Pillow Talk — How to get your best night’s sleep.

Pond Mountain Inn

Our guests have always remarked about their wonderful sleeping experience at Pond Mountain Inn and with recommendations from our guests, we have now moved to a four pillow configuration on all our beds. Our recent pillow investment did not undergo the rigorous analysis found in a recent Wall Street Journal (4/28) article titled, For a Good Night’s Sleep, Think More About Your Pillow, however, we made thoughtful choices based on the sleeping needs for the sophisticated traveler. Below are the article’s highlights.

Stuffed with stuff – explains the benefits of how your pillow should align the hip, back and neck to keep the spine as straight as possible.

Position Matters – Choosing the best pillow by understanding the benefits of knowing if you’re a side sleeper, back sleeper or a stomach sleeper.  

Cool it down – Find out why coolness of your pillow is so important…

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Keep Healthy Tip – Why You Should Air Out The House

In the south we have the heat in the summer which means most homes are running the Air Conditioner 24/7. Winters up North mean most likely you are running your heat as much as the south runs their AC in the summer. With your home closed up for such a length of time, cooking odors, pet odors and more build up. A stuffy home can lead to colds, flu, potential headaches, allergy flare ups and more.

Here are some tips to help keep the air fresh and clean and cut down on illness.

Breath In The Fresh Air
When weather permits, pop open a few windows for a least 10 minutes and give the house a good airing. If its summer, do this in the morning when it is not so hot.

Dander
If you are a pet owner you know that dander has to exist in your home. For people that are allergic to animals, cats, dogs, are more likely to have reactions because of the dander. Dander is the shedding of old skin cells similar to humans with dandruff. It is very small and circulates in the air, clings to furniture, draperies and wall coverings. You can help keep down the dander with an air purifier and even the smaller ones can filter as much as 99% air in a small room. They also help keep up on mold and dust.

Green Plants Are Your Friend
Plants not only look fabulous in the home but also clean up the air by balancing the ozone levels. Eucalyptus plants minimize odors and gives out a refreshing odor. Try putting a stalk of this plant in your car and leave it for a day as a natural purifier for odors and help your car smell fresh.

Not Aerosol, Grab the Pump
Why use aerosol when just about everything now comes in a pump bottle. When an aerosol product goes into the air it can cause mild to moderate lung irritation, including asthma like symptoms.

Don’t Push the Dust Around
Keeping down the dust helps tremendously. Just by dusting with a damp cloth, you can get 93% more allergy particles then with a dry towel or feather duster. Tip: Always dust before you vacuum that way your cleaning up the dust instead of spreading it around.

 

Photo Courtesy of  Idea go at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Idaho Potatoes Get a Check Mark From The American Heart Association

The American Heart Association has declared that potatoes are a heart healthy source of food. I guess my grandmother knew what she was doing, because she served boiled potatoes for just about every supper.

Here are some healthy facts about the potato.

Antioxidants
Potatoes contain more antioxidants then broccoli.

Rare Nutrients
They have rare nutrients called kukoamines which may help lower blood pressure.

Vitamin C
Not crazy about fruit? Grab a potato. One potato has 45% of the awesome fat burning and disease fighting Vitamin C.

Get Your Fiber
Don’t peel off the skin and you will get 7 grams of fiber from just on large potato.

If you are watching your diet, add a dollop of plain yogurt instead of sour cream or use a fat free version of either. Cut out the butter by adding olive oil or your favorite flavored oil and you could also add a spoonful or more of salsa for more flavor!

See here why Idaho Potatoes are are certified by the American Heart Association and have been given the Heart-Check Mark.

Photo Courtesy of Apolonia at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Keepping Healthy – Walk Off The Pounds

If you work at a computer or a job that requires a lot of sitting time and your noticing your putting on a few pounds, consider the lack of exercise you may be getting. It’s easy to get caught up in researching online, catching up on your email, or getting a project done and not realize the time just flies.

I know I can be guilty of skipping breakfast by getting involved with marketing and research that before I know it, I am so hungry and its well into the lunch hour. I do not believe in skipping meals to lose weight. I believe a balanced diet and exercise is healthy.

I totally believe in taking walks and have been doing this for years. I have noticed it helps me maintain my weight and at times have shed a few pounds. Not only do you get those awesome benefits from walking, but also you are giving your body the ability to produce oxygen rich blood for balancing appetite hormones and feel good endorphins.

The hot summer weather makes walking a bit harder with the heat and humidity, even sometimes unbearable in the evenings. I have invested in a treadmill for days like that and believe me it’s well worth it!

Tip: Go walking with your wife, husband, kids, a family member or friend. Its a great bonding time and a chance to talk in the busy lives we live in. I have a couple of friends who will give a call some evenings when the weather allows, and when I think, no I don’t feel like walking tonight, the call inspires me and I am glad I went.

Gabi over at ittybittypositivitycommittee commented that she uses an App called MapMyRun on her phone when she goes out walking to log her distance and time. Thanks Gabi!

Photo Courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Healthy Indian Spices To Improve Your Health by The Family Dining Room

The Family Dining Room

Spices from India not only infuse a meal with rich flavors, but also possess health-giving properties — and there is real science to back up this assertion. Take a look at some healthy spices you might have been taking for granted.

Aromatic Ingredients for Health

Many cooks use ginger root or powdered ginger in stir-fries and baking. Ginger is already the base for popular teas. Pregnant women safely chew ginger biscuits or slices of candied ginger to relieve sickness. Many parents believe in the power of ginger ale to provide comfort to children with motion sickness or a stomach bug.

