Today is your day Boomer! I haven't been to Hawaii in five years and Mexico even longer....but one thing I love to do is walk barefoot on the beaches. I, especially, like to kick my feet on the water's edge....but a BIG WARNING from a doctor for Boomers who love to do this! According to Kelowna's Dr. Issa Ephtimios, this is a big no, no: "During my extensive travels, I have found uncapped intravenous needles on beaches,” he says. “Further, there is a parasitic disease known as cutaneous larva migrant (CLM) that can be transmitted on the beach from stray dogs and it has the potential to penetrate the skin and cause a severe, itchy rash." Yikes and gross at the same time. What else? He states “The same thing can happen if you lay on the beach in your bathing suit without using a towel underneath." Okay, my beach options just took a big hit. Boomers, should we believe this guy? He is the medical lead for infectious diseases at Kelowna General Hospital! Maybe a trip to Iceland or northern Russia next winter instead? Son of a beach....
Today is your day Boomer! And today is another day for wining......and I don't mean complaining. I mean drinking some pressed grapes and enjoying the health benefits. That's right, drinking alcohol is good for you. First, let's state the obvious....only in moderate amounts: two glasses per day for men and one for women. Research shows the following positive health effects: (1) reduces risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson disease (2) is an anti-flammatory(white wine is better for this) (3) decreases risk of high blood pressure and high cholesterol(red wine is a better choice) (4) good for mental health, may increase age longevity, may promote healthy gut bacteria. All of this sounds good and much of it boils down to the antioxidants which are higher in red wine. It seems reds--like Merlot, Cab Sav, and Shiraz--have been studied more.....which means more research is needed on whites. Boomers, maybe we could volunteer for a new study! Cheers!

Comments
Post a Comment