In this new video for NAR members, 2009 Immediate Past President Dick Gaylord shares Seven Keys for Boosting Your Business in 2009, along with the great NAR resources that can help you master all of them.
http://www.realtor.org/about_nar/presidents_report/_video/seven_keys_march_2009
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Will You Be Another Diabetes Statistic?
Dr. Duke Johnson, M.D.Medical Director, Nutrilite Health Institute
Nearly 24 million Americans have diabetes. Why so many and what are your risk factors? Since November is National Diabetes Month in the United States – and holiday temptations are on their way – it’s a great time to address this epidemic.While there are three distinct types of diabetes, they all have one or more of these health consequences in common:
· Heart disease and stroke.
· Kidney failure.
· Adult-onset blindness.
· Lower-limb amputations.
· Gum disease.
When you have diabetes, too much sugar circulates through your body and you don’t have enough insulin to help your cells absorb it. Absorbed sugar is essential for your cells to grow and release energy; unabsorbed sugar actually damages your cells.Diabetes types
Type 1 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes
Gestational diabetes
Between 5% and 10% of all diagnosed cases
Up to 95% of all diagnosed cases
A number of pregnant women develop this form of diabetes late in their pregnancy
· Occurs mostly in adolescents and children
· Requires daily insulin shots
· Results from an immune-system disorder
· Destroys insulin-producing cells
· Used to occur primarily in adults
· Increasingly occurs in adolescents and children
· Is tied to poor diet and inactivity
· Results from pregnancy hormones or insulin shortages
· Goes away after the child is born
· Increases the mother’s risk for type 2 diabetes later in life
Symptoms include
· Increased thirst
· Increased urination
· Weight loss
· Extreme fatigue
· Constant hunger
Symptoms include
· Unusual thirst
· Frequent urination
· Weight loss
· Fatigue
· Slow-healing wounds or sores
· Vision changes
Diabetes trendsSince diabetes affects an estimated 23.6 million people in the United States, almost everyone knows someone with the disease. Of those 23.6 million, 17.9 million have been diagnosed and about 5.7 million people have diabetes but don’t know it. Every year, about 1.3 million peple aged 20 or older are diagnosed with diabetes.Based on these trends, of all the American children born in the year 2000, one in three non-Hispanic whites and one in two minorities will develop diabetes in their lifetime.Who’s at risk for preventable type 2 diabetes?The more of these risk factors you have, the more likely you are to develop type 2 diabetes. Your risks are higher if you are:
· Non-white:
§ Hispanic/Latino Americans are 1.8 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
§ African Americans are 1.6 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
§ Native Americans or Asians are also at higher risk.
· 45 or older.
· Closely related to a family member with diabetes.
· Diagnosed with gestational diabetes.
· Overweight, with a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 25.
· Diagnosed with high blood pressure: 140/90 or higher.
· Diagnosed with abnormal cholesterol levels: HDL cholesterol below 35 mg/dL or triglycerides above 250 mg/dL.
How can you protect yourself?Risk factors 1–4 are outside your control. But you can manage or prevent diabetes by focusing on risk factors 5–7: Make the right food choices, exercise daily, get enough rest, manage your stress, and work with your health-care professional to monitor your blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels.
· Eat healthy carbohydrates and fiber-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, cooked dried beans, and peas.
· Limit saturated fats from animal products and trans fats in processed baked goods.
· Eat more good fats, like those in olives and avocados.
· Get more omega-3 fats from walnuts, flaxseed, salmon, and tuna.
· Eat smaller portions, with fewer calories. This helps keep your weight in a healthy range.
Exercise:
· Improves your body’s use of insulin.
· Burns excess body fat.
· Lowers blood pressure.
· Increases HDL cholesterol and reduces LDL cholesterol.
· Reduces stress.
· Releases tension and anxiety.
