Sex, Health, Diet Info

Animal and insect bites and stings are relatively common minor injuries. Usually, they will heal on their own and will not cause serious or permanent damage, but they can be serious and it is important to know appropriate first aid measures.

What are the possible complications of bites and stings?

Many animal bites result in puncture wounds – deep wounds that penetrate the tissue underneath the skin and cause internal damage. The germs from the animal’s mouth can then be carried deep into the wound and may cause serious infections.

The adder is the only poisonous snake in the UK, and although the venom can be fatal, the number of recorded deaths is very small indeed.

There is one serious complication of insect stings. A small percentage of people can develop a life- threatening allergic reaction called anaphylactic shock, where airways become swollen and reduce the air getting to the lungs. The symptoms of anaphylactic shock are red, blotchy skin with raised areas, swelling of the face and neck, puffiness around the eyes, wheezing and difficulty breathing, rapid pulse and loss of consciousness. Anaphylactic shock is a very serious condition and requires immediate hospital treatment.

What should I do if someone has been bitten or stung?

First, assess the seriousness of the bite or sting.

Serious bites and stings

If the bite is large and/or bleeding heavily, take the person to the nearest GP or hospital, or call 999 for an ambulance

If the person has been stung in the mouth, give them ice to suck on and phone 999 for an ambulance

If you suspect the person is going into anaphylactic shock, call for an ambulance immediately. Check the person’s ABC (see box bellow) and if necessary (and you are trained to do so), perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation

You should be aware that coming into contact with blood and body fluids may expose you to infections such as hepatitis B and C, and HIV. If the bite is bleeding, do not touch it with your bare hands. Ideally, put on a pair of disposable, preferably sterile gloves: if you do not have a first aid box to hand or you do not have disposable gloves, use another type of barrier, such as a thickly folded dish towel or clean handkerchief, and wash you hands thoroughly before and after touching the person.

Minor animal bites

Wash the wound with warm water and soap, if possible

Pat the wound dry, and cover it with a plaster or small dressing, or any piece of clean, non-textured cloth that you have to hand

If the person has been bitten by an animal, check with its owners about current immunisations. The person who has been bitten should see their doctor about a tetanus immunisation. Afterwards, keep an eye on the wound for signs of infection (redness, swelling and heat concentrated at the site of the wound).

If the person has been bitten by a snake, keep the wounded area below the level of the heart and do not allow the person to walk around, as this will spread the venom through the body. If you can, immobilise the injured area using strips of cloth and padding tied into a splint. Call an ambulance.

Minor insect bites and stings

Bites from insects such as mosquitoes, fleas or flies usually do not require medical attention. Even stings from bees, wasps or hornets, although painful and frightening, are not usually serious.

If the stinger it still there, remove it by scraping a credit card over the surface; do not try to remove it with tweezers – you may squeeze more venom out of the venom sac into the wound

Apply a cold compress (any clean cloth soaked in cold water will do) to reduce the pain and swelling

A paste of baking soda mixed with water can help to relieve the pain.

If the pain and swelling do not go away, or if it gets worse over the next day or two, the person should see a doctor

As mentioned above, if you suspect the person is having an allergic reaction to a sting (anaphylactic shock) you must phone for an ambulance immediately.

What can I do to prevent bites and stings?

There are several measures you can take to reduce the likelihood of being bitten or stung:

Do not approach wild animals, especially if they seem injured

Avoid strange cats and dogs

Do not wear strong perfume, which will attract bees and wasps

Use an insect repellent

Take care when eating and drinking: bees and wasps are attracted to sweet, sugary foods. Take particular care when drinking from cans of soft drink: always use a straw or pour the drink into a cup or glass

If you come across a wasp or bees’ nest, do not disturb it

Avoid dense forested areas in hot weather and in the height of summer.

