The True Meaning Behind ‘Cuffing’ Season

Tradition tells us that spring is the time for love, right? All those warm breezes and flowers bursting to life – it’s enough to get anyone in the mood. But what about winter, with its long, cold, dark nights? Surely that’s when you need comfort (and somebody warm beside you) the most! That’s why there are lots of people out there looking to turn a hook-up into someone they can “cuff” for the hibernating season. But if you’re getting involved in cuffing up this winter, what might you be waking up to when the spring thaw comes?

What Is Cuffing?

One-night stands, long-term relationships, friends with benefits – it’s pretty clear what these set-ups are, even if the emotions involved in them sometimes aren’t! But what does it mean if you’re looking to cuff someone, or if you find yourself all cuffed up? Well, the term itself comes from handcuffing someone or tying yourself down to that one person as a way to keep the cold and loneliness of winter at bay, even if you wouldn’t ordinarily be interested in a long-term commitment, either with that person or in general.

two sets of feet in socks next to each other with a fire in the background — *The cuffing zone is somewhere between an actual long-term relationship and a friends with benefits situation.*

That means the cuffing zone seems to occupy a space somewhere between an actual long-term relationship and a friends with benefits situation. You might not be seeing anyone else, but there are certain expectations that might be missing from your arrangement, and the person you’re cuffed to might not even be someone you’d normally think of settling down with.

These relationships are usually pretty short-term, as well; most people acknowledge that the “cuffing season” starts in October or November, with most couples starting to snap out of it by the time the more mushy romantic stuff surrounding Valentine’s Day has them rethinking things. That’s not to say that a cuff will never turn into a more serious relationship, but most don’t look like your typical long-term partnering, so you’ve got to go into it with your eyes open.

Why Get All Cuffed Up?

Well, why get into any relationship at all, right? Ok, maybe that’s a little unhelpful, so let’s look at why you might want to be tied to someone temporarily when you don’t really have a strong desire to be committed to them (or even to anyone). The answer really does seem to lie in the seasonal nature of it: we’re just naturally looking for comfort and connection, both physical and emotional, at this time of year. And, to be honest, jumping right into the cozy part of a relationship can seem pretty appealing as the potential for outdoor fun disappears!

According to certified sex therapist Holly Richmond, Ph.D., LMFT, CST, “The emotional side is we’ve got the holidays […] where people go home to their families, and some single people feel lonely or different or sad about not being coupled up. The physical side, I think, is more of an evolutionary biology piece. We’re pack animals, and in the winter months, we had to spend time together literally for warmth.”

Are They (or You!) A Cuff?

Now that we’re fully into cuffing season, you might just be falling prey to your natural instincts and biological urges (not to say that can’t be fun…) to keep warm and stave off seasonal depression – remember, seasonal affective disorder is a thing, after all. That means it’s time to take a good look at your winter crush or fling and figure out what’s really going on, so you know what you’re getting into, and so you can both get on the same page. You’re probably cuffed up (or your potential winter mate is probably looking to cuff) if:

You or they are not concerned about long-term compatibility. If you’ve got mismatched goals for the future, but it’s no big deal, you’re probably not going to be their plus one at any summer weddings.
You spend time together, but you and/or they are not interested in defining the relationship. Like we said, a cuffing situation can feel like a weird limbo between a casual and serious relationship, so you’re probably not meeting each other’s family, but you might be the only one for each other – for now.
You’re probably not heading out on a lot of dates. If you’re dating life mostly consists of Netflix and takeout, you’re probably just getting into hibernation mode with each other.
They might do a lot of hinting that they are looking to cuff, even saying things like they hate being alone on New Years or that they’re relieved they have a date for their holiday parties.
Some things about the relationship are just not quite “right.” For example, there might be some on-and-off ghosting, the connection might feel purely physical, the sex might only feel “good enough” for now, or you or your partner might be acting in emotionally unavailable ways.

Some or all of the above starting to sound very familiar? Well, you might have been cuffed, or you might be on the hunt to do some cuffing, which is totally fine if that’s what you’re into! But you might want to keep a few things in mind this season.

Keeping Your Head During Cuffing Season

Again, we want to make it perfectly clear that there is absolutely nothing wrong with cuffing – hey, whatever gets you through the winter! You could end up spending a lovely season with someone and looking back on those long months with fondness as you move on, or you could even end up with someone you want to spend time with even when the snow melts – who knows? But what is clear is that you need to make sure you’re making healthy choices for yourself, so keep these things in mind if you find yourself on the hunt or being hunted this cuffing season:

Know what you want – Before you decide whether cuffing season is worth your time, and you start swiping up a storm on those dating apps, be honest with yourself about what you want and whether a temporary relationship will fulfill your needs.

Communication is key – Anytime you add two human beings into a situation, there’s the potential for hurt feelings, so make sure you both know what page you’re on. You also need to know how to set boundaries (even if it’s something as simple as knowing whether giving gifts to each other is cool or not), and be open about how open you actually want to be. Tell them what you’re looking for, and if the other person says they’re not looking for anything serious, listen to them and take what they say at face value!

