EXERCISING IN THE TIME OF CORONAVIRUS So, most of us will be housebound for at least the next few weeks. Which probably means we’ll spend more time sitting at our computers (for work or play) or watching TV. But we all—especially us older adults—need to exercise. It’s good for our heart, it’s good for keeping our blood pressure and cholesterol levels down, and it’s great for curing mental stress. Especially important, in this time of coronavirus, exercise gives the huge benefit of building up our immune system. If you’ve been exercising regularly you’ll want to keep it up. Yet you...
FIT! 70-DAY NEW YOU KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN Today I’m Launching my Kickstarter Campaign for Fit! 70-Day New You: The Complete Video Program for Older Adults Who Wish to Get Fit & Stay Fit. I’ve spent the past two years putting together this first complete fitness and nutrition video program designed specifically for men and women aged 50 and older. A senior myself, I created the program to help as many of my fellow older adults as possible begin to look at fitness as a lifestyle—a healthy way of living for the rest of their lives. I’m raising money on Kickstarter to...
CORONAVIRUS—Q & A FROM THE MAYO CLINIC I knew that my post this week would be on coronavirus disease. So, I began assembling facts & suggestions from here and there to put together into a, hopefully, coherent post. But then, fortuitously, I received a special supplement to the Mayo Clinic Health Letter (which I subscribe to) that puts just about everything relevant on the disease into one article. I’m certain you already know much of what’s included here, but I’ve decided to insert the entire piece just to make sure everything is covered. You may wish to read the original...
BEST DIETS RANKINGS FOR 2020 BY U.S. NEWS I’ve been away on vacation this past week. Instead of writing my regular weekly feature, I’m taking the opportunity to post this article and lists from a January 2, 2020 U.S. News article titled U.S. News Reveals Best Diets Rankings for 2020 Washington, D.C. – U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in rankings and consumer advice, today released its annual assessment of the year’s Best Diets. For the millions of Americans making health-related resolutions for the New Year, the Best Diets platform offers rankings, data and information on 35 diet...
EXERCISES TO RELIEVE KNEE PAIN If you’re an active older adult, you’ve probably had knee pain at one time or another. I sure have. When I was younger and did a lot of mountain climbing I used to hop from boulder to boulder coming downhill. It was extreme fun—and extremely hard on my knees. With the help of a personal trainer I was able to regain full use of my knees (Finally stopping boulder hopping helped too!) That was years ago. Over the past decade, I’ve periodically had knee pain while jogging. I’ve usually “run through it” but this didn’t...
CHOLESTEROL & RED MEAT, WHITE MEAT OR NO MEAT It seems that we seniors are continually being reminded to watch our cholesterol levels. I’m sure you know about high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or “good cholesterol, which picks up excess cholesterol & takes it back to your liver. And about low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or “bad” cholesterol, which transports cholesterol particles throughout your body. LDL builds up in the walls of your arteries, making them hard & narrow—which increases your heart disease risk. Factors that can increase your risk of bad cholesterol include: poor diet, excess weight, lack of exercise, smoking, diabetes and...
SEAFOOD—ALL ITS BENEFITS We keep hearing that we should be eating more fish and other seafood—especially as we age. But why? Well, it’s loaded with good stuff important for healthy aging. The most important is it’s the best source of omega-3 fatty acids. But it also has loads of high-quality protein, minerals and vitamins B-12 and D for our brain, bone & muscle health. The American Heart Association tells us that eating seafood can not only help prevent heart disease, but also stroke, heart failure, sudden cardiac death and congestive heart failure. To get the health benefits of omega-3s, the...
VITAMIN K—ARE YOU GETTING ENOUGH? I’ve heard that Vitamin K is vital to our health. But I didn’t know much about it, so began a bit of research. I found that vitamin K is important because of its involvement in blood clotting and production of proteins in bones. In addition, some research shows that too little vitamin K can also affect us older adults in cognitive function, heart health and mobility. I’d like to share more information that I gained from a Harvard School of Public Health (The Nutrition Source), article, Vitamin K. Here are excerpts: Vitamin K is a...
A LEAD TO A POSSIBLE ALZHEIMER’S CURE Just in: A new target for drugs to potentially slow or even possibly cure Alzheimer’s. I periodically post on Alzheimer’s disease because the risk is forever looming for us seniors; By age 85, half of us will have developed it! These posts include: Exercise Might be the Best Medicine for Avoiding Alzheimer’s, The Herpes-Alzheimer’s Connection & Reduce your Alzheimer’s Risk with the MIND Diet. Now, here are excerpts from the November 27, 2019 Harvard Health Blog article by Andrew E. Budson, MD: A clue to a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. I’m writing today...
SURMOUNTING FITNESS OBSTACLES Some 20 years ago, completely out of shape, I decided it was time to get fit. Yet, I kept finding reasons to not begin exercising: I was too busy, I thought the workout routines would be boring, I didn’t want to join a health club. But I finally conquered my fitness obstacles after I realized what was my biggest challenge: I didn’t want to exercise cooped up indoors. So I went outside and began to jog a little, starting off at a mile twice a week. Next, I tightened and oiled the chain and pumped air...
