Tips about memory for the elderly, the senior citizens and old farts

I was about 50 when I began to notice it. More and more I was hearing people (my age and older) comment about their memory, recall, and old times. It would bring to mind my grandmother. Here's my advice.

1. If you can't remember a word, face or event, DO NOT SAY to yourself or others some version of "I can't remember." Do not make an angry or silly face or slap your head (it causes wrinkles). You're reinforcing the idea, setting it in cement. Pause, breathe and continue. If it was gossip, it's just as well.

2. DO NOT SAY to yourself or others, "Oh, this is so frustrating!" That will probably signal to your body that it should be alarmed and raise your blood pressure or start a headache.

Instead.

1. If you are writing, just make a small line to be filled in later. When the word or topic comes back (and it usually will), you've provided the context and you can continue.

2. If you are talking, move on to the next word, sentence or topic. The person you're talking to is probably also forgetful or distracted and may not notice unless you make it a big issue. If it was gossip or criticism, it's just as well because no one wants to hear it anyway.

 
Ascension Day is tomorrow or Sunday, June 1, depending on the tradition you follow. Think of that thought or idea as Jesus ascending into the clouds (or if you aren't religious, maybe THE cloud for computer storage), but soon the Helper, the Comforter, the Paraclete or the Caller-to-mind will descend, and you'll be filled with joy and peace.

Sensible advice to share--Depression tips

We’re heading into the darkest days of winter - it’s important to do self care, even if that’s just getting one thing done in a day.

DEPRESSION TIPS:

Shower. Not a bath, a shower.
Use water as hot or cold as you like. You don’t even need to wash. Just get in under the water and let it run over you for a while. Sit on the floor if you gotta.

Moisturize everything.
Use whatever lotion you like.
Unscented? Dollar store lotion? Fancy 48 hour lotion that makes you smell like a field of wildflowers? Use whatever you want, and use it all over your entire dermis.

 
Put on clean, comfortable clothes.
Put on your favorite underwear.
Those ridiculous boxers you bought last Christmas with candy cane hearts on the butt? Put them on.

Drink cold water.
Use ice. If you want, add some mint or lemon for an extra boost.

 
Clean something.
Doesn’t have to be anything big. Organize one drawer of a desk. Wash five dirty dishes. Do a load of laundry. Scrub the bathroom sink.

 
Blast music.
Listen to something upbeat and dancy and loud, something that’s got lots of energy. Sing to it, dance to it, even if you suck at both.

Make food.
Don’t just grab a granola bar to munch. Take the time and make food. Even if it’s ramen. Add something special to it, like a soft boiled egg or some veggies. Prepare food, it tastes way better, and you’ll feel like you accomplished something.

 
Make something.
Write a short story or a poem, draw a picture, color a picture, fold origami, crochet or knit, sculpt something out of clay, anything artistic. Even if you don’t think you’re good at it. Create.

 
Go outside.
Take a walk. Bundle up if you have too. Listen to whatever birds winter where you are, watch the squirrels, admire whatever lights are in the trees. Go to the mailbox, send a letter, a bill, a card.

 
Call someone.
Call a loved one, a friend, a family member, call a chat service if you have no one else to call. Talk to a stranger on the street. Have a conversation and listen to someone’s voice. If you can’t bring yourself to call, text or email or whatever, just have some social interaction with another person. Even if you don’t say much, listen to them. It helps.

 
Cuddle your pets if you have them/can cuddle them.
Take pictures of them. Talk to them. Tell them how you feel, about your favorite movie, a new game coming out, anything.

 
May seem small or silly to some, but this list keeps people alive.

Some suggestions floating around the internet

 A Lakeside friend, Susan Hanselman, posted this on Facebook.  Generally, I like my advice to have a source, but some of these are worth checking out.  If I can verify, I'll link.

DID YOU KNOW?

