Five Easy Ways To Create An Active And Healthier Lifestyle-Libby Deege



Outside of the economy, fitness and healthy eating are among the most critical issues facing Americans today. Only 31 percent of Americans are getting adequate exercise and 68 percent of men and 53 percent of women are overweight, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Health Interview survey released in March.

The good news is that the tried-and-true approach of regular exercise and smart nutrition will go a long way toward managing weight loss and an overall healthy lifestyle. In fact, the benefits of being more active can be seen within a short time after starting a new routine and include more energy, less stress, lower blood pressure, improved digestive health and a reduction in cardiovascular disease risk.

A fitness program doesn’t have to take place in the gym. Beverly Abbs, an award-winning ultra-runner, recommends outdoor fun to get started on everyday fitness. “You don’t have to run long distances in order to reap the health benefits,” says Abbs, a member of Ultra-Running Team Sunsweet. “Short distance runs and even outdoor walks are a great way to stay fit and have fun. I got my start competing in athletic events with just 2- to 3-mile runs. That turned into a life-long love of ultra-running.”
When you add in smart nutritional choices to your exercise routine, the positives pile up further. “As a triathlete and a sports dietitian, I can tell you that plenty of healthy choices are convenient and taste delicious,” says registered dietician Dr. Katherine Beals.
So, whether you aspire to overhaul your diet and exercise program or are just thinking about taking a few first steps to a healthier life, smart choices can start with a few simple steps. Abbs and Dr. Beals offer these tips for getting started on achieving overall better health.

1.  Get and stay active: Adults should get 2.5 hours of aerobic physical activity per week and perform strengthening activities two days a week, according to the U.S. Health and Human Services department. Fortunately, it is easier than you might think to incorporate exercise into your routine. For example, take the stairs instead of the elevator and find the parking spot that is farthest away to get extra steps in between your car and your destination. Play tag with your kids, or consider signing up for a community fun run 5K. Not only do these runs usually provide an opportunity to race for a good cause, you can use it as training motivation.

2.  Use interval training: Experts say varying your cardio work with a combination of easy/hard intervals will result in faster fitness gains. It also mixes up your workouts and staves off boredom. Next time you go for a run, instead of keeping the same pace, try mixing in a few sprints. Start with 30 seconds on hard and 10 seconds on easy.

3.  Go for convenience: Abbs says dried fruits like Sunsweet Ones, individually wrapped prunes, are a convenient and nutritious snack whether you’re training for a marathon or just a busy person on the go. “These delicious snacks are portable, don’t spoil and deliver calories that count.” Plus, prunes are known to support digestive health.

4.  Fill up with fiber: High-fiber foods are critical to digestive health and any weight loss program because they fill you up and help keep the hunger pangs at bay. The typical American eats only about 11 grams of fiber a day, according to the American Dietetic Association, and health experts recommend a minimum of 20 to 30 grams of fiber a day for most people. Fruits (dried and fresh) and vegetables are great fiber sources including apples, pears, prunes, peas, broccoli and sweet corn.

5.  After an intense workout: Carbohydrate-rich foods that are energy dense, easy to digest and familiar and appetizing – like bagels, granola bars, crackers, dried plums and fruit juices – are good choices for post-workout fare to replenish any lost nutrients. Exercise also increases the loss of water from the body, primarily through sweat, so the harder and longer the workout, the more lost fluid that needs replacing.

“Drinking fluids like water, sports drinks, and fruit juices or eating water-containing foods can replace these lost fluids and, in the case of fruits, fruit juices and vegetables, replace much-needed potassium,” Dr. Beals says.

Regardless of your current level of activity and commitment to nutrition, it is never too late to make smart decisions. Make the commitment today and take these steps toward a more fit and healthy you.

Aprils Fools Day-Did you Fool Anyone?-Libby Deege

In honor of this blog falling on April's Fool Day I thought I would do a little internet research on the day. We have all tried to pull the occasional prank but I started to wonder, what are some of the "greatest" pranks ever pulled on this day of fun? Enjoy!! And Happy Pranking!!

