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