Tag Archives: health

Master Of Meditation

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Hello everyone. Did the title of this blog post get you? Sorry, it won’t be about the master of meditation but it will be about my thoughts and experience on meditation. Feel free to keep reading or if you aren’t interested, check out our other posts!!

Anyways, during my sophomore year in college, I had taken a class on religions of the world. Three fourths of the way through the class, there was an assignment that required us students to physically attend a religious event at a site of our choice. My friend, Nancy, and I decided to go to the Zen Meditation session at Bluestone Zen Practice Community (dedicated to the practice of Zen and the fundamentals of Buddhism). I never really thought about how hard meditation could be. It just seemed so easy, having to sit most of the time. After this session and lessons from class, I realized that meditation was more than just having your eyes closed and breathing.

Nancy and I entered the building not knowing what to expect. It was around 7am so there were no lights turned on. Curtains were not put up either so it created darker/dimmed lighting. Candles were lit and it was quiet, but in a way where everything just seemed so soothing and peaceful. The session finally started when it was time. We all sat on a pillow on the floor. There wasn’t much talking at all and so Nancy and I just did our best to follow along. The whole experience was eye opening, showing me that there is so much more to it. Having to clear my mind while meditating was so much harder than I thought. I kept talking to myself in my head and thinking about trying not to think. I just couldn’t seem to clear my mind, and still haven’t mastered it. In the end, I appreciated the art of meditating a lot more. I definitely saw how this could be a really good routine for my body and mind.

After reading the article written by Dr. Sanjay Gupta on lessons from meditating with the Dalai Lama, it made me feel a sense of comfort and happiness. He talked about how he had a personal one-on-one meditation session with the Dalai Lama. The part that I loved from his article was the part where he talked about how the Dalai Lama smiled and laughed while replying back with “After doing daily for 60 years, it is still hard.” I felt so comforted that someone as holy as the Dalai Lama was so sweet and encouraging. The overall article also talked about how Dr. Sanjay Gupta became a changed man because of this experience and the decision of applying what he learned to his everyday life routine.

Giving things a chance before judging was the reminder that came to me after this experience and again, after reading this article. Meditation is a way to calm the mind and help people with their body. It is just so cool to me now because there is such a deep meaning to it, and it helps a person in so many ways. Keeping the body healthy and staying in shape is so important but sometimes we forget to help the mind. Definitely give meditation a try. It won’t be easy but it will definitely benefit and satisfy you.

 

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I highly recommend you to read Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s article. Click the link below to go directly to the webpage.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/15/health/sanjay-gupta-dalai-lama-meditation/index.html

EBT At Farmers Markets!

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“Thirteen farmers markets in Minneapolis now accept EBT and offer a Market Bucks coupon to help low income residents purchase more healthy, fresh food at affordable prices.”

I know how expensive it can get when trying to find healthier ways to eat. Fresh fruits and vegetables are always so expensive. But hey! Are you with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps)? If yes, there may be a way for you to purchase fresh vegetables and fruits more affordably.

SNAP is delivered via an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card and guess what? Over 30 farmers markets across Minnesota accept EBT!! Going to local farmers markets to purchase your greens and fruits can be a cheaper alternative compared to super markets and grocery stores.

“In 2010, the Minneapolis Health Department (MHD), Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Minnesota (Blue Cross), and the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy worked together to make Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) services available at the Minneapolis Farmers Market and Northeast Farmers Markets, which has accepted EBT since 2006. Partners also launched an incentive program called ‘Market Bucks’ to encourage EBT customers to use their benefits at the markets. Customers who spent at least $5 in EBT received an additional $5 in Market Bucks, essentially doubling their purchasing power for healthy foods.”

This all sounds great! I grew up shopping at the local farmers markets in Minneapolis and Saint Paul and it has always made it a bit easier for my family. In my opinion and from experience, it is definitely way more affordable compared to grocery stores; and now that more and more farmers markets are accepting EBT, it is going to help families of lower income more. The program trying to promote the use of EBT benefits at farmers markets is also so awesome, you spend but also earn money at the same time!

