Health

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.

There are many physical benefits to exercising regularly. Exercise can elevate your mood. It can foster social connections. Regular physical activity also helps fight depression and anxiety.   Get inspired by Dan Buettner as he shares how the world's "Blue Zones," communities whose elders live with vim and vigor to record-setting age, find the path to long life and health. In his talk, he shares the 9 common diet and lifestyle habits that keep them spry past age 100.   How do you incorporate exercise into your regular routine?

Have you cut back on how much meat you eat? Are you considering a more plant-based diet? If so, you’re part of a worldwide trend. People in many countries are interested in diets that skip — or at least scale back — meat and other animal products. Read this article to learn some reasons for rethinking a meat-centric diet, including environmental and animal welfare concerns, as well as better health. Visit AARP® Staying Sharp® for more brain health information.

We all know that exercise is good for us, but it’s often hard to fit it into a busy schedule. Just a 30-minute walk can have major health benefits for your brain and body. Taking a walk three times a week has been shown to help improve your brain’s ability to plan, concentrate and regulate emotions. Watch this video for helpful ways to squeeze in a nice brisk walk. Your brain will thank you. Visit AARP® Staying Sharp® for more brain health information.

We all know exercise is good for our health, but that doesn't mean we have to use a yoga mat or exercise ball to get moving. Consider learning a new Latin dance or, if you want something slower, perhaps learn Tai Chi, an ancient Chinese practice, sometimes referred to as “moving meditation". What's your next 'move'? Visit AARP® Staying Sharp® for more information on ways to get moving.

Life throws curveballs, such as health crises, natural disasters, and even a global pandemic. It can also mean dealing with a job loss, sickness, or loss of a close friend. Read this blog to learn how building mental resilience can help change your attitude and thought patterns and make it easier to bounce back from life's setbacks. Visit AARP® Staying Sharp® for more brain health information.

Sitting for hours each day is doing your brain and body no favors. Everything from your memory to your muscles to your life span itself is negatively affected by long stretches of inactivity. Read this blog to learn three ways too much couch time may affect your health. Visit AARP® Staying Sharp® and take control of your brain health.

From soft jazz to hard rock, discover music’s mental, social and physical benefits with this collection of engaging articles and videos. Take control of your brain health with AARP® Staying Sharp®. Learn More.

Stress produces the hormone cortisol, which can weaken your sex drive. Stress can also lead to headaches, depression, loneliness, fatigue and even, yes, indigestion — all of which dampen desire. Check out this blog to explore three stress-busting options that may improve your sex life. Visit AARP® Staying Sharp® for more brain health tips.