The Swiss Spaghetti Harvest
1957: The respected BBC news show Panorama announced that thanks to a very mild winter and the virtual elimination of the dreaded spaghetti weevil, Swiss farmers were enjoying a bumper spaghetti crop. It accompanied this announcement with footage of Swiss peasants pulling strands of spaghetti down from trees. Huge numbers of viewers were taken in. Many called the BBC wanting to know how they could grow their own spaghetti tree. To this the BBC diplomatically replied, "place a sprig of spaghetti in a tin of tomato sauce and hope for the best."
 
Instant Color TV
1962: In 1962 there was only one tv channel in Sweden, and it broadcast in black and white. The station's technical expert, Kjell Stensson, appeared on the news to announce that, thanks to a new technology, viewers could convert their existing sets to display color reception. All they had to do was pull a nylon stocking over their tv screen. Stensson proceeded to demonstrate the process. Thousands of people were taken in. Regular color broadcasts only commenced in Sweden on April 1, 1970
 
The Taco Liberty Bell
1996: The Taco Bell Corporation announced it had bought the Liberty Bell and was renaming it the Taco Liberty Bell. Hundreds of outraged citizens called the National Historic Park in Philadelphia where the bell was housed to express their anger. Their nerves were only calmed when Taco Bell revealed, a few hours later, that it was all a practical joke. The best line of the day came when White House press secretary Mike McCurry was asked about the sale. Thinking on his feet, he responded that the Lincoln Memorial had also been sold. It would now be known, he said, as the Ford Lincoln Mercury Memorial
 
Nixon for President
1992: National Public Radio's Talk of the Nation program announced that Richard Nixon, in a surprise move, was running for President again. His new campaign slogan was, "I didn't do anything wrong, and I won't do it again." Accompanying this announcement were audio clips of Nixon delivering his candidacy speech. Listeners responded viscerally to the announcement, flooding the show with calls expressing shock and outrage. Only during the second half of the show did the host John Hockenberry reveal that the announcement was a practical joke. Nixon's voice was impersonated by comedian Rich Little.
 
The Left-Handed Whopper
1998: Burger King published a full page advertisement in USA Today announcing the introduction of a new item to their menu: a "Left-Handed Whopper" specially designed for the 32 million left-handed Americans. According to the advertisement, the new whopper included the same ingredients as the original Whopper (lettuce, tomato, hamburger patty, etc.), but all the condiments were rotated 180 degrees for the benefit of their left-handed customers. The following day Burger King issued a follow-up release revealing that although the Left-Handed Whopper was a hoax, thousands of customers had gone into restaurants to request the new sandwich. Simultaneously, according to the press release, "many others requested their own 'right handed' version."
 
Flying Penguins
2008: The BBC announced that camera crews filming near the Antarctic for its natural history series Miracles of Evolution had captured footage of Adélie penguins taking to the air. It even offered a video clip of these flying penguins, which became one of the most viewed videos on the internet. Presenter Terry Jones explained that, instead of huddling together to endure the Antarctic winter, these penguins took to the air and flew thousands of miles to the rainforests of South America where they "spend the winter basking in the tropical sun." A follow-up video explained how the BBC created the special effects of the flying penguins
 
The Body of Nessie Found
1972: On March 31 1972, a team of zoologists from Yorkshire's Flamingo Park Zoo, who were at Loch Ness searching for proof of Nessie's existence, found a mysterious carcass floating in the Loch. Initial reports claimed it weighed a ton and a half and was 15 ½ feet long. The zoologists placed the body in a van and began to transport it back to the zoo. However, the police chased down their truck and stopped it under a 1933 act of Parliament prohibiting the removal of "unidentified creatures" from Loch Ness. The body was then taken to nearby Dunfermline for examination. The discovery of the carcass received worldwide media attention. The British press dubbed it "Son of Nessie." But upon examination, Edinburgh scientists identified the creature as a bull elephant seal from the South Atlantic. The next day John Shields, Flamingo Park's education officer, confessed he had been responsible for the body. The bull elephant seal had died the week before at Dudley Zoo. He had shaved off its whiskers, padded its cheeks with stones, and kept it frozen for a week, before dumping it in the Loch and then phoning in a tip to make sure his colleagues found it. He had meant to play an April Fool's prank on his colleagues, but admitted the joke got out of hand when the police chased down their van

