50 Plus

A guide to good living in the Brazos Valley

Inside...

Mental wellness

How to handle stress and grief over the holidays Pg. 3

Financial literacy

Understanding health insurance Pg. 4

December 2014 • Vol. 13, Issue 1 • A monthly publication of the Bryan-College Station Eagle

Culinary creations

Local classes teach skills in cooking, dessert decorating PAGE 6

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CONTENTS

Financial: Understanding your health insurance Memory: Brains can get better with age Physical therapy: What to do about back pain Feature: Local culinary classes

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How to handle stress and grief over the holidays

It’s that time of year again. “Ah, the holidays,” we say.

Or perhaps, “Oh no! The holidays!”

No matter what we think about this time of year, one thing is certain: the holidays are stressful.

Two things in particular make this time of year challenging. First, expectations. And second, grief.

Expectations are powerful. Most of our disappointment in life can be linked to unmet desires or expectations of some kind. When Gary roe circumstances don’t go Hospice the way we hope, we get ruffled. When people hurt instead of support us, our hearts wince. When tragedy strikes, our worlds turn upside down.

The holidays come with massive expectations. Most are unspoken and sneaky. We don’t even know we have them. Yet these unseen phantoms mercilessly drive us to the brink of physical and mental exhaustion. On the outside, we smile. On the inside, we’re screaming, “Bah, humbug!”

The measuring stick is our hearts.

After the holidays, when we look inside, what do we find? More joy, peace and contentment? A deeper sense of connection with those closest to us?

A greater commitment to our purpose and mission in life?

Or are we left with a hollow feeling that we missed out again somehow?

Expectations are often the culprit. If we’re not aware of them, they can steal our holiday valuables faster than the Grinch himself.

Here’s a few questions to help us think through them: • What do I think these holidays should be?

• What do I believe I must do for the holidays to be good?

• What do I think others expect of me?

• Who am I trying to please?

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You have expectations, and so do those around you. Again, most of them are unspoken. Until we take the time to identify them, they can rule our lives. We may be signing up for holiday misery, year after year, without ever knowing it. Then we grumble that we’re not appreciated and that other people don’t get it. We swear we’ll never do that again, and then we do.

Here’s the good news. We have a choice. We get to choose what we do, how and with whom.

“But, you don’t understand! I have to…” No, you don’t.

“Yes, I see that, but I should…” Who says?

“Have to” and “should” produce gobs of holiday stress. What do we want to do? How do we want to do it?

And with whom?

If we’re operating on “have to” and “should,” chances are our hearts aren’t fully in it. And aren’t the holidays ultimately about our hearts?

Here are five steps to managing holiday expectations well: • First, identify those expectations, as many as you can.

• Second, consider what you want to do, how and with whom.

• Third, take yourself seriously – your situation, health, finances, etc.

What’s feasible and also wise?

• Fourth, prioritize. What’s most important? What’s second, third and so on? Let your heart lead the way.

• Fifth, be ready to adjust! No plan is perfect. Make sure you have the wiggle room to be flexible.

“Just say, ‘No!’” is a popular substance abuse slogan, but it applies well to the holidays, too. Yes, some people might be disappointed. Others might misunderstand and be angry.

That’s their choice. We won’t be able to please them anyway. We’re just not that powerful.

Expectations make the holidays challenging, but grief can really complicate things. At holidays, we tend to be hyper-aware of who’s missing.

This is often the elephant in the room at holiday gatherings. We miss so-and-so. They’re not at the table.

There are no presents for them under the tree. Their voice is silent. Their absence is palpable.

We don’t know what to do with this sense of emptiness, so usually we don’t talk about it. Everyone feels it, but no one brings it up. Maybe we’re afraid of the emotions. Perhaps we think acknowledging the loss will affect the holidays negatively.

Pretending doesn’t work. We can’t just set aside our feelings about a missing loved one. The emotions follow us and influence everything profoundly anyway. And how can we “set aside” a person, as if they didn’t mean much to us? If we loved them, we’ll feel their absence keenly.

How do we deal with grief over the holidays?

It may be best to meet it head on.

The loved ones we’ve lost matter. We miss them. We wish they were here. We want to see them and hear their voice.

We long for their presence. It’s like they were ripped away from us, and it hurts.

They’re important to us. Why would we shut them out of the holidays?

Instead, can we find ways to honor them and celebrate their lives?

We might put an empty chair at the table. We could continue a tradition they were deeply involved in, but modify it in a way that’s meaningful and honors them. We might display a picture of them and tell a few stories.

We could have a time of thanksgiving specifically remembering them.

And we don’t have to be afraid of openly sharing what we miss about them. This can be very healing and cathartic. The grief is already there.

