Staying hydrated is important to good health particularly as we age. Besides shooting for a couple liters of water a day, try following your cup of coffee and alcoholic beverage with a glass of water. Both are diuretics and contribute to dehydration. A water chaser will delight your innards.
We’ve yammered on and on about the benefits of daily walking but what if you have a case of planar fasciitis? It can feel like you stepped on a nail. Or worse. Can the right shoes help? Maybe. Prevention.com checked with podiatrists and came up with 30 different shoes they recommend. Learn all about it here.
Have you seen Oppenheimer? How about Barbie? Doesn’t matter. The Washington Post reports that the recipe for the Oppenheimer martini seen in the movie can be found on the Los Alamos National Laboratory website. So we had to try one. Or two. “Four ounces of gin and a dash of vermouth, then dip the rim of the chilled glass in honey and lemon juice.” Powerful. Bursting with flavor.
Yesterday was National Tequila Day. We didn’t forget about it. But that wouldn’t have been a bad thing.
‘Trust me. You can dance.” – Tequila
Fortune has some great suggestions on how to stay fit as we age. Read the entire article here.
Dr. Kirk Erickson, a director of Translational Neurosciences (impressive, eh) starts things off. Erickson’s research shows that as we age, the brain shrinks, specifically the hippocampus which is responsible for memory formation. Exercise can help maintain this portion of the brain. He recommends moderate exercise, like walking, 5 days a week for 30 minutes.
Strength training helps combat age-related muscle loss, and can lead to a longer lifespan. Additionally, balance exercises can help prevent slips and falls—the leading cause of injuries in adults ages 65 and older.
One study showed the simple act of reading articles online and searching topics on Google offered valuable mental stimulation. Doing crossword puzzles, reading books, playing games, practicing hobbies and daydreaming all contribute to mental sharpness.
Stress management, is also a critical part of maintaining mental fitness. Just 10 minutes of meditation a day can improve mood and cognitive agility.
The U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory this year warning of the nation’s loneliness epidemic, which negatively impacts health. Social connection reduces the risk of premature death. It’s clear that social and emotional fitness is key to aging well.
A good night’s sleep matters. Poor sleep over the long-term is linked to health conditions including depression, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer. One suggestion is to watch that caffeine.
There’s some good tips kids! Stay fit!
– Jet Cannon
Today is the day in 1969 that Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon. We thought we’d celebrate by combining that event with one of our favorite albums and feature a Dark Side of the Moon Cocktail. When you see the ingredients you’ll realize that you and I won’t ever get there….Either to the back side of the moon or the cocktail. At least at home. Here’s a recipe from Inshaker.com:
Bamboo powder?? Picon??
If you have some, let us know when to show up!
Could coffee plus milk help us recover from exercise faster? Men’s Health reports, “There are many well-established ways to help speed up post-workout repair, ranging from hydrating properly and fueling up on protein for muscle-synthesis support to consuming more omega-3 fats for joint health. Among the most recent solutions, however, is one that comes with a buzz. A study published in the Journal Of Agricultural And Food Chemistry reported that the anti-inflammatory effect of antioxidants (called polyphenols) is vastly enhanced when they react with amino acids. In practical terms, unlocking this could be as simple as adding protein-rich milk to coffee, which is packed with antioxidants. Research into the post-gym benefits of this everyday cocktail is, admittedly, in its early stages. The Danish researchers, however, are buzzing with excitement that increasing polyphenol absorption in this way could prove an effective way to ease swelling and soreness.”
– Jet Cannon
Canada’s Elle Gourmet (ellegourmet.ca) suggests we try pairing fresh strawberries with bourbon! Okay! “We’re pairing the intense sweetness of fresh strawberries with the caramel and vanilla flavours of bourbon.” Let’s just say it works.
– Jet Cannon
Strawberry Bourbon Sour
1 Serving
Ingredients
2 strawberries, chopped
1 oz vanilla simple syrup (see tip)
1 cup ice
2 oz bourbon
1 oz each freshly squeezed lemon and lime juices
To Garnish
lemon balm and strawberry slices (optional)
Method
1. In cocktail shaker, add strawberries and vanilla syrup. Use muddler or handle of wooden spoon to muddle ingredients until jammy. Top with ice, bourbon, lemon juice and lime juice; shake for 10 seconds. Strain into a rock glass and garnish with lemon balm and strawberry slice, if desired.
Tip: Vanilla simple syrup: In saucepan, bring ½ cup each granulated sugar and water to boil until sugar is dissolved. Split vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds; stir pod and seeds into syrup and let cool to steep.
Tip: The subtle citrus notes of lemon balm are a more delicate (and prettier) alternative to mint.
Boomer ladies…..How can you tell if your husband is dead?
The sex is the same, but you get to use the remote.
Happy Friday!
Tasting Table has done it again! We rarely have all the ingredients needed to craft the intriguing cocktails we read about on the InterWeb so Tasting Table compiled a list of cocktails that only each require two ingredients! And they list 40 of them!! Even our poorly stocked bar and fridge could probably come up with twenty of them. Here is the complete list.
– Jet Cannon
Continuing our dogged pursuit of foods that were once considered bad for us but are now found to be not so bad after all, let’s talk potatoes. (Add that to butter, chocolate, eggs, MSG, etc.) Too many carbs, right? Today.com reports, “Eating one medium-size potato a day can be part of a healthy diet and doesn’t increase cardiometabolic risk — the chances of having diabetes, heart disease or stroke — as long as the potato is steamed or baked, and prepared without adding too much salt or saturated fat, a study by nutritionists at The Pennsylvania State University found. Potatoes are a rich source of potassium, which is important for blood pressure regulation, but which most Americans don’t get enough of in their diet.” Read the entire article here and don’t fear the potato!
– Jet Cannon
Workaholic Buzzed Boomer Rural Correspondent, Maserati Mike, rolled into the Iron Horse Bar & Grill in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho to conduct in-depth research. He discovered The Derailer, their signature drink. This cocktail means business. It’s 48 ounces of three kinds of rum (Bacardi Silver, Spiced, and Gold), ginger ale, 7 Up, orange and pineapple juice, sour mix and as many straws as you need to share with friends. Or not.
– Jet Cannon
On this day in 1898, the Hawaiian Islands were annexed by the United States. If that somehow fostered the popularity of Mai-Tai cocktails, then we are forever grateful!
Okay, so we don’t look quite like we did a decade or two ago when were only a shade off Don Johnson but we don’t have to accept a major loss of muscle mass. Michelle Gray, a physiologist and professor of exercise at the University of Arkansas, is quoted in Scientific American saying that, “Proper diet and physical activity can combat some age-related muscle loss. Maintaining muscle comes down to continued movement. Doesn’t matter if you garden or if you ride a bicycle like I do or if you go to the gym. You can help maintain your muscle mass by continuing to do the things that you’re already doing.”
So keep moving, Buzzed Boomers!
– Jet Cannon
