COMPLIMENTARY
JANUARY 2017 | VOL. 8, ISSUE 1
Plus THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET: A TASTE OF HOME CAROLINA CONVERSATIONS WITH WRAL-TV’S DR. ALLEN MASK GET ORGANIZED IN 2017
JANUARY 2017 |
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quality. compassionate care.
put your heart in capeable hands Seeking a hospital to care for your family? Choose one with quality that’s verified by trusted outside sources. You won’t find another health system from the Triangle to the coast with the quality and scope of services offered at Cape Fear Valley. And you won’t find one as committed to your family’s health. When you need us... we’re right here.
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features JANUARY
22
Turning 65 in 2017? by Jonathan Scott
23
Snowed Under With Clutter? Get Organized in 2017 by Jennifer Webster
30
Carolina Conversations with WRAL-TV Health Team’s Dr. Allen Mask by Carrie Frye
36
5 Creative Ways to Stay Fit After 50 by Rachel Stewart
26
Enduring Legacies: The Ruth Pauley Lecture Series by Jonathan Scott
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41
The Mediterranean Diet: A Taste of Home by Jennifer Webster
Fit After 50 Issue
47
Fit At Any Age by Rachel Stewart
52
Your Thyroid: A Subtle Concern by Jennifer Webster
56
Honoring World War II Veterans Series by Jonathan Scott
JANUARY 2017 |
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departments January 2017
“January brings the snow, Makes our feet and fingers glow.” —Sara Coleridge
12 advice & health
63 life
64
10
Ask the Expert by Amy Natt, MS, CMC, CSA
16
Cooking Simple by Rhett Morris
64
Resource Marketplace Find the resources you need.
12
Caregiving by Mike Collins
18
Belle Weather by Celia Rivenbark
66
Generations by Ann Robson & Michelle Goetzl
14
Brain Health by Karen D. Sullivan, PhD, ABPP
46
Senior Shorts Poetry by Ruth Moose
19
Health & Wellness by Lindsay Scott, PT, DPT
60
20
Fitness by Mark Ford, CPT
Grey Matter Games Sudoku, Word Search & Crossword Puzzles
62
January Recognizes Glaucoma Awareness
The Reader’s Nook by Michelle Goetzl
63
Over My Shoulder by Ann Robson
55
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COVER PHOTOGRAPHY BY DIANA MATTHEWS
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Scotland Cardiovascular Center now offers a new level of care to cardiac patients. This is due in large part to our affiliation with FirstHealth of the Carolinas, which has been named one of the top 10 in the nation for heart attack care.* This partnership offers you top-notch doctors, diagnostics, treatments,
and world-class care close to home. This new level of care includes Percutaneous Coronary Inter vention (PCI) or stenting, which unclogs blockages from the heart. The procedure
is now being performed by our highly skilled team of Board Certified interventional cardiologists, Dr. Peter L. Duffy and Dr. William Harris. And it all happens right here in Laurinburg. That’s something to believe in.
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from the editor
J
anuary and a new year’s clean slate have arrived along with Old Man Winter. This month is dedicated to being Fit After 50, as we examine ways to embark upon or maintain movement, flexibility, strength and healthier eating habits. There are plenty of tips to help you age with success, get organized and also learn the history and upcoming speakers of the The Ruth Pauley Lecture Series. We sit down for our Carolina Conversations with WRAL-TV Health Team’s Dr. Allen Mask, who squeezed us in before his weekday evening 5:30 newscast segment to talk about balancing his health team reports with treating patients and his tips for being fit after 50. We traveled to Biscoe to see how embracing the Mediterranean diet is changing one man’s life for the better with fresh vegetables, some right out of his garden. We learned how thyroid cancer changed a Carthage woman’s life, and how she is encouraging others to be conscious of their thyroid health. Since many a New Year’s resolution is bound to involve exercise, we have some age-appropriate tips from your 40s to 80s as well as five creative ways to get going on a fitness plan that is fun and fits your life. May all your New Year’s resolutions turn into “All Year” goals that are achieved, to borrow a phrase from our fitness columnist, Mark Ford. We also introduce our World Word II series sharing a story from the Greatest Generation of veterans, kicking off with our own “Nonagenarian” columnist, Glenn Flinchum. Capturing some of the stories and photography for this issue, I had the honor of spending quality time with our cover girl and personal trainer, Katherine Rice, and some students in Aberdeen. Inspiring. Motivating. Beautiful inside and out. All of these women were great sports about posing, and I believe also made for some beautiful photography. Thank you ladies! It is always an honor to meet the people we interview every month and share their stories. They always inspire me, perhaps even a bit more with the dawning of a New Year. Thank you so much for turning these pages with us! Co-editor Jeeves is busy clearing the papers off my desk for his after-supper nap. Until next month... 8
OutreachNC.com | JANUARY 2017
—Carrie Frye
Editor in Chief Carrie Frye | CarrieF@OutreachNC.com Contributing Graphic Designers Nikki Lienhard, Jonathan Scott Contributing Proofreaders Michelle Goetzl, Jennifer Kirby, Kate Pomplun, Jennifer Webster Contributing Photographers Diana Matthews, Katherine Clark Contributing Writers Mike Collins, Mark Ford, Michelle Goetzl, Ruth Moose, Rhett Morris, Celia Rivenbark, Ann Robson, Jonathan Scott, Lindsay Scott, Rachel Stewart, Karen D. Sullivan, Jennifer Webster
Y Publisher Amy Natt | AmyN@AgingOutreachServices.com Marketing & Public Relations Director Susan McKenzie | SusanM@AgingOutreachServices.com Advertising Sales Executive Ashley Haddock | AshleyH@OutreachNC.com 910-690-9102 Advertising Sales Executive Butch Peiker | ButchP@OutreachNC.com 904-477-8440 OutreachNC PO Box 2478 | 676 NW Broad Street Southern Pines, NC 28388 910-692-9609 Office | 910-695-0766 Fax info@OutreachNC.com
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OutreachNC is a publication of The entire contents of OutreachNC are copyrighted by Aging Outreach Services. Reproduction or use without permission of editorial, photographic or graphic content in any manner is prohibited. OutreachNC is published monthly on the first of each month.
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advice
Our Aging Life Care ProfessionalsTM will answer any aging questions you may have.
Email us your questions! info@OutreachNC.com
ASK THE EXPERT
10 Tips for Coping with Incontinence by Amy Natt, MS, CMC, CSA My mom is very independent and active, but she has had some recent episodes of incontinence. This can be very embarrassing for her, and I don’t want to see her give up the things she loves doing. Can you offer any tips to help her manage this?
Incontinence is a much more common occurrence than you might imagine, for both men and women. You may have noticed an increase in the number of incontinence products being marketed to the baby boomer population. This is because so many people are facing bladder or urinary system concerns; let her know she is not alone. As we age, there are changes to the body that can impact bladder control. Bladder muscles become weaker, nerves can be damaged by diseases like Parkinson’s, an enlarged prostate may cause blockage, or there can be an infection that has gone undetected. These are merely some of the possible causes. Identifying the cause is vital, so talking to your healthcare provider is an important first step. Your physician may refer you to a urologist if your symptoms warrant further evaluation. The National Institutes of Health outline four types of incontinence: • STRESS INCONTINENCE is urine leakage that may occur when pressure is put on the bladder during exercise, coughing, sneezing, laughing or lifting heavy objects. This type of bladder control problem is the most common in younger and middle-aged women, and it may begin around the time of menopause. • URGE INCONTINENCE happens when people have a sudden need to urinate and aren’t able to hold their urine long enough to get to the toilet. It may be a problem for people who have diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis or stroke. 10
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• OVERFLOW INCONTINENCE happens when
small amounts of urine leak from a bladder that is always full. A man can have trouble emptying his bladder, if an enlarged prostate is blocking the urethra. Diabetes and spinal cord injury can also cause this type of incontinence. • FUNCTIONAL INCONTINENCE occurs in many older people who have normal bladder control. They just have a problem getting to the toilet because of arthritis or other disorders that make it hard to move quickly. Once a medical professional has helped you determine the most likely cause of incontinence, you can start evaluating treatments and steps you can take to reduce or manage leakage or accidents, so that you can continue to enjoy an active lifestyle with reduced fear of having an accident. 1. CARRY A BACKPACK that contains an extra set of clothing in your car, just in case. It is always better to be prepared. 2. KEEP A HEALTHY BALANCE OF FLUID INTAKE. You don’t want to avoid fluids, as
that can lead to other problems.
3. GET YOURSELF ON A SCHEDULE and
make a trip to the bathroom every two to three hours. Give yourself enough time to make sure you have emptied your bladder completely. Do not wait for the sense of urgency. 4. LOCATE RESTROOMS when you are out. 5. CONSIDER KEGEL EXERCISES to help strengthen pelvic muscles. Your healthcare provider can give you a local resource to make sure you are doing them correctly.
“ ”
ENJOY A WINTER WITHOUT WORRY
Youth is the gift of nature, but age is a work of art.
—Stanislaw Jerzy Lec
AT FOX HOLLOW THE CO COA IS ALWAYS WARM AND THE SNOW IS ALWAYS SHOVELED.
This winter enjoy a warm, worry-free lifestyle. With chef-prepared meals, scheduled transportation, and friendly neighbors close by, you’ll be living the exceptional life.
6. WATCH YOUR ALCOHOL AND CAFFEINE CONSUMPTION, because these diuretics may be
irritating to the bladder. 7. QUIT SMOKING. Research links smoking to incontinence as well as bladder cancer. Reach out to your local healthcare system for a program that can support you in your efforts to quit. The health benefits will far exceed improved bladder health. 8. CHECK OUT NEW PRODUCTS on the market to help manage leaks. There are some new undergarments emerging that can help manage those “oops” moments.
Call 910-695-0011 today to see how we can warm up your winter.
9. TALK TO YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER
about your medications to make sure that there are not any potential side effects that might be contributing factors.
10. STAY ACTIVE PHYSICALLY AND SOCIALLY.
Don’t let fear hold you back. Manage the issue to the best of your ability and know that it is OK to talk about it.
Bladder and kidney health are important as we age, but often overlooked until there is a specific problem. Address incontinence early, so that you can get a head start on approaches to manage it. Try the least invasive approaches first. Keeping your medical professional in the loop also allows for red flags to be noted that might indicate a potentially larger problem. We all laugh with that friend who sneezes or laughs too hard and leakage occurs, but when it is you, it may not seem as humorous. So take charge of your bladder health and maintain an active lifestyle. 190 Fox Hollow Road • Pinehurst, NC 28374 Readers may send questions to Natt, an Aging Life Care ProfessionalTM, certified senior advisor and CEO of Aging Outreach Services. She can be reached at amyn@agingoutreachservices.com .