As we choose to be honest about it, our hearts will be more connected to what’s happening this holiday season.

We don’t hear much about holiday grief, but it plagues almost everyone we know. We don’t know what to do with it, so we do nothing. We end up either stuffing our grief or dreading the holidays – or both.

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If you or someone you know is facing holiday grief, consider these two resources: • “I Miss You: A Holiday Survival Guide” - A short, free e-book on how to grieve well and make the holidays work for you. Available at www.garyroe. com/i-miss-you .

• “Surviving the Holidays Without You: Navigating Grief During Special Seasons” - An easy-to-read roadmap for how to heal, honor your loved one and make holidays as good as possible.

Available in paperback or e-book on Amazon, www.garyroe.com and at Hospice Brazos Valley (821-2266).

If we focus on grieving well, it will free us to celebrate well, too.

Let’s identify the expectations (our own and others’), so we can make better, wiser choices this year. Let’s feel our grief and honor those we miss.

Let’s make these holidays different.

They won’t be perfect, but they can still be good.

Gary Roe is an author, speaker and chaplain with Hospice Brazos Valley. Visit him at www.garyroe.com or contact him at 821-2266 or groe@ hospicebrazosvalley.org.

Free seminars on holiday grief: Dec. 3: “Remembering Those Gone Before Us” - 6:45 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, Bryan Dec. 4: “Holidays without You,” Seniors Lunch - noon, First Baptist Church, College Station Dec. 7: “Healing from Holiday Grief” - 9:15 and 11 a.m., Connecting Point Church, College Station, Dec. 10 – “Handling Holiday Grief” - 6:30 p.m., First Baptist Church, College Station Dec. 14 – “Helps for Holiday Grief” - 8:30 and 11 a.m., First Baptist Church, College Station

December 2, 2014 | 3

Understanding your health insurance Health insurance is fraught with complexity. Policies are full of technical jargon that makes many of us want to throw up our hands in disgust. In this column I am attempting to explain the more basic aspects of health insurance policies. An additional resource is www.tdi.texas. gov/consumer/index.html.

What kind of policy do you have?

Is your health insurance an employer group health plan? Or do you have an individual policy? Is your plan a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) or a Point of Service (POS) plan? If you do not know TraCy STewarT the answers, read FiNaNcial liTeracy your policy or call your agent, or for employer group health plans, call the benefits office at work.

Key areas of coverage There is no standard health insurance policy. Benefits, coverage levels and other features are different among policies. However, most policies have certain basic types of coverage.

Understanding these basic keys are a large part of getting a handle on your own policy.

Hospital Expense Insurance - This is can cover a percentage of your hospital costs or a specific dollar amount per day for a maximum number of days. The latter is known as “indemnity.” Covered hospital costs

include room and board, operating room, X-rays, drugs, lab charges and the like.

Surgical Expense Insurance This covers surgeon’s costs and related items like anesthesia and use of the operating room expenses when those are not covered as a hospital expense.

Many times these benefits are paid from a set schedule, but a plan can pay what is called “usual, customary and reasonable” amounts in a particular geographic region.

Physicians’ Expense Insurance This is also known as “medical expense insurance.” It covers doctor visits when you go to the office and when the doctor comes to you in the hospital.

Typically there is a maximum benefit per visit such as $25 or $50 and a maximum number of visits per illness or injury.

Major Medical Insurance - This coverage is intended to protect you and your financial security from the costs of a major illness or injury. The coverage is typically very broad. It often has a high benefit limit such as $1 million. Coverage commonly includes but is not limited to nursing, diagnostics, outpatient, ambulance, home health care, radiology and prescriptions.

Out-of-pocket costs It is important to understand all your costs and potential costs. It can help you evaluate your current policy and/or evaluate a new policy.

Premiums - The most commonly understood cost is the monthly premium. Employer sponsored plans have lower premiums than individual

policies. Be aware that premiums increase over time.

Deductibles - This is the amount you have to pay toward your medical costs before the insurer begins to pay your costs. It is usually an annual amount. Generally, the lower your premiums, the higher your deductible and vice versa.

Co-payments - This is the amount you pay at a health care professional office visit or when purchasing a prescription. For individual policy choices, co-pay amounts differ from policy to policy.

Coinsurance - This is the percentage of your medical costs that you have to pay after you satisfy your deductible. Usually this is capped at a maximum dollar amount for out-ofpocket costs. Warning: Some insurance companies will define coinsurance as the percentage of your medical costs that they pay instead of the percentage of your medical costs that you pay. This can be confusing, so read carefully and ask questions.

Other useful information to know Understanding or choosing your health insurance policy is more than a matter of money. You should pay attention to specific provisions and features in your policy. There is such a large variety of these that I cannot list all of them here, so I will stick with the more common provisions and features.

