Healthbeat by Deirdre Cox Baker

The getting-warmer weather path of spring prompts many of us to consider outdoor workouts once again.

One of my least-favorite exercise spots is on the indoor treadmill, which I’m positive I’ve written about before. But, there’s a need to keep up five-day-a-week workouts, especially for us in the 50+ age group.

Here’s a couple of suggestions from a sports medicine expert, Dr. Mark Klion at Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York City, that I received via e-mail:

1. Warm up. Try to warm up 10-15 minutes before exercise. Ideas: Write the alphabet with your foot and ankle. Stretch to warm up muscles. Muscles and tendons in the ankle and leg are more receptive to stretching after a warm-up.

2. Replace those worn-out shoes. You really do need to have fresh shoes that provide cushioned support. I mostly walk for exercise, and buy a good pair of shoes at the start of each new year. Hint: Write the date you bought the shoes on them. Replace the shoes every 300-600 miles, the doctor suggests.

3. Choose the right socks. Synthetic and wool blend socks are preferred over cotton, the doctor said, but I would contend that cotton is perfectly acceptable for we walkers of the world. The other, more expensive types, will do better to keep your feet dry by wicking away moisture and helping to avoid blisters. Runners could also use a synthetic lubricant on the feet.

4. Watch your path. Stay on well-lit, paved and smooth running surfaces. For uneven surfaces, you might want to wear special trail shoes. They don’t have as much cushion, but the strong soles provide stability.

5. Consider a brace. Ankle braces can provide extra stability and confidence when running or doing other types of activity.

6. Stay well. Swelling around the ankle — caused by age-related issues like varicose veins — can be controlled with compression socks or stockings.

A proclivity to rest for a while every day might have a positive impact on memory, according to a new study from researchers at the National Institutes of Health.

The brain’s hippocampus region is critical for creating a memory, but long-term storage of that memory is thought to involve interactions between the hippocampus and parts of the brain’s cortex. Scientists believe that memories are “replayed” from one area to another. It appears that this happens during sleep.

However, sleep is probably not the only time memories can be consolidated. Recent research tested whether this can also happen during rest. Results concluded that it probably does.

“Your brain works for you when you rest, so rest is important for memory and cognitive function,” said Dr. Lila Davachi, one of the investigators.

Simple rest is not so much appreciated these days when information technology is readily available 24/7. Maybe it should have a stronger role in our lives.

About 30 years ago, on a Friday afternoon, I’d be at a watering hole near Iowa State University in Ames, having a beer with some friends who also worked at our college newspaper.

Beer isn’t the most healthy beverage, but it’s a popular choice for college students. Right now, I’m sitting by a nifty “Camelbak” drink container that currently holds a cup of water. I’ve been sipping on this all day and have twice refilled the 24-ounce container.

So my pleasant thoughts about college days are in contrast to what I actually do on Friday afternoons. Fortunately, this habit is right in line with what most medical experts would suggest.

Just what we drink was studied by researchers at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison. Here’s what they have to say about various fluids, and the effect on kidneys:

1. Lemonade and orange juice. Both help humans to avoid kidney stones because they contain a citrate that helps to prevent calcium oxylate from building up. Those calcium oxylates are what turn into painful kidney stones. But both juices have sugar and calories.

2. Cranberry juice contains a substance that may inhibit urinary tract infections. That, too, contains sugar and calories.

3. Grapefruit juice is packed with vitamins and minerals, but it can interact with certain drugs (like statins to control cholesterol) and create dangerous body issues.

4. Pop, the drink favored by most Americans, contains high fructose corn syrup. In high concentrations, this syrup doubles the risk of obesity, kidney stones, gout and insulin resistance.

Diet pop may also lead to poor kidney functions, according to a 2009 study by Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Boston.

If you drink pop, as many of us do, try to cut back. I’ve gotten to less than one can a day, five days a week.

5. Vegetable juice drinks seem like a healthy choice, but they also contain great amounts of sodium. High amounts of sodium may also harm one’s health. Choose the low-sodium drinks if you can find them.

6. Sports drinks, designed for elite athletes, are also loaded with sodium and sugar. Opt for low- sugar, low-sodium versions of these drinks.

Lots of information is available in magazines and online, but I thought a couple of quick tips would be helpful. These are from the folks at Life Fitness, the maker of exercise equipment based in Illinois.

Six months out:

Dedicate one hour, three times a week, for exercise. Divide the time into 20-minute segments of high-intensity cardio, 30 minutes of strength training and 10 minutes of stretching at the start. After you’ve gotten onto a steady schedule, target areas like the biceps and triceps for those strapless gowns.

Three months out:

Anxiety will grow at this point, so seek comfort from friends. Stage bridal boot camps and other wedding-focused fitness classes to get you side-by-side with  female friends. Or, try group classes for variety. This mix will provide your body with new challenges.

One month to go:

It’s very important to take time for yourself, however you find it. Focus on doing a shorter, higher-powered version of a regular routine. For example: intense cardio for 10 minutes and heavier weights for weight training.

The big day:

Enjoy your hard-won physique.

Peanut allergies — a difficult nutritional issue for some children and their parents – may soon be effectively treated, if new studies prove themselves.

According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI), treatment options for children with peanut allergies will be presented this week in two studies during the organization’s annual meeting in New Orleans.

In one, a group of children were studied for their responses to oral immunotherapy versus placebos. In the second study, researchers looked to identify whether subjects who received that oral immunotherapy could safely ingest peanuts after the treatment stopped.

Nine of 12 children tested in the second study may now have peanuts in their diet, the scientists reported. Researchers are trying to understand which characteristics of the nine children can be used to figure out who else would be a good candidate for the immunotherapy treatment.

Researchers are from Duke University and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

For more information on the abstracts presented at the session, check the Web site.

The nation is in the process of a seismic change among youth who are being encouraged to lose weight and increase fitness levels. Our very fit First Lady Michelle Obama leads the charge.

I blogged yesterday about fitness encouragement efforts in elementary schools in the Quad-Cities. I then heard from a 23-year-old man who wants to lose weight, and is looking for good ways to do so.

It’s easy to offer help in the electronic arena. A new Web site just launched has plenty of tips, especially geared to teens and young adults. Check it out for yourself.

This exercise is included in February’s Healthy Habits calendar. This is part of a program used by local school districts, which have included Davenport, North Scott and Pleasant Valley. It’s an initiative to encourage fitness among students.

Last week, on Feb. 10, students were told to “do a random act of kindness, without being asked.” On Feb. 22, they are to “jog in place for one minute.” There are healthy ideas for the weekend as well – a “snow activity” was suggested for Feb. 13 and on Feb. 21, the children are told to wash hands to the ABC song before eating.

Parents must sign off on the calendars and return them to the teacher at the end of each month. In February, the children had to do 20 daily activities during the 28-day month.

Is your child part of a school-based program like this? How are the exercises going at your home?

A report released Tuesday shows that many men who use condoms will remove them during sex if the condom doesn’t fit right.

The results, of course, mean possible unintended pregnancy or the transmission of disease, including AIDS, chlamydia and gonorrhea.

The report is the result of a survey of 436 men, 18 to 67 years old. Nearly half — 45 percent – said they’d used a condom in the last three months, and they had experience with condoms that were irritating, slipped off, or hurt. The survey was done at the behest of Ansell Healthcare, which makes LifeStyles Condoms.

This company and others offer various birth control products, widely sold in stores. A marketing representative said that condoms, like shoes, come in many shapes and styles: “We have something for everyone,” said Carol Carozza, of Ansell Healthcare.

Reuters.com prepared a report on the topic. Access it here.