Since I last wrote I’ve been given the opportunity to begin a brand new Jazzercise class at a beautiful assisted living facility here in Phoenix. These folks have never done Jazzercise before, and I suspect many have not done much dancing. What a challenge and a treat it has been to introduce them to Jazzercise.
We meet for 45 minutes once a week. It would be a stretch for people in their 20s and 30s to become comfortable with these routines doing them just once a week; can you imagine how much courage and persistence it takes for seniors? Yes, I take it slower than I do with my typical, experienced customers, showing them the moves first and choosing simpler routines. And yes, sometimes they do confuse their right foot with their left or go backward when I go forward.
Still, they’re amazing! I’ve seen such progress in two months. The group stays with me more, taking fewer breaks. They’re adding arm movements to the feet movements (we always say to get the feet first). They’re starting to hear the music, which means they don’t have to focus quite so intently on my every move. They smile more often, and, most importantly, they keep coming back!
That really excites me because I know how good this is for them. Exercise just doesn’t improve cardiovascular condition, flexibility and strength; it also increases blood flow to the brain. This improves memory and reasoning ability and causes endorphins to be released, enhancing mood and relieving mild depression. It will lower their risk for countless diseases and build their confidence.
I love working with seniors! They have a great attitude and really inspire me. I hope I can do as well as they do when I get there. How about you?
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Spice Up Your Diet and Your Memory
This month marks the first anniversary of my father’s passing, and I miss him terribly. One of the contributing factors to his death was Alzheimer’s disease, so I take note of anything I read relating to memory and health. I recently came upon an article in the Arizona Republic (October 13, 2010) about four spices and their potential to improve memory.
The first is turmeric, widely used in India which has one of the lowest incidents of Alzheimer’s in the world. Turmeric is found in curry and is an anti-inflammatory and an antioxidant. It gets stronger when cooked, so don’t overdo it.
Another promising spice is one of my favorites, rosemary. Also an antioxidant, rosemary protects neurotransmitters in the brain and may not only help prevent Alzheimer’s but also enhance memory. Try adding it to lamb, pork, veal, and chicken. I like to add it to tomato sauce.
Sage is another spice highlighted in the article. Commonly used in stuffing, you can also place whole sage leaves under the skin of poultry before roasting. It is believed to support cognitive function in healthy people as well as those suffering from serious memory loss. Another benefit to note is that studies suggest it helps the mind stay alert and calm – sounds great for those taking exams!
Finally, we have cumin, another strong spice used in Indian cooking. Commonly used in chilis and curries, it helps speed recovery from amnesia and improve memory. Try toasting the whole seeds to enhance the flavor and then adding them to kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to use as a coating for pork tenderloin before baking.
The first is turmeric, widely used in India which has one of the lowest incidents of Alzheimer’s in the world. Turmeric is found in curry and is an anti-inflammatory and an antioxidant. It gets stronger when cooked, so don’t overdo it.
Another promising spice is one of my favorites, rosemary. Also an antioxidant, rosemary protects neurotransmitters in the brain and may not only help prevent Alzheimer’s but also enhance memory. Try adding it to lamb, pork, veal, and chicken. I like to add it to tomato sauce.
Sage is another spice highlighted in the article. Commonly used in stuffing, you can also place whole sage leaves under the skin of poultry before roasting. It is believed to support cognitive function in healthy people as well as those suffering from serious memory loss. Another benefit to note is that studies suggest it helps the mind stay alert and calm – sounds great for those taking exams!
Finally, we have cumin, another strong spice used in Indian cooking. Commonly used in chilis and curries, it helps speed recovery from amnesia and improve memory. Try toasting the whole seeds to enhance the flavor and then adding them to kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to use as a coating for pork tenderloin before baking.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
New Weight Watchers Program Launched
Did you hear that Weight Watchers introduced a new program last week? As a lifetime member and former leader, this caught my attention. Weight Watchers is the most successful weight loss company in the world and has been at it for over 40 years. When the experts there feel that there is enough new information in the weight management field to introduce a major new program after 13 years, I wanted to know more. So rather just stop by for my monthly weigh-in, I stayed for the meeting.
