Too much sun brings on liver spots. Golfers get them on their right hand but not on their left because they wear a golf glove on their left hand. They appear from too much sun. Just so you won’t forget, too much sun not only causes irregular coloring or pigmentation of the skin it also puts you at high risk of early wrinkling, cellular damage, thinning skin, actinic keratoses (scaly patches) and skin cancer.

To prevent sun spots you need to limit your sun exposure – it’s that simple. And if you must be in the sun, use sun protection, a broad-spectrum sunscreen which blocks both ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (USB) rays.

• Avoid the sun during high-intensity hours from 10 am to 4 pm.

• Wear protective clothing such as long sleeved shirts and long pants and wide brimmed hats.

• Use sunscreen 30 minutes before going outdoors so that your skin has time to absorb the sunscreen. Then reapply according to the label usually about every hour.

About that left over sunscreen from last year. You can use it. Sunscreens are formulated to remain stable and at original strength for up to three years so you can use a sunscreen from one summer to the next. Discard those sunscreens if it’s after their listed expiration date or it’s more than three years.

Keep in mind, however, that if you use sunscreen the way you should, frequently and a lot, there should not be much left over. You should be using about 1 ounce, the amount in a shot glass, to cover all the exposed parts of your body. All of which means if you have a 4 ounce bottle of sunscreen, you’re going to use a bottle in 4 applications.

Treatments of age spots in my next post.

To your success at healthy aging.
Ruthan Brodsky

Liver spots have absolutely nothing to do with the liver. And so far I haven’t found a very good reason why they’re called liver spots in the first place except maybe they’re colored and shaped like your liver.

Liver spots are dark spots that appear on your skin due to long-term sun damage. They are usually flat, brown-black spots that occur most often on those areas that have had the greatest sun exposure such as the backs of the hands, face, forearms, forehead and shoulders. If you wear shorts for golf or tennis you are going to find liver spots on your legs.

Also called age spots, they are simply melanin deposits also called solar lentigines when the sun’s ultraviolet radiation damages the color-producing cells of the skin. These cells, called melanocytes go into overdrive and produce too much color giving us the age spots.

They vary in size from freckle-size to more than a centimeter across. When they group together they look more prominent. They are common in adults over age 40 although they can affect younger people as well and they typically show in people with a fair complexion but you can find them also on darker skin depending upon sun exposure.

The good news is that age spots are usually harmless and don’t require medical care although you may not like the way they look. The problem is when you get age spots they are usually accompanied by other signs of sun damage including deep wrinkles, dry and rough skin, fine red veins on your cheeks and nose, and thinner, more translucent looking skin – all signs of aging. As if you needed another reminder.

However you should call a doctor when you see changes in how your liver spots look because that can be the beginning of skin cancer. Look for any that become darker, rapidly increase in size, have an irregular border or are an unusual combination of colors.

More on how to treat and prevent those age spots in my next post. In fact, I will be writing about your skin and sun damage for the next week or so. It’s the first week in July and I’ve become very aware of sun damage and skin problems having visited the dermatologist. I was lucky with this season’s inspection but my husband wasn’t; he has three basal cell cancers that require attention and that’s with wearing sunscreen – at least some of the time. My goal is to poke you into being more aware of how to care for yourself, including your skin, regardless of your age.

To your success at healthy aging.
Ruthan Brodsky

In my previous post I wrote about the dangers of exposing your skin to sun because of the high risk of skin cancer.

In a new report in The Skin Cancer Foundation Journal, two University of Washington professors wrote about tanning as an addiction. The authors write that some people seek a tanned appearance helps because it helps them feel relaxed, sociable and in a good mood.

As a result, the incidence of skin cancer, including the potentially fatal melanoma, continues to rise. This year, for example, about 70,000 new cases of melanoma will be diagnosed among Americans.

I’ve heard this argument forever, that getting a tan protects them from getting burned in the sun. That is the one excuse so many use when they go on a cruise in the fall or to Mexico during the winter.  It simply is not true. In fact, a tan represents skin damage. Even a brief exposure to ultraviolet light can cause mutations in the DNA of your skin cells.

