Tag Archives: exercise

A Reminder To Be One With The Community

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After reading the article titled “The Center for Native and Pacific Health Disparities Research Walks Beside, Not In Front of, Diverse Hawaiian Communities to Control Diabetes,” it made me think about the good point that Dr. Marjorie Mau, a lead principal investigator of the Center for Native and Pacific Health Disparities Research, addressed on how they walk beside the community rather than in front of them. When trying to help the community, I think that it is best to make them feel like family; to feel comfortable and at ease with you. With the information we get about health issues in our communities, it definitely makes us want to address it and help those who may need some guidance. With this, we have to also remember that we can not just try to budge into their lives and take over, even if it is for good intentions.

The article mentioned how the Partnership for Improving Lifestyle Interventions (PILI) project addressed obesity by adapting an existing weight loss education program. They used local languages and examples that were relevant to those in the community. There was also a program added to help participants with the support of family members and the community; this program was culturally adapted based on its community. Personally, I have never thought about letting myself be apart of a research. The whole concept of trying to improve health by researching is amazing but when I think about allowing research programs work on my body, it just doesn’t sound too pleasing, depending on what it is. So after reading this article, I realized that maybe it isn’t too bad. Also, I loved how the research program approached the topic of research and what they were focusing on. Without a doubt, I think that their approach/idea on research and community can be applied to other things.

Dr. Mau and the Center for Native and Pacific Health Disparities Research definitely has good intentions to help the communities, mainly focused in Hawaii. The overall thought of walking besides them/the community and helping with issues they/the community care about can definitely help with the factor of gaining trust and opening up for help/guidance. Since our goal for the concept of Bicultural Healthy Living is to help support people in living healthily within cultures people adapt to, applying these ideas and strategies will greatly benefit the community and our goal.

Remember to lend out a helping hand but also remember to think about who those you help are as a person. Diversity is all around us but sometimes we forget that we live in a world where every culture is different but it is normal. Every community may be different so it is important to help with things that matter to them while making them feel like family.

 

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To read more about the article, “The Center for Native and Pacific Health Disparities Research Walks Beside, Not In Front of, Diverse Hawaiian Communities to Control Diabetes,” click the link: https://www.nimhd.nih.gov/news-events/features/community-health/diabetes-risk-and-native-hawaiians.html

National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month

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September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month and it’s all about promoting healthier lifestyle and spreading awareness of obesity among children. It’s important to become more educated about your health so that you can better understand the benefits of leading a healthier lifestyle and the risks of making poorer health decisions. Also, the goal is to not only educate yourself, but those around you; your family, friends, peers, and more! Positive influence can make a difference in people’s perspective on living whether it is being healthier, exercising or going out more, or simply having a more positive outlook.

There are many ways to be healthier and it doesn’t mean you have to be limited in your choices. Whatever your health goal is, try some of these tips:

  • Try to include more fruits & veggies into your diet! Having a healthy diet includes a mix of all kinds of food that can offer your body nutrients. Also, a bonus is that you can eat a variety of things without getting bored of the same diet routine.
  • Cook your own food! Cooking your own food can be time consuming but have no worries, there are tons of recipe out there that is quick, healthy, and easy to make. With this, you know what you are consuming and you can better control your portions.
  • Exercise is important, but don’t stress over it! If find that you don’t like a tpye of exercise, try something else. The great thing about it is that there are many things that you can do to stay active. Daily things such as cleaning your house, going on a stroll to deliver mail, or walking up and down the stairs rigorously. It’s up to you to determine which workout is best for your schedule and body.

Other social media links listed down below!

  • Learn how one grocer in West Virginia is helping improve the health of customers by stocking toys that promote physical activity and healthy snacks in the checkout lane. http://bit.ly/2aiwILe – #NCOAM
  • Learn how you can take part in the effort to encourage more children in your community to be physically active and eat a healthy diet. http://bit.ly/1pirD0j – #NCOAM
  • Addressing obesity requires the support of communities. This National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, learn how state and local organizations can create a supportive environment to promote healthy behaviors that prevent obesity. http://bit.ly/1JS8YIE – #NCOAM

Twitter Movements!

  • @letsmove – The First Lady’s initiative dedicated to solving the challenge of childhood obesity.
  • @CDCObesity – CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity
  • @ACSMNews – The American College of Sports Medicine. Official sponsor of National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month.

Info provided above belong to rightful owner.

Summer Physical Activities!

