Hot Spot #3 is on July 1 at the Taste of Lombard 

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TOL NEW logoBGOur third  “Hot Spot” will be at the Taste of Lombard on Tuesday, July 1.

We will have a table near the Carnival entrance where you can fill out your raffle ticket for attending.

Then, if you participate in our Fitness Challenges (by the musical stage)  at 6 PM, 6:45 PM, 8 PM and/or 8:45 PM you will receive another ticket! The challenge includes  activities such as jumping rope, using a hula hoop, and doing jumping jacks – all easy and fun activities.

Reminder: use your copy of our logo (Flat Apple) when you take your “Healthy Selfies” during the challenge to be credited with two additional raffle tickets!

All you have to do is send the photos to us at [email protected] and we will fill out the e-tickets for you.

Happy Farhers’ Day from Healthy Lombard 

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imagesHealthy Lombard Partner and MSTOM, LA.c, Board Certified Herbalist Jennifer McGrath, shares this advice for keeping Dad Healthy for Years to come.

Many of the everyday foods you eat and not so common ones are heart healthy.

Cinnamon (Gui Zhi) helps to lower blood sugar.  Hawthorne Berries (Shan Zha), garlic (Xie Bai) and celery seed help to #ower blood pressure and cholesterol and improve heart function.

Acupuncture is wonderful for hypertension.

Clinical studies show it very effective in reducing blood pressure.

http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/2014/06/12/keep-dad-healthy-for-years-to-come

We Kick Off Flt Apple Tonight! 

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ZumbaHealthy Lombard is sponsoring the Flat Apple Program as a way to motivate kids to keep their bodies moving when they are on summer break from school.

Lisa Mc Daniels, from Zumba with Lisa, a Healthy Lombard Partner and Board Member, will lead off with a FREE Family Zumba session at 5:45 PM at the Lombard Cruise Night Stage at Park & St. Charles. We’re including ALL the family because adults are the role models.  If adults follow healthy habits, so will the kids!

Registered participants in the event,  will earn one (1) bite at the apple.  The “bites” are raffle tickets that give participants a chance to win great prizes. Like, a bike from J&R Cycle, an iPad mini, Beat Headphones, a 3-month enrollment at Sky Center Martial Arts, and signed jerseys from the Chgo. Red Stars Soccer team.

So join us tonight for some upbeat, healthy fun!

The more “bites” you and or your child earns, the greater the chance to win a prize.  At the end of the program, winners will be selected at random in a raffle.

To register, just click on the link in the blue bar at the top of the Healthy Lombard website.

    What aerobic exercise does for your health 

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    DSCN0833The Mayo Clinic shared that regardless of age, weight or athletic ability, aerobic activity is good for you. As your body adapts to regular aerobic exercise, you’ll get stronger and fitter. Consider the following 10 ways that aerobic activity can help you feel better and enjoy life to the fullest.

    Aerobic activity can help you:

    1. Keep excess pounds at bay
      Combined with a healthy diet, aerobic exercise helps you lose weight and keep it off.
    2. Increase your stamina
      Aerobic exercise may make you tired in the short term. But over the long term, you’ll enjoy increased stamina and reduced fatigue.
    3. Ward off viral illnesses
      Aerobic exercise may activate your immune system. This may leave you less susceptible to minor viral illnesses, such as colds and flu.
    4. Reduce your health risks
      Aerobic exercise reduces the risk of many conditions, including obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, stroke and certain types of cancer. Weight-bearing aerobic exercises, such as walking, reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
    5. Manage chronic conditions
      Aerobic exercise may help lower blood pressure and control blood sugar. If you have coronary artery disease, aerobic exercise may help you manage your condition.
    6. Strengthen your heart
      A stronger heart doesn’t need to beat as fast. A stronger heart also pumps blood more efficiently, which improves blood flow to all parts of your body.
    7. Keep your arteries clear
      Aerobic exercise boosts your high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the “good,” cholesterol, and lowers your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the “bad,” cholesterol. This may result in less buildup of plaques in your arteries.
    8. Boost your mood
      Aerobic exercise may ease the gloominess of depression, reduce the tension associated with anxiety and promote relaxation.
    9. Stay active and independent as you age
      Aerobic exercise keeps your muscles strong, which can help you maintain mobility as you get older.Aerobic exercise also keeps your mind sharp. At least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise three days a week appears to reduce cognitive decline in older adults.
    10. Live longer
      Studies show that people who participate in regular aerobic exercise live longer than those who don’t exercise regularly.

