The Importance of Senior Fitness

– According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), exercise and physical activity are some of the best things older adults can do to stay healthy. Even moderate exercise can improve the health of those who are frail or who have age-related diseases.

Some seniors are concerned that physical activity or exercise may be too strenuous or may do them more harm than good. In fact, it\’s an inactive lifestyle that proves to do more harm than exercise does.

Without physical activity, older people tend to grow weaker in four areas important for staying healthy and independent: strength, balance, flexibility, and endurance. The NIH maintains that:

• Increasing strength and endurance make it easier to climb stairs and carry groceries.
• Improving balance helps prevent falls.
• Being more flexible may speed recovery from injuries.

Exercising regularly can also have a positive impact on the immune system, blood pressure, cardiovascular system and it can decrease the risk of heart disease and help with depression or anxiety.

The American Senior Fitness Association has some recommendations for those wanting to start a fitness program.

• Get medical clearance to exercise.
• Don\’t exercise if you are injured, sick, or running a temperature.
• Always warm up and always cool down.
• Drink plenty of water before, during and after exercise.
• Avoid heavy meals for about two hours before energetic exercise.
• If fatigue and/or discomfort last longer than one or two hours after exercising, cut back the next day but don\’t stop completely. Comfort ranges can change daily, so don\’t get discouraged if you can\’t do the same amount of exercise as you did the day before.
• Concentrate on exercises that improve and maintain your range of motion, lubricate the joints and keep muscles flexible. Everyday activities will be easier to carry out and you\’ll have less pain, too.

Stop exercise and consult your physician immediately if you experience any of the following:

• chest pain or tightness in the chest, neck or throat
• considerable difficulty breathing
• abnormal heart rhythm; nausea\’ dizziness, light headedness, or visual interruption
• excessive cold sweat
• extreme or lasting weakness or fatigue

For a good, overall exercise program, consider tai chi. Tai chi is a self-paced system of gentle physical exercise. It involves standing and performing a series of movements in a slow, graceful way. Each movement smoothly flows into the next. Studies suggest that tai chi may improve balance and knee joint stability, both of which help balance.

Staying active does the body and the mind a world of good. Find exercise and activities that you enjoy and you\’ll be able to stick with it and improve your quality of life.

Source

Family Features

Grandparent Getaways

Trips to take with your grandchildren

– \”No parents allowed.\” It\’s not a sign on a kid-only clubhouse, it\’s the first rule of travel for memory-making grandparent/grandchild vacations.

Taking a trip with the grandchildren is a great way for the two generations to get to know each other and bond over a common experience. From simple day trips to luxury vacations, there are plenty of ways to whisk the kids away from mom and dad for an awesome adventure.

Trip Ideas

Local Treasures. You don\’t always have to go far to find fun things to do. Zoos, amusement parks, festivals, museums and historical sites are great daytrip or weekend getaway ideas. Keep an eye out for special events at area attractions, such as butterfly exhibits at an arboretum or special festivals at theme parks such as Silver Dollar City or Six Flags.

Make it Personal.

• Taking them to the same vacation spot you visited with your parents – or their parents – lets you share part of your personal history.
• If you\’re interested in family history, a trip to the country your ancestors came from joins family history with another culture, bridging cultural and generational gaps in one remarkable vacation.
• Share your passions with them. If you love history, a trip to Washington D.C. is a must. (And with so many things to do for free, it\’s a bargain, too.) If you love animals, volunteer at the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, UT. You and your grandchildren can work with the 2000 or so animals in residence there, and be within driving distance of the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park. Whatever you love – music, plants, camping – there\’s a family vacation to help you share that love.

Go with the Pros. There are a number of travel companies that either specialize in or offer intergenerational travel packages.

Grandtravel (www.grandtrvl.com) welcomes grandfathers, grandmothers, aunts, uncles and family friends to take grandchildren on a special trip. They select destinations all over the world and teach about the area\’s history and its people and culture. Visit places like Alaska, London and Paris, Washington, DC and Italy. Grandchildren of any age are welcome, but they recommend ages seven to 17 for most trips.

