WELCOME TO GENERATION FIT! July 17, 2017 Hi! I’m Warren Cook and this is Generation Fit, the senior fitness blog. I’m writing this blog to help myself—and you—find the best ways to live well and to avoid most of the afflictions associated with aging. I’m just an average older guy, neither a natural athlete, nor a star at any sport. But I’ve seen the changes in my life that being on the road to fitness can make. You can read more about me in the sidebar to the right. I’m certain you’ve heard about all the studies that point to […]
FINALLY, A SIMPLE BLOOD TEST FOR COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING I recently read that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first-ever blood test for colorectal cancer screening. This test, called Shield, is a game-changer because FDA approval means it will likely be covered by many insurance plans. For those with Medicare Part B, there are no out-of-pocket costs, while Medicare Advantage enrollees may only need to provide a co-pay. Interestingly, during my annual wellness visit with my primary care doctor last week, she recommended I get screened for colorectal cancer, as it had been a while since […]
SHOULD YOU RSVP TO THE RSV VACCINE? At least once a week, I get a text from CVS advising me to come in for my RSV vaccination. I haven’t gone, mostly because I know next to nothing about RSV other than it causes cold-like symptoms. In fact, I had what seemed like a cold a couple of months ago—maybe it was RSV? Thinking that we seniors might benefit from knowing more about this virus, I did a little online research. First, I found that those letters are an acronym for the hard-to-remember name of the bug: Respiratory Syncytial Virus. Then, […]
DO YOU FOLLOW THE 5-SECOND RULE? I’m sure you’ve heard of the 5-second rule: if you pick up dropped food within five seconds it’s okay to consume it. As a kid, I certainly followed it—at home, at friends’ houses, even my school cafeteria. But now in my golden years, I’ve become rather germaphobic and toss anything I’ve dropped. (Well, if it’s unpeeled like a banana or an orange, not so much.) In any case, I came across an October 12, 2024 online article in Consumer Reports by Pang-Chieh Ho, titled Does the 5-Second Rule Work? Here are excerpts: It seems […]
IS A TURKEY TROT FOR YOU? I’m posting this article a few weeks before Thanksgiving, giving you plenty of time in case you want to sign up and prepare for your first Turkey Trot. Thanksgiving often centers around family and friends—and indulgent feasting. But how about adding a new tradition—participating in an annual Turkey Trot? Most of these Thanksgiving morning events are not only fun but also raise money for a charity. And don’t worry; you don’t have to “trot”! Many participants simply walk part or all of the course, especially if they’re not regular runners. Turkey Trots are usually […]
Nuts for Nuts
Nuts for Nuts I’ve been hearing about how beneficial unsalted nuts are for reducing the risk of heart disease, and also managing diabetes & lowering inflammation. On top of that, I’ve learned they’re packed with protein, fiber, and essential nutrients. Every day, I grab a handful of nuts—not just for the health factor, but because they make an excellent snack between meals. They’re not only tasty, but they’re also a better option than the cookies or chips I’d normally reach for. And I bet the couple hundred calories in that handful of nuts is less than my other choices. Many […]
KICK YOUR PAIN FROM PROLONGED SITTING In recent weeks, I’ve shared posts about health issues often experienced by us seniors—foot problems, lower back pain, and occasional dizziness. This week, I’m addressing another common challenge among us older adults: pain from prolonged sitting, leading to a condition known as gluteal amnesia or, more colorfully referred to as, “dead butt syndrome.” I found an online article in my ‘go to source,’ Harvard Health Watch. Here are excerpts from the October 1, 2024, post titled The end of painful sitting by Matthew Solan, Executive Editor: What can you do about pain and discomfort […]
