Physical Health Archives - Robards Healthy Lifestyles

Challenge Your Routine

Arthritis, Healthy Living, Mental and Emotional Health, Natural Health, Physical Health, Symptoms No Responses »

Sep 262018

One of the definitions of ‘challenge’ in Mirriam-Webster is, “to arouse or stimulate especially by presenting with difficulties.” That’s the definition I’m using for this post, not because I want to encourage people to present their health with difficulties, but because I want to encourage people to stimulate their routines to change for the better, for their health. Make sense?

Stay on top of your health. Take your vitamins. Get into or improve your routine. Take your omega 3′s and 6′s. Get into or improve your routine. Take your probiotics. Get into or improve your routine. Take your antioxidants. Get into or improve your routine. Take your anti-inflammation blend. Get into or improve your routine. Exercise. Get into or improve your routine. Get enough sleep. Get into or improve your routine.

Get the point? Get the point.

Let’s keep up the challenge to live healthy lifestyles.

https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/adding-pa/activities-olderadults.htm

Why Procrastination Hurts

Children, Financial Health, Healthy Living, Mental and Emotional Health, Natural Health, Physical Health No Responses »

Sep 242018

Why Procrastination Hurts

I was showing a short video about procrastination to one of my students, and it struck me how much it applies to so many areas of our lives. I procrastinate in making doctors’ appointments and paying certain bills. It’s not that they don’t get done. They just don’t get done in a timely manner. I decided to research it a little more and make some changes. Besides, how can I be showing someone else about it if I don’t work on it myself. I am a big believer in being prepared, and yet, with some things, I need to work on not procrastinating. Good grief, I can make a doctor’s appointment online!

Procrastination can be defined as “the avoidance of doing a task that needs to be accomplished. It could be further stated as a habitual/intentional delay of starting or finishing a task despite its negative consequences.” ~ Wikipedia. That’s pretty much it.

Why Procrastination Hurts

Procrastination causes some to wait until the very last moment to do something they really don’t want to do. For instance, a student who needs to prepare for an exam, and despite having several weeks to do so, waits until the night before the test to cram all night. That hurts. In my case, I don’t like this bill because it’s an arrears on something we got behind on when the economy fell apart. However, procrastinating paying it only makes the situation worse, because the interest and penalties increase. That hurts too. Avoiding a task doesn’t make it go away, nor diminish the importance of it.

What I was reminded of is that sometimes people procrastinate because they are disorganized, live with clutter, multi-task too often, are easily distracted, or have trouble with punctuality. Those are all different issues in themselves, but they all contribute to each other. I struggle with a touch of all of them in one way or another.

Make a Plan and Follow It

In my work, (the work that earns me money, and my volunteer work) I have a lot of appointments to make and keep, plans to make and share, phone calls, texts, and much more. I have a running calendar where I put all my activities, and always carry a notebook to write things down in. I am going to change the way I’m making my doctors’ appointments to help me not procrastinate doing it. I plan on thinking more seriously about why it’s important to get my check ups done more timely. For the bill I don’t like, I plan on going into my account and see if I can set it up for automatic payments.

You can do the same with whatever it is you procrastinate on. Think of why you don’t want to do it and why you should. Think of how you can change that. Write down pros and cons (I’ve done that for years). Make a plan and try it. Keep improving. We’re all trying to do that. These things will help us as we continue to live healthy lifestyles.

Benefits of Loyalty

Good Friends, Healthy Living, Mental and Emotional Health, Physical Health No Responses »

Sep 182018

Loyalty has been defined as “a very personal and powerful form of faithfulness”. If you have a ‘work from the luxury of your own home’ business, you have possibly chosen a company to partner with. When you did that, you probably signed a contract that has its own form of terms and conditions about procedures, products and conduct. When you got married you also ‘signed a contract’, so to speak – on paper and hearts. You may have other relationships, friends, siblings, etc., where you feel a sense of loyalty.

The benefits of being loyal far outweigh what you think you might receive by not being loyal. Very often, the temptations to be disloyal start from an outside source that we have allowed ourselves to be exposed to. In our home businesses, it could be the success that others seem to be having with their company while we are struggling with our own businesses. In our marriages, it can come from a ‘listening’ ear (in the form of telephone calls, texts, social media, or a work mate) to the problems we could be having with our mate. The same thing can happen with friendships, and other family relationships. Disloyalty can come in the form of physical disloyalty or emotional disloyalty.

Working through the situation, finding a way to cope, better understand and stick to it, is almost always the best way. Face the problems, talk things out, explore coping strategies. Practice self-control and self-sacrifice.

