Author: healthyat120

Living a long and healthy life with diet, exercise, and spiritual practice.
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“You cannot cut your throat with pray” Emmet Fox

healthyat120

I am writing this on the 25th anniversary of my mother’s passing, so I am mentally in that space.

left: Bill Brown (my brother), Bernard Brown (Dad), and me. The next four or five years would change our lives in the early 1960s our future unknown.

My brother would be a Green Baret doing 3 or 4 tours in Viet Nan.

My dad died at 49 of a coronary occlusion.

I would be a runaway juvenile delinquent and budding athlete who found sport, surfing, and 2 lifelong friends in Keith and Ed.

Dad and Mom doing what they do.

How do these Family Facts fit into this Fitness Blog? The pictures speak.

Las Vegas this time of year beckons you to outside activity of any kind. I bought an electric scooter to enjoy the area. I crashed it right out of the Amazon box. I have been nursing my ego and body back into shape ever since then.

Practice then crash

I also fell off my diet too. As a direct result of poor eating, I had a major gout flair-up, driving me back to the veggies that I should have been eating.

Hopefully, you have watched the new limited series on Netflix or on the internet from the “Blue Zone”. There is some review, but lots of new stuff Dan Buettner is working on to bring us a healthy lifestyle. Here is what I want to concentrate on for now: Keiro no-Hi. This is a Japanese holiday that is Blue Zone friendly.

By Karen Yoshitomi

Keiro no Hi (Respect for the Aged Day) is a public holiday celebrated in Japan each year on the third Monday of September. Originally known as Toshiyori no Hi (Elderly People’s Day), the celebration was first organized by Masao Kadowaki, mayor of a small village called Nomadani-mura (Taka-cho today) located in the Hyogo Prefecture in 1947, a few years after the end of World War II. The mayor believed that the young villagers should show their gratitude and respect for their elders, by seeking their wisdom and guidance in the aftermath of the chaos and hardship of the war. The young were invited to gather together — to listen and learn from the older adults. This gathering called Toshiyori no Hi spread to other villages across the country, and the newly renamed Keiro no Hi became a national holiday in 1966.

Today, Keiro no Hi is celebrated as a way to honor older adults and express appreciation and gratitude for their contributions to society. During this holiday, the hustle and bustle of everyday life slows down in order to give rise to the opportunity to reflect on how the older generations have paved the way for those that would follow. It’s also an opportunity to gain some wisdom and insight that comes from many years of life experiences.

Honorees can be family members, people in the community, or just older adults in general. This year, Keiro no Hi will be September 18th. In observance of this day, consider sending a handwritten note or card to an older adult. Let them know you are thinking about them. Call or spend time with them. Keiro no Hi is a day to reflect on the life we enjoy today and how the knowledge and life experience of those who came before, helps us live better lives today.

Messages written for Keiro no Hi , at 2023’s Kodomo no Hi saying “Genki de ne (Please take care)” and “I love you! See you soon!”
Messages written for Keiro no Hi , at 2023’s Kodomo no Hi such as “Dear whoever wants this, you are the best and I love you” and “Jiji (Grandpa), Let’s go Mario World” as well as “I love you, ojisan (grandpa)!”

Children writing messages for Keiro no Hi , at 2023’s Kodomo no Hi festival.

Children writing messages for Keiro no Hi, at 2023’s Kodomo no Hi festival.

Messages written for Keiro no Hi , at 2023’s Kodomo no Hi saying “Genki de ne (Please take care)” and “I love you! See you soon!”
Messages written for Keiro no Hi , at 2023’s Kodomo no Hi such as “Dear whoever wants this, you are the best and I love you” and “Jiji (Grandpa), Let’s go Mario World” as well as “I love you, ojisan (grandpa)!”
Children writing messages for Keiro no Hi , at 2023’s Kodomo no Hi festival.

You can view more photos from 2023’s Kodomo no Hi by using the button below.