1. Your shoes are the first thing people subconsciously notice about you. Wear nice shoes.
2. If you sit for more than 11 hours a day, there's a 50% chance you'll die years earlier.
3. There are at least 6 people in the world who look exactly like you. There's a 9% chance that you'll meet one of them in your lifetime.
4. Sleeping without a pillow reduces back pain and keeps your spine stronger.
5. A person’s height is determined by their father, and their weight is determined by their mother.
6. If a part of your body "falls asleep", You can almost always "wake it up" by shaking your head.
7. There are three things the human brain cannot resist noticing - food, attractive people and danger.
8. Right-handed people tend to chew food on their right side.
9. Putting dry tea bags in gym bags or smelly shoes will absorb the unpleasant odor.
10. According to Albert Einstein, if honey bees were to disappear from earth, humans would be dead within 4 years.
11. There are so many kinds of apples, that if you ate a new one every day, it would take over 20 years to try them all.
12. You can survive without eating for weeks, but you will only live 11 days without sleeping.
13. People who laugh a lot are healthier than those who don’t.
14. Laziness and inactivity kills just as many people as smoking.
15. A human brain has a capacity to store 5 times as much information as Wikipedia.
16. Our brain uses the same amount of power as a 10-watt light bulb!!
17. Our body gives enough heat in 30 minutes to boil 1.5 liters of water!!
18. The Ovum egg is the largest cell and the sperm is the smallest cell!!
19. Stomach acid (conc. HCl) is strong enough to dissolve razor blades!!
20. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day & while you walk, SMILE. It is the ultimate antidepressant.
21. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
22. When you wake up in the morning, pray to ask God's guidance for your purpose today.
23. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
24. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, broccoli, and almonds.
25. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
26. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts and things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
27. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.
28. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
29. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Forgive them for everything.
30. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
31. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
32. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
33. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
34. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
35. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'
36. Help the needy, Be generous! Be a 'Giver' not a 'Taker'
37. What other people think of you is none of your business.
38. Time heals everything, except grief. Grief is a sign of Love.
39. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
40. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. Each night before you go to bed, pray to God and be thankful for what you accomplished, today. What if you woke up this morning and only had what you thanked God for yesterday? DON’T FORGET TO THANK GOD FOR EVERYTHING.
43. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed!
COPY & PASTE to your timeline.

Spinal Health for Thanksgiving

Dr. Ken Hansraj, spinal surgeon 

1. Maintain good posture the entire time. Proper digestion only occurs when we are sitting up straight. Good posture is defined as ears aligned with the shoulders and the “angel wings,” or the shoulder blades, retracted. In proper alignment, spinal stress is diminished. Recent studies show that gastric emptying is significantly delayed in the supine position when compared to a sitting position.

Furthermore, “If you’re slouched over your plate, food cannot travel to the stomach in time for your body to tell your brain it’s getting full; it can take twice as long; thus, causing you to eat twice as much leaving you full and tired.

2. A brief family meditation for peace and happiness. Coming back together as a family means leaving many personal worlds of happiness, sadness and development behind. Take time out to honor and recognize this transition. Sit quietly together, hold hands and briefly recognize the personal worlds. Then state an intention to have a great family get together.

3. Deep Belly Breathing: Deep belly breathing helps with digestion of food by enhancing motion of the belly and its food contents. Deeper yet though it serves to improve the motion of the spinal segments, spinal cord and nerve roots, and it increases the cerebrospinal fluid motion and distribution. Deep breathing might also decrease the swelling of the deranged spine joints and the nerve roots causing less pain. Deep belly breathing in itself will help you to feel better.

Dr. Ken Says” A deep breath of clean fresh air is as soothing to the body as a large glass of cool water on a hot summer day” so place your hands on your belly and breathe deeply to feel your belly move. Repeat this all day.

4. Small bites and small breaks will allow you to enjoy a steady-paced meal without needing to slow down or stop eating entirely. Take small bites of the highly caloric sides like mashed potatoes, stuffing and cheesy casseroles, but load up your fork with Turkey and string beans. Take a 5-minute break between each helping to allow your stomach to catch up with your eyes.

5. Chat, “Take time out to engage in and enjoy the conversations around the table. When you are actively engaged and fully involved in a fulfilling conversation then you spend less time eating and more time feeling externally better. The craving for food and internal satisfaction diminishes” Ask each person how they are doing. Find out about their little inner workings in life. Your family will manifest happiness, and then you become happier leaving you with less of a desire to binge.

