Los AngeLes Metro January 2016
lifeafter50.com
southern california
ContaCt
sporTs Should Your Child or Grandchild
play? FiNdiNg
Your Bliss
in 2016
Joe THeismann’s
Super Bowl
Memories
Joe
Namath Huddling up with a neurological team, Broadway Joe seeks a victory over traumatic brain injuries
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Contents
January 2016
10
26
28
38
Cover Profile
Departments
10 Joe Namath
6 50-Plus: What You Need to Know
Huddling up with a neurological team to score a victory over traumatic brain injures.
A quick look at things 50-plusers should be aware of.
Features
The best in January television viewing.
22 Cultivating Bliss in 2016 How to go from happy to happiest in the New Year.
26 The Hallowed Hall Of Must-Knowtables – Vince Lombardi Legendary notables that everyone, of every age, should know.
28 The Look Of Life After 50 – Joe Theismann The Super Bowl-winner weighs in with super memories and on timely issues.
24 Tuned In To What’s On 34 Let’s Get Out
Looking to get out and about? Our January/February calendar has some great suggestions.
38 Rick Steves’ Travels
Discover the history and romance of Germany’s Rhineland.
42 And Finally…The Bookworm’s Best, A Look Back and Just A Thought Before We Go
A book suggestion, memory, and a little something to leave you with.
Cover photo by Vanessa Rogers/Vanessa Rogers Photography All material published within this issue of Life After 50 and on www.lifeafte50.com is strictly for informational and educational purposes only. No individual, advice, product or service is in any way endorsed by Life After 50 or Southland Publishing, Inc. or provided as a substitute for the reader’s seeking of individualized professional advice or instruction. Readers should seek the advice of qualified professionals on any matter regarding an individual, advice, recommendations, services or products covered within this issue. All information and material is provided to readers with the understanding that it comes from various sources from which there is no warranty or responsibility by Life After 50 or Southland Publishing, Inc. as to its or their legality, completeness or technical accuracy.
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Editor’s Note...
Teaming up for victory in the game of life
F
rom the first use of controlled fire by some enterprising Paleolith, every aspect of our world – science, medicine, the arts, politics, transportation, communications, technology, you name it – has seen trailblazing pioneers take us to innovative heights our Life After 50’s David Laurell, from left, with forefathers could have “The Team,” Dr. Barry M. Miskin, Dr. Lee A. Fox never imagined. and Joe Namath. Just as in every other field, the world of athletics has also seen very special men and women follow in the sandal steps of ancient Greeks who used their athletic prowess to please Zeus in his Olympian sanctuary. Among those pioneers of athleticism is Joe Namath. Before Namath, the “big game” was the AFL-NFL World Championship Game in which the upstart AFL was simply invited to participate as a courtesy. Namath, by “guaranteeing” and delivering a New York Jets upset win in the third championship game, saw the acceptance of the AFL and the transition of that game into the Super Bowl we know today. Try to make that statement in Namath’s presence today and you will receive a response similar to the one New York sports reporter Sal Marchiano got from him in the locker room following that January 1969 victory. Lauding him as the “King of the Hill,” Namath politely corrected Marchinao by saying: “No, no, WE’RE King of the Hill. We got the team, brother!” Whether in the immediate moments following his greatest career victory, in the inspirational advice he offers to the kids who have attended his instructional football camp for the past 42 years, or in the innumerable interviews and speeches he has given, Namath has always preached that any and all athletic accomplishments, as well as the victories of life itself, are a team game – a team effort. In 2012, inspired by the suicide of former NFL player Junior Seau, who was suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a disease found in people with a history of repetitive brain trauma, Namath wanted to do something to put a stop to the needless deaths of athletes due to career-related neurological impairment. To achieve this, he teamed up with Doctors Lee A. Fox and Barry M. Miskin to establish the Joe Namath Neurological Research Center at Jupiter Medical Center in Florida. Today, that team is conducting a clinical trial that holds the possible promise of using hyperbaric oxygen therapy in treating athletes, military and car accident victims, stroke patients, and others suffering with neurological issues. And so, with 47 years to the month having passed since Namath brashly guaranteed that big game win, he is again hoping to make history. This time, not by garnering a victory on the gridiron, but by working with another type of team to score a win in the game of life.
David Laurell, Editor-in-Chief
4 LIFEAFTER50.COM January 2016
Publisher Valarie Anderson
Account Executives: San Diego County/Orange County Phil Mendelson Phil@LifeAfter50.com
Editor-in-Chief David Laurell
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A January Thought
“For a new year to bring you something new, make a move, like a butterfly tearing its cocoon! Make a move!” – Mehmet Murat ildan
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January 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 5
50
Fifty Years Of Sand Through The Hourglass
B
Plus
What You Need To Know By Claire Yezbak Fadden
Retiring? Keep Busy!
W
If you started working in your 20s and retire in your 60s, there’s a good chance you’ll spend almost as many years in retirement as you did working. In his book, “Retiring? Beware!! Don’t Run Out of Money and Don’t Become Bored” (Michaelbivonabooks, 2015) Michael Bivona, a certified public accountant who retired 20 years ago, offers these suggestions: • Develop a social network. Check out civic centers, which usually have a department dedicated to the betterment of 50-plussers. • Try on a pair of dancing shoes. Dancing is a beautiful art form that gives participants something with which to challenge themselves. • Stay sharp and keep learning. If you don’t use your mind, you will accelerate the process of losing it. Building bridges to new adventures is the key to maintaining mental acuity and increasing vitality, and there is an abundance of educational courses developed for 50-plussers to keep exercising their mental prowess.
Fifty Candles
F
ifty years ago this month, a 12-day transit worker strike shut down New York City’s subway system; all cigarette packages in the United States began carrying the warning: Caution: Cigarette Smoking May Be Hazardous To Your Health; The Who and The Kinks performed on the last airing of “Shindig;” “Batman,” starring Adam West and Burt Ward, premiered; Indira Gandhi was elected India’s third prime minister; Beatle George Harrison married model Patti Boyd; the musical “Sweet Charity” opened on Broadway, and Peggy Fleming won the U.S. female figure-skating championship. Notable personalities born in January1966 who are celebrating their 50th birthday this month include country singer Deana Carter, actors Patrick Dempsey, Joshua Malina and Rainn Wilson, actress Julia-Louis Dreyfus, reggae singer Shabba Ranks, film directors Antoine Fuqua and Jesse Dylan, and broadcast journalist Gina Gaston.
6 LIFEAFTER50.COM January 2016
eginning with rare black-and-white historical photos and including a wealth of never-before-published full-color pictures, “Days of Our Lives 50 Years” (Sourcebooks, 2015) by Greg Meng, offers a spectacular journey through one of America’s favorite daytime dramas. Set in the fictitious Midwestern town of Salem, the show follows the lives of the Bradys, Hortons and DiMeras with multi-layered storylines that involve romance, adventure, mystery, comedy and drama. This in-depth photographic journey of the longest-running scripted program in NBC’s history showcases new and exciting views of a television icon that continues to bring the beloved world of Salem to loyal “Days” viewers.
Fifty Super Moments
A
s the nation commemorates the 50th anniversary of America’s most beloved sporting event – the Super Bowl – Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice has compiled an authoritative collection of the most pivotal plays of the big game through the decades. In “50 Years, 50 Moments” (Dey Street Books, 2015), Rice brings together the catches, interceptions, fumbles and triumphant touchdowns that have made the Super Bowl an unforgettable experience. The book, which features marquee Super Bowl participants including Joe Montana, Vince Lombardi, Roger Staubach, Walter “Sweetness” Payton, Terry Bradshaw, Broadway Joe Namath, Lawrence Taylor, Mean Joe Greene and Tom Brady, celebrates the memories, insights and personal experiences from each of the past Super Sundays. If you are an NFL fan, this is a “must-have” tome that documents the most iconic, strategic and record-breaking moments in Super Bowl history from the game’s inception to Super Bowl XLIX’s last-second victory by the New England Patriots over the defending champion Seattle Seahawks.
A Little More You Need To Know
The Most Important Thing To Know This Month
Super Foods For A Super Start To The New Year
L
ooking for easy ways to start 2016 in a healthy way? Consider adding these fruits and vegetables recommended for 50-plussers:
Apples are a great source of potassium, antioxidants and vitamin C, that may help lower cholesterol and slow the uptake of glucose.
Where You Need To Go
The Southwest Arts Festival
W
ith the backdrop of Coachella Valley’s desert landscape and sweeping mountain ranges, one of the Inland Empire’s largest and longest-running juried art events will kick off their 30th anniversary celebration. The Southwest Arts Festival, Indio 2016, held January 29, 30 and 31, will feature traditional, contemporary and abstract fine works of art by more than 250 artist in media such as clay, drawing, glass, jewelry, metal, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture and textiles. New this year is the addition of the Objet Trouvé Found Art Festival. Objet trouvé, which means “found object” in French, represents an artistic style that uses everyday objects and “found” materials to create stimulating visual displays. Showcasing a variety of artists who create these innovative art forms, the festival also feature hands-on art demonstrations. Enjoy interactive art activities with pottery, glass blowing and fine art painting scheduled to be on display. Taste the wide variety of food and beverages while strolling the grounds with the subtle sounds of jazz music adding to the mellow atmosphere.
Asparagus is high in lycopene, known to help reduce the risk of prostate cancer. This veggie also contains vitamin A, a boost for the immune system and eye health. Blueberries help lower cholesterol and slow the uptake of glucose. They are high in soluble fiber, an aid in maintaining healthy blood sugar levels. Broccoli has antioxidants and vitamins such as A, C, B9 (folate) and K. Your eye health, red blood cells, immune system and bones will be the big winners. Butternut Squash brims with beta-carotene, which is important for eye health. The heart also benefits from the vitamin C in this winter squash and its high fiber content, which helps lower cholesterol and maintain good blood sugar levels. Green Kale is high in fiber and a rich source of calcium for bone health. It also provides lutein, which is important for eye health. Pears are full of soluble fiber that may help maintain healthy blood sugar levels, lowering diabetes risk. They also fill you up, so you tend to eat less, and may reduce the risk of colon cancer.
This three-day family friendly festival is held at the Empire Polo Club, 81-800 Avenue 51 at Monroe Street in Indio between 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $8 to $12. For more information, call (760) 347-0676 or click on www.southwestartsfest.com
New Words
Y
ou might not find them in a dictionary yet, but they’re a part of the everyday American vocabulary. Here’s what they mean.
Cronut: A pastry that crosses a croissant with a doughnut. Lumbersexual: A bearded male dressing in a checkered shirt, portending a rugged outdoor lifestyle. Whole food: Minimally processed or refined food products that are also free from additives and artificial substances.
January 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 7
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Looking for a new home but unsure where to start? Contact our friendly Community Information Specialists at 888-408-6590 Availability, prices, incentives and dates are subject to change, and K. Hovnanian® Homes reserves the right to cancel or change all offers without prior notice; see Sales Consultant for details. If buyer is working with a licensed real estate agent or broker, the agent or broker must accompany and register buyer on first visit to community. No offer for sale or lease may be made or accepted until buyer’s receipt of Arizona Subdivision Public Report. A public report is available on the State Real Estate Department’s website. At K. Hovnanian’s® Four Seasons communities, at least one resident of each household must be 55 years of age or older. A limited number of residents may be younger than 55. We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. We encourage and support an affirmative advertising and marketing program in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin.© K. Hovnanian® Companies of California, Inc. BRE license number 01183847
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A Special Wellness Report New Medicine Based On An 88-Year Old Theory By Albert Einstein Can Help Almost Everyone Who Is Sick Or Injured!
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hat you are about to read may be the most important information you’ve ever read. Here is why. Albert Einstein was, quite possibly, the most intelligent person who ever lived. His theories and ideas were so far ahead of his time, that even now, the smartest scientists alive are still discovering his value. One of his theories published in 1917, worked out the theory of how lasers function. However, it was not until May 16, 1960 (43 years later) that the first actual laser was developed by an American scientist. Since then, scientists and inventors have developed many types of lasers and all kinds of uses for them. They can be used as a scalpel that is so delicate, it can be used on the eyes of human beings. Lasers are used to read price codes at your local supermarkets. And they’re used to play music and video on your CD’s and DVD’s. But now, there is a new type of laser so effective against human disease and injury that it is rapidly changing the practice of medicine. This is a new type of low-level laser which produces an unfocused light that has been...
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Cover Profile
The Neurological
Lights Are Bright
on Broadway
Super Bowl III-winning quarterback Broadway Joe Namath has huddled up with a neurological team to seek a victory over traumatic brain injuries Story by David Laurell * Photos by Vanessa Rogers
10 LIFEAFTER50.COM January 2016
D
uring the early 1970s, Broadway Joe Namath was the undisputed playboy of the western world, serving as a spokesman for everything from shaving cream, corn poppers and chocolate drinks to recliners, men’s cologne and pantyhose. Today, with so many questions and concerns being raised about sports-related safety sparked by the film “Concussion,” Namath is still serving as a spokesperson, but for something that transcends the desire to smell good, get a close shave, or have your legs look good: a successful treatment for traumatic brain injuries.
According to Jeff Miller, who serves as the NFL’s senior vice president of health and safety policy, the league is also extending safety efforts beyond the professional level. “We continue to make changes to our game and invest in independent research that will impact the health and safety of players at all levels and across all sports,” Miller told Life After 50. “As it relates to football at the youth and high school levels, we’ve worked closely with USA Football to design a program called Heads Up, which certifies coaches, teaches appropriate tackling techniques and standardizes the amount of contact that players see during the course of a week. All of this lends itself to the benefit of player safety, and there is independent research to support this. A recent study by the Datalys Center showed that youth leagues that are Heads Up certified have a 76 percent lower overall injury rate, including 34 percent fewer concussions, compared to leagues that are not.” Miller also points to the fourth annual NFL Health and Safety Report that was released last August that serves as a resource on the steps the NFL continues to take to protect players, including 39 safety-related rule changes, advanced sideline technology, expanded medical resources, investing in protective equipment, a commitment to the wellness of retired players, and a focus on overall youth sports safety. In addition to referencing that report, Miller points out some of the specific things the NFL and its partners are doing to make the game safer for players at all levels including:
On the cover of the November 1972 issue of LIFE magazine, a then-29year-old Namath looked happy, relaxed and elegant in a dark blue tux. The caption read: “The juicy rewards of a painful life.” On the cover of this month’s Life After 50, 44 years later, still looking • The inclusion of independent concussion specialists present on both happy, relaxed and elegant in another blue suit, the man who led the New sidelines at every NFL game and medical personnel who, by using York Jets to a “guaranteed” victory in Super Bowl III continues to live a life sideline technology, can access medical records of all players. of great reward. Revered by those who grew up watching him play, as well as those who have been told about him by their fathers and grandfathers, • The medical timeout, which allows an independent athletic trainer Namath is now the father of two married women who have blessed him in the press box to stop the game to have a player receive medical with three grandchildren he adores. But, his life has also continued to be attention should they show signs of distress or disorientation. one of pain as he has, both reactively and proactively, battled the medical issues that come in the aftermath of the physical punishment a professional athlete endures. While the Psalmist may have offered up due praise to the Creator for the way the human body is wonderfully made, Namath points out that there is nothing about the way we have been constructed that was made for playing the game of football. That fact has become an acute issue in the wake of studies which have shown a direct link between repeated head impacts and a condition called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) coupled with the recent release of the Sony Pictures film “Concussion.” The film, based on an article Jeanne Marie Laskas wrote for GQ magazine in 2009, chronicles the story of Dr. Bennet Omalu, a pathologist who made the first findings and correlation between CTE and those who have played professional football. A condition that is made manifest by symptoms of memory loss, confusion, depression and dementia that can show up decades after the trauma, the risk of developing CTE comes with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) such as concussions and cumulative non-concussive impacts. For those who have engaged in contact sports such as football, those injuries can often have first occurred as early as during youth league or high school play. The existence of CTE can only be ascertained in a postmortem examination, and a recent study showed that 96 percent of deceased men who have played professional football showed signs of CTE. Responding to this research, the NFL made a $30-million dollar grant to the National Institutes of Health to help fund research focused on CTE and, in a November 2015 airing of a “60 Minutes” story on CTE, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told correspondent Steve Kroft that the evidence being uncovered has served as a catalyst for the league to seek and implement greater safety measures to decrease head impacts and remove players from Dr. Barry M. Miskin, from left, Joe Namath and Dr. Lee A. Fox make up the team of a game if it is believed a head injury has occurred. the Joe Namath Neurological Research Center.
January 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 11
• The Head Health Initiative, a four-year, $60-million dollar collaboration with GE launched in 2013 to advance concussion research, prevention, diagnosis and treatment. • Athletic Trainer Initiatives, a program instituted by the NFL Foundation, the National Athletic Trainers Association, Gatorade and the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society that has committed $3-million dollars to fund athletic trainers in underserved high schools nationwide. • An NFL-led campaign that resulted in all 50 states passing a law modeled after Washington State’s 2009 enacted Lystedt Law, which established a protocol for return to play in youth sports and mandatory education on concussion prevention. This past October, the NFL also convened representatives from many of the world’s major sports leagues and leading concussion experts for the second annual International Professional Sports Concussion Research Think Tank to share best practices and protocols and collaborate on ways to advance progress in relation to head injuries, added Miller. Asked to remove his professional hat and replace it with his parental one, Miller was queried on what his personal advice would be to the parents of young people who desire to participate in contact sports. Miller says the decision to let a child play any sport is a personal one and that it is the responsibility of the NFL to make sure parents are educated and have the proper facts, so they can make an informed decision. “I have three children, including a son who plays tackle football,” says Miller. “As parents, it’s our job to educate ourselves to make the right decisions for our children. In the case of tackle football, do your homework – make sure the coaches are Heads Up certified, teaching proper tackling techniques, and educated on the signs and symptoms of concussion. Football is great and a fun game that teaches young players many positive things. The lessons that are learned from playing our particular sport, the resilience, the teamwork, the being able to get up when you’re knocked down, are something that have tremendous transcendent value for kids. Learning those lessons at a young age will continue and help them throughout their lives.”
SEEKING HOPE FOR PLAYERS FROM THE PAST While the NFL’s recent steps in addressing head injuries may help to make the sport a safer one for current and future athletes, that does nothing to help 12 LIFEAFTER50.COM January 2016
the many individuals who played the game prior to the implementation of these efforts. For those former players, who are now in their 40s, 50s or older and are beginning to show the effects of the concussions and head injuries they suffered during their playing days, finding a successful treatment is paramount. Among those who have been the most progressive and passionate in seeking treatment for TBI are doctors at the Joe Namath Neurological Research Center at Jupiter Medical Center in Florida. Headed up by co-directors, Dr. Lee A. Fox, the center’s chief of radiology, and Dr. Barry M. Miskin, vice chief of staff at Jupiter Medical Center, the research center was established in 2012 to address the treatment of head injuries by those who have participated in contact sports as well as military veterans, stroke patients or anyone who has suffered a traumatic brain injury and is seeking treatment to decrease or possibly eliminate the symptoms they are suffering. Inspired by Namath, who initially came to the center after becoming concerned over what he perceived to be a slight decrease in his mental cognition and sleep disturbances, Fox and Miskin established a clinical trial they hope will lead to a proven therapy that could one day provide relief for the millions of people who have suffered a TBI. “One day, while we were having lunch, Dr. Fox asked me if I thought hyperbaric oxygen could help a patient with a traumatic brain injury,” says Miskin. “For a long time, I kept my thoughts on that to myself, because it is not mainstream treatment, but I told him that I did. That led us to the next step – treating Joe Namath.” During their initial examination that included a cognitive assessment and brain imaging called a SPECT (single photo emission computed tomography) scan, Fox and Miskin ascertained that Namath showed the classic results of having had a TBI. “Joe had suffered multiple concussions and injuries to his brain during the course of his collegiate and professional career. He even remembers taking some pretty good hits as far back as high school,” Miskin adds. According to Miskin, the SPECT scan of Namath’s brain showed the left side was not functioning in that there was diminished blood flow to the area. “It was damaged from traumatic brain injuries and when that type of injury shows up, it typically causes problems with executive thinking and sleep and irritability,” says Miskin. “They are usually just subtle symptoms that are not always obvious.” After making their diagnosis, the program Fox and Miskin designed for Namath and their subsequent clinical trial program (which is currently being evaluated by the Federal Drug Administration) entails the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which has been used for various medical conditions since the early part of the 20th century. This treatment, known as a “dive,” takes place in a pressurized steel and acrylic tube into which the air pressure is slowly increased until it’s two to three times that of sea level and fills the patient’s lungs with increased amounts of oxygen. Their super-oxygenated blood is then carried throughout the body, which promotes the release of growth hormones, regenerates cells, helps the body heal, and in the opinion of Miskin and Fox, awakens dormant brain cells in those suffering from TBI. It is Fox and Miskin’s belief that the research protocol of implementing oxygenation, the treatment they gave Namath, may prove to be a path that can successfully stimulate the healing process for a patient with a brain injury. “Joe underwent hyperbaric oxygen therapy sessions for over a period of six months,” says Miskin, “and after treatment, the SPECT scans started to show new activity in the part of his brain that hadn’t been functioning. That whole area of the brain just lit up.”
January 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 13
California Eye Doctors Help Legally Blind To See High Technology For Low Vision Patients Allows Many To Drive Again the wet form is caused by blood vessels leaking fluid. Treatment is aimed at stopping the leak and preventing further leaks. The vision cannot be regained in either type. This is where low vision glasses can help. Patient using prismatic low While there is currently no vision glasses for reading. cure, promising research is For many patients with being done on many fronts. macular degeneration and “My job is to figure out other vision-related conditions, everything and anything the loss of central visual possible to keep a person detail also signals the end to one of the last bastions of independence - driving. California optometrists, Dr. Richard Shuldiner and Dr. Harold Ashcraft are using miniaturized telescopes which are mounted in glasses to help Patient using telescopic glasses people who have lost vision to drive and read signs. from macular degeneration functioning” says Dr. Ashcraft, and other eye conditions. a low vision optometrist in Los “Some of my patients Angeles. Even if it’s driving. consider me the last stop for “The major benefit of bioptic people who have vision loss” telescope low vision glasses is said Dr. Shuldiner “most magnifying road signs, traffic people don’t know that there lights and other distance objects are low vision optometrists necessary for safe driving”. who have extensive experience Dr’s Ashcraft and Shuldiner in helping those with vision are members of The International loss.We help people with Academy of Low Vision macular degeneration, diabetic Specialists (www.IALVS.com) retinopathy, RP and other eye and have extensive experience diseases regain function and in working with the visually independence.” impaired. Imagine a pair of glasses that can improve your vision enough Los Angeles to change your life. Low Vision Harold Ashcraft O.D. glasses may allow you to read, (800) 345-9719 watch television, see sporting www.LowVisionLosAngeles.com events, and even drive. Orange, Riverside, There are two types of macular degeneration: wet and San Diego counties dry. There is no treatment for Richard Shuldiner the dry form, which is caused O.D., F.A.A.O. by aging, sunlight, smoking, (888) 610-2020 and genetics. The damage in www.LowVisionCare.com ADVERTISEMENT 14 LIFEAFTER50.COM January 2016
Namath, a true believer in the treatment, says the results of his SPECT scans, which he now has every six months, have shown an incredible change in his brain. “What the doctors are showing me on the computer is blood flow and light where it was once dark,” says Namath. “Seeing the part of my brain that wasn’t getting the blood flow and then seeing the change, through the progression of scans, is showing me things are appearing to clear up and improve.” Asked if he has experienced a notable physical improvement in the way he feels, sleeps and his cognitive skills, Namath says that is hard to answer. “The thing is, while I had little things bothering me – giving me concern – I felt overall good before staring the treatment,” he reveals. “The doctors asked me as we went along with the treatments if I was feeling better and I told them it was hard to tell, because I felt good going in. I have taken care of myself and breathe properly when I exercise. I learned that when I was swimming, that it’s important to take in oxygen when you work out. I don’t thin k I can recognize feeling physically better, except for some minor arthritic pain and I am sleeping better, and maybe have more stamina during workouts. But, for me, it is what I see on the scans – the improvement in the brain – that is important, making sure I continue to feel good and am staying ahead of any issues that may arise in the future.” Namath’s longtime attorney and business associate James Walsh, who is a passionate advocate of the trial the center is conducting, says there apparently is evidence that something positive is happening by using the drug of oxygen to treat patients with brain injuries. “There are clear signs that, in Joe’s case, after going through hyperbaric oxygen therapy, that cells which were dormant began lighting up and performing like healthy cells again,” says Walsh. “There are a lot of very important questions that may be answered by the results of this trial. If someone has had a TBI and their brain cells have diminished, are they dead or are they just dormant? What is the status of non-functioning brain cells? If they are dead, well, dead is dead and all the oxygen in the world isn’t going to bring them back to life. But if the cells are dormant, as seemingly has been the case with Joe, there is evidence that they are responding to hyperbaric oxygen therapy and remarkable things may be happening by use of this treatment.” Admitting he is skeptical by nature, Walsh hired an independent neurological radiologist from a prominent New Orleans hospital to review Namath’s SPECT scans. “The radiologist I hired was as skeptical, if not more
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so, than I was,” says Walsh. “But, after analyzing the scans he told me he was remarkably surprised by the improvement he saw.” Having worked closely with Namath for over 45 years, Walsh says he has also seen a marked improvement in the way Namath deals with stress since he completed the hyperbaric treatments. “I’ve known Joe for a long time, and I’ve seen changes for the better in the way he handles stress and business dealings,” says Walsh. “Where he once had a tendency to be a bit irritable in stressful situations, he is how more relaxed and easy-going. Is that because of the treatments? I can’t say that. All I know is that I have seen a very noticeable and positive change.” While Fox and Miskin are both cautious of overstating if the treatment may offer a “cure” for the symptoms of a brain injury, Walsh contends that a cure would simply be a cherry on top of the other benefits oxygenation may provide. “Perhaps these trials will never produce a cure per se,” says Walsh. “But suppose we learn how to interrupt the progression of the degeneration of brain cells? Suppose we have the chance to ward off the progression process that may lead to dementia and or Alzheimer’s. In researching this issue I have learned there are some in the medical community who are skeptical when it comes to the use of the drug of oxygen to help patients with TBI. I have also been skeptical. But, we won’t know what benefits may or may not be available until trials like the one the center is doing are concluded; maybe they can find a way to decrease the degeneration of injured brain cells and keep people healthier for a longer period of time, maybe for the remainder of their lives. The results of this trial could be extremely beneficial to the medical community and the NFL.” Asked if the NFL would be open to accepting the results of the trial being conducted by the Joe Namath Neurological Research Center, Miller says the league is constantly being advised by leading medical experts and that they invest in a number of independent research initiatives that will benefit the longterm health of not only football players but athletes across all sports and beyond. As an example, he points to their Head Health Challenge II, which is a part of the NFL’s collaboration with GE and Under Armour to advance concussion research, diagnosis, prevention and treatment. In late 2015, that challenge saw winning technologies announced that include a turf underlayer that softens impact, a novel football helmet (of which the proprietary design is still confidential), and a rate-dependent tether system that, according to Miller, will improve the safety of athletes, war-fighters, children and broader society. “We also work closely with the Department of Defense on all of our research projects and learn from the work they do, including the results of their research on hyperbaric therapy,” adds Miller. “Any study or report that involves the health of our player population is taken very seriously. It is an important input that will help to further advance progress.” As for the goals Miskin, Fox and Namath hope to achieve through their clinical trial program, Fox says they are doing all they can to convince the FDA, the medical community and the insurance companies of the benefits of hyperbaric oxygen treatments. “We have received FDA approval to evaluate the use of oxygen as a drug,” says Fox. “We have also wanted to make our trial more robust in a couple of ways. Cognitive improvement is a difficult thing to prove, so we have tried very hard to quantify the improvement we are seeing and documenting. We put our patients through the SPECT scanner and also have them do cognitive testing. We do everything we can to track how a patient is improving and changing as they go through the tests. This is a very important trial, because what it is doing is really looking at things in a scientific and measurable way. When it comes to brain injury treatments, looking at a patient’s improvement is what has been lacking in the past. The first 100 patients in this trial will be the most important as we track the improvement in their brains. We are then hoping to continue the trail, expanding it to a thousand patients, and take it beyond our center.” CHANGES
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For more information about traumatic brain injuries, hyperbaric oxygen therapy and the work of the Joe Namath Neurological Center, click on www. Namathneurocenter.com.
