Health

I took, and successfully completed the AARP Smart Drivers Online Course, and feel that I’m a safer driver because of it. I then contacted my former insurance company, Safeco, and they refused to give me the Pennsylvania mandated discount at that time. After that I decided to look for a new insurance provider and cancelled my policies before Safeco’s response. The new carrier was much more economical. Safeco eventually said that I would have gotten the discount but only after contacting my state representative, the state insurance department and the Pennsylvania department on aging. I fear that without spending all my time and effort, I wouldn't have gotten the discount. Also, I think that Safeco will not voluntarily give this discount to any senior without jumping through a bunch of hoops as I did. So, if you take the smart  driver course, please check with your insurer, and if they refuse to give mandatory discounts, contact the state insurance department. Unfortun

Yoga is one way to practice stress management. I’ve done it for years and always feel calmer afterward. Never tried it? Read this article on yoga for beginners and tell me what you think. Get more tips on reducing stress at AARP® Staying Sharp® , a member benefit.

Remember having that best friend in school? Sometimes we get caught up in life and forget the paybacks of good friendships. When you’re having a bad day, there’s nothing like picking up the phone and calling someone to share your troubles with. Find more health tips at AARP® Staying Sharp® today, a member benefit.

Has anyone had trouble losing weight on the Whole Body Reset? I've been following it for 2 weeks and haven't lost an ounce - including water weight. I'm very careful to make sure i get the correct amount of fiber and protein every day. Coincidentally I'm using an app to log meals and I can see I'm also eating the correct amount of calories needed for my goal weight. Any advice? 

Research shows that clutter may ramp up stress levels. Get 4 tips to declutter your mobile devices in this insightful article. You can also explore ways to deal with this common problem in the Digital Declutter challenge, also available to AARP members on Staying Sharp. Find more health tips at AARP® Staying Sharp® today, a member benefit.

If not, what wakes you up?  Do you find it harder to get a full night's sleep, why?

How do you feel after volunteering? If you’ve never done it, I can tell you from personal experience that the time you spend helping an individual or an organization can make you feel good on many levels. Learn more about the benefits of volunteering when you explore AARP® Staying Sharp®. 

I have just read your article "Switch it Up: Reflections".  I'm sure that for many people it would be helpful - if they can get by the frustration of trying to write backwards!  However, as a dyslexic, I have spent a good part of my life trying not to write backwards, let alone getting the letters in the right order! Does this mean that I have I have a natural amount of cognitive reserve?  Or is being able to write normally my way of altering routines? Perhaps a warning should be added to the article advising dyslexics to beware!In the spirit of full disclosure, this message was accomplished with the many assists from Spellcheck!!

There are runners, and there are walkers. I’ve tried both, and my preference is walking. But as long as you’re exercising (and having a good time), that’s all that counts. Explore how to create a healthy lifestyle with the AARP® Staying Sharp® Fit & Fun eight-week challenge. Learn more at AARP Staying Sharp today!

Here is your opportunity to save a life of a family member or friend through the Heart Health Foundation! The following are the cities in Maryland where there will be FREE Vascular Screenings throughout the state being held on Saturday, February 4, 2023. Appointments for screenings are available on a first-come, first-served basis by calling ONLY this number 410-573-9483Please share this post and you'll be #makingadifference!ANNAPOLISBALTIMORE CITYBEL AIRBOWIECAMBRIDGECHESTERTOWNDENTONEASTONELKTONELLICOTT CITYFREDERICKHAGERSTOWNKENT ISLAND (Stevensville)LAPLATAOAKLANDPIKESVILLEPRINCESS ANNEPRINCE FREDERICKSALISBURYSILVER SPRINGTOWSONWESTMINSTER

Just got my test result. I am in borderline for diabetes.  Yikes!  What is best way to lower cholestrol besides exercise? 

The new year brings excitement, renewed energy and the opportunity to reset priorities and goals. In all honesty, it’s easy to get stuck in a rut, but now is the perfect time to break away from those familiar habits. Visit AARP® Staying Sharp® and discover four strategies that will help you move from autopilot to start living your best life. 

As a retired nurse my biggest suggestion is to take charge of your doctor visits. Often your doctor may order lab tests and referrals to other services. Please follow up for results.  I can't tell you how often in recent times I have had friends told to "call if you haven't heard in a week".  They don't follow up and chaos follows. Anytime you take your care away from just you and your primary, you have the opportunity for someone to make a mistake, a breakdown in the computer system and so forth. The more people, the more potential problems. Have pen and paper on hand for the calls. Ask for the name of the person you are talking with. Write down questions and the answers. 

In November we got a letter that AARP United Healthcare Medicare insurance was dropping Silver Sneakers and replacing it with their own program - Renew Active.  On January 1, I was supposed to go to the myAARPMedicare.com site, log in and get a code to take to my fitness center to start my new membership.  Guess What?  There was no way to do that - the website isn't set up to generate Renew Active codes.  And Customer Service was off for the New Year's holiday until Tuesday, January 3.  So today, January 3, I call UHC, wait 37 minutes to get a representative, who tells me she can't generate a code either and the technical team is working on the problem and try again tomorrow.  So they have known since November that they were stopping our GREAT Silver Sneakers program and starting another program - but their IT department is just now realizing they haven't gotten it together to actually set this up?????

