Healthy living with Easy Stretch Video and Health Tips

Best Price Easy Stretch Video

2011-06-18T11:48:00.000-07:00

BEST PRICE STRETCH VIDEO - STRETCH VIDEO SALE

AS LONG AS SUPPLY LASTS!!!

Dear Easy Stretch blog visitors,
Here is an update on my 'Easy Stretch DVD' which has been selling well ever since I have it available online through PayPal secure BUY NOW server. This confirmed selling the Easy Stretch video as DVD is the way to go.

However, with my Easy Stretch DVD naturally attracting the younger stretchers, I decided to sell the Easy Stretch VHS video to the older stretchers who prefer and still have the old fashioned VCR in their homes at the Best Price Easy Stretch Video Ever:

EASY STRETCH VIDEO SALE - BEST PRICE STRETCH VIDEO
AS LONG AS SUPPLY LASTS

BUY Easy Stretch VHS Video for the best price of

$9.99+ FREE S&H, Available USA + CANADA Only

Order now through PayPal's secure server:

Stretchers who still want to pay with check, may call me today 360-504-1157 with their order of Easy Stretch VHS video at best price ever. Live a longer, happier life with Easy Stretch Body/Mind Relaxation VHS video!

Thanks for your interest in Easy Stretch video On Sale. Yours in health, Stretchguy

Stretch and relax with my Easy Stretch Video. Watch my YouTube video clip to see what Easy Stretch is all about.

Important Stretch Info:

You can order Easy Stretch DVD Now at $24.95 at Stretch for Health with Easy Stretch.

Are you too old for daily stretching?

2011-02-16T07:33:00.000-08:00

It's been almost a year since I've written a post for my blog 'Easy Stretch' and I'm almost a year older. Yes, I am a year older but am I wiser taking better care of my body which is getting more exposed to aging signs with each year?

Does getting older mean we are becoming wiser in the process of aging? I know you probably have heard enough about the aging and getting older process, but there is more to it than making it through one day at a time. We, as a nation are at the beginning of an aging revolution which will bring about changes in how and where we live, will we be able to retire in comfort, having enough income to get us through the next 20 to 30 years we have left on this planet. So do we have the wisdom to make the right decisions to stay in the best health for our age?

I would like to talk about something you can have some degree of control over, that being your overall health. Of course, there are situations that arise where you have no control, such as being diagnosed with a serious illness but even this can be sometimes traced back to to lifestyle choices we made on the way to where we are. If you made it to 65 with no major illness your chances of living a healthy life another 20+ years are pretty good.

Of course, just surviving doesn't cut it. You want those remaining years to be years of optimal health, both physical and mental. How do I do that, you ask? Preparing for retirement is more than accumulating the finances, it also involves making a commitment to yourself to improve your physical and mental health each day. There are many ways to begin on that path and as you can tell from the title of my blog, I think one of the most important things you can do for your body, as you age, is stretching.

As you age, you've probably noticed, you get a little tighter, in the back, hips, shoulders, well what the heck pretty much all over. You feel that tightness as decreased range of motion and pain. Stretching on a regular basis, at least 3 times a week, can loosen up those tight muscles, free up those joints and reduce the pain level. Stretching, can also combined with weight lifting exercises improves balance. Throw in some aerobics for the heart and you are good to go.

One of the best stretch routines is my own called Easy Stretch - Body/Mind Relaxation available on DVD and VHS through this blog.

Yours in health...stretchguy

Drink more Water - cause its good for you!

2010-03-11T10:40:00.000-08:00

I know its been awhile since I've posted anything - time just seems to fly by, before I know it another week has passed me by. I saw this good article about the benefits of drinking more water and wanted to pass it on. O.K. here's the 10 reasons to drink more water.

1. It prevents bad breath. It washes away odor-causing particles and bacteria, and keeps saliva flowing.
2. It prevents or reduces symptoms of heartburn and could reduce heart attacks, some studies show.
3. It prevents urinary tract infections by diluting urine and lowers the bacterial count. It may also reduce the risk of bladder cancer.
4. It prevents constipation. It flushes out toxins and decreases yoour risk of colon cancer.

5. It prevents headaches. Dehydration is the cause of many headaches.

6. It helps you lose weight.

7. Water aids digestion.

8. It boosts your immune system and helps fight off colds.

9. It wards off daytime fatigue.

10. It prevents back and joint pain.

What else can I say-DRINK UP

YOURS IN HEALTH - stretchguy

Colonoscopy - It ain't so bad!

2009-11-06T10:22:00.000-08:00

Here it is the day after my colonoscopy and I tell you I'm a happy camper. Came through with flying colors, my colon is clean as a new born baby, no polyps, no strange growths, just one healthy colon.

I tell you after the day before and drinking the Moviprep, fasting for a day and a half and pooping my guts out, the colonoscopy was a piece of cake.

I arrived at 10am to fill out the necessary forms, signing my life away and allowing the doctor to use any means at his disposal to save me if need be.
Of course nothing like that ever happens, right. After all forms are signed I'm taken into a small room and told strip down to my socks, given a gown with no back and cape to hang over my shoulders to hide my tush. I'm then take into the operating room and have my blood pressure taken and an IV put in my arm.
The anatheologist arrives and tells me the names of three different drugs he is going to give, sorry I can't remember their names. What hell, I can't remember anything of the colonoscopy procedure. The last thing I remember is being asked to turn over on my left side.

Twenty minutes or so later I open my eyes and the doctor says all done. I didn't feel anything, remember anything and I can tell you I'm not even sure they did anything, sure I was a little woosy so I know I got the drugs.

Oh what the hell, guess I just have to some faith in the system and trust in my doctor. I can tell you I'm glad to know I don't have colon cancer or the polyps that could become cancer.

One thing my wife noticed, as she was waiting to drive me home, is that other than myself, there were only women having their colon checked, so guys I know having someone stick something up your butt isn't your idea of a fun time, the fact is more men than women die from colon cancer. There is no time like the present for a little prevention.

Check out my post on Moviprep.

yours in health....stretchguy

Moviprep-cleaning up your act.

2009-11-05T07:30:00.000-08:00

Well, this is chapter 2 of the colonoscopy experience.

I spent the better part of the afternoon and evening yesterday wondering if I should move my butt off the toilet or not.

I drank my first 32oz of Moviprep solution starting at 4pm, 8 ounces per 15min intervals. As I recall I drank 2 glasses before I made my first trip to the toilet. I don't know if I should get graphic here but I gotta tell that Moviprep really works. I drank the next 32oz starting at 8pm, thats 1/2 gallon I'm flushing through my system and it really flushes, OK forget the graphics but over the next 8 hours I became quite familiar with the walls of my bathroom.

So here I sit the next morning all nice and clean and hungry. Oh I forgot to mention, I am not allowed to eat anything from midnight Tuesday til the procedure...so yeah I'm hungry and a little spaced out.

The procedure takes place at 11am today, Thursday, so the next chapter will be about the colonoscopy itself....stay tuned.
If you haven't seen it yet check out Colonoscopy by the Numbers

Yours in health....stretchguy

Colonoscopy by the numbers!

2009-11-02T08:23:00.000-08:00

Did you know that one of the symptoms of colon cancer is back pain?
A friend of mine has just been diagnosed with colon cancer is starting chemo therapy this week, I hope they found it in time to irradicate it.
This was a wake up call for me. I have put off having a colonoscopy for a long time, I figured I poop on a regular basis, don't have any constipation and eat all the right foods. Sure I drink a little alcohol but never the hard stuff except when we are in Mexico once a year and then its just a little of the juice of the agave plant, very natural.
So I decided to have my colon checked out and made an appointment for the procedure, which is this coming Thursday. I got this stuff called Moviprep, nice name for something that gets everything moving through you. I've heard from friend that taking this stuff is the worse part of the procedure, guess I'll find out on Wednesday. If you want to know more tune back in on 9/4/09, I start the prep at 4pm pst. Wish me luck......stretchguy

Skin and Eye protection as you age!

2009-06-06T09:54:00.000-07:00

Your skin and eyes change as you age. But the sun's harmful effects remain the same. The following safe-sun guidelines can help prevent wrinkles, dryness and other age related problems.

Stay in the shade. Steer clear of sun exposure between 10am and 4pm. That's when the U.V. rays are the strongest.

Wear sunscreen with a SPF of 15 or higher. Hit all the areas where the sun shines, including any balding spots on the head or wear a hat.

Cover up. Choose hats and clothing that shield your skin and eyes. These include wide-brimmed hats - not baseball caps - along with long-sleeved , tightly woven shirts and long pants.

Save your sight. Sunglasses protect your eyes from cataracts. Check the label, shades should block 99 to 100 percent of UVA and UVB rays. Choose large or wraparound frames for protection from all angles.

Check out my previous post on the importance of friends in our lives.

Yours in health....stretchguy

Carrots and emails are not always what they seem!

2009-05-23T12:48:00.000-07:00

My previous post on the life of baby carrots seems to contain some misinformation according to a Snopes article. Read the complete article on baby carrots and how they come to be by clicking this link . Sorry about posting that email without checking it out..

yours in health...stretchguy

Baby Carrots are not really babies!

2009-05-22T17:37:00.000-07:00

The following info was sent to me by email and I'am passing it on in its orginal form.

The following is information from a farmer who grows and packages carrots for Safeway, A & P, COSTCO, IGA, METRO, LOBLAWS, etc. and all USA producers do EXACTLY the same.

The small cocktail (baby) carrots you buy in small plastic bags are made using the larger crooked or deformed carrots which are put through a machine which cuts and shapes them into cocktail carrots; most people probably know this already.

What you may not know and should know is the following:
Once the carrots are cut and shaped into cocktail carrots they are dipped in a solution of water and chlorine in order to preserve them (this is the same chlorine used in your pool) since they do not have their skin or natural protective covering, they give them a higher dose of chlorine.You will notice that once you keep these carrots in your refrigerator for a few days, a white covering will form on the carrots; this is the chlorine which resurfaces.

At what cost do we put our health at risk to have esthetically pleasing vegetables which are practically plastic? Washing these carrots thoroughly DOES NOT get rid of the Chlorine which is absorbed and already inside the carrots. Chlorine is a very well known carcinogen. This is the reason Cities are now cutting out the use of Chlorine for purifying drinking water and turning to Ultra Violet Light which is clean and totally affective.

Buy the Carrots you often find with the tops on them in your produce department instead, and take them home and place in your own container.

Check out my previous post on water.

Yours in health...stretchguy

WATER - A vanishing resource.

2009-05-07T11:46:00.000-07:00

Water covers the Earth, yet using it efficiently is more important than ever. Following these simple tips you'll avoid wasting it.

Check your toilet. Toilet leaks can waste a ridiculous amount of water. Place a few drop of food coloring in your tank, then check the bowl a half-hour later. If you see any color, you've got a leak that should be fixed.

Shut off your hose. When watering your lawn or washing your car, use a nozzle you can shut off when you don't need it. Better yet, fill a bucket of water instead of running the hose constantly and you'll use less water.

Keep a pitcher of water in your fridge. Don't run the faucet when you need a drink. A pitcher or bottle of water in the fridge will ensure that less water goes down the drain. If possible, try to use the same glass or cup all day long to cut down on the number of dishes that need washing.

Shorten your showers. The average eight-minute shower can use up to 17 gallons of water. Trim your shower time to three of four minutes and save up to 150 gallons of water per month.

Running your washing maching only when it's full. You can save up to 1,000 gallons of water per month

Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your driveway.

Check out my post on how much water we need to drink.

Yours in health....stretchguy

Ulcers - Time to chill out!

2009-04-26T09:02:00.000-07:00

Too much stress, over a long period of time that can not be worked off can lead to stomach ulcers. These painful sores in the stomach or first part of the small intestine are called peptic ulcers. They occur when stomach acid eats through the lining of these organs. A dull stomachache two to three hours after eating is the common symptom.

Helicobacter pylori bacteria(sometimes called H.pylori) cause most cases, which can be cured with antibiotics. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin and ibuprofen, can cause ulcers, too.
Comlications, such as bleeding, can be serious. If you have symptoms see your doctor or health care professional.

Check out my post on stress .

Yours in health....stretchguy

Keep an eye on that upset stomach!

