Happy Thanksgiving from HealthPro

 

The History of the First Thanksgiving Feast

Your family is gathered around the table, the bird is looking golden and delicious and the table is practically groaning under the weight of the various delicacies and delights. As traditional as our Thanksgiving celebrations may seem, the menu was a bit different for that first Thanksgiving with the Pilgrims.

The Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth Rock on December 11, 1620 but their first winter was devastating and by the fall, they had lost 46 of the original 102 people who sailed on the Mayflower. However, the harvest that following year was a bountiful one and the remaining colonists decided to celebrate with a feast. They invited the Native American Indians who had helped them survive their first year to a feast that lasted three days. Instead of what we consider traditional Thanksgiving foods, the feast included wild ducks, geese, venison, eel, fish, boiled pumpkin, berries and dried fruits. It is not certain that wild turkey was a part of their feast since the pilgrims used the word “turkey” to mean any sort of wild fowl.

However, this first Thanksgiving feast was not repeated the following year. In fact, it wasn’t until June of 1676 that the governing council of Charlestown, Massachusetts proclaimed another Day of Thanksgiving to express thanks for seeing their community securely established. However, much like the original Thanksgiving in 1620, this day was also not repeated and it wasn’t until October 1777 that all 13 colonies joined in a Thanksgiving celebration. Unfortunately, once again, this was a one-time affair.

In fact, until 1863 Thanksgiving Day had not been celebrated annually since the first feast in 1621. It was Sarah Josepha Hale, a magazine editor, whose efforts eventually led to what we recognize today as Thanksgiving. She encouraged President Abraham Lincoln to establish the last Thursday in November (a date Lincoln may have correlated with the November 21, 1621, anchoring of the Mayflower at Cape Cod) as a day for national thanksgiving and prayer, hence, Thanksgiving Day.

Since then, each president has issued a Thanksgiving Day proclamation. President Franklin D. Roosevelt set the date for Thanksgiving to the fourth Thursday of November in 1939 (approved by Congress in 1941).

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM HEALTHPRO EDCUATION!

#7 Keep Blood Sugar or Glucose at Healthy Levels

#7   Keep Blood Sugar or Glucose at Healthy Levels

A recent report linked high blood sugar levels with cancer in women. This highlighted again the problem of high blood sugar levels, even below the level found in diabetes, as they also increase people's chances of getting heart disease and full-blown diabetes.

But how do we go about making sure we maintain healthy blood sugar levels?

Professor Martin Wiseman, Medical and Scientific Advisor for World Cancer Research Fund, gives his top five tips:

1. The most important thing is not to become overweight. If you are overweight, then you should lose weight. This can be done through having a general healthy diet and be regularly physically active.
2. Always go for the wholegrain option. Replace white rice with brown rice, and make sure your pasta is whole wheat.
3. Cut down or completely stop having sugary snacks like sugary fizzy drinks and cakes. Temptation can be hard to resist, but cutting these out of your diet is a great step towards maintaining healthy sugar levels.
4. Make sure you get as many vegetables into your diet as you can. It¹s particularly easy to get your vegetable quota by chopping vegetables up and putting them into sauces.
5. Be as physically active as possible - it doesn't have to be exercise at the gym, but even walking instead of driving, or taking the stairs instead of the lift, can really help."

Source: Medical News Today

HealthPro is offering classes Monday and Tuesday of Thanksgiving week – check out our schedule to see if any courses suite your needs at hpec.org.

#6 Taking Charge of your Cholesterol

#6 Take Charge of Cholesterol

With seasonal celebrations on our weekly calendars it can be extra tough for some of us to watch our cholesterol and stick to heart-healthy diets but with a little helpful advice, here are some tips on how to enjoy the festivities while still heeding #6 on the Life's Simple 7 list we have been reviewing.  

It's important to maintain a balance between the two types of cholesterol: HDL (the "good") and LDL (the "bad").  LDL, a low-density lipoprotein, gives cholesterol its poor name because it accumulates on the walls of blood vessels when there is too much of it circulating in the bloodstream. HDL, on the other hand, helps prevent this by acting as a high-density lipoprotein that transports cholesterol throughout the body, thus counteracting a buildup.

With animal products posing as the main culprits for contributing to "bad" cholesterol, it's important to be aware of how much meat, butter and cheese you eat. These foods are high in saturated fat, which increase levels of LDL.

Diet advice

Here are some tips on how you can still enjoy gatherings without giving up all the foods you might find there:

•Reduce the amount of meat you consume per meal.

•Opt for seafood at least twice a week.

•Cook fresh vegetables, but avoid the butter and salt.

•Eat only egg whites, instead of the entire egg.

•Increase the amount of whole grains and fiber in your diet, as these foods help reduce cholesterol levels.

Lifestyle advice

Although healthy cholesterol can sometimes be affected by age, family history and gender, a few simple lifestyle changes also can help lower your bad cholesterol:

•Don't smoke.

•Exercise regularly.

•Limit your daily intake of fat to less than 30 percent of your total calories each day.

•Have your cholesterol tested regularly so you can find the right treatment plan for you.

Source: 9/10/2010 Chicago Tribune News

HealthPro offers a variety of classes 7 days a week. Check out our website at hpec.org to schedule a course to fulfill your CEU’s and learn skills that may save the life of a loved one.  You can also give us a call at 951-279-6110.  Have a wonderful weekend and take charge of that cholesterol!

