Some midday exercise is better than no date exercise! Feels great! #HumpDay
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Monday, April 28, 2014
Facts Matter When Your Heart Health is at Stake
Facts Matter When Your Heart Health is at Stake
The heart is one of the most complex organs in our body,
affecting many other parts of our body and our health. Having a healthy heart
is a key to having a healthy body; heart health and a healthy life go
hand-in-hand. This makes having reliable, accurate information about your heart
health so important. Reliable information is even more important when you or your loved ones are facing questions about issues or conditions affecting the heart, including heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, or other related diseases. This is especially important for African American and Hispanic communities; heart disease is more prevalent among African Americans[i] and Hispanics[ii]—as are some of the factors that increase the risk of developing it, including high blood pressure, overweight and obesity, and diabetes. But there is a resource to provide you with the information that you need to talk to your health care provider and make informed decisions about your treatment.
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) encourages you to start exploring the facts. On our Treatment Options page, you can find easy-to-understand summaries and answers to your questions to help you compare the evidence on your treatment options. Here you will find information on different treatment options for high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation or “A-fib,” stable coronary heart disease, and other heart and vascular diseases.
Learn how to work with your health care provider toward better heart health in three easy steps:
1. Explore: Visit www.ahrq.gov/treatmentoptions or our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/yourtreatmentoptions to engage with us about heart health.
2. Compare: Learn about the benefits, risks, and side effects of different treatment options. Think about your treatment goals and what matters most for your quality of life.
3. Prepare: Write a list of questions and concerns to take to your next medical appointment. This will help you and your health care provider decide which treatments will work best for your heart or related condition.
Caring for your heart is one of the most important things you can do for your health and the health of your family. To learn more about protecting your heart health, visit www.ahrq.gov/treatmentoptions and select “Heart Conditions.” To order free print copies of treatment summaries on many health conditions call 1-800-358-9295.
[i] National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. (2012). Who Is at Risk for
High Blood Pressure? [Fact sheet]. Retrieved from http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/hbp/atrisk.html
[ii] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2013). Cardiovascular
disease is the leading cause of death among US Hispanics [Factsheet]. Retrieved
from http://www.cdc.gov/Features/millionheartshispanic
Sunday, April 27, 2014
How To Make Disciples
Golden nuggets from today's message:
How To Make Disciples
Disciple - a follower, learner of a particular person, place or thing (a follower and learner of Jehovah, Jesus, Holy Spirit; and His Word the Bible).
Ingredients of discipleship (reference Matthew 28:18-20):
● You must be a disciple in order to make a disciple.
-Believe in God, His Son, and the Holy Spirit
·Receive: Jehovah God as Father and Creator of all things; Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life; and the Holy Spirit as your guide.
● Go. Take action with a God-given true purpose.
● Teach all people the Truth, Good News that leads to sincere belief in Him.
● Baptize (symbolizing unending commitment to a God-changed life) in the Name of the Father, three Son, and the Holy Spirit.
● Teach disciples what God has commanded you: to have a Godly life in Jesus' Name.
● Recognize that the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Ghost) is always with you in every occasion.
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
A Winning Attitude
As I've mentioned on many occasions with keys to success, winning isn't always about coming in first place as much as it is about completing the course. You will not be the first person in heaven. All you have to do is get there and the reward is endless. #WinningAttitude
Monday, April 21, 2014
In Crowded Households, Stress Is A Killer
In Crowded Households, Stress is a Killer
(from New America Media / VoiceWaves, News Report, Rabiya Hussein)
Every morning before Evangelina Ramirez leaves for work, she cleans the house in a meticulous manner so that everything is where it belongs. She does this, she says, so she can come home to a clean house where she can unwind after a busy day at work.
Ramirez, a caregiver and a community activist, shares a three-bedroom apartment in central Long Beach with her two teenage children, a roommate and her roommate’s daughter. Unfortunately for Ramirez, the tight quarters mean that her dream of relaxing after work in a clean and quiet home is just that, a dream.
“As soon as I get home, I start feeling stressed because I have to work all day and then I go home and I find all the mess,” said Ramirez, who has lived in overcrowded homes for the past 20 years. “I start getting mad and start yelling at everybody.”
Ramirez’ experience is not uncommon. According to a new report by Housing Long Beach (HLB), a community non-profit, nearly 20,000 families are currently living in overcrowded housing in that city alone. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) defines overcrowded housing as any residence with at least 1.5 people per room.
According to the HLB report, individuals or families living in overcrowded housing situations are more likely than others to experience poor mental health outcomes including persistent stress, and even have a shorter life expectancy. Additionally, children who grow up in overcrowded homes are more likely to fall behind in their schooling and exhibit behavioral issues.
