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Thursday, June 20, 2013
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everything we can. He is a cool, wonderful, loving kid, but he can’t understand his own feelings.” Liam’s anxiety disappears when he is around dogs. A service dog will cost the family about $20,000. They are getting a service dog through Dog Wish, a Californiabased organization that trains service dogs for the disabled and helps train “problem dogs.” The organization’s founder, Bob Taylor, is a retired Los Angeles police officer and Long Beach animal control officer. On his website, dogwish.org, Taylor states that service dogs help to balance the mental and emotional behaviors of people with Asperger’s and autism, such as helping to control “meltdowns.” “Handlers of our service dogs who used to have meltdowns every other or every third day, which would last from one to four hours before the child could resume normal activities not had them once a week, and often the problem would last for 10 to 20 minutes, be much less severe and much more controllable,” Taylor wrote. The change in meltdowns is because of the calming effect of the service dogs, Taylor wrote. People with Asperger’s syndrome or autism also are calmer around their dogs and sit or stay next to their dogs, Taylor wrote. “The dog will be trained to re-
120 years (Continued from page 1) Evolution The new century has been a period of change in Evergreen as old buildings are demolished to make room for new developments such as Chase Bank, Walgreens, Oberweis Dairy and Culver’s. The former Evergreen Country Club property, between 91st and 94th streets west of Western Avenue, is undergoing development that
spond to cues,” McNamara said. “When Liam meets a new person, the dog will be passive protective, and stand in between them. The dog won’t let Liam get into a car with someone he doesn’t know, or leave the house.” Liam has a twin brother, Jeremiah, who is a typical 9-year-old boy. Both boys will attend fourth grade next school year at Southeast Elementary School in Evergreen Park. Liam has support at school, and Jeremiah is very social, which helps Liam, McNamara said. “I don’t want to tell him he can’t do things his brother can do, like walk to the park by himself,” McNamara said. “One day, Liam was sitting in the middle of our street, drawing with chalk, because he doesn’t understand the danger that someone is going to come and run him over. Having a brother who is the same age, you can’t really say to him, ‘no, you can’t do this, but your brother can.’ I believe he should be able to do the same things as his brother, and the older he gets he doesn’t want his mom hanging around all the time.” The garage sale fundraiser is the first of many this summer to raise money for a service dog. “He asks me every day if he can walk home from school,” McNamara wrote on her Facebook page, “Fundraiser for Liam — Paws for a Cause.” “I would love for him to do that, but it scares me to death. Having a dog trained to help him with everything we do naturally would not only help his anxiety, but mine, too!”
Saffron may keep mind in good order The 1960s song, “Mellow Yellow,” the lyrics opened: “I’m just mad about Saffron/Saffron’s just wild about me.” I don’t really know what the song is about, but it seems saffron, the spice that gives flavor to many foods, contains exceptional health benefits. Saffron has always believed to be a healthful spice, but within the last few years, it has been shown to have many healing aspects. It’s the most expensive spice on the shelf, but that’s because it is somewhat difficult to harvest and it takes a great many crocus flowers to create even small amounts of the spice. The most valuable part of the plant is in each stigma that reaches out of the flower. Every saffron plant holds a very small amount of the constituent needed to produce .06 ounces of the spice. It is used most frequently in Greece, Italy and the Middle East, and was once pegged to the price of gold, it was so valuable. The latest uses of the precious plant have been for numerous conditions such as premenstrual syndrome, depression, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
Mixing it up for good health By Dee Woods
every month the cumulative results increased effectiveness in controlling PMS. In Japan, another study used only the essential oils and women merely inhaled the aroma for 20 minutes. The fragrance was soothing and calming to the participants. Fuchs writes, “Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of postmenopausal women, and 40%-60% of heart disease patients are clinically depressed. Many of them are on medication, like Prozac.” Fuchs explains saffron enhances the activity of mood-boosting neurotransmitters such as dopamine. In Iran, saffron is used for
The best way to lose weight and keep it off is to eat right and exercise regularly. Consuming nutrient-rich, low-fat foods is the first step toward shedding unwanted weight and providing your will add a huge retail complex body the energy it needs to get anchored by Maijer and Menards physical activity necessary to stores. To the west of that develop- keep it off. Here are 10 tips ment, the village is construction to help you get on the path to a park that will include a sled a new, healthier and happier hill, dog park and other ameni- way of life. ties formerly not available in the For starters, set realistic Evergreen park. goals. If you weigh 160 pounds The 21st century also marked don’t try to get down to 100. the establishment of the Ever- Maybe 125 to 135 pounds is green Park Historical Commis- more realistic, and it’s probably sion, and a building that was once healthier, too. You don’t want