910-695-0011
www.FoxHollowSeniorLiving.com ASSISTED LIVING • MEMORY CARE R E S P I T E / S H O R T-T E R M S TAY S Pet Friendly
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advice
CAREGIVING CAN MAKE LIFE CRAZY!
Caregivers & Fitness: It’s All About Fun by Mike Collins
A
t no time has my mental and physical fitness been tested as severely as when I was a caregiver for my parents. The mental strain of worry, trying to stay organized, worry, working, attempting to carry on a reasonable life, and worry certainly took its toll. Helping move my mother around when she lost the ability to walk was a test any weightlifter would respect. Getting and staying fit after 50 is important for all baby boomers, but it is literally an investment in your life, if you are a caregiver. Every little bit of movement helps, and the ongoing benefits are illness prevention, better sleep, more energy and greater confidence. A quote I have on my refrigerator says, “When you are in good shape, you move through space differently.” The great thing is that you don’t have to run the New York City Marathon, ride the Tour de France or be Mr. Olympia to be reasonably fit and feel better. Brisk walking, walking a hilly course, jogging or running at a comfortable pace, aerobic exercise classes, water aerobics, dance, and simple calisthenics and strength training are ways you can up your fitness game. Here’s an example: Someone asked President Harry Truman’s secret for his high energy level. He supposedly said, “You should take your dog for a walk every day, even if you don’t have a dog.” Walking is, hands down, the best basic exercise. In fact, new research is showing that walking may
reduce anxiety in some older women. You can speed up, slow down and walk hills to increase intensity. By carrying a small dumbbell or can of food in each hand and curling them as you walk you improve muscle tone in your arms; hold them over your head and you get a shoulder workout. Here are a few simple suggestions to make fitness fun, and, remember, there are no age limits on fun. • LOOK FOR FITNESS FRIENDS. Find a walking buddy, or someone to work out with. Check out exercise and dance classes. Look for organized groups that move (birding, walking historical tours or hiking groups, etc.). • HANG OUT WITH KIDS. If you have grandchildren, you know that playing with them can be a workout. Remember, any movement within your limits is good. Encourage them to come outside with you and move around. If they are addicted to video games, check out the Wii Sports games you actively play. If they want to go old school, check out DDR (Dance Dance Revolution). • TAKE A LESSON. What type of activity would you like to participate in but don’t know how? Try golf, tennis, rowing or the court game pickleball! • HEAD TO THE GYM. Even if you need someone to care for the one you take care of while you’re gone, the strength training you gain is worth it. Find a knowledgeable, patient instructor and use
Collins is the producer of the video, “Care for the Caregiver,” winner of a National Caregiver Friendly Award from Today’s Caregiver Magazine. For ways to deal with the craziness of caregiving, visit www.crazycaregiver.com . ©2016 Mike Collins
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light weight amounts to start. Even slight strength gains will double your confidence level.
• LOOK FOR A SWIMMING HOLE.
Whether a “Cement Pond” (pool to “The Beverly Hillbillies”), lake, river or ocean, water is incredibly therapeutic. Don’t worry about swimming the English Channel, simply get in the water and move. In fact, for my money, moving in water is as good as walking with less impact on joints.
Think about it this way: Fitness should be fun. You’ve already had the guy with the whistle wearing the stretchy pants and baseball cap. You want to be as fit as you need to be to live the life you want and need to live. If you are a caregiver, you have mental, emotional and physical challenges other folks may not have and those issues require a different level of fitness. Be sure to start slow, find movement (forget the word exercise) you like, look for easy ways to increase your strength and endurance, and relax. Finally, check with your physician before starting any sort of exercise program. If he or she starts to give you the fitness lecture, simply say, “Hey, chill out. I’m just going out to have a little fun.” JANUARY 2017 |
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health
B R A I N H E A LT H
Advances in Alzheimer’s Disease Research by Karen D. Sullivan, Ph.D, ABPP
S
taying current on advances made in Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia, is difficult because findings are reported nearly every day in scientific journals and the media. One of my favorite resources for evidence-based information is the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference. Each year, the conference provides an overview of the year’s best research from world-leading experts with more than 2,000 presentations on the study and treatment of Alzheimer’s. The 2016 meeting was held in Toronto, Canada, and here are some of the conference highlights:
Identifying environmental risk factors for Alzheimer’s has been the focus of much research in the past 10-20 years. Health conditions that affect the cardiovascular system seem to have the most influence to “turn on” Alzheimer’s genes (most notably type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and hypertension). Researchers are now studying “protective factors” that may buffer these effects. Data presented at this year’s conference suggested that people whose occupation in midlife required complex thinking and activity had a greater ability to fight the effects of Alzheimer’s and that working with people, rather than data, provided the greatest defense.
New Protective Factors Identified Among people diagnosed with mild to moderate late-life Alzheimer’s (onset after age 65), about 60-70 percent test positive for a genetic variant called ApoE4. This means that there are both genetic and environmental reasons people develop Alzheimer’s. However, having one or more of the genetic variants does not mean someone will definitely get the condition. It means that if someone is exposed to certain risk factors in the environment, the gene can “turn on” and cause the disease processes of Alzheimer’s to begin.
“Early” Treatment Redefined Despite many promising starts, translating laboratory findings into patient treatments is painstakingly slow. Unfortunately, this year’s meeting brought news of another failed late-phase clinical trial for a medication called “LMTM” (TauRx Therapeutics). Many researchers said that the lack of a cure or highly effective medication to date is because treatments begin too late. The disease processes that cause Alzheimer’s start many decades before any of the learning, memory, word-finding and personality changes that characterize Alzheimer’s begin.
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A theme at this year’s meeting was the importance of detecting the earliest brain changes—even in young and middle age. It was discussed that future treatments will need to be started many years before someone starts showing the symptoms. This will involve identifying people at genetic risk for Alzheimer’s in early and mid-life with DNA testing and proactively treating them before any observable symptoms. “De-prescribing” Shows Promise in Treating Behavioral Symptoms of Alzheimer’s So-called “behavioral disturbance” in Alzheimer’s disease is fairly common, with estimates of about 40-45 percent of people exhibiting agitation and issues, such as paranoia and wandering. Many of us who have cared for people with Alzheimer’s know these symptoms are often more difficult to manage than problems with memory. While there are likely biological reasons for these symptoms, they are also certainly related to social, and therefore treatable, factors including a lack of stimulation, social isolation and difficulty with communication. Unfortunately, many healthcare workers are not properly trained to know how to deal with these issues, and more than 25 percent of patients in residential care facilities in the U.S. receive powerfully sedating medications as the first-line treatment. At this year’s conference, Australian researchers presented results from a project where they dramatically reduced the use of anti-psychotic medicines in 75 percent of study participants after six months through a process of “de-prescribing.” This included training staff in nonpharmacological and person-centered approaches to dementia care, including engagement in therapeutic activities and helping to reduce stress in the environment.
Memory Testing in Older Adults’ Health Exams The importance of an early and accurate diagnosis in Alzheimer’s continues to be emphasized. It was once believed that Alzheimer’s could only be diagnosed at autopsy; we now know that this is not true. An evaluation by a neuropsychologist using comprehensive pen and paper testing to assess learning and memory and sophisticated types of brain scans usually only offered in research settings remain the best tools to diagnose all forms of dementia. An early diagnosis allows the person to get the most benefit from the memory-enhancing medications on the market (Aricept and Namenda are the most common). One study at this year’s meeting showed that patients treated with these medications are hospitalized less and have lower mortality rates compared to untreated patients. This is in addition to the already known benefits of slowing down the symptoms from the point when the person starts to take the medications. Getting older adults to undergo memory testing that is both sensitive and comprehensive enough to diagnose dementia continues to be a worldwide challenge. There are not nearly enough medical providers specializing in geriatric medicine to meet the demand. Researchers made the recommendation that memory testing should be a part of all older adults’ health care after the age of 65 due to the expense—financial and emotional—of undiagnosed and untreated dementia. Many people are surprised to learn that Medicare and many other insurances cover the majority, if not all, of the costs for these evaluations. Dr. Sullivan, a clinical neuropsychologist at Pinehurst Neuropsychology, can be reached at 910-420-8041 or by visiting www.pinehurstneuropsychology.com .
JANUARY 2017 |
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COOKING SIMPLE
Quick Collard Soup
by Rhett Morris | Photography by Diana Matthews
Ingredients 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth 1 onion, diced 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions
Heat pot over medium high heat with onion, garlic and olive oil. Cook for 5 minutes. Add broth and bring to boil. Add collards, black-eyed peas, salt and pepper. Bring back to boil. Serve in bowl and top with Texas Pete. Garnish with the sliced red pepper.
1 can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed 3 cups collards, thinly sliced 1 tablespoon Texas Pete 1 red pepper, sliced for garnish Salt and pepper to taste 16
OutreachNC.com | JANUARY 2017
Morris, owner of Rhett’s Restaurant, Personal Chef & Catering, is an award-winning chef. He can be reached at 910-695-3663 or rhett@rhettsrpcc.com .
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life
B E L L E W E AT H E R
The Uber Ratings Game by Celia Rivenbark
T
he Uber driver was courteous, careful and his car didn’t smell anything like coconut. We were off to a grand start. We chatted amiably (no politics) and, exiting his small but spotless Nissan Versa, I was once again grateful for such a wonderful invention. When you need a ride in a hurry, it’s hard to beat Uber. Plus, there’s that whole visual on your phone screen. All those cars just a mile or two away vying for your business. Seeing them circle about with a sort of “Pick me!” neediness is strangely reassuring to me. Of course, you don’t actually pick. Just like in real estate: it’s location, location, oh, I forget the rest of it. The closest (even by a few yards, explained my driver) gets the fare and the rest retreat to lick their wounds. OK, maybe I’m being dramatic. They probably just went to the airport. I’m embarrassingly new to Uber because, well, phone upgrade. I used to depend on friends with Uber accounts. In other words, I never had to pay. “Who’s getting the Uber?” one might say at the end of the evening. I would look around, up and down and sideways while rocking back and forth on my toes. Not me. I wasn’t being cheap. I just had an old phone with an operating system that, while not exactly ancient, was more likely to have an icon of a smallpox blanket than Uber. Funny thing, I’ve gotten way too caught up in Uber’s ratings system. Of course, you can rate your driver from 1-5 stars, but did you know that the driver also rates YOU?
