Feel Good Report: The latest from the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute

The latest in health, fitness and beauty

Renowned Retina Specialist Relocates Here

The Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, ranked No. 1 nationally for ophthalmology by U.S. News and World Report, opened a 20,000-square-foot facility at the corner of U.S. 41 and Cypress Woods Drive in June. Joining it will be internationally known ophthalmologist Dr. William Smiddy, who is relocating from the institute headquarters at the University of Miami. Smiddy is a specialist in retina diseases and has done groundbreaking research that has led to the treatment of macular holes, which can lead to vision loss or distortion. The new facility will allow Smiddy and his fellow doctors to nearly double its patient visits per year. “It will be much more comfortable for everyone involved,” says Medical Director Dr. Stephen Schwartz.

Why people don’t age (or at least appear not to)

Don’t get too jealous, but people who continue to look young as they age do have a secret. The catch is they might not even know about it. Harvard researchers teamed up with Olay to produce the Multi-Decade Ethnicity study that details how certain women get that ageless look. The key is a set of 2,000 genes that control everything from antioxidant production to DNA repair and replication. Everyone has these genes, but the strength of the genes in the skin varies from person to person. So, your friend who’s looked 40 for the past decade may be telling the truth when she says she’s never had work done.

Don’t pick your own diet

If you want to lose weight, maybe have someone else tell you what to eat. A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that men who let the researchers pick their diet lost more weight than those who chose their own.

Fitness Tip of the Month

For older adults, balance is crucial to fitness. Jon Bates of Addicted to Fitness in Naples favors a technique that combines strength, stability and flexibility all in one: TRX suspension training. Simply hang the TRX nylon strap from a stable place and grip the cushioned handles. Then, you’re using your body weight to your advantage. Bates has his clients do single-leg squats, where they pull the straps taut while leaning back slightly. Then they lift one leg and do a squat. They’re building strength and improving balance. Overall, the concept behind suspension training has been around for ages, but the TRX equipment has brought it back to the forefront. “It’s a simple concept,” Bates says, “but very effective.”

The future of health is here

Fitbits, Jawbones and other wearable technology have become all the rage in recent years, and the latest-and-greatest gadget is coming from a tech giant. Google has introduced a wristwatch that can allow your doctor to monitor your pulse, skin temperature, heart rhythm and more, according to Bloomberg Business. As of now, it won’t be available to the general public but rather will be used in clinical trials. Yet, market experts say it’s an indication of what’s to come. The market for health care-related wearables is expected to increase from $2 billion to $41 billion over the next five years, according to a report from tech analysts at Soreon Research. Don’t think of Fitbit as a fad—it’s the future.

Skip that knee surgery, perhaps

Surgery may not be the best option if your knee is giving you trouble. Research published in BMJ (formerly the British Medical Journal) shows that exercise and medications may be the better bet over arthroscopic surgery when it comes to ailing knees in older adults. Turns out that the surgery to repair torn cartilage doesn’t affect any underlying issues caused by osteoarthritis. In those cases, the surgery would have only short-term benefits at best. Overall, researchers found the pain relief from taking acetaminophen or nonsurgical treatments like exercise was the same or greater than having the surgery.