Walk Your Way To Weight Loss!

Would you like to get more exercise, but just can’t find the time? The America on the Move (AOM) program at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center says there’s an easy way to get moving. You can lose weight, and increase your energy by wearing a pedometer. A pedometer helps you monitor how much exercise you’re getting each day. More exercise adds up to weight loss and an increase in your energy. Just by adding about 2,000 steps a day to your daily activities and eating 100 calories less, (about what’s in a slice of bread), you’ll begin to see results. Every step counts and you can see them adding up. You’ll be more likely to park farther away from work or the store in the parking lot. You could take a short walk after dinner in the evening. And it’s EASY...no trips to the gym, no exercise equipment to buy, and you can monitor how much exercise you’re getting during the day.

Reduce Your Risk of Colon Cancer

You can reduce your risk of colorectal cancer by 15 percent just by drinking one glass of milk a day! Researchers at Harvard Medical School found that by drinking milk and taking calcium supplements (1,000 mg) daily you can reduce your risk of colon cancer by 24%. The study analyzed the calcium intake of over 500,000 men and women, and colorectal cancer and was published by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Researchers recommended eating lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grain, while reducing your fat intake. They also recommended exercising regularly and getting a regular colon-screening test to reduce your risk of colon cancer.

Teaching Kids Life Skills

Teaching kids how to approach and solve life’s challenges is one of the biggest jobs parents face. Here are a few tips to help your children (or grandchildren) grow into self-sufficient and responsible adults: • Teach Kids To Look For Solutions. When kids are faced with a problem, have them identify several options and solutions. Then you can help them choose which solution works best. • Teach Kids Responsibility: Let kids know they are responsible for their actions. They have to do their homework, but you can offer them two “positive choice” options: Do you want to do it in 15 minutes or 30 minutes? Teach them how to organize, and give them the tools to stay organized (calendar, palm pilot, notebook). • Teach Kids How To Make Good Choices. Giving kids choices empowers them to make their own decisions. Have them weigh the pros and cons of their choice, and let them make the decisions. • Teach Kids How To Deal with Failure. Teach your children that failure is not personal, permanent, or pervasive (i.e. losing a soccer game doesn’t mean you’re bad at other things as well). Developing a positive explanatory style early in life will help your children live a happier, healthier and more successful adult life.

Seattle Fall Colors

Guessing none of us will be making a trip to New England to take in their famous fall colors. We can still get some summer like days this time of year so pick a nice one and enjoy OUR fall colors. See if you can hit all four in one day! The Arboretum - Officially the Washington Park Arboretum is a joint project of the University of Washington and Seattle Parks Dept. that is nestled between Union Bay, Montlake and Madison Valley. Known for a unique variety of trees and a 3.5 acre Japanese Garden which is one of the oldest in North America. Discovery Park - Seattle's largest park with 534 acres and nearly 12 miles of walking trails. Bluff views of the city and surrounding islands will blow you away! The Seattle Audubon Society has compiled a list of 270 bird species found in the park. Kubota Garden - 20acre Japanese Garden started by Fujitaro Kubota in 1927 and worked until his death in 1973; it has been maintained by Seattle Parks since 1987. 9 ponds, 2 red bridges, 140 maple varieties and 30 hydrangea varieties. A poetic landscape for refuge and meditation. Kerry Park - 1.6 acre park on the slopes of Queen Anne Hill was donated to the city in 1927 "so that all that stop here may enjoy its view." Iconic city and Mount Rainier views! On a fall day you will enjoy the beautiful view of changing colors too.

Strengthen Your Immunity Against Colds & Flu

Don’t let a COLD or FLU get to YOU this season. The human body has many ways to naturally fight infection, but you need to give it all the help you can. Here’s how to boost your immunity and fight off those nasty germs:  Eat healthy food. Load up on fresh fruits and veggies like leafy greens. Avoid sugar because it can interfere with the enzymes you need to boost your immune system.  Supercharge your body. Your body can naturally kill a virus. So spring into action during the first 24 hours to combat illness. Once you feel a few symptoms, start drinking filtered water, broths, and soups with lots of garlic, onions, and spices. Take supplements like echinacea, vitamin C, and elderberry.  Breathe clean air. Avoid smoking, air pollutants, indoor dust, and ash from fireplaces that can irritate the lining of your nose and throat.  Avoid sick people. It sounds obvious, right? But it’s easy to forget. Try not to be in the same room, breathing the same air as someone ill for long. Wash your hands frequently and disinfect everything they touch.  Get a flu shot. The Centers For Disease Control & Prevention recommends that everyone who is at least 6 months old get the seasonal flu vaccine. It protects against 3 flu viruses that research indicates will be most common during the upcoming season.