For some reason, it has become ridiculously important that I have an exemplary passenger rating. So far, I’m at 5 but I know this will change as soon as Roger, the affable driver of a Chevy Impala, discovers that I accidentally hit “enter” after just 1 star while rating him and can’t figure out how to fix it. Sorry, Roger. You know I really think you’re a 5. We’ll always have that detour around the wastewater treatment plant when the road washed out. Good times. But what if Roger is the vengeful sort? I don’t think he is, based on his chatty nature, but I’ve been wrong before (turducken) and maybe he’s giving me a “1 star” right back. So I asked the next Uber driver what it takes to get a 1 for a passenger and his answer was what you would expect: “As long as you don’t throw up in my car or try to have sex, we’re OK.” Well. One out of two isn’t bad, I guess. My friend, Pat, brags of his perfect 5-star rating after dozens of Uber rides. When his rating inexplicably dropped to 4.8, he became obsessed with trying to rebook the same driver and “accidentally on purpose” be especially charming. Oh, and maybe not throw up this time. Rivenbark is the author of seven humor collections. Visit her website at www.celiarivenbark.com . ©2016 Celia Rivenbark. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
A COMMUNITY FOR CAREGIVERS ACROSS NORTH CAROLINA. Dedicated to our neighbors here in North Carolina, we provide education, support services, and community resources to help improve the quality of life for families touched by Alzheimer’s. As the voice of Alzheimer’s and other dementias, we serve all 100 counties across our great state. Find your AlzNC community today by calling 1 (800) 228-8738 or visit www.AlzNC.org.
CARING FOR FAMILIES AND EACH OTHER
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OutreachNC.com | JANUARY 2017
H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S
Dry Needling For Pain Relief
health
by Lindsay Scott, PT, DPT
Q A
What is dry needling and how can it help with my pain and ability to function?
Trigger Point Dry Needling is recognized by the American Physical Therapy Association as a manual or hands-on technique to treat trigger points or muscle “knots,” by using a thin filament needle. It is termed “dry” needling because there is no medication injected into the tissue; the needle itself is the tool. The needle is the same size as an acupuncture needle, but the goal and treatment approach are very different. Acupuncture is based on Chinese medicine and involves only the superficial skin layer. Dry needling is supported by research and is a Western medicine intervention. The needle is inserted deep into the trigger point within a muscle to obtain a local twitch, an involuntary response. A trigger point is an area of muscle fibers that have become very tight. If you feel like you have a guitar string in your muscle, a trigger point is to blame. If not treated, trigger points lead to chronic pain, referred pain to other areas of the body and actually cause weakness and difficulty strengthening the muscle.
Dry needling has proven to be a quick and effective way to loosen tight tissue and decrease pain by relaxing trigger points. It does this by correcting impaired cells where nerves and muscles connect. This helps remove pain substances that are released when cells are damaged, and it changes the way our bodies sense pain. In my experience, impaired muscle activity is almost always a part of a person’s pain. Dry needling may cause some soreness to the treated muscle, but this is temporary. Most people feel that the benefits far outweigh this brief discomfort. The results should be noticeable as soon as the soreness resolves, usually within 24-48 hours. While many people experience an immediate decrease or relief of pain, it is important to note that dry needling is used in conjunction with the rest of your physical therapy treatment plan. In order to prevent the trigger points from returning, your therapist can guide you to perform important exercises and techniques that will help you stay pain-free. Talk to your healthcare professional to see if your pain can be relieved by this type of physical therapy. Scott, PT, DPT is certified to practice trigger point dry needling through Myopain Seminars. She can be reached at 910-715-1600.
JANUARY 2017 |
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health
FITNESS
Commit to All Year Fitness Resolutions by Mark Ford, CPT | Photography by Diana Matthews
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esearch has shown that a lot of people who experience weight gain throughout their lives can attribute this to the holiday festivities and the excesses that accompany them. With a little discipline and the correct amount of activity you can finish the winter season in at least as good of shape as you entered and even enjoy doing it. “I’ll just go on a serious diet in January,” you may be thinking. “I can knock off this extra 40 pounds in eight weeks just like the ads on TV promise.” Bad idea! Yo-yo dieting, as it’s called, is one of the worst things you can do. Your metabolism slows due to the decrease in caloric intake and when you do resume a normal diet, which you will have to do at some point, you not only gain back the original weight, but probably a few extra pounds as well. Also, it is very hard on your pancreas as it makes it difficult for it to secrete the correct amount of insulin, which can eventually lead to adult onset or type 2 diabetes. A much preferred method is a balanced diet combined with an exercise regimen that actually burns a few more calories per day than you consume. The American Council on Exercise (ACE) states that weight loss should be confined to 2-3 pounds per week until the desired weight goal has been reached. This allows your body to adjust gradually as you transition into a healthier you. Let’s look at how we can actually accomplish our goals. You may have noticed that I have used the word “goal” several times so far. Start with a defined goal. You may even want to consult your physician as to what would be a desired weight for your particular age and body type. Everybody is different; what may be fine for one person is not necessarily appropriate for another. That’s why I don’t
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like some of the height and weight charts available. There is a lot more to take into consideration than just inches when setting your goals. Once you have a desired weight in mind, it is easy to determine a time frame. Again, 2-3 pounds per week for X number of weeks. Now, how do we get there? It’s called a program, a specific “road map” that will get you to your destination. There’s one catch: You have to continue to follow this map even when you may not feel like it. One way to stay involved is to find an activity you enjoy and may even look forward to doing each day. We are blessed in this area with a fairly mild winter climate, which allows us to get outside on most days. Parks and nature preserves provide ample areas for a brisk walk. Most of our neighborhood streets are fine for walking and getting in a good leg stretch as well. This is a great way to burn off those extra calories or warm up before a more concentrated workout. Instead of New Year’s resolutions, I would like to propose that we adopt “All Year Resolutions” instead. The best thing about an “All Year Resolution” is that is runs all year long. Healthy habits are quite easy to adhere to once established into our daily routine. So now that you have enjoyed the holidays, keep in mind that your physical well-being is a gift you can give yourself. Who knows, you may even have a little fun along the way.
Ford, an American Council on Exercise certified personal trainer, can be reached at 910-975-2572 or mford42@nc.rr.com .
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Turning 65 in 2017 by Jonathan Scott
In the complicated world of Medicare, fortunately there are basically only a few choices of what you need to do. If you’re turning 65 and already receive Social Security benefits, you don’t need to do anything. You’ll receive a package in the mail about three months prior to your birthday with your Medicare card. A letter explains that, starting the month you turn 65, your Medicare Part B premiums (for outpatient care) will automatically be deducted from your Social Security check. For 1952 babies, that amount will be a set amount. You’ll also be automatically enrolled in Medicare Part A (a hospitalization policy), but you’ve already paid for this during your working life (or your spouse’s), so there’s no additional cost. If you’re still working and not receiving Social Security, or if you’re just waiting until you reach your full retirement age of 66—or beyond—then you’ll have to apply for Medicare yourself. You can do this by calling your regional Social Security office or by applying online at www.medicare.gov. You can enroll anytime from three months before your 65th birthday to three months after. If you do it before the month of your birthday, though, your benefits will start on your birth month. Don’t miss the window of opportunity or you may experience delays and a penalty. If you’re continuing to work and can—and want to— keep the insurance your employer offers, you should still apply for Medicare Part A and postpone Part B until you retire. Keep in mind that if you work for a company with 20 or fewer employees, your insurance might not 22
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ach day in 2017, 10,000 Americans will turn 65. If you’re one of them, this milestone birthday probably means something special to you, but one thing you have in common with the other babies of 1952 is that you’ll be eligible for Medicare.
cover you after you turn 65. Larger employers might have insurance that will continue, but be sure to compare the costs and benefits of keeping your insurance with what Medicare offers. When signing up for Medicare, you have an option to sign up for a Medicare Advantage Plan. These are privately run policies that take the place of Medicare. You will still have to pay the Part B premium, in addition to the cost of the monthly premiums. Availability depends on the county you live in. You also have the option to sign up for a Medicare Supplement. These are private insurance plans that cover expenses, co-pays and deductibles that Medicare doesn’t. If you don’t decide to purchase a Medicare Advantage plan, you’ll want to buy a separate prescription drug policy, called Medicare Part D. These are usually low-cost policies, but if you don’t get one when you turn 65, you will be hit with life-long penalties later on. We wish a happy birthday to the 365,000 Americans turning 65 this year. You turned 12 the year the Beatles came to America. You turned 17 Medicare when Neil Questions? Armstrong Free counseling on Medicare landed on issues is available in North the moon. Carolina through the Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program (NC This year SHIIP). To find a counselor near you, is time for visit www.ncdoi.com/shiip/ . another milestone.
Social Security Questions?
To find your nearest Social Security office, visit www.ssa.gov .
r e d n U d e w o n S with Clutter?
by Jennifer Webster
Get Organized in 2017
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ills. Books. Tools. Fabric you might sew something out of someday. Just-opened Christmas presents. Warm-weather clothes going into storage. Cold-weather clothes coming out of storage. Magazines—even pretty ones like OutreachNC. This clutter is turning into a blizzard! It’s January. It may not be snowing, but as we spend more time inside and accumulate another year’s worth of holiday knickknacks, it can feel like we’re being snowed under with clutter. CONTINUED PAGE 24
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As a middle-aged lady living in a one-bedroom apartment, I definitely have to keep a handle on how I accumulate, organize and store my stuff, or I’ll be overwhelmed. Let me share one organizational strategy that has helped me a lot, and a new trend that looks especially promising.
Tried and True: Lean
Lean works in the office, and I can testify it’s a gift in the home. The Lean philosophy originated in manufacturing, and has to do with minimizing waste and overburden, while evening out workloads. You want to get the right materials to the right place at the right time to perform the desired task, and eliminate anything that impedes that process. For instance, take your kitchen. Lean would ask: What’s the purpose of this kitchen? What process happens here? What people are involved and what’s their role? Then, 24
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Lean advocates removing anything that inhibits or doesn’t directly serve those purposes, processes or people. In the kitchen example, you might answer something like: My kitchen has two purposes: preparing tasty food and housing cozy conversations between friends. The processes include cooking, maintaining cooking implements and spaces (washing dishes, wiping counters) and sitting at the table. The people who contribute to this process are me (cooking), my spouse (buying groceries), and my guests (socializing). Then you’d look at everything in your kitchen. Does anything not contribute? Get rid of it. If doesn’t support cooking or socializing, out it goes. Dishrag? Yes. Drawer full of buttons? No. Magazine on table? Yes, if I’m going to look through it with my mom this weekend. Insurance paperwork on the table? Definitely no.
Then, consider workflow. Organize items near the process they’re meant to support. Foods and cooking utensils near the cooking surface; cleaning supplies under the sink; social items (vase of flowers, photo album) on the table. That way you can also minimize extra movement around your kitchen. Another trick to keep from hunting for stuff? Keep frequently used things where you can see them, or label containers with quick visual cues, such as a picture. Lean also resists stockpiling, on the theory it costs money to store materials or finished products longterm; instead, Lean advocates what’s called “just in time” manufacturing. The practical application to a domestic kitchen might mean: Do make quick visits to the farmers market for tonight’s ingredients. Don’t visit discount clubs and buy 100 cans of soup! And if you do somehow have 100 cans of soup, make sure they are not expired and donate them to a food bank.
