Personal Healthcare Journal

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FUN and INEXPENSIVE ACTIVITES

One of the best ways to help our parents remain independent is to help them stay active.

Great activities that are not only fun but are inexpensive, and help us stay mobile and feel 16 again:

• walking
• cycling
• running
• tennis
• swimming
• golfing
• yoga
• pilates
• gardening
• fishing
• aerobics
• hiking
• walking

Mother's day and father's day is coming up. Maybe your mom or dad needs a new pair of walking or running shoes. Perhaps a new club for their set or some gardening gloves. Either way - you can't go wrong.

THINGS AREN'T ALWAYS AS THEY SEEM - Susan Boyle

EMBED-Susan Boyle Stuns Crowd with Epic Singing - Watch more free videos

MOTHER'S DAY

Mother's Day is May 10.

What will you buy your mom?

Take a few seconds and fill out our survey to the right.

Remember to pour heaps of love on you mom everyday - don't wait till mother's day to let her know how much you care.

7 BENEFITS OF REGULAR EXERCISE

I love spring. For me it's the newness of life and the promise of summer to come.

Signs of new life are showing all around. Tulips and daffodils are emerging, robins are hopping looking for worms, buds are forming on the trees and the grass is starting to turn green.

Whether you spend time walking the dog, going for a jog, or gardening you are going to feel better, combat chronic disease and help you manage your weight.

According to the Mayo Clinic there are 7 benefits of regular exercise. They include:

1. Improves your mood
   
2. Combats chronic disease
3. Helps you manage your weight
   
4. Strengthens your heart and lungs
5. Promotes better sleep
6. Can put the spark back in your sex life
7. Can be - gasp - fun!
   

So... phone up a friend and go for a walk. Walk to the grocery store, post office or to the coffee shop to catch up.

CRAVING A BETTER SLEEP?

If you're craving a better sleep - it may be time to eliminate snacking before bed.

As a kid growing up I remember my dad eating a bowl of Rice Krispies before he went to bed. Having a bowl of cereal is quick, easy and quite satisfying. On lazy days when we don't feel like making supper I have to confess we've been known to bring out the cereal boxes.

I'm not a snacker so cutting out snacks after supper isn't hard for me. Did you know that if you've already consumed your daily calorie intake you're not doing yourself any favors. In fact eating before bed can be disruptive to your sleep schedule. Thida Ith, a registered dietitian and corporate communications and promotions manager for Dietitians of Canada states that "it's a bit difficult to digest before you go to sleep." When your body is busy digesting - it's not resting.

Think back to when your mom wanted you to eat your breakfast, not trade your lunch at school and eat a good supper. Three square meals a day is still where it's at. Eating just till you are full helps you feel satisfied. When you feel satisfied you tend not to snack or overeat. A settled tummy just might be the ticket to a better sleep.

SAVE MONEY - REDUCE EMERGENCY ROOM VISITS

According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) study they report "patients who have a clear understanding of their after-hospital care instructions, including how to take their medicines and when to make follow-up appointments, are 30% less likely to be re-admitted or visit the emergency department than patients who don't."

So if patients want to reduce the number of hospital and emergency room visits and save money - they need to be in charge of their health!

How do you take charge of your health? Document or chart your health. Write it down! Keep a record of your questions, symptoms, tests and more. This record will help remind you and your family members of the details when they're needed most.

You can save money! You can reduce the number of hospital and emergency room visits.

CONCIERGE SERVICES

Whenever I travel to a new state, country or province and I need to find my way around I can always count on the Concierge for directions, recommendations of places to eat, etc.

Lately I've noticed a there are more and more concierge services popping up to help people and more specifically our parents do odd jobs, organize their homes, downsize, get groceries, etc.

What a great idea!

We're all busy running from here to there, getting this or that and often we don't have time to take Mom or Dad shopping when they want to go. Or if we live in another city - we aren't able to zip to the store for them or help them get this or that.

Check out Extra You.net - they've got this covered in the Virginia area. A little closer to home - that being Winnipeg we've got Concierge One a flourishing business owned and operated by Heather Hlady and Moray Merchant. While they may not specialize in seniors - they do offer services that they can definitely take advantage of like: snow clearing, cleaning and organizing, shopping and much more. If you have a minute - check them out - you'll be glad you did.