I read that gas will be 40 per cent higher this year. Will the oil company profits be 40 per cent higher too? Who keeps up with that sort of stuff? I want their phone number.
MSN has included Jennifer Anniston's dating status on it's front page along with world events. Am I missing something? In what way does someone's dating status matter in today's world.
As a person on Medicare, I am hearing about changes in the health care system with fear. The Repubs don't want to do away with tax breaks for the rich(themselves) but we can do away with Medicare. I again think I'm missing something.
I used to love looking at fashion mags. The beautiful clothes were like looking at art. Now I look at the "must haves" and I am appalled. A $450 handbag is a must have? A pair of skinny jeans? Has anyone looked around to see how many people can actually wear skinny jeans?
There is an ad on TV about plastic water bottles. I drink tap water. I don't buy plastic water bottles. If there are so many being purchased, why is there not more info on recycling them?
There are now enough awards shows for the acting community that if the money for their fancy dresses were spent on food, we could easily feed a third world country.
Why is there still a Bin Laden and Khadafy?
Any answers will be good to get.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Friday, April 8, 2011
The government
Shut-down looming. I've decided that I will not vote for any of the congress persons that are in there now. They don't have our best interest at heart....... only theirs.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Saving the knee
Workouts for Arthritic Knees
7 workouts that are easy on knees (and what to watch out for)
by Martica Heaner, M.A., M.Ed., for MSN Health
Q. I feel limited in my ability to exercise with arthritis. What are some workouts that I can do with arthritis in my knees?
A. You may have a wider array of fitness options than you realize. Some people think that the only safe exercise is swimming or stretching. But that’s not the case, and even those can also strain the knee.
What you should be on the lookout for are the key stressors for your knees: Some exercises or movements may be painful because they bend the knees too deeply, twist the knees, or put too much body weight pressure or impact on the knees. Sometimes you’ll know right away if a move is potentially harmful: You squat deeply in a yoga move and ouch! But some workouts might feel stressful when a simply body-positoning djustment is all you need to relieve the joint stress.
Different types of knee problems may react differently to various modes of exercise. So tread gently but experiment with a variety of possible activities. Whatever type of exercise you do, it’s important to make sure that you position your body in the ways least stressful to your knees. Here are 7 workouts that may work for vulnerable knees:
1. Muscle-strengtheners
Certain exercises that target the muscles in your butt and thighs can improve range of motion and strength in the knee joint. These might use body weight only (such as a lunge). Some might use resistance in the form of dumbbells or other weights or resistance bands. But you need to make sure that you perform them correctly so that you do not strain the knees when you do them. I’ve written about how to safely perform squats and lunges, exercises you might do in a fitness class or when following a fitness DVD at home. When you use added resistance, always start easy and work up to heavier loads gradually. Your muscles should get stronger with a small dose of resistance exercise. As they do, you can gently increase the load to help them become even stronger.
2. Walking
Some people with achey-knees find it difficult to do higher impact exercise like running or boot-camp style exercises that involve jumping. Sometimes simply exercising in new, quality sneakers on a shock-absorptive surface (sprung wood floor or dirt path instead of concrete) can minimize knee stress, allowing a person to run. But if jumping is not an option, walking may be. Of course some people with knee problems also find it tough to walk, too. Experimenting with newer walking sneakers and a good walking surface can help. But if not, that’s OK: You still have plenty of other options.
3. Cycling
Riding a bike is a low-impact option that allows you to get a cardio workout without bearing any body weight on your knees. But this option isn’t guaranteed to be stress-free because, whether you’re riding an outdoor bike or an indoor stationary bike, if the seat is not adjusted to fit your body, cycling can still strain your knees. Usually people have their bike seats too low. I’ve written about how to spot and fix a bike-seat problem.
4. Cardio machines
Your knees may feel fine on some cardio machines, but not others. Your options include rowers, steppers, elliptical trainers, upper body ergometers like arm cycles and rope-pullers, as well as treadmills and bikes. Most machines allow you to adjust the speed and resistance, or intensity level, of the workout. It might be that you can safely use the machine at lower speeds or easier effort levels. Or it might be that you can use a machine for 20 minutes, but your knees start to ache at 25.
