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2009/11/14 Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones We, my friends and I, are at that age where we worry about osteoporosis. So it was with great interest that I read an article in this morning's NY TImes on the subject. I've lifted the interesting paragraph from it for you:
"In the meantime, the current state-of-the-science message about exercise and bone building may be that, silly as it sounds, the best exercise is to simply jump up and down, for as long as the downstairs neighbor will tolerate. “Jumping is great, if your bones are strong enough to begin with,” Dr. Barry says. “You probably don’t need to do a lot either.” (If you have any history of fractures or a family history of osteoporosis, check with a physician before jumping.) In studies in Japan, having mice jump up and land 40 times during a week increased their bone density significantly after 24 weeks, a gain they maintained by hopping up and down only about 20 or 30 times each week after that."
So, let's get hopping! 2009/7/22 Cough, wheeze, sniffle Yes, it's ragweed season. Sigh. One day a person is fine, and the very next it's as if ten thousand ragweed plants became ripe all at once. Come to think of it, that's probably exactly what happens. So it's back to the antihistamines until frost. I can't believe my body hasn't built up some sort of resistance to ragweed in all these years, but no, it hasn't bothered to do that.
It was fun to see my friends Pam and Geoff Monday over until Tuesday. They left before lunch. I did some cleaning, washed dishes, etc....then took a nap in my big red chair. The heck with the garden, the laundry, and everything else. Sometimes a body just needs to rest.
It's sort of humid and overcast today; supposed to rain, but doesn't seem quite able to get on with that. So, should I turn the sprinkler system back on or not? I hate to spend money on water if I can get some free; but then, I don't want to ruin the lawn and garden either. Decisions, decisions!
Cheryl and I walked this morning, but other than that I have an unscheduled day. Feels good. 2008/7/1 HealthThe greatest wealth is health. ~Virgil
I think you might dispense with half your doctors if you would only consult Dr. Sun more. ~Henry Ward Beecher
The scientific truth may be put quite briefly; eat moderately, having an ordinary mixed diet, and don't worry. ~Robert Hutchison, 1932
To avoid sickness eat less; to prolong life worry less. ~Chu Hui Weng
Can you tell I had my annual physical today? LOL The doctor says I'm healthy, so hooray! Those four quotations above all say pretty much the same thing, and , interestingly, the same thing our doctors tell us today: practice moderation and variety in diet; don't worry; and get yourself outdoors. Easier said then done, as most everything is, but still, these are nice specific goals; ones we can define and measure. 2006/10/5 FrailtyToday's "New York Times" has an excellent article on aging. It addresses the issue of frailty among the elderly: the causes, the results. You can read it here. If an ad pops up, you can click the "skip this ad" message top right.
With our own mother so extremely frail, this subject is of keen interest right now. We all hope to age in a more vigorous fashion, and so I gobble up every article about aging I can find.
Hope you like this one. The NY Times has a section on aging. Here is the link for that: Aging 2006/9/7 Talking about Wake up and smell the.......blueberries?As I was eating my blueberries and yogurt for breakfast, I thought about this entry I wrote last year and decided to re-run it. Quote Wake up and smell the.......blueberries? 2006/8/29 How old?"On Sunday, the oldest woman in the world died at age 116 in an Ecuadorian hospital." (New York Times)
Imagine. 116! The previously oldest person died at age 122. (!!) One can't help but wonder how they managed to live so long. Genetics? Incredible health habits? Blind good luck? The grace of God?
The bigger question, to me anyway, is what was the quality of life in that last couple of decades? I look at my own mother, "only" 89, and I see a frail person, not able to leave the house except for doctor's appointments, barely able to get around within the house, needing 24-hour care. She is also blind, so puzzles, books, so many activities are impossible for her. Yes, she has books on tape and those lovely women who stay with her, but overwhelmingly she is unhappy, wishing to be 35 again and out in the world, a force to be reckoned with.
When I sat with her in the hospital a year and a half ago, we talked through the long nights. She kept asking me, "Why, Barbie, why won't God let me die?" My answer, finally, was, "Well, maybe God has taken away your other abilities but left your mind intact so you can think, think about life, think about God, come to terms with all the issues of your life." She hated that answer, but at least in getting angry at me she stopped being so depressed. At least for a little while.
So I think about those women who have lived well past 100, and I wonder. I've always said, "as long as I have my mind," but I'm not so sure that's enough. I want my eyes, too, and the ability to move around, get out of the house. To dance. To go out for dinner. I read someplace that humankind's natural life span is 120. Sounds great, IF........if all the other things I want accompany the years.
Will it be like this?