6. Savor your desserts. Use a demitasse spoon to eat. This spoon is diminutive, smaller than a teaspoon. Allow the dessert to sit on your tongue for a minute. Allow the two to 8 thousand taste buds on your tongue to delight in the vanilla or chocolate, cinnamon, and other contents. Feel the texture and temperature of each bite. Train your taste buds to enjoy and delight in the taste and textures. Otherwise you become involved in volume consumption. This is where you eat so much to feel that your belly is full.

Dr. Ken says, “Evening out the trajectory of a meal that can last 3-4 hours takes some purposeful technique. On average, it takes between 12-14 minutes for our bodies to recognize we’re full. Keeping this in mind, begin your dinner with small thoughtful fork-full and pay attention to your body’s signals. It will tell you when to take a break, so you can save room for dessert!

7. Mini Chair Exercises (bends and twists) help you keep your blood pumping and metabolism working. Bending to the right or left (as if you were picking up a fork you dropped) and sideways twists (like you’re greeting a guest behind you) are two small, but effective ways to help your body digest.

Dr. Ken says, “Small range-of-motion exercises help ensure your body’s digestive functions keep up with your food in-take and your blood pressure remains stable. This will help ward off headaches, cramps and gas at the dinner table.

8. After Dinner Walk. Schedule a family walk after dinner. Walking helps digestion of food and builds a togetherness of the tribe. It is a great family routine to build. People start to feel better because the spine joints and the spinal nerves start moving with walking. One of the fastest ways to develop back or neck pain is to remain stagnant. When the spine joints and the spinal nerves do not move, then they can cause pain.

Dr. Ken Hansraj is a New York based spinal surgeon who has dedicated more than 20 years of his life to helping people in every country improve their spinal health. Dr. Ken’s LIFT: Meditations to Boost Back Health releases January 1, 2022 wherever songs are sold.

Nutrition and diet changes for heart health

When the cardio rehab from Ohio Health called to discuss Bob's diet, I had to be on the phone since I buy, plan the menus and prepare the food. Slowly we're making changes--more for me than him, since he's always been careful and disciplined. 

So the other day I was reading about heart healthy goals, SMART, which are 

Specific, 

Measurable, 

Attainable, 

Realistic, and 

Time-oriented. 

We can hit all those. I've lost 6 lbs., my blood pressure is down, and haven't had the salt shaker on the table for five days. Salty crunchy is my go-to comfort food. However, I recognized that's how my former boss (now deceased) Jay Ladd told me to write my goals for my annual report. For instance. Attend 3 professional conferences--national, local or state, meet with the faculty library committee once a month and send him a report, answer 2 letters a month from school children (two was a good achievable number because there would be many more). It had to be specific, measurable and attainable. That way when he'd visit my library the next year, all he had to do was check, check and check. I hate setting goals, but being specific and measurable helped a lot. Same with health changes.

Since I'm now checking my blood pressure, which I'd never done in the past, I also read an article on how to do it.  

Empty your bladder.  

Sit with feet on the floor and don't cross your knees.  

Sit quietly and relax.  

Lay your arm on the table.  

Apply the cuff correctly (which is difficult for me without help).  

Proceed. 

Some days the high number is over 130, but more and more, it's in the teens as I give up salt and do it correctly. Today it was 112/65 pulse 64. On Feb. 20 it was 116/67 pulse 79. 

About salt.  I don't like adding artificial things if I can just do with less of the natural (such as "lite" salad dressing or "low salt" anything), so I poked around in the cupboard and found a shaker of "The Avenue" signature steak seasoning. The Avenue Steak Tavern  We'd gone there for my 80th birthday before Phil became ill.  The ingredients are granulated garlic, granulated onion, dried parsley, pink peppercorn, black peppercorn, and Kosher salt.  Since salt is the last ingredient, I think I'll use this on some things that are just tasteless. Ricotta, for instance, is as tasty as school paste. The main ingredient is whey.  I browsed the internet for other steak seasoning, and found most listed salt as first or second ingredient. 

