Don’t neglect your prostate health. – September 2022

September is dedicated to raising awareness about prostate health. Control-led portions of fruits, veggies, whole grains, and lean proteins combined with regular exercise help to improve and maintain prostate health. A high-fat diet and a sedentary lifestyle seem to contribute more to prostate cancer.

Your family history is also another essential part of prostate health. So scheduling routine exams with your family physician is necessary because early detections will increase treatment success.

Medicare covers digital rectal exams, and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests once every 12 months for men over 50. If you see a participating provider who accepts Medicare assignments, you will pay nothing for your annual PSA test. Medicare Part B will cover 100% of the approved amount, with no copay or deductibles. This screening is also part of your initial “Welcome to Medicare” visit and your “Annual Wellness” after that.

So please don’t forget to schedule your screening with your doctor.

Information sourced from: Medicare & You/cance.org./ Harvard.edu./prostatehealthed.org/Phenpsa.com

Hearing Loss & Brain Health – August 2022

Scientists are finding more evidence that hearing loss can make you more likely to experience cognitive decline.
However, that does not mean that people with hearing loss are guaranteed to have dementia.

Cognitive overload fatigues the brain and can accelerate brain atrophy or shrinkage. How does this happen? As hearing becomes harder, your brain works harder to register and comprehend what you’re trying to listen to. This process,
in turn, steals the energy needed fof memory and thinking. Dr. Frank Lin, MD, Ph.D. of Johns Hopkins University, says three
things may be involved:

1. People with hearing loss tend to feel isolated since it’s harder to join conversations
   or understand. This tends to make a person feel lonely.
2. Your brain works harder to process sounds. Again, this steals the energy
   needed for thinking.
3. If ears no longer pick up many sounds, your hearing nerves will send fewer
   signals to your brain. As such, the brain can decline.

1. I have noticed a little hearing loss as time goes on myself. It seems like I must increase the volume for any new TV programs I watch… but I am not adjusting the volume for earlier TV programs. Is it me or the networks I am watching?
   This article stresses the importance of having our hearing checked annually to determine the rate of hearing loss occurring. Many Medicare Supplement plans offer discounts on hearing aids, as do the Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO plans. Please talk to your doctor about your hearing health.
2. 
   Information sourced from: WebMD/John Hopkins/NIH

Protein Alternative – July 2022

Dangers of Sugar – June 2022

I'll make this short and "sweet"! No pun intended!

Sugar is dangerous. It's not so much about what you sprinkle on your morning cereal. It's about all the sugar hidden in 68% of our processed foods like fancy store-bought coffee, pasta sauces, bagels, desserts, low-fat yogurt, protein bars, sodas, and alcohol.

Our bodies crave it because of the dopamine "feel-good feeling" reward it triggers in our brain.

Sugar excess causes: weight gain, Type 2 diabetes, increased cancer risks, depression, fatty liver disease, kidney disease, & could lead to impaired memory. Sugar may accelerate the aging of our skin. Yikes!

Symptoms of sugar overload: headaches, irritability, difficulty concentrating, feeling jittery or anxious, feeling shaky, and always hungry.

Sugar disguises: corn syrup, sucrose, fructose, fruit juice, cane juice, dextrose, sorghum, maltose, glucose, beet sugar, etc.
So how much is okay? It should be less than 10% of our daily calories. On a 2,000-calorie diet, that's only 200 calories or 12 teaspoons. Again, yikes!

Reducing our sugar intake: Swap out sodas & energy drinks for water or unsweetened seltzer. Drink coffee black or use Stevia for zero calories. Eat whole fruits instead of smoothies. Use olive oil & vinegar in place of sweet salad dressings. Choose marinades, ketchup, and marinara sauce with zero sugars. Bring on the water daily to flush out excess sugar. Talk to your doctor on your next visit

Information sourced from: WebMD

Prevent Pneumococcal Pneumonia -May 2022

Pneumococcal Pneumonia is caused by bacteria, not a virus. It can be spread through a cough or sneeze causing infection in many parts of the body, including lungs, ears, sinuses, brain & spinal cord, and even the blood.

Symptoms can include fever, cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, stiff neck, joint pains, and chills. While most cases are mild, symptoms should never be ignored. You may try to boost your immune system by eating lots of veggies and fruits, but it may not be enough. As we age, our immune system weakens. So if you have chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart disease, or asthma, your risk may be higher. You cannot get pneumococcal pneumonia from the vaccine because it doesn’t contain live bacteria and you don’t need it every year.

So what can you do? See your doctor to learn about vaccination options right for you. This shot or vaccine is covered by Medicare. Typically there are 2 shots given apart from each other to fight against different strains of the bacteria. See P48 in “2022 Medicare & You.” There are two types of pneumococcal vaccine:

1. CDC recommends PPSV23 for o All adults 65 years or older o People 2 through 64 years old with certain medical conditions o Adults 19 through 64 years old who smoke cigarettes

2. CDC recommends PCV13 for o All children younger than 2 years old o People 2 years or older with certain medical conditions o Adults 65 years or older may discuss with their clinician to receive PCV13 Some groups may need multiple doses or booster shots. Talk with your or your child’s clinician about what is best for your specific situation.

Information sourced from: CDC/Web MD/ American Lung Association

To gym or not to gym? – 2022

That is the question!
We all agree that exercise is one of the most important factors in keeping healthy. However, with the Covid situation, some people may not want to go to the gym and
wonder what is available instead.

