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Pop quiz: Fill the blank with the best answer: Food is_________.

1. Nutrition
2. Fuel
3. Comfort
4. Celebration
5. A link to our culture and roots
6. All the above

You're probably thinking, if it's a dietician asking the question, the answer should be numbers one or two, but you know in your heart, the answer is number six, and you're right! There are many reasons we make the food choices that we do, and nutrition is only one of them. 

If you're looking to lower your risk of heart disease as you age, there is great news ahead! Research indicates you can lower your risk by improving your cardiovascular fitness, even as you age. Cardiovascular fitness is a powerful predictor of health and longevity, so powerful it can reduce the risks from having other risk factors. That is powerful stuff! 

Could your aches predict the weather? You may have heard that when it rains or is cold out, arthritis pain worsens. Is this true? 

The truth is that little factual evidence exists to support this. In fact, when patients with rheumatoid arthritis were placed into a barometrically-controlled chamber, which simulates the change in air pressure, they didn't notice a difference in joint pain.

For generations, too many women have believed that urinary leakage was something they simply had to live with, an inevitable consequence of getting older or having children. And they felt embarrassed about discussing it, so they kept quiet and often ended up isolating themselves socially to avoid accidents. What is a woman to do? 

Sudden cardiac arrest happens quickly and most often without warning. An electrical malfunction causes your heart to beat irregularly. Your brain doesn't get enough blood. Your lungs and other organs don't get enough blood. Within seconds, you have no pulse. Within minutes, you're dead.

Hold on. It's not all doom and gloom. There is good news. 

"A glass of wine will help me relax." All too often people say this as a way to cope with the stress of everyday life. Phrases like, "It takes the edge off," and "Just one beer" shouldn't become your mantra when trying to unwind after a tough day at the office or a long night with the kids. Anxiety and alcohol use are often connected. Many times, people drink to relax and reduce anxiety, and in some instances, chronic alcohol abuse can lead to anxiety. 

So what can you do without reaching for the bottle of wine? 

When our prehistoric ancestors faced terrifying situations like a hungry wooly mammoth, their endocrine system would flood their bodies with the hormones adrenaline and cortisol. This "fight-or-flight" stress response provided a burst of energy so they could respond to the dangerous predator. 

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. That old saying certainly applies when it comes to staving off the visible signs of aging, such as fine lines, wrinkles, and sunspots. Dermatologists even have a term for it: prejuvenation. Is it true that Father Time's impact on our skin can be slowed down? 

Finding ways to get exercise as you get older is a smart and easy way to stay fit and improve your health. Exercise is just as important in your older years as when you were younger. 

It's also well known that regular exercise can help to boost heart health, maintain a healthy body weight, keep joints flexible and healthy, and improve balance to reduce falls.