Physicians speak out

A physician speaks out about quarantining the healthy. The destruction of the first amendment freedoms while keeping marijuana shops and abortion clinics open. Liquor stores are essential but your business isn't? Dr. Jeff Barke of California:

https://heavy.com/news/2020/05/dr-jeff-barke-video/?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmU6YYGfyUk What is happening to doctors. Learn what's going on. Dr. Yvette Lozano of Texas.

On being a caregiver

It's been 2 weeks since our son Phil died, and I may write more of my reflections (and advice to others) at my blog when they come to me. Let me first say it is a privilege to be with a loved one when he is dying, although it will be the most difficult thing you'll ever do. Phil was Phil from the beginning to the end, and although that could be very frustrating when we wanted him to go a different direction or not cause self-harm, he was also a testament to God's creative power. From the moment of our conception to the moment of our last breath, we are the same person going through stages. Jesus has ennobled our frail human bodies that get sick and die, and from here on Phil has no bounds.

When we got the call from hospice in February we were totally unprepared--we thought Phil would be continuing his chemo and battling his brain tumor. It was an ugly fight, but he was determined to stick with the treatment. The appointments were on the calendar. But with hospice, treatment stops and palliative care begins. Our weekly visit and daily phone calls turned into 24/7 care. Because of HIPAA and Phil's personality, we knew little about his treatment or glioblastoma, only what we'd been able to learn on our own. We didn't live in the same community and knew nothing about his financial situation. The national situation almost eliminated our familiar support network. And we were so wrong about so many things.

Imagine (if you are about my age) you know how to drive a car--you've been driving so long it's almost second nature. But it's becoming difficult and you no longer do the free ways and stay with the streets you know. You vaguely remember how to drive a stick shift because you learned that as a teen (or in my case, your husband has one). So, these two nice ladies you've never seen before pay you a visit, show you a 1950s era pick up truck, put you behind the wheel, and say, "Don't worry, we'll teach you what you need to know." Meanwhile you're headed for the entrance ramp to drive through the center of Atlanta at rush hour, or Chicago through 50 construction zones at night. In a pick up truck you don't remember how to drive. At every stop light, a different person climbs in the cab and reroutes you--no map, no GPS. Sometimes at night something breaks down and it takes hours to get help. Fortunately, there are some hitch hikers to pick up along the way who really do help and explain things.

If you've been or will be a caregiver, your mileage will vary; spouses have rights and relationships with the medical system, financial institutions and social networks that parents and adult children don't have. The same people who are there to help may also say, by law we can't advise you, or that's not my area of expertise.

If you are healthy now and have no worries, pause and reflect. Two days before Phil was diagnosed we'd had a birthday lunch at the Chef-o-Nette in our old neighborhood and we knew nothing about what would be coming on October 1.

While we’re all washing, don’t forget. . .fingernails

Let me add one more health measure I haven't seen mentioned. Your fingernails. Trim them shorter than usual. Fake nails are factories of bacteria and fungus. Painted natural nails are too in that you can't see the crude they accumulate and cracks harbor critters. Yes, this is a virus, but you don't want to add to the stew, especially if you are working in any health facility or food service. If you're in veterinary medicine, you don't want to share your work with your pet at home.

"A real threat to patients lurks at the very tips of health-care workers’ fingers. Even when properly washed and gloved, the risk of infection is still there. The threat is pathogens harbored beneath artificial fingernails. If clinicians forgo artificial fingernails, it could make a significant difference in infection control. Studies have shown that artificial nails, as well as chipped nail polish, possess a greater amount of gram negative bacteria and pathogens than natural nails. The grooves and rough areas create a prefect space for bacteria to thrive."

https://www.rdhmag.com/pathology/public-health/article/16407021/infection-control-right-at-your-fingertips?

Finally, relief from vertigo

This week I was down for 4 days with vertigo. People call it being dizzy, but it's worse than that for me--I can hardly tell the ceiling from the floor, and tip over even sitting down. And although you don't die of vertigo, if you fall at 80, it's a serious problem. Falls result in more than 2.8 million injuries treated in emergency departments annually, including over 800,000 hospitalizations and more than 27,000 deaths.