A quick test of whether you’re exceeding “just in time” might be whether items regularly spoil in your refrigerator and have to be thrown out, or whether you waste time trying to find things or make room in your shelves.
Marie Kondo: Hold on to Your Joy
If you’re old enough, you remember being told, in the words of Joseph Campbell, to “follow your bliss.” Most frequently, the mantra applied to career choice. Today, Japanese organizational guru Marie Kondo applies a similar philosophy to the household. Her KonMari method preaches keeping only those possessions that give you delight, and teaches that tidying up in itself can be blissful. If Lean appeals to the logical mind, KonMari speaks to the artistic mind. Not convinced? Consider the houses Marie Kondo has tackled. White shelves stand empty except for perhaps a vase of blue forget-me-
nots and one or two exquisite books. Wooden tables gleam, bare of cloths or placemats, adorned by simple pieces of pottery. Marie Kondo’s work makes a photo spread from Real Simple look cluttered. The idea is, by getting rid of “stuff ” that doesn’t inspire joy, you can really celebrate the few treasures that remain. I kind of want to KonMari my apartment ... but I love my floorto-ceiling book shelves, stuffed and double-stacked. Sure, I may never read “The Lais of Marie de France” again. But it gives me bliss just knowing the books are there. Still, this might be the year I try to apply Marie Kondo’s keen organizational approach: Rather than spaces, work through categories, such as “books” or “bills.” Hold something up and consider it with your heart. Does it “spark joy” in you? If yes, keep it. If not, out it goes. And be sure to thank it on the way out. The KonMari system also offers an aesthetic to organizing. Marie
Kondo has special ways for folding shirts, arranging ties. Tidying up itself should be a blissful process. If you were the soldier who enjoyed folding down your sheets in the prescribed way in Basic Training, you’ll probably love to KonMari. (Actually, I do find tidying kind of blissful, in a lazy, disheveled sort of way. But I’m not sure how to get rid of things that are not blissful, yet very urgent, like an unpaid dental bill. “Let it go” probably won’t work for bills. But “go paperless” might be an option.) KonMari can also be applied to activities and people. Your bowling league isn’t sparking joy in your life? Gratefully let it go, and move on to something more blissful. Whatever approach to organizing you choose, both Lean and KonMari will definitely help you spend less time decluttering and sorting and more time actually living. The key is to choose a method that’s functional, simple and just right for you. JANUARY 2017 |
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Enduring Legacies
The Ruth Pauley Lecture Series by Jonathan Scott | Photography by Diana Matthews
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here are those of us who, as we age, begin to feel we have less time remaining to make a positive contribution to the world. We might be surprised to discover how much of an impact people can have long after they’ve passed away. Beyond the memorable figures with household names and famous legacies, there are many lesser known whose work continued after their deaths. Some, even, who were virtually unknown, and whose lives continue to inspire the people who live beyond them. Ruth Pauley moved to the North Carolina Sandhills in 1978 at the age of 69. She had retired from a career in international social work, serving with the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration after the Second World War. She worked in many countries, including her native U.S., and wherever she lived, she became involved in helping her local community. Moore County was one of the beneficiaries of Pauley’s commitment to local activism. She worked as a consultant to the County Social Services Department, organized a local branch of the League of Women Voters and, in 1982, was honored as Moore County Volunteer of the Year. Possibly as a result of her experiences in the wake of World War II, Pauley became passionate about the cause of world peace as she was approaching the end of her life. She became chair of a committee representing the Sandhills/Southern Pines Branch of the American Association of University Women and Sandhills Community College. In 1983, while the Cold War was raging during the Reagan years, the committee held a series of free lectures with nationally recognized authorities on the issue of disarmament and the arms race. Ruth Pauley passed away in the summer of 1986. The many friends she left behind in the local AAUW and the League of Women Voters wanted to honor her memory. They thought it would be appropriate to hold an annual lecture “by highly informed speakers with objective and varied points of view—in order to help deepen understanding of some of the most important and relevant issues facing humanity.”
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Sandhills Community College and Moore County Schools joined those two groups, and the four organizations established The Ruth Pauley Lecture Series. In the 30 years since, the series has presented an extraordinary roster of acclaimed speakers. The list of more than 100 speakers includes poet Maya Angelou, environmental activist Robert Kennedy Jr., anthropologist and U.N. Messenger Jane Goodall, Sen. George McGovern, author Nicholas Sparks and consumer crusader Ralph Nader. It might be considered remarkable that such a stellar line of speakers has come to a small, non-urban area such as Moore County. What is more impressive is that all these lectures have been open to the general public at no charge. Also impressive is that, for 30 years, the series has operated on community support with no large university or massive sponsoring organization. The Ruth Pauley Series receives some financial support from the four founding organizations, and Sandhills Community College has for years offered the series the use of its facility and other important support services. But it is local people who, with donations of time and money, have made it possible for the series to grow far beyond the original vision and expand the scope from an annual lecture to several a year. Pauley likely never imagined that her work doing good for her community would continue stronger than ever 30 years after she left us. During his lifetime, Sam Ragan left his mark in the literary world of North Carolina. He was North Carolina’s first Secretary of Cultural Resources and the first chairman of the N.C. Arts Council. His column, “Southern Accent,” ran for nearly 50 years in Raleigh’s News and Observer, for which he served as executive director. He was North Carolina’s poet laureate. In 1968, Sam and his wife bought The Pilot newspaper in Southern Pines and served as publisher until his death in 1996. CONTINUED PAGE 28
The 30th anniversary season of The Ruth Pauley Lecture Series continues in 2017. FEBRUARY 9 “Nagasaki and the Ethics of Collateral Damage” by author Susan Southard (at left) MARCH 2 “New Frontiers in Civil Rights: A Muslim View” by Duke University’s Chief Representative for Muslim Affairs, Abdullah Antepli APRIL 20 “Almost Everything You Know About Climate Change is Outdated” by Dr. Joe Romm, called “one of the most influential energy and environmental policy makers of our era” All lectures are free, open to the public and held at 7:30 p.m. at Owens Auditorium at Sandhills Community College in Pinehurst. For more information, visit www.ruthpauley.org .
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When The Pilot was acquired in July of that year, the publisher donated a modest endowment to the Ruth Pauley Lecture Series with the condition that one lecture a year would be given in Ragan’s name to establish something that would continue Ragan’s legacy. The annual Ragan Lecture is to promote excellence in journalism and honor the free press. Last October, popular PBS news analyst Mark Shields was the Sam Ragan Lecturer. Over 400 people came to hear Shields share what he learned from rubbing shoulders with the biggest names in national politics in the past 48 years. The lecture, like all Ruth Pauley lectures, was free. Since The Pilot created the Sam Ragan endowment, local residents have established three other endowments through donations. The first was created by donations in the name of public education advocate Carl H. Munro by his friends after his death in 2009. As part of her will, Agnes O’Connell Buckley bequeathed a third endowment to the series in 2013. Most recently, Ellen Airs is establishing an endowment to honor the memory of her late husband, Lee. All four people whose names are on the endowment list, including Sam Ragan, once served on the Board of Directors of the series, learning first hand the value of these lectures to the area, the responsibility of maintaining high standards for speakers and the importance of keeping the events free and open to the public. Board members have term limits and include volunteers of ordinary citizens from the community at large. This way, the series has tried to be responsive to the needs of the people it serves. About 20 years ago, Gary Southard, at left, retired to Pinehurst from a career in industry that had included helping to set up the MasterCard program in the early 1960s. A golfing buddy of his, knowing that he liked to do volunteer work, asked him to join the Ruth Pauley Board of Directors. Southard took to the position so well that, in a short amount of time, he became chairman of the board, a post he held for four years. During his tenure, the series was host to many world-class lecturers including actress and mental health advocate Patty Duke, Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. 28
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After his term ended, Southard remained friends with some of the people he served with on the Pauley Board, but it wasn’t until 10 years later that he was asked to do them another favor. The board was preparing its 30th anniversary season for 2016-2017 and wanted to have a particularly outstanding roster, honoring the founding of the series. Southard’s daughter, Susan Southard, had written a book, “Nagasaki: Life After Nuclear War,” which had been awarded the prestigious 2016 Dayton Literary Peace Prize in Non-fiction, an international award for literature that promotes peace, social justice and global understanding. For a lecture series that began as a group of discussions on disarmament, an expert in the aftermath of an atomic bomb seemed like a perfect match. Was there any possibility, Southard’s friends wanted to know, that his daughter Susan might be available to speak? “I knew about the Ruth Pauley Series from my dad’s role,” Susan Southard says. “I often tried to schedule a visit here that would coincide with one of the lectures, but somehow it never happened.” That changed in the summer of 2016 when Southard moved from Tempe, Arizona, where she had lived for 26 years, to Southern Pines. Not only would she finally be able to attend the lectures, but also she could be part of the 30th anniversary season as a speaker. Southard’s lecture is set for Thursday, Feb. 9, at 7:30 p.m. in Owens Auditorium on the campus of Sandhills Community College in Pinehurst. Her topic will be “Nagasaki and the Ethics of Collateral Damage.” “Both ethics in general and collateral damage during military actions are complex issues,” she says. “When you merge these two issues, you get into even more complex territory. It’s easy, too, to slip into oversimplifications on either side of the questions of military necessity and accountability. As Americans, I think it’s critical for us to give thoughtful attention to the civilians killed by our military, in our name—to acknowledge these deaths, understand their consequences, and grapple with what we believe is right for our nation and military moving forward.” Southard, 60, spent 12 years researching and writing her book. It’s an objective and intimate description of the minutes, days, and decades after the second atom bomb was dropped on Japan. Southard located five survivors, men and women who were teenagers at the time of the blast, who agreed to tell what life has been like in the wake of atomic warfare. Because the United States’ war propaganda was still considered vital to national security in 1945, most objective information about the effects of the atomic bombs was restricted or distorted. The lives of the five bomb survivors were profoundly affected, physically and psychologically. According to Southard, Japanese culture made it especially difficult for them to share intimate and painful details. But now, as they approach the end of their lives, the courage of these survivors has helped make possible a unique understanding of the human consequences of one of military history’s most important and controversial events. “Their names aren’t familiar to us,” she says. “They aren’t leaving behind a great legacy or a named endowment, but their contribution to the world will undoubtedly contribute to a deeper understanding of our collective responsibility to humankind.” JANUARY 2017 |
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Carolina Conversations with WRAL-TV Health Team’s DR. ALLEN MASK by Carrie Frye | Photography by Diana Matthews
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r. Allen Mask has been treating patients at his Raleigh Urgent Care practice since 1985, but most know him from his WRAL-TV Health Team reports on the weekday 5:30 newscasts. Mask was already established in his practice when the call came in to see if the idea of health reports would appeal to him and whether the viewership would respond in 1993. Twenty-three years and several thousand news segments later, this good doctor and North Carolina native is still researching and producing health team news pieces every week along with seeing patients. Mask, a father of six and grandfather of seven, is still learning and continuing to make a difference. At his medical office off New Bern Avenue, Mask sat down to be the one on the other side of the interview process. CONTINUED PAGE 32
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ONC: Before opening your practice here in the Triangle, where did you grow up? AM: I am originally from Hamlet. I went to
school there, and then I came to (University of North Carolina at) Chapel Hill, where I did my undergraduate work and got a degree in English. Interestingly enough, while I was there, I worked for a television station as an intern, which led to me doing the medical reporting that I do right now. I went to medical school at UNC as well. I did my internship and residency at Harvard Medical School at Massachusetts General (Hospital), so I was there for five years, and then I came back to Chapel Hill and did a second residency in anesthesiology. Then I worked at Burlington Anesthesiology Associates as a fulltime anesthesiologist and eventually came back to Raleigh and opened up this office in 1985. What made you go from being an English major to medicine?