I learned that the patented Points have been revised. Rather than just incorporating calories, fat, and fiber, the Points Plus program now looks at protein and carbohydrates as well. Basically, rather than grouping all calories together and treating them as equal, the new Points Plus calculation incorporates all forms of calories (protein, carbohydrates, and fat) individually. This makes sense to me, because they don’t all have the same number of calories per gram. Fat has nine calories per gram where protein and carbohydrates have four calories per gram each. I also know my body processes these differently. Fat can sometimes upset my stomach, especially saturated fat, because it’s hard to digest. Protein makes me feel full longer, and carbs are very satisfying to me. So now to calculate the Points with Points Plus, we need to know the grams of protein, carbohydrate, fat, and fiber in the food.
After hearing about the new program, I decided to try out it out. This means I have to re-learn the Points value of everything. Foods heavy in carbohydrates have a lot more Points than they did under the old program, but fruit is now Points-free – all fruit. Why would I do this now, during the holidays? Because it forces me to be conscious of my eating, and that’s really important with so many treats around. I’ll let you know how it goes, but in the meantime, be good to yourself as you celebrate this season, and remember – all things in moderation!
I learned that the patented Points have been revised. Rather than just incorporating calories, fat, and fiber, the Points Plus program now looks at protein and carbohydrates as well. Basically, rather than grouping all calories together and treating them as equal, the new Points Plus calculation incorporates all forms of calories (protein, carbohydrates, and fat) individually. This makes sense to me, because they don’t all have the same number of calories per gram. Fat has nine calories per gram where protein and carbohydrates have four calories per gram each. I also know my body processes these differently. Fat can sometimes upset my stomach, especially saturated fat, because it’s hard to digest. Protein makes me feel full longer, and carbs are very satisfying to me. So now to calculate the Points with Points Plus, we need to know the grams of protein, carbohydrate, fat, and fiber in the food.
After hearing about the new program, I decided to try out it out. This means I have to re-learn the Points value of everything. Foods heavy in carbohydrates have a lot more Points than they did under the old program, but fruit is now Points-free – all fruit. Why would I do this now, during the holidays? Because it forces me to be conscious of my eating, and that’s really important with so many treats around. I’ll let you know how it goes, but in the meantime, be good to yourself as you celebrate this season, and remember – all things in moderation!
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Preventing Diabetes
Because diabetes is a condition where blood sugar is too high, many people mistakenly think that eating too much sugar is the primary cause of diabetes. While sugar is a contributing factor, there are many other habits that can increase your risk of developing this disease:
• Obesity (BMI of 30 or more) and overweight (BMI of 25-30) both increase the risk of diabetes, and even modest weight loss (9 pounds in three years) in someone with elevated blood sugar levels can cut the risk in half. Regular exercise can lower the risk, as well.
• Consuming simple carbs such as potatoes and white bread increases the risk while whole grain consumption lowers it.
• Trans fats increase the risk of diabetes while those who eat the most polyunsaturated fats have a lower risk.
• Eating one serving of red meat a day increases diabetes risk by 22% over those who eat red meat once a week. Processed meats such as hot dogs, bacon, and lunch meats increase the risk even more.
For more information on dietary fats, obesity, healthy eating, and exercise, scan the archives of this blog and stay tuned. These topics will continue to appear in the months ahead.
• Obesity (BMI of 30 or more) and overweight (BMI of 25-30) both increase the risk of diabetes, and even modest weight loss (9 pounds in three years) in someone with elevated blood sugar levels can cut the risk in half. Regular exercise can lower the risk, as well.
• Consuming simple carbs such as potatoes and white bread increases the risk while whole grain consumption lowers it.
• Trans fats increase the risk of diabetes while those who eat the most polyunsaturated fats have a lower risk.
• Eating one serving of red meat a day increases diabetes risk by 22% over those who eat red meat once a week. Processed meats such as hot dogs, bacon, and lunch meats increase the risk even more.
For more information on dietary fats, obesity, healthy eating, and exercise, scan the archives of this blog and stay tuned. These topics will continue to appear in the months ahead.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Blood Sugar and Diabetes
If you watch television, you’ve probably seen ads related to blood sugar testing. The incidence of diabetes is rising, right along with Americans’ waistlines. Diabetes occurs when the body cannot regulate blood sugars. Uncontrolled diabetes increases your risk for eye problems including blindness, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and nerve damage. Data from 2007 indicate that 23.6 million children and adults in the United States—7.8% of the population—have diabetes, and the number is growing is each year (www.diabetes.org).