Three-Minute Meditation

One extremely refreshing getaway is meditation – and best of all, you don't have to pack for it. Research from the University of California, Davis, suggests that regular mindfulness meditation may slow the rate of cellular aging – potentially giving you more precious time than you ever dreamed of. Here’s how to mediate in 3-minutes: 1. Find a peaceful place where you won’t be interrupted. 2. Gently rest your palm over your heart. Concentrate on a person, place, song, or memory you cherish. The idea is to feel love and to concentrate it as energy in your mid-chest. 3. Visualize any thoughts as clouds drifting in the sky. Let them float by and out of your awareness. 4. Observe the sensations in your heart area: heat, coolness, bliss, compassion, release of pressure, vibration. Over time and with practice, you’ll feel the positive energy in your chest that will flow into your body.

Makeover your living space with these simple decorating tips

1. Change your color palette. You can choose neutral and earth tones, such as whites, tans, beiges, and golds. A room of monotone decors appears more spacious. And you can dress up a room with white walls, a white sofa, and white or glass coffee tables with accented throw pillows, colorful table runners and placements, and decorative rugs. 2. Soften the lighting. Lighting adds warmth and drama to any room. A lamp or sconce lighting will provide more warmth and mood than overhead lighting. In your rooms, place your lamps and lighting arrangements so that they form a triangle of light in the room. 3. Rearrange the furniture. Try moving your sofas away from the wall. You can place two sofas in “V” formation with tables behind them. Or you can arrange the sofas so that they’re parallel to each other. Placing a rug between them creates a conversation area. 4. Create a focal point. Select a special focal point in your room: a piano, piece of art, picture, or floral arrangement. Make sure to hang your art and pictures at eye level. (Many people hang them too high.) 5. Create warmth. You can transform your dining room by adding lamps on each side of the buffet. Be sure to choose tall, sleek lamps to add drama to your dining area. 6. Experiment with ideas. Don’t be afraid to experiment with light, color, and furnishings. Use your own personality and charm to create the living space you’ll enjoy entertaining and spending time with your family.

Exercise... How to Get Back On Track

One of the best ways to stay fit is to have at least one athletic hobby: walking, swimming, bowling, tennis, golf, skiing, bicycling or even dancing. If you enjoy what you’re doing, you’ll stick with it. Second, a workout partner can make the time go by more quickly, and you can have fun at the same time. Whether it’s a family member, friend or co-worker, a workout partner will encourage you on the days you may want to slide. Third, hire a trainer if you have trouble maintaining an exercise program. A trainer can guide you through a program that works for you. Remember to vary your workouts. This prevents overworking certain muscle groups, and it will keep you motivated.

Can Optimism Make You Healthy?

In a study of first year law students at the University of California at Los Angeles, psychologists discovered students with positive attitudes and expectations had stronger immune systems and overall good health. Researchers drew blood from “declared optimists” and a control group. They then measured levels of key immune cells at the beginning of the semester. At that time there was no difference, but well into the stress-filled semester the optimists showed significantly higher levels of key immune cell activity than their less-than-positive counterparts. Keep smiling—you’ll live longer!

Local Ideas to Enjoy Our Beautiful Fall Colors

A trip to New England to take in their amazing fall colors is out of the question but there is no reason you can’t make memories right here in the Seattle area. Here are a few ideas to explore on a nice fall day! • Washington Park Arboretum – The Arboretum is a welcome oasis on the shores of Lake Washington jointly managed by Seattle Parks and the UW. 230 Acres of trees and plants found nowhere else in the NW. • Kubota Gardens – A work of art that will awaken a feeling of serenity, humility, and gratitude. Largest Japanese Garden in the region. 20 acres, 9 ponds, 2 red bridges and 140 maple varieties. • Lake Wilderness Park – Lake Wilderness Park is the crown jewel of Maple Valley. Enjoy their 117 acres with two creek systems, three wetlands, extensive wildlife and outstanding views of Maple Trees. • Discovery Park – 534 acre park in Magnolia with a lighthouse on the westernmost point. Amazing views and lots of trees with a 2.8 mile trail system.

Don’t Put These In The Drain

Plumbers will tell you to avoid putting these items down your kitchen sink drain – they’re the biggest causes of drain blockages that can cost you hundreds of dollars (or more) per professional visit to remedy: 1. Coffee grounds. Granular waste combines with other items to form a clog. 2. Grease/oils will stick to the inside of drains and pipes and can contribute to sewer overflows (yuck!) 3. Fibrous materials like onion skins or corn husks. These can get snarled in your disposal blades.

Grateful

We would all rather be happy if given the choice. In some cases, our state of happiness can be a conscious choice we make to focus on the positive things in our lives. Learning to be grateful in your daily life is a surprisingly effective way to improve your health and overall happiness. The benefits of being grateful can be huge. Studies show that people who are more grateful sleep better, feel healthier, have higher self-esteem, have more energy, and experience less stress. Staying grateful isn’t always easy, but with all these physical and mental benefits it’s absolutely worth the investment of your time. Here are some easy ways to practice gratitude on a regular basis. Try out a few of them to see which suits you best. •Keep a “gratitude journal” to jot down 1-2 things you’re grateful for daily. •Actively work on cultivating positivity by looking for a bright side to negative situations. •Pay someone an unexpected complement each day. •Talk about 2-3 positive moments from the day during nightly dinner conversation. •Offer a heartfelt – not routine – “thank you” for a mundane task, such as someone holding a door open for you at the store. •Say out loud what you’re grateful for, even if you’re talking to yourself. •Put a picture of your family, or whatever you’re most thankful for, somewhere you’ll see it multiple times a day. •Donate your time to a favorite cause. Monetary donations are great, but donating your time is even more effective at making you feel grateful.

