Archives for July 2012

Foods That Strengthen Your Bones

If you’re hoping to stave off osteoporosis and increase bone density, a simple dietary change could do just the trick. Incorporate more of these foods into your diet for strong, healthy bones.

  • Vegetables, especially dark, leafy greens, and also roots and stalks – these veggies provide you with essential iron and calcium. They also give you vitamins K and C, which, when combined with protein, help build healthy collagen.
  • Protein, like animal based-protein, beans, and soy foods – these foods will again build collagen.
  • Whole grains – whole grains are rich in magnesium, another essential for bone health.
  • Nuts and seeds – these food items are rich in minerals which help to boost bone density by stabilizing your mineral balance.
  • Healthy fats – fats such as olive oil, nut oils, and nut butters offer your body fat-soluble vitamins that are needed by the bones.

Knock Knock. Who’s There? The Amazing Benefits of Laughter

Laughing feels good. We all love a hearty belly-laugh, a cute giggle, or a jovial chuckle. But did you know that laughter not only feels great in the moment, but it also offers long-term benefits to your health?! The reason that laughter offers such profound health benefits is that it allows the pituitary gland to release pain-suppressing opiates.

So, what exactly can laughter do for you? It can…

  • Decrease blood pressure
  • Improve vascular blood flow
  • Oxygenate the blood
  • Give the diaphragm, abdominals, facial, leg, and back muscles a workout
  • Improve respiratory function
  • Reduce stress hormones, including cortisol and adrenaline
  • Improve the response of tumor- and disease-suppressing cells
  • Prevent respiratory infections
  • Reduce the occurrence of colds
  • Improve memory and increase learning
  • Help with alertness and creativity

If you’re looking for a super simple (and enjoyable) way to boost your overall wellness – start laughing! Turn to your friends, family, favorite joke book, comedian, or funny movie to help you crack a smile, if need be.

How To Stay Connected with Family & Friends

If you’re feeling a little out-of-touch with your family and friends, it’s never too late to reconnect. To rekindle a connection or build your social life, try using the following techniques that will foster communication and connectedness.

Skype, Facebook, and FaceTime
You don't have to be extremely tech savvy to start using Skype, Facebook, or FaceTime. These simple apps work across platforms (FaceTime's Apple-centric) to make it possible to stay in touch using something that seemed miraculous just a few decades ago: video calls!

Monthly Dinners
With everybody's lives being so hectic nowadays, it can be tough to enjoy an ad hoc get together. Planning a regular monthly dinner — a potluck, a dinner party, or a trip to a restaurant — is a great way to ensure that you'll have time to catch up.

Paper Letters
They're a bit outmoded now that text messaging and email are in vogue. But there's something very special about receiving a paper letter, whether handwritten or typed. Like the holiday letters that still live on, letters sent throughout the year can offer important updates on what's happening in your lives, and can be cherished as objects in ways email never can.

Happy 4th of July!

Wishing you an Independence Day filled with pride in our country and hoping you enjoy the 4th of July with family and friends.

Laguna Canyon Winery: Gorgeous Wines, Gorgeous Winery

When Marlowe Joseph Huber decided to start his own winery from scratch after successfully purchasing and running two existing ones, he knew he had a challenge ahead of him. His Laguna Canyon Winery, opened in 2003, shows that he has met the challenge excellently. Located in an industrial park outside Laguna Beach, the winery produces spectacular, award-winning whites, reds, and sparkling wines. They host an excellent wine tasting on the first Friday of every month that offers wine, food, and a souvenir glass etched with the winery’s logo for just $35. If you’re looking for a bigger experience, the winery hosts private parties and catered affairs with live music available. They also have a tasting room in downtown Laguna Beach. The ambience isn’t much—with no vineyard (the winery buys their grapes from a variety of sources), the vibe is more science than scenic, but the quality of the product more than makes up for it.

Laguna Canyon Winery
2133 Laguna Canyon Rd
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
(949) 715-9463
www.lagunacanyonwinery.com

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