a church has been designated as to be too thin, the body needs a senior center and home of the muscle and even fat. village’s first museum. No. 2: Examine your eating habits. Start planning your meals and avoid eating snacks or fast food. Try not to give in to temptation sim The Terrace Centre, 11500 Be- ply because you feel hungry. loit Ave., has an indoor playground For example, you are famished featuring slides, a climbing wall, when you get off work and tree house and more for children drive past that familiar fastwho can walk through 4 years old. food joint. It sure is tempting Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mon- to hop through the drive-thru day through Friday. Fee is $1 for and satiate that craving, but residents, $2 for non-residents. For while it will provide immedimore information call 448-7080 or ate satisfaction it will do you visit worthparkdistrict.org. harm in the long run. There
Celebration,” during which the Grant Park Orchestra will perform songs from “Carousel,” “The King and I,” “Oklahoma,” “Showboat,” “The Sound of Music” and “South Pacific.” In-person registration will be held in the library lobby at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, June 8. There is a two-ticket limit per person. The cost is $15 per trip. Trips are not wheelchair accessible. *** The library sponsors three adult writers groups that meet yearround. A general interest group meets from 10 a.m. to noon on the second and fourth Saturday of each month. Writers interested in screen-writing meet from 1 to 3:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Saturday of each month. Budding children’s authors meet from 10 a.m. to noon on the third Thursday each month. Meetings include readings, critiques and writing exercises. New members are welcome anytime. No registration required. *** The library is holding summer reading programs for children and adults. Children from preschool to eighth grade are invited to participate in “Dig Into Reading,” which will run through Aug. 3. Prizes, weekly crafts and contests will also be part of the program. Residents and children who attend Oak Lawn schools will be allowed to register for special programs with their library card. High school students will be able to participate in a “Beneath the Surface” program For every 300 pages a student reads or listed to, he or she will receive a raffle ticket to apply towards the gift basket of his or he choice. When a student reaches 1,800 pages, he or she will receive a pop culture button. For every 300 pages a student reads after 1,800 pages, students can enter additional raffles. Prizes include autographed books, a comic book fan basket, and more. Adults are able to read at their own pace through the “Dig into Reading” program. For every 300 pages read, adults can apply a raffle ticket to the gift basket of their
choice. For every 600, they will receive two tickets, and so on. When 1,800 pages are read, adults will receive a $5 gift card to Starbucks or the library’s BookWorm Café. Prize basket drawings will be held Tuesday, Aug. 6. *** The library would like to add photos of patrons reading or listening to library books to the library’s Pinterest page, pinter est.com/OakLawnPL. Send photos to jchurchill@olpl.org. *** Artist Kevin Luthardt is painting a mural in the Youth Services Department. Luthardt, the author and/or illustrator of eight picture books for children, has created more than 50 large-scale murals in schools, libraries and many other venues. The “Imagination” themed mural will be complete by the end of May. Patrons are encouraged to visit the library to watch the transformation take place on the wall closest to the Raymond Avenue entrance. *** Donate your “gently used” books, magazines, CDs and videos to the Friends of the Oak Lawn Library ongoing book sale. The Friends will not accept Readers Digest Condensed Books, encyclopedias and older text books. The donation drop-off area is near the library’s Cook Avenue entrance. Interested parties may fill out a short form at the Reception Booth to receive a tax letter by mail that acknowledges their donation. The Friends Ongoing Book Sale provides an ever-changing variety of books, magazines and other forms of media at bargain prices. Hardcover books cost 50 cents each, paperbacks are 25 cents and magazines cost five cents each. Audio visual items are priced as indicated. Funds collected from the book sale support library programming and purchases that are beyond their regular budget. *** The library now offers movie check-out for free. Check-out periods are seven days with no renewals. Oak Lawn residents may check out up to 10 films at a time. *** The library offers “Temporary
September 2011 issue of the journal Hepatology indicated rats with cancer lesions, both benign and malignant, were treated with saffron, and that the spice reduced the number and incidence of tumors. The most significant aspect was that the rats that received preventive treatment had no cancer and were protected from the development of cancer cells. It is believed the function of saffron is to prevent or reduce inflammation. The more I read the more I find, and the more it becomes clear that most disease begins with inflammation. Merely controlling inflammation can reduce the incidence of many diseases. There are foods to avoid, such as trans-fats and sugars, and there are foods and spices that fight inflammation. Among the healthy anti-inflammatory spices are turmeric and saffron. Exchange bad fats for coconut oil and make certain to remain active physically and mentally. Dee Woods is available to give presentations about alternative health treatments and healthy living. She can be reached at deewoods@comcast.net.
