What A Community!

Life in "central Jersey" has been a little more challenging lately.  Like the rest of the US, we've seen our gas prices go up, our home values go down, and the ever increasing number of properties continue to sit on the market.  Our corporate executives have seen several rounds of lay offs, our school budgets have failed, and our taxes have continued to go up.  Why would someone continue to live here?

Well, let me offer this perspective.  Our county is (still) a somewhat rural, upper-middle class area where people choose to raise their family.  Financial woes aside, the "community" is amazing.  A couple of weeks back, a friend's son, Kyle, decided that while home on leave from the US Army, he would walk a 25-mile ruck in honor of fallen soldiers and those that continue to serve our country.  He mentioned to a few friends that if anyone would like to donate supplies to military units in Afghanistan, where he will soon be deployed to, he would connect with Soldier's Race Team to arrange for shipment over seas.

And the flood gates were opened.  Supplies started pouring in.  Bags and boxes of toiletries, non-perishable foods and snacks, magazines, under shirts and boxer shorts, sunscreen and hand wipes have continued to arrive from friends, veterans and total strangers.  These simple items, which we take for granted on a daily basis, will become a gift to the soldiers that receive them.  The community more than embraced the concept.  Scout troops,  high school students, friends and friends of friends will join Kyle in his walk.  Children with American flags will parade with him, the local and state police and fire departments will provide an escort and dozens of proud Americans will salute his noble efforts.  An after-party at our new facility to honor the event's extraordinary ability to forge togetherness has been planned with donated tents, port-a-johns, food, and drink from our local Shop Rite, McDonald's, Rental Centers and a host of others.

You see, all we needed was a hero.  All of the other makings of a community are present, vibrant actually.  People here genuinely care about the area.  They care about the people.  And, obviously, they care about our country.  What continually amazes me is how we can put aside our different views - our overall sentiments about the decisions our President and his predecessors have made - and stand up and applaud the selfless acts that our soldiers perform on a daily basis.  Thank you, Kyle, our home-town hero.  Know that in Hunterdon, our soldiers never walk alone.  We pray for your safe return.

Sleep and Age - (or actually don't age!)

A youthful appearance is closely correlated to the number of hours of sleep you get.  So, in my pursuit for healthy aging, sleep has been a reoccurring theme.  Let's get to the bottom of this connection so that we can start to value our sleep and build a better outlook for tomorrow.

As a child, you needed between 10 and 14 hours of sleep.  The 1 year old needs 12-14, then the need decreases and kids ages 5-12 only need 10-11.  Teens need at least 9 and adults 7-8.  The requirement does not change as the hair color goes white.  Seniors, although many sleep quite little, still need 7-8 hours, according to the National Sleep Foundation.

"Good sleep is essential for optimal brain health.  It is involved in rejuvenating all the cells in your body, gives brain cells a chance to repair themselves, and activates neuronal connections that might otherwise deteriorate due to inactivity...As you get older, sleep patterns tend to change and you typically find it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep.  This can speed up the brain's aging process at a time when you really want to hang on to every brain cell you have." (D.Amen, MD)

Sleep deprivation is also correlated to obesity.  Studies demonstrate that sleep deprivation and the consumption of simple carbs (those that quickly break down into sugar in the system) are tied.  When subjects in a University of Chicago study slept only 4 hours per night, they were more likely to eat candy, cake and cookies than fruits and vegetables.  Physiologically speaking, the ratio of 2 hormones (ghrelin and leptin) involved in appetite are controlled by sleep. When this ratio is impacted by sleep deprivation, too much ghrelin is present signaling to the brain that you are hungry and not enough leptin is present to signal that you are full.  Bad combo!   Another study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition demonstrated that subjects who slept only 5.5 hours consumed an average of 221 more calories in high-carb snacks than when the same subjects got 8.5 hours of sleep.  

The benefits of sleep are many:  weight loss, weight control, prevention of weight related diseases (diabetes, metabolic syndrome), prevention of alzheimer's disease and depression and reduction in symptoms of ADD.  Other benefits include improved mental health, improved pain, and improved skin.  It's no wonder why sleep impacts a youthful appearance.  Given this information, isn't it time you get some sleep?  

Is Fat Contagious?

Funny sort of question, isn't it?  Of course it's not contagious... well, at least I didn't think it was.

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine collected data from over twelve thousand people over a 30-year time period.  The study provides compelling evidence that the spread of obesity is correlated to who you spend time with.  With a friend who became obese, study participants had a 57% greater chance of becoming obese.  With an obese sibling, study participants had a 40% increased risk.  "The study highlights the social network effect on health issues and makes an important point: Our health is heavily influenced by many factors, not the least of which are the role models around us.  Whom you spend time with matters to the health of your brain and your body..."(D. Amen, MD)

This past weekend I felt just that.  I was surrounded by people who take charge of their health.  On Saturday, I watched and cheered, supported and encouraged as friends completed a local 5K and 15K road race.  How inspiring to watch this multi-generational event.  Age only separates the categories, here the young and old run the same path at the same time.  We gathered afterward, celebrating the accomplishments of that half of the group while mentally preparing the other half who would run in a half-marathon the following day.

The real "I'm with you" feeling comes out when you hear the cheers from the crowd of friends who continue to conquer their goals, face their barriers, and overcome their trepidations.  As I turned mile 11, I heard them, saw them, knew they knew just what I was feeling.  Invigorated by their presence, confident because of their confidence in me, and lifted by their passion for life.

I have blogged before about the importance of connectedness.  May I recommend a group of health-minded individuals?  Let's make our health contagious, and nothing else will be!