January 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 15 PAL_003873_01_1_4_Senior_Print_ Life_After_50_4.625x11.5_r3_FINAL_CFR.indd 1
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The View From
Broadway Broadway Joe shares his views on the head injuries he has suffered, why he sought medical treatment, and if he would be supportive of his grandson playing the game that made him an NFL legend Story by David Laurell * Photos by Vanessa Rogers
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s much as Joe Namath will always be remembered for playing a huge role in establishing the then-upstart American Football League by leading his team to victory in Super Bowl III, he continues to build on his legacy by virtue of the research that is being done at the Joe Namath Neurological Research Center at Jupiter Medical Center in Florida. In preparing this story, Life After 50 recently sat down with the Hall of Fame quarterback, now 72, to ask him about his views on the treatment he received, what his hopes are for the center’s clinical trials in the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy and other important issues. We began our conversation with Namath by asking if he remembers any significant hits he received to his head prior to his professional playing days. Joe Namath (JN): Oh yeah, of course! At practice as well as in a game. I know I had a concussion in college for sure. In practice, I got hit in the head like a bowling ball hitting me once. That was the only time I ever had a tooth knocked out and I remember seeing stars. You know, we never heard the word “concussion” back then. We just knew we had our bell rung and they would use smelling salts to bring us back around. I also remember in my sophomore 16 LIFEAFTER50.COM January 2016
season at Alabama, we were playing Georgia Tech and, boy, I got hit from behind and the next thing I knew, I was on the bench. My left side was numb and my arm was tingling and I had no memory of leaving the field. But back then, once you became alert again, it was: “Oh, okay, there’s nothing wrong, so get back in the game.” life After 50 (lA50): What about the head injuries you sustained as a pro? JN: I certainly remember taking a good hit and seeing that gold flash on a few occasions. One of the classic hits I recall came when we were playing Denver. I had just released a pass and this defensive tackle, a guy named Dave Costa, started accelerating through the air and was leading with his head and caught me right in my solar plexus. In my follow through, I was kind of bent over his body but he was driving me back and drove me into the ground so that my head hit and then bounced hard on the ground. You can be hit in a lot of different ways by another player but a lot of the real damage to the brain can come, not so much from the impact of the hit, but from when your head hits the ground. lA50: After taking a hit like that, did you ever have lingering pain or experience any disorientation in the following days? JN: No, not that I remember. But you have to remember that the legal pain killer called alcohol was always around after work. And if you were a drinker, which I was back then, you would drink to get to a place of numbness to relieve the pains, and the next day, you wouldn’t know if the pounding in your head was from a hangover or from the hits you took. lA50: When was it, and for what reason did you decide to look into seeing if you had any reason to be concerned over the hits you had taken during your career? JN: The process started by having a former teammate explain to me his fears of what he was going through – problems with memory and putting sentences
and thoughts together properly. That was back in 2008 or 2009. He was at a point in which he was reaching out and trying to get some help. But even as recent as then, there wasn’t a lot of information or help available. I think of my ignorance of seeing Muhammad Ali and just thinking he had Parkinson’s disease. I didn’t associate what he is going through with his having suffered traumatic brain injuries. I just thought it was what my dad told me when I was a little boy – using the old classic fighter’s term – that he was “punch drunk.” I have been with Muhammad, and seeing what he is going through is very painful to watch. lA50: So did you feel you had any concerns for yourself after seeing what your teammate and Ali were dealing with? JN: No, not at all. I knew I had suffered concussions, and because of what I knew from talking to many of my former teammates and other former players, I had been monitoring myself. I started catching myself saying: “Now what the heck did I come into this room for?” I started questioning my memory. Of course, many people of all ages say they have done that, but because I did have head injuries and knew other former athletes who were going through memory issues with a legitimate fear, I started to question myself. lA50: But you weren’t experiencing any head pain or serious cognitive issues? JN: Not at all. You know, for years I’ve said that I feel I will live a long time. My mother and father had good genes. But after seeing what has happed to some former players, I started thinking about the quality of my life as I get older. I started thinking about my children and grandchildren. I wanted to do everything I could to prevent what I have seen in others from happening to me. I thought it made good sense to find out what was happening to me as far as the little memory issues I had. So I knew Dr. Fox from local charity events and fundraisers and I asked him for some guidance. That’s how it all started. We began doing the scans and running a lot of tests and then we began the hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Then, after my first series of dives, we did further scans and what I saw in the way my brain changed was amazing. lA50: Because someone of your status in the sports world has been so proactive about this issue – been willing to go public with the treatments you have received and the results and the establishment of the Joe Namath Neurological research Center, what is it, besides your own health and wellbeing, that you hope the clinical study of the center will achieve? JN: There are many more traumatic head injuries happening on a daily basis than there are in the sports world – our military warriors, people who have had serious falls or been in car accidents. So addressing traumatic brain injuries, in hopes of finding an effective treatment, is something that has to be looked at. I can’t call it a mistake that we haven’t advanced that far on this issue as of yet. How do you see what’s going on in the brain? How do you analyze what any single blow to the head may do to a person? Fifty years ago, come on, we didn’t have the kind of technology or information we have today. We didn’t have the science, the kinds of tests and knowledge we have now. And yet, even in this day and age, brain injuries and how they should be treated is still a mystery we wish we could solve faster. So this clinical study is very important, because we don’t even know what we may learn from it. Today, oxygen isn’t considered a drug. The ultimate goal of our study – if we get to the next phase – is to get doctors and insurance companies and Medicare to recognize that, and pay for it, like they do with other drugs. We are trying to raise the money that will help us complete the clinical trial of 100 people and then submit the results to the FDA. That is the only way we can accomplish our goal of having the use of oxygen as a drug to be recognized by the FDA and ultimately the insurance companies. This study is so important, because it has
the possibly of revealing information we have never had before that could be helpful to so many people. lA50: in researching and preparing this story, we have spoken to a representative from the Nfl who says they are open to reviewing the results of your study. Are you confident that will happen? JN: I think so. I hope so. I think they are doing a whole lot more to make the game safer today. But come on, it’s a brutal sport that the human body was never made for. No matter what preventive measures are taken, no matter what technology is used in new helmets, players are going to get hit in the head and suffer concussions. I believe the NFL does want to step up on this issue, but they are a business – a big business – and in that case, the legal eagles are involved. Every business has an army of them and sometimes they put things off until they have to be addressed. Well, I think when it comes to dealing with players who have suffered brain injuries that time has come – to pull the trigger, so to speak. I do think they are trying, but I also think it is business and, like any big business, they have to protect themselves as much as possible. lA50: When the history of the 20th century is written, you will be a part of it as one of the era’s icons. That said, with all the “juicy rewards” as LIFE magazine one wrote, that the game of football has given you, if you could go back to the mid-1960s with the knowledge you have today, would you have still played? JN: (laughs) Well, I think I am smart enough at this stage of my life to know there are other things I could have done. If I knew what I know today, I may have gone in another direction rather than physically dealing with the injuries, whether it be the head or otherwise. But I loved playing. I just hated getting hit and getting hurt and losing (laughs). lA50: You have two beautiful daughters and two beautiful granddaughters, but last year, you also became the grandfather of a boy. Would you be supportive of him playing football? JN: Oh yeah! I even say that quickly, because of the benefits of the game – the discipline and life lessons and teamwork you get from playing the game. But I would only be supportive of him playing if he wanted to play. I would not push him into it, and that does bother me that some parents do that in hopes of their sons getting scholarships or having the chance at playing professionally. Remember, there are many other things that kids can do that will teach them the determination and the work ethic and lessons they need to succeed besides playing football. Look, football is a great sport, there is no question about it. But while I may not want my grandson to play football, if he wants to play, I wouldn’t stop him and I would be supportive.
January 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 17
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Meet the Medical Team of the Joe Namath Neurological Research Center
Dr. Barry M. Miskin The co-director of the Joe Namath Neurological Research Center offers insight on the use of hyperbaric oxygen treatment for patients with brain injuries
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Story by David Laurell * Photos by Vanessa Rogers
r. Barry M. Miskin is the co-director of the Joe Namath Neurological Research Center at Jupiter Medical Center in Jupiter, Florida. He serves as the principal investigator of the center’s clinical trial to determine whether hyperbaric oxygen therapy can successfully diminish the damage of traumatic brain injury.
life After 50 (lA50): How did you become involved in the testing of hyperbaric oxygen as a treatment for patients with brain injuries? Dr. Barry M. Miskin (BMM): I’ve worked in trauma centers for over 25 years, since I was a resident. I was trained in a level one trauma center under some of the finest people. When I was a surgical resident, I was involved with people who had suffered some pretty devastating head injuries. But what really brought it home to me was our last child had a traumatic brain injury. She had a hemorrhagic stroke in utero. So I started looking into brain injuries, because that’s what makes it real in medicine – when it’s happening to you. LA50: For the benefit of our readers, can you explain, in the simplest of terms, what hyperbaric oxygen treatment is? BMM: A patient goes into a chamber and breathes 100 percent oxygen under pressure. The oxygen works like a drug. It saturates your tissues and cells far more than by normal breathing. lA50: How many treatments, or dives as they are called, would someone who has a brain injury need to see results? BMM: We don’t know. Everyone has a different protocol, thus all the research. This is what we are doing at Jupiter Medical Center. This is part of my story. When my daughter was born, she was paralyzed on one side of her body and had a seizure disorder. As a doctor, I’m a guy whose goal is to try to fix things. I was determined to fix this. During that time, I had been taking training courses with people from the Air Force and had started a wound center. I was dealing with a lot of patients that had bad infections in their feet and in their bones. They also had a lot of other problems – strokes and neurological problems. What I noticed through my research was that when they were in the hyperbaric chamber, if they were paralyzed on one side, they were able to move that side. They maybe couldn’t speak because of a stroke, and yet while they were in the chamber they were able to speak. Then, when we took them out of the chamber, it all stopped; it didn’t last. Over the years, I have seen a patient with a really bad history of vascular disease, who had a stroke and was paralyzed over half of his body, be put in the chamber and the paralysis went away after two weeks. I began working with the first real pioneer in this treatment, Dr. Richard Neubauer, who treated children from all over the world with all kinds of neurological problems. Through Dr. Neubauer, I met a man whose child had a horrible seizure disorder where she was having 50 or 60 seizures a day. They 20 LIFEAFTER50.COM January 2016
tried everything and couldn’t stop them with any meds. Then, when they went to Dr. Neubauer, he was able to help control the seizures with his hyperbaric oxygen treatment. This man was convinced the same treatment would help my daughter so I bought my own chamber and put it in my house. I bought the liquid oxygen and treated her at home and I’m convinced she is doing better because of the treatment. lA50: Why do you think this clinical trial and treatment show promise? BMM: Because when you have a brain injury, you can have an area of cells that are asleep and not functioning. When you give these cells oxygen, it wakes them up and causes new blood vessels to form and everything starts working again. But that depends on the type of injury a person has, and some cells may be dead and not just sleeping and will never wake up. That is why this treatment isn’t exactly consistent. So one of the big things we are researching is if you can actually heal the brain. lA50: This sounds so promising, so why isn’t it being looked at on a grander scale? BMM: The problem is that oxygen isn’t expensive. We use only about six dollars’ worth during a dive, so it isn’t commercially attractive to the drug companies. LA50: Has your research shown that this treatment has longterm benefits, or is it only showing results during or right after the treatment? BMM: This treatment is not consistent, so depending on the kind of injury a person has, there is a varying result that they will get. But we never know what the result will be and in our research the problem with a CAT scan or an MRI is that they are anatomical studies that just show the anatomy. The SPECT scan that we are using is a functional study. It shows how the brain is functioning. But we really don’t know what this study will reveal. If someone has scar tissue – brain damage – they may never see 100 percent recovery. But suppose they only get a 20 or 30 percent recovery. That’s pretty good. For patients with brain damage, even small results – like realizing you have to go to the bathroom – can be monumental – life-changing. lA50: Do you have any thoughts on if this treatment could have any benefit to someone who has had a stroke or who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia? BMM: It may, but there really isn’t enough data yet. The problem is there has never really been any money for studies like this, so the data is really sparse. We’re trying to change that. lA50: Joe Namath said he began to become concerned when he noticed slight memory problems. Are there any symptoms someone should be aware of that go beyond the normal memory lapses we all have? BMM: There are a lot of subtle symptoms that people with brain injuries have that are very similar. There are also a lot of subtle cognitive differences that
people with brain injuries may have and sometimes they are associated with personality traits. As for symptoms, if someone’s temper is a lot shorter or if they may be inappropriate in social situations – doing things that may be out of character for them – that should be a signal. lA50: Tell us about the clinical trial you are currently conducting. BMM: Our chamber is owned by a third-party vendor, so we are not allowed to use the hospital chamber for anything other than what Medicare allows. So when Joe came to us, the only way we were able to put him in the chamber is if we wrote an experimental protocol. So I put together a protocol for a clinical trial. That’s how this all started, with Dr. Fox asking me the question: “Can hyperbaric oxygen help traumatic brain injury?” Then it went before our internal review board and the FDA to make sure it was okay. Our hospital is impeccable with their ethics so we have approached this in the proper way right from the start. lA50: What is your ultimate goal? BMM: If the trial proves successful, then we’d like to see the treatment approved so it will be accessible to everyone who would benefit from it. We
need to continue to get more data and submit it to the FDA. There is pretty compelling evidence out there that if you have had a brain injury, you have an increased chance, later in life, of not only getting Alzheimer’s, but Parkinson’s or ALS or some other neurological disease. The perfect example is Muhammad Ali. My thought is if there is some way to treat patients early on, before these diseases become manifest, then why aren’t we doing something to prevent that from happening? If anyone took a look at the scans we did of Joe’s brain before he started the hypobaric treatments and then after, it’s really impressive and promising. lA50: What has it meant to have someone of Joe Namath’s stature willing to put himself out there so publicly to establish this center and promote this trial? BMM: Having Joe behind this, and even more so, having him actually be a participant, has gotten us to this point in our research that we would have never achieved otherwise. If he wasn’t involved, we wouldn’t even be talking about this. He is larger than life and he himself has seen that this treatment has incredible promise.
Dr. Lee A. Fox The chief of radiology and co-director of the Joe Namath Neurological Research Center at Jupiter Medical Center answers the questions most frequently asked by parents and grandparents about kids playing contact sports
life After 50 (lA50): Many readers of our magazine may have kids or grandchildren who are currently participating in contact sports. Are there any telltale signs a parent or grandparent should be looking for if their kids or grandkids have had any sort of a head injury?
Dr. Lee Fox (LF): This is a topic near and dear to me because I have young children myself. With younger children, we have to be even more concerned about even slight trauma to the head, because their bodies aren’t fully developed. Their bodies are not strong enough to withstand the trauma they may encounter from contact sports as well as a collegiate or professional athlete. Also, the medical facilities available to collegiate and professional teams have doctors and specialists right on the field who are there to help them, whereas in youth leagues or high school that kind of thing is not available. Because a concussion or any harm to the brain may be overlooked with kids, my message is for parents and grandparents to be very conscious of them while they are participating in contact sports – to look for anything that may seem off. I know there are a lot of children that enjoy playing hockey, football, soccer, lacrosse and I think the most important thing is for parents to be actively involved with the coaches to make sure they have the right equipment. They should also be very careful, if the child has been injured, to make sure they receive the proper treatment as quickly as possible. There should never be an instance of telling a child or any athlete to just shake it off or slapping them on the back and saying: “Get back in there and play.” We always need to err on the side of being overly cautious when any kind of head injury occurs. lA50: Can we ask you to go a bit further in what a parent or grandparent should specifically look for if their child or grandchild has taken a slam or hit, because there is always the concern that if there is something wrong, a
child may not reveal that because they know they won’t be allowed to play any longer.
LF: That’s an excellent point and question and a very tough one to answer. Some kids may become disoriented after a hit to the head, but they may also just say they are okay and that they just got the wind knocked out of them. The problem is there is not a specific telltale sign that says: “Wow! You’ve been seriously injured.” It’s just very difficult to identify. There is no one thing that will stand out. What I can say is to look for any changes in mental status or cognitive behavior, confusion, difficulty walking or unsteadiness. Any type of neurological change can occur from a traumatic brain injury. We’ re all familiar with strokes, where you lose the ability to speak. With a traumatic brain injury, it can be confusion and not knowing what day it is, or coming up with the right words, difficulty with your gait, or even irritability or some other personality change. Or there may be no signs at all. That’s the challenge. LA50: With the film “Concussion” having just come out and Joe Namath’s participation in your trial and his willingness to go public with his treatment, are you hoping this will help spark more of an awareness of brain injuries and the work you are doing? LF: We’re very lucky that all of these things are happening at the same time. It is certainly creating a lot of awareness. We have known for a long time that traumatic brain injuries are a problem that can cause problems down the road and we’ve been very committed to working toward this treatment. We really have the chance to capitalize on all of the media attention on this subject. We need to just get it out there because the chances are very realistic that we may possibly be creating a treatment for this widespread problem.
For more information on traumatic brain injury or hyperbaric oxygen treatment, click on www.facebook.com/TBIHyperbaricHope. January 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 21
Cultivating Bliss in 2016
How I went from happy to happiest (and how you can, too!) Feel the best you’ve ever felt in 2016 by achieving your dreams, embracing your curves, making time for what really matters, and loving your space By Sheri Fink
T
he beginning of the New Year is a great time to not only gear up for the big game on Super Bowl Sunday, but also to set goals for a healthy, happy year ahead. If you’re like me, you devour all of the standard “New Year, New You” type articles only to be disappointed by the diet tips and recommended exercise gadgets that don’t result in long-term bliss or even short-term satisfaction. My guess is that at the dawn of this New Year, you’re seeking something deeper and more meaningful. I have a confession to make: Right now, I’m the happiest I’ve ever felt in my life. I’m typically a pretty happy person naturally, but lately it’s been consistently off the charts and with a calm peacefulness that’s new for me. Being extremely conscious of my happiness, I started to wonder what I’ve been doing differently and how my realizations may be able to inspire
22 LIFEAFTER50.COM January 2016
others seeking an adventure beyond the ordinary path, so, here’s what I discovered about cultivating bliss:
1
I’m taking extraordinary care of myself. I’m taking my own needs seriously
and treating myself as if I matter. Simply put, I’m prioritizing my self-care. That means I’m working out, meditating (most days), getting good sleep, taking dance lessons, spending time with people I love, and journaling daily. Each night, I invest a few minutes in setting my priorities for my day ahead, aligning my actions with my biggest goals, and reflecting on my successes.
2
I’m intentionally making progress toward my dreams...daily. Last summer,
I decided it was time to finish writing a novel I had been working on (which will be published on
February 2), to really take care of my body, and to exponentially grow my business. Every day, I took at least one action in each category. Even it if seems like a small thing at the time, those actions really add up by the end of the week and I feel satisfaction from no longer delaying my dreams.
3
I’m setting boundaries and being very selective about how and with whom I invest my time. Our time and energy
are the most precious gifts we can give someone. I no longer squander them with people who waste or devalue my time. It felt awkward saying “no” at first, but it’s incredibly liberating and gets easier every time. And if I see that someone is disrespecting my boundaries, I speak up. If I don’t like the outcome of a conversation, I say “goodbye.” No drama, no second-guessing, and no attachment.
4
I’m eating carbs...daily and unapologetically. While on my fitness journey, I tried
a variety of strategies that were recommended to me. One that I was told would have amazing results to help me “lean out” was to go low-to-no carbs a few days a week. Well, I tried that for a while, but it made me feel crazy. Suddenly food became a big focus, I felt extra emotional and weak, had disrupted sleep almost every night, was very critical of myself and my body, and sometimes couldn’t complete my challenging workouts. It just didn’t feel good to me. So I started eating healthy carbs (oatmeal, pistachios, raisins, veggie burgers, green drinks, apples and sourdough bread) again and occasionally enjoyed less-healthy carbs (pizza, french fries and ice cream) in addition to lots of protein-rich foods (fish, eggs, whey, lentils and Greek yogurt) and healthy fats (such as coconut oil, avocados and olive oil). The results? I feel energetic and emotionally balanced. I sleep through the night every night. I actually cook homemade meals and enjoy my food more. I feel strong and positive about my body. And I feel good dining with friends without the drama of what to eat. I’m four pounds heavier than I was at my lowest weight, but who cares when you feel the best you’ve ever felt? I’m not sure why I ever wanted to look so “lean” when I’m naturally an hourglass-shaped woman. I’m extremely active and my body needs energy from real food sources. I am fit, healthy, curvy, and feminine...and most importantly, I am happy. Focusing so much on weighing less takes up valuable energy and attention that could be focused on other things. I guess I just didn’t question what society had trained me to believe about skinnier being better. It’s not, at least not for my body. Now I’m happy to be taking care of my body and fulfilling its unique needs without allowing it to completely dominate my life and disrupt my wellbeing. I have a deeper respect and appreciation for my body and the life it enables me to live.
5
I’m spending time in environments that feel good to me. My environments have
always deeply affected me. Awhile back, I lived in a space in which I couldn’t write. I don’t know why, but the words would never flow onto the page while I was there. I had to seek outside environments to express myself through my writing. That became very burdensome, as it is difficult for me to write in bustling environments such as coffee shops and restaurants. My attention wandered, people came over and talked with me, and I ended up not accomplishing very much despite my best efforts. That all changed when I moved into a new place with more space, lots of light, and blissful quiet. I chose to keep only the things that are useful, beautiful, or bring me joy. It was a tough and timeconsuming process, but worth the purge, because now I’m surrounded by beauty. My environment energizes me in a whole new way. I’m writing all the time and the words flow beautifully. I don’t know why I waited so long to make a change that positively impacts my productivity every day. I love being and creating in my inspiring new space!
6
I’m giving zero attention to what I don’t want or don’t like. When I have a negative
thought, I no longer analyze it, wondering where it came from, what it means or why I’m having it. Instead, I just let it go. This one change has transformed my ability to focus on what I want to accomplish. I’m finding that I move a lot faster toward my dreams when I’m not constantly questioning myself. I choose to give my time and energy to thoughts that empower me. Thoughts are just thoughts until we energize them with attention and emotion. I consciously choose thoughts that help me achieve my goals and make a bigger contribution in the world, and that’s making all the difference. So there you have it: my realizations to create higher levels of joy, happiness, and fulfillment. I hope this
Meet SherI FInk Sheri Fink is an inspirational speaker, a best-selling author, an award-winning entrepreneur, and the creator of “The Whimsical World of Sheri Beth Fink” brand. She writes books that inspire and delight kids of all ages while planting seeds of self-esteem. Sheri’s newest adventure is a contemporary romance novel that debuts on February 2... just in time for Valentine’s Day. Her book, “Cake in Bed,” is a sexy, inspiring novel about a divorcee who discovers herself on a humorous and sometimes heartbreaking journey while finding love in an unexpected place. “Cake in Bed” is a book for smart women who believe in true love in the modern world. It’s a fun and flirty story that empowers women to be their authentic selves and not settle for less than they deserve in life or love, because everyone deserves to have their cake and eat it, too...preferably in bed! Learn more about Sheri Fink, her whimsical world and her books by clicking on www.SheriFink.com.
list helps you explore adjustments that could enhance your life for a happy, healthy, and blissful 2016!
Save Your Parent’S Home
from medi-cal You must act now while your parent is alive and before new legislation takes effect.
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January 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 23
Sherlock on Masterpiece – New Episode, PBS – Sunday January 10 at 10 p.m
For those who have anxiously been awaiting the return of this series, PBS’ “Masterpiece” is offering a taste in the form of this 90-minute special (season four goes into production this year). In the meantime you can once again enjoy Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in this acclaimed modern retelling of Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic stories. This time, however, our heroes find themselves in 1890s London. Beloved characters Mary Morstan played by Amanda Abbington, Inspector Lestrade portrayed by Rupert Graves and Mrs. Hudson played by Una Stubbs also turn up at 221b Baker Street.
Mercy Street – New Series, PBS – Premieres Sunday January 17 at 10 p.m.