You know, I had always been curious. I have an uncle who is a physician, and he was always a great influence on me. When I was interning in college at the TV station, I went to Charlotte and interviewed Dr. Les Walton, who was a GYN oncologist who had just come from New York. GYN oncology now is a big field, but back then, it wasn’t. He was the only GYN oncologist in all of Charlotte, and he was a black physician. I remember doing a three-part series while I was there on the shortage of black physicians in Mecklenburg County. I got a chance to know Dr. Walton as a part of that TV piece I was doing, and then came back to UNC. I got my English degree, but I had taken all of the science curriculum, biology and chemistry and decided to apply to medical school and got in. 32
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When you opened your practice, was there an impetus for making it an urgent care?
It was actually by accident. When I came back from Harvard to UNC and was doing anesthesiology, I was moonlighting to make some extra money. I was working at the Cape Fear Emergency Room in Fayetteville, and there were a group of doctors who had opened an urgent care center, and they asked me to work some shifts at their urgent care center. What we do here is a myriad of work as an internist, and what I like to do is see those patients who are coming in with diabetes and hypertension, thyroid problems, those things that we can treat and make a difference. Of course, we treat everyone and everything. People come in with a common cold, not too much flu yet, or they might need a physical examination. We take care of a lot of different medical problems, and I like that a lot. It has been very rewarding doing it all these years. How did your work with WRAL develop?
Back in 1993, the dilemma for them was, do we use a traditional reporter for medical reporting, or do we want to have a doctor come in? I had some media experience. The guy who hired me later told me that he wasn’t sure this was going to work out. He said he was skeptical, and we would try. I started in July 1993. I have been doing it ever since. It has been a symbiotic relationship. For example, it is helpful for me to be able to talk about and encourage flu vaccinations. It is also helpful to me, because I am constantly having to do research on some new topic. We had a recent piece on inclusive playgrounds, playgrounds that include exercise equipment for disabled kids, and the piece we did on microbes and antibiotic resistance, so that’s helpful to me. Whether we do updates on diabetes treatments, cataracts, dandruff or urinary tract infections, it’s all important. The beauty of it is that I get to go on a Duke Life Flight helicopter, or inside the Duke hyperbaric chamber or in the operating room for bariatric surgery, or work out in a gym to learn an exercise to increase your core strength, or do hot yoga (laughs). We talk about everything at some point in time when you are doing nine pieces a week. You learn a lot, too, and you’re forced to review a lot of stuff to make sure you’re on top of it.
Any behind-the-scenes moments that stand out?
At the television station, the people of WRAL are just great people. They have been so helpful to me, and it is the strength of the whole organization. We have a health team. I have a full-time producer/photographer who works with me named Rick Armstrong. He’s a senior producer and a former reporter, so he knows reporting, editing and photography. All the people at the stationDavid Crabtree, Deborah Morgan, Gerald Owens, Greg Fishel—they are all just tremendous people and make me feel comfortable. Anchors open the piece, and the anchors close the piece, and I come in between people who are real pros, so they help me look good. We’ve done some fun pieces. We did a piece with Darius Rucker, the country singer, and it was awesome. The piece was on blood banking and bone marrow registries. I did a piece with Jerry West, the former Lakers basketball player, on atrial fibrillation, and pieces with “The Fonz” actor Henry Winkler and Randy Jackson from “American Idol.” Do you feel the impact of your segments?
I think so. Talking about flu shots, 10 or 15 years ago, there was a Duke study that said only 15 percent of pregnant women were getting their flu shots, because they thought it might be harmful to their babies, so now that number is up to 75 percent. We can’t take credit for that, but I cannot help but think that some people have heard some of the news over the years. We may do four or five flu shot pieces over the course of the season. We do a piece every year with David Crabtree, our senior anchor, where we do a live flu shot demonstration to show people that it doesn’t hurt and that he’s stepping forward to get it. Viewers see him the next day and days after and see that he’s not getting sick from it. Then we have gotten letters over the years from people we have helped. A lady wrote in to say she saw a piece we did on melanoma and recognized that she had one and went to her doctor. She says I saved her life, and I wouldn’t say that, but it makes me feel good. I just got a text from a lady saying she saw a piece we did on shoulder surgery and how she thought that procedure could help a friend. We do try to stay away from something controversial. I will talk to my resources and look for evidence-based research. The first rule is to do no harm, and when we do pieces, people can see them as an endorsement, so it has to be good material. CONTINUED PAGE 34 JANUARY 2017 |
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What do you suggest for staying fit after 50?
What I have learned over the years is that the real fountain of youth is exercise. If you are looking at any condition: Alzheimer’s disease, they tell you exercise helps your memory. If you have osteoporosis, exercise. For congestive heart failure, we used to think patients had to rest, but now we know the heart is a muscle and needs exercise. For weight loss, to strengthen your bones or strengthen your heart, you exercise. To bring your blood sugar down, lower your total cholesterol, lower your blood pressure, exercise. It really is the fountain of youth. The American Heart Association recommends 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week of exercise. The problem is that the majority of us just won’t do it. I try to get out every day in the morning, walking my dog. I think pets are healthful for us; although walking the dog isn’t the best exercise, it gets us out there. We are out walking all over UNC campus with the dog. It is not the flexibility exercise or weight training we need to be doing for core strength, but it gets us moving, and that’s good. It’s mostly about eating better. I think the best diet is the Mediterranean diet, a colorful diet—red apples, red peppers, yellow squash, green kale, vegetables with lots of color— and meats high in omega-3 fatty acids—salmon, halibut, tuna, mackerel. What’s your guilty pleasure with food?
I like chocolate, and it doesn’t have to be fancy. I like Hershey’s. Dark chocolate is healthier, but I don’t like the taste of it (laughs). My favorite is just the Whitman’s chocolates with nuts. What’s your health regimen?
This morning, I had eggs, pineapple pieces, 2 percent milk and peanut butter crackers for a snack. I am not really a fanatic. In general, leaning more toward fresh fruits and vegetables is best. I had a nutritionist who told me that when we go to the grocery store, 34
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75 percent of our time ought to be spent in the produce, and that’s where all the action should be. Most of us don’t eat like that; we are in the cookie aisle or ice cream, and love big, juicy steaks. We recommend red meat no more than twice a week to our patients here. Red meat includes pork, lamb and beef. I usually tell patients, do red meat twice a week, chicken twice a week, fish twice a week and one day a week, eat vegetarian fare. And if you can do that, you can do pretty well. Just try to keep it to the middle of the road, and it is hard. It has us to do with us shopping better. The real culprit in our diet is sugar; it is in everything: orange juice, sodas, bread, yogurts ... Reading the labels is so important. I followed the lead of one of my producers who took sugar out of her diet completely. I started by not putting sugar in my coffee, no sweets, no juices and no soda. I was able to lose 8 or 10 pounds, just simply doing that. I would just have water, coffee or 2 percent milk to drink. I’m having dinner but not having dessert. For exercise, I like golf. I play a little tennis. I have an exercise bike and a row machine, nothing too fancy. My main pleasures are playing golf and walking my dog. I have a patient who swims and jogs daily. He shows up at the YMCA at 7 a.m. I just can’t find the time for that. I get up and walk the dog. I do have a morning piece on our sister station Fox 50 at 8:30 a.m., and we do it live, so if I am not there, it’s not good. You can’t be late (laughs). So we can plan on your Health Team reports to keep coming?
I will continue the health team as long as they will have me. We’ve had a great run of it, and it’s been extremely well-received by the audience. I hope that people appreciate that I am just one of them. We try to be pretty straightforward about it. And we have wonderful resources here like (FirstHealth) Moore Regional, Cape Fear Valley, Rex, Wake, Duke and UNC to find expertise. We try to do water cooler information, so people have talking points to take away from each piece.
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5
Creative Ways to Stay Fit After 50
by Rachel Stewart Photography by Diana Matthews
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taying active can help you look and feel your best. If you broke your regular exercise routine over the holidays or have found yourself slowing down lately, it’s time to pick up the pace. Here are some ideas to keep you moving in the New Year.
1
Get toned with Pilates.
Not a fan of lifting weights at the gym? You don’t have to beat yourself up to get results, according to Katherine Rice, certified PMA®-CPT, Barre and Redcord, and owner of Art of Motion Pilates and Barre Studio in Aberdeen. “Pilates can be done on a mat using your own body weight and may include apparatus designed to support or challenge specific exercises and muscle groups using resistance,” she explains. “It’s highly adaptable for any fitness level or condition that may exist. Working from the inside out, it emphasizes the core muscles using a twoway stretch principle: elongating the muscles and achieving proper structural alignment while gaining flexibility.” CONTINUED PAGE 38
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Take a turn on the dance floor. Any form of dancing is great for burning calories, but when you learn a structured form of dance, such as the waltz, rumba or foxtrot, you’re also engaging your brain. Some studies suggest that taking dance lessons can improve memory, so if you’re finding you’re more forgetful lately, let dance help you focus.
Sign up for a race (or walk). Goals are the best way to keep yourself accountable, and when you sign up for a local race or walk, that means you’ll need to set a training schedule. This could include walking or jogging most days and then doing strength training once or twice a week. Not sure what races are coming up in your community? Visit www.roadracerunner.com to search by state or type of race.
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Bring it to the barre.
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Think you’re too old to be a ballerina? Think again. Many of the basic concepts from ballet can improve your balance and help you break a sweat while getting a full-body workout. “Barre is an energetic low-impact workout set to music that fuses the principles of ballet, Pilates and yoga, consisting of small precise, isometric movements to strengthen joint muscles,” Rice says. “This is followed by stretching and may be infused with interval cardiovascular training to keep the heart rate elevated. Light weights and resistance bands may also be incorporated to target specific muscle groups.” CONTINUED PAGE 40
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Find strength with suspension training. Rice also recommends Redcord®, a suspension training, to help maintain your strength and flexibility. “Redcord® Suspension training is a unique tool that utilizes your own body weight in slings to improve core strength, stability, and muscular endurance as well as challenging balance and coordination,” says Rice. “[The] ropes provide an environment with controlled instability to gradually create levels of neuromuscular stimulation to strengthen and restore the body’s deep musculature to activate the correct muscle, at the correct time, with the right amount of effort.”
