This past weekend, my wife, Joyce, and I attended an engagement party for her nephew, John Kupiec and his lovely fiance, Julia Pinover. It was a family reunion of sorts. The party gave us the opportunity to touch bases with relatives we hadn't seen in years.
It brought to the forefront one of the genuine truisms of life: The older you get, the more you appreciate family and friends. That isn't to say I didn't give a rat's behind about family in my younger days. But as you approach your senior years, you are more aware of how tenuous life is, and how much meaning and satisfaction loved ones bring to your life.
When you're young, it's all about raising a family, earning a living and paying bills. Retirement, on the other hand, not only provides more liesure time, it allows ample opportunity to reflect on your life. And what you come to realize is that family relationships are truly special and unique; and as the years pass and life winds down, you come to understand that they are your life, and that the shared love and memories make us who we are.
Hold your loved ones close while you can, for those are the priceless moments that make us human, and make life worth living.
Monday, March 31, 2014
Friday, March 28, 2014
DINING WITH CAVEMEN
One of the current hot diet crazes is the paleo-diet. Advocates of this diet believe we should replicate the diet of our cave dwelling ancestors. They claim it is a healthier and more natural diet because it contains no additives or chemicals, and it is not laced with sugar, starches and salt. As a result, it is a diet more attuned to the human body and our digestive system. On the surface it sounds reasonable. If the cavemen, who are humans in our most natural state, didn't eat it, neither should we. However, many paleontologists--the people who spend their lives studying early humans--wouild disagree with the premise.
The basic idea of the paleo-diet is that 150,000 years ago our hunter-gather forefathers survived on meat, fruits and vegetables; therefore, that is what the human digestive system is attuned to and designed for. By contrast, the diet advocates say we should avoid grains like oats, wheat, rice, etc., because humans didn't begin to consume those items until around 10,000 years ago when we began to settle in villages and develop farming. In the paleo diet, the idea of starches, pasta, milk and milk products, and potatoes is anathema. Advocates claim these foods are responsible for diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease because the human body has not had the time to evolve and adapt to a diet of grains, starches and dairy.
In her book, Paleo Fantasy, author Marlene Zuk quotes anthropologist Katherine Milton: "The notion that humans got to a point in evolutionary history when their bodies were somehow in sync with the environment, and sometime later we went astray from those roots--whether because of agriculture or the invention of the bow and arrow, reflects a misunderstanding of evolution. What we eat and thrive on depends on our more than 30 million years of history as primates, and not a single arbitrary and more recent moment in time."
In fact,, studies have been performed on the teeth of Neanderthal remains, as well as the 2 million year old teeth of Australopithecus sedila, and remnants of grains and various starches were found in their teeth. Good thing for us they didn't floss.
Ms. Zuk also points out just how quickly the human body can evolve and adapt. It doesn't require hundreds of thousands or millions of years. For example, prior to 20 thousand years ago, humans were essentially lactose intolerant. But starting around 20,000 years ago, humans went from hunter-gatherers to farmers. Because we began to domesticate animals and consume their milk, lactose intolerance was reduced by 90% in the span of approximately 15,000 years. So the premise that our bodies are identical to a caveman's would, to say the least, be inaccurate.
While the paleo-diet is not a harmful diet, it would be a mistake to assume that generally speaking, it is more conducive to human health than a modern day nutrious diet.We do not know if cavemen ever ate bacon.
The basic idea of the paleo-diet is that 150,000 years ago our hunter-gather forefathers survived on meat, fruits and vegetables; therefore, that is what the human digestive system is attuned to and designed for. By contrast, the diet advocates say we should avoid grains like oats, wheat, rice, etc., because humans didn't begin to consume those items until around 10,000 years ago when we began to settle in villages and develop farming. In the paleo diet, the idea of starches, pasta, milk and milk products, and potatoes is anathema. Advocates claim these foods are responsible for diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease because the human body has not had the time to evolve and adapt to a diet of grains, starches and dairy.
In her book, Paleo Fantasy, author Marlene Zuk quotes anthropologist Katherine Milton: "The notion that humans got to a point in evolutionary history when their bodies were somehow in sync with the environment, and sometime later we went astray from those roots--whether because of agriculture or the invention of the bow and arrow, reflects a misunderstanding of evolution. What we eat and thrive on depends on our more than 30 million years of history as primates, and not a single arbitrary and more recent moment in time."
In fact,, studies have been performed on the teeth of Neanderthal remains, as well as the 2 million year old teeth of Australopithecus sedila, and remnants of grains and various starches were found in their teeth. Good thing for us they didn't floss.
