ENHANCE YOUR HEALTH: ADD MORE FERMENTED FOODS TO YOUR DIET Previously, I’ve discussed the critical role of our gut microbiome, (See my December 15, 2019 post Your Gut Microbiome can foretell your future.) Your gut is a micro-ecosystem, home to tens of trillions of microscopic creatures, mostly bacteria, but also viruses and fungi. In addition to eating more fiber, we’re advised to add more fermented foods to our diet. Fermented foods contain both prebiotics—ingredients that create healthy changes in the microbiome—and beneficial live bacteria called probiotics. Yogurt is the most popular fermented food (look for “live and active cultures” on...
LATEST ON BLOOD TESTS THAT SCREEN FOR ALZHEIMER’S I try to keep us seniors caught up on the latest Alzheimer’s disease news. Two years ago 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. Please see my August 19, 2022 post, New Blood Test for Alzheimer’s Since then, there has been further research on Alzheimer’s blood screening tests that are both accurate and affordable. Here are excerpts from...
CALL YOUR DENTIST, YES OR NO? A week ago, I woke to intense tooth pain that lingered for a couple of days before mysteriously vanishing. Then the discomfort returned but has again mostly subsided. I found myself pondering whether to call my dentist, yes or no? However, after coming across an online article, I decided to make the call and have an appointment scheduled for Monday. For fellow seniors who might face a similar uncertainty, I’m sharing this April 1, 2024, Harvard Health Letter by Heidi Godman, Executive Editor, titled Is that dental pain an emergency? Use this guide to...
CORTISONE SHOTS—BENEFITS & RISKS In my post last week, I discussed free or low-cost therapies to relieve pain: Pain Control Made Cheap. This week I’m adding another—cortisone shots. I finally resorted to this therapy because none of the others were alleviating the pain I had in my left hip when I got out of bed in the morning and especially when jogging. I went to my doctor who, after asking a few questions, determined I had bursitis in that hip and recommended a cortisone injection. She told me that she routinely gives cortisone shots to her patients with back pain,...
PAIN CONTROL MADE CHEAP When I have pain that just doesn’t want to go away—as in my hips when I jog or bike—I usually reach for ibuprofen or a Tylenol generic. Although these temporarily reduce the discomfort, I wondered if there are potentially more effective, pain-relief methods. While exercising with discomfort seems counterproductive to reducing it, I came across an article that actually promotes physical activity for pain control. Just as I had hoped, this piece also offers a number of additional strategies for pain relief. Here are excerpts from the April 1, 2024 online Harvard Health Letter article by...
TOO MUCH CAFFEINE? For years I heard claims that coffee could be seen as an excellent beverage for fitness, capable of significantly enhancing physical performance. Therefore, I kept up with my habit of consuming three large mugs of coffee daily. I even wrote about its benefits in a post dated October 18, 2017, titled Coffee—Your Ultimate Health & Fitness Drink. However, a few weeks back, I stumbled upon an article on NationalGeographic.com called “You can actually consume too much caffeine.” That got my attention! It led me to question, what level is considered excessive? My search led me to a...
HOW MUCH EXERCISE IS ENOUGH? You’ve probably read that you should get at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week—or 75 minutes per week of vigorous physical activity. For some of us seniors, reaching 150 (or 75) minutes per week is routine. For others, it’s a stretch. (Refer to my February 10, 2023 post, Exercise—What’s the Minimum Amount?) Maybe you’ve wondered how the 150 minutes per week was determined. You’ll find out by reading these excerpts from the March 1, 2024, Harvard Medical School Health Letter article by Matthew Solan, Executive Editor, Hitting the activity mark. Guidelines recommend...
TIPS ON TEETH CARE After all these years, I thought I knew everything about taking care of my teeth. Still, I took the time to read an online article this week in which I actually learned a couple of things. You might also discover a useful tip or two from this Harvard Medical School April 14, 2023 post, At-Home dental care: True or false? Try these true-or-false questions to learn more about how to best care for your teeth and mouth. #1. If your gums are bleeding, you’re brushing too hard. True, sometimes. Bleeding gums are usually a sign of gum...
EXERCISE WITH A COLD? Three days after my return from visiting my son and his family in Florida I came down with a cold. (The risks of air travel and long hours in airports, surrounded by countless people, caught up with me.) This cold persisted for three full weeks, but as of today, my runny nose and coughing have finally ceased. Before my trip, I was training for a 10K running competition, which was scheduled for last Sunday. However, when I went jogging a couple of days into my cold, I could barely finish 4K without feeling exhausted. So I...
THINK YOURSELF TO BETTER HEALTH We’ve all had bouts of either physical or emotional pain. Heck, they’re part of the human experience. However, our having negative thoughts about them can amplify the condition, causing chronic pain or emotional reflection to hurt even more. I read a short online article from the Mayo Clinic that gives suggestions on how to reduce the “negative thinking” part of the pain. Here are excerpts from Health Tips: the power of thoughts and emotions: Zeroing in on the negative aspects of life is part of human nature. We are all prone to pay greater attention...