Based on real events, this new series takes viewers beyond the battlefield and into the lives of Americans on the Civil War home front as they face the unprecedented challenges of one of the most turbulent times in our nation’s history. Set in Virginia in the spring of 1862, the series follows the lives of two volunteer nurses on opposite sides of the conflict; Mary Phinney played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead, a staunch New England abolitionist, and Emma Green, portrayed by Hannah James, a naive young Confederate belle. The two collide at Mansion House, the Green family’s luxury hotel that has been taken over and transformed into a Union Army Hospital in Alexandria, a border town between North and South and the longest-occupied Confederate city of the war. Ruled under martial law, Alexandria is now the melting pot of the region, filled with soldiers, civilians, female volunteers, doctors, wounded fighting men from both sides, runaway slaves, prostitutes, speculators and spies.
Billions – New Series, Showtime – Premieres
Sunday January 17 at 10 p.m. (also OnDemand)
Paul Giamatti and Damian Lewis star in this complex drama about power politics in the world of New York high finance. This 12-episode series is both a glimpse into the lives of the rich and powerful, and a look at the actual power structure of New York City itself. It focuses on shrewd, savvy U.S. Attorney Chuck Rhoades and the brilliant, ambitious hedge fund king Bobby “Axe” Axelrod who are on an explosive collision course, with each using all of his considerable smarts, power and influence to out-maneuver the other. The stakes are in the billions in this timely, provocative series.
The X-Flies – Six Episode Miniseries, Fox – Premieres Sunday January 24 at 10 p.m.
Thirteen years after the original series run, the next mind-bending chapter of “The X-Files” is a six-episode event series from creator/executive producer Chris Carter, with stars David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson re-inhabiting their roles as iconic FBI Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully. The stories are contemporary to things happening now, and they all take place in the U.S. The Mulder and Scully characters have not changed, though they did age accordingly. Many of the original cast members will also be returning including Mitch Pileggi and William B. Davis, as well as the original writers.
Mike Nichols: American Masters – New Special, PBS – Premieres Friday January 29 at 9 p.m.
“American Masters” launches its 30th anniversary season with the first documentary ever about legendary director Mike Nichols. An artistic trailblazer, he won an Oscar, a Grammy, four Emmys, nine Tonys and many other awards as a director, actor, writer, producer and comedian. As the legendary comedy duo Nichols and May, Nichols and his partner Elaine May revolutionized comedy in the late 1950s and early 1960s. May directs this new film in which Nichols discusses his life and 50-year career as a performer and director. The film also features new interviews with his friends and colleagues, including Meryl Streep, Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, Dustin Hoffman, Alec Baldwin, Paul Simon, Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane, as well as insights and highlights from Nichols’ acclaimed films “The Graduate,” “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?,” “Catch 22,” “Silkwood,” “Biloxi Blues,” “Working Girl,” “Angels In America,” along with theatrical productions “Barefoot in the Park,” “Luv” and “The Odd Couple.” 24 LIFEAFTER50.COM January 2016
The Best In January Television Viewing By Sandi Berg
Tuned In To What’s On
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Specializing in Seniors Buying or Selling Real Estate January 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 25
The Hallowed Hall of Must-Knowtables By David Laurell Illustration by Mark Hammermeister
Vince
Lombardi
The head coach of the Green Bay Packers during the 1960s, Vince Lombardi led “The Pack” to five National Football League championships in addition to winning the first two Super Bowls, then known as the AFL-NFL World Championship Game. Widely considered to be the greatest coach to ever lead an NFL team, Lombardi never had a losing season during his tenure as a head coach. In 1970, the World Championship Trophy, awarded to the winning Super Bowl team, was renamed in his honor, and the following year he was inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame.
V
incent Lombardi was born in June of 1913 in Brooklyn, New York. The first of five children born to Enrico and Matilda Lombardi, young Vince grew up in an ethnically diverse, middle-class neighborhood where he served as an altar boy, assisted his father in his meat cutting business, and, as the son of an Italian immigrant, suffered from racial prejudice. Having been raised in a strict Roman Catholic family, Lombardi felt obligated to serve in the priesthood and enrolled in Brooklyn’s Cathedral College of the Immaculate Conception. Somewhat hindered by poor eyesight, he struggled as a member of the school’s baseball and basketball teams and ultimately decided that neither sport nor the priesthood was for him. He then went on to attended Fordham University in the Bronx, where he made the Fordham Rams football team and excelled as a gutsy player. In 1937, Lombardi graduated from Fordham with no clear career path. He made the cut with a semi-professional football team, the Wilmington Clippers of the American Association, and eked out a living for a while as a debt collector.
Prodded by his father to return to school and earn a law degree, Lombardi was accepted to Fordham Law School, but lost interest and dropped out after only one semester. In the summer of 1940, Lombardi married Marie Planitz who, soon after, became pregnant and then suffered a miscarriage. Marie was so devastated by the loss of her baby, she began abusing alcohol, a problem that would haunt her and her family for years to come. By the fall of 1941, Marie was again pregnant and, in April of 1942, gave birth to the first of two Lombardi children. Still struggling as to what he wanted to do with his life, Lombardi accepted an assistant coaching job for a football team at a Roman Catholic high school in Englewood, New Jersey, where he also taught Latin, chemistry, and physics. Soon after, he was moved up to the top coaching spot. The performance of his team, winning six championships, resulted in an assistant coaching offer from Fordham University, a position he took for one season before going on to handle the same duties at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
This feature is intended for you to clip and give to your children or grandchildren because…they must-know! 26 LIFEAFTER50.COM January 2016
Lombardi coached at West Point for five years, after which he got a call from the pros and became an assistant coach with the New York Giants. During his five-season run with the Giants, Lombardi helped lead the team to five winning seasons, culminating with the league championship in 1956, after which he was tapped by the Green Bay Packers to come on board as their head coach. Heading up “The Pack,” Lombardi became known for his hard-edged style and demand of team work and total dedication from his players. Transforming the team into a successful franchise, the 1960s saw him lead them to five NFL championships, including victories in Super Bowl I and II, then known as the AFL-NFL Championship Game. During his early days at Green Bay, Lombardi ignored the prejudices that existed within many NFL front offices and simply searched for the most talented players, regardless of race. Saying that he: “viewed his players as neither black nor white, but Packer green,” Lombardi more than ruffled some feathers within the league. While the nation was in the throes of the civil rights movement, Lombardi was way ahead of the curve, adopting a zero tolerance policy towards racism. Not only did he welcome African-American players to his roster, he warned all of his players and coaches that even the smallest indications of prejudice would result in their dismissal from the team. Strongly opposed to the Jim Crow discrimination of the era, Lombardi declared, prior to the start of the 1960 season, his team was only to be booked into hotels that accepted those of all races. Lombardi’s “nothing but acceptance” credo also went beyond race. As the older brother of a gay man, he was an early advocate of honoring and respecting a person’s sexual orientation. Lombardi relinquished the reins over the Packers at the conclusion of the 1967 season and moved up to the team’s front office where he served as their general manager for his final year with Green Bay. In 1969, he was offered the head coach and general manager position with the Washington Redskins where, under his guidance, the team turned in their first winning season in 14 years. From the start of his tenure with the Redskins, Lombardi suffered with digestive problems and, in spite of his doctor’s concerns, wouldn’t consent to a proctoscopic exam. That changed in the early summer of 1970, when his health problems evolved into much more than an irritant. Admitted to Georgetown University Hospital in late June, tests revealed Lombardi had colon cancer. Scheduled for exploratory surgery the following month, his cancer was found to be aggressive and terminal. He died in Washington, D.C. on September 3, 1970 at the age of 57. Lombardi’s funeral was held on September 7 at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. Among the 1,500-plus in attendance to hear Terence Cardinal Cooke deliver the eulogy were a “who’s who” of the National Football League, including Commissioner Pete Rozelle. Following the service, Lombardi was interred in Mount Olivet Cemetery in Middletown Township, New Jersey.
• “Coach: A Season With Lombardi” by Tom Dowling (W. W. Norton & Company, 1970) • “By Their Works: Profiles of Men of Faith Who Made a Difference” by Stephen Singular (HarperCollins Publishers, 2006) • “When Pride Still Mattered: A Life Of Vince Lombardi” by David Maraniss (Simon & Schuster, 2000) • “Vince” by Michael O’Brien (William Morrow Paperbacks, 1989)
LEARN MORE While there have been numerous books written by and about Vince Lombardi and his coaching style, among the best are: • “The Essential Vince Lombardi : Words & Wisdom to Motivate, Inspire, and Win” by Vince Lombardi (McGraw-Hill Education, 2002) • “Instant Replay, The Green Bay Diary of Jerry Kramer” by Jerry Kramer and Dick Schaap (Anchor, 2011) • “Football’s Greatest Coach: Vince Lombardi” by Gene Schoor (Pocket, 1975) • “The Lombardi Legacy: Thirty People Who Were Touched by Greatness” by Royce Boyles and Dave Robinson (Goose Creek Publishers, 2009) Mark Hammermeister is an award-winning artist. His work is available for purchase at www.markdraws.com January 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 27
Joe
Theismann The Super Bowl XVIIwinning quarterback shares his “big game” memories and thoughts on sports safety and kids participating in contact sports Story By David Laurell * Photos courtesy Joe Theismann and the Hallmark Channel
O
n the morning of January 30, 1983, thenWashington Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann walked out on the field of the empty Rose Bowl in Pasadena. In the ensuing hours, the stadium would be filled to the rafters and the focus of a worldwide viewing audience as Super Bowl XVII would pit Theismann and his teammates against the Miami Dolphins. As he stepped out onto the stadium’s turf, Theismann knew that by the end of that day, things could be very different for his team, which had never won a Super Bowl, and for himself. “I walked the entire field,” Theismann recalls. “Not just from goal line to goal line, but around the entire field. I just looked at everything, taking it all in. It was an entirely new experience – like I had never been on a football field before. I wanted to really take in that moment. And I remember telling myself that it was just another football game. But it wasn’t – it’s not just another game. The consequences of winning or losing that one game dictate where you will go the rest of your life and how you will be remembered. It’s a validation of all the hard work you have put into the game since you were a kid.”
28 LIFEAFTER50.COM January 2016
For Theismann, a native of South River, New Jersey, that hard work began during his years at South River High School, where he excelled in baseball, basketball, and football. A standout athlete who garnered a scholarship to attend the University of Notre Dame, Theismann earned the starting quarterback job with the Fighting Irish in his sophomore year and was a serious contender for the Heisman Trophy. As his collegiate career wound down, Theismann, who was drafted by both the Miami Dolphins and the Minnesota Twins, opted instead to sign with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. Two years later, the Washington Redskins obtained Theismann’s rights from the Dolphins and, after serving as a punt returner for his rookie season in the NFL, was named the Redskins’ starting quarterback in 1978.
SUPER MEMORIES During his time with the Redskins, Theismann led his team to victory in their first Super Bowl and then helped get them back to the big game the following year where they fell to defeat at the hands of the then-Los Angeles Raiders.
“That second Super Bowl was a distinctively different thing for me,” Theismann recalls. “Our first Super Bowl was at the end of a season that had been shortened due to a strike. We had only played nine games that year and we won eight of them. But due to the strike, every team qualified as a wild card, so there was no bye week. The regular season ended and the next week was a playoff game, and then another playoff, and then another playoff, and all of a sudden it was the Super Bowl. We didn’t have time to think or reflect on what was happening. All we were focused on was preparing for the next week’s opponent. I loved the spontaneity of that. There was a lot of energy and excitement and momentum. That’s what I was feeling when I walked out on the field that morning.” Theismann says that as much as he felt ready for his first Super Bowl appearance, he admits to having been a bit off-kilter for his second one. “The following season, after we won the division, we had this two-week period before going to Tampa for the Super Bowl. That bye week gives you the opportunity to get healthy physically, but I felt it took away from our sense of momentum. We were on a roll having beat San Fran and things were moving along and all of a sudden it all slowed
down. In the second Super Bowl, I was sort of uncomfortable in an odd way. I had a great practice the Thursday before the game, but didn’t feel like I had performed well at Friday’s practice. By Sunday, I thought I was ready, but I didn’t play well at all in that game. There is just no two ways around it; I missed a fair amount of opportunities to be able to get the ball down the field.”
THAT FATEFUL MONDAY NIGHT While Theismann didn’t earn a second Super Bowl ring, he did go on to set several Redskins franchise records before his career abruptly ended on the night of November 18, 1985. While playing the New York Giants on “Monday Night Football,” Theismann was sacked by Giants linebackers Lawrence Taylor and Harry Carson. As he took the hit, his leg twisted under him and then snapped with a comminuted compound fracture. Immediately realizing the severity of Theismann’s injury, Taylor frantically signaled for sideline medical help, while in the broadcast booth, Frank Gifford lauded Theismann as a “gutsy player” as O. J. Simpson and Joe Namath sat in stunned silence. Theismann, who reveals he has only watched a tape of that play once and will never watch it again, says he believes the NFL has become much more responsible when it comes to players’ safety as the years have gone by. “I think they are trying to do everything they can to keep injures to a minimum in what is a violent contact game,” he opines. “There’s no way around that fact, that it is a brutal game, and the nature of the game means that no matter what rules or equipment is changed, guys will get hurt and break bones. I’ve had teeth knocked out, multiple concussions, two broken hands, multiple broken noses, cracked ribs, broke my leg twice. And yet, I would play again tomorrow if I could. I know guys who don’t feel that way and I respect that. It’s an individual choice for each person.”
ART IMITATES LIFE In the wake of his playing days, Theismann has worked as a sportscaster for various networks, does extensive motivational speaking engagements, and has occasionally acted. Having done some acting work in the television series “B.J. and the Bear” and the feature film “Cannonball Run II” while he was still playing, he has since appeared in the 1993 film “The Man From Left Field,” played the role of a buyer for a fictional football team on the USA Network’s series “Necessary Roughness,” and appeared in a 2014 episode of the FOX series “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.” On January 16 at 8 p.m., art will somewhat imitate real life for Theisman as he stars in the Hallmark Channel’s original film, “Love on the Sidelines.” In the film, Theismann plays the part of Seth Holland, the father of superstar quarterback Danny Holland, played by John Reardon, who has
suffered a serious leg injury. In need of a personal assistant, Holland reluctantly agrees to hire Laurel Welk, played by Emily Kinney, an aspiring fashion designer who knows nothing about football. Asked to comment on the parallels between the film and his own career, Theismann says playing the role brought back thoughts and memories he hasn’t entertained in some time. “The main character, Danny, is a Super Bowl champ who has been sidelined with an injury,” says Theismann. “So I related to that, and when they asked me to do it, I was excited about it. I enjoy acting and I thought it was really a terrific script – a great feel-good story about a young man who is going through the struggles that come with a serious injury. Some of the scenes brought back memories of the people who encouraged me after I had suffered various injuries and when my career was over. They were people who wouldn’t let me get down on myself.”
THE QUESTION OF SAFETY As the nation gears up for the 50th Super Sunday to be held on February 7 at Santa Clara’s Levi’s Stadium, the NFL has announced it will break with their tradition of using Roman numerals and bill the game as “Super Bowl 50” instead of “Super Bowl L.” Asked about his observations on other ways the game has changed since his playing days, Theismann, who chose to wear a
single-bar facemask instead of the more protective double- or triple-bar offerings that provide more protection, opines that there are differences. “The game today is different,” he says. “But life is different. The Internet and social media has changed everything. All of the electronics and gadgets of today weren’t even thought of, much less a part of our lives back then. Today a player has communication abilities right in his helmet and they use computers and iPads on the sidelines. And then, of course, the biggest issue in the game today is safety.” Prior to pressing him on that issue, he laughs when asked why he never opted for a more protective facemask. “I played on a team that, prior to me, had quarterbacks Billy Kilmer and Sonny Jurgensen, who both wore a single-bar face mask. Now that’s some real peer pressure to follow guys like that, and I always thought: ‘What would I look like if I went to a different face mask than they used?’ But it also had something to do with my view in handing off. I always felt I could see better with the single bar. I think I was the last player to ever wear the singe bar, except for kickers.” As to the more serious and current issue of safety, especially for young people who want to play contact sports, Theismann has a pragmatic opinion on allowing their participation. “I know a lot of parents who don’t want their kids to play football, but they are totally okay with them playing soccer, and yet, when you look at the occurrence of head injuries in soccer, statistics show it is greater than in football,” says Theismann. “From what I understand, the occurrence of head injuries is number one in soccer, followed by football, and then I think lacrosse is number three.” Often asked by parents and grandparents for his feelings on playing contact sports, Theismann says that while safety should be a big concern, playing football, or any team sport, also offers a great training ground for life. “With organized youth sports, kids are a part of a team, just as they will be as they go on to get jobs and make their way in the world,” says Theismann. “Coaches today stress proper nutrition. Kids who participate in team sports get exercise. They are taught discipline from someone other than their parents. It expands their minds, because there are plays that have to be learned and remembered. In a team environment, you learn to rely on others to get your job done. There are tremendous life lessons that come with participation in youth athletics.” Addressing the safety issue, he points out that today, there are technologies and teaching techniques being incorporated that are a great
January 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 29
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plus in reducing injuries. “Look, kids get hurt when they are skateboarding or riding a bike,” he reasons. “You can’t put them in a bubble. Because of all the media hype and publicity surrounding concussions in sports today, parents are afraid to let their kids participate in football. I get that, but all I can say is that I would encourage my grandkids to be involved in organized sports, but would also want to be fully knowledgeable as to what is being implemented and taught to make it as safe as possible. That is what is being done today on every level of football from youth leagues on up to the NFL. But as I said before, it’s a violent game and protecting a player from being injured will never be a perfect science.”
THEISMANN TODAY Today, Theismann and his wife Robin enjoy time at their homes in Virginia, Tennessee, and Florida when he is not out on the road working. He says that, because he maintains a grueling schedule, he is extremely conscious of his diet and how he takes care of himself. “I do cardiovascular, stretches and upper-body strengthening on a regular basis,” he says. “I took red meat out of my diet about 25 years ago, because it just wasn’t processing well with me and made me feel sluggish.” He is also a great believer that as one ages, they have to take care of what is going on in their heads as much as their bodies. “I see a lot of people hit a certain age – 50 or 60 – and it is a milestone that is not a positive one for them,” says Theismann. “To me, hitting those ages was just having another birthday. Getting older is so much about how you feel and the way you look at life – the way you take care of yourself and the energy and passion you put into living. That’s what keeps you young, no matter what the calendar says. I refuse to allow outside circumstance to dictate my happiness. You just can’t allow the thoughts of your age to creep into you head. I believe you’re as old as you think, and in my head, I’m barely in my middle 30s.” For more information on Joe Theismann click on www.joetheismann.com.
30 LIFEAFTER50.COM January 2016
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Let’s Get OUt A Preview of Upcoming Events for January/February By Claire Yezbak Fadden
eNteRtAINMeNt
Admission-$9; skate rental-$4. (213) 6244289. holidayicerinkdowntownla.com.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 15
SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN’ TO MOTOWN Telling the tale of Kris Kringle’s (aka Santa Claus) origin, The Troubies take the jolly old man himself and send him to the land of Smokey Miracles and Supreme Temptations. Falcon Theatre, 4252 Riverside Dr., Burbank. $32-$44. Dates vary through Jan. 17. (818) 955-8101. falcontheatre.com.
THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY The unforgettable story of Iowa housewife Francesca Johnson and her life-changing, four-day whirlwind romance with traveling photographer Robert Kincaid. Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre at the Music Center, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. Also Jan. 16- 17. $25-$130. (213) 628-2772. centertheatregroup.org. ICE AT SANTA MONICA This 8,000 square foot ice skating rink in downtown Santa Monica hosts a variety of events including Rock ‘n’ Skate on Friday nights, Sunday Costume Skate, Lil’ Tot Time and Los Angeles Kings Hockey Clinics. 1324 5th St., Santa Monica. Through Jan. 18. $15 skate rental. (805) 701-7248. iceatsantamonica.com. HOLIDAY ICE RINK IN PERSHING SQUARE Los Angeles’s biggest outdoor community skating rink includes a holiday concert series, the Snoopy Showcase, deejay nights, a Winter Holiday Festival, championship skating exhibitions and broomball games. Pershing Square, 532 S. Olive, Los Angeles. Through Jan. 18. $9/one-hour skate session.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 16 LOUIS AND KEELY: LIVE AT THE SAHARA Louis Prima and Keely Smith shared a largerthan-life marriage and groundbreaking Las Vegas act featuring unforgettable songs like “That Ol’ Black Magic,” “Pennies from Heaven” and “Embraceable You.” This performance features Tony Award-winner Anthony Crivello as Louis Prima and Vanessa Claire Stewart as Keely Smith. Gil Cates Theater, 10886 Le Conte Ave. Los Angeles. Also Jan. 17. $43-$129. (310) 208-5454. geffenplayhouse.com. WOODLAND HILLS ICE Glide around the only outdoor open-air ice rink in the San Fernando Valley. Westfield Promenade Mall, 6100 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Woodland Hills. Through Jan. 24. $15 including skate rental. (818) 854-4151. woodlandhillsice.com.
LA/Ventura
January/February
A RAISIN IN THE SUN Set on Chicago’s South Side, the story revolves around the divergent dreams and conflicts within three generations of the Younger family: son Walter Lee, his wife Ruth, his sister Beneatha, his son Travis, and family matriarch Lena, called Mama. Westchester Playhouse, 8301 Hindry Ave., Los Angeles. Weekends through Feb. 13. $25. (310) 6455156. kentwoodplayers.org.
MONDAY, JANUARY 18
SUNDAY, JANUARY 17
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20
KURIOS – A CABINET OF CURIOSITIES In this Cirque du Soleil show, a Seeker discovers that in order to glimpse the marvels that lie just below the surface, we must first learn to close our eyes. In his larger-than-life curio cabinet, the Seeker is convinced that there exists a hidden, invisible world – a place where the craziest ideas and the grandest dreams lie waiting. Dodger Stadium, 1000 Elysian Park Ave., Los Angeles. Through Feb. 7. cirquedusoleil.com/kurios.
GLENDALE NOON CONCERTS Chobraty Brass Duo. Sanctuary of Glendale City Church, 610 E. California Ave., Glendale, Glendale. Free. (818) 242-2113. glendalenoonconcerts.blogspot.com.
STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS Enjoy a laser lightsaber curtain show and explore an exclusive display of costumes and props from the movie before the screening begins. El Capitan Theatre, 6838 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. Through Feb. 7. $15-$31. (800) 347-6396. elcapitantickets.com.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 22
WESTERN MUSIC ASSOCIATION SHOWCASE Musicians and cowboy poets perform stories and songs of the romantic days of the Old West, contemporary music of the American West and songs of the open range and the American cowboy. The Autry National Center, 4700 Western Heritage Way, Griffith Park, Los Angeles. $6-$10. (323) 667-2000. theautry.org. UNDER THE STREETLAMP Let tight harmonies and slick dance moves take you back to an era of sharkskin suits, flashy cars, and martini shakers. Hot new vocal quartet Under the Streetlamp performs classics from the American radio songbook. The group delivers doo-wop, Motown and oldtime rock ‘n’ roll. Center for the Performing Arts, 12700 Center Court Drive, Cerritos. $50$80. (562) 467-8818. cerritoscenter.com. SATURDAY, JANUARY 23 WU MAN AND THE SHANGHAI QUARTET Bram Goldsmith Theater, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd. Beverly Hills. $39-$99. (310)746-4000. thewallis.org. SUNDAY, JANUARY 24
THURSDAY, JANUARY 15
FLASHDANCE THE MUSICAL
With electrifying dance at its core, this musical tells the inspiring and unforgettable story of Alex Owens, a Pittsburgh steel mill welder by day and a club dancer by night with dreams of one day becoming a professional performer. Features a score including the title song “Flashdance-What a Feeling,” “Maniac,” “Gloria,” “Manhunt” and “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll.” Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, Fred Kavli Theatre, 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. Through Jan. 17. Prices vary. civicartsplaza.com.
34 LIFEAFTER50.COM January 2016
STOMP This explosive, inventive, provocative, witty and utterly unique musical features an eight-member troupe using everything but conventional percussion instruments – matchboxes, wooden poles, brooms, garbage cans, Zippo lighters, hubcaps – to fill the stage with magnificent rhythms. Valley Performing Arts Center, 18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge. $30-$65. (818) 677-3000. valleyperformingartscenter.com. NEW SHANGHAI CIRCUS Astonishing athletes defy gravity and execute breathtaking feats as they stretch the limits
CALeNDAR
January/February LA/Ventura
of human ability, bringing more than 2,000 years of Chinese circus traditions to the stage. Pepperdine University, Smothers Theatre, 24255 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu. $20-$40. arts.pepperdine.edu. SUZANNE FARRELL MASTER CLASS A living legend and Balanchine’s most influential muse, Farrell leads an advanced Master Class with ballet students accompanied by a pianist. Bram Goldsmith Theater, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd. Beverly Hills. Also $25-$35. (310)746-4000. thewallis.org. MONDAY, JANUARY 25 CHRISTINE EBERSOLE: BIG NOISE FROM WINNETKA The show features both classic and reimagined Broadway hits, pop and jazz classics and anecdotes about growing up. Lovelace Studio Theater, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills. Also Jan. 26-28. $75-$135. (310)746-4000. thewallis.org. TUESDAY, JANUARY 26 FLY With a focus on hope, endurance and accomplishment, this story tells of the first African-American Army Air Corp fighters known as the Tuskegee Airmen who flew over the skies of Europe and North Africa during World War II. The Pasadena Playhouse, 39 S. El Molino Ave. Pasadena. Through Feb. 21. Prices vary. (626) 356-7529. pasadenaplayhouse.org. VENTURA BLUEGRASS JAMS Milano’s Italian Restaurant, Patio, Ventura Harbor Village, 1559 Spinnaker Dr., Ventura. (805) 658-0388. milanositalianrestaurant.com. THURSDAY, JANUARY 28 THE SCIENCE OF SHIPWRECKS Derek Smith, discusses how studying the effects of existing submerged structures will help inform engineers and managers how to bio-construct and monitor new structures to enhance and promote ecosystems. The Aquarium of the Pacific, 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach. $5. (562) 590-3100. aquariumofpacific.org. FRIDAY, JANUARY 29 EDDIE MONEY The Canyon, 28912 Roadside Dr., Agoura Hills. $38-$58. (818) 879-5016. canyonclub.net. A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM This mixture of slapstick, farce, mistaken identity, music and dance has enjoyed two successful Broadway revivals, and has showcased generations of comic actors from Zero Mostel and Phil Silvers to Nathan Lane and Whoopi Goldberg. Cabrillo Music Theatre, Scherr Forum Theatre, Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. $40-$55. Through Feb. 14. cabrillomusictheatre.com.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 30
CAMELLIA AND TEA FESTIVAL
Celebrate the camellia, which brightens winter days with its colorful blossoms and warms the heart when brewed into tea. Events include crafts, a guided walk of the Descanso camellia collection, a lively performance of dance and live music, followed by an interactive workshop. Descanso Gardens, 1418 Descanso Dr., La Cañada Flintridge. Also Jan. 31. $6-$9. (818) 949-4200. descansogardens.org.
