Tri-County Sentry
Friday
MARCH 28, 2014
Page 9A
Senior Living:
Spotlight on Health:
By Dave Koppenheffer 49% of workers, according to a 2013 study conducted by the Employee Benefit Research Institute, are not confident they will have enough money to live comfortably through retirement. On top of that, 38% were only "somewhat" confident. In an effort to better prepare today's workers or, at least help you start asking the right questions - I've enlisted the help of one of Cetera Financials Top Financial Advisors. David Elefant is a 25year veteran of the financial industry and he graciously donated his time to give us seven questions everyone should ask themselves to prepare for retirement. 1. "How long are you going to work for?" As David mentioned, whether it's over the phone or in person, step one is understanding the client's
By Gwendolyn Harris Whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure, it’s hard to enjoy yourself if you’re worried about how your allergies may act up. Outside of your usual routine, it can be challenging to manage food and pollen allergies in new environments, but it’s not impossible. Careful preparation before traveling will not only make things smoother for you, but also help you avoid a life-threatening allergic reaction or inconvenient sinus discomfort that could cost you a trip to the doctor instead. Use these tips to help allergy-proof your next trip. Researchers estimate that up to 15 million Americans have food allergies, with the number steadily increasing, especially among children. According to Dr. William Calhoun of the University of Texas Medical Branch, it’s extremely important for people with food allergies to be even more cautious while traveling and “watch their dietary intake.” • Read labels and ingredients when shopping and eating away from home. • Bring your own snacks, especially if you’re on a flight serving peanuts and you have a peanut allergy. • Carry an ID card that lists all foods you’re allergic to, as well as your emergency contact infor-
Seven Simple Questions to Help Ten Tips for Managing Allergies You Plan for Retirement While Traveling
goals. This should include, perhaps the most important goal, how far are you away from retirement? Remember, while you can begin receiving social security at age 62, the "full retirement age" - which is the age at which you receive full social security benefits -- for individuals born after 1959 is now 67. 2. "What are you spending?" When it comes to nailing down how much mon-
ey you'll need for retirement, it all starts with how much you're spending. 3. "Is there spending you can cut?" David noted you should always be looking for opportunities to cut any unnecessary spending - or, to seek out opportunities to earn extra income. 4. "Are you accounting for taxes?" David mentioned when RETIREMENT, See page 12A
The Six Habits That Can Help You Live to 100
Harry Rosen, 103, is charmer, according to The New York Times. He enjoys dinner out every night, often in fancy Manhattan restaurants, almost always ordering fish and enjoying conversations with other diners. When most of us envision a very long life, it’s that kind of vitality and engagement we all want. Researchers call people like Harry Rosen "Super Agers". They reach "old old" age with the physical and cognitive health of people much younger. Living Better, Not Just Longer The point of being a Super Ager isn’t just to live a long time — it’s to live a long, healthy life. “We have to age, but we can, to some extent, add years to life, and to a far greater extent, add life to years,” says David Katz, M.D., director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center and author of the new
being extra prepared no matter what environment you think you’re traveling to. • Bring dust mite-proof allergy covers for pillows and mattresses to protect against dust mites in unfamiliar sleeping quarters. • Pack a big hat and sunglasses to keep pollens out of your hair and eyes. The bigger the better! • Request a pet-free hotel room or floor. • Research the pollen levels in your destination and plan outdoor activities accordingly. You can check pollen levels via the National Allergy Bureau website. • Bring saline nasal spray to keep your nasal passages moist, especially on long, stuffy flights. If you have serious allergies, or are planning an extended trip, the best prep may be to consult your doctor first!
