Lake Anna is the second largest lake in Virginia located entirely in Virginia. Lake Anna State Park is located in Spotsylvania, Virginia. My husband and I had attempted to look for it in the pre-GPS, pre-Mapquest days and never found it. So Lake Anna State Park has remained on my local bucket list … until last Saturday when we found the park!

Old Pond, Lake Anna State Park

Since it is my goal to walk at least 7K steps a day, 50K steps a week, I like to look for interesting places to walk. Lake Anna State Park also gave my husband a chance to check out a potential fishing hole. Unfortunately, no one was catching anything in the Old Pond or Lake Anna itself, but they certainly make it comfortable for fishermen by providing a wooden platform and stool. In the upper left of the picture on the right, you can also see shelter provided for the fishermen. The building on the right is the Visitor Center.

There are 11 trails at the park and they are all marked as “easy,” except for three of them.     We took the Railroad Ford Trail (1.5 miles) and the Old Pond Trail (0.3 miles).  The latter is very easy — a totally paved path and excellent for a wheelchair. Over half of the Railroad Ford Trail bordered Lake Anna. It was a lovely walk and it reminded me of Eckhart Tolle and being in the moment.

Being aware of each moment sharpened the senses. The sound of the little waves on the shore, jet skis and motor boats, crickets, birds, children having fun, and other sounds I could not identify. Scenes of fishermen along the shoreline, people sitting and enjoying the peace of the lake, gnats coming up to annoy me and spiderwebs in my way were some of my views in the forest. It was a hot and humid summer day, but not overly so.

Although it was a relatively easy trail, there were still several inclines and many roots of trees to walk over. It was a great senior activity, but I was still thankful that being in good shape paid off and could really enjoy the walk. (Several previous posts talk about the benefits of being in shape. Click here for Exercise is a 4 Letter Word, click here for Fitness Required, click here for Heart Palpitations and Stroke).

Susie Thomas

Last week I talked about the fun I’m having in senior aerobics. How about doubling the fun? It’s line dancing for seniors. I’ve always wanted to take line dancing lessons, but now that I’m retired and have the freedom to travel, dance lessons would be difficult because each week would build on the previous week and I would be totally lost were I to miss a week or two. Enter line dancing for seniors in Fairfax County, Virginia — a huge class with an enrollment of over 100. However, each week perhaps two-thirds of the enrolled show up, according to an enthusiast in my aerobics class.

A light goes off in my head … even if I were to miss some classes, I could hide in the back and still try to follow someone and have fun. The tuition: a whopping $5 for for eight sessions!

The Washington Post recently had a small article that said …

Who’s getting a better workout in a step class: the gym junkie who knows the moves and fluidly mirrors the instructor, or the klutz who’s frantically jumping all over the place in a desperate attempt to keep up? If you said the klutz, you are right.

Quite an apt description of me because I definitely feel like a klutz amongst the mostly experienced students, but who cares. It is so much fun and I know my brain is getting a workout as well! The enthusiasm and smiles you see in the group are contagious. If you’ve never tried it, I highly recommend that you check to see if it’s available in your community or recreation center.

The program I’m enrolled in is part of the Fairfax County Senior Center Without Walls. It is a public-private partnership amongst the residents, local businesses, places of worship, and the County Government. It is an innovative program initiated by determined volunteers and the classes are held mostly in churches in the community. In addition to line dancing, yoga, tai chi, running-walking club, and karate are also offered.

I will miss it very much in the fall when my yoga class resumes. So line dancing will be a wonderful summer activity I can look forward to.

My classmates

Check out this video from a former class and see if you agree that it looks like a lot of fun and excellent exercise as well. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtTh-VL1S9Q&feature=channel

I have a very close friend. I wear it very close to my body. It’s my pedometer — a Yamax SW-200 Digiwalker Pedometer. It’s very small and it has only one function — to count steps. Nothing else. There’s only one button to push to reset which I press every day. Extremely simple.