Overall, I think shopping at farmers markets for majority of your food is a great choice and should already be apart of your shopping routine. You save more and the veggies you get are probably way fresher. Try thinking about stopping by a farmers market to check it out! Even if you’re not apart of SNAP, still try checking out the farmers markets around you. I recommend you to because I personally love them. You can look up farmers markets in your area by googling it or if you’re in the Minneapolis areas, click the link below to see the list of farmers markets in Minneapolis.

 

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Information received from the City of Minneapolis, MN website. Read more about it by clicking on the link below.
There are also EBT brochures, fliers, and postcards in English, Spanish, Hmong, and Somali if you would like to have it in hand.

http://minneapolismn.gov/health/living/eating/community-gardens

Men’s Health Month

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June is men’s health month and with that as a reminder to keep up with your health, taking initiative to maintain a healthy life style is one of the main ways to live a good life. So along with having a healthy lifestyle (eating right and having a fitness routine), getting regular check ups is also an important way to help and prevent any problems before they start.

It will be difficult to completely change your routine and quit any unhealthy habits; so with this, I recommend taking baby steps and changing for the better slowly everyday. When you feel confident and comfortable enough, try taking a bigger step!

Some tips to help with keeping you on track includes: having reminders around, support from loved ones, positive reinforcements, setting small goals, taking baby steps if needed, and writing down your progress to help you visually see your improvements!

Keeping your health on track starts with you!


Men’s Health Month 5 Plays Card_English (1)
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Read more about healthy food choices and the importance of having check-ups with the links listed below. Check them out! They will definitely be beneficial!
https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm199058.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/family/checkup/

Food Safety

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It is that time of the year again! Summer has finally arrived! It is time for outdoorsy fun with the ones you love. This also means continuing being safe wherever you go and in whatever you do. This week’s post will be on some safety facts about grilling, from the Minnesota Department of Health.

Handle Food Safely

  • Always wash your hands before and after handling food.
  • Keep the kitchen, dishes and utensils clean.
  • Always serve food on clean plates.
  • Harmful bacteria present in raw meat and poultry and their juices can contaminate safely cooked food. To prevent food borne illness, don’t use the same platter and utensils for raw and cooked meat/poultry.

Keep Hot Foods HOT, Cold Foods COLD

  • Keep meat and poultry refrigerated until ready to use.
  • After cooking meat and poultry on the grill, keep it at 140°F or warmer until served. Keep cooked meats hot by setting them to the side of the grill rack. Cooked meat can be kept hot in a warm oven (approximately 200°F), in a chafing dish, or on a warming tray.
  • In hot weather (above 90°F), food should never sit out for more than one hour.
  • Refrigerate any leftovers promptly in shallow containers.

Marinating

  • Marinate to tenderize or add flavor.
  • Marinate food in the refrigerator, not on the counter.
  • If marinades are to be used as a sauce for the cooked meat, either reserve a portion of the marinade before putting raw meat and poultry in it, or boil it before using on cooked meat to destroy any harmful bacteria.

Precooking
Precooking food on a stove is a good way to reduce grilling time. Make sure that the food goes immediately on the preheated grill to complete cooking.

Cook Thoroughly
Fresh and frozen raw meat, poultry and fish should be cooked hot enough to kill the bacteria, parasites and viruses that may be in the product. The temperatures shown below are recommended for home preparation of food. Always use a meat thermometer to check temperatures. Color is not a reliable indicator of doneness.

Reheating
When reheating fully cooked meats, grill to 165°F.

 

FOOD SAFE INTERNAL TEMPERATURE *
Poultry or fowl, whole or parts 165°F
Ground poultry or fowl 165°F
Ground beef, veal, pork, lamb or venison 160°F
Fresh beef, veal, pork, lamb or venison 145°F
Fish and shellfish, all kinds 145°F
Eggs Until yolk and white are firm
Egg dishes 160°F

* Regulated facilities may cook to different temperatures because staff are trained in the use of time and temperature to reach safe standards.

