Lifestyles After 50 Southwest Edition, October 2024
October may be my favorite month. In my humble opinion, all the best things happen in October: beer and barbecue festivals, cooler weather, and the best holiday ever, Halloween.
When I was a little girl in the 1970s, my parents were hippies. They wore bell bottoms, loud print shirts with enormous collars, and platform shoes. They believed in organic and farm-to-table four decades before it became cool. (They said things like “cool” and “groovy,” too.) My dad used to dance with me around the orange shag rug in the living room to Crosby Stills and Nash, Gordon Lightfoot, and the Kingston Trio.
My parents bought second-hand furniture because it was environmentally friendly, and we belonged to a food co-op where we got all our fresh fruits and vegetables. My school lunch sandwiches were always on homemade wheat bread and while my brother and I were allowed to drink carbonated canned beverages, they were always the weird off-brand ones with low sugar content and flavored with natural juices and colors.
It goes without saying that we weren’t allowed much sugar: the one exception was Halloween. On Halloween, I could dress all in black as a witch, paint my face green, and beg for candy. My brother and I developed a system: he was usually Superman or Batman – wholesome and popular with parents. I got to play “bad cop” in my witch outfit and
cackle from behind a bush – popular with any teenagers who happened to be passing out candy.
Once home, we dumped our hoard out onto the orange shag rug and sorted it: chocolate in one pile, Sweet Tarts in another pile, jellybeans and gummy candies in a third pile. Luckily, my brother and I had very different tastes in candy: he hates peanut butter, so I got all the Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups, and I am not a fan of “gummy” anything, so that all went in his pile.
As I got older, the fascination with Halloween sort of spread to the entire month of October. Once I was old enough to drink beer, dad introduced me to all his favorites – our German heritage influenced those lessons, and I quickly learned to appreciate the finer festivals (like Oktoberfest).
Today, I am a Bonafide October-lover. I make plans for each day in October, trying to wring out every ounce of wonderful from my favorite month. I pack it full of barbecues with friends, beer dates at the brewery across the street from my house (yes, really!), and I always dress up for Halloween. (I’m still a witch.)
This October, I challenge you to really enjoy all this amazing month has to offer. Find things that remind you of childhood and savor the memories.
Until next time,
Lifestyles After 50
Volume 35, Issue 10
Published by Connected Community
Media Group
Publisher@lifestylesafter50.com
Editor Michele Baker
Michele.Baker@lifestylesafter50.com
Website Editor Allie Shaw
Allie.Shaw@lifestylesafter50.com
Distribution Distribution@lifestylesafter50.com 813-336-8247
Boo to Halloween: Let's "Treat or Treat" & Celebrate Fall Instead
By Patricia Finn
It’s tricky to be approaching October 31st and be antiHalloween. “What! What is wrong with you Miss Pat? Are you against candy? Do you hate little children? They look so cute in their costumes.”
Yes, they do; and when I step on a scale there is no question that I approve of candy. I can’t help but wonder why we are celebrating a holiday that features death and ugliness? I am the equivalent of Scrooge at Christmas when it comes to Halloween. Dracula? Blood dripping from fake scars? I just am not for it.
Do I hear a chorus of “Lighten up, it’s just for fun?” No thank you. I’m not interested.
Let me begin my defense by suggesting that we take a close look at the choice of decorating. It is not as if we are decking our homes with flowers. We are decorating with cute little tarantulas, skeletons, and witches. If I am not mistaken the keyword is “boo” as in “I will frighten you.” Last year I saw grown men move little children to tears with their scary costumes. At the risk of being labeled as very old school I will be brave and ask, “Is scaring people fun?” I don’t mind being old school. But how old? Which school? The Little Red Schoolhouse?
Fortunately, a lot of communities are sponsoring “safe” trick or treating and have activities and booths set up with a carnival atmosphere helping the children not miss the door-to-door tradition. I like that practice, and it gives me a chance to present myself as a person who enjoys fun instead of as a crabby old lady. (Who, me crabby?) I still bristle at the Halloween décor and the haunted house but seeing the cute children in costumes helps to soothe my “I don’t approve” disposition.
When I was a child, I celebrated Halloween, and it was an
adventurous holiday. Growing up in a suburb, this was the only time that groups of children ran around outside at night. It was also a celebration that was for children only. Grownups were merely the chaperones that guided us through the neighborhood. They did not run around dressed up in costumes.
I am the first to enjoy a good holiday, but October 31 is on the bottom of my “hurrah! It’s here!” holiday list. I am celebrating the fall season, and by October, fall is here. Well, not “here,” because I live in Florida and it is still ninety degrees, but it is somewhere and I have memories of crisp fall air, apples, apples and more apples. Being the humble queen of homemade applesauce, I am all about the fall season.
The only boo in my October is a “boohoo” because I have no leaves to shuffle through and the air is not crisp. However, I will not be negative; not me, I may slam Halloween, but I will enjoy a pumpkin latte and suggest that we change “trick or treat” to “treat or treat.” With that in mind, I’ll have a slice of apple pie with my pumpkin latte.
Charred Chicken Breasts, Anyone?
By Barbara Taylor Sanders
Many years ago, “Gourmet” magazine featured an amazing, glazed chicken arrangement on its cover. It motivated me to invite friends over for a cookout, to try this complicated recipe and show off my gourmet cooking skills.
To save money, I skinned and de-boned ten whole chicken breasts. The exotic recipe called for expensive spices, so I bought them across town in a specialty shop. Three separate sauces were prepared and cooked in advance. One cooked-down sauce was marinade for the chicken, one sauce was to glaze while slow cooking, and another sauce was to pass after the chicken roasted to a golden brown. In addition, the breasts were stuffed with a minced pecan mixture and wrapped in bacon – a time-consuming preparation. If you count the de-boning, three made-fromscratch sauces and the two-hour drive time to buy the expensive, exotic spices, I spent about fifteen hours on this one chicken recipe.
On the day of the cookout, not leaving anything to chance, knowing my husband wouldn’t have the coals just right, I took matters in my own hands. I fired up the coals in the outside grill about two hours before our guests arrived.
My crowning moment was to be the glorious honey-glazed chicken. As we were ready to dine, my friend Susan was standing next to me tossing the salad. We were elbow-to-elbow at my kitchen island as I sliced up hot garlic bread with a very long, sharp, pointed knife. My husband was outside with the other two men, grilling the glorious, marinated chicken breasts.
