<!-2  I am exercising a lot better after reading Younger by Next Year.  Instead of 20 lengths in the pool I now swim 40 or more for about 45 minutes once or twice a week at the Y.  I used to consider exercise a recreation luxury, but now consider it time spent as well as if I was working.  I still do my 30 pushups while waiting for the shower water to heat up every day, since we disconnected our instant hot water circulation system. Before the snow I was running 10 laps around the yard almost daily, even in ratty clothes not fit for our neighborhood. I need to start up again when snow melts. I hoist my 30 pound free weights kept near my desk when I can.

 

<!-3.     Mary gives me good vitamins. A & D every morning plus an eye vitamin and acidophilus, oxy-perm and a good multi.  We drink vitamin C orange flavored powder mix in water at breakfast.  I drink tap water with one shot of OJ for flavor with the hot lunch and dinner she prepares.  Bottled water in my truck as I drive. About every other night I take a calcium and magnesium before bed to help me sleep.  Sometimes a melatonin drop. Howard says calcium cured his arthritis.  I take local pure bee pollen twice a week and have no allergies.

 

<!-4.      We never have dessert at home. My sugar intake consists of a small dove ice cream bar about once a day or less.  No candy, pie or cake unless we are out.  I eat a lot of almond butter on non white bread first and last thing before bed. Once in a while a Chivas scotch before bed, and some red wine last week.  Sambuca teaspoon in my coffee, not sugar and never low calorie sweetener. Never pizza at home.  Almost no pasta at home except some noodles mixed with beef a lot. Mary loves beef for us, not chicken with less benefit. Plenty of veggies I dislike taste wise but know to eat.

 

<!-5.   Before sleep I try to have a full stomach and go through a ritual of having water nearby, and reading my current print library book, until I am tired and I put it down, lie on my back and sleep.  About 4 hours later I wake up if I did not get a lot of active exercise that day.  Not a problem.  I am lucky that I can sleep before starting my flexible home office work many mornings, so I frequently get up at 2 or 3am for an hour or two, and read more of my current library book, or check emails or my favorite websites, and then go back, sleeping until 8am, for at least 8 total hours.  This is a luxury, but it keeps me sick free.  If I can’t sleep after that around 4am, I might get up, have my milk and a banana since I sleep better on a full stomach. In the book I am reading now, Words Onscreen, there are mixed reviews between print and e-reading. This article has merit http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/power-down-better-sleep  But I cannot resist checking emails, and after I do, I sleep worry free.

<!-7.      Never any meds or aspirin or Tylenol or anything. Mary’s naturopath doctor always has alternatives for us, as I have listed.

 

<!-8.    Mary is sensitive to germs.  She has not been sick all year either, doing less exercise but eating even better than me.  Every time I walk in the house I put on my slippers and wash my hands with bacteria soap.  Before every meal or touching her or food I wash up.  If we slow dance to a CD, I must wash my face with bacteria soap first.  Showering is with bacteria, not bar soap. I rub vinegar on my toes and between thighs after showering.  I learned that clipping my toenails also prevents itchy foot. I do not wear underwear or socks more than one day.  Always warm wool, not cotton socks in winter.  Mary regularly washes bed sheets and pillow cases, and dry cleans our clothes. My other ritual besides pushups is that if I shave, I must floss every tooth, and I must brush my teeth after that, and have Listerine. My tooth brush always soaks in hydrogen peroxide.

 

<!-9.     The house remains very dust free since I noticed a crack in the attic ducts that was letting in insulation, and I taped it tight.  Mary and helper keep it very clean.  Our dry basement is dehumidified by Mary if there is any moisture after a rain, so there is never any mold.  We were lucky not to have any ice dam moisture in the house like so many others this winter.