There's no such thing as old age, there is only sorrow. (Edna Ferber) or will it be this way? People like you and I, though mortal of course like everyone else, do not grow old no matter how long we live...[We] never cease to stand like curious children before the great mystery into which we were born. letter to Otto Juliusburger (Albert Einstein)
2006/6/30 Talking about The annual physicalYesterday I had my annual physical. My thoughts about that are unchanged, so I'm reprinting my blog from last year. It was all good news this year, so hooray for that! And I love my doctor, one of those rare ones who actually LISTENS. Quote The annual physical 2006/5/10 Post script to the dayThose of you who have read this blog for any length of time know that my philosophy about doctors is "Avoid them like the plague." And I do, oh how I do.
Until today--- when I missed a step and fell, twisting my ankle underneath me. This produced quite the jolt of pain, so Noel dragged me to the walk-in clinic, where we sat breathing germs for three hours. I think I went through an entire bottle of that gel disinfectant stuff. (Am I turning into Howard Hughes????)
Anyway, the Xray indicated "only" a sprain, not a break, so I'm glad for that. I tried getting around my house (a split level, so stairs everywhere) with an old cane of Oscar's father, but found I couldn't move at all. Thank God for daughters, and especially for having one RIGHT HERE where I needed her. Noel hied herself off to Walgreen's to rent some crutches. I'm not highly skilled yet, but at least can move. She also bought two really big Hershey's dark chocolate bars. That should get me through the three days of sitting around with an ice pack.
You can guess how totally annoyed I am with myself. GRRRRRRRRRRR 2006/2/24 All you need to know about healthI was browsing around one of the sites for quotations and found these interesting ones about health. Hope you enjoy them.
A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book. ~Irish Proverb
I think you might dispense with half your doctors if you would only consult Dr. Sun more. ~Henry Ward Beecher The scientific truth may be put quite briefly; eat moderately, having an ordinary mixed diet, and don't worry. ~Robert Hutchison, 1932
Live in rooms full of light
Avoid heavy food Be moderate in the drinking of wine Take massage, baths, exercise, and gymnastics Fight insomnia with gentle rocking or the sound of running water Change surroundings and take long journeys Strictly avoid frightening ideas Indulge in cheerful conversation and amusements Listen to music. ~A. Cornelius Celsus
He who takes medicine and neglects to diet wastes the skill of his doctors. ~Chinese Proverb
It's interesting, I think, that these quotations are from different countries and eras, yet say about the same thing. Of course, I only chose the ones I agree with! Hope you do, too, but if not, here's one for you:
I drive way too fast to worry about cholesterol. ~Author Unknown 2005/8/21 Wake up and smell the.......blueberries?Yes, smell the blueberries. I just read in the paper that neuroscientists doing brain research have discovered that the aroma of blueberries goes directly to the brain and somehow inspires it to create new connections. It is these scientists' belief that smelling blueberries can prevent Alzheimer's Disease. (!)
What are the implications of this discovery, I wonder? Will doctors starting prescribing jam-making to person's with early symptoms? (Thank you, Noel, for that idea!) Will Yankee Candle start advertising on alternative medicine websites?
I had the good luck to sit next to a neuroscientist on the plane last time I flew to LA. He was telling me that the old belief that after age 25 we no longer make new brain cells has been disproven. It is true that old cells die off constantly, but the older brain continues to make replacement cells, apparently forever.........IF.......people keep their brains active. This means not just the puzzles, etc. that we've all heard are good, but constantly learning new things. Apparently, whenever we expose our brains to new ideas, new motor skills, new anything, these wonderful brains of ours up and create the cells they need to think the new thought, complete the new task. Researchers have used subjects as old as 94 and found new cells being formed when the brain is stimulated.
Now, the guy on the plane didn't mention blueberries, but I'm thinking that while I'm out there learning new things about my digital camera, maybe I'll just throw on a nosebag filled with them.
2005/7/1 Getting ready for the icebergI've been trying to convince my body that it doesn't need to hoard and cherish every fat cell in preparation for the day my girls decide to float me out on an iceberg. It's not buying it. Apparently those millions of years of evolution have taught the body some essential things that mere common sense will not override. I walk a minimum of 10,000 steps a day; most days I watch my food intake; I never eat butter; I ride my bike; I swim; I do every thing right (ok, not everything, but awfully darn close)............and I have to fight for every pound. One large meal and I'm up two pounds; Three days of walking extra and watching what I eat, and maybe I'll take back off one of those pounds, often not. How can this be?
Sigh. The frustrations of being middle aged. I think often of how we celebrate the body changes of children: when they are no longer infants, but toddlers, we celebrate; when the toddler turns into a child; celebrate again; puberty is a huge and wonderful accomplishment; we are thrilled when children turn into adults. And then we stop celebrating and start worrying............a wrinkle here, a pound there, this sagging, that drooping. If it happens to ALL of us, then shouldn't we be celebrating these changes, too?
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