Keep your standards – You might be feeling that winter itch, but don’t rush into anything, and don’t feel pressured by anyone else to have dates for holiday events – don’t end up acting out a relationship you’re not actually in! Dating out of loneliness or boredom could end up leading to unhealthy relationships, so you might be better off spending time with friends or family instead of hastily picking the wrong person to give your time to. And remember, always, always be safe when it comes to sex!

Be in the moment! – Don’t worry what the calendar says, and don’t worry what anyone else says about your relationship – if it’s right for you at that time, enjoy it for what it is. If you do find yourself catching feelings, and that’s not what you want, or you feel like your cuffing partner won’t be down to take things further, that’s when it’s time to reassess.

The bottom line is that cuffing can be just the thing to get you through these long winter nights, as they stretch into long winter months. As with anything in life, though, go into it with open eyes, be present, know what you want – and then be safe, and honest with yourself and the person who’s warming you up on the couch. And if you find yourself dreaming together and getting eager to introduce each other to mom, well, you might be more than just cuffed, so watch out!

Are Buy Now, Pay Later Services Legit?

Americans have been in love with shopping online for a long time. Then 2020 hit, and things really went nuts. Online retail sales increased 32.4% year over year in 2020 and were up 39% in the first quarter of 2021 – so yeah, it looks like we’re all out there, spending in cyberspace. And there are so many advantages to online shopping, from convenience to the ability to easily compare prices to seemingly unlimited choices – but what about the ability to pay over time? And no, we’re not talking about putting things on your credit card and paying the bill (and the interest included in that bill) off slowly, we’re talking about using buy now, pay later (BNPL) services, like Klarna, Afterpay, Affirm and Quadpay. So how do these services work, are they for real, and should you give them a try?

How Does It Work?

Around 23,000 retail stores now partner with BNPL services (or point-of-sale loan providers), meaning you’ve probably seen the logo of a company like Klarna, Afterpay, Affirm, or Quadpay next to the “checkout” button on a site you’ve been shopping on, tempting you to make a big purchase. In fact, a July 2020 study found that BNPL service offers increased 197% from the first quarter of 2019 to the second quarter of 2020.

credit cards sticking out of a black wallet — *As long as you are 18 or older and have a credit card, you can use a BNPL service.*

They’re definitely popular, but are you thinking that these services seem too good to be true, with those small, doable, fee-free easy installments? After all, you don’t have to pay interest or fees like with credit cards, and you get more convenience than with an old-school store layaway plan (remember those?), with which you would have to fully pay the item off before you were allowed to take it home. But while these services certainly don’t offer consequence-free loans, they are legitimate companies. So how do they work?

Anyone 18 or older with a credit card, debit card, or bank account can use a BNPL service; if you choose to pay this way, you can either create an account for speedier checkout, or simply choose the option when you’re making your purchase and check out that way. Once you check out, the BNPL provider will pay the full price to the vendor, but you’ll pay (usually) 4 payments made in 2-week installments over a period of around 6 weeks (although there are often multiple choices for payment plans), with your first payment due at the time of purchase. As long as you make your payments on time, in many cases you won’t be charged any interest or fees.

Wondering how these services make money? Well, unlike credit card companies, which make the bulk of their money from interest and fees charged to customers, BNPL services make their money by charging their retail partners a fee, although they do make a small amount from late fees and interest payments. Why do retailers choose to pay a fee to one of these services? Offering the option to pay over time often means that customers using them tend to spend more, and make bigger purchases.

There are a few things to be wary of here. First of all, the profit model of these services could drive up retailers’ prices, since it’s the retailers who have to pay the fees. Second, look again at why retailers use these services: they encourage you to buy and spend more. After all, it’s tempting to use a service that doesn’t charge any interest or fees, but you could very well be using this payment flexibility to finance items you don’t really need – and should probably only be buying if you can pay for them outright. Which brings us to the question: should you give one of these services a try?

Proceed with Caution

Here’s the thing: BNPL services are loans (remember: point-of-sale loans?), and no loans come without consequences, except maybe those from your family – wait, scratch that. Nope, there are no consequence-free loans. Yes, BNPL is easy, and can seem very budget-friendly, but there are probably more reasons to steer clear of using this type of service than there are to take advantage of one.

The only pros to BNPL are:

You get what you want when you want it
As long as you’re super on top of things (and choose the right service), you probably won’t end up paying anything extra, like you might if you put something on your credit card and didn’t pay off the balance every month
Your payments are predictable, so might be easier to budget for
You can often get approved for a BNPL loan even if you have a low credit score

As for things you should be wary of? There are plenty. For example:

Risk of fees – While many BNPL services don’t charge interest or fees (but some do, so be careful!), most charge fees for late payments. For example, Afterpay charges $8 or 25% of the transaction, whichever is less. You might think that won’t happen to you, but research shows that around half of all BNPL service users end up making late payment, mostly because it becomes easy to be disorganized when you’re juggling multiple bills (like credit cards, BNPL, utilities, etc) that are all due at different times.
A net negative to your credit score – Taking out a BNPL loan typically won’t help you build your credit, and it could actually end up hurting it. BNPL providers generally don’t report on-time payments like credit cards, although late payments could damage your credit score. Not only that, but by opening one of these loans, you decrease the average age of your credit history which also decreases your credit score.
Increased urge to splurge – BNPL loans make it even more tempting to impulse buy, and give you an easy way to get around your credit card limits, or can trick you into feeling like you’re not adding to your credit card debt.

