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(HealthDay News) — The U.S. National Institute on Aging suggests performing endurance exercises as you age. This type of exercise benefits your cardiovascular system, lungs and circulatory system. Examples include walking, jogging, swimming and biking. The agency offers these suggestions before starting an endurance exercise regimen: Warm up and cool down before and after exercise. Drink plenty of fluids when doing any activity that makes you sweat. Dress in layers when exercising outdoors, so you can remove a layer if you get too hot. If exercise equipment is involved, make sure it’s safe and well maintained. Walk during the day or in well-lit areas at night, and be aware of your surroundings.

You might be excited to begin an exercise program for better health, but for some people, getting a fitness assessment first is the right way to get started. As part of this exam you’ll learn about appropriate exercises and safety guidelines, such as workout duration and the intensity level best for you. During the assessment, key components of your fitness will be measured and your risk factors for heart disease and other health conditions will be evaluated. The findings will provide you your unique exercise road map and serve as a baseline from which to track your progress. A fitness assessment evaluates the following areas of conditioning: Cardiovascular fitness. Muscular strength. Muscular endurance. Flexibility. Balance. Who needs this type of assessment? The American College of Sports Medicine recommends a simple self-evaluation to help you decide. The more heart disease risk factors you have — like high blood pressure and high cholesterol, a family history of heart disease, a smoking habit, obesity, or pre-diabetes — the more important it is to check in with your doctor or another qualified health professional. If you already have heart, lung or kidney disease, asthma or arthritis, it’s essential to work hand-in-hand with your health-care provider to develop an exercise program for wellness. Talk to your doctor first if you answer yes to any of these seven questions: Do you… read on >

What makes a poem touch your heart? New research suggests that poetry that triggers vivid mental images and positive emotions tends to be the most enjoyed. For the study, researchers had more than 400 people read and rate two types of poems — haikus and sonnets. “People disagree on what they like, of course,” said study author Amy Belfi, a postdoctoral fellow in New York University’s department of psychology. But, “while it may seem obvious that individual taste matters in judgments of poetry, we found that despite individual disagreement, it seems that certain factors consistently influence how much a poem will be enjoyed,” she said in an NYU news release. Study co-author G. Gabrielle Starr added that “the vividness of a poem consistently predicted its aesthetic appeal. Therefore, it seems that vividness of mental imagery may be a key component influencing what we like more broadly.” Starr, who was dean of NYU’s College of Arts and Science at the time of the research, is now president of Pomona College in Claremont, Calif. “While limited to poetry, our work sheds light into which components most influence our aesthetic judgments and paves the way for future research investigating how we make such judgments in other domains,” Starr said. The findings were published Nov. 30 in the journal Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts. More information To… read on >

With the traditional flood of holiday parties and festivities approaching, chances to drink excessively increase. So, what to do? Start by taking a closer look, now, at your drinking habits, one mental health expert suggests. “The holidays generate both positive and negative emotions, and drinking is one of the methods that people often use to cope,” said Dr. Karen Miotto, a clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of California, Los Angeles. “Overwhelmed from the time-pressured schedules, people may see alcohol as a shortcut to relax,” she said in a UCLA news release. “While there is nothing wrong with enjoying yourself or unwinding, listen to your body and keep yourself safe. A hangover the next day is a large price to pay for a night of letting go with alcohol.” Besides using alcohol to unwind, another common reason people give for drinking is that it helps them get to sleep. “Alcohol can help people fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply for a while,” Miotto said. “But the sedative effects of alcohol can be deceiving because it is associated with decreased quality of sleep and rebound insomnia, a problem that occurs when you discontinue the substance that’s been helping you fall asleep.” Some people claim they’re not affected by alcohol. Some mistakenly feel they’re OK to drive after drinking. “With habitual, heavy drinking, people tend… read on >

A once-monthly injection of the opioid addiction drug buprenorphine has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “Millions of Americans are suffering from addiction to opioid drugs, and millions more are worried that the overdose epidemic could claim the lives of a friend or loved one,” FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb said Thursday in an agency news release. “We need immediate actions to help those suffering from an opioid use disorder transition to lives of sobriety,” he added. The new dosage provides patients with “access to a new and longer-acting option for the treatment of opioid addiction,” Gottlieb noted. The United States is in the grip of an opioid epidemic, with the number of overdose deaths quadrupling between 2000 and 2015, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And Johns Hopkins researchers recently reported that deaths from drug overdoses rose from about 52,000 in 2015 to more than 64,000 in 2016. Most of those deaths involved opioids, including prescription pain medications such as fentanyl and oxycodone (Oxycontin), as well as the illegal drug heroin. Hence, the need for more and better treatments. “Medication-assisted treatment for opioid addiction uses drugs to stabilize brain chemistry, reduce or block the euphoric effects of opioids, relieve physiological cravings and normalize body functions,” Gottlieb explained. There are three FDA-approved drugs for treatment of opioid addiction:… read on >