Suddenly, my husband barged back into the kitchen, talking in a shaky, odd voice. Outstretched from his arms was the large white platter of chicken. “You won’t believe this,” he began, with eyeballs ablaze. “You can ask the guys, if you don’t believe me –honest to God, all I did was put the lid down for thirty seconds! When I opened it back up, the chicken looked like this!”
He cautiously set the dish of grilled chicken on the counter in front of Susan and me. Every single delicately bacon-wrapped chicken breast had been singed to a coal black ball. The platter was adorned with what looked like an ensemble of charcoal briquettes!
My legs buckled. I gasped. I had a swooping desire to flee the room in tears to force our guests home. My jaw dropped. Those sweeping, surges of emotions took my breath away and left me completely frozen. Susan broke the ice.
Leaning to my ear, Susan whispered in a teasing, singsong voice, “You know, the first one to forgive will get the blessing.” I resisted the urge to stab her with the long, pointed bread-cutting knife held in my hand. As a response to her timely sermonette, I shot her an “if looks could kill” instead.
Once we scraped the charred crust off, the chicken was cooked enough to eat. My huge regret was not taking a picture of the blackened dainties to send to the editors of “Gourmet” for the cover of their next issue. I’m finally learning that whenever you try “putting on the dog, you always get bit!”
Blast to the Past! “I Honestly Love You”
BY: RANDAL C. HILL
One well-placed—and unusual—word in a song title can make a big difference.
Born in England in 1948, Olivia Newton-John moved to Australia at age six. Years later, after winning a talent competition, she returned to England, where she performed in clubs while waiting for a break.
She signed with America’s Uni Records label (later MCA) and scored a minor 1971 hit with a cover of Bob Dylan’s “If Not for You.” Like any recording artist, though, she yearned to reach the peak of the pop charts one day.
“I Honestly Love You” didn’t start out to be Olivia’s first chart-topping single; Peter Allen, an Australian singer-songwriter, had co-written it with New York songsmith Jeff Barry (“Chapel of Love,” “Hanky Panky,” “Leader of the Pack.”)
Allen decided to record the finished product himself. He cut a demo (demonstration record) to shop around to various labels, but Newton-John, upon hearing it, wanted the work for herself.
She recalled the first time she came upon Peter’s demo. “My heart stopped when I heard the lyrics: ‘I love you… I honestly love you.’…I knew that everyone would be able to make those words fit their own story of love and
Movie Preview: “10 Lives”
BY RANDAL C. HILL
Welsh animator Chris Jenkins spent many years with Walt Disney Pictures, helping to create numerous box-office winners.
Now Jenkins is on his own, and he’s produced a British-based, family-friendly movie replete with adorable creatures and a pro-nature message.
“10 Lives” is about Beckett (voiced by Mo Gilligan), a lazy and spoiled couch-potato feline who is living out his days doing light yoga and taking — what else? — cat naps.
His animal-scientist owner Rose (Simone Ashley) dotes on Beckett. But when her lab partner Larry (Dylan Llewellyn) introduces a project proposal for a serum that can cure bee diseases, Rose and her fellow grad student then struggle to please their faculty advisor, the untrustworthy Professor Craven (Bill Nighy).
perhaps even loss. Just putting the word ‘honestly’ into the mix made it even more poignant.”
In Olivia’s hands, “I Honestly Love You” involves a love situation that can’t go anywhere. Both people involved here are in a committed relationship with someone else, and despite their chemistry they aren’t going to do anything about the temptation they’re facing:
If we were both born in another place and time
This moment might be ending in a kiss
But there you are with yours // And here I am with mine
So I guess we'll just be leaving it at this
I love you // I honestly love you
In a gratifying concoction of strings and pianos, Newton-John’s producer, John Farrar, managed to keep the arrangement soft and delicate. Olivia, always a convincing vocal actor, sells the song well, her voice quavering with emotion but projecting quiet strength.
“I Honestly Love You,” a Grammy winner, became the first of five charttopping singles that she recorded during her stellar career.
Finding himself in the afterlife, Beckett manages to worm his way into 10 more lives on Earth as part of an experimental rehabilitation program for narcissistic animals. Such an endeavor promises to give him a chance to make amends by becoming a better creature—and a chance to win Rose back.
Beckett begins to wonder what has happened to all the TLC that once defined his life, and he begins to wander from his house. But when an accident in the outside world brings about his demise, he learns that he has now used up all nine of his cat lives.
There’s just one major catch, though: he won’t be coming back as a cat. That’s when the fun really begins, as Beckett is forced to scramble through a new set of lives, including as a fish, a rat and a cockroach, in a quest to set things right.
Jenkins’s romp of “10 Lives” will be appreciated by theatergoers who have grown weary of the generic and ultra-slick family fare that American movie studios have been offering lately.
Some elements of Chris’s script are flawed, but such imperfections somehow make the film more endearing; we come to realize that, as the charming story unfolds, today’s flash-and-dazzle technology and corporate gimmicks will never be a valid substitute for good old-fashioned natural instincts.
“10 Lives” can be enjoyed in limited release starting October 11.
Armchair Adventures: Ghosts in the Lighthouses
By Evelyn Kelly, PhD
The fog creeps in. It is pitch black. You hear a sound like a bellowing dragon; it is a foghorn blowing. A faint light appears; it is the lighthouse. Your ship will miss the rocky shore.
Because of their isolation and loneliness, fanciful tales of the supernatural have emerged around lighthouses. The dark, foggy night is perfect for ghosts, ghouls, and apparitions: here are four.
ST. AUGUSTINE LIGHTHOUSE, FLORIDA
St. Augustine was one of the first built by the Spanish. Closed during the Civil War, remodeling began in 1871, with Hezekiah Pittee as the builder. Pittee had two daughters. As construction proceeded, a railway cart moved supplies from ships to the lighthouse. The girls played in the cart, riding it back and forth like a roller coaster. On July 10, 1873, someone forgot to replace the board that stopped the cart from going into the water; the cart flipped, and the girls were trapped beneath it.
Although it has been years since the accident, strange things are attributed to the Pittee Sisters. Take the “Dark of the Moon” tour of the lighthouse to hear about a keeper in the 1950s who refused to stay there because he heard footsteps going up and down the stairs. Some declare you can feel the presence of the girls. The girls’ toys and games appear in the basement. The apparitions of the girls have also appeared!
TYBEE ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE, GEORGIA
This lighthouse off the coast was built in 1736. As the Revolutionary War, Civil War, and Reconstruction passed, the ghosts of each era entered. People whistling, talking, and even floating bodies in the water are regular occurrences. A creepy doll on the second flight may have caused the camera to freak out, and the lights started flashing. Some people have experienced a fan turning on and then off again.
