Dear Healthy Friend,

My five year old daughter and I (yes, I'm ashamed to admit this!) often sing the song of Bingo, the dog... It's fun and she loves it! And new research has revealed that Bingo could actually be good for your mental health... But I'm not talking about Bingo the dog, I'm talking about Bingo the game...

Apparently it isn't just a "mindless" game... See what Ed Martin has to say...

In the name of good health,

Taryn Strugnell
Managing Editor of Nutrition & Healing

P.S. Your hands endure so much during the day... They lift thrings, write things, care for things and, yes, even pet things... But how much attention do you pay to yours? What if they were sore and swollen? Would you give them some focus then?

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B-I-N-G-O isn't just a dog...
Ed Martin
Editor, House Calls

How do you spell good health and a lower risk of disability in your senior years?

B-I-N-G-O!

Simple as it sounds, a new study finds that maintaining a busy social life - especially through events like bingo night - could double the odds of good health and independence.

Of course, staying active to stay healthy isn't a new concept, we've told you about some of the other research on this before.

But the latest study goes much further, even spelling out some of the specific activities seniors participate in that could help keep the quality of life high - even when the odds of winning are low.

Researchers looked at data on 954 seniors with a mean age of 82 who had been participating in the ongoing Rush Memory and Aging Project in Chicago, where they've been given regular physical exams as well as neurological and neuropsychological tests.

The seniors were also given regular assessments to see how well they did with many of life's normal activities: Getting dressed, bathing, walking up and down stairs, using a phone, preparing meals, tracking their meds and so on.

Finally, the seniors filled out regular questionnaires revealing whether - and how often - they participated in social activities such as going to restaurants, visiting friends, attending sporting events, volunteer work, church services, social clubs and, of course, bingo.

All of those activities are great - and the study shows it, as seniors with the busiest social calendars overall were about twice as likely to remain disability-free over the years as those who did the least, according to the study in the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences.

But the researchers say bingo, in particular, is a two-fer: Not only does it keep you out and engaged, but the nature of the game requires staying alert and listening to the famous letters and numbers.

So as silly as the game may seem, it's also got some of the mental gymnastics needed to keep the mind sharp and focused.

And that means you'll come out ahead, even if you don't win a prize.

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The secret behind swollen hands...

Q: Lately, the backs of my hands have been puffy and swollen. What could cause this?

Dr. Wright: While I can't say for sure without examining your hands (and you should consider having this done by a physician skilled in natural medicine), a Texas physician named John Ellis discovered years ago that many conditions involving the hands can be alleviated with vitamin B6.

The first thing to do is look for "Ellis signs" in your hands. Try holding your hands upright, keeping the joints joining your palms and fingers perfectly straight. Now try bending the middle and end joints so that your fingertips touch your palms. If you can't do it, it's a positive "Ellis sign", which could indicate a need for extra vitamin B6.

You may want to consider taking 100mg of vitamin B6 three times daily for up to six months, or until all the puffiness and the "Ellis sign" is gone and your hands are more flexible.

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