Category Archives: Stay healthy

Too much vitamin B12

Posted on by July 16, 2015

Last weekend my husband participated in a golf tournament. It was sponsored by Costco, and each player received a swag bag of Costco merchandise.

When he got home, my husband and I took a look at his “gifts.” I couldn’t help but laugh.

  • OptiFiber Natural Fiber Supplement
  • Body & Soul My Vision Health Eye Vitamins
  • Natrol Fast Dissolve Melatonin
  • Focus Factor Brain Health Supplement
  • Testosterone Support For Men Supplement
  • Slice of Life Energy Boost Gummy Vitamins With B12
  • ZipFizz Healthy Energy Drink Mix With Vitamin B12
  • Oh, and some golf balls and tees

The organizers of that tournament knew their … Continue reading

What sun damage looks like

Posted on by July 6, 2015

My husband just forwarded me this great YouTube video showing how exposure to the sun’s UV rays can damage our skin over time.

It’s a timely reminder to wear sunscreen, hats and sunglasses, and try to stay out of the direct sun during peak UV ray hours, about 10 to 2. Kids, too!

Protecting our skin not only helps prevent skin cancer, but can keep our skin looking younger as we age. Think of the savings in anti-aging products 😉

Related posts:

Sláinte,… Continue reading

What attracts mosquitoes?

Posted on by June 30, 2015

As a child, I remember my mother declaring that of our entire family (2 adults and 4 kids) she was the only one who was pestered by mosquitoes when we were at our summer cabin by the lake.

She felt understandably persecuted by the little blood-sucking menaces.

And she probably was right.

WebMD reports that “genetics account for a whopping 85% of our susceptibility to mosquito bites.”

New research out of the London School of Tropical Medicine confirms this.

The researchers used pairs of identical and fraternal twins who volunteered to be mosquito meat (who would do that?!).

With these

… Continue reading

How healthy are public pools?

Posted on by May 29, 2017

This summer is already unusually hot where I live and kids and adults are flocking to the local public swimming pools and wading pools.

But I read a couple of articles last week that first made me think “Eww!”, and then made me wonder about how healthy public pools really are.

‘Crypto’ Parasite Outbreaks Increasing in Pools Across America

A diarrhea-causing parasite that is often transmitted through water is causing an increasing number of outbreaks in U.S. pools and spas, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Turns out there is a reason pools … Continue reading

Find a Farmers Market in your area

Posted on by June 24, 2016

farmers marketEat fresh & local

I am fortunate to live in an area that has abundant Farmers Markets that operate year-round. They not only offer fresh, locally-grown produce, but baked goods, jams & jellies, cheeses, nuts, cut flowers, and a variety of local artisan crafts.

The summer months are my favorite. I can find summer fruits that are at their peak of ripeness and flavor, unlike the under-ripe, flavorless versions that are sold in the grocery stores. Cherries, peaches, apricots, strawberries, blueberries and raspberries all taste better (and are often cheaper) when they are locally grown and picked within the last … Continue reading

Be informed – What is SPF?

Posted on by May 29, 2017

spfSPF = Sun Protection Factor

An SPF rating is an estimate of how effectively a sunscreen product reduces the time it takes your skin to burn. For example, if it normally takes about 10 minutes in the sun for you to burn, a product with an SPF of 15 extends that time to burn to 150 minutes. SPF 30? Approximately 300 minutes.

Related post: First aid for sunburns

Keep in mind two things about SPF:

1) It is not a super accurate measurement of protection. Different people with different skin types burn at different rates.

2) SPF measures protection from … Continue reading

Is salt bad for you?

Posted on by June 7, 2015

That’s a question that continues to be debated in the medical journals, but the short answer is probably not.

Too much salt or sodium is bad for you, like almost anything; but now we’re learning that too little sodium can be bad for us, too.

A few weeks ago, the Washington Post had a nice article explaining how salt came to be thought of as the enemy of good health, and why new research indicates that current low sodium guidelines might be too low: More scientists doubt salt is as bad for you as the government says

For years, the

… Continue reading

Want to live longer? Think young!

Posted on by May 27, 2015

My husband sent me a link to a short Ted Talks video about aging. After watching it, I’m wondering if I’ve been going about aging the wrong way.

The video is about an inspiring woman, Olga Kotelko, who took up amateur track and field at the age of 77. At age 91, she was competing in the long jump! She had more than 50 world records!

How did she think about growing old? And how might our own perceptions or biases about aging affect us physically?

What if age is just a state of mind?

… Continue reading

Treat headaches with diet and exercise

Posted on by May 21, 2015

Earlier this year, I posted about the study out of Harvard that showed headaches are being overtreated in America.

Over a 10-year period, the number of patients being referred to specialists, or sent for special diagnostic tests, has doubled.

With more CT scans and MRIs, and more prescriptions medications, headaches are costly. Also, all the extra tests and drugs don’t necessarily help, and they might just cause more problems with side effects.

Related post: Home remedies for headaches

Luckily, some headache specialists are leaning away from the trend to overtreat, and are prescribing exercise and dietary changes instead of drugs. … Continue reading

Chaparral – When herbs turn deadly

Posted on by May 16, 2015

I ran into an old acquaintance a few days ago. As we got caught up, he asked “Do you remember Michael?”

“Yes,” I replied. “But I haven’t seen him in years. How is he?”

“He’s dead.”

“Wow, what happened?” I inquired. Michael was relatively young, in his forties. I thought perhaps an accident or a heart attack or cancer.

“Chaparral poisoning. It destroyed his liver.” Huh.

I had never heard of chaparral, but as soon as I’d finished chatting with my friend, I googled it.

Chaparral (aka larrea) is a shrub native to the southwest. It’s also known as the … Continue reading