To Your Good Health
By Paul G. Donohue,
M.D.
DEAR DR.
DONOHUE: Could you please tell me how to test for
dementia? I am 76 years old, and other than
having emphysema from smoking, I consider myself
in good physical and mental condition.
I applied for a
health supplement policy but was refused due to
my "medical condition." The insurance
company said that my physician’s report
stated that I had "ongoing chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease" and, to my
total amazement, dementia. How are these
illnesses diagnosed? — R.L.
ANSWER:
"Dementia" is a word that encompasses a
large number of illnesses. Its hallmark symptoms
are impaired memory, disruption of coherent
thinking, an inability to retain new information,
confusion about the date and surroundings, and a
lack of competence to handle simple tasks like
making change.
Many quick and
easy tests detect dementia. One is the
Mini-Mental State Examination, which a doctor can
administer in the office. It tests memory,
familiarity with surroundings, and the
interpretation of aphorisms such as "A
rolling stone gathers no moss."
The seriousness of
emphysema can be quantified by pulmonary function
tests — breathing tests that can also be
done in the doctor’s office. Once emphysema
is here, it’s here to stay. But many have a
small degree of emphysema and suffer no
impairment to their activity or their lives.
DOLLARS AND SENSE
By David Uffington
Think Like a
Millionaire
"365 Ways to
Become a Millionaire (Without Being Born
One)" is a small book full of gems that may
well change the way you think about money. Author
Brian Koslow was a self-made millionaire by the
age of 31, and what he has to say deserves some
attention.
While none of the
365 entries is "the one" that will make
you a millionaire, there’s something to be
said for the apparent philosophy behind the book:
365 ways means that logically you’ll read
one a day, like flipping through a Page-A-Day
calendar. By having a daily reference to money
and keeping your thoughts geared toward money,
you’ll be more inclined to aim toward
financial success in your everyday dealings. As
the book points out, financial success is
grounded in a person’s effectiveness.
Or you can read by
topic. Broken down into areas such as
relationships, time, leadership,
entrepreneurialism and credibility, you can flip
to a section where you need help.
Here are a few
that are especially important:
"Always focus
on your primary objective, not the barriers or
circumstances that appear to be in your
way." By focusing on the negatives, we tend
to be weighed down by them. When we aim toward
our primary object, that is what is going to get
the bulk of our time and attention.
"Make sure
you count to 10 before buying a house, plane,
car, boat or any other possession that may at
some point possess you." Too often, the toys
we tell ourselves we need (including expensive
homes) end up costing more than we can
comfortably pay.
"When you
rearrange the letters L I S T E N, what word do
you get? Silent." Koslow has a whole section
on listening, possibly the most valuable section
in the book. Active listening involves learning
what others want and gaining their trust. Tied to
their trust is your own credibility and
reputation: You might think you have the best
idea in the world, but until you listen to
others, your own ideas will never be listened to.
"Listen 85 percent of the time, speak 15
percent," Koslow counsels.
That’s good
advice for anyone.
FROM START TO
FITNESS
By Andrea Renee Wyatt, M.S.S., C.S.C.S.
Ab Classes
Q: My gym
offers 15-minute abdominal classes. Although I
try to make at least three of these classes a
week and definitely feel my abs burning during
class, I have not seen much progress in
flattening my abdominal area. Am I doing
something wrong, or are these classes just a
waste of time?
A: Abdominal
classes have become common in many fitness
facilities. The typical class consists of an
instructor taking a group of participants through
15 to 20 minutes of various abdominal exercises.
Unfortunately, the popularity of these classes
has many people crunching themselves into
disappointment, since abdominal exercises alone
will not slim your middle.
The purpose of
abdominal classes should be to focus on
increasing the stability and strength of the core
muscles (abdominal, back, hips), not to develop a
"six pack." Since we cannot actually
"flatten" our abdominals, our goal
should be to lower our body-fat percentage, which
will decrease the amount of fat around our
middle, making our abdominal muscles more
visible.
Before attending
your first abdominal class, I recommend
understanding what to expect. Your goal should be
to increase core strength and stability, not
experience soreness for the next two days. Avoid
gauging how well the class was taught by how
"hard" the exercises were, or by how
much of a burn you felt in your abdominal
muscles. You should feel like you have more
control, strength and stability within your back,
abdominals and hips with each class completed.
This should determine the success of each class.
Focus on quality, not quantity.
To get the best
results from abdominal classes, be sure you know
how to correctly perform each exercise. Many
participants use the wrong techniques when
completing abdominal exercises, and repeat these
poor techniques repetition after repetition,
class after class. Straining the muscles of your
neck and arching your lower back while completing
abdominal exercises is one example of what should
be avoided and could cause not just discomfort
but injury if repeated.
Although, group
classes tend to encourage participants to keep up
with their neighbors, go at your own pace. Use
modifications to exercises that may be too
advanced, and only progress to a more difficult
exercise once you have mastered the basic
exercise. At the beginning of class, inform the
instructor of any medical conditions that might
need a safer version to be demonstrated. The
instructor should be able to accommodate your
needs.