2009-04-23T12:27:00.000-07:00

Gastroesophageal reflux occurs when stomach contents back up into the esophagus. There, stomach acid causes the discomfort we call heartburn. If you regularly have reflux twice a week or more, you might have gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD. Tell your doctor or health care professional if you have symptoms of GERD and have been using antacids for more than two weeks. Long term untreated reflux can damage the esophageal lining and lead to cancer. Certain foods can cause an upset stomach. check out my post about coffee.
Yours in health....stretchguy

Live a happier, healthier life with Easy Stretch daily stretching

2009-04-13T10:34:00.000-07:00

I developed Easy Stretch Video in 1992 in response to the needs of the senior citizens of Waimea, who I had been teaching a stretching class with the Easy Stretch routine for some years. These were people who all their lives worked hard on a ranch or farm and needed to stretch and relieve tightness in their joints and backs.

Now 17 years later and just turning 70 years young myself, I attribute my good health and pain free body to regular stretching, physical exercise and a healthy diet. You might say "Yeah, but you have been stretching all those years!" Well, I say you are never too old to start.

Your body did not tighten up over night and you won't loosen up over night, but with the Easy Stretch program, you will experience a gradual increase in range of motion, a decrease of pain in your muscles and tendons and an improvement in balance and feeling of well-being. This is not a pill you can take. Easy Stretch is a commitment to a lifestyle change!

You will love the NEW 'Easy Stretch DVD Body Mind Relaxation' design. DVD technology offers a menu for stretchers to choose from Introduction, Stretching or/and Guided Relaxation.

I am happy to share with you a short video clip from my Stretch DVD, so you have an idea what Easy Stretch DVD is all about and of course, what your stretch guide looks like. Youtube does not offer best video quality but the Stretch DVD will.

So, you want to live a happier, healthier life, order 'Easy Stretch DVD - Body Mind Relaxation' NOW at our NEW AFFORDABLE Economy Slowdown rate of $18.50 + Free Shipping! Easy Stretch DVD will be in your hands within 2 -3 days. Most of all, I and Easy Stretch blog visitors would like to hear from you how your body and mind benefit from 'Easy Stretch'.
Yours in health, Stretchguy
p.s.

The benefit of chewing - Gum that is!

2009-04-08T08:44:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone. I've just returned from a month on the Big Island of Hawaii and now I'm writing about reducing stress by chewing gum. Oh well, its cheaper than going to Hawaii, maybe not as much fun.

Researchers have found that chewing gum can reduce stress and improve performance, it has also been associated with relieving anxiety.

During mildly stressful activity, chewing gum was found to reduce anxiety by 17% over non-gum chewers. During moderately stressful activities the reduction was 10%.

Increased alertness. During mild stress activities, gum-chewers were 19% more alert than non-gum-chewers and 8% more alert the non-gum-chewers.

Reduced stress. Salivary corisol( a physiological stress marker) levels were 16% lower in gum-chewers during mildly stressful activities; during moderately stressful activities the difference was 12 %

Improved performance. Gum-chewers improved mean performance by 109% during mildly stressful activities, and 67% during moderately stressful activities, when compared to non-gum-chewers.

If you are going to chew gum I recommend a sugar free gum. To go one step further I recommend a gum sweetened with Xylitol. I will give further information on Xylitol in an upcoming post.

A post revisited-the benefits of walking.

Yours in health....stretchguy

Dentures and How to care for them

2009-02-25T07:02:00.000-08:00

The first step in healthy digestion is chewing your food well. If you wear dentures, a good fit is essential. See your dentist regularly so they can check the health of your gums. As you age, the bone in your oral cavity can shrink and your denture may need adjustments. Talk with your dentist about how your dentures are fitting. A few other tips:

* Remove and brush your denture daily, using a brush designed for cleaning dentures. Avoid harsh abrasive cleansers.

*Avoid sterilizing your denture in boiling water; it can warp the base of the denture.

*Remove your denture before going to sleep at night. This allows gum tissue to rest and promotes long-term gum health.

If you don't have dentures and want to keep from having to get them read my previous post on Healthy Teeth and Gums.

Yours in health....stretchguy

Foot Health for all ages.

2009-02-24T11:45:00.000-08:00

The foot has as many moving parts as a complicated machine-and it works just as hard. An average day of walking delivers hundreds of tons of pressure to your feet. The following tips on foot care are a step in the right direction.

* Wear comfortable, well fitting shoes. Shop for your shoes in the evening when you feet are the largest.

*Put your feet up while sitting, to keep blood moving to them. Massage your feet with a soothing foot cream.

* Keep your feet dry and clean to prevent fungal infections. Wash daily, especially between the toes, with mild soap and lukewarm water. Dry thoroughly.

*Trim toenails straight across.

*If you have diabetes, nerve damage can lessen feeling in your feet. Proper care and daily foot checks for cuts, sores, or any other problems are vital. Have your health care provider check your feet at each office visit.

Check out my previous post on healthy feet.
Yours in health....stretchguy

Good News about Starches

2009-02-19T11:22:00.000-08:00

Potatoes have been given a bad rap when it comes to weight loss, they have always associated with gaining weight, especially the french fried kind. No, I'm telling you to go out and super size the fries but some boiled spuds won't hurt, in fact recent discoveries indicate they may be the latest weight loss buzz.

It has been discovered that potatoes, along with corn, rice and beans contain something called "resistant starch". Though you probably haven't heard of resistant starch before its been a part of your diet for years.

Resistant starch promotes weight loss because as it cools it resists digestion thus filling you up and reduces overall hunger. Its health benefits are truly impressive as well. Studies show it improves blood sugar control, boosts immunity and may even reduce your cancer risk.

Check out my other post on healthy fruits.

For more detailed info on resistant starch http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resistant_starch

your in health....stretchguy

Playing games to stay young.

2009-02-04T18:25:00.000-08:00

You know what I like ? I like to play games, mind games, physical games, most any kind of games. Why would I like games you might ask.

Well, games are meant to be played and as we grow older we sometimes forget how to play and have fun.

The game I enjoy the most is tennis. It gets me out in the open air, running around and competing with others. Now I know some of you might say how can competing be fun. Its all a frame of mind, if you think about improving yourself and your game then your real competition is with yourself and your game improves thus you have fun knowing that you are getting better at the game, the opponent is just there to help you improve. Of course if you win the game there is a certain satisfaction achieved.

Check out my blog on exercise and aging http://easystretch.blogspot.com/2008/03/exercise-and-anti-agingare-connected.html

Yours in health....stretchguy

Strength Training - Start slow!

2008-12-23T16:21:00.000-08:00

I just discovered something I would like to pass on to all those out there who I convinced to begin doing some strength training.

I found that I can add more weight to routines I do on a regular basis with no problem, so long as I don't add too much.

Yesterday, however I started a new exercise using different muscles in a different way. I mistakenly started out using weights I used in my other routines and I was able to complete the routine with no problem.

But today is a new day and the muscles I used in the new routine are yelling at me sending pain messages every time I move wrong.

The lesson here if you haven't already figured it out is: WHEN STARTING A NEW ROUTINE START SLOW - LESS WEIGHT - LESS REPS!

Give your muscles a chance to get used to being used and they will be much happier.

Check out my post on weight training.
Enjoy your Holidays !

Yours in health.....stretchguy

Almonds - Revisited

2008-12-17T09:37:00.000-08:00

Well its been awhile since I've posted. How come you ask, where are all those healthy posts?

I must admit I've been out in that unhealthy SUN in sunny Mexico but now I'm back in SNOW covered Sequim,WA, sitting at my computer sifting through a multitude of emails and writing this post.
Last January I wrote a post about the benefits of nuts and I thought it needed to be revisited. Here goes........

Shelling out for a bag of almonds might not be a bad idea if you need to lower your cholesterol. Almonds are recognized as a cholesterol-lowering food; studies also show that they can reduce the risk of heart disease.

One ounce of almonds-about 25 nuts-contains 164 calories and 1.10 grams of saturated fat. That same ounce is also a good source of protein, potassium, vitamin E, and magnesium- and has no cholesterol.

Almonds are considered to be the worlds first "to-go" snack It is said that ancient desert nomads combined almonds with chopped dates, bits of pistachios, sesame oil, and breadcrumbs and rolled them into balls. They traveled quite well.

You can also check out my previous post on almonds

Yours in health...stretchguy

Cinnamon good for more than your buns

2008-10-23T17:33:00.000-07:00

An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but half a teaspoon of cinnamon can have remarkable effects, too.
Government researcher report that cinnamon improves insulin activity, which in turn improves blood sugar concentrations. According to the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, consuming as little as about a half teaspoon of cinnamon a day can lead to dramatic improvement in blood sugar for people with Type 2 diabetes. Those who have elevated glucose, triglycerides, high LDL cholesterol may benefit from the daily inclusion of cinnamon as well, researchers say.

Consuming this amount of cinnamon is safe and users should not experience any ill effects, the researchers say. I tried it on my cereal and noticed it upset my stomach, maybe I had too much
start out with smaller amounts and build up to half teaspoon.
Shake a little in your coffee, or make a tea with ground cinnamon or cinnamon sticks. The good news the active ingredients are not destroyed by heat

If you have sensitive stomach like me check my post on coffee.

Yours in health......stretchguy

Compounding your savings!

2008-08-07T11:41:00.000-07:00

I know its been a while since I've posted on my blog...got no excuses...just been lazy and the weather here on the Olympic Peninsula has been beautiful. Except today the fog rolled in and hasn't rolled out yet, so here I am at the computer wondering what to write.

I've been mostly posting articles on ways to stay healthy and if you are going to stay healthy you will want to be wealthy at the same time. So lets talk about savings...something not enough of us do.

If you use the old rule of 72 you can determine how long an investment will take to double based on a fixed annual rate of return. Lets say you $10,000 in the bank at 6% interest. Divide 72 by the interest rate (6%). The result is the number of years it will take your investment to double. In this case, it will take 12 years. Your $10,000 will be worth $20,000 in 12 years and $40,000 in 24 years and $80,000 in 36 years.

That's working with a fixed amount however if your keep adding to the balance year after year you will end up with much more. So start now by paying yourself first and you will end up at retirement age being both healthy and wealthy.
Check out my previous post of seniors and strength training

yours in health....stretchguy

Seniors and Strength Training

2008-06-29T17:05:00.000-07:00

As a massage therapist for 25 years I worked hard using my upper body and legs while giving a massage. I also had a large yard in Hawaii filled with all sorts of tropical plants which also required using my body in gardening and harvesting.

I retired from massage and sold my place in Hawaii 4 years ago. I didn't realize it immediately but I needed something to replace the strength training I got naturally through work and gardening.

When we moved to Sequim I acquired a position at our Sequim Aquatic Center, teaching stretching, I was also given a membership. They have a complete work out room with free weights and machines. In the past two years I've taken advantage of the weight training to increase my muscle mass and reduce my body fat.

In the same way that taking a once-a-day vitamin is beneficial, lifting weights and other kinds of strength training provide multiple benefits, according to the findings of many studies over the past several years. Here are the 3 reasons to get started on a resistance strength-training program of 3 times a week:

To build muscle strength. Adults lose between five and seven pounds of muscle every decade after age 20. Only strength training prevents muscle loss.

To improve functional strength and flexibility. This is important because it can help keep you safe in your daily activities and make you less vulnerable to falls or other injuries.

To increase bone mass and density. Weight-bearing and resistance exercises can help protect against osteoporosis, a disease in which bones become fragile and more likely to break.

You are never to old to begin a program of weight training and you will be amazed at the results.
Check out my other post on exercise and anti-aging

Yours in health....stretchguy

Coffee and indigestion!

2008-06-21T09:42:00.000-07:00

The one thing I really enjoyed was making a cup of fresh ground coffee in the morning, the smell of newly ground beans and the aroma of the brewing of the coffee just seemed to start my day. I would have two cups with a breakfast of granola and fruit and that was all the food I would eat til lunch.

I can't remember when I began eating antacids, probably around six years ago.
I began having an upset stomach, just a little extra acid in there that gave me an uncomfortable feeling. I would pop two or three antacids and go about my day.
Then about 6 months ago I began having to take more antacids and more often to eleviate the acid condition, that's when I decided to try giving up coffee.

I remember the day well as it was my birthday and as it turned out it changed my life, or at least part of it. That day I began drinking green tea instead of coffee and that day I quit taking antacids.