The spirit of a 5-year-old girl warns visitors not to go up the steps any further, or they will be cursed.
BATTERY POINT LIGHTHOUSE, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Built in 1856, this lighthouse has so many ghosts that it is called a paranormal researcher's dream. Located near Crescent City,
it was built near sacred Native American ground, and ghosts appear to show the tribe's displeasure. Other strange things happen here all the time, such as the keepers seeing boots walking up the stairs.
ST. SIMONS ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE, GEORGIA
Built in 1872, the lightkeeper and his assistant did not get along and one day had a heated argument. The assistant pulled out his gun and fatally shot the keeper. The assistant was charged with murder but was acquitted, which made the keeper’s ghost unhappy.
Soon thereafter, reports of a ghost haunted law enforcement officials. In 1908, a published account described a lightkeeper’s wife calling out to the dead keeper. When he appeared, she fainted.
We love visiting lighthouses, but we have never seen one of their ghosts.
Evelyn and Natalie Kelly, a mother/daughter writing team, have traveled to 88 countries, 50 states, and seven continents. Their book “Have a Love Affair with Travel” will be released in October.
THE HEALTHY GEEZER
Can Kegel Exercises Fix Incontinence?
Q. I’m a 61-year-old woman and I’ve been experiencing some incontinence lately. A friend told me there are exercises I can do to help the situation. Do you know what she’s talking about?
First, talk to your doctor about the incontinence. Don’t begin any exercise program without a checkup.
Your friend is probably referring to “Kegel exercises,” which were developed 60 years ago by Dr. Arnold Kegel to control incontinence in women after childbirth. These exercises are now recommended for both women and men who experience urinary or fecal incontinence.
Kegel exercises strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor. The exercises improve the functioning of both the urethral and rectal sphincters. The muscles that are developed through the Kegel program are the ones you feel when you try to stop the flow of urine. After about eight weeks of exercising, you usually see results such as less frequent urine leakage.
Urinary and fecal incontinence are examples of “pelvic-floor disorders.” Others include constipation, rectal pain, vaginal prolapse, rectal prolapse, pelvic pain and sexual dysfunction. In medicine, “prolapse” means that an organ has slipped out of place.
The pelvic floor is a network of muscles, ligaments and other tissues that hold up the pelvic organs— the vagina, rectum, uterus and bladder. When this network—often described as a “hammock”— weakens, the organs can shift and create disorders.
Women who delivered several children vaginally and suffered tissue damage during childbirth are at higher risk for pelvic-floor disorders. Another risk factor is obesity, because added weight strains the pelvic floor. A predisposition to have weak connective tissue can add to the problem.
Aging and menopause contribute to disorders. More than half of women aged 55 and older suffer a pelvic-floor dysfunction. About one in three women in the U.S. will have one of these dysfunctions in her lifetime. Because women are embarrassed by pelvic-floor disorders, they underreport them. (It should be noted that men can suffer from pelvic-floor disorders, but they are much more common in women.)
In severe cases of pelvic dysfunction, women feel pressure or a pull in the vagina or lower back. The opening of the uterus may stick out from the vagina.
There are many ways to treat pelvic-floor problems.
Some women relieve their symptoms with Kegel exercises. Eliminating caffeine, a diuretic, can help. Eating more fiber can improve bowel function. Pessaries, plastic devices that come in many sizes and shapes, can be inserted into the vagina to support pelvic organs.
And then there is surgery, which can be done vaginally or through the abdomen. The surgical method is determined by the type of problem. One in nine women will have corrective surgery for one of these problems; more than 200,000 American women have corrective surgery annually.
Send your general health questions to Healthy Geezer with Lifestyles After 50 in the subject line to fred@healthygeezer.com.
CREATIVE CORNER CREATIVE CORNER
Planted by Him
By Richard Collazo
Port Charlotte
CREATIVE CORNER CREATIVE CORNER
Lifestyles After 50 Wins 5 NAMPA Awards!
By Michele D. Baker
The North American Mature Publisher’s Association (NAMPA) has just released its 2024 winners, and CONGRATULATIONS are due to our team at Lifestyles After 50!
KLINE TOURS
DAYTONA 500 BUS TRIP
NAMPA is the non-profit international association for publishers of local and regional senior and boomer publications. NAMPA was founded in 1994 to provide mature market publishers, editors, and other staff with regional information exchanges and meeting opportunities. NAMPA members publish 95 publications with a combined circulation of over 4 million in the United States and Canada.
The annual NAMPA Awards are given in 34 categories and across three divisions grouped by circulation size. This year’s competition was judged by a panel of six independent judges led by Michelle Fields. Special thanks to the panel for all of their hard work.
Lifestyles After 50 is pleased and proud to serve you – our faithful readers – with award-winning stories that give useful and timely information, fun and thoughtful editorials, and eye-catching covers!
Here are the winning entries. Special congratulations to Kathy Megyeri, Julie Suman and Michele Baker for their individual wins!
• Personal Essay: 1st Place: “The Super Adult Identity,” feature by Julie D. Suman, PhD
• Editorial/Opinion: 3rd Place: “Dolly Parton: Behind the Seams: A Life in Rhinestones,” book review by Kathy Megyeri
• Topical Issue: 3rd Place: “AI + Seniors: 3 Surprising Ways You’re Already Using It,” feature by Michele D. Baker
Exclusive ticket and motorcoach transportation will be offered to the Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 16, 2025, with departures from the Sarasota-Bradenton Clearwater-Dunedin, Largo, Seminole, and St. Petersburg areas. Just $199 per person includes a race ticket with a ticket value of $240.
Our package includes your ticket and bus transportation for just $199. Option to add UNOH Fanzone/Pre-Race Access for just $95 (a $110 Value)
NASHVILLE COUNTRY CHRISTMAS at GAYLORD OPRYLAND RESORT
Sunday-Wednesday December 15-18 $2019 per person (double occupancy). includes roundtrip airfare, 3 nights lodging at Gaylord Opryland Resort., 6 Meals, and four shows, including a Christmas Dinner show in the ballroom at Gaylord Opryland with the Frontmen.Amy Grant & Vince Gill at the Ryman, General Jackson Showboat Luncheon Cruise with entertainment., Grand Ole Opry, Country Music Hall of Fame, guided city tour of Nashville, Delta Flatboat ride, Treasures for the Holidays, Ice.
