Tag: aging

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WARNING! WALK OUTSIDE MAY BE UNHEALTHY

Walking is considered the number one way to lose weight, postpone aging, and provide  a host of other benefits.  But some days, it  could be hazardous to your health .  As an example, I decided to walk in the park on a Saturday afternoon. The tennis courts were full. A baseball game was taking place.  There were few places left where you could sit on a blanket and enjoy some peace and quiet.    The  roads were lined with parked cars and a constant stream of traffic.   Every shelter was filled with people using the barbecue pits. Consequently, the air was hazy  with smoke.  I found a parking place and set out to walk.  All of a sudden, I felt dizzy and a bit shaky.  My throat burned, and my eyes itched.  Therefore, I turned around and walked back to my car.  I hadn’t even done a mile. Warning! A walk outside may be unhealthy.

Back home that day, I felt a bit disgusted with myself.  Why had I given up on my walk? Was I becoming a wimp?  I picked up my new iPhone, and looked at the weather app.  Scrolling down, I noticed something that had never really interested me before: Air Quality Index.  That day, it was a high 154.  Consequently, this  meant that walking outside  was bad for  almost everyone, but especially sensitive people.   At my age, I guess I fit into that category.  As a result,  walking in the park  had not been a good idea. However,  I could have walked in the mall if I wanted the exercise. .  But who wants to walk inside on a sunny day?

WARNING! WALK OUTSIDE MAY BE UNHEALTHY. i When the air quality index is too high it can cause many respiratory problems.
Warning! Walk outside may be unhealthy if the air is polluted.

Much to my relief, I checked the air quality index today, and it was back down to a good 30. However it’s  raining.  Maybe it will clear up this afternoon.   It’s  depressing to realize that many of my walks during the past few years have actually been bad for my health.  From now on,  I won’t walk in the park until after I’ve checked the air quality.

 Air pollution is caused by solid and liquid particles and certain gases suspended in the air. These  can come from car and truck exhaust, factories, dust, pollen, mold spores, volcanoes and wildfires.

Poor air quality may cause the following  health symptoms in sensitive people:

. Headache

. Fatigue

. Shortness of breath

. Sinus congestion

. Coughing

. Sneezing

. Dizziness

.Nausea

 

Be sure to check the air quality index before walking in the park.  You’re not a wimp if you decide to stay inside  that day.

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JENNIFER ANISTON’S SHOCKING ELBOWS

Elbows are a body part I’ve never given much thought. But then, Google decided to send me a pop up  photo of Jennifer Aniston’ s rear view  as she walked down the street.  OMG!  A shocking photo of this eternally beautiful woman reveals her wrinkly elbows. It seems she’s pretty concerned about it–-even going so far as to massage them with special creams.    

Most of us see wrinkles on our faces and eyelids.  We see what childbirth has done to our tummies.    And if you are rich  or vain enough, you may consider  a face  lift, eye  lift, or tummy  tuck.–especially if your significant other has a wandering eye.

Even if your have a facelift and tummy tuck, wrinkled elbows show your age
Jennifer Aniston is seriously concerned about her wrinkled elbows

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons,  the average costs for these procedures are:  Face lift,  $7,448, Tummy Tuck,  $6,253, Eye Lift, $3,163. Those are physician’s fees and don’t include anesthesia or operating room factors. .  Assuming you’re in the business of looking young and beautiful, you might think those surgeries  would do the job.  But not if  you’ve overlooked  your hinge joints.  

You’re not really through with your back-to-youth makeover until you’ve tightened up your  wrinkled elbows and maybe your knees.   Physician’s fee  for an elbow  lift is  about $3800.

Apparently, models and celebrities have tricks for hiding  their elbow wrinkles.  They’ve learned to bend their arms just slightly so the camera doesn’t pick up on that age defining part of their anatomy.

The thought of wrinkled hinges has begun to  fascinate me. All of a sudden, I’m looking at women’s elbows instead of their faces. For the first time, I held up a mirror to observe my elbows,  and it was obvious they had some mileage on them. However, I’m not about to spend thousands of dollars  on an unpleasant and risky surgical procedure.  It seems simpler to wear long sleeves for special occasions.

