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“You are what you eat” is often said or written as a reminder that if we aren’t careful about what we eat at least part of us will become something we don’t want to be, e.g. fat, skinny, unhealthy, or a danger to the planet. As I look at the many books in my house that I’ve read and loved over my lifetime, I often say to myself and sometimes to others, “You are what you read.” Those books feel like they are an important part of who I am, so much so that to give them away would be like losing part of myself.

Let me be honest, I don’t like exercising. Yeah, yeah, I know it’s good for me. But really, it’s not exercise that I dislike, it’s more the word that I’m not fond of. When someone says that word, I envision people on treadmills or standing in front of mirrors while grunting and doing arm curls. Friends of mine are, but I am not one of those people who enjoys working out.

Bone density, an indicator of one’s predisposition to bone fractures, can be measured by a DEXA Scan. I had my latest DEXA scan on 12/11/23. In the first call from my doctor’s nurse, he simply stated that there had been an increase in my bone density since my last test two years ago, so I should keep taking every-6-month Prolia shots. Unlike my usual “do-what-the-doctor-says” self, I replied that I refused to continue the shots and explained my reasons.

Intermittent Fasting (IF) is a popular eating strategy that involves restricting when and how often you eat, and it has less of an emphasis on what or how much you eat. Until I started IF, the only thing that worked for me was to go cold turkey on sugary treats like cookies (my weakness), chocolate, candy in any form, and all desserts. It takes me 3-4 days to get over the intense craving of my sugar addiction and then I feel great…until the next social event, or sleepless night, or the need to reward myself overtakes my willpower.

I’m old. Older adults need about the same amount of sleep as people in their 20s, but many elderly people get much less sleep than they need. Do you have trouble getting enough sleep? Is it because you’re old, or have you always had issues with sleep deprivation? Maybe being old has just added to the reasons you can’t sleep.