Magazine Article Review: The Most Important Health Metric You're Not Tracking

The Most Important Health Metric You're Not Tracking by Ginny Graves, Men's Health Magazine, Hearst Magazines International, Spring, 2026, pp 18-19.

The MVP of health metrics is blood pressure.  High blood pressure can lead to stroke, heart failure and coronary artery disease.  It can also lead to kidney and brain issues.  There is also a link with dementia.  A blood pressure cuff is the most accurate way to track blood pressure.  Watches are fun but not accurate.  People with a high risk, sleep apnea, obesity, diabetes, family history, kidney disease or poor diet should track their blood pressure.  Track initially at the same time every morning and every evening.  Good blood pressure is less than 120/80.  If high exercise, losing weight, increased potassium an lower sodium and abstain from alcohol can help lower blood pressure, 

Project Semi-colon: Suicide and Depression Awareness

Project semi colon as in ; and not what needs a colonoscopy.  It is a program for helping people pause when they are depressed, before attempting suicide.  "Whether you are trying to understand your own mental health, support someone you love, or help a child who is struggling, Project Semicolon helps you find a clear next step."  It is a site with links to many articles dealing with depression and suicide from the perspective of yourself or a friend or a child.  

The Amazing Power of Healing

I burnt myself a few years ago just before Christmas.  It is now totally healed.  Look at the amazing difference between these pictures.  The first is Saturday after wound therapy.  The wound clinic worker removed a lot of the dead skin, and everything is red and sore.  The next picture, the following evening shows some healing already.  However the third picture which was taken yesterday at my wound clinic appointment, shows great strides.  There are a few places where the new skin is still weak, but I am healing.  The light spots don't need the antibiotic stuff any more.  The pain is pretty much gone; however there is an itchy phase to healing.  For over a week I couldn't stand putting pressure on my back.  Now I welcome it as it helps to soothe the itching.  I use my pillow to add pressure to my back.  Last night I slept on my back for the first time in two weeks.
In like fashion, Jesus heals.  I can warrant much of the healing to Caleb's priesthood blessing, which comes from Jesus.  However in life, we all receive little knocks from time to time.  We make little mistakes, and they begin to add up.  I want you to know that Jesus heals.  Just as he healed physical pain through His miracles, He also heals spiritual pain.  More than once he said, "Thy sins are forgiven thee, go and sin no more."  He has gone below all things.  He has carried our sorrows.  He can heal.  He will will.  We just need to reach out to Him. 

Magazine Article Review: Not Too Bright by Meryl Davids Landau

 Not Too Bright by Meryl Davids Landau, Prevention Magazine, January 2026, pp 48-54.

Can too much light be bad for you?  Historically when it was night it was dark, when it was day it was bright.  This is no longer reality as we can have light during the night, and poor light during the day as we are indoors.  Light effect melatonin.  Melatonin is the sleep hormone, but more than that it attaches to every cell in the body influencing health.  Disruption to melatonin can have health repercussions.  Today's artificial light tends to be blue light, which effects the secretion of melatonin.  A lack of darkness can lead to diabetes and cancer and cardiovascular issues.  

You can do things to make sure your melatonin is effective.  Be in the sun during the day so the contrast between light and dark is greater, avoid screens before bed.  Make sure there is no light in your sleeping area, switch out blue light, don't leave light on, don't turn on lights when you go to the restroom at night.  A night light that reacts to movement is better.

Magazine Article Review: Doctor's Orders: For a Long Healthy Life

 Doctor's Orders: Do as the Say!  Experts in all sorts of specialties give their absolute best advice for a long, healthy life by Caitlin Carlson, photographs by Ted Cavanaugh, Real Simple Magazime, RealSimple.com, February March 2026, pp 54-58,

Here are expert ideas for healthier and longer life

Strength train at least two days a week.  Muscles act as a metabolic organ.  More muscle improves insulin control, burning fat, releasing hormones that reduce inflammation and boost brain function.  Strength training preserves bone density, enhances hormones and proteins and can even improve cognitive function.

Slather on the SPF.  Even indoors, suns rays can get to you so you should use SPF product daily as a skin cream.

Reach out to Loved Ones.  Connection is important.  Make effort to maintain strong positive social connections.  Face to face is best but ZOOM or Facetime also works.

Floss! Floss! Floss!  Cleaning between your teeth can help prevent periodontal disease which causes gum issues.  Reportedly the daily floser lives six and a half years longer than the non-flosser.

Wear comfortable shoes.  Wear shoes approved by the American Podiatric Association.  These are usually sneakers.  I wear New Balance which are approved.  Have a firm base can prevent many health ussues.

Jump around.  New bone tissue replaces old under stress.  Jumping does this better than walking or running.

Keep a consistent bedtime and wake time.  Inconsistent sleep schedules can lead to many problems.  A random schedule messes with you circadian schedule and hormones.  Sleep irregularity is a risk for obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular issues.  

