Archive for the ‘Health’ Category
Has It Occurred To You . . .
. . .that
no one in the Bible
had one.
Use Glass For Leftovers
The discovery of plastic particles in human blood has magnified the warning about keeping leftovers and buying food in plastic containers.
Huge amounts of plastic waste are dumped daily and microplastics now contaminate the entire planet, from the summit of Mount Everest to the deepest oceans. People were already known to consume the tiny particles via food and water as well as breathing them in.
Keep food and drink in glass containers in your home to lower the danger to your health.
In A Moment . . .
. . . of mental and muscle inactivity,
it occurred to me that,
if the devil ever appears in public,
the cops can arrest him for possession.
Rosacea Not Rosy
If President Bill Clinton appeared red-faced when the Monica Lewinsky affair was made public, much of it could have been attributed to his rosacea. He is among the list of famous people who reportedly have the affliction along with such beauties as Mariah Carey, Cameron Diaz and Renee Zellweger. The late Princess Diana passed it on to her sons.
Giants from the past who battled this facial skin disorder include artist Rembrandt, actor W. C. Fields and financier J.P Morgan, who’s bulbous rosacea nose convinced everyone he was a dedicated boozer.
One out of every 10 adults have rosacea. Such a pretty name for a global scourge that is marked by reddish flushed skin, pimples and pustules, and enlarged spidery blood vessels like varicose veins on the cheeks and nose. Most sufferers are women.
The disorder can begin slowly and, if not treated, will become more persistent and severe. Besides being unsightly, its symptoms can include itching, burning and stinging besides disrupting one’s personal and professional life. Researcher reported that more than 90 percent of rosacea sufferers said it had eroded their self-confidence and one-third of those surveyed reported having difficulty establishing new friendships and relationships.
Help Someone . . .
. . .out of trouble
and they’ll remember you
every time
they get back into trouble.
Aging Body Loses Temperature Control
The threat of hypothermia – when your internal body temperature slips below 95 degrees Fahrenheit – exists year around for folks whose age slips by 65 years. Most people are aware that they have to wrap up during frigid winter weather to avoid this condition, but seniors can still fall victim in air-conditioned buildings during the heat of summer.
Interior thermostats set between 60 degrees and 70 degrees can be dangerous for older folk so they should dress accordingly all year. Wear layers of clothing at all times. It’s easier to doff a coat or jacket than to shiver without one. Always wear a hat or cap and keep gloves handy. Take off any wet clothing and stay out of the wind, both of which can cause your body temperature to drop quickly.
If You Think . . .
. . .life is giving you melons,
you might be dyslexic.
Look After Eye Strain
Many parts of your body don’t work as well after your 50 as they did before you strolled through the half-century mark. A common but overlooked problem is dry eye, which results in itchy and burning eyes. The irritation often is caused by lowered tear production, which decreases with aging and can be exacerbated among snowbirds who spend their winters in dry desert climates.
Long sessions at your computer, driving, and watching television are also among the causes. Over-the-counter eye drops can alleviate the condition readily but you should have your eyes medically examined to determine proper treatment.
Another common complaint by the over-50 crowd is “floaters and flashes.” Floaters resemble black spots or cobwebs wandering through your eye and can be constant or episodic. Flashes, which also are episodic, are brief flashes of light. Both normally are harmless but should be checked because they can signal a detached retina, which can lead to blindness.
Never Question . . .
. . . you’re spouses choices.
After all, you’re one of them.
Fish Fight Arthritis
The omega-3 fatty acids in fish bolster your body’s ability to battle inflammation that autoimmune rheumatoid arthritis causes to its victims’ joints, heart and lungs. A couple of fish servings a week can alleviate the pain and discomfort as can a daily dose of fish supplement.
Vitamin C-rich foods, such as citrus fruit, also help. Two CCs – celery and cherries – can help alleviate the pain caused by gout, a form of arthritis that flares up without warning to attack joints. Cherry juice also alleviates the pain and discomfort.
If you’re prone to gout attacks, you should avoid carbohydrates, such as white bread, and commercially prepared baked goods as well as processed foods.
We’ve Been Told . . .
. . .by our parents, teachers and philosophers through the ages that
nothing is impossible.
They’re all wrong. I do it every day.