Some machines may bend the knees more than others. And some may have a motion that is more ( or less) stressful to the knees. The Cybex Arctrainer, for example, distributes it’s resistance in a way that may be easier on your knees. So this machine may be a less stressful variation of elliptical trainer/stepper. Experiment with different machines and the aspects of each workout that you can vary like resistance and speed to see if you can identify the formula that allows you to exercise comfortably.
5. Swimming or Aqua Exercise
People tend to assume that swimming is the safest workout that you can do for your joints because the buoyancy of the water gives the body so much support. It’s cushiony, for sure. But like every other workout, the specific movements you do in the water will still affect the stress your knees feel. In fact, the frog-like leg kick in the breaststroke actually puts torque, or slight rotation, on your knees that can be aggravating. The straighter-leg flutter kick may be a better option.
Aqua aerobics workouts or those that use foam water tools to do exercises may be easier than on-land cardio or resistance workouts.
6. Stretching
Stretching can help increase the range of motion in stiff joints. So workouts that include lots of flexibility exercise like yoga, Pilates or basic stretch classes are a good option. But as with any workout, avoid assuming that all stretches are safe. Just because they are slow doesn’t mean they can’t hurt your joints.
And there are certain poses you may wish to avoid as they tend to put excess strain on the knee joint. These can include cross-legged positions like the lotus pose, or moves where you bend your knees deeply—especially when you sit or lunge with your body weight bearing down on the bent knee.
http://health.msn.com/health-topics/pain-management/arthritis/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100271016>1=31004
I ran across this article on my MSN home page and have copied it for you. I am going to have surgery on my knee Tuesday and am on the lookout for anything that can help me get moving again without angering my arthritis that I just found out about.
7 workouts that are easy on knees (and what to watch out for)
by Martica Heaner, M.A., M.Ed., for MSN Health
Q. I feel limited in my ability to exercise with arthritis. What are some workouts that I can do with arthritis in my knees?
A. You may have a wider array of fitness options than you realize. Some people think that the only safe exercise is swimming or stretching. But that’s not the case, and even those can also strain the knee.
What you should be on the lookout for are the key stressors for your knees: Some exercises or movements may be painful because they bend the knees too deeply, twist the knees, or put too much body weight pressure or impact on the knees. Sometimes you’ll know right away if a move is potentially harmful: You squat deeply in a yoga move and ouch! But some workouts might feel stressful when a simply body-positoning djustment is all you need to relieve the joint stress.
Different types of knee problems may react differently to various modes of exercise. So tread gently but experiment with a variety of possible activities. Whatever type of exercise you do, it’s important to make sure that you position your body in the ways least stressful to your knees. Here are 7 workouts that may work for vulnerable knees:
1. Muscle-strengtheners
Certain exercises that target the muscles in your butt and thighs can improve range of motion and strength in the knee joint. These might use body weight only (such as a lunge). Some might use resistance in the form of dumbbells or other weights or resistance bands. But you need to make sure that you perform them correctly so that you do not strain the knees when you do them. I’ve written about how to safely perform squats and lunges, exercises you might do in a fitness class or when following a fitness DVD at home. When you use added resistance, always start easy and work up to heavier loads gradually. Your muscles should get stronger with a small dose of resistance exercise. As they do, you can gently increase the load to help them become even stronger.
2. Walking
Some people with achey-knees find it difficult to do higher impact exercise like running or boot-camp style exercises that involve jumping. Sometimes simply exercising in new, quality sneakers on a shock-absorptive surface (sprung wood floor or dirt path instead of concrete) can minimize knee stress, allowing a person to run. But if jumping is not an option, walking may be. Of course some people with knee problems also find it tough to walk, too. Experimenting with newer walking sneakers and a good walking surface can help. But if not, that’s OK: You still have plenty of other options.