Three things I’ve found are wonderful benefits of loyalty are:

Longevity. When you continue to work through the obstacles of having a ‘work from the luxury of your own home’ business, as I do, you begin to see success ONLY when you persist. Find a good company you can work with and be loyal to the process, even when things seem to be going wrong. The same idea applies to marriage. It is only when we persist with loyalty in our marriage that we see the power of what that loyalty does to us, our mate, and the relationship. As time goes by, and with each struggle we cope with together, we build another unbroken link in the process. Look back on the time and things you’ve already successfully coped with in different aspects of your life and meditate on them. Your emotional and mental health, and physical health will benefit as well, because your conscience will be clear and you will be building emotional and mental strength. Since our emotional, mental and physical health are all tied in together, all will benefit. It helps us live healthy lifestyles.

Mutual trust. The longer we show loyalty to the important people, activities, and processes in our lives, the more trust we build. This could mean our customers and team members — will trust us, and the more we can trust them. This could mean our marriage mates — will trust us, and the more we can trust them. We build relationships by mutual trust – in almost every area of life, be it family, work associates, friends, and home business. By staying loyal, being dependable, solid in our resolve, and self-sacrificing, we show over a period of time to others and to ourselves that we can be trusted, and that moves the other people in our lives to be loyal too. We sharpen each other for loyalty. We become mentors to each other, helpers and cheerleaders.

Experiencing the growth. Only by being loyal and sticking it out, can you begin to see, witness and experience what you and those around you can become and do. If we give up and give in to temptation to search elsewhere, look to the side, succumb to doubt, dwell on the negative, and ultimately become disloyal, thereby destroying what trust there was, what could have been will never be. In today’s world, many people are short tempered, disloyal, have short attention spans, are dishonest, and we can become the same, if we don’t work hard on not being those things. Many people never reach or see the full potential of their relationships in their home businesses, marriages, families, friendships, and other relationships and endeavors because they have not worked on being loyal. Do not despair. Do it and reap the benefits.

I would love to tell you about the benefits I have have experienced by being loyal to the company I am partnered with.

Please contact me at marthapmintl@gmail.com , or call me at 602-243-5642 (Phoenix) or 505-750-7847 (cell).

Shakin’ Peaches

Children, Healthy Living, Natural Health, Physical Health No Responses »

Aug 312018

Your blood sugar has a direct effect on how hungry you are and how energetic you feel. Keeping your blood sugar balanced promotes a healthy insulin response. Eat fruit, vegetables, edamame, popcorn, and peaches to help control your blood sugar.

There are also shakes available in peach flavor that have natural blood support ingredients to help you control blood sugar and energy levels. Choose shakes that contain ingredients such as green leaf extract, ginseng root, cinnamon bark extract and sweet potato extract. These ingredients can help you have less fatigue, more energy and less appetite. They can also help curb your sweet tooth cravings.

It may feel like a challenge to eat right to control or prevent diabetes, high blood sugar or low blood sugar, or pre-diabetes and metabolic syndrome, but making some simple changes in your diet can make all the difference. You can learn to eat differently and change your relationship with food.

Peach flavored shakes. Yummy!

Peaches are low in calories, important in controlling weight, contain vitamins and fiber, also important in controlling weight and diabetes. So shake your peaches — make them shakin’ peaches in a shake, or fruit bowl.

Pictures and information taken from:

CDC.gov

Wikipedia

Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County

Peach Cobbler Shake

Guide to Controlling Pre-Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome

Yes, Exercise Your Face

Healthy Living, Mental and Emotional Health, Physical Health No Responses »

Aug 242018

You Can Exercise Facial Muscles

Our faces are … well … out there. Lots of things show up on our faces. Stress, happiness, sadness, joy, youth and older age. The good news is that good health shows through even during bad times, and good health can help get us through difficult times.

Exercise is important for physical and mental and emotional health. There are exercises for everything – body, mind, emotions, finances, spirituality, communication, and much more.

Exercise keeps our bodies and faces, healthy. People of all ages need exercise, but different kinds and amounts at each age in our lives. Whatever you do or are thinking about doing, stay or get into a routine, keep it up and do it safely. This helps us have healthy lifestyles.

Facial exercises, also called facial toning, can increase muscle tone and prevent muscle loss. Beautiful women know or are learning how to make the most out of what they have. All women can appear beautiful, some naturally; others have to work harder at it. All women can be beautiful, but many choose not to. It does take the extra mile and some effort.

