SCUBA DIVING REWARDS & RISKS You probably followed the tragedy that befell the OceanGate Expeditions Titan submersible; while attempting to visit the sunken Titanic at a depth of more than 12,000 feet it catastrophically imploded and all five persons on board were lost. Four of the five occupants spent $250,000 each to get close to the wreck of the Titanic. Most of us would never consider taking part in such a dive—if for no other reason than the extreme expense. And now you may not want to attempt any sort of underwater dive, even scuba diving. Although scuba has some...
CAN YOUR DOC BE REPLACED BY AI? Artificial Intelligence—the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines (especially computers)—is the topic of the year. We see articles on how artificial intelligence (AI) may replace people in various occupations: programmers, data entry personnel, writers, and legal and finance professionals are the most often mentioned. After reading a post in the Harvard Health Letter, it looks like your physician isn’t in danger of losing his or her job. Here are excerpts from the June 1, 2023 article by Anthony L. Komaroff, MD, Editor in Chief, Will artificial intelligence replace doctors? Not in my...
GOT CHOLINE? You may never have heard of choline. I hadn’t. But now I see articles on it popping up and found that choline is an essential nutrient—which means it’s a vital ingredient for human health. (Similar to B vitamins.) Choline is made in small amounts in the liver and found in such foods as meats, fish, poultry, nuts, beans, broccoli and eggs. New research, led by scientists at Arizona State University (ASU) suggests that lack of adequate choline is linked with profound changes in the brain associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Here are excerpts from the January 17, 2023 ASU...
IT’S SUMMER—TIME TO STAY SAFE IN THE SUN It’s June, it’s the Good Old Summertime; time to spend more fun hours outdoors—at the beach, on picnics, hiking, or camping. And, as I’m sure you know, it’s also time to apply copious amounts of sunscreen. However, we often don’t pay enough attention to the kind of clothing we should pull on to further protect us from sunburn and possible skin cancer. I searched for info that would give us details on what we should wear outside during this special time of the year. I found it in my go-to source, Harvard...
SURPRISE: RUNNING PROBABLY DOESN’T BRING ON ARTHRITIS I regularly run (actually jog). And I have arthritis. But I don’t have it in my hips or knees where I think I’d have a long-term effect from pounding streets and sidewalks over many years. However, I do have arthritis in my hands—which, of course, isn’t caused by running—and to a lesser extent in my feet and lower back. And yes, I wonder how long I can maintain jogging into the future before I do develop arthritis in my hip and knee joints. Thus, a recent post in Harvard Health caught my eye...
CAN WATCHING LESS TV LOWER YOUR RISK OF DEMENTIA? I try to pass on the latest research into reducing your risk of developing dementia. You already knew that time spent exercising was better than the same amount of time watching TV. But now we have a large investigation finding that even actively using a computer is better than sitting on the couch binge-watching a Netflix series. Here are excerpts from the Washington Post October 25, 2022, online article by Linda Searing, Watching TV could increase seniors’ risk of dementia, study says. How older adults spend their sedentary time — what...
DON’T LET SLEEP APNEA KEEP YOU UP AT NIGHT As many as half of older adults are at risk for sleep apnea. This is a sleep disorder in which the throat collapses during sleep, causing a person to repeatedly stop breathing for periods of 10 seconds or longer throughout the night. To provide you with more information on this common ailment, here are excerpts from the May 1, 2023 online article by Julie Corliss, Executive Editor of the Harvard Heart Letter, Should you be tested for sleep apnea? This sleep-disrupting disorder is common but often unrecognized—especially in people with heart...
Please excuse me for resending you my 4 most recent Generation Fit posts. I changed web hosting for my site and in the process lost the links for these posts. I’ve resent these in case you still wished to read them. Thank you! IS OUR BEHAVIOR INFLUENCED BY OUR GUT MICROBES? I’m fascinated with the possibility that microbes in our gut can influence our brains. I’ve posted twice on this: Gut Reactions in May 2019 and Your Gut Microbiome can foretell your future in December 2015 Now, I read that gut microbes may directly influence our behavior. Here are excerpts...
WALK DAILY? TRY THESE “EXTRA STEPS” Many of us seniors get our exercise by taking a daily walk. This is excellent for your overall health. Yet, you can get even more benefits by adding a few “extra steps” to your walk. Here are excerpts from the May 1, 2023 Harvard Health Letter by Heidi Godman, Executive Editor, Get more out of your daily walk. Incorporate balance exercises, weight training, and vigorous activity into your routine Regular, brisk walking helps lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, control blood pressure, strengthen muscles, burn calories, and lift mood. Walking can also help ward off...
WHY YOUR HAIR IS GRAYING Your hair eventually loses its color. This starts happening as early as your 30s or 40s. (Heck, with me it started in my 20s.) Gray hair is actually hair with reduced melanin. White hair completely lacks it. Now a study on mice has come along that is probably relevant to humans. These findings might be a step toward preventing or actually reversing the graying process. (Still, you can always dye your hair.) Here are excerpts from the April 19, 2023 New York Times article by Kate Golembiewski, Your Hair is Going Gray. This Glitch...