LEARN MORE

JAPANESE CULTURAL AND COMMUNITY CENTER OF WASHINGTON SEPTEMBER 1, 2023

IN THE SPIRIT, BE HEALTHY

Coach Brown

Healthy Ageing, Uncategorized

EMBRACING WELLNESS

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  1. The Big Three and Embracing Wellness
  2. Colorado and Camping
  3. Benefits of Walking after Meals

1. The Big Three

As I chronicle my activities month by month, July is always busy. My goal is not to brag but to give the reader an example of what an aging adult is doing to stay fit and have a health span that matches his life span. Many people today grapple with chronic pain, inflammation, and post-operative recovery. As an older adult, I must deal with all this too. Hhow I deal with these not only effects my physical well-being but also my emotional health and therefore my quality of my life. You and I must Embrace Wellness.

Peter Attia M.D. details 3 things to work on. 1. exercise 2. nutrition 3. sleep. It is possible to get out of order, if I don’t get enough sleep, I make poor food choices. This is the plan if you are in order. Dr. Attia wants you to picture what you want to be able to do in your last decade of life; then set up a program to be able to do that. None of us have control over the future, but why not lay the foundation to get there.

18 minute interveiw with Dr. Attia:

This is Lewis Howes’ interview in-depth with Dr.Attia 1hr 29 min.

2. Colorado and Camping

The weather was bipolar this year. At my daughter’s house in Colorado and anywhere we went, the weather held on to its insanity. We had two camping trips. The first trip was to Taylor Lake. This reservoir is in a valley at 9300 feet. It was a 4-hour drive to southern Colorado to meet friends. The camping is on an alluvial plain with snow-covered mountains all around. The days were long and fun-filled in the 70-degree range; at night the temperature dipped into the low 20s. I felt the chill. One morning, as I was warming in the first light, a black cloud came in with rocket speed and dumped a brief snow flurry on me. I was not ready and I had to sit in the car to get warm. However, the beauty of the “high country” area provides a “free pass” for any discomfort. I was invited by friends to go with them in their off-road vehicle “RZR” to Mirror Lake. This is a classically beautiful place. They fished, and I hiked. It is over 10,400 feet and is the gateway to the Continental Divide.

More bipolar weather waited for us on our second trip. This was Family camping for a week at Lake Mccaugnhy. My son and a friend joined us. This was a three-hour trip to Ogallala, Nebraska in the heart of cowboy history. This reservoir is on the North Platte River. The camping is like at the beach with sand and some trees. Day-time temperatures to the 80 and 90s with a night dip in the 60’s. Perfect for camping, right? This place is some kind of weather funnel. The first night, after we set up, the wind came with high-powered gusts and made its’ own arrangement of everything and even buried some stuff in the sand. The next day was sunny and we had a boat to play with, great time. Then rain, then sun, then wind. We went to bed to not deal with the weather. In the morning, we again played. Then the text came, tornado warning. We anchored almost everything. I sat in my tent through the 60-mile-an-hour wind. When it was over sand was in everything, everywhere, all the time. In the Biplor spirit, it was followed by a double rainbow.

The wind and rain started to howl that night after our rainbow event. Early in the morning, I stuck my head out of the tent, like a turtle looking for a meal. The rest of the family was about packed and waiting for me. We enjoyed this place, but it was an adventure.

3. Benefits of Walking after Meals

This is from Healthline:Nutrition 6/22/23

MAIN COURSE
Is it worthwhile to walk after eating?
Walking after meals, especially after dinner, is a time-honored tradition that may offer many health benefits, including aiding digestion, building muscle, and enhancing circulation. It may even improve your mental well-being.
Now, a new review of research provides further support for this tradition.
The researchers found that exercising shortly after eating can lower postmeal blood sugar levels. Elevated blood sugar is linked to metabolic syndrome, which is thought to affect more than one-third of Americans. Here are some more key takeaways from this review:
 •Exercising within 30 minutes after a meal was found to be the most beneficial (and more effective than exercising before eating).
 •Multiple short bouts of exercise after eating may be more effective than one long session.
 •In addition to burning calories, postmeal movement can shift your body’s energy source toward using up glucose supplied by a meal.
✅ More benefits of postmeal exercise:
 •The study found a beneficial effect in people with type 2 diabetes, though it was not as strong as in people without the condition. However, another study found that a 2-minute walk after meals can help lower type 2 diabetes risk.
 •Regular postmeal activity may potentially reduce the risk of inflammation and cardiovascular disease in the long term.
Next step: After your next meal, consider lacing up your boots (or sneakers) and going for a stroll that’s at least 20 minutes long. It’s a simple, inexpensive, and effective way to energize your digestion and boost your overall health. As the authors of this review conclude, “After dinner walk a while, after supper walk again.”
Tell us: Do you like to go for a walk after eating? Is it something you do all the time, now and then, or never? Let us know at nutritionedition@healthline.com. (Please note that we may use your name and response in an upcoming newsletter!)