Take a walking stick if you intend to walk through long grass or undergrowth: your stick will disturb a snake or other biting animal before you do

Wear protective clothing: long socks and long-sleeved garments will provide protection from bites and stings

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New medications are currently produced and introduced to the market to cater for the imposing obesity ailment in humans… The medications are in fact of herbal origin; extracts of plant parts and the purified active principles, which are presented in the form of pills, drinks, ointments and gels, with the view of reducing the body fat through excessive burning or undue release.

The slimming effects are successful in many cases, though the goal can be achieved through regular and moderate feeding with low calorie food and strenuous body exercise.

Overweight and obesity is related to an aggregate of technological, social, economic and environmental changes, including increase in sedentary activities, such as radio listening, TV watching or simply lazing about.

Obesity literally means that the body fat has accumulated to more than 25-33 % of the average content in a healthy body, and may lead to reduced life expectancy. It is also associated with diverse diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, hypertension, hiperlipidema, osterioarthertis as well as difficult breathing. Child obesity is often carried over into adulthood and may be difficult to treat later.

Obesity also increases the risk of death in current or former smokers as opposed to non-smokers. The increase in the body fat induces insulin resistance in diabetic persons, and increases the risk of thrombosis.

Anti-obesity drugs will help to reduce the appetite, or inhibit fat absorption. However, surgery may be necessary in certain cases so as to reduce the stomach volume or bowel length. This will inherently reduce the ability of absorbing nutrients from consumed food.

However, some people have a family tendency to gain weight through genetic factors which explain the dramatic increase in rates of overweight and obesity.

There are cases where both of the above treatments may not be successful, when obesity is endemic through gene expression. This kind of malicious kind of obesity cannot be strained through either bodily exercise or excessive intake of slimming action medications.

Now, recent evidence has led to  the discovery of a gene , Ad-36,called E4OBF-1.which causes precursor cells to differentiate into fat cells, and hence promotes obesity in humans as well as animals.. The viral gene is said to be responsible for triggering this process. When the expression of the E4 ORF-1  is blocked in cells infected by Ad-36, the cells failed to differentiate into fat cells. This is a proof that this gene is both necessary and sufficient for fat cell differentiation.

It is hoped that one day, researchers may be able to block E4  ORF-1 in humans to prevent Ad-36-induced obesity.

The gene also makes cells more responsive for insulin, in which drugs that mimic this part of the gene’s action may be useful in treating type 2 diabetes.

In spite of this genetic factor, one has to continue, through medication and exercise to fight it off, in at least to keep thing steady

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Losing fat is a very difficult task for many peoples who do no want or dont have time for regular exercising. Of course there people who so scared of getting fat and so they go ahead and starve themselves just to keep in shape. There are various aspects that lead one’s body to accumulate fat. These aspects may incude:

Blood Sugar Levels

Low amounts of calories in the body trigger bloodsugar levels. This is often characterised by feeling tired, irritability, restlessness and anxiety. All these cause one to have a craving for something sweet and rich in carbohydrates. This is beccause the body needs glucose which is needed to provide energy for the bodily functions yet the supply is minimal. The brain and the central nervous system are the main beneficiaries of glucose. The brain is known to consume close to 2/3 of the glucose supply when one is active or one is asleep. This urge to eat sweet foods is the mechanism of the body to get one to eat in vast amounts. As one consumes more and more food, the blood sugar raises to very high levels triggering insulin to start deploying glucose to the muscles and liver areas. This is good for the proper functioning of the body. However, some people tend to overeat. Overeating leads to glucose being directed in the fat cells to be stored as a reserve. This reserve is hardly utilised and thus more accumulation will result in one getting fat.

The Serotonin Levels

Serotanin is obtained from tryptophan. It is used as a nuerotransmiter for the brain and the nervous system. A good level of serotanin in the blood ensures that one feels okay and the sleep pattern proceed in the required form. Everyone has in one time or the other been awoken from sleep by hunger pangs; this is a result of low serotanin levels disrupting the sleep to inform you that you need carbohydrates. One may argue that the carbohydrates will make them fatter but this situation indicates low calorie levels that require carbohydrate intervention.