    Read more 

    ProActive Kids Summer Session at Good Samaritan Health & Wellness Center 

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    ProActive Kids teaches kids and their families fun ways to improve health through Exercise, Nutritional Lessons, and Open Discussion over 8 weeks. This life-changing experience is offered FREE to kids ages 8-14 who want to learn new exercises, lose weight, eat right and be more confident. (BMI must be in 85th percentile or above to participate).

    UPCOMING SESSIONS
    Summer 2014 June 9 – August 1
    Fall 2014 September 15 – November 7
    DAYS AND TIMES
    Monday and Wednesday
    Fitness and Lifestyle (Kids Only): 5:00 – 6:30 pm
    Friday Family Day
    Fitness, Nutrition and Lifestyle: 5:00 – 7:00 pm
    WHERE
    Good Samaritan Health and Wellness Center
    3551 Highland Avenue
    Downers Grove, IL 60515

    For more information and to enroll, please go to: www.proactivekids.org.
    Please submit any inquiries to [email protected] or call 630.681.1558

    Take the first step toward a healthy future. Sign up today to enroll your child and family in ProActive Kids’ next session.   Read more 

    Laughter May Make Your Brain Work Better! 

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    The Daily Herald Newspaper ran an article from ABC News  that reports that new research suggests that humor can improve short-term memory in older adults, .

    In a recent small study conducted at Loma Linda University in Southern California, 20 normal, healthy, older adults watched a funny video distraction-free for 20 minutes, while a control group sat calmly with no video. Afterward, they performed memory tests and had saliva samples analyzed for stress hormones.

    You guessed it; those who got to laugh the 20 minutes away with the funny video scored better on short-term memory tests, researchers said. And salivary levels of the stress hormone cortisol — a memory enemy of sorts — were significantly decreased in the humor group.

    The act of laughter — or simply enjoying some humor — increases endorphins, sending dopamine to the brain to provide a sense of pleasure and reward, authors of the study say.

    That, in turn, makes the immune system work better and changes brain wave activity toward what’s called a “gamma frequency,” amping up memory and recall.

    DCHD Announces Every Kid Healthy Week 

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    In recognition of Every Kid Healthy Week, the DuPage County Health Department is offering some ideas on how schools can take small steps to make big changes when it comes to the health of their students.

    Every Kid Healthy Week™ is an effort created by Action for Healthy Kids®, a non-profit organization that fights childhood obesity, undernourishment and physical inactivity by helping schools become healthier places so kids can live healthier lives. During this national observance and throughout the month of April, schools across the country are encouraged to host events that will make sustainable changes that encourage students to eat better and be active every day.

    To celebrate Every Kid Healthy Week™, schools can implement wellness initiatives to promote and reinforce healthy eating, physical activity and nutrition education. Some events taking place across the county include:

    •  Hosting a healthy food taste test event
    •  Organizing a family fitness night
    • Incorporating fitness breaks into the classroom curriculum

    FORWARD, a county-wide, public-private partnership of the DuPage County Health Department, that is also working to fight obesity, offers resources for schools working to make healthy changes. For more information or to access our resources, visit www.forwarddupage.org.

    Schools already participating in Every Kid Healthy Week are encouraged to share their planned events by registering the event on the Every Kid Healthy Calendar by going to, https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2014EKHWeek.

