Yesterday Dr. Al Sears  was a guest on The Ageless Sisters  and spoke about heart endurance exercises.  He explained the difference between cardiovascular endurance and short bursts of intense exertion.

Here's the most important thing about exercise for your heart?

Endurance training, like cardiovascular endurance ("cardio" for short), is not the only thing your heart and lungs need. It won't keep your heart and lungs from shrinking with age. And it won't make your heart less prone to disease.

Here's proof?  

A 30-year study shows endurance exercise leads to a common heart problem.

Norwegian cross-country marathon skiers took part in a study that began in 1976. Researchers wanted to know if the elite athletes would develop heart disease.

They discovered endurance athletes are at unusually high risk for atrial fibrillation (AF), which leads to stroke.

AF is when the two upper chambers of the heart quiver instead of beating properly. Blood isn't pumped completely out, so it pools and clots. If a clot breaks loose, it can travel to the brain and cause a stroke.1

In general, only 0. of the population has AF. But in the marathon skiers, it rose to 12.8 . What's surprising, the youngest age group was most at risk. In the 26- to 33-year-old age group, 18.2% developed AF.2

You can have AF and not even know it. Some of the symptoms include:

-Heart palpitations
-Shortness of breath
-Chest pain
-Weakness
-Fatigue  

Research is finally catching up with common sense. Short bursts of intense exercise are what nature intended. It's better for your heart ? and your health.

Your body is designed to adapt to the environment, just like when your ancestors were hunting or escaping from wild animals. Forcing yourself to exercise for long periods without rest is not what nature intended. When you do the same repetitive movement over and over like you're a machine, you cause too much stress on your organs. Stress causes inflammation, and inflammation leads to chronic disease.

In this case, heart disease.

A Harvard study came to the same conclusion. Short bursts of intense exertion lowers the risk of heart disease ? and death.3,4

There is an easy way to guard against AF and strengthen your heart. I designed PACE to take minutes ? rather than hours ? a day. Plus, it gives you a lean and toned body. You can start right now, wherever you are, even if you've never exercised a day in your life.

1. Choose a challenge.  Choose an activity that challenges you. For one person it might be walking for one minute. For someone else, it might be sprinting full blast. Or use weights. Or a bicycle.

2. Warm up.  Start your activity in a slow and controlled manner to get the blood flowing in your body. Become aware of how your body responds. Warm up for about two minutes.

3. Challenge your body.  Once you're warmed up and ready, turn up the intensity. Whatever form of exercise you choose, start at a level you're comfortable with and put effort into what you do. Start with only a minute or two.

4. Rest and recover.  Now relax. Notice your heartbeat. Keep track of how long it takes to get back to normal. Take as long as you need, but when you catch your breath, it's time to challenge your body again.

5. Repeat.  Repeat the challenge followed by rest four to six times. This shouldn't take you more than 10-12 minutes.

If you want to know more about PACE, click here now  

To Your Good Health,

Al Sears, MD

A physician, author, physical trainer and researcher, Al Sears, M.D.  is one of today's leading voices in anti-aging medicine and natural health. He is the first doctor in the U.S. licensed to offer TA65,  the newest and most dramatic technology in the world of life extension to his patients.  

Dr. Sears  has seen over 20,000 patients  at his thriving private practice located in Royal Palm Beach, Florida. He has written six books and over 500 articles on supplements, alternative medicine and anti-aging. He also publishes the newsletters Health Confidential and Doctor's House Call.  

Dr. Sears  is a member of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine and is Board Certified in Anti-Aging Medicine. He is also the founder and director of The Wellness Research Foundation, a non-profit organization involved in on-going original research to evaluate natural alternatives to pharmaceutical therapies.  

Tune in Tomorrow March 18, 10am PST
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/theagelesssisters  

Ask Dr. Sears your Questions
Call-in Number: (347) 857-1606

By Melissa B. Williams

Confession: When I was a little girl, I used to sneak into the garden and eat all the carrots?and I mean all of them. It was no secret who did it: I was only about 4, and I'd leave the telltale carrot tops lying around as evidence of my consumption. My mother would lecture me about sharing, but I now know?as a mother myself?that she was really glowing with satisfaction. What mama wouldn't want her child to "sneak" for carrots instead of a Twinkie or cupcake?