Psychological warfare – Speaking of psychological tricks, seeing those little amounts that your big purchase will be split into can make that big purchase seem, well, not so big – and might persuade you to buy something you don’t really need and can’t really afford.

Effects on your financial future – Think of it this way: any time you add to your debt, it’s almost like you’re taking something away from yourself in the future. All those little bite-size payments will add up, and you’ll be obligated to set aside money for them – money you could be using to get ahead of your debt or for an emergency fund.

The fine print – There are also a few little practical things to be aware of, as well, when deciding whether to use a BNPL service. First, having so many payments can be difficult to track. Next, if you want to return an item, or if you’ve paid for, say, a trip this way, things can get complicated. You’ll eventually get your money back, but you will probably have to continue making payments in the meantime; if you don’t, you could end up incurring fees or dinging your credit score. Finally, if you’re looking to pay for things over time, you might be better served by going with a credit card: you can choose a card that has rewards, which BNPL services do not offer. Just remember, make sure you can afford whatever it is you’re paying for with any kind of credit or loan!

We’re not saying that you should never make any “fun” purchases – in fact, most financial experts suggest that you put a hefty chunk of your monthly budget toward fun stuff. But the key there is that those purchases are built into your budget, meaning they come from the money you already have, and they won’t put you under financial strain later on. The consensus of most experts seems to be that if you don’t have the money in your account to cover it, you should really hold off, no matter how tempting the offer is – because remember, debt is debt, even when the offer is as tempting as BNPL can be.

The Downright Weird History of Holiday Traditions

Winter feels like a time for traditions, doesn’t it? Maybe it’s the cold and the dark, but it seems so natural during this season to hunker down with loved ones and do something you’ve always done (and if a fireplace and hot cocoa is involved, all the better). You’ve probably got your own traditions, whatever holidays you celebrate, and while we don’t know what they are (although we’d love to know!), we’re going to venture two guesses about them. First of all, we’re guessing at least some of them have a high comfort factor, and might even be downright cozy and sweet. Second, your traditions have probably been a part of your life for so long that you don’t even remember how they started.

The holiday traditions that most of us are familiar with are no different: they’ve just always been a part of a lot of our lives, so much so that most of us don’t know the real history or origin behind them. But what might be slightly different about them (or maybe not!), is that many of them have some pretty weird roots! So let’s see what you really know about these holiday traditions.

Christmas

There are plenty of people in the U.S. who don’t celebrate Christmas, and it’s definitely not the only game in town when it comes to winter holidays, but it is a biggie, and most of us are very familiar with the traditions surrounding it. So whether you celebrate it or not, you might find yourself surprised, intrigued, and maybe just a little freaked out to find out the following about the Christmas traditions that are everywhere at this time of year.

4 people dressed in red sweatshirts with santa hats holding green books — *Carolers used to rampage through the town and demanded that people give them their finest food and drink.*

Caroling

So how do you feel about random groups of people coming to your door to belt out “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”? Kinda nice, right? It’s all in the spirit of the season, so why not? You might sit on your stoop to enjoy their songs and then maybe even offer them a cup of hot chocolate. Well, how would you feel if carolers, or “wassailers,” as they were known in the 17th century, came rampaging through your town and demanded that you give them your finest food and drink? They might have been singing things at you like, “We’ve come here to claim our right/And if you don’t open up your door/We’ll lay it flat upon the floor,” and even threatening you with violence and rape if you didn’t comply, so you’d probably agree with one minister in the early 1700s who complained that caroling drove people to “Rioting, Chambering [fornication], and Wantonness.” And you’d probably hide your hot chocolate.

The Nutcracker

File this one under a super creepy story turned into a beautiful ballet that has become synonymous with Christmas time. In the original 1816 story by German author E.T.A. Hoffman, “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King,” a 7-year-old girl named Marie slices her arm open after being startled by a vision of her nutcracker coming to life. While she recovers, her godfather tells her the tale of a man cursed by a wicked queen to be an ugly nutcracker, to which Marie responds by declaring she would love him no matter what he looked like. She’s put to the test: she’s whisked off to the doll kingdom to marry him – which she does within a year of her meeting him, making her 8 at the time of her wedding. Um, no.

Mistletoe

There are multiple stories surrounding this kiss-inducing plant, including that Druids believed it restored fertility, or that a Norse god was killed by the plant and his mother, the goddess of love, vowed to kiss anyone who stood under it after he was miraculously brought back to life for her. But probably the most interesting tidbit about mistletoe is that, well after the days of the Druids, the plant was used in ceremonies to pardon criminals. They would bring a sprig to York Minster Cathedral in England and the priest would declare, “public and universal liberty, pardon and freedom of all sorts of inferior and wicked people at the minster gates, and the gates of the city, towards the four quarters of heaven.” Geez, it was only a kiss.