I tell you it was like day and night. No coffee/No upset stomach. I kicked my coffee habit and am healthier because of it. Now I'm not saying if you are popping antacids that quitting coffee is the solution to your upset stomach but quitting for a short time may make a difference.

Check out my previous post on friends.

Yours in health....stretchguy

My Best Friend!

2008-06-06T10:24:00.000-07:00

My best friend is the person I choose to live with - my wife, Heidemarie. We can't all be so lucky to be married to our best friend. If you find yourself spending more and more time alone as you get older then its time to find a friend or buddy. Someone you can talk to or listen to, maybe take walks with on a daily basis.

It has been found that older people, compared with their social peers, had higher blood pressure, lower levels of "good' cholesterol and higher levels of the "fight or flight" hormone epinephrine.
There is growing evidence linking social isolation to problems dealing with stress, poor sleep, lowered immunity, heart disease, Alzheimer's and suicide. Whew--now thats a bunch of problems. I'm not saying that all of the above problems can come from loneliness or isolation but just one or two can't be good.

How do we find new friends? First thing is to get out of the house and start doing things, like join a church or social group, a senior center or health club. Find something you enjoy doing and search in your area for like minded people. Don't be afraid to strike up a conversation with a stranger, who knows they may become your best friend. As I say," nothing ventured, nothing gained". Remember change in your life begins with that First Step.

Having a friend can mean more laughing, check out my post on it.
Yours in health....stretchguy

Stress at work can KILL !!!

2008-05-21T18:35:00.000-07:00

There are many factors that cause stress at work, long working hours, a disagreeable boss, unfriendly co-workers, long commute times and not being appriecated just to name a few.
In a British study of workers ages 35 to 55 tracked since 1985 those who reported high levels of stress had a 68 percent higher risk of developing heart conditions than those reporting less stress. It was found pressure at work led to higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol, changes in heartbeat, heart disease and even death. Male and female workers under age 50 showed the strongest connection between stress and heart conditions.
Check out my blog on living longer.
Yours in health....stretchguy

Fruits with high antioxidant levels.

2008-04-11T09:12:00.000-07:00

Regional treats such as figs and dates are top sources of fiber and potassium, a mineral that plays a key role in blood pressure control. And since their antioxidant content is up to 50 times higher than that of other fruit, they are an absolute feast for the eyes: eating three or more servings of high-antioxidant fruit a day lowers the risk of sight-robbing ARM (age-related maculopathy) by 36 percent in people 50 and up, a harvard study showed.

Besides all of the above they taste great and are easy to carry around and snack on when you get hungry between meals, instead of processed snacks.

Another great fruit is the avocado, check out my previous post.

Your in health......stretchguy

Is there a best time to have a colonoscopy?

2008-03-27T10:01:00.000-07:00

Some might ask, what is a colonoscopy? Its simply a means of viewing the colon and checking out what is going on inside. Why you might ask should I care what my colon looks like? Everything seems to be working alright. The problem is colon cancer is a growing problem and finding it early can save a lot of lives.

So you have decided to have your colon checked, whats the best time of day to do it if you have a choice? In the morning is best as you will be less likely to need a repeat than if its done in the afternoon.

Researchers at Mayo Clinic think the time lag between a nightime pretest purge and an afternoon exam may be what causes poorer views for doctors-and the need for retesting.
To reduce your odds of having to repeat the uncomfortable prep, schedule a morning test if possible. If you must have an afternoon test ask your doctor about purging in the morning.

I've just a made a new post linking to some of my more popular ones

Yours in health.....stretchguy

Best healthy living articles.

2008-03-25T16:29:00.000-07:00

Best healthy living articles.

The following links will take you to readers favorite Healthy Living through Stretching blogs.

Living Longer Guidelines through Diet
Stop Worrying and You will live longer
Red Wine is fine
How much longer are you going to live
Melatonin and Aging
Flaxseed Prostate Cancer

This is a work in progress post - new entries will be added from time to time.

A diet pill that just might work!!

2008-03-24T16:37:00.000-07:00

I don't usually promote products, but a diet pill has come to my attention that might actually work and not even be dangerous.

The FDA has approved it first over-the-counter diet pill - Alii. Alii is a half-dose form of the prescription medication Xenical, which works by blocking the absorbtion of fats. But Alii won't give you a free pass on ice cream and fried foods. Eat too much fat and you'll pay with gastrointestinal symptoms caution doctors.

A diet that's about 30 percent fat is reasonable to shoot for and no surprise here you will also need to eat healthy and exercise. The pill alone won't work.

Read my blog on excercise to get you started.

Yours in health....stretchguy

Exercise and anti aging...Are they connected?

2008-03-18T08:46:00.000-07:00

You bet your life they are connected. Besides the other benefits of exercise, such as weight loss, increased bone density, lower blood pressure and cholesterol and reduced stress, you can now add longer telomeres.

Your might ask what are telomeres, well they are the caps at the ends of chromosomes and they tend to shorten as people age, hindering cell division and leading to wrinkles, weak muscles and disease. But according to a study of 2400 men and women ages 18 to 81 by researchers at Kings College London, those who exercised most (199 minutes a week) had longer telomeres than the sedentary.

While its no doubt exercise promotes fitness and well being it is probably too early to conclude that exercise slows aging .

But what the heck, if you feel better when you exercise aging is not the important thing, the important thing is that you are in good health while you age. Nobody wants to be old and sick, so exercise and be old and healthy.
Check out my blog on walking and health

Yours in health.....stretchguy

Vitamin D, getting enough? What's it good for?

2008-02-26T16:34:00.000-08:00

Most of us are low in vitamin D, which means we stand a greater chance of developing osteoporosis, certain cancers, heart disease, diabetes and possibly asthma,arthritis and multiple sclerosis. Wow - thats quite a list for one vitamin and here's the kicker; even if we follow the recommended guidelines we will come up short. These were set 10 years ago, before research showed the many benefits of larger D doses. A recent study showed that women with higher levels of D had half the incidence of breast cancer as those with the lowest levels.

How much do I need? For overall benefits, 1000 IU (international units) a day. The outdated RDA of 200 -600 IU is based on preventing bone diseases like rickets.

Is it same to take 1000 IU a day? Experts say that daily intake up to 10,000 IU is OK.

Where can I find vitamin D? It's hard to get 1000 IU from food; fatty fish is your best source. And fortified milk has 100 IU per 8 ounce serving. Your body also creates D from exposure to sunlight, but in most parts of the country you won't get enough UV rays in winter.

So should I take a supplement? Most people will need to if they want to get 1000 IU a day. If you take a multivitamin that will generally give you 400 IU, than add accordingly. And make sure the supplement contains D3 and not D2 which is not utilized as well by the body

If you are not familiar with Easy Stretch read about it here.

Yours in health....stretchguy

Healing heel pain.

2008-02-24T10:02:00.000-08:00

If you have plantar fasciitis - inflammation in the band of tissue connecting your heel bone to the base of your toes - a simple treatment is one I often told my patients who came to me for massage.

You will know if you have plantar fasciitis if you have pain in the heel when you take your first step after getting out of bed in the morning or after sitting for any length of time. Do the following exercises at least 3 times a day.

Sit on the edge of your bed with your legs crossed so that the ankle of your injured foot rests on the opposite knee. With your hand, stretch the arch of the foot by pulling your toes(all five at once) back toward your knee, using your other hand to make sure that the arch is stretched tight. Hold 10 seconds, then release; repeat 5 to 10 times.

Another good exercise requires the use of a tennis ball. While holding on to a chair for support, place the tennis ball under the ball of your affected foot and slowly lower your weight onto the ball. Do this 5 to 10 times, holding for 10 seconds at a time.

You will find relief in time, don't give up, it may take awhile. If your heel pain persists or becomes worse see your doctor.

See my previous post on other foot problems
Yours in health.....stretchguy

Trans Fats are still hiding out there!

2008-02-14T17:22:00.000-08:00

With all the bad press about the negative effects of trans fats you would think that food processors would eliminate them from their products. Not so!

Many manufacturers have reformulated their products to get rid of artery cloggers. But trans fats still abound in convenience foods, including frozen biscuits, waffles, garlic bread and pizza; refrigerated mashed potatoes and cookie dough; biscuit mix, coffee cake and even popcorn.

So be sure to check the labels, there are many brands that are trans fat free.

Also check out my very first blog on the Good fats.

Yours in health....stretchguy

Rosemary - A strong antioxident herb!

2008-02-07T15:49:00.000-08:00

The herb Rosemary contains an ingredient that fights off damage to the brain. The active ingredient in rosemary can protect the brain form stroke and neuro-degenerative conditions such as Alzheimers and also from normal aging, a collaborative group of researchers at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research say.

Rosemary's ability to prevent oxidation in foods led to research on its antioxidant effects. It was found that rosemary contains compounds that act as natural antioxidants to deactivate free radicals.

Rosemary appears unique, however, in that there is a multilevel cascade to the deactivation of these free radicals. A specific molecule found in rosemary, identified as carnosic acid, starts this cascade. After carnosic acid finds and neutralizes a free radical, it is transformed into another molecule, called carnosol, which in turn neutralizes another free radical. This cascade continues on down through metabolites rosmanol and galdosol in the same way, ultimately neutralizing a whole host of free radicals.

The cascade is probably why rosemary has a significantly higher antioxidant capability than vitamin E, which must be recycled after quenching a free radical before it can quench another. Interestingly, there is some evidence that rosemary, along with its own antioxidant activity, actually recycles vitamin E to do just that. Rosemary is therefore a great way to spice up your food and live the adage to let food be your medicine. If you are going to take a rosemary supplement, it would be wise to choose one that is standardized to carnosic acid and carnosol to ensure you are getting that free radical-quenching activity.

Also check out my previous post on Alzheimers .

Your in health, stretchguy Your Easy Stretch Guide

Lower High Blood Pressure Naturally!

2008-02-04T17:12:00.000-08:00

Everything depends on how high we are talking about. If you are in a range of (systolic) of 120-140 and (diastolic) of 80-89 then much can be achieved without resorting to medication.

Drop some pounds, if you are overweight shedding as little as 5-10 pounds can help your blood pressure take a tumble.

Get moving, exercise can lower your blood pressure by strengthening your heart which means it can pump more easily.

Toss the salt, excess sodium can increase your blood pressure so cutting down to no more than 2300mg/day can help.

Eat heart healthy, less saturated fats, cholesterol and salt and more fruits, veggies and whole grains.

A milk protein called casein contains as ingredient that is reported to help maintain healthier blood pressure naturally. While it is hard to eat enough dairy to get the benefits of casein there are supplement that contain the protein.

For increased heart health check out my post on naps.

Yours in health, stretchguy Stretch for Health

Healthy Snacks!!

2008-01-30T15:50:00.000-08:00

Got the urge to nibble? Try nuts.

Almonds and pistachios have impressive cholesterol-lowering power: in separate studies at the University of Toronto and Penn State eating two handfuls a day dropped subjects evil LDL by 9.4 and 11.6 percent respectively. And nuts' satisfying nature protects against added pounds - according to a recently published study in the journal Obesity, Mediterraneans who ate nuts at least twice a week were 31 percent less likely to gain weight than those who rarely or never ate them.

I for one have a supply of almonds around for that quick fix between meals and have a variety of nuts on my morning granola. So next time you are looking for a snack pass up the chips and try nuts. If you are looking to lose weight, nuts can help. Also check out my post on loosing weight.
Yours in health, stretchguy

Perfect fruits for higher antioxidant levels.

2008-01-26T10:14:00.000-08:00

Regional fruits such as figs and dates are top sources of fiber and potassium, a mineral that plays a key role in blood pressure control. And since their antioxidant content is up to 50 times than that of other fruit, they are an absolute feast for the eyes: eating three or more servings of high-antioxidant fruit a day lowers the risk of sight-robbing a ARM (age-related maculopathy) by 36 percent in people 50 and older.

Also check out my other post on higher antioxidant levels of pizza.
Yours in health....stretchguy

Living longer guidelines through diet.

2008-01-16T16:12:00.000-08:00

These simple guidelines will make your current diet more heart healthy.

Increase Fruit: Include at least one serving at breakfast, another as a snack between meals, and more fruit with cheese or yogurt for dessert.

Mix Veggies: Instead of one or two side veggies on your plate try a salad of mixed greens or a soup that blends many veggies and beans.