It is therefore that bodybuilders need to take a light carbohydrate say a snack before sleep in order to ensure better sleep patterns through appropriate levels of serotanin.

The Muscle Protein and the Metabolism Issue

When the body is deprived of energy, the muscles are often broken down to create glucose for the body especially the brain. Some people have heard that ketone bodies are at times broken down to provide energy for the brain. This is not entirely true as the brain will continue to only utilise glucose and hence the muscles will still be used for that.

The body however does not advocate for muscle breadown and so it will tend to slow down the matebolic in order to reduce most energy requirements for as long as possible. As the muscles breakdown, the energy requirements are lowered, fewer calories are burnt and hence they are stored as fat.This explains why low calorie diets are discouraged while one is trying to cut excess weight.

The Lipoprotein Lipase Issue

The body has the system of recovery whereby it can gain back the weight it lost in months in just a few days. This is enble through an enzyme called lipoprotein lipase which is developed whenever one undereats for long periods of time.

After that period is over, they work by converting whatever meal you take to fat.

Malnutrition of the Borderline type

This type of malnutrition occurs in candidates who are overzelous to diet down their weight. It has several characteristics such:

Water retention which is dangerous since it may be interpreted as weight and thus further efffort will be put in order to fight weight gain.

Iron deficiency resulting to borderline anemia is also a common phenomenon. Lack of various nutrients causes the body to trigger hunger in an effort to suppplement these nutrients from food.

Poststarvation-Hyperphagia

Another factor is Poststarvation hyperphagia. This is a heightened hunger feeling that is particularly hard to ignore. This makes one eat alot leading to further fat deposition.

Dane Fletcher is the world’s most prolific bodybuilding and fitness expert and is currently the executive editor for BodybuildingToday.com. If you are looking for more bodybuilding tips or information on weight training, or supplementation, please visit www.BodybuildingToday.com, the bodybuilding and fitness authority site with hundreds of articles available FREE to help you meet your goals.

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Whether you already know it or not California has a lot of options for health insurance. There are companies that we all heard of and there are some companies that we never heard of. With all the Health Insurance Companies out there you might be wondering what the differences are and which one is right for you.

First in state of California the health insurance companies you should be looking at are; Aetna, Assurant, Blue Cross, Blue Shield, HealthNet, Kaiser, Nationwide, PacifiCare, Celtic and new company that is going to be available in state of California is Golden Rule. These are the largest carriers that are available in the State of California. If you are looking at any other company that was not mentioned previously, use caution. With all the health insurance premiums going up there are companies that prey on people with low premiums and coverage that does not cover anything. They are just out there to make a quick buck buy collection as much premiums as they can before you cancel your coverage. Stay away from companies that you never heard of, not matter what they tell you. If you hear something like, ?affordable health insurance for self-employed?, run.

Second what you have to understand that the actual cost of insurance no matter what company you go with is about the same. So how do insurance companies have so many different plans with different premiums? If it is a large insurance company and the company ran efficiently that is how you get great premium with great coverage. What creates variety of prices for coverage is the creative aspect of the insurance company designing their plans. The way they do it is by deductibles, co-pays, co-insurance, drug coverage deductibles, whether the plan covers brand name drugs or generic drugs only, maternity coverage, maximum out of pocket, deductible and co-pays for all kind of different services.

The name we all know is Blue Cross Blue Shield. Blue Cross has been around since the recession of 1929, and it used to cost only 1 cent a day. The times have changes since then, but the Blue Cross name is still around. Blue Cross has been over the years the most stable largest health insurance provider in the United States. Their strategy is to keep rates stable and have stable rate increases. While most other plans might lower their rates to get more people on their coverage and then keep increasing their rates. There fore as some plans might be more attractive in premiums at the moment over time eventually they have to catch up with the actual market health insurance rates. Sometime the company has to charge people more for health insurance in the future so they can give more affordable rates today. Blue Cross will give the one of the largest varieties of plans to choose from and you can always downgrade a plan without going through underwriting is the monthly premiums because to expensive.