Scientists now know why your mother’s remedy works. Ginger root helps the gastrointestinal tract digest and absorb food more quickly. This spicy root also acts as an anti-inflammatory. Consumers are not recommended to use it in place of medical diagnosis or treatment for pain but to complement arthritis medication, for…

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Don’t Be Bullied – Learn to Be Bully-Proof

“Sticks and Stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me”…

This famous nursery rhyme from The Christian Recorder, March 1862 tells a person to walk away from the bully, don’t listen to their words they do not apply to you. The bully is the one with the problem. When the words “but words will never hurt me” turns into “sticks and stones may break my bones” the line has been crossed from emotional hurt to violence and that is what happened to 14 year old Austin.

I came across this incredible video from the Gracie Bullyproof Program who helped Austin in September 2012. Austin was blindsided and beaten badly by a bully at school. Even though Austin physically healed from the beating, he was in a bad place emotionally, living in fear. In this video you will see how the Gracie Academy transformed his life in 1 week through the art of Jiu Jitsu. This transformation taught him how to defend himself, gave him confidence and so much more.

Viewer Discretion is advised

Have you, your child, a friend or another family member been or are going through being bullied? This may be helpful for you.

Learn more about the Gracie Academy

See the statistics for bullying for 2014 NoBullying.com

Photo Courtesy of Ambro FreeDigitalPhotos.net

This is not a paid endorsement for the Gracie Bullyproof Program

Measles Outbreak – Vaccination MMR – What You Need To Know

I understand the decisions a mother has to make for their child’s health and welfare, raising two of my own. You want the best for your child and if you think there is a threat of them getting autism from a vaccine that is supposed to benefit their health, sure you are going to have a tough decision.

I have family members and friends who became new moms in the past few years that were concerned about the rumor that MMR – Measles, Mumps, and Rubella vaccination could cause Autism. I was asked if I had my kids vaccinated when they were younger. (My kids are now adults) Of course I did. Why would I want my child to suffer from a disease that can be prevented. I told them of a friend who contracted Polio just a few months before the Polio vaccination came out at the age of two. She has suffered from what that disease did her entire life. Would her mother had gotten the vaccination, you bet.

According to the Centers for Control Disease and Prevention (CDC) a 2004 study states:
“Additional studies and a more recent rigorous review by the Institute of Medicine have found that MMR vaccine does not increase the risk of autism.”

Are you aware of what the Measles can do?

From the Mayo Clinic
Signs and symptoms for Measles appear 10 -14 days after being exposed to the virus.

This includes:
“Fever
Dry cough
Runny nose
Sore throat
Inflamed eyes (conjunctivitis)
Tiny white spots with bluish-white centers on a red background found inside the mouth on the inner lining of the cheek — also called Koplik’s spots
A skin rash made up of large, flat blotches that often flow into one another
The infection occurs in sequential stages over a period of two to three weeks.”
Read more about this Here and look to the side bar for Causes, Risk factors, Complications and more.

Get the Facts

According to the CDC in 2014 there were 644 cases of measles the highest since year 2000

At the end of December 2014, 59 cases of measles was linked to an outbreak at a Disney amusement park in California. January 1st – 30th of this year 2015, there have been 102 cases of measles reported in 14 states with many of those people who got the measles not being vaccinated.

Read the article at CNN.com for history of Measles in the US going back to when the vaccine came out in 1963 and what is happening today.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you believe in vaccinations? Add your comments below…

 

Photo Courtesy of Ohmega1982 and FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Keep Healthy – Places You Can Pick Up Germs You May Not Have Thought Of

Germs lead to colds, flu and food poisoning just to name a few of their pesky abilities. Ever feel like you just don’t feel good and think it must have been something you ate? Think again, think about where you hands have been. Everyday your hands are in places you don’t even realize that can be full of germs and make you sick.

It may not have been the food
Here are some things you may not realize you touch when you go out to a restaurant. Sure the dishes and silverware are run through a dishwasher, the tables are wiped down, but what about the salt and pepper shakers and other condiments that may be on the table such as a ketchup bottle… Most likely these are missed. Next time you reach for these condiments that have probably been picked up by many people before you, grab a wet napkin or if you carry disinfectant wipes go ahead and wipe down the bottle yourself.

Making a Deposit or Withdrawal
The ever so handy ATM machine is a culprit for carrying many germs. It is visited daily and depending on where you are located quite often day and night. It is like visiting a public computer and as soon as your fingers hit the keypad, you are now eligible for all kinds of germs. Try to use the touch screen as much as possible and use the eraser at the top of a pencil to lightly touch the screen for your transaction. If a pencil is not available, just touch the corner of your card to the screen. After your done, would not hurt to pull out the hand sanitizer and give your hands a good cleaning up.

Simple As Grabbing a Cart and Checking Out
The keypad awaiting you at the end of the cashiers line gets a ton of traffic and is a place for germs to hang out. Swipe your card, put in your password, cash back no cash back, your fingers are busy. Once the transaction is done you grab your cart and your on your way and possibly carrying germs that can make you sick. Double duty for hand sanitizer is needed.
Many places like Publix offer disinfectant wipes upon entering the store so you can wipe off the handle of the cart, good idea. Go ahead and grab one on the way out as well after giving your fingers a work out on the check out keypad.

Thanks I have a Pen
Stores, banks and other public places offer you a pen that is usually on the end of a short cord attached to the counter in case you don’t have one. Makes sense for business and is a courtesy. According to a University of Arizona study these public pens can harbor up to 2400 germs per square inch! Carry your own pen and maybe an extra to avoid the germs.

Photo Courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net