Reduce red meat: Substitute with fish or chicken whenever you can, and when you do eat red meat use lean cuts and mix it with whole grains and veggies in stews and soups.

Substitute Fats: Use heart healthy fats such as virgin olive oil for cooking and use it to replace butter and margarine.

If you want to see how long you might live check out my post on aging.

Stretch for health...stretchguy

Related Articles
Red Wine is fine
How much longer are you going to live
Melatonin and Aging
Flaxseed Prostate Cancer

Easy Stretch for Health..

2008-01-16T16:00:00.000-08:00

No matter what our age, Easy Stretch, a program of gradual stretching will allow you to loosen up, move more freely, experience less pain and enjoy your life more fully. As Americans, we are often looking for someone else to heal us, or a magic pill to relieve pain and reduce stress, yet here is something we can do for ourselves. The benefits of stretching can be far reaching indeed, for stretching can help relieve the damaging effects of stress and inactivity. Often under stress our muscles tighten up unconsciously (particularly the neck and shoulders), retarding adequate circulation and causing pain and limited range of motion.

Stretching on a regular basis can relax your body and mind, decreasing your discomfort. Moreover, it has been shown the immune system, our ability to fight off disease, functions better when we are under less stress. Stretching the Easy Stretch way regularly promote a feeling of wellbeing and the desire to exercise more thus improving our over all health. There is no better time than the present. Yours in Health....stretchguy
Stretching DVD

Related Articles
Best Price Stretch Video Easy Stretch
Stretch for Health with Easy Stretch DVD

Red wine benefits - revisited

2008-01-08T10:39:00.000-08:00

In a post from my blogs beginnings, I wrote ab0ut red wine and its benefits regarding heart health. In this post I want to reiterate the benefits of red wine, however you can get the same benefits from purple grape juice. For those of us who don't want to drink alcohol try purple grape juice. It has all the cholesterol lowers benefits as red wine. Purple grape juice mimicks red wine's ability to stimulate nitric acid production in arterial cells. Nitric acid is a natural chemical that keeps blood vessals elastic. I recommend drinking concord grape juice without artificial color or sweetners.
Yours in health....stretchguy

Common Foot problems

2008-01-01T19:48:00.000-08:00

A study by the American Podiatric Assn. has found that nearly half of all Americans suffer a foot ailment at some time in their lives. The survey of almost 1,700 men and women between the ages of 18 and 60 revealed that 34 percent of those who reported foot problems did nothing about it. They just lived with the pain. Forty-nine percent reported treating their foot pain with an over-the-counter product and 21 percent made a visit to a podiatrist.

Nineteen percent of the respondents said that their foot problem interfered with their daily routines. However, between the ages of 51 and 60 that number went up to 29 percent.

The most common conditions reported were:

*Sweaty feet/foot odor (25 percent)

*Nail problems (19 percent)

*Pain in the ball of the foot (15 percent)

*Heel pain/platar fasciitis (14 percent)

*Pain from shoes (12 percent)

If your feet hurt from being on them too long, some things that can help are:

Give yourself a foot massage. It will relaease tension, increase circulation and rejuvenate the skin.

Soak your feet in a bath of warm water and vinegar.

Elevate your legs while lying down to reduce swelling.

Don't stand in one position for too long, do toe raises and toe curls to alleviate cramps and strengthen calf muscles.

Last be not least....wear shoes with good arch support.
Check out my early post on Toenail fungus

Yours in health and happy 2008, stretchguy

Echinacea - Fights colds after all !!!!

2007-12-18T11:37:00.000-08:00

Echinacea's back - and new evidence says it does cut colds. A 2005 study cast doubt on the herbal supplement's effectiveness, but that study tested extracts at doses far lower than those experts typically recommend. (In capsule form, the daily standard is 3000mg) Researchers at the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy found that people who took ecinacea at recommended doses got fewer colds than other people. and their colds were one and half days shorter. The herb can interact with some drugs, so check with your doctor before using
Also for related info on helping lessen the effects of a cold check out my post on Zinc Have a healthy Holiday.......stretchguy

Melatonin and Aging - revisited

2007-11-12T15:42:00.000-08:00

Whoa! if you are worried about aging, perhaps a little corn on the cob, followed by a bowl full of cherries, and topped off with a glass of red wine might be in order. Why! Because all of these foods contain melatonin, and recent studies indicate the substance may be the long sought after "fountain of youth" Melatonin, a substance that helps neutralize oxidative damage and delays neurodegenerative processes might have a hand in putting off old age.

In a study 5 month old mice, which are the human age equivalent of 30 year olds were used. This is the age where mice start to show signs of aging due to an increase in free radicals, which cause inflammation. This "oxidative stress" can cause cell membranes to become more fragile, making them easier to break and damage. The mice then received small amounts of melatonin. The melatonin not only neutralized the damages, but also delayed the negative effects of aging in the mice.

More research is being done in the hope of developing a supplement containing enough melatonin to positively affect the aging process.
Check out my previous post concerning the benefits of melatonin
In the meantime eating such fruits as cherries, bananas and grapes plus such cereals as corn, oats and rice can supplement your intake of this important substance.....Stretch for Health and Live healthy..stretchguy

Stretch for Health with Easy Stretch DVD Body/Mind Relaxation

2007-11-09T17:04:00.000-08:00

Good news to my Easy Stretch blog visitors and stretching fans. Finally, my 'Easy Stretch Body/ Mind Relaxation' video is available as DVD. Have we ever thought that the 'Easy Stretch' DVD would replace the VHS videos so soon? Well, the Easy Stretch video as a DVD is in high demand. I am happy about that and many happy Easy Stretchers are as well.

Stretch and relax with my Easy Stretch DVD. My YouTube Easy Stretch DVD video clip shows you what Easy Stretch is all about.

New Easy Stretch DVD is available at low $24.95 + FREE shipping

Sold in US + Canada Only!

We want it to be available for everybody at the best price for a stretch DVD. So that you can start stretching and relaxing and feel better right away. You can order it right here by pushing the 'Buy Now button' through PayPal's secure server.
EASY STRETCH ALERT!

The Easy Stretch VHS Video SALE continues at lowest video sale price ever:

$9.99 video + FREE S&H. Sold in USA + Canada ONLY!

It's the perfect gift of health for yourself or a loved one. Live a longer, happier life with Easy Stretch Body/Mind Relaxation. This may be the best present you have ever given to yourself or family and friends. Happy, healthy bodies will thank you.

OK no more excuses, whatever your age is. You can do it, just like the participants of my Easy Stretch class at the Fitness Center in the town where I live. Easy Stretch Body/Mind Relaxation video or DVD will help you and your body and mind to stay in the best shape ever.
Yours in health, Stretchguy
p.s.
Hope you found my health tips for knee pain helpful. Sometimes talking in a support group is more beneficial than all the doc consultations.

Stretching Related Articles

Best Price Easy Stretch Video
About Healthy Living through Stretching Blog
Easy Stretch Testimonials
How Easy Stretch Video came along

Aging and knee pain

2007-09-27T10:12:00.000-07:00

Knee pain is the most common reason for visiting an orthopedic surgeon in America. According to The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2003 there were 19.4 million visits made to physician's offices because of knee problems.

The knee is the largest joint in the human body, and can be injured easily and as people age they may want or need to reduce stress on the knees. Check out this site for more info http://www.aboutjoints.com/

Some helpfut hints are:

Try to limit the amount of trips you make up and down stairs.

Remember to take a break. While you carry out your daily activities, sit down and take a rest whenever you feel the need.

Avoid heavy housekeeping duties when possible, such as scouring the tub or scrubbing the floors.

Avoid long periods of standing while cooking, washing dishes, etc

Avoid carrying and lifting heavy objects.

Remember your knees are important to keep you mobile. Gentle stretching using my system of easy stretches can help. Be healthy, stretchguy

Increased antioxidant levels for pizza lovers.

2007-09-12T18:44:00.000-07:00

Deep dish pizza could be good for your health in the future, researchers have found a way to boost the antioxidant content of pizza dough by varying the baking and fermentation methods.

Scientists already knew that pizza flavor could be enhanced by longer and higher baking methods. The study found that those same conditions could also boost the levels of antioxidants in the pizza dough - especially the whole-wheat varieties. This is probably because whole-wheat flour retains parts of the bran and the endosperm, which is where most of the antioxidants come from.

Deep-dish pizza, which is thicker and requires longer baking times, may be the best bet when it comes to the possibility of optimizing pizza's health benefits. In the study, researchers found that antioxidant levels could be boosted up to 60 percent by longer baking times - up to 82 percent by higher temperatures.

For more info on healthy living check out my past post on red wine.
Stay healthy and keep on stretching.....stretchguy

Best Price Stretch Video - Easy Stretch Video Sale

2007-09-10T16:44:00.000-07:00

STRETCH VIDEO SALE - BEST PRICE STRETCH VIDEO

AS LONG AS SUPPLY LASTS!!!

Dear Easy Stretch blog visitors,
That was amazing news how traffic to my blog about Healthy Living through Stretching had picked up after I introduced the 'About Easy Stretch blog' post. Let's see how we can generate even more traffic and interest in Stretching and 'Easy Stretch' Video.

My Easy Stretch video has been selling well over the many years of its existence in health food stores in Hawaii, through massage therapists and online through our website. It's time to shift gears. Technology has changed. More and more people want to buy now stretch video instructions on DVD. We have already a master DVD of our Easy Stretch video and a number of Stretch DVDs, which sold very fast. This confirmed selling the Stretch video as DVD is the way to go. We decided to sell off all our remaining Easy Stretch Videos. Stay in your best health with Easy Stretch video.

STRETCH VIDEO SALE - BEST PRICE STRETCH VIDEO
AS LONG AS SUPPLY LASTS

BUY Easy Stretch VHS Video at lowest price ever of $9.99 + FREE S&H! Sold in USA + Canada only! Order now through PayPal's secure server:

People who still want to pay with check, may call us today 360-504-1157 for their order of your Easy Stretch video. Give a gift of love to a loved one with Stretch for Health 'Easy Stretch' video, the perfect gift. People in the Sequim, WA area can call us for picking up the video in Sequim. Live a longer, happier life with Easy Stretch Body/Mind Relaxation video!

Thanks for your interest in Easy Stretch video On Sale. Yours in health, Stretchguy

Important Stretch Info:

If you did not see our link to our Easy Stretch DVD in the top of 'Healthy Living through stretching', here it is: Easy Stretch DVD has become available! See for Stretch DVD prices.

Get a glimpse of my Easy Stretch video with my youtube video

About Healthy Living Through Stretching Blog

2007-09-09T16:57:00.000-07:00

About blog 'Healthy Living through Stretching and Easy Stretch Video and DVD'

About Easy Stretch Video/DVD

Keoki, the creator of Easy Stretch – Body/Mind Relaxation cd/video, had been a licensed Hawaii massage therapist who had worked with senior citizens as a volunteer for over 20 years. From this work the concept of the Easy Stretch video program was born. Keoki’s program of gentle daily stretching has shown remarkable results among Hawaii’s seniors health and wellbeing. Currently, Keoki is teaching his Easy Stretch program at the Fitness and Aquatic Center in Sequim (Olympic Peninsula), WA.

The stretch video and DVD is combining 30min of full body stretches and 10min of guided relaxation to the sound of gentle ocean waves, with your guide Keoki. Stretch with Keoki's exercise video in the privacy of your home. Read more below about the benefits of stretching and how this Hawaii stretch & relaxation program developed. Keoki's Blog Healthy Living through Stretching offers tips on stretching, exercise, supplements, optimal health, nutrition, fitness and much more.

Message from Keoki about the Benefits of Stretching

No matter what our age, Easy Stretch, a program of gradual stretching will allow you to loosen up, move more freely, experience less pain and enjoy our life more fully. As Americans, we are often looking for someone else to heal us, or a magic pill to relieve pain and reduce stress, yet here is something we can do for ourselves. The benefits of stretching can be far reaching indeed, for stretching can help relieve the damaging effects of stress and inactivity. Often under stress our muscles tighten up unconsciously (particularly the neck and shoulders), retarding adequate circulation and causing pain and limited range of motion. Stretching on a regular basis can relax your body and mind, decreasing your discomfort. Moreover, it has been shown the immune system, our ability to fight off disease, functions better when we are under less stress.