Elderhostel (www.exploritas.org) offers educational trips all over the US and the world. Some 2010 trips include:

• A Greater Yellowstone Adventure for Grandkids and Grandparents (Montana)
• Kayaking with your Grandchild: Exploring the Lewis and Clark Columbia River Water Trail (Washington)
• Artists in the Making: Creative Expressions in the Ozarks (Arkansas)
• A \”Boxcar Children\” Adventure (Northern California)
• Misty and the Wild Ponies of Chincoteague Island (Virginia)

Other great trip ideas and tips can be found at www.boomeropia.com and www.grandparents.com.

Do some research, get the grandkids involved in the planning, then head off for a great grandparent getway that no one will ever forget.

Source

Family Features

Kid-Friendly Projects Fuel Winter Family Fun

Colder temperatures mean more indoor time, making it a challenge to find activities that will keep kids happy and engaged. The good news for parents is that even common household items can create hours of fun time. These child-friendly arts and crafts projects will allow you to spend quality, memorable time with your family this winter season with things you already have around the house.

Arts and Crafts Ideas

With the most soft cotton at the tip*, Q-tips cotton swabs are gentle and safe for baby care and pet care; great for cleaning nooks and crannies in the house and for fixing makeup mishaps. They can also be used in a variety of craft projects. Use them to:

• Replace expensive paint brushes. Perfectly-sized for children\’s small hands, you can use a different cotton swab for each color and simply toss when finished.
• Apply glue to small areas on models and crafts. Use one tip to apply the glue and the other to remove any excess glue before it dries.
• Carve detailed designs into pottery. Moisten the tool to put the finishing touches on sculptures.
• Touch-up hard-to-reach areas on freshly painted model airplanes and cars – or even dollhouses.

Have fun with your family making this adorable snowman that\’s simple for children to create with a little help from mom or dad.

Cheery Snowman

Skill Level: Intermediate
Prep Time: 2 hours
Dry Time: 30 minutes

Materials:

• 1 Standard pack (500-count) of Q-tips cotton swabs
• 3 Styrofoam balls; 1 large, 1 medium, 1 small, (no smaller than 2 inches in diameter)
• 1 brown pipe cleaner
• 1 sheet wax paper
• 1 Popsicle stick or floral stake
• Child-safe scissors
• Child-safe, non-toxic black paint
• Child-safe, non-toxic orange paint

1. Have an adult cut the bottom off the largest Styrofoam ball, so the piece can lay flat upon a table or surface.
2. Using a Popsicle stick or floral stake, stack all three Styrofoam balls from largest at the bottom, to smallest at the top to form one standing figure.
3. Fold and twist 5 cotton swabs in half; dip 9 halves into the black paint and 1 into the orange paint. Lay flat on wax paper to dry.
4. Cut pipe cleaner in half; insert into sides of middle Styrofoam ball as arms.
5. Begin folding cotton swabs; insert into foam balls until completely covered.
6. Insert black cotton swabs into top ball for coal eyes and mouth. Insert orange cotton swab as the carrot nose.

Find step-by-step photos for this project, additional kid-friendly crafting ideas and household tips at www.qtips.com. Or, share your own tips or craft ideas at www.Facebook.com/qtips.

*From the end of the stick to the top of the swab.

Source

Q-Tips

Tips to Transform Trash to Treasure

Have you ever beaten yourself up over a broken glass or a spill on your dining room chair? Life is full of \”oops moments,\” which is why Glad® ForceFlex® Black Bag has teamed up with the Picker Sisters – best friends and interior designers Tracy Hutson and Tanya McQueen – to celebrate and cleanup life\’s wild moments, and then find ways to reuse discarded items.

\”We live by the saying, \’one person\’s trash is another\’s treasure.\’ In fact, on our television show, we travel across the country to find reclaimed trash to turn into treasure for our store,\” said Hutson. \”However, you don\’t have to travel far to find items worth transforming into beautiful pieces.\”

The Picker Sisters have provided a few easy tips to help you turn everyday trash into treasure:

Frame it – Are you holding onto old magazines, books or maps because they\’re too interesting or appealing to toss? Or, perhaps, they\’re items of sentiment. Instead of keeping them stuffed away in a desk drawer, showcase the items on your wall or mantel by framing them, which is also a great preservation tactic.

