“Good Genes.” The Key to Longevity?
If your parents lived to their 90s, does that mean that you will also enjoy a long life? An interesting study investigated this question, and the answer is, “It depends.” Researchers at UC San Diego’s […]
Health
Friends Have REAL Benefits!
What is the secret to lifelong fulfillment? As a fitness professional, you’re probably guessing that I’m going to say, “exercise” but no! The key to being, and staying, happy and healthy, is good relationships. Certainly, […]
A Reason To Live!
“Find your purpose!” The long-lived people of Okinawa, Japan, call it ikigai, which translates as “a reason to get up in the morning.” A landmark study found that having this sense of meaning reduced mortality […]
Ultraprocessed Food Could Be a Cause of Early Death and Cognitive Decline
Two new studies from Brazil suggest that in addition to being bad for our waistlines, junk food may contribute to premature death and cognitive decline. Using national food consumption surveys, demographic and mortality data and […]
Exercise Snacks
Exercise Snacks Here’s a novel New Year’s resolution – Exercise Snacks! I just love this term for adding brief (and I mean brief – 2 minutes is fine) exercise bursts into your daily routine because […]
Better Posture = Better Breathing!
Try this: Sitting in a chair, look down and slouch forward so your torso and head are rounded forward and take a deep breath. Easy? Hard? Now. Pretend that there is a hook in the […]
Brittle Bones
About 10 million Americans have osteoporosis, and 48 million have low bone mass density, or osteopenia, which can be a precursor for osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a serious condition because it makes your bones brittle, increasing […]
Got Arthritis? MOVE!
Got Arthritis? MOVE! If you have arthritis, one of the best things you can do to maintain joint function is to move. “Moves that specifically target arthritic joints can help you preserve strength and flexibility […]
Power Up!
Power UP! You probably know that strength training is good for you, but guess what? There’s something even more important than simply working on muscle strength (though that is still important!). It’s called Power Training. Power Training […]
HOTTIE!
Just how hot is it in your neighborhood these days? We are sizzling! Not-so-fun-fact: Your body’s ability to cool off diminishes with age. That’s why older adults are even more susceptible to heat related ailments […]
Losing Your Marbles
I don’t know about you, but many folks, including me, are terrified of contracting Alzheimer’s disease. Happily, new research suggests that a healthy lifestyle that includes good diet and exercise can push back the onset […]
Depression: A Treatable Medical Illness
The August 2020 issue of Focus on Healthy Aging from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, New York City had an excellent article about the various risk factors, and treatments for depression. Here’s […]
The “Other” Vaccine
A dear friend of mine just contracted the shingles virus, and she, like everyone else that I’ve talked to that has had it, describes the pain as excruciating. The side effects can be wicked, because […]