Healthy Living through Stretching

As long time massage therapist on the Big Island, I have been promoting healthy living through stretching, massage, exercise and supplements for all these years. I have been experiencing first hand the tremendous benefits of stretching, exercise and eating right for my body and soul during all these years. My family is the same committed to a daily exercise and stretching routine and staying healthy through healthy diet and supplements. In addition to stretching, we love playing tennis, biking, hiking and working out in the gym. Keoki's health blog is about sharing his healthy life style and stretching program with everybody interested in optimal health.

Smoking and your health - New findings!

2007-09-04T17:26:00.000-07:00

TUESDAY, Sept. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Current smokers are 50 percent more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease or dementia than people who don't smoke or who gave up smoking, a Dutch report says.
Researchers announced these results after analyzing seven years of data from almost 7,000 people over age 55.
Over the course of the study, 706 people developed dementia. People who were smokers during the study were 50 percent more likely to develop dementia than people who had never smoked or were former smokers, according to the researchers, who published their findings in the Sept. 4 issue of Neurology.
"Smoking increases the risk of cerebrovascular disease, which is also tied to dementia," study author Dr. Monique Breteler, of Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, said in a prepared statement. "Another mechanism could be through oxidative stress, which can damage cells in the blood vessels and lead to hardening of the arteries. Smokers experience greater oxidative stress than nonsmokers, and increased oxidative stress is also seen in Alzheimer's disease." Check out my previous post on Alzheimers disease.

Foods to strengthen your teeth and gums.

2007-08-29T12:23:00.000-07:00

Sometimes brushing and flossing are just not enough and making a difference in keeping your mouth healthy can be as simple as eating the right foods.

Foods that promote healthy tooth enamel are yogurt, cheese and milk, they contain calcium which helps shore up tooth enamel and strengthen bone around the tooth.

Grapefruit can help with wound healing and has shown to decrease gum bleeding, in addition grapefruit acid can help prevent the breakdown of the collagen network thus preventing loosening around your teeth. However grapefruit acid can can temporarily reduce the strength of your tooth enamel so dentists recommend waiting 30 minutes before brushing after eating grapefruit. Some perscription medicine can be affected by grapefruit so check with your doctor or pharmacist.

Of course besides the wrong types of food we ingest bacteria can give us the most trouble with teeth health. Foods that help bust that bacteria are oranges, kiwis, limes cranberries and strawberries or any food high in vitamin C. Green tea contains catechins that kill bacteria in the mouth and spicy foods such as wasabi have phytochemicals the inhibit the growth of germs.
A healthy mouth usually means a healthy body watch what you put in it.
To your health - Stretchguy

Zinc for more than stink!!!

2007-08-19T11:30:00.000-07:00

We all know that taking zinc supplements can help with foot odor. It has also been found that zinc can help you get over a cold faster. Now researchers at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit have found that people who took 45mg of zinc daily for a year got one third fewer colds and respiratory infections than a group taking a placebo. Zinc takers also had lower levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, hormonelike chemicals that can trigger cell damage and illness. So if you have been prone to getting colds check out adding zinc to your diet. Speaking of inflammation check out my post on MSM .
Before you take anything check it out throughly....Stretchguy

The futures' so bright I gotta wear shades - but what color?

2007-08-12T12:26:00.000-07:00

Does it matter what color the lenses of your sunglasses are as long as they have the UV protection tag on them? According to Columbia University professor of ophthalmology, Janet Sparrow, it does. The blue light spectrum in sunlight is praticularly dangerous. This is because it can create free radicals, unstable oxygen molecules that may precipitate macular degeneration , the most common cause of vision impairment in the United States. That's why you should avoid sunglasses that have blue-tinted lenses - they don't filter out any blue light. A better choice is yellow or amber tints for your lenses because they are more effective at reducing the amount of blue light that might reach your eyes. Dark tinted gleses will reduce your averall exposure to all wavelengths of light. Also choose glasses that protect against both UVA and UVB rays.
Also on the other end of the body check out my post on toenail fungus

I got rhythm; you got rhythm - take Magnesium

2007-07-29T20:24:00.000-07:00

I've been bothered with an irregular heart beat which I have had checked with an EKG ordered by my doctor. It was found to be a benign arrythmia which I was told not to worry about. However benign or not I didn't like the sensations that went along with it. They included sometimes light headedness and a not quite right feeling thats hard to explain. What to do, well my doctor said I could increase my blood pressure medication, which I didn't care for so I went online and found that increasing my magnesium/calcium supplement might help. I picked up a 1000mg mag and 1000mg cal in citrate form in a capsule so it would disolve easier. I've been taking it for a week only but already I notice less episodes and less intense. I'm not saying this will work for you, just that so far I have found it beneficial.

If you are wondering whether you are doing all the right things for a healthy and long life check out my post on How long you gonna live. Yours in health, stretchguy

EXERCISE-every little bit helps...

2007-07-15T16:26:00.000-07:00

Move Just a Little, Live Longer
You don't have to run marathons to get healthy, experts say

If you don't exercise because you think you don't have the time or energy, those excuses no longer work. That's because "any movement helps," according to Gregory Florez, a spokesman for the American Council on Exercise and CEO of www.fitadvisor.com

In fact, exercising at a moderate intensity, even in short bursts of 10 minutes several times a day, or doing daily activities such as running errands, can improve your health and probably lengthen your life.

"Small bouts of activity, even 10 minutes at a time, will have the same impact as 30 minutes or so of continuous exercise," Florez said, if those small bouts are repeated three times a day.
The research team, led by Todd Manini of the U.S. National Institute on Aging, followed 302 older adults for six years. The researchers found that death rates went down as daily energy output - sometimes doing things as simple as vacuuming or running errands - went up.

An extra reduction in calories per day translates into about two hours of activity. But it could be any activity - traditional exercise, washing dishes, vacuuming, running errands.
In a study published in the May 16, 2007, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers found that as little as 72 minutes of moderate exercise per week can improve aerobic fitness. The investigators looked at 464 sedentary, overweight women, on average 57 years old.

One group worked out on a stationary bike or treadmill at moderate intensity for an average of 72 minutes a week; another group did the workout for 136 minutes a week, on average, and a third group worked out for 192 minutes a week. A fourth group did no exercise and served as the control group.

A fitness test at the end of the six-month study found women who exercised for 72 minutes improved fitness by 4 percent. The 136-minute group improved fitness by 6 percent while the 192-minute group improved by 8 percent. It will pay dividends in longevity, overall health, including cardiovascular health, and bone density.

Any activity is good activity. I urge people to find an activity they enjoy doing. That way they'll be more likely to stick with it.

To learn more about how to start an activity program, visit the American Council on Exercise
Also check out my recent post on Walking

Flaxseed/Prostate cancer,Ginseng/Energy & watch those Vitamins

2007-07-08T18:20:00.000-07:00

Some food supplements used for centuries are getting mixed reviews as cancer treatments.
A research team at Duke University reported that in a study of 160 patients, flaxseed (not flaxseed oil) slowed the growth rate of prostate cancer cells. And a report out the Mayo Clinic found the patients taking American ginseng reported more energy than those on a placebo.

Meanwhile in the May 16 Journal of the National Cancer Institute a study tracking nearly 300,000 men over 5 years, found that men who took multivitamins more than once a day had double the risk of advanced prostate cancer as men who didn't take them. Taking multivitamins once a day had no effect.

Of course if you do get prostate cancer don't forget to eat that flax seed, it may help. Check out my previous post on healthy living links.

All this information I pass on is there to pique your interest and I encourage you check it out for youself....Keep on Stretching...stretchguy

How much water should we drink?

2007-07-06T20:10:00.000-07:00

This post is sponsored by Hawaii Affordable Vacation Rentals

The word is out that we never drank enough water. I watch myself and notice, I still don't drink enough water during the day. How much water should we drink a day? The most common amount doctors recommend is 6 - 8 glasses a day.

How much should you drink every day?

This text is from MayoClinic.com

How much water should you drink each day? — a simple question with no easy answers. Studies have produced varying recommendations over the years, but in truth, your water needs depend on many factors, including your health, how active you are and where you live.

Though no single formula fits everyone, knowing more about your body's need for fluids will help you estimate how much water to drink each day.

Health benefits of water

Water is your body's principal chemical component, comprising, on average, 60 percent of your weight. Every system in your body depends on water. For example, water flushes toxins out of vital organs, carries nutrients to your cells and provides a moist environment for ear, nose and throat tissues.

Lack of water can lead to dehydration, a condition that occurs when you don't have enough water in your body to carry out normal functions.

How much water do you need?

Every day you lose water through your breath, perspiration, urine and bowel movements. For your body to function properly, you must replenish its water supply by consuming beverages and foods that contain water.

In any case, generally most folks don't drink enough water especially while exercising. You could tie a string around your finger to remind you or you could try HydraCoach from Sportline. It has a digital readout that tracks your fluid intake. A visual prompt tells you it's time for a drink. Not a bad idea. Check it out. You might not need it for your pool workout but it might come handy for your next jogging or walking exercise. Yours in health stretch guy

Try a cool workout in the pool!!

2007-07-01T17:38:00.000-07:00

Think pool exercise is for weaklings? Think again. These days pools across the country are offering classes in water-based Pilates, yoga and tai chi, as well as power aerobics and cardiosculpting.

As you get older, your body changes and you can't always do a lot of high-impact excercises. Pools exercise gives the same benedits as high-impact aerobics but is easier on the body.

In particular, aquatic exercise is easy on the joints and contrary to popular wisdom, it really does burn calories. Research shows that if you're training hard in water, you can burn up to 400 calories an hour. Just remember that working in a pool is much easier and more enjoyable in the hot summer months.

For a more comprehensive article on water workouts go to.

Also we don't all have access to a pool, so check out my previous post on walking

Stay healthy and keep cool this summer and keep on stretching - Stretchguy

Weight gain in all the wrong places!!

2007-06-24T18:02:00.000-07:00

There are two types of fat: the subcutaneous, or the kind you can pinch that lives just under the skin and the visceral fat, which lives deep in your abdomen.
Visceral fat appears to be metabolically more active than fat that lives elsewhere in your body. This belly fat interferes with the function of the liver, thus affecting cholesterol and insulin processing.
While you can't control the buildup of belly fat as you age, your lifestyle habits can influence how much midlife fat you accumulate. Three habits that can help control unwanted weight gain in all the wrong places and are easy to acquire. They are:

(1) Don't be a stress eater, when under stress the body produces excessive amounts of the hormone cortisol and too much triggers the desire for high fat - high sugar foods and packs those pounds right in your middle.

(2) Start working out with weights 2 to 3 times a week, light ones to begin then building the weights as you progress. Studies have shown the effects of strength training on 50 to 70 year olds will decrease belly fat despite no weight loss. As you build muscle and lose fat your weight may not change that much as muscle weighs more the fat.

(3) Try consuming fewer calories by eating foods that are better for you, cut down on the sugars and starches but keep your protein up. A little aerobic exercise 3 times a week can go a long ways to keeping you healthy.

Keep on stretching....Stretchguy

Laughter and your health

2007-06-18T19:26:00.000-07:00

You all must know by now that i teach a class for health through stretching, we do chanting and a guided relaxation at the end of our stretching . Today i decided to incorporate something new into our routine. Over the weekend i read up on laughter as medicine and the benefits of a good laugh.

It seems that our bodies respond positively to the act of laughing, our brains produce more endorphins, our blood becomes more oxygenated and our blood vessels dilate increasing blood flow to our heart and other organs. There were 10 of us in a circle and i started out by laughing and pointing to the others in the class and they in turn began to laugh until the whole room was filled with the sound of laughter. Everyone mentioned how warm they became with increased flow of blood.

So if you are feeling down or just a little cold try laughing, it can also help with the subject of the previous post STRESS

Stop worrying and you will live longer!

2007-06-16T19:58:00.000-07:00

Here is more good stuff about how we can live longer and happier. Stop that excessive worrying and you might lengthen your life. That's what a study by the Purdue University researcher found evaluating data on personality change and mortality in over 1600 men ages 43 - 91. During 18 years of follow-up, men who became increasingly neurotic with worrying had a much higher risk of dying than those who took life easier. The good news is we can still learn how to cope and overcome the tendecy to worry too much over things. Don't worry, be happy. Yours in health, stretchguy
p.s.
Let me know what the melatonin did for smoothing your wrinkles or your wife's wrinkles.