Don\’t trash the glass – Leftover wine bottles after a dinner party? Remove the labels and wash the bottles and they can quickly be transformed into a water carafe. Or cluster several bottles together with fresh cut flowers and candles and you have an eye-catching centerpiece. Keep the corks too and throw into a spare vase for a table or countertop display.

Reuse old towels – Did you buy new bath towels and don\’t know what to do with the old ones? Cut them into squares for dish rags or the size of a hand towel to store in the garage to dry your car after a wash. If you\’re super handy, you can stitch the ends with a needle and thread. Otherwise, leave them undone and they\’ll do the job.

Create place cards – Create color coded place cards from old greeting cards for dinner parties by cutting 4 x 3-inch sections and folding horizontally. Write guests\’ names in a metallic pen or add your own stickers or flare to personalize them.

Refresh key pieces – Looking to freshen up your dining room chairs because they\’ve endured their fair share of spills? Don\’t throw them out. It may be easier than you think to reupholster the cushions with a fresh, new print, or perhaps something spill-proof. With just a few key tools – such as an electric staple gun, pliers and screw driver – and you can have a fresh-looking dining set.

Upcycle old luggage – Do you have old, trunk luggage you don\’t know what to do with? Before purging it, consider using it to decorate your home by creating unique statement pieces.

Stacking three or four suitcases to make a retro nightstand is just one of many ways to upcycle these old gems.

Keeping with the theme \”trash to treasure,\” Glad has worked with Keep America Beautiful\’s Great American Cleanupstm across the country to collect unique items to turn into works of art by San Francisco-based mosaic artist, Jason Mecier. In addition, they\’ve collected wild life remnants from Hollywood stars, such as actress Amy Smart, actor Jesse Eisenberg, reality star Lauren Conrad, actress Emmanuelle Chriqui of \”Entourage,\” and \”iCarly\’s\” Nathan Kress to be incorporated into the unique works of upcycled art. The four pieces of art are being auctioned off during the Mess to Masterpiece Auction, Presented by Glad® Black Bag on eBay April 16-26, with proceeds benefiting Keep America Beautiful. To learn more about Keep America Beautiful or to find a Great American Cleanup near you, visit www.kab.org.

To connect with the Picker Sisters, Tanya and Tracy, visit www.mylifetime.com. For additional information on Glad® Black Bag and the Mess to Masterpiece Auction, visit www.facebook.com/glad.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Source

Glad

Get the look and save with DIY fabric painting tips

If you\’re looking to make some upgrades around the house, but don\’t have the budget for brand new designer curtains or rugs, you can still get the latest looks on the cheap. Here are a few do-it-yourself fabric painting tips and tutorials to help you get your place looking like you spent a fortune, while keeping everything within budget.

Curtains

Window treatments can really tie a room together, no matter how large or small the space you\’re decorating. But if you\’re looking to replicate a designer\’s look straight from the glossy page of a home décor magazine, a few swaths of expensive fabric curtains can quickly break your budget.

Take a note from Apartment Therapy\’s DIY Printed Fabric tutorial. Using cotton fabric, latex paint and a pattern created using a stencil, you can easily recreate your favorite designer curtains and window treatments.

Rugs and Carpets

Add some color to your home by following this simple DIY Painted Rug tutorial from the blog The House of Smiths. Dressing up an inexpensive rug is an easy way to add some sophistication to your home that mimics patterns and styles found in design magazines. Using tape, latex paint, vinyl stencils or pattern pieces, you can easily recreate the look of a high dollar area rug. For a larger rug, check out this DIY Rug Tutorial from Pudel-design.

Throw pillows and furniture

You can also use similar painting techniques with fabric paint to create throw pillows or fabric and upholstered furniture as well. Whether you\’re working on pillows or furniture, make sure you start by painting the pattern on the fabric, just as a professional would start with professionally printed fabric.

