Maple Sunday At Sweet Williams - Turner Publishing

Page 12 MOOSE PRINTS
April 2010
www.centralmainetoday.com
The Healthy
Geezer
By Fred Cicetti
Q. Do men get osteoporosis?
Yes, men do get osteoporosis,
but women are at
greater risk.
Osteoporosis, or porous
bone, is a disease
characterized by low
bone mass and structural
deterioration of bone tissue.
This condition creates
an increased risk of
fractures.
Osteoporosis is a major
public health threat for 44
million Americans; about
68 percent of them are
women. One out of every
two women and one
in four men over 50 will
have an osteoporosisrelated
fracture in their
lifetime.
Our bodies remove old
bone and replace it with
new bone. During our
growth stage, new bone
is added faster than old
bone is removed. We hit
peak bone mass around
age 30. After that age, we
lose more bone than we
form.
Who is at risk of getting
osteoporosis?
The chances are greater
if you are a woman. Women
have less bone tissue
and lose bone faster than
men because of changes
from menopause. Small,
thin-boned women are at
greater risk. Caucasian
and Asian women are
at highest risk. Age is a
major risk factor because
bones become thinner
and weaker as you age.
Heredity can also increase
fracture risk.
Low calcium intake
appears to be associated
with bone loss. Good
sources of calcium include
low-fat dairy products,
dark-green leafy
vegetables, almonds, and
foods fortified with calcium,
such as orange juice.
Some people may need
to take a calcium supplement.
Vitamin D plays an
important role in calcium
absorption and in bone
health. It is made in the
skin through exposure to
sunlight. Vitamin D pro-
duction decreases in the
elderly, in people who
are housebound, and for
people in general during
the winter. Depending on
your situation, you may
need to take vitamin D
supplements.
Bone responds to exercise
by becoming stronger.
Weight-bearing exercise
is the best for your
bones. Get off the sofa.
Women who smoke
have lower levels of estrogen
compared to nonsmokers,
and they often
go through menopause
earlier. Smokers also may
absorb less calcium from
their diets. Quit.
Regular consumption
of 2 to 3 ounces a day of
alcohol may be damaging
to the skeleton. Heavy
drinkers are more prone
to bone loss and fractures,
because of poor nutrition
and increased risk of falling.
Quit or, at least, cut
down.
People may not know
they have osteoporosis
until their bones become
so weak that a bump or
fall causes a hip to fracture
or a vertebra to collapse.
See your doctor for
a check-up.
Following a comprehensive
medical assessment,
your doctor may
recommend that you
have your bone mass
measured. A bone mineral
density (BMD) test is
the best way to determine
your bone health. BMD
tests can identify osteoporosis,
determine your risk
for fractures, and measure
your response to osteoporosis
treatment. The
most widely recognized
bone mineral density test
is called a dual-energy
x-ray absorptiometry or
DXA test.
A comprehensive osteoporosis
treatment program
includes a focus on
proper nutrition, exercise,
and safety issues to
prevent falls that may result
in fractures. In addition,
your physician may
prescribe a medication to
slow or stop bone loss,
increase bone density,
and reduce fracture risk.
If you have a question,
please write to fred@
healthygeezer.com. n
History Mystery
Can you help solve the Bridgton history mystery? If you
know who any of the people are in the picture above,
please call the Bridgton Historical Society at (207) 647-
3699.
From the desk of Connie Jones, Director of Community Services…
Getting Ready for the Big 60
When I turned 35, I received my first
shock of aging – I looked down at my
hands and saw my mother’s hands!
When I turned 40, I threw myself a big
Over the Hill party, all dressed in black.
When I turned 50, I truly celebrated, because I realized
by then that life was just getting really good.
Now it’s almost time for 60. This feels very different.
When I was a kid, 60 was old. Life expectancy wasn’t
as high, and people still looked at retirement as the
first step on the downward slope towards death, and it
was time to slow down, take it easy and find a rocking
chair.
Now, with that old perception still playing its tape in
my head, I work to stop the tape and record a new one.
“The new 60 is the old 50.” “60’s is just the beginning
of middle age.” “It’s a great time to re-tool, re-invent
and start the next 1/3 of your life.”
Honestly, I struggle with switching tapes. My head
says, “Connie, embrace the New 60.” But there are
days when my body says, “Connie, get real, look at
your white hair, feel those creaky knees, remember
you can’t eat a big meal at 8 PM anymore, because
you stay up all night regretting it!”
Which tape wins? I’m stating it right out loud, right
here and now, that I’ve decided to embrace the New
60. We’re pioneers in this longevity game – I like new
challenges. So I’m going for it. My husband and I
already worked on the reinventing part – left our
comfort zone, moved back to Maine, built a house and
got a new job. My husband has gone back to school to
learn a new career.
And I’ve decided that I’m going to start 60 at the Top
of My Game. That means sprucing up my body,
making sure I’m as healthy as I can be to enter this
new decade. Finally I’m back in a good fitness routine,
I’m exercising my brain with new and complex things,
I’m working on creating a new visual tape that says
portions of food are now ½ the size they were when I
was 20. I spend more time at my stress-elimination
spot – the ocean. I’m up to date on annual physical, flu
shot, colonoscopy, dental exams, eye exam…
Cheers to 60! I’m ready – let’s go!
Brain Aerobics
An Exercise Class for Your Mind
Dates: Tuesdays, April 27 – May 11
Time: 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM
Location: SeniorsPlus Education Center, Lewiston
This program at SeniorsPlus will combine learning about
how the brain works and how to keep it healthy with
brain exercise – stimulating activities you can practice in
class and take home with you. We will also explore ways
to sharpen memory skills. Instructor: Connie Jones.
Call SeniorsPlus to register.
www.centralmainetoday.com
News You Can Use
Farm Share
It’s time to sign up for the
2010 Summer Season Farm
Share Program. Enjoy fresh
summer produce at your
local farm stand, with a $50
share for those eligible. For
more information and to get
a list of farm stands in your
area, call SeniorsPlus at
1-800-427-1241.
The Money Management
Program
SeniorsPlus now offers the
Money Management
Program services to anyone
who needs assistance with
paying bills, balancing
checkbooks and keeping
within their budget. This
AARP program matches a
trained volunteer with an
older adult needing a little
extra help. The volunteer
regularly helps the client
with bill-paying, etc. Do you
or someone you know need
this help? Call SeniorsPlus
at 1-800-427-1241.
Coats for Seniors Project
The Coats for Seniors
Project has successfully
come to an end. The project
distributed over 300 gently
used, warm winter coats to
older adults throughout
Androscoggin, Franklin and
Oxford counties. LL Bean
sponsored the initiative, at
its flagship store in Freeport,
John’s L/A Clean & Spin
cleaned the coats for us, and
various agencies distributed
them to older adults. This
great collaboration made it
possible for over 300 older
adults to be warm this
winter!
SeniorsPlus
8 Falcon Road
P.O. Box 659
Lewiston, ME
04243-0659
Telephone:
1-800-427-1241,
207-795-4010
TTY: 207-795-7232
Fax: 207-795-4009
www.seniorsplus.org