Limitations and Exclusions There will be limitations on certain things, such as cosmetic or elective surgery. Look for this to be clearly stated in your policy. All limitations

and exclusions should be clearly stated in your policy.

Stop-loss Provision - This limits your total liability for all your medical expenses. This is the point at which you no longer have to pay coinsurance.

Maximum Lifetime Payout - This is the maximum your insurer will pay on your behalf. The recommended amount is $1 million.

Family Coverage - Your premium will be higher when you include your spouse and children in the coverage.

Usually there is a family deductible amount that differs from the individual or per person deductible amount. A family deductible must be satisfied before coverage kicks in for anyone in the family.

Riders and Endorsements - You can buy optional features on your policy to tailor your policy to your unique needs. You should ask the insurer what is available and at what cost.

Understanding the provisions of your health insurance is critical to your financial security. Health insurance is complicated and befuddling. Most people choose to turn the other way, cross their fingers and pray that the coverage is adequate.

It is impossible to explain all the aspects of health insurance in this column. I urge you to make a New Year’s goal to gain a working knowledge of your own health insurance coverage.

Contact Tracy B. Stewart, CPA, PFS, CFF, CDFA, CFP® through her blog at www.TexasDivorceFinance.com.

Brains can get better with age

On June 4, 1947 in a state-run school in Glascow, Scotland, more than 70,000 students took an intelligence test.

Then in 2003, a thousand of these former students were found, and they dr. BILL KLeMM volunteered to take THe MeMory MeDic the same test again.

4 | December 2, 2014

Not surprisingly, roughly half of these 70-year-olds scored worse. But scores of the other half were better than when they first took the test 56 years before.

Both the increase and decrease in scores were symmetrically distributed around the average of the whole group.

Clearly, age-induced mental deterioration is not inevitable. What is it about the large number of those

elderly who do not lose their mental sharpness over time? The knee-jerk answer is genetics, but no evidence has been found for that conclusion.

Years of study of the Scotland subjects revealed that the key factors in their case was not lifestyle, exercise or even education, but rather their IQ at age 11. In other words, it seems that if you get off to a good mental start in life, the

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mental capacity will grow as you age.

This argues, of course, for educational programs that can raise IQ of the young, and there are unused ways to do that as I have described in my latest book on memory.

See Memory Medic page 8 T H E B R YA N - C O L L E G E S TAT I O N E A G L E

What to do about back pain

I’m 54 years ar old and have been in ars the construction business all my life. lif The heavy lifting has taken a toll on my back. I went to my doctor about my back pain and was refe re rred rr to a pain specialist who recommended that I get a “spinal fusion.” I don’t want to have back surge sur ry; I’m too young. ung There ung. er must ere be other options besides surge sur ry? – BP, BP College Station Back pain originating from hea lifting is heavy very common, particularly ticular if you ticularly overdo it and forget to lift with the proper techniques (meant to protect your back) or are less active acti when not at work. The cause dw dway of this type of back Leon Bradway p Hysical T Her Herap apy pain is generally due to overuse/ strain, bulging or slipped disc and/ or trigger points (tight muscle bands and muscle knots). I have ha seen many patients who have ha had back surgery (e.g., spinal fusions, disc replacements,

C

etc.), injections or are on strong pain medication but have ha never seen a doctor of physical therapy. I always recommend the most conservative approach first. So if you have ha n’t tried physical therapy, py ask your doctor for py, a referral. If you have ha tried physical therapy and it didn’t help, befor bef e assuming physical therapy won’t work, in stigate local physical therapists; inve look for someone with a proven record of helping back patients. Ask friends and family who they recommend or look at patient testimonials. Physical therapy does work, so don’t give gi up on the more conservative, natural treatment option, particularly ticular at your ticularly age. A doctor of physical therapy should be able to resolve most back problems, and help you prevent back pain in the future. If the treatment is successful, you will have ha save sa d time, discomf t and money and avoided or discomfor postponed the need for surgery.

Bef e I continue, let me clarify Befor to the readers what “spinal fusion”

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Culinary creations

By HOLLI L. KOSTER

Local classes teach the basics of whipping up dishes and decorating desserts

Special to The Eagl Ea e

A new study from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Research indicates home cooking can lead to consumption of fewer calories and healthier foods.

Now locals can potentially improve their health and culinary skills through a series of culinary classes being offer of ed by the city of Bryan Parks and Recreation Department.

“Icings & Fillings” and “Spicing it Up!” will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at Rudder High School in Bryan, Dec. 9 and Feb. 10, respective specti ly. Gwynne spective Shillings, special events/marke ents/mar ting person with the city of Bryan, said the ents/marke classes are open to all ages.

