DODGING WINTER BUGS The pandemic taught us to take proactive measures against harmful microbes. Most of us are continuing our vigilance—especially in winter—with its increase in influenza, common colds, RSV, gastrointestinal viruses, and even COVID-19. However, I still wasn’t certain which practices to maintain to keep safe and which to disregard as unnecessary. Now, I’ve found a respected source that spells out effective strategies and misconceptions. Here are excerpts from the December 1, 2023 article by Heidi Godman, Executive Editor, Harvard Health Letter, Warding off germs this winter: What’s helpful, what’s not Have you adopted additional anti-germ habits since the...
FEELING STRESSED? MAYBE IT’S BECAUSE YOU’RE NOT SITTING & STANDING UP STRAIGHT We’ve often heard that maintaining good posture helps reduce discomfort and physical stress in the body, particularly in the spine, neck, and shoulders. It seems simple: Improve your posture, improve your health. It’s not like I don’t believe that—it’s just that I don’t seem able to follow through. I’ve posted on this a couple of times in the past: Good Posture: It will Improve your Confidence & Your Health in May 2018 and Posture Problems? in August 2022. But now I’ve read an online article that tells us...
GETTING YOUR VACCINATIONS COULD SPARE YOU FROM ALZHEIMER’S I stopped by CVS and got the latest Covid-19 vaccine last week and my annual flu shot a few weeks before that. I’m also caught up on shingles and pneumonia vaccines. I really don’t understand why so many seniors don’t believe in getting vaccinated. Didn’t they get the polio and smallpox vaccines when they were young? And didn’t they not come down with either afterward? In any case, I’ve come across new research giving yet another reason to get your shots—vaccines may very well decrease the risk of dementia. Since I try...
PLYOMETRIC EXERCISE FOR SENIORS? You may have heard of plyometric exercises—dynamic movements involving jumping, hopping, or bounding, specifically designed to enhance muscle power, balance, and agility. I was intrigued by the idea of trying them, but I had reservations regarding their suitability for seniors. To address my concerns, I turned to my go-to source, Harvard Medical School. After conducting some research, I cautiously attempted the beginner plyometric exercises recommended in an online article, authored by Matthew Solan, Executive Editor of Harvard Health Watch. Not only did I find these exercises to be a refreshing change of pace, but just as...
ARE YOU A STEPS-PER-DAY COUNTER? My Fitbit tells me how many steps I take each day. It has a suggested default of 10,000 steps. Some days I reach that amount, but most days I don’t—but then it doesn’t take in my biking or swimming activities very accurately, which I think should also count. You might use a step counter such as your smartphone or a wearable device. And you may wonder—especially as a senior—how many steps per day to shoot for. I found an October 1, 2019 online article by Anthony L. Komaroff, M.D. Editor in Chief, Harvard Health Letter, that...
ARE YOU GAINING WEIGHT AS YOU GAIN YEARS? It’s all too easy to gain weight as we grow older. The causes are multifaceted, including muscle loss, underlying health conditions, side effects of medications, poor sleep, and the always cited — consuming an unhealthy diet and not getting enough exercise. I’ve added 5 pounds over the past couple of years that I’ve struggled to lose. For me, the issue lies in not exercising as intensively as I once did and frequently experiencing poor sleep. Both are “curable” but also challenging. Perhaps, you’ve also gained a few pounds lately. For a more...
GOOD NEWS FOR WEEKEND WARRIORS! We’re continually told we should get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week: such as brisk walking, swimming, or biking. And we’re also advised to spread this out over the week. However, some of us can’t fit in a daily walk or trip to the gym (like, maybe we have a job!) Yet, you could still probably jam those 150 minutes in over the weekend: thus the “weekend warrior” approach. I’ve always believed that cramming a week’s worth of exercise into two days isn’t the healthiest approach, especially for our hearts. However,...
DO I NEED YET ANOTHER COVID BOOSTER? I received my annual flu shot a couple of days ago. Heck, it’s October—time for the vaccine. (Every year, the CDC works with manufacturers of influenza vaccines to help predict the ingredients most likely to target evolving mutations in the virus.) My only negative was a sore arm for 24 hours. The big positive is that I haven’t come down with the flu since I was 11 years old. I don’t know if that’s the vaccine or just good luck. Now my question is: Should I get the newest COVID vaccine? I had...
HELP AT HOME OR ON THE GO—WHAT’S NEW IN MEDICAL ALERT SYSTEMS If you’re an AARP member, you couldn’t have missed their magazine ads for medical alert systems—including the one with the woman who’s fallen to the floor, which has run for years. Obviously, many of us seniors are subscribing to services or wearing alert devices. If you’re vulnerable or living alone you may already have such a device; if you have a medical emergency, such as a major fall, your system can connect you to a dispatcher who can send assistance. Some of the alert systems are for in-home...
BREATHE DEEP TO LOWER YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE My blood pressure was measured at 128/75 mm during my yearly physical a couple of weeks ago. I was fairly happy with that, yet this reading is still considered elevated. I asked for a simple way to lower it to under 120 systolic, and was told I could do this by regularly taking deep breaths. For tips, I consulted my (go-to) Harvard Medical School Heart Letter and found a September 1, 2023 article by Julie Corliss, Executive Editor. Here are excerpts from her article Breathing exercises to lower your blood pressure: A regular...
