FYI — There’s No Such Thing As Being Double-Jointed

It turns out that being “double-jointed” isn’t really a thing. When someone describes themselves as being double-jointed, what they actually have is hypermobility. That’s when a person’s joints can move beyond the typical range of motion. We all have the exact same skeletal framework, but people with hypermobility have joints that just stretch and move beyond the typical baseline. That’s why double-jointedness isn’t a medical diagnosis but a sort of nickname for hypermobility. “I see patients every day who can bend their fingers backward, hyper-extend their elbows or knees, or move their shoulders in ways that seem impossible to most people,” said Dr. Jacques Courseault, a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician, and assistant professor at Tulane University School of Medicine. “They don’t have additional joints. Their joints simply have greater mobility because of differences in the connective tissues that support them.” It might surprise you to learn that hypermobility is much more common than most people think. Doctors check for it with a quick test called the Beighton score. Can you bend your pinky finger back past 90 degrees, touch your thumb to your forearm, or put your palms flat on the floor without bending your knees? If so, you have hypermobility. What causes hypermobility? Genetics play a major role, as it tends to run in families. Meanwhile, many people grow out of hypermobility in the transition from childhood to adulthood. If flexibility comes with pain lasting more than a few months, joints that slip out of place without a real injury, easy bruising, soft or stretchy skin, or things like fatigue and dizziness when you stand, you'll need to talk to your doctor. The good news is that strength and balance training, done gradually, goes a long way.

Continue Reading...

Professional Organizers Swear By These 4 Simple Steps

If your house is always a mess, fear not. Professional organizers say anybody can organize their living space with just four simple steps. It’s called the “Declutter Core Method” and it can be applied to any space. Whether you’re organizing a small linen closet or an entire kitchen, organization can be broken down into four simple, manageable steps. 

Step 1: “Collect” — Basically, gather all trash or anything that doesn’t belong in that specific space. Using a trash bag and a collection box, you can clear away visual clutter and create room to work. Anything that belongs elsewhere can be set aside to be re-homed once you’ve finished working in the space.

Step 2: “Categorize” — Group like items together to get a clear picture of what you own and the quantities. 

Step 3: “Cut Out” — This is the true decluttering moment when you go through each item individually and try to make a decision about what to keep and what to let go. If you’re unsure about an item, you don’t have to force yourself to let it go. You can keep it for now and revisit it another time. This takes the pressure out of decluttering and makes the experience more positive. You’ll build confidence in your decision-making over time.

Step 4: “Contain” — Once you’ve decluttered the categories in your space, it’s time to create your organizational system. Assign each category a designated home, and determine which items need to be contained. This is where you make the most of your existing storage, furniture, bins and baskets to create a system that’s functional, practical, and easy to maintain. 

Decluttering is all about figuring out what makes sense for your life, space, and day-to-day routine to keep your home organized.

Continue Reading...

5 Memory Changes That Are Actually Totally Normal As You Get Older

As you age, it’s common to momentarily forget things like the name of your best friend’s youngest nephew. While many adults who experience these temporary memory lapses fear that it’s a sign of dementia, how your brain ages is individual. Some people — known as “Super Agers” — reach their 90s and perform as well as 30-somethings on cognitive tests, while others experience cognitive changes decades before that. It’s very normal to see changes in how well we perform in day-to-day situations as we get older. Here’s what’s actually considered normal aging, even if it doesn’t seem like it:

• 1. It takes you longer to learn new things. There’s a reason it takes older adults longer to learn things like updated computer features or the latest smartphone technology. You’re going to have to repeat it a few more times in order to learn it. It may be easy for your grandson to memorize your new phone number, but it may take you longer to memorize his — and that’s normal.
• 2. It can be challenging to find the right word. Our thinking as we age is just slower in general. The biggest complaint from older folks is trouble remembering a specific word or phrase — that tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon. As we age, it takes us longer to find that word or pull up that information, but it’s still there. While it may take a minute to remember the name of your neighbor’s dog or the word you want to use in a sentence, it does eventually come to you. If you forget a word, and then you remember the word a few minutes later, that’s normal. It’s just your brain functioning a little bit slower. 
• 3. It’s common to forget why you walked into a room. Perhaps you walk into your bedroom to get your phone charger but then become distracted b a pile of laundry that needs to be done. Those kinds of things are very typical and characteristic of healthy aging. 
• 4. Misplacing items becomes more frequent. It’s common to misplace your belongings occasionally. Maybe you forget where you put your glasses — *hint*..... check your head. That’s absolutely normal behavior, as long as forgetfulness doesn’t completely disrupt your day.
• 5. It becomes harder to multitask. Multitasking becomes more challenging as you get older. Perhaps you used to cook dinner while writing an email and tidying up your workspace. It may become harder to do all of those things at once, and that’s perfectly normal. 

What’s normal for one person might not be normal for someone else. Sometimes, cognitive decline isn’t related to dementia at all. It could be due to a new medication, a lack of sleep, or mood changes related to the stress of older adulthood. 

 

Continue Reading...

Which Items Should You Always Hand Wash?

There aren’t too many people who don’t have a dishwasher these days. Not only do they save water and energy, they get your dishes cleaner than hand washing. The final rinse temperature is typically 150º F, guaranteeing a 99.99% reduction in bacteria. However, as great as the dishwasher is, it shouldn’t be your only cleaning method. That’s because some items just can’t take the heat. 

Delicate and Fragile Items: Fine china, usually hand-painted, can chip or fade, and crystal glasses can develop clouding or cracking due to detergent and heat.

Wooden Cutting Boards and Utensils: Water, heat and detergent in a long dishwasher cycle can warp wood and strip it of essential oils. Instead, clean cutting boards by hand and allow them to fully dry before storing. For stubborn stains, scrub them with lemon and salt.

 

Cast Iron Pans: Never put your cast iron pans into the dishwasher, as they can easily lose their seasonings and can develop rust. Instead, hand-wash with a little dish soap and water (yes, it’s okay), then dry thoroughly. Protect the seasoning with a thin layer of oil.

Non-Dishwasher-Safe Plastic Utensils: Do not put plastic utensils that aren't dishwasher-safe into your dishwasher, as thin or soft plastics may warp from high heat. Dishwasher-safe plastic utensils should be placed on the top rack to prevent damage.

Knives: Go ahead and run your butter knives through the dishwasher, but leave all other knives out. The detergents can dull sharp (and often expensive) kitchen knives. Plus, the sharp points can damage your dishwasher baskets if you slide them in facing down. Of course, face-up knives are a safety hazard, so it's better to hand-wash them.

Nonstick Pots and Pans: While nonstick cookware may be labeled as dishwasher-safe, frequent exposure can wear down its coating, so hand-washing is often a better option.

Continue Reading...