More power to the senior citizens and baby boomers among us who still get out and run or jog, either through the neighborhood or at the local fitness center. Still, even those among us who are not marathon men or marathon women can benefit from wearing athletic footwear, specifically running shoes.

All of us need to take care of our feet, whether we sign up for a 10-kilometer run, or we walk 100 yards from the parking lot into the shopping mall. Athletic footwear and running shoes have many orthopedic qualities that not only promote comfort, but foot health in general.

Podiatrists say they recommend athletic footwear and running shoes to the age 50-plus crowd, but sometimes we resist, specifically those among us who no longer go out running or no longer take part in competitive sports. The problem is that we would be embarrassed to be seen in what we consider to be younger people's fashions. We don't pierce our noses with rings, and our pants don't sag down to the bottoms of our behinds. Thus, why would we be seen in footwear endorsed by the latest 20-something big-time sports star?

At the same time, we don't want to wear orthopedic shoes either, because too often orthopedic shoes look like "old people's shoes." And so, we don't want to wear "old people's shoes" but we don't want to wear "young people's shoes," either. We're overruling a whole lot of different types of footwear. What's a podiatrist to do?

Some manufacturers strive to compromise by selling us walking shoes rather than running shoes. If we do our research, we indeed can find high-quality and high-fitness walking shoes. But we must keep watch, because sometimes a walking shoe won't compare to a running shoe in terms of support and cushioning. If we can overcome our modesty and try a pair of running shoes or athletic footwear, we may discover that our feet feel a whole lot better at the end of the day, even if we didn't do any sort of special exercise.

SOURCES:
http://www.seniorjournal.com/NEWS/Eldercare/4-09-02Sneakers.htm
http://icaa.cc/footcare/agingfoot.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletic_shoe

When it comes to footwear, seniors and baby boomers have various viewpoints. Consider the example of high-heeled shoes for women. The older a woman gets, the more difficult is the challenge of donning high-heeled footwear. Yet senior women tend to be more traditional and may maintain a desire to wear high heels to church or on formal occasions.

Fashion experts, as a general rule, define high-heel footwear as shoes with an elevation of more than 3.5 inches. If it's "only" 3 inches, it's "just" a mid-heel. Go ahead and groan, ladies. The fashion experts setting these strict high-heel standards, of course, are men such as Maurizio and Paolo Gucci, and Jimmy Choo.

Who in the world invented high heels in the first place? One version is that the first wearers of high heels were men. As the Dark Ages gave way to the Renaissance so many moons ago, one great revelation among the fellas on horseback was that heels would help prevent their boots from slipping out of their stirrups. This can't be proven, however, not even on the History Channel.

Which ethnic group of women first started to get all fashionable with their footwear, progressing (or regressing, if that's your view) to higher and higher heels? Wouldn't you know it, the French and the Italians were in the lead roles. In fact, there may have been a sort of a combo trend sparked in 1533 by Catherine de' Medici. She was Queen of France, although she was of Italian stock, and she was really, really short. Therefore, legend has it, Catherine de' Medici had a chat with her cobbler. The rest is history, or rather, herstory.

Podiatrists tell women that if they must wear high heels, they should try to reserve this footwear for special occasions, not for daily work in the office. High heels add stress not only to a woman's feet, but also to the knees. Furthermore, the height of the heel isn't the only concern. Some high-heel shoe styles also smash the toes together, which isn't healthy either. Still, a quality high-heel shoe also can provide comfort...as long as not much walking is on the agenda.

SOURCES
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-heeled_footwear
http://www.randomhistory.com/1-50/036heels.html

When buying shoes, senior citizens and baby boomers may consider this: The average adult takes about 4,000 steps per day, according to new-lifestyles.com. This doesn't include any special workouts, but just the regular walking throughout the day. Those 4,000 steps add up to about 2 daily miles.

Keep our footwear in mind, seniors and boomers, as we discuss this. Every two weeks, we're walking more than the equivalent of a marathon run, just by going to the supermarket or strolling into the nearest coffee shop for a latte. Every four years, we're walking the equivalent of a pilgrimage from New York City to San Francisco. (That's 2,930 miles, folks.)

Shouldn't our footwear be comfortable? Shouldn't our shoes fit just right? As much as we consider ourselves to be ageless, we seniors and boomers should recognize that our feet may have special needs.

We shouldn't be thin-skinned about owning up to these special needs for buying shoes. In fact, one result of aging is that we may notice that the skin on our feet is thinner than we once remember. Fatty cushions on the balls of our feet and the pads of our toes have decreased. This thinner skin makes us more susceptible to bumps and bruises, blisters and scrapes. If we have diabetes, we are even more vulnerable because of reduced circulation in our lower extremities. This means that we not only need to make sure that our shoes have an ideal fit, but we also need to take a look now and then to make sure that ulcers or infections and ingrown toenails are not developing.

Meanwhile, our feet are going to get longer and wider, and they may not necessarily do so at the same time. We may discover, oddly enough, that our best comfort comes from a Size 9 on one foot and a Size 8 on another, or maybe a one-half size as an alternative. It might seem like a financial pain to buy two pairs of shoes for one pair of feet, but wouldn't the resulting comfort be worth our while? After all, we have miles more to walk before we sleep.