KEEP YOUR FEET FIT TO SUPPORT AN ACTIVE LIFESTYLE I hadn’t seen a podiatrist in years, but last week I visited one about an issue with my toenail. For the past year, the nail on my left big toe had developed a crack down the middle. I kept hoping it would grow out, but it didn’t seem to improve. I even tried using nail glue to seal the crack, which worked for a couple of days before the split reappeared. That’s when I finally arranged to see a foot doctor. After examining my toe, he explained that the nail had […]
LOW BACK PAIN? TAKE A WALK Almost every morning, I wake up with lower back pain. Our mattress is fairly new, and I seem to change sleeping positions through the night, so, I’m just chalking up the pain to growing older. Doing a few stretches seems to help as does simply walking around the house or especially taking the dog for a stroll down the block. Since lower back pain is so common among us seniors, I decided to check if walking just might be the best medicine for eliminating or at least reducing the pain. I found several articles […]
FEELING DIZZY: TEMPORARY LIGHTHEADEDNESS OR A WARNING SIGN? Every once in a while, I’ll stand up too quickly after sitting at my computer and experience a brief bout of lightheadedness—or in other words, feel dizzy. I’ve found that if I sit back down or, better yet, lie down, the feeling passes in a few minutes. But I recently learned that dizziness is a common issue among seniors and can be caused by various factors, potentially increasing the risk of falls and injuries. To shed light on the different types of dizziness, I found an insightful article from the October 1, […]
WHY YOU SHOULD GET THE NEW COVID-19 VACCINE The FDA has recently approved an updated version of the COVID-19 vaccine, designed to target a newer variant responsible for this summer’s rise in cases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) especially recommends that seniors over 65 receive this vaccine, as we are at higher risk for hospitalizations and fatalities. However, the CDC also advises waiting at least four months between doses if you’ve already received the second shot of the 2023-24 COVID vaccine. Since we had our last shots in June, we’ll get the updated vaccine in late October—but […]
Subscribe to Generation Fit via Email
About me
WARREN COOK
I was born in Augusta Georgia in 1943. Within a year my father, a special agent in the FBI, was transferred to Denver, where I grew up. My childhood was routine. I did make it to Eagle Scout. And I came to love hiking in the Colorado mountains where I scaled a few peaks. When my dad was transferred to Washington, D.C. in 1961, I tagged along. Four years later I graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in zoology.
While in college, I was lucky enough to win a summer stint as a student trainee at the U.S. Naval Oceanographic Office. By 1965 I was hired on as a full-time oceanographer. I spent a good portion of the rest of the 60s at sea on Navy research ships working in the Atlantic Ocean from north of the Arctic Circle to south of the Equator and many seas in between.
Categories
- 5-Second Rule
- Acid Reflux
- Acupuncture
- Added Sugar
- Aerobic & Anaerobic Exercise
- AI in Cardiology
- Allergies – Seasonal
- Almonds
- Alzheimer's
- Alzheimer's Blood Test
- Alzheimer's Drug Approval
- Alzheimer's Milestone Study
- Alzheimer's Ultrasound Stimulation
- Ancient Grains
- Anti-germ habits
- Antibiotic Resistance
- Anxiety
- Apples
- Aquatic Exercise
- Arthritis
- Arthritis & Running
- Artificial Intelligence
- Aspirin
- Avocados
- Back Pain
- Backpacking
- Balance Exercises
- Balance Training
- Bananas
- Belly Fat
- Berries
- Blood Pressure
- Blood Pressure–High
- Body-Weight Exercises
- Bone Health
- Booster Shots–Seasonal
- Bottled Water
- Breathing deep
- Caffeine
- Calories burned
- Carpal Tunnel syndrome
- Carrots
- Cataract Surgery
- CBD (cannabidiol)
- Charley horse
- Cheese
- Cholesterol
- Choline
- Chronic Inflammation
- Circadian Rhythm
- Citrus Fruits
- Coffee
- Cognitive Reserve
- Cold Water Swimming
- Colorectal Cancer Screening
- Cooking oils
- Core Engagement
- Corn on the cob
- Coronavirus Disease
- Cortisone Shots
- Cough Control
- Covid
- Covid Booster
- COVID-obesity connection
- Cranberries
- Crawling
- Cross Country Skiing
- CrossFit
- Cycling
- Daily Little Things
- Decongestants
- Dementia & TV
- Dementia Myths