St. Patricks Day Fun Facts- Libby Deege

St. Patrick’s Day is observed on March 17 because that is the feast day of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. It is believed that he died on March 17 in the year 461 AD. It is also a worldwide celebration of Irish culture and history. St. Patrick’s Day is a national holiday in Ireland, and a provincial holiday in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

In Ireland on St. Patrick’s Day, people traditionally wear a small bunch of shamrocks on their jackets or caps. Children wear orange, white and green badges, and women and girls wear green ribbons in their hair.

Many cities have a St. Patrick’s Day parade. Dublin, the capital of Ireland, has a huge St. Patrick’s Day festival from March 15-19, that features a parade, family carnivals, treasure hunt, dance, theatre and more. In North American, parades are often held on the Sunday before March 17. Some paint the yellow street lines green for the day! In Chicago, the Chicago River is dyed green with a special dye that only lasts a few hours. There has been a St. Patrick’s Day parade in Boston, Massachusetts since 1737. Montreal is home to Canada’s longest running St. Patrick’s Day parade, which began in 1824.

34 million Americans have Irish ancestry, according to the 2003 US Census. That’s almost nine times the population of Ireland, which has 4.1 million people.

Some American towns have “Irish” names. You could visit: Mount Gay-Shamrock, West Virginia; Shamrock Lakes, Indiana; Shamrock, Oklahoma; Shamrock, Texas; Dublin, California and Dublin, Ohio.

The harp is the symbol of Ireland. The color green is also commonly associated with Ireland, also known as “the Emerald Isle.”

The Irish flag is green, white and orange. The green symbolizes the people of the south, and orange, the people of the north. White represents the peace that brings them together as a nation.

The name “lephrechaun” has several origins. It could be from the Irish Gaelic word “leipreachan,” which means “a kind of aqueous sprite.” Or, it could be from “leath bhrogan,” which means “shoemaker.”

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the highest number of leaves found on a clover is 14!

One estimate suggests that there are about 10 000 regular three-leaf clovers for every lucky four-leaf clover.

Legend says that each leaf of the clover means something: the first is for hope, the second for faith, the third for love and the fourth for luck.

Small Scale Gardens-Libby Deege

A four foot square may still be too big for your yard if you live in a townhouse or an apartment but don’t give up. Even in a tiny space like a balcony or a patio, you can still grow your own vegetables.

The variety of vegetables that can be grown in a container is growing yearly. Some of the vegetables listed below you may have never eaten or you may have had the canned variety and not liked them. Fresh vegetables have a whole different taste than canned especially when you have grown them yourself. Keep an open mind and try a few new ones every year.

Vegetables for Containers

 Beets - I hated beets for years until a friend convinced me to try fresh ones last year. Fresh beets have a whole different taste than pickled ones. These can be grown in as little space as a cake pan and are better picked small and tender, about the size of a silver dollar.

Spinach – Fresh spinach is good both cooked and raw and it is another vegetable that can be grown in a small container. The leaves are best picked young and tender. One of the best things about spinach is that it doesn’t have to grow fruit so it doesn’t need a large container to support it. This is a cool weather plant and does not like hot summer days.

Leaf Lettuce - Like spinach, leaf lettuce can be grown in a small container and doesn’t need hot summer days to mature. Pick when leaves are young and tender. Start pots at different times so you have a continuous supply. There is also a variety of miniature head lettuce that can be container grown.