The most competitive health insurance coverage you will be able to get in California today is through Aetna and once Golden Rule plans come out by United Health Care then Golden Rule plans are going to be the most completive plan. Every time most of the large insurance company enters a new state with a new plan they make that plan more combative just to capture the percentage of that market eventually the company will have to raise their rates to the market level. Aetna plans in California are the most competitive. This is where you can get the most coverage for your money. Keep in mind that the Aetna Individual plans in the state of California do not cover Maternity.

Assurant Health Plans is provided through Fortis Insurance Company which is the 26th largest company in the world and Fortis Insurance Company has been around since 1892. Assurant Health Plans are the most widely accepted and flexible plans that are available on the market today. Assurant Health Plans utilizes dozens of provider networks Nationwide to give you the worlds largest selections of doctors in United States and worldwide. Assurant Health Plans are the only plans that will cover you world wide as they will cover you in the United States. There is a big difference when insurance company says that you are covered for emergencies worldwide. Insurance company can make a final decision on whether that was true emergency or not. Assurant Health Plans have no such restrictions. Assurant is the only company that will allow you to move to different state without going through underwriting process all over again. That meant that with most companies even if it is a same company if you move from one state to another you have to cancel you policy in the current state and re-apply in the state that you are moving to. The down side with Assurant in some states is that they are not the most competitive and harder to get approved for. If you considering HSA plan Assurant is the best options available to individuals and families.

Blue Shield of California is great coverage especially if it is young family looking for a plan with maternity coverage and for a family where one of the adults on the plans is significantly younger than the other. Blue Shield bases their monthly premiums on the youngest primary policy holder. This can be any adult in the family. Blue Shield plans have low maximum out of pocket and wide acceptance with doctors. A lot of doctors in state of California prefer Blue Shield plans because Blue Shield reimburses them faster than most other insurance companies. Keep in mind that in some states Blue Cross and Blue Shield are the same company in state of California they are two different insurance companies competing for your business.

HealthNet of California is the insurance company available in western states. HealthNet family plans are affordable, have some of the lowest maximum out of pocket and designed for healthy individuals and families. The new line of plans form HealthNet are their popular no deductible PPO plans. Which are not the greatest plans for families. No deductible plans are not designed for families since they have extremely high maximum out of pocket witch might be a great fit for single healthy individuals. HealthNet of California also offers some of the best HMO plans available on the market.

HealthNet simple design and affordable plans are perfect match for healthy families. The way their family plans work is that once you meet your deductible HealthNet will pay 100% for all of your medical expenses after that. The down side is that their family plans do not cover regular sick doctor visits. The money that you are going to save monthly is going to be way worth no having doctor visits covered until the deductible is met. All you will get is negotiated rates that HealthNet has with doctors and hospitals. Your doctor office visits are going to cost you anywhere from $65 to $65 per visit.

Nationwide Health Plans have some of the great unique options that other plans just don?t offer. The only way you can get Nationwide health plans is by being a member of California Farm Bureau. Anyone can become a member of California Farm Bureau also know as Farmers Association. Because it is a group plans it has some options available that most individual plans do not have. You still have to qualify medically to get health insurance through Nationwide. Nationwide offers some of the most comprehensive health plans available on the market today. Nationwide health plans offer low maximum out of pocket. Some plans that they offer work similar to the way HealthNet?s plans work. Once you meet your deductible nationwide covers everything at 100% and Nationwide plans cover doctor visit before you meet your deductible and Nationwide is the only health insurance company that has no prescription drug deductible on most of their plans. If you are looking for the most competitive HSA plans, Nationwide will be your choice.

