Eye Exercises Help

When it comes to exercise, people all too often focus all their efforts into the body core and forget to exercise their eyes. We must remember that as we age our "focus" becomes an event that introduces poor vision and subsequent glasses into our lives.

Below are a few examples of eye exercises that may prevent an early departure from excellent sight.

*Changing Focus
Hold a magazine or book as close to your eyes as possible without the print becoming blurred. Focus on the words for 15 seconds. Then, look at an object at least 10 feet away and focus on that. Refocus on the magazine; then refocus again on the distant object. Repeat five times. This exercise helps build stamina so you don't experience eye fatigue as often when working on close tasks.

*Eye "Push Ups"
Hold a pencil at arm's length in front of your face. Slowly move it toward your nose, holding your focus at the same spot on the pencil. The objective is to bring the pencil to the tip of your nose before you see a double image of the pencil. This exercise strengthens the "convergence ability" of your eyes (that is, the ability of both eyes to aim at the same task), which helps prevent eyestrain and may eliminate the "floating print" that can occur when your eyes are tired.

*Eye rolls
Close your eyes. Slowly roll your eyes in a complete circle; then move them from left to right. Repeat this exercise three times. This improves blood and oxygen flow to your eyes.

*Palming & Cupping
Note: If you wear contact lenses, remove them before trying this exercise. Close your eyes. Place the base of your palms over your eyes and press gently for a few seconds. Then cup your hands and place them over your open eyes. Look into your cupped palms as you slowly breathe in and out through your nose for 30 seconds. This exercise relaxes tired eyes.

*Blinking or Yawning
Both actions produce tears to help moisten and lubricate the eyes.

"As long as I've got my eyesight, I'm not going to stop."

Live Life Healthy

One would think that living in agreement with nature would be common sense. However, in this day in age, common sense is not so common. So before personal responsibility goes the way of the human extinction, here are a few suggestions on how the gain and maintain health.

1.  Eat Whole Foods. Focus on diet of inclusion.

 

2.  Eat a balanced diet with optimal protein, unrefined carbohydrates and the right fats. There are health promoting and health destroying foods within each macro nutrient category; Fats, Carbohydrates and Proteins. Our body is a chemistry lab, not a bank account and the types of foods you eat cause specific hormonal responses that can harm or heal you.

 

3.  Stay hydrated. Water is a by-product of beta oxidation and you need it to burn fat!  If you are even slightly dehydrated you will lower your metabolism and you won't be able to perform at your peak.

 

4.  Make an oil change. The types of fats and oils you eat can dramatically impact your health.  Emphasize monounsaturated fats and omega 3 fats found in cold water fish, avocados, raw nuts and seeds (not peanuts) and olive oil.

 

5.  Eat foods rich in phyto-nutrients and antioxidants. Some of our favorites include red grapes, turmeric, sesame, tomatoes in olive oil, ginger, celery, rosemary, saffron, garlic, cherries, berries, cabbage, umbelliferous vegetables, green tea, freshly ground flax seed meal (not oil) and licorice. Live food is best. 

 

6.  Avoid health destructive foods and toxic chemicals -

  - pro-inflammatory and rancid fats including - corn, safflower, sunflower, cottonseed oils, all margarine, trans fats and fried foods.

  - hormones and additives in meats, chicken and eggs

  - farm raised fish treated with additives, hormones and unhealthy feed ( buy wild caught fish )

  - alcohol and caffeine

  - Processed foods

  - refined and simple sugars, high glycemic load foods including fruit juice, white flour, etc.

  - Iron fortified cereals (and vitamins)

  - Soda

  - Drugs - OTC or prescribed (sulfur, mercury, thermisol etc)

  

7.  You cannot supplement a poor diet to make it healthy. It is virtually impossible to get all of the nutrients you need even in the most healthy and balanced diet. Use supplements to enhance a healthy diet to make it optimal.

 

Supplements nearly everyone needs include a pharmaceutical grade multiple (make sure it includes 800 mcg of folic acid) taken 2 x's per day, omega 3 essential fatty acids and minerals, especially magnesium.

 

8.  Balance your hormone responses. Think of your body like as chemistry lab; eat, work, exercise, rest and play to support appropriate hormone responses of growth hormone, cortisol, adrenaline and insulin.

 

9.  Avoid toxic exposure - eat organic, use environmentally friendly household products, filter your air and water.  It is estimated that 80% of all cancers are from tobacco, nutrition and environmental carcinogens.  Add houseplants to reduce the chemicals in the air.  Some of the best are Areca Palms, Lady Palms, English Ivy, Boston Ferns, Rubber Plants.  2-3 per 100 feet.

 

10.  Exercise, like nutrition and supplementation, is dose dependent. You must make sure you are doing the right amount of each to ensure optimal results. Too much can have a negative effect as too little. There are 3 types of exercise; adaptive (resistance training), calming (flexibility/core exercises) and stimulating (cardio). Which type, how much of it and at what intensity depends on your  metabolism type.

 

11.  Maintain your ideal body fat percentage and remember you must be healthy to lose body fat and increase lean muscle mass. Test your body fat percentage vs. testing your weight regularly.