Manage Your Blood Pressure

#5   Manage Blood Pressure

Number 5 on Life’s Simple 7 List is to Manage your Blood Pressure. 

Below are the top 10 Ways to Control Your Blood Pressure according to WebMD.

1. Lose weight. Get your BMI (body mass index, a measurement of weight in relation to height) into the range of 18.5-24.9, and you will be doing your heart and blood pressure a favor. Think of it this way: Extra weight you carry around is like bricks in a backpack, putting pressure on every part of your body.

2. Eat plenty of whole grains. Have seven to eight servings per day of grains and grain products (these can include breakfast cereal, whole grain bread, rice, pasta, etc.)

3. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Having at least eight to 10 servings of a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables will ensure you get all the healthy antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber you need.

4. Dairy up. Consuming two to three servings daily of low-fat or nonfat dairy foods will also help build strong bones and teeth, and enhance weight loss.

5. Limit meat, fish, and poultry to two servings a day. Move the meat off the center of your plate, and enjoy more grains and produce. When you do have meats, fish, and poultry, always chose lean varieties.

6. Go nuts. Incorporate four to five servings a week of nuts, seeds, and legumes into your diet. They provide plenty of protein and healthful fats.

7. Limit fats and oil to two to three servings per day. Fats are the most concentrated source of calories. Limiting them will help you control your weight.

8. Hold the salt. Limit your sodium intake to approximately 2,400 milligrams a day (a moderate level). This means eating fewer canned and processed foods, and more fresh foods.

9. Get off the couch. Exercising at least 30 minutes per day can significantly reduce blood pressure. Any form of physical activity, done most days of the week, will do the trick.

10. Drink in moderation. If you do it at all limit yourself to two drinks per day.

Simple changes in your lifestyle can make a difference in your health.  Learning CPR can save a life.  Sign up for a course at HealthPro today.  Check out our schedule at hpec.org or give us a call at 951-279-6110

A Good Night's Sleep

A Good Night’s Sleep

A new study  published this week in the journal SCIENCE, regarding potential ways to ward off dementia and Alzheimer’s disease as we age, is making the case that getting a good night’s sleep just might be the most important thing we can do. 

While sleeping, our brain has a self-cleaning process that flushes out the toxic waste our brain cells produce each day as they work.  This waste elimination process is a powerful illustration of the medical importance of sleep.   Researchers had suspected that this self-cleaning went on in our heads each night, but the new study put the process, and its intensity, in far clearer focus.  For example, the team witnessed that when mice slept, brain cells actually shrunk in size, expanding the spaces between them by as much as 60 percent and facilitating the flushing of waste.

At minimum, the research highlights the importance of regular sleep in slowing dementia, as well as the possible neurological risks of consistently getting too little sleep.  When we stay up until late into the night, we may be preventing our brains from flushing toxins effectively. 

Experts expressed hope that the new findings could lead to treatments for neurological ailments associated with cell waste in the brain, including Parkinson's disease as well as Alzheimer's and dementia. Scientists will be following up on the tantalizing possibility that Alzheimer's is exacerbated not as much by the buildup of beta-amyloid plaque in the brain as by an impaired ability to flush it out. If that turns out to be true, then the development of a drug to facilitate or force the self-cleaning process could be a major breakthrough. Doctors may also achieve better results by coordinating dementia patients' treatments with their sleep schedules.

Source: PBS Health and Well-Being

Get a good night's sleep and sign up for 1 or more of our classes at HealthPro.  We offer classes in the Inland Empire and Orange County, give us a call today.  951-279-6110

Mentoring the Next Generation

Mentoring the next Generation

The benefits of passing and receiving knowledge and experience through the mentor/mentee process is invaluable.  Whether it pertains to teaching, nursing or any other career, the advantages of mentorship are immeasurable.  There are many factors to take into consideration entering into the mentoring relationship, one of them being  generational  awareness.  Both parties should understand the unique traits of each other’s generations as it may affect their attitudes and beliefs toward work and life, as well as how to engage and motivate each other. 

Baby Boomers (1946-1964): Raised by traditional parents, Baby Boomers were taught the value of hard work, respect for hierarchy, and loyalty.  They are high achievers and often define themselves by their work. 

Generation X (1965-1980) More often children of divorce, Gen X is resourceful, independent, and skeptical.  They have witnessed corporate downsizing and change jobs frequently to build skill sets.  Gen X needs to be challenged  and actively learning new skills.

Millennials ( 1981-1999) Millennials have had their needs met from their earliest days.  This protected generation expects to be accommodated in the work place but  is also highly productive.  Characterized by their tight peer bonds, confidence, and loyalty, mentors should be aware that Millennials desire clearly specified goals and instructions. 

Source:  ONS January 2012

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Typhoon Haiyan

Help people affected by the Pacific typhoon.

Last Friday, Super Typhoon Haiyan tore through the Pacific islands of the Philippines, leaving behind a scene of destruction and despair. The global Red Cross network is responding to emergency needs in the Philippines with food, water, and relief supplies, and the American Red Cross is lending people, expertise and equipment to this massive effort.

 

To find out ways to provide relief to the Philippines, click on the link above which will direct you to the American Red Cross.

 

Learn how to save the life of a loved one by taking a course at HealthPro - check out our November schedule for a list of current and upcoming classes.