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The Mediterranean Diet:
A Taste of Home
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by Jennifer Webster | Photography by Diana Matthews
ood grown near home, mostly plants, eaten after a day spent in the open air—these are the ingredients of a long life, according to a growing number of research scientists. People living a traditional life in Mediterranean countries—socializing with longtime neighbors and family, eating meals based largely on plants and whole grains, and spending much of the day working or walking in the open air—have exceptionally long lifespans. While scientists have not completely teased apart the effectiveness of each element of the Mediterranean way of life, it is plain that diet, nature, companionship and exercise all play a part. That’s what 76-year-old John Brewer found when he adopted the Mediterranean diet following a round of cardiac rehab therapy. After having a stent placed and beginning therapy, he sat down with Christa D’Ostroph, a registered dietitian with FirstHealth of the Carolinas Cardiac Rehabilitation Program. CONTINUED PAGE 42
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“Christa laid out what she wanted me to do,” Brewer says. “I read about the Mediterranean diet and took what she had told me and what I could learn, and it completely changed my lifestyle.” D’Ostroph introduced Brewer to the basics of the Mediterranean diet: • Meals centered on nuts, beans, peas, cheese and eggs for protein • Fish regularly • Beef and pork no more than twice a month • Olive oil for cooking and dressing food • Plenty of fruits and vegetables • Whole-grain breads and pastas
Brewer also included the DASH diet in his studies, adopting elements from it—such as an emphasis on low sodium—as he went. Along with his wife, Bobbie, Brewer learned to read labels and began cutting salt, red meat and butter out of his diet. As he discovered, it’s hard to buy food without added salts, so he and his wife came to rely more and more on the food they already grew and cooked. “We grow kale and collards, and freeze what we don’t eat,” Brewer says. “We also eat baked and grilled salmon and salmon patties.” Brewer discovered he likes black bean veggie burgers, but he misses part of his old diet, too. “I always used to eat country ham and red-eye gravy with biscuits,” he says. “The hardest thing to cut out was the biscuits.” Brewer has lost about 40 pounds, he says, and his wife has lost weight, too. He finds it’s easier to get around now. He breathes more freely, too. He volunteers at his church, grows food in his garden 42
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and works around his house. As he talks, his rooster crows nearby. Brewer’s life now has much in common with that of a traditional Greek couple described in a New York Times article on the Mediterranean way of life. Married more than 75 years, they wake early, work in the garden, nap and visit with neighbors. They drink wine, tea, coffee and goat’s milk; their meals consist of beans, greens, vegetables from their garden, honey and bread. They do eat a small amount of meat, slaughtering a single pig at Christmas to cook throughout the year. In delightful synchronicity, the traditional Mediterranean lifestyle has a lot in common with the old Southern way of life: growing and preparing (mostly plant) foods, working outdoors, taking things easy, and spending time with loved ones. There are a few differences: the Mediterranean diet incorporates daily wine, for instance. And oldtime Southern food tends to be breaded and cooked in lard—much less hearthealthy than a quick sauté in olive oil. Yet the diets and approaches to life are, at the very least, kissing cousins. A Healthy Balance The Brewers’ experience mirrors what scientists have found about the Mediterranean way of eating. Rather than “cutting fat” or “cutting carbs,” this diet relies on the best of a variety of nutrients. “A Mediterranean diet is not a low-fat diet,” D’Ostroph says, “but instead emphasizes healthy fats, particularly olive oil and nuts, and some seeds and avocados. Healthy unsaturated fats or plant fats can improve cholesterol levels and reduce heart disease.” CONTINUED PAGE 44
Grilled Salmon Burgers
courtesy FirstHealth of the Carolinas Cardiac Rehab cookbook, “The Taste of Healthy Living.” For a copy of the cookboook, call 910-715-1482 or 800-213-3284. INGREDIENTS 1 can (14¾ oz.) salmon 3 egg whites 2 tablespoons lemon juice 4 whole-wheat hamburger buns 1 ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
4 tomato slices ¾ cup dry bread crumbs 4 lettuce leaves ½ cup sliced green onions
DIRECTIONS: Drain and flake salmon. Combine lemon juice and mustard. Blend salmon with bread crumbs, green onions and lemon juice-mustard mixture. Mix in egg whites. Form mixture into 4 patties and cook on a lightly oiled grill or skillet until golden brown on both sides. Serve on a bun with lettuce and tomato slices. (Makes 4 servings.)
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Carbohydrate selection is also important, D’Ostroph says. The Mediterranean diet includes “whole grains, fruit, beans, peas, milk and yogurt,” she explains. “These foods are usually severely restricted on low-carb diets. Both [Mediterranean and low-carb] diets restrict unhealthy carbohydrates like candy, sweetened beverages and baked goods.” Quicker weight loss may be obtained by following a low-carb diet, but such eating plans risk altering the metabolism and causing fatigue, D’Ostroph says. Dieters may not get enough fiber, and may consume too much protein and fat. D’Ostroph reminds readers that portion control is important for any diet, no matter how healthy. FirstHealth’s experts depart from some aspects of a traditional Mediterranean diet. For instance, the eating plan D’Ostroph gave Brewer includes low-fat cheese and skim milk, rather than wholemilk dairy products. And, while wine is daily fare in Greece and Italy, D’Ostroph notes that the antioxidants found in many fruits and vegetables can have similar benefits. If people do drink wine, she says, they should limit their daily portions to 5 ounces for women, 10 ounces for men. Better For Your Brain One intriguing line of research suggests that the Mediterranean diet may benefit mental health as much as physical wellbeing. Laura Buxenbaum, MPH, RD, LDN, assistant director for nutrition affairs with the Southeast United Dairy Industry Association, notes that this eating plan may reduce risk of Alzheimer’s. “One aspect of the Mediterranean diet that often gets overlooked is its benefit for brain health,” she says. She cites the Medscape physician website: “Adherence to the Mediterranean diet may prevent brain atrophy in old age. The Mediterranean diet may prevent cognitive decline or Alzheimer’s disease by maintaining the brain structure or delaying aging-related atrophy.”
Overnight Greek & Grain Salad Recipes courtesy of Southeast United Dairy Industry Association
While bulgur is often cooked on the stovetop, this version lets the grain slowly rehydrate in the refrigerator, saving the mess of cleaning a pot. Add strips of grilled chicken or tofu to make this a higher protein dish.
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Fish Tacos with Mango-Lime Crema
1 ½ cups medium grain bulgur 1 ½ cups assorted bell peppers, chopped ⅓ cup red onion, finely chopped 1 cup tomato juice 1 cup water ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil ⅓ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 teaspoons dried oregano ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 ½ cups cucumber, chopped 6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled 6 Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped lemon wedges (optional) Combine first 10 ingredients (bulgur through salt) in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for four hours or overnight. Uncover bulgur mixture just before serving and stir in cucumber, feta cheese, and olives. Serve on plates or in bowls with a lemon wedge for squeezing. Serves 6.
The thick texture of Greek yogurt makes a good Mexican crema, particularly when it’s flavored with lime zest, cilantro and fruits, like mango or avocado. CREMA: ⅔ cup fat-free Greek yogurt ⅔ cup fresh mango, chopped 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped 1 teaspoon lime zest, finely grated TACOS: 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas 1 lb firm white fish (tilapia, etc.) 1 tablespoon all purpose flour ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon cumin ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes 2 tablespoons canola oil 1 cup cabbage, shredded ½ cup avocado, finely chopped ¼ cup green onion, thinly sliced To make crema, combine first 4 ingredients (yogurt through lime zest) in a mini chopper or
blender. Puree until smooth. Yield: 1 cup. To make tacos, warm tortillas in a dry nonstick skillet over medium high heat until they begin to brown. Pile together on a plate, cover and keep warm. Cut fish into 24 similar-size pieces. Combine flour, salt, cumin and red pepper flakes, and toss with fish pieces to evenly coat. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add fish and cook for 4-6 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking time, or until fish it is opaque throughout. To make tacos, place 3 pieces of fish in each tortilla. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of crema and top with one-eighth of the cabbage and 1 tablespoon avocado. Drizzle another tablespoon of crema over each taco and top with 1/2 tablespoon thinly sliced scallion. Serves 4.
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SENIOR SHORTS POETRY
Deer by Ruth Moose All the misty morning the albino doe slept with the brush we’d cut and hauled to the back lot near the ravine. Heavy with fawn, her flanks mounded in the leaves and cold January air. She stirred when the herd swished through the trees, their eyes dark as the forest. They stood still as stones, yet any human sound would send them fleeing, their white tails lifted like surrender flags. Their pointed hoofs leave high heel marks in the woods’ damp earth. Ladies on their toes. Heavy with fawn the albino doe leaped last, leaped lowest. Gone in a breath of fog.
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s people age, so do their bodies—and staying in shape is more important than ever. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends all adults get two and a half hours of exercise every week, but advises that older adults could see greater benefits if they exercised up to five hours each week. Regular exercise can strengthen your body, sharpen your brain and keep you from experiencing minor aches and pains. Here’s a look at what to focus on through the years.
40s The late 30s are when both metabolism and muscle density begin to decrease. This means it could take more activity than usual to keep those extra pounds from creeping on. Adding inches to your waistline can stress out your body and put you at risk for conditions such as stroke and heart disease. To keep your metabolism ramped up, pick up a set of weights. Weight-bearing exercise helps your body continue to burn calories even when you aren’t working out. This type of exercise can
also help your bones stay strong and make you less susceptible to fractures or breaks. If weights aren’t your thing, stick to exercises that push your body to work against gravity, such as walking, climbing stairs or playing tennis. Also find extra ways to add movement or steps to your day—10,000 steps a day is a good goal—and you can easily track your progress with a pedometer, fitness device or smartphone app. CONTINUED PAGE 48
Fit At Any Age by Rachel Stewart | Photography by Diana Matthews
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50s CONTINUED FROM PAGE 47
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As you enter your 50s, you could find it harder to maintain good posture or you could be experiencing more back aches or arthritis pain. This may keep you from working out when physical activity can actually alleviate or lessen this type of pain. Yoga, Pilates and tai chi are all lowimpact exercises that rely on slow, fluid movement and deep breathing to strengthen core muscles and tone your muscles. Other tried and true ways to strengthen abdominal muscles include sit-ups, crunches and aerobic exercise.
