Living Well 60+ September – October 2015 | Page 21
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015
Ask Don!
Your Questions on Aging
Answered
by Don Hoffman, Staff Writer
Donald Hoffman, a former
director of the University of
Kentucky’s Council on Aging and
Donovan Scholars Program and a
nationally recognized author and
authority on aging, answers your
questions about aging. Submit
your questions directly to him at:
[email protected].
TV Trouble
Mike N. asks: How much
television is too much?
Don answers: Watching many hours of television may
become a health hazard since sitting
in one place for several hours at a
time leads to a sedentary lifestyle.
Not only do people who watch TV
for long stretches gain weight, they
also lose their muscle tone. In some
instances, excessive TV watching
can be a cause of serious illness such
as stroke, diabetes or heart disease.
Most of the research I’ve read on the
subject suggests limiting your TV
time to no more than one or two
hours at a time. The present, average
TV-watching time in the United
States is a staggering five hours a
day. The problem is more serious
than first thought, for not only do
we spend time watching hours of
TV, but we commit additional hours
to our computers and handheld
devices. All of these devices – except
our cell phones – cause us to pause,
sit and watch. It adds up to long
hours in a stationary position. So
choose your TV-watching hours
carefully. Watch the morning news if
you wish and a bit in the afternoon
too, but break up the long hours
of sitting and stay away from those
harmful snacks that seem to go with
TV viewing. Sure, it’s OK to have
a snack or drink while you watch
TV, but keep tabs on the calories,
carbohydrates and fat content.
There is no quick fix to this
problem, but you can use the com-
mercial breaks to get up, stretch and
walk through the house to get the
blood circulating – just stay away
from the refrigerator. It is important
to balance long hours of daily TV
watching with a planned period
of exercise. You can also do some
stretching while you’re sitting, the
same kind you might use on a long
airplane flight. Taking a daily walk
or joining a senior exercise program
will help balance the negative effect
long periods of TV watching may
have on your body.
Gardening
Alternatives
MaryAnn asks: I love to
garden but recently have had some
trouble with my knees. I can no
longer kneel or bend as I used to.
What other ways are there for old
folks like me to garden?
Don answers: A garden
bench will allow you to sit down
while gardening. However, more
recent innovations include raised
beds, container gardening, garden windows or simple-to-build
window boxes that can be placed in
sunny spots and accessible locat