Walking and Health

Walking in love requires a certain type of muscle to be exercised.  The heart is the muscle in question.  Normally a long walk would require a stretching of the muscle through a short warm up program.  Then, you begin the main portion of the activity where the muscle groups get a great workout.  Then, lastly a warm down to once again stretch the muscles in a cool down to prevent soreness later.

Walking in love, God’s love, is more of a continous stroll that you take down life’s path.  Walking in love is to step out of one’s own selfish desires and to get out there and help someone else.  Start out small, like a warm up, and eventually you’re heart muscle with crave longer, larger needs of giving and helping and loving. 

You don’t have to be a religious finatic to walk in love.  Give of your self to someone else by donating your time at the local library.  Volunteer to help at a school function, be a class mom or dad.  Help someone take their groceries to their car.  It’s the small things in life that create a better place to live for all of us.  Sometimes, just a small soft spoken word of encouragement can change a life forever.

I remember when my son was born.  He was born two weeks early and had fluid in his lungs.  I had a C-Section and as the doctor took him out I heard that sweet sound of a baby cry and then it suddenly stopped.  I couldn’t see what was going on, I could only hear the anxiousness in the nurses voices.  A stat this and a get him breathing and they whisked him out of the surgery room.  I prayed that he would be ok and my doctor doing the surgery took my hand and said they’ll take care of him.

After I had returned to a regular hospital bed and had rested for a few hours, a different doctor came in and gave me an update on my baby.  He said they were going to transport him to a different hospital just a few miles down the road where they had a NICU (a neonatal intensive care unit) that specialized in newborns.   They wheeled my baby in and he was strapped in a transporter.  It was one of those plastic incubators that you see in the movies when the new babies are born and the family is looking in at them through the glass window in the nursery.  I couldn’t hold him or touch him or let him know everything was going to be ok.  He was in an induced medical coma so he wouldn’t hurt himself and so the breathing tube in him could do it’s job and provide the oxygen his little body and brain needed to stay alive.   He was born 7 lbs 11 oz., so he was a good size baby, his lungs were just a little underdeveloped. 

I was released from Whittier Hospital three days after the C-section, and my husband took me over to the other hospital down the street, Whittier Presbyterian Hospital, to the NICU section where my baby was still in critical condition and the news was day by day as to whether he would make it through or not.  I was still very sore, so my huusband got a wheel chair and he wheeled me in to where all the special babies were.  Some were only a few ounces in weight and would be there for many months.  I looked at the incubator where my little baby lay and I started to cry when I saw all the needles coming in and out of him.  The head nurse on that shift that morning came over to me and put her hand on my shoulder.  She said he is doing well, he had a few rough moments, he is still not out of danger.  She said he was a fighter and they had  to sedate him even more than normal because he wanted to start breathing on his own and his little lungs still had some fluid in them.  She said I’ll be right back and she walked over to the nursing station and pulled something off the wall. 

She came back and had a picture of another baby.  The baby in the picture was sitting up and was about four or five months old and had a big smile and looked like the perfect baby.  She said a few months ago this beautiful, healthy little girl was lying there just like your baby and look at her now.  It may seem like he is in a bad situation, but I’m sure he is going to be just fine and will be like this little girl in a few months.  For the next few days, I lived by her words and my little Jeremy made a full recovery.  He was released two weeks from the date he was born and his lungs were completely clear of any fluid.  My heart goes out with a gratitude of thanks to all the nurses, who work in an NICU, especially Mila and the other nurses there at the Whittier Presbyterian in Whittier, California.  They are so loving and caring and understanding.

My little guy is now in his terrible two’s and I love him to death.  Everytime he gets sick with a little runny nose or a cough, I’m reminded of how fragile he was and how he nearly died and how that wonderful NICU nurse made that one kind gesture that I will remember forever.  Make an effort today to walk in love.  Your heart will leap for joy.

Jeremy taking a bath at 1 years old. 

One day a father was on his way home from the office and he suddenly remembers that it’s his daughter’s birthday. He pulls over to a Toy Shop and asks the sales person, “How much for one of those Barbie’s in the display window?”

The salesperson answers, “Which one do you mean, Sir? We have: Work Out Barbie for $19.95, Shopping Barbie for $19.95, Beach Barbie for $19.95, Disco Barbie for $19.95, Ballerina Barbie for $19.95, Astronaut Barbie for $19.95, Skater Barbie for $19.95, and Divorced Barbie for $265.95.”
The amazed father asks: “It’s what?! Why is the Divorced Barbie $265.95 and the others only $19.95?” The annoyed salesperson rolls her eyes, sighs, and answers: “Sir . . . Divorced Barbie comes with : Ken’s Car, Ken’s House, Ken’s Boat, Ken’s Furniture, Ken’s Computer, and one of Ken’s Friends.