The problem is that as you get older you are more susceptible to these mutations because your immunity isn’t as strong. The result is, even if you don’t get cancer, you will have that leathery looking skin, that’s loose and wrinkled making you look a lot older than you are.

The report stated that frequent tanners showed signs of both physiological and psychological dependence and just as for smokers or for heavy drinkers, the tanners may know the risk but pay no attention to the possibilities. Although the research numbers are small, there are several other studies which indicate an addiction with frequent tanners.

The recommendation: teach them about the dangers of sun exposure when they’re young, at a very early age, to always use sun screen. Make it as habitual as seat belts.

To your successes in healthy aging.

Ruthan

I admit to just a touch of that summer tan because I think I look more vibrant. At the very least, the freckles sort of blend together and I don’t look so blotchy. But I am careful about sun exposure and it paid off this week.

I went to the dermatologist (skin doctor) for my semi annual body skin check and lucked out with only 4 burning off of possible precancerous growths. She applies liquid nitrogen to the lesions which are usually benign. Even so the higher possible risk of becoming squamous cell carcinoma is there if left untreated so my dermatologist burns them off.

My husband, who happened to have an appointment that same morning, was not so lucky. The dermatologist  used the liquid a couple of times and then took 4 biopsies off his face. They’re sent to a lab and in a few days we will get the results. Whatever the outcome I know it will be caught early because he gets checked out more than twice a year and we’ll treat it with whatever surgical procedure is required.

The problem is, however, that it is summer and few people are as conscientious about exposing ourselves to the sun as we are. That means more time is spent exposing the skin to the ultraviolet radiation of the sun, the major cause of skin damage and cancer.

Our daughters lather sunscreen on their children before they play outdoors or go swimming. I haven’t seen either of them put any cream on themselves. I’m even to the point of wearing sun protection clothing and for sure long sleeves and full length trousers in the sun, even when I’m playing golf. The protection is working.

However, the concept of protecting yourself from the sun isn’t working for most Americans even thought the market for sun screen products is huge. Even though tanning yourself is good for my doctor’s practice because that’s what she mainly deals with – the damage done to your skin from the sun, I can appreciate her frustration when some of her patients are tan all year round because they visit tanning booth.

Obviously, the concept that a tan is equated with good health is stuck in our cultural thinking. Last Tuesday, Jane Brody wrote a piece in The New York Times that tanning is addictive. She even wrote about one Canadian who said he traveled all over the world to maintain a tan throughout the year.

More in my next post. In the meantime, send me any questions you have about tanning.  I will find your answers or let you know where to go.

To your success at healthy aging.

Ruthan Brodsky

Feeling positive, enjoying where you are, and acknowledging who you are can make your brain healthier and keeps your body functioning well. No one knows for sure why a positive attitude seems to lead to a longer life but it does.

If you were to ask me the question, what’s so good about aging, my instinct would probably be to dwell on all the nastiness of aging – friends who are ill or who died, the fact that I can’t jog 6 miles anymore or get things done as quickly as I used to, and I need to focus more when creating a strategy or learning something that’s technical.

Our society does prize youth and beauty and old age doesn’t fit with that. The fact is messages about aging tend to emphasize the negative aspects.  However, like fine wine, people can get better as they age.

One of my own personal theories about people as they age is that they merely become MORE  of who they are. If they are persistent and pleasant and intelligent they will remain so in their 70′s and 80′s and 90′s. If they have a sense of humor when they’re 30, they’ll keep that sense of humor when they’re 90. The only factor to upset the apple cart is if they become ill because disease and treatments can change personalities.

The point is that experience along with maturity gives older people excellent insight. They are more in touch with their spirituality and the priorities in their life no matter the facial wrinkles. Some even managed to preserve their health and energy.

There also was a large study few years ago that suggested that happiness can lower levels of inflammation and the stress hormone cortisol which is associated with problems in learning, memory and other cognitive functions. Apparently, feelings of contentment and well being bring mental and physical benefits that counteract any negative thinking.

My suggestion, open yourself to humor and friendship. If you are feeling down in the dumps take a walk with a friend and go out of your way to find reasons to laugh and to spend time with people you enjoy. This is not a secret.