Ms. Zuk also points out just how quickly the human body can evolve and adapt. It doesn't require hundreds of thousands or millions of years. For example, prior to 20 thousand years ago, humans were essentially lactose intolerant. But starting around 20,000 years ago, humans went from hunter-gatherers to farmers. Because we began to domesticate animals and consume their milk, lactose intolerance was reduced by 90% in the span of approximately 15,000 years. So the premise that our bodies are identical to a caveman's would, to say the least, be inaccurate.
While the paleo-diet is not a harmful diet, it would be a mistake to assume that generally speaking, it is more conducive to human health than a modern day nutrious diet.We do not know if cavemen ever ate bacon.
Thursday, March 27, 2014
EXERCISE BEATS LOSING YOUR MIND
Approximately 3 million Americans have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. As of yet there is no cure, but there are steps you can take to minimize the risk. There has been much written about mental stimulation, such as crossword puzzles, suduko, reading, etc., for staving off dementia. Results from these techniques have been mixed. Studies over the past several years have found one surefire method to hold off mental decline. In a word, EXERCISE. A Mayo Clinic Review of more than 2,000 thousand scientific papers determined. "The one thing you can do to do prevent the onset of cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease is exercise."
Harvard pyschiatrist Dr. John Ratey says, "Exercise is the one thing we've proven again and again that prevents the ravaging of aging on our brains. If you exercise 3 to to 6 months on a regular basis, your brain actually grows." And for those of you who haven't exercised in a long time, or who have never exercised regularly, take note. Dr. Ratey says, "You get the most bang for your buck if you haven't been exercising. The biggest changes are seen there."
As a bonus regular exercise can fend off obesity and Type 2 diabetes. So get moving and strive for 150 minutes of exercise a week. It could be walking, running, swimming, weight training. The idea is to get the heart pumping and the blood circulating to the brain. The less fat on the ass, the more cells in the brain.
Harvard pyschiatrist Dr. John Ratey says, "Exercise is the one thing we've proven again and again that prevents the ravaging of aging on our brains. If you exercise 3 to to 6 months on a regular basis, your brain actually grows." And for those of you who haven't exercised in a long time, or who have never exercised regularly, take note. Dr. Ratey says, "You get the most bang for your buck if you haven't been exercising. The biggest changes are seen there."
As a bonus regular exercise can fend off obesity and Type 2 diabetes. So get moving and strive for 150 minutes of exercise a week. It could be walking, running, swimming, weight training. The idea is to get the heart pumping and the blood circulating to the brain. The less fat on the ass, the more cells in the brain.
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
TWO TASTY TIDBITS
A recent study shows that colon cancer rates among Americans over the age of 50 fell by 1/3 between 2000 and 2010. The reason? In a word, colonoscopies. In that 10 year period, colon cancer screenings for those between the ages of 50 and 75 rose from 19% in 2000, to 55% in 2010. For those 50 and older, colonoscopies are recommended every 5 to 10 years. I had my second one last October and passed with flying colors. No doubt you may have heard the horror stories about the procedure and the preparation leading up to it. While it is nowhere near as much fun as a weekend in Vegas, I was surprised at how pain free it really was. All my appprehensions and misgivings proved to be baseless. If you're over 50, do yourself a huge favor and have the screening. If you're 65 or older, Medicare will foot the bill. And if you're under 65, many insurance companies will pay for the procedure in full.
No doubt all of you have heard of the five second rule, right? Drop something edible on the floor, and if you pick it up within five seconds it's still safe to eat. True or urban legend? In reality it's half true. If you drop dry food on the floor, like a cracker or cookie you're probably safe. On the other hand, if you drop something wet or moist on the floor, like a piece of meat or chewing gum, toss it in the garbage. Germs will immediately adhere to anything moist, even if it's within 5 seconds. Yuck! One more thing. Laminated and tiled floors increase the risk of contamination from E Coli and straphylococcus aureus. Surprisingly enough, carpeting poses far less of a risk than hard floors. And if you drop something in the toilet? Fuggetaboutit!
No doubt all of you have heard of the five second rule, right? Drop something edible on the floor, and if you pick it up within five seconds it's still safe to eat. True or urban legend? In reality it's half true. If you drop dry food on the floor, like a cracker or cookie you're probably safe. On the other hand, if you drop something wet or moist on the floor, like a piece of meat or chewing gum, toss it in the garbage. Germs will immediately adhere to anything moist, even if it's within 5 seconds. Yuck! One more thing. Laminated and tiled floors increase the risk of contamination from E Coli and straphylococcus aureus. Surprisingly enough, carpeting poses far less of a risk than hard floors. And if you drop something in the toilet? Fuggetaboutit!
