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Laurie4b

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Everything posted by Laurie4b

  1. I did some googling but with very little result and I wondered if any of the Hive with science background (or better research skills) has a take on the silver lasting forever to kill bacteria. I cringed at the demos where the cloth was used to mop up raw poultry juice and then we were told that all that bacteria would be gone in 24 hours. Also, from an environmental standpoint, I am concerned with more microfibers as we know they get into the ocean and into the food chain from the very lowest levels. What are your thoughts?
  2. It took me a while to get back on the boards because my old account was linked to a defunct email. I really missed the accountability this group provides! This past week, I got in 2 strength training workouts and 3 cardio, but was 20 min short of my minimum cardio goal. I've been in a pattern of having a hard time getting in gear on Mondays. Hopefully, I will break that trend tomorrow.
  3. In your shoes, I would not want a CT scan unless time did not bring down the swelling. Having a single swollen lymph gland is common and usually from benign causes. I would want to know why your doctor thinks a CT scan is necessary at this point. A CT scan is very useful if there is good reason to have one but is not entirely benign. It has a significant amount of radiation and sometimes it "finds" something that then requires additional follow-up that turns out to be nothing. "Overtreatment" has risks of its own. So given that your only symptom is a common one with many benign causes, I would wait a couple weeks and have the CT scan only if it remains the same or gets larger.
  4. Yesterday, I had Zumba. It was another kicker of a workout. Today, I need to do strength training. It's sunny out, so I may add a walk.
  5. Just to clarify: the study I cited with the three 20 sec sprints was after a warm-up, so warm up first then, 2 easy min, 20 sec sprint, 2 easy min, 20 sec sprint, 2 easy min, 20 sec sprint, 2 easy min. cool down. I wouldn't personally sprint until after I had warmed up 5-7 min myself. I think the first and last 2 min could be part of a w/u or c/d. That was the way I read the study itself though the way it's reported most places it's like "the 9 min workout." Great strength-training workout!
  6. I was told by an acquaintance who had formerly been in charge of major hospital's billing that there are nearly always mistakes in the hospital billing. However, you have to be able to go up the chain to get to someone who can resolve them. The insurance company is one source of fighting something that shouldn't have been charged, but you can also work with the hospital.
  7. Yesterday,, I did a 75 min walk with 30 min of embedded jogging intervals. It was the last day of nice spring weather for a while. Going to be cold and rainy or wintry mix. Rest of the week: Today: weight machines at gym. Push-ups at home; May try a class at the gym. Wed: Zumba Thur weight machines at gym plus swimming Fri-Sun: Travel and helping my dad move.
  8. . I lost 60 lbs in my late 50s and have kept it off. My suggestions would be these: 1. Given all the diets that you've tried, it seems that it would be best to evaluate the bigger picture before evaluating a specific eating plan. I would really, really encourage you to take a perspective of caring tenderly for your body, just like you would care for your child's, rather than on losing weight. 2. Evaluate your sleep. If you are not sleeping (actual sleep time, not time in bed) for 7-8 hours a night, your body produces hormones that are designed to increase your food intake.Fighting your hormones is not the way to weight loss. f you suspect that you snore or you have sleep issues that you cannot resolve through good sleep hygiene, go to a sleep doctor and get a sleep study done. Being overweight puts you at greater risk for sleep apnea and a vicious cycle can be created. 3. In addition to seeking medical help for any sleep issues that can't be resolved, make sure your medical care is optimal for thyroid, celiac, etc. If your body is constantly inflamed, or if your thyroid levels are not optimal, you will find it hard to lose. 4. Evaluate your hydration. Many of us eat when we are thirsty. Additionally, water before a meal does help to fill us up. Also, one of the first things to tackle in terms of weight loss is what you drink. Water, clear tea, and clear coffee are your friends. If you are used to sugar in your tea or coffee, you can either try cold turkey or gradually diminishing the amounts. There is debate in the research, but there is enough research that is tending to show that artificial sweeteners may be a hindrance to losing weight, that I would ditch the diet drinks as well. There are some nice flavored sparkling waters now if you crave carbonation. 5. Strengthen your support system. Often family and friends undermine our dieting efforts. That could be because they are culturally conditioned to view food intake as a sign of love, etc. or it can be for other reasons. It is helpful for friends to know that you are doing what you are doing for your health. It's harder to push something that will make you unhealthy. If you do have celiac, find good information and give it to them proactively so they don't say things like, "One piece of cake won't matter. It's a birthday party!" Online support systems can help tremendously. (There is a thread on WTM called Well Trained Bodies. You're welcome to come over! But there are several online groups focused on supporting people through their journey to health.) 