To your success at healthy aging.

Ruthan Brodsky

Somehow I managed to have copies of 3 articles in the same pile in which “It’s Not a Fad” was either part of the headline or in the first paragraph.

Apparently, the concept of something being a fad or not being a fad can be applied to just about anything. Most of the time I read about fads and something taking place on the Internet or a new wireless gizmo. And then there’s always the latest diet for quick weight loss. And of course the latest get rich quick and easy scheme that’s a fad before we realize the only people getting wealthy are those selling the product.

So how do you know when a food or a diet or a medicine or a treatment is the real thing and not a fad? When does a fad become a trend?

You need to read the content that goes along with the headline and use your good judgment.

For instance in an article titled, “It’s not just a fad – organic food is better for you, say scientists” published 3 years ago in England, the author points out the evidence to demonstrate that organic food is better. “The reason why it’s such a grey area is because it’s extremely difficult to measure the health benefit in any food, but we can say that if you eat 400g of fruit and vegetables per day you would get 20 per cent more nutrients in organic food.” (Dr. Kristen Brandt of Newcastle University)

Now that argument makes sense to me and appears to have long term value. Another one with long term value was published in the Los Angeles Times 2 years ago: “Not a fad: Oats do help hearts”.

“Findings on food and health sometimes swing back and forth like a pendulum. But in the 10 years since that claim was allowed, continued research into the reported benefits of oats has verified the link and offered new insights into how oats help the heart.”

Most of the time it is content and you interpretation of the content that will help you decide whether this or that statement is a fad or something verifiable.  Sometimes, however, it is straight information that says if it’s a fad, it is a mighty powerful one.

For instance, it took radio 38 years to reach 50 million listeners. It took TV 13 years to reach 50 million viewers. It took the Internet 4 years to reach 50 million people on board.

It took FACEBOOK 9 months to have 50 million people register.

Now you know why so many of the health fads have their origins on social networking sites!

Am I way off in my conclusion?  What do you think?

To your success at healthy aging.

Ruthan Brodsky

It’s Not a Fad

Somehow I managed to have copies of 3 articles in the same pile in which “It’s Not a Fad” was either part of the headline or in the first paragraph.

Apparently, the concept of something being a fad or not being a fad can be applied to just about anything. Most of the time I read about fads and something taking place on the Internet or a new wireless gizmo. And then there’s always the latest diet for quick weight loss. And of course the latest get rich quick and easy scheme that’s a fad before we realize the only people getting wealthy are those selling the product.

So how do you know when a food or a diet or a medicine or a treatment is the real thing and not a fad? When does a fad become a trend?

You need to read the content that goes along with the headline and use your good judgment.

For instance in an article titled, “It’s not just a fad – organic food is better for you, say scientists” published 3 years ago in England, the author points out the evidence to demonstrate that organic food is better. “The reason why it’s such a grey area is because it’s extremely difficult to measure the health benefit in any food, but we can say that if you eat 400g of fruit and vegetables per day you would get 20 per cent more nutrients in organic food.”  (Dr. Kristen Brandt of Newcastle University)

Now that argument makes sense to me and appears to have long term value. Another one with long term value was published in the Los Angeles Times 2 years ago: “Not a fad: Oats do help hearts”.

“Findings on food and health sometimes swing back and forth like a pendulum. But in the 10 years since that claim was allowed, continued research into the reported benefits of oats has verified the link and offered new insights into how oats help the heart.”

Most of the time it is content and you interpretation of the content that will help you decide whether this or that statement is a fad or something verifiable.  Sometimes, however, it is straight information that says if it’s a fad, it is a mighty powerful one.

For instance, it took radio 38 years to reach 50 million listeners.

It took TV 13 years to reach 50 million viewers.

It took the Internet 4 years to reach 50 million people on board.

It took FACEBOOK 9 months to have 50 million people register.

Now you know why so many of the health fads have their origins on social networking sites!

Am I way off in my conclusion?  What do you think?

To your success at healthy aging.

Ruthan Brodsky

It’s Not a Fad

Somehow I managed to have copies of 3 articles in the same pile in which “It’s Not a Fad” was either part of the headline or in the first paragraph.

