MORE FROSTING ON WALKING’S CAKE For many seniors—maybe the majority—walking is the only consistent exercise realized. Most of us know that regular walking—say half an hour a day, five days a week—helps prevent heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and type-2 diabetes. And we also are aware that through walking we realize the benefits of improving our energy level, mood, cognition, memory and sleep. But now I’ve found through a recent Harvard Medical School online post, there are additional advantages to walking. Here are excerpts from their August 22, 2022 article, 5 surprising benefits of walking. The next time you...
CHARLEY HORSE TAMED Even though a couple of days ago it was especially hot, I still wanted to go for a jog. I cut my time short to 48 minutes, but nevertheless paid the price. After I stopped, began to walk and finally took some water, I suddenly got a charley horse—a muscle cramp in my left calf. After I drank a full bottle of water and got out of the heat, it went away. But now I wanted to learn more about charley horse and how to prevent it. I found a March 2021 online article from Harvard Medical...
WORKOUTS & EATING GO TOGETHER You’ve probably heard that there are “appropriate” ways to fuel and refuel before, during and after a workout. Over the years, I’ve slipped into certain eating habits that I considered satisfactory for both cardio and strength training exercises. But as I grow older, I’m thinking I should perhaps plan better and eat the “right” foods. I found an online article by the Mayo Clinic Staff that outlines an eating/exercise program. After reading it, I realize I’m following most of their recommendations, at least most of the time. Yet, I was again reminded to eat directly...
ORTHOSTATIC HYPOTENSION: STAND UP & FALL DOWN Today, I received my September issue of the Harvard Medical School Health Letter. One of the lead articles details orthostatic hypotension; where your blood pressure drops when you stand. The most surprising claim is that it affects nearly one in three older adults and is a common cause of falls. I’m sometimes a little slow when I stand but so far haven’t fallen. Still, I’d like to learn more on how to avoid that possibility—as perhaps do you. Here are excerpts from the online article by Heidi Godman, Do you fall down when...
NEW BLOOD TEST FOR ALZHEIMER’S I try to keep you and me caught up on the latest Alzheimer’s disease news. Here’s information on a new blood test for Alzheimer’s that is both accurate and affordable: Earlier this year a blood test developed by neurologist Randall J. Bateman, MD, at Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis was shown to be highly accurate—up to 93%—at identifying people at risk of Alzheimer’s. In May 2022 it was approved by the FDA. Here are excerpts from the Washington University School of Medicine article by Gerry Everding; Blood test for Alzheimer’s highly accurate in...
LONG-TERM COVID-19 “We estimate that 82% of people in the US have been infected at least once by COVID-19 as of July 11, 2022.” This incredibly high percentage estimate was reported by The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), an independent global health research center at the University of Washington. Many of these estimated 82% think they’ve never had COVID; those who had asymptomatic infections or mild symptoms that they shrugged off as a cold or allergies. However, numerous people have had two, three or even four infections. I’m thinking that in the near future almost every one of us...
POSTURE PROBLEMS? I’ve had “posture problems” for much of my life. Though I regularly jog and bike, I still don’t habitually walk tall. I even wrote a post on it on May 9, 2018, Good Posture: It Will Improve Your Confidence & Your Health. But I’m not taking my own advice. If you also have a “posture problem” read on. I looked for simple exercises that could easily be performed daily to improve posture. I found this in an April 7, 2022 Harvard Medical School article, Is it too late to save your posture? Here are excerpts. (I underlined the...
NOT SO FAST: INTERMITTENT FASTING MAY NOT LEAD TO WEIGHT LOSS Over the past few years, the appeal of losing weight by simply limiting eating to just six or eight hours a day has gained many followers. After all, it’s a heck of a lot easier to stick to a diet where you can eat whatever you wish—you just have to eat in a narrower time window. Timed-restricted eating has become so trendy that I posted on it two years ago in August 2020: Is Intermittent Fasting the Diet For You? However, I now need to tell you of a...
DAILY “LITTLE THINGS” = A HEALTHIER YOU I just received the August 2022 issue of the online Harvard Health Letter. In it I found recommendations on fitting into our daily routine “little things” that we might otherwise neglect or forget that could boost our health. Here are excerpts from the article by Heidi Godman, Executive Editor, The little things that can improve your health. Schedule these simple yet effective activities throughout your day Eating a plant-based diet, exercising, controlling weight, not smoking, limiting alcohol intake, and getting enough sleep are all pillars of a healthy lifestyle. They’re linked to lower...
AW SHUCKS—CORN ON THE COB IS ACTUALLY HEALTHY Summer is here and it’s time once again for fresh corn on the cob. I’ve now found out that this treat has several health benefits: It consists mostly of insoluble fiber, which makes it a low-glycemic index food—meaning it’s a food that is digested slowly and doesn’t cause an unhealthy spike in blood sugar; It contains several B vitamins as well as minerals, including magnesium, copper, iron, manganese and zinc. It’s the salt and butter we spread on it that turns it from a wholesome food into an unhealthy summertime addition. I’ve...