Patio Tomatoes – They are coming up with more and more types of tomatoes that are suited to container growing. Traditional tomatoes take a huge amount of dirt and grow to be 3 or 4 feet tall and wide if not supported. Patio tomatoes are more compact and were bred to retain a small size and be grown in a pot. Here is a variety of cherry tomatoes that can be grown in a container.

Radishes – Like beets, radishes don’t need a huge pot to grow and mature fairly quickly. These are fun to grow and make a great addition to any salad.

Green Peppers – These take a fairly good size pot and are definitely warm weather plants but they are not difficult to grow. They can be used in a variety of dishes and freeze well. If you are feeling a bit experimental, there is a new variety of mini peppers that you can buy. They are small and colorful.

Green Beans – While I would normally not recommend growing green beans in a container, they have come up with several varieties of dwarf green beans that are recommended and actually as you can plant 16 green bean plants in a square foot I would imagine these would do fairly well in a container.

Squash – Again, while squash is not something you would normally consider a container plant, new varieties are very compatible. This mild summer Patty Pan squash is only 2 ft high and 2 ft wide. It may be too big for an apartment but then maybe not.

Eggplant – Eggplant is a mainstay in Mediterranean cooking. It’s compact size makes it an ideal choice for container growing.

Garlic Chives – This is one of my favorites. It’s a beautiful flower and every part of the plant is edible.

Swiss Chard – This link is to a rainbow variety that will perk up any spot. Fresh Swiss Chard has a sweet buttery flavor that is delicious. The grocery store variety loses SO much of the flavor that it barely resembles the garden variety. Try it fresh and sauted in a bit of olive oil with a hint of garlic.

Herbs - You can mix and match herbs in a container. Basil, thyme, sage, tarragon, rosemary will all grow fine. My choices to put together would be basil, thyme and sage. Basil is an upright annual plant while sage is kind of sprawly. Thyme is a low grower so the three together make an interesting potted arrangement. All but basil are perennial.

Keep Your Brain Alive-Libby Deege

Switching things up can be fun and it can also be good for your brain. Here are a few suggestions to incorporate into your meal time routine!! Enjoy!

Try Musical Chairs!
Have everyone switch seats. In most families, everyone has his or her "own" seat. Switching seats changes whose "position" you occupy. who you relate to, and your view of the room! It even changes how you reach for the salt and pepper!

Plan a Democratic Meal.
Let each person in the family (even the youngest) decide one item on the menu. Peanut butter and steak may not sound appetizing, but is it not going to hurt you, and it may provide material for some bizarre associations.

Introduce Novelty.
Eat Waffles or cereal for dinner. The Norwegians eat their man meal for breakfast. You could try that too. Change the order in which you eat your food. Try starting with the dessert and ending with the chips. this may seem frivolous but your brain won't think so. it's primed to handle this unexpected strategy. Change where you eat your meal- a different room, outside, on the porch on the floor, BE creative.
Try eating your food using your "wrong" hand. Small changes like this makes even the most routine acts of eating challenging!!

Get Cooking!
Cook something from scratch. It doesn't have to be a five course gourmet meal. making a simple Italian pasta sauce give all your senses a good workout. As you chop and saute onions, herbs and spices, aromas permeate the kitchen and flood you with memories. You're engaging your tactile senses when chopping and peeling, and then in testing the consistency and texture of the sauce as it reduces. A good cook constantly tastes for flavor, adding and adjusting spices a little at a time.

Just remember changing things up and doing things a little differently is great for your brain and also your spirit. Try one tonight!!

Double Down - Libby Deege

Seniors are one of the fastest-growing groups of gamblers. Between 1974 and 1994, the percentage of seniors who “recently gambled” jumped from 20 to 50 percent. And a recent study found gambling to be the most frequently identified social activity among adults over 65, with casinos and bingo surpassing movies, lunch, shopping and golf as preferred social activities.