What is considered a healthy blood sugar (glucose) level? Glucose levels are measured through a blood test where the sample is drawn by a medical professional from a vein or by a finger stick. There are a variety of tests and the kind of test done determines what a healthy level is, as shown below:
• Fasting (at least 8 hrs since eating): normal range is 70-99 mg; beginning of diabetic range is 126 mg
• Two hours after beginning last meal: normal range is 70-145 mg; beginning of diabetic range is 200 mg
• Random: normal range is 70-125 mg; beginning of diabetic range is 200 mg*
* Other symptoms must be present such as increased thirst and frequent urination (especially at night), unexplained increase in appetite, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, erection problems, blurred vision, and tingling or numbness in the hands or feet
There are several risk factors for diabetes. We’ll look at those next time. In the meantime, make sure you speak to your doctor about how often you need to get your blood sugar level checked. (Unless otherwise noted, the source I used for this article was www.mebmd.com.)
What is considered a healthy blood sugar (glucose) level? Glucose levels are measured through a blood test where the sample is drawn by a medical professional from a vein or by a finger stick. There are a variety of tests and the kind of test done determines what a healthy level is, as shown below:
• Fasting (at least 8 hrs since eating): normal range is 70-99 mg; beginning of diabetic range is 126 mg
• Two hours after beginning last meal: normal range is 70-145 mg; beginning of diabetic range is 200 mg
• Random: normal range is 70-125 mg; beginning of diabetic range is 200 mg*
* Other symptoms must be present such as increased thirst and frequent urination (especially at night), unexplained increase in appetite, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, erection problems, blurred vision, and tingling or numbness in the hands or feet
There are several risk factors for diabetes. We’ll look at those next time. In the meantime, make sure you speak to your doctor about how often you need to get your blood sugar level checked. (Unless otherwise noted, the source I used for this article was www.mebmd.com.)
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Hormones Increase Breast Cancer Risk
Did you read recently in the Arizona Republic that women who take estrogen and progestin after menopause not only increase their risk for breast cancer, but also face even a somewhat increased chance of dying from the disease? How does this differ from what we already knew? How great is the risk? It can be confusing to sort it all out, so here are the facts:
• Eight years ago a federally funded study called the Women’s Health Initiative revealed that the risks of heart disease and breast cancer outweighed the benefits of taking estrogen and progestin for relief from menopause symptoms.
• Although at the time researchers thought the risk of death from breast cancer was not any greater, the use of the hormones dropped almost 65% from 2002 to 2009. Still, some 40 million women were taking the hormone combination.
• As a result of the diminished hormone use, breast-cancer diagnoses started to drop.
• Last year researchers concluded that women who took the hormones were 70% more likely to die of lung cancer. Lung cancer and breast cancer are the two leading causes of cancer death in women.
• Now that researchers have 11 years of data from the study, they have determined that the tumors that result from the hormone combination are just as likely to be the more difficult to treat type of tumors, not the smaller, less-threatening ones they had thought eight years ago. This means the risk of dying from breast cancer is slightly higher.
• Still, this newly identified risk of death from breast cancer as a result of hormone use is low.
• Researchers recommend that women who take the hormone combination do so at the lowest effective dose for the shortest period of time. There continues to be debate about whether five years is too long to be on the hormones.
• The use of estrogen alone, which women who have had hysterectomies take, does not carry the risks reported here.
There are many other risk factors for breast cancer, such as smoking, a sedentary lifestyle, a diet high in saturated fat, and genetics. Be sure to discuss your risks carefully with your physician so you can make the most informed choice about your health.
• Eight years ago a federally funded study called the Women’s Health Initiative revealed that the risks of heart disease and breast cancer outweighed the benefits of taking estrogen and progestin for relief from menopause symptoms.
• Although at the time researchers thought the risk of death from breast cancer was not any greater, the use of the hormones dropped almost 65% from 2002 to 2009. Still, some 40 million women were taking the hormone combination.
