A New Year is here and
folk are geared up to put New Year’s health resolutions into place
that will probably be broken by March. If the truth be told, African
Americans are better off with life long health resolutions as
opposed to New Year’s promises. Many bad health habits are
cumulative. For example, if you had a new car and put cheap oil in
the engine for several years, then changed to top grade oil, the
engine may already be damaged. Smoking is a habit that may have
similar consequences. People forget that smoking causes heart
disease, lung cancer, bad breathe, blindness, and ages the skin.
Smoking affects every organ in the body in a negative way. If you
have diabetes, smoking is like pouring gasoline on a fire. If you
have hypertension, smoking causes your blood pressure to be out of
control (with or without medications). If you have children and you
smoke, it presents a bad image and causes major respiratory problems
for them. I think you get the picture.
Life after
Cancer
Many folk who are
blessed to have survived cancer don’t do what is right to stay
healthy. Unfortunately this happens too often in minorities. You
would be surprised to know that some folk continue with bad health
habits, giving great credence to the fact that it is difficult to
break bad habits even if it could prolong your life. It is not
uncommon for men and women who have been diagnosed with cancer to
continue to smoke, miss appointments, and have unhealthy lifestyles.
Exercising and maintaining ideal weight is important. If you’ve had
one cancer, screening for other cancers is important. I might add
that a positive attitude is most helpful. Willingness to share your
experiences with others is good. There is something about sharing
with others that can not be measured. Do the right thing and take
care of yourself.
Weight
Lifting
It is well establish
that weight lifting is good for all ages. It is an activity that is
well worth your while as you grow older. The medical literature is
very clear; if one wants to grow older and maintain relative good
strength for daily living, weight lifting for men and women is a
good thing. If you have no idea of what weight lifting is all about,
see a fitness trainer. They are experts in getting folk of all ages
in good physical shape, but it’s up to you to maintain it. Lifting
weights properly is a must because improper lifting will result in
unnecessary pain. Water aerobics is another activity that is helpful
for people with arthritis and osteoarthritis. Talk with a friend and
decide that you both are going to grow old gracefully and in good
health. Two or three time a week is not a bad investment for
lifelong strength.
When the
Chief Complaint is Loss of Energy
A common medical
complaint is the loss of energy. It is common for folk to treat
themselves using all kinds of home remedies, but here are a few
medically proven tips to use when you have a lack of energy. Make
sure you drink plenty of water throughout the day. Take your weight
and divide it in half. Drink that much water in ounces per day. If
you drink a lot of coffee, you should drink the same amount of water
in addition to your maintenance intake. Eat more fruits, veggies,
and nuts and avoid sugar and alcohol. You must move your body to
generate energy. You’ve got to get exercise. Get plenty of sleep.
Most folk need 7 to 8 hours of good sleep. Learn to relax during the
day. Being up tight all day burns up lots of good energy. Finally
have some fun. Remember when you were kid.
Lung
Cancer: The Quiet Killer
We were all stunned
when we heard of Dana Reeves passing away from Lung cancer. After
all, we had just been devastated by the death of Peter Jennings to
secondary lung caner. Mrs. Reeves was a non-smoker while Mr.
Jennings smoked heavily. Now we know that there is a condition
called nonsmoker cancer which is apparently what Dana Reeves died
from. Nonsmoker cancer is caused by inhaling secondary smoke.
Studies show that there is a subset of people who are at risk for
developing cancer if exposed to cigarette smoke over a period of
time. Smoking continues to be a major health problem for African
Americans young and old. It is bewildering to me because far less
than half of patients who are told about the consequences and
treatments of smoking will quit smoking. African Americans will
usually attempt to stop smoking without help. They are usually not
successful. If you want to quit smoking, then talk to your
physician.
