Bloglander

Winter Woes Are Upon Us
The research is in and it turns out cold weather is not that great for your health. While cold weather may make you less inclined to think violent thoughts, you are also less inclined to be kind and forgiving. Intimacy is out the window, but that might be okay since your skin is like sandpaper anyway. And just as the risk for falls and serious injury is real, so is the increased risk for getting sick with a cold or the flu.

Annoying optimists try to put a positive spin on it —“Cold weather reduces the number of tree-killing bugs!” “It’s great for sleeping!” But there’s really not much to like. Still, the days are getting longer and in just a few months your driveway may feature bare pavement again.

Blindsided 
January is glaucoma awareness month and if you think you don’t have it, you may want to think again. The NIH reports that 50 percent of people who have glaucoma don’t know they have it. That’s because early on, there are no symptoms, just gradual damage to the optic nerve that eventually causes blindness. Only a doctor’s eye exam can rule out the disease.

If you’re over the age of 60 (or age 40 if African American), or have a family history of glaucoma, get screened. Early detection and treatment can save your vision.

Peanut Possibilities
Life-threatening reactions to peanuts (and school offices filled with epi-pens) may someday be a thing of the past. New research sheds light on how parents can help children avoid a peanut allergy simply by introducing peanuts into babies’ diets at a very young age.

Try Out Fitness
Now's the time to sign up to sample a workout class at Spokane Health and Fitness Expo. Here’s a chance to try something new— from KangooJumps to Bootcamp to Pound.Rockout.Workout. There’s no need to stick with a dull workout routine in 2017. Seminars are also offered on an array of nutrition topics, including how to make nut milks. $8 admission includes unlimited classes; Spokane County Fair and Expo Center, January 14-15.