L.A. DANCE PROJECT This program features “Hearts and Arrows” by Benjamin Millepied with music by Philip Glass, the U.S Premiere of Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s “Harbor Me” and “Murder Ballades” by Justin Peck featuring an original score by Bryce Dessner and visual installation by Sterling Ruby. Bram Goldsmith Theater, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd. Beverly Hills. Also Jan. 30. $39$99. (310)746-4000. thewallis.org. SATURDAY, JANUARY 30 DON RICKLES Saban Theatre, 8440 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills. $79-$150. (888) 645-5006. sabantheatre.org.
FEBRUARY TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2 DEEP SUB AND THE FIVE DIVES EXPEDITION Chris Welsh discusses the Five Dives Expedition, which aims to dive to the deepest point in each of the five ocean basins. The Aquarium of the Pacific, 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach. $5. (562) 590-3100. aquariumofpacific.org.
Main St., Ventura. First Sunday of each month. (805) 653-0323. venturamuseum.org. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9 VENTURA BLUEGRASS JAMS Milano’s Italian Restaurant, Patio, Ventura Harbor Village, 1559 Spinnaker Dr., Ventura. (805) 658-0388. milanositalianrestaurant.com. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10
BARCELONA When a young American tourist has a wild night out with an elegant Spaniard, what begins as a drunken fling becomes a searing and seductive look at two lost souls seeking solace in each other. Bess Wohl’s biting humor uncovers the individual tragedies and triumphs that build us up as well as tear us down. Gil Cates Theater, 10886 Le Conte Ave. Los Angeles. Through March 13. $32-$76. (310) 208-5454. geffenplayhouse.com. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3 GLENDALE NOON CONCERTS Sanctuary of Glendale City Church, 610 E. California Ave., Glendale, Glendale. Free. (818) 242-2113. glendalenoonconcerts.blogspot.com. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 7 FREE FIRST SUNDAY Free admission to the Museum of Ventura County including its galleries and any special events. Museum of Ventura County, 100 East
AN ACT OF GOD The King of the Universe is tackling His greatest challenge yet: Live-Theatre in Los Angeles. In this comedy, the Almighty and His devoted angels answer some of the deepest questions that have plagued mankind since creation. Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre at the Music Center, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. Dates vary through March 13. $25-$115. (213) 6282772. centertheatregroup.org.
January 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 35
CALeNDAR
January/February LA/Ventura THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11 DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES ART WALK This self-guided, public art walk brings art lovers and community friends together in downtown Los Angeles. 411 S. Main St., between Second and Ninth Streets, Los Angeles. Free. downtownartwalk.org. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14 ROMEO AND JULIET The greatest love story of all time seduces audiences with its romantic aura as much today as when it was written. A Noise Within, 3352 E Foothill Blvd. Pasadena. $40-$62. Through May 8. (626) 356-3100. anoisewithin.org.
ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK Saban Theatre, 8440 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills. $58-$98. (888) 645-5006. sabantheatre.org. SECOND SUNDAY CONCERT Pasadena Central Library, 285 E Walnut, Pasadena. Free. (626) 398-0658.
eXHIBItIONs
Oceanic Art Pamela McClusky, and Consultant Curator Erika Dalya Massaquoi, sought out artists who are probing the notion of disguise in their work. Twelve artists were selected to represent the core themes of the show and eight of those artists were commissioned to produce new visions and sounds for the exhibition. The Fowler Museum at UCLA, North Campus, Los Angeles. Wed.Sun. through March 13. Free. (310) 825-4361. fowler.ucla.edu. FAREWELL, EDEN: NATURE IN A PORST-WILD WORLD This exhibit features works of art by contemporary artists who are seeking to divine and define the emerging new relationships between nature and the city, between nature and humankind. Descanso Gardens, Sturt Haaga Gallery’s, 1418 Descanso Dr., La Cañada Flintridge. Tues.Sun. through April 3. $6-$9. (818) 949-4200. descansogardens.org. A WORLD OF STRANGERS: CROWDS IN AMERICAN ART Crowds are the temporary groups that strangers form at baseball games, parades, riots and on city streets. Fickle and ephemeral, crowds can be joyous, destructive, or somber. In this exhibition of about 20 works, artists have represented groups of people as patterns of dots, murky silhouettes and teeming, river-like currents of cars. The Huntington, Huntington Art Gallery, 1151 Oxford Rd., San Marino. Through April 4. $19-$25. huntington.org. THE NATURE OF WILLIAM S. RICE Arts and Crafts Painter and Printmaker. This exhibition offers a rare glimpse into the private world of William S. Rice (1873–1963), an artist and avid naturalist known for his ability to refine nature to its simplest forms. Featuring some 50 watercolors and block prints, the works, some on public view for the first time, illuminate the techniques and approaches Rice used to singularly capture and depict the California landscape. Pasadena Museum of Art, 490 East Union Street, Pasadena. Through April 3. $5-$7. Wed.-Sun. (626) 568-3665. pmcaonline.org.
from Capitol Studios, where Sinatra recorded many of his most beloved songs. The Grammy Museum at L.A. Live, Special Exhibits Gallery, Second Floor, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles. Through February 2016. $12-$13. (213) 765-6803. grammymuseum.org. NEW ACQUISITIONS Featuring the Kaufman Collection, this exhibit presents nearly 60 paintings, sculptures and works on paper. Organized thematically, the artworks are set alongside quotes that describe aspects of experience and identity in the West. These words support, challenge or complicate the artworks, creating a dialogue that reminds us that a work of art—like any form of representation—does not always tell the whole story. The Autry National Center, Norman F. Sprague, Jr. Gallery, 4700 Western Heritage Way, Griffith Park, Los Angeles. Through July 9. $6-$10. (323) 667-2000. theautry.org. RAVI SHANKAR: A LIFE IN MUSIC This display features a collection of sitars played by Shankar throughout his life and career; performance attire, including outfits worn at Woodstock in 1969 and the Concert for Bangladesh, rare photographs from the Shankar family collection as well as original correspondences, writings and music. The Grammy Museum at L.A. Live, Fourth Floor, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles. Through Spring 2016. $12-$13. (213) 765-6803. grammymuseum.org. LEGENDS OF MOTOWN: CELEBRATING THE SUPREMES Founded as The Primettes, The Supremes
became Motown’s most consistent hit makers and the most popular female group of the ‘60s. The polished singing style of original members Mary Wilson, Diana Ross and Florence Ballard bridged the worlds of pop and soul. On display are rare photographs from the personal collection of Mary Wilson, concert posters, tour books, fan memorabilia and an assortment of performance gowns, including the Turquoise Freeze dresses worn during a 1967 appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” The Grammy Museum at L.A. Live, Third Floor, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles. Through Spring 2016. $12-$13. (213) 7656803. grammymuseum.org. JELLIES Delve into the mysterious world of sea jellies through this new exhibition. Often referred to as “jellyfish,” sea jellies are actually invertebrates or animals without backbones. Explore the amazing life of these gelatinous animals and learn about their importance to our ocean planet through new exhibits, educational programs, a film and even art. Ever wondered what a jelly feels like? You can even safely touch them. The Aquarium of the Pacific, 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach. Through April 30. $26-$29. (562) 590-3100. aquariumofpacific.org.
Get the Word Out. E-mail your announcements to Claire Fadden, cfadden@lifeafter50.com 60 days prior (or even earlier) to your event. Include a brief description, location, date, time, cost, phone and website. Submission does not guarantee publication.
Y.C. HONG: ADVOCATE FOR CHINESE-AMERICAN INCLUSION This exhibition offers a deeper sense of the life of an extraordinary figure in Chinese-American history. Through some 75 items, including historical documents, correspondence, photographs, maps and ledgers, this exhibit examines Chinese-American immigration in early 20th century Los Angeles. The Huntington, Library West Hall, 1151 Oxford Rd., San Marino. Through March 21. $19-$25. huntington.org.
DIGUISE: MASKS AND GLOBAL AFRICAN ART This exhibition, organized by the Seattle Art Museum (SAM), brings together contemporary artists working in Africa and America. Over the past two years, SAM’s Curator of African and
36 LIFEAFTER50.COM January 2016
SINATRA: AN AMERICAN ICON This multimedia exhibit explores the life and career of the multiple Grammy Award-winner, tracing 100 years of Sinatra’s legacy, from Hoboken, New Jersey, through superstardom. This display features artifacts from the Sinatra family’s personal collection, including neverbefore-seen photos, family mementos, rare correspondence, personal items, artwork and recordings, as well as original artifacts
A PATH APPEARS
Actions for a Better World. Designed to inspire visitors to find their own paths to making a difference in the world, this exhibition explores four critical humanitarian issues—education, health, jobs and empowerment—and reveals how organizations, both local and global, are developing workable solutions to these worldwide challenges. Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles. Through Feb. 21. $7-$10. (310) 440-4500. skirball.org.
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Rick Steves’ Travels Rick St eveS’ t RavelS
Discover the history and romance of Germany’s Rhineland
By Rick Steves
V
isiting the Rhine River Valley never gets old. It’s storybook Germany – a fairy-tale world of legends, rugged cliffs, halftimbered towns, and robber-baron castles. Simply put: One of the greatest travel thrills Europe has to offer comes zipping along the Rhine River on a fast train or slowly gliding through it on a relaxing old steamer boat. The Rhine flows north from Switzerland to Holland, but the 70-mile scenic stretch from Mainz to Koblenz hoards all the touristic charm. Studded with the cream of Germany’s castles, it bustles with boats, trains, and highway traffic. While going by land will give you much more flexibility to stop in and tour the region’s castles, cruising the Rhine is the most relaxing way of all, albeit a very slow way. I always suggest that folks consider taking the oneor-two-hour span from Bacharach to either St. Goar (nine miles) or Boppard (17 miles) by boat, and then doing the rest by train. Bacharach draws lots of tourists for its timecapsule quaintness. Here, you can visit the intriguing ruins of a church on the hill, see a house from 1368, and walk the town walls. It’s also the perfect place to spend the night. Bacharach is home to one of Europe’s great hostels, the Jugendherberge Stahleck. Located in a 12th century castle, the hostel rents rooms for under $30, complete with breakfast and a royal Rhine view! Bacharach, whose name likely derives from “altar to Bacchus,” is also where some of the Rhine’s
38 LIFEAFTER50.COM January 2016
best wine comes from. Local vintners brag that the medieval Pope Pius II ordered Bacharach wine by the cartload. Rhineland wine festivals make a fall visit especially memorable, with fireworks displays and illuminated ships. Midway between Bacharach and St. Goar is the town of Oberwesel. From the river, you’ll notice its ship’s masts rising from terra firma – a memorial to the generations of riverboat captains and sailors for whom this town is famous. Like most towns on the Rhine, Oberwesel is capped by a castle, Schönburg, that is now a restaurant, hotel, and youth hostel. The other town landmark is the 130-foot-tall Ochsenturm Tower, standing high and solitary overlooking the river. The town itself is worth a quick visit to see its charming main square and explore its museum with the best collection of historic Rhine artifacts I’ve found within the Rhine gorge. Climbing along the upper town wall, I found a path leading through a peaceful little meadow and forest with views of the town and its largely intact city wall, which still has 16 defensive towers. Among the many medieval towers, the Cowherd’s Tower is now a private home with a fanciful drawbridge. Rhineland’s many castles and fortifications testify to its strategic importance. The Rhine has been a major transportation route since Roman times, when the river marked the northern end of the empire. In the Middle Ages, the stretch from Bingen to Koblenz was home to no fewer than 16 greedy dukes and lords — robber barons running two-bit
dukedoms, living in hilltop castles and collecting tolls from merchant vessels passing by in the river below. There’s a castle every few miles, each with its own history and legend, so you will need to be selective about which ones to tour. My favorite is Rheinfels. While now a gutted shell, this castle offers the single most convenient and evocative hands-on castle experience on the river. Once the biggest and mightiest castle on the Rhine, today Rheinfels rumbles with ghosts from its hard-fought past. While it withstood a siege of 28,000 French troops in 1692, the French finally destroyed it a century later. Nowadays, Rheinfels looms a 15-minute hike above the peaceful tourist town of, St. Goar. With its half-timbered shopping street, St. Goar is the perfect place to buy a souvenir stein, while its leafy riverside park is perfect for strolling. Visitors have been captivated by the Rhine Valley’s past glory and rich legend for centuries. From mighty castles to romantic rivers, from fine Rhine wine to fanciful cobbled lanes, with a little imagination, it’s easy to rekindle the Europe of old in Germany’s Rhineland. Rick Steves writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows on public television and radio. You can e-mail him at rick@ricksteves.com and visit his website at www.ricksteves.com.
January 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 39
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American Heart Health Month H
eart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. To prevent heart disease and increase awareness of its effects,LIFE AFTER 50 is proudly participating in American Heart Month in our February issue with in depth articles, medical breakthroughs and healthy lifestyle recommendations.
Issue Date is February 1 Ad Space Reservations January 25 Call for advertising rates and details. 310-822-1629 x 121 or email us at advertise@lifeafter50.com
1 LIFEAFTER50.COM FEbRuARy 2015 40 LIFEAFTER50.COM January 2016
Valentine’s Magical Journey through Music and Digital Arts This Valentine’s Day Give the Gift of Music to a Young Person!
Valentine’s Day Celebration Concert Show
Sunday, February 14, 5-6 pm, performance Marina del Rey Marriott Dinner, Wine, Champagne 6:30-8 pm
LA Opera Young Artists join LA Virtuosi Musicians BE MY LOVE - VALENTINE! Opera & Broadway show tunes
Valentine’s Opera Concert
Opera + Dinner + Wine + Dance Net proceeds benefit schoolchildren with their 1st LA Opera experience Tickets: $30 Concert + Dancing (by Jan 20, $50 after) $70 extra for dinner, wine, champagne, and fine port (by Jan 20, $100 after) Eventbrite.com search Be My Love - Valentine! (310) 999-3626
This Valentine’s Day Give the Gift of Music! Valentine’s Opera Concert Program
followed by dancing to DJ Music
Sunday, February 14, 8 pm
Dinner, Wine, Champagne 6:30-8 pm
Marina del Rey Marriott Resort Hotel Olivia Tsui
Conductor/Violinist
Academy Award-winning artist J-Walt joins the Los Angeles Virtuosi ensemble for a special Valentine's Day performance of Vivaldi, Saint-Saens, Satie, and RimskyKorsakov-Heifetz. J-Walt's Spontaneous Fantasia show, And Magical Journey through Music and Digital Arts, is a new art form that combines digital animation, video, theatre, dance and music. Maestro and Artistic Director Olivia Tsui will be conducting the Los Angeles Virtuosi ensemble.
Program Xiao-Dan Zheng Spring, Concerto in E major Cellist
Paul Jarski Pianist
Lacey Jo Benter
Joshua Guerrero
Swan, from the Carnival of the Animal Camille Saint – Saens Autumn, Concerto in F major Antonio Vivaldi Gymnopédie Paul Jarski Pianist
Die Czárdásfürstin The Gypsy Princess E. Kálmán Joshua Guerrero, tenor Olivia Tsui. violin Estrellita M. Ponce Joshua Guerrero, tenor Olivia Tsui, violin
Olivia Tsui
Conductor/Violinist LA Opera Founder, Los Angeles Virtuosi, Artistic Director, Silicon Beach Philharmonic & Chorale
Someone to watch over me G. Gershwin Christa Stevens, soprano If I loved you R. Rogers
Christa Stevens, soprano
Oh, happy we! - Candide L. Bernstein Christa Stevens and Marco Lozano
Erik Satie
Winter, Concerto in f minor Antonio Vivaldi Tickets: $30 Concert + Dancing (310) 999-3626 $70 extra for dinner, wine, champagne, fine port EVENTBRITE.com search MAGICAL JOURNEY
una voce poco fa - Barber of Seville G. Rossini Lacey Jo Benter, mezzo-soprano Die Neugierige F. Schubert Cedric Berry, baritone
On the Street Where You Live - My Fair Lady F. Loewe Marco Lozano, tenor
Antonio Vivaldi
Flight of the Bumble Bee Rimsky-Korsakov-Heifetz Summer, Concerto in g minor Antonio Vivaldi
Habanera - Carmen G. Bizet Lacey Jo Benter mezzo-soprano La flour que tu m’avais jetée - Carmen G. Bizet Joshua Guerrero, tenor
Marco Lozano
Moon River H. Mancini
Cedric Berry solo and Tutti
All piano accompaniments by Paul Jarski, LA Opera, Vocal coach, and Assistant Conductor * program subject to change
Description Christa Stevens
Cedric Berry
A romantic evening of favorite scenes and arias from grand operas and Broadway shows, celebrating the passions, joys, delights and ardors of love, performed by LA Opera Plåcido Domingo Young Artists. Dinner, includes wine, champagne, and fine port. Guests may opt for the Vivaldi's Four Seasons concert, and even stay for dancing to the hits of the 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s. info@LosAngelesVirtuosi.Org January 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 41
And Finally... The Bookworm’s Best A Life After 50 book review
by Terri “The Bookworm” Schlichenmeyer
The Time of Our Lives By Peggy Noonan
H
aving lived into your 50s and beyond, you have a great view on life – as it was, is, and may become. You can see highs and lows, happy things, and improvements that need to be made. Some of what you see makes you laugh, while other things give you pause or cause great concern. From where you sit, at your age, and at this time in the history of the world, you can see more than anyone has ever seen before with a clear view of the past. This is also the view of Peggy Noonan, who shares what she has seen and is seeing in her new book “The Time of Our Lives.” As a new college graduate in the early 1970s, Noonan says that she received an “unplanned gift” from her first job at a CBS affiliate in Boston: “The newsroom was full of old, semi-curmudgeonly correspondents and editors, and they taught me by reading, editing and rewriting my hourly news broadcasts,” writes Noonan. It was there that she learned how to clear things up, change minds, and create stories. From there she became a news gatherer, speechwriter, author, and in 2000, was asked to write a column for the Wall Street Journal. When a friend suggested a bound collection of favorite works from her career, Noonan began poring through boxes. Her first offering: the transcript of a commencement address in which she spoke of being a presidential speechwriter. “It’s heaven,” she says simply, before elaborating with tales of working with President Ronald Reagan. In this book, Noonan eulogizes friends and the famous: Joan Rivers, who she says: “Had no edit function;” the “sweet and austere” Jacqueline Kennedy; writer Tennessee Williams; soldiers Alvin York and Audie Murphy; and Reagan. She also shares her views on books, religion, politics, and political scandals and writes lovingly of New York City, post-September 11, 2001, and how locals dealt with that tragic day and its immediate aftermath. Despite the fact that many of these columns were penned years ago, Noonan seems prescient at times. She writes about immigration, Iraq, terrorism, and other topics that are as relevant today as when they were written. In this memoir-essay collection, Noonan offers up a look at her own life and early career. She writes of former co-workers, elderly aunts, and a bygone America where parents turned their children loose during the day and didn’t expect to see them until dinnertime. While she weighs in on life, the impacts of historical and current events, and how things have changed both politically and socially, she doesn’t rant or preach. In “The Times of Our Lives,” Noonan is opinionated, but respectfully so. In today’s culture of divisiveness, that comes as welcome relief. All in all, this book was a pleasure to read, and with its short chapters, is easily browsable. It’s a calm look at current events, and if you’re plugged into those topics, then “The Times of Our Lives” is worth a view. “The Time of Our Lives” by Peggy Noonan, 2015, Twelve, $30, 447 pages The Bookworm is Terri Schlichenmeyer who lives on a hill with two dogs and more than 12,000 books. You can read more of her book reviews at www.lifeafter50.com. Just click on “Entertainment” and then “Book Reviews.”
A Look Back
F
ifty years ago this month, the Trips Festival took place in San Francisco’s Longshoreman’s Hall and gave birth to the counterculture scene of the era. In 1966, LSD was legal and a small group of psychedelic drug advocates called The Merry Pranksters had been holding “Acid Test” parties. During one of these get-togethers, the idea was floated to stage a festival and a young Bill Graham, who would go on to become the preeminent concert impresario of his generation, was brought on to produce the event. Bringing together musicians, performance artists and lighting designers, the three-day festival attracted patrons anxious to participate in an experience that lacked any boundaries. With the music of The Grateful Dead, Big Brother and the Holding Company, Jefferson Airplane and other psychedelic bands as their soundtrack, 10,000 festivalgoers imbibed LSD-spiked punch and witnessed one of the first light shows. The festival served as the blueprint for future concerts, light and laser shows, and events such as Burning Man and Bonnaroo. Its impact even added phrases and words to the English lexicon such as “Drinking the Kool-Aid” and “tripping.” Many key participants of the festival would go on to play vital roles in the growth of the Sierra Club and other ecological movements, develop the Whole Earth Catalog, and create the influential online group, The Well (www.well.com), “a cherished watering hole for articulate and playful thinkers from all walks of life.” 42 LIFEAFTER50.COM January 2016
Just A Thought Before We Go “There is a Fountain of Youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.” ― Sophia Loren
“THE GREATEST OF THE GREAT! IT MUST BE EXPERIENCED!” — Chrinstine Walevska, Goddess of Cello, watched Shen Yun 4 times
T
here was a time when the world was full of magic and splendor, and all on Earth existed in harmony with Heaven. You could see it in the arts, feel it in the air, and hear it in the beat of a drum. This was a land of heroes and sages, dragons and phoenixes, emperors and immortals. Known today as China, this place was once called “the Land of the Divine.” What if you could journey back and visit this lost paradise?
Shen Yun brings the profound spirit of this lost civilization to life on stage with unrivaled artistic mastery. Every dance movement, every musical note, makes this a stunning visual and emotional experience you won’t find anywhere else. Banned in communist China today, the non-profit Shen Yun is dedicated to reviving 5,000 years of civilization. Experience the Arts connecting Heaven & Earth! Experience Shen Yun!
“ Mind-blowing! Go back and see six times!” —Richard Connema, renowned Broadway critic
“Absolutely beautiful... So inspiring; I think I may have found some new ideas for the next Avatar.”
“Absolutely the NO.1 show in the world, absolutely the best... No other company or of any style can match this!”
—Robert Stromberg, AcademyAward winning production designer for AVATAR
—Kenn Wells, former lead dancer of the English National Ballet
“It was a very spiritual experience and it moved me and I cried. I kept thinking, this is the highest and the best of what humans can produce.” —Olevia Brown-Klahn, musician
MAR 19- APR 30, 2016 Claremont Long Beach Thousand Oaks Costa Mesa
Northridge Downtown LA
Bakersfield Santa Barbara
“Go see it to believe it, because otherwise, you are going to miss the most important thing in your life.” —Joe Heard, former White House photographer, watched Shen Yun 5 times
Tickets: 800-880-0188 ShenYun.com Phoenix, AZ Las Vegas
Early Bird code: Early16 Get best seats & waive service fee by Dec.31
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ORANGE COUNTY JANUARY 2016
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CONTACT
SPORTS Should Your Child or Grandchild
PLAY? FINDING
Your Bliss
in 2016
JOE THEISMANN’S
SUPER BOWL
Memories
Joe
Namath Huddling up with a neurological team, Broadway Joe seeks a victory over traumatic brain injuries
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Contents
January 2016
10
26
28
38
Cover Profile
Departments
10 Joe Namath
6 50-Plus: What You Need to Know
Huddling up with a neurological team to score a victory over traumatic brain injures.
A quick look at things 50-plusers should be aware of.
Features
The best in January television viewing.
22 Cultivating Bliss in 2016 How to go from happy to happiest in the New Year.
26 The Hallowed Hall Of Must-Knowtables – Vince Lombardi Legendary notables that everyone, of every age, should know.
28 The Look Of Life After 50 – Joe Theismann The Super Bowl-winner weighs in with super memories and on timely issues.
24 Tuned In To What’s On 34 Let’s Get Out
Looking to get out and about? Our January/February calendar has some great suggestions.
38 Rick Steves’ Travels
Discover the history and romance of Germany’s Rhineland.
42 And Finally…The Bookworm’s Best, A Look Back and Just A Thought Before We Go
A book suggestion, memory, and a little something to leave you with.
Cover photo by Vanessa Rogers/Vanessa Rogers Photography All material published within this issue of Life After 50 and on www.lifeafte50.com is strictly for informational and educational purposes only. No individual, advice, product or service is in any way endorsed by Life After 50 or Southland Publishing, Inc. or provided as a substitute for the reader’s seeking of individualized professional advice or instruction. Readers should seek the advice of qualified professionals on any matter regarding an individual, advice, recommendations, services or products covered within this issue. All information and material is provided to readers with the understanding that it comes from various sources from which there is no warranty or responsibility by Life After 50 or Southland Publishing, Inc. as to its or their legality, completeness or technical accuracy.
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Editor’s Note...
