Dentists

I recently had to visit my dentist after an old filling fell out. I have been seeing the man for over 25 years, so I am very much at ease when I go. However, that was not always the case. When I first went to him, I was especially nervous due to past experiences with dentists. He saw the signs and quickly helped me to relax with his calming manner. Although I must say I still do not relax as much as a friend who takes full advantage of the comfortable chair to nap while her dentist goes to work. It’s something I simply don’t understand.

            In any event, on my recent visit I commented to my dentist that he certainly has no reason to be afraid of dentists. To my surprise he confessed that he is so nervous when he needs dental care that he delays visits to his own dentist as long as he can. I found that amazing, but not as amazing as the confession that followed.

            He told me that a few years back he removed two of his wisdom teeth himself so uncomfortable is he with his dentist. He detailed for me how he managed to freeze his gum and hang a mirror so he could pull out his own teeth. You have to be really scared of dentists, at least more than I am to go that route.

            That a dentist is afraid of dentists is not that surprising, it seems. It is somewhat akin to doctors and nurses being terrible patients. They only concentrate on the worst cases they have seen, forgetting all the positive elements of their professions.

            People in all walks of life do that, don’t they? I mean forget about the good things in their lives and concentrate on the negative. Somewhat like forgetting that the sun will rise again after a rainy day. It always does, no matter how dark the world.

Binging

We all know people who binge eat or binge drink from time to time, however binge entertainment is a new phenomenon. With the advent of streaming services, binging on television series fits right in with our instant gratification society.

            People watch hour after hour of a particular series, forgetting the world around them. Others binge in mini bursts, spreading their viewing over a few days.  Not for me, I always thought until a recent health issue forced me to stay off my feet as much as possible for a few weeks. You get bored when you cannot move around easily. I read a lot but when I needed a break television became somewhat of a friend.

            Truly out of character for me, I began watching television during the day, something I seldom if ever did. However, because of my physical limitations television eased boredom. And as luck would have it, I came across a “nostalgic” channel showing each day two reruns of a series I had particularly liked when it was on in prime time. I easily became hooked into a mini-binging burst every day. It was most enjoyable and it made me forget my problems, for a time at least.

            The reruns of the series eventually came to an end just as I improved physically. I then spent more time on getting back to my old self.

            That binging interlude made me understand how people can become hooked on watching the thread of a storyline as it progresses immediately from one episode to another instead of waiting a week between episodes. However, I suspect that entertainment bingers have to neglect other aspects of their lives in order to satisfy their need for instant satisfaction. One of those is certainly the fact that hours spent in front of the tube is bound to reduce physical activity.

            But, as I found out, as in everything else there are exceptions to the rule.

THE NEXT STAGE

Whether you are thinking about retirement or are being ushered out by your employer, you have to know the rules. Just as you must learn the rules of any game, you must learn the rules of retirement if you are to make the most of it.

            Many people view retirement as a vacation. In some ways, it is just that. But humans are creatures of habit. Without some sort of plan or schedule retirees may feel deprived of a sense of purpose.

            The first rule is that you must know where you are going. The first few weeks, indeed the first few months of retirement, should in fact be a vacation. Take time to unwind, to sleep in if that suits you, or to visit family and friends that you may have neglected because of the demands of your work. However, it would be a mistake to plop yourself in front of the television and let it govern your life.

            You may still have 40 years of living to do. Do you really want to spend it on the sidelines?

            After expunging the stress of your working life from your body and your soul in the first few weeks of retirement while getting psychologically used to your newfound freedom, you will be ready to plan your future. And don’t forget that you now have 2,500 extra hours or so to fill each year. Time to plan the second half, the encore.

            The future will be what you make it. Personally, I believe that people should really start preparing for retirement many years before it becomes a reality so it does not pop up suddenly and surprise the daylights out of them.

Consider what makes you the happiest and set your sails in that direction.

             

 

Studying Aging

As we all know, demographics are never static. Today, we are all aware that populations are getting older and that fewer babies are being born. As a result the percentage of older individuals in North America is now about 18% and it is predicted that by the year 2030 one in five of us will be 65 or older.

            And there are other interesting statistics. The results of a large Canadian study on aging show that aging is changing. For one thing, the boomer generation is the first one where most women work most of their lives outside the home. Also, they are more active. That means that the future of aging is different than what their parents experienced.. 

            Due in part to advances in health care humans now live longer than ever before. And because of on-going research and the many channels of communication available to present those results, humans know how to take better care of themselves at mid-life and beyond with diet, exercise, intellectual stimulation and stress avoidance. In short, they aspire to increase the meaning of longer.

            Of course, with people living longer the need for financial security in later years is an important concern. As a result the trend toward early retirement is reversing and will jump ahead by at least a few years according to researchers.

How health is affected over time as we age is different for everyone. There is certainly an interplay of various aspects of our lives, from the simply genetic to the social and the psychological.

However, I am convinced that personal fulfillment through pleasurable activities and a positive outlook in early part of retirement can only mean a better overall health outcome.