RDA/Carroll & Brown/Jules Selmes True. Your sense of balance is one sign of brain strength, and you can use free weights to develop better balance. Try this: Stand on one leg and close your eyes. The longer you can stand without falling, the better (20 seconds is very good if you are 45 or older). Working out with dumbbells develops your proprioception, the complex action of body orientation that helps you balance and stimulates neural pathways. Weight machines don’t have the same effect because the weights are attached to a fixed surface, so you don’t develop your balancing abilities as you lift them.
You can work out your brain with weights.
True. Enough studies have been done that we can say that drinking about 20 ounces of coffee a day could significantly decrease your risk of Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s disease. No one is quite sure why, but the effect of caffeine seems substantial, whether it’s in coffee, tea or soft drinks. Warning: For some people, too much caffeine may cause health problems.Coffee is good for your brain.
False. If you’ve ever strained your back, you know that on a scale of 1 to 10, the pain ranks a 692. It can be paralyzing — making it difficult to walk, sit, get up, sleep or anything else. All you want to do is lie down, prop your head on some pillows, flick on reruns and remain still. You can think of nothing better than having your spouse deliver ice packs, ibuprofen and the latest issue of Reader’s Digest directly to your bed. But your spouse shouldn’t play nurse. Why? Attentive mates may be doing the right thing emotionally, but by encouraging you to stay in bed they’re doing the wrong thing physically. If you stay in bed more than two or three days, your back muscles weaken and can slow your recuperation. In order to recover from strain, your muscles need to grow stronger and stay active, and the only way they’ll do that is by working, even if it’s just a little bit. The best method: walking.Pampering can speed recovery from back pain.
Not necessarily. About half of all people who have had heart attacks never felt a symptom — or didn’t recognize it. The most common signs are:You'll know if you're having a heart attack.
• chest discomfort (pressure, fullness or squeezing)
• discomfort in upper body (arm, back, neck, jaw or shoulder)
• shortness of breath
• cold sweat
• nausea
• sudden extreme fatigue (without lack of sleep).
Symptoms can be unpredictable. For example, talk show host Larry King felt intense pain in his right arm, not the usual side for heart pain. Why? The heart’s nerves don’t feel pain directly. But when something goes wrong, its nerves may become electrically unstable. When they cross the spinal column, they may short-circuit other nerves — so your arm aches, or your chest, or even your jaw. But if the nerve fibers don’t cross, you may not have any discomfort at all.
False. Maintaining the health of your sex organs not only improves your longevity, but also helps support a rich and fulfilling life. The most important thing is to follow guidelines for decreasing arterial aging, such as eating a healthy diet, exercising and watching your blood pressure and cholesterol. A clear and well-flowing vascular system promotes blood flow to every part of your body.Erectile dysfunction is inevitable as men age.