Eat More Fiber.  This is important for stomach health.  25 to 34 grams per day.

Pick up a new hobby.  Working through unfamiliar tasks helps build up new neural connections and strengthens old ones.  

Get your eyes checked.  Recommended at age 40 an every two to four years after.  Having diabetes I do yearly exams.

Try to eat less meat.  A small change can make a big difference.  The Mediterranean diet can be a guide.  Olive oil, fruits, nuts, vegetables and whole grains.

Magazine Article Review: What it Feels Like to Have OCD

 What it Feels Like to Have OCD as told by Alyssa Shelasky, illustrations by SHOUT, Real Simple: Life Made Easier magazine, February/March 2026, pp 47-50.

A first person history with OCD helped me understand better how the compulsion heled to calme the thoughts.  The individual who provides the story always had thoughts that someone might die if they did not do things, such as tap and count.  She also had issues with closed doors and avoids elevators.  She offers a good description, "It's almost like living with addiction: You spend a lot of time figuring out how to isolate and hide your habits without anyone knowing."  She also offers a good piece of advice, "So much of Mental health is about finding the doctors and medications that are right for you."  This individual was able to go ten years without medications, but then the thoughts started catching up with her again.  Then she had to start treatment again.  She says sometimes you have to avoid the thoughts by focusing on something else.

Cancer Road to Recovery

 This information is at the Cancer Survivors Park in Omaha

                                                           Words of Encouragement

Cancer Free After Skin Doctor Visit

 I am cancer free.  I had a cancerous carcinoma removed through a MOHS procedure in October.  It was on my left cheek.  I still have a scar but the bump there the doctor said is scar tissue and not cancer.  I saw Dr. Cornell at Nebraska Dermatology.  She did not find any other sores to worry about.  She said she will see me again in a year for another exam.  

Book Review: Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message

 Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message by Chief Jake Swamp, illustrated by Erwin Printup, Jr., Lee and Low Books Inc., 1995.

This book is based on the Thanksgiving Address, an ancient message of peace and appreciation.  The message comes from the Haudenosaunee people, also known as the Iroquois who were six nations, Mohawk, Oneida, Cayuga, Onondaga, Seneca and Tuscarora.  These are people of upper New York and Canada.  The address is still spoken at ceremonies today.  

The prayer of thanksgiving includes Mother Earth, water, green grasses, food, animals, forests, birds and their songs, four winds that clean the air, thunder beings that bring rain, sun, moon and stars, Spirit Protectors from our past and the Great Spirit.

This is very well done and can be used for qa good example of for what we should be thankful.  

Book Review: The Very Best Baseball Game

 The Very Best Baseball Game by Katie M. Blackburn, illustrated by Anastasiya Kanavaliuk, BH Kids, Brentwood, Tennessee, 2025.

This is a good story about being comfortable with people with disabilities.  It is Carson 's day to volunteer at the baseball game.  This is a special game.  Carson was assigned to a boy named Bryce who was very good at hitting, but needed help with running the bases.  Each of the players had someone assigned.  The volunteers were called buddies.  The kids all had their challenges.  Some were in wheel chairs or had a walker.  Some played in the dirt, or talked too much.  Others had issues with concentration.  As the game began Carson was hesitant, but when Bryce hit the ball he became so excited he didn't run, so Carson helped by leading the way.  The kids all had fun with their buddies.  When Carson's mother picked him up Carson shared that he realized he had a lot in common with the other kids.  They both like baseball.  They like to high five and have fun.  He said, "It's the very best game I ever played."

Hearing Aids Three Years Later

 I have been wearing hearing aids for nearly three years now.  And I still am not use to them.  They tickle my ears.  The problem is ear wax.  I create too much.  consequently I wear the hearing aids less and less frequently.  However I do wear them when I really want to hear.  It is higher frequencies I have a problem with.   

Germs Are All Around You

 A couple of signs from a rest area dealing with germs and disease.

On the Highway: Blow Over Hazards

 Be safe from high winds on the highway.  There is a lot of good advice at rest areas.

Escape Human Trafficking

 I found this at a rest stop crossing Nebraska.  Human trafficking/ sex trafficking is a national problem that we need to address.  

Don't Let the Sleepyzzz Get You

Pamphlet available at a rest area with a matching mural.  Of course I saw this while I was driving across Iowa at night.  I did stop and try to sleep for an hour but couldn't so kept driving with frequent stops.  I never did commit any of the warning signs.  

Three Related Magazine Articles: Find Your Purpose

 Find Your Purpose: How to figure Out What You Truly Want in Life, by PT contributors, Paychology Today, February 2026, pp 24-31.

The Paradox of Purpose by Jordan Grumet M.D.

