Building strong bones now for your future

By |2014-05-22T00:00:00-05:00May 22nd, 2014|Health, Life after 50|

My mom tripped on an area rug a few weeks ago, causing her to fall and fracture her pelvis and hip.  According to her physician, it was the “best” hip fracture to have; she only needed three rods in her hip instead of a hip replacement.  In the past, she’s also had multiple compression fractures in her spine. Why so many bone breaks? Just like her mother before her, my mom suffers from osteoporosis. There are ways to help reduce your risk.

Five great reasons to join an exercise class

By |2014-05-22T00:00:00-05:00May 22nd, 2014|Health|

Let’s face it - starting an exercise program for most people is fairly easy. Sticking to an exercise program and making it a part of your everyday routine like brushing your teeth is a totally different story. Just look at the amount of people year after year who start New Year’s Resolutions to lose weight, diet and exercise only to fail in a few weeks time. Joining an exercise class might be a way to keep you on track.

Think public health is a problem in the U.S.?

By |2014-05-15T00:00:00-05:00May 15th, 2014|Health|

I’ve been working as a Community Health Coordinator for a few years now but in two very, very different settings. I worked as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Andes of Peru and am now with Oasis in St. Louis. While my job with both organizations is to help prevent public health problems, the experiences couldn’t be any more different!

Reading nutrition labels can help with getting nutrients you may need

By |2014-05-12T00:00:00-05:00May 12th, 2014|Health|

The nutrition label is on almost every package of food. Numbers and percentages for calories, fat, cholesterol, sodium and more are listed on the label. What does it all mean to the consumer? How can we use the information on the label to make informed food choices?

Have you planted your tomatoes yet?

By |2014-05-07T00:00:00-05:00May 7th, 2014|Health, Lifelong learning|

I’ll be celebrating Mother’s Day in my own special way this coming weekend, when I plant tomatoes. When I read Jamsey Thomas’ blog about hobbies a few weeks ago, I wasn’t surprised to see gardening near the top of the list for people age 50-plus. I’m 50-plus, and I love gardening, especially vegetable gardening. But then, tomatoes and I go way back. I like to say that tomatoes put me through college.

The Garden Grazers, Fruit Loops & Freggies

By |2014-04-29T00:00:00-05:00April 29th, 2014|Health|

A friendly little eating competition, "Help for Your Health: Fruits and Vegetables Challenge" has sparked a dialogue and prompted everyone to think about their diet. I was surprised that such a simple competition could teach us so much about fruits and vegetables, while encouraging our co-workers too. It was also surprising to learn how much we didn't know.

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