NEW ORLEANS PRE-MARDI GRAS 2025
Monday, February 24- Friday, February 28, 2025, $2099 per person (double occupancy) Roundtrip airfare to New Orleans, 5 days, 4 nights accommodations in French Quarter 7 Meals New Orleans School of Cooking, comprehensive city tour of New Orleans, Mardi Gras World Museum, National World War II Museum (including 4D film), Steamboat Natchez Harbor Cruise, Louisiana Swamp Boat tour, and reserved parade bleacher seating for four parades in New Orleans
Follow us on Facebook at Kline Tours Florida Gulf Coast
A Medicare plan with freedom to choose your doctor.
In 2025, the BlueMedicare Value (PPO) plan includes benefits* like a $0 monthly plan premium, SilverSneakers® fitness program, HealthyBlue Rewards and:
Quar terly over-the-counter allowance to purchase ever yday health items
Lower costs on prescription drugs, now without a coverage gap
Freedom to choose any doctor who accepts Medicare and a network of lower-cost providers when you travel
$0 exam copay and $200 vision allowance per year for lenses, frames, or contacts
No annual dollar limit on dental coverage with a $0 copay for exams, X-rays, cleanings, fluoride, a filling, a crown, a root canal, a deep cleaning, extractions, and dentures
Visit out-of-network providers without a referral — see providers both in- and out-ofnetwork, with no referral needed to see a specialist
This BlueMedicare Value (PPO) plan is available in this county: Pinellas
Call me today!
As a local, licensed Blue Cross Blue Shield agent, I can answer your questions and help you find a Medicare plan that’s right for you.
[1-XXX-XXX-XXXX]
1-877-532-0312
VIPMedicare@abifg.com A&B Insurance
[Agent Name] [Agent Email] [Agency Name] Call me today! As a local, licensed Blue Cross Blue Shield agent, I can answer your questions and help you find a Medicare plan that’s right for you. [Agent Photo]
I remember when you could take your pets to Olan Mills for portraits.
31. Sea duck
32. Cutintosmallpieces 34.In __ of
34. Fictional king
Always
32. Blood carriers 33. Plural indicators, usually 35. Paver’s substance 36. Years lived 38. Beverages 39. Breather’s need
33. Certain love messages
36. Miles, e.g.
39. Tosses
I remember how we giggled during geography class upon hearing the name “Lake Titicaca.”
I remember what hamburgers tasted like at small downtown grills prior to McDonald’s and other drive-thru chains.
42. Asserted as true Joy
43. Public disturbance
45. Sight and taste
I remember when “Google” was something guys did with their eyes when triggered by attractive females.
55. Force into an awkward position
47. Existing on a flat surface
46. Light reddish-brown 47. Prefix for degradable or feedback
51. Building site
51. Counselor
56. Gives up
54. Weapon
60. Asia s __ Mountains
58. Weaver’s device
52. Admirable people who influence others
61. Tract of wasteland
58. William and Sean
59. Speak publicly
63. Place to spend rupees
61. Fictional villain
61. Reddish-brown animal
64. Light, rhythmic tune
62. Women’s magazine
62. Tack
65. Pro s foe
63. Removes, for short
63. Gladden
66.Lacks
64. Womanizer’s glance
64. “__ Wonderful Life”
67. Flower
65. Origin
65. Slave of old
68. Schnozzola
66. Boards
66. Chihuahua children
67. Negative votes
CROSSWORD PUZZLE
67. Late actor Bert
DOWN
CROSSWORD PUZZLE
Pony-drawn vehicle
ACROSS
Stories
1. Bargain-hunt
Wet
68. Worry
1. Mexican home
DOWN
1. State
2. “Woe is me!”
2. Office cabinet
3. Horned animals
1. Heavenly Mlles.
3. Misfortunes
Fog
Having wings
Read __; recite
Obvious
Novel setting
Word with what or when
Of the U.S.A.
Opposite of different
Crown
Rent long-term
Of a generation 18. Pocket bread
Geometric shape
Analyzed ore
Nuts
Accessory on the brae
Bread recipe verb
Sultan’s wives
29. Cover 30. Boldness 34. Acted like 35. Color
19. Procrastinator’s word 20. Warm lunch 23. Originally named 24. Call a halt to 25. Nemesis 28. Rhythm 32. Cuts 34. Lament
Jetta or Taurus
35. Bee colony
Moray seeker
36. Sees eye to eye 37. Sever
37. “Ah, me!”
38. Character in Othello
__ over; helped through a difficult
38. Traveler’s need 40. Poet’s contraction
39. West Point student
Plunge
41. Inquiry sent out to find a lost package
40. Out of __; behaving inappropriately
Surrenders
41. Word with stick or roll
43. Dessert choice
Poet s contraction
44. German article
45. Elegance in bearing
42. One who acts like another
46. Title for Olivier
43. Lets
Rejectedwithdisdain
47. Consecrate
44. Evaluate
48. Noble gas
46. Pillages
50. Intelligence agcy.
48. Do a hairdresser’s job
51. Counselor
49. Follower of 7 Down
51. Building site
54. Weapon
58. Weaver’s device
59. Speak publicly
52. Admirable people who influence others
61. Fictional villain
58. William and Sean
62. Women’s magazine
61. Reddish-brown animal
63. Removes, for short
62. Tack
64. Womanizer’s glance
63. Gladden
65. Origin
64. “__ Wonderful Life”
66. Boards
Meadow covering
65. Slave of old
67. Negative votes
66. Chihuahua children
67. Late actor Bert
68. Worry
#5188
50. Fourth page of a wall hanging
52. Preposition
France s Coty 38. Sermon topic 40. Bargains 43. Not crackers 45.Like a hill 48. Bach or Wagner 50. Like more expensive hamburger 51.Dandruff site 52. Salk’s concern
49. Merchandise 50. Game of strategy 51. Pub orders 52. Elizabeth or Robert
53. Insignificant amount
I remember when you could while away a good 20 or 30 minutes with your best buds viewing live X-rays of your feet at the local Thom McCann shoe store.
Small rodent
54. Complaint to a dermatologist
55. Hot spot
Editor’s word
Lady __ 56. Unsightly
56. PM; 2100 hours
I remember when we guys all wanted to be “Spin” and no one wanted to be “Marty.”
I remember when the phrase “git ‘er done!” was somehow funny!
#5139
57. Did in
57. Refusals
I remember when some girls wore round rings on their blouses called “virgin pins.”
60. Heart of Dixie: abbr.
58. Item in a desk drawer
59. Mr. Whitney
60. Girl’s nickname
I remember inkwells in our school desks.
I remember when sports cars were so rare in America that whenever a driver of one would pass another they would honk and wave at each other. Same with bikers, to a degree.