contain more of the heart disease-protective carotenoid pigment lycopene than fresh ones. And since statistics indicate that, for some reason, adding tomatoes to your diet is related to increased consumption of healthy vegetables of all kinds -- hey, ask the U.S. Department of Agriculture
why -- maybe we should all consider stocking up on cans of, say, Hunt's tomatoes (www.hunts.com). MYTH: Gluten-free diets are healthier. Chalk this one up to the hottest new diet fad. Without even really knowing what gluten is -- it's a protein found in MYTHS, See page 12A
The Truth Behind Four Food Myths book Disease-Proof: The Remarkable Truth About What Makes Us Well, with Stacey Colino. “Living well is being able to keep doing the things you love to do. Aging well is preserving the capacity to live well — right up to the end.” So how do you get to be a Super Ager? It’s Not All In Your Genes If your mom or dad is 95, bravo. You’ve got a
leg up in joining the Super Ager club. But genetics is a surprisingly small part of the picture. Research at Boston University School of Public Health has found that genetics only accounts for 20 to 30 percent of the reason people live to be 86 or older. The rest is your lifestyle. Top 6 Habits What lifestyle habits have 100, See page 12A
When to Have Knee Replacement Surgery — And What to Expect
By Nancy L. Snyderman, M.D So you're in extreme pain and have been told you need a total knee replacement. You're not alone. The number of knee replacements in the U.S. has almost doubled in the past decade, to 600,000 a year, in large part because boomers like you want to remain active as they get older. "Historically we would reserve knee-replacement surgery for people who were really in the end stages of arthritis — those who literally couldn't walk and had to use a wheelchair," says Carl Deirmengian, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon with the Rothman Institute in Philadelphia. "Today, knee replacement is performed for a younger, more active patient population than previously seen." Surgery in general is not without complications, though, and knee-replacement surgery in particular will require months of rehabilitation. So how do you decide when it's time
mation. You can present this card at a restaurant, or have it on you in case of a medical emergency. • Pack extra medications, including your epinephrine autoinjector. An epinephrine autoinjector, sometimes called by the shortened brand name Epipen, is the only treatment for anaphylaxis, a life-threatening reaction that can include difficulty breathing and closure of the throat. • Translate your allergies if traveling abroad in the language of your destination. Resources are available online to assist you. Environment Allergies From outdoor pollen to indoor dust and pet dander, several things in your environment can trigger an allergic reaction. Dr. Clifford Bassett, director of Allergy & Asthma Care of New York, recommends
to schedule the procedure — or just deal with the pain a little while longer? From my own experience as a surgeon, and from talking with orthopedists like Deirmengian, here is my best advice about when to schedule the surgery and what to expect in the process. When to Schedule Surgery • Traditional therapies are no longer working. These might include antiinflammatory medications, physical therapy, even steroid or hyaluronic acid injections. • You find yourself avoiding even minor activities. • Your sleep is constantly interrupted by pain. What to Expect Before and After Surgery • It's best to have only one knee replaced at a time. Recovery is faster and easier when you have one healthy leg to assist with strength and balance. • Knee replacements are expensive. Hospitals charge almost $50,000 on average, though Medicare
and private insurance generally cover most of that. • Rehab is hard work. You'll start physical therapy within 24 hours. • The pain can be intense, but it usually subsides quickly. After a few weeks, most patients can be weaned off narcotics and rely entirely on over-thecounter pain medications. • Setbacks are common. "My patients sometimes find that around weeks three to four, the knee starts swelling again. This is only a transient phase," Deirmengian says. • Full recovery takes time — at least six weeks, though it will be longer before you can return to athletic activities. Artificial knees don't last forever. But you can expect at least 15 or 20 years of good use before you might need surgery again, says Deirmengian, adding that knee-replacement surgery is "one of the surgeries that patients rate highest in satisfaction because of the improvement they see in their quality of life."
It's often fact vs. myth when it comes to food. (NewsUSA) - Don't you just hate food scolds? Especially when they're as certain they're right as all those tech geniuses were about iPhones never replacing Blackberries. Well, in some cases, people are actually basing their assumptions on either pure myth or the latest diet fad. You know, as in: Gluten is bad for you. And listening to them can actually be risky. "Food myths are dangerous because they can deprive you of the benefits of a healthy diet," says Tara Gidus, MS, R.D., who's the team dietician for basketball's Orlando Magic. Here's a few myths that deserve to be debunked. MYTH: All yogurt is good for you. C'mon, if you smother anything with enough sugary fruits and toppings, it becomes dessert. MYTH: Fresh veggies are more nutritious than frozen or canned. Lived on a farm lately? We didn't think so or you'd know, as the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics's Melissa Joy Dobbins explains, that veggies (and fruits) "are canned as soon as they're picked so they're at peak nutrition." There's also been research showing that canned tomatoes, in particular,
Mammograms in Ventura County Information provided by Ventura County 2-1-1
Free mammograms St. John's Medical Center 1-800-511-2300 Free mammograms for low income, uninsured and under-insured Conejo Free Clinic 805-497-3575 Low income uninsured or under-insured women age 40+ mammograms Every Woman Counts Screening and Referral 805-981-5221 Low cost to no cost mammograms Ventura County Public Health 1-888-285-5012 Sliding fee scale, state funded, Medi-Cal mammograms Planned Parenthood 1888-898-3806 Free, Sliding scale, Medi-Cal, no one turned away due to inability to pay mammograms Clinicas Clinics: El Rio Office 805-436-3444 Fillmore Office 805-524-1263 Maravilla Office 805-488-0210 Newbury Park Office 805-498-3640 North Oxnard Office 805-988-0053 Ocean View Office 805-986-5551 Oxnard Office 805-487-5351 Santa Paula Office 805-933-0895 Simi Valley Office 805-522-5722 Ventura Office 805-659-0560 Ojai Valley Office 805-640-8293