Benefits of Melatonin - does Melatonin smooth wrinkles?

2007-06-11T11:38:00.000-07:00

We all know by now that Melatonin is a hormone for regulating sleep especially after a long flight and dealing with jetlag. Maybe, Melatonin has more benefits and also helps slow down aging. Scientists from Spanish universities found that daily doses of melatonin reduced inflammation and oxidative damage to tissue, which is both connected to aging. More research needs to be done though whether melatonin supplements can keep people healthier longer and smooth wrinkles. yours in health, stretchguy
p.s.
Wondering what's good for you, read my post on benefits of drinking apple juice and superfood avocado.

Is it clear or cloudy???

2007-06-05T08:47:00.000-07:00

You might think I'm talking about the weather but no I'm referring to apple juice. Researchers have found that the cloudy kind of juice is four times healthier than the clear types. It seem the cloudy types contain four times the concentration of polyphenols as the clear and these compounds are associated with anti-cancer activity and are found in dark chocolate and red wine as well.

The clear juice far outsells the cloudy varieties, likely because of the perception by consumers that the clear juices are more pure. This being far from the truth as the process of clarification to make the juice clear removes many of the compound's that provide the juice's health benefits. So next time you reach for the apple juice get more the apple in it and go cloudy.

For more info on this great food check out this site on benefits of apple juice.

Yours in health stretchguy
p.s.
don't miss our post on super food avocado.

Super Food Avocado

2007-05-27T20:03:00.000-07:00

I love avocados. They are great on salads, sandwiches or just by themselves with a little salt, pepper and cayenne. Rich in fiber and healthy mono-unsaturated fat, avocados are packed with numerous micro-nutrients that help to lower your LDL (bad cholesterol). Did you know that avocados contain more blood pressure lowering potassium than bananas? Just be careful with the portion size. You only have to consume 1/4 of an avocado to get all these benefits. Yours in health, stretchguy
p.s.
Hope you checked out the Select Comfort mattress for a better sleep.

The secret to sleep better

2007-05-01T17:48:00.000-07:00

Apart from eating healthy food and regular exercise there is another very relevant component for staying healthy whether you are young and have to cope with the daily challenges at your job or at home or whether you are enjoying a retired life - this is a healthy sleep. Lots has been said about the hours of sleep necessary to keep your body and brain in good shape. Most people agree upon 8 hrs of sleep as the norm. Some need less, some need more.

What i want to talk about is the quality of sleep which can be easily affected by the quality of your mattress. We found the solution for our good night's sleep many years ago when we visited my brother in Oregon and spent the most restful night ever. Remember normally when you are on the road, it's hard to relax in a different environment, different bed etc. We and my wife slept like angels that night and could not help asking my brother what's the secret to this great sleep. It was a select comfort mattress. He gave us some brochures to read - I guess we did not have a computer at that time yet - and we got convinced that our old mattress had to go and get replaced by a select comfort sleep on air mattress.

Well, the end of the story is told very fast. Ever since we started sleeping air, we both don't suffer from any low back pain from night time sleep on a wrong mattress. We both keep the mattress pumped up (great advantage of the select comfort bed is that each side can be adjusted individually!) and cannot speak for those people who like their mattress soft (we actually both think it's not that good in the first place to sleep on a very soft mattress, air or not).

When we later ran our vacation rental business, we bought the select comfort mattresses and got many happy responses from our guests about their good night's sleep on air. Computers were wide spread then and it was easy to tell people to check on-line all the different possibilities for buying a select comfort mattress, which has become The Sleep Number Bed in the meantime. We are still sleeping on our select comfort air bed mattress and are the same happy as some 15 years ago when we bought the mattress. Check it out Sleep Better On Air and enjoy your sleep. Yours in health, stretchguy

Walk for Health

2007-04-24T11:49:00.000-07:00

Walking is a little like breathing. It comes very easy. You do it without much thought until one day a health problem or weight issue does not allow you to walk anymore. Funny thing, if people walked more, many of their weight or health problems might just disappear.

These days, most of us know that a brisk 30-minute walk most days of the week can dramatically help to reduce your risk of a heart attack or a stroke, decrease your chances of developing diabetes, osteoporosis and last but not least reduce your weight.

Why is it so hard for people to walk? Well, the answer is simple. We rely too much in these days on technologies...use cars to drive to the market instead of our bikes or just walk, we use the elevators instead of using the stairs, sit hours in front of the computers instead of enjoying walks in the open air. Technology is is easy and convenient but makes us lose our physical activity.

Guys and girls, here is the solution. Get your activity back...take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk to the market or for your lunch break, use bathrooms on the other side of the building, limit your hours in front of the computer etc. Basically, do everything what seems to be harder on your body but actually is better for your overall health. Best of all, you won't even need any natural supplements like MSM for feeling good.

Make those small lifestyle changes that are required for better health and fitness. Have fun walking 10,000 steps a day for optimal health. Yours in health, stretchguy

MSM for muscle inflammation

2007-04-10T20:36:00.000-07:00

THis blog is sponsored by Introduce MyBlog

MSM for reducing muscle and tendon inflammation from overuse

During my many years as a licensed massage therapist in Hawaii, I came across many aching muscles. A lot of the times, patients had gone through all kinds of hardships and costly medical check-ups before ending up on on my massage table - still in pain and at their wit's end because no modern Cat scan or MRI machinery found anything wrong with them. Muscles and tendons can mimik so many serious problems in our body, so our fears get caught up with us and we start at the wrong end when trying to find the cause and heal our body.

Remember too much use of one and the same muscle, whether it's playing golf for hours each day or sitting at the computer and clicking the mouse button for many hours or whatever, can lead to an overuse syndrome in a certain muscle or area and cause us lots of pain. When my wife experienced a severe rotator cuff inflammation, which starts with one muscle of the rotator cuff area acting up and the others just 'follow suit', we tried everything we knew from our education as trained massage therapists but always just achieved a short term relief and that was it. She was still able to massage but forget about playing tennis or raising her arm over her head.

Well, you hear about all those miracle healings. After weeks or maybe months of being in pain and suffering, she experienced the healing of her shoulder. A patient of hers told her about this new anti-inflammatory powder MSM, which had just started to get its name out in the world of anti-inflammatory supplements. Glucosamine sulfate was already well known for treating inflammation in the joints and widespread but not many people had even heard about MSM. Anyhow, 14 days taking the regular recommended dose of MSM 3x daily made the miracle happen for my wife's rotator cuff inflammation and made us believers. Ever since, we both have been taking MSM as a daily supplement and also recommended it in our practice to many people. The biggest and fastest results were reported when taking MSM for rotator cuff inflammation from overuse. Before you sign up for rotator cuff surgery, this is how the surgeons make their money, give the MSM a try for 4 - 6 weeks. It can save you from a very invasive surgery.

As I always recommend, make yourself knowledgeable and search on-line under MSM. We prefer the MSM powder. Costco sells MSM capsules at affordable prices. Again when you are facing inflammation in muscles and tendons, you want to stick with the MSM by itslelf. When joint inflammation are a problem too, then Glucosamine Sulfate, Chondroitin + MSM. If there is no Costco in your area, NutriTeam and CortaFlex are Internet companies which sell MSM products for reducing the inflammation in your body. Remember inflammation is the cause for all disease in our body. MSM and Glocosamine Sulfate are natural anti-inflammatories which have no side effects as Western medication like Ibuprofen or Cortison have. Yours in health, Stretchguy
p.s.
We are having a Spring Special for my Hawaii Stretch video for $24.95...FREE shipping and handling within US. Find more info on benefits of stretch video and how to purchase this Hawaii Stretch Video.

Time to get Juiced

2007-04-01T12:08:00.000-07:00

The lowly or should I say the Majestic Pomagranate

It was pointed out in the 2005 story that the pomagranate was already "being touted as a miracle drug for aging, Alzheimer’s, cancer, heart disease, arthritis and even protecting unborn babies from brain injuries."
Few Americans have heard of the pomegranate, and fewer still have eaten this curious-looking fruit loaded with red seeds," says the Men's Health Watch news release. "But new scientific findings suggest that pomegranates may one day find a place in healthful diets."
In a recent study, scientists grew cells from highly aggressive cases of human prostate cancer in tissue cultures. Pomegranate fruit extracts slowed the growth of the cultured cancer cells and promoted cell death. The researchers then implanted the cancer cells in mice. A group of mice that received water laced with pomegranate juice developed significantly smaller tumors than the untreated animals. In a preliminary study of men with prostate cancer, pomegranate juice lengthened patients' PSA doubling time (the longer the doubling time, the slower the tumor is growing) from 15 months before treatment to 54 months on the juice.
Check out the previous on weight loss, pomegranate juice will help keep you hydrated. Til next time, yours in health...Stretchguy

Less is enough

2007-03-25T10:02:00.000-07:00

Are you belonging to those people who just cannot seem to lose weight and it's becoming even more challenging with getting older?

Here is what a lot of people don't know. As you get older, you simply cannot eat as much as you once did without gaining weight. The reason: as you age, your basal metabolism (energy cost of heartbeats, breathing and other bodily functions at rest) declines, as does the number of calories expended on physical activity.

Let's look at some numbers to back this statement: A teenage boy might need 3000 calories a day, when you are 50 you will need 2400 and at 70 just a 2200. With women, it's even just a meager 1500 calories at age 70!

One way to counteract this natural metabolic slowdown is to increase your aerobic exercise. We are lucky and have a perfect gym in town with everything you need for acccomplishing just that. A lap pool and two saunas make it easy to relax after our workout. We commit to a 3x a week visit to the gym. In addition to aerobic exercise, you might also want to include lifting weights which will increase muscle tissue versus fat and raises your basal metabolism. In case you have some problems with inflammation, read more how to reduce inflammation in your body.

Stay happy and healthy. Yours in health, stretchguy.

How to reduce inflammation with WobenzymN

2007-03-17T12:33:00.000-07:00

Health greetings to all health geeks,
As we are on a constant search for optimal health, I have been covering all kinds of health issues, healthy alternatives, natural supplements, healthy diet and more. Last post was about good posture and how a bad one can negatively affect your health.

Hope you don't mind me jumping around with tackling different health issues. It's just that I find some health information on TV, online or in magazines, which triggered my interest, and I want to share it. Here we are back to natural supplements. Ever heard about the magic of enzymes?

Remember when I mentioned in arecent post my German wife and her belief in the benefits of soy products, specifically in Miso Soup, for women's health. Here is another natural supplement she takes and she swears on. It's WobenzymN. It's originally manufactored in Germany and supported by many studies for its efficiency. I guess this explains that it had become #1 enzyme supplement in the states too. Bottom line is that any disease in our body is caused by inflammation!

It's a simple fact that systemic enzymes are important to our health. Systemic enzymes are absolutely essential to maintaining a healthy body and an active lifestyle. Your body uses systemic enzymes to rebalance the inflammatory response and fine-tune repair processes to help you recover from injury and disease. Fortunately, you can replenish your supply with the naturally occurring enzymes in Wobenzym. Wobenzym helps: Reduce inflammation, maintain healthy joints, recuperate faster from injuries and much more. It definitely also keeps your stomach happy and supports your digestive system when taking half an hour before a meal.

The Internet provides you with all the information on the benefits of enzymes and specifically of WobenzymN. Yours in health, stretchguy

No one needs to fall !!!

2007-03-11T16:33:00.000-07:00

One of the problems that plagues seniors is falling and breaking bones. This is a problem that can be cured without taking costly drugs or going to classes.

Balance is the problem and one of the quickest ways to improve balance is through "core alignment". This term is a better description of posture than most of us grew up with. Our "core" includes our head, neck and full spine. When your head and neck are as much in balance over your spine as possible, your entire body will have its quickest and best reaction to time when suddenly being thrown "off kilter" by water on the floor; stepping off a curb or stair or having to step back or out of the way of an oncoming car.