Monday, March 24, 2014
Time Flies
Today my beautiful bride and I celebrate 48 years of marital bliss. We both shake our heads in disbelief to think it has been nearly a half century of marriage. Where the hell has the time gone? Where, indeed.It brings to mind a strange phenomena. I have spoken to many people over the years about it, and without exception, everyone over the age of 50 totally agrees: The older you get, the faster the times goes. It truly is strange. Nothing really changes, There are still 60 seconds to a minute, 60 minutes to an hour, 24 hours to a day, yet with each passing year time our perception of time accelerates. I remember as a kid Christmas would take forever to get here. Now, it seems like a month after you put away the Christmas decorations, you're pulling them out again. It's almost like a cruel joke on the part of Mother Nature. Bad enough we're all headed for that finish line, but has we move closer and closer to it, our speed picks up. Which just proves, I guess, that we really do have to make each minute count, because at my age, each minute lasts about 5 seconds. It's like a snowball gaining momentum as it rolls down hill.
I have one question: Where the hell are the brakes?
I have one question: Where the hell are the brakes?
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Pumping Iron For A Longer Life
I work out with weights 3 times a week, and I've sometimes wondered, at my age, if I'm doing more harm than good by possibly wearing down joints, tendons, ligaments and cartilage. But new research from UCLA indicates that the more muscle mass older people possess, the less likely they are to die prematurely. Researchers studied 3659 men and women 55 years of age and older. The 6 year study revealed that the more muscle you have, the lower your risk of death,
In addtion, a study published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology suggests that kidney disease patients who worked out with weights and increased their muscle mass were healthier overall and lived longer than kidney disease patients who had signifigantly less muscle mass.
Finally, a study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism indicated that the greater a person's muscle mass, the lower the person's risk of insulin resistance, which is a precursor of Type 2 Diabetes.
The moral of our story is obvious:Pumping iron pumps more years into your lifespan. It's never too late to start. Research has found that even seniors in their nineties benefitted from a weight training routine. Regardless of your age, you'll feel better and look trimmer. And what could possibly be wrong with that?
In addtion, a study published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology suggests that kidney disease patients who worked out with weights and increased their muscle mass were healthier overall and lived longer than kidney disease patients who had signifigantly less muscle mass.
Finally, a study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism indicated that the greater a person's muscle mass, the lower the person's risk of insulin resistance, which is a precursor of Type 2 Diabetes.
The moral of our story is obvious:Pumping iron pumps more years into your lifespan. It's never too late to start. Research has found that even seniors in their nineties benefitted from a weight training routine. Regardless of your age, you'll feel better and look trimmer. And what could possibly be wrong with that?
Friday, March 21, 2014
Recipe For Success
A shrink had 3 simple ways to increase your odds of success in life, and decreasing your odds of falling below the poverty line. While it's too late for old geezers like myself, these three direct and simple rules should be mandatory reading for everyone under the age of 18.
1) Finish high school.
2) Don't have a child out of wedlock.
3) Don't quit a job until you have another one lined up.
I followed the first two, but I did screw up on the third one a few times.
1) Finish high school.
2) Don't have a child out of wedlock.
3) Don't quit a job until you have another one lined up.
I followed the first two, but I did screw up on the third one a few times.
Thursday, March 20, 2014
6 Reasons I Don't Believe In Global Warming
1) There has been no global warming since 1998.
2) Southern hemisphere polar ice set new records in 2013. The ice was nearly 1 million square kilometers above the long term average.
3) Greenpeace co-founder, Patrick Moore testified at a US Senate Committee On Environment and Public Works that here is no scientific evidence that humans are the primary cause of global warming. "No actual proof, as it is understood in science, exists," he said. Moore left Greenpeace in 1987 because he claimed it had become motivated to push a leftist political agenda.
4) Over 17,000 scientists signed a petition from the University of Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine, which stated in part, "Thee is no scientific evidence that human release of carbon dioxide or any other green house gases is causing or will cause catastrophic heating of the Earth's atmosphere.
5) Kilamjaro snowcaps are melting because of a lack of moisture. Temperatures there have not risen.
6) Computer models are wildly unpredictable. One predicts the Colorado Basin precipitation will increase 150%, while another computer shows an increase of 5%. One computer predicts an increase in precipitation in the Red River Valley of 80%, while another computer predicts a decrease of 80%.
