A New Study for Women Over 50

A new study shows that women over 50 need more exercise than previously thought!  That news  can send women like me  dashing to the nearest bakery!  We had  enough issues with our weight without researchers giving us more bad news!

We Need More Exercise to Keep the Pounds Away!

The previously recommended amount of exercise was one half hour daily.  New reports say women over 50  need an entire  hour of exercise daily to fight the flab.  We thought we had troubles finding that extra half hour a day and now we need double that!  And there’s more!

They’re saying that for women over 50 who are already overweight (like the majority of American women over 50), 60 minutes of daily exercise might not be enough to keep extra pounds away.  We need to also control our calories.  That’s not news except we were previously led to believe that calorie control and 1/2 hour of daily exercise would shed  pounds –   now they tell us that will  only help to maintain one’s…

What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?

Do you ever feel you have the “winter blues”?  Many people feel a bit more tired, gain weight, have difficulty getting out of bed and call it the blues. I fall into this category while others may suffer an exaggerated form of these symptoms whereby depression and a lack of energy become debilitating.  My sister-in-law suffers from this condition called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

Symptoms

The typical symptoms of SAD include depression, lack of energy, increased need for sleep, a craving for sweets, and weight gain. Symptoms may begin in the fall, peak in the winter and usually resolve in the spring for most people.  70-80% of those with SAD are women.

Causes

The incidence of SAD seems to increase with increasing latitude.  Studies indicate a connection between a person’s vulnerability to SAD and their degree of light exposure.  For example, an individual may be fine in New York and show symptoms of SAD in Toronto.  For me, I didn’t experience winter blues in Northern California, but since moving to Spokane…

It’s Spring! Bye Bye Winter Blahs!

Spring has sprung according to the calendar!   All due respect to alergy sufferers, I love spring.  It’s all new and fresh, perking up  my mood tremendously.   Out with the old and in with the new! Winter is technically over and we can happily say the snow seems to have passed us by.    It’s almost hard to remember last year’s record snowfall!     This winter my husband shoveled the driveway only once and that was more in preparation for what  never did come versus what had just  barely come.   

It’s time to remove the snow tires that were seldom  needed.  What a change from last year when  many times I barely made it out of my steep driveway.   I’m not much into snow sports, but I did miss the gorgeous snowy landscape from my windows this year. 

I didn’t miss traversing icy parking lots on foot.    I’ll never understand business owners who can’t sprinkle some  salt on their walkways.  Last year I nearly gave up my post office box when I needed…