“These classes are for the person that doesn’t want to pay $125 for a class at a culinary arts school,” said Mark Mar Torres, culinary arts instructor at Rudder High School. “They can come to learn about cooking in a relaxed, down-to-earth envir en onment.”

The classes will be held in Rudder High’s commercial kitchen, home to the school district’s culinary arts program. The program hosts a weekly café – a learning lab for students interested in the fields of hospitality and culinary arts that teaches students about menu development, food cost analysis, production and food service – and a food truck.

For more infor inf mation, visit https://sites. google.com/a/bryanisd.org/rudder-cafe/ or call 979-229-8514. Rudder High School is located at 3251 Austin’s Colony Parkway.

Indi Individual classes are $30 for residents or $35 for non-residents, and they include all supplies.

out.”

His wife, Ciana Neubauer, Neubauer the Chocolate Gallery’s executive ecuti pastry chef, ecutive will also be teaching the class. Josh and Ciana Neubauer hold bachelor’s degrees in baking and pastry management from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.

Joshua Neubauer said the couple’s business is interested in promoting culinary education. To that end, they hold classes at the gallery and occasionally at other locations in the community. For more infor inf mation, visit www. bcschocolategallery.com or call 979-779-2804.

The store is located at 211 N. Main St.

to four items. Participants in a previous class on knife skills will have ha an opportunity to put those skills to use in preparing the dishes they will assemble.

“At the end, the dishes will come out together, ther we will do a question and ther, answer and then we will have ha a meal together,” ther said Torres. ther,” Torres said Kesco Food Service Equipment, which is a sponsor of the classes, will provide a small gift bag for each participant.

“Spice it Up” The “Spice it Up” class, taught by Torres, will help participants develop rich flavo fla rs with marinades and rubs and finish their dishes with sauces. They will also learn to pair spices, herbs, animal stocks and bases with other favo fa rite ingredients.

Torres said he will provide recipes for three

“Icings & Fillings” The “Icings and Fillings” class will teach participants proper techniques for mixing, fla ring and icing cakes with differ flavo dif ent icings like buttercream, crème Chantilly and chocolate ganache.

“W will be demoing differ “We dif ent techniques in making fillings and icings and applying them,” said Joshua Neubauer, Neubauer executive ecuti ecutive chocolatier with the Chocolate Gallery in Photos contributed by the city of Bryan Downtown Bryan. “The class will be hands on, with demos and stations for mixing Left: Mark Torres rr (third rres (thir from fr left), culinary arts ar instructor, uctor teaches the “Knife Skills and Plating” class at Rudder High School in August. A series of uctor, dif ent icings, with the materials all scaled culinary classes are differ ar offered fer by the city of Bryan Parks and Recreation fered cr creation Department. Right: A class participant practices her knife skills.

6 | December 2, 2014

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Local cooking classes Some other providers of cooking classes in Bryan-College Station include: • Local Chef Diane Lestina of offers classes for the beginner and seasoned cook. For more inf mation and a schedule, call infor Lestina at 979-324-6042 or e-mail her at pchefdiane@aol.com.

Visit www.chefdiane.com.

• Local Chef Nadine offers of classes through Kitchen Express at The Glory Inn, located eight miles east of College Station at 11333 Grassbur Road.

Upcoming classes include: “Appetizer Party Essentials: Roasted Feta Mushrooms, Tabbouleh, Cherry Tomatoes with Blue Cheese and Bacon” 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 1 and 1 to 4 p.m. Dec. 6. Cost is $35.

“Family Night Dinner: Chicken-Andouille Gumbo, Pecan Cornbread Loaf, Mixed Greens with Dijon Dressing, Roquefor quef t Firecrackers, Blonde quefor Brownies with Chocolate Chunks and Hot Cider Nog” – 1 to 4 p.m. Dec. 10. Cost is $45.

For more infor inf mation, visit www.chefnadine.com, call at 979-777-2209 or e-mail nadine@ chefnadine.com.

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Create professional looking desserts Metro Creative Connection

Dessert makes the perfect finishing touch to a special event. Hosts and hostesses frequently fret over which foods to serve at their parties, and that includes dessert.

But hosts won’t need a professional pastry chef to serve some imaginative and impressive desserts. In fact, it’s easy for even novice foodies to make their own delicious desserts.

• Invest in a star decorator’s tip and pastry bag. There’s no limit to what you can do with a simple pastry bag, icing and a decorative tip.

Instead of slathering frosting on cupcakes, use the tip to pipe on individual stars or swirls so the cupcakes look dressed up. The same concept can be applied when baking a cake in a molded pan -- pipe on the frosting to create the design. You can also use it to add a dab of homemade whipped cream to a serving plate aside a slice of pie. Get creative with your pastry tip and explore different possibilities.

