WHAT’S NEW IN CATARACT SURGERY? The other day I went in for my annual eye exam. Nothing much had changed from last year. Still, my optometrist told me that I’d be a candidate for cataract surgery in the next few years. I’d heard that it’s quick and painless, but didn’t really know much about it. So I began digging through my usual sources—Harvard & Mayo Clinic—and found that it’s not as simple as I thought. We actually have choices of what kind of artificial lenses we wish installed. The latest is the Tecnis Symfony® extended depth of focus lens. First,...
BACK PAIN 2: SCIATICA & SPINAL STENOSIS My blog last week was Giving Back Pain a Quick Exit. This week I want to talk about two specific back conditions that many of us seniors have already experienced: sciatica and spinal stenosis. Sciatica refers to pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve, which branches from your lower back through your hips and buttocks and down each leg. Typically, sciatica affects only one side of your body. Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spaces within your spine, which can put pressure on the nerves that travel through the...
GIVING BACK PAIN A QUICK EXIT Nearly everyone has had back pain episodes. I certainly have. Like when I’ve been in a hurry and lifted a heavy object the wrong way or twisted awkwardly. And often when I first get up in the morning. I’m pretty sure you’ve had similar experiences or perhaps worse—chronic back pain that just doesn’t go away. I’ve been scanning through back-pain articles the last few days and want to share two that I think are the most informative. The first gives a general overview of back pain; the second concerns the psychology of back pain....
FUELING AFTER YOUR WORKOUT I’ve heard for years that we should “refuel” after a major workout. During my bike rides and longer jogs I drink plenty of water and regularly consume engineered food like Clif Bars or gel packs. And even after an hour-long swim I’ll immediately rehydrate. However—at my age at least—after these workouts I’m usually exhausted or pretty darn tired and not at all hungry so have avoided the fueling. Yet, in writing these blogs, I’ve been doing more research into proper nutrition balance. And I’m reading that if I don’t get in the habit of eating a...
FOR A HEALTHIER GUT JUST ADD PROBIOTICS Amazing but true: Bacteria can be good for your health! You are home to some 30 to 50 trillion microscopic creatures, mostly bacteria, both inside and outside your body. These bacteria create a micro-ecosystem called the microbiome (along with fungi, viruses and archaea). Your gut hosts by far the most bacteria. In researching the role of “good bacteria” or probiotics, I came along a couple of online articles in which I’ll share excerpts with you. The first is a March 2018 column by the Mayo Clinic Staff, titled Prebiotics, probiotics and your health....
THE VITAMIN D RIDDLE I take a vitamin D supplement every day—800 international units (IU). Why? Because it’s what I’ve been hearing for years that a senior should be taking. Until now, I didn’t much question this beyond doing some research for my post Dietary Supplements—Do They Work? last February. Vitamin D is necessary for building strong bones. Your body can only absorb calcium, the main component of bone, when this vitamin is present. Your body forms vitamin D naturally after exposure to direct sunlight; When ultraviolet (UV) rays hit your skin it triggers production of a chemical in your...
EXERCISE MIGHT BE THE BEST MEDICINE FOR AVOIDING ALZHEIMER’S Even though we aren’t sure what causes Alzheimer’s disease, scientists do give us various suggestions to help ward it off. My dear mother died from Alzheimer’s 17 years ago and ever since—especially because of my increased genetic risk of developing it—I’ve paid close attention to new research on how to cut risk. Here’s some basic info on the disease from Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org) “Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia, a general term for memory loss and other cognitive abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer’s accounts for...
MAKE A SPLASH—WATER WORKOUTS ARE FOR NEARLY EVERYONE During winter I regularly visit the Ventura YMCA indoor pool to get in my swimming laps in training for triathlons later in the year. To me, a poor swimmer anyway, going back and forth from one end of the pool to the other is slow and boring. However, next to the lap pool is the Therapy Pool. Here, there’s often an aqua class happening with some 30 plus persons—mostly seniors—having a high old time. These folks are actually enjoying getting their water exercise! In talking with different people after the classes, I...
ADD SOME SPICE TO YOUR LIFE FOR SUPER HEALTH BENEFITS Certain spices can add loads of flavor to your food while also boosting your health. Plus they can help reduce the amount of salt and fat in your recipes while adding next to no calories. Most spices have strong flavors and come from tropical plant and tree parts—seeds, fruits, roots, buds, stems and bark—and are usually available in dried forms. Here are excerpts from the February 2016 Harvard Health Letter article Can everyday spices make you healthier? “Spices are underused, but it would be very easy to take advantage of...
WAIT, WAIT…DON’T TELL ME!—NOVEL WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR MEMORY We all have “senior moments” of forgetfulness—what an object is called, where we left our cell phone, where we put our keys. That’s because, along with everything else, our memories age. However, a healthy lifestyle will greatly support your mind and encourage your brain to grow new neurons, a process known as neurogenesis. Here are some thoughts from the July 2017 Harvard Health letter, 4 tricks to rev up your memory: “In terms of brain function, everyone has a decline over time in all areas, with the exception of vocabulary,” says...