Your abdominal
class should be part of a balanced workout
routine that includes cardiovascular exercise and
strength training, partnered with healthy
nutritional habits. Consistent exercise, proper
nutrition and genetics will help you reach your
goal of lowering your body fat around your
abdomen, which will give the appearance of
"flatter abs." Always consult a
physician before beginning an exercise program.
Moments In Time
The History Channel
On Feb. 27, 1827,
students dance through the streets of New
Orleans, marking the beginning of the city’s
famous Mardi Gras celebrations. The students,
inspired by their experiences in Paris, donned
masks and jester costumes and staged their own
Fat Tuesday festivities.
On March 2, 1904,
Theodor Geisel, better known to the world as Dr.
Seuss, author of such children’s books as
"The Cat in the Hat," is born in
Springfield, Mass. Geisel’s first book,
"And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry
Street," was rejected by more than two dozen
publishers before making it into print in 1937.
On Feb. 29, 1928,
director and screenwriter William DeMille,
brother of director Cecil B. DeMille, hires Beth
Brown to write jokes for the film "Tenth
Avenue." Brown was the first woman on record
to work as a Hollywood comedy writer.
On March 1, 1961,
President John F. Kennedy establishes the Peace
Corps, which would send American men and women to
foreign nations to assist in development efforts.
Since 1961, more than 180,000 Americans have
joined the Peace Corps, serving in 134 nations.
On Feb. 26, 1972,
a dam collapses in West Virginia, flooding the
Buffalo Creek Valley and killing 118 people. The
collapse unleashed a 20-foot wall of water that
roared through 17 towns, leaving 4,000 people
homeless.
On Feb. 28, 1983,
"M*A*S*H," the cynical situation comedy
about doctors behind the front lines during the
Korean War, airs its final episode after 11
seasons. The last episode drew 77 percent of the
television viewing audience, the largest audience
ever to watch a single TV show up to that time.
VETERAN’S
POST
By Freddy Groves
American Legion
We have a new kind
of veteran today, one who volunteered for service
as opposed to being drafted. That seems to make a
big difference in one area: Today’s younger
veteran isn’t typically eager to join
veterans service organizations. Yet, it’s
the benefits of these organizations that the
young veteran needs -- just as much as the
organization needs him or her.
Take the American
Legion, for example. It was the American Legion
that was responsible for the original G.I. Bill
back in 1919. Not only that, but it has clout
when it comes to veterans advocacy, mostly
because of the sheer numbers of members: 2.7
million.
Here are a few of
the hands-on concerns of the Legion:
To mandate that
veteran health care is a given, not a line item
on a budget that is subject to the whims of
Congress every year. The Legion is fighting for
improved care for veterans with post-traumatic
stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, exposure
to Agent Orange and more.
Support for other
veterans in the form of programs at VA hospitals,
helping newly returned veterans assimilate back
into civilian life and actively addressing
homeless veterans issues.
Support for the
families, including financial help and college
scholarships for the widows and children of
deceased veterans.
You’re
eligible to join the American Legion if you were
on active duty during the following time periods:
Dec. 7, 1941 to
Dec. 31, 1946
June 25, 1950 to
Jan. 31, 1955
Feb. 28, 1961 to
May 7, 1975
Aug. 24, 1982 to
July 31, 1984
Dec. 20, 1989 to
Jan. 31, 1990
Aug. 2, 1990 to
present
If you’re a
young veteran or are still active duty, consider
taking a close look at the American Legion
(www.legion.org). You’re needed.
How to Select
the Best Replacement Tree for Those Damaged by
Storm
By Gaylord
Moore
Horticulture Specialist, Greene County
The most positive
approach to tree selection is to decide where a
tree is needed and what that tree should do in
the landscape.
Is the goal to
have shade, spring blooms or fall colors? Are
power lines nearby or overhead? All of these
questions are important and should be answered
before the tree species is purchased for
planting.
Consider the
maximum height of the tree at maturity. Do you
have room to allow for the height and spread of
the tree? The growth rate of the tree may be
important too. Generally the faster the growth
rate of the tree, the more susceptible the tree
is to storm damage.
The purchaser
should also be aware of pest problems - insects
and diseases - and consider maintenance expenses
of the tree. When possible, choose tree species
that are highly resistant to pests.
It is also
important to remember that soils in the Ozarks
can be either poorly drained or overly dry. Be
aware of your existing soil conditions and choose
a species that will perform well under your
situation. If soils are extremely poor, consider
trees that are adaptable or amend soils to best
meet the needs of the tree.
There is no
perfect tree for every situation, but obviously,
the recent ice storm in southwest Missouri is a
reminder that planting the wrong tree in the
wrong location can have consequences.
For more
information call Jay Chism at the Barton County
University of Missouri Extension Center in Lamar
at 417-682-3579.
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