• Make garnish sauces. Professional chefs understand that many people eat with their eyes.

That means guests may be more inclined to “ooh and ahh” over desserts if they are presented in a special way. Take a cue from restaurants and garnish the plate prior to adding the dessert.

Create simple sauces from cooked-down strawberries or raspberries with sugar and water.

Or look to premade syrups. Grab that bottle of chocolate sauce and create a design on a dish and then place the dessert on top.

• Use leaves or flowers. In addition to sauces on the plate, you may want to add a few mint leaves or an edible flower to cleanse the palate.

This adds a touch of class to the presentation and makes guests feel special.

• Create individual servings. A dessert served in an individual ramekin or tin can be a nice presentation in itself. Plus, guests may feel like you individually created each dessert with them in mind. Individual servings look and serve well, rather than having a larger dessert demolished by slices or scoops.

• Go for the wow factor. Certain desserts lend themselves to dramatic display. Creme brule or flambe desserts will catch attention. Simply lighting a meringue-topped pudding on fire for a few minutes also can create a memorable moment. Use a good-quality liqueur for fireenhanced desserts, so the alcohol can burn off

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Using a pastry bag and decorator tip, you can quickly turn cupcakes into designer cupcakes. quickly and evenly.

• Embrace the use of fondant or gum paste.

These pastry art materials are frequently used by professional pastry chefs. They’re essentially a moldable dough made out of sugar. Fondant can be rolled to cover cakes, cut to turn into intricate shapes or hand-molded to be turned into figurines or other edible pieces. Just about any dessert can be enhanced with a fondant trinket. Make a flower or a heart out of fondant and lay it aside a slice of cake. Give in to a child’s sense of whimsy by molding edible cartoon characters for them to enjoy at a birthday party. Fondant-covered petit fours may be delicious and eye-catching.

• Use cookie cutters to create different shapes. Instead of a standard layer cake, use cookie cutters to cut out cake pieces and then layer them with frosting in between. Think about baking a pie and cutting out a piece of the prebaked top crust with a cookie cutter that gives a clue to the filling inside (i.e., an apple cutout for an apple pie). Place on top of the crust before baking.

Creating special desserts doesn’t require much effort or any specialized skills.

See related stor story, ory, Page Pa 9

December 2, 2014 | 7

Memory Medic from page pa 4

You can’t go back to early ear school grades to develop your IQ. IQ But the point is that the brain does not necessarily age. You may not only get older; some of you will get better.

The stereotype of age inevitably leading to mental decline and even senility should not be believed. In the absence of damaging disease, like hypertension or diabetes, and in the presence of continuous mental challenge, brains can get better with age. It’s not just a matter of accumulated wisdom and acquired thinking skills, though those are a major benefit.

Can brains get better even when they get off of to a slow start at age 11? The study just mentioned is not conclusive lusi because there were no lusive specific interventions to influence brain function.

Abundant evidence from multiple studies does suggest that a lifetime of education and mental challenge does indeed minimize brain deterioration with age.

Numerous studies using a variety

of test apparatus and methods demonstrate that new learning changes brains, both in chemistry and microanatomy. In fact, new long-lasting learning can’t happen at any age without changing the brain.

Learning can still be quite robust in old age, in part because older brains know so much more that can be used for making associations with new learning.

Older brains have ha developed learning and memory schemas that make task perfor perf mance more efficient. ef As I have ha explained elsewhere, regardless of age, the more you know, the more you can know.

Regardless of age, when a brain learns something new, nerve cells are stimulated to grow new connections with other neurons. Infor Inf mation is stored in the brain in the form of impulse patterns in nerve cell circuits that act as the “hard drive dri ” for storing memory.

The more learning, the more functional circuits develop. The more functional circuits, the more mentally competent one becomes. Normally, old people can keep this developmental process going by such practices as proper diet, stress reduction, exercise,

intellectual challenges and social engagement.

A study invo in lving 101 daily one-hour memory training sessions revealed that the benefits transfer to other mental tasks. The transfer effect ef was generally larger in the young, but nonetheless, older subjects did acquire lasting benefits. In a couple of tasks, the gains were larger in older subjects.

There are other obvious ways to enhance brain function in seniors.

For example, drugs are likely to be discovered that can make the older brain more responsive sponsi to training sponsive interventions.

But already available, and proven promising, are electrical stimulation techniques. One technique, so-called transcranial magnetic stimulation, applies a magnetic field to selected regions of the scalp.

