Janet Evanovich books

If you've not read any Janet Evanovich books, a treat is waiting for you.  Janet makes me laugh--from smiles, chuckles to a belly laugh--and I love her books because I know they give me a healthy dose of laughter and stress break.
Stephanie Plum is a slightly naughty, loveable gal who works as a bounty hunter.  She gets into all kinds of crazy problems.  Stephanie's vehicles get blown up/car bombed/set on fire more than anyone can imagine. 

Stephanie has two gorgeous sexy men in her life--Joe Morelli, a Trenton cop and Ranger, a bad boy who runs a security firm.  Who will Stephanie marry?  Only Janet knows.   If you haven't read any of her books, check them out.  You may find yourself laughing as I do. 

A Travel Hitch

On the way home from Mexico, we missed our connecting flight.  We landed in Dallas (DFW) and went to U.S. Customs at a peak time.  There were at least 2000 people milling around trying to locate their suitcases, and after finding their luggage, they dragged and wheeled luggage around the gigantic room.  We found all our bags.  A female employee was directing people, ‘the line ends at baggage carousel 4.’  We got in line; it snaked and looped around the outer wall of the baggage claim area.  We walked and waited—it seemed like forever.   In reality, it was 45 minutes. 

Feeling stressed about catching our flight but hanging onto our good attitudes, we made our way to U.S. Customs.  We were greeted by a very nice U.S. Customs employee who welcomed us ‘home.’  I must say it felt like home.  We were safe and in the USA.  We understood every word that was spoken. 

After Customs, we dropped our bags at the airline drop site.  We had to ride the airport ski-rail to Gate C and we were running up to our gate at 514pm for our 515 pm flight when an airline employee greeted us by saying, “are you the --- and the Hohlers?  We’ve got you on the next plane to St Louis.  You leave at 0655.”  I said, ‘you’re kidding, right?’  Not kidding. 

It was distressing at the time.  How disappointing.  We felt the stress. We called our travel agent; she verified that we had seats on the next flight and was there anything they could do for us?  No, we were ok.
RJ reminded us, ‘you know what?  We’re safe, we’re in the USA and we can eat supper before that flight.”  We all agreed.  We notified our loved ones and relaxed for a tasty supper.  We were a couple hours later than our plan, but we got home safely. 

  We say travel days can be tiring and stressful.  If you choose to travel, take along three tools: good manners and courtesy for people you encounter, a positive attitude, and a book, kindle, or game to pass time during the waits. 

Beach scene

We all agreed that we could happily return for a repeat visit to Dreams Los Cabos resort. 

View from the resort

Massage, anyone?

The Arthritis foundation recommends massage to decrease stress and pain.  Massage also relaxes a person’s muscles and can help improve flexibility. 

While at the Los Cabos Dreams resort, JL and I went to the resort spa.  I had the best Swedish massage of my life!  When we walked into the spa, the mood music and soft lights set a “come and relax” tone to our visit.  I was stretched, oiled, and rubbed by a masseuse named Cynthia. 

After our massages, we spent time in the whirlpool, sauna and steam rooms.  We truly relaxed.  Afterwards I noticed I have more range of motion in my neck.  I’ve come to realize I carry my stresses in my neck and shoulder.  Muscles become more tight and flexibility decreases.   Massage is not only pleasurable, but it’s a healthy practice that you can choose to add to your life.  Enjoy. 

 More information about massage at the Arthritis Today website: 

http://www.arthritistoday.org/symptoms/pain/getting-back-at-back-pain.php

Whale watching

While sitting at breakfast one morning, we watched whales.  What a treat!

One good travel agent--Don't leave home without one

Since we began traveling in 2000, we’ve made a few trips.  We’ve traveled to Hawaii, Mexico, Aruba, Puerto Rico and several day trips off cruise ships through the Caribbean Sea and Central America.  We’ve enjoyed our travel.  Most trips have been smooth and uneventful. 

We learned the value of a good travel agent  in 2007 when our cruise ship never left port.  That ship had run aground at the prior stop in Mexico and limped into port.  We and fellow passengers got on board on a Saturday.   That evening the captain made an announcement that we weren’t leaving port that night until the seaworthiness of the ship could be accessed.  

We called our travel agent and after hearing our plight, she asked, “what can I do to help you?”  That ship never left port and we were flown home two days later.  The cruise line had made arrangements to return us home and took care of us.  No complaints about how they cared for us.  However, we recognized the value of a travel agent who answers their traveler's phone calls and stands ready to help when travel problems occur. 