In spite of the health issues associated with overcrowded housing, said Ramiez, such arrangements are made out of necessity and not choice. Ramirez herself spent 17 years living in a small one-bedroom apartment with five other family members, prior to moving into her current home two years ago.
“I always kept my kids indoors so they don’t get into gangs and drugs, but the only thing [my oldest] son liked to do was eat. That made my son become overweight,” she said.
“Now he is an adult, and he is [an overweight] man who has many health problems.”
A younger son of Ramirez was diagnosed with ADHD, and she worried about the impact of the frequent yelling in the home, which she attributed to the stress of living in a cramped environment. “When a kid who has ADHD starts listening to someone who’s yelling, they start feeling anxious [and] he just doesn’t want to be home.”
Ramirez said her two teenage children, a girl and a boy, also suffered from having to share a room. “They didn’t have space to do their homework and all the things they need to do,” Ramirez said. “I tried to find another apartment but I [couldn’t] pay $ 1,400. It’s too much.”
Ramirez was eventually able to find a roommate, her best friend’s sister, lowering her share of the rent to $900 -- but even that was more than Ramirez, a minimum-wage earner, could afford to pay.
“Most of the time, per month, I get around $1,200 or $1,400. Most of the money goes to rent and another $300 on bills, like electricity, gas, Internet and cellphone. Sometimes I don’t have enough money for food and that’s the biggest problem.”
The accepted rule of thumb is that housing costs should be no more than 30 percent of a household income, to allow other basic needs to be met.
However, close to 130,000 Long Beach renters, including Ramirez, spend somewhere between 30 and 65 percent of their income on rent, said HLB Executive Director Kerry Gallagher.
“Some families cope and they have really affordable rent, but they live in really terrible, substandard units,” Gallagher said. “Other families cope by living in overcrowded homes. So it makes it more affordable, but it adds on all these impacts of the stress of living in an overcrowded environment.”
Currently, the median rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Long Beach is $1,513 per month in the downtown area, and $1,200 in North Long Beach. That would require a single person to earn an hourly rate of $29.09 or $23.07, respectively, in order to afford that rent while not exceeding 30 percent of their overall take-home pay, according to HLB.
Furthermore, the report concludes, if the Long Beach tourism industry continues to create low-paying service-sector jobs while the California minimum wage stays stagnant at only $8.00 hour, “the imbalance between jobs and housing will tip further and further toward un-sustainability.”
(from New America Media / VoiceWaves, News Report, Rabiya Hussein)
Every morning before Evangelina Ramirez leaves for work, she cleans the house in a meticulous manner so that everything is where it belongs. She does this, she says, so she can come home to a clean house where she can unwind after a busy day at work.
Ramirez, a caregiver and a community activist, shares a three-bedroom apartment in central Long Beach with her two teenage children, a roommate and her roommate’s daughter. Unfortunately for Ramirez, the tight quarters mean that her dream of relaxing after work in a clean and quiet home is just that, a dream.
“As soon as I get home, I start feeling stressed because I have to work all day and then I go home and I find all the mess,” said Ramirez, who has lived in overcrowded homes for the past 20 years. “I start getting mad and start yelling at everybody.”
Ramirez’ experience is not uncommon. According to a new report by Housing Long Beach (HLB), a community non-profit, nearly 20,000 families are currently living in overcrowded housing in that city alone. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) defines overcrowded housing as any residence with at least 1.5 people per room.
According to the HLB report, individuals or families living in overcrowded housing situations are more likely than others to experience poor mental health outcomes including persistent stress, and even have a shorter life expectancy. Additionally, children who grow up in overcrowded homes are more likely to fall behind in their schooling and exhibit behavioral issues.
In spite of the health issues associated with overcrowded housing, said Ramiez, such arrangements are made out of necessity and not choice. Ramirez herself spent 17 years living in a small one-bedroom apartment with five other family members, prior to moving into her current home two years ago.
“I always kept my kids indoors so they don’t get into gangs and drugs, but the only thing [my oldest] son liked to do was eat. That made my son become overweight,” she said.
“Now he is an adult, and he is [an overweight] man who has many health problems.”
A younger son of Ramirez was diagnosed with ADHD, and she worried about the impact of the frequent yelling in the home, which she attributed to the stress of living in a cramped environment. “When a kid who has ADHD starts listening to someone who’s yelling, they start feeling anxious [and] he just doesn’t want to be home.”
Ramirez said her two teenage children, a girl and a boy, also suffered from having to share a room. “They didn’t have space to do their homework and all the things they need to do,” Ramirez said. “I tried to find another apartment but I [couldn’t] pay $ 1,400. It’s too much.”