One study comparing young and old subjects found that such stimulation over an area just behind the forehead reduced the number of thinking errors that older people made in a mental task. Actually, with stimulation they could perfor perf m about as well as the young people in the study.

More recently, beneficial effects ef ha been discovered from applying a have

DC current on the order of that of a 9v battery to the scalp. One study showed that such stimulation reduced the number of errors older subjects made on a word generation task, reaching the level normally achieved by young people.

While you wait for specific interventions to be optimized for routine treatment of declining brain function, remember that there are things you can be doing now to keep your brain in top form. “Use it or lose it” still applies.

Sources: Stern, P. et al. (2014) The aging brain. Science. 346: 567-571.

Lindenberger, er U. (2014). Human er, cognitive gniti aging: Corriger la fortune? gnitive Science.346: 572-578.

Gutchess, A. (2014). Plasticity of the aging brain: New directions in cognitive gniti neuroscience. Science. 346: gnitive 579-582.

Dr Klemm’s latest book is titled Dr. “Mental Biology.

Biolog The New Science of How the Brain Br and Mind Relate.” For mor infor more inf mation, visit http://03908f9. netsolhost.com/thinkbrain/author. netsolhost.com/thinkbrain/author ain/author.

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Gift ideas for the food fanatic on your list Metro Creative Connection

Some people are a cinch to shop for come the holiday season, while others can be more of an enigma. When it comes to the latter, shoppers should determine what tickles their mysterious friend or family member’s fancy, such as a favorite hobby or even something to do with his or her profession.

Food is a passion for many people and provides holiday shoppers with a great opportunity to make a loved one’s holiday season even more special. Perhaps thanks to the increase in cable networks focusing on food, foodies, those people with an appreciation and passion for cuisine, have grown in number in recent years, and holiday shoppers with foodies on their lists have a host of potential gift options at their disposal.

• Cooking class: Many foodies don’t just like eating food but cooking their favorite cuisine as well. For those who like to get their hands dirty before filling their bellies, consider paying for a cooking

class. Many communities have cooking classics for various types of cuisine, so consult your friend or family member, asking them which cuisine they’d like to learn and when they’re available. Or let them find their own class and then pay for the class. This can be a great way for foodies to learn something new and meet fellow food afficionados along the way.

• Specialty spices: Spices can make the difference between an ordinary meal that’s void of flavor and a meal that’s so flavorful it won’t soon be forgotten. When spicing things up for a foodie this holiday season, don’t just buy regular spices at the grocery store. For example, instead of standard cinnamon, buy a specialty spice like Mexican or Vietnamese cinnamon.

Such specialty spices can add extra flavor to a meal while becoming the go-to spice for the home chef among your friends and family members.

• Pressure cooker: Many foodies are fawning over pressure cooking, which can

cut down on cooking times without sacrificing nutrition.

Some recipes may take half the time to prepare with a pressure cooker as they might with a more traditional cooking method, an important time saving element that’s attractive to foodies who want to enjoy their favorite foods but feel pressed for time on weeknights. And while pressure cookers employ steam to cook foods quickly, that steam also traps flavor, whereas boiling can wash flavor out.

Many foodies also laud pressure cookers for their nutritional benefits.

Steaming certain foods can intensify their flavor, which allows cooks to rely less on potentially unhealthy additions like salt or butter to ensure a meal is flavorful.

• Serving dishes: Of course, many foodies want to share the fruits of their labors with friends and family. For the person who loves throwing dinner parties, consider some serving dishes this holiday season. Serving dishes can

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favorite foodies, cookbooks filled with recipes for dishes from their favorite type of cuisine (i.e., Italian, Thai, Cajun, etc.) are sure to please.

When gifting with a cookbook, peruse a few of its recipes to determine if there are any special ingredients that appear throughout. If there are, purchase these ingredients and gift them as well.

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range from casual (for the foodie who can’t wait to fire up the grill) to formal (for the gourmet foodie), so get a feel of your friend or family member’s preferences before purchasing a set of serving dishes.

• Cookbook: The ideal fallback item for holiday shoppers who can’t seem to find anything for their

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CALENDAR Ongoing

Sit and Fit Chair Exercises - Get a workout while sitting in a chair. Seniors meet at Southwood Community Center, 1520 Rock Prairie Road in College Station, every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, from noon to 1 p.m. For more details, contact 979-764-6351, 979-764-6371 or mrodgers@cstx.gov.

Line Dancing - Southwood Community Center, 1520 Rock Prairie Road in College Station, holds line dancing for seniors on Tuesdays from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. and on Fridays from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. For more information, contact 979764-6351, 979-764-6371 or mrodgers@cstx.gov.

