some bullies
GROW OLD i
Story | Mary Jo Rapini
t’s a common notion that as people grow older, they become wiser. For the most part, we do mellow with age. With each year, we reflect more, are more mature when reacting, and take fewer comments personally. It’s one of the benefits of advancing years. There is a subset, however, that doesn’t mellow with age. This group is defined as the “old bullies.” Some of us have one in the family. It may be Aunt Betty, who makes all of the nieces run away crying because she told
ASK THE EXPERTS Prime Living’s healthy living experts answer your health-related questions
Q
Are there cosmetic procedures available that do not require lengthy recuperation time?
A
There are currently two FDA-approved procedures that allow patients to walk in and out of the practice with no downtime. Depending on what target areas you’re looking to work out, I would recommend both CoolSculpting and Ultherapy. CoolSculpting is a procedure that “freezes the fat” with no down time. After eight weeks, you’ll notice a difference in the area that you had treated, whether it’s your stomach, love handles or thighs. Clients are thrilled to learn about this non-invasive, quick and easy procedure. Depending on your treatment area, you can walk out in 70 minutes. The other treatment is Ultherapy, a new type of non-surgical procedure for the face that stimulates the body’s own natural healing process to lift the skin over time. The use of FDA-cleared ultrasound technology enables physicians, for the first time, to see and treat the deepest support layers of the skin—typically addressed in cosmetic surgery—without cutting or disrupting the surface of the skin. The treatment typically takes between 30 and 60 minutes. Afterward, patients are able to return to normal activities right away, and there are no special measures they need to take. With just one Ultherapy treatment, the lifting process is initiated, but the effect will build gradually over the
them they’re getting too fat. Or Uncle John, who manipulates others by excluding them. These people don’t rehabilitate with age. In fact, many times, they get worse. Old bullies are more difficult to deal with than young ones. You can’t tell them to stop their bully behavior because, once you have a history of behaving in a manner you’ve practiced 60 or more years, it’s less likely you will change. Giving incentives like a gold star or a coupon for pizza are less effective the older you get. Therefore, course of two to three months as new, stronger collagen is created. Further improvements can even appear up to six months following a procedure as this collagen-building process continues. — Dr. Eric Humble, Sugar Land Face & Body Plastic Surgery
Q
What are some things you can do to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer?
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There are several things you can do to reduce your risk. They include: • Maintaining optimal vitamin D levels in the body. • Eating plenty of cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower that are rich in anti-cancer nutrients. • Engaging in stress reducing activities such as meditation and yoga. • Decreasing alcohol consumption. Drinking more than seven alcoholic drinks per week increases the risk of breast cancer, while drinking more than three to four alcoholic drinks per week increases the risk for breast cancer recurrence. • Decreasing exposure to chemicals in household cleaning products. This reduces your risk of exposure to xeno-estrogens. • Taking pharmaceutical-grade supplements, including a multi-vitamin, fish oil and antioxidants to give your body the basics to function optimally. • Detoxing your liver twice yearly to improve estrogen clearance from the body.
— Dr. Afreen Pappa, Javani Med Spa Have a healthy living question for our experts? Email your query to editor@prime-living.com.
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many times, the parents and grandchildren of these old bullies are the ones who suffer. There are things you can do that will help calm the situation in dealing with your old bully: • Take your old bully to your family doctor for a physical. Depression is common after the age of 65. Brain chemistry changes and depression might be the result. Your bully might have been depressed for years and a simple medication can add quality to their life and everyone whose life they touch.
...many times, the parents and grandchildren of...old bullies are the ones who suffer. • Make sure your old bully gets plenty of Vitamin D. This can be achieved by getting them out in the sun at least 20 minutes a day or by taking a supplement. Your doctor can test to see if Vitamin D levels are within the desired range with a simple blood test. • It’s likely that your old bully grew up with other bullies. Therefore, they might be insensitive to how their behavior affects others. Speak with them in private about how they speak to others, and the effects it might have. • Speak to your old bully’s caregiver in advance to them meeting each other. You might be able to provide the knowledge necessary for the staff to develop a plan so they can effectively deal with your old bully. It’s best to be honest and transparent. • Studies have shown that bully behavior is tied to a lack of sleep in children. A sleep study and talking to your doctor about your old bully’s behavior might solve many of their behavior problems. mary jo rapini Mary Jo Rapini is a Houston-based psychotherapist specializing in sex and relationships. In addition to being a speaker, author and TV personality, she shares her expert advice Tuesday mornings on Mix 96.5 and Friday mornings on Fox 26 Houston. For information, visit maryjorapini.com.
September/October • 2012
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