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Whereisthere to turn whenhelpisneeded? page30
Animal Attraction
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current 8 | mind-body connection 12 | brainboosters 18 volunteering 23 | theincurables 42 | firstperson 45
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STEPHEN CARR,NELVIN C. CEPEDA, MARLAJOFISHER,LEO JARZOMB, WILLLESTER,JEFF GOERTZEN, TANYA WARD GOODMAN,LIZOHANESIAN, DANIELA.PLOTKIN, SARAHREINGEWIRTZ, MARKRIGHTMIRE,MINDY SCHAUER, SCOTT VARLEY, AMY WALLEN,A.K.WHITNEY
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Reset for renewed health and vigor in the new year
DEARSUBSCRIBERS,
Ifyou’relike me,rightnow you’realmostamonth into yourrenewedcommitment toeatmorehealthfullyand exercisemorefaithfully— andmaybeloseabadhabit or two.
Anewyearisasymbolic timeforfresh starts,and resolutionsarea cultural tradition. In fact,Irecently learnedthathistorians believehumanshavebeen settingresolutionsforthe past4,000years. There’s evidencethatancient Babylonians firstbegana formofthetradition,making promisestodobetteras partofacelebrationnotin Januarybutinmid-March, whentheyplantednewcrops. Soifyou haven’t startedon thoseresolutions,justsay you’ll getaroundtoitinthe springliketheBabylonians. Resolvingtoleada healthylifeismorethan merephysical fitness. As we know,mentalandemotional aspectsprofoundlyimpact our effortstolivehappilyand agesuccessfully. You’llnotice inthisissueofPREMIUM Magazinethere’s anotso-subtlethemerunning throughthearticles. It’s about cultivatingapositive, resilientmindsetinthe face oflife’s challenges. We coverthemind-body connectionandhow it appliestoadvancedagewhen variousmedicalconditions becomeprevalent. We look at whypetownershiphelps us stay vital.Anotherarticle
exploreshowvolunteering offersbenefitsforyouas wellasthecommunity, andincludesagreatlist ofsuggestionsthroughout ourregiononhow to get started.Andwhenitcomes to keepingsharpmentally,we offertherundownon what therecentresearchsaysis worthyourtime,from apps tosupplementsto exercise.
FrequentPREMIUM contributor Tanya Ward Goodmansharesher experience of tryingtohelp aneighborinneed,and goes onaquest to findoutwhat resourcesare availableto helpseniorswhenmanaging life at homebecomes challenging. SanDiego-based authorAmy Wallentakes readersintohermotivation for attemptinga60-mile walkto raisemoneyfor breastcancerresearch.And finally,PREMIUMeditor SamanthaDunn exploresthe lessonsyoulearnlivingwith achronicillness. Thisandmore awaityouin ourpagesthismonth. Ithinkyou’llagreewe’ve achievedourmissionwith
thisissue: To provideuseful information,insightsand inspiration,connectingyou toyourlocalcommunity andtothepeople and institutionsthatmakethis regionsuchavibrantplace tolive. We strivetodeliver thebestinlocalnewsalong withsmart,informed featurewritinglikethe
storiesyou’ll findhere. We hopeyou’ll find thismagazinea richand inspiringresource for living well.Enjoy thismonth’s issueofPREMIUM—and stay healthyandsafeout there.
Thebusinessofbeing human
Mentalhealthinfluencer Jennifer Pastiloffwants you to embrace your life
BY SAMANTHADUNN
Youmightsaythat Jennifer “Jen” Pastiloffhas builtathrivingbrandby just beingherself. I’veknownherforyearsandIcan’t neatly wrapuphermulti-hyphenatedself. Afew thingssheis:Ahearing-impairedwomanand deafadvocate;ayogateacher;aTED Talk giver;aleaderofwritingworkshops around the world;alifecoach;asocial mediaphenomenon on Instagramwithmorethan 90,000 followers;apainter;momtoson Charlie Mel; partnerofactor Henry Czerny(knownforhis rolein the“Mission: Impossible” franchiseandmany others).
Still,noneofthis quitetells it all about who or what Jenis. Wellintoher 30sshewasan aspiringactor stuckinadead-end waitressingjobin Hollywood,andyettoday she’s thekindofpersonwhohasbeen featured on“Good MorningAmerica”andKatieCouric’s show,andin New York magazine, People, Shape, Healthand Yoga Journal,amongother mediaoutlets.She’s alsoanauthor: Her first book,“On Being Human:A Memoir of Waking up,LivingReal, and Listening Hard,” became a nationalbestseller,andthis Julyhernextbook issettobereleased. It’s titled“ProofofLife” afterherpopularSubstacknewsletter.
Icaughtupwith Jen at herhome inOjaito seewhatlifewisdomshewassharingthat day:
Oneof yourmissionsis to help peoplechangethe storiesthey tell themselves aboutwho theyare. What exactly doesthatmean? Whendid you realizethis was possible for yourself?
IcallthemourBS stories. I’llleaveoutthe cursewords forthisinterview, but you get thegist.
I’llgiveyouan example. My father,thelightof my lifeand my everything,droppeddead whenhewas38. Thiswas directlyafterhetoldmeIwas beingbadand“makinghim notfeel good,”followed by me sayingthewords,“Ihateyou.” My lastwordstohim.Iwas8. IdecidedthenthatIhad tobe strongandanadult— despitebeingasmallchild —andthatIcouldn’t grieve. Also,thatitwas my faulthe diedandthatIwasabad person.
Iwalkedaroundfordecades withthebeliefthatIwasa badperson. It became my baseline. My story, ifyouwill. Except,itdidn’t feellikea story, itjustfelttrue.
Alotofushavethese types of storiesweholdtrue about ourselves,whentheyaren’t. Whetherit’s thatweare unlovable,we’llalways be broke,nothingwill everwork outforus,we’llalwaysbe disappointed,andonandon. Then,we’lllookfor evidence tosupportthose stories. It’s aninsidious cycle.
Ibegantoseeitwas possibletochange my story afterIleft my long-time Hollywoodwaitressingjob andbeganteachingyoga. Teachingyogapavedtheway intotheindescribablecareer Ihavenow,whichcombines writingandspeaking and teaching,andsometimes even yoga still.
It’s acareer basedon connectionandcreativityand livinglifeonyourown terms. Ibegantoseethe evidence aroundme —meaning people expressingprofound gratitudethat Ishared my vulnerabilities, my story, my truthsabout depression andgriefanddeafnessand antidepressantsandshame. Allthethings, really.I realizedthatmaybeIwasn’t abadpersonafter all. I then actively began to work to change my mindset,onthe daily—andIdo,Ibelieveit is adaily,ordaily-ish,practice. Formeitis.
I’llusealldifferent methods.Icallit the “schoolofwhateverworks,” andaslongas you’renot intentionallyhurtingyourself oranyoneelse,you get todo whatworksforyou.
We canalwayschangeour mindsandour storiesbecause wearenotdead.
Icertainlyfeltlikeawalking deadpersonforalong time, butIwasn’t dead.And, neitherareyouifyouare readingthis. Fact is,as long aswecantakeabreath,we gettobeginagain.And,soI did.Anddo.
You talka lot about“Shame Loss.” Whyisitimportant?
Ispentmostof my lifeuntil recentlycloakedinshame. LikeIsaidearlier,Ibelieved itwas my fault that my father died,thatI,infact,killed him.
Thisisn’t rational,but I was8,andalso,shameisnot rational.Shamewilltellus thatitbelongsinour body It doesn’t. We get toput it down. As someonewhonearly diedfromaneating disorder, I findshameloss, ratherthan
weightloss,empowering. We haveto rememberthatwecanput it down. We getto,despitewhatanyonehastoldus orwhatwe’vebelievedthusfar.
Letting shame go maybeadaily practice, ratherthanone-and-done (ashumanbeings,weareforever worksin progressanyway). It isnot ourbirthrighttocarryshame.When we findcommunityandwhatIcall our“I gotyoupeople”(lookforthem, theyAREouttherewaitingforyou),it becomesmuch easiertoputtheloadof shamedown.
Partofwhathasmade yousuchapopular influencerofpersonal wellnessisthat you arealwayssoable to bevulnerableabout your fears,hardshipsanddesireswith your
thousandsof followers onsocialmedia. Talk to meabouthow you found strength and connectionthroughvulnerability.
IjokethatI’mterrible at mostthings butwhatI’m good at I’mreally,really good at,andalthoughitsounds self-deprecating,it’s mostlytrue. Ican’t ironormakeabedverywell orbalanceacheckbook or get my son toschoolontime, but I’mfantastic at nottaking myselftooseriously(most days)andconnectingand cultivating community. People generallyfeelreally comfortablein my presence.Idon’t questionit. Instead,Iembraceit. It’s disarmingwhensomeonedoesn’t hide. Ishowuputterlyas myself. That makes peoplefeel at homeandthattheytoo canshowuputterlyasthemselves. To
me,that is vulnerability.
WhenIbegantotell the truthabout my life(andIdon’t meanover-sharing ortelling everyone everything,but ratherthetruthaboutdepressionand eatingdisordersandshame, etc.)and whenI stoppedhidinginshame,I foundcommunitylikeneverbefore. IdecidedthatwhileIdidn’t have to share everythingwith everyone— that’s notvulnerabilityanyway—Iwouldno longerhideinshame.
IrealizedthatallthethingsI’dbeen hidingwereactually my superpowers, sotospeak. We allhavesuperpowers. Andyes,vulnerabilityisasuperpower.
“Igot you”issomething youoftensay, and youencourage people to showup foreach other. Whyisthissoimportant?
Ihaveatattooontheinsideof my left wristthatsays,“I got you.” It’s writteninawaythatcanbe read by meorbythepersonlooking at it. That feelsimportantbecauseIhavebeen an“I gotyou”for everyoneelse, except myself,foralongtime. Forme,being ofserviceistheultimate way tobe and howIwanttolive my life. Being an “I gotyou”iswhatIcall“doinglove.” Love asa verb.
It canlooklikeanything. However, it’s imperativetoremember to bean“I gotyou”forourselves, too;and that is thehardestpartformost.
There’s nodownside to embodying “I gotyou.” Therecanbemomentous effectsfromourintentionsand gesturesthatspreadand thenlightup theworld. The“I gotyou effect” islike thebutterfly effect,without butterflies.
What’stheonething you wishpeople would do today to startchangingtheirlife?
TheonethingIwishpeoplewoulddo todayto startchanging their lifeishave asenseofhumorabout themselves and“beautyhunt.”Beautyhunting is my spiritualpractice,aka“get my headoutof my tush”practice. Youjust stopandidentify fivebeautiful things, rightinthemoment,wherever youare. Havingasenseofhumor andbeauty huntingaretrulyone and thesame thing.Whenwehaveasenseofhumor aboutourselves,we arelighter and softer. In thatspace,wecanmoreeasily seethebeauty everywhere,including within,whichisthe beauty that is most overlooked.Besides,life’s hardenough. We don’t needtomakeit harder.Find thebeautyand findthefunny.