Know your ABCsA is for A1C. A-one-C is a type of blood cell that can yield a blood-sugar measurement. Have it measured at least twice a year to determine the three-month average.B is for blood pressure. Measure your blood pressure at every doctor’s visit. High blood pressure forces your heart to work extra hard and can damage your kidneys and eyes.C is for cholesterol. Bad cholesterol, or LDL, builds up and clogs your arteries, leading to heart attacks and strokes. Measure this at least once a year.Links/SourcesAmerican Diabetes Association www.diabetes.orgNational Diabetes Information Clearinghouse www.diabetes.niddk.nih.govWebMD Diabetes Health Center www.diabetes.webmd.comCenters for Disease Control and Prevention www.cdc.gov
Nearly 24 million Americans have diabetes. Why so many and what are your risk factors? Since November is National Diabetes Month in the United States – and holiday temptations are on their way – it’s a great time to address this epidemic.While there are three distinct types of diabetes, they all have one or more of these health consequences in common:
· Heart disease and stroke.
· Kidney failure.
· Adult-onset blindness.
· Lower-limb amputations.
· Gum disease.
When you have diabetes, too much sugar circulates through your body and you don’t have enough insulin to help your cells absorb it. Absorbed sugar is essential for your cells to grow and release energy; unabsorbed sugar actually damages your cells.Diabetes types
Type 1 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes
Gestational diabetes
Between 5% and 10% of all diagnosed cases
Up to 95% of all diagnosed cases
A number of pregnant women develop this form of diabetes late in their pregnancy
· Occurs mostly in adolescents and children
· Requires daily insulin shots
· Results from an immune-system disorder
· Destroys insulin-producing cells
· Used to occur primarily in adults
· Increasingly occurs in adolescents and children
· Is tied to poor diet and inactivity
· Results from pregnancy hormones or insulin shortages
· Goes away after the child is born
· Increases the mother’s risk for type 2 diabetes later in life
Symptoms include
· Increased thirst
· Increased urination
· Weight loss
· Extreme fatigue
· Constant hunger
Symptoms include
· Unusual thirst
· Frequent urination
· Weight loss
· Fatigue
· Slow-healing wounds or sores
· Vision changes
Diabetes trendsSince diabetes affects an estimated 23.6 million people in the United States, almost everyone knows someone with the disease. Of those 23.6 million, 17.9 million have been diagnosed and about 5.7 million people have diabetes but don’t know it. Every year, about 1.3 million peple aged 20 or older are diagnosed with diabetes.Based on these trends, of all the American children born in the year 2000, one in three non-Hispanic whites and one in two minorities will develop diabetes in their lifetime.Who’s at risk for preventable type 2 diabetes?The more of these risk factors you have, the more likely you are to develop type 2 diabetes. Your risks are higher if you are:
· Non-white:
§ Hispanic/Latino Americans are 1.8 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
§ African Americans are 1.6 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
§ Native Americans or Asians are also at higher risk.
· 45 or older.
· Closely related to a family member with diabetes.
· Diagnosed with gestational diabetes.
· Overweight, with a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 25.
· Diagnosed with high blood pressure: 140/90 or higher.
· Diagnosed with abnormal cholesterol levels: HDL cholesterol below 35 mg/dL or triglycerides above 250 mg/dL.
How can you protect yourself?Risk factors 1–4 are outside your control. But you can manage or prevent diabetes by focusing on risk factors 5–7: Make the right food choices, exercise daily, get enough rest, manage your stress, and work with your health-care professional to monitor your blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels.
· Eat healthy carbohydrates and fiber-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, cooked dried beans, and peas.
· Limit saturated fats from animal products and trans fats in processed baked goods.
· Eat more good fats, like those in olives and avocados.
· Get more omega-3 fats from walnuts, flaxseed, salmon, and tuna.
· Eat smaller portions, with fewer calories. This helps keep your weight in a healthy range.
Exercise:
· Improves your body’s use of insulin.
· Burns excess body fat.
· Lowers blood pressure.
· Increases HDL cholesterol and reduces LDL cholesterol.
· Reduces stress.
· Releases tension and anxiety.