- Dementia Prevention
- Depression
- Diabetes
- Diets
- Diverticulitis
- Dizziness
- Dopamine
- E-Bikes
- Eggs
- Endorphins
- Energy – Keeping up
- Exercise
- Exercise Minimum
- Exercising with a cold
- Eye Drops
- Fall Prevention
- Fats
- Fatty Liver Disease
- Feet Fitness
- Fermented foods
- Fiber
- Fibromyalgia
- First Aid
- Fish
- Fish Oil Supplements
- Fit! 70-Day New You
- Fit! Senior Fitness Club
- Fitness
- Fitness & Health Change Goals
- Fitness Age
- Fitness Obstacles
- Fitness Trends
- Flavonoids
- Flu Myths
- Food Expiration Dates
- Food Labels
- Friendships
- Frostbite
- Fruits & Vegetables
- Functional Fitness
- Gluten-Free
- Gray Hair
- Grocery Safety
- Growing Older
- Gut Microbes
- Gut-Brain Connection
- Gyms
- Head Injuries
- Health
- Healthy Thinking
- Healthy Travels
- Hearing Aids
- Hearing Loss
- Heart Health
- Heart Rate Monitors
- Heat exhaustion & heat stroke
- Hepatitis
- Herbs
- High-fructose corn syrup
- HIIT Workouts
- Hip Pain
- Home Workout Safety
- Hydration
- Imaging Tests
- Immune System
- Indigestion
- Inflammation
- Injuries
- Intermittent Fasting
- Introduction
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Jogging
- Ketogenic Diet
- Kickstarter Campaign
- Kidney Stones
- Knee Pain
- Knee Replacement
- Lecanemab
- Leg Exercises
- Legumes
- Lifestyle
- Lion's Mane Mushrooms
- Long-term COVID-19
- Losing Weight
- Low-FODMAP Diet
- Lucid Dreams
- Lyme Disease
- Magnesium
- Massage
- Mattresses
- Meal Schedule
- Meatless Burgers
- Medical Alert systems
- Medical Tourism
- Meditation
- Mediterranean Diet
- Melatonin
- Memory
- Memory Improvement
- Microbiome
- Migraines
- MIND Diet
- Mindful Eating
- Mindfulness
- Mobility
- Multivitamins
- Muscle Building
- Mushrooms
- Naps
- New Covid Booster
- Nicotinamide
- Nocebo Effect
- Nordic Walking
- Nut Butters
- Nutrition
- Nutrition Facts label
- NutritionGPA Food Tracker
- Nuts
- Obesity Drugs
- Olive Oil
- Online Pharmacy Risks
- Orangetheory Fitness
- Orthostatic Hypotension
- Osteoporosis
- Oxytocin
- Package Labels
- Pain Control
- Pain Relief Pill
- Paradoxical Insomnia
- Paxlovid
- Peppers
- Personal Trainers
- Phosphate Additives
- Physical Therapy
- Planks
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Pleasure Hormones
- Plyometric Exercises
- Pneumonia
- Posture
- Posture & Stress
- Posture Problems
- Potassium
- Probiotics
- Processed Meats
- Prolonged Sitting
- Protein
- Protesting & Coronavirus
- Proton-Pump Inhibitors
- Rectal Cancer Disappears
- Reduce Negative Thinking
- Resistance Bands
- Restaurants
- Rowing Machines
- RSV Vaccine
- Running
- Running easy
- Running in heat
- SAD (seasonal affective disorder)
- Salmon-Wild or Farmed
- Salmonella
- Salt
- SAMe
- Sarcopenia
- Sciatica & Spinal Stenosis
- Scuba Diving
- Seafood
- Seeds
- Senior Moments
- Sense of Smell
- Serotonin
- Set-Point Weight
- Shingles Vaccine
- Shoulder Injuries
- Shoulder Stretches
- SilverSneakers
- Sitting All Day
- Skin Cancer
- Sleep
- Sleep Apnea
- Sleep Deprivation
- Slow Living
- Slow Running
- Snacks–Healthy & Tasty
- Snoring
- Soy
- Spices
- Spinning
- Squash
- Stair Climbing
- Start Exercising
- Statins
- Steps per day?
- Strength Training
- Stress Reduction
- Stretching
- Stroke Recognition
- Sugar
- Sugar Intake Reduction
- Sun Protection
- Supplements
- Swimming
- Systolic vs. Diastolic Blood Pressure
- Tai Chi
- Tea
- Teeth Care
- Telemedicine
- Tinnitus
- Tomatoes
- Travel Fitness
- Triathlon
- Turista
- Turkey Trot
- Turmeric & Curcumin
- Ultra-Processed Foods
- Vaccines
- Vegetable garden
- Virtual Races
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin K
- Vitamins & Minerals
- Walk Breaks from Sitting
- Walking
- Walking Benefits
- Walking's Surprising Benefits
- Warming Up
- Water Workouts
- Weekend Warriors
- Weight Gain
- Weight Loss
- Whole Grains
- Winter Hiking
- Workout Warm-Ups & Cool-Downs
- Workouts & Eating
- Yoga
- Yogurt
- Zinc
Latest Posts
Finally, a Simple Blood Test for Colorectal Cancer Screening
FINALLY, A SIMPLE BLOOD TEST FOR COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING...
Should you RSVP to the RSV Vaccine?
SHOULD YOU RSVP TO THE RSV VACCINE? At least once a week, I...
Do You Follow the 5-Second Rule?
DO YOU FOLLOW THE 5-SECOND RULE? I’m sure you’ve heard...