The Heat is On...Still!
It is important to keep cool and hydrated…in fact, it’s essential.
Let’s review what works best.
Stay hydrated. No, it is not mandatory that you drink eight glasses of water a day. What is critical…drink water every time you feel thirsty. You don’t need an app to track you, just trust your body. The elderly may need a gentle reminder as they often don’t sense their thirst as younger people do.
No, caffeine and alcohol do not dehydrate you. You should drink them in moderation and avoid high volumes of strong alcohol.
Sports drinks are overrated. Unless you’re an ultra-marathoner, you do not need specially blended drinks. Water will get the job done.
Best advice…limit your time in the hot sun, continue to monitor how you feel and stay hydrated with water.
Diabetes and Alcohol
Annual Physical Exam.
Regardless of age, an annual physical exam is important. Your physician’s examination should include a blood test which can reveal your general health and some specific issues that may exist.
Hemoglobin A1c. One of the important blood tests during a physical is Hemoglobin A1c. This is a simple blood test that measures your average blood sugar levels over the past three months. It’s commonly used to diagnose prediabetes and diabetes.
Alcohol Consumption. One of the major contributors to a poor A1c is alcohol consumption. Alcohol disrupts the processing of new glucose (sugar). As a result, your blood sugar level can drop quickly, putting you at risk for low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).
Can a diabetic drink? Yes, moderately, and cautiously. First, check with your doctor and follow their instructions, which usually recommend drinking in moderation. You should also be aware of your other medications to be certain alcohol is permissible. Read more here at Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Researchers hope to use speech changes to predict which adolescents and young adults are at high risk for schizophrenia and may go on to develop the disease.
In a new study published in the Lancet Journal found that the artificial intelligence program predicted, with 75 percent accuracy, who would get Alzheimer’s disease. Cheryl Corcoran, MD, explains, “It’s been a lot of small studies finding the same signals.” At this point, she said, “We are not at the point yet where we can tell people if they are at risk or not.”
Why am I receiving unsolicited Medicare Advantage enrollment telephone calls? The good news is you’re eligible for Medicare …the bad news is…the paid solicitors know it. Medicare Part C, also called Medicare Advantage (MA), are private insurance plans offered by Medicare-approved companies. These plans provide most of Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Part B (Medical Insurance) coverage and typically offer extra benefits such as vision, hearing, and dental care.
Medicare eligibility opens several times a year. These include when you turn age 65, you’ve moved, plan changes, etc. The callers are usually paid solicitors, often from an out of the country working in a call center. They are usually touting Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage) and suggest you might get money refunded, free dental care, free vision care, etc. These statements are only true in very select zip codes where health care costs allow them to negotiate with dentists and optometrists. If you decide to transfer your Medicare to one of these plans, be aware…you will have limitations in your selection of health care providers and hospitals. Review these plans very carefully before making a change. Best question…is my doctor part of the plan? Here is link to the government’s explanation at Medicare.gov
Good News for Senior Internet Users
A new study explores the effect of internet use among older people as a means of preventing dementia.
The study finds that older individuals who regularly use the internet are nearly half as likely to develop dementia as those who do not regularly use the internet. The authors of the study tracked the cognitive health of 18,154 adults who did not have dementia. The people in the study were 50 to 65 years old at the start of the study.
Regular internet users had a 43% reduced risk of developing dementia compared with non-regular users.
The study is published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society Trusted Source.