Category: Lifestyle

Healthy Living In Your 80s

October 27, 2022

You’re in your 80s! What can you do to be as healthy as possible? Your yearly wellness visit is a good time to talk about your personalized prevention plan. This plan helps keep you well and healthy. If your doctor or nurse accepts Medicare, you will not pay anything for your yearly wellness visit. The yearly wellness visit is not the same as an annual exam or physical. Learn more at Medicare.gov. Get the conversation started at your next wellness visit with this list.

Every day, I will try to:
  • Eat healthy — use the MyPlate Plan to get started
  • Get at least 30 minutes of physical activity. Each week I will do aerobic activity and exercises to improve my balance and strengthen my muscles. I will talk to my doctor about any conditions that limit my ability to do regular physical activity.
  • Get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep
  • Reach and maintain a healthy weight
  • Get help to quit or not start smoking
  • Limit alcohol use to 1 drink or less
  • Not use illegal drugs or misuse prescription drugs
  • Wear a helmet when riding a bike and wear protective gear for sports
  • Wear a seat belt in cars and not text and drive
I will talk to my doctor at least once a year about:
  • My weight, height, diet, and physical activity level
  • Whether I use tobacco, alcohol, or drugs
  • Any violence in my life
  • Depression and any other mental health concerns
  • Who will make health care decisions for me if I am unable to
I will ask my doctor whether I am at higher risk of or need tests, medicines, or vaccines this year for:
  • Blood pressure
  • Breast cancer prevention medicines
  • Flu
  • Hepatitis A, B, and C
  • HIV
  • Lung cancer (if 80 or younger and if I smoke now or have quit within the last 15 years)
  • Osteoporosis
  • Pneumonia
  • Shingles
  • Sexually transmitted infections
  • Tetanus, diphtheria, and whooping cough
  • Tuberculosis
  • Urinary incontinence

The decision to get any medical test or procedure, at any age, is a personal one between you and your doctor. These age ranges may not apply to every person.

These guidelines are based on recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force  (link is external), the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the Women’s Preventive Services Guidelines, the 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.

All material contained on these pages are free of copyright restrictions and maybe copied, reproduced, or duplicated without permission of the Office on Women’s Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Citation of the source is appreciated.

Page last updated: February 25, 2021

10 Worst Places To Wear Flip Flops

May 8, 2021

Neglecting personal safety, and lack of consideration for the safety of others, doesn’t stop people from wearing flip flops.  During the blazing heat of New York City summers, flip flops are seen everywhere.

The popular rubber sandals emerged during the 1960s, and were designed for beachwear.  

Whatever the reason, men and women put themselves at risk wearing flip flops for street wear.   Flip Flops are worn in the rain, causing feet to get soaked, and dirty.  They’re worn riding buses, subways, and bicycles.  New Yorkers run for taxi cabs wearing them.

I travel around New York on my way to clients.  So I get to see a lot of what goes on, including avoidable pedestrian, and bicycle accidents.

Here are five accidents I saw while walking to work.  All involved women wearing flip flops: one fell down subway steps, one careened out of a subway car when the flip flop got stuck between the doors and platform.  Another slipped on wet pavement and landed on her back.  And another fell off her bicycle.  

10 Worst Places To Wear Flip Flops

  1. Mowing the lawn
  2. Riding a bicycle
  3. Driving
  4. Subway and buses
  5. Skateboarding
  6. Areas where Poison Ivy grows
  7. In crowds
  8. Riding a scooter, or motorbike
  9. Cleaning the cellar, yard, or attic
  10. City streets
For more on flip flops, read my post, Flip Flop Smarts: Beach Only, and  Flip Flops: A Pain In The Sole
 
 
Irene Pastore, Certified Personal Trainer, fitness blogger, health educator, and speaker. She has 23 years experience teaching exercise in New York City.  For her complete bio, visit the About Page.  
 
 

Everyday Athletes

March 21, 2015

You’re not the athletic type. You never went out for high school sports, don’t carry a tennis racquet, or Yoga mat. You may be under 35, or over 50.  Weight rooms are not your thing, nor trampolines, or swinging a baseball bat.   But yet, you qualify for the title “Everyday Athlete”.  How is that?

You may need to rush to a meeting in a snowstorm, or hop over urban puddles on your way to catch a taxi.  You may be carrying a cord of wood to fire up your wood burning stove.  The activities of daily living, we take for granted, require strength, agility, fortitude, and stamina.  Congratulations, you’ve earned the title, “Everyday Athlete”.

