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Author: Donald Trafton

Donald Trafton shares better health tips for any age.

Curious about the importance of curiosity?

It’s normal to lose our curiosity …especially as we age. According to one expert: ‘‘Three-year-olds, on average, ask their parents about 100 questions a day, every day! However, by the time they are ten to 11 years of age they’ve pretty much stopped asking.” Yet curiosity is extremely important to our health and well-being. It triggers creativity, motivation, happiness, intelligence, reduces stress, and helps us to become successful in life. But before I can regain my curiosity, I need to…

Oh my aching bones!

Last month I investigated the benefits of taking collagen (or any other supplement) for the treatment of skin, hair, and nails. Surprisingly. the American Academy of Dermatology does not recommend collagen supplements for the treatment of skin, hair, and nails. But retinoids are often recommend. Check out the AAD article for some useful skin care information. What about collagen for joint pain? A comprehensive discussion titled “Collagen Supplementation for Joint Health” appears in the National Library of Medicine The key…

Do collagen supplements work?

Collagen is the protein responsible for healthy joints and skin elasticity, or stretchiness. It’s in your bones, muscles, and blood, comprising three-quarters of your skin and a third of the protein in your body. As you get older, your body makes less collagen You can’t measure exactly how much you have, but when it drops you may have symptoms such as joint pain or stiff tendons or ligaments. Your muscles may weaken. You could also have papery skin. As a…

Good sleep = better health

An entire industry has developed around sleep. Sleep affects your mind, body and emotional well being. It is the most important thing you can do to maintain good health . . .  so it is worth some study. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it depends on your age. Teenagers need 8–10 hours per 24 hours, adults could get by with 7 hours or need up to 9 hours of quality sleep per 24 hours. These…

Feet matter . . really!

We put more stress, more wear and tear on our feet than we probably realize. “A person who lives to age 80 may walk an estimated 110,000 miles, equivalent to more than four times around the Earth at the equator. That long journey can take a toll on your feet.” Yet few of us put any consciousness on the care of our feet. We open ourselves to some very painful, debilitating foot ailments (like plantar fasciitis, flat feet, and osteoarthritis). Here’s…

Are you drinking enough water?

It’s summer here in Arizona, and it’s hot! Time to be mindful of our drinking water intake. You may have heard that 64 ounces (eight 8-ounce glasses) is the correct amount for adults, but the Mayo Clinic  quoting a report from The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, says men should drink about 15.5 cups (124 ounces) and women should drink 11.5 (92 ounces). BTW, coffee/tea or other liquids do count. Turns out, how much is enough is…

5 Rituals To Keep You Happier

We all just want to be happy, right? I encourage you to read this article to see how easy it can happen for you. It can be pretty fast too… If you don’t need it, I am pretty sure you can help someone else who does. So just read it, pass it on, and feel really good. 5 Rituals To Keep You Happy All The Time By Eric Barker I really want to hear from you about this. What’s your…

Loneliness – the Silent Killer

America has a social connection problem and it could be lethal. The U.S. Surgeon General has just released an alarming advisory titled: The Healing Effects of Social Connection. This important research establishes that the lack of social connection (loneliness) is an independent risk factor for death, including deaths caused by diseases such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, kidney disease and dementia, as well as suicide. Some of the key takeaways: –  Humans are wired for social connection, but…

Is it OK to drink everyday?

When people learn how well I’m handling health and aging, they frequently ask about my views on alcohol consumption. In the past few years, we have seen so many new alcohol-based drinks introduced in the marketplace, it’s worth a look at the pros and cons: To start with, alcohol is a Neurotoxin. A neurotoxin negatively affects the nervous system and nerve cells, potentially causing long-term damage…not just to the brain, but to the immune system, the skeletal system, the reproductive…

No cure for cancer, but treatment is promising

We are losing the battle against cancer. “In the next few years, cancer will become the leading cause of death in the United States. Later in this century, it is likely to be the top cause of death worldwide. The shift marks a dramatic epidemiological transition: the first time in history that cancer will reign as humankind’s number-one killer.” This article from Harvard Public Health goes on to explain that while great strides have been made in curing infectious diseases…