Stencils and patterns

Whether you\’re looking to recreate the look of a specific pillow, window treatment or even a shower curtain, you can find stencils online to help you master the design. Here are some resources for online stencils and patterns:

• Find designer stencils covering everything from contemporary patterns to Celtic designs at www.designerstencils.com.
• For designer-quality stencils in everything from Mediterranean Florentine to Indian floral, www.royaldesignstudio.com has you covered.
• If you\’re looking for free patterns, you can find a variety by simply searching the Internet for free stencils as well.

The best part about creating your own stenciled fabrics and rugs is that because you\’re saving on the cost of a designer price tag, mistakes can be rectified by simply purchasing extra fabric or an extra rug. To avoid mistakes, try creating your pattern on newsprint or paper first before executing the design directly onto the fabric or rug itself.

Source

eLivingToday.com

Five DIY Headboard Styles to Revamp Your Bedroom

When it comes to keeping your bedroom décor fresh and chic, it can be difficult to know where to start – especially when you\’re working on a budget. Here are five great do-it-yourself options that are easy enough for people of any skill level to accomplish without professional help.

If you\’re looking to update the bedroom, look to the focal point of the room – the bed itself. You can start by replacing sheets or adding accent pillows or a sham, but to really enhance the over-all effect, look to the headboard. There are several different DIY options that achieve very different looks. Here are a few:

• The pallet headboard. If you\’re looking to upcycle, check out this pallet headboard tutorial. Not only will you be finding a second use for the pallet, but the pallet appears more rugged and relaxed.
• The upholstered and repurposed headboard. For a more polished and classic look, check out this upholstered headboard tutorial made from an old door. With step-by-step instructions and a video tutorial, anyone can master this headboard.
• The fabric headboard. Whether you own or rent, you can always save money by using a beautiful piece of fabric or tapestry and a curtain rod. The best part about this headboard is it can be quickly taken down and reassembled elsewhere if you decide to move. Alternatively, you can create a cushioned fabric headboard that can be disassembled and packed easily should you change locales as well.
• The modern headboard. This particular approach is simple and budget-friendly, while remaining natural and eco-friendly. For a modern headboard, simply purchase a piece of plywood from your local home improvement store. Take it home to sand, stain and seal it and simply stand it up behind your bed. For extra embellishments, consider decals from online shops such as Etsy.com.
• The natural headboard. For those feeling especially crafty, check out this tutorial for a wood and wicker natural headboard. This piece is so well-done; it looks as though it cost a fortune.

No matter which style you choose, your bedroom is sure to look as though you spent a fortune one a designer headboard, but you\’ll sleep sound knowing you saved a bundle.

Source

eLivingToday.com

Gardening With Charlie – Great Homemade Garden Gifts

– Some of the best holiday gifts I\’ve ever received were handmade items from the garden. They weren\’t elaborate, but they were meaningful. I was touched by the gift of a centerpiece of dried flowers, grasses, and seed heads collected from a friend\’s garden. I still use the herbal vinegar, packed with fresh herbs, from another friend\’s garden. I appreciate the extra time and energy they put into making these gifts for me.

So when thinking of the right gift for a family member or loved one who enjoys the outdoors and gardening, consider some of these homemade ideas.

Painted Flowerpots

Sure, you could buy a beautiful ceramic glazed flowerpot, but wouldn\’t a hand-painted one be a more personal gift? Terra-cotta pots are now available in a range of sizes and shapes, and they are usually relatively inexpensive to buy. Use acrylic paint to decorate them. If you aren\’t confident in your painting skills, you could use a stencil instead. Another idea is to use leaves or fern fronds and \”stamp\” an image onto the container. Just paint the leaf and press it against the pot to transfer the image. You may want to prime the pot first with a water-based primer, and once you are done decorating, finish it off with coat of clear varnish to protect it.

Garden Note Cards

You can turn your favorite plant and garden photos into note cards to give away during the holiday season. First, make color copies of your best garden photos. Purchase blank cards and matching envelopes, then cut out the photos and use a glue stick to attach them to the front of the blank cards. If you have photo-editing software, you can scan these images into the computer and play with them to create some cool special effects.