Mapping a cancer journey
ColumnistMarla Jo Fisher shares resources shebelieves have helped keepheralive
Sixyearsago,when beloved“Frumpy Middle-aged Mom” columnist Marla Jo Fisherwasdiagnosed withanaggressive, rare sarcocarcinoma,shewas givenagrimprognosis.
At first,shesays, shefollowedallthe interventionsshewas prescribed:“Idid everything thedoctorstoldmeto. The chemotherapy. That didn’t work. Thesurgery. The immunotherapythatdid work slightly,butthenmade meincrediblysick,soIhad to stop.”
She started makingfuneral arrangementsforthenottoo-distantfuture.
Then,whileonabucketlisttriptotheGalapagos Islands,shehadarevelation: “Ijustdecidednottodie.”
Thislaunchedher on a pathtoresearchall she could findnotonlyabout hercancerbutabout various healingmodalities.“I started readingand studyingand readingsomemoreand trying everysingletreatment Icouldpossibly find anywhere.Someworked. Somedidnot.But I just kept going.”
SaysFisher:“Ihavea
very rareandfatalcancer andafter fiveyears,I’m prettysureIknowmore about my particularcancer fromendlessreading and studyingthanmost oncologistsdo.
“Themost importantthing torealizeisthatyouarein chargeof curingyourcancer, notyourdoctor,” Fisher believes.“Oncologistsare taughtinmedicalschool howtodothreethings:Cut, poisonandburn. That isall theyknow. Idon’t blame themforthis. That’s what theyweretaught.Inolonger evenbothertodiscuss mostof my self-treatments with my allopathicdoctors becausetheydon’t know aboutthemorunderstand them—and,inactuality, theyusuallydon’t evencare. Eveniftheydocare,they justhavetimetodotheir jobsandlivetheirlives. They arenotinterestedinhelping you finda cure. That’s upto you.
“When my last twoPET scansshowedthat my cancer wasshrinking,inthefaceof all expectations, my Cityof Hopeoncologistjustsaid, ‘Whateveryou’redoing, keep doingit.Ican’t takeany creditforthis.’”
Hereare someofthe resources sheturned to:
MARLA’S MUSTREADS:
“RadicalRemission: SurvivingCancerAgainst AllOdds,” Kelly Turner.(“Sheinterviewedathousandcancer patients with ‘spontaneous’remissionsto findoutwhatthey did. Ifollow everypreceptinthis book.”)
“Cured: TheLife-ChangingScience of Spontaneous Healing,” JeffreyRediger,M.D.
“Howto StarveCancer…Without Starving Yourself,” Jane McLelland(“She curedherselfof Stage4cancer. I believe this protocolisprobablythereasonthat my cancer is shrinking.”)
“AntiCancer:A New WayofLife,”David Servan-Schrieber, M.D.(“Hisbraintumor wassupposedtokillhimin months. Instead,helived 18 years.”)
“TheBiologyofBelief: Unleashingthe Power of Consciousness, Matter,and Miracles,”BruceLipton, Ph.D. (“It’simportanttoabsorbthis.”)
“The China Study: The Most ComprehensiveStudy of Nutrition EverConductedandthe Startling Implicationsfor Diet, Weight Loss,and Long-term Health,” T. ColinCampbell
“Cancer-Free: YourGuideto Gentle, Non-toxic Healing,” Bill Henderson
WEBSITES
ConsumerLab.com: “Thisis amember-basedlaboratory thattestssupplements and treatmentstomakesurethey arewhattheysaytheyare. Ipay$50ayeartobelong.”
Facebookpagefor How To StarveCancer
DrWeil.com,Andrew Weil’s website.
IHerb.com:“I getherbsand supplementsherebecause theybuy everythingdirectly fromthemanufacturers soyoudon’t havetoworry abouttheverybigproblem ofcounterfeitsupplements thatyou findinotherplaces. Also,theyguaranteealltheir products.”
VIDEOS
“Heal”on PrimeVideo
GUIDEDMEDITATIONS ON AUDIOBOOK
“Ilistentooneor moreeachmorningon Audible.Ibookmark the startof themeditation.”
“Cancer,” by Louise Hay “FightCancer,” by Belleruth Naperstek
“Heal Your Bodyby Usingthe Powerof Your Mind,”byGlenn Harrold
“Heal Yourselfwith Medical Hypnosis,”by Dr.Andrew Weiland StevenGurgevich
“Self Healing with Guided Imagery,”by Dr.Andrew Weiland MartinRossman
“Spiritual Healing,” byGlenn Harrold
Why we need to take time to grieve inthe wakeof loss
Humanshaveknown griefforaslongaswe’ve knownlove.Grief from asignificantdeath is oneofthe deepestritesofpassage we’ll experience,yetAmerican cultureencourages us tosweep ourgriefundertherugand get backtothe statusquoasquicklyas possible.Why?And,howcanwe doitdifferently?
That’s whatauthor Carla Fernandez,apart-timeresident of Joshua Tree, explores in “RenegadeGrief:AGuidetothe WildRideofLifeAfter Loss,”due in March fromSimon&Schuster. Fernandezbecamepassionate aboutconnectingpeoplethrough theirgriefafter experiencing acutelonelinessintheweeksand monthsafterherfather’sdeath —atimewhentheoutpouringof supportandphonecallsendedand society expectedherto moveon.
Drawingonher experienceasa communityorganizer, Fernandez invited a smallgroupof people whohadrecentlylostsomeone todigintotheirsharedlife experience overdinner. Through thenextdecade,thatsmall group grewintoanationwidecommunity knownas TheDinner Party.
Bytellingher ownandothers’ storiesin“RenegadeGrief,” Fernandezoffersconnectionalong withpracticaladvicethatrejects conventionalnarratives—thatloss issomethingwe getoverinafew daysofbereavementleave,that griefcomesinpredictable stages, orthatthereisarightwaytodo anyofthis.
Fernandezwrites: “Why does takingthetimeandspaceto
tendtogrieffeelcountercultural inmainstreamAmerica,given that culturesaroundtheworld andacrosstimehavefoundways tohonorthepresenceofthe departedintheirlives?Whether it’s Korea’s Chuseok,athree-day festivalthankingancestorsfor theprotectionoftheharvest; thesoulfulblareof New Orleans jazzfunerals;or Yahrzeitcandle burningin Jewishhomes,humans havealwaysfoundwaysto honorthedead—notjustinthe immediateaftermath,butasa partof thefabricoftheirongoing life.Beingfullyalive,andin community, hasalwaysinvolved honoringthepeoplewho areno longerhereastheshoulderswe standon.”
–Staff report
Take lessons from the trees
Inthefollowingexcerptfrom “The TreeThatBends: Howa FlexibleMindCan Help You Thrive,”authorRossWhite offerslessonson resilience:
There’s anoldproverb thatsays, “Whenthe rootsaredeep,there isnoneed to fearthe wind.”
Therootsofatreeform asprawlingunderground network. Therearehundreds ofthousandsofrootendings, eachforminganentrance rampontoasubterranean highwaytransportingthe waterandnutrientsfrom thesoilthatthetreeneedsto grow. Importantly,theroots alsoanchorthetreeintothe ground,providingit with supportand stability.
Rootsprovideahelpful metaphorfortheAnchored aspect of flexibility. To be Anchored,wemustbe grounded—deeplyconnected tothepresentmomentand theplacesinwhichourlives unfold,andabletorecognize thatour awarenessisthe conduitthroughwhichour thoughtsandfeelings(the essentialnutrientsofour experience) flow.
Whereareyou?When are you?
It’s happenedmoretimes thanyoumightwantto admit: You’vewished,for goodorill,tobesomewhere else. To betransported away fromadifficultconversation, gridlockedtraffic,ortheseat nexttothetoiletonalongdistancecoachtrip.Ormaybe you’velongedtobe transported toaparticularplace—the shoresof Lake Tahoeora wineryinthe Tuscanhills.
Butwhenyou mentally checkoutofyourpresent location,you stopnoticing
what’shappeningaroundyou. Researchconducted bythepsychologists Matt KillingsworthandDaniel Gilbert,whichtrackedthe moment-by-momentcontents ofpeople’s thoughts,concluded thatwespendalmosthalf (46.9percent)ofourwaking hoursthinking about what isn’t happeningaroundus. Yes,youreadthatcorrectly— almosthalfthetime. So, when we’renotfullyhere, where exactlyarewe? We’re“mindwandering.” That’s theterm usedtodescribethe stateof experiencingthoughtsthat aren’t tiedtothesituationsin whichwe findourselves.
Mind-wanderingmaywell serveimportantfunctions, likehelpingustoplan for futurescenariosorengage in creativethinking. It mightalso beawayforustocounteract feelingsofboredomor avoid havingtoconfrontchallenging feelingssuchas anxiety orfear.
Butmind-wanderinghas itsdrawbacks. It isassociated withpoorperformancein variouseducationalactivities, andreducedvigilanceto what ishappeninginthe world aroundus. Mind-wandering canalsoimpactonourmoods; KillingsworthandGilbert’s researchprovided evidence thatmind-wanderingcauses lowerlevelsofhappiness.
Stay curious to stay anchored
My definitionofmindfulness ispaying attentiontopresentmoment experienceswith an attitudeofdetached curiosity. Evenintheabsenceofformal orinformalmindfulness practices, curiosityisan attitudethathelpsusto explorethehereandnow with aspiritofopenness.
Trythis: Take afew
momentstobe curiousabout theplacewhereyouare currentlysituated, evenifit is familiartoyou.
Whatcanyousee?Pick three objectsanddescribe their shapeandcolor to yourself.
Whatthree thingsarein contactwithyourbody?What sensationsoftemperature, pressureortextureare there in thecontactbetweenyourbody andtheseobjects?
Whatcanyouhear?Where arethosesoundsoriginating from? Howloudare they?
Whenyou’re finished, thinkofsome “Anchoring statements”that mightserve asashorthandwayof cueing youtobemorepresent.Some examplesmightbe“Behere now,” “Bewhereyour feet are” or“Beanchored.”
Adaptedfrom “The Tree ThatBends: HowaFlexible MindCan Help You Thrive,” publishedbyQuercus Books on Feb.4,2025,inhardcover, ebookandaudio.
ILLUSTRATION BY JEFF GOERTZEN
ON TOTAL WELL-BEING
BY DANIELA.PLOTKIN,MD, MPH,PHD
What is ‘real’ when itcomes to health problems?A doctor explains why understanding the powerofthe mind-body connection is even more importantas we age
It’sjustafactofliving:Agingbringswith itmorephysical/medicalconditions, thingswedidn’t experienceasyounger adults. That’s whytheconnection betweenmentalandphysicalhealth becomesincreasinglycrucialasweage. Understandingthepowerof thismindbodyconnectivityisessentialfor promoting healthyaginganddeveloping effective interventions.
Researchhasdemonstrated that the mind-bodyrelationshipinolder adultsis complexand goesinbothdirections:mind affectsbodyandbody affects mind. From my ownperspectiveasa geriatricpsychiatrist (meaningthatIspecializein themental healthofolderadults)isthat allmedical conditionsareacombinationofmentaland physicalfactors,andit’s usuallyimpossible toteaseoutthe variouscontributionsinany kindofprecise way. Sometimesitseemslike it’s approximately50%-50%,sometimesit’s 90%-10%,or 10%-90%.But in anycase, it’s raretohaveacondition that is 100% physical/bodyor100%mental/mind.