Know your ABCsA is for A1C. A-one-C is a type of blood cell that can yield a blood-sugar measurement. Have it measured at least twice a year to determine the three-month average.B is for blood pressure. Measure your blood pressure at every doctor’s visit. High blood pressure forces your heart to work extra hard and can damage your kidneys and eyes.C is for cholesterol. Bad cholesterol, or LDL, builds up and clogs your arteries, leading to heart attacks and strokes. Measure this at least once a year.Links/SourcesAmerican Diabetes Association www.diabetes.orgNational Diabetes Information Clearinghouse www.diabetes.niddk.nih.govWebMD Diabetes Health Center www.diabetes.webmd.comCenters for Disease Control and Prevention www.cdc.gov
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
10 Simple Rules for Weight Loss
By the Editors of Prevention
When it comes to losing weight, tried-and-true strategies work, period. Obese adults who were given a pamphlet with 10 basic rules were motivated enough to lose 4 pounds in 8 weeks. Follow them all, and you could shave off up to 900 calories a day, study authors say—enough to lose nearly 15 pounds in the same amount of time.
1. Eat your meals on a regular schedule.
2. Choose low-fat foods.
3. Wear a pedometer and walk 10,000 steps a day.
4. Pack healthy snacks.
5. Check the fat and sugar content on food labels.
6. Portion wisely and skip seconds (except vegetables).
7. Stand for 10 minutes every hour.
8. Avoid sugary drinks.
9. Turn off the television while you eat.
10. Eat at least five servings of fruits and veggies daily.
When it comes to losing weight, tried-and-true strategies work, period. Obese adults who were given a pamphlet with 10 basic rules were motivated enough to lose 4 pounds in 8 weeks. Follow them all, and you could shave off up to 900 calories a day, study authors say—enough to lose nearly 15 pounds in the same amount of time.
1. Eat your meals on a regular schedule.
2. Choose low-fat foods.
3. Wear a pedometer and walk 10,000 steps a day.
4. Pack healthy snacks.
5. Check the fat and sugar content on food labels.
6. Portion wisely and skip seconds (except vegetables).
7. Stand for 10 minutes every hour.
8. Avoid sugary drinks.
9. Turn off the television while you eat.
10. Eat at least five servings of fruits and veggies daily.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
SMART WAYS TO HANDLE CRISIS
Smart Ways to Handle Crisis
SUCCESS Staff July 29, 2008
Stress is all around us, and sometimes those little fissures boil over into real dilemmas. Here are five ways you can handle the curves life throws at you with composure and grace.
1. Don't become part of the problem.Concentrate on the worthwhile things in your life that can be turned around. Focus on answers and solutions.
2. Remain committed to creating a new life for yourself.Even through the darkest and most depressing times, wake up each morning determined to stay the course for as long as it lasts. Keep your heart and mind completely on track. Either swim toward solutions or sink and lose everything.
3. Allow the experience to open you up to what you need to learn.Every situation is an education. Learn that if you open your mind to the voices of others, you will open your life to receiving your good.
4. Engage in acts of selflessness.Even if it seems insignificant, devote yourself to giving. Many of us have been blessed with benefits both immeasurable and incredible. Establish yourself in a community of people who will come to your aid when you need them.
5. Aim at responsibility, honesty, and integrity at all times.We are all part of the whole, and however we act determines what we receive. There is a law of cause and effect, and what we express comes back to us faithfully.
SUCCESS Staff July 29, 2008
Stress is all around us, and sometimes those little fissures boil over into real dilemmas. Here are five ways you can handle the curves life throws at you with composure and grace.
1. Don't become part of the problem.Concentrate on the worthwhile things in your life that can be turned around. Focus on answers and solutions.
2. Remain committed to creating a new life for yourself.Even through the darkest and most depressing times, wake up each morning determined to stay the course for as long as it lasts. Keep your heart and mind completely on track. Either swim toward solutions or sink and lose everything.
3. Allow the experience to open you up to what you need to learn.Every situation is an education. Learn that if you open your mind to the voices of others, you will open your life to receiving your good.
4. Engage in acts of selflessness.Even if it seems insignificant, devote yourself to giving. Many of us have been blessed with benefits both immeasurable and incredible. Establish yourself in a community of people who will come to your aid when you need them.