5. Make sure your environment is not giving you cues to eat and how much to eat. People eat more in cluttered kitchens, so if you have any issues with clutter, make your kitchen a clutter-free zone. The only food that should be out in view is a bowl of fruit. Get rid of any trigger foods. If someone else in your family just loves chips and they are a trigger food for you, ask them to keep them out of sight, or to forego them for your sake. Your i DH can eat forbidden foods at lunchtime. The kids don't need to establish a pattern of eating in the first place. (See support above) . Arrange your pantry, cabinets, and fridge so that the food that is healthiest for you is what you see first Use smaler plates. Use salad plates for lunch and lunch plates for supper---unless you are eating a huge salad or something. 6. Look up the National Weight Loss Registry and see what people who have successfully lost and maintained have in common. 7. Exercise. If you don't already exercise, I would strongly encourage you to do it for its many positive effects on your health and body rather than view it as a way to burn calories. Exercise increases longevity, protects cognitive health, helps manage stress, improves the appearance of your skin, keeps your immune system younger as you age, etc. etc. AND it causes your body to produce hormones that will be the balance you need to lose weight. Calorie burning is inexact anyway and exercise often becomes a punishment for overeating if it's thought of as a calorie burner. The most important exercise step is to "not sit." Keep moving during the day--every hour to 1/2 hour make sure you're up and doing something---sweep, vacuum, garden, pace while you're on the phone, etc. After that, add in walking. If your joint pain is bad, look for a YMCA or other fitness center with a heated pool. 8. In terms of actual food intake in the meantime, I would encourage you to focus on nutrition Take tender care of your body. Try for 5-9 servings of fruit and veges a day. They are full of things your body is needs to run well. Don't eat junk. Read labels. 9. Pay attention to what you say to yourself about yourself and about food. (I have not read the Beck solution, but Beck was the pioneer for cognitive behavioral therapy, which has an excellent research base across multiple conditions. If you take care of the big picture first, I think you will have more choices in terms of eating programs that will work.
  9. Yesterday, I managed to fool around until 30- min before dark, but got in a 35 min walk with 15 min of jogging intervals embedded. Last week, I was helping my dad, who has Alzheimer's, move. I am guessing that the people on this thread are already doing important things in terms of prevention/delay if you are at risk, but here is a quick list of them: 1. Exercise: Cardio is critical. Very strong research base. There was also a recent meta-study that indicated that strength training likely plays a role in working memory, memory, and executive function. For one thing, when you rough up your muscles a bit, they send out an enzyme calling for autophagy to begin all over the body. (Not just in the affected muscle.) The body's clean up crew works to get rid of plaques and tangles in the brain as well as messed up muscle cells. 2. Get enough sleep )7-8 hours). If you can't get to a sleep specialist. If you snore, make sure you don't have sleep apnea. Certain stages of sleep are also when the body cleans out plaques and tangles. 3. Diet: Check out either the MIND diet or adhere closely to the Mediterranean. Eat green leafy veges daily. Eat cruciferous veges almost as often. Eat berries (blueberries preferably but strawberries are good too) at least twice a week if not more often. 3 servings of whole wheat grain appear protective unless you have a gluten sensitivity, in which case, avoid gluten and try to get your whole grains elsewhere. Eat fish 1+ x per week. Have vegetarian entrees regularly. Eat good fat---up to 1/4 cup olive oil per day is actually protective. 4. Keep socially connected 5. Take care of any hearing loss ASAP. See #4 but also, the part of your brain that receives signals from the affected ear)s) will begin to atrophy. 6. Take care of your dental health. Just like they have found bacteria from oral gum disease to be implicated in cardiovascular disease, they have found gingivitis in the brains of Alzheimer's patients. 7. Keep your brain stimulated. Learn something NEW. Also one computer brain game (Double-decision) has strong research support in a clinical trial as having decreased the risk of dementia. It was compared to two other types of brain games. It's available from Posit Science. 8. Deal with stress. Not health related but if you are at risk, involve your kids (or other trusted individuals) in your finances EARLY. Your financial judgment will be the first thing to go in many cases. Don't wait until you have "memory issues" (you may have already done significant damage by the time anyone notices) plus you're likely to be more resistant. Had to get that off my chest.
  10. Yes, see a shoulder specialist. You do not want to end up with a frozen shoulder. BTDT. And you can get the right kind of exercises to help you heal. If you've already got frozen shoulder, do your exercises, but know that it cycles and it tends to move toward improvement only in one part of the cycle. Don't give up. I've had two frozen shoulders and one is completely healed. The other I regained probably 85% of my shoulder mobility.
  11. I'm confused. Would you have wanted a second procedure if they had found a polyp and left it in there?
  12. Whenever I do pro bono tutoring, I keep in mind that not only will that particular child's life be different, but so will the lives of the people who may have been impacted by any future crime. The school systems around here do provide Wilson tutoring for kids. I no longer use OG, but have switched to Reading Simplified. It has many of the same components, but eliminated others and replaced them with more efficient methods . I find it extremely fast in remediation compared to OG. I've had multiple students---from kids with multiple LDs to ESL speakers to kids about to be held back for lack of reading proficiency be remediated to grade level within a year, some as short as 2 months.