BY
PHOTO
GETTY IMAGES
Forthemanyconditions thatarewell-knowntobe a goodmixofmindand body,wehavelabelssuchas “psychosomatic.”Pioneersin the fieldofpsychosomatics includeSigmund Freudand manyothers;theyconsidered psychosomaticillnesstobe justasrealandimportant asanyothercondition. Indeed,they studiedpeople withpsychosomaticillness tolearnhowthemind-body connectioncould be leveraged tohelppatients.
Thesedays,theideathat ourbodyisconnectedtoour mindsispopularizedin books suchas “TheBodyKeeps theScore”byBessel Van DerKolk,whichhastopped non-fictionbestsellerlistsfor years.
Butunfortunately,terms suchas“psychosomatic”are stilloftenusedinapejorative manner,todismisssymptoms thatmaybedifficultto naildownwithanykindof certainty. People,justlike investmentmarkets (which areofcoursecomposed ofpeople),likecertainty! We alsolikesimplicityand clear-cutanswers.Butthese preferencesdonotalways serveuswell.
For example,thiskindof thinkingcanleadtosome all-too-familiar statements suchas“thetestsshowyou’re fine,nothingis wrong ” (when patients get“negative”test
results).Butanegativetest doesnotmeanthere’s no problem.Whatitmeans isthatthetest(laboratory orimagingorwhatever) doesnotrevealany known abnormality. That iswell enoughandshould be reassuring.
Instead,patientsareoften tolddirectlyorindirectlythat thereis“nothing wrong”or that“it’s allinyourhead.” Thereisabigdifference betweenatestresultthatdoes notrevealanabnormalityand a(false)conclusionthatthere isindeednoabnormality.
Our currenttests,despite beingamazingintheir ownright,areoftennot sensitiveenoughtoshow theabnormalitiesthatare mostcertainlythere. Even suchbrightandshinytests asMRI(magneticresonance imaging)orPET(positron emissiontomography)scans arenotinfallibleor without limitations. It’s helpful torecallhow,beforethe microscope,bacteriawere unknown.Butjust because noonecouldseethebacteria didn’t meanthattheyweren’t there. We stilldon’t have microscopesthatcanbe usedintheclinicorofficeor hospitaltovisualize virusesor inflammation at thecellular level.
Someofusare familiar withtermslikefalse-positive (somethingthat appearsto
beabnormalbutreallyisn’t) andfalse-negative(something thatappears to benormal butreallyisn’t),whichare specific typesoflimitations. In any event,thebottom lineisthata“negative”or normaltestresultshouldbe reassuring,but to keepin mind“not everything that can becountedcountsandnot everythingthatcountscanbe counted”(attributed to Albert Einstein).
A goodapproachisto assumethatwhatever aperson experiences is“real” evenifit’s not alwaysdemonstrablewith currenttesting,or evenif itdoesn’t seemrealistic. Evensymptomsthat are demonstrablyfalse,suchas delusionsorhallucinations, are stillemotionally real and shouldbeidentifiedand respected.
Whilethemind-body connectionisundoubtedly “real”andmay evenbe obvious,thewayinwhich mindandbody areconnected remainssomewhat ofa mystery. It surelyinvolves thebrain,andprobably involvesspecificpartsofthe brain,liketheones that give risetothe vagusnerve,a superhighwayfrom thebrain totheabdomen. It alsosurely involvesspecialchemicals likeneurotransmitters(like serotonin)andhormones (e.g.,the stresshormones
Sigmund Freud
PHOTO COURTESY
OFSIGMUNDFREUD COPYRIGHTS, LONDON
producedbytheadrenal gland). It may eveninvolve thebillionsofbacteriathat livewithinus.
Hereare twoparticularly interesting examplestohelp usappreciatethemindbodyconnection: The first isthe placebo effect,which canbeawindowintothe mind-body mystery. The placeboresponseinvolves afavorableresponsetoan interventionwithnoknown physiologic effect,suchas whenpeoplefeelbetterafter takinganinertpill. It ispart andparcelof everything doctorsdotohelppatients, includingprescribing medications,doing surgery andtalking.
It showsusthathumans respondtointerventions basedonintangiblessuch assuggestion, expectations, beliefsandtrust. The effects aresoprofoundthatit’s acrucialconsideration inclinicalresearchtrials, todeterminewhether thetreatmentunder considerationreallyworks. Theplacebo effectisa prime example of howthe mindaffectsthebody.
Another exampleofhow ourmindsaffectour bodies involvestheworkofBecca Levy at Yale.Dr. Levy has demonstratedhow“negative age stereotypes”are associatedwithincreased vulnerability tomedical conditions. For example, peoplewhobelievethat theywillinevitablydevelop dementiaare at higherrisk ofdevelopingdementia comparedtopeoplewithout suchbeliefs.Likewise, peoplewhobelievethat oldageinevitablyleads tolonelinessandsadness are at ahigherriskof developingdepression comparedtothosewithout suchbeliefs.
Whateverthemechanisms are(andsomedaytheywill bebetterunderstood), it behoovesusto develop techniquestohelppeople whomaybe struggling with physicalconditionsthat are
fairlyclearlyinfluencedby one’s mental state—that istosay, most medical conditions!
Onewaytoorganize suchapproachesisto considertop-downversus bottom-up. Top-down referstopsychotherapyand othertherapiesinvolving consciousengagementand useofideasandthoughts andfeelings.Bottom-up referstotherapiesthat influenceone’s inner psychic stateby wayof thebody.Suchsomatic healingtherapiesinclude breathing techniques, meditation,yoga,tai chi,andother“Eastern” approachesaswellasmore involvedtherapiessuchas sensorimotortherapyor somatic experiencing. Whenweappreciate justhowintimately connectedthemind andbodyare,we cantakemanymore opportunitiesto manageourhealth conditionstoachieve abetterqualityof life.Sincealmost all medicalconditions are amixofmentaland physicalfactors,all symptomsaretherefore realandshould be addressedwithrespect.
Whilewedon’tyet understand exactly howthemindand body areconnectedorhow therapeuticapproaches workonacellularlevel, it’s clearthathelpful approaches existandcan be utilizednow, whilewe await excitingdiscoveriesand satisfying explanationsin thefuture.
DanielA.Plotkin, MD, MPH,PhD,was the firstdirectorofUCLA Alzheimer’s Disease & MemoryDisordersService andisapastpresidentof theSouthernCalifornia PsychiatricSociety.Thisis anexcerptfroma book-inprogress.
UCLA Mindful
“Mindfulness isnotfor everybody,” says DianaWinston.“It’s nota cure-all.Some peopleloveitand somepeopledon’t.”
But,iflearningto tuneintothepresent momentsoundslike itwillbebeneficialfor you,UCLA Mindful, whereWinstonisthe director,hasthetools to getyou started.
In 2018,the centerlaunchedits award-winning app,which includesguided meditations andothertools in various languages, including American Sign Language. “Ourmission withour centeristo makethese practices radically accessibleto peopleofall backgrounds,” saysWinston.
Sinceits launch,the freeapphas garneredhundreds ofthousandsof downloads. It’s also loadedonthebedside tables at UCLA’s hospitals,aswellas UC San Francisco’s medicalcenter. Winstonwas firstintroducedto Buddhistmeditation teachingswhile travelingin India and,afteryearsof livinginmonasteries andretreatcenters, wonderedhowthese practicescouldbe appliedinthesecular world. That ledher toUCLAsome20
yearsago.
Overtheyears,she’s seentremendous growthofresearch inthe studyof mindfulness.
“It’sinitsearly days,”shesaysof the field,“butinthelast 10 years,there’s been asignificantuptickin theamountof studies aroundmindfulness.”
Today, there’s researchconnecting mindfulnessto positiveimpacts on stress-related conditions,chronic pain,anxiety and attentionas wellinareaslike neuroscience.
Onebig misconceptionabout mindfulness, though, isthatthe goalis to stop thinking.
“Whathappensis we get toseewhat’s happeninginour mind,”saysWinston, “andwelearnhow to redirectit to places ofpeaceorease ratherthan getting caughtupinallofour ruminations.”
Ifyouwant to divedeeper,UCLA Mindfulalsooffers drop-inonline sessions,including half-hourmeditations on Mondaysand Thursdays,and a90-minute groupsession on Wednesdays, whereWinston complementsthe meditationwith lecturesonspecific topicsandanswers questions related to mindfulnesspractices. ::uclahealth.org/ uclamindful
—LizOhanesian
PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES
BY A.K.WHITNEY
Sharp
cookies
Doyou ever go intoaroom, onlytoforget whyyou’re there? Haveyousearched franticallyforyourphone, thenfounditinyourpocket?Did things get awkward at arecent gatheringwhenyousuddenlyforgot anoldacquaintance’s name?
Thesethingswillhappentomost ofusasweage,andthoughmany peoplejokinglycallsuchmental lapses“old-timers disease,” theycan beupsetting,particularlyifyouhave aparentorcloserelativedealing withAlzheimer’sdisease. Andwhen theyhappenwhen you’remore thanadecade away fromenjoying
theseniordiscount at yourfavorite restaurant,it’s downrightalarming.
Butthereishope.Overthepast decade,researchers aroundthe worldhavebeenmakinginroadsinto diagnosingandtreatingAlzheimer’s andothercausesofdementia.
Meanwhile,aglutofnutritional supplementsand brain training gameshavehitthemarket, promisingto keepourmindssharp andmakeuslesspronetothose frustrating“seniormoments.”
Butisitreallythateasy?
Canpoppingapill,orinstallingan apponyoursmartphone(provided youcan findit first),reallyhelp?
Brainhealth supplements
In 2021, “TheBigBang Theory” actress Mayim Bialik, whohasadoctorate inneurosciencefrom UCLA, wasinanad campaign promoting abrainhealth supplementcalled Neuriva. Shesaidithelps improve “six key indicatorsofbrain performance.” Thebrandhas sinceuppedthatnumberto seven.
Neuriva’sbiggest competitor, Prevagen, maynothaveacelebrity endorsement,butisequally ubiquitousontheairwaves, andmakes itsownhopeful promisestoimprovememory.
Butmanymedical professionalsareskeptical. In 2023, Harvard Medical Schoolpublishedanarticle, “Don’t BuyintoBrain Supplements,”sayingthat, despiteasurvey showing 25percentofAmericans overtheageof50usethese products,theclaimsmadeby mostbrandsareunproven.
Thereasontheyare unprovenisthatthe Food andDrug Administrationhas muchlower standardsfor nutritionalsupplementsthan otherdrugs,notrequiring manufacturerstodoproduct testsor evenlistthe exact amountofingredientson labels. As longasthey keep theirclaims vague—àla “six key indicatorsofbrain performance”—they’rein theclear.
That said,the Federal Trade Commissionand New York Statewentafter Prevagenin 2017 forclaimingitsproduct couldimprovememory in90 days.AndtheFDAmadea pointoftakingacloserlook at thesupplement industry, at leastintheyearsbetween 2019and2024.
Local expertsbackup Harvard’s conclusionsand share governmentagency concerns.