Humor can get you through most instances in life. If you’re feeling stressed, depressed, angry, sad, lonely, or experiencing any other negative emotion, reading or hearing a good joke can relieve some of the negative feelings and bring about a lighter side to life. Start your day with reading the comics in your daily newspaper.

Humor also helps in understanding a difficult subject. Studies have shown that students seem to learn more when teachers use humor effectively. Humor can also increase effectiveness in the workplace. Let’s face it, the people around you in your workplace become your extended family. When you spend 40 or more hours with them, it helps if a few of them or yourself has a sense of humor and can lighten things up in the workplace. If everyone always had an “all work and no play” attitude, the hours would drag by forever. It really helps when your supervisor has a good sense of humor and uses it effectively to make the workplace more enjoyable.

Humor is also effective in helping to heal whether emotional or physical healing is needed. Studies have shown that “humor helps patients relieve stress and heal.” You can read a great article from Science Daily here Laughter Is The Best Medicine-Science Daily . Anyway you look at it, using humor effectively can bring a smile to anyone who may need it.

I listen to the radio at work and every week morning the DJ tells a joke. Most of the time it’s a little corny and always a rated “G” joke. It doesn’t matter what the content is, becuase in most cases it makes you laugh, it helps you to forget about other things weighing on your mind; it makes you feel good.

So, go out there and walk and be happy and enjoy life and stay positive and feel good about yourself and laugh. Laughing is contagious, spread it everywhere you go. Here’s one more…have a happy day.

Please feel free to leave a comment.

It’s Free, This is Heaven

his 85 year old couple, having been married almost 60 years, had died in a car crash. They had been in good health the last ten years mainly due to her interest in health food, and exercise.When they reached the pearly gates, St. Peter took them to their mansion which was decked out with a beautiful kitchen and master bath suite and Jacuzzi.

“Don’t you understand yet? This is heaven, it is free!” Peter replied with some exasperation.

“Well, where are the low fat and low cholesterol tables?” the old man asked timidly.

Peter lectured, “That’s the best part…you can eat as much as you like of whatever you like and you never get fat and you never get sick. This is Heaven.”

With that the old man went into a fit of anger, throwing down his hat and stomping on it, and shrieking wildly.

Staying connected and staying mobile is the way of the world. If you don’t have the latest information in front of you, you could miss out on an important meeting or even worse, you could lose a potential big deal or a client.

In this stressful world, each of us has to be connected and almost everywhere you look there are cell phones and people are on their laptops. What did we ever do without them? I can remember my dad whistling at us around dinner time and that was the closest we ever got to a cell phone back in the day. Now, children text each other between periods at school and on the weekends. It’s the thing to do. As adults and most of us are working adults, we need to stay in constant touch with the office, especially if we have positions that require us to work flexible hours and go beyond the normal 9 to 5.

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I took a much needed vacation and took the family to Lake Vail in Temecula, CA. It’s official title on the website is Vail Lake Village and RV Resort. I wanted to get out of town for a few days and I wanted to travel just out of reach of the city, so it seemed like we were making a significant change in scenery even though it was only a 50 mile drive from our house, keeping the gas expense to a minimum. Lake Vail is located about 100 miles from Los Angeles off of the 15 freeway on Route 79 South. The resort is ideal for RV camp goers as well as those who want to rough it and use a tent. The campsites are large enough for the RV and a tent. Most of the sites have a table and a fire ring. We barbecued every evening. We cooked chicken, had salmon one night, did the usual hot dogs and hamburgers and the ever-important S’mores after the sun set while sitting around the campfire.

We went out to the area of the campsite where the pools are located. It was hot in the sun, but the water in the pool was refreshing. The bathrooms and the whole pool area were very neat and clean. I would recommend this RV resort to those interested in having a relaxing time with the family. The resort also has a water slide. The water slide has an attendant and they watch the kids go down. The resort also has a small gathering area where on weekends they serve up Carne Asada dinners for $8.00 a plate and they have a band providing entertainment. It’s a great place to take the family after a fun day in the sun.