PacifiCare is company that has been available to Californians for a long time until recently they were bought by United Health Care. PacificaCare will be replaced by Golden Rule health plans. If you have PacifiCare you might want to find out if you will have to re-qualify medically for new health insurance once they take the company of the market. Golden Rule owned by United Health Care witch known as the quality company and recommended everywhere. If you are considering PacifiCare I would wait for Golden Rule or get something else.

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Health insurance causes mixed feelings in the majority of Americans. While it can literally save a life during serious injury or illness, it can also be a source of extreme stress and frustration when certain treatments aren’t covered or co-payments are unaffordable. The problem has reached epic proportions over the past few decades as spending on health care has spiraled out of control. Many Americans pay hefty premiums each month while many others can’t afford the premiums at all and simply choose not to purchase health care. These uninsured and underinsured citizens place a burden on the system as they use hospital emergency rooms for routine care. As various plans for reform surface in the House and Senate, many Americans have expressed concerns about how their current health care will be affected and whether their benefits will be reduced. One group of people that is watching the health care debate closely is senior citizens who rely on Medicare. President Obama has proposed extensive reforms to the current Medicare system with the goal of reducing wasteful spending. His plan would eliminate subsidies for insurance companies who participate in the Medicare Advantage program, which could result in increased premiums for those participating as well as elimination of certain benefits offered by the Advantage program that are not offered through traditional Medicare. Other ideas that have been proposed include a tax increase for wealthy Americans and higher premiums for seniors making more than $170,000 each year who participate in Medicare. Many seniors have expressed concern that the attempts to reduce Medicare spending could result in decreased benefits, changes in doctors, or certain treatments being denied. While the White House hopes to reach its goal of eliminating wasteful spending without resorting to such measures, critics question how millions of baby boomers coming into the program over the next few years can be covered at the current level of benefits while reducing spending at the same time. Another closely watched aspect of the new plan is the proposed public health care option. While lawmakers tout the public option as a way to encourage insurance companies to offer lower and more competitive prices while making sure consumers can obtain affordable health care, critics argue that a government funded system would put many private insurers out of business altogether. An alternative idea suggests state specific health care co-ops which would receive initial government funding, but would thereafter need to be self-supporting. As Americans watch to see where the chips will fall in the health care debate, they should also begin taking action now to find more affordable health care coverage. Employer based systems often provide good coverage at a reasonable cost for individuals, but those without coverage through their place of work should look at various options such as individual coverage, family coverage, and health savings accounts to determine which plan will best meet their needs. Once a plan has been chosen, shopping around is the best way to get the most affordable coverage with the most benefits. Congress hopes to lessen the burden of health care costs for everyone across the board, but individuals can’t wait for the government to solve their health care problems if they hope to see improvement in the near future. As debate proceeds in Washington, Americans should take ownership of their insurance needs by frequently shopping around for the best coverage in order to make sure their families are adequately provided for in the event of illness or injury.

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There are different factors that may affect a mans sexual health and with some of these conditions, there are solutions to these problems. The three major factors that most likely affect a mans sexual health especially when it comes to erectile dysfunction problems are obesity, alcohol and smoking.

Obesity is definitely is definitely one situation that may hinder a man from performing properly when it comes to having sex with a woman. Yes an obese man may just as well be interested in having sex just as much as the next guy, but they are not as able to perform due to their obesity.

To rectify a mans obesity problem and to rid oneself of erectile dysfunction problems the answer is to diet properly and as well to exercise properly. For those men that are obese and want too improve and better their sex life, they have to be pro active and that means to take their obesity problem seriously and to eat properly and as well to exercise on a regular basis.

Smoking is another major concern when it comes to a mans sexual health especially erectile dysfunction. For those men who do smoke it has been found from studies that men who smoke more than 20 cigarettes per day had a 60% higher risk level of erectile dysfunction compared to those men who have never smoked. As well studies have shown that up to 30% of men who currently or formerly smoked were more likely to suffer from impotence.