Stockings

The legend that surrounds hanging stockings at Christmas is actually a pretty sweet one. According to Donald E. Dossey’s book “Holiday Folklore, Phobias, and Fun,” the tradition is tied to a story about 4th-century bishop St. Nicholas (sound familiar?) who overheard an elderly man fretting that he would not have enough money to supply his three daughters with a dowry, meaning they would probably be forced into prostitution to support themselves. The legend goes that St. Nicholas was so moved by this that he crept into the family’s home at night and filled their stockings, which had been hung by the fireplace to dry, with bags of gold. And of course, everyone lived happily ever after.

Christmas Parties

The days of getting drunk and photocopying choice parts of your body at office Christmas parties feel pretty much over – what do you think? But, to be honest, those crazy parties are probably pretty true to the real origins of Christmas parties – well, certain ones at least. After all, Christmas as a celebration of the birth of Christ jumped around in the calendar before December 25 was settled on by Pope Julius I more than 300 years after the death of Jesus. And what was important about that date? It just happened to also be (roughly) the date of Saturnalia, a Roman festival of the winter solstice, that included drinking and debauchery, as well as role reversal between slaves and masters, and allowing criminals to run rampant. Ah, the good old days.

And, finally we’d like to point out that the tradition of hating and belittling fruitcake is not a tale as old as time. In fact, the Christmas “treat” that everyone loves to hate was even banned for a short period of time in 18th-century Europe for being “sinfully rich.” We will also say, though, that the ancient Egyptians placed a version of fruitcake in tombs when relatives died, so…We’ll leave that one without comment.

Hanukkah

The Controversy Over Its Importance

The first thing to unpack about this winter holiday is that it actually was not traditionally a super important holiday in the Jewish calendar. It seems that Hanukkah surged in popularity as a response to Christmas, and there are no restrictions on working, going to school, or other activities during the holiday.

Jelly Donuts

While many families equate potato latkes with celebrating Hanukkah, others eat jelly donuts. Both are fried in oil, since eating fried food is considered a symbol of the oil used to light the menorah, but Hanukkah donuts seem to have a more recent political history: they were pushed in the 1920s by Israeli labor group Histradut. Why? Well, as food history expert Emelyn Rude points out, the end of the High Holy Day season in autumn “often brought a lull in work in Jewish quarters. By pushing the sufganiyot [jelly donuts] as a symbol of the Festival of Lights, as opposed to the DIY-friendly latke, the Histradut could encourage the creation of more jobs for Jewish workers.”

Dairy Products

While loading your Hanukkah table with dairy products is not as common a tradition, it does have some pretty intense (if maybe historically inaccurate) roots. According to food historian Gil Marks, serving things like cheese blintzes is probably a reflection of a misinterpretation of the book of Judith: “The text, composed around 115 BCE, tells of [how] Judith, a young widow from a town besieged by the Babylonians, infiltrated the enemy camp, fed the commanding general salty cheese to induce thirst, plied him with wine to slack his thirst until the general fell into a drunken stupor, then cut off his head with his own sword. In response to the loss of their leader, the enemy army panicked and fled.”

Dreidels

Legend has it that the dreidel was a way for ancient Jews to study the Torah in peace, since it allowed them to pretend that they were simply doing some sinful gambling. But it seems that that might just be a story, and, although the exact origins of this spinning top game are unknown, it’s thought to have derived from a 16th-century game played in Ireland that made its way to Germany.

New Years

And what about some of the iconic images and ideas surrounding the turning of the year? How about these:

Dropping the Ball

There’s probably nothing more iconic on New Year’s Eve these days than watching a giant ball drop to mark the coming of the new year, but did you know that that tradition might have started with sailors? In the old days, sailors used “time balls” to set their own timepieces while at sea. They would set these chronometers by using a spyglass to scan the harbor, looking for balls that were dropped into the water at certain times, according to PBS. It’s no surprise, then, that the first New Years ball was dropped in the seaside town of Portsmouth, England in 1829.

Making Sparks Fly, In More Ways Than One

Why do we rush to find someone to smooch at midnight, and why do we set off a barrage of fireworks? It all comes down to protection: puckering up was thought to bring luck in the ancient world, and help ward off the evil spirits that could run amok during the intensely vulnerable time when we transitioned from the warm seasons to the cold. Similarly, the light and noise of fireworks was also meant to scare away any creepies lurking in the winter night.

Resolutions

Are you going to make resolutions this New Years? Meh, no pressure – we’re all about having a stress-free start to the year. But things were not so easy-going in Ancient Babylonia, where it is believed that our modern idea of making resolutions might have its origins. During their 12-day -long New Year festival, called Akitu, citizens made spoken resolutions, and they didn’t do it because they wanted to lose a few pounds. They were required to make an oath to the sitting (or new) king, since these oaths were considered essential to keep the kingdom in the gods’ favor.