We went miniature golfing on their green set up with 18 holes. It was a great time for the kids. This was the first time my six year old had ever experienced miniature golf and she had fun trying to master her swing. At one point she whacked the ball into the next playing field and another point she was so close to the hole, but the ball barely budged because she was learning control and she didn’t want to hit it too hard. Back at camp, there was plenty of space for the kids to play catch with a football, throw a Frisbee around, and play catch with a softball. There were exerting energy, and they were staying active. They didn’t even miss the play-station or TV which were left behind at home on purpose.

All-in-all it was a fun time had by everyone. The kids stayed busy and the adults could relax without the annoying phone ringing or deadlines pending. I spoke with several different “neighbors” who were camping nearby and they said this resort was a great place to camp on the weekends. Most visitors arrive on Friday evening after work and leave on Sunday. Lake Vail Resort a great place to get away. The outdoors promotes physical activity for all ages and all levels. In the evening, we took a walk around the campsite and enjoyed seeing the sunset and the smell of camping. If you have ever been camping, you know the smell. It’s a mixture of trees, fresh air and the smell of firewood burning at a campsite. Gotta love it!

Here are some helpful sites to link to while setting up a camping trip for vacation. We stayed five days, but a weekend getaway can help relieve some of the day-to-day pressure that builds up at work. We got a campground finder book from the Auto Club, we made our RV Rental reservations through El Monte RV and we booked our Lake Vail Resort reservation by calling the number on their website. The “website available” camp sites seemed to be a little out of sync with the available sites when calling a live person. I would recommend a call to them to confirm available spots before booking. We preferred the shade in the Oaks area. Happy Camping.

• Lake Vail Village and RV Resort:

http://www.vaillakeresort.com/index.php?p=1_1_Home

• Automobile Club of Southern CA: Excellent resources for campgrounds by State

http://www.aaa.com/scripts/WebObjects.dll/ZipCode.woa/wa/route

• El Monte RV Rentals: Nationwide RV Rentals

http://www.elmonterv.com/

Featured Product of the Week:

Nextar X3i 3.5″ GPS System

This GPS System and other Camping Items can be found at:

Click below to go to Home page to Walking and Health:

http://walkingandhealth.com/

Walking is beneficial to anybody trying to stay in shape. Even if you have different medical conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, a back injury that flares up every now and then and knee or ankle injuries from the past that act up especially in cold weather. Always consult your doctor first, but most doctors will recommend some type of exercise program that includes walking. Walking is one of the least evasive forms of exercise. Your joints are not likely to get jolted like they are in running and jogging and the stress impact to your knees, ankles, and other joints are minimal so most people are not prone to injury with walking.

I found a great article that I would like to share with you that is found on Arthritis.org. Click here to read the article on Five Strategies for Walking Success. Enjoy the article it applies to all walkers whether you have arthritis or not. It’s main focus is on how to develop a routine and to keep walking day in and day out without losing focus and still stay motivated.

http://www.arthritis.org/five-strategies-for-walking-success.php

Click below to go to Home page to Walking and Health:

http://walkingandhealth.com/

I am training to walk in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer coming up in Long Beach, CA in a few months. I walk throughout my neighborhood and at the local parks, but every now and then I want to try something different and new. I found a website that I would like to share with you. It is called USA Track and Field and you can check it out at http://www.usatf.org/routes/map/. This site allows you to plan out your own walking route and get exact distance totals anywhere in the US. You can use this tool if you are local and at home or take it with you if you are planning a vacation and want to continue your daily walking routine. You can basically stay in shape wherever you go.

I started at a point in my neighborhood where I knew I could park and go from there. I wanted to do a six mile walk. I located my state, my city, and the cross street by drilling down on the map of the United States. At the street level, I clicked section by section through the area until it added up to six miles. It even allows you to save the route. You can also choose another route in the area that someone else has already planned out.

I think this is a great tool for walkers and runners alike. The site even calculates the amount of water you will need on your walk or run. Like I’ve said before, you don’t have to be a marathon runner to get out there and do some great walking. The health benefits are wonderful and soon you’ll have more endurance, your clothes will feel better on you, and you’ll have a better outlook on life as you begin to get into shape-all just by walking.

Click below to go to Home page to Walking and Health:

http://walkingandhealth.com/

My family and I are planning a camping trip. We are staying at a camp site that is filled with a variety of activities for both the adults and the kids. This particular campsite, located in Southern California, where the summer temps can get up there, has a water slide where the kids can get wet and get in some great physical activity. They don’t even realize that as many times as they slide down the water slide is how many times they’ll be taking the steps back up again. What a great exercise for them and for the adults.