In this age of iPods, cell phones, and the Wii, many parents feel it's nearly impossible to get their children excited about the outdoors?and we won't even talk about their lack of enthusiasm for veggies. But kids are interested in nature?they (and we parents, too) just might be too over stimulated to notice.  

Younger kids are naturally drawn to the dirt, essentially creating mud baths whenever the opportunity arises. Older children might not be as into getting dirty, but they definitely are interested in receiving rewards for their work (um, allowance anyone?), and nothing is quite as rewarding as growing your own food.

Build It And They Will Come  

The first step to luring your children outside is building a garden that suits their needs as well as yours. Gardens can be built anywhere, from conventional garden boxes and planters to a kiddy pool, old sandbox, or even an old claw-foot bathtub. City dwellers take note: Gardens can be created entirely in containers as long as the containers are suited to each individual plant. Once you've decided what you're going to plant your goods in and where (pick a sunny spot that receives at least six hours of sunshine per day), you'll want to figure out how much you need and want to plant in that space. If you have a small garden, that's going to be your guide. If you have a larger space, honestly evaluate how much your family can eat, give away, or preserve. The Family Kitchen Garden (Timber Press, 2009) offers a guide for figuring out exactly how much you need for a family of four. (Unfortunately, I read this guide much too late and have already started 60 tomato plants. I guess I'm going to be getting into the ketchup business.)

Little feet need paths to walk on, creating boundaries so they don't trample their hard work. The rule of thumb is to make the paths at least a few feet wide so that you can kneel and work in the garden space. (Or, so that a good game of tag won't ruin a month's worth of dedication and growth.) After your space is created, talk with a local gardener or read a local gardening guide to ensure that you have healthy soil and know which amendments to add for your region. Most kids aren't interested in manual labour, so it's best to work the soil before bringing your kids into the mix?no matter their age. Remember, you want this to be an adventure, not a punishment or a chore.

If you have more than one child, divide the garden, giving each gardener his or her own space for planting. Seeds do not have to be planted in rows. Let your children be creative, planting in a pattern that suits them. This will create a very organic looking space, full of wonder for everyone involved. (Do try to keep seeds the recommended distance from one another to allow them to succeed.)  

Gardening Through the Ages  

It is never too early to start gardening with children. Mike Metallo, president of the National Gardening Association, suggests introducing children as young as preschoolers to gardening. Toddlers and preschoolers  have a natural propensity to explore. Depending on the age of your children, you'll want to gear your garden, and the resulting activities, toward their interests. Kids of all ages will enjoy watering as well as harvesting the produce. Older kids can be responsible for weeding and cleaning up the garden.* Here are a few ideas for getting kids of all ages interested in your garden:*  

Globalize.  Research different cultures and plant staples from those cultures, like basil from Italy, peppers or corn from Mexico, and eggplant from the Middle East. This will introduce your children to world cuisine, while also giving you the opportunity to bring a bit of diversity to your table.

Create a theme.  A pizza garden or an herbal tea garden lets your kids have an endgame in mind throughout the process. Let the kids decide what constitutes a pizza topping (and don't forget herbs). If your 4-year-old is convinced that peas are a good choice, go with it. Gardens are meant to be creative, and sometimes a bit outlandish.

Celebrate the ecosystem. Younger kids are fascinated with creepy crawlers, so take advantage of that. Have them count the bugs and worms, and then take the opportunity to explain that many bugs are good for their plants, and that we want to do things to encourage them to visit, like, you know, not squishing them.

Keep track.  Elementary school kids like to see results, so help them chart their plants' growth. If they've planted several tomato plants, for instance, have them measure each in terms of height as well as production, and help watch how they grow throughout the season.

Harvest as an appetizer.  Kids of all ages will enjoy the task of picking dinner. Send them outside an hour or two before mealtime, asking them to choose fruits or veggies that are ripe that they'd like to have. Feeling adventurous? Ask for their input on how to weave the ingredients into a meal. (Spinach and raspberry sorbet anyone?)

