10 Health Tips for 2013

If you are over 50, you've already read this in the January/February edition of AARP Bulletin.  If you are under age 50, read on.

Personally, I do enjoy reading this newspaper for seniors especially the articles on health.  One I found most interesting was written by Nissa Simon, titled, "10 Tips for Better Health."  This is not the typical article suggesting special diets, or workout routines.  These are things you can integrate into a routine for better overall health.



Each one is backed up by scientific research according to Simon.

1. Plan a party:  It can be for friends; family, neighbors, former work associates, or all of the above.  Nurturing social skills improves mood and increases longevity.
2. Adopt a Pet:  Pet owners have healthier hearts and make less visits to the doctor.
3. Eat Chocolate:  It improves blood flow to the brain, raises good HDL cholestrol levels and lowers bad LDL cholesterol levels.
4. Coffee is OK:  Regular or decaf lowes risk of dying from diabetes, heart disease, and pneumonia.
5. Wine or Beer:  A glass of red or white wine is heart healthy.  Both wine and beer protects against diabetes and some cancers.
6. Have Sex:  It's good for your mental and physical health.
7. Music:  Listening to your favorite tunes boosts mood, and lowers anxiety.
8. Take a Nap:  A mid-day snooze can improve mood, alertness, and ability to learn.
9. Enjoy Nature:  Boosts mood and sense of well-being.
10. Check your soap:  Stop using soaps and household cleaners containing antibacterial agent triclosan.

Simon added a personal note that to me is a no-brainer:  Spend time doing exactly what you want to do. 

How do I fare on these tips for the new year?

My wife and I have not hosted a party/gathering since before the holidays.  The Super Bowl might be the reason to host one.

We are not into pets at this stage of our lives.  Both of us had pets when we were kids, and we did have a host of barn cats when our two daughters were at home.  I don't see a pet in our future either.

Chocolate, OMG, who doesn't like it.  My wife brought a box home from the office.  Plus, I normally have a snickers bar stashed in a pocket of my day pack every week for day hikes.

I'm sure glad coffee is OK, because I do drink a few cups daily at the house.  On hike days, I stop for a cup to drink on my way to the trailhead.

Wine/beer both have space in the frig in the basement.  We do have a glass of wine with special meals, i.e. spaghetti, filet migon, salmon, and holidays.  Beer...not so much.

Sex: not so much.

Music is always at my fingertips.  A boombox in the kitchen for catching our son-in-law (D-Mac) on The Drive Show, on 104.3, the fan.  My old CD/radio unit, kept on the night stand.  It gets used most nights either after retiring or if I wake overnight and have trouble getting back to sleep.  Then there is the radio in my truck that blasts all the classic rock tunes from Van Halen to The Stones, and McCartney.  It goes on every time the ignition switch is turned.

Napping, I could never understand.  I can truthfully remember taking two maybe three daytime naps in my life.  Naps are for wusses.

Nature I do enjoy, no doubt.  I probably spend more time in nature many weeks than anything else.

As for the soaps and cleaners we use around the house, I have not found one containing triclosan.