Think cigars are safer than cigarettes? Think again, new research warns. Nicotine levels in so-called “small” or “filtered” cigars were found to be equal to or greater than that found in cigarettes, according to the study by researchers at Penn State’s College of Medicine. “There seems to be a perception in the public that cigars are not as harmful as cigarettes,” study author Reema Goel said in a university news release. “But our study shows that nicotine is pretty high in this class of cigars, and future regulation that affects cigarettes should also affect these cigars.” Goel is a research associate with the Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science at Penn State. Small cigars are nearly identical to cigarettes in appearance, although they are wrapped in leafy tobacco rather than paper. The study involved eight common brands of small cigars. It used machine-puffing simulators to compare their nicotine delivery levels with that of two types of cigarettes. Using two different methods for measuring nicotine, the research team found that, with both, the average amount of nicotine delivery was notably higher among small cigars than with cigarettes. “These products are basically cigarettes,” co-author John Richie, a professor of public health sciences and pharmacology at Penn State, noted in the news release. “They’re as harmful to you as cigarettes, if not more so. “It’s very important for the… read on >

The more college football referees know about concussion symptoms, the more confident they are in calling a timeout for a suspected head injury, a new study shows. Researchers surveyed more than 1,300 college football officials during the 2015 season and found that they called an average of one injury timeout for a suspected concussion every four games. Those with greater awareness about concussion symptoms were more confident in making such calls, according to the study published online recently in The Journal of Athletic Training. “Concussion education for officials is important,” said lead author Emily Kroshus, an assistant professor in University of Washington’s department of pediatrics. “When officials are more aware of concussion symptoms, they are more confident in calling injury timeouts,” Kroshus said in a journal news release. “Understanding the determinants of whether officials call an injury timeout when they suspect a concussion has important implications for the design of interventions that better support officials in this role,” she added. Study co-author John Parsons is managing director of the NCAA Sports Science Institute. “One way that officials can help ensure sports safety is to recognize potentially concussed athletes and call injury timeouts appropriately so that athletic trainers or other medical personnel can conduct evaluations,” he said. Said Kroshus: “When officials believe that coaches, athletic trainers, parents, fans, athletes and athletic administrators are equally committed to… read on >

It’s common doctors’ advice to the elderly: Walk around the block each day to help stay fit. Trouble is, that advice might do more harm than good if you live in a neighborhood with smoggy air, a new study shows. British research suggests the unhealthy effects of breathing dirty air might outweigh whatever benefit the daily walk brings. “For many people, such as the elderly or those with chronic disease, the only exercise they very often can do is to walk,” noted lead researcher Dr. Kian Fan Chung, of the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London. But “our study suggests that we might advise these people to walk in green spaces, away from built-up areas and pollution from traffic,” Chung said in a news release from Duke University. “But for those living in inner cities, this may be difficult to do, and there may be a cost associated with it as they have to travel further away from where they live or work.” The study was conducted in London, but one U.S. expert in respiratory health said the findings probably hold true everywhere. “It is no surprise that traffic-polluted streets may negate the cardio-respiratory effects of walking in older adults,” said Dr. Len Horovitz, a pulmonary specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. He advises that “peak traffic times should… read on >

Good nail care is important, but it’s possible to overdo it. For instance, it turns out that too much clipping can actually be harmful. Trimming nails every day can create stress across the entire nail. Over time, it can change nail shape and even lead to conditions like ingrown toe nails. It’s fine to trim your nails with nail clippers or scissors, but no more than once every week or two. Fingernails should follow the shape of your fingertips, straight across and slightly rounded at the sides. Clip toenails straight across at the level of the toe. File in only one direction to keep nails strong. Here are other care tips: Keep nails clean and dry whenever possible. Moisturize nails and cuticles with hand lotion or cream. Nail polish offers some protection, but don’t use polish remover more than twice a month. Try to avoid all nail products with toluene, formaldehyde and dibutyl phthalate. Avoid prolonged exposure to water when bathing and housecleaning. Protect nails from harsh chemicals by wearing cotton-lined rubber gloves when cleaning. It’s also important to check your nails regularly for warning signs of a problem that merits a doctor visit. Signs to look for include: Discoloration of the entire nail or a dark streak under a nail. Any change in shape. Any change in thickness — thinner or thicker. Separation of… read on >

Everyone has a bad day at work every now and then. But if you often wake up dreading heading to your job, it’s time to consider why you’re unhappy and if a job switch is the best solution. Researchers have found that job happiness is a balance between responsibilities and resources. You might have a heavy workload or demanding deadlines. But if you have tools and support along with the authority to make decisions, you’ll have greater job satisfaction, according to a study published in the journal Industrial Health. Here are some keys to job satisfaction: Workplace resources. Support from upper management. Decision-making ability. On the other hand, three things in particular lead to job unhappiness. Lack of support from your boss/supervisor. Conflicts with co-workers. Inability to use skills you’ve acquired. If these issues are ongoing and causing you stress, asking for workplace accommodations may help. If you feel like you’re being micro-managed, talk to your supervisor about being able to work at your own pace and organize tasks yourself. Also, changing your work schedule, mentoring an associate and continuing your education are three steps that might re-invigorate you. Finally, find ways to unwind when you get home. Having better balance in your personal life can give you an energy boost to take to work. If these options aren’t possible or don’t give you greater… read on >

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All Sauce from Weekly Gravy:

Health Tip: Preparing For Endurance Exercises

7 Signs You’d Benefit From a Fitness Assessment

Poetry Judged by the Picture It Paints

Think Before You Drink

FDA Approves Monthly Dose of Opioid Addiction Treatment

Some Cigars Pack Bigger Nicotine Punch Than Cigarettes

Informed Football Refs Better at Spotting Suspected Concussions

Smoggy Streets May Make Daily Walk a Health Hazard

4 Steps for Healthier Nails

3 Signs You’d Be Happier With a New Job