There are a number of reasons why seniors may be vulnerable to gambling problems. Senior citizens are often catered to by casinos, with bus transportation, free or discounted meals, special rewards and other prizes that attract older individuals. Gambling may provide a distraction to escape the loss of a spouse or a medical concern. Some may have financial problems they are seeking to overcome. The attention of casino staff may reduce feelings of loneliness. Cognitive impairment may prevent the recognition of a gambling problem.


Seniors may not understand addiction and be reluctant to seek help. Studies show that seniors are at risk for developing gambling problems. A 2006 New Jersey Study found that 23 percent of New Jersey residents over 55 had at least one symptom of a gambling problem. A 2005 Pennsylvania study found that 10 percent of those over 65 in a primary care facility were at risk for problem gambling.


Signs of seniors having a gambling problem include loss of interest and participation in normal activities with friends and families, blocks of time unaccounted for, missing possessions or assets, and changes in attitude and personality. Gambling problems may also be evidenced by neglect of personal needs (food, utilities and medical), secrecy and avoidance when discussing time and money, and depression. Seniors with a gambling problem and their loved ones need to know that help is available.


The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) operates a 24-hour National Problem Gambling Helpline, a link for treatment, recovery groups and other resources for problem gamblers and their family members. Often, simply a kind and helpful listener can help a senior admit to a problem and seek help. To learn more or find help, call (800) 522-4700 or visit www.ncpgambling.org.

Bullying and Senior Adults- Libby Deege

Great Article by John McDonald

You’ve seen it on the news; you’ve heard the stories. Too many times, Senior Adults find themselves victimized by unscrupulous telemarketers, con artists, and taken advantage of by dishonest insurance agents.

Now, if that isn’t bad enough, many Senior Adults who are living in Nursing Home facilities find out that they are the subjects of bullying in these facilities as well.

Senior Adults are also the number one victim of investment scams. 1 In fact, telemarketing scams are so heavily geared towards Senior Adults, that the FBI2, the Federal Trade Commission, and the AARP have taken steps to protect Senior Adults from bullying telemarketers.

Laws have been put in place, and the creation of the National Do Not Call List has made its way nationwide to prevent telemarketers from targeting unsuspecting Senior Adults.

Senior Adults are targeted for many frauds including Medicare Fraud, Credit Card Fraud, Construction or Home Improvement Fraud, Insurance Fraud, Prescription Drug Plan Fraud, Door to Door Sales Fraud, Charitable Donations Fraud, Work at Home Fraud, Foreign Lotteries Fraud, Sweepstakes Fraud, Phishing Fraud, and Internet Auction Fraud.

There are many reasons why Senior Adults are targeted for fraud and telemarketing scams. A few of them are that many Senior Adults have established a “nest egg”, and con artists are well aware that these Seniors have money.

Many con artists are well aware that the majority of Seniors are trusting and good hearted people. They have mastered the art of smooth talking them with what appears to be genuine smiles and friendly conversation. Too often, Seniors aren’t even aware that they have been the victims of con artists until it is much too late, and the con artist have far left town.

These con artists work in many arenas to victimize Seniors. From construction, to telemarketing prize giveaways, insurance claims, and investment scams, it is imperative that Seniors learn how to say no to telemarketers, sales men, and potential con artists. They must learn to hang up the phone and close the door and protect their livelihoods.

Another sad fact that targets Senior Adults to bullying con artists is the fact that many Seniors have trouble with their memory. In fact, this is another reason that con artists choose to target Seniors. Con artists will “talk a good talk” relying on the fact that many of their Senior Adult victims will be unlikely to recall every detail that would be used against them in a court of law.
Too often, the Senior Adult is unaware that they have been the victim of a scam, fraud, or con until it is much later- usually a couple months of have passed since the initial contact with the con artist. This makes the Senior Adult a potentially poor witness and hinders the rendering of justice.

The best action any Senior Adult can take to prevent themselves from the schemes and plans of dishonest con artists is to be prepared.