Teaming up for victory in the game of life
F
rom the first use of controlled fire by some enterprising Paleolith, every aspect of our world – science, medicine, the arts, politics, transportation, communications, technology, you name it – has seen trailblazing pioneers take us to innovative heights our Life After 50’s David Laurell, from left, with forefathers could have “The Team,” Dr. Barry M. Miskin, Dr. Lee A. Fox never imagined. and Joe Namath. Just as in every other field, the world of athletics has also seen very special men and women follow in the sandal steps of ancient Greeks who used their athletic prowess to please Zeus in his Olympian sanctuary. Among those pioneers of athleticism is Joe Namath. Before Namath, the “big game” was the AFL-NFL World Championship Game in which the upstart AFL was simply invited to participate as a courtesy. Namath, by “guaranteeing” and delivering a New York Jets upset win in the third championship game, saw the acceptance of the AFL and the transition of that game into the Super Bowl we know today. Try to make that statement in Namath’s presence today and you will receive a response similar to the one New York sports reporter Sal Marchiano got from him in the locker room following that January 1969 victory. Lauding him as the “King of the Hill,” Namath politely corrected Marchinao by saying: “No, no, WE’RE King of the Hill. We got the team, brother!” Whether in the immediate moments following his greatest career victory, in the inspirational advice he offers to the kids who have attended his instructional football camp for the past 42 years, or in the innumerable interviews and speeches he has given, Namath has always preached that any and all athletic accomplishments, as well as the victories of life itself, are a team game – a team effort. In 2012, inspired by the suicide of former NFL player Junior Seau, who was suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a disease found in people with a history of repetitive brain trauma, Namath wanted to do something to put a stop to the needless deaths of athletes due to career-related neurological impairment. To achieve this, he teamed up with Doctors Lee A. Fox and Barry M. Miskin to establish the Joe Namath Neurological Research Center at Jupiter Medical Center in Florida. Today, that team is conducting a clinical trial that holds the possible promise of using hyperbaric oxygen therapy in treating athletes, military and car accident victims, stroke patients, and others suffering with neurological issues. And so, with 47 years to the month having passed since Namath brashly guaranteed that big game win, he is again hoping to make history. This time, not by garnering a victory on the gridiron, but by working with another type of team to score a win in the game of life.
David Laurell, Editor-in-Chief
4 LIFEAFTER50.COM January 2016
Publisher Valarie Anderson
Account Executives: San Diego County/Orange County Phil Mendelson Phil@LifeAfter50.com
Editor-in-Chief David Laurell
Los Angeles/ Valley/Travel
Associate Editors Steve Stoliar Claire Yezbak Fadden
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A January Thought
“For a new year to bring you something new, make a move, like a butterfly tearing its cocoon! Make a move!” – Mehmet Murat ildan
The legendary singer-songwriter and two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Famer makes his Center debut with a new tour featuring only his voice and guitar.
MARCH 5 AT 8PM
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January 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 5
50
Fifty Years Of Sand Through The Hourglass
B
Plus
What You Need To Know By Claire Yezbak Fadden
Retiring? Keep Busy!
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If you started working in your 20s and retire in your 60s, there’s a good chance you’ll spend almost as many years in retirement as you did working. In his book, “Retiring? Beware!! Don’t Run Out of Money and Don’t Become Bored” (Michaelbivonabooks, 2015) Michael Bivona, a certified public accountant who retired 20 years ago, offers these suggestions: • Develop a social network. Check out civic centers, which usually have a department dedicated to the betterment of 50-plussers. • Try on a pair of dancing shoes. Dancing is a beautiful art form that gives participants something with which to challenge themselves. • Stay sharp and keep learning. If you don’t use your mind, you will accelerate the process of losing it. Building bridges to new adventures is the key to maintaining mental acuity and increasing vitality, and there is an abundance of educational courses developed for 50-plussers to keep exercising their mental prowess.
Fifty Candles
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ifty years ago this month, a 12-day transit worker strike shut down New York City’s subway system; all cigarette packages in the United States began carrying the warning: Caution: Cigarette Smoking May Be Hazardous To Your Health; The Who and The Kinks performed on the last airing of “Shindig;” “Batman,” starring Adam West and Burt Ward, premiered; Indira Gandhi was elected India’s third prime minister; Beatle George Harrison married model Patti Boyd; the musical “Sweet Charity” opened on Broadway, and Peggy Fleming won the U.S. female figure-skating championship. Notable personalities born in January1966 who are celebrating their 50th birthday this month include country singer Deana Carter, actors Patrick Dempsey, Joshua Malina and Rainn Wilson, actress Julia-Louis Dreyfus, reggae singer Shabba Ranks, film directors Antoine Fuqua and Jesse Dylan, and broadcast journalist Gina Gaston.
6 LIFEAFTER50.COM January 2016
eginning with rare black-and-white historical photos and including a wealth of never-before-published full-color pictures, “Days of Our Lives 50 Years” (Sourcebooks, 2015) by Greg Meng, offers a spectacular journey through one of America’s favorite daytime dramas. Set in the fictitious Midwestern town of Salem, the show follows the lives of the Bradys, Hortons and DiMeras with multi-layered storylines that involve romance, adventure, mystery, comedy and drama. This in-depth photographic journey of the longest-running scripted program in NBC’s history showcases new and exciting views of a television icon that continues to bring the beloved world of Salem to loyal “Days” viewers.
Fifty Super Moments
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s the nation commemorates the 50th anniversary of America’s most beloved sporting event – the Super Bowl – Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice has compiled an authoritative collection of the most pivotal plays of the big game through the decades. In “50 Years, 50 Moments” (Dey Street Books, 2015), Rice brings together the catches, interceptions, fumbles and triumphant touchdowns that have made the Super Bowl an unforgettable experience. The book, which features marquee Super Bowl participants including Joe Montana, Vince Lombardi, Roger Staubach, Walter “Sweetness” Payton, Terry Bradshaw, Broadway Joe Namath, Lawrence Taylor, Mean Joe Greene and Tom Brady, celebrates the memories, insights and personal experiences from each of the past Super Sundays. If you are an NFL fan, this is a “must-have” tome that documents the most iconic, strategic and record-breaking moments in Super Bowl history from the game’s inception to Super Bowl XLIX’s last-second victory by the New England Patriots over the defending champion Seattle Seahawks.
A Little More You Need To Know
The Most Important Thing To Know This Month
Super Foods For A Super Start To The New Year
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ooking for easy ways to start 2016 in a healthy way? Consider adding these fruits and vegetables recommended for 50-plussers:
Apples are a great source of potassium, antioxidants and vitamin C, that may help lower cholesterol and slow the uptake of glucose.
Where You Need To Go
The Southwest Arts Festival
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ith the backdrop of Coachella Valley’s desert landscape and sweeping mountain ranges, one of the Inland Empire’s largest and longest-running juried art events will kick off their 30th anniversary celebration. The Southwest Arts Festival, Indio 2016, held January 29, 30 and 31, will feature traditional, contemporary and abstract fine works of art by more than 250 artist in media such as clay, drawing, glass, jewelry, metal, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture and textiles. New this year is the addition of the Objet Trouvé Found Art Festival. Objet trouvé, which means “found object” in French, represents an artistic style that uses everyday objects and “found” materials to create stimulating visual displays. Showcasing a variety of artists who create these innovative art forms, the festival also feature hands-on art demonstrations. Enjoy interactive art activities with pottery, glass blowing and fine art painting scheduled to be on display. Taste the wide variety of food and beverages while strolling the grounds with the subtle sounds of jazz music adding to the mellow atmosphere.
Asparagus is high in lycopene, known to help reduce the risk of prostate cancer. This veggie also contains vitamin A, a boost for the immune system and eye health. Blueberries help lower cholesterol and slow the uptake of glucose. They are high in soluble fiber, an aid in maintaining healthy blood sugar levels. Broccoli has antioxidants and vitamins such as A, C, B9 (folate) and K. Your eye health, red blood cells, immune system and bones will be the big winners. Butternut Squash brims with beta-carotene, which is important for eye health. The heart also benefits from the vitamin C in this winter squash and its high fiber content, which helps lower cholesterol and maintain good blood sugar levels. Green Kale is high in fiber and a rich source of calcium for bone health. It also provides lutein, which is important for eye health. Pears are full of soluble fiber that may help maintain healthy blood sugar levels, lowering diabetes risk. They also fill you up, so you tend to eat less, and may reduce the risk of colon cancer.
This three-day family friendly festival is held at the Empire Polo Club, 81-800 Avenue 51 at Monroe Street in Indio between 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $8 to $12. For more information, call (760) 347-0676 or click on www.southwestartsfest.com
New Words
Y
ou might not find them in a dictionary yet, but they’re a part of the everyday American vocabulary. Here’s what they mean.
Cronut: A pastry that crosses a croissant with a doughnut. Lumbersexual: A bearded male dressing in a checkered shirt, portending a rugged outdoor lifestyle. Whole food: Minimally processed or refined food products that are also free from additives and artificial substances.
January 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 7
LI FE + STYLE
With the abundance of clubs and activities, you’ll discover a whole new you. Welcome to K. Hovnanian’s® Four Seasons communities, incredible resort-style neighborhoods located in Southern California, Sacramento and Sun City, Arizona. Here your neighbors will become treasured friends. Whether you enjoy creating a masterpiece in the art studio, taking a refreshing afternoon swim or playing a game of tennis, this intimate community has the clubs and activities for you. Find your ideal home at any of our fantastic communities today! K. Hovnanian’s® Four Seasons at Bakersfield Bakersfield, CA From the upper $100s
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Looking for a new home but unsure where to start? Contact our friendly Community Information Specialists at 888-408-6590 Availability, prices, incentives and dates are subject to change, and K. Hovnanian® Homes reserves the right to cancel or change all offers without prior notice; see Sales Consultant for details. If buyer is working with a licensed real estate agent or broker, the agent or broker must accompany and register buyer on first visit to community. No offer for sale or lease may be made or accepted until buyer’s receipt of Arizona Subdivision Public Report. A public report is available on the State Real Estate Department’s website. At K. Hovnanian’s® Four Seasons communities, at least one resident of each household must be 55 years of age or older. A limited number of residents may be younger than 55. We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. We encourage and support an affirmative advertising and marketing program in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin.© K. Hovnanian® Companies of California, Inc. BRE license number 01183847
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A Special Wellness Report New Medicine Based On An 88-Year Old Theory By Albert Einstein Can Help Almost Everyone Who Is Sick Or Injured!
W
hat you are about to read may be the most important information you’ve ever read. Here is why. Albert Einstein was, quite possibly, the most intelligent person who ever lived. His theories and ideas were so far ahead of his time, that even now, the smartest scientists alive are still discovering his value. One of his theories published in 1917, worked out the theory of how lasers function. However, it was not until May 16, 1960 (43 years later) that the first actual laser was developed by an American scientist. Since then, scientists and inventors have developed many types of lasers and all kinds of uses for them. They can be used as a scalpel that is so delicate, it can be used on the eyes of human beings. Lasers are used to read price codes at your local supermarkets. And they’re used to play music and video on your CD’s and DVD’s. But now, there is a new type of laser so effective against human disease and injury that it is rapidly changing the practice of medicine. This is a new type of low-level laser which produces an unfocused light that has been...
Registered With The FDA To Be 100% Safe! Low-level lasers use less than one watt of power and they produce what can best be described as a “Healing Light”. Here is a somewhat un-scientific description of how this “Healing Light” can potentially help reverse the damage done by human sickness and disease. As you probably know, our entire bodies are made up of cells. The health of all human cells is based on energy. If your cells don’t receive enough energy, they will weaken and the body will become sick. Call 1-800-303-3586, Code 6529.
Be One Of The First 200 To Call & Receive A Free Seminar Ticket! For you to be healthy, what your cells need is exactly the right kind and the right amount of energy. Every time you get injured or become sick, the energy flow to your cells is disrupted. Until the proper type and amount of energy is restored, you will remain sick or injured. That’s what a low-level laser device does. It reenergizes the cells in your body with the right kind and proper amount of healing energy. It may surprise you to learn that low level lasers are ...
Used By Doctors To Heal Their Patients In The Fastest Way Possible! Could you guess what kind of doctors use the highest percent of low-level lasers on their patients? It’s doctors involved in sports medicine. Why? The answer is simple. You see, doctors involved in sports medicine often have to get their patients better in the fastest way humanly possible because every day he remains
“unhealthy” can cost the sports organization millions of dollars. But here’s something exciting! You don’t actually need to go to a doctor to get laser therapy. If you want to you can buy one of these devices and use it on yourself. The best ones come with simple, easy-to-follow instructions and can be used by almost any person with average intelligence. Perhaps the best low-level lasers in the world have been invented by doctors who have studied lasers and human health for years and have discovered how they can be used...
To Help Almost Every Health Problem Ever Experienced By A Human Being! Laser experts believe low-level laser therapy will become the medicine of the future. If you hold a lowlevel laser device against the skin of your body and turn it on, you will be able to see the laser light... but... you will not be able to feel it. There probably won’t even be a sensation of warmth. Laser light is as gentle as the kiss of a butterfly. But, from a healing point of view, it is quite possible it is more effective than drugs or surgery. Low-level laser therapy is not just the medicine of the future. For many people who know about it, it is the “medicine” they use now. The problem of trying to explain the healing powers of low-level laser therapy is...
Professional Results In a Small, Easy to Use Package! Call 1-800-303-3586, Code 6529 For Your FREE Information Report.
For some people, a free report and information like this can mark the beginning of an entirely new life... pain-free and full of energy. For others, it can make the difference of living a healthy life compared to a lowenergy life of sickness and disease. And, for those who live with enormous pain every day ... this free report could truly guide them to a miracle! But even if you are not sick, not injured, or not in pain, you should still order this report. After all, it is 100% free. And almost nobody lives out their life without having at least some kind of sickness or injury. Wouldn’t it be nice to know that, if you do become sick or injured, you will at least know where to go to find some sort of answer to your problems that don’t involve dangerous drugs!
Call 1-800-303-3586
It Works So Well On So Many Different Problems, It Seems Like It Couldn’t Possibly Be True! But it is true! As mentioned earlier, all injury and illness creates an interruption of energy to the cells of the human body. The body will never recover until the proper amount and type of energy is restored to these cells. But once that energy is restored...
The Body Can Recover From Almost Anything! With the correct equipment, properly used, low level lasers have been clinically shown to reduce pain, reduce inflammation, increase cellular energy, increase cell permeability (so that the nutrients the cell needs to heal can get into the cell) and even help correct faulty DNA!* What you have just read is a very simplistic (almost childish) explanation of low-level laser therapy, of how it works, and what it can do for you. But this is something that needs to be explained to you much more accurately by a real expert. This is information which just might help relieve you of any disease and might possibly save your life and the life of your loved ones. And best of all, you can...
Get This Information Absolutely FREE! Laser experts have written and compiled a FREE REPORT in which they explain to you exactly how and why low-level laser therapy works. We will show you some unbelievable “before” and “after” pictures of people who have benefitted by this amazing new therapy. Advertisement
...after you are connected, at the prompt, press the code number - 3586 - into your keypad then leave your name and mailing information. That number again is 1-800-303-3586, Code 6529. Your free report ... and free seminar ticket (if you’re one of the first 200 callers) will be sent to you via 1st Class Mail. After all, this is one FREE report that will teach you about something that can possibly make more of a positive change in your life than anything else you will ever learn. Get the free report. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. The report and your ticket are both 100% free! *The Infinity Wellness Laser System is Cleared for arthritis, pain, muscle release, and temporary increase of circulation and inflammation. which has been diagnosed by a physician or another licensed medical professional. No other medical treatment claims are made or implied.
Cover Profile
The Neurological
Lights Are Bright
on Broadway
Super Bowl III-winning quarterback Broadway Joe Namath has huddled up with a neurological team to seek a victory over traumatic brain injuries Story by David Laurell * Photos by Vanessa Rogers
10 LIFEAFTER50.COM January 2016
D
uring the early 1970s, Broadway Joe Namath was the undisputed playboy of the western world, serving as a spokesman for everything from shaving cream, corn poppers and chocolate drinks to recliners, men’s cologne and pantyhose. Today, with so many questions and concerns being raised about sports-related safety sparked by the film “Concussion,” Namath is still serving as a spokesperson, but for something that transcends the desire to smell good, get a close shave, or have your legs look good: a successful treatment for traumatic brain injuries.
According to Jeff Miller, who serves as the NFL’s senior vice president of health and safety policy, the league is also extending safety efforts beyond the professional level. “We continue to make changes to our game and invest in independent research that will impact the health and safety of players at all levels and across all sports,” Miller told Life After 50. “As it relates to football at the youth and high school levels, we’ve worked closely with USA Football to design a program called Heads Up, which certifies coaches, teaches appropriate tackling techniques and standardizes the amount of contact that players see during the course of a week. All of this lends itself to the benefit of player safety, and there is independent research to support this. A recent study by the Datalys Center showed that youth leagues that are Heads Up certified have a 76 percent lower overall injury rate, including 34 percent fewer concussions, compared to leagues that are not.” Miller also points to the fourth annual NFL Health and Safety Report that was released last August that serves as a resource on the steps the NFL continues to take to protect players, including 39 safety-related rule changes, advanced sideline technology, expanded medical resources, investing in protective equipment, a commitment to the wellness of retired players, and a focus on overall youth sports safety. In addition to referencing that report, Miller points out some of the specific things the NFL and its partners are doing to make the game safer for players at all levels including:
On the cover of the November 1972 issue of LIFE magazine, a then-29year-old Namath looked happy, relaxed and elegant in a dark blue tux. The caption read: “The juicy rewards of a painful life.” On the cover of this month’s Life After 50, 44 years later, still looking • The inclusion of independent concussion specialists present on both happy, relaxed and elegant in another blue suit, the man who led the New sidelines at every NFL game and medical personnel who, by using York Jets to a “guaranteed” victory in Super Bowl III continues to live a life sideline technology, can access medical records of all players. of great reward. Revered by those who grew up watching him play, as well as those who have been told about him by their fathers and grandfathers, • The medical timeout, which allows an independent athletic trainer Namath is now the father of two married women who have blessed him in the press box to stop the game to have a player receive medical with three grandchildren he adores. But, his life has also continued to be attention should they show signs of distress or disorientation. one of pain as he has, both reactively and proactively, battled the medical issues that come in the aftermath of the physical punishment a professional athlete endures. While the Psalmist may have offered up due praise to the Creator for the way the human body is wonderfully made, Namath points out that there is nothing about the way we have been constructed that was made for playing the game of football. That fact has become an acute issue in the wake of studies which have shown a direct link between repeated head impacts and a condition called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) coupled with the recent release of the Sony Pictures film “Concussion.” The film, based on an article Jeanne Marie Laskas wrote for GQ magazine in 2009, chronicles the story of Dr. Bennet Omalu, a pathologist who made the first findings and correlation between CTE and those who have played professional football. A condition that is made manifest by symptoms of memory loss, confusion, depression and dementia that can show up decades after the trauma, the risk of developing CTE comes with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) such as concussions and cumulative non-concussive impacts. For those who have engaged in contact sports such as football, those injuries can often have first occurred as early as during youth league or high school play. The existence of CTE can only be ascertained in a postmortem examination, and a recent study showed that 96 percent of deceased men who have played professional football showed signs of CTE. Responding to this research, the NFL made a $30-million dollar grant to the National Institutes of Health to help fund research focused on CTE and, in a November 2015 airing of a “60 Minutes” story on CTE, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told correspondent Steve Kroft that the evidence being uncovered has served as a catalyst for the league to seek and implement greater safety measures to decrease head impacts and remove players from Dr. Barry M. Miskin, from left, Joe Namath and Dr. Lee A. Fox make up the team of a game if it is believed a head injury has occurred. the Joe Namath Neurological Research Center.
January 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 11
• The Head Health Initiative, a four-year, $60-million dollar collaboration with GE launched in 2013 to advance concussion research, prevention, diagnosis and treatment. • Athletic Trainer Initiatives, a program instituted by the NFL Foundation, the National Athletic Trainers Association, Gatorade and the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society that has committed $3-million dollars to fund athletic trainers in underserved high schools nationwide. • An NFL-led campaign that resulted in all 50 states passing a law modeled after Washington State’s 2009 enacted Lystedt Law, which established a protocol for return to play in youth sports and mandatory education on concussion prevention. This past October, the NFL also convened representatives from many of the world’s major sports leagues and leading concussion experts for the second annual International Professional Sports Concussion Research Think Tank to share best practices and protocols and collaborate on ways to advance progress in relation to head injuries, added Miller. Asked to remove his professional hat and replace it with his parental one, Miller was queried on what his personal advice would be to the parents of young people who desire to participate in contact sports. Miller says the decision to let a child play any sport is a personal one and that it is the responsibility of the NFL to make sure parents are educated and have the proper facts, so they can make an informed decision. “I have three children, including a son who plays tackle football,” says Miller. “As parents, it’s our job to educate ourselves to make the right decisions for our children. In the case of tackle football, do your homework – make sure the coaches are Heads Up certified, teaching proper tackling techniques, and educated on the signs and symptoms of concussion. Football is great and a fun game that teaches young players many positive things. The lessons that are learned from playing our particular sport, the resilience, the teamwork, the being able to get up when you’re knocked down, are something that have tremendous transcendent value for kids. Learning those lessons at a young age will continue and help them throughout their lives.”
SEEKING HOPE FOR PLAYERS FROM THE PAST While the NFL’s recent steps in addressing head injuries may help to make the sport a safer one for current and future athletes, that does nothing to help 12 LIFEAFTER50.COM January 2016
the many individuals who played the game prior to the implementation of these efforts. For those former players, who are now in their 40s, 50s or older and are beginning to show the effects of the concussions and head injuries they suffered during their playing days, finding a successful treatment is paramount. Among those who have been the most progressive and passionate in seeking treatment for TBI are doctors at the Joe Namath Neurological Research Center at Jupiter Medical Center in Florida. Headed up by co-directors, Dr. Lee A. Fox, the center’s chief of radiology, and Dr. Barry M. Miskin, vice chief of staff at Jupiter Medical Center, the research center was established in 2012 to address the treatment of head injuries by those who have participated in contact sports as well as military veterans, stroke patients or anyone who has suffered a traumatic brain injury and is seeking treatment to decrease or possibly eliminate the symptoms they are suffering. Inspired by Namath, who initially came to the center after becoming concerned over what he perceived to be a slight decrease in his mental cognition and sleep disturbances, Fox and Miskin established a clinical trial they hope will lead to a proven therapy that could one day provide relief for the millions of people who have suffered a TBI. “One day, while we were having lunch, Dr. Fox asked me if I thought hyperbaric oxygen could help a patient with a traumatic brain injury,” says Miskin. “For a long time, I kept my thoughts on that to myself, because it is not mainstream treatment, but I told him that I did. That led us to the next step – treating Joe Namath.” During their initial examination that included a cognitive assessment and brain imaging called a SPECT (single photo emission computed tomography) scan, Fox and Miskin ascertained that Namath showed the classic results of having had a TBI. “Joe had suffered multiple concussions and injuries to his brain during the course of his collegiate and professional career. He even remembers taking some pretty good hits as far back as high school,” Miskin adds. According to Miskin, the SPECT scan of Namath’s brain showed the left side was not functioning in that there was diminished blood flow to the area. “It was damaged from traumatic brain injuries and when that type of injury shows up, it typically causes problems with executive thinking and sleep and irritability,” says Miskin. “They are usually just subtle symptoms that are not always obvious.” After making their diagnosis, the program Fox and Miskin designed for Namath and their subsequent clinical trial program (which is currently being evaluated by the Federal Drug Administration) entails the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which has been used for various medical conditions since the early part of the 20th century. This treatment, known as a “dive,” takes place in a pressurized steel and acrylic tube into which the air pressure is slowly increased until it’s two to three times that of sea level and fills the patient’s lungs with increased amounts of oxygen. Their super-oxygenated blood is then carried throughout the body, which promotes the release of growth hormones, regenerates cells, helps the body heal, and in the opinion of Miskin and Fox, awakens dormant brain cells in those suffering from TBI. It is Fox and Miskin’s belief that the research protocol of implementing oxygenation, the treatment they gave Namath, may prove to be a path that can successfully stimulate the healing process for a patient with a brain injury. “Joe underwent hyperbaric oxygen therapy sessions for over a period of six months,” says Miskin, “and after treatment, the SPECT scans started to show new activity in the part of his brain that hadn’t been functioning. That whole area of the brain just lit up.”