“You getalmost everything youneedinawell-balanced
diet,”saidDr. MindyAisen,a neurology researchprofessor at the Universityof Southern California’sKeck Schoolof Medicine.“Supplements don’t doawholelot.”
Dr. MarieKim,an assistantclinicalprofessorof neurology at UCLA’s Geffen Schoolof Medicine,saidthe lackofdataonthe efficacy ofthesesupplementsisthe bigreasonwhysheandher colleaguesdon’t recommend them.
“Wenormallyadvise againstit,”Kimsaid.“But thatisnottosaythat vitaminsin generalhaveno placeinyourdiet.”
Dr.CarmelArmon, a neurologist at LomaLinda University MedicalCenter, saystakingamulti-vitamin dailyisa goodidea,and isrecommended by the CentersforDiseaseControl. But,headded,there’s no needtobustyourbudget onthefancyones,aslongas thecheaper brandhaswhat
youneed.
Noneofthedoctors wantedtocritiqueany specificbrainhealth brand.
However,Armontooka closerlook at theingredient listforonepopular supplementduringhis interview. Hisverdict? The Supplement That Must NotBe Namedhas plentyof everyone’s favorite legaladdictive stimulant: Caffeine.
Soifyour brain istiredin themorning,afteryoutake thissupplement,“youare goingtofeelalittlebuzz,” Armonsaid.Ofcourse,he added,a cupofcoffeewill alsodothetrick.Andthough Armondoesnotendorse ingestingtoomuchcaffeine everyday, havingamorning cupisnotaproblem.
As forotheringredients, whichinclude vitaminsand othernutrients,theywill help“ifyouhappento be deficient.”
In short,Armonsaid,
“You get almost everything youneed inawellbalanceddiet. Supplements don’tdoa wholelot.”
“there’s notabiological reasontotakeabrain supplement.”
And,whilemost supplementsmightdo nothingmorethanmake a dentinyourwallet,there aresomeingredientsyou needtowatchoutfor. Taking toomuchVitaminB-6, allthree expertswarned, canleadtoneuropathy, a chroniccondition where nervedamage,often in your handsandfeet,causespain, numbnessandtingling.
Also,ifyouareoncertain bloodthinners,youneedto avoidVitamin K.
The rap on apps
As forbraintrainingapps, thebadnewsisthere’s even less evidenceouttherethat theyactuallywork,orthat anyskillsyoulearn from themaretransferable.
Getting good at aparticular gameoftenjusttendsto meanyou get good at that game.
“It’salittlehardtosay,” saidKim.“It maybedoing something,andsomethingis betterthannothing.”
Aisinagrees.
“There’s nothingmagic abouttheapps,”Aisinsaid. “Nothing’s beenreally studied.”
Butifyouenjoy brain trainingappslikeLumosity andElevate,there’s noharm inthem. Norshouldyou giveuponyour Sudoku, crosswordor Wordle.
Takingpleasureinsuch activities,Armonsaid,is both empoweringand healthful.
As islearninganewskill, saidKim,whetherit’s a newlanguage,howtoplaya musicalinstrument,or even joiningabookclub.
Whatworksdependson theperson,Aisen said, but animportantcomponentis thattheactivity be doneina comfortableandreassuring environment.Stressisusually notyourfriend.
Allthe expertssay
“There’s nothing magicabout theapps. Nothing’s beenreally studied.”
socializing,ideally while doingthatintellectual activity, canhelpalot, becauseitnotonly stimulates thebrain,but keepsusfrom feelinglonely. Loneliness oftenleadstodepression, anddepressioncanmake dementiasymptomsworse.
Promising therapies
Okay, sothereareno easy fixes. Thenwhat? Should everyonejust resign themselves to decreased mentalacuityastheyage? Shouldsomeonediagnosed withaneurodegenerative diseasejustaccept their fate?
As mentionedabove, thereisplentyofreason tohope. New medications andtherapiesareshowing promiseintreating and slowingAlzheimer’s, even thoughthereis currentlyno cure. It’s alsoimportant to knowthat,while themost commoncauseofdementia isAlzheimer’s,thereare otherthingsthatcanimpact cognitiveabilities,including strokes,traumatichead injuries,and diseases like Parkinson’s and Huntington’s. Researchersarebusylooking at individualtreatmentsfor
PHOTOS BY GETTYIMAGES
thosecauses,whereasinthe past,therewasmoreof a onesize-fits-allapproach.
As forthose at geneticrisk forAlzheimer’s(yes,therisk canbehigherifyour close relative gotit),thereishope thatthediseasecannowbe diagnosed,andhopefully treated,earlier. Untilquite recently,Alzheimer’s could onlybediagnosedoncethe patienthaddied. Now, there areanumberofpromising brainscantechnologies including PositronEmission Tomography, orPETscans —thatcanspotclusters ofamyloidproteins, also knownasplaques,thatarea hallmarkofthedisease.
That said,asusual,there arenoquick fixes.Experts cautionthatjustbecauseyour PETscanmayshowthose proteinclusters,doesn’t mean youwilldevelopAlzheimer’s Suchadiagnosisshouldonly bemadealongwith plenty ofothertests,including cognitiveandbloodtests.
In otherwords,inthiscase, knowledgeisn’t alwayspower, becauseonceyouknowthose plaquesareinyourbrain,you can’t unknowit, whichcan leadto feelingdepressedand hopeless.
“Wemustneverlose hope,”Kimsaid,adding that everyoneisgiventheir “geneticbag”todeal with.
Checklist for stayingahead
Aisen,KimandArmon dohaveadvicefor keeping mentally fitforaslongas possible. Most ofthisyou’ve likelyheardfromamedical professionalbefore,but thatdoesn’t meanit’s not important.
•Eatahealthydiet,lowin redmeat,saturatedfat,and sugar. The Mediterranean Dietisconsideredideal.
• Take amulti-vitamindaily.
• Avoidsmoking,alcoholand recreationaldrugs.
•Stayontopofchronic conditions,suchas
hypertension,high cholesterolanddiabetes.
• Avoidviruses(particularly the flu,whichhasbeen linkedtodeveloping Parkinson’s),by stayingon topof vaccinations.
•Ifyoudo getsick, get treatmentaspromptly as possible.Beverycautious withhighfevers.
• Maintainahealthyweight.
•Exercise everyday. Don’t besedentary.
• Get plentyofsleep.
•Socializeasmuch as possible,whetherit’s with friends, by takingaclassor asport,or by volunteering.
•Engageyourintellectdaily, whetherit’s doingapuzzle, readingorlearning a new skill.
• Avoidactivitiesthatcan leadtoheadtrauma.
• Treatdepressionseriously, and gethelpwiththerapy orpharmaceuticals.
•Be awareofyourfamily’s medicalhistory.
“We must neverlose hope.
”
PHOTO BY GETTYIMAGES
Lend ahand
Volunteering is agreatwaytohelpthe communityand causes youcareabout whilealsoboosting your ownhealth. Here’s howtoget started.
BY A.K.WHITNEY
Theonlyconstantin lifeischange,but somechangesare harderthanothers. Ifyouarea parent who recently launcheda childinto
collegeorthe workplace,or newly retired, knowing what todowithyour suddenfree timecan be achallenge. You canalsofeel isolatednow thatyounolonger socializeas muchwithfellowparentsor colleagues. Butthereissomethingyou cando: Volunteer!
oneofhis30-minutebeach cleanupsin LongBeach.
PHOTO BY JEFFGRITCHEN,SCNG
JustinRuddlooks fortrash at Rosie’s DogBeachduring
Americansin generalare greatvolunteers,with at least30percentregularly donatingtheirtimeto myriadorganizationsacross thecountry. The National Institutesof Healthhave evendone studiesonhow volunteeringis goodfor yourphysicalandemotional health.
Youdon’t needtotellthat toAlanandGail Perlmutter. TheDana Pointretirees,both intheirearly70s,arevery muchintovolunteering,and oneoftheirfavoritecauses is the Pageantofthe Mastersin LagunaBeach. Theannual two-monthfestivalofliving pictures,whereactors recreatelife-sizedworksof artwhile keepingvery still, hasbeenanOrangeCounty staplesince1932.
The Perlmutters started volunteeringtherealmost 20 yearsago— evenbeforethey retired—andhavenoplans toretirefromthe Pageant.
“It’sabigcommitment,” saidGail,addingthat it’s somuchfun,onalllevels, andthatthepeoplethey’ve workedwithhavebecome likefamily. “Wewould recommendittoanybodyof any age.”
Thecouplemainlyworks inwardrobe,withAlan doingcostumesandGail headpiecesandbeards.Alan alsohasbeenaperformer, and evenhadacovetedslot in the Pageant’ssignature piece, staged everyyear: Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper.
Whenitcomesto volunteering,Alansaid, it’s veryimportantto feelcomfortableinthat environment.Andluckily, unlikepastvolunteer activitiesdictatedbywork, orbyyourchild’s school,you now gettochoose what todo withyourfreetime.
Butdoconsider gettingout ofyourcomfortzone.
“Try somethingonce,”said Alan, evenifyoudecideit’s notforyou.“Butthemost
Volunteerwhale spotters use theirbinoculars andscopes to
countwhales thatpass by the Point Vicente Interpretive Centerin Rancho Palos Verdes.
PHOTO BY SCOTT VARLEY, SCNG
importantthingis totry.”
And,speakingofvolunteer opportunitiesthatmay takesomefortitude, the AmericanCetaceanSociety’s LosAngeleschapter holds itsannualgray whalecount betweenDecember and May at PointVicenteon the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
Whilesittingandlooking at theoceanforhoursin hopesofspottingamarine mammalsoundslikea restful yetgreatwaytorecreate,it’s harderthanit seems,warns volunteercoordinatorAlisa Schulman-Janiger.
Themarinebiologist, who startedthecountin1984, saidthisismainly due to weather. Theonly reason toabandon thelookout pointisthick fogorasevere storm,soifyoudon’t enjoy being rainedon,orifthe sunisbeatingdownabittoo hard,reconsider. Youalso needdecent eyesight,and it’s BYOB:Bring YourOwn Binoculars.
That said,SchulmanJanigerreports that her volunteers get alotoutof thejob. They have toldher theyenjoythebeautiful location,lovelearningabout marinemammals, and feel goodaboutcontributing to science.
“Icomefor thewhales,”one volunteeroncetoldher. “And thebondsformedwith my fellowwhalewatchers.”
Volunteers
MarkandDebra Williamsof HermosaBeach helpdecorate thecityof Torrancefloat atFiestaFloats inIrwindale.
Belowisbynomeans acomprehensivelistof volunteeropportunities acrossSouthern California, forthoselooking to do anythingother thanasilent auction,funrunorcookie sale. Trytotryoneactivity at leastonce!
Races, parades and festivals
Rose Parade: The world-renowned Pasadena TournamentofRoses,held every New Year’s Day, just celebratedits136thyear,and allthose gorgeous floats rely onvolunteers to decorate
PHOTO BY LEO JARZOMB, SAN GABRIEL VALLEY TRIBUNE
Castmembers take theirplaces, withhelpfrom backstage volunteers, fortheir rolesinthe painting “Ridottoof Venice,” by artist Pietro Longhi,during a dress rehearsalofthe PageantoftheMasters.