Whatever traditions you’re going to celebrate this year, and whatever your traditions, we wish you a season full of warmth, comfort, and joy – and definitely lacking in carolers breaking down your door. Let us know what you’re looking forward to this season, and what you were surprised about in the above! Happy winter!

Feeling SAD? It Could Be Seasonal Affective Disorder

With winter coming, you might be feeling some mixed emotions. Maybe you’re sad to say goodbye to the sun and fun of summer, and the beautiful weather of fall, but maybe you’re also sustained by thoughts of holiday togetherness, or some cozy hibernation time. On the other hand, you might see nothing good in the long winter months, and might be counting the days til spring; you might even begin feeling blue as the days grow shorter. You should know, though, that “winter blues” are one thing, but they could become problematic for your mental health if you’re like a small but significant portion of the population who suffer from a form of depression known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. So how do you know if you’re suffering from this condition, and how can you get some relief as you wait for the sunny days of summer to return?

What Is SAD?

If you’re starting to despair now that winter is just about here, you could be among the possibly 11 million people (or 3% of the population, depending on whose numbers you look at) that suffer from seasonal affective disorder. And if you have milder symptoms, then you could be among the 25 million who suffer from the winter blues. While the winter blues aren’t as serious as SAD, full-blown SAD is a type of mood disorder, and is considered a serious form of depression – the main difference between other forms of depression and SAD is that SAD happens at the same time every year.

While there is a rarer form of summertime SAD, it most often rears its ugly head in the winter. Why? Scientists aren’t exactly sure what causes it, but some experts believe it’s related to lack of light in the winter (which is why it’s more common the further north you go, and less common in sunnier places like Florida). Less sunlight in the fall and winter months could mean your brain is making less serotonin, a chemical linked to brain pathways that regulate mood. Others think that decreased sunlight exposure affects the natural biological clock that regulates hormones, sleep, and moods. It is also three times more likely to affect women than men, and might have a genetic component, as well.

Are You Feeling Sad, or Are You Suffering from SAD?

Whatever the cause, seasonal affective disorder can really disrupt your life for a big chunk of the year. What’s worse, it can often be overlooked or misdiagnosed, especially since the symptoms can mimic those of other conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome, mononucleosis, thyroid disorders, or low blood sugar. To help determine whether you might be suffering from SAD, consider the past few years – have you:

Had depression that has started at around the same time?
Not felt your symptoms during other seasons?
Had more of this particular season with depression than without over your lifetime?

blue plate with letters spelling out weight gain in the middle — *Weight gain is a symptom of Seasonal Affective Disorder.*

So what specific symptoms should you be looking out for? They are generally similar to other kinds of depression, and include:

Feelings of despair or hopelessness
Increased desire to be alone
Weight gain
Appetite changes, especially increased cravings for carbohydrates
Difficulty concentrating
Fatigue
Irritability
Reduced interest in sex
Lack of interest in social activities
Suicidal thoughts in extreme cases

If you are experiencing the symptoms above, speak to your doctor: they might diagnose you with SAD if you experience at least five of nine clinical symptoms for at least two weeks. Even if you don’t meet that criteria, you could still have a milder form of SAD, sometimes called the “winter blues,” or the more technical term, subsyndromal SAD.

Can You Find Relief?

So what can you do if you’re suffering from seasonal affective disorder? Are there ways to make the winter months more bearable? While there’s no “cure” for any kind of depression, there are things you can try to get some relief. For example:

Lifestyle changes – There’s no magical way to stave off SAD by eating certain foods or following a certain regimen; however, you might be able to lift your mood a little by eating right, including plenty of fruits and veggies, as well as lean protein, getting enough exercise, finding social support, and, very importantly, practicing good sleep hygiene. Get to bed at the same (reasonable) time each night, and avoid blue light before bed. And, even if you want to sleep in all day, set an alarm for an early hour so you can experience some early-morning sunshine, which is the best light to help your body combat SAD.

Light therapy – SAD might be partially caused by getting too little natural morning light and too much artificial light in the evening. To combat this, some experts recommend that you try using a light box that can help mimic morning sunlight, which gives you a spike in cortisol and a boost of energy. There is some evidence that sitting in front of a 10,000-lux (the measure of light intensity) light box for 30-45 minutes every day around sunrise during fall and winter decreases S.A.D. symptoms. But you have to be diligent about using it everyday around sunrise, and you have to be aware that not all light boxes are created equal. It’s best to do light therapy under supervision of a doctor, so speak to yours about finding a research-grade one that might be right for you.

Time outside – Light boxes can certainly be helpful, but there’s no substitute for natural light – even a rainy morning provides around 10,000 lux, and snow on the ground is even brighter, at 50,000 lux. But the best light for SAD seems to be the light outside within 30 minutes of sunrise – so set your alarm, and get out for an early morning stroll!

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – Something that might be even more helpful than light therapy is speaking with a psychotherapist and engaging in some Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). In some studies, CBT was found to prevent recurrences of SAD, probably because it provides long-term coping skills, not just physical relief.