10 tips to keep you on the healthy track is nothing wrong with being hungry, and truth be told, if you start eating right you will at first feel hungrier than usual as your body adjusts to a new diet. Be patient, be strong, and wait until you get home where you can make yourself a truly satisfying dinner. No. 3: Count the grams of fat you eat every day. Fat should constitute less than 30 percent of your daily calorie consumption, which, by the way, should be in the 2,000 to 2,500 range, with laborers and athletes requiring about 500 more. No. 4: Eat a balanced diet that includes foods from all the food groups. The bulk of the diet should be fresh fruits and vegetables, but eat a little something from every group. Whole grains are excellent in moderation, and even a little meat and dairy is OK so long as the rest of your diet is in balance. If you don’t eat meat or are trying to cut back, eat beans, lentils and legumes for protein. No. 5: Eat foods that are high in complex carbohydrates such as fruits, veggies, and whole grain breads and pastas. No. 6: Commit to 30 min-
Library Notes (Continued from page 11)
depression, according to Fuchs. Fuchs writes that saffron reduced brain inflammation in Alzheimer’s and MS patients in a 5½-month study. She explains, “Although it is believed that Alzheimer’s is incurable, a four-month randomized placebocontrolled study on people with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s found that just two 15 mg. capsules of saffron a day significantly improved their cognitive function.” In explaining the condition of MS and myelin deterioration that creates MS, she writes, “According to medical researchers at the University of Alberta, Canada, saffron has properties that reduce this inflammation.” The Canadian study found that the crocin in saffron prevented damage to cells that create myelin. Liver cancer has been linked to environmental carcinogens found in tobacco smoke, makeup, gasoline and toxins found in processed foods. A study conducted at the United Arab Emirates University in 2011 showed cancer and benign tumors responded to saffron as a treatment. The results reported in the
Best of The Wine Guy
Park Clips (Continued from page 11) Several online Smile Searches will be held through the summer. *** Little Club offers benefits such as free indoor playground usage. Fee is $10 resident, $15 non-resident. For more information call the park district. ***
In a recent Iranian study, saffron produced a 50 percent reduction in PMS symptoms, according to Nan Kathryn Fuchs. It was used for four months, and
Online Patron Registration.” Fill out a registration form at oak lawnlibrary.org/librarycards2. shtml, and visit the Circulation Desk within 14 days to receive a permanent card. Proof of residency in Oak Lawn is required. *** The library has the newest and most popular titles and resources in its collection of eBooks, Blu-Ray and DVDs (movies and TV series), CDs for a range of music interests, and hard copy books. The library also has a language learning program and databases. During September, new library card-holders will add a leaf to the tree in the Cook Avenue foyer and be eligible to enter a drawing for a book of their choice (one child prize and one adult/young adult prize up to $35 value each). Cards are available to Oak Lawn residents at the Circulation Desk. Bring an ID and proof of address. *** Books, tapes and CDs not found at the library can be requested online from another library. For more information call the Interlibrary Loan department or stop by the Help Desk on the first floor. *** “Images of America: Oak Lawn” by Oak Lawn Library local history coordinator Kevin Korst contains more than 200 photographs with captions and chapter introductions, and highlights the many aspects of Oak Lawn’s history including RoundUp Days and the 1967 Tornado. The book is available for purchase at the library’s Reception Booth for $21.99 (cash or check). Book sales benefit the Oak Lawn Community Library Foundation. A corresponding photo exhibit is on display and features more than 100 historic Oak Lawn images and dozens of artifacts. The display is in the Local History Room on the library’s second floor. For more information contact Korst at 422-4990. *** The library offers “Accessible Archives,” an electronic resource available at oaklawnlibrary.org. Click on the “Research” tab and select the icon for “Accessible Archives.” The collection features
