Random Reads

Olympic gymnast Marjorie Carter still going strong at 84 AGILE: Marjorie says older people need to maintain mobility Marjorie Carter competed in the 1952 and 1960 Olympic Games as part of a team of eight females, and has now bagged the top prize in a nationwide Inspirational Generation competition. Age is certainly no barrier for Majorie, a member of the British gymnastics squad at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, Finland, and the 1960 Olympics in Rome, Italy – just missing out on medals at both. The octogenarian, who has been doing gymnastics since the age of 10, went on to have an impressive coaching career, nurturing the next generation of gymnasts and still trains three times a week – hitting the gym at 6am . “You need to keep moving. It’s so important when you get older to maintain that independence and mobility. As they say, ‘use it or you lose it’ “, says Marjorie, who can still stand on her head, perform the splits, and cartwheel. Grandmother to five, Marjorie, who li

Science based benefits of Pumpkin seeds. Pumpkin seeds may be small, but they're packed full of valuable nutrients. Eating only a small amount of them can provide you with a substantial quantity of healthy fats, magnesium and zinc. Because of this, pumpkin seeds have been associated with several health benefits. These include improved heart health, prostate health and protection against certain cancers. What's more, these seeds can be easily incorporated into your diet. Here are the top 11 health benefits of pumpkin seeds that are supported by science. 1. Full of Valuable Nutrients Pumpkin seeds are the edible seeds of a pumpkin. They are also known as "pepita" — a Mexican Spanish term. Unlike the hard white seeds from a carving pumpkin, most pumpkin seeds bought from the supermarket do not have a shell. These shell-free seeds are flat and oval in shape, and have a green color. There are roughly 151 calories in an ounce (28 grams) of shel

A healthy diet is the key to getting the iron you need Iron stores One-quarter of the world’s population is anemic, meaning they don’t get enough iron to produce the red blood cells and oxygen-carrying hemoglobin needed to nourish their myriad cells. In the United States, blood loss is the main cause of iron deficiency and anemia. Among women, heavy menstrual periods and childbirth account for this. Among those age 65 and older, the causes of iron deficiency and anemia are likely to be internal bleeding, difficulty absorbing iron and other nutrients, and eating a less varied diet. The average American man harbors about 3.5 grams (one-eighth of an ounce) of iron in his body. The average woman has about 2.5 grams. Without enough stored iron, an individual can develop anemia .  Symptoms include fatigue, loss of stamina, shortness of breath, weakness, dizziness, and a pale, unhealthy complexion. So precious is iron for your health that the body uses a protein called tran