Posted by Laura Nelson on August 1, 2010
Historically, cultures developed traditions of honoring different stones for the months of the year, signs of the zodiac, or healing and protection. Today, birthstone jewelry is often given to honor a friend’s birth month.
The list of birthstones commonly used today was adopted in 1912 by the organization that evolved into Jewelers of America. Peridot (pictured) is the birthstone for August. The color should be a lively lime green, without a brownish or olive cast. The most important peridot source in the world is the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation near Globe, Arizona, where it is mined by native Americans.
To see more birthstone jewelry, visit Matthew Erickson Jewelers, 4421 Fox Valley Center Drive (outer ring of Fox Valley Mall), Aurora. (630) 820-0300 www.matthewericksonjewelers.com
Birthstones, by month: January–Garnet; February– Amethyst; March–Aquamarine; April–Diamond; May–Emerald; June–Pearl or Moonstone; July–Ruby; August–Peridot; September–Sapphire; October–Opal or Tourmaline; November–Topaz or Citrine; December–Tanzanite, Turquoise, or Blue Zircon.
Posted by Laura Nelson on August 1, 2010
By Megan Schaaf, BrightStar Healthcare
Megan Schaaf, BrightStar Healthcare
According to the Alzheimer’s Association (2010), there are currently “5.1 million people age 65 and older have Alzheimer’s. It’s estimated that in 2030, more than 7.7 million in this age group will have the disease (a 50% increase).” With such a large number of people facing this debilitating illness, it is no surprise that BrightStar cares for a number of clients with this disease.
BrightStar Healthcare is a wise choice for people with Alzheimer’s because caregivers’ flexible hours allow for an increase in care as the disease progresses. Additionally, because consistency and routine are highly beneficial to people with memory loss, allowing them to stay at home in an environment where they are already comfortable is very important. BrightStar caregivers come from a wide variety of backgrounds, many of which include memory care and upon hire caregivers are encouraged to participate in Alzheimer’s training.
The ten most common symptoms of Alzheimer’s are:
• Memory loss that disrupts daily life
• Challenges in planning or solving problems
• Difficulty completing familiar tasks
• Confusion with time or place
• Trouble understanding visual images
• New problems with words when speaking or writing
• Misplacing things (on a regular basis)
• Losing the ability to retrace steps
• Decreased or poor judgment, withdrawal from work or social activities
• Changes in mood or personality.
If these signs sound familiar, it is important to contact a health care provider for further assessment. Additionally, the Alzheimer’s Association also has a hotline you can call 24/7 at (800) 272-3900. The hotline can provide assistance in understanding an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, treatment options, as well as referrals to local resources.
BrightStar is a national partner of the Alzheimer’s Association and as such we care deeply about working to find a cure for Alzheimer’s. In order to work towards this goal, the Wheaton BrightStar office is participating in the annual Memory Walk in Naperville on September 26th 2010. If you are interested in joining our team or making a donation, please contact Megan Schaaf at BrightStar.
To learn more about caregivers and their availability, call Megan Schaaf at BrightStar of Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, and DuPage County, (630) 260-5300.
Posted by Laura Nelson on August 1, 2010
By Dr. Ruth Martens, M.D., D. Ht
After 40, many of my patients eat right and exercise regularly but still have difficulty losing weight. Women are aware of large changes in metabolism around menopause but men also have difficulty. Does something change or is it just in your head?
Actually, there is a real reason our bodies change with age. When we are young, our bodies grow several feet taller in only a few years. The hormone responsible is human growth hormone (HGH). After puberty, HGH declines until our mid 30’s. As a result, we increase body fat. When we get to middle age, muscle tone declines, bad cholesterol increases, bone density thins and the skin begins to wrinkle.
The good news is there is a natural way to cause an increase in HGH through fitness training. When HGH is released during exercise, it shrinks body fat for 2 hours after training. It is literally the “fitness hormone”.
But, you might say, “I already exercise”. The key seems to be the right type of exercise. Most people know that stretching improves muscle tone, aerobic exercise is good for your heart and endurance and strength training with either weights or resistance will increase muscle fiber. What is missing from these fitness plans is high intensity, short sprints, also known as anaerobic exercise. This is the type of exercise that makes you hot, sweaty, out of breath and is the one where you “feel the burn” in your muscles. It is also the one that is essential to release the fitness hormone. Researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine found that HGH is released in direct proportion to exercise intensity.
If you decide to try this type of exercise, there are a few things that will maximize your effort:
• Before training, avoid a high fat meal. Fat decreases HGH.
• Before or after training take 2g of L-Glutamine.
• Drink lots of water during exercise.
• Avoid sugar for 2 hours after exercise–even in a sports drink.
• After exercise take a protein supplement or eat a high protein meal with 25g of protein. (See the online version of this article for a list of protein sources).
• Get adequate deep sleep.
There are three types of muscle fibers. When you exercise, you must develop all 3 muscle types–slow, fast and super-fast. The reason is it takes fast twitch muscle fibers to perform anaerobic exercise. And anaerobic exercise is what releases your fitness hormone.
This does not mean you should avoid all the other types of exercise. The fact is, you need balance, so alternating stretching, aerobic, strength training and building your muscle fiber gradually will avoid injury and give the best results.
What constitutes anaerobic exercise? Sprinting can be done on a bicycle, swimming, running or even power walking up a hill. Anyone with medical conditions or who can’t remember the last time they exercised should check with their physician before starting an exercise routine.
There are additional benefits to high intensity exercise:
• It raises antioxidants.
• It increases good cholesterol.
• It lowers bad cholesterol.
• It increases bone density.
After trying this fitness program for one month, I can feel a difference in muscle tone and strength, but I can also say my favorite part is getting a better workout in a shorter amount of time. Even at the beginning, I felt doing sprints for 10 minutes was as good as my usual 20 minute bike ride. I have worked up to 8 sprints with rest between. I still hate exercise. But if I have to do it–it helps if I can see results.
Growing older isn’t an option. But we don’t have to feel older. Come on, I’ll race you.
Dr. Martens is a family physician specializing in natural medicine and homeopathy in Wheaton. For more information or to make an appointment, call (630) 668-5595. Current and previous articles available at www.martenshealth.com.
The list of birthstones commonly used today was adopted in 1912 by the organization that evolved into Jewelers of America. Peridot (pictured) is the birthstone for August. The color should be a lively lime green, without a brownish or olive cast. The most important peridot source in the world is the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation near Globe, Arizona, where it is mined by native Americans.