4. Gave medical aid to
2. Nag
4. Coat part
5. pole
3. Not just tacit
5. Hide preparers
4. Mom, dad, or madam
6. Very eager
6. Creator
7. Meadowland
5. Take place
8. Gofer’s mission
6. Friend at the école
7. Enthusiastic 8.6th day of Lent: abbr.
9. Old
7. Greek letter
10. Translator
8. Expunge
11. Stratford’s river
9. Refer
11. Cosmetic case item
12. Fix
I remember when Thomas Tryon, horror author of “The Other” and “Harvest Home” portrayed Disney cowboy Texas John Slaughter.
I remember when Keith Richards was the best looking of The Rolling Stones.
I remember when stand-up comics sat on stools.
I remember when Brenda Lee performed as “Little Brenda Lee.”
10. Spring
12. Put underground
13. Reagan, once: abbr.
11. Bit of cereal
13. Beauty s movie partner
21. Sweet potato
23. Dog’s disease
I remember when every magazine had Elvis Presley on the cover, the way they now have Taylor Swift.
12. Take advantage of
13. German article
25. Ringleader
21. High schooler
26. Comes to a stop
21. Article of faith 23. “...__ by your outfit that you are...” 25. Had a meal
22. Start
27. Nautical term
25. Cat
28. Compensate
26. Praying figures
29. Fall behind
I remember Big John and Sparky on the radio, as well as Rudy Kazootie.
I remember when “Smilin’ Ed” McConnell preceded Andy Devine as host of “the Buster Brown Show.”
31. Make a new bow
27. Winding roads
32. Blood carriers
28. Rough
29. Part of summer
I remember when “Knights of the Round Table” and Tarzan movies instilled in me a strong dread of quicksand.
33. Plural indicators, usually
27. Taj Mahal s city 28. Bride s item 29. Flamingo or heron 32. Cut into small pieces 34.In __ of
30. Fellow
31. Sea duck
35. Paver’s substance
33. Certain love messages
Always 36. France s Coty
36. Years lived
I remember a TV cowboy series called “Shotgun Slade” which had jazz background music after the success of Peter Gunn.
34. Fictional king
38. Beverages
39. Breather’s need
36. Miles, e.g.
42. Asserted as true
39. Tosses
44. Joy
43. Public disturbance
46. Light reddish-brown
45. Sight and taste
47. Existing on a flat surface
47. Prefix for degradable or feedback
49. Merchandise
50. Fourth page of a wall hanging
I remember when the Ovaltinesponsored “Captain Midnight” became “Jet Jackson” and whenever his new name was overdubbed, the lips still said “Captain Midnight” .
50. Game of strategy
51. Pub orders
52. Preposition
52. Elizabeth or Robert
53. Insignificant amount
53. Small rodent
54. Editor’s word
54. Complaint to a dermatologist
55. Lady __
55. Hot spot
56. Unsightly
56. PM; 2100 hours
57. Refusals
57. Did in
60. Heart of Dixie: abbr.
58. Item in a desk drawer
59. Mr. Whitney
60. Girl’s nickname
I remember Commando Cody’s jetpack jacket duplicated decades later in the movie “Rocket Man” (not Elton John)
I remember when Diana Ross was humble.
I remember when the late, great, writer, director and actor John Cassavetes (Mia Farrow’s husband in “Rosemary’s Baby”) was in a Peter Gunn-type TV series called “Johnny Staccato.”
I remember what prompted the phrase “don’t drink the Kool-Aid.”
Mike doesn’t have enough material left for a Part III. If you’d like to contribute yours, send them to micwrighthamo@gmail.com. He may just share his commission with you.
Jacqueline F. O’Keffe, Ft. Myers
Blair Salis, Parrish
BOOK REVIEW by Kathy A. Megyeri
“The Top Five Regrets of the Dying, A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departed,” by Bronnie Ware
Author, songwriter, and inspirational speaker Bronnie Ware lives in New South Wales, Australia and after working in palliative care tending to the needs of the dying, her life was transformed when she wrote a blog post about the most common regrets that the people she had cared for had expressed to her.
The blog quickly gained so much momentum that it was viewed by more than 3 million readers worldwide in its first year. By applying the lessons she learned to her own life, she developed an understanding that it is possible for everyone if they make conscious choices to die with peace of mind. She expresses the significance of those regrets and explains how we can address such issues positively while we still have the time.
Living regret free is an ongoing day-to-day process of conscious decision-making, loving actions to ourselves and embracing the courage to change. The importance of the message resonates with all because none of us wishes to die with regrets. In our hearts, we want to live our best lives and be our best selves.
As Ware writes, “Finding the courage to change, act or surrender will never be as painful as lying on a death bed with regrets.” The titular five regrets appear again and again: having the courage to be true to oneself and not living as others
expect us to; not working so hard; expressing our true feelings; staying in touch with friends; and genuinely pursuing our own happiness, a matter of perspective and based more on choice than circumstance. Those regrets are simply stated but take true determination to accomplish.
For Bronnie, banishing regrets means embracing the discipline of meditation, learning how to be kind to herself and receiving kindness from others, moving to a setting that surrounded her with beauty, realizing her own worth and beauty, letting go of the need for validation through ownership or the expectations of others, taking risks, forgiving herself for errors and judgements she’d made and the determination to live in the present, because our life is our own.
With life over so quickly, we have to live it right, but the choice is ours. As reader Jonathan de Magalhaes says, “The impact of this book is life changing. You’ll become a better person after reading [it].”
The book is available in 32 languages, has been read by more than a million people worldwide and became a worldwide bestseller and is in the planning stages for a movie.
Last Month’s Answers
SUDOKU
SUDOKU
SUDOKU
Sudoku
APRIL W ord Sea rch
September Word Search
WORD SEARCH
Sudoku requires no arithmetic skills.
Sudoku requires no arithmetic skills.
Sudoku requires no arithmetic skills.
Last Month’s Winner is Carol Sands, Port Charlotte Congr atuL ations ! Good Luck! Good Luck!
The object of the game is to fill all the
The object of the game is to fill all the blank squares with the correct numbers.
The object of the game is to fill all the blank squares with the correct numbers.
In the grid below, twenty answers can be found that fit the category for today. Circle each answer that you find and list it in the space provided at the right of the grid. Answers can be found in all directions forwards, backwards, horizontally, vertically and diagonally. An
In the grid below, twenty answers can be found that fit the category for today. Circle each answer that you find and list it in the space provided at the right of the grid. Answers can be found in all directions –forwards, backwards, horizontally, vertically and diagonally. An example is given to get you started. Can you find the twenty answers in this puzzle?
