[senior citizen]

If you were planning a vacation right now, where would you prefer to "getaway" to?


The mountains or the seacoast? The city or the country? Florida has it all except for the mountains.


Living By The Ocean Is Good For Your Health, Expert Says
By: By Tanya Lewis, Staff Writer
Published: 06/28/2013 08:29 AM EDT on LiveScience


WASHINGTON — The age-old wisdom that being near the seaside is good for your health may be true, studies suggest.


People often focus on the threats the ocean poses to human health, whether it's storms and floods, harmful algal blooms or pollution. But research shows that spending time by the ocean has many positive effects on health and well-being, epidemiologist Lora Fleming of the University of Exeter in England, said here on Wednesday (June 26) at a science policy conference of the American Geophysical Union.


The notion that being near a beach makes one feel healthy is not new, of course. Doctors were prescribing trips to the shore or visits to "bathing hospitals" — special clinics that offered seawater bath treatments — as early as the 18th century. But only recently have scientists begun studying the ocean's health benefits experimentally, Fleming said.


Fleming's colleagues at the University of Exeter's European Centre for the Environment and Human Health have begun a project called "Blue Gym" to study how natural water environments can be used to promote human health and well-being. [Stunning Sands Gallery: A Rainbow of Beaches]
In one experiment, study participants were shown photographs of ocean views, green fields or cities, and asked how much they were willing to pay for a hotel room with each of those views. People were willing to pay more for the room with an ocean view, the results showed.


When you put a person in a beach environment, "It's not going to be any great surprise to you that people relax," said study researcher Mathew White, an environmental psychologist at Exeter. The question, he said, is how many people experience such health effects, and how much they impact people's health.


White and colleagues have also looked at census data in England to see how living near a coast affects people's health. They found that people who lived closer to the coast reported better health.


It's possible that the people living closest to the coast are simply wealthier and have better access to health care. But the study found that the health benefits of ocean proximity were greatest for socioeconomically deprived communities.


The researchers also looked at the effect of moving near a coast. Moving closer to the sea "significantly improves people's well-being," White said — by about a tenth as much as finding a new job. The seaside environment may reduce stress and encourage physical activity, he added.


The researchers are now doing lab experiments to study the phy
siological benefits of coastal life. In the experiments, people in stressful situations, such as dental surgery, look at either a virtual beach, or the dental room. The trial is ongoing, but early studies suggest people report feeling less pain when immersed in a beach setting.


These studies suggest ocean exposure could be a useful form of therapy, Fleming said. For instance, surfing might improve the well-being of troubled kids, she said.


Still, many questions remain. Future studies will need to consider whether children and other populations show the same benefits from coastal living, what the optimal "dose" of time spent at the ocean might be, and how long the health effects last.


It also remains unclear how growing human communities might affect the beach environment. It's not going to be so great if everyone starts moving to the beach, Fleming said.
************************************************** **********************
NEGATIVE IONS AND WHY YOUR HEALTH DEPENDS ON THEM!
5 WAYS TO INCREASE NEGATIVE IONS IN YOUR ENVIRONMENT AND WHY IT MATTERS

Many people who work indoors, or who live in cities, or who are in their home for most of the day are exposed to excessive amounts of positive ions from computers and other electronic equipment as well as fluorescent lighting. Excessive positive ions lead to stress, agitation and lethargy. Positive ions are also released by: cell phones, televisions, heaters, electric blankets and even man-made fibers in carpets, clothes and furniture.

It is important to increase our exposure to negative ions which balance this energy, making us feel rejuvenated and energized. Negative ions increase the flow of oxygen to the brain; resulting in higher alertness, decreased drowsiness, and more mental energy.

Negative ions help relieve stress, and also strengthen the immune system. It's one reason why most people feel invigorated after being near a waterfall, or at the beach. Waterfalls and the ocean's movement create negative ions that help balance out the positive ions and they also help stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system which controls rest, digestion and sleep.

Negative ions are EXTREMELY important to good health. In fact, negative ion therapy is actually used to treat certain conditions. Many generations in Europe have used negative ion treatment for chronic congestion problems by staying for a period of time in salt mines. This is a form of treatment called Speleotherapy. The very dry, negative ion environment of these salt mines helps to clear out bronchial tubes and sinuses, and to kill bacteria and other microbes.

You can balance the ions in your immediate environment (whether home or work) by:

1. Using a Himalayan Crystal Salt lamp

2. Diffusing certain essential oils. We use the following oils in our home, especially around computers and other electronics:

~ Clove
~ Cypress
~ Eucalyptus
~ Marjoram
~ Pine
~ Rosemary
~ Thyme
~ Ylang Ylang

3. Get to the beach or a nearby waterfall and spend some time there.

4. Go out in nature and walk barefoot on the earth. The earth is charged with negative ions.

5. Get some indoor potted plants.


　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

[graciegirl]

We have vacationed or visited in most of the places we wanted to visit or vacation in.


In the past seven years The Villages has seemed like living in a vacation with lovely people that we know.

[Bay Kid]

My beach...very soon....

[Golfingnut]

Our bucket list is almost empty. I have not driven the Sun Highway yet.

[TNLAKEPANDA]

East TN Smokie Mountains are great in the summertime.

[buggyone]

Originally Posted by TNLAKEPANDA

East TN Smokie Mountains are great in the summertime.

The Fall in the East Tennessee Smokies is unbelievably beautiful, too.

[buggyone]

Did you know there is a "spa" in Lady Lake called The Salt Room? It advertises just what Senior posts about. I have not been there but have seen it in my Groupon offers.

[SantaClaus]

My idea of a dream vacation is taking the camper to WDW and staying at Disney's Fort Wilderness Campground. Especially at times when folks break out the decorations like Halloween and Christmas. Spend a little time in a park, grab a nice meal (usually somewhere at Epcot or a resort), relax with a bevvie under the awning, cruise around on the cart. Sounds a lot like life at TV!