Healthwise 94   January 2008

Healthwise is a regular column written especially for laterlife.com members and visitors by Jane Feinmann (acting health and features editor). Jane is an award winning medical journalist and author.

Welcome to healthwise 94.  

For previous articles in the healthwise series visit 'more healthwise'   

 

Health tips of the month
 

Skin secrets

Don’t fret about the garden when the weather forecast is all about frost warnings. It’s your skin you should be worried about.

Cold air holds less moisture than warm air. And central heating makes dry air even drier. Add to this the fact that as you get older, your body is less cold-proof and the result?Your skin is more likely to become rough, flaky, and itchy. Here are some simple tips to soothe skin as the temperature drops.

1. Make your morning shower short and warm rather than long and hot. It is less likely to strip skin of natural oils.
2. Use mild face and body washes--the milkier looking, the better.
3. Go for rich moisturisers; pat skin dry after cleansing then apply an oil-based cream of a lighter lotion to lock moisture into skin. To improve absorption, leave the jar of cream in hot water while you shower.
4. Add more moisturiser before you go to bed. And if your hands and feet feel dry, wear cotton gloves and socks at night to encourage the cream to penetrate the skin.
 

Caffeine or a nap?

If you are 50 plus, a strong cup of coffee is the best way to beat fatigue. On the other hand younger friends and family may benefit more from a catnap, new research suggests.

The difference is that when we were in our 20s we could sink into into a deep, restorative sleep quickly enough to be refreshed by just 30 minutes kip. But now that we are older it can take longer to sink into deep sleep which reduces the potential benefits from a short nap.

These findings resulted from an ingenious study, published in the journal Sleep and carried out by scientists at Bordeaux University in France. It measured the impact of either 30 minutes of sleep or a jolt of caffeine on two groups of drivers, aged in their 20s and 50s, both of whom were given a late-night driving test. The first group, in their 20s, got more benefit from the nap than the coffee while the older group were more attentive after a hot brew.
 

Fluoride good for later life

Those in favour of adding fluoride to the water supply usually point out the benefits in keeping children’s teeth filling-free. But older teeth are also kept stronger by adding the dentally protective chemical, according to new research published in the American Journal of Public Health Dentistry.

It found that people living in areas with fluoridated water supply had less tooth decay than those in non-fluoridated areas – and the findings were more pronounced in people aged 58 and older.
 

Move that body/ Jump to it

Take half an hour’s exercise at least three times a week - and you’ll dramatically reduce your risk of dying, scientists have reported. Three 30- minute sessions of moderate exercise every week reduces the risk of dying in the next six or seven years by 27 per cent; make the exercise vigorous, and the impact is even greater.

The researchers at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland say the impact of exercise was the same for all types of lifestyle. ‘No matter what a person's weight, gender or smoking status, exercise was equally beneficial,’ reported lead researcher, Dr Michael Leitzmann.
 

If in any doubt about any of the information covered in healthwise articles and it's relevance for you, consult your GP.

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