Archive for the ‘Health’ Category

I got it into my head that I should try yoga. Pretty much, the only things I know about yoga are, it’s a form of relaxation, it helps with flexibility, it’s good for one’s balance and it doesn’t require me to bounce around too much.

I had one problem with the yoga class; it’s held at my local hospital for the 55+ gang on Tuesday evenings and, as it happened, I had an appointment to get a pedicure last Tuesday. Pretty much, what I know about pedicures is it’s a form of relaxation, your feet and legs receive a massage and it, too, requires no bouncing.

Hmm. What to choose, what to choose…

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Here’s something to think about from Yoga Informer regarding relaxation.

The eye-catching promise of poise, grace, and flexibility are the common reasons why people—especially females—are being drawn to yoga classes nowadays. Having a similar stance with ballet, more and more people see yoga as a relaxing yet more elegant form of exercise.

But there’s something to be said for the pure pampering of a spa pedicure, too.

It isn’t often that a woman’s feet get to relax. Constantly on the go, with careers, family, and other commitments, the feet often take more than they deserve. Making the time to visit the beauty salon for spa pedicures rejuvenates the feet and keeps them looking their best.

Hmm. What to do, what to do…

I decided to check in on MSNBC to find out what ideas the exercise experts have beeen touting lately:

…new guidelines call for healthy adults to engage in moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity for at least 30 minutes five days each week…

…The new guidelines offered specific advice for people 65 and older, urging them to consider lifting weights, improving their strength to prevent falls, and working on flexibility exercises and balance training.

Okay, I can forget about the weight training. That’s not going to happen anytime soon while I’m dealing with a rotator cuff tear. But there’s that flexibility and balance training again. It’s clear I should give yoga a try. And as an added bonus, if I yoga my heart out for an hour each week, I’m half way to meeting the five day requirement–well, almost.

Being a firm believer in having the best of both worlds, I attended my first yoga class on Tuesday; I rescheduled my pedicure for Thursday. The choice wasn’t so complicated afterall.

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I like to write “remember when” essays, and yesterday I got to thinking about penny candy and how wonderful it felt to buy a handful of candy with a few copper pennies. One of my favorites was candy cigarettes: all sugar, shaped like a real cigarette with one tip painted red.

It was my intention to go on the web and find a picture of the candy to attach to this post. Imagine my surprise to find that candy cigarettes are a very controversial topic. Who knew?

According to Science Daily

ScienceDaily (Jun. 19, 2007) — New research suggests that playing with candy cigarettes may favorably set the minds of some children towards becoming future cigarette smokers.

And the British Medical Association, (BMA) reports, candy cigarettes have actually been banned in some countries.

Candy cigarettes have reportedly been restricted or banned in many countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom, Finland, Norway, Australia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. In the United States, legislation banning candy cigarettes has been proposed unsuccessfully at the federal level in 1970 and in 1990, in 11 states, and in New York City. Only one US jurisdiction, North Dakota, has ever banned candy cigarettes. (That ban in 1953 was repealed in 1967.)

Who knew?

All I wanted to do was reminisce a little about how I loved those candy cigarettes. I remember sucking on the end until it came to a sharp point. Although, upon recollection, I don’t think I ever put the “lit” end into my mouth, so I suppose they did represent a real cigarette to me.

And, looking back, I did become an adult smoker, so maybe the test results are valid. Oh, didn’t I tell you there have been actual tests run? It appears that kids who smoke pretend cigarettes grow up  and become adults who smoke real cigarettes ?

 ”Candy cigarettes: do they encourage children’s smoking?” This study found that sixth graders who reported having used candy cigarettes were twice as likely to have also smoked tobacco cigarettes, regardless of parental smoking status. Additionally, 5-11 year olds in focus groups consistently identified candy cigarettes as “smoking toys,”  BMA

Sheesh!

The next time I decide to write a “remember when” memoir, I’ll try to stick with something that is less controversial like Tinkertoys, Teaberry Chewing Gum, or Tangee Lipstick, which I loved to wear when I was a young teen.

My intent for this blog is to provide a senior citizen voice. In that regard, I am eminently qualified since I have recently joined the 55+ gang. With that in mind, here are a few things you should know about me.

I live and work in corporate America, I like to cook, and reading is my obsession. There’s much more, but for now I’d like to talk about my “cotton candy hair.”

I don’t mean to imply my hair is pastel pink or blue. What I’m saying is, my hair has lost all semblance of what is commonly known as “body.” When I watch shampoo commercials on TV and the model’s lustrous hair is bouncing and flowing from side to side in slow motion, I sigh deeply, and force myself to face reality. The fact is there is no shampoo on the face of this planet that is going to change the fact that I have cotton candy hair. How did this happen? And is there anything I can do about it? According to MSNBC…

A shock to the body’s system, which stresses the hair follicles, is often to blame for this change in cyclical hair events. Two to three months after the stressor hits, up to 70 percent of hairs can enter the telogen phase and commence a massive “fall out”.

…This may be due to a condition called alopecia areata. This is thought to be an autoimmune disease in which antibodies attack the hair follicles and hair falls out in small, round patches. In some individuals, this can progress to total loss of hair on the head (alopecia areata totalis), or even complete loss of hair on the head, face (eyebrows, eyelashes) and body (pubic and underarm hair). The latter rare condition is called alopecia areata universalis.

…There are a number of therapies that are currently being used (when there are multiple therapies, it generally means that no one is going to be absolutely effective). They include:

• Corticoid steroids: These are cortisone types of anti-inflammatory drugs that help to suppress the immune system; they can be given as a pill, topical ointment or as a local injection, directly into the hairless patches on the scalp.
• Minoxidil 5%: (known under the brand name of Rogaine) This promotes hair growth in several conditions in which the hair follicles are small and not growing to their full potential. It needs to be used on a daily basis. New hair growth can appear in about 12 weeks, however if use of the drug stops, the new hair may fall out.
• Anthralin (Psoriatic): This is a tar like substance that is used to treat psoriasis; it changes the immune function in the affected skin. If it does work, new hair growth is seen in eight to twelve weeks. It is often used in combination with other medications.
• Sulfasalazin: This sulfa drug is used to treat autoimmune disorders.
• Topical sensitizers: These, when applied to the scalp, cause an allergic reaction that leads to itching and scaling, but also stimulate the hair follicles and can cause hair growth. Again, results are only seen after long-term use, usually three to twelve months.
• Photo chemotherapy: This too is used for psoriasis. It has helped about half those treated, but requires special equipment and treatment two to three times a week. There are concerns that it could increase risk of skin cancer.

Hmm, that doesn’t sound too encouraging.

Anyway, now that I got that off my chest, I’ll close with remarks about the general content you should expect from my blog.

Since I suffer the same setbacks as any other senior citizen, and I revel in the same joys, sometimes I’ll share a memoir with you. From time to time, I’ll give you hints about how you can start your own journal or blog. I intend to talk about vacations, retirement trends, and about topics in the news that apply to us seniors. I may even reveal some of my most cherished recipes. (It could happen!)

Some of what you find here will be light and fun, at other times it could be important stuff, because learning new things should never come to a grinding half.

Your comments, concerns and ideas are always welcome. It will please me if we, as senior citizens, are out here thinking and planning, and expressing ourselves. Here’s to us!