BOOST YOUR HAPPINESS—& YOUR LIFESPAN For years, research offered mixed conclusions to whether optimists or pessimists live longer. But in recent studies, a clearer picture is emerging: people with a positive outlook tend to have a lower risk of early death from various conditions, including heart disease and cancer. In short, If you’re happy and you know it, don’t just clap your hands—there’s a good chance you’ll live longer, too. The most recent study I’ve come across was a May 2, 2025, MayoClinic.org article titled Do optimists live longer and better? Here are some key takeaways: Increasing evidence suggests that...
THE LINK BETWEEN DEMENTIA & HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE I recently came across an article noting that treating high blood pressure for just four years can lower the risk of dementia by 15%, based on findings from a clinical trial in rural China. (Despite current tariff/trade tensions with China, scientists continue to trade research worldwide.) Fifteen percent may not seem like much, but anything to help us seniors reduce our dementia risk helps! For more details, take a look at these excerpts from the April 21, 2025, Scientific American online article by Liz Szabo, titled To Reduce Dementia Risk, Treat High...
INTRODUCING THE NEW CHOLESTEROL TEST—APO B Yesterday, I came across a short article in the April/May issue of AARP magazine about a cholesterol test many of us haven’t heard of—Apo B, short for Apolipoprotein B. It’s a simple blood test that offers a more accurate assessment of cholesterol-related risk than traditional tests. That’s promising news for those of us in our senior years, so I decided to dig a little deeper. I found an excellent article on ClevelandClinic.org titled Apo B Test. I’m sharing highlights with you below. What is an Apo B blood test? An Apo B test is...
BUTTER LOVERS ALERT We’ve all heard it: butter might not be the healthiest choice—but maybe it’s not that bad either? A little pat on your toast, a swipe on a dinner roll, a dab for frying an egg, or melting over an ear of corn—seems harmless enough. But where should we draw the line? This week, I came across an article that offers a much clearer stance. Their advice? It’s time to swap out butter for plant oils if we want to boost our long-term health. You can decide for yourself after reading these excerpts from the April 23, 2025,...
HEAVY METAL POISONING A recent report suggests that many of us may unknowingly be brushing our teeth with toothpaste containing toxic heavy metals—including lead. Lead Safe Mama (LSM), an organization committed to preventing childhood lead poisoning through independent testing of consumer products, has revealed that several popular toothpaste and tooth powder brands contain detectable levels of lead, mercury, arsenic, and/or cadmium—all of which are toxic to humans. Among the products tested were well-known brands such as Crest Regular Toothpaste, Sensodyne Extra Whitening Toothpaste, and Tom’s of Maine Kid’s Natural Toothpaste. While none of them exceeded the U.S. Food and Drug...
ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS For years, I’ve added a packet of stevia to my morning coffee. I chose stevia as a zero-calorie alternative to traditional processed sugar because it’s derived directly from the leaves of the stevia plant and packaged without any processing or chemical bleaching. However, I’ve often heard that sugar substitutes, including stevia, may not be especially healthy. Curious to find out the truth, I turned to a trusted online source to see whether these artificial sweeteners are indeed safe for you and me. In this post, I share excerpts from a January 10, 2023, Mayo Clinic article titled Artificial...
SHINGLES SHOT MIGHT ALSO PROTECT YOUR BRAIN I’m excited to share some encouraging news with you this week. A new study shows that getting the shingles vaccine may lower our risk of developing dementia by 20% over the next seven years. The research was just published last Wednesday in the journal Nature. (Please also see my November 2023 post Getting Your Vaccinations Could Spare You From Alzheimer’s) Here are excerpts from an April 2, 2025, Associated Press article by Lauran Neergaard, titled Shingles is awful, but here’s another reason to get vaccinated: It may fight dementia. — A vaccine to...
FUNNY WAYS TIME IS SNEAKING UP ON YOU I subscribe to daily emails from The New York Times, though I get so many that I don’t open half of them. But a couple of weeks ago, one caught my eye with its whimsical tone and relatable topic. Since we seniors are all in this together, I thought I’d share some highlights from this recent “Well” article by Jancee Dunn, titled 4 Weird Signs You’re Getting Older (March 15, 2025). (I’m sure you could add a few more quirky ways time is creeping up on you!) Crooked Lower Teeth My lower...
U.S. NEWS 2025 BEST DIET RANKINGS It’s that time of year again! I’m sharing the latest list of top diets according to U.S. News—a tradition I’ve kept up for eight years now. Below are highlights from their newly updated article, published online on March 19, 2025, by Johna Burdeos, RD, LD, titled U.S. News Reveals the 2025 Best Diets. Best Diets Overall 2025 If your goal is to manage your weight long-term and eat healthfully, try one of these science-backed diets that work. Each earns top marks from our panel of leading medical and nutritional experts specializing in diabetes, heart...
WALK, RUN, OR A BIT OF BOTH? Do you remember that old 1960 hit by The Ventures, “Walk, Don’t Run”? Ever wonder why they didn’t flip it to “Run, Don’t Walk”? Either way, it fits the theme of this week’s post: should you walk, run, or combine the two? Personally, I like to do a mix. These days, I start with a half-mile walk to warm up, then jog for five minutes, followed by a brisk one-minute walk, and repeat that cycle until I hit 5K (3.1 miles). Maybe you’ve been thinking about adding more exercise to your routine—whether it’s...