Ramirez was eventually able to find a roommate, her best friend’s sister, lowering her share of the rent to $900 -- but even that was more than Ramirez, a minimum-wage earner, could afford to pay.
“Most of the time, per month, I get around $1,200 or $1,400. Most of the money goes to rent and another $300 on bills, like electricity, gas, Internet and cellphone. Sometimes I don’t have enough money for food and that’s the biggest problem.”
The accepted rule of thumb is that housing costs should be no more than 30 percent of a household income, to allow other basic needs to be met.
However, close to 130,000 Long Beach renters, including Ramirez, spend somewhere between 30 and 65 percent of their income on rent, said HLB Executive Director Kerry Gallagher.
“Some families cope and they have really affordable rent, but they live in really terrible, substandard units,” Gallagher said. “Other families cope by living in overcrowded homes. So it makes it more affordable, but it adds on all these impacts of the stress of living in an overcrowded environment.”
Currently, the median rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Long Beach is $1,513 per month in the downtown area, and $1,200 in North Long Beach. That would require a single person to earn an hourly rate of $29.09 or $23.07, respectively, in order to afford that rent while not exceeding 30 percent of their overall take-home pay, according to HLB.
Furthermore, the report concludes, if the Long Beach tourism industry continues to create low-paying service-sector jobs while the California minimum wage stays stagnant at only $8.00 hour, “the imbalance between jobs and housing will tip further and further toward un-sustainability.”
Sunday, April 20, 2014
The Rolling Stone And The Risen Savior
The Rolling Stone And The Risen Savior
Golden Nuggets from today's message:
Matthew 28:1-7; 16-20
* A triumphant earthquake that shakes the world.
* An angel appears suddenly like lightning and white as snow.
* A stone rolled away from the grave.
* No fear of the truth.
* Jesus has risen from the grave.
* Go and tell: Jesus is Lord!
* Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, teaching them to live in Godly ways in Jesus's name.
* The Lord is with you always, throughout the ages.
-Trennie Williams, Sr.
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Adoring the Savior
Golden nuggets from today's Palm Sunday message:
1. You adore the Savior by offering praises to God.
2. Shout: Hosanna! Glory to God in the highest!
--Hosanna = adoration to God; an invocation of blessings.
3. God's House is the house of prayer (not a den of thieves and robbers who worship money instead of God). Whether inside your temple building or inside your temple body you are to offer perfect praise in the house of prayer.
--Perfect praise (completely restored praise comes through Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life.)
---- perfect praise is in your daily walk and your daily talk. Every second is a moment to give God praise.
---- your prefect praise helps heal the lives of others.
References
Matthew 21:1-16
Isaiah 62:11
Zechariah 9:9
Psalm 118:26
Isaiah 56:7
Jeremiah 7:11
Psalm 8:2
Sunday, April 6, 2014
Golden Nuggets from Today's Message - The Perfect Generation: How Long To Master Life?
The Perfect Generation: How Long To Master Life?
Matthew 1:1-17
42 generations from Abraham to Jesus
77 generations from Adam to Jesus
* A generation is not mandated by the number of years as much as a generation is determined by the developmental steps and stages from one step or stage to another.
* Each generation completes a stage for the next generation to build a pond. The generational life of one person impacts the life of the next generation. Every good and bad situation should be a learning experience helping to master lives matters. It takes a lifetime to master life.
* The Master, Jehovah (God himself), must be a part of our life [literally included in every area of our life] in order for us to have a perfect generation.
* Just as God avails Himself to us we must avail ourselves to Him by believing and receiving Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
* Jesus saves, and through Him God takes permanent residence in our lives (our generations). (Matthew 1:21, 23; Isaiah 7:14)
* Because of God's inward presence in our generation (our life) we develop steps and stages that shall impact future lives (future generations) in Jesus name!
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Attention Is Key To Safe Driving (Distracted Driving Awareness Month)
In recognition of Distracted Driving Awareness Month, AAA is warning drivers to avoid any activities that divert attention from the primary driving task. Any distractions could endanger a driver, passengers, or others sharing the road, such as bicyclists or pedestrians.
“While we’ve made substantial progress in the past few years by raising awareness about risky driving behaviors, the simple fact is that distraction continues to be a significant contributing factor to deaths and injuries on our roadways,” said AAA Traffic Safety manager, John Pecchio. “We all should take personal responsibility for focusing on driving rather than on dangerous distractions.”
Distractions are responsible for vehicle crashes leading to more than 3,000 deaths and 387,000 injuries in 2011, according to the most recent data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Driving distractions come in all forms. A few examples are:
• Texting
• Using a handheld or hands-free cell phone
• Conversing with passengers
• Eating/drinking
• Using a navigation system (GPS)
• Personal grooming
The use of electronic devices are among the most well-known and common sources of distraction for drivers. Text messaging behind the wheel is one of the riskiest things a driver can do as it involves manual, visual, and mental distraction simultaneously. Any kind of cell phone use can be risky. There is a public misperception that using a hands-free cell phone reduces risk but research states otherwise.