Share the bounty.  Teach your children about community by having them help you distribute excess produce to your neighbours. They'll have the opportunity to showcase their green thumbs, and you'll have yet another reason to get them away from the TV.

Plant a tree.  Celebrate milestones in your child's life by planting a tree or bush in his honour. If he's older, let him choose what to plant. Make it an annual tradition to take a photo in front of the plant, documenting both it and your little (or big) one's growth.

Welcome visitors.  Invite butterflies into your garden with such colourful and fragrant plants as butterfly bush, marigolds, and cosmos. Hummingbirds?another favourite for kids?are attracted to tubular and red flowers, including columbine and trumpet vines.
Special Considerations for Little Gardeners

Little hands do well with big seeds, including kid-friendly favourites like peas, squash, and beans. They also like quick results, so choose plants that mature quickly, including sugar snap peas, carrots, zucchini, and cucumbers. Also throw in some slow-growing plants like pumpkin. Though nothing will pique their interest like getting to carve a pumpkin they grew themselves. Herbs are also an excellent choice. Lavender and chamomile are both very child-friendly and can be dried and used in sachets or added to herbal tea or lemonade.
As with anything else, you'll want to keep an eye on your children when they navigate the garden. Some flowers are not only inedible, they're actually poisonous. If you've got little ones running around, you'll want to have all of the existing plants in your yard identified, and remove those that could be risky. (This is also a good exercise for pet owners.) Some plants might not be poisonous but may have thorns or spikes, or cause irritation to the skin. In Gardening With Kids (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2008) authors Catherine Woram and Martyn Cox suggest avoiding such common plants as delphinium, foxglove, lupine, and calla lily. Oleander is also very poisonous.

Gardens give children the opportunity to explore nature, get a little exercise, and unleash their creativity. Although my daughter may barely be walking, I'm determined to get her hands in the soil this growing season. Of course, I'm secretly hoping that at some point in time she'll sneak out into our garden and steal her own veggies?she'll have to find a love for something other than carrots, though: Those are already claimed.  

Source: www.sustainabletable.org

TeleClass Details

Springtime to Your Face

Led By: Cynthia Rowland :)  

Teleclass Description:

Springtime to Your Face  

Return the Look of Springtime to Your Face

I will discuss:

- The hows and whys of facial aging
- What to expect each decade when you are in your 30’s through 70’s
- Foods to eat that enhance your complexion

I will instruct listeners on how to perform four facial exercises that will correct problems with
- The upper eye and forehead
- Flabby neck and wattle

For teleclass please have 2 washcloths, a mirror and if possible, a hands free phone

Tuition: No Cost

Sign Up Now!
http://globalteleclass.com/scripts/classDetail.lasso?courseNo=CRGT-401a&-session=GTC_Session:60F7247207b161D58Bssx3BBEA61

Inspiration of the week
No matter how difficult the challenges you might be facing, keep in mind that some of the greatest people who've lived have overcome incredible obstacles and hardships on their paths to success.

By Daily Mail Reporter  a wise old lady once said: A woman's outfit should be like a barbed-wire fence ? serving its purpose without obstructing the view. That lady was Sophia Loren. And judging by her daring outfit, it appears she is still using it as her dress code. At 75, it seems Miss Loren has decided a woman of a certain age has no need to be demure.

So fab: Sophia Loren shows a lot of leg in a thigh-high skirt

Daring: Sophia Loren looked far younger than her 75 years at a photocall for her new TV series in Rome yesterday
The actress arrived at the launch of a TV series in Rome yesterday showing off an impressive cleavage and thigh-high skirt. She stars in La Mia Casa e Piena di Specchi (My House Is Full of Mirrors), a series based on the book about her life by her sister Maria Scicolone. In it, she plays her mother, Romilda Villani, while stunning actress Margareth Made plays the young Sophia.

Loren with Margareth Made, who stars as the screen siren in the TV series based on a book about her life.
Original post   http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1257085/How-smoulder-youre-older-Sophia-Loren-75.html#