PHOTO BY JEFFANTENORE, CONTRIBUTINGPHOTOGRAPHER
them. Thetournament’s webpage,tournamentofroses. com,lists various float builders,commercialand amateur,whoneedhelp.
Long Beach Pride: For thepastfourdecades, Long Beachhascelebratedthe LGBTQIA+community with athree-day eventin May, includingaparadeand music festival. Volunteersapply at longbeachpride.com.
AcuraGrand Prixof Long Beach: TheGrand Prixcelebratesits50th anniversarythisyear,and willdraw motorheadsfrom allovertheworldinApril. Volunteersneedtojoin theCommitteeof300, at committeeof300.com. As abonus,thegroupalso takespartinotherlocal automotive eventsyearround.
CicLAvia: Since2010, CicLAviatemporarilyturns normallycar-congested streetsallover LosAngeles Countyintopublicparks welcoming cyclistsand pedestrianstoroamfree. In 2024,CicLAviawasheld ninetimes,withthelast inDecemberintheSan Fernando Valley. Volunteers apply at ciclavia.org.
SanDiegoBay Paradeof Lights: Thisbelovedholiday traditionbeganin1970,and givesboatingaficionadosa chanceto struttheir nautical stufffor two evenings every December.Boat-owning volunteerscanapply at sdparadeoflights.org.
FestivaloftheArtsof Laguna Beach: Thefestival’s main attractionisthe Pageantofthe Masters,a showthatliterallybringsart tolifewithactorsrecreating famouspaintingsand sculptureswhiledoingtheir besttoholdvery still. The showcaserunsbetween July andAugust. To volunteer, go tofoapom.com.
Festivalof Books: Readers,unite! The30th annual FestivalofBooks will be heldinApril at the UniversityofSouthern California.Apply at events. latimes.com/festivalofbooks.
Left: KenBishop,of Koreatown,holdsup asign forbicyclists to dismountbefore reachingthe Walk of Famehubduring aCicLAviaMeetthe Hollywoodsevent.
Above:Alarge rainbow flagis carried by volunteersalong OceanBoulevard, duringthe Long Beach Pride Parade.
PHOTO BY STEPHEN CARR, SCNG
PHOTO BY TREVOR STAMP, CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Beach cleanups, wildlife restoration
Beachcleanups: Healthe Bay, healthebay.org,does cleanupsin LosAngeles County. OrangeCounty Coastkeeper,coastkeeper. org,coversbeachesinOC. TheSurfrider Foundation, surfrider.org,haschapters inallcoastlinecounties, including VenturaandSan Diego.
Wildliferestoration: Unfortunately,warming weather,frequentdroughts andhumaninterference haveputourwilderness areas at risk.Luckily, The
Palos Verdes Peninsula
LandConservancy, at pvplc.org,theRivers and LandsConservancy, riversandlands.org,the SanBernardino Mountains Land Trust,sbmlt.net, andtheSanDiego Habitat Conservancy, sdhabitat.org, allneedvolunteerstohelp restorethelandscape and mitigatedamage,whether it’s bytrailmaintenance, plantingorcleaningup trash.
Citizenscience
Youdon’thavetobea professionalscientistto
contributetoouroverall scientificknowledge. Instead,youcan become anamateurnaturalist, participatinginwildlife counts,orwork as adocent at ascience-focused museum,educatingyourself andthepublic.
Wildlifecounts: Ifyou enjoywhalewatching(or spottingothermarine mammalsinthewild),the AmericanCetaceanSociety’s LosAngeles Chapterholds itsannualgray whalecensus at PointSt.Vicenteonthe Palos Verdes Peninsulafrom Decemberto May. To apply,
“Try something once,” said Alan Perlmutter, evenifyou decideit’s notforyou. “Butthemost important thingis totry.”
go toacs-la.org.
Ifyouenjoybirdwatching (morethan500species canbespottedin Los AngelesCountyalone), theAudubonSociety’s Californiachapterneedsyou fortheirannual Christmas BirdCount. Thecounthas beenheldforthelast 125 years. Forinstructionson howtoparticipate, go to ca.audubon.org,andsearch for“Christmasbirdcount.”
Ifyouenjoyspottingall kindsofwildlifeinyour urbanneighborhood,the Natural History Museums of LosAngelesCounty wouldloveyourhelpwith theirannualCity Nature Challenge,whichisheldfor threedaysinlateApril. For moredetails, go tonhm.org/ city-nature-challenge.
Science-focused museums: The La Brea TarPits,theWilliamS. Hart Museumandthe Natural History Museum allwelcomevolunteers; nhmlac.org
TheCaliforniaScience Center at Exposition Parkneedsvolunteersfor everything fromguest hoststo scubadivers; californiasciencecenter.org/ volunteer SouthernCalifornia aquariums—including theAquariumofthe Pacificin LongBeach, aquariumofpacific.org,the BirchAquarium at Scripps in La Jolla,aquarium.ucsd. edu,andtheCabrillo Marine AquariuminSan Pedro, cma.recreation.parks.lacity. gov—allhaveplentyof volunteeropportunities, includingfeedingthe animalsandscubadiving.
Animal
rescue
Ifyoulovehelping ailing animals,butarelooking forsomethingbeyondthe canineandfeline,herearea fewideas:
Horses: Hanaeleh HorseRescue,in Trabuco Canyon,needsvolunteers tohelpcarefortheir equine
Childrenonafieldtrip take abreakonthegroundsof theLaBrea TarPitsMuseumin LosAngeles. PHOTO BY SARAHREINGEWIRTZ, SCNG
residents;hanaeleh.org/ help-a-horse/volunteer
Birds,reptiles,and others: The FreeFlight ExoticBirdSanctuaryinDel Marislookingforvolunteers tofeed,cleanupafter, and socialize,their flockof parrots;freeflightbirds.org/ volunteer
The International Bird Rescue’s LosAngeles Centerin San Pedroneeds volunteers to helpinjured waterbirds;birdrescue.org
TheCaliforniaWildlife Centerin Maliburescuesall feathered,furredor scaled wildcreatures;cawildlife. org/volunteer
Visualand performingarts
Theater: Ifyouloveplays andmusicals,butdon’t alwayshavemoneyinyour budget foraticket,consider volunteering at alocal playhouse. Here are five thatcanuseushersandset builders: LagunaPlayhouse, lagunaplayhouse.com/ support/volunteeropportunities La JollaPlayhouse, lajollaplayhouse.org/ who-we-are/get-involved LongBeachPlayhouse, lbplayhouse.org/support/ volunteer
AnimalGuardians HorseRescueinSimi Valleyspecializesin helpingseniorhorses; animalguardianshorse rescue.org/volunteer-sponsor.html
Marinemammals: The Pacific Marine Mammal Centerin LagunaBeach helpssealions,seals, seaturtles,dolphinsand whales;pacificmmc.org/ get-involved
The Marine Mammal CenterinSan Pedro providesrehabforall kindsofpinnipeds includingsealions, elephantseals, andharborseals; marinemammalcare.org/ join-our-team
PasadenaPlayhouse, friendsofthepasadena playhouse.org
PerformanceRiverside, performanceriverside.org/ box-office/volunteer
Dance: TheAmerican ContemporaryBallet in LosAngelesneeds ushersandother helpers, acbdances.com/volunteer, asdoestheCaliforniaDance Institutein PorterRanch, californiadance institute.org/get-involved. Art: Artmuseumsalso needvolunteers,including these: Getty, getty.edu/about/ join-and-give/volunteer Museumof Latin AmericanArt,molaa.org/ molaa-volunteers SanDiego MuseumofArt, sdmart.org/volunteer.
InternationalBird Rescue volunteersand others watchas an American white pelicanstretchesitslegs,anditsbeak,afterbeing releasedat Irvine’sSanJoaquinMarsh& WildlifeSanctuary.
PHOTO BY JEFFGRITCHEN,SCNG
Sweet Pea,amare recently takenin by theHanaeleh Horse Rescue center in Trabuco Canyon, relaxesinherpen
PHOTO BY JEFFANTENORE, CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Navigatingaging adultservices
BY TANYA WARD GOODMAN
“Someladyleft thiscard,” my neighbortold me.“ShesaidifI neededhelp,Ishouldcall. ButIdon’t needhelp.”
Thecardidentifieda citysocial worker, and kindledinmeafamiliar twingeofhopethatwas swiftlyfollowedbyan even morefamiliarsenseof powerlessness. Does my neighborneed help? That’s trueandnot truedependinguponyour definitionof “need,”andof “help.”
Shelivesinahousethat sheowns.Shehasclothing andaccesstofoodand healthcare. It isalsotrue thatshemostlyeatscold cerealandhercheeksare sunken,herlegs stickthin. Herhomeiscold anddirty withpet-stained rugsandleakingceilings, heroversizedsweaters andshoesare ragged. Sheoccasionallytakes prescriptionsthatareyears outofdateand,inthe yearsI’veknownher,she hasrelieduponurgentcare ortheemergencyroom totreat everythingfroma severelyinfectedcatbiteto a mysteriouspain she feels certain is cancer.
Onmorethanone occasion,shehascriedin
What do you wantthe restof life to look like for yourself or loved one,and where do you turn for help to makethat happen?
my arms.
My neighborisjustone personina rapidlygrowing statepopulationofolder adultsthatthe California DepartmentofAging projectswillreach11.4 million—roughly28%of thepopulation by2040.
Overthepast15years,as my childrenhavelostteeth, gottenbraces,sprouted acne,growntall,written collegeapplicationessays, and flown my nest,I’ve grownmoreandmore aware of my ownshifting spot on thetimeline.One of my neighborsdied at homein thecareofheradultson, anothermovedtoassisted livingafterherhusband passed away.Athirdspent thelastdecadeof herlife asthechargeofalive-in familyhiredbyadaughter wholivedoutof state. My neighborhoodisaconstant reminderthatthereisno typicalagingsituation. The processisasindividualas it isdynamic,andconditions canchangeinaheartbeat.
“ThebestadviceIcangive tofamiliesandolderadults whodon’t havefamilies,” saidAkilaGibbs,directorof the PasadenaSenior Center, “istomakea plan.I’mglad
“Whetheranolder adultneedshomedeliveredmeals becausetheydon’t havetransportation ortheyvisitasenior centerto take advantageofthe exercise classes, meals,interestgroups, andcompanionship, freeservicesare available to meetthe needsof California’s diverseolderadult population.”
PHOTO BY WILLLESTER, SCNG
PHOTO BY PAUL RODRIGUEZ,SCNG
wehadaplanfor my mombecause whenthedambroke, weknew whatshewanted.”
A plan for aging
Jumpstarttheconversationwith the five Ws:
•Whowillbeabletomake medicaldecisionsandmanage finances?
•Whatarethemostimportant issuesfortheolderperson?
•Whenshouldtheseplans escalatefrom onelevelofcareto the next?
•Wheredoestheolderperson wishtolive?
•Whymakeaplan at all?