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Summer is a time for outdoor activities! So put on your work out gear and get your equipments ready if necessary. Make sure to the take opportunity of the warm weather to enjoy being outdoors and engaging in summer activities. Not sure of what you should do? Listed down below are some recommendations:

  • Walking around your community and neighborhood is a great way for you to discover new restaurants, local stores, and sites you have not seen before.
  • Go running/biking/walking around local trails! It keeps you active while sightseeing and you can control your own pacing.
  • Play a sport! Popular sports in the summer is volleyball, baseball, & swimming! Of course, feel free to participate in any sport activity. Form your own team or play for a local team!
  • Rent a paddle boat, canoe, kayak, and even rent a bike. They are commonly found in areas of Minnesota lakes.

The most important thing is to have fun and be safe! Any physical activities can be harmful when done extensively so remember to let your body rest. But no physical activity is also bad for your body. It’s all about living a balanced lifestyle in different kinds of ways.

3 New Year Resolutions For You!

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As the ending of 2015 comes nearer, it is that time again of the year where people make new resolutions! Don’t stress making big goals to achieve and instead, focus on the small things you can do. Have you got goals any yet? Here are some resolutions that you can try to achieve for 2016!

  1. Want to start a healthier lifestyle? They say that “An apple a day, keep the doctor away”, but the point is that eating healthier foods will help improve your health. So try to avoid food with hight contents of saturated fat, oil, sugar, and sodium! It cannot be stressed enough as more than 1/3 of adults are obese in the U.S. So putting that with other healthy activities like exercising, your sleeping cycle, drinking water, and other things, will improve your overall health!
  2. Feeling like you need to try new things/activities/hobbies? It’s never to late to be part of something whether it is to make new friends, raise awareness, or just to have fun. Join community clubs, events, and be part of something bigger! Sometimes it is not easy putting yourself out there but if you do, you’ll get to meet people that you wouldn’t have been able to! The best part is that you would meet people who share similar interest
  3. Help save the planet! 2015 was a huge year that raised global awareness to global warming! If you are looking for a cause to support this is a major one as every living thing rely on the Earth! If you can’t contribute much to this cause, you can always try to lessen the trash/waste you put out. A few tips are to compost your foods, recycle when you can, reduce electricity and gas usage, & such! If we can all try to a live a a minimal lifestyle, then the Earth will greatly benefit from it!

Running Time!

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Running is one of the oldest ways of exercising and has been proven to be very effective for maintaining an active lifestyle. People have been doing it for exercising, hunting, and sporting events. It is something that most people can do and fit into their schedule. Here are some tips on how to start:

  1. Stretching is very important before doing any work out! Whether you’re planning to run for 15 minutes or longer, it is good for you to stretch your muscle to relieve muscle tensions, lessen possible sore muscles, and prevent muscle cramping.
  2. Drink lots of water! Do it before, during, and after you have run. Besides the obvious fast paced breathing for oxygen, water is another important source for your body to reboot itself.
  3. Running is cardio work out! If you’re looking to lose weight, running is a great way to do it! You will have to work around and understand how your body loses and gains weight. The best combination to losing weight is dieting and sticking to a exercise schedule. Of course, a mix of cardio exercising will help your body more than just running.
  4. Wear proper work out gears! Some clothes, accessories, and shoes are better suited for working out because of the technology and material behind it. They are made to help absorb the sweat and give you more comfort while working out. And they can somewhat motivate you to work out even more.
  5. It’s great for the body and soul! Exercising helps decrease stress and raise your brain activity. When you are engaging in physical activities, it helps pump more blood, raise your heart beat, and release brain chemicals that makes you feel better. So you are helping yourself destress, losing calories, and incorporating more positive feelings into yourself.

Active Dancing

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Loving Hip Hop - Being Active

Dancing is a great way to exercise, maintain one’s weight, lose weight, and learn new ways to move the body. You can do it alone or with your friends or in a group. There are many varieties of dance forms that you can try. Also, there are many ways to access them today through online, programs, classes, friends, and more. Here are some dance forms to try:

  • Hip hop dancing is a great way to lose body weight because it involves moving all the muscles in your body. It has a lot of jumping, leg and arm movements, and body strength. Many moves  are improvise and can be self taught or taught by others.
  • Traditional dancing differs from culture to culture. Some are focused on graceful movements, others focus on precision, but all of them requires the body to exercise. Traditional dancing combines knowledge, history, culture, and exercise, which is another great way to part of something and is healthy for the body.
  • Jazz dancing is a classical dance form, but nowadays, there are modern versions of it as well. Jazz is often includes groups of people more than individuals, but one person can dance to it too. Jazz dance even has their own music to dance to, jazz music.
  • Tap dance involves using using the feet to tap the metal part of the shoes to make percussion like noises. This dance is put into two categories: rhythm (jazz) tap and Broadway tap. Rhythm tap is focus on the music and Broadway tap is focused on the dance. Either way, this dance form is fun to try and a great way to move your legs.