It happens when a tiny crystal gets dislodged from your inner ear, and really messes up your balance. I had it when I was about 50, really bad, and then again this past week. But at least this time I knew what it was and didn't think I was having a stroke.

You can wait it out for a few weeks, get a prescription, or try some maneuvers to dislodge the crystal (get a diagram from the internet), or see your doctor who might try some head turning maneuvers to move the crystal. I did see a doctor yesterday and by that time, it had pretty much cleared after my daughter read instructions on turning my head--although that took about 12 hours to get better. Still, just in case it's something else, and if you're old enough for Medicare, it's still a good idea for the doctor to look in your eyes and poke around. There is a virus that causes similar symptoms and also Meniere's disease which can cause hearing loss.

After a few days in the house, not driving or going to the gym, the January sun never looked so good, even if it was to go to the doctor.

https://www.wikihow.com/Perform-the-Epley-Maneuver

Homocysteine

I wrote about homocysteine in February at this blog.

Today I noticed this after seeing Dr. Bret Scher on a Prager U video. https://lowcarbcardiologist.com/meat-and-homocysteine-irrelevant-or-dangerous/

This video is on how the government made us fat is good. https://www.prageru.com/video/how-the-government-made-you-fat/

Older people and protein needs

Today I attended a program on protein at the wellness center at Lakeside and wasn’t satisfied with what I heard.  Most of her references were 15-20 years old. Her citations for RDA were for the “universe” of adults, rather than the elderly, and most attending were over 70.   Here’s my recommendation when googling health information.  Add the letters NCBI to your search.  Here is “elderly protein ncbi”.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4924200/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30036990

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24814383

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4882708/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30037048

Lakeside 2019, Week 4, Dr. Roizen and Dr. Dillon

Dr. Kelly Dillon of Wittenberg University (Springfield, OH)  was our speaker at Lakeside Monday and Tuesday on children and guns, cyberbullying and media literacy. My major question is why Hollywood and TV celebs are so critical of the 2nd amendment when in fact they fuel the violence with their films and shows. Seems awfully hypocritical. It's an industry--not just actors, but screen writers, agents, producers, directors, lighting, costuming, make-up, drivers, camera jockeys, set designers, film editors, it's all in a days job. They all play a role in the violence.  She presented some compelling research done at OSU using edited movies, some with violence some without then following children who were playing with nerf guns and a real gun.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/09/170925132929.htm

In terms of her media lecture, I believe educated people have too much faith in  “knowledge,” and “information.”  Especially parents of adolescents.  They seem to think that if “we have that conversation” with our children about sex, alcohol, drugs, or on-line safety or cyberbullying, then like magic, they will make the right decisions.

Dr. Michael Roizen of the Cleveland Clinic drew a large crowd for an evening lecture.  He went through his slides so quickly I knew I’d have to search the internet for his YouTube and summaries of his books. But I did have a few takeaways to investigate.  He thinks that even at my age, I can make a difference in my genes by actively pursuing the right nutrition, exercise and few modifications.  He is still in favor of  older adults using a multi-vitamin and  baby aspirin. He likes breathing exercises for lowering blood pressure.  Interestingly, he recommends jumping for strengthening bones.  Not sure I’ve seen that before—I’ll have to find an explanation.  Dr. Roizen is a HUGE fan of coffee—like it’s a magic elixir.  Like most people knowledgeable about nutrition, he’s not fond of sugar.

https://www.whenway.com/
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/06/190624111622.htm

He’s written many books, and there was a table of autographed books for sale.

Lakeside 2019, Week 4

The daytime lectures this week feature Kelly Dillion of Wittenburg University speaking on “Kids, Guns & the Media,” and “Media Literacy for  all Ages” on Monday and Tuesday.  On Wednesday Mark Dawidziak speaks on “The Twilight Zone,” and on Thursday, “Rod Serling & Mark Twain: moralists in disguise.”