Thanks to Carolyn Kempf and her staff at Elite Travel & Cruise for great service.  Our motto is:  don’t leave home without a good travel agent. 

Mexican Sunrise

Beautiful Mexican sunrise

Avoiding 'Montezuma's Revenge, AKA Traveler's diarrhea

Many parts of the world have tap water that will make tourists sick.  What can you do to stay healthy and avoid this illness?

1.       Plan before you go—talk with your doctor and get directions from him on what you should do if diarrhea develops.  Will he write a prescription antibiotic for you and when should you take it—what symptoms?  Ask your travel agent about the resort food and liquids.  Are they safe to eat/drink?

2.      When you arrive, ask at your resort/hotel/accommodations.  Is tap water purified?  Is the ice made from purified water?  Are milk and dairy products pasteurized (heated to kill germs?)  We asked at the resort and were told that the tap water isn’t purified.  Bottled water was provided for drinking.  Ice was made from purified water and I saw the dairy carton said ‘pasteurized’. 

3.      If there’s any question about tap water, be safe.  Drink bottled water.  (Make sure the seal is intact, not opened.)  Read the label—we were glad to see that the Coca-Bola bottling company bottled the water we drank in Mexico.

4.      Brush your teeth using bottled water.  This is awkward; our habits are strong.  We did this: with the tap water turned off,  toothbrush in one hand and bottled water in the other hand, we brushed our teeth.  We did not rinse our toothbrushes in tap water. 

5.      Keep your mouth shut while in the shower; do not rinse out your mouth or drink from the shower.  Do not swallow swimming pool water.
6.  Food that is served cooked and hot should be safe.  Raw fruits and vegetables which cannot be peeled may cause illness if they were washed in dirty water.  Fruits that you personally can peel such as oranges, bananas, mangos, etc are safer.  Be sure you wash your hands with soap and water (bottled water) after peeling and before eating.

These are personal practices that keep us healthy while traveling.  These practices feel awkward at times.  Additional information about traveler’s diarrhea can be accessed at http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/digestive/basics/182.html

Dreams Los Cabos resort --a beautiful place

David & I doing the touristy thing in Cabo san Lucas

My pictures from Cabo san Lucas

I hope you enjoy pictures I took  while on vacation (Cabo san Lucas, Mexico.)  

 I will post several this next week. 



Staying Healthy while traveling

Staying Healthy while away from home

Trip preparation time gets hectic.  For many people, they work every day while they get ready for their vacation.  Extra chores such as packing, making arrangements for mail, newspapers, pet care, etc., take time and effort.  One thing we can do is strengthen our immune system and stay healthy by eating extra fruits and vegetables (get those vitamins).   

Once we leave home, what choices will we make to promote health?

Use antiseptic towelettes to wipe down hotel door knobs, TV remotes, telephone receivers, and faucets for the sink and shower.  This three minute routine will decrease the chances of catching the last guy’s flu virus. 

Is that drinking glass in your hotel room clean?  Only the maid knows.  After watching a news documentary on this topic broadcast several years ago, I began to wash the drinking glasses in our hotel room with soap and hot water before we drink out of them. 

Once we are on the plane and during travel, use alcohol based hand sanitizer before you eat and drink.  (How many people handled the peanut/pretzel package the airline staff hands out?  Does anyone wipe off the airplane seatback tray?)

Keep hydrated.  When traveling, time passes and you can get distracted.  Six hours later you may notice, ‘boy, am I thirsty’.  It happens.  Drink water and non-caffeinated drinks.  When you drink enough, you have to make more bathroom stops, but keeping hydrated promotes health. 

Handle the stress with a good attitude.  Traveling can be stressful.  I find my travel stress is decreased if I allow extra time and keep a good attitude.  I keep a good book handy for the inevitable waiting times.    

I've begun adding these quick, easy behaviors to our travel times and it certainly seems to be keeping us healthy while traveling.  

Vitamin D--the Sunshine vitamin

Lying around a swimming pool at the Dreams Los Cabos Suites was tough duty and we were willing volunteers.  We needed several doses of vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin.  According to Medline.gov, ten to fifteen minutes of sunshine three times a week enables our bodies to manufacture the vitamin D we need.  We easily met those doses. 

Every day JL and I spent part of our day “vegging” (relaxing and de-stressing).  We slathered on sunscreen and enjoyed the peace and quiet of the pool area.  If I closed my eyes (behind sunglasses and hat), I could hear the deep bass rumble of the waves crashing on the beach.  It was peaceful there and a small siesta (nap) fit right into our schedule. 

I know not everyone wants to travel away from home.   But in your choices, you can make time in your life for doses of vitamin D (the sunshine vitamin) and vitamin V (vegging, relaxing and de-stressing). 