Thanks to everyone who hosted me this summer. I return to Las Vegas renewed for the start of school in August. The old understand the young, better than the other way around.

In the spirit, be healthy,

Coach Brown

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Community Requires Cooperation, A Trip to London

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London from the Train station on the Thames

This month’s adventures were amazing and educational. My middle daughter (yes, there are three) has lived worldwide. She settled in London 10 years ago. She travels back here to the States to visit, but this was my first trip to visit her and the U.K. I was joyously greeted by my daughter, who was to host me and act as my tour guide extraordinaire. My arrival in London was a week or so after the Coronation of King Charles III and the decorations were still in place. I saw and did almost everything. Palaces, parks, gardens, plays, and concerts. I have tons of pictures and keepsakes of all the events and places.

We took a side trip to the Yorkshire countryside to see the rural area and maybe find a DNA link or 2. We found no link but had fun on the hunt. We met lots of nice people. This is just a beautiful place.

York from the Wall.

Hiking The North English Moors

How does this fit into my Health and Fitness Blog? Every good vacation is going to have lots of activity. The U.K. is no exception. The people are very much Public Transportation oriented. Many people are using it to go everywhere. This also means they are walking, as we were, to each destinations. I averaged over 22,000 steps a day. This is more than double my recommended 10,000 steps per day. The unique thing is that almost everyone is walking. Old people and young people are all walking, a true nation in motion.

Veggie menu even here.

I wanted to eat planted based on this vacation, I thought it would be challenging. It was not. I had a planned exception for a traditional “fish and chips” meal and to try a “pasty”. To my revelation, every Diner, Hangout, and Food stand has a veggie or vegan option or both. The fish and chips were good and pasties come in veggie form everywhere. As we walked to catch a bus (double-decker, of course) in a Jamaican market area, I ask my daughter if we could get a Pasty. She said that those are good and pointed out a shop. A young lady came from the back and I ask if they have vegan or veggie pasties. She said, “Sure mon”, and pointed to a display case with several kinds. I ask which is best, and she pointed again. We bought 2 and ate the goodness on the bus to the inner part of London. Many restaurants specialize in vegetarian food. We ate at an Indian restaurant that was superior to anything that I have had before. They served dahl that had been simmered for 24 hours. That is a delicious and mouth-watering lintel dish. Everywhere had these types of choices. Even in the county, good restaurants had vegan and veggie options. Virgin Atlantic, the airline, had me set up ahead of time with vegan meals also.

Example of Veggie Restaurant

Example of choices at a food stand

Community Requires Cooperation

The English seem to be better at cooperation than we Americans. There are over 14 million people in London and they move and interact with very little conflict. The urban vs. rural issues do exist there, but they seem more committed to the common good than we do. There were transportation strikes while I was in London, and people had “workaround” plans. There were protests about world conditions, and the people were polite in allowing others to exercise free speech. We still have lessons to learn.

My daughter was a kind and generous host. I was able the stay healthy and have the best of vacations. I did return to the desert for a few days. Now I’m headed off to Colorada with my youngest daughter for the balance of my summer break.

My Hosts, I thank you.


Colorado cloud

In the spirit, be healthy,

Coach Brown

Healthy Ageing

PREPARE AND PERSIST

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I thought about not posting a blog this month. The month of May has been crazy busy. The year-end for a high school teacher is chaos; grades and systems and deadlines, students feeling pressured and emotionally challenged. A good friend has been in the hospital twice. Added to the brain-strain, I am preparing for my first ever trip to London. My middle daughter lives there and hopefully will act as my travel guide (no pressure) on this summer adventure. After that, I am off to my regular summer spot with my youngest daughter in Colorado.