My neighbor’s planistolivein herhouseuntilshedies.Shehasn’t reallythoughtabout who will inheritherhouse,butsheworries constantlythatsomeonewill
stealit.She keepsherimportant papersshuffledinto stackswith junkmailandemptyenvelopes withdecades-oldpostmarks,and preferstheadviceof strangersand neighborsoverthatoffamily. It wasonherbehalfthatI first begantoinvestigateagingservices. In California, availableprograms differfromcountytocounty. Myriadofferingsareoftendictated bytheveryspecificneedsofthe community. Clickonthe“Find servicesin my county” pageofthe CaliforniaDepartmentofAging website. This stateorganization actsasmothershipto33Area AgenciesonAging(AAAs),11 CaregiverResourceCenters (CRCs),and37 Multipurpose SeniorServices Programsites (MSSP). Thesiteisalsohometo numerousarticlesona variety
Resources
NATIONAL CenteronElderAbuse& Neglect ::centeronelderabuse.org
ElderCare Locator ::800-677-1116 ::eldercare.acl.gov/Public/Index. aspx
NationalCenteronElder Abuse ::ncea.acl.gov
National Clearinghousefor Long-TermCare Information ::longtermcare.acl.gov
NationalConsumers League Fraud Center ::fraud.org
NationalCouncilonAging ::ncoa.org
NationalElder Fraud Hotline ::833-372-8311
National InstituteonAging ::nia.nih.gov/health/aging-place/ aging-place-growing-older-home
SAGE
Advocacyandservicesfor LGBTQ+elders ::sageusa.org
PLANNINGANDSUPPORT RESOURCES
AgingLifeCare Association Referralsforcarenavigators ::aginglifecare.org
AARP PreparetoCareguide ::aarp.org/caregiving/prepare-tocare-planning-guide/?intcmp=AECAR-CRC-LL
FiveWishes Advancecareplanningprogram :: fivewishes.org
Let’s Have Dinnerand TalkAboutDeath ::deathoverdinner.org
STATE Adult Protective Services :: cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/adultprotective-services :: 24-Hour Hotline:833-401-0832
ofsubjectsincluding mentalhealthandolder adult LGBTQ+resources. Adownloadableprinted versionoftheAgingin Californiaresourceguide is availableinEnglish, Spanish, Chinese,Korean,Vietnamese and Tagalog.
SusanDeMarois,director oftheCaliforniaDepartment ofAging,said, “Whether anolderadultneedshomedeliveredmealsbecausethey don’t havetransportation ortheyvisitaseniorcenter totakeadvantageofthe exerciseclasses,meals, interestgroups,and companionship,freeservices are availabletomeetthe needsofCalifornia’sdiverse olderadultpopulation.”
Researching available programsandnavigating websitesandsystemscan add stresstothosealready attemptingtobalance work,childcare,andother responsibilities. Many organizations offerassistance freeofcharge.Answers toquestionspertainingto Medicareand Medi-Cal maybefound at California DepartmentofAging Health InsuranceCounselingand Advocacy Program(HICAP).
Helplines at Alzheimer’s OrangeCountyand Alzheimer’s LosAngeles cananswer many questions aboutdementiaand caregivingaswellasconnect youwithotherservices,such asrespitecareandsupport groups.
“Thetruthisthatmany ofoursupportservicesfor olderadultsarefragmented,” saidKimBailey, programs andeducationspecialist at Alzheimer’s OC. “There’s anewtrendthatrevolves aroundtryingtoengagewith acarenavigator—someone whocanhelpindividuals communicatebetterwith theircareproviders,work todevelopacareplanand coordinateallofthese services.” Carenavigators
maybe availablepro bono or at reducedfeesthrough yourlocalnonprofitor communitycenter,butare also availableforprivate hire.
ElizabethG. Malloy, LCSW,CMC,a Los Angelesagingconsultant, considersherself(among otherthings)anorganizer, plannerandcounselor.
“I’m fillinginthecracks,” shesaid. “Andthereis alwaysadvocacy. It’s a criticalpiece.” Having caredforhermother and stepmother at theendof
theirlives,sherecognizes thefrustrating mysteryof thesystemandunderstands theimportanceofhaving anally.“Mostpeoplewho dowhatIdocomeintothis becausethey’vebeenonthe otherside.”
Eventhemostwellmeaningallycanonly go as farastheaging adultwill allow. My neighborishappy toaccepta quesadillafresh off my comal,aridetothe bankormarket,orafew cansofdogfood, but she drawstheline at doctor’s appointments andother
evidenceofwhatshecalls “meddling.”Sheletsme knowwhensocialworkers cometoherdoor,andshe smileswhenshe relateshow verypolitelyshedenied thementrance.
Onthesechillydays, Ilookforlightsinher windowsandmonitor the amountofleavesinfront ofherhouse.Becauseshe’s handy(andhappiest) with abroom,Iknowaclean sidewalkis evidenceof my friend'srelativehealthand wellness.
PHOTO BY GETTYIMAGES
“Thetruthisthat many ofoursupportservices forolderadultsare fragmented. There’s anew trendthatrevolves around tryingtoengagewitha carenavigator—someone whocanhelpindividuals communicatebetter with theircare providers, work todevelopa careplan and coordinate allof these services.”
Moreresources
AgingandDisability ReferralLine :: cdss.ca.gov ::800-510-2020
CaregiverResourceCenter ::caregivercalifornia.org
Councilon AgingEducation Casemanagement, familyprograms, etc. ::coasc.org
DepartmentofAging, California Operatingundertheidea thatthereis“nowrong door,” thefollowing websiteoffersnumerous resourcesandconnections toa vast networkof state servicesincludinganinfo line,resourceguide,and programsandservices links. ::aging.ca.gov ::aging.ca.gov/aging_ resources ::800-510-2020
Departmentof HealthcareServices Providesequitableaccess toqualityhealthcare,help with Medi-Cal,assisted livingwaiverprogramand otherservices. ::dhcs.ca.gov
Departmentof Social Services Hotline ::844-538-8766
Departmentof Justice, StateofCalifornia Readaboutcommon scamsandfraud protection. ::ovc.ojp.gov/program/ stop-elder-fraud/ providing-helprestoring-hope
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ANIMAL
attraction
Bondsbetween humansandpetscreate healthandhappiness, research shows
STORY BY LIZOHANESIAN
MINDYSCHAUER
PHOTOS BY
LuluOchoa, ananimal care coordinator, gives 6-month-oldLaylasome much-neededplaytimeat WallisAnnenberg PetSpace inPlaya Vista. Thespunky pup,describedas“livinglife inthe fast lane,”is looking forapermanenthome.
Across the street fromasmall creekthat runsbelow the WestchesterBluffs inPlayaVista, Wallis Annenberg PetSpace isforgingconnections betweenhumansand animals. The state-ofthe-artfacilityisonepart animalshelter andone partcommunitycenter thataims to helppeople andpets live theirbest livestogether.
“Thehumananimalbondissucha foundationofthework thatwedo,andwe reallyrecognizethat,” saysGabrielleAmster, PetSpace’s director, when wemeet at thecenterfor thisinterview.
Foundedby philanthropist Wallis Annenbergin2017, PetSpacepartnerswith localsheltersthatneed assistanceincaringfor animals,primarilydogs andcats,while finding themforever homes.
But,that’snotallthat happenshere.
They hostpet-friendly events,liketheStand Up for Petscomedyshows, wheredogsareapart oftheaudience. There arecampsduringschool breaksforanimal-loving youth,specialprojects withpartnerslike the Chargers. Thenthere’s the Leadership Institute, whichconvenes every twoyearsto study the bondbetweenhumans andanimals.Research papersthathavecome outofthisinitiative tacklesubjectsthat include“Healthy,Active Agingfor Peopleand Dogs”and“Considering the‘Dog’ In Dog-Human Interaction.”
There’s an everexpandingwealthof
LenaGrabbmeets some friendlykittensat Wallis Annenberg PetSpace,an adoptionand community centerinPlaya Vista. Grabbsays herlifeisn’t conducive to having pets, soshe regularly visitsthe centerwithher 2-year-oldson,Aiden, wheretheygettheirfill ofanimal love.
researchonthehealth benefits ofpetownershipforhumans at all stagesoflife. They can helpchildrendevelopsocial skillsandprovideemotional supportasweage. Particularly withdogs,petshelp keep peopleactiveinwaysthatare beneficialforcardiovascular health. Thereisalsoa body ofresearchindicatingthat petshelphumans forge social connectionswithotherhumans.
“A lotoftheresearchis commonlydogandcat,”notes LindseyBraun,vicepresident ofoperationsforthe Human AnimalBondResearch Institute,anonprofitthat fundsresearchinthisareaof study.Sheadds,though,that, overall,researchshows“that caringforapet—whetheror notit’s a fishoradogorahorse —reallybenefitsby keeping usinroutinesand keepingus mindfulandmotivatedand takingcareofourownhealth.”
Researchconsistently showsthatpetsare goodfor ourhealth: For example, 60%ofdogownersmeetthe recommended weeklyamount of exercise,accordingtoa reportfromUCDavis Health. Thismeansmostdogowners arelogging 150 minutesof moderate exerciseor 75 minutes
GabrielleAmsteristhedirectorof Wallis Annenberg PetSpacein Playa Vista. Shehangsoutwithkittensinsidethe Scratching Post room.
ofvigorous exerciseeachweek. Plus:On average,petowners typicallyhavealower resting bloodpressurethanpeoplewho don’t ownpets.
The flipsideofthat is ensuringthatwe’re goodfor ourpets’healthaswell.Allthat startsbyselectingpets whose livesarecompatiblewithour own.
Jessica Huszar-Yoshimoto,
PuppiesM & MandKit Katget excited to seevisitors at the WallisAnnenberg PetSpace adoption centerinPlaya Vista.
aveterinarianoncontract with PetSpace,hasplenty ofanimals at home. Her petclanincludesfourcats, threechihuahuas, two frogs, twotortoises, two rabbits,a gecko,asnake andapot-bellypig.She notesthatdifferentanimals canimpactpeople’s livesin different ways.
“Myreptiles,obviously, aren’t very affectionate,but theydoprovidecompany andit’s alwayson my terms,” shesays.“Catsarevery social,butthat’sontheir terms. It dependsonthecat. Dogsaremuchmoreactive andinteractive. They really needyourinteractionwith them.”
Evenifyou’recertainthat you’readogperson,take sometimetomakesure thatyoupickabreedofdog whoselifestylemesheswith yourown.
“Doyouneedacouch potato?Doyouwantadog that’southikingwithyou andrunningwithyou?” says Huszar-Yoshimoto.
“Looking at theshedding isreallyimportant.Does thatbotheryou? Maybe youdon’t wantahuskyif youdon’t wantpilesoffur aroundyourhouse.Ifthat doesn’t botheryou,then huskiesaregreat.”
Ageisafactor,too.“If you’relookingforadog oracatthat’schilland maybejustwantstohang outwithyou, go onsome slowerwalks,aseniorpetis greatforthat,”saysAmster, whoadds,therearefewer surpriseswithseniorpets. “We’veusuallyidentifieda lotoftheirbehaviorsbythat point.”