Tuesday evening at Hoover Auditorium will be author, Michael Roizen, MD, Cleveland Clinic, speaking on the 6 + 2 normals.  Here’s a YouTube of one of his lectures. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzSaI73NKaw 

At another lecture, https://www.healthandwealthresearch.com/free-research/how-to-become-a-1-percenter  given this year, he said,

“Consider that 84% of all healthcare costs are due to chronic disease, and 75% of chronic diseases are driven by just six measurable factors:

• Blood pressure

• Body mass index (BMI)

• Fasting blood sugar (or hemoglobin A1C)

• LDL cholesterol

• Smoking (measured by blood cotinine levels)

• Unmanaged stress

These six predictors of chronic disease are controllable in up to 95% of people.”  (+2) See your primary care provider and stay up to date on your immunizations.  So for being 80 and 81, we’re in pretty good shape (but I need to lower my cholesterol).

Today, Sunday afternoon, a woman is speaking for the Heritage Society about how she came back to Marblehead Peninsula to start a business.  On Monday in Chautauqua Hall we’ll have another evening of Porch Stores—this little feature now in the 3rd year has been so popular (and it is nationwide) that it is held in Chautauqua Hall in the Fountain Inn rather than on a porch.  Tuesday at the Women’s Club I plan to attend a program about Mrs. Warren Harding.

Last night a huge crowd showed up to enjoy the Spinners, a black do-wop group, but although we stuck our heads in the door, it was so hot we went over to the Barris’ and chatted with Dan.  Friday’s Cooking with Chef Stacy lecture  in the morning featured how to purchase, chop, treat and store knives, and she did a demo for corn chowder, made with 2 quarters of cream!  We asked, but she said, no, it should be cream—just eat less of it if concerned about calories. I’m not a member of the CLSC discussion group, but Thursday they are doing “A Gentleman in Moscow” by Amor Townes, and our book club did that one, so I may see what that’s about.  On Friday July 12, we’ll have another Organizing 101 on dealing with “stuff.”  The first one was very good.

96 cherries in every bottle!

Not everyone reads full page magazine ads for products new to her. I do, especially if my friend Sonja just told me how many tart cherries must be in a cherry pie by law. This product, a juice drink called Cherrish, has 96 cherries (pulp, skin, and juice) in one 12 oz. bottle! The nearest store to me is in Las Vegas, so if I want to try it, I suppose it will be via Amazon. http://www.cherrish.net/why-cherries/ I don't have symptoms of exercise induced muscle damage, but who knows, some day I may work hard enough at the gym to get that. . .

Speaking of cherries, I just bought a pound of sweet cherries--just gorgeous and delicious--for $2.99/lb at Marc's. Not sure they will last until lunch time.

Five lifestyles which will prolong your life. . . maybe

Have you ever seen this statement--"Americans have a shorter life expectancy compared with residents of almost all other high-income countries." I wish they'd qualify that by race, ethnicity, immigration status and age. Are Swedish Americans less healthy than ethnic Swedes in Sweden? Finnish Americans worse off than those born in Helsinki? German Americans? Drugs, auto accidents, and gun deaths wipe out a big swath of young Americans which unfortunately drastically alters our life expectancy national statistics. Losing weight, eating a healthy diet, and exercising more are good for you as an individual, but probably won't change national statistics as long as those 3 killers are present.

Here's what the journal "Circulation" determined: "Adherence to 5 low-risk lifestyle-related factors (never smoking, a healthy weight, regular physical activity, a healthy diet, and moderate alcohol consumption) could prolong life expectancy at age 50 years by 14.0 and 12.2 years for female and male US adults compared with individuals who adopted zero low-risk lifestyle factors."

Simple, right? Popular health journals and websites (usually sponsored by pharmaceutical companies) have jumped on that one. Buckets of articles and bags of advice have come from that. But. As young adults, people (like me in the 1960s or my parents in the 1930s) observing those five lifestyles were probably not involved in violent gangs, car chases while drunk, stealing to support an opioid habit, or eating wings at the local bar and washing them down with 12 beers several times a week. Those five lifestyles often include a monogamous marriage, higher education levels, stable jobs, church attendance, strong family and friend relationships. It's not that grandma who smoked like a chimney and drank six beers a day didn't live to be 105, or that cousin Ralph dropped dead jogging at age 40, but they are the exception.