Pilates is a brilliantly designed system of exercises to recondition the total body and mind to achieve optimal movement mechanics whether you are rehabilitating an injury or looking to enhance performance. —Katherine Rice, PMA® CPT
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60s Retirement is finally here, but now is not the time to rest on your laurels. If anything, it’s time to pick up a new hobby. Whether it’s getting out on the green for a round of golf, or signing up for a dance class or martial arts lessons, fitting in an exercise class that relies on a set form of movements can boost brain activity and ward off memory loss. Additionally, look for activities you can do with friends or loved ones so you have a support system. You’ll be more likely to show up to a class or get outside for a stroll when you know someone’s waiting on you. Put a reminder on your calendar or phone for set plans—and look for opportunities to be active, such as riding bikes around the neighborhood or playing fetch with a furry friend. Socializing has its own health benefits, including better appetite, higher selfesteem and less likelihood of experiencing depression or anxiety. CONTINUED PAGE 50
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70s
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It may become harder to move around once you hit your 70s, so this is an important time to slow down and listen to your body. Make sure you’re warming up and cooling down before every workout to prevent injury. Try to mix up your routine more often, relying on low-impact aerobic activities. Swimming and water aerobics are a great option for those who experience joint pain, but riding on a stationary bike or walking on a treadmill are also solid options to add to your exercise repertoire.
Facing the end of life is never easy. At FirstHealth Hospice, we make life last the whole time, providing comforting care with dignity and respect for both the patient and the family. Our professionally trained staff and volunteers provide emotional and spiritual support to enhance the quality of life for those in our community with a life-limiting illness. For information on how we can care for you or a loved one, please call (910) 715-6000, toll-free (866) 861-7485 or visit www.firsthealth.org/hospice.
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80s Once you hit your 80s, it’s all about adapting the workouts you’ve come to know and love. This might mean focusing on upper body strength by doing aerobics while seated in or supported by a chair. Resistance training with special bands can help you maintain your strength and tone muscles. If you’re going to fitness classes, have the instructor provide modified instruction so you’re still able to get the benefit of the exercise even if you have limited mobility.
Two Steps Not to Skip Whether you’re active every day or you’re just starting a fitness routine, there are two very important steps you shouldn’t forgo when it comes to working out.
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Warm up. Some people may be tempted to jump into an activity headfirst. This approach can lead to pain and—in some cases—injury down the line. Be sure to take five to 10 minutes to gently stretch your muscles or walk in place. This will help raise your body temperature and heart rate gradually.
2
Cool down. Once you’re done with your workout, it’s important to help your heart rate get back to normal and to stretch again to keep your muscles from getting sore later on. If you’ve been out for a run or jog, be sure to walk slowly for five to 10 minutes as a way to wrap up your session.
The Most Important Conversation Before you start any exercise routine, you need to talk to your primary care physician. He or she can look at your current health state and potential risks and offer recommendations about how much and what kinds of activities are right for you. If you have special health considerations, he or she may also be able to refer you to other specialists, such as physical or occupational therapists. These providers are specially trained to help you target areas of weakness or pain and can show you exercises to make you stronger and help you feel less pain.
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Your Thyroid: A Subtle Concern by Jennifer Webster | Photography by Diana Matthews
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ost people don’t include the thyroid gland in their list of routine screenings. But as one woman found out, maybe they should.
Sherri Eder of Carthage had a goiter, or swelling of her thyroid, 20 years ago, but she went to her doctor, and soon the problem resolved. Now enjoying the middle of an energetic life, she has a husband, two grown children, a job working with older adults and a slew of interests to keep her busy, from gardening to raising cats and chickens. Because she felt great, Eder was surprised when her doctor felt her thyroid during a routine exam and told her he could feel abnormalities there. An ultrasound revealed abnormalities, and a thyroid specialist performed extensive blood tests and a biopsy, finding one nodule that was dark and dense. Before she even spoke with the specialist to find out her results, Eder learned she had thyroid cancer. “I went on my patient portal and read my test results,” she says. “When I researched my levels, I knew it had to be Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or thyroid cancer.” On Dec. 29 of last year, Eder was diagnosed with papillary carcinoma, the most common type of thyroid cancer. Luckily, this form of thyroid cancer is extremely curable. Still, Eder was apprehensive. On Jan. 26, her thyroid was removed, and in March she underwent a low-iodine diet combined with radioactive iodine therapy to treat any remaining cancer cells. Thyroid cancer cells absorb radioactive iodine, which destroys cancer cells while leaving other cells unharmed. A week after her iodine therapy, Eder had a full-body scan, which revealed no cancer. She was probably cured—yet, her thyroid cancer journey was just beginning. Her neck felt fine, she says, but because of her age—53—there was some possibility of a recurrence. And because her thyroid had been removed, she had to take replacement thyroid hormone, which took a while to give her back the energy she to which she was accustomed. “I’m under an endocrinologist’s care for the rest of my life,” she says. “I have to have annual scans and medication check-ups.” Eder is adjusting to her new, slower metabolism, but she also recently added exercise back into her life. She encourages everyone to get a yearly physical, and to do their own research when diagnosed with a serious illness. She also wants to offer hope to others. CONTINUED PAGE 54
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“Don’t go through cancer alone, or quiet or scared,” Eder says. “I want people to talk to me and ask about my experience, and to help people along. You don’t hear about a lot of thyroid cancer. I had no one to help me and I was terrified. I’d love to be someone who people could come to and say, ‘What was your experience?’ I’d help them get some answers, understand the process and, you know, feel comforted.” Eder is glad to fellowship with others who are embarking on a cancer journey.
Thyroid Facts Sherri Eder’s story is intense, but most thyroid problems are noncancerous conditions. The most common include: • HYPERTHYROIDISM, in which the thyroid gland makes more hormone than you need • HYPOTHYROIDISM, in which the thyroid gland makes less hormone than you need • GOITER, in which the thyroid gland swells Nodules and cancer do also occur. Thyroid cancer, caught early, is quite treatable. While Eder is considered a patient for life even though she has no cancer present, when people younger than 40 have thyroid cancer, it is typically considered “cured” after surgery and treatment with radioactive iodine. About one out of every eight women will develop a thyroid condition, most frequently, hypothyroidism. Low-thyroid levels in hypothyroidism can lead to metabolic problems including weight gain and low energy. They may have heavy periods. People with low thyroid may also feel depressed and achy. In a two-way pattern, low thyroid can mimic menopause, and women who have gone through menopause are more likely to develop hypothyroidism. Overactive thyroid often causes weight loss, nervousness, tremors and heart palpitations. Periods may become light or stop. Osteoporosis may also result from an overactive thyroid. In either case, a doctor can run a series of tests to diagnose the condition. Medications such as synthetic hormone or thyroid blockers may relieve many of the symptoms. People don’t typically undergo screenings for thyroid disease the way they do for breast or colon cancer, but palpitation (externally feeling) of the thyroid gland is part of a thorough physical. And, if your metabolism has become sluggish or overactive, or if you have other unusual symptoms such as swelling or hoarseness without cold symptoms, be sure to ask your doctor about them.
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Email her at shereliza@yahoo.com.
An Expert Weighs In “Thyroid disease is more common in women,” says internal medicine physician Ron Walters of Pinehurst. “Most often, they develop an autoimmune inflammatory problem of the thyroid young, which causes the thyroid to be destroyed over time. Most patients never know they have anything going on. By the time they reach menopause, enough destruction has taken place that the gland can no longer produce enough thyroid hormone to take care of the body’s needs, so hypothyroidism occurs.” Both overactive and underactive thyroid conditions are potentially serious, Dr. Walters cautions. Either can be detected with a simple blood test. And while there’s no nonmedical remedy, seeing your doctor regularly is the best precaution to take. “Patients with a family history of thyroid disease are more prone to get it themselves,” Dr. Walters says. “Most physicians do thyroid testing for our patients as part of a yearly checkup, or when symptoms and signs warrant. Having an exam done where the thyroid is examined is a good way to detect cancer, enlargement or other problems.”
January Recognizes Glaucoma Awareness New CyPass Micro-Stent Treatment Available
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lobally, glaucoma affects more than 60 million people, causing progressive damage of the optic nerve. Early diagnosis of glaucoma is critical to manage the disease, as it is often asymptomatic and may go undetected until it is at an advanced stage. As the disease progresses, one may experience the loss of peripheral (side), tunnel vision or blind spots. Glaucoma may result in gradual, irreversible loss of vision and blindness. The exact cause of glaucoma is unknown; however, elevated intraocular pressure is generally present and is the only known modifiable risk factor. Glaucoma is a chronic disease and patients can be treated with eye drops, oral medications, laser surgery, traditional surgery or a combination of these methods. The CyPass Micro-Stent, a new FDA-approved glaucoma device, is a small device that is implanted just below the surface of the eye. It is designed to reduce intraocular pressure in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma and may reduce or eliminate the need for glaucoma medications. Carolina Eye Associates is one of the first eye centers in the nation to perform the procedure. Primary open-angle glaucoma is associated with a buildup of excess fluid when the fluid can no longer properly exit the eye. As a result, intraocular pressure levels increase. The CyPass Micro-Stent is designed to enhance one of the natural drainage pathways in the eye. This allows the excess fluid in the eye to drain, thus reducing intraocular pressure levels. Winston Garris, MD, a glaucoma and cataract surgeon at Carolina Eye, performed the first four surgeries at the Eye Surgery Center of the Carolinas in Southern Pines. “This new treatment option Winston Garris, MD offers cataract patients with mild to moderate primary open-angle glaucoma a less-invasive means of lowering intraocular pressure than traditional glaucoma surgery and permits decreased dependence on topical glaucoma medication.” Dr. Garris says. “We are now able to access a part of the eye that we have never safely and reliably been able to do in the past.”
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Honoring World War II veterans Series «» glenn flinchum
by Jonathan Scott Photography by Diana Matthews
Editor’s note: Our area of North Carolina is fortunate to remain home to many men and women who served in the Second World War from 19391945. Throughout 2017, OutreachNC is honored to share some of their remarkable stories with our readers, and we could not think of a better way to kick off the series than with our “Nonagenarian” columnist, Glenn Flinchum.
