Did you Know?
Each year, The American Dietetic Association chooses a theme for its National Nutrition Month® and promotes it with events, brochures, etc.
Steps to Take
Find out the theme for this year’s National Nutrition Month® and how you can take part in it from www.eatright.org.

The age and quality of your current mattress can influence your sleep patterns and quality of life, according to a study from Oklahoma State University published in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine (Winter, 2006).

When sleeping on a new medium-firm mattress, 59 healthy participants reported significant reductions in lower back and spine stiffness, with significant improvements in sleep quality. The improvements were independent of the participants’ age, weight or preexistence of back injury. The study showed that the age of the participants’ mattress significantly contributed to back stiffness, with a minimum mattress age of 5 years and a mean mattress age of 9.7 years. New bedding systems provided both immediate and sustained benefits in sleep and wellness, with increased improvement every week of the study. The researchers noted that sleep deficiency interferes with daytime activity, social interactions, mood and loss of work productivity.

Secrets of the physical game

One of the biggest and most powerful muscles of the body is the buttocks and legs. This also happens to be the site of most concern for women wanting to look sexy and men needing to lift heavy objects (in some cases, the other way around).

Yet, the most common complaint about not being able to care for these body parts is due to time constraints, ability and know-how. I leave you with no excuse; try this stealth way to multitask – without the risk of getting fired.

Video is provided with these training tips (see below).

Did you Know?
If you are having surgery, make sure that you, your doctor, and your surgeon all agree on what will be done.
Steps to Take
Before you are taken into surgery, mark the body part to be operated on. Use the marker, etc. the doctor gives you to do this.

Secrets of the mental game

There is nothing more powerful than what you deeply believe in. Insurmountable odds have been overcome with the right amount of conviction. Unwavering trust in yourself (the most important element), another person or an idea and positive, unwavering visualization can bring about amazing results.

The challenge is ….truly believing with all of your being and getting to the point where you can already be excited and happy at the outcome you KNOW will happen. Don’t get caught up in the “how to’s”…just know without a doubt that it will and has already happened, and let extraneous pieces of the problem work themselves out.

Did you Know?
Repeated weight loss and weight gain slows the body’s metabolic rate. This makes it easier to gain weight.
Steps to Take
Avoid crash dieting. This makes your body slow down to preserve body fat for reserve. Learn more from www.healthyweight.org.

Did you Know?
A baby’s neural tube starts to develop about 3 weeks after conception (before many women know they are pregnant.
Steps to Take
Females of childbearing age should take a daily supplement with 400 micrograms of folic acid (a B vitamin). Women who have had a baby with a neural tube defect need 4 milligrams of folic acid / day.

Did you Know?
This month is Birth Defects Prevention Month. In the U.S., one out of 28 babies is born with a birth defect. This includes cystic fibrosis, Down’s syndrome, heart defects, sickle cell disease, spina bifida, and Tay-Sachs disease.
Steps to Take
All birth defects can’t be prevented. Learn about birth defects from the March of Dimes at www.marchofdimes.com.

Did you Know?
Are you still following your New Year’s diet “evolution” or have you gone back to old habits?
Steps to Take
If you have taken a positive step toward good eating and exercise habits, pat yourself on the back. If not, take that step today. Get help from www.smallstep.gov.

For most people, while disgusting, dust mites are not harmful. However, their microscopic cast skins and waste can induce allergic reactions in individuals who were previously not allergic to dust mites. A typical mattress can contain tens of thousands of dust mites; one square yard of bedroom carpet can contain over 100,000. And studies have shown that up to 10% of the weight of a two-year old pillow can be composed of dead mites and their waste. Sick yet?