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.

Flossing?

OK, so the dentist lied to me?  When I was a child, and we did the dental course at Lincoln Elementary in fourth grade, the issue was to brush correctly, there was nothing said about flossing.  Then, flossing became the big thing, and continued so for the past 40 years or so.  And now today the paper, and Drudge (from Associated Press) say flossing has no proven benefits.  What are we torturing ourselves for if there are no proven benefits.  To be honest, I do see some benefit from flossing.  When there is something like popcorn or meat stuck between my teeth driving me crazy, flossing is the only think that can get that thing out.  It works better than a tooth pick.  It says the evidence of health benefits from flossing is unreliable at best.  The government has removed flossing from its dietary guidelines.  The Associate Press looked at 25 of the best studies and concluded :the evidence for flossing is” weak, very unreliable and of very low quality.”  The conclusion is there is no real evidence that flossing provides much health benefit, except that it can reduce gum inflammation which can lead to gum disease.  I am an as you need it flosser.  I do not floss every day.  
I guess floss is big business; about $2 billion annually.