Bigger is better: Aquatic exercise benefits people with Parkinson's disease

According to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, aging is an important risk factor for Parkinson’s disease. The good news is that people with Parkinson’s disease who exercise regularly are able to move and maintain balance better than those who do not. And water is a wonderful environment for exercise. Water boasts unique properties that enable it to be used for both therapy and fitness. When someone with Parkinson’s is able to float and move in a pool, it is similar to a water lily opening at dawn. Participants can stand up tall and move more freely. (Intl. Council on Active Aging, 2/27/13)

Keep Your Berries Fresh Longer

HOW TO PREVENT MOLD IN

BLUEBERRIES, STRAWBERRIES - ALL BERRIES!

We love to buy fresh fruit, but every day the berries start to go bad too quickly and end up in the garbage.  Not anymore, thanks to this great tip.

The key to preventing moldy berries...wash them with vinegar.

When you get your berries home, prepare a mixture of one part vinegar (white or apple cider probably work best) and ten parts water. Dump the berries into the mixture and swirl around. Drain, rinse if you want (though the mixture is so diluted you can't taste the vinegar,) and pop in the fridge. The vinegar kills any mold spores and other bacteria that might be on the surface of the fruit, and voila! Raspberries will last a week or more, and strawberries go almost two weeks without getting moldy and soft. So go forth and stock up on those pricey little gems, knowing they'll stay fresh as long as it takes you to eat them.

Dr. Seuss Nails It!

Dr. Seuss: Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You. 

FLU SHOT --GO TO COSTCO!!

I get my flu shot at Walgreen's yesterday for $31. Today, i was at Costco and their flu shots are only $17!!! No question where to go!! Get yours now before they run out.

IS IT THE FLU OR A COLD??

Is It A Cold Or the Flu? How to Tell the Difference

Here's a chart to help you figure out which one you might have. Either way, doctors advise getting an annual flu shot.

• By John Crandall
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• 12:01 am

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As the influenza epidemic sweeps through the country, you may be wondering if it’s the flu or a cold causing your sniffles.

One major difference between the two is that there is a vaccine for the flu, a disease that can have life-threatening complications

“An annual flu vaccine is recommended for everyone over the age of six months,” said a spokesperson for the Los Alamitos Medical Center. “It’s especially important for those at risk of developing serious complications from the flu to receive the vaccine.” 

Unfortunately, there’s no vaccine for the common cold, but you can figure out whether you’ve been infected by the human rhinovirus (the cold) or influenza.

Both are highly contagious and have similar symptoms and seasons.

If you haven't been vaccinated and feel sick, or if you have been vaccinated—the flu shot isn’t always 100 percent effective—and you feel sick, here's a chart that may help you tell the difference between cold and flu.

Flu	Common Cold
Sudden onset of symptoms. Can be severe.	Mild symptoms
Fever between 102° F and 104° F. Lasts three to four days	Fever below 102 degrees
Muscle aches	Some aching muscles
Headache	Headache
Sore throat	Loss of appetite
Very tired and weak. Some people feel extremely exhausted	Stuffy nose
Cough that can be severe	Chills and sweats.
Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea (more common in children than adults)

Chart Courtesy Los Alamitos Medical Center 

You can get the flu the same way you get the cold—the virus lands on surfaces like counters, elevators buttons, stair rails or telephones. People get the virus on their hands and can then infect themselves when they touch their eyes, nose or mouth.

According to the Los Alamitos Medical Center, some people are more at risk of developing complications of the flu. These include young children and people older than 50. Other at-risk groups include:

• Residents of nursing homes or chronic care facilities
• People with chronic disorders such as diabetes, heart, lung or kidney disorders
• People with a weakened immune system including those with HIV, leukemia or taking medications following an organ transplant
• Women who are pregnant and in their second or third trimester
• People who work in a healthcare facility

If you fall into one of these groups and develop symptoms of the flu, call your doctor immediately. If you’re not one of those people in the at-risk group, the best advice is to get plenty of rest, drink lots of liquid and avoid using alcohol and tobacco.

You can take over-the-counter medicines to relieve symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, nasal congestion and cough.

CAUTION: Do not give aspirin to children or teenagers who have flu-like symptoms, especially a fever. In some cases, this has caused a serious complication known as Reye’s syndrome.

If you develop complications including trouble breathing, a very high fever, a severe sore throat, a cough that produces a lot of green or yellow mucus, or you feel faint, call your doctor.

Anti-viral medications may be prescribed for cases of the flu. These medicines may shorten the time you feel ill. Some of these medications only work with certain types of influenza viruses. To be effective, these need to be taken no later than 24 to 48 hours after you first develop symptoms.

Physical Activity and Quality of Life with Arthritis

Physical Activity Adherence and Quality of Life among Individuals with Arthritis

By Kelsey Stamps

Austin, S., Qu, H., & Shewchuk, R. M. (2011). Association between adherence to physical activity guidelines and health-related quality of life among individuals why physician-diagnosed arthritis. Quality of Life Research, 21, 1347-1357.

Purpose:
Physical activity is an important, non-pharmacological intervention to diminish pain and discomfort and to improve health-related quality of life in individuals with one of the most prevalent chronic conditions, arthritis. Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is an indicator of physical and mental health, and a population’s chronic disease load. It evaluates the impact of arthritis, which is a leading cause of disability both in the U.S. and internationally. Adults with arthritis have poor HRQOL and, on average, report four more physically unhealthy days and 2.3 more mentally unhealthy days (within a 30 day period), compared to those without arthritis. After assuming that HRQOL for adults with arthritis would be predicted by adherence to physical activity guidelines controlling for health system factor (physicians’ recommendations for physical activity), pre-disposing, enabling, and need-relation factors, the authors hypothesized that individuals who did not adhere to recommended levels of physical activity would report more physically and mentally unhealthy days compared with those who did, controlling for physicians’ recommendations, predisposing, enabling, and need-related factors.

Conclusion: 
Individuals who did not adhere to the physical activity guidelines had more physically and mentally unhealthy days. By engaging in low- to moderate-intensity physical activity of approximately 150 minutes per week, evidence shows that individuals with arthritis had some degree of relief from pain, improved their physical function, and delayed onset of disability. The 150 minutes per week consisted of five 30-minute sessions. However, this study proved that adherence to physical activity is low in this population and interventions are needed to connect adults with arthritis to participate in physical activity. It is recommended that even if adults with other co-morbidities cannot meet at least 150 minutes per week they should still be physically active as much as possible whenever their conditions and abilities allow. 

YOQUATIX Rocks!!

Skye La Fevre of Heart and Soul Yoga has joined Cynthia Shorteed of Aqua Flex'n Stretch at the Providence Tarzana Outpatient Therapy Center in Encino for YOQUATIX! Participants get 45 minutes of restorative land yoga PLUS 45 minutes of restorative aqua. We're talking the ultimate in restoration and relaxation. Check it out....first class is half price through January! RSVP's required.