Look up to See the sunshine

I love flying.  I always wish the pilot would give a tour update.  “Now folks, if you look out the right side of the plane, you will see…”  They rarely do that; I guess the pilot has important things to do—like fly the plane.  Oh yeah.

Even on a cold, dreary Missouri day, after you fly high enough and break through the clouds, the sun shines brightly.  Nice.  I’m feeling better already.  Is there a lesson here?  If we look at the cold dreary day, that's what we see.  When the wind chills your bones and the skies are grey, we complain about the dreary day.  But if we choose to recognize it, the sun is shining.   High above those clouds, the sun shines bright and beautiful.   

Back to our flight—pass the chewing gum so my ears won’t pop.

We Interrupt this Blogging Class--for a dose of sunshine

We’re sick of the cold, dreary Missouri winter.  We’ve noticed this happens every winter so this week we chose a dose of treatment for the ‘winter blues’—a week of sunshine someplace far, far south.

This year, passports in hand, we headed to Cabo San Lucas (the southern tip of Baja California), Mexico.  With our travel buddies, RJ and JL, we went to the Dreams Los Cabos Suites Golf Resort and Spa.  Magnifico!  

Heart Health Risk Factors

To conclude the heart health risk factors series, the last three risk factors a person can change/modify are being overweight, being diabetic and taking birth control pills.

Many Americans deal with keeping their weight within a healthy range.  It’s a struggle for most of us. 

However, when we overeat or eat unhealthy foods, we also Increase our chances of high cholesterol and heart disease.

More people are being diagnosed with diabetes.  Whether a person has type 1 (insulin dependent) or type 2 (non-insulin dependent) diabetes, the best thing you can do is work with your doctor, and learn how to keep your blood sugar within a normal range.  An uncontrolled high blood sugar can do harm to your body.

Birth control pills can raise a woman’s blood pressure and contribute to a woman’s heart health risk.  Each woman should see her doctor regularly to consider this risk factor.

This series on heart health risk factors has highlighted areas each person can choose to improve upon; I recommend that you work with your primary caregiver to improve your health. 

Heart Health Risk Factors--Exercise

Physical Activity

               A jock I’m not; I don’t like exercising.  I do, however, like how it makes me feel when I’m finished.  I’m pleased with myself and my body is able to move more efficiently. I sleep sound and deal with stress better when I exercise.    I’m not sure I’ve ever experienced the runners high (a feeling of euphoria from the release of endorphins) but it sounds nice.

               Researchers of the Nurses’ Health Study found that “the more women walked during their late 50s and 60s, the better their memory was at age 70 and older.”  Ok, I like walking and I do want to remember who I am when I’m age 70 so I guess I better get started.  I’ve made the choice to get off the couch and exercise.  Now, where did I leave my walking shoes? 

Heart Health Risk Factors--Smoking

Smoking

               I don’t smoke so I can’t know how difficult it is to quit.  I’ve watched co-workers struggle to quit and stay off cigarettes.  Most people have heard it many times:  smoking is bad for you.  It contributes to heart and cardiovascular disease. No sermons here.  I wish you well with your choice. 

Heart Health Risk Factors--High blood pressure

The amazing human heart works hard without us even thinking about—it contracts and pushes blood out to the body (up to the head and down to the rest of the body) how many times a minute?  A normal range of heart beat is considered 60 to 120 contractions (beats) per minute.  A man whose heart beats 80 times/minute x 60minutes =4800 beats per hour x 24 hours=115,200 per day.  115,200 beats per day x 365 days/year=42,048,000 per year x how many years do you expect to live?  You get the picture. Our hearts are amazing.   

The blood pressure is a measurement of the heart’s workload.  A normal blood pressure is below 120/80.  The systolic (top number 120) shows the heart at work.  The heart contracts and forces blood out into the aorta where it goes to the head and down to the body.  The diastolic (bottom number 80) shows the heart at rest (between contractions when it refills with blood and prepares to contract again). 

               If a person’s blood pressure is high—the pressure inside the aorta (and other large arteries) is high and the heart has to work harder to overcome that pressure and push adequate amount of blood out to the head and body.  Doctors recognize that high blood pressure can cause damage to vital organs such as the heart itself, the kidneys, the brain and the eyes.

               Everyone should have their blood pressure checked on a regular basis.  If your blood pressure is above 120/80, you should consult with your doctor.  Many high blood pressure medicines are available by prescription.  People who have high blood pressure should work with their doctors to control it and prevent the serious damage that can occur.  It’s your choice.