Most Medicare Advantage plans offer “no-cost” gym memberships as a value-added benefit. But for those who do not want to go to a gym, insurance carriers provide health incentives as an option to exercise. These incentives could include a no-cost home fitness kit, online workout videos, or live-streaming fitness classes. For example, when looking at what was available online, I found a live-streaming class offering European Folk dances one day. With the internet, your choices
are almost limitless.

There was a program on PBS entitled “Sit and Be Fit.” It was created in the mid-1980s by Mary Wilson, a nurse specializing in geriatric medicine. In these episodes, you could follow along if you were ambulatory or if in a wheelchair, engage while seated. There were almost 400 recordings of the show. You can still purchase them online or view them on YouTube. These gentle movement exercises can benefit almost anyone.

To find out what exercise options are available on your Medicare plan, simply call the Member Service number on the back of your ID card.

Information sourced from: Mayo Clinic/Healthline

Hand Jive??? – 2022

Does anyone remember that song we did with our hands? Well, our hands and fingers need exercise as we age. Why? We lose cartilage and elasticity as we grow older. Plus, we may experience some arthritis in various parts of our bodies. So, here are some hand and finger exercises to help our mobility, increase our range of motion and give some pain or stiffness relief.

Make a fist with your thumb wrapped across your fingers, hold 30-60 seconds then release and spread the fingers wide open.
Gently lay your hand facedown on a flat surface. Stretch out your fingers and gently press down so your hand is flat. Hold for 30-60 seconds and release.

To strengthen your grip, use a softball (not a baseball) Play-Doh® or clay, Squeeze in the palm of your hand and hold for 30-60 seconds. Do not do this if your thumb or other fingers are damaged. I personally like the Play-Doh®, because I can roll it around to further strengthen not only my fingers but my wrist as well.
Thumb Touch. With your thumb, touch the tip of each finger separately. This helps with things like picking up items or writing.
When my hands may feel stiff, I run warm water over them or use a heating pad. This really can help before you start your hand/finger exercises.

Information sourced from:  Mayo Clinic/Healthline/ Web MD/Academic.oup.com

Foods to avoid if you have kidney issues – 2021

Kidneys take care of filtering our blood and removing waste through urine, producing hormones and maintaining flue levels and balance. Kidney disease has many risk factors and the most common are diabetes and high blood pressure. Alcoholism, heart disease, Hepatitis C and HIV can also cause kidney disease. However, doctors have found that limiting or avoiding certain foods may help decrease the waste accumulation and improve kidney functions.

According to the National Kidney Foundation most recent guidelines we should limit sodium to under 2,300 mg per day.

Here are some foods to avoid or limit:Whole wheat bread has a high fiber content, so white bread is recommended.

Avocados, dates, raisins, and prunes have too much potassium

Brown rice managed portions only to control potassium & phosphorus.

Dairy is high in phosphorus and potassium. It may be important to limit dairy intake to avoid buildup of protein waste in the blood.

Oranges and orange juice. Again, high potassium content. Substitute grapes, apples, or cranberries.

Baked potatoes are high in potassium. Use sweet potatoes & soak in water to lower potassium levels.

Pretzels, chips, and crackers.

Talk to your doctor or work with a healthcare professional and renal dietitian to help you design a renal diet specific to your likes and needs.

WebMD/Mayo Clinic

Chia Seeds! – 2021

The ancient Aztec and Mayans used Chia seeds as a main portion of their diets.  They are a concentrated source of protein and very rich in fiber and look very much like black pepper granules. Chia seeds help keep the body feeling full and energized for hours.  So, how do you use them?  You can sprinkle them into salads, cereal, oatmeal, soups, puddings, etc.  They are tasteless, or mild and nutty, but when added to a liquid, Chia seeds expand somewhat into a gel. I personally have started adding them to all types of foods.

Here are some of the benefits:

1. May stimulate weight loss, mainly because they are high in fiber and make the stomach expand and feel fuller.  The high protein content also helps control appetites.
2. Promotes healthy digestion.  Eleven of the 12 grams of carbs are fiber and fiber does not raise blood sugar or require insulin.
3. Help manage blood sugar levels.  A high sugar diet or even simple carbs can raise block sugar levels.
4. And lots more!
5. As always, we suggest you talk to your doctor about the advantages of Chia Seeds.

Healthline.com  /  Medical News Today / Harvard Edu / WebMD

Blood Pressure Meds & Cognition Studies – 2021

Almost half of Americans are on medication for high blood pressure. HBP can affect the blood flow and damage blood vessels in the brain, raising the risk for brain injury and dementia. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, there is hope that certain blood pressure drugs can help maintain healthy brain functions.

The National Institute on Aging has funded research to help identity which medications are most beneficial for cognition. Studies in six countries (Canada, Australia, Ireland, Germany, Japan, and the USA) indicate older adults taking blood pressure meds that infuse the blood- brain barrier (BBB) had better memory recall for up to three years compared to those taking meds that do not infuse the BBB. But blood pressure drugs that didn’t infuse the blood brain barrier created better attention skills. These studies are important in helping doctors prescribe BP medications based on the patient’s age, health, and risks. Doctors still agree to live a heart-healthy life by exercising regularly, eating a nutritious diet, controlling stress, managing weight, and stop smoking.

So if you are diagnosed with high blood pressure, you may want to discuss this study with your doctor

Source: American Heart Association, Alzheimer’s Association, Web MD, Association,  National Institute on Aging