• As a result of the diminished hormone use, breast-cancer diagnoses started to drop.
• Last year researchers concluded that women who took the hormones were 70% more likely to die of lung cancer. Lung cancer and breast cancer are the two leading causes of cancer death in women.
• Now that researchers have 11 years of data from the study, they have determined that the tumors that result from the hormone combination are just as likely to be the more difficult to treat type of tumors, not the smaller, less-threatening ones they had thought eight years ago. This means the risk of dying from breast cancer is slightly higher.
• Still, this newly identified risk of death from breast cancer as a result of hormone use is low.
• Researchers recommend that women who take the hormone combination do so at the lowest effective dose for the shortest period of time. There continues to be debate about whether five years is too long to be on the hormones.
• The use of estrogen alone, which women who have had hysterectomies take, does not carry the risks reported here.
There are many other risk factors for breast cancer, such as smoking, a sedentary lifestyle, a diet high in saturated fat, and genetics. Be sure to discuss your risks carefully with your physician so you can make the most informed choice about your health.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Safe Sex Applies to All Age Groups
In 2007 when I was researching and writing my book, Worth Waiting For: Sane Sex for Singles, I was amazed to learn that unsafe still happens in every age group – a lot. How is this possible? While the safe sex message is not as prominent as it was fifteen years ago, it is still being promoted. The target age group, however, is young—under age thirty. Yet, although the message is aimed at this audience more consistently than it is at those over forty, an alarming number of young adults still have unsafe sex. Of the twenty-five to forty-four-year-olds surveyed, 39 percent did not use a condom the last time they had sex and likewise for 20 percent of the eighteen- to twenty-four-year-olds. Sadly almost half of the new STD infections are among adolescent girls (www.alternet.org/sex/62429)!
How about those over 45? Is it possible they have not heard of safe sex? I think it’s unlikely, but consider a study conducted by the New York Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in May 2008. Of single people with at least two sexual partners, some 44 percent of those over age forty-five reported not using condoms the last time they had sex. A University of Chicago survey of single women ages fifty-eight to ninety-three revealed that nearly 60 percent said they hadn’t used a condom the last time they had sex. It’s not surprising then that, in less than a decade, STD rates have more than doubled among people ages forty-five and older. From 1996 to 2003, the total cases of chlamydia, genital herpes, gonorrhea, syphilis, and genital warts among people over forty-five increased by 127 percent (.http://health.usnews.com/usnews/health/articles/070805/13senior.htm).
But these STDs aren’t the only concern for this age group. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the majority of HIV carriers by 2015 will be over age fifty, and about 15 percent of new infections occur in this age group. It’s alarming to consider that an Ohio University study found that about 27 percent of HIV-infected men and 35 percent of HIV-infected women over fifty sometimes have sex without using condoms (http://www.physorg.com/news96724718.html).
Although HIV/AIDS is not the automatic death sentence it once was, it not curable. Safe sex is not an option. It is a requirement every time for anyone who cherishes their health and well being.
How about those over 45? Is it possible they have not heard of safe sex? I think it’s unlikely, but consider a study conducted by the New York Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in May 2008. Of single people with at least two sexual partners, some 44 percent of those over age forty-five reported not using condoms the last time they had sex. A University of Chicago survey of single women ages fifty-eight to ninety-three revealed that nearly 60 percent said they hadn’t used a condom the last time they had sex. It’s not surprising then that, in less than a decade, STD rates have more than doubled among people ages forty-five and older. From 1996 to 2003, the total cases of chlamydia, genital herpes, gonorrhea, syphilis, and genital warts among people over forty-five increased by 127 percent (.http://health.usnews.com/usnews/health/articles/070805/13senior.htm).
But these STDs aren’t the only concern for this age group. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the majority of HIV carriers by 2015 will be over age fifty, and about 15 percent of new infections occur in this age group. It’s alarming to consider that an Ohio University study found that about 27 percent of HIV-infected men and 35 percent of HIV-infected women over fifty sometimes have sex without using condoms (http://www.physorg.com/news96724718.html).
Although HIV/AIDS is not the automatic death sentence it once was, it not curable. Safe sex is not an option. It is a requirement every time for anyone who cherishes their health and well being.
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