PetSpacealsohostsclinics, wherefolkscanmakesure thattheircanineand feline friendsareuptodatewith theirshots.Sometimes,too, thevisitsinclude wellness checksfortreatableissues thatareoftenoverlooked. Amstersaysthat,insome cases,thisisthe firsttime thatananimalisseeinga vet.
“Mostpeopleareafraid
ofwhat’s goingtohappen whenthey gettothatvet andwhatit’s goingto costthemtocareforthat animal,”shesays.“It’s good forustomakepeoplefeel comfortableandthatit’s safetotaketheiranimalto betreatedandcaredfor.”
Often,common,treatable ailmentsmight go unnoticed.“Skinallergies areabigonethatalotof pets getthatpeopledon’t recognize,”says HuszarYoshimoto.“Insteadof gettingwatery eyesand hayfeverlikehumansdo, they getitchyskinwhen theyhaveallergiestopollen andotherthings.Repeated itchinesscanbe a sign.”
Fleas,too,can go unnoticed by people.“It’s reallyimportantto keep yourpetonyear-round flea controlbecauseit’s sunny andnicehereand fleasare aroundallyearlong.” The same goesforearinfections. “Ifthere’s black stuffinthe dog’s ear,orcat’sear,they should getthatcheckedout.
AidenGrabb,2,shares amomentwithDove at WallisAnnenberg PetSpaceinPlaya Vista.Althoughitis anadoption center, PetSpacealso was designed to be a community center wherepeopleand families canhangout andinteractwiththe animals. Pet food canbe fed to thedogsthrough holesintheenclosures, likeAiden wasdoing.
It doesn’t have to besuper painfulfor them to havean earinfection.”
Inside PetSpace’s veterinaryfacility, theusual activitiesinvolvespaying andneuteringanimals, vaccinatingthemand makingsuretheyareready foradoption.
“Thegreatthingabout gettingthemfromashelter isthatthey’veprobably alreadybeenspayedand neutered,”says HuszarYoshimoto. “They’vehad their vaccinesthatareupto date.”
Usually,sheadds, adoptablepetshave
A cool cat relaxesinthe WallisAnnenberg PetSpace Scratching Post room, whereadoptable felines hangout.
alreadybeentestedand, ifnecessary, treatedfor heartwormsandparasites, aswellastreatedfor flea control.Sheadds that this liftsa financialburden offthenewpetparents.
“That firstyearisreally a big expenditurewhenyou getapuppyorakitten fromabreeder,withallthe vaccinesandallthat,”she says.
Generallyspeaking,pets shouldvisitthevetannually Oncetheyhittheirsenior years, Huszar-Yoshimoto says,it’s besttoschedule twoappointmentsperyear.
Also,aspetsage,you’ll wanttolookoutforchanges intheirbehavior.“Drinking moreandurinatingmoreis asignofalotofproblems,” says Huszar-Yoshimoto. “If younoticethatyourpetis eatingordrinkingmore,you should getthatcheckedout.”
It’s quiet at PetSpacewhen Ivisitonthe Mondayafter Thanksgiving. Technically, thepetadoptionhub/ communitycenterisclosed today, sotheanimatronic dogandcatthatnormally greetguestsaresleeping. Therearenogroupsof studentstouringthefacility,
noprospectivepetparents roamingthehalls.Still, thereisalotoflifehere.
DogslikeOllyand Hattie peerthroughtheglassdoors of kennelsthatlookmore likehotelrooms, curious toseewhoiswalkingby. Thecatsdon’t seemto carewhoisvisiting. Two cuddletogetheronasmall bed.Onelooksupbriefly andthenimmediatelylays backdown. In theCritter Corner, Tommy, athreeleggedturtlewhoisnearly camouflagedbyhishabitat, craneshisneckupabovehis shellandgivesalongand
intense stare.
“Ifyoulook at him,hewill engagewithyou. He’s very intohumans,”saysAmster. “Youcanprobablyfeelhim looking at yourightnow.”
She’s right.Icanfeelhis gaze, eventhoughwe’re separatedbyglass.Ismile at thisnewfoundconnection withatinyturtle.
That kindofconnection is at thecore of PetSpace’s mission.SaysAmster:“For us,it’s reallyimportantto emphasizehowimportant thatbondisanddo whateverwecantosupport it.”
TheIncurables
ILLUSTRATIONS
Lessons to learn for livingwith chronicdisease
BY SAMANTHADUNN
Areyoulikeme,a memberofarotten clubneitherofus wantstobein?
That isthechronicdisease club—thoseofuswhohave somekindofunderlying illnessthat,whileitmight vary initsseverity, is generally not curable.
We aremany. Estimates fromtheAmerican Hospital Associationputourclub membership at 133million, notquitehalfofthenation’s population. In another fiveyears,thatnumberis expectedtoshootupto 170 million.
Andwhileit’s notan exclusiveclub,itis an expensiveone:Accordingto a 2024 reportfromtheCenters forDiseaseControl,about 90%ofthe U.S.’s annual $4.1trillionhealth-care expenditure goestomanaging andtreatingchronicdiseases andongoingmentalhealth conditions.
ButIdon’t wanttotalk aboutoutrageoushealth-care totals.
Idon’t evenwanttotalk aboutthecausesofdisease ortreatmentsorresearchfor cures.
WhatIwanttotalkabout ishowtowrapyourhead aroundwhatitmeansto beincurableand still go on enjoyingyourlife.
An unwanteddiagnosis
About twoyearsago, I startedtonoticeweirdlittle thingshappeningtome. My loopy,largehandwritinghad gottenmuchsmaller. Every onceinawhileI felta strange shiverrunthrough my left shoulder.Ifeltmore tired thanusual.Ihada twitchin my finger.I keptlosingthe beatin my exercisedance routine.Andduringlong hoursinthesaddlewhile
onahorsebackridingtrip inColorado, my left leg felt noticeablyweakerthan my right.
Then my cousin— my big, strong,mountainclimber ofacousin—calledtotell me he hadbeen diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, a movementdisordercaused when thebrain stops producing enough dopamine, whichslowlyworsensover time.
“Whatwereyourclues somethingwaswrong?”was the firstthingIasked,and ashe rattledoffthe familiar symptomsIfelt my heartsink. It tookthebetterpart ofayeartoconvince my primarycarephysicianto take my suspicionsseriously. He saidIwas“tooyoung” tohave Parkinson’s (which, asawomanin my 50s,are wordsIneverhearanymore). Iremindedhimthat the patronsaintof Parkinson’s, Michael J. Fox,wasonlyinhis 20swhen he wasdiagnosed withthediseasethatwould eventuallybothrobhimofhis actingcareerandyetgive him themissiontobetterthelives ofmillionsaroundthe world.
I’llspareyouthedetails of my manytestsand evaluations. In theend, I becameoneofthenearly 90,000peoplethe Parkison’s Foundation estimatesare diagnosedeachyearwiththe fastest-growingneurological diseaseintheworld.
Well,thisisabummer. Whatnow?
Letitsinkin
In thewakeofreceiving newsthatyouhave anyone ofthemanydiseasesscience hasn’t foundawayto cure, onlymanage, takesometime foryourself Ithrewanumberofpity parties,complete with many
boxesof Kleenex,eating microwavepopcorninbed andbingingbad TV shows (“Emilyin Paris,”anyone?).
Reka Janisse,an Instagram healthinfluencerandaperson with Parkinson’s basedin Texas,advisesallowingtime to cyclethroughall five stages ofgrief—denial,anger, bargaining,depressionand acceptance.
“Thisformetookabout three yearsandI only disclosed my situationto my familyandacouple ofclose friends,”shetoldmeover email.“Havingasmallcircle allowsyoutofully feelallthe emotionswithoutbeing on a public stage.Onlywhen I gottoacceptancedidI start my Instagramaccount, @pd.family.Ialsothought thatIcouldn’t beconfident andinspiringto othersunless Iwasfullyembracing my new life.”
Janisseisan exampleof whatlicensedclinicalsocial worker LisaAnderson at Brooks HealingCenterin New Yorkcalls practicing “radicalacceptance.” It means acknowledgingthereality ofyourconditionwithout judgmentorresistance.“It doesn’t meangivingup—it’s aboutfocusingyourenergyon whatyoucancontrolinstead ofwhatyoucan’t,” shesaidin an emailinterview. “Resisting therealityofchronicillness oftenleadstomoreemotional distress.Acceptance,onthe other hand,canopenthe doortoproactivecopingand emotionalpeace.”
‘The courage to change the things I can’
Earlyin my diagnosis, a friendwithherownchronic illnesstoldmeto“believethe diagnosis,nottheprognosis.” Shepushedformetolearn asmuchasIcouldabout my
Parkinson’s That wayIcouldnotonly advocatefor myselfwhennavigating themedicallabyrinth,butalsomake lifestylechangesthatwouldboost my overallhealthandmitigatethedisease towhatever extentpossible.
Thisechoedaguidingprinciplein my lifethatforyearsI have calledupon, the Serenity Prayer:“Godgrantmethe serenitytoaccept thethingsIcannot change,thecourageto changethe thingsIcan,andthewisdomtoknow thedifference."
Thefactis, Parkinson’s,like diabetesorahostofotherailments,may beprogressiveandincurablebutitisnot adeathsentence—notanindication of my immediatedemise,physicallyor mentally.
It rollsoutoveryears;decades, even.
More (whatIhopeis)encouraging news,the rateofprogressionisdifferent for everyone,andcanbeinfluencedby factorsthatincludeheavy exercising, rest,dietandmedication.
Look,here’s whatthe Mayo Clinic says: “Thisconditionis byfarthemost treatableofallneurodegenerative disorders. The vast majority of patients seemajorimprovementsintheir symptomswithtreatmentthat includes exerciseandmedication. For example, mostpeople whohavePDareable tofunctionbetterintheirdailylives fiveyearsafterthey start medication treatmentthantheywerebeforethey startedtreatment.”
Despiteallthereis to managePD thereremainsno cure,sounlesssome bigmedicalbreakthroughhappens, whenI’molditwillrobme ofmobility andpossibly my mentalacuity like a freighttrainfaroffinthedistancethat willsomeday runmeover.
Acknowledgingthis,too,isimportant, accordingtoadviceI receivedfromKim Peirano, DACM,a hypnotherapist and acupuncturistinSan Franciscowho treatspatientslivingwithchronic and terminalillnesses.
“I thinkoneofthemainpoints isletting go of excessivelypositive thinking. We needtobemetwhere weare at andhaveour experience acknowledgedbyanother,” shesays. “Therealistapproachis incredibly helpfulbecauseit validatesinsteadof tryingtoinvalidate. It'susuallyhelpful toberealaboutour experienceinstead oftryingto putonahappyface, whichis oftenveryisolating.
“Findingconnection,beingwitnessed, and findingtoolslike hypnosis to help usself-regulateandreconnecttowhat mattersmosttousisessentialforliving withachronicorterminalillness,”says
Findsupport, give support Irealizedearlyonthat, even thoughtheyloveme,Icouldn’t expect my familyor even my dear, closefriendstounderstandwhatI’m goingthrough.I startedlookingfor resourcesforhowtolivewellwith thedisease—andfoundmany great ones. My favorites:
MICHAEL J. FOXFOUNDATION. Thisis thecornerstoneofthecommunity, withanemphasisonresearch. Acrucialresource for thelatest informationandforconnectingto clinicaltrials.