A great resource for all Senior Adults is their local AARP. The AARP has spent countless hours of research, and money into finding the best methods and tools to help keep Senior Adults safe.

They have worked with many federal and state organizations and have many resources available to equip Senior Adults with knowledge that will prevent them from becoming the victims of ruthless, bullying con artists.

When it comes to Senior Adults and healthcare, no one would ever suspect that their physician might be bullying them out of Medicare dollars by billing them for services they never had.

Yet it is all too familiar and happens more often then you may believe. The number one person who can catch Medicare or Medicaid fraud is the Senior Adult himself. You can help prevent Medicare fraud by looking for multiple claims for the same service, checking to see if the service being billed was actually performed, and by seeing if you were charged a higher price for equipment that you received.

If you suspect Medicare fraud, you should first contact your physician to see if it was an honest billing mistake. If after further investigation, you still have the sense that something isn’t right, you can call the Medicare Fraud hotline at 1-800-447-8477. They will investigate the mater for you.

To reduce telemarketing scams and frauds, Senior Adults can elect to have their phone number placed upon the “No Call List”. You may access your local No Call directory by visiting the website, https://www.donotcall.gov/default.aspx. At this website, you can add your phone number to the National Do Not Call directory and receive further information regarding the No Call List.

Home Improvement fraud is another area where Senior Elders need to be careful. Due to the fact that many Seniors own homes and are home during the day they are targeted by con artists who plan to win them over with friendly smiles and small talk, only to bilk them out of thousands of dollars.
When contractors come to your door offering free estimates, you need to think twice before going into any business with these people. Though they may be legitimate, there is no way to know for sure, without checking their references, checking to make sure they have valid business licenses, and above all else, get other estimates by other known companies to affirm that what they have told you is indeed fact. Finally, never give a contractor large down payments of money before you have thoroughly checked out their credentials.

Many times, Senior Adults are advised by con artists not to include their family members in any of the details of the scams. This applies to home improvement scams, telemarketing scams, and sweepstake scams.

If you believe one of your Senior relatives may be the victims of a scam, you should get involved. Many times, if Seniors have been victimized, they may fear to tell anyone because they don’t want to appear incompetent.

Senior Adults should also take extra care in guarding their Medicare cards and Credit cards. Never give out your Medicare number to anyone asking for it for a “free” service.

You should always consult with your Medicare literature to find out what services are covered and which are not. If a service isn’t covered, and a provider asks for your number, they may be committing Medicaid fraud.

Also, you should never put your pin number on your credit card. If your card was ever stolen, someone could use your card and access an ATM machine. You must take care to keep all of your personal information safe. One way that you can keep your personal information safe is by tearing or shredding all personal and financial information before throwing it away.

Many unscrupulous con artists who are looking to steal your identity will comb through dumpsters and trash bins looking for information that contains bank account numbers, social security numbers, and other persona identifications.

When traveling or going out in public, limit the amount of credit cards and personal information related documents that you bring with you. These con artists are looking to steal purses and wallets to take as much of your personal identification as possible.

The best rule is to be wary of giving out credit card numbers and Medicaid numbers unless you verify that it is a bonifide business.

Case Scenario
Margaret Mills woke in the middle of the night with pains in her chest. She managed to call 911 before losing consciousness. She was suffering from a mild heart attack. She spent nearly three weeks in the hospital before being able to return home. When she checked her Medicaid Summary statement, she noticed several charges that she did not incur.
There were two charges for ambulatory services, when she knew she had only had one trip to the hospital in the ambulance. She also noticed several charges for home rehabilitation therapy that took place on the dates that she was still in the hospital. Margaret immediately contacted the billing department of the hospital and was told that the charge was to reimburse the physical therapy she received while in the hospital.

Margaret noticed that the charges clearly stated that they took place in her home and were for a substantial amount of money.

She decided to call the Medicare hotline, which assured her that they would investigate and told her that it sounded like a case of Medicare fraud