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A Over 50?
Here are some dietary supplement and exercise tips.
Strong muscles help prevent falls.
Calcium 1200-1500 Mg daily
200-600 Vitamin D daily
1/2-1 hour of weight bearing exercise a week.
Glucosamine sulfate 1,500Mg with or without 1,200 mg of chondroitin sulfate
(Dr Weil's Bone & Joint Health)

A good source of nutrients, fiber, and Omega 3 Fatty Acids is the flax seed. A tasty and easy way to enjoy this is with Bob's Red Mill "Flaxseed Meal" - available online or in stores including Trader Joe's. Sprinkle some on salads, cereal, omelettes, even in smoothies.

Make sure you have enough electrolytes when you are working out or if it's just hot. If you are on a sodium restricted diet do not use these products without checking with your doctor. Gatorade is the most well known but has high sodium, Recharge is more natural (and lower sodium), some people use Pedialyte, but you can also make your own electrolyte drink. Electrolyte Drink Recipe (not for salt restricted diets) : 1 qt. water, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp table salt, 3-4 tbsp sugar - mix well and refrigerate. Add orange or lemon juice for flavor and to reduce salt and sugar intake add more water.

Are Energy Bars as good as real food? Men's health compares them and Sports Drinks to water here.

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Is It a Stroke?
Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke. Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:1. Ask the individual to smile.2. Ask him or her to raise both arms.3. Ask the person to speak a simple sentence. If he or she has trouble with any of these tasks, call 9-1-1 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher. After discovering that a group of non-medical volunteers could identify facial weakness, arm weakness and speech problems, researchers urged the general public to learn the three questions. They presented their conclusions at the American Stroke Associations annual meeting last February. Widespread use of this test could result in prompt diagnosis and treatment of the stroke and prevent brain damage.

 If You Suspect A Stroke

If you believe someone has had a stroke, call 911 immediately. Remember to act FAST:
F = Face
• Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
A = Arms
• Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
S = Speech
• Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Are the words slurred? Can the person repeat the sentence correctly?
T = Time
• If the person shows any of these symptoms, time is important. Call 911 or get to the hospital fast. Brain cells are dying.
Source: National Stroke Association

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Alzheimer's 10 Possible Early Warning Signs
Since family members are often the first to notice changes that might indicate the onset of the disease they should learn the early warning signs. Learn the 10 signs.

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CPR - Save A Life
Skip mouth to mouth and concentrate on chest thrusts, they produce better results. 1-minute videos on the technique of Hands Only CPR. You could be a hero.

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Best ER
Find out which is the nearest hospital with a Level-3 emergency room, the best for heart attacks and strokes, that's where you'll want to go.

Travel
If you have any difficulty with mobility or travel make sure you notify your airline both when you make the reservation and again the day before your flight so they can accomodate your needs.

The Skytrax Web site, www.airlinequality.com, provides a wealth of other information about the world's airlines. It provides summary data on seating - not as detailed as you get on SeatGuru ( www.seatguru.com) but covering far more airlines.

Languages
If you are travelling to a foreign land it is fun to learn some of the language. Here are a couple of websites that make it fun to learn.
LiveMocha - where you can get online lessons and converse with a native!
BBC - the Brits provide excellent resources to learn 36 languages. (can get on your cellphone - EUs call it your mobile.)

Fall Prevention Assessment
Learn about fall prevention on this web page.

Backup Your Computer Files
If your hard drive crashes and you have irreplaceable files you might try
DriveSavers to see if they can recover any of your files. But an ounce of prevention... it's better to be prepared by using a free online backup service like Mozy - they offer 2Gb of free storage space and you can schedule your backups in case you tend to forget.

Lower Your High Blood Pressure and More
Dr. Herbert Benson showed that relaxation techniques such as meditation have immense physical benefits, from lowered blood pressure to a reduction in heart disease. If you want to be around for your children and grandchildren consider taking better care of yourself. The Relaxation Response

Heart Attack Self Help
A cardiologist says if everyone who reads this remembers it, you can bet that at least one life will be saved. Read this ... it could' save your life!! Let's say it's 6:15 p.m. and you're driving home (alone, of course) after an unusually hard day on the job. You're really tired, upset and frustrated. Suddenly you start experiencing severe pain in your chest that starts to radiate out into your arm and up into your jaw. You are only about five miles from the hospital nearest your home. Unfortunately, you don't know if you'll be able to make it that far. You have been trained in CPR, but the guy that taught the course did not tell you how to perform it on yourself.