2) Southern hemisphere polar ice set new records in 2013. The ice was nearly 1 million square kilometers above the long term average.
3) Greenpeace co-founder, Patrick Moore testified at a US Senate Committee On Environment and Public Works that here is no scientific evidence that humans are the primary cause of global warming. "No actual proof, as it is understood in science, exists," he said. Moore left Greenpeace in 1987 because he claimed it had become motivated to push a leftist political agenda.
4) Over 17,000 scientists signed a petition from the University of Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine, which stated in part, "Thee is no scientific evidence that human release of carbon dioxide or any other green house gases is causing or will cause catastrophic heating of the Earth's atmosphere.
5) Kilamjaro snowcaps are melting because of a lack of moisture. Temperatures there have not risen.
6) Computer models are wildly unpredictable. One predicts the Colorado Basin precipitation will increase 150%, while another computer shows an increase of 5%. One computer predicts an increase in precipitation in the Red River Valley of 80%, while another computer predicts a decrease of 80%.
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Protein: Friend and Foe
Medical researchers have recently made some major discoveries regarding proteins in our diet. Those tiny buggers are the building blocks of every cell in our body, and the accepted idea was the more protein, the better our health. That view was altered to some degree when research after World War II indicated that too much protein in the diet could actually be harmful. Lab animals fed low protein diets had double the lifespans of animals fed high protein diets. That was enough to convince me, so I shifted to a low protein diet, primarily by reducing the amount of red meat that I ate to one to two servings a week maxium. I replaced the red meat with pasta, chicken, turkey and fish.
Now researchers have done a semi-reversal. New studies have shown that people between the ages of 50-66 who consume a high protein diet have a signifigantly higher mortality rate. No big surprise. However, after the age of 66, a high protein diet actually reduces mortality rates. There are two primary reasons for this: 1)The diets of seniors are often lacking sufficient protein and other nutrients. 2) As we age, our bodies are less able to utilize the protein we ingest. Therefore, those of us over 66 actually benefit from increased amounts of protein.
So, a change of plans. Looks like I increase my protein intake. No, that doesn't mean I pig out on double bacon cheeseburgers, but it does mean increasing my intake of leaner cuts of meat, and a bit more low fat and non-fat dairy products.
The moral of the story is this: If you're between 50 and 66, eat less protein and consume more grains, veggies, pasta, and much leaner cuts of meat. Over 66, increase your lowfat and non-fat dairy intake, as well as consuming more leaner cuts of meat. Under 50, more booze, illegal drugs and Big Macs. Just kidding. I need you youngbloods to stay healthy. Somebody has to pay for my Social Security benefits.
Now researchers have done a semi-reversal. New studies have shown that people between the ages of 50-66 who consume a high protein diet have a signifigantly higher mortality rate. No big surprise. However, after the age of 66, a high protein diet actually reduces mortality rates. There are two primary reasons for this: 1)The diets of seniors are often lacking sufficient protein and other nutrients. 2) As we age, our bodies are less able to utilize the protein we ingest. Therefore, those of us over 66 actually benefit from increased amounts of protein.
So, a change of plans. Looks like I increase my protein intake. No, that doesn't mean I pig out on double bacon cheeseburgers, but it does mean increasing my intake of leaner cuts of meat, and a bit more low fat and non-fat dairy products.
The moral of the story is this: If you're between 50 and 66, eat less protein and consume more grains, veggies, pasta, and much leaner cuts of meat. Over 66, increase your lowfat and non-fat dairy intake, as well as consuming more leaner cuts of meat. Under 50, more booze, illegal drugs and Big Macs. Just kidding. I need you youngbloods to stay healthy. Somebody has to pay for my Social Security benefits.
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
I recently read an article by a doctor who had a simple recipe for a longer lifespan. You didn't need to go on a stringent, restrictive diet, or spend big bucks for a healthclub membership, or bust your butt with a strenuous exercise regimen. All you had to do was follow these three simple rules, and statistically, you would increase your longevity:
Rule 1: Don't smoke.
Rule 2: Don't ride on motorcycles.
Rule 3: Don't fly in private planes.
Makes good sense to me.
Rule 1: Don't smoke.
Rule 2: Don't ride on motorcycles.
Rule 3: Don't fly in private planes.
Makes good sense to me.
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Decade of change
Having been born in 1944, I have lived through a crapload of decades, and by far the most interesting and signifigant decade, personally, historically and culturally, has been the notorious 60's.
