Monday, September 21, 2015

The Mental Health Edition

Our mental health is perhaps the most important factor of our overall health. When we procrastinate, and put things off, we lack the motivation to get and stay healthy. That is fairly a minor implication of our daily lifelong struggle with our mental health.


The most devastating mental health battle may come as we age, even if we have led a happy life and healthy life. Alzheimer's is something you might not have any control over. The good news is that we are making great strides towards the battle against Alzheimer's and dementia. Still it remains a mystery and continues to show signs of being a major problem within 20 years. Alzheimer's prevention can help and anything is better than nothing.




Spotting dementia is another issue but goes hand-in-hand with Alzheimer's. In case you need to care for someone with this issue, the caregiver guide might help. A dilemma comes when a doctor sees it coming but can't stop it. The brain is a muscle and needs mental exercise. Start at the memory quiz and start doing puzzles, sudokus, and any brain tease trivia you can find!




Depression is a strange mental health issue. Many people have it and don't know it. The depressed person isn't always a 'downer' because many upbeat and social people may be depressed, too. I could get into my college psychology classes, but as Bob Dylan said, "...times they are a changin'." Once called Manic-Depression, today it is known as bi-polar. M-D was confusing because there were 2 types. You were either Depressed or Manic. The Manic were the upbeat and talkative side of the depression.


When it comes to depression, here are tips to be happy. Habits can affect your mental health.


When it comes to happiness, you have it figured out if you're a Swiss, Icelander, Dane or Norwegian!







Saturday, September 19, 2015

You Can't Always Rely On BMI

I have been maintaining my current body weight range for the past 3-4 years. If it fluctuates it is within a 5 pound range. My BMI is over 25, so I should be classified as overweight. Lucky for me, my doctor doesn't buy it. I am very athletic for my age.


Among other things, BMI can't calculate fat or lean tissue. Solid muscle can weigh just as much as fat or more. This is why many people are misdiagnosed on their BMI calculation. When I did lower my BMI, although I was still muscular, I appeared to be anorexic. Now I can take back every comment I made about actresses that appeared to be anorexic!


Doctors have a better way to predict your future health and longevity, that is a much better calculator of one's overall health than BMIs. It's all about your handgrip strength. Building strength in your grip and rest of the body, can actually save you in your golden years by helping avoid falls and making it easier to lift yourself.


If longevity is part of your healthy lifestyle, here are a few strategies to add a couple of decades to your life.