 

For additional information on food safety, visit the link listed

http://www.health.state.mn.us/foodsafety/index.html

 

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Information received from the Minnesota Health Department. To view the PDF, click on the link provided below.
http://www.health.state.mn.us/foodsafety/cook/grill.pdf

Helping Health Now

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Article written by Kenza Moller talks about how the measles outbreak in Minnesota has risen. There were 70 confirmed cases in the United States, year 2016. Now having that number in mind, try guessing Minnesota’s confirmed cases so far this year… Alone, it has reached 73 confirmed cases (in Minnesota, year 2017). Pretty surprising for sure! This was shocking news to me, showing how dangerously fast it has spread, and remember, this is only counting Minnesota’s cases.

Measles is a contagious disease that can lead to pneumonia, deafness, hospitalization, and death, according to the article and it’s reference. There were at least 65 of the people with measles in Minnesota that were not vaccinated. Due to the rise of anti-vaccination movement, it has increased the chances and risks of diseases spreading faster and coming back throughout. The outbreak began about 8 weeks ago and about 21 people have been hospitalized.

Getting vaccinated can prevent spread and help a person from contracting the measles. If a person contracts this disease, there is not much to do except the hospitals trying their best because there is really no way to treat it.

I feel like the world is getting more and more dangerous due to new diseases, infections, bacteria…etc. It’s so important to keep up with what is currently spreading and how a person can prevent them from harm. People may think that it will never happen to them but that is how it all happens, when off guard and not taking precautions. I am constantly worried about new spreads and how they will hurt the ones I love.

Overall, do your studies and keep up with the news. Make sure you are taking action in preventing you and your loved ones from contracting these new diseases and everything else.

For more information on measles, visit pages listed:

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Received information in article from https://www.romper.com/p/measles-outbreak-in-minnesota-is-the-biggest-in-years-illustrates-a-dangerous-trend-62010

Talking to Teens About Alcohol

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It’s important to discuss about the topic of alcohol usage and influences among teens. Whether it may be from their parents, schools, peers, friends, and so on. It’s matter of helping teenagers to develop better decision skills and to make decisions based on what they want. Why do we care? Because we want teens to know the risks of early alcohol use and how it can affect them.

So what are some reasons why teens drink?

  • Social events and social peer pressure
  • Mental, behavior, school, and/or problems at home
  • History of abuse or trauma

What are the consequences of early drinking?

  • Possibility of increased related problems
  • Alcohol-related accidents
  • Higher risk of engaging in:
    • Sexual activity
    • Violent Crime
    • Alcoholism

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March is National Nutrition Month

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National Nutrition MonthÂŽ is a nutrition education and information campaign created annually in March by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The campaign focuses on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. In addition, National Nutrition MonthÂŽ promotes the Academy and its members to the public and the media as the most valuable and credible source of timely, scientifically-based food and nutrition information.

http://www.eatright.org/

History

Initiated in March 1973 as a week-long event, “National Nutrition Week” became a month-long observance in 1980 in response to growing public interest in nutrition. Read more in the article, “National Nutrition Month: A Brief History.”

Themes of the New Millennium

With the first “National Nutrition Week” in 1973, it was embraced by members of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics as a way to deliver nutrition education messages to the public while promoting the profession of dietetics. In 1980, the week-long celebration expanded to become National Nutrition MonthÂŽ. Over the years, the theme has reflected trends and culture of the time, but has always remained true to its original purpose: “To increase the public’s awareness of the importance of good nutrition and position Academy members as the authorities in nutrition.”

2000

Food and Fitness: Health for a Lifetime

2009

Eat Right!

2001

Food and Fitness: Build a Healthy Lifestyle

2010

Nutrition From the Ground Up

2002

Start Today for a Healthy Tomorrow

2011

Eat Right with Color

2003

Healthy Eating, Healthy You

2012

Get Your Plate in Shape

2004

Eat Smart — Stay Healthy

2013

Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day

2005

Get a Taste for Nutrition

2014

Enjoy the Taste of Eating Right

2006

Step Up to Nutrition and Health

2015

Bite Into A Healthy Lifestyle

2007

100% Fad Free

2016

Savor the Flavor of Eating Right

2008

Nutrition: It’s a Matter or Fact

Information provided by http://www.eatright.org/.