I was 15 at the start of the 1960's. Right from the get-go, the very first presidential debates were televised. It was Nixon versus Kennedy in what turned out to be the closest presidential election in our history. JFk's victory ushered in the era of Camelot.
1962 had personal signifigance: I graduated from Chicago Vocational High School and started at Southeast Junior College.
In January of 1963 I met a cute brunette with gorgeous brown eyes named Joyce Vargo, who would later become my wife. Of course we know what happened in November of 1963: the assassination of President Kennedy.
February of 1964 brought the Beatles to America, and the band created a seismic shift in music, fashion
and pop culture in general. That summer Martin Luther King Jr. marched on Washington and civil rights legislation was passed into law.
In 1965 President Johnson signed the Medicare Act. In May I started my first real full time job at US Steel Southworks. Then in December of 1965 I received a draft notice, making me part of the first big troop callup of the Viet Nam war in January of 1966. Prior to that January, the army was drafting approximately 2 to 3 thousand men a month. That January the number exploded to 25,000.
1966 held many firsts. It was the first time I lived away from home; it was the first time I flew in an airplane. In March I married that beautiful brown-eyed girl I met in 1963. In June I left the USA for the first time, having been sent to Wiesbaden, Germany. And later that year I smoked my first joint along with a few of my fellow GI's.
1967 was marked by turbulence and civil unrest, riots and protest demonstrations over the Viet Nam war and racial tensions. Hippies became front page news and a worldwide phenomenon. Pot and LSD became the new buzzwords. 1967 was the year I dropped acid for the first time and smoked my first pipeful of hashhish. Two days before Christmas proved a mega-mega milestone for me: I received an honorable discharge from the army and returned home to my wife and the beginning of a new chapter in my life.
1968 saw 2 politcal assasinations: Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy. On a personal note, Joyce and I moved into our first apartment, and I bought my first new car--a 1968 Mustang for the whopping price of $2800.00.
1968 saw the first man to walk on the moon, and later that year we got the news that Joyce was pregnant. The pride of our life, Craig, would arrive in August of 1970.
So that marked the end of a whirlwind of a decade branded with an unbelievable series of firsts and milestones, both good and bad, a decade unequalled in my lifetime.
The tackiest decade? the 70's!
I was 15 at the start of the 1960's. Right from the get-go, the very first presidential debates were televised. It was Nixon versus Kennedy in what turned out to be the closest presidential election in our history. JFk's victory ushered in the era of Camelot.
1962 had personal signifigance: I graduated from Chicago Vocational High School and started at Southeast Junior College.
In January of 1963 I met a cute brunette with gorgeous brown eyes named Joyce Vargo, who would later become my wife. Of course we know what happened in November of 1963: the assassination of President Kennedy.
February of 1964 brought the Beatles to America, and the band created a seismic shift in music, fashion
and pop culture in general. That summer Martin Luther King Jr. marched on Washington and civil rights legislation was passed into law.
In 1965 President Johnson signed the Medicare Act. In May I started my first real full time job at US Steel Southworks. Then in December of 1965 I received a draft notice, making me part of the first big troop callup of the Viet Nam war in January of 1966. Prior to that January, the army was drafting approximately 2 to 3 thousand men a month. That January the number exploded to 25,000.
1966 held many firsts. It was the first time I lived away from home; it was the first time I flew in an airplane. In March I married that beautiful brown-eyed girl I met in 1963. In June I left the USA for the first time, having been sent to Wiesbaden, Germany. And later that year I smoked my first joint along with a few of my fellow GI's.
1967 was marked by turbulence and civil unrest, riots and protest demonstrations over the Viet Nam war and racial tensions. Hippies became front page news and a worldwide phenomenon. Pot and LSD became the new buzzwords. 1967 was the year I dropped acid for the first time and smoked my first pipeful of hashhish. Two days before Christmas proved a mega-mega milestone for me: I received an honorable discharge from the army and returned home to my wife and the beginning of a new chapter in my life.
1968 saw 2 politcal assasinations: Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy. On a personal note, Joyce and I moved into our first apartment, and I bought my first new car--a 1968 Mustang for the whopping price of $2800.00.
1968 saw the first man to walk on the moon, and later that year we got the news that Joyce was pregnant. The pride of our life, Craig, would arrive in August of 1970.
So that marked the end of a whirlwind of a decade branded with an unbelievable series of firsts and milestones, both good and bad, a decade unequalled in my lifetime.
The tackiest decade? the 70's!
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