“The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety completed groundbreaking research last year finding that mental distraction by itself dangerously affects drivers behind the wheel,” said Pecchio. “The research showed that hands-free features, increasingly common in new vehicles, are actually among the most mentally distracting. Just because a drivers’ eyes are on the road and hands are on the wheel does not mean that they are safely focusing on driving.”
Here are AAA’s top 10 tips to avoid distractions while driving:
10. Fully focus on driving and do not let anything divert your attention. Actively scan the road, use your mirrors and watch out for pedestrians and cyclists.
9. Store loose gear, possessions and other distractions that could roll around in the car, so you do not feel tempted to reach for them on the floor or the seat.
8. Make adjustments before your drive. Address vehicle systems like your GPS, seats, mirrors, climate controls and sound systems before hitting the road. Decide on your route and check traffic conditions ahead of time.
7. Finish dressing and personal grooming at home – before you get on the road.
6. Snack smart. If possible, eat meals or snacks before or after your trip, not while driving. On the road, avoid messy foods that can be difficult to manage.
5. Secure children and pets before getting underway. If they need your attention, pull off the road safely to care for them. Reaching into the backseat can cause you to lose control of the vehicle.
4. Don’t use cell phones while driving – handheld or hands-free – except in absolute emergencies. Never use text messaging, email functions, video games or the internet with a wireless device, including those built into the vehicle, while driving.
3. If you have passengers, enlist their help so you can focus safely on driving.
2. If another activity demands your attention, instead of trying to attempt it while driving, pull off the road and stop your vehicle in a safe place. To avoid temptation, power down or stow devices before heading out.
1. As a general rule, if you cannot devote your full attention to driving because of some other activity, it’s a distraction. Take care of it before or after your trip, not while behind the wheel.
“While we’ve made substantial progress in the past few years by raising awareness about risky driving behaviors, the simple fact is that distraction continues to be a significant contributing factor to deaths and injuries on our roadways,” said AAA Traffic Safety manager, John Pecchio. “We all should take personal responsibility for focusing on driving rather than on dangerous distractions.”
Distractions are responsible for vehicle crashes leading to more than 3,000 deaths and 387,000 injuries in 2011, according to the most recent data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Driving distractions come in all forms. A few examples are:
• Texting
• Using a handheld or hands-free cell phone
• Conversing with passengers
• Eating/drinking
• Using a navigation system (GPS)
• Personal grooming
The use of electronic devices are among the most well-known and common sources of distraction for drivers. Text messaging behind the wheel is one of the riskiest things a driver can do as it involves manual, visual, and mental distraction simultaneously. Any kind of cell phone use can be risky. There is a public misperception that using a hands-free cell phone reduces risk but research states otherwise.
“The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety completed groundbreaking research last year finding that mental distraction by itself dangerously affects drivers behind the wheel,” said Pecchio. “The research showed that hands-free features, increasingly common in new vehicles, are actually among the most mentally distracting. Just because a drivers’ eyes are on the road and hands are on the wheel does not mean that they are safely focusing on driving.”
Here are AAA’s top 10 tips to avoid distractions while driving:
10. Fully focus on driving and do not let anything divert your attention. Actively scan the road, use your mirrors and watch out for pedestrians and cyclists.
9. Store loose gear, possessions and other distractions that could roll around in the car, so you do not feel tempted to reach for them on the floor or the seat.
8. Make adjustments before your drive. Address vehicle systems like your GPS, seats, mirrors, climate controls and sound systems before hitting the road. Decide on your route and check traffic conditions ahead of time.
7. Finish dressing and personal grooming at home – before you get on the road.
6. Snack smart. If possible, eat meals or snacks before or after your trip, not while driving. On the road, avoid messy foods that can be difficult to manage.
5. Secure children and pets before getting underway. If they need your attention, pull off the road safely to care for them. Reaching into the backseat can cause you to lose control of the vehicle.
4. Don’t use cell phones while driving – handheld or hands-free – except in absolute emergencies. Never use text messaging, email functions, video games or the internet with a wireless device, including those built into the vehicle, while driving.
3. If you have passengers, enlist their help so you can focus safely on driving.
2. If another activity demands your attention, instead of trying to attempt it while driving, pull off the road and stop your vehicle in a safe place. To avoid temptation, power down or stow devices before heading out.
1. As a general rule, if you cannot devote your full attention to driving because of some other activity, it’s a distraction. Take care of it before or after your trip, not while behind the wheel.
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