Wednesday, September 25, 2024

Got foot pain? Reduce The Discomfort With Better Shoes And Comfort Insoles

Several years ago when I was walking a 7-mile track regularly, I started to experience uncomfortable foot pain, mostly in the arch of my right foot. Turns out I developed what my doctor diagnosed as plantar fasciitis. He suggested I buy comfort insoles and a better pair of shoes with support to reduce the pain---and it worked! Within weeks I was on the track again, enjoying my morning walks. 

Many people my age (in their 60s) complain about the changes they've noticed in their feet, such as a widening of the foot width, bunions, or overpronation. These conditions can limit physical activity--something those of us past middle age need to do to stay heart healthy. This is why comfort insoles are beneficial for leading an active life. 

As it turns out, walking is one of the best forms of exercise for people 50 and older. It helps strengthen our muscles and bones and is also great for maintaining a healthy weight. Walking keeps our joints flexible and prevents both osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. However, without proper shoes with supports, walking long distances may become difficult and cause increased foot pain. 

My husband experienced this recently. His job requires quite a bit of walking around a large, residential property where he works as an overseer, and recently, he started experiencing foot discomfort as well as knee pain. He was constantly limping and complaining, even after trying several medications, shoe inserts, and knee braces, but nothing helped. I finally convinced him that he needed to ditch the old shoes and buy special ones with comfort insoles made to decrease the pain of plantar fasciitis. Within the first week of wearing his new shoes, he felt relief, and by the second week, the knee pain had disappeared!

To me, it's a no-brainer. If you want to stay healthy by being physically active at any age, good shoes with comfort insoles are a must!

Disclaimer: Please know this partnership is between Responsival, and my blog, Menopausal Mother. 






Friday, September 20, 2024

Fly On The Wall In A Squirrely Season

Welcome to another edition of Fly On The Wall group blog postings hosted by Karen of Baking In A Tornado. Today there are three of us inviting you into our homes to see what a nosy fly might see if he was buzzing around our houses. 

The fly has seen me at my desk throughout most of the summer---thankfully, the assignments have been rolling in from AARP, and that helps me afford the abundance of seed I feed my outdoor "pet" squirrels (more on this squirrely insanity below). Fall is also a mellow, reflective time for me, my thoughts often turning to family, bittersweet memories, and loved ones I've lost. I am fortunate to have had the privilege of writing these sentimental thoughts in personal essays for AARP this month (see links below). It is always very cathartic for me to get this stuff out into the world, and in a way, it validates what I'm feeling when I read the reader's comments who share my perspective.

What cheers me up though is spending lots of time with the grandbabies, which I did this month, so heads-up--lots of grandkid photos in this post! 


Mac is also great at bringing humor into almost every situation, and this month's nosy fly overheard quite a few weird comments from my better half...... 


"Wasn't that a great crock pot meal I made tonight?"
"Yeah, but I'm so full after eating it that I'm going to need an epidural just to pass all this food next time I go to the bathroom." 
"Nobody is forcing the fork into your mouth."
"I feel as if I have a family of four growing inside my stomach. I'm going to claim them as dependents on my tax form next year." 



"Look at all the new, baby squirrels we have in the trees!"
"It's your fault we have so many. We're spending a fortune on seeds and nuts just to feed them all."
"Somebody needs to tell them to stop having squirrely sex."

"Well, at least SOMEBODY around here is getting sex...."



"Our pug is so spoiled at bedtime."
"How so?" 
"He gets to sleep on the new memory foam pillows while I'm still sleeping on your mom's hand-me-down flat pillows from 1939."
"What can I say? It's a 'RUFF' life for you..."



"I hate it when you send me to the deli counter at the grocery store. The lines are always so long."
"Just start farting loudly and you'll clear the line in no time."



"The squirrels are at the door again. They're hungry. I guess I'm just the food bag to them."
"No, you're an OLD bag to them."



"Have you been using my hairbrush? There's blonde hair in it."
"Well, it was sitting there looking lonesome on your dresser so of course, I had to use it."
"No, you were just too lazy to get your own."
"Good thing you didn't notice the short, black hairs in it."
"No one in this family has black hair!"
"The dog does....."


"Geez, it's warm in here. I'm sweating."
"A hot flash? I thought you were done with menopause."
"I am, but I've gained weight since then. Now I'm getting Fat Flashes."



"Again with the squirrels?? STOP FEEDING THEM! "
"I can't help it--they depend on me."
"It's not just squirrels anymore! We have hungry raccoons, mice, possums, and tons of birds frequenting our yard now. One of these days I'm going to come home and find a buffalo grazing in the backyard!"

I've been feeding the squirrels for over 25 years, and I'm not about to stop anytime soon. If Mac keeps arguing with me about it, I've threatened to turn him into a human birdfeeder by strapping him into a chair, slathering him with peanut butter and covering him with seeds and nuts. Too much? 

Now if you'll excuse me, there's a squirrel knocking at the back door....I also need to find some duct tape and peanut butter....

By the way, we are HUGE KC Chief Fans, (and totally stoked about this season!) so of course.... I had to include a pic of us in our football attire. GO CHIEFS!!!

***WANT MORE MENO MAMA? It has been a VERY busy writing month! I LOVE this AARP/ Ethel personal essay about my mother cooking in the kitchen (including some of her recipes). You can read this lovely bit of nostalgia HERE Another heartfelt essay on AARP/Girlfriend about the loss of my sister---I'm especially proud of how this one turned out----You can read it HERE I also have a few food articles up---one on crock pot recipes at AARP/Girlfriend HERE  and another recipe article on the classic American burger over at AARP/Experience Counts, for you to read HERE My latest column for Yahoo Life focuses on the emotional side of retirement HERE And lastly, I also have a fun piece on why it's great to live in Florida, which you can read at AARP/Experience Counts HERE

Now go hop on over to Karen and Diane's houses to see what that naughty fly has been up to!

Baking In A Tornado                                https://www.BakingInATornado.com

                              

On the Border                                         https://dlt-lifeontheranch.blogspot.com/



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