I had read the excellent reviews a few years ago and I loved the first one that I had. Unfortunately, the battery died and when I priced the battery, it was almost as expensive as buying a new one. I’d forgotten where I had bought it from, so I did some comparison shopping on the Internet and bought one. However, I found that it was not to my satisfaction — it seemed “looser” and counted more steps than I had actually walked.

So I went on another hunt and found one at Amazon that was more like the first one that I had — closer in accuracy in counting steps. I will keep the first one in case I find a reasonably priced battery for it.

This particular model is not for you if you’re into counting calories or other things like speed and distance. But I only care about steps. My goal is 50K each week. Experts tell us that we should walk 10K steps each day, but for me that’s somewhat unrealistic and I don’t want to feel bad about not accomplishing my goal. So for the most part, walking 50K each week is an attainable goal.

To order the same model I use, click here. Happy walking!

Last week I was on a panel at the luncheon of the Women’s Network of Springfield. The title of the panel was: Smart Women Make Smart Choices. The other two panelists  were Elaine Gibson of B/B Envirosystems and Lynne Porzel of The Intuitive Healing Center. I talked about natural alternatives to health and healing.

Here is my part of the discussion:

I want to talk about two areas of  your health: Medications and Healing Naturally. Last month a distant relative a couple of years younger than I, died. She had been having sleeping problems and taking sleeping pills. We thought she had overdosed on the pills, but she actually committed suicide by jumping off a balcony. Thoughts of suicide is a side effect of sleeping pills.

All drugs have side effects. Have you ever noticed TV and radio commercials have a long section on possible side effects where they ramble them very quickly? The effect might be minor or they might be major. If there are side effects from the first medication, doctors sometimes prescribe a second medication to counteract the side effects of the first medication. The doctor won’t tell you this, but the side effect might be that the medication is depleting  you of nutrients. Click here.

You are in charge of your own body: You can take the illness path or the wellness path. I believe smart women will take the wellness path.

I encourage you to take charge of your body and not fill your body with medicines. I have an 82-year old neighbor with Parkinson’s disease. He is always complaining about being tired and having no energy. He does not give his body any nutritional supplements; only a half dozen prescription medications. No wonder he’s tired.

Acid reflux is a common problem and many doctors prescribe Nexium, the purple pill. Well, it’s habit forming. There are natural alternatives. You can drink alkaline water or sleep on a wedge pillow.

You’re a smart woman. Make smart choices about your health and what you will put in your body.

Second, I want to talk about healing naturally. I want to announce that I will be starting an energy healing practice later this year and together with my nutritional supplement business, I will be practicing my passion of making people well naturally.

I thought energy healing would be something I’d like to do after hearing about some amazing results, but to be sure (since I’d never worked on anyone before), I had my hands analyzed by Peggie Arvidson and she confirmed that I am a gifted healer. Hence, I took the plunge started training in Cellular Response — light touch energy healing where the body heals itself. It has been the most rewarding thing that I’ve ever done. Recently, I “saved” someone from having surgery for stomach problems. Just before going into the operating room, the doctor checked her stomach and declared that she did not need the surgery. She was elated. The only thing that had changed was that she had the Cellular Response energy healing.

I have been practicing on volunteers since November and I am looking for more volunteers. I may or may not be able to help. (If you are in the Washington, DC Metro Area, you can contact me at 703.825.8384 or e-mail me at info@noranagatani.com).

In conclusion, I hope this panel will make you realize that you have to make your health your top priority. If you don’t make the time to take care of yourself now, you can be sure that illness will steal your time later.

A couple of months ago, I told you in a post about how much I enjoy watching Dr. Oz. Now, according to Reuters, Dr. Oz has turned 50 and has teamed with AARP Magazine to create a six-month plan for increasing longevity among the 50-plus population.