January 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 13
California Eye Doctors Help Legally Blind To See High Technology For Low Vision Patients Allows Many To Drive Again the wet form is caused by blood vessels leaking fluid. Treatment is aimed at stopping the leak and preventing further leaks. The vision cannot be regained in either type. This is where low vision glasses can help. Patient using prismatic low While there is currently no vision glasses for reading. cure, promising research is For many patients with being done on many fronts. macular degeneration and “My job is to figure out other vision-related conditions, everything and anything the loss of central visual possible to keep a person detail also signals the end to one of the last bastions of independence - driving. California optometrists, Dr. Richard Shuldiner and Dr. Harold Ashcraft are using miniaturized telescopes which are mounted in glasses to help Patient using telescopic glasses people who have lost vision to drive and read signs. from macular degeneration functioning” says Dr. Ashcraft, and other eye conditions. a low vision optometrist in Los “Some of my patients Angeles. Even if it’s driving. consider me the last stop for “The major benefit of bioptic people who have vision loss” telescope low vision glasses is said Dr. Shuldiner “most magnifying road signs, traffic people don’t know that there lights and other distance objects are low vision optometrists necessary for safe driving”. who have extensive experience Dr’s Ashcraft and Shuldiner in helping those with vision are members of The International loss.We help people with Academy of Low Vision macular degeneration, diabetic Specialists (www.IALVS.com) retinopathy, RP and other eye and have extensive experience diseases regain function and in working with the visually independence.” impaired. Imagine a pair of glasses that can improve your vision enough Los Angeles to change your life. Low Vision Harold Ashcraft O.D. glasses may allow you to read, (800) 345-9719 watch television, see sporting www.LowVisionLosAngeles.com events, and even drive. Orange, Riverside, There are two types of macular degeneration: wet and San Diego counties dry. There is no treatment for Richard Shuldiner the dry form, which is caused O.D., F.A.A.O. by aging, sunlight, smoking, (888) 610-2020 and genetics. The damage in www.LowVisionCare.com ADVERTISEMENT 14 LIFEAFTER50.COM January 2016
Namath, a true believer in the treatment, says the results of his SPECT scans, which he now has every six months, have shown an incredible change in his brain. “What the doctors are showing me on the computer is blood flow and light where it was once dark,” says Namath. “Seeing the part of my brain that wasn’t getting the blood flow and then seeing the change, through the progression of scans, is showing me things are appearing to clear up and improve.” Asked if he has experienced a notable physical improvement in the way he feels, sleeps and his cognitive skills, Namath says that is hard to answer. “The thing is, while I had little things bothering me – giving me concern – I felt overall good before staring the treatment,” he reveals. “The doctors asked me as we went along with the treatments if I was feeling better and I told them it was hard to tell, because I felt good going in. I have taken care of myself and breathe properly when I exercise. I learned that when I was swimming, that it’s important to take in oxygen when you work out. I don’t thin k I can recognize feeling physically better, except for some minor arthritic pain and I am sleeping better, and maybe have more stamina during workouts. But, for me, it is what I see on the scans – the improvement in the brain – that is important, making sure I continue to feel good and am staying ahead of any issues that may arise in the future.” Namath’s longtime attorney and business associate James Walsh, who is a passionate advocate of the trial the center is conducting, says there apparently is evidence that something positive is happening by using the drug of oxygen to treat patients with brain injuries. “There are clear signs that, in Joe’s case, after going through hyperbaric oxygen therapy, that cells which were dormant began lighting up and performing like healthy cells again,” says Walsh. “There are a lot of very important questions that may be answered by the results of this trial. If someone has had a TBI and their brain cells have diminished, are they dead or are they just dormant? What is the status of non-functioning brain cells? If they are dead, well, dead is dead and all the oxygen in the world isn’t going to bring them back to life. But if the cells are dormant, as seemingly has been the case with Joe, there is evidence that they are responding to hyperbaric oxygen therapy and remarkable things may be happening by use of this treatment.” Admitting he is skeptical by nature, Walsh hired an independent neurological radiologist from a prominent New Orleans hospital to review Namath’s SPECT scans. “The radiologist I hired was as skeptical, if not more
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so, than I was,” says Walsh. “But, after analyzing the scans he told me he was remarkably surprised by the improvement he saw.” Having worked closely with Namath for over 45 years, Walsh says he has also seen a marked improvement in the way Namath deals with stress since he completed the hyperbaric treatments. “I’ve known Joe for a long time, and I’ve seen changes for the better in the way he handles stress and business dealings,” says Walsh. “Where he once had a tendency to be a bit irritable in stressful situations, he is how more relaxed and easy-going. Is that because of the treatments? I can’t say that. All I know is that I have seen a very noticeable and positive change.” While Fox and Miskin are both cautious of overstating if the treatment may offer a “cure” for the symptoms of a brain injury, Walsh contends that a cure would simply be a cherry on top of the other benefits oxygenation may provide. “Perhaps these trials will never produce a cure per se,” says Walsh. “But suppose we learn how to interrupt the progression of the degeneration of brain cells? Suppose we have the chance to ward off the progression process that may lead to dementia and or Alzheimer’s. In researching this issue I have learned there are some in the medical community who are skeptical when it comes to the use of the drug of oxygen to help patients with TBI. I have also been skeptical. But, we won’t know what benefits may or may not be available until trials like the one the center is doing are concluded; maybe they can find a way to decrease the degeneration of injured brain cells and keep people healthier for a longer period of time, maybe for the remainder of their lives. The results of this trial could be extremely beneficial to the medical community and the NFL.” Asked if the NFL would be open to accepting the results of the trial being conducted by the Joe Namath Neurological Research Center, Miller says the league is constantly being advised by leading medical experts and that they invest in a number of independent research initiatives that will benefit the longterm health of not only football players but athletes across all sports and beyond. As an example, he points to their Head Health Challenge II, which is a part of the NFL’s collaboration with GE and Under Armour to advance concussion research, diagnosis, prevention and treatment. In late 2015, that challenge saw winning technologies announced that include a turf underlayer that softens impact, a novel football helmet (of which the proprietary design is still confidential), and a rate-dependent tether system that, according to Miller, will improve the safety of athletes, war-fighters, children and broader society. “We also work closely with the Department of Defense on all of our research projects and learn from the work they do, including the results of their research on hyperbaric therapy,” adds Miller. “Any study or report that involves the health of our player population is taken very seriously. It is an important input that will help to further advance progress.” As for the goals Miskin, Fox and Namath hope to achieve through their clinical trial program, Fox says they are doing all they can to convince the FDA, the medical community and the insurance companies of the benefits of hyperbaric oxygen treatments. “We have received FDA approval to evaluate the use of oxygen as a drug,” says Fox. “We have also wanted to make our trial more robust in a couple of ways. Cognitive improvement is a difficult thing to prove, so we have tried very hard to quantify the improvement we are seeing and documenting. We put our patients through the SPECT scanner and also have them do cognitive testing. We do everything we can to track how a patient is improving and changing as they go through the tests. This is a very important trial, because what it is doing is really looking at things in a scientific and measurable way. When it comes to brain injury treatments, looking at a patient’s improvement is what has been lacking in the past. The first 100 patients in this trial will be the most important as we track the improvement in their brains. We are then hoping to continue the trail, expanding it to a thousand patients, and take it beyond our center.” CHANGES
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For more information about traumatic brain injuries, hyperbaric oxygen therapy and the work of the Joe Namath Neurological Center, click on www. Namathneurocenter.com.
January 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 15 PAL_003873_01_1_4_Senior_Print_ Life_After_50_4.625x11.5_r3_FINAL_CFR.indd 1
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The View From
Broadway Broadway Joe shares his views on the head injuries he has suffered, why he sought medical treatment, and if he would be supportive of his grandson playing the game that made him an NFL legend Story by David Laurell * Photos by Vanessa Rogers
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s much as Joe Namath will always be remembered for playing a huge role in establishing the then-upstart American Football League by leading his team to victory in Super Bowl III, he continues to build on his legacy by virtue of the research that is being done at the Joe Namath Neurological Research Center at Jupiter Medical Center in Florida. In preparing this story, Life After 50 recently sat down with the Hall of Fame quarterback, now 72, to ask him about his views on the treatment he received, what his hopes are for the center’s clinical trials in the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy and other important issues. We began our conversation with Namath by asking if he remembers any significant hits he received to his head prior to his professional playing days. Joe Namath (JN): Oh yeah, of course! At practice as well as in a game. I know I had a concussion in college for sure. In practice, I got hit in the head like a bowling ball hitting me once. That was the only time I ever had a tooth knocked out and I remember seeing stars. You know, we never heard the word “concussion” back then. We just knew we had our bell rung and they would use smelling salts to bring us back around. I also remember in my sophomore 16 LIFEAFTER50.COM January 2016
season at Alabama, we were playing Georgia Tech and, boy, I got hit from behind and the next thing I knew, I was on the bench. My left side was numb and my arm was tingling and I had no memory of leaving the field. But back then, once you became alert again, it was: “Oh, okay, there’s nothing wrong, so get back in the game.” life After 50 (lA50): What about the head injuries you sustained as a pro? JN: I certainly remember taking a good hit and seeing that gold flash on a few occasions. One of the classic hits I recall came when we were playing Denver. I had just released a pass and this defensive tackle, a guy named Dave Costa, started accelerating through the air and was leading with his head and caught me right in my solar plexus. In my follow through, I was kind of bent over his body but he was driving me back and drove me into the ground so that my head hit and then bounced hard on the ground. You can be hit in a lot of different ways by another player but a lot of the real damage to the brain can come, not so much from the impact of the hit, but from when your head hits the ground. lA50: After taking a hit like that, did you ever have lingering pain or experience any disorientation in the following days? JN: No, not that I remember. But you have to remember that the legal pain killer called alcohol was always around after work. And if you were a drinker, which I was back then, you would drink to get to a place of numbness to relieve the pains, and the next day, you wouldn’t know if the pounding in your head was from a hangover or from the hits you took. lA50: When was it, and for what reason did you decide to look into seeing if you had any reason to be concerned over the hits you had taken during your career? JN: The process started by having a former teammate explain to me his fears of what he was going through – problems with memory and putting sentences
and thoughts together properly. That was back in 2008 or 2009. He was at a point in which he was reaching out and trying to get some help. But even as recent as then, there wasn’t a lot of information or help available. I think of my ignorance of seeing Muhammad Ali and just thinking he had Parkinson’s disease. I didn’t associate what he is going through with his having suffered traumatic brain injuries. I just thought it was what my dad told me when I was a little boy – using the old classic fighter’s term – that he was “punch drunk.” I have been with Muhammad, and seeing what he is going through is very painful to watch. lA50: So did you feel you had any concerns for yourself after seeing what your teammate and Ali were dealing with? JN: No, not at all. I knew I had suffered concussions, and because of what I knew from talking to many of my former teammates and other former players, I had been monitoring myself. I started catching myself saying: “Now what the heck did I come into this room for?” I started questioning my memory. Of course, many people of all ages say they have done that, but because I did have head injuries and knew other former athletes who were going through memory issues with a legitimate fear, I started to question myself. lA50: But you weren’t experiencing any head pain or serious cognitive issues? JN: Not at all. You know, for years I’ve said that I feel I will live a long time. My mother and father had good genes. But after seeing what has happed to some former players, I started thinking about the quality of my life as I get older. I started thinking about my children and grandchildren. I wanted to do everything I could to prevent what I have seen in others from happening to me. I thought it made good sense to find out what was happening to me as far as the little memory issues I had. So I knew Dr. Fox from local charity events and fundraisers and I asked him for some guidance. That’s how it all started. We began doing the scans and running a lot of tests and then we began the hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Then, after my first series of dives, we did further scans and what I saw in the way my brain changed was amazing. lA50: Because someone of your status in the sports world has been so proactive about this issue – been willing to go public with the treatments you have received and the results and the establishment of the Joe Namath Neurological research Center, what is it, besides your own health and wellbeing, that you hope the clinical study of the center will achieve? JN: There are many more traumatic head injuries happening on a daily basis than there are in the sports world – our military warriors, people who have had serious falls or been in car accidents. So addressing traumatic brain injuries, in hopes of finding an effective treatment, is something that has to be looked at. I can’t call it a mistake that we haven’t advanced that far on this issue as of yet. How do you see what’s going on in the brain? How do you analyze what any single blow to the head may do to a person? Fifty years ago, come on, we didn’t have the kind of technology or information we have today. We didn’t have the science, the kinds of tests and knowledge we have now. And yet, even in this day and age, brain injuries and how they should be treated is still a mystery we wish we could solve faster. So this clinical study is very important, because we don’t even know what we may learn from it. Today, oxygen isn’t considered a drug. The ultimate goal of our study – if we get to the next phase – is to get doctors and insurance companies and Medicare to recognize that, and pay for it, like they do with other drugs. We are trying to raise the money that will help us complete the clinical trial of 100 people and then submit the results to the FDA. That is the only way we can accomplish our goal of having the use of oxygen as a drug to be recognized by the FDA and ultimately the insurance companies. This study is so important, because it has
the possibly of revealing information we have never had before that could be helpful to so many people. lA50: in researching and preparing this story, we have spoken to a representative from the Nfl who says they are open to reviewing the results of your study. Are you confident that will happen? JN: I think so. I hope so. I think they are doing a whole lot more to make the game safer today. But come on, it’s a brutal sport that the human body was never made for. No matter what preventive measures are taken, no matter what technology is used in new helmets, players are going to get hit in the head and suffer concussions. I believe the NFL does want to step up on this issue, but they are a business – a big business – and in that case, the legal eagles are involved. Every business has an army of them and sometimes they put things off until they have to be addressed. Well, I think when it comes to dealing with players who have suffered brain injuries that time has come – to pull the trigger, so to speak. I do think they are trying, but I also think it is business and, like any big business, they have to protect themselves as much as possible. lA50: When the history of the 20th century is written, you will be a part of it as one of the era’s icons. That said, with all the “juicy rewards” as LIFE magazine one wrote, that the game of football has given you, if you could go back to the mid-1960s with the knowledge you have today, would you have still played? JN: (laughs) Well, I think I am smart enough at this stage of my life to know there are other things I could have done. If I knew what I know today, I may have gone in another direction rather than physically dealing with the injuries, whether it be the head or otherwise. But I loved playing. I just hated getting hit and getting hurt and losing (laughs). lA50: You have two beautiful daughters and two beautiful granddaughters, but last year, you also became the grandfather of a boy. Would you be supportive of him playing football? JN: Oh yeah! I even say that quickly, because of the benefits of the game – the discipline and life lessons and teamwork you get from playing the game. But I would only be supportive of him playing if he wanted to play. I would not push him into it, and that does bother me that some parents do that in hopes of their sons getting scholarships or having the chance at playing professionally. Remember, there are many other things that kids can do that will teach them the determination and the work ethic and lessons they need to succeed besides playing football. Look, football is a great sport, there is no question about it. But while I may not want my grandson to play football, if he wants to play, I wouldn’t stop him and I would be supportive.
January 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 17
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Meet the Medical Team of the Joe Namath Neurological Research Center
Dr. Barry M. Miskin The co-director of the Joe Namath Neurological Research Center offers insight on the use of hyperbaric oxygen treatment for patients with brain injuries
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Story by David Laurell * Photos by Vanessa Rogers
r. Barry M. Miskin is the co-director of the Joe Namath Neurological Research Center at Jupiter Medical Center in Jupiter, Florida. He serves as the principal investigator of the center’s clinical trial to determine whether hyperbaric oxygen therapy can successfully diminish the damage of traumatic brain injury.
life After 50 (lA50): How did you become involved in the testing of hyperbaric oxygen as a treatment for patients with brain injuries? Dr. Barry M. Miskin (BMM): I’ve worked in trauma centers for over 25 years, since I was a resident. I was trained in a level one trauma center under some of the finest people. When I was a surgical resident, I was involved with people who had suffered some pretty devastating head injuries. But what really brought it home to me was our last child had a traumatic brain injury. She had a hemorrhagic stroke in utero. So I started looking into brain injuries, because that’s what makes it real in medicine – when it’s happening to you. LA50: For the benefit of our readers, can you explain, in the simplest of terms, what hyperbaric oxygen treatment is? BMM: A patient goes into a chamber and breathes 100 percent oxygen under pressure. The oxygen works like a drug. It saturates your tissues and cells far more than by normal breathing. lA50: How many treatments, or dives as they are called, would someone who has a brain injury need to see results? BMM: We don’t know. Everyone has a different protocol, thus all the research. This is what we are doing at Jupiter Medical Center. This is part of my story. When my daughter was born, she was paralyzed on one side of her body and had a seizure disorder. As a doctor, I’m a guy whose goal is to try to fix things. I was determined to fix this. During that time, I had been taking training courses with people from the Air Force and had started a wound center. I was dealing with a lot of patients that had bad infections in their feet and in their bones. They also had a lot of other problems – strokes and neurological problems. What I noticed through my research was that when they were in the hyperbaric chamber, if they were paralyzed on one side, they were able to move that side. They maybe couldn’t speak because of a stroke, and yet while they were in the chamber they were able to speak. Then, when we took them out of the chamber, it all stopped; it didn’t last. Over the years, I have seen a patient with a really bad history of vascular disease, who had a stroke and was paralyzed over half of his body, be put in the chamber and the paralysis went away after two weeks. I began working with the first real pioneer in this treatment, Dr. Richard Neubauer, who treated children from all over the world with all kinds of neurological problems. Through Dr. Neubauer, I met a man whose child had a horrible seizure disorder where she was having 50 or 60 seizures a day. They 20 LIFEAFTER50.COM January 2016
tried everything and couldn’t stop them with any meds. Then, when they went to Dr. Neubauer, he was able to help control the seizures with his hyperbaric oxygen treatment. This man was convinced the same treatment would help my daughter so I bought my own chamber and put it in my house. I bought the liquid oxygen and treated her at home and I’m convinced she is doing better because of the treatment. lA50: Why do you think this clinical trial and treatment show promise? BMM: Because when you have a brain injury, you can have an area of cells that are asleep and not functioning. When you give these cells oxygen, it wakes them up and causes new blood vessels to form and everything starts working again. But that depends on the type of injury a person has, and some cells may be dead and not just sleeping and will never wake up. That is why this treatment isn’t exactly consistent. So one of the big things we are researching is if you can actually heal the brain. lA50: This sounds so promising, so why isn’t it being looked at on a grander scale? BMM: The problem is that oxygen isn’t expensive. We use only about six dollars’ worth during a dive, so it isn’t commercially attractive to the drug companies. LA50: Has your research shown that this treatment has longterm benefits, or is it only showing results during or right after the treatment? BMM: This treatment is not consistent, so depending on the kind of injury a person has, there is a varying result that they will get. But we never know what the result will be and in our research the problem with a CAT scan or an MRI is that they are anatomical studies that just show the anatomy. The SPECT scan that we are using is a functional study. It shows how the brain is functioning. But we really don’t know what this study will reveal. If someone has scar tissue – brain damage – they may never see 100 percent recovery. But suppose they only get a 20 or 30 percent recovery. That’s pretty good. For patients with brain damage, even small results – like realizing you have to go to the bathroom – can be monumental – life-changing. lA50: Do you have any thoughts on if this treatment could have any benefit to someone who has had a stroke or who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia? BMM: It may, but there really isn’t enough data yet. The problem is there has never really been any money for studies like this, so the data is really sparse. We’re trying to change that. lA50: Joe Namath said he began to become concerned when he noticed slight memory problems. Are there any symptoms someone should be aware of that go beyond the normal memory lapses we all have? BMM: There are a lot of subtle symptoms that people with brain injuries have that are very similar. There are also a lot of subtle cognitive differences that
people with brain injuries may have and sometimes they are associated with personality traits. As for symptoms, if someone’s temper is a lot shorter or if they may be inappropriate in social situations – doing things that may be out of character for them – that should be a signal. lA50: Tell us about the clinical trial you are currently conducting. BMM: Our chamber is owned by a third-party vendor, so we are not allowed to use the hospital chamber for anything other than what Medicare allows. So when Joe came to us, the only way we were able to put him in the chamber is if we wrote an experimental protocol. So I put together a protocol for a clinical trial. That’s how this all started, with Dr. Fox asking me the question: “Can hyperbaric oxygen help traumatic brain injury?” Then it went before our internal review board and the FDA to make sure it was okay. Our hospital is impeccable with their ethics so we have approached this in the proper way right from the start. lA50: What is your ultimate goal? BMM: If the trial proves successful, then we’d like to see the treatment approved so it will be accessible to everyone who would benefit from it. We
need to continue to get more data and submit it to the FDA. There is pretty compelling evidence out there that if you have had a brain injury, you have an increased chance, later in life, of not only getting Alzheimer’s, but Parkinson’s or ALS or some other neurological disease. The perfect example is Muhammad Ali. My thought is if there is some way to treat patients early on, before these diseases become manifest, then why aren’t we doing something to prevent that from happening? If anyone took a look at the scans we did of Joe’s brain before he started the hypobaric treatments and then after, it’s really impressive and promising. lA50: What has it meant to have someone of Joe Namath’s stature willing to put himself out there so publicly to establish this center and promote this trial? BMM: Having Joe behind this, and even more so, having him actually be a participant, has gotten us to this point in our research that we would have never achieved otherwise. If he wasn’t involved, we wouldn’t even be talking about this. He is larger than life and he himself has seen that this treatment has incredible promise.
Dr. Lee A. Fox The chief of radiology and co-director of the Joe Namath Neurological Research Center at Jupiter Medical Center answers the questions most frequently asked by parents and grandparents about kids playing contact sports
life After 50 (lA50): Many readers of our magazine may have kids or grandchildren who are currently participating in contact sports. Are there any telltale signs a parent or grandparent should be looking for if their kids or grandkids have had any sort of a head injury?
Dr. Lee Fox (LF): This is a topic near and dear to me because I have young children myself. With younger children, we have to be even more concerned about even slight trauma to the head, because their bodies aren’t fully developed. Their bodies are not strong enough to withstand the trauma they may encounter from contact sports as well as a collegiate or professional athlete. Also, the medical facilities available to collegiate and professional teams have doctors and specialists right on the field who are there to help them, whereas in youth leagues or high school that kind of thing is not available. Because a concussion or any harm to the brain may be overlooked with kids, my message is for parents and grandparents to be very conscious of them while they are participating in contact sports – to look for anything that may seem off. I know there are a lot of children that enjoy playing hockey, football, soccer, lacrosse and I think the most important thing is for parents to be actively involved with the coaches to make sure they have the right equipment. They should also be very careful, if the child has been injured, to make sure they receive the proper treatment as quickly as possible. There should never be an instance of telling a child or any athlete to just shake it off or slapping them on the back and saying: “Get back in there and play.” We always need to err on the side of being overly cautious when any kind of head injury occurs. lA50: Can we ask you to go a bit further in what a parent or grandparent should specifically look for if their child or grandchild has taken a slam or hit, because there is always the concern that if there is something wrong, a
child may not reveal that because they know they won’t be allowed to play any longer.
LF: That’s an excellent point and question and a very tough one to answer. Some kids may become disoriented after a hit to the head, but they may also just say they are okay and that they just got the wind knocked out of them. The problem is there is not a specific telltale sign that says: “Wow! You’ve been seriously injured.” It’s just very difficult to identify. There is no one thing that will stand out. What I can say is to look for any changes in mental status or cognitive behavior, confusion, difficulty walking or unsteadiness. Any type of neurological change can occur from a traumatic brain injury. We’ re all familiar with strokes, where you lose the ability to speak. With a traumatic brain injury, it can be confusion and not knowing what day it is, or coming up with the right words, difficulty with your gait, or even irritability or some other personality change. Or there may be no signs at all. That’s the challenge. LA50: With the film “Concussion” having just come out and Joe Namath’s participation in your trial and his willingness to go public with his treatment, are you hoping this will help spark more of an awareness of brain injuries and the work you are doing? LF: We’re very lucky that all of these things are happening at the same time. It is certainly creating a lot of awareness. We have known for a long time that traumatic brain injuries are a problem that can cause problems down the road and we’ve been very committed to working toward this treatment. We really have the chance to capitalize on all of the media attention on this subject. We need to just get it out there because the chances are very realistic that we may possibly be creating a treatment for this widespread problem.
For more information on traumatic brain injury or hyperbaric oxygen treatment, click on www.facebook.com/TBIHyperbaricHope. January 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 21
Cultivating Bliss in 2016
How I went from happy to happiest (and how you can, too!) Feel the best you’ve ever felt in 2016 by achieving your dreams, embracing your curves, making time for what really matters, and loving your space By Sheri Fink
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he beginning of the New Year is a great time to not only gear up for the big game on Super Bowl Sunday, but also to set goals for a healthy, happy year ahead. If you’re like me, you devour all of the standard “New Year, New You” type articles only to be disappointed by the diet tips and recommended exercise gadgets that don’t result in long-term bliss or even short-term satisfaction. My guess is that at the dawn of this New Year, you’re seeking something deeper and more meaningful. I have a confession to make: Right now, I’m the happiest I’ve ever felt in my life. I’m typically a pretty happy person naturally, but lately it’s been consistently off the charts and with a calm peacefulness that’s new for me. Being extremely conscious of my happiness, I started to wonder what I’ve been doing differently and how my realizations may be able to inspire
22 LIFEAFTER50.COM January 2016
others seeking an adventure beyond the ordinary path, so, here’s what I discovered about cultivating bliss:
1
I’m taking extraordinary care of myself. I’m taking my own needs seriously
and treating myself as if I matter. Simply put, I’m prioritizing my self-care. That means I’m working out, meditating (most days), getting good sleep, taking dance lessons, spending time with people I love, and journaling daily. Each night, I invest a few minutes in setting my priorities for my day ahead, aligning my actions with my biggest goals, and reflecting on my successes.
2
I’m intentionally making progress toward my dreams...daily. Last summer,
I decided it was time to finish writing a novel I had been working on (which will be published on
February 2), to really take care of my body, and to exponentially grow my business. Every day, I took at least one action in each category. Even it if seems like a small thing at the time, those actions really add up by the end of the week and I feel satisfaction from no longer delaying my dreams.
3
I’m setting boundaries and being very selective about how and with whom I invest my time. Our time and energy
are the most precious gifts we can give someone. I no longer squander them with people who waste or devalue my time. It felt awkward saying “no” at first, but it’s incredibly liberating and gets easier every time. And if I see that someone is disrespecting my boundaries, I speak up. If I don’t like the outcome of a conversation, I say “goodbye.” No drama, no second-guessing, and no attachment.
4
I’m eating carbs...daily and unapologetically. While on my fitness journey, I tried
a variety of strategies that were recommended to me. One that I was told would have amazing results to help me “lean out” was to go low-to-no carbs a few days a week. Well, I tried that for a while, but it made me feel crazy. Suddenly food became a big focus, I felt extra emotional and weak, had disrupted sleep almost every night, was very critical of myself and my body, and sometimes couldn’t complete my challenging workouts. It just didn’t feel good to me. So I started eating healthy carbs (oatmeal, pistachios, raisins, veggie burgers, green drinks, apples and sourdough bread) again and occasionally enjoyed less-healthy carbs (pizza, french fries and ice cream) in addition to lots of protein-rich foods (fish, eggs, whey, lentils and Greek yogurt) and healthy fats (such as coconut oil, avocados and olive oil). The results? I feel energetic and emotionally balanced. I sleep through the night every night. I actually cook homemade meals and enjoy my food more. I feel strong and positive about my body. And I feel good dining with friends without the drama of what to eat. I’m four pounds heavier than I was at my lowest weight, but who cares when you feel the best you’ve ever felt? I’m not sure why I ever wanted to look so “lean” when I’m naturally an hourglass-shaped woman. I’m extremely active and my body needs energy from real food sources. I am fit, healthy, curvy, and feminine...and most importantly, I am happy. Focusing so much on weighing less takes up valuable energy and attention that could be focused on other things. I guess I just didn’t question what society had trained me to believe about skinnier being better. It’s not, at least not for my body. Now I’m happy to be taking care of my body and fulfilling its unique needs without allowing it to completely dominate my life and disrupt my wellbeing. I have a deeper respect and appreciation for my body and the life it enables me to live.