Don’t be afraid to research ways to improve your exercise routine and add facial exercises. It only takes a few minutes a day, and with consistent effort, you will notice a difference in the way your face feels and looks. It is true that “Love is a great beautifier”, as Louisa May Alcott once said, but facial exercises help too. For more information and resources on facial exercises, visit the Exercise page on my website.

Some of this information came from Wikipedia.

Picture y Patrick J. Lynch, medical illustrator (Patrick J. Lynch, medical illustrator) [CC BY 2.5 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5)], via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Head_face_detail_lateral.jpg

Martha is owner of RobardsHealthyLifestyles.com, a health and wellness website that promotes healthy lifestyles, ideas and products for physical, mental and emotional, financial and natural/spiritual wellness. Martha’s work consists of opening accounts, presenting, speaking, mentoring and coaching and people building. You can reach Martha at 505-750-7847, by email at marthapmintl@gmail.com, on Facebook, here on LinkedIn, Twitter, or through her websites at RobardsHealthyLifestyles.com, here, here, or ProfessionalMentorsInternational.com.

Bumping Up Fiber

Healthy Living, Physical Health No Responses »

Aug 082018

Bumping Up Fiber

Information overload. New trends. Nutrition buzzwords. Fiber.

We need fiber. Good nutrition is a well balanced every-day diet. Fiber must be a part of that and will be, if we’re including plenty of variety of fruits, vegetables, and other helpfuls. Some eat legumes, some don’t. Living a healthy lifestyle, a nutritious lifestyle, can be easy, fun and exciting. This, of course, depends on you and me.

Add peas to your salad

The CDC says:

In their natural state, fruits and vegetables have high water and fiber content and thus are low in calories and energy density.

So, eating enough fiber-rich fruits and vegetable can aid in efforts to lose weight.

Put cherries in smoothies

Some of the other benefits of fiber in your diet are that it not only keeps you regular, it also helps you feel fuller longer. Fiber also helps control blood sugar and lowers cholesterol levels.

Bump up Your Fiber

Here are six tips to help you bump up your fiber:

Slice up raw veggies and keep them in to-go baggies to use as quick snacks;
Start your day off with a high-fiber breakfast like whole grain oatmeal sprinkled with pecans or macadamia nuts;
Steam veggies rather than boiling them. When buying frozen veggies, look for ones that have been “flash frozen”;
Add half a cup of beans or peas to your salad to add fiber, texture, and flavor; and
Eat lots of salads
Take fiber supplements that contain fiber-rich ingredients such as psyllium, oat fiber and rice bran, just to name a few.

Yes, eating a fiber-wise diet will help us have healthy lifestyles.

Some of this information came from the Center for Disease Control.

https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/nutrition/pdf/rtp_practitioner_10_07.pdf

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psyllium

https://www.cdc.gov/features/national-nutrition-month/index.html

The pictures of the peas, cherries and Chinese cabbage are from

https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/nutrition/pdf/rtp_practitioner_10_07.pdf

Gearing Up For Fall Cleaning

Air Quality, Arthritis, Financial Health, Healthy Living, Mental and Emotional Health, Natural Health, Physical Health No Responses »

Aug 012018

Gearing up for Fall Cleaning

Time to Prepare for Fall Cleaning

It’s August. I don’t know about you, but I’m starting to plan for what I want to accomplish when I do my fall cleaning. I have learned that I have to start planning early and writing things down so I can remember everything when it comes time to do it. So many times, I thought I would remember what I needed and wanted to do, but that didn’t happen.

Here are some things I will be doing: going through some old boxes I never unpacked, cleaning the stairs banister which goes up the stairs and along the loft are where my office is located, and around on the other side, makes this cool curve where there’s a little niche. I’ll be going through closets and drawers and getting rid of clothes we haven’t worn in a year.

Cleaning the Banister

I’ll wash walls and clear cob and dust webs. I think I’ll give myself a week (maybe two) to get this done. If that seems like a long time to some, to me, it’s not at all.

Cleaning Corners and Walls

For some of this, I’ll need to stock up on my cleaning products. Because I’m so sensitive to scents and chemicals, I’ll make sure to purchase my favorite non-toxic cleaning stuff. For the walls, I’ll use an all-purpose cleaner which is toxic free, has no bleach, no ammonia and no strong scents. It works really well for the banister too.