The bottom line is: you don’t have to suffer all winter with the debilitating symptoms of seasonal affective disorder. The first step to getting some relief is recognizing your condition, and naming what is going on. Once you do that, you can speak to a professional and start making some changes that could make a real difference to your life, and make the long winter much more bearable.

Can You Avoid Medications with Lifestyle Changes?

Now that you’re getting older, do you have one of those days of the week pill holders that keeps your multitude of prescription drugs sorted? Or are you dreading having to get one as your health changes? There’s no doubt that aging affects your health, and you might have more trips to the doctor, more monitoring of things like your cholesterol and blood pressure, and yes, more drugs that are prescribed to you to keep everything in working order. But, while you should absolutely be keeping on top of your health and following your doctor’s advice, is it always necessary to be taking a mountain of prescription drugs, or is there a way to avoid some medications with lifestyle changes?

Too Many Medications?

If you’re watching your prescriptions pile up, you’re certainly not alone: people over 65 make up less than 14% of the U.S. population, but use approximately 40% of the prescription drugs, filling an average of 14 prescriptions a year (or 18 if they’re over 80)! When broken down even further, research shows that the average older adult takes four or more prescription medications each day, with 39% taking 5 or more every day. Each one is meant to treat or manage a condition, and is important, but each also comes with risks and side effects, which can begin to add up.

So, while you shouldn’t stop taking anything prescribed by your doctor unless you discuss it with them first, you should also be aware that the more medications you take, the greater your chances of side effects and adverse reactions. You definitely want to talk to your doctor about the number of medications you’re taking if you start to experience:

Tiredness, sleepiness or decreased alertness
Constipation, diarrhea, or incontinence
Loss of appetite
Confusion
Falls and other mobility issues
Depression or general lack of interest
Weakness
Tremors
Hallucinations
Anxiety or excitability
Dizziness
Changes in sexual behavior
Skin rashes

The Psychological Power of Prescriptions

Adverse reactions are not the only issues with taking medications, though. A study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association had some very interesting findings about how older adults react to being put on medication – and no, it wasn’t that they were unhappy with having to take more pills. In fact, being prescribed medications for things like high cholesterol and high blood pressure often meant that those taking the drugs felt like they could let their healthy habits slide because they were on those medications. For example, the people in the study who were prescribed medications for their conditions:

tended to gain more weight. In fact, they were 82% more likely to become obese.
exercised less. They were 8% more likely to be physically inactive.

Perhaps some of those people were already lax in their lifestyles, but it’s very likely that some of them felt like they could slack off a bit because they were on medications meant to regulate their health. But the truth is, even if you are prescribed medication, a healthy lifestyle is still extremely important to keeping you fighting fit for as long as possible. But could making some positive changes to your lifestyle actually mean needing fewer medications?

Could These Lifestyle Changes Help?

So if you’re trying to cut down on the meds in your life, what do experts say about whether lifestyle changes can eliminate, or at least reduce the need for prescription drugs? The answer is “sometimes,” and it will definitely take a lot of effort on your part, but your doctor might give you 3 months to “clean up your” act if you’re interested in avoiding certain medications for certain conditions. For example:

Dealing with high cholesterol

greek salad in a bowl — *Changing your diet to healthier options can result in lower cholesterol levels.*

High LDL, or “bad” cholesterol is a common (and worrying) problem for older adults, and you might be prescribed a statin to lower your number. But some doctors have seen some very encouraging successes in patients who make lifestyle changes. For example, speaking to a dietician can help you look at how your eating patterns might be contributing to your condition, and reducing your intake of red meat and butter, plus adding in more fruits and veggies can make a big difference. Checking out the Mediterranean diet is a great start!

The other key to avoiding medication for high cholesterol? Exercise! Get into the habit of fitting in 30 minutes of moderate exercise 5 days a week, or 75 minutes of high intensity exercise 3 or 4 days of the week, and you could find yourself ditching the pills at some point in the future.

Lowering your blood sugar

If you’re not diabetic, but your blood sugar is on the high end of normal, you might be able to avoid blood-glucose-lowering drugs with some fairly simple lifestyle changes. Cardio workouts can help lower blood sugar, and you’ll really need to focus on your diet, especially the carbohydrates that you’re consuming. Cut down on bread (try to limit yourself to 2 slices a day), chips, and processed foods, and get your carbs from whole grains, brown rice or whole wheat bread and pasta. Focus more on fruits and veggies and other whole foods, drink plenty of water, and try to balance out the carbs you eat with protein – for example, add peanut butter (with no sugar) to your bread.

Doing some bone-building

If you’ve got osteopenia, or preosteoporosis (bone density at the low end of normal), there are steps you can take to slow down bone loss, and even build bone. First, make sure you’re getting enough calcium and Vitamin D in your diet, and then get started with some strength training! Traditionally, experts have steered older adults towards low-impact strength and weight training to be on the safe side, but studies are now showing that HiRit (high-intensity resistance and impact training), which involves short bursts of intense activity, is actually better than low-impact training in improving bone mineral density in the spine and hip area in older women. Just be sure to get your doctor’s approval before you start any exercise plan, as well as seek out supervision for anything high intensity.