Many people cannot stand as straight as they used to....but most of us can learn to stand straighter! We give in too often to slouching, leaning on grocery carts and bending over walkers and canes when in fact we have the capacity to stand in better alignment.
We need to take a long look in a full length mirror to see how we hold ourselves and what we need to do to correct our posture. Your spine should be held straight with a slight curve in the base, chest out , shoulders back and head balanced over the spine. A way to check this is to stand with your heels against a wall and then lean back with your butt, upper back, shoulders and back of the head touching.
If you are a senior and been off balance for years it may take some time to correct your posture. Little reminders throughout the day...stand straight, walk straight, sit straight and don't slouch are all helpful.
A daily regimen of stretching will help loosen up those tight muscles allowing you to stand straighter
Yours in health...stretchguy

Miso Soup for Women's Health

2007-03-09T17:10:00.000-08:00

As we have been dealing with all kinds of good ideas to contribute with the right foods to a long healthy life - see our posts Beans for the Brain and Spices for your Health - I thought I share my wife's daily routine with the women who are visiting my blog.

She loves Miso Soup for lunch. Miso is a big part of the Japanese diet. We all heard and still hear about the Japanese people becoming older than us Westeners (with numbers of heart attacks being very low!), which gets first of attributed to their vegetable and fish diet. Hardly any meat, no junk food! In my practice as a massage therapist in Hawaii for of over 20 years, I came across many of those healthy Japanese people. They are still slim and trim at age 70 - 80, have no problem to get of or on the massage table and most amazingly, don't look their age at all.

Well, I guess there are also genetic dispositions which play a big role. However, let's get back to Miso and why it's good for you. As soy beans are rich in natural estrogen, they have become a big part in women's diets when starting menopause as a natural estrogen supplement. Miso are fermented soy beans (easy on your stomach). We buy the miso paste from soybeans for my wife at the health food store. It has become part of her daily routine for lunch. It's tasty and healthy. Try it. Yours in health, Stretchguy
p.s.
Read also How old are you really?

Beans for the Brain

2007-03-08T20:14:00.000-08:00

Just continuing with our topic on helping our memory to stay sharp with the right food. Here is a good one. Not just spinach, broccoli and whole grains are doing magic things. Beans do so too. All these foods are rich in folic acid, which may boost your brainpower, new reasearch suggests and possibly protect you from Alzheimer's disease (mentioned in yesterday's post).

Scientists at a university in the Netherlands studied 800 healthy men and women, ages 50 - 70, giving half of them 800 micrograms of folic acid supplements (twice the US daily recommendation). In the tests three years later that group had significantly improved in memory and in information processing speed. The group with the placebos showed little or no improvement.

Folic acid, one of the B vitamins, is found in green leafy vegetables, citrus fruit, beans and cereals. Just ate today some delious chili with spices and lots of beans!!!
Yours in health, Stretchguy

Spices for your Health

2007-03-07T20:02:00.000-08:00

I love spicy food. My wife doesn't, at least not as much as I do. Yesterday, I found some great negotiation tool with the title: The Spice is Right.

A pair of recent studies suggest that spicy veggie dishes might just keep your mind sharp. Eating three servings of vegetables per day cut memory loss by 40 percent according to a study at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. And people who ate curry did better on cognitive tests than people who did not, according to a study from Singapore. Vegetables including spinach and broccoli are rich in vitamin E, which is linked to better brain function. The tumeric in curry has potent antioxidant properties that protect brain cells from damage. Let's get the curry on the table. Yours in health, Stretchguy
p.s.
How did you like my links for doing your own online research on Healthy Living?

Healthy Living Links

2007-03-06T11:02:00.000-08:00

If you counted my healthy tidbits, yes this is already Healthy Tidbit #11. Hope you had a chance to read the one on keeping your heart in good shape through afternoon nap. I know easier said that done for the working population. But big companies even acknowledge the importance of a short 'nap' break after lunch. It provides its employees with a second wind for afternoon work.

As you know when crusing the Internet, you will find all kinds of sites and don't always know that you can trust the source. Recently, I came across a great list for reliable medical information in the AARP magazine So for those who don't read the magazine (I warmly recommend it), here is the list for reliable medical information on major health issues we are dealing with these days:

American Heart Asssociation Features heart and stroke encyclopedia

American Cancer Society Includes links to clinical trials and support groups

American Diabetes Association Latest Diabetes research and nutritional info.

AARP Health Info on drugs, insurance and staying healthy at 50-plus

Please, leave me and our Healthy Living through Stretching readers a comment what supplements, life style changes work for you or what helath questions you have. Yours in health, Stretchguy

Healthy Tidbit # 10 - Heart health with midday Zzzzz

2007-02-17T17:30:00.000-08:00

Reduction in Heart Attack Risk
Working men in study reduce risk of dying from heart attack by 64%Feb. 12, 2007. Researchers have confirmed what others have suspected, a little siesta in the middle of the day can decrease your chances of a heart attack. And, these midday naps make a significant difference - up to a 64 percent lower risk of dying from heart disease than those who do not take midday naps
Previous evidence has suggested that in countries where siestas are common, rates of death from heart disease tend to be lower. However, the few studies that have assessed the potential relationship have not controlled for other factors that may influence heart disease risk, such as physical activity and age, according to background information in the article.
Androniki Naska, Ph.D., University of Athens Medical School, Greece, and colleagues studied 23,681 Greek men and women ages 20 to 86 who did not have a history of heart disease or any other severe condition when they enrolled in the study between 1994 and 1999. The study is reported in the February 12 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
At the beginning of the study, participants were asked if they took midday naps, and if so, how often and for how long at a time. They also reported their level of physical activity and dietary habits over the previous year.
Over an average of 6.32 years of follow-up, 792 participants died, including 133 who died from heart disease.
After the researchers factored in other cardiovascular risk factors, individuals who took naps of any frequency and duration had a 34 percent lower risk of dying from heart disease than those who did not take midday naps.
Systematic nappers, those who took a siesta for 30 minutes or more at least three times per week, had a 37 percent lower risk of heart-related death.
Working Men Get Best Results
Among working men, those who took midday naps either occasionally or systematically had a 64 percent lower risk of death from heart disease during the study than those who did not nap, while non-working men who napped had a 36 percent reduction in risk.
We were unable to undertake a similar analysis among women because there were only six deaths among working women, the authors write.
We interpret our findings as indicating that among healthy adults, siesta, possibly on account of stress-releasing consequences, may reduce coronary mortality, they continue. The fact that the association was stronger in working men, who likely face job-related stress, than non-working men is compatible with this hypothesis, they write.
This is an important finding because the siesta habit is common in many parts of the world, including the Mediterranean region and Central America, the authors conclude.
Copied from Senior Journal

Healthy Tidbit # 9 - Posture and back pain

2007-02-13T12:32:00.000-08:00

If you read my last post about living longer by drinking red wine, then this post about having healthy back will keep you feeling good through that longer life.

Back pain is one of the most common causes for lost work and complaints of body aches. Good posture can help alleviate a lot of back pain. Here are some good posture tips to be aware of while standing:
-Try to maintain the natural S-curve of the spine
-Hold your head directly over the shoulders - that means head up and chest out.
-Keep the shoulders directly over the pelvis
-Tighten your abdominal muscles
-Tuck in the buttocks
-Stand with your feet slightly apart, with one foot just slightly ahead of the other and the knees slightly bent.
-Try these tip while sitting.
-Make your workstation user-friendly by adjusting your chair, computer and desk.
-Don't sit toward the front of your chair and hunch forward instead sit back in the chair and use the chair's lumbar support to keep the head and neck erect.
-Take frequent stretching or walking breaks.

I know this may seem like a lot of things to be aware of and we have probably gotten into a number of bad habits, so check out your posture and just correct one or two things at a time, eventually work up to really good posture and no back pain......yours in health...stretchguy

Healthy tidbit # 8 - Red wine is fine!

2007-02-06T09:20:00.000-08:00

Check out this post and see if the wine will keep you going longer!!
With all the hoopla about red wine going around you have to wonder is there"s something to it or whether some wily French scientists have gotten carried away after a night of sipping a bottle of cabernet.
Researchers already knew that procyanidins, compounds commonly found in red wine are good for your blood vessels and probably contribute to the long life spans found in southwestern France and Sardinia. But according to a study published in the journal Nature what researchers didn't previously know was that levels of procyanidins varied in wines.

Those produced in southwestern France and Sardinia, places where wine is still made in the traditional way and allowed to ferment for up to three weeks ( as opposed to the modern way of one week) tended to have much higher levels of the compounds - sometimes up to 10 times more. This is because the process allows for the full extraction of procyanidins from the skin and seed of the grape. Scientists believe this in turn promotes artery health and longer life spans.
Yours in health...stretchguy

Healthy tidbit # 7 - Train your brain

2007-02-02T10:01:00.000-08:00

You know besides the use of flax and fish oils I mentioned way back in Healthy tidbit # 1 there are other ways to exercise our grey matter.

For those of you with a computer there are free games throughout the internet to challenge your skills. If you are looking for specific mind exercises you might try the following websites

mybraintrainer.com this online mental gymnasium provodes its members a variety of short, individual exercises designed to stimulate different parts of your brain and provides immediate feedback so you can monitor your improvement

agogus.com a new online brain gym that provides its members a place to do brain exercises, learn something new every day and socialize
happy-neuron.com offers its members a variety of entertaining and challenging games the are fun and scientifically developed to strengthen your memory and concentration.

Besides the aforementioned websites there are many more to be searched out on the web, some are free, some are for fee and some have free trials.

If you don't have a computer go out and buy one they are getting cheaper all the time and easier to use. Just learning how to use one in itself can be a challenge and brain stimulating.
Yours in health.........stretchguy

How old are you - Really!!!

2007-01-30T17:20:00.000-08:00

In my last post I posted the question how much longer are you going to live.

Now I have a new question - how old are you? Are you really as old as you as you think or feel? Your age has more to do with how you eat, sleep, drink, exercise, and think than with your actual years in age.

So I've found this interesting website that deals with that topic and its free questionnaire is quite revealing . Check it out you may be surprised at the answer you get. Whats good is they give you ways to change your lifestyle, if you want too, so you can add years to your wonderful life.
Yours in health...Stretchguy

How much longer do you think you are going to live?

2007-01-27T10:08:00.000-08:00

Hi fellow health nuts....just found this great web site named Bluezone.com. It is concerned mainly with longevity and where around the world people live longer and healthier lives. So click on the above link and check it out. According to the health compass on their site I can expect to live to the ripe old age of 96 or more - barring accidents or my going off the healthy regimen I now maintain.
Yours in health.....stretchguy ( I've changed my name)

Toenail Fungus Easy Remedy Tidbit #6

2007-01-24T17:17:00.000-08:00

Got a problem with toenail fungus and want to prevent the western medication with Lamisil capsules which might damage your liver, here is a good one. Just read this easy toenail remedy in a holistic health care article.

Put an inch of cornmeal in a foot bath and cover it with hot water, so it can dissolve. Let it cool (get a good book!) and soak your feet for about an hour. The person who shared this easy toenail fungus remedy with his practitioner said he did it twice and is healed. Let us know whether it worked for your toenail fungus. Yours in health, Keoki
p.s.
Hey health guys, we are still interested in hearing your opinion on drug advertising on TV.

Gotta question - you gotta an answer?

2007-01-20T17:56:00.000-08:00

I just want some feedback on how you feel about all the DRUG commercials on the tube. I think there are two ways to look at it
One being that people see the ad and maybe they are having problems that might be helped by the product so they contact their doctor and check it out.
Two being that people see the ad and don't really have a problem but think they do and convince their doctor that they need the product.
I'm of tw0 minds about this topic, I think education is good but the commercials sometimes paint a picture that you need this product otherwise you can't sleep through the night, you gotta pee all the time, your stomach doesn't digest what you eat or you need this pill for an erection. What gets me is the multitude of side effects that you can't keep up with.
OK, I've vented a little- - please let me know what you think!!!

Healthy tidbit # 5 - Better sex through nutrition

2007-01-20T10:17:00.000-08:00

This tidbit is meant for those men over 40 who want to continue having sex like they were still in their 20s.

Blueberries - Mother natures little blue pill is one of the best foods for older men with erectile problems. They are packed with compounds that help relax your blood vessels improving circulation. More blood to the penis for stronger erections as you grow older.
Steak (red meat) - The protein in the meat will naturally boost levels of dopamine and norepinephrine, two chemicals in the brain that heighten sensitivity during sex. Its also stuffed with zinc - a mineral that boosts libido by reducing your body's production of a hormone called prolactin, which may interfere with arousal. Perhaps most important it will help boost your testosterone level while limiting your body's production of SHBG ( sex hormone binding globulin)- a substance that prevents bloodflow to the penis and reduces male sexual stamina.

