Postcard Highlights of 2016

2016 has ended and it’s officially 2017! To wrap up another year of successful the bicultural healthy living blog, here is a list of postcards highlighted from each month.

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Jan 2016

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Feb 2016

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March 2016

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April 2016

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May 2016

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June 2016

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July 2016

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Sept 2016

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Oct 2016

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Nov 2016

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Dec 2016

Changing Demographic in the US

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“On November 18, the Large Urban County Caucus (LUCC) of the National Association of Counties convened in New York City, bringing together county leaders from across the country to share ideas and develop innovative policy solutions to address their most pressing challenges.

Although they represent just 4 percent of the 3,142 counties in the United States, large urban counties (LUCs) — those with more than 500,000 residents — are home to nearly half of the U.S. population. In other words, as the graphic below illustrates, more than 150 million people live in the 133 LUCs in the United States.

So it is no surprise that these counties are at the forefront of the nation’s shifting demographics. As data in the National Equity Atlas show, the face of America is changing: Just a few years from now, the majority of people under the age of 18 will be youth of color, and by 2044 the United States will be a majority people-of-color nation.” –http://nationalequityatlas.org/

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So what can LUCC do to help people develop their fullest potential?

  • Prioritize in hiring for locals and invest in poorer neighborhoods through providing employment and training opportunities
  • Require businesses and companies to have equity benchmarks and hold them accountable for delivering it towards people
  • “Remove barriers to preventive services to improve and safeguard the health of tomorrow’s leaders, innovators, and workers.” – http://nationalequityatlas.org/
  • Ensure that jobs are provided with benefits of health care, paid sick leave, family support, and such.

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.