Be Prepared for Fire

Would you and your family be prepared if you had a fire in your home? Go to www.homefiredrill.org and learn how to plan and practice a home fire drill.

Easy Ways To Add Curb Appeal

The first impression of your house is from the street. If you want to sell or just add some new style, try these ideas: Focus on your front door with a new color, updated light fixtures and easy-to-read house numbers. For more charm, add window flower boxes or shutters around the windows. Learn to build a window box on YouTube.com. Clean out the clutter, and trim the overgrown bushes and trees (this also makes your home safer). For quick color, add container gardens. You can buy them pre-planted. Add lighting accents to trees or to illuminate the pathway (another safety feature). You can go solar to eliminate wires. Pressure-wash the exterior. If it doesn’t look better, consider new paint or siding. Don’t forget the garage door. Repair it, paint it or replace it to make your house look like new.

Safer Night Driving

When the sun goes down, it’s harder to spot obstacles on the road and the likelihood of encountering a drunk or tired driver increases. It’s little surprise, then, that fatal car crashes are three times more likely to happen at night than during the day, according to the National Safety Council. Luckily, there are several night driving strategies that can help keep you safe.  Increase the distance between your car and the car in front of you. A three-second lead is suggested during the day; at night, you should double this number.  Use lights to your advantage. Turn on blinkers long before you need them and tap brakes as you slow down to alert drivers behind you.  Maintain your headlights. Change headlight bulbs when they are getting dim or have burnt out. Use low beams during fog, and keep headlights on from an hour before dusk to an hour after dawn.  Avoid glare. If a car with bright beams is blinding you, shift your gaze to the right side of the road until the car has passed.

HAPPY Labor Day Weekend!

The United States Congress has the sole power to designate and recognize federal holidays. Labor Day was added in 1894 and is celebrated on the first Monday of September. They picked that day for nice weather since the intension was to give workers a day off for family picnics. By the end of the industrial revolution in the 1840's workers were broadly pushing for more rights and better treatment. Sweatshops were rampant and accepted; they offered unsafe working conditions, long hours, and low pay. Exploitation of child labor was surprisingly high; close to 25% of children left school by the age of 14 to enter the workforce. The common work week was sunup to sundown 6 days per week. There was no such thing as Unemployment Insurance, Medicaid, Medicare or Social Security Assistance. In 1911 negative public perceptions were galvanized by the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire leading to the end of sweatshops and stronger protections for laborer's. The first minimum wages laws were enacted in 1896 and became federal law in 1938. Unemployment Insurance is a cornerstone of our safety net today and was enacted in 1935. Non-farm child labor was strictly regulated in the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. The 40hr workweek was also in the 1938 Fair Labor Act requiring time-and-a-half for over 40hrs per week. Government provided healthcare was greatly expanded with Medicare and Medicaid when L.B.J. signed two additional titles into the Social Security Act in 1965. "The miracle is not that we do this work, but that we are happy to do it." - Mother Teresa "Genius begins great works. Labor alone finishes them." - Joseph Joubert "All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity." - Martin Luther King Jr.

Schmitz Preserve

Find a Hidden Gem at Schmitz Preserve Park Have you ever wondered what the Seattle forests looked like? Well the last of our untouched old growth forest is located in West Seattle! Former parks commissioner Ferdinand Schmitz was watching our forest rapidly disappear and decided to act. His 1908 donation allowed a small piece of it to remain as nature intended. Enjoy!

Summer Weather in Seattle

Did you know we have the best summer weather in the whole country? I think the word is getting out; we are a fast growing city and experiencing a boom time for tourism. As the northern most big city in America (farther north than Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal) we have 16hrs of daylight at the summer solstice. You can tee off before 5:00am and play until almost 10:00pm! While most of the country is baking or sweltering we enjoy an average summer high of only 74 degrees and average low of 54 degrees. Open those windows at night and close them in the day and you will not need air-conditioning! We get above 90 degrees only 3 times a year on average and have hit 100 degrees or above only three times. 103 degrees is our all-time record high temperature - 7/29/2009. How about all the Seattle rain?!? We get on average only 3.15 inches of rain in the summer months while most of the country gets afternoon thunderstorms and seasonal monsoon weather. ENJOY!!!

Color Curiosities

Scientific studies have found that colors, especially in logos, evoke certain thoughts or emotions: • Blue improves performance on creative tasks and red improved performance on detail-oriented tasks. • Black and red are associated with strength. Grey and white are associated with weakness. • Brown and blue are associated with stable brands. • Green logos are associated with being masculine, rugged, or outdoorsy.