I haven't read the whole article, but I know how it will be cited: support take over by the government of our health insurance because look how unhealthy Americans are. Studies in countries with socialized medicine that compare their healthiest and their least healthy show the same spread as the U.S. and that there are income gaps, education disparity and socio-economic differences which government health insurance doesn't change.

This article is free access.  “Circulation” is one of the best peer reviewed journals you can read on cardiovascular issues. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.117.032047

Propolis—bee glue

Today I ordered a small bottle of propolis. . . bee glue.  On Feb. 28, which was “Rare Disease Day” I found a podcast about rare diseases which featured a bee keeper, formerly of Wall Street. https://harperspero.com/podcast-notes/carlystein

Her passion for the power of the bees originated from a personal medical issue she faced while traveling in Italy. After discovering the incredible healing properties of bee propolis while abroad, she set out on a mission to share the wonders from the hive and educate people on the integral role the bees play in our ecosystem.

So that aroused my curiosity and I began researching propolis, bee glue, which bees use to repair and protect their hives.

According to WebMD:  “Propolis is a resin-like material made by bees from the buds of poplar and cone-bearing trees. Propolis is rarely available in its pure form. It is usually obtained from beehives and contains bee products. Bees use propolis to build their hives.
Propolis is used for canker sores and infections caused by bacteria (including tuberculosis and upper respiratory tract infections), by viruses (including HIV, H1N1 "swine" flu, and the common cold), by fungus, and by single-celled organisms called protozoans. Propolis is also used for cancer of the nose and throat; for treating warts; and for treating gastrointestinal (GI) problems including Helicobacter pylori infection in peptic ulcer disease.
People sometimes apply propolis directly to the skin for wound cleansing, genital herpes, cold sores (herpes labialis), vaginal swelling (vaginitis), and minor burns. Propolis is also used topically as a mouth rinse to treat painful mouth sores and inflammation (oral mucositis) and thrush (oropharyngeal candidiasis) and to improve healing following oral surgery.
In manufacturing, propolis is used as an ingredient in cosmetics.”

I went to several stores that carry supplements, health foods, etc., and although I did find the spray, I didn’t find the capsules, so I ordered them on line.  Sounds like a wonder drug, and from the two research/medical articles I read, it’s different and useful for a variety of things based on the geographic area, just like honey.

This one has an emphasis on propolis from India, but covers all countries.  Lots of references. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3872021/

“Propolis is a natural resinous mixture produced by honey bees from substances collected from parts of plants, buds, and exudates. Due to its waxy nature and mechanical properties, bees use propolis in the construction and repair of their hives for sealing openings and cracks and smoothing out the internal walls and as a protective barrier against external invaders like snakes, lizards, and so forth, or against weathering threats like wind and rain. Bees gather propolis from different plants, in the temperate climate zone mainly from poplar. Current antimicrobial applications of propolis include formulations for cold syndrome (upper respiratory tract infections, common cold, and flu-like infections), wound healing, treatment of burns, acne, herpes simplex and genitalis, and neurodermatitis. Worldwide propolis has a tremendous popularity, but in India the studies over propolis have just started, not extensively reported except few regions of India like Maharashtra, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Gujrat, and Madhya Pradesh.”

This one is very long and detailed with chemical analysis: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4461776/

The one caution most sites mention is that some people have allergic reactions to honey and propolis.

https://saveourbones.com/the-overall-and-bone-health-benefits-of-caffeic-acid/

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) is one of the main medicinal components of propolis. Propolis is a naturopathic formulation collected by honeybees from buds and exudates of conifer trees and plants. It is used by the bees as a protective barrier in the hive. CAPE in breast cancer research.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3144783/

Use of CAPE in dental diseases. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6381107/

Anti-viral properties of CAPE https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4665029/

Anti-microbial https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4927136/

Cognitive improvement elderly http://www.propolisscience.org/propolis-and-cancer/brazilian-green-propolis-prevents-cognitive-decline-into-mild-cognitive-impairment-in-elderly-people-living-at-high-altitude/   refers to article in Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 63(2) 551-560, April 2018

Anti-cancer affects of propolis  https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.2042-7158.2011.01331.x#.WvHN9e5RMoU

Ten resolutions from the American Medical Association

AMA's 10 resolutions for the New Year. I'll need another list. Already have done all of these.