In the grid below, twenty answers can be found that fit the category for today. Circle each answer that you find and list it in the space provided at the right of the grid. Answers can be found in all directions forwards, backwards, horizontally, vertically and diagonally. An example is given to get you started. Can you find the twenty answers in this puzzle?
Each row of 9 numbers must include all digits 1 through 9 in any order.
Each column of 9 numbers must include all digits 1 through 9 in any order.
Win Great Prizes!
Each 3 by 3 subsection of the 9 by 9 square must include all digits 1 through 9.
Each row of 9 numbers must include all digits1through9inanyorder. Each column of 9 numbers must include all digits 1 through 9 in any order. Each 3 by 3 subsection of the 9 by 9 square must include all digits 1 through 9.
Each row of 9 numbers must include all digits 1 through 9 in any order. Each column of 9 numbers must include all digits 1 through 9 in any order. Each 3 by 3 subsection of the 9 by 9 square must include all digits 1 through 9.
New winner selected each month
OCTOBER
APRIL
Sudoku
Sudoku requires no arithmetic skills The object of the game is to fill all the blank squares with the correct numbers. Each row and each column of 9 numbers must include all digits 1 through 9 in any order. Each 3 by 3 subsection of the 9 by 9 square must include all digits 1 through 9 as well. Good luck! The first correct answers selected from the drawing on the 20th will win.
Send your answers along with your name, address, telephone number & email to:
Lifestyles After 50 P.O. BOX 638, SEFFNER, FL 33583
WIN GREAT PRIZES! Sudoku mu ST b E RE c EI v E d by T h E 20T h of T h E mo NT h.
ANSWERS
Send your answers along with your name, address, email and telephone number to: LIFESTYLES AFTER 50 P.O. BOX 638, SEFFNER, FL 33583
The first correct answers selected from the drawing on the 20th of the month will win. WIN! WIN! WIN! GREAT PRIZES! (Puzzles must be received by the 20th of the month)
: Play each month to be entered in a drawing to win a prize! Deadline for entries: September 25th Mary Tursellino, Port Charlotte was last months winner! Last month’s answer: NORAD, Col. Harry Shoup. The more you play the better chance you have to win! Go to LifestylesAfter50.com
NAtIoNAL grANdPAreNts dAy Is sePtember 13. WhAt Is the offIcIAL soNg ANd offIcIAL fLoWer for thIs NAtIoNAL dAy of observANce?
ANsWer:
Nichole Veesaert, Apollo Beach
Josephine Jimenez, N. Ft. Myers
Archie Harden, Tampa
Pumpkin Bacon Mac and Cheese
An amazing combination of mac and cheese, bacon, and seasonal pumpkin puree leftovers! Adapted from a recipe on Delish.com.
Ingredients:
• 8 oz. bacon, cooked until crisp and chopped
• 1/2 cup whole sage leaves
• 3/4 lb. pasta shells or elbows
• kosher salt and pepper
Method:
1. In a skillet, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove from skillet and coarsely chop.
2. Add sage leaves to bacon grease and cook, stirring a few times, until crisp, about 30 seconds. Remove sage to paper-towel lined plate.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium pot of boiling salted water, boil pasta until al dente, per package instructions.
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 2 Tablespoons flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree
• 2 cups gruyere cheese, shredded
3 Ways to Save on Prescription Meds
1) GET A FREE FLORIDARX CARD (WWW.FLORIDARXCARD.COM)
The card/coupon features free pharmacy coupons, which are active and can be used immediately. The program offers discounts on brand name and generic drugs and is accepted at more than 68,000 pharmacies nationwide. Best of all, it’s confidential to apply: no personal information is required to get a coupon card. You are guaranteed the lowest price at participating pharmacies on participating prescriptions.
2) SWITCH TO AMAZON PHARMACY (HTTPS://PHARMACY.AMAZON.COM/)
Already got Amazon Prime? Then you should check out this new benefit! Prime members can get all RxPass medications for $5/month. If your prescription isn’t on the RxPass list, you can still get your meds delivered right to your door at a significant discount. Existing prescriptions can be transferred from your current pharmacy to Amazon; your doctor can prescribe new meds right to Amazon Pharmacy, just like any other pharmacy. Simply add the meds to your Amazon cart and check out as usual. (Amazon will even bill your insurance.)
3) MARK CUBAN’S COST PLUS DRUG COMPANY (HTTPS://WWW. MARKCUBANCOSTPLUSDRUGCOMPANY.COM)
5. Remove from heat and add cheese a handful at a time, stirring to combine. Season with salt. Add pasta to cheese sauce and stir to coat. Top with bacon pieces and crispy sage leaves and serve.
4. Return pasta pot to medium heat and melt butter. Add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk and pumpkin puree. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring, until sauce thickens, about 4-5 minutes.
The Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company is fundamentally changing the way the pharmaceutical industry operates. As a public-benefit corporation (PBC), its social mission of improving public health is just as important as the bottom line. They’ve built a vertically-integrated supply chain to transparently charge a standard markup: Cost Plus Drugs fills and delivers prescriptions at their cost + a fixed 15% margin.
Cost Plus Drugs is available to consumers directly or through employersponsored programs. They have over 1,000 of the most highly utilized and/or most high-cost generic medications in their pharmacy and are working to increase their inventory. Cost Plus will ship prescriptions directly to patients nationwide.
Seniors getting Together
WOMEN SEEKING MEN
WOMEN SEEKING MEN
4907 - SWF. 59 yo, 5’9”, 160 lbs, smoker, blonde hair, blue eyes. I like shing, movies, traveling, dancing, good food. Seeks SWM who likes the same.
5618 – VENICE SENIORS SINGING TOGETHER. Wanna sing? Men and ladies welcome to sing four-part harmony with the Venice Gondolier Singers Chorus. No previous musical experience required. Just having fun. 941-953-3752.
5409 - WRETCHED old hagg seeking miserable old troll. If U respond U obviously have a sense of humor & R adventurous. I’m 76, blonde, petite, earthy, easy to B with. Love singing, dancing, biking, cooking, vintage cars & vintage men. Must have a little class & a lot of character.
5621 – CWF, 80 yrs, NS, SD, HWP, R, P, FF, TLC. Loves theater, dancing, swimming, walks, especially ocean walks, people, my toy poodle, and teaching Tai Chi. Looking forward to spending time with you. N Ft Myers.
5422 - VERY PRETTY WWF ISO FF. Long blonde hair, youthful 60’s, 5’4”, slim, ND, NS. Fine dining, dancing, theatre, travel. Looking for retired W gentleman, 5’9”, 6575, HWP, SOH. Will speak soon. Send photo & phone.