5. Aim at responsibility, honesty, and integrity at all times.We are all part of the whole, and however we act determines what we receive. There is a law of cause and effect, and what we express comes back to us faithfully.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Day 29: Thursday - Take it to Heart
Stress-fighting techniques from the most stressful workplace in the world and advice on how to keep your heart pumping
Stress: The Great Stress Field Test
The world's best stress-relief techniques, tested in the world's most stressful workplace: the war zone in IraqDATELINE: BALAD, IRAQ, MAY 11, 2004We are Delta Troop of the 1/7 Cavalry, a helicopter unit out of Killeen, Texas. We're also guinea pigs in the Men's Health stress test.Now, we're not caught in the throes of "combat stress," as it's known to most people. No babbling, bloodthirsty Rambo types in this unit. We live in trailers, eat cranberry sauce twice a day, and fly helicopters. While the enemy is real and we do face danger, our stress is mostly a more intense version of yours--it's the uncertainty, the loss of a family life, and the constant crazed atmosphere that taxes a soldier's motivation and resolve.To help us manage the situation, Men's Health passed us some stress-reduction tips that were definitely not standard issue. A few tactics stretched our senses and even strained our machismo, but testing was good for a few laughs and some rare moments of calm. To judge the effectiveness of the tips, we rated "stress levels" on a scale of 1 to 10, before and after trying them. (Sitting around the trailers smoking cigars equals a stress level of 1. Identifying and engaging enemy forces who just blew up a convoy merits stress level 10.) Here's how the numbers worked out.
#1 Practice acupressure.
Apply pressure between the tendons on the underside of the forearm, two thumb widths down from the wrist. Hold pressure for 1 minute.Results: Most of us had a surprising amount of success with this one. It's a good 5-minute fix during high-stress moments, achieving an
average stress reduction of -3 points.
#2 Breathe six times a minute, rather than the usual 14.
According to a study in the British Medical Journal, slow, deep breathing can positively alter breathing patterns related to heart rate and blood pressure.Results: This is another keeper. It only takes about 2 minutes of slow breathing to feel a calming effect. Works to help you unwind after a tough day (or night) and to manage intense anxiety and anger spikes every time some new "policy" is announced to further limit any semblance of freedom.
Average stress reduction: -4
#3 Imagine wearing huge woolen gloves.
When you're stressed, capillaries constrict and blood doesn't flow freely to the extremities; visualizing your hands in warm gloves helps bring the blood back to your extremities.Results: Very limited success. This one takes a little more imagination than we could muster. Maybe it's just the weather: It was 107°F on test day.
Average stress reduction: 0
#4 Count backward by 13s.
The difficulty of computing the sequence distracts from the stress at hand.Results: We had a wide range of responses. Chief Warrant Officer Charlie Parker has a B.S. in mathematics, so he could do the counting with almost no disturbance of his train of thought. I had to lock down completely to do the figuring, leaving less time to actually solve whatever I was stressed out about.
Other guys had assessments ranging from -3 to +1.
#5 Read poetry.
A European study found that 30 minutes of reading iambic pentameter slows down the heart rate.Results: Sorry, not able to test this one. Not a lot of iambic pentameter to be had around here.
#6 Keep a journal.
According to the Journal of Experimental Psychology, people who write down their feelings are better able to deal with stress.Results: Specialist Joe Payne says that in anxious times, journal keeping cut his stress by 6 points. But the rest of us ditched it after a week, deciding that it was just one more thing to keep up with.
Average stress increase: +1
#7 Look forward to comedy night.
A Loma Linda University study found that anticipating something funny boosted feel-good endorphins by 27 percent and reduced the stress hormone cortisol by 39 percent.Results: We picked up a pirated version of School of Rock from an Iraqi shop owner down in Taji and let it stew for a few days. Average reduction: -3. By the way, the movie was great, except for the timer in the corner of the screen, and "Paramount Pictures 2003" across the center.#8 Sing out loud. Singing triggers the release of the body's natural opiates, such as endorphins. It also forces you to breathe more deeply.Results: Not everyone was courageous, or talented, enough to try this one. With six Joes to a trailer, one guy's stress reduction can be another's stress spike. That said, those who did belt out a little Stone Temple Pilots or Keith Sweat or Alan Jackson reported mild success. Average stress reduction: -1Conclusion: Each of us picked up a few tricks to help us get through our days, which in this case is a single day set on continuous replay for a year or more. Hope you guys stateside find our report helpful. In the meantime, we'll keep doing what we do best.
