SportsGeezer

How to Know What the Doctor Really Said

Studies indicate that at least 90 million Americans have a hard time understanding basic health information, a problem that, according to this piece in the New York Times, results in poor adherence to prescription instructions, infrequent use of preventive medical services, increased hospitalizations and visits to the emergency room and worse control of chronic diseases. Much of that basic health information comes directly from doctors, who, the Times reports, don't always make the best effort to make sure patients have a good understanding of what's going on. What to do? Here's what Jane Brody advises:
"Do not wait until doctors become better at communicating. If you want the best medical care, you have to take the initiative. If the doctor says something you do not understand, ask that it be repeated in simpler language. If you are given a new set of instructions, repeat them back to the doctor to confirm your understanding. If you are given a new device to use, demonstrate how you think you are to use it."
Read more in the New York Times.

How to Prevent Elliptical Trainer Footburn

A reader of the LA Times has a problem: After 20 minutes of working out on an elliptical trainer, her feet start to burn. What's going on?  Doug Richie, a Seal Beach-based podiatrist and past president of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine, says the problem is nerve pain. Richie advises the pained reader to pay more attention to the position of her feet when she is on the machine. He suggests that she make sure to keep her heels down to distribute the stress over the entire foot, not just the ball. If that doesn't do it, he says, try arch supports in shoes. Read more in the LA Times.

The Short Answer to "What Should I Eat?" And the Long Answer Too

Michael Pollan, whose book, “The Omnivore’s Dilemma,” was chosen by the editors of The New York Times Book Review as one of the 10 best books of 2006, has written hundreds of thousands of words about what to eat. Now he gives it to us in seven words: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."
Of course, in this substantial essay in the New York Times, Pollan has some splaining to do, and he does it beautifully. By food, for instance, Pollan means whole fresh foods, not processed foods. The rest of what Pollan means will take some time to read, but in Geezer's opinion, it's worth every minute.

Now There is Help for Those Who Suffer Headaches After Sex

Geezer is surprised to learn that some women (and men) experience intense headaches during and after sex, not before it starts. But yes, the Scientific American is a reliable source. The magazine reports that about 1 percent of people have headaches associated with sexual activity at some point in their lives, and that there are two types of sex-associated headaches: pre-orgasmic, dull headaches that increase with sexual excitement, and orgasmic headaches, which are sudden, severe headaches that occur upon orgasm and can last for hours.
The good news, according to the report, is that there is now help for sufferers of both kinds of headaches.  The standard preventive treatment for orgasmic headaches has been indomethacin taken 30 to 60 minutes before sex, but many patients can't tolerate the drug's intestinal side effects, Another drug, propranolol, can be helpful as preventive treatment. One or the other drug is effective in 80 percent of patients. For the rest of us, Sciam advises, triptans can be effective preventive treatment if taken about a half-hour before sex. Triptans can also be used to shorten orgasmic headaches after they have begun. Sciam warns that triptans should only be used if standard treatments aren't effective or tolerable.

Listen to the Editor of GeezerJock Mag

One thing we learn in this nine-minute long audio interview with the editor of GeezerJock magazine is that many readers don't like the name. Geezer can only hope that it's the "jock" that they find objectionable. Robin Young, of National Public Radio's WBUR, talks with GeezerJock editor Sean Callahan, a former sportswriter, and with a 61-year-old champion swimmer named Rich Abraham.

Exercise Enforcers Keep Us Coming Back to the Gym

Every January, vast numbers of well-intentioned and out-of-shape people resolve to hit the gym at least three times a week. Every February, they forget about it, or find some important reason why gym no longer fits their busy schedule. And while many of the well-intentioned and out-of shape people are OK with that lapse, the gyms are not, because people who don't use a gym are unlikely to re-up next year. Now, the New York Times reports, some gyms are responding by hiring people whose job it is to encourage members to get to the gym with phone calls and compliments. Does it work? Read the Times' piece and find out.

How to Skate Off 20 Pounds

There is no joy in Mudville, because there is no ice in Mudville, just mud, and Geezer is wondering if winter will pass through his New England town without a single freezing of its lakes and ponds. It's enough to make Geezer wonder if he should forget about pond hockey and try to find those inline skates his loving wife bought him several years ago. If he did, he could make use of this helpful advice on how to skate off 20 pounds. Or not.

Eating for Winter

Is there really such a thing as a winter diet and summer diet? The answer depends, of course, on whether there is such a thing as winter weather where you live. For those who live in a place where winter means snow, ice, and low low temperatures, Outside magazine suggests a diet designed for warmth. Ready, here goes:
BREAKFAST: Whole-grain toast with nut butter and jam,   and a serving of yogurt; or whole-grain pancakes, eggs, and fruit.  
  LUNCH: A bowl of vegetable stew with whole-grain crackers or bread;   or a turkey sandwich on whole-grain bread with lettuce, avocado,   tomato, sprouts, and mustard, plus pretzels on the side.
  DINNER: Baked chicken or fish with whole-grain pasta and   salad; or a stir-fry with brown rice, vegetables, and lean meat.
  DESSERT: Pumpkin pie is loaded with antioxidants.
  SNACKS: Trail mix, string cheese, Snickers, peanut-butter   crackers, fruit, and high-carb energy bars are all good options   every couple of hours between meals.
  DRINK: In cold weather, it's not always enough to merely   stay hydrated. To boost warmth, drink beverages that include spices like   cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, which stimulate digestive enzymes   and thus help you generate more heat after eating.
Read more about eating for winter.

Antidepressants May Double Bone Fracture Risk

As if just being depressed  were not depressing enough, a new study suggests that antidepressants such as Prozac and Zoloft may double the risk of bone fracture. The LA Times reports on the McGill University research, which found that about 10 percent of daily antidepressant users older than 50 fractured a bone over a five-year period. Researchers compared those numbers to the fracture rate among people who did not use antidepressants, which was 5 percent.
The paper reports that the study found that patients on antidepressants were twice as likely to fall and had lower bone mineral density at the hip and spine. It quotes Dr. David Goltzman, senior author of the study, saying that it was likely the falls were caused by low blood pressure and fainting spells, two known side effects of a class of antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs. The study took into account the increased falls and lower bone density, but still found a doubling of the risk for bone breakage.
Read more in the Los Angeles Times.

Viagra Offers Choice: Your Nose or Your....

Viagra may improve the performance on one important organ, but, according to research conducted at the University of Dresden Medical School, it can seriously hamper the performance of another--the nose. The Scientific American reports that researchers looked at 20 healthy, young male volunteers who received Viagra, at a 50- or 100-mg dose, or inactive "placebo" and then were exposed to an odor-dispensing device. They found that the 100-mg dose caused a drop in smelling or "olfactory" ability, specifically odor discrimination and odor threshold, compared with placebo. The 50-mg dose, by contrast, had no effect on olfactory function.