3. Cycling
Riding a bike is a low-impact option that allows you to get a cardio workout without bearing any body weight on your knees. But this option isn’t guaranteed to be stress-free because, whether you’re riding an outdoor bike or an indoor stationary bike, if the seat is not adjusted to fit your body, cycling can still strain your knees. Usually people have their bike seats too low. I’ve written about how to spot and fix a bike-seat problem.
4. Cardio machines
Your knees may feel fine on some cardio machines, but not others. Your options include rowers, steppers, elliptical trainers, upper body ergometers like arm cycles and rope-pullers, as well as treadmills and bikes. Most machines allow you to adjust the speed and resistance, or intensity level, of the workout. It might be that you can safely use the machine at lower speeds or easier effort levels. Or it might be that you can use a machine for 20 minutes, but your knees start to ache at 25.
Some machines may bend the knees more than others. And some may have a motion that is more ( or less) stressful to the knees. The Cybex Arctrainer, for example, distributes it’s resistance in a way that may be easier on your knees. So this machine may be a less stressful variation of elliptical trainer/stepper. Experiment with different machines and the aspects of each workout that you can vary like resistance and speed to see if you can identify the formula that allows you to exercise comfortably.
5. Swimming or Aqua Exercise
People tend to assume that swimming is the safest workout that you can do for your joints because the buoyancy of the water gives the body so much support. It’s cushiony, for sure. But like every other workout, the specific movements you do in the water will still affect the stress your knees feel. In fact, the frog-like leg kick in the breaststroke actually puts torque, or slight rotation, on your knees that can be aggravating. The straighter-leg flutter kick may be a better option.
Aqua aerobics workouts or those that use foam water tools to do exercises may be easier than on-land cardio or resistance workouts.
6. Stretching
Stretching can help increase the range of motion in stiff joints. So workouts that include lots of flexibility exercise like yoga, Pilates or basic stretch classes are a good option. But as with any workout, avoid assuming that all stretches are safe. Just because they are slow doesn’t mean they can’t hurt your joints.
And there are certain poses you may wish to avoid as they tend to put excess strain on the knee joint. These can include cross-legged positions like the lotus pose, or moves where you bend your knees deeply—especially when you sit or lunge with your body weight bearing down on the bent knee.
http://health.msn.com/health-topics/pain-management/arthritis/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100271016>1=31004
I ran across this article on my MSN home page and have copied it for you. I am going to have surgery on my knee Tuesday and am on the lookout for anything that can help me get moving again without angering my arthritis that I just found out about.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Some days are older than others
This pic is from my other blog. I am without makeup and not smiling. For the last weeks I have been fighting a lot of pain. And sometimes I just lose it. Like this last weekend. I went to the doctor Wed. I am scheduled for an MRI tomorrow and then back to the doc next tuesday. I have been having more trouble with the meniscus my left knee. And I have been feeling the spinal stenosis as well. I want to do things and my body laughs at me. Every step I take is painful and sitting is too. A heating pad helps a little. I am hopeful the meniscus is just torn and can be easily repaired. The doctor will tell me when I go back. Until this is taken care of, smiles may be few and far between. Just be glad you don't live with me.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
This is me, soon
I went to the doc yesterday and started the process of getting my knee cut on. I have a torn meniscus. Left knee. At least I think that's what it is. Anyway, next Tuesday I get an MRI. The next Tuesday I go back to the doc to find about the plan, whatever that is going to be. And after the surgery, I'll have a couple of days on the sofa with ice on the knee and probably some adequate meds to keep me from being too mean. I had the other knee done 3 years ago. It isn't life threatening but it certainly is a bother.
Then there is the puppy. Cheyenne is about 40 pounds of rompin stompin energy now. Keeping up with her needs will be interesting. But at least I'm not doing this in the middle of the summer.
I talked to the doc about rehabbing the knee. We have decided that since I have a membership(largely unused)to a health club, I can proceed with my plan to walk the pool. It's 5 feet deep and the deepest and I'm tall enough to make it. I think it's a good way to do some aerobic exercise without putting a lot of stress on my joints. I am not a joiner so going to a class is not something I want to do until I know more about it.