According to Champagne Living, Dr. Oz’s program includes the following:

Daily Checklist

1. Walk 30 Minutes
2. Brush and Floss
3. Drink Two Cups of Green Tea
4. Take Omega 3s, Calcium and Vitamin D (links take you to what I recommend — read more about calcium here and Omega 3 fatty acids here)
5. Sleep 7-8 Hours a Night
6. Meditate

Dr. Mehmet Oz’s 6-month plan:

• Month 1: Your Diet Makeover — Provides a three-day diet designed to jump-start your body to lose weight

• Month 2: Tests & Numbers — Lists important medical tests and tests that readers can do at home to ensure that their health stays on track

• Month 3: Ramp Up Your Exercise — Maps out a four-week exercise plan focused on weight-lifting, flexibility, and balance

• Month 4: Manage Your Stress — Encourages readers to engage in daily activities such as deep breathing and meditation to reduce chronic stress

• Month 5: Find Purpose — Challenges readers to define clearly what they want out of life to add to their overall sense of wellness

• Month 6: Put it Together — Calls for readers to retake the tests from Month 2 to see how their numbers have improved considerably since embarking on the six-month plan

According to the editor of the AARP Magazine, if you follow these guidelines, at the end of the six month period, your blood pressure, healthy cholesterol, and blood sugar, will improve. I suggested in my very first post about getting started with a baby step such as walking. Topping Dr. Oz’s list is a 30-minute daily walk. If you haven’t started, let’s get moving! Remember, many of our diseases are lifestyle choices.

One of the member benefits is the AARP Magazine so if you are not a member of AARP, click here to join. Click here to find out other member benefits. Cheers to your wellness!

Gus in his Polarity Therapy Studio

Is it possible to feel pain and ticklish at the same time? Is it possible that pain could feel good? These were the sensations I felt as I experienced polarity therapy along with acupressure and reflexology. Although Cosmos Yoga and Healing is closing its doors, owner Constantis “Gus” Christofi will continue his polarity therapy practice at a new location. You previously met Gus in this post.

According to the American Polarity Therapy Association,”Energy fields and currents exist everywhere in nature. Polarity Therapy asserts that the flow and balance of energy in the human body is the foundation of good health. In the Polarity model, health is experienced when:

1. Energy systems function in their natural state, and
2. Energy flows smoothly without significant blockage or fixation.

When energy is unbalanced, blocked or fixed due to stress or other factors, pain and disease arise.”

What makes Polarity Therapy unique is that they bring in other healing systems as well. For example, Gus used acupressure, reflexology, oils, and sounds.

To begin the session, I was lying on my back with my head on a wooden “half moon” pillow. It was very uncomfortable to start, but bearable. I was told to move my head back and forth for 100 times as quickly as possible. Simultaneously he was shaking my legs. He then informed me that our feet are the entrance to the inside of our body and proceeded to press certain points. Talk about being ticklish and feeling pain at the same time. He said to relax and as I did the sensations subsided. Whew!

He continued the session by bringing his hands over my left leg up to the crown and down the left leg (called balancing the long lines). When he felt any energy blockages at acupoints, he pressed hard. Ouch! He did the same to the back side with me lying on my stomach. Then he brought in accessories using a cream, a Neptune Fork for sound, and concluding with an oil for smell.

As a Cellular Response practitioner, I am interested in other forms of energy healing. I am amazed at all of the different practices. Since they all deal with energy, there are many parts that are similar. With both of our practices, we believe that we can facilitate wellness, but your body heals itself. I was fortunate to have met Gus and experienced Polarity Therapy. Gus practices in Fairfax County, Virginia and can be contacted by e-mail at cosmosyogahealing@verizon.net.

“Online games may not boost brainpower,” stated a Science News article in yesterday’s Washington Post. In a previous post, I shared a study that did indeed boost the brainpower of a senior group. This study, however, consisted of a younger age group of 8,600 people in the 18 to 60 age bracket. According to the Post, “…they were recruited from among viewers of a British TV science show and asked to play online brain games designed to improve their memory, reasoning and other skills for at least 10 minutes a day, three times a week.” Researchers found that those who surfed the Internet did just as well and on some sections those that did not play the brain games did better than the test group.