Trends in Obesity Among Early Age Children

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CDC

Obesity is a present health concern in the US and it’s important that it is continued to be discussed about. In order to prevent and decrease obesity rates in the US, there have been many attempts and programs to help people better understand what causes obesity, how to prevent it, and the ways we can educate people on it.

Some quick facts from a research conducted by CDC:

“Childhood obesity is associated with negative health consequences in childhood (1) that continue into adulthood (2), putting adults at risk for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers (1). Obesity disproportionately affects children from low-income families (3).

Overall obesity prevalence increased from 14.0% in 2000 to 15.5% in 2004 and 15.9% in 2010, and then decreased to 14.5% in 2014. During 2010–2014, the prevalence of obesity decreased significantly overall, among non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic blacks, Hispanics, American Indian/Alaska Natives and Asians/Pacific Islanders, and among 34 (61%) of the 56 WIC state agencies in states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories.” – CDC

Who is generally at risk for obesity:

  • Low-income families
  • Young mothers
  • People without access to healthy food/alternative food options

What can we do to prevent obesity?

  • Spread the knowledge of obesity among friends, families, peers, co-workers, etc. through various use of communications and social media platforms
  • Encourage people to live a active, balance, and healthier lifestyle by:
    • Encouraging healthy habits
    • Participating in activities outside of home/schools/work environment
    • Buying produces at local markets/groceries or partaking in a community garden or growing your own produces
    • Using other methods of transportation such as walking, biking, skating, etc.

Find recommended resources for minorities here.

American Heart Month

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http://news.heart.org/

“Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. Every year, 1 in 4 deaths are caused by heart disease.

The good news? Heart disease can often be prevented when people make healthy choices and manage their health conditions. Communities, health professionals, and families can work together to create opportunities for people to make healthier choices.

Make a difference in your community: Spread the word about strategies for preventing heart disease and encourage people to live heart healthy lives.” – https://healthfinder.gov/

What can you do to spread awareness?

  • Share about American Heart Month on your social media platforms, with friends, and families
  • “Take action: Be the cure! External Links Disclaimer Logo Join the American Heart Association’s national movement in support of healthier communities and healthier lives.” – https://healthfinder.gov/
  • Join or host community event on finding local resources to live more healthy
    • Local clinics
    • Local fresh, organic, and affordable food options
    • Community parks, clubs, gyms, etc.

Positivity Within Ourselves

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Feeling good about yourself starts from within. It’s okay to have things that you like and dislike about yourself whether it is physically, personality wise, etc. It only means you seek to change and improve yourself throughout life. Society and social media have their own standard for “beautiful” or “perfect” people, but don’t let it influence you to have a skewed image of what perfection is. It is like trying to fit a piece of the puzzle that doesn’t fit because of it’s different size and shape.

The best thing for you to do is to develop a better understanding of yourself. It will take some experiences before you can confidently say you’re happy with who you are.

Here are five tips on how to retain/gain positivity within yourself:

  1. There is no one like you in this world and this holds very true. So be proud of it! (It can be proven with the blueprint of your fingerprint!)
  2. People come and in go in your life, it doesn’t mean that you’re alone. Some people in your life are bound to stay (family, close friends) while others will naturally leave. For those who have been around you through the hard times are the ones worth spending your time with (also, these people tend to give you the most support and share your happiest moments with you).
  3. Don’t just say or plan, take action! If you feel like your constantly stalling in life, maybe it’s time to take action instead of thinking about it. It can be small steps towards a healthier and brighter lifestyle. Like participating in a local club, exercising with friends, spending time with your pets, etc.
  4. Cut out negativity around you. You should try to avoid negativity from other people, television, social media, and so on because it will make you feel it too. Whether it’s cutting out hours of being on social media or with negative people in your life, it would improve your overall mood.
  5. Don’t live your life constantly in the past or the future. It is great to plan your future and reminisce the past, but don’t let it overshadow what you can be doing in the present at this moment. If you want to do something or achieve a goal, make efforts in the presence today to make it happen! You have to motivate yourself to do something for yourself, whether the reasons are to help other people, help the environment, or help you develop new skills.