Chocolate - who likes chocolate-most everyone. Not only is it good for lowering your blood pressure but it contains methylxanthines which stimulants an increase in your body's sensitivity - ensuring that your skin registers even the slightest touch thereby increasing arousal.

With the right foods you can eat your way to more fun in the bedroom.
Check out tidbit # 4 for nutrition and Alzheimers

Tidbit #4 - Alzheimer's, and nutritional supplements

2007-01-11T16:13:00.000-08:00

Hey did you check out my last post on Diet and Diabetes - well worth reading.

Senior citizens may lower Alzheimer’s risk with more folate, vitamin B-6 and B-12 intake

Combination of dietary folate with supplements appears to work

Senior citizens and younger adults who take in higher levels of the nutrient folate through both diet and supplements may have a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to a report in the January issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

By the year 2050, the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease is expected to quadruple, according to background information in the article. Delaying the onset of this neurodegenerative disease would significantly reduce the burden it causes

Researchers suspect that elevated levels of the amino acid homocysteine in the blood, which is linked to a higher risk for cardiovascular disease and stroke, may also increase the risk for Alzheimer’s disease.

Folate, vitamin B12 and vitamin B6, are important in the body’s processing of homocysteine—therefore, deficiencies in these nutrients increase homocysteine levels and may contribute to cardiovascular disease, stroke and dementia.

Hope this is some worthwhile information for staying away from Altzheimer's. Yours in Health, Stretchguy

p.s.

Also read my post on Memory Supplements.

Healthy tidbit #3-Treating diabetes through diet!

2007-01-09T16:39:00.000-08:00

Mostly recently we talked about Memory Supplements.

Tidbit #3 deals with type-2 diabetes, if you happen to have read my previous post on diabetes I'm sure you find the one much more interesting.

Here is an interesting and thought provoking article on type-2 diabetes. It involves the use of diet to treat the disease instead of medication. The piece is quite long and I am including the link to it instead of trying to give a synopsis of my own. Read the full article on how to avoid or even cure type-2 diabetes through the implementation of a low carbohydrate diet.

Yours in health, Stretchguy
p.s.
Don't forget to stretch for health. Order the Easy Stretch Video today.

Healthy tidbit #2 - a time to relax

2007-01-07T17:35:00.000-08:00

hey memory supplements are great but what can i say, you want to get healthy, you gotta relax and the best way i found to relax, get rid of excess stress is to wake up on a Sunday morning and have a climax...what a nice way to begin the day. also it was NFL playoff Sundayso what better way to relax and let go than to lay around and watch some football...well not just some but lots..6 hours...now Sunday what i call relaxing...i couldn't even meditate for that long. this is my not my most healthy tidbit but guilt free relaxation is very important....Yours in Health, Stretchguy

Healthy living tidbit #1- Flax seed oil/Fish oil

2007-01-06T08:16:00.000-08:00

Remember what I said in my recent post, I'd like to share healthy tidbits which I find beneficial for staying healthy.

These tidbits for health are offered to help increase ones awareness of things we can do to lead a healthier lifestyle. They are steps I have taken and found to be beneficial to me and tidbits I've gleaned from others. So on to #1.
I think I've mentioned that I'm a senior citizen and as one gets older the aging process does certain things to the functioning of the body and mind that as a younger person we don't think about. So let's talk about supplements which helped me to improve my memory.

I found that around age 65 my memory had lets say slipped a little, not much just the usual coming up with names or phone numbers and such. I wasn't alarmed however I wanted to do something about it and what I did is start taking Flax seed oil and fish oil. I take about a teaspoon of Flax oil every morning and 2 capsules of fish oil every noontime. Nothing happened right away but within 6 months I noticed my memory improving, and today almost 3 years later my memory is better than its ever been. You can find out more about Flax seed oil and fish oil on the internet and decide for yourself if including them in your diet would be beneficial.

Yours in health, Keoki stretchguy

Wow its 2007!!

2007-01-04T11:00:00.000-08:00

Where have i been, what have i been doing that 2006 got away from me and its already 4th of January, 2007. Well lets see i've been busy putting together plans for building a new house and trying to sell our old house so i guess i have let things slide a little, mainly this blog. Here is where we stopped...Diabetes and You.

What i would like to do starting in this new year is post some information on healthy living in general not just through stretching although i feel that loosening up the old or young bod is still one of the most important things you can do for your health. Staying healthy is doing a combination of things that brings you into a state of homeostatis or well being and future posts will bring you information to that end.

Stay tuned for my next posts on healthy living. Yours in health, Stretchguy

Diabetes and You

2006-10-27T13:32:00.000-07:00

Hi there I've been gone for awhile but have recently found this interesting bit on Diabetes I would like to pass on. You will also notice that our last post on weight management is closely related to today's topic on diabetes.

When dealing with diabetes, the five areas that help to stabilize blood glucose are: activity, nutrition, support of family, and medications and blood sugar testing. Tight blood sugar control can delay the onset of diabetes complications that include eye problems, kidney disease and nerve damage.

An A1C test is often referred to as "a test with a memory" because it reflects what your average blood glucose has been over the previous 2-3 months. Everyone has glucose in their blood since that is what our body uses for energy so a person without diabetes well gave a test result of 4%-5%. But when you have diabetes excess glucose remains in the bloodstream and attaches itself to the red blood cells, like Velcro. It stays attached until that red blood cell is replaced by a new red blood cell in 2-3 months. By measuring the A1C, your doctor can estimate the average blood glucose level over the life span of the red blood cells.

As I find more interesting facts on living with diabetes I will pass them on. Til later. Yours in health....Keoki.....Keep stretching for health

Message on Weight Management

2006-08-11T10:43:00.000-07:00

After you read a few Easy Stretch video testimonials, I'd like to share my message on weight management & healthy living with everybody who wants to stay healthy.

Discover how you can achieve optimal health with Body Wise supplements.
As long time massage therapist on Hawaii's Big Island, I have been promoting healthy living through massage, exercise and supplements for all these years. I have been a Body Wise distributor for over 10 years now and experienced during that time first hand the tremendous benefits of these high quality products for my body and soul. My family is the equally committed to a daily exercise routine and staying healthy through healthy diet and supplements and share my passion for the Body Wise products.

Body Wise International has been a leader in the nutritional supplement industry for more than 15 years. The company has earned the trust and loyalty of its customers and Independent Distributors alike, by providing consistent quality in both products and services.

To assist you in reaching your target weight, Body Wise has some helpful hints on how to get there! Every week, you'll find a tip for healthy weight management on their website. Please, check out the latest nutritional supplement products,vitamins,minerals,anti-aging and weight loss products which can assist you in your weight managemant goals. The main thing I noticed when I began taking Body Wise products is that I felt better and knew the products were actually working.

If you have any questions or would like to become a distributor feel free to contact me. Yours in health, Stretchguy

Easystretch Testimonials

2006-07-31T08:38:00.000-07:00

Dear fellow-stretchers,
Now yoy know how Easy Stretch video got developed, why not share a few TESTIMONIALS from happy healthy EASY STRETCHERS:

My favorite stretching video and a first choice for friends and students. It is safe for all ages and offers a thorough body stretch. Keoki's voice is perfect for instruction and relaxation.
Judith Franks, MA, Coauthor, Hatha Yoga Manual II and Yoga Teacher of 25 years

"My rheumatologist is amazed at my difference in my range of motion. And I am amazed that the pain in my back is minimal. Ken's back pain is not as intense. We are both sleeping better. "
Elissa Waters, Scottsdale, AZ

"When I started Easy Stretch, I ached from my spine, sacroiliac and calves. Now I am free of aches and pains. My circulation has improved to the extent that my two skipped heart beats are now normal. At age 75, I highly recommend Easy Stretch for all."
Ethel Andrade, Waimea, HI

"I love your tape, my body loves your tape ... It's so easy to do."
Doris Creed, retired

See more testimonials from happy stretchers. Yours in health, Stretchguy

How EasyStretch Video came to be

2006-07-27T08:06:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our new post on Stretch for Health. Here is how Easy Stretch video came to be (from an interview with the stretchguy Keoki):

Q. So how did Easy Stretch get started?
K. Well lets see, back in 1986 I was living in Honokaa, a sleepy little plantation town located on the east coast of the Big Island of Hawaii. I had been a practicing massage therapist for about 5 years, when I was approached by the county to teach massage at a senior center in Pauillo, an even smaller plantation town 7 miles down the road. I thought this would be a opportunity to teach seniors to help each other through massage, little did I know all they wanted was to be touched and massaged by me. This was ok by me and the county didn’t seem to care.

Q. Seems like it all started with helping the seniors of Hawaii?
K. Yes, you know how things seem to just take on a life of their own. Well after getting my feet wet in Pauillo I moved on to Waimea, a thriving ranching town 15 miles west of Honokaa. One of my core beliefs is that I give back something to the community where I live and work. I approached the senior center in Waimea about doing massage there, on a volunteer basis. I would bring my table every Wednesday, 9-11am and do mostly Shiatsu massage. They loved it. Most had never received massage before and a lot of them were just in need of being touched in a loving way. I worked this way for about a year and in that period I noticed how tight their bodies were, how restricted their range of motion was and how much they needed more than just a 15min massage a week. They needed something they could do for themselves, daily. I had been doing yoga for 20 years and with this experience I developed a program of easy stretches for seniors and beginning stretchers.

Q. What made you decide to make a video?
K. For about four years I continued to do massage for 1 hour and the next hour was devoted to stretching followed by a guided relaxation. I really began to notice a change in their bodies, they moved much easier, had less aches and pains, and just seemed to have a better sense of well being than those who did not participate. I thought if this program can do this much good for just a few then I wanted to try to get it out to as many people as might need it. Believe me there are millions in this country in need of just such a program, I’m a firm believer in the old adage,”Use it or lose it”. So I put together the video version of Easy Stretch-Body/Mind Relaxation.

Q. Has it turned out to be everything you expected?
K. Yes and much more. I haven’t sold as many videos as I’d like, I’ve given away plenty and they make nice gifts. The nice part of having a video is the letters and e-mails I receive from grateful stretchers around the country, telling me how much of a difference Easy Stretch has made in their bodies and their lives.

Yours in health, Stretchguy
p.s.
See for more information on how to buy the Easy Stretch video at $24.95. Free shipping within US.

Stretch for Health with Easy Stretch

2006-07-26T16:23:00.000-07:00

No matter what our age, Easy Stretch, a program of gradual stretching will allow us to loosen up, move more freely, experience less pain and enjoy our life more fully. As Americans, we are often looking for someone else to heal us, or a magic pill to relieve pain and reduce stress, yet here is something we can do for ourselves. The benefits of stretching can be far reaching indeed, for stretching can help relieve the damaging effects of stress and inactivity. Often under stress our muscles tighten up unconsciously (particularly the neck and shoulders), retarding adequate circulation and causing pain and limited range of motion. Stretching on a regular basis can relax your body and mind, decreasing you discomfort. Moreover, it has been shown the immune system, our ability to fight off disease, functions better when we are under less stress.

With our modern lifestyles everyone needs to stretch! Working at desks, standing in lines, repetitive motion jobs, driving for long distances, even just sitting in front of the TV keeps us from using our full range of motion causes us to stiffen up and become uncomfortable. Before you know it, just about anything you do causes an ache or pain. Technically speaking, the muscle and fascia, a fibrous membrane that cover the muscle, are attached to bone with tendons. As we age and /or become less active the point of connection between muscle and bone becomes denser and less pliable. This phenomenon shortens the muscle, decreases range of motion and makes the muscle more prone to injury. Pain and stiffness are the result. Regular stretching is the cure.

We are often quietly proud of our ability to ignore our daily aches and pains, because we assume we can’t feel any better when we actually can. So often we “listen” to our body and forget that we are actually in control of it. Our body says that it is stiff and sore, but we don’t find ourselves saying back, “Well, old friend that is enough of that! I’m going to loosen you up!”

Easy Stretch Body/Mind Relaxation is a program designed to restore your lost flexibility and suppleness. It ends with a full body guided relaxation to relieve stress, promoting healing and a healthy cardiovascular system. In as little as 30-40min a day, you can be on your way to optimal health.

A video of the Easy Stretch program can be purchased for $24.95 from: Keoki Staab, 70 America Blvd., Sequim, WA 98382. Find more information on Stretch for Health at our website. Yours in health, Stretchguy