 

12.  Take time out for fun and get adequate rest. Laughing and smiling changes your brain chemistry for the better. Mindful exercise like yoga and aerobics have been shown to enhance the immune system. Do not eat 3 hours before bedtime so the body can put its efforts into repair vs. digestion.

 

13.  Regular Chiropractic Care: Research demonstrates your nervous system controls all body function - your immune system, glandular system, circulatory system, digestive system, elimination system, and musculoskeletal system. Regular chiropractic care is the foundation for optimizing health and assisting the body in restoring health, maintaining and maximizing function.

Follow these simple steps to  maintain your own health and those of your loved ones.

Benzene In Soft Drinks

The FDA has acknowledged that benzene, a carcinogen, has been found in U.S. soft drinks at four times the limit considered safe for drinking water.

This contradicts earlier FDA statements that the levels of benzene were insignificant. Organizations such as the Environmental Working Group have accused the FDA of concealing information about benzene in soft drinks.  Benzene has been linked to leukemia. It can form in soft drinks made with vitamin C and sodium or potassium benzoate.

Beverage Daily.Com  April 19, 2006

Many do not realize that today sodas are the leading source of calories in America. This is a tragic commentary on American dietary habits. Additionally, diet drinks do NOT cause weight loss, but invariably will actually DOUBLE your risks of obesity. This new report is not surprising as extremely high levels of benzene were found in soft drinks distributed in France and the UK. This shouldn't be a big surprise to the soft drink industry, considering how long they've known about the chemical reaction that produces benzene.

But despite that, manufacturers have been putting vitamin C (ascorbic acid) back into their products lately, hoping parents will be fooled into buying vitamin‑C‑enhanced "health drinks" that give the appearance of being far healthier than they actually are.

But benzene is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to soft drinks. One of the simplest changes you can make to optimize your health is to start the process to stop drinking soda immediately. This is especially important if you are consuming diet sodas, as they are FAR more toxic than regular sodas.

If you are consuming large amounts soda you will want to gradually reduce it to minimize your withdrawal symptoms, which can be quite severe if you are consuming caffeinated sodas.

If you really want to do what's best for your health, stick to pure water as your beverage of choice.

Life Is About Choices

As I enter the winter of my life, I wonder of tales told of how your life flashes before you in those final moments. Presume for a moment seeing your life history is real, and that you will see your life unfold from youth to the end point. I've often wondered how mine would visualized.

Most people believe that their lives were born of circumstances, influenced by fate and created and controlled by family or the workplace. They even believe that they are not important, only a victim of the times.

I've been taught that life is not something that merely happens to you, it is something that you do! Life is not given to us to be endured, but to be lived! Often times I wish I adhered more to that philosophy.

We are unique among all the creatures on earth by being able to direct and control our lives and decide our own fate. Our thoughts and actions are not predetermined by blind instinct. They are of free will and free choices. We can choose to be different or we can choose to remain the same. We can grow and develop into anything we wish, or we can choose to remain stagnate. We can, at any time, choose new paths or we can tread the familiar, safe and uninspiring ground of tradition.

Life is always a series of choices. We can choose to let life drift along with no direction, plan or goals. Sometimes we wander and allow chance to take hold, only to find out that was a bad decision, usually based upon emotion. Or, you can choose where you wish to go, program your life with a plan and objective in mind directed at your ultimate target. The power to choose can be either fulfilling achievements or chasing rainbows.

You, at any time, can choose to change or rearrange their life. Should you follow that decision with positive action and effort, you can accomplish that change. It begins with thought ...

"There are no mistakes in life. Love yourself, trust your choices, and everything is possible."

 

Laughter - Best Medicine

Feeling out of sorts? Stressed out and depressed about life's frivolities? Watching and reading too much news and knee-jerk journalism? Remove yourself from that trite. If not, you'll probably end up on Zoloft or some other mind altering drug. LAUGH!

Find some kind of laughter in your day. Perhaps a friend that carries with them a contagious smile and attitude, or someone that provides a belly pain from the laughter they provide. Do it quickly, as the alternative is not pretty.

Smile and laughter are the healthy medicines that boost the immune system and triggers pleasure inducing neuro-chemicals in the brain. Research has shown that giggling and laughter, and other forms of humor have health enhancing properties.

Laughter lowers blood pressure, increases muscles range of motion and allows for an abundance of beta endorphins, which is the brain's morphine-like compounds, thus inducing a sense of euphoria. Research also shows the body's immune system is enhanced with laughter. Natural "killer cells" that destroy viruses and tumors increase during a state of merriment and high spirits.

Dr. Stanley Tan, an expert on laughter's effects on the nervous and endocrine systems, says humor provides a safety valve that shuts off the flow of stress hormones, which are the fight-or-flight compounds that come into play during times of stress, hostility and rage.

Often times it's difficult to smile and be witty when so much can be wrong in your world. The cure is laughter in any form, being mindful that no harm or threat should be displayed to others.

"If you laugh a lot, when you get older your wrinkles will be in the right places."