Your brain needs a certain amount of fat to function properly. Fats provide energy, help the body absorb essential vitamins, and protect nerve cells and connections. But there are good and bad fats, and too much of the wrong kind throws a monkey wrench into the works, speeding the formation of beta-amyloid plaques. Omega-3 is good fat.   According to new research, cold-water fish is the number one brain-healthy food. To survive in the cold water, the fish need a high concentration of fat, which is why they are full of omega-3 fatty acids 🐟 Besides fish, there are lots of yummy ways to add omega-3 fatty acids to your diet. How do you ensure your brain is getting beneficial omega-3s?   For ideas for prepping your pantry and fresh ways to cook at home, go to Brain-Healthy Home Cooking.

If you're looking to jumpstart your weight loss and improve your overall health, you may want to consider the Only Meat Diet. This diet is based on the premise that by eating only meat, you can lose weight quickly and effectively. And while it may sound too good to be true, there is science to back up the claims. In this blog post, we'll take a closer look at how the Only Meat Diet works and provide some tips for successfully following the diet.(1) Why the Only Meat Diet is Effective for Weight Loss.The only meat diet is effective for weight loss because it is a high protein, low carbohydrate diet. When you consume fewer carbohydrates, your body has to burn more fat for energy. This process, known as ketosis, can lead to rapid weight loss. In fact, one study found that people who followed a high protein, low carbohydrate diet lost an average of 11 pounds in 12 weeks .(2) How the Only Meat Diet Works.The only meat diet works by reducing your overall calorie intake while simultaneously i

Do you often feel stressed out thinking about your daily to-do list? Do you get distracted by your thoughts? It’s so easy for us to get caught up in our own heads, and often we don’t even realize we are doing it.   Research studies indicate that regularly practicing meditation and mindfulness can help with focus, stress and overall well-being. Mindfulness is a technique that can lend order to the chaos. It is cultivated by paying attention in a sustained and particular way, and it’s usually easier said than done for most of us! Having a guide of some sort is often very helpful. Mindfulness lets us see our emotions, acknowledge them and move on. This allows us to live more in the present.   Do you practice mindfulness? What tools do you use to become more self-aware and brighten your outlook?   Discover what you can learn in just 15-minutes with the Being Present Challenge. It’s a great starting point for anyone looking to understand their emotions and how they affect you

Not seeing family or friends. Losing your job or watching it transform beyond recognition. Getting a life-threatening disease or fearing you will. Having someone you know pass away.   Psychiatrists consider any of these events — which were especially common during the pandemic — to be potentially traumatic. For some, such high levels of prolonged stress may leave deep and lasting psychological scars, with the most extreme of these effects being post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.   Trauma is an incredibly common yet misunderstood human experience. The good news is that healing from trauma and PTSD is possible. Creating a self-care ritual is an excellent way to deal with the emotional, mental and physical tole of trauma and PTSD. And there are so many ways to incorporate self-care into your routine!   From hiking to meditation, to cooking and eating nutritious foods, there's an abundance of ways to make self-care an enjoyable habit. We all deserve moments of joy and

Kicking a bad habit is about rewiring your brain. Most bad habits are driven by our feelings of anxiety or fear. They serve as a way to distract you from something that feels uncomfortable.   Get inspired to reframe your mindset and develop positive habits! Is there something you've always wanted to try, but just...haven't? Matt Cutts suggests: Try it for 30 days.   Looking for other ways to engage your brain? Play AARP Staying Sharp games!

Managing your emotions may help you think more clearly and stay centered, so that you can be the person you want to be. Learn about the roots of emotion and the pathways to emotional agility in The Power of Emotions Challenge, one of four challenges in the Staying Sharp® Mental Well-Being Challenge Series. Visit AARP® Staying Sharp® for more information.

Resilience means having the ability to rebound from hardship and approach each day with determination that you'll thrive. Resilience comes from within, but you can learn ways to build resilience through practice. Explore the Building Resilience Challenge, one of four challenges in the Staying Sharp(R) Mental Well-Being Challenge Series. Visit AARP® Staying Sharp® for more information.

We could all use a little optimism, especially when negative thoughts enter our thinking patterns. Learn more about the ABCDE strategy to help reverse negativity. Visit AARP® Staying Sharp® for more information.

Wake up workout 🏋️‍♀️ drink water , and be Happy best tip ever 

Joy doesn't happen by accident. Learn about habits that experts believe may increase happiness — from connecting with others to practicing kindness with The Pursuit of Happiness Challenge. It's one of four challenges in the Staying Sharp(R) Mental Well-Being Challenge Series. Visit AARP® Staying Sharp® for more information.

While everyone talks about lowering prescription drug prices, Mark Cuban stepped up and started Cost Plus Drug Co. to be the low-cost provider of prescription drugs. More drugs are being added each month to the list of medications being offered at discount prices. Go to costplusdrugs.com to find out if you can benefit from the low prices being offered.