Misdiagnosis Can Kill
Estimates run wild, but anywhere from 40,000 to 250,000 people die each year from having their medical issues misdiagnosed by the medical profession. These errors are not limited to rare diseases but are rife among the most common maladies, ranging from fractures to high blood pressure.
Errors in three major maladies account for half of all the disabilities and deaths caused by diagnostic errors. These are cancer, infections and vascular events, ranging from blood clots to stroke.
To help avoid such mistakes, learn to take care of yourself. Write down a timeline and symptoms of your condition when you meet with your doctor. As the patient, you’re the customer, so ask questions before you buy what you’re being told. Ask for a second opinion that will either confirm or correct the original diagnosis.
One Thing You Can Say . . .
. . .about teamwork.
When things go wrong,
there’s always someone else to blame.
Heard the Latest about Hearing Aids?
Recent moves by the Food and Drug Administration have made it possible to buy hearing aids as Christmas gifts this year.
That FDA has ruled that hearing aids can be made available over the counter to the public without requiring users to have a medical hearing test first. It also means the devices don’t have to be programmed to one’s specific hearing deficiencies.
Hearing-aid users who have been paying several hundreds of dollars for doctor’s visits and hearing aids, and a few extra bucks to have them molded separately to fit comfortably into each ear, are able to stop by their nearest drug store and pick up a much-cheaper pair of devices that can magnify sound.
It also presents the possibility that you can buy a pair of hearing aids as a gift for a parent or spouse you’ve been yelling at for who-remembers-how-long.
Don’t expect this development to solve the hearing-loss problem for you and those around you. The first and best step anyone should take when considering the status of their hearing is to get tested by an audiologist. Perhaps simple sound amplifiers will work for you.
A pleasant offshoot of this development is that it may bring down the cost of more sophisticated hearing devices tailored for you by your audiologist.
You Might Not Have Noticed . . .
. . . but you never run out
of nothing to do.
Cataracts Linked to Unfiltered Sun Rays
Unfiltered peripheral sun rays that readily enter the inner eye unless wearing sunglasses with
side shields are concentrated on the lower nasal side of the eyes’ crystalline lens. This is where more than six out of 10 cataracts are located, according to a U.S. Army report.
Even when wearing 100-percent ultraviolet-proof sun lenses, your eyes are still at risk because 10 to 25
percent of the UV sun rays still reach the eyes when wearing total UV-filtering lenses if no top and side protection are provided. Sunglasses with side shields when worn with a wide-brimmed hat afford the best eye protection.
More than six out of 10 adults will develop cataracts during their lifetime. Cataracts are more
prevalent among people who work outdoors and who live in sunny areas, high altitudes and
southern latitudes where UV rays are more intense.
Think About It . . .
. . .after a few short weeks in captivity,
dolphins train people
to stand at the edge of the pool
and toss fish at them.
Heel Pain Follows Aging
As fat grams and low-fat foods consume Americans’ thinking about the cuisine they love, there’s a
part of the body that can’t function without significant fat. The heel and ball of the foot require
healthy fatty deposits for shock absorption to cushion the impact of walking and exercise. The
heel hits the ground with a force 10 to 15 percent above body weight, according to the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons.
Heel pain is natural for seniors because there’s loss of muscle tone and atrophy of the foot’s fatty
deposits. This is no excuse to go out and splurge on ice cream sundaes because there’s nothing people can eat to replenish fat on the bottom of their feet. It’s just something people need to be aware of as they
age.
Tablemate . . .
. . . said the newly arrived lady
was a bookkeeper for a dozen years
before moving here.
She had our concierge return it to the library.
Hedonism Can Boost Longevity
Indulging in wine, chocolate and sweet snacks in moderation can actually help increase your
longevity, according to a British psychopharmacologist.
Dr. David Warburton of Reading University in Reading, England, said, “These substances have
a mild effect on the pleasure pathways of the brain, resulting in the improvement of mood. A good
mood lessens stress and helps strengthen the immune system. And research shows that people
who are happy on a regular basis are healthier and live longer.”
Warburton does not advocate giving up exercise and sound nutrition. But he does encourage
more leeway for indulging in life’s small delights. “I really worry that the health-conscious world
may be going overboard,” he says. “A too-severe, restrictive approach to pleasure produces a climate that encourages negative emotions and, ultimately, poorer health. You might say that we are advocating a life of moderate hedonism.”
Mature Life Features 