This article points out the positive effects of having a purpose, lower mortality rate, better heart, More likely to stay active, more happiness.  Having a purpose is good for physical and mental health.  However the paradox if purpose is that if the purpose is too broad, too grandiose, it can have the opposite effect as people can become frustrated.  Purpose can be a source of tremendous joy, but it can also be a source of frustration.  However breaking purpose into smaller purposes can overcome this.  Instead of wanting to be famous it may be best to do well at whatever you do.  Purpose is finding meaning in the small purposes, making sure we prioritize well.  

In the end regret is about failing to become who you expected to be.  Inaction haunts us, not failing but failing to try.

A Brief History of Purpose Seeking: And What Happens when People--and Society--Don't Find It?  by Joseph E, Davis PH.D.

This article points out that too many people are without purpose; especially young people.  This may be the residual effecgt of COVID and lock down.  There seems to be something broken in society.  Fentanyl, drugs, social media, malaise all seem to be fueling this change in society.  We feel empty, inadequate and adrift.  Many young people, despite having success, still feel vacant inside.  This lack of purpose could be called a disorder of self.  

The How of Human Connection: Why do other People Matter So Much when it Comes to Finding Purpose and Joy in Life? Marianna Pogosyan Ph.D.

Other People matter.  Three words summarize the point of purpose.  Our well-being depends on others.  How to find others.  Realize people are interested in you.  Connection is built on reciprocity.  Frequency rather than intensity of positive relations is what matters.  Imagine connection as the physical distance between you and others.  Take a genuine interest in others and pay attention.  By being ready, opportunities to connect will come, and making connection with others you can find purpose.

New CPAP with all the Works

 I have not had a pulmonary/sleep specialist since retiring from Valley Medical Center over five years ago.  I guess this had to do more with leaving California, as my Valley Health Plan insurance wouldn't cover me outside of California.  I had about six masks at this time.  I have been using them longer than the prescribed to make them last.  However I finally have a new machine and masks.  I was worried about the old one as it was getting to old.  My old machine was recalled, so I did get a new machine sent to me in Arizona.  My new machine which I picked up last week is much smaller, sleeker and looks cooler.  The piping has a heater in it. It is set at 72 degrees.  It has a humidifier attachment but I had them turn it off for now.  It is set so all I do is turn it on and off.  The level is set by the sleep doctor.  

Crisis Line Information on Farnam Pier and the Pedestrian Bridge

 Found the crisis line number on the pier and the bridge coming from Discovery Playground to the pier.  Seems they want this information out there where there is a place someone could jump.  There is now a national suicide and crisis number to call.  

Magazine Article Review: Has Science Solved Death?

 Has Science Solved Death? by Meryl Davids Landau, Prevention Magazine, March 2026, pp 63-74.

Of course the answer is no, but this article deals with what things have increased longevity.  Three experts answer the questions: Matt Kaberlein, PH.D., Ana C Krieger M.D,, M.P.H., Michael Clinton, author of  Longevity Nation.  

These three point out that science is finally reaching the point where we understand aging.  However information in the media is not always accurate.  No specific treatments, but we can be proactive about our health.  GLP-1 medications offer a great hope with weight loss and treatment of diabetes.  These experts are wary of supplements.  Mindset however is important.  You are what you think.  Having a positive attitude about again acan add seven years to your life.  

There is a page devoted to adding years with a total of 21 years added.  It does this by suggesting: Prioritize fitness +4 years.  7000 steps a day reduces risk of cancer, heart disease, dementia and death.  Eat Healthily +8 years, fruit and vegetable rich Mediterranean diet fights inflammation.  Vent Stress +3 years, Stress is toxic; Everyone should develop a detoxing strategy, running, walking the dog, deep breathing etc.  Be steady with sleep +2 years, brain cleansing that happens while you sleep is critical; so this by avoiding eating before sleep, see MD if having apneas and sleeping in the dark.  Socialize often +4 years, People who mingle at least 2x a week live longer than those who just stay home.  This can be in pickleball league, lunch dates ot whatever.    

Magazine Article Review: Zinc Improves Glucose Control

 Zinc Improves Glucose Control by Ross Howzer, Life Extension Magazine: The Science of a Healthier Life, Collectors Edition 2026, pp 65-68.

This is a concept I had not heard, that zinc could help with glucose control.  I am taking Four pills and a weekly shot to improve my glucose control.  Adding a zinc supplement may help as well.  This article indicates that zinc has many positive qualities.  It can improve and support the immune system.  Studies indicate that low zinc is related to inulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.  For those with diabetes zince supplements have helped improve blood sugar numbers and lower AIC.

This magazine promotes supplements so I was wary, so turned to AI for its answer to the question about zinc.  There is states that zinc can help diabetes and cholesterol.  It states that zinc is helpful in controlling blood sugar but it also warns it is possible to get too much zinc.  It suggests that a low dose of zinc can be helpful but less than 25 mg.  There are 50 mg supplements so I would be wary of those.  My multivitamin has 10 mg zinc so a supplement with 10 or 15 mg may be right for me.  I see my Dr. in a couple weeks and am going to ask him about this.