HOW TO SURVIVE A HEART ATTACK WHEN ALONE
Since many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack, without help, the person whose heart is beating improperly and who begins to feel faint, has only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness. However, these victims can help themselves by coughing repeatedly and very vigorously. A deep breath should be taken before each cough, and the cough must be deep and prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest. A breath and a cough must be repeated about every two seconds without let-up until help arrives, or until the heart is felt to be beating normally again. Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and coughing movements squeeze the heart and keep the blood circulating. The squeezing pressure on the heart also helps it regain normal rhythm. In this way, heart attack victims can get to a hospital.

CONSUMER TIPS

IVR - "Working the voice recording maze" or "How to talk to a human." Paul English and editors produce a list of companies and how to bypass the automated voice system and talk to a human. Visit IVR

Identity Theft
Identity theft, also known as iJacking, is increasing at an alarming rate in the United States. iJacking is when a criminal obtains ones personal information, such as bank statements, Social Security Number, and credit card numbers to assume their identity and spend their funds. The identity thief commonly accesses the victims bank accounts and opens new credit cards or accounts under their name.

A study highlights the cities where residents are at a higher risk for iJacking. (City list)

Check washing
Did you know that most inks can be washed off of a check you write? Criminals use sophisticated methods to “clean” checks which they then can cash. They also use devices to copy your signature. TIP: use Gel ink. Most major pen companies like Bic sell a pen with gel ink. In most cases gel ink cannot be successfully washed off the check.

Checks themselves can be made more secure for example use your initials rather than your name, this would keep any thief guessing how to sign your name. Keep your phone number off the check, if a business needs it to cash your check then put it on the check.

Mail theft
Did you know that most mail theft occurs right out of your mailbox? The most common is when people put outgoing mail in their box and raise the “outgoing mail” flag, which becomes a flag for criminals. TIP: drop your outgoing mail in Post Office mail boxes like you find on street corners or at the Post Office.

Of course incoming mail can also be stolen from your mail box. TIP: get a locking mailbox. Also use the services below to remove yourself from mailing lists.

Fund Alarm
FundAlarm is a free, non-commercial Website. Their view of the mutual fund industry is slightly off-center. Their goal is to help you decide when it's time to sell a fund, instead of when it's time to buy. FundAlarm.com

Stop pre-approved offers
If you want to remove your name from lists for pre-approved offers of credit or insurance obtained from these four consumer credit reporting companies, you will need to contact them. Once you provide your information, your name will be removed from eligibility for pre-approved offer lists provided by all four companies. The information you provide is confidential and will only be used to process your request.
Go to this website www.optoutprescreen.com or you can also complete this process by phone by dialing 888-5-OPT-OUT (888-567-8688). The four companies are Equifax, Experian, Innovis, TransUnion

Keep Track Of Your Credit
A recent amendment to the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months. Three companies have set up a website and toll-free number www.annualcreditreport.com, or call 877-322-8228 or mail Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

Consider placing a "security freeze" on your credit reports so they cannot be used by criminals to set up new credit in your name. You'll have to pay each credit bureau from $5-$20 to place a freeze and again to unfreeze. Equifax, TransUnion, Experian, and Innovis

(NOTE: Equifax did not work properly with Safari browser)

Secure Delete Your Data
Most people are aware that they need to "clean" a computer hard drive if they sell or get rid of their computer. But how many people "clean" their information off their cell phone?

Look in your computer or cell phone manual for how to secure delete your personal information. If you can't find it then you can call the manufacturer. Some companies have the information on their web site.

Destroy Sensitive Paper Documents
Safely destroy pre-approved credit card offers, old financial statements, etc. Get a paper shredder. They cost from $30-$100. The cross-cut or confetti are the best since they make it virtually impossible to put the pieces back together unlike a straight shredder.

To be double sure these documents are unusable by crooks you can put the shreds in a garbage bag, fill it with water and tie off. Punch a couple of holes in the bottom to let the water out. Don't make it too big it may be too heavy for you to lift into the trash bin.

Recommended: Fellowes Powershred P-57Cs 8 sheet Confetti Cut Shredder

Online phone directories – get off the online lists
If your number is listed in the local phone book it is likely on one or more of the online directories. Unfortunately there is no single source for removing numbers, you will have to contact each directory. If you are on the Federal Do Not Call list telemarketers must not call even if you are listed in your phone book or an online directory.
Here are some online phone directories:
AnyWho
Google
WhitePages

Stop telemarketers – Do Not Call
You can register online at www.donotcall.gov or call toll-free, 1-888-382-1222 (TTY 1-866-290-4236), from the number you wish to register. Registration is free.

For other information on Consumer Protection check out this federal government website
www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cfocus/cfprivacy02/focus.htm

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