Here are some tips for staying healthy, collected from recent publications:

The Mayo Clinic Health Letter offers advice if you have a cold and are traveling by air. It explains that a tiny tube, called the eustachian tube, connects your throat and middle ear. That tube is often blocked when you have a cold.

The reason that matters during air travel is the eustachian tube normally equalizes the buildup of air pressure in your middle ear. Blockage can result in unequal pressure, causing pain or even injury to your eardrum.

So if you’re flying with a cold, the Mayo Clinic recommends the following: Use a nasal decongestant spray or oral decongestant an hour before takeoff; avoid alcohol but drink plenty of other beverages to keep secretions thin; chew gum or suck candy to encourage swallowing; and use over-the-counter earplugs designed for air travel to slow the rate of air pressure change on your eardrums.

Strength training

Harvard Medical School has a new report out called “Strength and Power Training: A Guide for All Ages.”

The report said it’s never too late to incorporate strength and power training into exercise.

The reason this is important: Muscle tissue, bone density and strength diminish over time. This can result in physical injury and fractures and, when coupled with the aging process, can mean a less active life.

Strength training can slow and possibly reverse muscle decline. A further benefit of strong muscles is that they can lighten the heart’s workload, aid in promoting good cholesterol and help prevent diabetes by helping control blood sugar.

The Harvard report offered these suggestions for beginners:

• Do strength training two to three times a week at first and always allow at least 48 hours between strength training workouts.
• Before attempting a specific exercise, learn the proper form or technique to avoid injury.
• A complete strength workout usually involves sets of eight to 12 exercises that together work the major muscle groups. Choose weights that allow you to do eight to 12 repetitions per set.
• Begin by warming up five to 10 minutes and end by cooling down five to 10 minutes.