DAVISPHINNEYFOUNDATION,founded by cyclistDavisPhinney, Olympic bronzemedalistand Tourde France stagewinner,whowasdiagnosedin 2000. Thisisatreasuretrovethat providescomprehensiveinformation, meet-ups,videos,an ambassador program,andmore.
BRIANGRANTFOUNDATION, founded byNBAplayerBrianGrant, who wasdiagnosedin2008.Offers informationandinspirationoneating welland exercise,andhas a virtual meet-upprogram.
NOSILVERBULLETFORPD. Thisis a YouTubechannel begun by two peoplewith Parkinson’s,offering interviewswithresearchers and alternativetherapy experts.Certainly notmeanttoreplacemedical guidancefromyourdoctors,butit offersthought-provokinginformation andfreshinsights.
PARKINSON’S ASSOCIATIONOF SAN DIEGO. Thisvibrantassociationoffers eventsandamentorshipprogram thatpairsthenewlydiagnosed withpeoplewhowillsharetheir experiencesnavigatingthedisease.
Iwasluckyenoughto findamentor in Oceansideresident Marty Acevedo, whohaslivedwith Parkinson’s for twodecades.She’s alsoaregistered
“Resisting therealityof chronicillness often leads tomoreemotional distress. Acceptance, ontheotherhand, can openthe doorto proactivecopingand emotionalpeace.”
dietitian,nutritionistandtheformer directoroffoodandnutrition, environmentalservicesandpatient transportation at Tri-City Medical CenterinOceanside. Marty’s firsthand experienceandinsights got meoutofdoomsdaythinkingand continue to inspiremeforward.
Shesaysactivismhasenhanced herlifewithPD. “Igainmorefrom thoseIspeakwiththantheydofrom me,”she toldmeviaemail.“It's a profoundpleasuretoseefaces filled withfrowns,worry andsadness evolve intosmiles,laughterandhopewhen wespeak.
“Myfearofandanxiety relatedto publicspeakinghasdisappeared; Ifrequentlyprovidepresentations and talksforgroupsand experience noangst. I'vehadtheopportunity tointeractwithmanycliniciansand researchers,speakingwith them about various issuesand questions and my commentshavebeenseriously consideredand, on occasion,have changedthecourseofaction.Iremain confidentand trytobe a rolemodel forothers.”
In fact,I’mwriting thisarticleinthe hopethatsharing my experiencecan beanactofservicetoanyonefacing thechallengeoflivingwith any kind ofchronicillness,becauseofhow essential Marty andotherssharing their experiencehasbeenfor me.
Ialwaysthinkof Marty’s answer whenIaskedwhather most importantadvicewasfor dealingwith Parkinson’s:“Liveyourbestlife.”
What thatmeansformeislearning not to putoffthethingsI reallywant todo.I’vealwaysheard the saying “tomorrowisneverguaranteed”but chronicillnesshas a wayofmaking thatmorereal.Itry tobeearnestand openwithothersandtellpeoplehow much theymeantome. Itry notto complainaboutthingsIcannolonger doandinsteadappreciateallthat I can stilldo.
Ifthatallsoundscornyandtoo obvious,ohwell. It’s thetruth. Goodlucktoallofus.
And miles to go
3-daywalk for breast cancer research leads to unexpected results
BY AMY WALLEN
“60milesis hard,but notashard asbreast cancer.” That’s theSusanG. Komen3-Day Walkslogan. Everybig birthdayIsign upforaphysicalchallenge toremindmeI’ve still gotit. AlthoughIdon’t knowwhat “it”issinceI’mnot exactly an athlete. Thisyear,60 milesfor my 60thhadnot onlyanumericsymbolism, butthreefriendshadbeen recentlydiagnosedwith varying stagesofbreast cancer,and a fourthfriend wasa 24-yearsurvivor still onchemo. The3-DayBreast Cancer Walkwouldbea greatwaytotest my stamina whiledoingsomething
positivefor my friends.
Twoweeksaftersigning upforthewalk, my 38-yearolddaughter-in-law, Elisse, wasdiagnosedwithStage2a invasiveductalcarcinoma hormonepositive—a stab intheheartthatIwasdoing therightthing.
Thetrainingschedule fromKomen startedin June,butIwas raringto go,soI startedin March. Threemilesthreetimes aweek. Thethreemiles weren’t hardphysically, butasanoverthinkerIhad toomuch goingonin my head. Thetrainingschedule wentuptofour, fiveand sixmilesduringtheweek, andsix,eight,10,15and evenacoupleof18-milers ontheweekendsclosestto SanDiego’s Novemberwalk
date. HowwouldIdothis withoutobsessingabout everydetailof my life?
Idownloadedlotsof audiobooks.Ilistenedtothe storiesofothersinsteadof my own.Ifoundagroove,a meditative state,andsoon fiveandsixmilesseemed tooshort.
Amonthinwhiletraining ononeof my walks,I ran intoanoldfriend, Judy,who Ihadn’t seeninages. Thank you,shesaid, whenItold herwhyIwaswalking. She hadjustfoundoutherown breastcancerhadreturned. Shewasscheduled for a mastectomythat Thursday. Thewalkhasafundraising goalthatmustbemet inordertoparticipate. Runninginto Judyinspired metoaskdonorstogiveme
namestheywantedme to carrywithmeon my walk. Everyonehad at leastone, often twoor threeormore namesofveryclosefriends andrelativeswhohad survived,ordied,of breast cancer.Icollected over100 names whileaddingmore milesto my training.
Afriendbeganwalking withme everyweek.Icalled her my pacecarbecause shewalked at amuchfaster rate. My cardio got stronger. Igatheredotherfriendsto joinme for walksaround the bay, fivetoeight miles.Some joinedforthewholewalk, someforafewmiles,some justforthebrunch at the end.Camaraderie got meup thehills.
Icouldfeel my metabolism changing.At the startof
PHOTO BY NELVIN C. CEPEDA,THE SANDIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE
At homeinSanDiego’sSouth Park community, Amy Wallensays there was“numeric symbolism”in turning 60 and walking 60miles forbreast cancer research.
training,I’dbetiredtherest oftheday, andfamished, butoverabout twomonths I startedfeelinglesshungry eventhoughI waswalking moremiles.
KnowingIhadaneight-or 10-milewalkthenextday incentivizedmeto cutback on my alcoholconsumption Being hydratedhadbecome moreimportant.I started sleepingmoresoundly andmore evenly.Iwoke upeasierandearlier.With morefocus, everythingIdid became straightforward, fromwritinganessayto arguingwith my husbandto prioritizing my time.
Thetimecommitment forthetrainingwasmuch greaterthanIhadinitially imagined. Closerand closertothewalkdate, my weekendswereconsumed withtraining. Yet,Ihadso muchenergythat evenif Ihadwalked12milesone morningIfelt strongenough tobesocialintothenight. Aboutsixweeksbeforethe 60-milewalk,Iparticipated inatrainingwalkwith seasoned3-daywalkers. Somepeopledothe3-day 10ormoretimes. They startedas strangerstome, butwithinafewmiles I learnedtheir storiesof breastcancersurvival one woman’s daughterfound outshehadbreastcancer when fivemonthspregnant. Now, themotherwalkswith hergranddaughterbecause thedaughter eventuallydid notsurvive.Afewwomen walktoplesstopromotethat reconstructionisnotfor everyone.Somewalkersare long-termsurvivorslike my friendDebby. Icriedmost ofthewayaswewalked12 milesthrough La Jolla. Somethingin my heart openedup at thispoint. I appreciated my mortality, and my bodymorethan I
everhad. My newphysical strengthhadbubbledover into my emotional stateof mind. Theoverthinking I havedone my whole life,the worryingabout everylittle thingwas gone. Had that beeninthewayof letting my soulopenup?
Ifeltanewfoundbravery toapologizetoa longtime friendwithwhomIhad hadadisagreement,andwe hadn’t spokenfor twoyears. “Lifeistooshort” is more thanacliché.Whenthey didn’t accepttheapology, I hadtheconfidencetoknow IhaddoneallI could, and morethan Icouldhave before—Ihadallowed myselftobevulnerable.
Iwasfastapproaching the3-day event.Aboutfour weeksoutfromthewalk weekend,Iaccomplishedan 18-milewalkoneSaturday, witha10-mile thenext dayanda5-mile thenext. Iended strong. Then,the nextweekend,itwas a lighterweekendwith a 12-mileand10-milewalks. Afterthesecondwalk,when gettingoutof my car, my psoasmuscle—a large musclethatwrapsaround fromthegrointothepelvis tothespine—spasmed. I couldbarely get from my car tothelivingroomcouch.
Devastated,Ilaidwith anicepackwatchingthe movie“Nyad”hopingfor
someinspirationasAnnette Beningportrayed60-yearoldDiana Nyad attempting toswimfrom Cubato Florida.I nursed my psoas andtold myselfthat at least Ididn’t havetocontend withjellyfish.Orcancer.
My psoasmuscle recovered,butnotwithout a compressionbrace.
That Monday, I gotacall: My friendKarenhad died thedaybefore.Shehadtold nooneherbreastcancer hadreturned.She didn’t wanttobedefinedbythe disease,herhusbandsaid.
Oneoftheworld’s most supportivewomenwas gone.
Karenwouldhavetold metohitchup my hip brace andcarryon. Thewalkwas oneweek away.
My friendsshowedupas Ipacked.Onefriendgave meatraditional Japanese omamori good luckcharm with“perseverance”written inside.Debby,who is a 24yearsurvivor,gavemeher ownbracelet towearwhile walking.Anotherfriend, Deb,whosecancerhad recurred,gavemeateethat said“Save2ndBase.”
DayOne. Wearingthe Save2ndBasetee-shirt, thebracelet,theomamori inone pocket,andallthe namesgivento me by donors in anotherpocket, I startedthewalk in a cold,
lightdrizzle.Iputthe first 20milesbehindme easy peasy.
Day Two. My blisters screamed at me.Irepeated my mantra—60milesis hard,butnotas hardas chemo.Atrainingbuddy showedup at lunchand gavemeafootmassage. I putanother20 milesbehind asthesunset.
Day Three. Twomore trainingbuddies joinedme thatmorning,one was my pacecar,and we setout aheadofthecrowd.Blisters bedamned.
Icrossedthe finishline withthose twofriendsthat thirdday.
The1,800SusanG. Komenwalkersall liftedashoe in theairto commemorateourfriends and lovedones whowere dealingwithbreastcancer. Iwastired.Ihad done it. I knewIcouldbecauseIhad become strong.
WhatIdidn’t know was whattheninemonthsof training woulddoto my soul;thatreal strengthisn’t aboutthebodyor even will.
Iwalkedforthenames Icarried in my pocket, thefriendsIcarriedin my heart,andthefriends who walkedbesideme. We walk togetherthroughchallenges, becausethisishow we survive. Thisis strength. Thisis“it.”
Amy Wallentrained formonths walkingaround herneighborhood beforeparticipatingina60-mile walk forbreast cancer research.
PHOTO BY NELVIN C. CEPEDA, THE SANDIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE
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