Best of luck,
Delta Troop
Take from MEN"S HEALTH Online
Stress-fighting techniques from the most stressful workplace in the world and advice on how to keep your heart pumping
Stress: The Great Stress Field Test
The world's best stress-relief techniques, tested in the world's most stressful workplace: the war zone in IraqDATELINE: BALAD, IRAQ, MAY 11, 2004We are Delta Troop of the 1/7 Cavalry, a helicopter unit out of Killeen, Texas. We're also guinea pigs in the Men's Health stress test.Now, we're not caught in the throes of "combat stress," as it's known to most people. No babbling, bloodthirsty Rambo types in this unit. We live in trailers, eat cranberry sauce twice a day, and fly helicopters. While the enemy is real and we do face danger, our stress is mostly a more intense version of yours--it's the uncertainty, the loss of a family life, and the constant crazed atmosphere that taxes a soldier's motivation and resolve.To help us manage the situation, Men's Health passed us some stress-reduction tips that were definitely not standard issue. A few tactics stretched our senses and even strained our machismo, but testing was good for a few laughs and some rare moments of calm. To judge the effectiveness of the tips, we rated "stress levels" on a scale of 1 to 10, before and after trying them. (Sitting around the trailers smoking cigars equals a stress level of 1. Identifying and engaging enemy forces who just blew up a convoy merits stress level 10.) Here's how the numbers worked out.
#1 Practice acupressure.
Apply pressure between the tendons on the underside of the forearm, two thumb widths down from the wrist. Hold pressure for 1 minute.Results: Most of us had a surprising amount of success with this one. It's a good 5-minute fix during high-stress moments, achieving an
average stress reduction of -3 points.
#2 Breathe six times a minute, rather than the usual 14.
According to a study in the British Medical Journal, slow, deep breathing can positively alter breathing patterns related to heart rate and blood pressure.Results: This is another keeper. It only takes about 2 minutes of slow breathing to feel a calming effect. Works to help you unwind after a tough day (or night) and to manage intense anxiety and anger spikes every time some new "policy" is announced to further limit any semblance of freedom.
Average stress reduction: -4
#3 Imagine wearing huge woolen gloves.
When you're stressed, capillaries constrict and blood doesn't flow freely to the extremities; visualizing your hands in warm gloves helps bring the blood back to your extremities.Results: Very limited success. This one takes a little more imagination than we could muster. Maybe it's just the weather: It was 107°F on test day.
Average stress reduction: 0
#4 Count backward by 13s.
The difficulty of computing the sequence distracts from the stress at hand.Results: We had a wide range of responses. Chief Warrant Officer Charlie Parker has a B.S. in mathematics, so he could do the counting with almost no disturbance of his train of thought. I had to lock down completely to do the figuring, leaving less time to actually solve whatever I was stressed out about.
Other guys had assessments ranging from -3 to +1.
#5 Read poetry.
A European study found that 30 minutes of reading iambic pentameter slows down the heart rate.Results: Sorry, not able to test this one. Not a lot of iambic pentameter to be had around here.
#6 Keep a journal.
According to the Journal of Experimental Psychology, people who write down their feelings are better able to deal with stress.Results: Specialist Joe Payne says that in anxious times, journal keeping cut his stress by 6 points. But the rest of us ditched it after a week, deciding that it was just one more thing to keep up with.
Average stress increase: +1
#7 Look forward to comedy night.
A Loma Linda University study found that anticipating something funny boosted feel-good endorphins by 27 percent and reduced the stress hormone cortisol by 39 percent.Results: We picked up a pirated version of School of Rock from an Iraqi shop owner down in Taji and let it stew for a few days. Average reduction: -3. By the way, the movie was great, except for the timer in the corner of the screen, and "Paramount Pictures 2003" across the center.#8 Sing out loud. Singing triggers the release of the body's natural opiates, such as endorphins. It also forces you to breathe more deeply.Results: Not everyone was courageous, or talented, enough to try this one. With six Joes to a trailer, one guy's stress reduction can be another's stress spike. That said, those who did belt out a little Stone Temple Pilots or Keith Sweat or Alan Jackson reported mild success. Average stress reduction: -1Conclusion: Each of us picked up a few tricks to help us get through our days, which in this case is a single day set on continuous replay for a year or more. Hope you guys stateside find our report helpful. In the meantime, we'll keep doing what we do best.
Best of luck,
Delta Troop
Take from MEN"S HEALTH Online
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