For those men who do smoke they are as well at risk of getting lung cancer and as well as asthma, which both situations may lead to an early death. The best solution is to quit smoking which will not only enable a man to perform sexually and to rid themselves of erectile dysfunction problems but will as well make a situation better with their partner in life.

Alcohol consumption by any man is understandable but excessive drinking of alcohol is another factor that will affect a mans sexual health as well as creates erectile dysfunction problems. The major concern with excessive alcohol consumption is that alcohol dilates (widens) the blood vessels and if a man manages to get an erection, the alcohol keeps the blood vessels to the penis open and a man is left hanging in limpland.

If a man wants to improve their sexual health and improve their erectile dysfunction problems, then it is in the best interest not to drink alcohol prior to having sex. As well as those men that drink excessively to the point of being alcoholics the best remedy is to quit drinking totally and joining Alcoholics Anonymous to help to solve and alleviate a mans drinking problems.

In the end every man who has a problem with obesity, alcohol or smoking may enjoy better sexual health and alleviate problems with erectile dysfunction. The choice really is the mans choice and to do that they must take responsibility to making those changes and that is by discipline and taking action to make those changes.

One of the advantages of reaching midlife is that we are finally finished with all those issues that make childhood and adolescence such a pain in the neck, such as needing set bedtimes as well as  regular dental and eye checkups; having to worry about using protection during sex and about cigarette smoking; getting all those shots to prevent diseases and wearing helmets to prevent sports injuries; needing to eat all our vegetables and avoid sugar as well as not missing gym class. What a relief to let these issues fade right along with our memories of tetherball on the school playground!

Not so fast. Would it surprise you to know that you still have to be aware of each and every one of the above so-called “child/adolescent” health issues?  

For instance, what about set bedtimes? The obvious reason that we needed enforced, regular  bedtimes each night was so that we would get enough sleep. Being tired and sleepy the next day in school caused everything from lousy concentration to crabby moods. Now that we’re in midlife, many of us believe that sleep is no longer an issue. This is not the case at all. It’s still essential to our health and wellbeing. Recent studies have shown that not only do sleep disturbances often indicate a serious health problem, but that lack of sleep can actually cause health problems, such as weight gain. Polls have shown that nearly two thirds of adults over the age of sixty-five have sleep complaints, but that less than 15 per cent of them have been formally diagnosed with a sleep problem. Why? Because we don’t mention sleep problems to our health care providers. Our mothers were right — we still need to be concerned about our bedtimes.

Once we’ve gotten the glasses we need and all our baby teeth are gone, we no longer need to get regular eye and dental checkups as we did in our younger years, right? Again — no. Although our vision does remain stable from young adulthood until we need bifocals, there are common eye diseases that begin to occur in midlife, and that can lead to blindness if not diagnosed.  And even though we no longer have our baby teeth,  other dental issues take the forefront upon reaching midlife, such as gum inflammation which has been shown to be associated with diabetes and heart disease. So, continued regular dental and eye checks are as important as in our younger years. 

And what about sex at midlife and beyond?  We’ve moved from groping and being groped in the backseat of the car to more sophisticated maneuvers in a comfortable bed, and finally, finally no longer have to worry about pregnancy. So we don’t need protection; or so many of us think. Although it’s true that once menopause arrives one can’t get pregnant (warning: make sure you have completed menopause before assuming this as diagnosing menopause can be tricky),  protection is still needed during sex because of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Yes, we can still get those, and in some cases are even more prone to becoming infected after menopause, even after a hysterectomy. And even though we’re past the childbearing years and our reproductive organs seem to have no further use, we still need regular pelvic exams and Pap smears. It is also important at that exam to discuss with our healthcare providers the need for testing for STIs; if there is a new partner or the worry that the current partner is not monogamous, this testing is a must.

STIs are not the only threat held over from our adolescent years; so is cigarette smoking. Many women in midlife think that there is no reason to stop smoking cigarettes at this age, since they wrongly assume that the damage is already done from all the prior years of smoking. This is not the case. No matter how many years one has smoked, stopping can prevent further damage to the heart, blood vessels, and lungs, and in some cases can reverse some of that damage.  