5626 – SHW LOOKING FOR COMPANIONSHIP I am new to Florida, 59 years young. Looking for a FF SOH male. Likes, relaxing on the beach, music, fishing, camping, flea markets. NS - No drugs - TLC. I am 5.1 and 155 lbs. - Parrish
5627 – BLUE EYED RED HEAD
5436 - TAMPA VETERAN NEEDS COMPANION QUICKLY. SW, 60, looking for healthy, W, 45-65 for LTR. Need compuer operations, applications expert and handy homemaker. Quiet music, parks, swimming, local touring. Veteran literary a plus. Tampa.
5427 - SEEKING SINCERE, HONEST GENTLEMAN. I’m 70s, HWP, NS, ND, like to meet SWM with same interest for LTR. Laid back, no drama. Like animals. Hillsborough & Pasco.
Retired and loving it. ISO trustworthy W-NS-SD companion. No loud music. Enjoys quiet times, all animals, pleasant conversation, old movies, home decorating, cooking, laughter, social gatherings and ocean views. Published short stories. Friendly and fun! - Englewood
5635 – SWF RETIRED, SECURE, 80YY
SOH, NS, SD, NDRG. Looking for WM, SD, NDRG. Must know how to treat a lady. Age doesn’t matter. Let’s give it a try!
5419 - HAVE A NICE DAY. SWF, 75 yo, 5’5”, slender, brunette, green eyes, adventurous, love walks, parks, outdoors, healthy food. Am happy, loving, kind. LTR, intimacy? Have photo. Tampa.
4119 - Seeking Honest gentleman. Former airline stewardess and model, 5’4”, 104 lbs., slender, white with Ph.D. in healthcare. Fulbright scholar, eats healthy and exercises. Likes sports and animals. WW. Loves the Lord. Florida.
5631 – SAIL AWAY WITH ME Off little Sarasota Bay. Spirited aqua eyes. WD, young 70’s. S,R,P, 122lbs. Same size as HS. NS, SD ISO magnetism LTR, FF. SOH makes it work. Into the arts, NCAA. No, you’re close enough in all your moments. Touch, kindness, smiles a lot and travels. Send letter/email please. Sarasota county MEN SEEKING WOMEN
MEN SEEKING WOMEN
5618 – VENICE SENIORS SINGING TOGETHER. Wanna sing? Men and ladies welcome to sing four-part harmony with the Venice Gondolier Singers Chorus. No previous musical experience required. Just having fun. 941-953-3752.
5411 - BM seeks LTR with 50-65 yr old woman of character. I am 6’0”, 180 lbs, 60 year old. NS. Children are adults. Free to travel. I am a one woman man. Race is not an issuecharacter is!
5620 – ELDERLY, AFFLUENT, nice looking professional WWM seeking 40-50 trim SWF. Enjoys theater, travel, dinner with wine + conversation in condo overlooking Sarasota Bay. Send photo(s) + resume.
5407 - ISO BF, 50+, slender build who likes to read, go out to eat, movies, laid back, enjoys laughter & is drama free. Look forward to hearing from you. I am a WM, 5’11”, 155 lbs, NS and drama free.
seeking t, attractive, female. Very handsome, very t senior. 5’11”, 175, blue eyes, silver hair. Let’s enjoy life’s pleasures. Dunedin.
5632 HI – A VERY MATURE W, M. Italian born, 82 years YY. 170 lbs, NS, NDrg. Looking for W, F 50-70 YY. I own a waterfront condo.
5417 - PINELLAS PARK, FUN LOVING SWM, seeking SWW to enjoy sports activities, bridge, dominoes, pinochle and swimming at Mainlands. I’m 88 and very active. Looking for SWW over 70. I’m 6’3”, 235 lbs and a dancer. Pinellas Park.
5633 – NEED GOOD WOMAN 5060 with smiles from the heart. More interested than interesting, willing to adventure and recognizing all humans are children of God. Please pray that you are the one. NS, ND, white male & high spirited. 79 going on 120. Sings like a bird not worrying who hears! Port Richey
5634 – ARE YOU A BI-CURIOUS, bi or tri or even a poly sexual woman? In search of a little friendly fun? Then be my angel and I will be your devil. Pinellas county only but I do love paradise in Lutz. Good vibes only. Till we meet.
To PLACe An AD: Send your ad, stating what edition(s) you would like it placed in, along with a $6 fee for 30 words (25¢ for each additional word, abbreviations not charged) to the Lifestyles After 50 address listed below. Ads received by the 15th of the month will appear in the following issue.
To ReSPonD To An AD: Write a letter to the person you want to contact. Place that letter in a stamped envelope and write the ad # on the bottom left hand side of the envelope. Place your stamped, numbered envelope(s), along with $2 for each letter enclosed, into another envelope and address it to: Lifestyles After 50 Seniors Getting Together P.O. Box 638, Seffner, FL 33583
CommonLY USeD ABBReViATionS:
5425 - SINCERE CHRISTIAN WOMAN desires C-man who really loves God and is active, lives a healthy life, helps his neighbor, enjoys nature (including picnics), canoeing and a friend to all animals. I’m all of the above. I’m a W ,etite lady with long hair and chearful. Age 60’s, Age preferred: Mid 50’s and up. I live in Hillsborough County. Please write me, tell me about yourself.
ISO trustworthy, honest man NSND. Enjoy quiet times, pleasant conversation, dining out, social gatherings and listening to music. I share piano music as a pianist. Friendly and fun. Sarasota area.
5431 – LONELY WWF, looking for love & companion. Man should be 70 to 80 yrs old. I am nancially secure, have a car & condo. I live in N. St. Pete.
5636 – I am an oriental lady 5 feet tall, dark hair and slender, who enjoys full life with beach, strolling, dinners out, travel. Romantic and easy-going. 70’s healthy and active. Enjoy the company of non-smoker and nondrinker. Write or call.
5637 – SWCF 70 YEARS YOUNG
5429 - HERE, DURING COVID-19 IN S. FT. MYERS. ISO friendship only with W, widower in early 80’s. SOH, honest, NS. I am W, WW, HWP, attractive & intellgent. Please respond with phone/email. Be safe & well.
5’6” 140 lbs. Brown hair, blue eyes. Retired medical field. Enjoy cooking, beach, dancing, traveling and reading.
5413 - WW ISO BUDDY, FRIEND to pal around with who’s about my age, 80’s, gal or guy with SOH. Good health, nancially secure to have fun & enjoy life. No Trumpers or religious zealots please. Let the good times roll.