Another option is to glue plant material, such as leaves, grasses, flower petals, or ferns, onto a piece of paper and photocopy this collage to use on the cards. Sometimes simpler is better. A few well-placed grass seed heads can make an elegant and tasteful image.

Herb Blends

Use your own homegrown herbs to create special cooking mixes. Consult recipe books for common herb combinations, or go out on a limb and make something unusual. Include a recipe card with the blends. For example, consider mixing sage, rosemary, and thyme for a cream cheese dip. You can even purchase exotic herbs and spices to make a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves for mulled cider, or make your own curry with coriander, cumin, turmeric, and cardamom. Taco seasonings are popular. Use a blend of homemade and purchased herbs, such as chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne. You can purchase herbs and spices in bulk at most natural foods stores.

Whatever homemade gifts you make from your garden, they will surely be appreciated as gifts of love during this joyful season.

For more tips and garden information, visit www.garden.org.

Charlie Nardozzi, a nationally recognized garden writer, book author, speaker and radio and television personality, has appeared on HGTV, PBS and Discovery Channel television networks. He is the senior horticulturist and spokesperson for the National Gardening Association (www.garden.org) and Chief Gardening Officer for the Hilton Garden Inn.

Source

National Gardening Association

Let a Clematis Climb Your Rose

– There are few sights as lovely as a trellis or fence smothered in roses, unless it\’s a rose and a clematis growing together intertwined, bringing out the best in each other. Most clematis are vines that need the support of a structure or a plant. But the support needn\’t be vertical; the plants will grow along a low fence or wind their way through other sturdy plants. Even shrub and ground cover roses make good partners, so the possibilities for combining these two stars of the garden are endless.

Bloom time is the first consideration. Decide if you want both plants to bloom at the same time or at different times to prolong the flowering on the fence or arbor. If your rose has just one flush of blooms, you can choose a clematis on the same blooming schedule. Or you can choose a clematis that blooms earlier or later. Or you can really extend the show by planting three different clematis alongside your rose — one that blooms before the rose, one that blooms simultaneously, and one that blooms later. That way, you\’ll be sure to have color all summer.

Both clematis and roses are available in a many different colors, and you can create exciting combinations by selecting varieties in colors unique to each plant. Clematis, for instance, come in many shades of blue, which is unheard of in roses, and roses come in many warm colors, such as orange, salmon, and mango, which are unseen in clematis.

Both roses and clematis need a full sun location away from wind, which can tear both plants from their supports. Clematis need their roots to be well mulched, or another plant growing near the base to shade the roots. Both plants need a lot of water, but clematis are more likely to suffer from lack of it. Provide each new plant with at least 1 gallon of water per week, more in hot weather.

The best time to plant both roses and clematis is in the spring. Both plants love rich, moist, well-drained soil, so amend the soil before planting with compost or well-rotted manure.

Plant grafted roses with the graft union 2 to 3 inches below the soil line in cold climates, slightly above the soil level in warmer regions. Plant clematis with the crown 2 inches below ground level — too deep and they\’ll fail to bloom. Before planting container-grown clematis, gently loosen the thick roots of the large-flowered hybrids, but be careful with the fibrous roots of the small-flowered plants. Simply spread the roots of bare-root plants before planting.

To minimize water and nutrient competition and to make pruning easier, plant clematis at least 1 foot and preferably 3 feet away from the host rose, and train the stems into the rose with stakes, foam-covered wire, or string. If you plant the companions near a wall, place them at least 1-1/2 feet from the wall and guide their stems toward the wall with a stakes.

Mulch new plantings to help retain moisture and suppress weeds. Fertilize in early spring before flower buds start to swell, and again in fall with compost or composted manure, as well as liquid fertilizer in the spring. Discontinue liquid fertilizer when the plants are in bloom because it will shorten their flowering period.

A former floral designer and interior plantscaper, Kathie Bond-Borie has spent 20 years as a garden writer/editor, including her current role as Horticultural Editor for the National Gardening Association. She loves designing with plants, and spends more time playing in the garden – planting and trying new combinations – than sitting and appreciating it.