What is here is a clip of one of my “Spring into May” hikes and two healthy video clips. The first is a short clip from the Mayo Clinic with Tips for dining out and the second is a long video from Zonia.com with tons of Immunity information for you.

1. Hike: Lee Canyon, Las Vegas May 13, 2023

turn on the sound to hear me breathe at 9000 feet.

2. Mayo Clinic: 7 tips Dining out video click the link and go then come back.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/connected-care/healthier-eating-while-dining-out/vid-20538256?mc_id=us&utm_source=pes&utm_medium=e&utm_content=engagement&utm_campaign=mayoclinic&geo=national&placementsite=enterprise&invsrc=patloy&cauid=122853

3. Zonia.com: The Truth About Your Immunity And Our Broken Medical System important health information click the link and go then come back.

https://zonia.com/is-episode-1-live-4903467a

Hopefully, we can all rejuvenate during the summer.

“As each of us grow older, may we be kind to ourselves,

As each of us grow older, may we accept joy and sorrow,

As each of us grow older, may we be happy and at peace”*

*from Aging as a Spiritual Practice by Lewis Richmond

In the spirit, be healthy,

Coach Brown

Uncategorized

Survival and Food Emersion

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At Least, three longtime friends passed this month. One in his 70’s, one in his 80’s, and one in his 90’s. Richard W., Dave P., and Coach O. were all Elders in my life. (while writing this, I got news of 2 more friends passing).

In the ancient tradition, each showed me their Elderhood wisdom, born of experience and battling through life’s challenges. They were guides to all who searched out their wisdom. Such guides are always needed. We, as legacy creations, must be the Elders for those to come. It is an ancient tradition and must be followed if we are to survive. As we have grown from their guidance, the task falls to us. We are all connected, like the mycelium of the forest. We know our ancestors are fully present in every cell of our body. Let us invite them to our life experiences.

Food Emersion and Survival

Previously, I said that the only reason for not eating meat is a moral or ethical conviction, a reverence for life. It is a strong reason if you believe that these are sentient beings. More science now supports no meat. In my current eating program, the why may be as important as the what. It started as a 10 days Vegan Emersion Program from Food Revolution. My inspiration was a friend who wanted to be vegan for the health benefits. She has a heart valve replacement pending and wants to be in best health she can be for that procedure. It has been over a month with no meat or dairy. She claims more energy and I had my first-morning run (jog) in more than 20 years on Saturday. We have morphed a little from the strict definition of a vegan menu to a Whole Food Plant Based (WFPB) plan. The difference is minimal.

Whether science is chasing trends or trend is following science; every day there is more information coming out about the benefits of the WFPB diet. Google it and see. If you give this diet a try for a meal or a day, you will be better for not partaking in the Standard American Diet (SAD). I hoped to instantly lose weight on the 10-day emersion plan. I did not lose weight because I made some mistakes. I did not monitor my consumption which for me always means overconsumption. If one is good; ten is better. Also, I did not run nutrient information. As we tried new recipes, lack of planning, led to a protein shortage in my diet. This produced some intense sugar cravings which I accommodated. There is a science to back these actions and feelings of mine. The situation is correctable. Processes are happening in the body that produces these effects. EVERYDAY HEALTH AND GOOGLE describe protein traveling through the small intestine encouraging the production of the hormone CCK and others that are responsible for decreases in appetite for carbohydrates and sugar. The lack of protein will lower the production of these hormones and produce the cravings. My solution is to add a Plant-based protein powder to my diet, at least until I get my consumption act together.

The Rich Roll Podcast interview with Dr. Zach Bush (#5) is really good. The title is The Future Human and Planetary Health; go here 👉🏾http://bit.ly/richroll751 then go to site. These well-educated and brilliant men talk about everything we see, feel, and hope for.

As another school comes to an end, I want to be pointed in the right direction. The website https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/ helps me with this. In late May, I am making my first flight to the UK. My middle daughter has lived there my years and I am going to see what is the attraction. Until next time, Good day.

In the spirit, be healthy,

Coach Brown