5
I’m spending time in environments that feel good to me. My environments have
always deeply affected me. Awhile back, I lived in a space in which I couldn’t write. I don’t know why, but the words would never flow onto the page while I was there. I had to seek outside environments to express myself through my writing. That became very burdensome, as it is difficult for me to write in bustling environments such as coffee shops and restaurants. My attention wandered, people came over and talked with me, and I ended up not accomplishing very much despite my best efforts. That all changed when I moved into a new place with more space, lots of light, and blissful quiet. I chose to keep only the things that are useful, beautiful, or bring me joy. It was a tough and timeconsuming process, but worth the purge, because now I’m surrounded by beauty. My environment energizes me in a whole new way. I’m writing all the time and the words flow beautifully. I don’t know why I waited so long to make a change that positively impacts my productivity every day. I love being and creating in my inspiring new space!
6
I’m giving zero attention to what I don’t want or don’t like. When I have a negative
thought, I no longer analyze it, wondering where it came from, what it means or why I’m having it. Instead, I just let it go. This one change has transformed my ability to focus on what I want to accomplish. I’m finding that I move a lot faster toward my dreams when I’m not constantly questioning myself. I choose to give my time and energy to thoughts that empower me. Thoughts are just thoughts until we energize them with attention and emotion. I consciously choose thoughts that help me achieve my goals and make a bigger contribution in the world, and that’s making all the difference. So there you have it: my realizations to create higher levels of joy, happiness, and fulfillment. I hope this
Meet SherI FInk Sheri Fink is an inspirational speaker, a best-selling author, an award-winning entrepreneur, and the creator of “The Whimsical World of Sheri Beth Fink” brand. She writes books that inspire and delight kids of all ages while planting seeds of self-esteem. Sheri’s newest adventure is a contemporary romance novel that debuts on February 2... just in time for Valentine’s Day. Her book, “Cake in Bed,” is a sexy, inspiring novel about a divorcee who discovers herself on a humorous and sometimes heartbreaking journey while finding love in an unexpected place. “Cake in Bed” is a book for smart women who believe in true love in the modern world. It’s a fun and flirty story that empowers women to be their authentic selves and not settle for less than they deserve in life or love, because everyone deserves to have their cake and eat it, too...preferably in bed! Learn more about Sheri Fink, her whimsical world and her books by clicking on www.SheriFink.com.
list helps you explore adjustments that could enhance your life for a happy, healthy, and blissful 2016!
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Sherlock on Masterpiece – New Episode, PBS – Sunday January 10 at 10 p.m
For those who have anxiously been awaiting the return of this series, PBS’ “Masterpiece” is offering a taste in the form of this 90-minute special (season four goes into production this year). In the meantime you can once again enjoy Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in this acclaimed modern retelling of Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic stories. This time, however, our heroes find themselves in 1890s London. Beloved characters Mary Morstan played by Amanda Abbington, Inspector Lestrade portrayed by Rupert Graves and Mrs. Hudson played by Una Stubbs also turn up at 221b Baker Street.
Mercy Street – New Series, PBS – Premieres Sunday January 17 at 10 p.m.
Based on real events, this new series takes viewers beyond the battlefield and into the lives of Americans on the Civil War home front as they face the unprecedented challenges of one of the most turbulent times in our nation’s history. Set in Virginia in the spring of 1862, the series follows the lives of two volunteer nurses on opposite sides of the conflict; Mary Phinney played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead, a staunch New England abolitionist, and Emma Green, portrayed by Hannah James, a naive young Confederate belle. The two collide at Mansion House, the Green family’s luxury hotel that has been taken over and transformed into a Union Army Hospital in Alexandria, a border town between North and South and the longest-occupied Confederate city of the war. Ruled under martial law, Alexandria is now the melting pot of the region, filled with soldiers, civilians, female volunteers, doctors, wounded fighting men from both sides, runaway slaves, prostitutes, speculators and spies.
Billions – New Series, Showtime – Premieres
Sunday January 17 at 10 p.m. (also OnDemand)
Paul Giamatti and Damian Lewis star in this complex drama about power politics in the world of New York high finance. This 12-episode series is both a glimpse into the lives of the rich and powerful, and a look at the actual power structure of New York City itself. It focuses on shrewd, savvy U.S. Attorney Chuck Rhoades and the brilliant, ambitious hedge fund king Bobby “Axe” Axelrod who are on an explosive collision course, with each using all of his considerable smarts, power and influence to out-maneuver the other. The stakes are in the billions in this timely, provocative series.
The X-Flies – Six Episode Miniseries, Fox – Premieres Sunday January 24 at 10 p.m.
Thirteen years after the original series run, the next mind-bending chapter of “The X-Files” is a six-episode event series from creator/executive producer Chris Carter, with stars David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson re-inhabiting their roles as iconic FBI Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully. The stories are contemporary to things happening now, and they all take place in the U.S. The Mulder and Scully characters have not changed, though they did age accordingly. Many of the original cast members will also be returning including Mitch Pileggi and William B. Davis, as well as the original writers.
Mike Nichols: American Masters – New Special, PBS – Premieres Friday January 29 at 9 p.m.
“American Masters” launches its 30th anniversary season with the first documentary ever about legendary director Mike Nichols. An artistic trailblazer, he won an Oscar, a Grammy, four Emmys, nine Tonys and many other awards as a director, actor, writer, producer and comedian. As the legendary comedy duo Nichols and May, Nichols and his partner Elaine May revolutionized comedy in the late 1950s and early 1960s. May directs this new film in which Nichols discusses his life and 50-year career as a performer and director. The film also features new interviews with his friends and colleagues, including Meryl Streep, Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, Dustin Hoffman, Alec Baldwin, Paul Simon, Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane, as well as insights and highlights from Nichols’ acclaimed films “The Graduate,” “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?,” “Catch 22,” “Silkwood,” “Biloxi Blues,” “Working Girl,” “Angels In America,” along with theatrical productions “Barefoot in the Park,” “Luv” and “The Odd Couple.” 24 LIFEAFTER50.COM January 2016
The Best In January Television Viewing By Sandi Berg
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The Hallowed Hall of Must-Knowtables By David Laurell Illustration by Mark Hammermeister
Vince
Lombardi
The head coach of the Green Bay Packers during the 1960s, Vince Lombardi led “The Pack” to five National Football League championships in addition to winning the first two Super Bowls, then known as the AFL-NFL World Championship Game. Widely considered to be the greatest coach to ever lead an NFL team, Lombardi never had a losing season during his tenure as a head coach. In 1970, the World Championship Trophy, awarded to the winning Super Bowl team, was renamed in his honor, and the following year he was inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame.
V
incent Lombardi was born in June of 1913 in Brooklyn, New York. The first of five children born to Enrico and Matilda Lombardi, young Vince grew up in an ethnically diverse, middle-class neighborhood where he served as an altar boy, assisted his father in his meat cutting business, and, as the son of an Italian immigrant, suffered from racial prejudice. Having been raised in a strict Roman Catholic family, Lombardi felt obligated to serve in the priesthood and enrolled in Brooklyn’s Cathedral College of the Immaculate Conception. Somewhat hindered by poor eyesight, he struggled as a member of the school’s baseball and basketball teams and ultimately decided that neither sport nor the priesthood was for him. He then went on to attended Fordham University in the Bronx, where he made the Fordham Rams football team and excelled as a gutsy player. In 1937, Lombardi graduated from Fordham with no clear career path. He made the cut with a semi-professional football team, the Wilmington Clippers of the American Association, and eked out a living for a while as a debt collector.
Prodded by his father to return to school and earn a law degree, Lombardi was accepted to Fordham Law School, but lost interest and dropped out after only one semester. In the summer of 1940, Lombardi married Marie Planitz who, soon after, became pregnant and then suffered a miscarriage. Marie was so devastated by the loss of her baby, she began abusing alcohol, a problem that would haunt her and her family for years to come. By the fall of 1941, Marie was again pregnant and, in April of 1942, gave birth to the first of two Lombardi children. Still struggling as to what he wanted to do with his life, Lombardi accepted an assistant coaching job for a football team at a Roman Catholic high school in Englewood, New Jersey, where he also taught Latin, chemistry, and physics. Soon after, he was moved up to the top coaching spot. The performance of his team, winning six championships, resulted in an assistant coaching offer from Fordham University, a position he took for one season before going on to handle the same duties at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
This feature is intended for you to clip and give to your children or grandchildren because…they must-know! 26 LIFEAFTER50.COM January 2016
Lombardi coached at West Point for five years, after which he got a call from the pros and became an assistant coach with the New York Giants. During his five-season run with the Giants, Lombardi helped lead the team to five winning seasons, culminating with the league championship in 1956, after which he was tapped by the Green Bay Packers to come on board as their head coach. Heading up “The Pack,” Lombardi became known for his hard-edged style and demand of team work and total dedication from his players. Transforming the team into a successful franchise, the 1960s saw him lead them to five NFL championships, including victories in Super Bowl I and II, then known as the AFL-NFL Championship Game. During his early days at Green Bay, Lombardi ignored the prejudices that existed within many NFL front offices and simply searched for the most talented players, regardless of race. Saying that he: “viewed his players as neither black nor white, but Packer green,” Lombardi more than ruffled some feathers within the league. While the nation was in the throes of the civil rights movement, Lombardi was way ahead of the curve, adopting a zero tolerance policy towards racism. Not only did he welcome African-American players to his roster, he warned all of his players and coaches that even the smallest indications of prejudice would result in their dismissal from the team. Strongly opposed to the Jim Crow discrimination of the era, Lombardi declared, prior to the start of the 1960 season, his team was only to be booked into hotels that accepted those of all races. Lombardi’s “nothing but acceptance” credo also went beyond race. As the older brother of a gay man, he was an early advocate of honoring and respecting a person’s sexual orientation. Lombardi relinquished the reins over the Packers at the conclusion of the 1967 season and moved up to the team’s front office where he served as their general manager for his final year with Green Bay. In 1969, he was offered the head coach and general manager position with the Washington Redskins where, under his guidance, the team turned in their first winning season in 14 years. From the start of his tenure with the Redskins, Lombardi suffered with digestive problems and, in spite of his doctor’s concerns, wouldn’t consent to a proctoscopic exam. That changed in the early summer of 1970, when his health problems evolved into much more than an irritant. Admitted to Georgetown University Hospital in late June, tests revealed Lombardi had colon cancer. Scheduled for exploratory surgery the following month, his cancer was found to be aggressive and terminal. He died in Washington, D.C. on September 3, 1970 at the age of 57. Lombardi’s funeral was held on September 7 at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. Among the 1,500-plus in attendance to hear Terence Cardinal Cooke deliver the eulogy were a “who’s who” of the National Football League, including Commissioner Pete Rozelle. Following the service, Lombardi was interred in Mount Olivet Cemetery in Middletown Township, New Jersey.
• “Coach: A Season With Lombardi” by Tom Dowling (W. W. Norton & Company, 1970) • “By Their Works: Profiles of Men of Faith Who Made a Difference” by Stephen Singular (HarperCollins Publishers, 2006) • “When Pride Still Mattered: A Life Of Vince Lombardi” by David Maraniss (Simon & Schuster, 2000) • “Vince” by Michael O’Brien (William Morrow Paperbacks, 1989)
LEARN MORE While there have been numerous books written by and about Vince Lombardi and his coaching style, among the best are: • “The Essential Vince Lombardi : Words & Wisdom to Motivate, Inspire, and Win” by Vince Lombardi (McGraw-Hill Education, 2002) • “Instant Replay, The Green Bay Diary of Jerry Kramer” by Jerry Kramer and Dick Schaap (Anchor, 2011) • “Football’s Greatest Coach: Vince Lombardi” by Gene Schoor (Pocket, 1975) • “The Lombardi Legacy: Thirty People Who Were Touched by Greatness” by Royce Boyles and Dave Robinson (Goose Creek Publishers, 2009) Mark Hammermeister is an award-winning artist. His work is available for purchase at www.markdraws.com January 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 27
Joe
Theismann The Super Bowl XVIIwinning quarterback shares his “big game” memories and thoughts on sports safety and kids participating in contact sports Story By David Laurell * Photos courtesy Joe Theismann and the Hallmark Channel
O
n the morning of January 30, 1983, thenWashington Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann walked out on the field of the empty Rose Bowl in Pasadena. In the ensuing hours, the stadium would be filled to the rafters and the focus of a worldwide viewing audience as Super Bowl XVII would pit Theismann and his teammates against the Miami Dolphins. As he stepped out onto the stadium’s turf, Theismann knew that by the end of that day, things could be very different for his team, which had never won a Super Bowl, and for himself. “I walked the entire field,” Theismann recalls. “Not just from goal line to goal line, but around the entire field. I just looked at everything, taking it all in. It was an entirely new experience – like I had never been on a football field before. I wanted to really take in that moment. And I remember telling myself that it was just another football game. But it wasn’t – it’s not just another game. The consequences of winning or losing that one game dictate where you will go the rest of your life and how you will be remembered. It’s a validation of all the hard work you have put into the game since you were a kid.”
28 LIFEAFTER50.COM January 2016
For Theismann, a native of South River, New Jersey, that hard work began during his years at South River High School, where he excelled in baseball, basketball, and football. A standout athlete who garnered a scholarship to attend the University of Notre Dame, Theismann earned the starting quarterback job with the Fighting Irish in his sophomore year and was a serious contender for the Heisman Trophy. As his collegiate career wound down, Theismann, who was drafted by both the Miami Dolphins and the Minnesota Twins, opted instead to sign with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. Two years later, the Washington Redskins obtained Theismann’s rights from the Dolphins and, after serving as a punt returner for his rookie season in the NFL, was named the Redskins’ starting quarterback in 1978.
SUPER MEMORIES During his time with the Redskins, Theismann led his team to victory in their first Super Bowl and then helped get them back to the big game the following year where they fell to defeat at the hands of the then-Los Angeles Raiders.
“That second Super Bowl was a distinctively different thing for me,” Theismann recalls. “Our first Super Bowl was at the end of a season that had been shortened due to a strike. We had only played nine games that year and we won eight of them. But due to the strike, every team qualified as a wild card, so there was no bye week. The regular season ended and the next week was a playoff game, and then another playoff, and then another playoff, and all of a sudden it was the Super Bowl. We didn’t have time to think or reflect on what was happening. All we were focused on was preparing for the next week’s opponent. I loved the spontaneity of that. There was a lot of energy and excitement and momentum. That’s what I was feeling when I walked out on the field that morning.” Theismann says that as much as he felt ready for his first Super Bowl appearance, he admits to having been a bit off-kilter for his second one. “The following season, after we won the division, we had this two-week period before going to Tampa for the Super Bowl. That bye week gives you the opportunity to get healthy physically, but I felt it took away from our sense of momentum. We were on a roll having beat San Fran and things were moving along and all of a sudden it all slowed
down. In the second Super Bowl, I was sort of uncomfortable in an odd way. I had a great practice the Thursday before the game, but didn’t feel like I had performed well at Friday’s practice. By Sunday, I thought I was ready, but I didn’t play well at all in that game. There is just no two ways around it; I missed a fair amount of opportunities to be able to get the ball down the field.”
THAT FATEFUL MONDAY NIGHT While Theismann didn’t earn a second Super Bowl ring, he did go on to set several Redskins franchise records before his career abruptly ended on the night of November 18, 1985. While playing the New York Giants on “Monday Night Football,” Theismann was sacked by Giants linebackers Lawrence Taylor and Harry Carson. As he took the hit, his leg twisted under him and then snapped with a comminuted compound fracture. Immediately realizing the severity of Theismann’s injury, Taylor frantically signaled for sideline medical help, while in the broadcast booth, Frank Gifford lauded Theismann as a “gutsy player” as O. J. Simpson and Joe Namath sat in stunned silence. Theismann, who reveals he has only watched a tape of that play once and will never watch it again, says he believes the NFL has become much more responsible when it comes to players’ safety as the years have gone by. “I think they are trying to do everything they can to keep injures to a minimum in what is a violent contact game,” he opines. “There’s no way around that fact, that it is a brutal game, and the nature of the game means that no matter what rules or equipment is changed, guys will get hurt and break bones. I’ve had teeth knocked out, multiple concussions, two broken hands, multiple broken noses, cracked ribs, broke my leg twice. And yet, I would play again tomorrow if I could. I know guys who don’t feel that way and I respect that. It’s an individual choice for each person.”
ART IMITATES LIFE In the wake of his playing days, Theismann has worked as a sportscaster for various networks, does extensive motivational speaking engagements, and has occasionally acted. Having done some acting work in the television series “B.J. and the Bear” and the feature film “Cannonball Run II” while he was still playing, he has since appeared in the 1993 film “The Man From Left Field,” played the role of a buyer for a fictional football team on the USA Network’s series “Necessary Roughness,” and appeared in a 2014 episode of the FOX series “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.” On January 16 at 8 p.m., art will somewhat imitate real life for Theisman as he stars in the Hallmark Channel’s original film, “Love on the Sidelines.” In the film, Theismann plays the part of Seth Holland, the father of superstar quarterback Danny Holland, played by John Reardon, who has
suffered a serious leg injury. In need of a personal assistant, Holland reluctantly agrees to hire Laurel Welk, played by Emily Kinney, an aspiring fashion designer who knows nothing about football. Asked to comment on the parallels between the film and his own career, Theismann says playing the role brought back thoughts and memories he hasn’t entertained in some time. “The main character, Danny, is a Super Bowl champ who has been sidelined with an injury,” says Theismann. “So I related to that, and when they asked me to do it, I was excited about it. I enjoy acting and I thought it was really a terrific script – a great feel-good story about a young man who is going through the struggles that come with a serious injury. Some of the scenes brought back memories of the people who encouraged me after I had suffered various injuries and when my career was over. They were people who wouldn’t let me get down on myself.”
THE QUESTION OF SAFETY As the nation gears up for the 50th Super Sunday to be held on February 7 at Santa Clara’s Levi’s Stadium, the NFL has announced it will break with their tradition of using Roman numerals and bill the game as “Super Bowl 50” instead of “Super Bowl L.” Asked about his observations on other ways the game has changed since his playing days, Theismann, who chose to wear a
single-bar facemask instead of the more protective double- or triple-bar offerings that provide more protection, opines that there are differences. “The game today is different,” he says. “But life is different. The Internet and social media has changed everything. All of the electronics and gadgets of today weren’t even thought of, much less a part of our lives back then. Today a player has communication abilities right in his helmet and they use computers and iPads on the sidelines. And then, of course, the biggest issue in the game today is safety.” Prior to pressing him on that issue, he laughs when asked why he never opted for a more protective facemask. “I played on a team that, prior to me, had quarterbacks Billy Kilmer and Sonny Jurgensen, who both wore a single-bar face mask. Now that’s some real peer pressure to follow guys like that, and I always thought: ‘What would I look like if I went to a different face mask than they used?’ But it also had something to do with my view in handing off. I always felt I could see better with the single bar. I think I was the last player to ever wear the singe bar, except for kickers.” As to the more serious and current issue of safety, especially for young people who want to play contact sports, Theismann has a pragmatic opinion on allowing their participation. “I know a lot of parents who don’t want their kids to play football, but they are totally okay with them playing soccer, and yet, when you look at the occurrence of head injuries in soccer, statistics show it is greater than in football,” says Theismann. “From what I understand, the occurrence of head injuries is number one in soccer, followed by football, and then I think lacrosse is number three.” Often asked by parents and grandparents for his feelings on playing contact sports, Theismann says that while safety should be a big concern, playing football, or any team sport, also offers a great training ground for life. “With organized youth sports, kids are a part of a team, just as they will be as they go on to get jobs and make their way in the world,” says Theismann. “Coaches today stress proper nutrition. Kids who participate in team sports get exercise. They are taught discipline from someone other than their parents. It expands their minds, because there are plays that have to be learned and remembered. In a team environment, you learn to rely on others to get your job done. There are tremendous life lessons that come with participation in youth athletics.” Addressing the safety issue, he points out that today, there are technologies and teaching techniques being incorporated that are a great
January 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 29
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plus in reducing injuries. “Look, kids get hurt when they are skateboarding or riding a bike,” he reasons. “You can’t put them in a bubble. Because of all the media hype and publicity surrounding concussions in sports today, parents are afraid to let their kids participate in football. I get that, but all I can say is that I would encourage my grandkids to be involved in organized sports, but would also want to be fully knowledgeable as to what is being implemented and taught to make it as safe as possible. That is what is being done today on every level of football from youth leagues on up to the NFL. But as I said before, it’s a violent game and protecting a player from being injured will never be a perfect science.”
THEISMANN TODAY Today, Theismann and his wife Robin enjoy time at their homes in Virginia, Tennessee, and Florida when he is not out on the road working. He says that, because he maintains a grueling schedule, he is extremely conscious of his diet and how he takes care of himself. “I do cardiovascular, stretches and upper-body strengthening on a regular basis,” he says. “I took red meat out of my diet about 25 years ago, because it just wasn’t processing well with me and made me feel sluggish.” He is also a great believer that as one ages, they have to take care of what is going on in their heads as much as their bodies. “I see a lot of people hit a certain age – 50 or 60 – and it is a milestone that is not a positive one for them,” says Theismann. “To me, hitting those ages was just having another birthday. Getting older is so much about how you feel and the way you look at life – the way you take care of yourself and the energy and passion you put into living. That’s what keeps you young, no matter what the calendar says. I refuse to allow outside circumstance to dictate my happiness. You just can’t allow the thoughts of your age to creep into you head. I believe you’re as old as you think, and in my head, I’m barely in my middle 30s.” For more information on Joe Theismann click on www.joetheismann.com.
30 LIFEAFTER50.COM January 2016
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LET’s GET OUT
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January/February
A Preview of Upcoming Events for January/February By Claire Yezbak Fadden
ENTERTAINMENT FRIDAY, JANUARY 15 THE MADWOMAN IN THE VOLVO In ancient times, tribal women went alone to caves during menopause. Today, the 50 million menopausal women in America turn to cheery self-help books. As for Loh and her friends, they are determined not to go quietly into their sixth decade but instead opt for a desert festival of debauchery and half-nude stoners. South Coast Repertory, Julianne Argyros Stage, 655 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa. Through Jan. 24. Dark Mondays. $22-plus. (714) 708-5555. scr.org. TWELVE ANGRY MEN What begins as an open and shut case of murder erupts into a fiery clash of character. Each of the jurors’ prejudices and preconceptions about the trial, the accused and each other fill debate as a guilty verdict means an automatic death sentence. LifeHouse Theater, 1135 N. Church St., Redlands. Thurs.Sun. through Jan. 31. $14-$18. (909) 3353037 ext. 21. lifehousetheater.com. ACT 3… Old enough to know better, still young enough to want more? That’s a dangerous combination in a couple. And he has a secret, but she has a bigger one. What happens when secrets collide? Stars Rita Rudner and Charles
Shaughnessy. Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Rd., Laguna Beach. Dates vary through Jan 31. Prices vary. (949) 497-2787. lagunaplayhouse.com. SATURDAY, JANUARY 16 OC CHILL Located at the popular outdoor shopping destination, this only outdoor ice skating rink in Orange County. Irvine Spectrum, 71 Fortune Drive, Irvine. Through Feb. 15. $19 includes skate rental or bring your own skates and save $4. (949) 753-5180. shopirvinespectrumcenter.com/skate. COUNTRY LIVE! AT THE MERC Old Town Temecula Community Theater, The Merc, 42051 Main St., Temecula. Sundays. $12. (866) 653-8696. temeculatheater.org. SUNDAY, JANUARY 17 WHEN THE RAIN STOPS FALLING Alice Springs in the year 2039. A fish falls from the sky and lands at the feet of Gabriel York. And it still smells of the sea. It’s been raining for days, and Gabriel knows something is wrong. Fifty years earlier, his grandfather, Henry Law, predicted that fish will fall from the sky heralding a great flood which will end life on Earth as we know it. Cygnet Theatre, 4040 Twiggs St., San Diego. Dates vary through Feb. 14. $34. (619) 337-1525. cygnettheatre.com.
FRANK SINATRA’S 100TH BIRTHDAY PARTY Celebrate Frank Sinatra, one of the most important music figures of the 20th century, with the All Star Big Band led by Jeff Stover and guest stars Troy Clarke and Richard Leibel. Old Town Temecula Community Theater, 42051 Main St., Temecula. $35$37. (866) 653-8696. temeculatheater.org. MONDAY, JANUARY 18 WHALE WATCHING Witness the longest mammal migration in the world, when approximately 20,000 gray whales pass San Diego on their annual 10,000-mile round-trip journey from the Bering Sea to the lagoons of Baja California. Learn about gray whale baleen, barnacles and prey from Birch Aquarium at Scripps naturalists. Leaves daily from San Diego Bay. $40-plus. Through April 17. (619) 234-4111. flagshipsd.com. (858) 534-7336. TUESDAY, JANUARY 19 IF/THEN This contemporary musical follows two distinct storylines in the life of Elizabeth, a city planner who moves back to New York to restart her life in this city of infinite possibilities. When her carefully designed plans collide with the whims of fate, Elizabeth’s life splits into two parallel paths.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 16
MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS
Life is wonderful for the Smith family: the World’s Fair is about to begin and love is in the air. This happy world crumbles when Mr. Smith runs into financial trouble and announces that the family will have to move to New York. The family packs their belongings and is set to leave, but at the last minute, Mr. Smith realizes how much his family loves their home and relents. Packed with great songs like “The Trolley Song,” “The Boy Next Door” and “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.” Welk Resorts Theatre, 8860 Lawrence Welk Dr., Escondido. Through Jan. 31. $48-$75. (888) 802-7469. welktheatre.com.
34 LIFEAFTER50.COM January 2016
The play follows both stories simultaneously as this modern woman faces the intersection of choice and chance. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Segerstrom Hall, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa. Through Jan. 24. $25-plus. (714) 556-2787. scfta.org. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20 SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE ADVENTURE OF THE GREAT NOME GOLD RUSH The world’s greatest sleuth, Sherlock Holmes, will stop at nothing to prove a client innocent of murder, even if it means traveling to the Wild West frontier town of Nome, Alaska, and a bar run by Wyatt Earp. North Coast Repertory Theatre, 987 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Suite D, Solana Beach. Wed.-Sun. through Feb. 7. Prices vary. (858) 481-1055. northcoastrep.org.