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t was Christmas Eve, 1944, and the Allies were fiercely engaged with the German Army in the forest of Belgium, France, and Luxembourg in what would later be known as the Battle of the Bulge. It would also later be known as the decisive turning point in the European Theater of World War II. CONTINUED PAGE 58
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About 40 miles away, lying on a cot in a damaged schoolhouse in Maastrict, Netherlands, a boy from Carthage was trying to catch up on some muchneeded sleep. Glenn Flinchum had never been out of North Carolina until he joined the Army. It had been a whirlwind year, first training at Fort Bragg, then off to Texas, then Boston, and then aboard a ship to England. Flinchum was grateful for the comfort of sleeping in a tent. There was now snow on the Dutch landscape, and the infantry troops had to spend Christmas Eve huddling in foxholes. Flinchum was part of the Ninth Army, led by Lt. Gen. W. H. Simpson. Simpson had led the Army from England, through France and up to Holland in the wake of General Patton’s Third Army. They were headed to the German border. Flinchum’s sleep that Dec. 24 was broken by the sound of a German “buzz bomb.” They were a forerunner of today’s drones: unmanned bombs with wings but with no guidance—a random way of waging war. To Flinchum, the familiar sound seemed almost commonplace. He could have almost slept through it but not through the rough nudge of his tent-mate, Roy. “‘I’ve got something to tell you,’ Roy said,” Flinchum recalls, “‘we have an invitation for Christmas Eve.’” Flinchum and Roy had made friends with some of the local children by giving out chocolates and
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gum. To these kids, Americans were heroes. The Army had liberated Holland from the Nazis, who had taken almost all the country’s food and consumer goods with them when they retreated. The Dutch didn’t have much, but by Christmas Eve 1944 at least they had their freedom. The Dutch family who had invited them were living at the lowest possible subsistence level. They didn’t let that stop them from generating a holiday mood. Enjoying a meager meal the family had managed to scrounge, the group swapped stories of the war, how the family had survived and how they even managed to help some Jews escaping from the concentration camps. The evening ended with Christmas carols sung in two languages. “I didn’t receive one single present,” Flinchum says. “However, it was a Christmas I’ll always remember.” After the war ended the following year, Flinchum returned to North Carolina. He worked for the state of North Carolina and later the U.S. government in public health and vital statistics. He recently moved back to Pinehurst. “If you have pleasant memories of growing up,” he says, now at 93, “you want to come back.”
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GREY MATTER See Grey Matter Puzzle Answers on Page 62
Active Begging Blows Brings Cowboys Denied
Determination Divide Drift Earlier Earth Elves
Emotions Foxes Health Heart Impact Inventors
Issue Kinds Layer Likewise Linen Lines
35. Reddish brown color 38. Unit of US currency 39. Carrot, e.g. 40. “All kidding ___...” 42. Halo, e.g. 43. Back 45. Supreme legislative body 47. Gob 48. ___ pole 49. Fly catcher 51. Vomits 55. Clear, as a disk 59. Dusk, to Donne 61. Drudge 62. Old, noisy car 65. “Don’t bet ___!” (2 wds) 66. ___ gin fizz 67. A saying attributed to Jesus 68. ___-Cola 69. Fill-in 70. Mound 71. Sky box?
DOWN
ACROSS 1. The “A” of ABM 5. Hillsides 10. First-rate 14. Oil source
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15. American symbol 16. “O” in old radio lingo 17. Exactly (3 wds) 18. Calcium carbonate deposited by water 20. Basket material
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22. Anger 23. Daisylike bloom 24. Run away 26. Blue 28. Cliffside dwelling 30. Apt
1. Cast member 2. Choker 3. Blue eyes or baldness, e.g. 4. Acted/spoke with others 5. “Wanna ___?” 6. Uncommon items 7. Biology lab supply 8. Little people
Liquids Marble Marks Marsh Notes O’clock Oiled Owned Patch Played Poles Prism Relay Rival Roast Robot Seems Shine Shoes Sorts Stone Tense Vessels Views Vital Weird Whole Wounds
9. “Comprende?” 10. Little ones 11. Final notice 12. Corn ___ 13. Merlin, e.g. 19. AM/FM device 21. Need a bath badly 25. Handle 27. Italian for “to the tooth” 29. Decree 31. Device that wakes you up 32. Bummed out 33. 1968 Chemistry Nobelist Onsager 34. “-zoic” things 35. Bikini parts 36. Gift on “The Bachelor” 37. Bit 41. Large headed nail 44. Part of a spur 46. Catches on 50. Chance 52. Asian capital 53. Boot 54. Bristles 55. At one time, at one time 56. Rattling sound made while breathing 57. Bit 58. Increase, with “up” 60. “Cogito ___ sum” 63. ___ Grove Village, Ill. 64. Amigo
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GREY MATTER ANSWERS
SUDOKU
THE READER’S NOOK
‘The Little Paris Bookshop’ Book Review by Michelle Goetzl
“T WORD SEARCH
CROSSWORD
here are books that are suitable for a million people, others for only a hundred. There are even remedies—I mean books—that were written for one person only ... A book is both medic and medicine at once. It makes a diagnosis as well as offering therapy. Putting the right novels to the appropriate ailments: that’s how I sell books.” Such is the life of Jean Perdu, a self-proclaimed literary apothecary and protagonist in Nina George’s novel, “The Little Paris Bookshop.” From his floating bookstore on the banks of the river Seine, Perdu recommends books by having a special ability to match books to readers by whatever ails them. Unfortunately, the doctor cannot always heal himself and is unable to figure out what will soothe his own soul. It’s a sentimental story of three men trying to find themselves. Perdu is the main focus of the story and the one with the biggest hurdles. He is haunted by the heartbreak of the love of his life walking out on him 20 years earlier. The only thing that she left behind is a letter that he has never opened. Perdu is joined by Max Jordan, a young author trying to run away from his recent fame, and Salvatore Cuneo, a jack of all trades searching for his own lost love. While “The Little Paris Bookshop” is not what I expected, it is still charming and definitely worth the read. The book talks about the healing properties of literature. That said, author Nina George also makes a strong case that without others to enjoy our lives with, we are only living half of a life. When Perdu’s love walks out on him, he emotionally shuts down, and it takes a singular event shaking him to his core to wake him up to the world around him. The book is set in flashbacks from Perdu’s perspective as well as from journal entries that his lost love, Manon, wrote. While Perdu copes with a broken heart, the relationships that grow are vital. Perdu comes to understand himself more through writing letters back to a woman who lives across the hall from him. This charming novel soothes like a good romantic comedy. Goetzl writes an online blog—“Books My Kids Read.” She loves books and sharing that love of reading with children. She can be reached at booksmykidsread@gmail.com .
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OVER MY SHOULDER
Explore All Kinds of Fitness This Year
life
by Ann Robson
T
he party’s over, and the music has stopped playing. The place is a mess with party hats, streamers and empty glasses scattered about. It’s New Year’s Day, and the party last night was wonderful. Now, it’s time for a reality check. What did you resolve to do in 2017? A good guess would be something to do with getting fit as in exercising and eating better. But wait, didn’t you promise you’d do that last year—and the year before that? Being fit is still a great idea, but there are many kinds of fitness besides exercise and health. Your mind should be fit, too. If there are things bothering you, resolve to address them within the first month of the year. It’s housekeeping for your mind when you get rid of things that eventually eat at you and crowds out new, good thoughts. You will feel better and discover things about yourself that had been weighed down by negative thoughts. Social fitness is another resolution to consider. As we age, friendships and social gatherings become more important, because we lose some dear friends along the way and find ourselves doing less and less. Friendship is a wonderful gift you give yourself as well as your friends. Sometimes, it takes work, but it is well worth the effort. Friends help us through good times, bad times and the times in between. They know our shortcomings and like us anyway. Another kind of social fitness happens in groups. Whatever your personality type—shy, outgoing,
opinionated, fun-loving or serious—when you’re invited to a social event, you should let your inner self shine. Be it a group large or small, if you are invited, go and enjoy it. You never know, you might find your new best friend. For some who have recently found themselves alone, getting back into the social scene is difficult. Start small, and go to a dinner or a concert with two or three acquaintances. Gradually, you’ll feel less alone and more ready for socializing. A socially appropriate wardrobe can help you feel fit to do anything. You don’t have to buy a whole new wardrobe, though. Examine what you like best in your closet. Does it need a little touch of pizazz or glamour? Scarves are a creative way to add color and style. The other side of this is getting rid of things you have not worn for a year. If a year isn’t enough time, take two years. If what you are discarding still has good use, there are several thrift shops in your area where your things can find new owners. Getting your wardrobe fit won’t be done quickly, but it can be done. That could be your resolution: This time next year, I will have clothes perfect for every occasion. Magazines at this time of year are filled with suggestions for organizing everything, making your home fit and proper. If it happens that we don’t all live perfectly organized lives, there are ways for the two to get along. Read the suggestions and think how an idea can be adapted to fit your busy household. No matter which “fit” you choose to be in 2017, good luck!
Robson is the author of “Over My Shoulder: Tales of Life and Death and Everything In Between.” She can be reached at overmyshoulder@charter.net .
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• TEA & YOUR HEART: Black tea intake has shown less incidence of heart attack, whereas drinking green tea was associated with lower total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides, and higher HDL or “good” cholesterol levels. • TEA & WEIGHT LOSS: Evidence supporting tea as a weight-loss aid is based upon studies that used tea extracts (epigallocatechin gallate and other polyphenols and caffeine). Source: www.eatright.org
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Generations
by Ann Robson & Michelle Goetzl
OutreachNC asked adults and children our January question. Share your answer on our Facebook page.
What are your goals for 2017?
Continue volunteering at the Coalition for Human Care and— go ZIPLINING! —Lorraine, 83 Remain happy and positive and eat healthier. —Rhonda, 50 Declutter the house. —Sylvia, somewhere over 50
Three goals: stay active, involved and healthy; maintain relationships with family and assist when needed with advice and financial support; and keep legacy plans up to date and communicated to immediate family. —Paul, 75 Hope to make the lives of those in need a little better by volunteering my time at the Coalition. —Cliff, a kid of 81
To share my love of my work to inspire others and simplify so I have more time for those I want to know mean the most. —Katherine, 58
Maintain another year of happiness and bring awareness of the benefits of Tai chi. When our energy drops, the body flops, so we must all work hard to maintain our physical body, our emotional body and, of course, our spiritual body. —Kitty, 71 I’ll be 85 in 2017. I was playing golf, sitting at 42 on the 9th hole this morning and blew it carrying the pond to the green. Still hoping to break 90 in 2017. —Ken, 84
I want to become more politically active, learn Snapchat, and stick to my exercise plan and get my cholesterol down enough to satisfy my doctor. —John, 64 Get better at football.
—Rudd, 7
I want to score more goals in soccer. —Holly, 8 Learn more math and get better at it. —Makenna, 7 I want to learn more things about science. —Deegan, 7 I want to land my flip on the trampoline. —Josey, 8 66
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Score more points in basketball. —Lataurus, 7
I want to learn how to do the “FireBird” in dance. —Sophia, 7 I want to do more science experiments. —Nathaniel, 7 Get better at video games like my brother. —Kate, 7 Score more goals for my soccer team. —Mikayla, 7 Get better at soccer. —Will, 8 I want to be on a team for gymnastics. —Martha Anne, 7 Get better grades. —Kenlee, 7 I want to get taller than my big brother. —Brian, 7 My goal is to be able to jump while horseback riding. —Lilea, 7 Hit into the outfield when playing softball. —Anna, 7 Average more points in my basketball game. —Sebastian, 7 Get better at football. —Dylan, 8 Be the first person to make a real “Ben 10” watch. —Ian, 7 Make a Pokémon Pokédex. —Max, 7 Helping my co-workers with all of the paperwork on their desks. —OutreachNC Co-editor Jeeves, 3
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