Easing your back and joint pain

man swimming in a pool — *Instead of depending on medicine for joint and back pain, try swimming instead.*

Chronic pain stinks, but turning to long-term use of painkillers can cause some serious issues. For example, high doses or long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatories like Advil can cause bleeding in the intestines, kidney failure, heart attack, ulcers, and stroke. And if you’ve been given a prescription for something even stronger, like opioids, you could experience drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, constipation, addiction, and overdose.

What to try first? Consider yoga, stretching, swimming, tai chi, massage, physical therapy, acupuncture, or heat.

Soothing chronic heartburn

If you’re constantly feeling the burn, you might be on a regiment of proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs), and this might be totally fine in the short-term to heal your esophagus if you’re suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease. But taking these medications long-term can cause reduced stomach acid, which impairs the body’s ability to absorb certain nutrients and medication, and increases the risk of gastrointestinal and other infections. They could even increase the risk of fractures, dementia, heart attack, and kidney disease.

To try to deal with heartburn, and avoid reflux, try eating smaller meals, not lying down right after eating, losing excess weight, avoiding trigger foods (like very acidic or greasy foods), and popping a Tums or some Maalox for occasional discomfort.

Remember, talk to your doctor before you make any changes to your lifestyle or your medications. Remember also that everyone is different, and dramatic changes to your lifestyle could make a huge difference in your health and your need for medications – or you might find that you still need all of your prescriptions. But even if you don’t get to the goal of cutting down on your daily pills, making these changes will still be beneficial – and who knows? You might end up needing fewer medications further down the road. Be well!

Busting Myths About “Immune-Boosting” Practices

Are you thinking a lot about your immune system these days? We don’t blame you: Covid-19 is still plaguing us, and winter is here, bringing the usual cold and flu season upon us. Not only that, but this cold and flu season is most likely going to be a crazy one, since most of us haven’t been around a ton of people for the last year and half. That means our bodies just aren’t quite prepared for all the germs we’re going to be exposed to now that we’re back in school and heading indoors for the winter. It’s understandable if your first reaction is to turn to questionable practices to give your body a boost, but we’re here to debunk some of the myths floating around out there, so you can focus on what will actually keep you healthy into the New Year.

No Magic Bullets

vitamin c drop fizzing in a glass cup — *There is no magic potion, such as Emergen-C that can boost your immune system.*

Believe us, we’re sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but there just isn’t any one thing – or even a handful of things – that can magically boost your immune system (sorry, Grandma, the whole cloves of garlic and herbal teas might be good for us, but aren’t going to keep us from getting sick). Most of the things that people suggest to keep you healthy are often just a bunch of hype – that is, unless they’re suggesting all of those boring things, like getting lots of quality sleep, eating healthy foods, exercising, and washing your hands.

Truth is, your immune system is not an organ or an area of the body that you can strengthen like a muscle, or target with vitamins or medications: it’s a complex mix of cells, hormones, and proteins that all work together to fight off illnesses. Some people’s immune systems are naturally stronger than others for some reason, and most people’s simply function best when they’re given all the necessary tools mentioned above.

So, with all that being said, let’s bust some myths!

Vitamin C Is Good for You, So the More the Better, Right?

Yes, vitamin C is definitely an important nutrient when it comes to the functioning of your immune system, but according to Ali Webster, PhD, RD, director of research and nutrition communications for the International Food Information Council, “…[S]tudies have shown that taking megadoses of vitamin C in the form of supplements doesn’t really do us any good when it comes to fighting off a cold or other illness.”

Your body can only absorb a few milligrams at a time, so the recommended daily amounts of vitamin C for adult males in 90mg, and 75mg for females is totally sufficient. In addition, your daily dose of C should ideally be gotten from the food you’re eating (think fresh fruits, leafy greens, and even red peppers!) – after all, blasting your body with Emergen-C or another supplement when you feel the sniffles coming on is not going to be any more helpful than maintaining a good amount of this vitamin in your diet every day. In fact, if you take more than your body needs, you’ll just end up peeing it out, so you’re literally flushing your money down the toilet!

Getting Your Gargle or Rinse On Will Kill Germs

Do you swear by gargling with salt water or vinegar to kill germs and speed up recovery from a virus? Unfortunately, while you might get a little temporary relief from a sore throat by gargling, you’re not going to actually kill any germs. And how about rinsing out your nasal passages with a Neti pot? You might have even been recommended to do this by your doctor, but the truth is rinsing your nose to kill germs in your upper respiratory passage doesn’t actually work. According to Gary Linkov, MD: “Viruses will frequently lodge in areas deeper in the nose, such as the adenoids, where they cannot be reached with simply washing the nose.” In rare cases, the use of a Neti Pot can actually cause infection, because, according to Linkov, “using tap water to wash the nose regularly puts us at an increased risk of driving additional pathogens into our sinonasal passages.”