    For more information on the DuPage County Health Department, follow us on Twitter @DuPageHD or become a fan on Facebook.

     

    Steps to support brain health, improve overall wellness 

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    Joshua Steckler, owner of Push Fitness, a personal training studio located in Schaumburg specializing in weight loss, muscle toning, and nutrition wrote in a recent Daily Herald article that brain health is an often overlooked aspect of fitness but has a major impact on the overall well-being of the body.

    Many times brain health is only addressed once there are known issues. Fortunately, many of the healthy steps we recommend for the well-being of the body will also support healthy brain function.

    The following tips will support brain health while improving overall wellness.

    Never stop learning. Keep your brain sharp by challenging it on a daily basis. Simple things like brushing your teeth with your non-dominant hand, or trying a new activity that makes you think on your feet like a dance class, or simply reading a book on an unfamiliar topic are all great for keeping the brain active. These types of activities should make you think, learn, and use the brain while embracing the new challenges. Read more 

    Celebrate Public Health Week 

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    National Public Health Week is April 7-11 and the DuPage County Health Department will be celebrating the work of public health professionals more than ever this year as public health continues to evolve at a rapid pace with the onset of Affordable Health Care.

     

    Public Health Week is a nationally recognized event that takes place during the first full week of April every year since 1995. Communities from coast to coast will be raising awareness of issues that are important to everyone’s health.

    This year’s daily themes for Public Health Week are:

    • Monday, April 7: Be Healthy from the Start: public health starts at home, take action to protect your health by better meal planning, conducting recommended safety upgrades and preparing for emergencies.
    • Tuesday. April 8: Don’t Panic: Disaster can strike at any moment and you can’t always predict when or what, but you can be prepared for it.
    • Wednesday, April 9: Get out Ahead: 7 in 10 deaths are related to preventable disease.  Get out ahead of them by taking preventative health measures like regular check-ups and living a healthy lifestyle.
    • Thursday, April 10:  Eat Well: Many people do not understand the important information listed on a food label or what precautions to take during a foodborne illness. This day will be dedicated to bringing awareness to these issues.

    Friday, April 11: Be the Healthiest Nation in One Generation: For the first time in decades, the current generation isn’t as healthy as the one that came before it. Communities will band together to try and reverse this disturbing trend. Read more 

    Sign Up for a Great Riding Event in MI! 

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    On September 24, 2014, the Apple Cider Century (ACC) will host an annual one-day 15, 25, 37, 50, 62, 75 or 100 mile bicycle tour of the orchards, forests and wine country in and around Three Oaks, Michigan. The ACC is a recreational and social tour for bicyclists. It is neither a race nor a test of stamina. It is intended that all participants ride the tour in a safe and intelligent manner.

    Since 1974, it has become the Midwest’s largest one-day century event with over 5,500 cyclists participating last year. The ACC is sponsored by the Three Oaks Spokes Bicycle Club. Monies raised are used to finance the Apple Cider Century Tour, the Backroads Bikeway trails, the Bicycle Museum housed at the Dewey Cannon Trading Company, the League of American Bicyclists, Rails to Trails, and to help fund community youth programs and other non-profit organization fund raising causes.

    HOW TO REGISTER:
    All would-be participants in the ACC must complete and return the entry form with appropriate fee and a self-addressed, stamped, business size envelope. This will assure a return of your confirmation letter, with directions and motel and campground information. Because we must limit entries, you must act promptly to assure yourself a place. Remember that more individuals wish to ride the ACC than can be accommodated. NOTE: Entries in ACC are limited to 6,000. Entry forms which are received after the tour is full will be returned with full refund. Please register early
    Click Here for the form.

    Looking for a great place to stay while participating or cheering on a participant?

    Then check out The Inn at Union Pier.  It is a fantastic place to stay …(even if you come when there is not a bike ride scheduled!