5628 – NEW TO FL Looking to fall in love one more time. R-63 YY. 5’2” 160 lbs. blonde hair, blue eyes SF. Enjoys walks, sunsets, dining out, traveling
5622 – HI – A VERY MATURE W, M, 140 lb., white hair, brown eyes, of reasonable looks, 5’8”. In Tampa. NS, SD only. Shall we meet for coffee, and see? Yes, my parents are of Italian descent, but born in the USA. Seeking H, W, P, lady who is mobile and likes life, but wants more. Trump can offer a better life. Now you know how I think.
5638 – HELLO. SWM SEEKING petite relocatable gal to be my companion, best friend, life partner and lover. I’m secure, easy going, loving and romantic. NS, ND. 5’7” 150lbs. Share my life and home. Save that rent. Send photo and phone number please. No pets.
5424 - HI, Lonely guy, WM, 5’8”, 160 lbs, a young mid-seventies, NS, NS, t, active and adventuresome. Seeks lady, mid-sixties to early seventies, HWP, exercises, possible romance, LTR. Let’s be happy and celebrate life.
5630 – LOOKING FOR FEMALE COMPANION I’m 80, YY, SD, SM, LTR, FF, TLC. I like fishing, golf, going to the beach, spending time with family, watching TV, watching movies cuddling on sofa. Romantic. She should like the same, plus some of her own. Lehigh Acres
5428 - M, WW, NS, SD, HWP, R, TLC, 70’s. Likes sharing many activities together, quiet evenings; be adventurous.
5426 - EASY GOING MAN. I’m 69, 140 lbs, 5’7”, widower, lives alone. Seeking other gentlemen for friendship, to get together and enjoy each other’s company. Will answer alll.
5369 – Looking For Ms Right. Retired New York Attorney, former New York Police O cer, looking for loving relationship with kind and sincere, self-caring lady. 65 – 75. Widow preferred. Clearwater area.
5629 – WANT TO TAKE A TRIP TO ALASKA? Fly there and back, motorhome camping & Jeep waiting for us there, sightseeing & fishing. I am 86 YY, WM,WW, C,NS, 5’9” 165 lbs, SOH. Excellent health, very active. Southern country gentleman. I'm looking for a long-term companion to finish our life's journey. I've been a home & business owner in Tampa for over 60 yrs . I am an active and healthy person looking for similar qualities in a partner. I have all my own teeth and hair too. Give me a call and maybe we can have some fun. Marvin
5412 - LOOKING FOR ADVENTEROUS WOMAN. SWM, NS, healthy, retired, enjoys country music, home cooking, day trips to scenic attractions, sun rises, sunsets, movies, walks in the park. For more info, write me. Pinellas County.
5416 - LOOKING FOR COMPANION. SWM
(No Charge)
If more room is needed, please use separate sheet. Mail this form along with $6 for each ad per month (add $4 for each additional edition/market in the same month). We cannot accept your ad without it. This information is confidential.
Kisunla Offers Promising New Gains in Alzheimer’s Fight
Adapted from an article of the same name in the September 2024 AARP Bulletin
Another drug has joined the arsenal of Alzheimer’s treatments. The Food and Drug Administration approved a medication brand-named Kisunla after it proved effective in clinical trials when used by people in the early stages of the disease.
“The trial data demonstrated, convincingly, that Kisunla reduces the rate of cognitive and functional decline in patients in the mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia states of Alzheimer’s disease,” said Teresa Buracchio, a director in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, in a statement.
Donanemab, Kisunla’s medical name, joins similar drug Lecanemab (Leqembi) as sanctioned treatments for the disease that afflicts nearly 7 million older Americans. One difference: Kisunla is given by intravenous infusion once a month. Leqembi has a twice a month regimen.
Researchers found that the medication was especially effective in slowing the loss of thinking and memory skills in people in the earliest stages of the disease.
Kisunla helped to remove a protein called amyloid from the brain. In people with the disease, amyloid forms sticky plaques that disrupt normal cell function.
Jagan Pillai, MD, an Alzheimer’s researcher at the Cleveland Clinic, called Kisunla’s approval “a huge impetus to the field... mostly because it gives [patients] a range of therapeutic options.”
Kisunla’s maker, Eli Lilly, priced the drug at $32,000 a year, higher than Leqembi’s $26,500 annual list price. Out-ofpocket expenses will depend on insurance.
Medicare will cover FDA approved Alzheimer’s treatments for some patients who work with a health care provider who participates in a registry to collect information on the medication.
AROUND TOWN
OCTOBER 4: CARMEN LYNCH
Centers for the Performing Arts, 10150 Bonita Beach Rd. SE, Bonita Springs
The Club at Grandezza, 11481 Grand Oak Blvd., Estero. RSVP by Oct. 30: call Nancy at 520-904-2913.
Pumpkin Seeds: The Tiny Health Treasures You
Don’t Want to Throw Away
When it comes to fall, pumpkins undoubtedly steal the show. From jack-o'-lanterns to spiced lattes, these plump, orange orbs are synonymous with autumn. But there's more to pumpkins than just tasty beverages and decadent pies. Hidden within, like a treasure trove of nutrients, lie pumpkin seeds. From boosting your mood to promoting heart health, these unassuming seeds have a lot to offer.
MOOD-BOOSTING MAGNESIUM
Did you know that a 100g serving of pumpkin seeds contains a whopping 534mg of magnesium? That's nearly 134 percent of your daily recommended intake! Magnesium plays a significant role in regulating mood and is often referred to as the "relaxation mineral."
A PROTEIN-PACKED SNACK
Pumpkin seeds are an excellent source of protein, making them a fantastic addition to vegetarian and vegan diets. With around 19g of protein per 100g, these little gems can help you meet your daily protein requirements. Sprinkle them on your salads or enjoy them as a satisfying midday snack to keep your energy levels stable.
HEART-HEALTHY FATS
You might be surprised to learn that pumpkin seeds are rich in heart-healthy fats. These fats, specifically mono- and polyunsaturated fats, can help reduce bad cholesterol levels and support overall cardiovascular health. Incorporating pumpkin seeds into your diet is an easy way to show some love to your heart.
IMMUNITY BOOST
Pumpkin seeds are packed with essential nutrients like zinc, a powerhouse for strengthening your immune system. Just a small handful of these seeds can provide you with a significant portion of your daily recommended zinc intake.
Along with incorporating pumpkin seeds into your diet, make sure to schedule a visit with your local VIPcare provider to help you reach your optimal health goals. Call 941-909-3224 today to book your appointment!