I’m sure that some of my  contemporaries have visited the local beauty bar for botox injections and face peels.  And many have come back from mysterious trips to California with puffier lips and skin pulled taut over their  cheekbones.  But if  they haven’t done anything about their wrinkled elbows,  their age is still showing. Just ask Jennifer Aniston.

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SECRET TRIUMPHS OF THE HEART

Many of us are struggling with inner demons that no one knows about.  You may be uncomfortable at social events.  You could be struggling with a slight case of depression, or an addiction to alcohol., prescription drugs, or nicotine. Your weight might be affecting your health , but you can’t stop over eating.  You limp along with these afflictions, until one day, you  face reality and decide to do something about it. You might seek counseling, or maybe just some self help books. You enroll in a support group like Weight Watchers.  And at last,  there comes a time when  you realize that your efforts at changing your life have paid off.  These are  the secret triumphs of the heart.

Seniors often struggle with inner demons that they are resigned to
YOU MAY BE STRUGGLING WITH FAILINGS OR INNER PROBLEMS NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT; ITS TIME TO GET YOUR LIFE BACK

The trouble might not  be one of spirit ,  but of body.  A sudden onset of sciatica makes walking painful.. You feel off balance at times, but you won’t submit to the indignity of using a cane.  Suddenly, you can’t hear what your grandchildren are saying.  Driving at night is scary because you see halos around the street lights..

For a while—months, maybe years–you deny these failings of your aging body.  But suddenly, you’re tired of it all, and you realize you don’t want to do  this anymore.

You make an appointment with a physical therapist, and faithfully do the prescribed exercises at home, even after your Medicare coverage runs out. You bite the bullet and buy some hearing aids. You see an eye doctor and agree to whatever surgery or treatment he recommends.   You share your fears and insecurities  with a counselor.

Instead of sinking into a chair and looking out the window, you make the decision to get your life back. You work on overcoming  these problems by whatever means it takes.   With the help of modern medicines  you can see, hear, and walk.—maybe not as well as you used to, but better than before.  You can go places and do things.  These are the secret triumphs  of the heart.

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WHICH IS BEST? HOUSEWORK OR WORKOUTS?

Once you reach retirement age, well meaning family and friends urge you to make some important life changes:  They say you should move to a one story house and hire a cleaning lady. A few years later,  you’re advised  to prepare for the inevitable realities of aging, and move to a retirement community where you will be relieved of most household chores.   You’re assured that a workout room  is usually available if you’re concerned about your health and want some exercise.  But which is best? Housework or workouts?

How many healthy seniors do you know who  have followed  the conventional wisdom  of forfeiting their privacy and independence? Even though they are in good health ,  half of my contemporaries have moved on. Those who’ve moved to smaller homes or apartments may hire cleaning women while they go to Planet Fitness.  Those who live in retirement communities have few household chores. They can spend the winter months playing bridge, reading books, and other sedentary activities. When spring arrives, and they find their clothes are too snug , they resolve to work out on the treadmill or do some stair steps.

Seniors are often advise to move to retirement communities where they do no housework. But is that healthy?
HOUSEWORK TRUMPS WORKOUTS FOR DOUBLE BENEFITS

Did you know that vacuuming floors burns 170 calories per hour? The good news about housework is the satisfaction you get from not only getting exercise, but the feeling that you’ve done something productive.   I know, it’s not very classy to admit you spent the morning cleaning the bathroom. But  scrubbing down a bathroom for 35 minutes burns more calories than 35 minutes on a treadmill.

 So, you don’t have to tell anyone your dirty little secret to avoid gaining weight   You can pretend you spent the morning doing pilates before having lunch at the Panda Garden.  No one needs to know you cleaned your bathroom , but you!

One more reason to stay in a two story house : stair climbing  burns calories at a faster rate than many other forms of exercise,  It builds muscles, strengthens bones and leads to greater cardiovascular health.

For a complete list of calories burned doing various household chores,  follow this link: http://calorielab.com/