Immune-Boosting Beverages Can Protect You, Or Make You Feel Better

We’ve all seen them: pricey drinks from juices to “enhanced” waters to herbal teas that claim to support your immune system, but these drinks are not worth the money. At worst, when it comes to juices and waters, they can be loaded with sugar or artificial colors and flavors, and at best, when it comes to teas, they’re merely just a warm, soothing drink. With that being said, there has been one study that suggested a polyphenol found in green tea could help T-cells in mice, but it’s not clear if this happens in humans. But in the end, what really matters is staying hydrated, ideally with water: the immune system relies on the bloodstream to transport its cells around the body, which is much harder if you’re dehydrated.

Only Vitamin C, Zinc, and Fresh Fruits Are Necessary or Helpful for Your Immune System

Just loading up on foods high in vitamin C, and dosing yourself with zinc supplements, is far less important than eating a varied, balanced diet of real foods; unfortunately, isolated nutrients aren’t going to be all that helpful. According to Lizzy Swick, RD, “Yes, vitamin C and zinc are important, but you can’t supplement your way out of a bad diet. Once the diet is in place, supplements can, well, supplement.” You also need to know how to use supplements to complement your diet: Swick also points out that taking too much zinc for a long period of time can actually lower immunity, and high-dose zinc supplements are best used at the first signs of a virus.

And one more thing: when it comes to getting in all of your fruits and veggies for the day, don’t stress about always having fresh stuff in your fridge (and it doesn’t have to just be citrus fruits, remember!). Canned and frozen fruits and veggies are a great, easy alternative, and they actually sometimes pack even more nutrition than fresh produce, since they tend to be picked at their peak ripeness.

Exercise Puts Stress on Your Body

people taking an exercise class outside — *Exercising lowers the levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, in your body, which is important for your immune system.*

You might be thinking, “I’m lifting weights and breaking down muscle fibers,” or “I’m jogging and stressing my joints, so I must be running my body down in some way” – but the opposite is actually true. Exercising lowers the levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, in your body; this is important because if you have cortisol levels that are too high for too long, your immune system could end up taking a hit, making you prone to infections. According to Stephanie Gray, DNP, “studies have shown that 20-40 minutes of moderate activity reduces the risk of upper respiratory infections by 50%.”

It’s important to note, though, that if you are already under the weather, it’s best to stick to more moderate exercise. Again, according to Gray, “If you aren’t feeling well, but think you need to push through [an extreme] workout, this can actually increase your risk of infection by 3-6 times.” As with your diet, it’s all about incorporating healthy habits into your everyday life, not trying to eat, supplement, or exercise your way out of illness once it hits.

Garlic Wards Off Vampires AND Viruses

Yup, it makes your food taste delicious, but unfortunately, garlic is not a cure-all for viruses, so there’s no need to load up on it (and your partner will thank us later). While garlic is definitely good for you, and some nutritionists believe that the sulfuric compounds in garlic help improve immune system function, there is really no definitive proof that these tasty bulbs will keep the sniffles at bay. Again according to Linkov, “There are a few lab studies that show that garlic extract can partially inhibit the replication of the virus in cells. However, there is limited human study evidence that garlic will prevent viral infection in our bodies.” Well, at least you don’t need to ruin date night to stay healthy!

You Need to Take a Daily Supplement, or Load Up on Supplements When You’re Sick

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, staying at your healthiest, and being able to recover as quickly as possible from illness, is all about treating your body right every day. Your immune system needs to be seen as an integrated part of you, not something you can pump full of vitamins. According to Nikola Djordjevic, MD, “Our immune system is a lot more complex than that, and should be viewed more holistically. Not to mention, supplemented vitamins are usually overkill, as our bodies can’t absorb more than a few hundred micrograms per day. Vitamin C, for example, maxes out at a little under 100 micrograms, and everything else is excreted from our bodies through our urine.”

Keeping Yourself Healthy

With all of the above being said, we do want to point out that, while you can’t take a pill or eat a certain food and flip some sort of super immune system switch, there are ways you can improve your immune function over time. That brings us back to that boring, non-hype stuff that keeps you at your healthiest, like:

Eating a varied, healthy diet of real food

Moving that body – Remember, exercise helps reduce stress, and stress can actually lower your white blood cell count, and it has been scientifically proven that people who get more exercise get fewer colds.

Managing stress – Yup, again, you’ve got to keep those cortisol levels down! Always being in fight-or-flight mode is doing absolutely nothing for your immune system (not to mention your life in general!)

Getting your zzzz’s – While you sleep, your immune system releases substances known as cytokines that you need to fight infection, inflammation, or stress. Sleep deprivation decreases your body’s production of cytokines, meaning you’ll be more vulnerable to illness if you don’t get your daily dose of beauty sleep.

Kicking some bad habits – It’s pretty clear that smoking is bad for you, and not just because it causes cancer and other diseases. Studies have found that cigarette smoke can interact with viruses, such as the flu, causing lung damage and inflammation, worsening flu symptoms for smokers. Alcohol can also be rough on your body: drinking has also been found in studies to weaken the body’s response against the flu.

The bottom line is, focusing on “boosting” your immune system might actually be the wrong way to think about keeping yourself healthy this season. Instead, you should be focused on how to keep yourself well-rested, well-fed, and in balance, so you can get your whole body working in harmony.