Wednesday, November 23, 2016


Miscommunication
  People don’t always say or write what they really mean or hear what is really being said.
            Here are a few examples I’ve come across.
<           - Special cocktails for ladies with nuts.
<           - Your cat fell in the mud so I took it to the cleaners. (Hope she doesn’t wear it on her head!)
<           - The bride and broom left in the snow. (And they’ll be able to clear it!)
<           - Open 24/7. Hours of operation 7 am to midnight.
<           - Do you want a copy? Thanks. I don’t drink coffee.
<           - I think it’s important to have a pocket list. (Especially when you’re using a bucket.)
<           - Open seven days a week and on weekends.
<           - The doctor specializes in women and other diseases.
<           - People of different sex, for example, men and women. (???)
<           - Are you an adult who can’t read? Bring this coupon with you.
<           - People are prohibited from picking flowers from any but their own graves.
<           - Remark: Sir, your escalator is out of order. Reply: Madam, we only have stairs.
<           - Approval for a third breast implant has been granted.
<           - Our wines will leave you. (???)
<           - So, you were gone until you returned?
<           - If you don’t find your size, we’ll give it to you for free. (?)
<           - Did he kill you?
<           - A new carwash is going up on the next street. Good, I’ll be able to walk to it.
<           - Potluck dinner Saturday night. Prayer and medication to follow.
<           - Reservations required on arrival.
<           - Families welcomed. Children under 12 not admitted.
And so it goes.

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Keeping the Brain Healthy
We all want to age with a healthy brain and sharp memory, and while we’re pretty sure we know how to reach that objective, it’s nice to be reminded from time to time.
Experts agree that the road to follow to reap benefits includes keeping mentally active, meditating, avoiding stress, being positive and being social. But research also shows that good nutrition and exercise can outweigh less-than-perfect genetics when it comes to avoiding cognitive impairment as we age.
          The latest research shows that keeping the brain healthy starts with a proper weight. We should aim to have a BMI between 18.5 and 25. Those with a BMI over 25 are overweight. BMI charts are available on line so you can easily see where you stand.
          Proper nutrition has been shown to have a positive effect on the brain. Here are some suggestions.
<               - Avoid saturated fat and aim for 25% of your total calories from good fat such as olive oil, avocados, some nuts and fatty fish.
<               - Omega-3 fatty acids, such as in cold water fish, are essential for memory function and brain health. 
<               - Complex carbohydrates such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains, should be about 40% of daily food intake.
<               - Avoiding high glycemic carbs such as sugars, processed cereals and salty snacks should be a priority.
<              - Eat whole foods (those with one ingredient), but if you eat convenience foods from time to time, choose items with the least ingredients.
<              - Get to know which foods are antioxydants (such as berries, onions, beans, to name but a few) because they have been proven great for mental function. 
<              - Everyone should stay away from processed foods.
Brain health should be a priority for boomers especially since age-related memory impairment and Alzheimer’s Disease are increasing at an alarming rate. Now 1 in 8 seniors are affected while the disease’s early onset, i.e. before the age of 65, is appearing more frequently.



Wednesday, November 9, 2016

On grieving
By the time we reach the half-century mark, we all have lost someone near and dear to us and have gone through the grieving process. The rituals of wakes and funerals do help us work through grief. It allows us to be open about the pain we feel and to share memories of the loved one so we can be on the road to the healing of spirit.
          Often, people who go to funerals to offer their sympathy to the relatives of the departed don’t exactly know what to say. They’re aware that they should say something deeply comforting, but when they see the tearful face of a grieving person, all words escape them. Anyone who is hurting will tell you that’s okay. You have already said a lot simply by making the effort to be on hand to share in the sorrow. All you need to do is hug the person. That will tell them you care, which is exactly what they need.
          But what about other grieving processes? What about the grieving a person has to work through while a loved one is still alive? That sort of grieving can be a lot more difficult to manage.
          I’m talking about the grieving you face when a loved one is slowly dying because of a devastating incurable disease, or is in a coma, or suffers from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease which is ravaging a once alert and rich mind. That grief can be distressing because it is renewed every time you see your loved one. There is no closure, no final good-bye, no funeral to help heal wounds which remain raw, always near the surface.
          It is indeed a cruel time of life. You have to try to be optimistic while your loved one is slowly moving closer to the final exit. It is a lingering process when the beauty of life can be forgotten in the midst of painful confusion.
          Here again, friends and relatives often don’t know what to say so they simply stay away. What a terrible mistake! We all need someone with whom to share our pain, and that sharing need not be a tearful encounter. It can simply be sitting next to a friend, quietly being there in the moment.
          People grieving for loved ones still living can only survive if those around them support them. We should make time to call them on the phone, to visit them, to listen. It will mean the world to them, and could make the difference between total darkness and the strength to go on another day.
          As we age, we also must take the time to grieve our personal losses, the gradual ones, almost imperceptible at first, such as the loss of youthful skin, the loss of perfect vision, the loss of hair, the loss of pain-free joints, in short accumulated losses. If we don’t take the time to talk about these losses, even joke about them, we may end up depressed and unhappy.
          A few years back, I visited a favorite uncle who was hospitalized with heart disease. His life was becoming more and more constrained, yet he was always jovial. “I don’t waste time on what I can’t change,” he said, and then looked out the window. “See what a beautiful day this is!”
          Working through grief is accepting what we can’t change. I’m sure my uncle had some dark days, yet he made the effort to have a positive outlook despite his problems. I’m sure that’s the reasons everyone loved him.
          No matter the inevitable changes we all have to face, making a determined effort to concentrate on the other bountiful aspects of our lives may be the secret to replacing tears with a smile.   

         

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

You Might be a Boomer if .
If printed material keeps getting smaller.
If you remember when your mother gave you fifty cents and asked you to go get a loaf of bread at the corner store.
If you remember listening to your music on vinyl LPs.
If your hair stops growing where it used to and starts growing in all sorts of new places.
If you remember when long distance telephone calls were a luxury for most people.
If you remember that a meal in a good restaurant used to cost less than one at a fast-food place now costs.
If you remember when postage stamps cost 25 cents.
If you remember when car windshield wipers had only two settings.
If your grandmother did not wear shorts.
If you remember when kitchens did not have microwaves.
If you suffer from the empty nest syndrome.
If you wonder how your parents got so old.
If some of your childhood friends are dying.
If you understand that youve reached maturity.
If you know what AARP stands for.
If you know you no longer have all the answers.