. and part of December, St. John’s Wort therapy is necessary.

Anyone reading this who has SAD, please share comments as to how you manage this disorder. What kicks the serotonin on for you?

Panda picked S.A.D. as a subject to discuss because we need to understand and deal with the effects of light deprivation. There still is little understanding from those who have no idea how it affects our lives. SAD has only been recognized by the medical field for a few years.