Apparently, the concept of something being a fad or not being a fad can be applied to just about anything. Most of the time I read about fads and something taking place on the Internet or a new wireless gizmo. And then there’s always the latest diet for quick weight loss. And of course the latest get rich quick and easy scheme that’s a fad before we realize the only people getting wealthy are those selling the product.

So how do you know when a food or a diet or a medicine or a treatment is the real thing and not a fad? When does a fad become a trend?

You need to read the content that goes along with the headline and use your good judgment.

For instance in an article titled, “It’s not just a fad – organic food is better for you, say scientists” published 3 years ago in England, the author points out the evidence to demonstrate that organic food is better. “The reason why it’s such a grey area is because it’s extremely difficult to measure the health benefit in any food, but we can say that if you eat 400g of fruit and vegetables per day you would get 20 per cent more nutrients in organic food.”  (Dr. Kristen Brandt of Newcastle University)

Now that argument makes sense to me and appears to have long term value. Another one with long term value was published in the Los Angeles Times 2 years ago: “Not a fad: Oats do help hearts”.

“Findings on food and health sometimes swing back and forth like a pendulum. But in the 10 years since that claim was allowed, continued research into the reported benefits of oats has verified the link and offered new insights into how oats help the heart.”

Most of the time it is content and you interpretation of the content that will help you decide whether this or that statement is a fad or something verifiable.  Sometimes, however, it is straight information that says if it’s a fad, it is a mighty powerful one.

For instance, it took radio 38 years to reach 50 million listeners.

It took TV 13 years to reach 50 million viewers.

It took the Internet 4 years to reach 50 million people on board.

It took FACEBOOK 9 months to have 50 million people register.

Now you know why so many of the health fads have their origins on social networking sites!

Am I way off in my conclusion?  What do you think?

To your success at healthy aging.

Ruthan Brodsky

I schedule some type of aerobic exercise each day but to be honest, I hadn’t thought about the concept of making physical activity part of my life. Yet that’s exactly what I’ve done.

“I’m so tired after I play 9 holes what can I do to build up more strength so I can play 18 holes of golf with my husband?“  She asked that question in the woman’s locker room of a golf course where I frequently play and practice.

To be honest, I was surprised at the question. I see her husband a lot. We once took golf instruction from the same teacher and often compared notes. He’s a physician with a very bad back and knows what he needs to do so his back doesn’t go out of whack.

I was surprised because I thought she would know. She is bright, thin, and she looked in good shape. Actually, she did have a pretty good general idea abut what she needed to do because she just had her first session working out with a personal trainer for an hour with 3 other women. She just wasn’t aware of how much she should be doing to get in better shape.

I told her I do something aerobically each day of the week. It is usually walking at a fast pace and most often combining walking and some jogging. The combination walking and jogging is easier to do outdoors but I can also do it on the treadmill by just increasing the pace. I also work out with weights about twice a week for 45 minutes and in between in small chunks of 10 minutes as part of the cooling down from walking.

I have made physical activity part of my life. If there’s a day when for some reason it is impossible to spend time with a physical activity, I tend to be more lethargic and much less productive throughout the day. My goal right now is to increase the pace of what I am doing by increasing the jogging portion. I find that to be more of a mental than a physical challenge!

I suggested to my locker room friend that, providing she is healthy and has no injuries, she needs to increase the time she works out with weights and to do something aerobically at least three times a week. She walks occasionally with a friend but that often turns out to be more social than physical.

Being engaged in physical activity is so important as you get older. It’s important for your bones as well as for your brain because it helps increase the strength of your bones and helps support the oxygen that flows to your brain. Besides, you’ll be in a better mood each day you exercise or do something physical.

Love to hear your tips about what you do that’s physical.  Just type them in the comment box and I’ll put something together to share with our readers.

To your success at healthy aging.

Ruthan Brodsky

Regardless of the season it is important that you know how to guard against dry skin as you get older not just for appearance but also  for your health.  A good soak in the tub can relieve you from aches and pains and a bath before bed can relax you.  However, long, hot showers can also dry your skin. Read the rest of this entry

“My cleaning lady took a sleep medication last night and was absolutely useless as she walked around the house looking half drugged,” complained my neighbor as we did our 2 mile walk with her dog.