  13. When I trained in a program to help students in local public schools with reading, using an Orton Gillingham approach, we were told that several states do their long term planning for prison beds based on the scores of the current second graders in the state. Sadly, the line is that predictive.
  14. Are you talking about professionally tutoring children who are struggling with reading & may have a learning disability? Or about volunteering in a local community center or school to provide extra support. What is your experience & training? For what purpose do you want to tutor? If to make money, are you willing to work weekends? Are you willing to work after school and evening hours? What contacts do you have with potential clients or people who would refer to you?
  15. Yesterday, talked dh into going for a walk along our town greenway with the dog. We walked about an hour. So nice to have some spring weather and to have the sunlight last so long though I don't think I've entirely adjusted to DST yet. When I got home, I had enough time to change a bit for the gym and get in 2 sets of 2 upper body and 2 lower body machines at the gym. Today, I plan to do a walk/jog in a local park. Tomorrow should be spring weather as well, so I hope for a hike and some strength training.
  16. https://www.acsm.org/docs/default-source/brochures/protein-intake-for-optimal-muscle-maintenance.pdf Good article on protein intake. I once saw a sports cardiologist (researcher/clinician who specializes in helping athletes (even... um... mature athletes trying to maintain optimal fitness) and he said to make sure that the protein was spread out into at least 20 g per each meal/snack so that its there all day rather than neglecting protein in a meal or snacks) Personally, I hate to count things, so I just did it once. I looked up how much protein there was in the foods I typically consume and felt pretty confident I would get enough if I made sure I ate a significant serving of meat at both lunch and dinner on the days that I lift. I probably need to do it again to tune up my game.
  17. Sounds good on the strength training. Make sure she's eating enough protein. It's really hard to build muscle mass at our age (not impossible but hard), but strength gains are still expected! I would suggest eventually adding in some flexibility and balance exercise. For balance, something as simple as standing on one foot while brushing your teeth or standing at the kitchen sink is helpful. For cardio, with doctor's permission, I would encourage her to add in a few intervals of "sprint equivalents" in her workouts, meaning something equivalent to a sprint. It's easiest on the joints if it's on a bike or in the pool. I don't have time to dig it up now, but there was a study that demonstrated that 45 min of steady state cycling was equivalent to 2 min easy cycling, 20 sec sprint, 2 min easy, 20 sec sprint, 2 min easy 20 sec sprint, 2 min easy. (Add a warm up and cool down to that.) Speaking of warm-ups: they are critical as one ages. At least 5 min warm -up for cardio, 7 min if there are any heartbeat irregularities. wrt strength training same cardio type warm up, then do a set of each exercise at a light weight before doing the target weight. Motivation: I like to watch youtube videos of older women being fit. Search "old lady lifting" or "old lady dancing" or "old lady in marathon" type stuff! :lol: Usually the "old ladies" are a couple decades past me so it's good motivation for the future!
  18. Zumba was super hard tonight in terms of cardio intensity. I am wiped out. Flexibility is incorporated so that got done, too. Because the workout was so hard, I'm going to do strength training tomorrow and either light/moderate cardio or none. I feel like I need a rest.
  19. Well that stinks. I hope they eventually figure it out and that in the meantime, there are no more falls. My leg buckled like that when I was having a disc issue, but then again that was in the middle of an episode of searing back pain . I wonder if it's possible that your disc pops out a bit and compresses a nerve but doesn't cause pain somehow.
  20. Anyone know about something that filters blue light for laptops? I need that!
  21. I did actually go to the gym and did 2 sets of reps on two machines for lower body and two for upper body. After being away all week last week, my chest press had lost strength. Assisted chin up got a little better, and legs stayed steady. I did lower body stretches at the gym. Too tired to do the rest of them now that I'm home.
  22. Good for you for getting in something today after last night. Ugh.
  23. I got back at 11:30 pm Sunday night from a week of no formal exercise, but lots of work involved in helping my Dad get ready to move. Can I just say how much Alzheimer's stinks? Anyway, I managed somehow not to gain weight despite large dinners every night and chips at lunch every day. I was too mentally/emotionally worn down to resist. Took yesterday off. I was exhausted, DST, and there was "wintry weather" which precluded outdoor exercise or driving to the gym, so I sat in front of the fire and worked on learning German! Today, I just got back from 75 min walk with 30 min of embedded jogging. I needed longer recovery periods between the jogging intervals, so that extended the time some. Later on tonight, I plan to head to the gym to do strength training. I may have to head back up to my Dad's this weekend. (It's an 8 hour drive) so I need to make sure that I've gotten in 2 strength-training workouts by Thur and 3 cardio sessions.
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