Bluegrass Jam Session – Bluegrass Jam Session is held from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. on Tuesdays at Southwood Community Center, 1520 Rock Prairie Road in College Station. All levels welcome. Bring string instruments and a friend. For more details, contact 979-764-6351, 979-764-6371 or mrodgers@cstx.gov.

Friday Bridge - Southwood Community Center, 1520 Rock Prairie Road in College Station, offers bridge for seniors every Friday from 9 to 11:30 a.m. For more, contact 979-7646351, 979-764-6371 or mrodgers@cstx.gov.

Learn how to play 42 dominoes - Learn the popular game of 42 every Wednesday from 9:30

Bradway

from page 5 is and why it is often recommended (quotation from WebMD, http://www. webmd.com/back-pain/spinal-fusionarthrodesis).

“Spinal fusion (Arthrodesis) is major surgery to join, or fuse, two or more vertebrae. Spinal fusion is often needed to keep the spine stable after injury, infection or a tumor. But there is not a lot of research about how well it works for other spinal problems.

One study showed no clear difference between spinal fusion and intense rehabilitation for treating chronic low back pain.* As you decide about having spinal fusion, talk with your doctor about the benefits and risks. The surgery is expensive and has serious risks. Although this type of surgery is common, there is no guarantee it will work to relieve your pain.

Rehabilitation can take a long time. It includes walking, riding a stationary bike, swimming and similar activities.”

10 | December 2, 2014

to 11:30 a.m. at Southwood Community Center, 1520 Rock Prairie Road in College Station.

Contact Southwood Community Center at 979764-6351 or email mrodgers@cstx.gov for more information.

42 dominoes - Seniors meet every Thursday to play 42 at Southwood Community Center, 1520 Rock Prairie Road in College Station, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. New players welcome. For more details, contact 979-764-6351, 979-764-6371 or mrodgers@cstx.gov.

Bible study – Bible study is held for seniors at 9:15 a.m. every Thursday at Lincoln Center, 1000 Eleanor St. in College Station. Contact Annie Williams at 979-764-3779 or awilliams@ cstx.gov for more information.

Dec. 4

Road in College Station. Register by calling 979764-6351 or email mrodgers@cstx.gov.

Dec. 8

Beginning computer class for seniors This class is designed for seniors who would like to learn how to use the Internet and email. Class meets for two weeks on Monday and Wednesday from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at Southwood Community Center, 1520 Rock Prairie Road in College Station. Cost is $45. To register visit rectrac.cstx. gov, or call 979-764-3486 for more information.

Intermediate Computer Class for seniors - Basic computer skills required. Move to the next level and learn more tips on creating and storing documents. Class meets on Monday and Wednesday for two weeks from 10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at Southwood Community Center, 1520 Rock Prairie Road in College Station. Cost of the class is $45. Register at rectrac.cstx.gov or call College Station Parks and Recreation Department at 979-764-3486.

prizes and photos with Santa. No reservations necessary. For more details, call 979-764-6351 or email mrodgers@cstx.gov.

Dec. 13

“Age of Elegance” Senior Pageant - Free food, entertainment and fashions modeled by seniors at the Lincoln Center, 1000 Eleanor St. in College Station, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Interested in modeling or performing? Must be 55 or over and complete application. Contact Annie Williams at 979-764-6371 or awilliams@cstx.gov.

Dec. 15

Free Learn to Line Dance Workshop Beginning line dance steps taught from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Southwood Community Center, 1520 Rock Prairie Road in College Station. Learn the basic steps and join regular line dancers.

For more details, contact 979-764-6351 or mrodgers@cstx.gov.

Senior Holiday Dance - Enjoy an evening of dancing with DJ Tom Byer from 7 to 9 p.m. at Southwood Community Center, 1520 Rock Prairie Road in College Station. Free and refreshments served. Door prizes. For more information call 979-764-6371 or email mrodgers@cstx.gov.

Korean Senior Fitness Class - Yangsaeng, a Korean senior exercise program, has become a common health practice among older adults in Korea. This exercise class is being offered free to seniors from 9 to 10 a.m. Dec. 4, 11 and 18 at Southwood Community Center, 1520 Rock Prairie

Dec. 10

Holiday Open House for seniors Southwood Community Center, 1520 Rock Prairie Road in College Station, will hold a Holiday Open House from 10 a.m. to noon. Seniors are invited to learn about activities and classes offered at the center. Enjoy refreshments, entertainment, door

Movie and Popcorn: “The Holiday” Seniors are invited to enjoy a free movie and popcorn at Southwood Community Center, 1520 Rock Prairie Road in College Station. Movie starts at 1 p.m. For more details, call 979-764-6351 or email mrodgers@cstx.gov.