I'm still working on my plan to lose some weight. I now have some help and there is now another problem. I am compulsive. Not just with my eating but with buying stuff off the internet. I shopped some when I was younger. I enjoyed it. But after having the back problem crop up, and then the knee, I don't go out much. But you could spend a year's salary on the internet and never break a sweat. Drink a cup of coffee and spend a couple of thousand dollars on stuff I don't need. I haven't done that yet. No, I'm doing it gradually. A book here, a pair of shoes there. You'd think I had money. But I guess I would if I didn't spend it so quickly. So that is another compulsion to work on.
I'll be back with news soon.
Friday, March 18, 2011
My knee
I have been told I don't look 65. I try to keep myself up and look nice and not frumpy. But no one told my knee that it isn't supposed to be 65. I had surgery on my right knee a few years ago. I had my meniscus trimmed where it was torn. The surgery was day surgery but the whole thing was a total bummer and I hated every minute of it. So I wasn't a happy camper when I began to realize that the left knee is bad now. I'm sure it's the meniscus but I will have to see the Dr. and have an MRI and find out the extent of the problem. I'm sure to be off my feet for a few days and with a puppy that will be a pain in, well, a pain in the knee. Right now I can't kneel on my left knee even in the soft bed so I'm sure I need help.
I am also glad to see Spring. I found it hard to get through this winter. I was really affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder. The dark, cold days were very depressing to me. So I am glad to see Spring. Maybe I can sit in the sun and recuperate from the surgery.
I am also glad to see Spring. I found it hard to get through this winter. I was really affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder. The dark, cold days were very depressing to me. So I am glad to see Spring. Maybe I can sit in the sun and recuperate from the surgery.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
OK I lied
If you look closely at the photo of me you will see that I am terrifically well endowed in the upper chest department. What you don't see is visible when you compare my current pic with the one on the blog main page. And then if you go lower you'll find that my belly is large enough to look pregnant. My hips in the back are football size and there isn't much of a butt. There are just huge upper arms, a lot of extra weight in my neck and on the back of my shoulders. There are rolls everywhere.
I lied when I said I was not growing old, gracefully. I have fought the battle of the bulge for 47 years or ever since I began choosing my own meals. I was in college when I singlehandedly changed the freshman 5 to the freshman 15 pounds gained. And you probably wouldn't have called me thin to start with. I was fairly normal in size for my height. Things became radically worse for me weight wise when I had my first child and gained 51 pounds. The yoyo started then. I was able to lose most of the weight but never again did I feel slim and attractive. During the rest of the time I was married I had 2 more children and didn't gain much weight. But in between, I went up and down. I tried Weight Watchers, Adkins, low protien and high carb. I tried exercise clubs and just swimming or walking. Alas to no avail. One thing I do excel at is quitting.
I am afraid now. I have the belly fat that the doctors say causes heart attacks and strokes. And knowing that hasn't made me do the weight loss that I need. There are a huge number of things I want to do. The weight, paired with the spinal problem and the knee problem is hindering me and causing me to be tired, in pain, and generally down. And the weight is making the knee and back worse. I am in pretty bad pain a lot of the time to the point where sleep isn't easy to come by. I need structure and I don't have the money for even weight watchers. I did try Jennie Craig and found it very expensive and very hard to stick with. So as a last ditch attempt, tomorrow I am going to Overeaters Anonymous to a meeting. I know about OA from having fought the AA battle. I am not an alcoholic but during the ending of the marriage that was where I ended up. Everyone needs help sometimes. I need it now. I need to discover how to overcome the eating addiction and put some joy back into my life.
I will not break anonymity. I will not discuss anything on the blog about the OA experience except to share with you who read the blog what is happening to me as a result of the meetings. I will be happy if someone with a similar peoblem is helped. But I will be writing about the experience to help me. I really need it.
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