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Dear Doc: I hear about exercise all the time — so many benefits. Anything new on the horizon? — J.P., from Stoughton

Dear J.P.: Yes, there is. New research out of the British Medical Journal shows that exercise reduces your risk of getting COVID, landing in the ICU from COVID and dying from COVID — all at the same time. 20 minutes a day of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise seemed to be the sweet spot.

The study is a good one. Now, we’ve known for years that regular exercise lowers the risk of upper respiratory infections because it boosts the immune system. So researchers looked at three major research databases published from November 2019 through March 2022, which involved almost 2 million adults, about half men and half women.

The studies took place in the U.K., South Korea, Japan, Spain, Brazil and Sweden, along with a few other studies. They were observational studies where scientists were just gathering data on who got sick with COVID and who did not.

Those who exercised reduced the risk of getting COVID in the first place by 11%. That may not seem like much, but 11% of 2 million people equaled 220,000 fewer cases of COVID from the start, not a small number.

More impressive was the fact that those who exercised had a 36% lower risk of hospital admission from COVID, a 44% lower risk of severe infection and a 43% lower risk of dying. That’s powerful data.

My spin: This is just one more reason to put on your tennis shoes and head out of the house. Sitting is the new smoking, and exercise is the new panacea.

Dear Doc: I think a column addressing how to care for wounds would be super since most scrapes and so on are treated at home. I am really surprised so many people still think “fresh air/sunshine/uncovered” is the best way to help healing! — J.B., from northern Wisconsin

Dear J.B.: Good point. Let’s review this for everybody.

First off, when caring for a wound, wash your hands. You might have some bacteria on your skin that you don’t want to spread to the wound.

Stop the bleeding. Apply gentle pressure with a clean bandage or cloth. For some wounds, this is just a five-minute thing, but for others it’s 20 minutes, the time it takes for a good chemical clot to form.

Then clean the wound. Water is just fine for the wound itself and use soap on the outside of the wound. You don’t need hydrogen peroxide, which is what my mom used. If there is debris in the wound, you many need a clean tweezers to get it out.

Next, apply an antibiotic ointment like bacitracin or just plain Vaseline. The idea here is to keep the surface moist, which will help it heal and prevent scarring. If you get a rash from an antibiotic ointment, stick to the Vaseline. It’s neutral and rarely causes a rash or reaction.

Cover the bandage; tape it up. If you’re getting supplies at the drugstore, get paper tape, which is the most gentle on the skin. If it’s just a minor scrape, you can keep it uncovered, but covering it keeps you from touching it and keeps dirt and debris from disturbing it.

Change the dressing every day. Look for signs of infection such as redness, worsening pain, pus, drainage, swelling — the usual stuff.

And if it’s a deep wound and you haven’t had a tetanus shot in five years, then get one from your doctor. Stay well.

This column provides general health information. Always consult your personal health care provider about concerns. No ongoing relationship of any sort is implied or offered by Dr. Paster to people submitting questions. Any opinions expressed by Dr. Paster in his columns are personal and are not meant to represent or reflect the views of SSM Health.

Dr. Zorba Paster is the co-host of “Zorba Paster On Your Health,” which airs at 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturdays on the Ideas Network of Wisconsin Public Radio, in Madison on WHA 970 AM. Paster, who practices family medicine in Oregon, also appears regularly on WISC-TV Ch. 3.

Send questions to features@madison.com or write Wisconsin State Journal, Attn: Health Column, P.O. Box 8058, Madison, WI 53708.

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It seems that every hour spent sitting increases your risk of becoming disabled down the road.

Now I can go faster than ever, be more stable than ever, and not need nearly as much muscle as I did before.

Nutrition, rest, exercise and vaccinations. They're all important.

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