Also relevant to the lungs is the fact that asthma can begin in midlife, where once it was thought to only begin in childhood.  The two major causes seem to be occupational exposure to substances that damage the lungs, and the recreational exposure to air pollution by adults who run predominantly outside. So, a new onset of shortness of breath at this age — even if it occurs only with exercise — does not necessarily mean heart disease; remember that we can develop asthma now.

Did you think you were finished with all those horrible shots you had to have in childhood and adolescence? Sorry, you’re not. There is a recommended immunization schedule for adults in midlife and beyond, just as there are for children. At certain ages over 50 and at certain intervals, you’ll need shots against the flu, certain types of pneumonia, tetanus, and in some instances, shingles and hepatitis.  Ask your primary care provider about these.

And did you pack away your helmet when you gave away your bike with training wheels? Probably ok to have done this since now you will need a bigger size helmet. But you do need a helmet. A recent report by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission stated that sports-related injuries in the Baby Boomer population was on the rise, with over 1 million injuries in this age group in 1998 alone, most of the injuries being due to bicycling and basketball.  The same report said that the many head injuries associated with bicycling were probably due to the fact that Baby Boomers use helmets less than younger people do.

The fact that exercise and proper nutrition are as important in midlife and beyond as in childhood may not come as a surprise. Regular exercise at this age has been shown to increase longevity and wellbeing, postpone and possibly prevent dementia, strokes, heart disease, and diabetes, and aid in the treatment of depression. Important to know as well is that several different types of regular exercise are recommended at this age, including aerobic (cardio) exercise, weight-bearing exercise or strength training, and exercises to improve balance and flexibility.

What we eat as we get older is every bit as important as it was in our younger years. One particular healthy way of eating, the Mediterranean diet, has been shown to stave off dementia, prevent heart disease and diabetes, maintain a healthy cholesterol level, and improve longevity. One study showed that this diet even improved sexual function in certain women! This diet is exactly as expected given its name: lots of natural whole foods, like vegetables, fruits, and nuts, lots of fish and olive oil, moderate amounts of wine, and limited amounts of foods containing refined sugar. Controlling the portions of the foods we eat is even more important at this age. Our metabolic rate decreases with age, making it easier to gain weight while eating the same amounts of food as in our younger years.  

So, as you are rummaging through your mother’s attic looking at your old dolls, baseball bat and Ouija Board, and breathing a sigh of relief that you no longer have to worry about being picked for a baseball team or that your best friend copied your paper doll’s dress, don’t get lulled into complacency about your health. Although you once may have thought that taking care of yourself  health-wise would get easier as you get older, you know now that that’s not true. Make your appointments for regular checkups, get more than 5 hours of sleep a night, use protection when having sex, particularly with a new partner, stop smoking no matter how old you are, get the recommended immunizations, be careful and wear your helmet and seatbelts, and exercise regularly and eat well. Your mother’s recommendations from your childhood continue to apply!

©2008 Janet Horn, M.D.

Author Bio
Dr. Janet Horn is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, with training in Obstetrics and Gynecology. She spent many years on the fulltime faculty of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where she published articles in medical journals on her research interests, including sexually transmitted diseases, AIDS, and women’s health. She was also the primary author of several chapters in medical textbooks.  She started her solo private practice in 1990 while continuing to teach as an Associate Professor of Medicine on the part time faculty at Hopkins. She has been selected by Baltimore Magazine as one of the “Top Doctors in Baltimore” and by the Maryland Daily Record as one of the “Top 100 Women in Maryland.”   She is included in the books Consumer’s Guide to Top Doctors (in the US) and Best Doctors in America, Southeast Region.  She is the co-author of The Smart Woman’s Guide to Midlife and Beyond, which will be available this September from New Harbinger Publications.