SOURCES

http://www.new-lifestyles.com/quizzes.html

http://www.healthleader.uthouston.edu/archive/ORTHOPEDIC/2003/feetdontfailme-0811.html

http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=how+many+miles+new+york+city+to+san+francisco%3F&ygmabtsrchbtn=web+search&fr=ush-mail-bt4

http://www.affsphere.com/Fashion-and-Apparel/Shoes/Foot-Care-for-Senior-Citizens-1.html

http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/shoeshopping-with-polio-or-clubfoot-766720.html

http://www.seniorwomen.com/hfstyle.html

Grill with Dad for Fathers Day! This BBQ recipe is great for grilled chicken or pork. Very easy to make! Also, try a Beer Margarita! A classic way to spice up a beer. Enjoy!! SOOOOOOO good!

Spicy BBQ Sauce
This is a richly flavored sauce with some definite heat to it. If you don't want it spicy, omit the chili or substitute with a milder pepper. Baste over grilled chicken!
Prep Time: 12 minutes

Ingredients:
• 1/3 cup cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons tomato sauce
• 3 tablespoons molasses
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Serrano chili, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation:
Place all ingredients in a large saucepan and simmer for 4-6 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before using.

Dress dad up in this classic Apron, Mitt & Potholder combo:
http://www.zappos.com/product/7554764/color/3

Beer Margarita
Ingredients:
• 6 oz can Frozen limeade concentrate
• 12 oz bottle of beer
• 6 oz vodka
• 6 oz water

Preparation:
In a large pitcher mix the beer and limeade mixture (follow the directions on the frozen limeade except substitute once can of water with one can of vodka). Serve on ice.
Serve these fabulous drinks in a classic pint glass!
http://www.zappos.com/product/7551063/color/303

By: Whitney Magness

For daily commuters being comfortable is a big deal. Enter the music, the name brand coffee and the ultimate, comfortable driving moccasins. Driving moccasins have been a classic style for years. Still worn by many Europeans and the elite and stylish, driving moccasins have a place in one's wardrobe. Believe it or not, Frasier Crane is not the only person who buys driving moccasins. In fact, today's driving moccasins are not only stylish but also comfortable and in some cases quite luxurious.

There are a couple of perks to driving moccasins commuters should truly consider. In addition to having a safe, nubbed sole that allows one to have secure footing, the shoes are flat, sturdy and ideally the perfect shoe in which one should drive. The other perk for women is that wearing driving moccasins while driving eliminates the ugly scuff that always shows up on the back of the right shoe as a result of driving in heels or other shoes when comfortable driving moccasins should and could be worn.

Elegantly designed, comfortable and well made driving moccasins are available for men and women. A great choice of driving moccasins for men is the H.S. Trask Driving Moccasin. Very European in style, the beautifully designed driving moccasin is masculine, sleek and comfortable. Features include smooth Antelope leather uppers, soft sheepskin lining, multi-density removable foot bed made with memory foam and double-needle hand stitching construction created for a well made, flexible and durable moccasin. Available in dark brown, light brown and black, the average retail price is $101.

Both men and women have several great options in terms of brands of driving moccasins. Major designers create the comfortable driving shoe including Kenneth Cole, Cole Hahn, Coach, Celine, Michael Kors, Polo, Timberland, Ralph Lauren, Minnetonka and many others.

The method to the madness is - just like one wears court shoes for tennis, track shoes for track, and running shoes for running - driving moccasins have a place in every wardrobe. In fact, worn without socks they are downright cool. Who knows, maybe one day insurance companies will give a discount for wearing proper driving shoes. A girl can only hope.

Shoe-conscious baby boomers, and especially senior citizens, may give little thought to shoe insoles. If boomers and seniors don't follow the marketing for shoe insoles, they may wrongly perceive that the only manufacturer is Dr. Scholl's, and that the only type is that old-fashioned thin brownish foam pad with the tiny absorption holes on top.

Today we can find an array of shoe insole products to fit (literally and figuratively) our every footwear need.

Yes, we can still find foam shoe insoles, but we can also find shoe insoles made of other materials, such as rubber and gel.

Furthermore, as baby boomers and senior citizens, we are learning that shoe insoles serve purposes other than prevention of foot pain. Comfortable footwear for everyday living, walking and athletics also can make us feel better in our knee and hip areas, and can especially help to ease and prevent soreness in the back.

Shoe insoles do more than simply reduce the jarring impact of walking and running. They also can make our shoes fit better. Let's face it, aging makes us more prone to bunions and bone spurs and other doo-dads that can change the shapes of our feet. We also may discover that our feet may become wider and flatter with age. Shoe insoles are the variables that mold to each of our own unique foot shapes.

Sales personnel at shoe stores will tell us that the two prime benefits of shoe insoles are cushioning and support. This is well and good, but cushioning and support must be balanced. Too much cushioning can lead to not enough support, and vice-versa. We don't want to feel like we're walking along pathways of down pillows, but we don't like to feel like we're walking with bare feet on concrete, either. When it comes to shoe insoles, it's a question of balance between cushioning and support.

If we have low and/or flat arches, the use of insoles with arch supports can be especially important. Otherwise, we may unconsciously roll our feet, leading to other foot problems.

SOURCES

http://www.articlesbase.com/fitness-articles/the-benefits-of-wearing-insoles-648847.html

http://www.sevendeals.com/p-5683-walkfit-orthotics-insoles.aspx?OVRAW=shoe%20insoles&OVKEY=shoes%20insoles&OVMTC=standard&OVADID=1599805522&OVKWID=216563591022

http://www.ehow.com/how_4924153_build-shoe-insoles.html?ref=fuel&utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=ssp&utm_campaign=yssp_art