Prescription sleep medications and certainly over the counter medications are a very common and often effective treatment for people who want to sleep and can’t. The problem, however, is the many side effects such as headaches and drowsiness. As a result many people are turning to natural remedies.

Acupuncture, Tai Chi, and biofeedback and herbal supplements are just a few of the approaches being used.  Some of the herbal supplements that claim sleep benefits include St. John’s wort, chamomile, melatonin, valerian, GABA and even lavender. The problem with all these possibilities is there is no real scientific research and clinical trials to prove they really work. There are pages and pages of testimonials that they work but that doesn’t make the scientific community sit up and take notice.

In fact in 2006 the American Academy of Sleep Medicine published a position statement regarding the treatment of insomnia with herbal supplements reporting that there was only limited scientific evidence that they are effective sleep aids and should be taken only with the approval of your doctor because some of them have adverse side effects especially with other medications. Melatonin, for example, is a hormone, not an herb and your body produces it naturally. The research on this hormone is conflicting; some saying it is effective and other studies reporting it’s not effective.

Some doctors recommend that if their patients feel the supplements work for them they should continue to take them as long as the supplements have no harmful effects. Keep in mind, however, that herbal supplements aren’t regulated by the Food and Drug Administration as are prescription drugs and that the safety and accuracy of the information that appears on the product may be an issue.

In the meantime here are some tips you might try for a good night’s sleep:
·    Establish a routine of going to bed and waking up at particular times.
·    Exercising daily can improve the quality of your sleep.
·    Get at least 20 minutes of natural sunlight daily to reinforce your circadian rhythm so you can be alert during the day and rest at night.
·    Don’t drink alcohol and caffeine at night.

These tips should help.

To your successful healthy aging.

Ruthan Brodsky

http://www.ruthanbrodsky.com

I had very little sleep last night. It was already 11:30 P.M. and I wasn’t sleepy. That would be okay for some people but I’m an early riser, usually at my desk by 4:30 A.M. for an hour or so and then outside or on the treadmill for aerobic walking interspersed with a little jogging. I was wired and my usual remedy of an ounce of port or sweet blackberry wine didn’t work. I went to bed anyway at 12:30 hoping something would happen, thought about sleeping for at least 45 minutes and then I must have dozed off because I woke up right around 4 AM.

Gratefully this does not happen to me very often but millions of us do have trouble getting a good night’s sleep. Something like one-third of Americans complains about sleep disorders, something that affects or disrupts or involves sleep. The problem with sleep disorders and lack of sleep is that it can be debilitating. Not getting enough sleep may cause fatigue, moodiness, putting you at a higher risk of injury and with such health conditions as high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke and obesity.

Scientists have been trying to figure out why we do or don’t sleep as far back as the history books tell us. We know we aren’t at our best, making good decisions when we don’t get enough sleep. Kids don’t do well on their exams either. And from what I’ve read, sleep deprivation is a kind of torture used in the world of foreign intrigue so you know it can’t be good.

Even with all this history scientists probing the purpose of sleep and why we don’t sleep when we should, are still in the dark. Some argue that one reason we sleep is to help our brains sort and store and consolidate new memories so that those experiences are in our well placed in our brain’s biochemical archives. I usually call it my brain’s hard drive.

More importantly sleeping gives us the ability to make sense of the new knowledge we learned and lets the brain detect the connections between the things we learn. This is really important to me, especially as I get older, because there is so much information on that old hard drive and even more information that just about overwhelms that biochemistry daily. If I weren’t able to make the connections I couldn’t make sense of any of it and miss all the possibilities and opportunities. I’m not ready to do that. And I bet if you’re reading this you are hanging in there just like me.

Thank goodness I am a great nap taker and can fall asleep just about anywhere.   More about sleep in my next post.

Ruthan Brodsky

PS If you have a natural remedy that works for you so you can get to sleep, let us know. Type a brief note in the comment area.  Thanks!