The lead author of the study, Adrian Owen, assistant director of the cognition and brain sciences unit at Britain’s Medical Research Council, stated that the data suggests that playing the games will not improve your IQ. Arthur Kramer, professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of Illinois suggests that people should be involved in physical activities because they can spark new connections between neurons and produce new brain cells.

Philip Adey, emeritus professor of psychology and neuroscience at King’s College in London says that games have to be challenging. He suggests learning a new language or sport if you want to really improve your brain power.

Want to try the games yourself? Click here or picture on the left.

One of the exercises I was taught by my physical therapist was a quadriceps (quads) muscle strengthener. With my feet about 1.5 feet from the wall, I put a small ball (16″) between my knees and I slide down the wall until I am almost in a seated position, making sure that my knees do not go over my toes. I then hold for a few seconds while squeezing the ball between my knees, then slowly slide back up. You don’t necessarily need a ball for this exercise, but it gives my knees greater support.

According to Prevention (11/2008), lower body strength translates into good balance, flexibility, and endurance. As you get older, those are the key attributes to reducing your risk of falls and injuries, particularly hip fractures, which often quickly lead to declining health. They state that up to 20% of hip fracture patients die within one year because of complications from the trauma. I know I would not want to be part of that statistic.

According to Robert N. Butler, MD, president of the International Longevity Center-USA, “Having weak thigh muscles is the number one predictor of frailty in old age.” What a great piece of information to know. I believe most of us want to remain independent until we depart this life.

For quicker recovery from sore muscles and joint support, consider a regimen of glucosamine/chondroitan. There are many over-the-counter brands, some with an additional ingredient, MSM, which some believe helps pain and inflammation. As in all dietary supplements, know your source and remember, this is not medication. Do not expect instant results. Your body needs time to absorb over a period ot time. Here is one to check out which I take called Naturflex. Here’s to strong quads!

Last month I was in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas and spent a wonderful day at Six Flags over Texas. I enjoy the shows at theme parks so I was hoping to attend some. Also, it has been several years since I’ve been to a theme park, so I thought it would be fun and good walking exercise. Unfortunately, they were only open for the week of spring break in Texas and there were just a couple of outdoor live shows.

In walking the park, I made several observations about the senior population.

1. You need to be in good shape, specifically you need to be able to walk, sometimes up small hills.

2. You need to be able to afford it. Admission is costly although I found admission at the children’s rate on the Internet. Food is over-priced. A bottle of water is $3.50.

3. Many members of the senior population and their families are overweight, including children. That makes mobility difficult for them.

4. Considering the cost and the expansiveness of the park, you’d want to spend the day there, not just a couple of hours. Stamina is critical.

5. You can save on the cost of parking by staying at a hotel in the Arlington Entertainment District and taking the Hotel Guest Trolley. However, that too, requires walking a distance from the trolley stop to the entrance.

Summer is just around the corner … are you a senior who is ready to enjoy the outdoors? By now I know you’re no longer a couch potato and at the very least, you’re walking. Are you trying to lose weight? Have you heard of a weight loss system that includes eating delicious cookies? Check it out here.

Last month while visiting friends in California, the topic of conversation turned to the Nintendo Wii Fit. All of my friends are retired and it was interesting that they all had Wii Fit. One said, “This is what retired people do.” The oldest in the group, an 80+ year old healthy woman, had a perfect bowling score. The mother of another friend who is pretty much wheelchair bound loves playing with her grandchildren.

Personally, I don’t own one, but I’ve had the opportunity of trying it at a friend’s home and several times at my son’s home. It’s challenging … and now it’s on my “wish list.” The basic console costs approximately $250 and the Wii Fit is an additional $90.

This does not, by any means, replace a real workout at the gym. But if you’re not doing anything, then at least this will get you started and perhaps interested in doing more.  As Anne Underwood, health writer at Newsweek says, “…it encourages you to try a broad range of exercises that you might not try otherwise.” You can read her entire article at http://www.newsweek.com/id/138076.

Are you hooked on Wii Fit? What has it done for you?