There are many other dance forms not mentioned, but here are a just a few options out there. It is really up to you to decide which one suits you best. It doesn’t mean you have to stick with one dance form, you should always try different things. Have fun exercising and dancing!

NRC Recognizes National Nutrition Month

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March is recognized as national nutrition month! This month focuses on healthy eating and living. The goal is encourage people to maintain a balance lifestyle between exercising and eating. Obesity is still a problem in the U.S. as less people are being active and consuming more than they should. Obesity affects many different kinds of people from all sort of age groups.

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If you are still keeping your new year’s resolution or looking for simple ways to be healthier, here are some quick tips onto how:

  • Avoid fast food companies, junk food, and anything that is high in calories. Although the price might be cheaper, but what you are getting in return is more calories than necessary. Look for foods with simple ingredients, low calories, and organic is always a plus!
  • Eat seasonal fruits and veggies. The best to consume fruits and veggies is when they are in their season. Most likely that fruits and veggies will be cheaper at this time so take advantage of it!
  • “Replace fats like bacon grease and butter with olive or canola oil” – http://reachcoalition.org/
  • Cook your own food. It doesn’t get any better than knowing what is and how much is in your food. Whether it’s fried chicken, a burger, or a stir fry dish, it’s a lot healthier to eat compared to eating out or ordering fast food.
  • Work out as much as you can or maintain a exercise schedule. Even a little exercise can help you lose calories and destress. If you are able to keep up your own schedule, mixing up exercise methods can help you avoid boredom and still be productive.

References and pictures are from: http://reachcoalition.org/

Follow the fight against obesity at CDCObesity and theweightofthenation.

Asian Cuisine & Foods

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-The Popularity & ‘Fusion’ of Asian Cuisine

In general, there are a few different reasons for the growing popularity of Asian food and cuisine in the United State. On the institutional level, it can be seen as a reflection of the increasing globalization and transnational development in the United States. The economic and cultural elements are gradually diffused between countries, for example, food and cuisine are one of the trends.

On the group level, demographic trends play important role on the growth of Asian cuisine. The population of Asian Americans and Asian immigrants increase gradually each year, so do the number of Asian businesses and restaurants.

Finally, on the individual level, Americans are open to accept various elements of diverse culture, such as food. Asian cuisine are referred to “safe” and “easy” ways for Americans to demonstrate their cultural curiosity and openness.

These days, traditional Asian cuisine is changed into a new fusion style of pan-Asian dishes, which is the combined elements and styles of different Asian cultures. Many of these early fusion dishes were synthesized from Thai, Vietnamese, Indian, and Chinese cuisines.

-Health Considerations

Along with being seen as new and trendy, these Asian fusion dishes also appeal to many customers because they tend to be lighter and are perceived to be healthier than other types of “ethnic” cuisine. Currently, many westerners observed the health benefits of Asian foods. Many nutritionists point out that Asian countries have lower rates of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and many cancers, while these are higher rates in the United States. On the one hand, physical activity such as tai chi in Asian societies helps lower the disease rates; on the other hand, Asian diets are playing important roles on reducing these health problems too.

The Chinese diet depends heavily on grains, fruits, and vegetables. Instead of using meat as the main ingredient in a mean, many dishes are consisted of small amounts of meat, mainly of vegetables as well as rice. Fish is a popular food in many Asian countries, which is an important source to lower the rate of chronic health problems that are higher in the United States. At the same point, drinking green tea is a tradition in most Asian countries, which has many antioxidant benefits.

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Playing vs. Exercising

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Sometimes we are active in playing and it can even result in a smaller version of the body exercising. But playing and exercising are two different activities. Playing is for the enjoyment of the moment, being entertained and can even be social. Exercise is rigorously being active and burning body energy/fat. So if you want to be active instead of ‘playing’, allow your body to feel the burn.

How do you know when you actively exercising? It is quite easy to tell from these common signs that your body gives off in response:

  • Sweating frequently
  • Heart rate increases and remain at a high rate for the moment of working out
  • Muscles are used more than usual
  • Feel thirsty and the intake of water increase

You don’t have work out like the traditional ways if you like being entertained at the same time. Sometimes, people say that exercising is boring and yes, it can be so boring just doing the same thing over again. But finding ways to preoccupied your mind can help you get started. Like for example:

  • Listen to music that pumps you up
  • Mix exercise routines from jogging to yoga to dance, etc.
  • Take advantage of technology and watch your favorite shows while jogging, step climbing, etc.
  • Best thing to make it easier: Work out with a partner or a friend!

So remember to play frequently and exercise daily. Both are good for the body and the brain. Being active and sociable is always a plus!