Dr. Grimes’ Bottom Line – Page 13

Nuke It: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #15

June 16, 2018April 10, 2017

Dr. Grimes’ 20-1-7 CHALLENGE:

For the first TWENTY weeks of this year,
Pick ONE healthy change every Sunday, and
Commit to that change for SEVEN days.

NUKE IT: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #15

How do you clean/sanitize the sponge that you use to clean your family’s dishes, pots & pans? Like sneakers, kitchen sponges are replaced far less frequently than recommended. When researchers check bacteria counts on kitchen sponges, the numbers are are impressive- both in restaurants and in homes. (Oct 2016, International Journal of Food Science, Microbiological Safety of Kitchen Sponges Used in Food Establishments)

It makes sense that … Read more

HIDE IT: 20-1-7 Challenge, Week #14

June 16, 2018April 3, 2017

Dr. Grimes’ 20-1-7 CHALLENGE:

For the first TWENTY weeks of this year,
Pick ONE healthy change every Sunday, and
Commit to that change for SEVEN days.

HIDE IT: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #14

I’m frankly embarrassed with the frequency that I use the “FIND My iPhone” App (what a Godsend for distracted minds!). However, this week’s challenge is not to FIND it, but to purposefully HIDE it- when we DRIVE. Parents of teenagers- what do we tell them every day? “DO NOT TEXT & DRIVE”, right? RIGHT.

And then- how many of us have our iPhones sitting in the drink holder…calling … Read more

If the SHOE Fits… 20-1-7 Challenge Week #13

June 16, 2018March 27, 2017

Dr. Grimes’ 20-1-7 CHALLENGE:

For the first TWENTY weeks of this year,
Pick ONE healthy change every Sunday, and
Commit to that change for SEVEN days.

If the SHOE Fits…20-1-7 Challenge Week #13

While the saying goes “If the shoe fits, WEAR it,” this week’s challenge is almost the opposite, because we are talking about your athletic shoes. Call them sneakers, tennis shoes, running shoes, whatever- here is the important challenge. Look at the bottom of your shoes. If the tread is obviously worn smooth in any part, it’s time for NEW shoes. My mantra is “yes, new shoes … Read more

CLUTTER CONTROL: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #12

June 16, 2018March 20, 2017

Dr. Grimes’ 20-1-7 CHALLENGE:

For the first TWENTY weeks of this year,
Pick ONE healthy change every Sunday, and
Commit to that change for SEVEN days.

CLUTTER CONTROL: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #12

My family is NOT inherently neat and tidy. Paper clutter engulfs our kitchen counters, home office and dining room table ten times faster than I can sort, record, and recycle. Scientific studies have well documented that visual clutter ADDS significantly to stress/anxiety, and that LACK of clutter does the reverse. I tend to be an all or nothing person, so when I start to spring clean, I obsessively … Read more

Bit O’ YOGA: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #11

June 16, 2018March 13, 2017

Dr. Grimes’ 20-1-7 CHALLENGE:

For the first TWENTY weeks of this year,
Pick ONE healthy change every Sunday, and
Commit to that change for SEVEN days.

Bit O’ YOGA: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #11

YOGA…As a family physician, I have recommended yoga for many of my patients. Honestly, I’m hard-pressed to think of anyone who might NOT benefit from yoga. For myself, however, yoga falls into the flossing teeth category- I KNOW I should do it, I know that “older me” is going to be mad at current me for not doing it, but I haven’t been able to find a … Read more

NO W(h)ining! 20-1-7 Challenge Week #10

June 16, 2018March 6, 2017

Dr. Grimes’ 20-1-7 CHALLENGE:

For the first TWENTY weeks of this year,
Pick ONE healthy change every Sunday, and
Commit to that change for SEVEN days.

NO W(h)ining! 20-1-7 Challenge Week #10

Do you enjoy a glass or two of wine with your dinner? Me too! Wine in small amounts is happily shown to be medically beneficial. However, many of us do not limit ourselves to the “up to one 4-oz glass of wine for women, and up to two 4-oz glasses of wine for men.” How much wine is too much? If you stop at 2 glasses every night … Read more

RESIST: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #9

June 16, 2018February 27, 2017

Dr. Grimes’ 20-1-7 CHALLENGE:

For the first TWENTY weeks of this year,
Pick ONE healthy change every Sunday, and
Commit to that change for SEVEN days.

RESIST: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #9

Resistance training should be included at some level for all adults, regardless of fitness level. Increasing lean muscle mass through resistance exercise has been shown to have numerous benefits, including increasing your resting metabolic rate, reducing fat (and related, reducing risk of developing type 2 diabetes), improving mobility and decreasing falls, enhancing cardiac health (through improved lipid profiles), improving bone density and even improving self-image. So why don’t we … Read more

ZZZZ: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #8

June 16, 2018February 20, 2017

Dr. Grimes’ 20-1-7 CHALLENGE:

For the first TWENTY weeks of this year,
Pick ONE healthy change every Sunday, and
Commit to that change for SEVEN days.

ZZZZ: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #8

How many hours do adults need to sleep at night? The throw down answer is eight hours, though it varies from 6-10 hours on an individual basis. However, with the introduction of electronic screens into our bedrooms, many of us are using screen time to wind down…which is at least a double whammy on our sleep. Social media sites can suck us in to story after story, and fully … Read more

FLOSS: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #7

June 16, 2018February 13, 2017

Dr. Grimes’ 20-1-7 CHALLENGE:

For the first TWENTY weeks of this year,
Pick ONE healthy change every Sunday, and
Commit to that change for SEVEN days.

FLOSS: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #7

This week is a straight-forward nod to both our future “older” us and our dentistry colleagues: FLOSS!!

When I think about flossing, I remember a commercial from years ago with a spunky elderly woman munching on a carrot, saying “you don’t have to floss ALL your teeth- just the ones you want to keep!” And then I think of my 94 year old mother-in-law, who kept all her teeth … Read more

EXERCISE BOOST: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #6

June 16, 2018February 6, 2017

Dr. Grimes’ 20-1-7 CHALLENGE:

For the first TWENTY weeks of this year,
Pick ONE healthy change every Sunday, and
Commit to that change for SEVEN days.

EXERCISE BOOST: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #6

When my patients are frustrated with a lack of measurable results despite sticking faithfully to a new exercise routine (translation, not enough pounds lost on the scale), the temptation is to blame poor metabolism, hormones and age. And sure, those things all play a role! Ultimately, we have to agree that WHATEVER your metabolism is, and whatever food choices you are making, if the scale isn’t budging, then … Read more