(*Fairbank J, et al. (2005). Randomized controlled trial to compare surgical stabilization of the lumbar spine with an intensive rehabilitation program for patients with chronic low back pain: The MRC spine stabilization trial. BMJ, 330(7502): 1233-1239.)

When I see patients with back pain, particularly if they have a history of heavy lifting, my examination, in most cases, will involve: localizing any restrictive trunk movement, performing a neurological examination, reviewing recent diagnostic tests, checking for muscle system imbalances and performing a hands-on soft tissue palpation. This will help me determine the causes for your back pain and the most appropriate treatment to resolve the problem and keep it from returning. If the cause is overuse and the muscles are tight/knotted or weak, the treatment plan will consist of: instructing the patient on how to protect the area of pain when doing daily activities, hands on mobilization (soft tissue work), release

restricted movements, Trigger Point Dry Needling of local and regional muscle trigger points, retrain muscle movement patterns and specific lumbo-pelvic muscle re-education and strengthening. This generally takes four to six weeks. If the cause is a bulging disc, my treatment plan will consist of identifying the cause of the disc problem. Many disc bulges are normal at your age and don’t cause pain. To properly determine the true cause of pain, I have to perform a thorough hands-on evaluation of the immediate and surrounding muscle structures to determine what problems exist. Disc problems are problematic because you don’t know if strengthening the muscles surrounding the disc and adhering to rest and lifting instructions will be enough. If physical therapy cannot resolve or significantly minimize the problem, surgery may be your only option, assuming the doctor is certain that the bulging disc is the cause of the back pain.

To sum up my answer, I don’t know

the specifics of your care, but I would recommend conservative, natural methods before surgery. At the very least, you can request a consultation with an experienced doctor of physical therapy who can examine your records, tests and render an opinion.

On a final note, Dr. Ullrich, an orthopedic surgeon with NeuroSpine Center of Wisconsin was asked if most people with low back pain will eventually need lumbar fusion surgery.

He said, “No, actually very few of them will. Lumbar spinal fusion surgery only works for specific indications and only can work if we can identify what the specific pain generator for the patient is. Probably 80 to 90 percent of the time, the pain generator can’t be identified” (http://www.spine-health. com/doctor/physiatrist/grant-cooperprinceton-nj).

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Leon Bradway is a doctor of physical therapy and director of the Sports, Back and Pain Management Clinic. See www. bvphysicaltherapy.com.

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How senior donors can avoid scams Metro Creati Cr ve Connection

Con artists masquerading as charities can victimize anyone, but seniors are especially vulnerable to such criminals. Men and women who perpetrate charitable fraud often target older men and women, feeling that seniors are more likely to have ha a significant amount of money in their bank accounts and less likely to report crimes for fear of embarrassment.

But even if seniors are prime targets for charitable fraud, they still can take steps to safeguard themselves from scammers looking to exploit their generosity.

Never donate over the phone.

No reputable charity will insist on a donation over the phone. When a person calls and says they represent a charity, they should be willing to send you information in the mail so you can further explore their organization before making your final decision. If a caller attempts to pressure you into donating over the phone, hang up.

Keep a list of organizations you have donated to in the past. Many people who perpetuate charitable fraud reference a past relationship

or donation history between their victims and the charity the criminal is claiming to represent. Maintain a list of your donation history, including the organizations you have donated to and the amount of those donations.

This can help you verify if the person calling, emailing or visiting you is telling the truth.

Do not feel obligated to give.

Many charities send gifts to their donors as a token of appreciation for their support. Some criminals masquerading as charities will send gifts to potential victims in an attempt to fool them into writing a check.

Whether a charity is legitimate or not, seniors should not feel obligated to donate simply because they received a gift. If you receive a gift and want to donate, confirm that the organization that sent you the gift is legitimate and not an imposter organization that is baiting you with a gift. If the gift was accompanied by a donation form, do not fill out that form, choosing instead to make a direct donation via the organization’s website, a site you should find independent of the mailer/ gift you received, or mail a check directly to the organization after you

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independently confirm its address, be it through your own research or by contacting the Better Business Bureau (www. bbb.org).

Insist that your personal information is not shared. Before making a charitable donation, donors are often notified that their contact information Making life less complicated is likely to be sold to or traded with other for families and their loved ones charities. This can lead to an influx of charitable solicitations that elderly 979.204.7273 men and women may find overwhelming. www.rahcentex.com So prior to making a Your choice for Senior Home Care! donation, speak directly with the charity and insist that none of your information be shared with other charities when it comes time to make your or organizations. If this cannot be annual donations, ask a son, daughter arranged, find an organization willing to make such a concession and or trusted confidante for help so you contribute to that charity instead. can rest easy knowing your donation Ask for help. If you are confused goes where you intend for it to go.

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