Category: Well-Being

Chilly weather can be hard on feet. The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons offers 5 tips to healthy feet.

1.If the shoe fits, wear it-Narrow shoes, overly-high heels or shoes that aren’t worn very often, such as dress shoes, can irritate feet and lead to blisters, calluses, swelling, and even severe ankle injuries. Choose a shoe that has a low heel and fits your foot in length, width, and depth while you are standing.

2.Don’t overindulge– Did you know your feet can feel the effects if you eat too much of certain foods and beverages high in purines. Shellfish, red meat, red wine, and beer can trigger extremely painful gout attacks, a condition when uric acid builds up and crystallizes in and around your joints. Uric acid is sensitive to temperature changes (so gout can start in the big toe, which is the coldest part of the body).

3.Be pedicure-safety conscious-Nail salons can be a breeding ground for bacteria. To reduce your risk of infection, choose a salon that follows proper sanitation practices and is licensed by the state. Consider also purchasing your own pedicure instruments to bring to your appointment.

4.Watch for ice and snow-Use caution when traveling outdoors. Watch for ice or snow patches along your trail. The ankle joint can be more prone to serious injury from falling on ice. If you fall, use R.I.C.E. therapy (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation) to help reduce the pain and control swelling around the injury until you see a doctor.

5.“Listen” to your feet-Inspect your feet regularly for any sign of ingrown toenails, bruising, swelling, blisters, dry skin, or calluses, especially if you have diabetes.

If you avoid wearing dark clothing because of those tell-tale dandruff flakes, know this.

“Many people believe dandruff is caused by poor hygiene, but this simply isn’t true,” said Dr. Adam J. Friedman, professor and dermatologist at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. “Rather than try to remedy dandruff by over-shampooing or over-brushing your hair, which can both be damaging to the hair, use dandruff shampoo and scalp treatments instead.”

To get the best results from using dandruff shampoo, Dr. Friedman recommends the following tips:

*Follow the instructions on the dandruff shampoo bottle.There are many different dandruff shampoos, and each contains different active ingredients for controlling symptoms. For example, some dandruff shampoos require that you lather the shampoo into the hair and onto the scalp and leave on for about 5 minutes before rinsing; others should not be left on the scalp.

*If you are African-American, only shampoo once a week using a dandruff shampoo.See a dermatologist for the best product recommendation for your hair type.

*If you are Caucasian or Asian, shampoo daily and use dandruff shampoo twice a week.If using one dandruff shampoo does not bring relief, try alternating between dandruff shampoos with different active ingredients.

*Be careful when using a dandruff shampoo that contains coal tar.Tar shampoo can discolor blond, gray, or white hair, so if you have light-colored hair, you may want to choose a different dandruff shampoo. In addition, tar shampoo has the potential to make your scalp more sensitive to sunlight. If you use this type of dandruff shampoo, it’s important to protect your scalp from the sun by wearing a hat when outdoors and seeking shade whenever possible.

“For most people, dandruff does not require medical attention,” said Dr. Friedman. “However, sometimes the flaking and itching that appears like dandruff is actually a medical condition, such as seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis, fungal infections of the scalp, or eczema.” If you continue to have symptoms after using a dandruff shampoo, see your doctor.

Some statistics suggest that more than 90 percent of New Year’s resolutions fail. Many of us want to better ourselves in some way, and a new year may seem like a good place to start. But how can you set yourself up for success?

Many New Year’s resolutions are simply too strict and difficult to follow. As a result, it’s easy to give up and go back to old habits before February even arrives. If you’re looking to be healthier, don’t worry about a resolution. Instead, follow these tips.

Make small changes.

Giving up chocolate or red meat may seem like a great idea. But when you try to do this in real life, it can be much harder than you thought. Instead of “eliminating,” try “limiting.” For instance, allow yourself one small piece of dark chocolate a day. Or, eat red meat only once a week. That way, you can have your occasional treat without “failing” your resolution.

Look forward, not back.

Many people give up on their health goal when they have a bad day or two. Perhaps you went to a party and ate a large slice of cake or you skipped exercise for a few days because you were too busy. Treat each day as a fresh start and forget yesterday’s slip-ups. Instead, look at what you can do today to get back to your goal.

Make goals about better health, not weight loss.

While losing weight is important for many people, it can be frustrating when the scale doesn’t move despite making healthy changes. Instead of looking at a number, add up your changes in small successes. You ate more vegetables than usual today. You walked for 30 minutes instead of watching TV. Feel proud about all the steps you make toward your goal.

Is 90 the new 85? In 1980, there were 720,000 people aged 90 and older in the United States. In 2010, there were 1.9 million people aged 90 and older. By 2050, the ranks of people 90 and older may reach 9 million, according to a report from the U.S. Census Bureau, commissioned by the National Institute on Aging.

An average person who has lived to 90 years of age has a life expectancy today of 4.6 more years (versus 3.2 years in 1929-1931), while those who pass the century mark are projected to live another 2.3 years.

The majority of those 90 years and older reported having one or more limitations in physical function. Two-thirds had difficulty with activities such as walking or climbing stairs.

Women aged 90 years and older outnumber men nearly 3 to 1.

What does this mean for you? Will Grandma find a place to live with you? Will you even want to retire early if you’re healthy and intending to live another third of your life? Have you saved for retirement and beyond? What can you do now to keep from having disabilities when you are older?

Dr. Michael Huckabee, professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, offers 3 not-so-well-known possible causes:

Night cramps

A sudden, intense pain in the calf from a muscle spasm can awake you from a dead sleep. Night cramps may occur once a year or less often, but some people have several a night.

Dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, nerve or muscle disorders and medication side effects can cause night cramps. So can working the muscles hard earlier in the day. If you can find out the cause, treatment might be as simple as drinking plenty of water or stretching your legs before you go to bed. If leg cramps disturb your sleep often, visit your doctor for help.

Restless legs

Do you get a powerful urge to move your legs? Do they feel uncomfortable when you sit or lie down? They may also have a creeping, crawling, tingling, or burning sensation. These can be symptoms of restless leg syndrome (RLS).

Sometimes, RLS is due to a health condition, such as anemia or to a side effect of some medications. In most cases, though, there is no known cause and it tends to run in families. Daytime exercise, relaxation techniques and other lifestyle changes can help. See your doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Sleep paralysis

While fading off to sleep or waking up, you may experience a complete paralysis, unable to move or speak. You could also have a vivid nightmare or hallucination when your consciousness is drifting  between sleep and waking.

The exact cause of sleep paralysis is unknown but it may be related to an imbalance or overlapping of the stages of sleep. Stress, erratic sleep schedules and some medications may also be factors, and there is likely a genetic component. Despite how frightening it is, there are no serious health problems with sleep paralysis. A variety of treatments, from simple home exercises to prescription medications, have been shown to be effective.

Having more choices is generally considered a good thing, until you actually have to choose that one cell phone, one prescription drug plan, or one car model from among a dozen or so options. Economists call that problem choice overload, and the frustration it causes can lead to poor decisions.

To help people make better choices when confronted by a large number of options, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology studied two decision-making strategies that break down the options into smaller groups that can be evaluated more effectively. Like the Final Four basketball elimination, the best technique goes like this when you have to choose from many options:

*  Divide the options into piles of 4.

*  Choose the best option from each pile.

*  Put the winners from the first round into a new finalist pile.

*  Choose the best option from winners of the earlier 4 selections.