Learn About the Non-Toxic Cleaning Products I Use

Choose Now

This is therapeutic for me when I take enough time and prepare for it. Then I’m not stressed out and hurried over it. I have arthritis which acts up sometimes when I’m doing more than normal, like a special project, so I’m going to get my compression garments ready too. When my hands, arms or legs start to ache, I’ll put those on to help. 10% discount code for InstantRecoveryMD

We’ve already been going through a lot of boxes and old papers around here anyway, and it feels so good to be cleaning everything out and getting some things in order. I’ve done garage sales and it will still be kind of hot when I do my fall cleaning, but I always have my ‘virtual garage‘ for those times.

I’m even thinking about doing some re-decorating. I’m getting so many ideas that I don’t have enough time to do all the things I want to do. I need eternity.

Well, I’ll keep you posted on how this comes along. Cheers. Thanks for reading.

Martha xoxoxo

Snack Bars Are Trendy

Healthy Living, Physical Health No Responses »

Jul 312018

Snack Bars Are Trendy

The snack bar market shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. They are considered an affordable comfort food therefore sales growth has not even slowed down during economic recessions. With so many snack bar choices on the market, each with their own purpose and different ingredients, manufacturers are now emphasizing the protein and fiber content for health benefits. If you buy snack bars, protein bars, fiber bars and to-go bars, here are some tips about what to look for:

Do you buy snack bars? If so, here are 5 simple tips for your next purchases. If you are looking for:

Fat into fuel bars: Look for a bar that has low sugar and boosts metabolism;
Muscle recovery bars: Look for a bar that has lots of protein and boosts nitrogen balance;
Hunger cravings bars: Look for a bar that has natural ingredients and messages the brain and hits the spot;
Bars that boost fiber intake: Look for a bar that has good fiber sources like psyllium husks and oats and promotes regularity; and
Healthy snacking bars: Look for a bar that has whole grains, fiber and protein boosts and is kid and parent approved to get everyone through until meal-time.

Go here to get access to more information about healthy snack bars and nutrition or contact me, Martha, at 505-750-7847 or marthapmintl@gmail.com.

Save Your Skin

Children, Good Friends, Healthy Living, Physical Health No Responses »

Jul 052018

Summer-time is a great time of year. The kid’s are out of school, families take vacations, and there are a lot of family gatherings, picnics, barbeques and games. There is swimming, fishing, boating, biking, hiking, gardening and so much more.

Along with all this fun in the sun comes the responsibility (everything has a price) to ourselves and our families safe from the dangers of too much sun exposure.

Get the EPA’s Guide to SunWise Behavior

The UV rays from the sun penetrate to the deepest layers of our skin. They can cause our skin to sag, age and spot. 95% of the rays from the sun that reach the earth are UVA radiation. Unlike UVB rays, UVA rays hit in a steady stream during each day. The critical hours for sun exposure are from 10 am to 4 pm.

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States. According to an article published by the New Mexico State University, “three types of skin cancers make up 99% of skin cancers.”

One in five Americans will have a form of skin cancer.

Some of the symptoms of skin cancer are:

What can you do?

Protect your skin with sunscreen.

Choose sunscreen that:

Has an SPF of 30 or more;
Is water resistant; and
Provides broad spectrum coverage.

Also:

Wear wide-brimmed hats;
Protect your eyes with sunglasses; and
Use sun unbrellas and wear long-sleeved shirts.

Have fun out there this summer, but don’t risk your health or that of your children and other loved ones to do it. Preach safe sun havits over and over again, and then practice what you preach. You will see the benefits.

Resources:

http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_i/I106/

https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/basic_info/symptoms.htm

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/sunexposure/default.html

Picture credits: Beach scene : Gvictoria – Dreamstime.com; http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_i/I106/

https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/basic_info/symptoms.htm

https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/index.htm

Be Like a Sponge

Children, Healthy Living, Main Topics, Physical Health No Responses »

Jun 302018

The Holiday

The holiday is coming up next week and people are already shooting off fireworks around our house. It’s hot outside and many are outside at games, practices, celebrations and gatherings. Be safe next week.

Be Like a Sponge

Be Like a Sponge

During this time of the year we sweat more meaning we need more hydration. Like a sponge, water goes out, so water must come in. Drink lots of water. Always keep some with you and use healthy low sugar, electrolyte powder drinks in your water to replace lost electrolytes and give a lots of choices. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink more water and remember that muscle cramping may be an early sign of heat-related illness.

Stay safe and use fireworks carefully and leave the big ones to the professionals.

And be like a sponge.

I would love to tell you more about how myself and my family stay hydrated.

You can contact me at marthapmintl@gmail.com , or call me at 602-243-5642 (Phoenix) or 505-750-7847 (cell).

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