Source

National Gardening Association

Easy Care: Spider Plants and Exotic Ferns

– This is another one of our traditional indoor hanging baskets. It does very well in medium to high light. It’s called a spider plant or airplane plant. It’s named for the plantlets that form after the flowers on the stems. They’re a complete plant. You can see the root development if you turn the plantlet over. If you want to propagate it, you just cut the stem off, set it in a pot, and it will grow. After a few weeks, it will develop roots, and you’ll have a new plant. So, it’s very easy to share with family or friends.

The airplane plants have three different leaf patterns. This one has a green center with white edges. Another type has green edges on the leaf and the center is a creamy yellow. And the third type has solid green leaves.

All of them do very well. The more common, and more vigorous, is the one where the variegation is in the middle of the leaf, and the edges are green. But the slower growing one, with the green in the middle, is better adapted to medium to low light. The other one better adapted to higher light.

Next, we have an example of a Staghorn Fern. It does extremely well indoors. It’s an ideal plant, and it’s exotic looking. So it appeals to certain decors and certain tastes rather than the general population. It grows naturally attached to limbs up in the forest canopy in a tree. Because it’s covered in dense shade, it does very well indoors in low light. You might notice we have it growing in a wire basket covered with moss. We don’t want it in a pot because it’s an aerophyte. It’s used to being out here in the air. It doesn’t take much water so it’s an excellent indoor houseplant. It’s a little more open or airy. But if you want an exotic flair, it’s certainly a good one to consider.

This feature story prepared with Alan Stevens, Kansas State University Research and Extension State Leader, Horticulture. For more information, visit your local county extension office or visit our website at KansasGreenYards.org.

Source

K-State Research and Extension

Growing Mini Roses Indoors

– Kathy Bond-Borie, Guest Columnist – Even though the weather has turned cold and we\’ve put our garden roses to bed for the winter, that doesn\’t mean we have to be rose-deprived until spring. Miniature roses adapt quite well to life indoors. They are a bit more particular about light and humidity than some indoor flowering plants, but they will reward the extra effort with stunning flowers that come in a wide range of colors.

For the most part, miniature roses are scaled-down versions of full-sized roses, and while they vary in many ways, all mini roses have small, rarely fragrant flowers. Plants can range from micro-minis (5 inches or less) to 3 to 4 feet or even larger. Flowers can be anywhere from 1/2 to 2 inches across, with a color range as broad as for full-size roses.

Mini roses need plenty of bright light, such as in a bright west- or south-facing window. But for repeat bloom, you\’ll need the supplementary light provided by fluorescent tubes. Also provide some extra humidity around the plants because indoor air is typically quite dry. Set plants in a water-filled tray on a layer of pebbles, or use a room humidifier. If humidity is too low, the leaves will shrivel, turn yellow, and drop. Here are some other tips:

1. Buy new plants each season to ensure that your plants are free of diseases and pests. Choose varieties that are short and especially floriferous.
2. Fertilize weekly with a fertilizer diluted to one-quarter strength. To encourage blooms, use a fertilizer with a formula high in potassium, such as 5-5-10.
3. Watch carefully for any sign of pests. Spray whiteflies with a lightweight horticultural oil. If spider mites become a problem, wash plants thoroughly every 2 to 3 days. For a severe infestation of spider mites, strip all leaves and cut the plant back by half. Healthy new growth will emerge rapidly.
4. Use a commercial potting mixture containing perlite and vermiculite when repotting.
5. When flowering has finished, place plants under fluorescent lights to encourage reblooming in about six weeks.
6. After the last frost in spring, gradually acclimate plants to outdoor air. Plant them in the garden or in an outdoor container.

For more tips and garden information visit www.garden.org

A former floral designer and interior plantscaper, Kathy Bond-Borie has spent 20 years as a garden writer/editor, including her current role as Horticultural Editor for the National Gardening Association. She loves designing with plants, and spends more time playing in the garden – planting and trying new combinations – than sitting and appreciating it.

Source

National Gardening Association