Beech Tree News Network

Reading is a way of informing ourselves. Dr. Seuss said, “The more you read the more things you know. The more that you learn the more places you’ll go,” and Richard Steele said, “Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” My recent reading has included the following random information:
•    Caring for peonies: “Don’t cut back the foliage of peonies after their spring flowers fade. They need their foliage all summer to build up food reserves to bloom next year. Wait to cut until the leaves turn yellow” (Source: Southern Living, May 2017, p. 60).
•    Planting season: Rules for Movement
When planting or weeding, keep the back straight to minimize back strain and take breaks every 15 minutes or so to protect your knees and back.
When picking up bags of soil, bend at your knees – not your waist – to engage your leg muscles. This decreases stress on the neck, shoulders and back.
When pruning, pull branches to your level. Avoid twisting or reaching overhead
(Source: Better Homes and Gardens, March 2017, p. 140).
•    Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference provide good indicators of whether we are at a healthy weight. A BMI calculator is available at heart.org:
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/WeightManagement/BodyMassInd....
•    Physical Activity: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend 10,000 steps per day for an active adult, and 150 minutes per week of moderate aerobic activity.
•    Sleep: The National Institutes of Health recommend that adults get 7-8 hours of sleep each night. 
•    COPD: More than 11 million Americans have been diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and another 12–24 million may have the condition without realizing it. Current/former smokers or people who’ve had frequent exposure to other irritants are at risk for developing COPD. These irritants can include: secondhand smoke, air pollution, workplace fumes, and sawdust or other aerosolized particles. Only a doctor can diagnose COPD, but there are some symptoms to watch for: ongoing cough, increased mucus, shortness of breath, and fatigue. Early diagnosis and timely treatment are crucial to helping control symptoms (http://www.healthline.com/health-slideshow/copd-symptoms#1).
•    Credit Score Basics: Commonly used credit-scoring models have a range of 300 to 850. What is considered a good score varies by lender, but a score of 700 or higher is usually identified as within a “good” range. Five factors may influence one’s credit score:
Credit utilization – the ratio of amount owed to the amount you can borrow.
Account mix – the types of credit you have.
Length of credit history – the length of time you’ve been using credit accounts.
New credit applications – over the last 12 months; only apply when you need to and can afford to repay.
Payment history – build a solid record by paying on time, every time
(Source: The Modernwoodmen, Spring 2017, p. 11).
•    Electric Cooperative Incentives and Rebates (Kentucky Living, May 2017, p. 29): “For an up-to-date listing of incentives and rebate offerings from your local electric cooperative, visit our website (https://www.kentuckyliving.com/). Click on Energy, then Incentives & Rebates, to find your co-op in the list.”

I’ve heard people say, “Ignorance is bliss.” My late husband read all the time – he felt a need to be informed. Reading a wide variety of materials is one way to avoid being blissfully ignorant.