1. Know your risk for type 2 diabetes--
2. Be more physically active—
3. Know your blood pressure numbers—
4. Reduce your intake of processed foods, especially those with added sodium and sugar—
5. Take antibiotics only as prescribed--
6. Alcohol only in moderation, up to one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men--
7. Quit tobacco and nicotine, declare your home and car smoke-free --
8. Properly dispose of any leftover medication and never share--
9. Stay up-to-date on vaccines—
10. Manage stress—

https://www.ama-assn.org/press-center/press-releases/ama-offers-10-health-recommendations-new-years-resolutions

The importance of exercise

“The experts call physical activity the “best buy” in public health. And the guidelines are based on evidence from thousands of studies. Based on this evidence, an expert panel concluded that exercise increases our lifespans, prevents that sneaky annual weight gain and reduces the risk of almost every chronic disease: cardiovascular disease, diabetes and many cancers. No other single behavior can do as much good for your health. By investing some time into exercise now, you get to cash in later. Think of it as the 401K for a long, healthy and happy life. “
I go to Lifetime Fitness 6 times a week, so that’s about 300 minutes of planned exercise, plus I may do another 10-15 at home on my exercycle.  I’m not seeing a big pay off, but then I’ve pretty much been a slug my whole life.  I don’t really enjoy exercise, but I can do 3 miles on a cycle if I take a magazine with me. or turn on Fox News. However, being a researcher from way back, the number of articles on exercise as the new life extender pill is stunning.
This article suggests move more, sit less, but since I’ve battled weight gain from all this exercise (I’m more hungry), I still hold to my old motto, “Move More, East Less,” or MMEL.  The author is exactly right, though, in saying it’s not difficult to add 5 minutes a day to your routine, and then when that’s settled, add another five.
As I’ve said before, I’ve seen some stunning role models at the gym—usually men who come in on walkers, or are using canes. One woman has an artificial below the knee prosthesis.  When I think the treadmill is too boring, I look at them and decide I don’t have it so bad.
https://theconversation.com/move-more-sit-less-great-advice-but-how-can-we-make-time-for-exercise-106741
I looked up the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee Scientific Report linked in the first  paragraph thinking I’d print it, but it turned out to be over 700 pages, so I just printed the Executive Summary, pp. 18-25.
https://health.gov/paguidelines/second-edition/report/pdf/PAG_Advisory_Committee_Report.pdf

More on my wonderful chocolate drink

Remember when I was blogging about the wonderful benefits of dark chocolate, for brain and body, including weight loss? Check back here, and here, and here, in case you've forgotten.  After reading about a drink to help cognitive function, I thought, how hard could that be to mix up, so I started making a dark 100% cacao drink (Hersey's brown ribbon container), one to one with Splenda.  But, also, peanut powder for cooking that is 85% less fat is now available, so today I mixed some of the peanut powder with my  chocolate drink, and Shazam!, it was good.  I don't know if it has any health or brain benefits; but I just love the chocolate peanut butter flavor.

Jif is not my peanut butter of choice (I buy Krema), however, it does have handy "to go" packages that are just right for my husband's trips to Haiti.  He misses the regular lunch time due to his schedule and eats peanut butter jelly in the dorm, and these are just perfect.

Lard is good for us--again

When I was growing up, there were always several pounds of lard in the house. Mom cooked everything in it. Plus she was the most fabulous pie baker in the world with the flakiest crusts--all made from lard. But she always read the health articles in the ladies' magazines, and sometime in the 1950s, lard disappeared from our home, and even the grocery stores. I've never purchased it, but it's been coming back in style the last 10 years and is much healthier than the oils that replaced it.

 http://empoweredsustenance.com/lard-is-healthy/

 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3176558/It-s-healthier-cook-LARD-sunflower-oil-Extraordinary-experiment-shows-ve-told-cooking-oils-wrong.html

 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/28/cooking-with-lard-baking_n_5212804.html