Get the most out of your vacation by planning outings. Go for a bike ride, or take a trip to the lake or beach, take a musuem tour or visit your favorite local attraction like a Disneyland type activity. In any and all these activities, you’ll be having so much fun and your mind will be on different things that you won’t even realize how much stress free physical activity you are racking up for the day. The average person can leisurely get in 4 to 8 miles of walking easily, depending on how long you are actually on your feet.

Remember to take plenty of water, wear sunscreen, wear comfortable shoes, dress in layers in case the weather changes and always go in a group of at least two or more. You’ll have a better time with friends and family. Have fun and stay safe on your next vacation!

Click below to go to Home page to Walking and Health:

http://walkingandhealth.com/

I am committed to walk in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer this year once again. All of us have a great achievement that we try to strive and accomplish in our lifetime. Last year I set a goal in April to participate in the annual two-day event for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in Long Beach. I had to train in order to walk 26 miles and I had to raise $1,800 in order to participate in the walk. I started back in April of last year training by going for short distance walks at local parks in the city. When I first ventured out I was in a worn out T-shirt and old tennis shoes and walked about 20 minutes at a park. I don’t even think it was a quarter of a mile! By the end of August, and five months later, I had all the right walking gear and even walked one Saturday morning a whopping 10 miles!!

At that point, I felt like I was in the best shape of my adult life, even though I was overweight. I knew I had lost inches everywhere, and had built up strength and endurance to handle the two day marathon. My fundraising was lagging behind my training, but I knew somehow that my friends and family would help me by seeing my commitment and by knowing that their donation was going to a good cause. They all came through and I only missed the $1,800 mark by $160. Thank you all!

This year I am committed more than ever to participate in the walk again. This year I am again training but hope to lose weight this time. My doctor says I need to lose weight and he said the best way is by walking. My goal is to lose 50 pounds. I need everyone’s monetary support to help me reach my fundraiser goal, but I’m asking for your spiritual support so I can drop fifty pounds and get into a safe and manageable weight level by the walk. I think once I reach this goal, I’ll be so pumped and energetic. I’ll be able to maintain my new weight just by doing the walk every year. I think my problem this past year is that I felt I had to keep eating the same quantity of food and at times more in order to be able to walk all these extra miles, similar to a pregnant woman eating for two. This time, I might eat the same quantity of food, but I’m choosing a better nutritional quality of food, which should help me to burn more calories than I’m taking in. I’m sure you don’t need to know the details of my approach. I just wanted to express my thoughts as to why I did not lose any weight last time.

I plan to walk again this year and this time we have several others who wanted to participate. We are creating a team and now we have five people who are walking. Last year it was me and my mom and we did it together. It was a wonderful experience that I will remember always. Please prayerfully consider making a donation. I know you must get asked many times and there are so many worthwhile causes out there. A cure for breast cancer is one of them. Luckily my mom and I and my sister, who is going to walk, do not have breast cancer. However, we know of people who did have breast cancer in the past, received treatment, and are breast cancer survivors. I have two girls and they have many girl friends and we have to think of them and their future. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if they didn’t have to worry about breast cancer in their lives?

I intend to lose 50 pounds by the walk, then another 50 pounds after the walk. Please support me and the Avon Walk and make a donation in honor of my anticipated weight loss. A donation from $25 to $50 would be most graciously appreciated. The more donations I receive the more I’ll feel supported and encouraged and I will make it happen. I logged into 50MillionPounds.com and entered all my information and I am tracking my weight loss via the site. In the meantime, please view my Avon Walk for Breast Cancer page by clicking on Angie’s Walk Page.

Thank you so much for your support. I encourage you to comment on your own experience and/or provide any suggestions you may have for me. I especially need help on how to stay focused on my goal to lose 50 pounds.

Your comments are welcomed.

Click below to go to Home page to Walking and Health:

http://walkingandhealth.com/

Walking for Health. Walking and Health will present different articles on walking and how it is beneficial to your health. Also, look for ways to outfit yourself in walking gear and to make the most of exercising and staying fit through walking and other forms of low impact aerobics. You will find a large selection of gear including walking and running shoes for men, women, children and even toddlers. You will also find a large selection of socks, support bras, tops, t-shirts, sweatshirts and sweatpants. You need to be equipped with the proper gear in all types of weather and climates.

It’s so important to have the right gear when training and participating in a walk. Tops and bottoms that breathe and allow perspiration to pull away from your body are the best types. Also, clothes made from absorbant and non-bacterial material is best. Proper fitting is also important to prevent chaffing and rubbing in friction areas.