THE NERD A comedy about an architect stuck in a rut and facing a milestone birthday, whose life is suddenly, hilariously upended by the unexpected appearance of an old army buddy. Lamb’s Players Theatre, 1142 Orange Ave., Coronado. Through Feb. 14. Prices vary. (619) 437-6000. lambsplayers.org. JAZZ WEDNESDAYS The Latin Jazz Syndicate featuring trumpeter Bijon Watson. Laguna Beach Live!, 891 Laguna Canyon Road. Laguna Beach. $25. (949) 715-9713. lagunbeachlive.org
CALENDAR
January/February San Diego/Orange County/Inland Empire 1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park, San Diego. $29-plus. Through March 6. (619) 234-5623. theoldglobe.org. SUNDAY, JANUARY 31 CABERET AT THE MERC Rising Stars. Old Town Temecula Community Theater, The Merc, 42051 Main St., Temecula. $20. (866) 653-8696. temeculatheater.org.
FEBRUARY TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11
LES BALLETS DE MONTE-CARLO: CHORE
This full-length ballet of epic scope casts a fresh, provocative light on Hollywood musicals by setting their evolution against a turbulent historical backdrop. Tears and laughter, hope and fear, war and peace are evoked in this ballet that stirs the mind as well as the heart. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Segerstrom Hall, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa. Through Feb. 13. $29-plus. (714) 556-2787. scfta.org.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 21 OUTSIDE MULLINGAR Anthony and Rosemary are forty-something locals living in a tiny village in rural Ireland. They haven’t got a clue when it comes to love. When a wild and funny family-vs. -family feud erupts over a tiny patch of land, the love of these two eccentric souls finds their way toward happiness. San Diego Repertory Theatre at the Lyceum Space, 79 Horton Plaza, San Diego. Dates vary through Feb. 14. Prices vary. (619) 5441000. sdrep.org. JAZZ AT THE MERC Old Town Temecula Community Theater, The Merc, 42051 Main St., Temecula. $15. (866) 653-8696. temeculatheater.org. FRIDAY, JANUARY 22 RED It’s 1958, and Mark Rothko, abstract expressionist, is at the height of his glory. In a converted gym deep in New York City’s Bowery, he has begun work on the biggest commission in the history of modern art—and everything is at stake. Rothko’s movement has stomped out cubism, but pop art looms threateningly on the horizon. South Coast Repertory, Segerstrom Stage, 655 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa. Dates vary through Feb. 21. $22-plus. (714) 708-5555. scr.org. SATURDAY, JANUARY 23 TOUR DE PALM SPRINGS Annual bicycle ride (routes in varying
lengths from five to 100 miles) to raise money for a variety of charities. A two-day vendor fare of Coachella Valley nonprofit organizations, bicycle manufacturers, bicycle gear, apparel, other bicycle ride programs, food and live entertainment. On North Palm Canyon between Tahquitz and Alejo, Palm Springs. (760) 674-4700. tourdepalmsprings.com.
some of the most beloved and innovative songs in music history. From breezy, early songs about sun and fun to the group’s groundbreaking “Good Vibrations” era music, their influence cannot be understated. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa. $49-plus. (714) 556-2787. scfta.org.
THE SMITHEREENS PLAY TOMMY The band pays fitting tribute to the patron saints of garage rock with all things Who: highlights from “Tommy” combined with select hits from The Who’s discography. Act two is dedicated to their own catalog of rockradio hits: “Girl Like You,” “Blood and Roses,” “Only a Memory” and “House We Used to Live In.” Poway Center for the Performing Arts Foundation, 15498 Espola Rd., Poway. $34$54. (858) 668-4798. powayarts.org.
CLASSICS AT THE MERC Old Town Temecula Community Theater, The Merc, 42051 Main St., Temecula. $12. (866) 653-8696. temeculatheater.org.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 24 THE BEACH BOYS One of the most prolific and admired American bands of all time, they have created
FRIDAY, JANUARY 29 SOUTHWEST ARTS FESTIVAL Enjoy traditional, contemporary and abstract fine works of art created by more than 250 acclaimed artists. Includes clay, drawing, glass, jewelry, metal works, painting, photography, sculpture and textile. Empire Polo Club, 81-800 Avenue 51 at Monroe St., Indio. Also Jan. 30-31. $8-$12. (760) 3470676. southwestartsfest.com SATURDAY, JANUARY 30 THE METROMANIACS In 18th century Paris, young people like Damis have gone métromanie—crazy for poetry. Indeed, Damis has fallen in love with a mysterious poetess sight unseen, charmed by her verse alone. But unbeknownst to him, his beloved is actually a middle-aged gentleman named Francalou. The Old Globe Theatre, Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage, Conrad Prebys Theatre Center,
THE ILLUSIONISTS – LIVE FROM BROADWAY Full of hilarious magic tricks, death-defying stunts and acts of breathtaking wonder, this show has thrilled audiences of all ages with a mind-blowing spectacular showcasing the jaw-dropping talents of seven of the most incredible illusionists on earth. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Segerstrom Hall, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa. Through Feb. 7. $25-plus. (714) 556-2787. scfta.org. GUARDS AT THE TAJ At morning’s first light, a new edifice representing the soaring power of the empire will be unveiled, the glorious Taj Mahal. But for the two hapless guards assigned to protect the palace, morning will set the wheels in motion for a ghoulishly funny existential crisis that will shake their faith in God, the empire and each other. La Jolla Playhouse, UCSD Campus, Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre, 2910 La Jolla Village Dr., La Jolla. Dates vary through Feb, 28. Prices vary. (858) 550-1010. lajollaplayhouse.org. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5 FIDDLER ON THE ROOF Tevye the milkman tries to protect his daughters and his way of life from a changing world. The musical deals with serious issues such as persecution, poverty and the struggle to hold on to one’s beliefs in the midst of a hostile and chaotic environment. Welk Resorts Theatre, 8860 Lawrence Welk Dr., Escondido. Through April 24. $48-$75. (888) 802-7469. welktheatre. com. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6 COUNTRY LIVE! AT THE MERC Old Town Temecula Community Theater, The Merc, 42051 Main St., Temecula. Sundays. $12. (866) 653-8696. temeculatheater.org.
January 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 35
CALENDAR
January/February San Diego/Orange County/Inland Empire SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 7 COMPOSTING WORKSHOP Learn how to use your yard clippings as a resource, naturally achieve a beautiful, health yard and garden and reduce your use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. Living Coast Discovery Center, 100, Gunpowder Point Dr., Chula Vista. Shuttle to entrance from parking lot. $9-$14. Sundays. (619) 409-5900. thelivingcoast.org. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8
JESSE COOK This spellbinding guitarist performs his crosspollinating music integrating flamenco, rumba, gypsy, jazz and classical motifs from his new album, “One World.” California Center for the Arts, Escondido, Concert Hall, 340 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido. $45-$60. (800) 988-4253. artcenter.org.
journeys inside the minds of two extraordinary players to reveal the lives and the relationships that led to this defining moment. The Old Globe Theatre, Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, Conrad Prebys Theatre Center, 1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park, San Diego. $29plus. Through March 13. (619) 234-5623. theoldglobe.org. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14 THAT’S ITALIAN Enjoy tributes to famous mid-century era Italian entertainers such as Dean Martin, Louis Prima, Mario Lanza, and, of course, Frank Sinatra. Backed by conductor Jeff Stover and his All Star Big Band, Frank Disalvo and Mike Costly bring back the classic Italian songs, love ballads, and personalities with a show full of singing, humor and camaraderie, leaving audiences thoroughly entertained. Old Town Temecula Community Theater, 42051 Main St., Temecula. $37. (866) 653-8696. temeculatheater.org.
400 Years Without A Comb. This exhibition follows hair trends from Africa, into the slave trade, through the civil rights movement and to modern times. Artifacts on display include old flattening irons, wooden combs, hair implements, products, historical accounts, advertisements, original artwork and photos. The California Center for the Arts, Escondido, 340 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido. Thurs.-Sun. through March 6. $8. (760) 839-4138. artcenter.org.
EXHIBITIONS FRIDAY, JANUARY 15
NEIL SHIGLEY: INVISIBLE PEOPLE, INVISIBLE STRUCTURES This exhibition focuses on his portraits of San Diego’s homeless population. Shigley’s works include large-scale graphic, block prints and graceful hyper-detailed graphite drawings THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11 portraying the faces of San Diego’s homeless population. San Diego History Center, Casa De THAT’S LIFE: A TOAST TO Balboa, Balboa Park, 1649 El Prado, San Diego. SINATRA Through April 10. $6-$8. (619) 232- 6203. There is no denying the legacy of Frank Sinatra. sandiegohistory.org. He was the iconic voice of a generation and one of the greatest entertainers of all time. Club SUNDAY, JANUARY 17 M-Moonlight Cabaret, Moonlight Amphitheatre Stage, 1200 Vale Terrace Dr. Vista, $80. (760) COAST TO CACTUS IN 724-2110. moonlightstage.com. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA This new, permanent exhibition showcases LIVE AT THE MUSEUM an amazing diversity of plant and animal life Hutchins Consort. Laguna Beach Live, The found along the southern California coastline, Ranch at Laguna Beach, 31106 S. Coast Hwy, mountains and deserts. Using specimens from Laguna Beach. Prices vary. (949) 715-9713. the Museum’s scientific collections, hands-on lagunabeachlive.org. exhibits, live animals and innovative media, this exhibit illustrates the region’s richness FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12 by journeying through these habitats and the plants and animals that live in them. San Diego BERNADETTE PETERS Natural History Museum, 1788 El Prado, Balboa A magical evening of song featuring the three- Park, San Diego. $15-$27. (619) 232-3821. time Tony Award-winning star of stage, film sdnhm.org. and television— singing from her extensive repertoire including hits from Rodgers and THE RED THAT COLORED Hammerstein and Stephen Sondheim. THE WORLD Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Renée and This exhibition tells the extraordinary story Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, 600 Town of the cochineal bug, which had been in use Center Dr., Costa Mesa. Also Feb. 13. $35-plus. for centuries in the Americas before it was (714) 556-2787. scfta.org. discovered in 16th century Mexico by Hernán Cortés and other Spanish conquistadores. COMEDY AT THE MERC The bug’s juice was found to create a red PseudoRandomNoise! performs improvisational dye unparalleled by any other in nature, thus comedy. Old Town Temecula Community changing art, science, fashion and history Theater, The Merc, 42051 Main St., Temecula. forever. Bowers Museum, Mary Muth Wing $12. (866) 653-8696. temeculatheater.org. 2002 N. Main St., Santa Ana. Through March 20. $10-$15. (714) 567-3679. bowers.org. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13 DAVID LIGARE: THE LAST MATCH CALIFORNIA CLASSICIST The US Open tennis semifinals are underway. A self-proclaimed Classicist, Ligare’s perfectly As the back-and-forth action unfolds, the story ordered still life, landscape, architectural
36 LIFEAFTER50.COM January 2016
THE HISTORY AND THE HAIR STORY
and figurative paintings occupy their own poetic world, and the perfection of his unblemished subjects and hyper-purity of his paint application seem more unearthly than real. Consisting of approximately 80 oil paintings, watercolors, and drawings, this will be the largest retrospective of Ligare’s work to date. Laguna Art Museum, 307 Cliff Dr., Laguna Beach. Through Jan. 17. Closed Wednesdays. $5-$7. (949) 494-8971. lagunaartmuseum.org. MADE IN AMERICA: CRAFT ICONS OF THE 50 STATES This exhibition, over two years in the making, features traditional and contemporary iconic craft icons that represent each of the 50 states. These objects highlight distinctive materials, excellence of workmanship, and makers’ imaginations. Exploring regional and national craft traditions while expressing each state’s unique contribution to the richness of the American experience, this exhibition celebrates the variety of craft found in America. Mingei International Museum, Balboa Park, 1439 El Prado,
San Diego. Through Feb. 21. $7-$10. (619) 239-0003. mingei.org. R. LUKE DUBOIS—NOW New York-based DuBois has produced a prodigious body of work ranging from musical composition and collaborative performance to large-scale public installations, film and generative computer works. This survey demonstrates that he operates at the intersections of the visual, the performative and the time-based. Orange County Museum of Art, 850 San Clemente Dr., Newport Beach. Wed.-Sun. through Feb. 28. $10. (949) 75911122. ocma.net.
Get the Word Out. E-mail your announcements to Claire Fadden, cfadden@lifeafter50.com 60 days prior (or even earlier) to your event. Include a brief description, location, date, time, cost, phone and website. Submission does not guarantee publication.
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Rick Steves’ Travels Rick St eveS’ t RavelS
Discover the history and romance of Germany’s Rhineland
By Rick Steves
V
isiting the Rhine River Valley never gets old. It’s storybook Germany – a fairy-tale world of legends, rugged cliffs, halftimbered towns, and robber-baron castles. Simply put: One of the greatest travel thrills Europe has to offer comes zipping along the Rhine River on a fast train or slowly gliding through it on a relaxing old steamer boat. The Rhine flows north from Switzerland to Holland, but the 70-mile scenic stretch from Mainz to Koblenz hoards all the touristic charm. Studded with the cream of Germany’s castles, it bustles with boats, trains, and highway traffic. While going by land will give you much more flexibility to stop in and tour the region’s castles, cruising the Rhine is the most relaxing way of all, albeit a very slow way. I always suggest that folks consider taking the oneor-two-hour span from Bacharach to either St. Goar (nine miles) or Boppard (17 miles) by boat, and then doing the rest by train. Bacharach draws lots of tourists for its timecapsule quaintness. Here, you can visit the intriguing ruins of a church on the hill, see a house from 1368, and walk the town walls. It’s also the perfect place to spend the night. Bacharach is home to one of Europe’s great hostels, the Jugendherberge Stahleck. Located in a 12th century castle, the hostel rents rooms for under $30, complete with breakfast and a royal Rhine view! Bacharach, whose name likely derives from “altar to Bacchus,” is also where some of the Rhine’s
38 LIFEAFTER50.COM January 2016
best wine comes from. Local vintners brag that the medieval Pope Pius II ordered Bacharach wine by the cartload. Rhineland wine festivals make a fall visit especially memorable, with fireworks displays and illuminated ships. Midway between Bacharach and St. Goar is the town of Oberwesel. From the river, you’ll notice its ship’s masts rising from terra firma – a memorial to the generations of riverboat captains and sailors for whom this town is famous. Like most towns on the Rhine, Oberwesel is capped by a castle, Schönburg, that is now a restaurant, hotel, and youth hostel. The other town landmark is the 130-foot-tall Ochsenturm Tower, standing high and solitary overlooking the river. The town itself is worth a quick visit to see its charming main square and explore its museum with the best collection of historic Rhine artifacts I’ve found within the Rhine gorge. Climbing along the upper town wall, I found a path leading through a peaceful little meadow and forest with views of the town and its largely intact city wall, which still has 16 defensive towers. Among the many medieval towers, the Cowherd’s Tower is now a private home with a fanciful drawbridge. Rhineland’s many castles and fortifications testify to its strategic importance. The Rhine has been a major transportation route since Roman times, when the river marked the northern end of the empire. In the Middle Ages, the stretch from Bingen to Koblenz was home to no fewer than 16 greedy dukes and lords — robber barons running two-bit
dukedoms, living in hilltop castles and collecting tolls from merchant vessels passing by in the river below. There’s a castle every few miles, each with its own history and legend, so you will need to be selective about which ones to tour. My favorite is Rheinfels. While now a gutted shell, this castle offers the single most convenient and evocative hands-on castle experience on the river. Once the biggest and mightiest castle on the Rhine, today Rheinfels rumbles with ghosts from its hard-fought past. While it withstood a siege of 28,000 French troops in 1692, the French finally destroyed it a century later. Nowadays, Rheinfels looms a 15-minute hike above the peaceful tourist town of, St. Goar. With its half-timbered shopping street, St. Goar is the perfect place to buy a souvenir stein, while its leafy riverside park is perfect for strolling. Visitors have been captivated by the Rhine Valley’s past glory and rich legend for centuries. From mighty castles to romantic rivers, from fine Rhine wine to fanciful cobbled lanes, with a little imagination, it’s easy to rekindle the Europe of old in Germany’s Rhineland. Rick Steves writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows on public television and radio. You can e-mail him at rick@ricksteves.com and visit his website at www.ricksteves.com.
January 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 39
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eart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. To prevent heart disease and increase awareness of its effects,LIFE AFTER 50 is proudly participating in American Heart Month in our February issue with in depth articles, medical breakthroughs and healthy lifestyle recommendations.
Issue Date is February 1 Ad Space Reservations January 25 Call for advertising rates and details. 310-822-1629 x 121 or email us at advertise@lifeafter50.com
1 LIFEAFTER50.COM FEbRuARy 2015 40 LIFEAFTER50.COM January 2016
Valentine’s Magical Journey through Music and Digital Arts This Valentine’s Day Give the Gift of Music to a Young Person!
Valentine’s Day Celebration Concert Show
Sunday, February 14, 5-6 pm, performance Marina del Rey Marriott Dinner, Wine, Champagne 6:30-8 pm
LA Opera Young Artists join LA Virtuosi Musicians BE MY LOVE - VALENTINE! Opera & Broadway show tunes
Valentine’s Opera Concert
Opera + Dinner + Wine + Dance Net proceeds benefit schoolchildren with their 1st LA Opera experience Tickets: $30 Concert + Dancing (by Jan 20, $50 after) $70 extra for dinner, wine, champagne, and fine port (by Jan 20, $100 after) Eventbrite.com search Be My Love - Valentine! (310) 999-3626
This Valentine’s Day Give the Gift of Music! Valentine’s Opera Concert Program
followed by dancing to DJ Music
Sunday, February 14, 8 pm
Dinner, Wine, Champagne 6:30-8 pm
Marina del Rey Marriott Resort Hotel Olivia Tsui
Conductor/Violinist
Academy Award-winning artist J-Walt joins the Los Angeles Virtuosi ensemble for a special Valentine's Day performance of Vivaldi, Saint-Saens, Satie, and RimskyKorsakov-Heifetz. J-Walt's Spontaneous Fantasia show, And Magical Journey through Music and Digital Arts, is a new art form that combines digital animation, video, theatre, dance and music. Maestro and Artistic Director Olivia Tsui will be conducting the Los Angeles Virtuosi ensemble.
Program Xiao-Dan Zheng Spring, Concerto in E major Cellist
Paul Jarski Pianist
Lacey Jo Benter
Joshua Guerrero
Swan, from the Carnival of the Animal Camille Saint – Saens Autumn, Concerto in F major Antonio Vivaldi Gymnopédie Paul Jarski Pianist
Die Czárdásfürstin The Gypsy Princess E. Kálmán Joshua Guerrero, tenor Olivia Tsui. violin Estrellita M. Ponce Joshua Guerrero, tenor Olivia Tsui, violin
Olivia Tsui
Conductor/Violinist LA Opera Founder, Los Angeles Virtuosi, Artistic Director, Silicon Beach Philharmonic & Chorale
Someone to watch over me G. Gershwin Christa Stevens, soprano If I loved you R. Rogers
Christa Stevens, soprano
Oh, happy we! - Candide L. Bernstein Christa Stevens and Marco Lozano
Erik Satie
Winter, Concerto in f minor Antonio Vivaldi Tickets: $30 Concert + Dancing (310) 999-3626 $70 extra for dinner, wine, champagne, fine port EVENTBRITE.com search MAGICAL JOURNEY
una voce poco fa - Barber of Seville G. Rossini Lacey Jo Benter, mezzo-soprano Die Neugierige F. Schubert Cedric Berry, baritone
On the Street Where You Live - My Fair Lady F. Loewe Marco Lozano, tenor
Antonio Vivaldi
Flight of the Bumble Bee Rimsky-Korsakov-Heifetz Summer, Concerto in g minor Antonio Vivaldi
Habanera - Carmen G. Bizet Lacey Jo Benter mezzo-soprano La flour que tu m’avais jetée - Carmen G. Bizet Joshua Guerrero, tenor
Marco Lozano
Moon River H. Mancini
Cedric Berry solo and Tutti
All piano accompaniments by Paul Jarski, LA Opera, Vocal coach, and Assistant Conductor * program subject to change
Description Christa Stevens
Cedric Berry
A romantic evening of favorite scenes and arias from grand operas and Broadway shows, celebrating the passions, joys, delights and ardors of love, performed by LA Opera Plåcido Domingo Young Artists. Dinner, includes wine, champagne, and fine port. Guests may opt for the Vivaldi's Four Seasons concert, and even stay for dancing to the hits of the 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s. info@LosAngelesVirtuosi.Org January 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 41
And Finally... The Bookworm’s Best A Life After 50 book review
by Terri “The Bookworm” Schlichenmeyer
The Time of Our Lives By Peggy Noonan
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aving lived into your 50s and beyond, you have a great view on life – as it was, is, and may become. You can see highs and lows, happy things, and improvements that need to be made. Some of what you see makes you laugh, while other things give you pause or cause great concern. From where you sit, at your age, and at this time in the history of the world, you can see more than anyone has ever seen before with a clear view of the past. This is also the view of Peggy Noonan, who shares what she has seen and is seeing in her new book “The Time of Our Lives.” As a new college graduate in the early 1970s, Noonan says that she received an “unplanned gift” from her first job at a CBS affiliate in Boston: “The newsroom was full of old, semi-curmudgeonly correspondents and editors, and they taught me by reading, editing and rewriting my hourly news broadcasts,” writes Noonan. It was there that she learned how to clear things up, change minds, and create stories. From there she became a news gatherer, speechwriter, author, and in 2000, was asked to write a column for the Wall Street Journal. When a friend suggested a bound collection of favorite works from her career, Noonan began poring through boxes. Her first offering: the transcript of a commencement address in which she spoke of being a presidential speechwriter. “It’s heaven,” she says simply, before elaborating with tales of working with President Ronald Reagan. In this book, Noonan eulogizes friends and the famous: Joan Rivers, who she says: “Had no edit function;” the “sweet and austere” Jacqueline Kennedy; writer Tennessee Williams; soldiers Alvin York and Audie Murphy; and Reagan. She also shares her views on books, religion, politics, and political scandals and writes lovingly of New York City, post-September 11, 2001, and how locals dealt with that tragic day and its immediate aftermath. Despite the fact that many of these columns were penned years ago, Noonan seems prescient at times. She writes about immigration, Iraq, terrorism, and other topics that are as relevant today as when they were written. In this memoir-essay collection, Noonan offers up a look at her own life and early career. She writes of former co-workers, elderly aunts, and a bygone America where parents turned their children loose during the day and didn’t expect to see them until dinnertime. While she weighs in on life, the impacts of historical and current events, and how things have changed both politically and socially, she doesn’t rant or preach. In “The Times of Our Lives,” Noonan is opinionated, but respectfully so. In today’s culture of divisiveness, that comes as welcome relief. All in all, this book was a pleasure to read, and with its short chapters, is easily browsable. It’s a calm look at current events, and if you’re plugged into those topics, then “The Times of Our Lives” is worth a view. “The Time of Our Lives” by Peggy Noonan, 2015, Twelve, $30, 447 pages The Bookworm is Terri Schlichenmeyer who lives on a hill with two dogs and more than 12,000 books. You can read more of her book reviews at www.lifeafter50.com. Just click on “Entertainment” and then “Book Reviews.”
A Look Back
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ifty years ago this month, the Trips Festival took place in San Francisco’s Longshoreman’s Hall and gave birth to the counterculture scene of the era. In 1966, LSD was legal and a small group of psychedelic drug advocates called The Merry Pranksters had been holding “Acid Test” parties. During one of these get-togethers, the idea was floated to stage a festival and a young Bill Graham, who would go on to become the preeminent concert impresario of his generation, was brought on to produce the event. Bringing together musicians, performance artists and lighting designers, the three-day festival attracted patrons anxious to participate in an experience that lacked any boundaries. With the music of The Grateful Dead, Big Brother and the Holding Company, Jefferson Airplane and other psychedelic bands as their soundtrack, 10,000 festivalgoers imbibed LSD-spiked punch and witnessed one of the first light shows. The festival served as the blueprint for future concerts, light and laser shows, and events such as Burning Man and Bonnaroo. Its impact even added phrases and words to the English lexicon such as “Drinking the Kool-Aid” and “tripping.” Many key participants of the festival would go on to play vital roles in the growth of the Sierra Club and other ecological movements, develop the Whole Earth Catalog, and create the influential online group, The Well (www.well.com), “a cherished watering hole for articulate and playful thinkers from all walks of life.” 42 LIFEAFTER50.COM January 2016
Just A Thought Before We Go “There is a Fountain of Youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.” ― Sophia Loren
January 2016 LIFEAFTER50.COM 43
“THE GREATEST OF THE GREAT! IT MUST BE EXPERIENCED!” — Chrinstine Walevska, Goddess of Cello, watched Shen Yun 4 times
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here was a time when the world was full of magic and splendor, and all on Earth existed in harmony with Heaven. You could see it in the arts, feel it in the air, and hear it in the beat of a drum. This was a land of heroes and sages, dragons and phoenixes, emperors and immortals. Known today as China, this place was once called “the Land of the Divine.” What if you could journey back and visit this lost paradise?
Shen Yun brings the profound spirit of this lost civilization to life on stage with unrivaled artistic mastery. Every dance movement, every musical note, makes this a stunning visual and emotional experience you won’t find anywhere else. Banned in communist China today, the non-profit Shen Yun is dedicated to reviving 5,000 years of civilization. Experience the Arts connecting Heaven & Earth! Experience Shen Yun!
“ Mind-blowing! Go back and see six times!” —Richard Connema, renowned Broadway critic
“Absolutely beautiful... So inspiring; I think I may have found some new ideas for the next Avatar.”
“Absolutely the NO.1 show in the world, absolutely the best... No other company or of any style can match this!”
—Robert Stromberg, AcademyAward winning production designer for AVATAR
—Kenn Wells, former lead dancer of the English National Ballet
“It was a very spiritual experience and it moved me and I cried. I kept thinking, this is the highest and the best of what humans can produce.” —Olevia Brown-Klahn, musician
MAR 19- APR 30, 2016 Claremont Long Beach Thousand Oaks Costa Mesa
Northridge Downtown LA
Bakersfield Santa Barbara
“Go see it to believe it, because otherwise, you are going to miss the most important thing in your life.” —Joe Heard, former White House photographer, watched Shen Yun 5 times
Tickets: 800-880-0188 ShenYun.com Phoenix, AZ Las Vegas
Early Bird code: Early16 Get best seats & waive service fee by Dec.31
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