The Wine Guy with Anthony Scarano utes of aerobic exercise a day, at least five days a week. This can be walking, cycling, dancing or running. This is good for your heart, helps tone your muscles and burns calories. It also helps raise your metabolism, which will help you in the long run. No. 7: Schedule exercise just as you would any other important appointment. No. 8: If you snack, eat lowfat snacks such as frozen yogurt instead of ice cream, or dried fruit instead of candy and other sweets. The body converts simple sugars such as those found in sweet treats into fat, and raises triglyceride levels. No. 9: More snack advice —
SUDOKU Solution historic periodicals and books and provides eyewitness accounts and editorial observations of events, genealogical records, county histories and Godey’s “Lady’s Book” — a magazine published to entertain, inform and educate women of America. The Civil War collection is noteworthy and presents coverage based on various historical perspectives. *** The Freegal music service is available on the library’s website, oaklawnlibrary.org. Patrons may download up to three songs a week from the Sony catalog with their library card. Freegal includes millions of songs and requires no software to install. Files that can be played on any device including iPods. For more information visit oaklawnlibrary.org. *** Recycle “gently used” books, magazines, CDs and videos by donating them to the Friends of the Oak Lawn Library Ongoing Book Sale. The Friends will not accept Readers Digest Condensed Books, encyclopedias or older text books. The donation drop-off area is near the library’s Cook Avenue entrance. Interested parties may fill out a short form at the Reception Booth to receive a tax letter by mail that acknowledges their donation. Hardcover books cost 50 cents each, paperbacks are 25 cents and magazines cost five cents each. Audio visual items are priced as indicated. Funds collected from the book sale support library programming and purchases beyond the regular budget. For more information call 4224990 or visit oaklawnlibrary.org.
Worth
The library subscribes to Zinio, an online magazine stand that enables patrons to read magazines on computers, tablets or phones using web browsers and apps. Must have Worth Library card. Zinio is accessible at worthlibrary. com. *** The library offers Try-It Illinois, which allows access to 300 free databases from more than 40 vendors. Access Try-It at worthlibrary.com (login and password is available at the library).
instead of potato chips, pudding or gelatin eat pretzels, fresh fruit or vegetables. It is easy to grab prepackaged snacks to take to work, but stay away from the snack aisle in favor of the produce section. Apple, oranges, kiwis, avocados and bananas — most fruits, for that matter — are easily portable. No. 10: Don’t ever give up! No one is perfect and despite all these tips and how hard you try, most of you will stray from your diet and workout habits. This is normal, just be sure to stay encouraged and get yourself back on the right track the next day, or even the same day. If you do happen to grab that double cheeseburger for lunch because you just couldn’t resist, walk or bike for an extra half hour. Anthony Scarano is not a doctor. He is an 88-year-old Evergreen Park resident, winemaker and certified naturopath. Suggestions in this space are solely the opinions of Mr. Scarano based on years of independent study and personal experience, and may not be beneficial to health. Wine should be consumed in moderation, as overindulgence may be harmful to health.
Crossword Answers
09/12/2008
It started with a little swelling in my knee. Now, I can barely walk I need some answers. NOW. LADAN
AGE 42
When you need answers, ask a doctor the right question. COULD I HAVE LUPUS?
couldihavelupus.gov (800) 994.9662