MAGNESIUM—ARE YOU GETTING ENOUGH? I’ve read that a majority of us seniors aren’t getting enough magnesium. That’s not only because we aren’t eating enough magnesium-containing foods but also because aging causes decreased adsorption of magnesium in the gut and increased excretion in urine. In addition, many of us are on medications that can lower this mineral’s stores. Why is magnesium important? The mineral plays a vital role in assisting hundreds of enzymes carry out chemical reactions in the body such as building proteins and strong bones and regulating blood sugar, blood pressure and muscle and nerve functions. It also acts...
SQUASH FOR THANKSGIVING I tried to find what kinds of food were served at the “First Thanksgiving” celebrated between the Plymouth Pilgrims and the Wampanoag tribe of Native Americans in the fall of 1621. But we have only a couple of brief passages about the feast from the Pilgrims. Venison and lobsters were for sure on that menu and maybe even turkey, since there were plenty of wild ones in the neighborhood. Plus fruits indigenous to the region: blueberries, plums, grapes, gooseberries, raspberries and, of course, cranberries (but not as a relish). And squash. Squash is native to North America,...
WHO GETS THE VACCINE FIRST? I’m sure you’ve heard the wonderful news of the past few days that both the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine candidates have shown efficacy ratings of about 95%. This is far more than most scientists expected. Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy & Infections Diseases at the NIH, tells us that “from both a scientific and potential public health standpoint, this is an extraordinarily important advance.” Neither company has yet publicly shared their data but independent clinical trial monitoring boards have reviewed the results. And if all goes well, the FDA...
CHOOSE THE RIGHT MATTRESS TO MANAGE YOUR LOW BACK PAIN We’ve both lately been waking in the morning to low back pain. Stretching helps, mild exercise helps. But might getting a new mattress also make a difference? Probably! The mattress we’ve had for ?? years sags in the middle and is no longer all that comfortable. But we’ve held off getting a new one because we not only don’t know what type of mattress to look for but also the steep advertised prices. Finally, I did some research on what type of mattress is best for us folks with low...
WALKING WISELY For the next couple of weeks I’m ultra-occupied with presenting a virtual art festival: Sacramento Arts Festival Live! Still, I want to keep up my weekly posts. Because I don’t have the time to do any in-depth research I’m going to pass on to you a couple of recent short articles that Harvard Medical School sends me regularly as part of a subscription. This week I’m sharing their article on proper walking to protect your neck. (For a more thorough look at walking please refer to my post from 2 years ago, The Benefits of Walking.) Next week...
DIVERTING DIVERTICULITIS I’ve never paid much attention to the diverticulitis-diverticulosis connection. I hardly knew what diverticulitis was and never even heard of diverticulosis. But the other day I read that this diverticulosis becomes extraordinarily common as we age. It occurs in 10% of people over age 40, in 50% of people over age 60 and affects nearly everyone over age 80. I looked for more information online and found the February, 2019 Harvard Medical School article Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis. Here are excerpts from this article: What Is It? In diverticulosis, small pouches develop and bulge out through weak spots in...
DO RUNNERS LIVE LONGER? You’ve heard about all the studies that point to regular exercise as the best way to help prevent many of the major conditions—strokes, diabetes, some cancers, osteoporosis, even dementia—that most expect to come along with aging. But in the past few years researchers are finding that one exercise—running—can actually add years to your life. I love to run—actually to jog is more accurate. Usually I’m getting ready for a half marathon or a triathlon. I ran in the Carlsbad Half Marathon way back in January little knowing that would be my only event this year—everything else...
MEMORY MEMO My memory seems to get worse by the month. More and more often, I catch myself saying, “It’s on the tip of my tongue.” What used to roll off immediately—like “What island is Honolulu on?” now finally comes to me an hour later, or not at all. Folks say I just need to accept it’s part of getting older. Still, I wanted to know if I could regain or at least improve my memory. After searching, I found this Harvard Medical School March, 2014 article helpful. Here are excerpts from 10 research-proven tips for better memory: Healthful habits...
TAKE CARE OF YOUR TEETH—TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF Because of the pandemic, I haven’t visited my dentist this year for a checkup and a teeth cleaning. Yet I know I should get checked once or twice a year, if for nothing else, to catch a condition—such as a cavity or gum disease—that will only get worse in time. But at least I’ve done a bit of research on older-adult oral health. Here are a couple of articles I’d like to share with you. The first is a January 2020 Harvard Medical School piece titled Hidden dental dangers that may threaten...
LATEST ALZHEIMER’S PREVENTION ADVICE: EAT MORE FISH Once again I’m sending you a post on Alzheimer’s disease. I think it’s one of the scarier things about aging. In fact, at least one third of us will have it after age 85. Last December I recommended a hybrid of the Mediterranean & DASH diets, Reduce your Alzheimer’s Risk with the MIND Diet. And that still holds. This post is similar except for this recent finding: Fish is the one food you can eat that lowers your risk of both cognitive impairment and cognitive decline. Here’s the complete article by Andrew E....