THE PROFILE OF AN EVERYDAY ATHLETE

– Stays slim.  Knows that gluttony isn’t cool.

– Climbs stairs at work, instead of taking the elevator.

– Abides by the less driving rule.

– Rides a bicycle, or walks to work.

– Grabs an umbrella, and strides through the rain.

– Unafraid to slog through snow.

– Stays strong through blustery winds.

– Tackles tire changing, and wiping down a snowy windshield.

WHAT’S YOUR SECRET?

The Everyday Athlete knows the importance of strengthening the core muscles.  That’s why they can fly over puddles, tackle snowstorms, zip up a flight of stairs, and never shrink from life’s difficult moments.  

 

 

Copyright Irene Pastore and Tour de Core Personal Training

 

 

 

 

 

Quick Tip: Fast Track To Cutting Calories

April 24, 2013

SMALL LIFESTYLE CHANGES ADD UP

Don’t get discouraged when you think of cutting back on your food intake. Quick tips will help you begin reducing calories.  Start with one, or more changes.  Small changes add up.  So get going!

Aim for consuming 100 to 200 fewer calories daily.

10 WAYS TO CUT BACK ON CALORIES

  • Stop snacking after dinner.
  • Give up your evening dessert.
  • Drop the latte.
  • Eat smaller portions.
  • Don’t eat when you’re not hungry.
  • Cut down on cookies, or eliminate them.
  • Skip the banana. 100 calories.
  • Say no to a milkshake. Around 320 calories.
  • Everyday cut out two pieces of bread. That’s about 260 calories. 
  • Replace soda with water, or chilled herbal tea.  Regular 12 oz. soda 140 calories, 16 oz. 187.

ADD MORE ACTIVITY TO YOUR ROUTINE

Drive less, walk more.  You’ll also save money on gasoline.

Park your car at the end of the parking lot, and take a round-trip brisk walk to the mall.  

Walk up stairs instead of using an elevator, or escalator.

Copyright 2013 Irene Pastore and Blue Moon Personal Training

Stuffing Your Feet Into Sky High Shoes

April 6, 2013

My grandma’s sister was a fashion maven, who admitted that she disfigured her feet by wearing high heels.  When I was old enough to notice, I asked her why her feet came to a point, her big toe lay on top of her second toe, and why she walked funny.  She said her feet were messed up and ugly, from squeezing them into tight fitting high heels.

BUNIONS IN PROGRESS

She made me promise I wouldn’t wear bad shoes, unless I wanted my feet to look just like hers.

The Cruel Shoes

Fashion heels don’t have much to do with common sense.  Steve Martin’s, “The Cruel Shoes,” is the story of Anna, who visits a shoe store, and gladly buys a pair of foot nightmares, that make her feet bleed.  The premise isn’t really exaggerated.  Most women buy heels based on emotional appeal, rather than foot health.

The Worst Shoes For Your Feet

While it may not overcome the powerful effects of advertising, WebMD, has a slide show to educate women. It’s called, “The Worst Shoes For Your Feet.”  Incase you’re considering reconstructing your shoe wardrobe, here’s some inspiration to help you downsize the height of your heels.

High Heel Health Conditions & Injuries

  • Hammer toes
  • Corns
  • Ingrown toenails
  • Driving accidents
  • Calluses
  • Low back pain
  • Numbness
  • Achilles tendon damage (Morton’s Neuroma)
  • Bunions
  • Pump Bump (enlargement of the heel bone)
  • Sciatica
  • Blisters
  • Ankle injury
  • Leg pain
  • Osteoarthritis of the knee
  • Trip and fall accidents

The Armadillo Shoe

While I’m at it, I may as well comment on the Armadillo Shoe, because things like this have a way of influencing street wear.  The late fashion designer, Alexander McQueen, came up with a risky 10 inch runway shoe, called the Armadillo.  Some models refused to wear them.

THE ARMADILLO SHOE

The phrase, “to die for”, would be apt, when wearing shoes like this, or a facsimile.  Toppling over, and hitting your head isn’t too far fetched. Fanciful shoes are the realm of art, rather than practical footwear.

Be kind to your feet.  They affect the way you walk, and feel.  Fashion shoes are beautiful in the box, but aren’t doing your two feet any favors.  Corns, bunions, hammertoes, and ingrown toe nails aren’t lovely to look at. Healthy feet won’t embarrass you, when removing your shoes.  You’ll never have to apologize for your corns.

Copyright 2013 Irene Pastore, and Blue Moon Personal Training.