Community Active Aging and Wellness Resource Fair April 20

Aging Connections of Michiana will host an Active Aging and Wellness Resource Fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, April 20, at the Elkhart Health and Aquatics Center, 200 E. Jackson Blvd., Elkhart. Admission, parking, mammograms, and COVID-19 vaccines will be free.

There will be free, multi-topic educational presentations from area aging experts, followed by a chance to participate in a live Q&A session.

The feature presentation and panel discussion will be led by Kim Williams, director, Indiana Parkinson Foundation titled, “Parkinson’s Disease and Resources to Improve the Journey.” Joining Williams will be Jessie Hillock, M.A., CCC-SLP,

CDP, a dementia care specialist, certified dementia practitioner, and speech-language pathologist.

Also joining her is John M. Templeton, who has a Ph.D. in computer science and engineering, a master of science in biomedical engineering, and a degree in biomedical engineering.

Peggy L. Prieshoff, R.N., will also be present. She is an Athletics and Fitness Association of America group fitness instructor, a balanced body pilates reformer trainer, a cardiac rehab instructor, a CLIMB trainer, spinning instructor, and a water in motion and YogaFit instructor.

People will have the opportunity to speak with 60-plus local resources on-site to help transition seamlessly through the best phase of life. This is a one-stop-shopping event for community members looking to connect with valuable local resources.

“We love events like these because they are at the heart of our mission,” said Malana Maher, president and founder of ACOM. “Aging Connections provides professional and community education, and our members provide the continuum of aging resources. ACOM is a resourcing organization and connects individuals with the services and providers that best meet their current needs. So, we encourage everyone to attend this free event to discover ways we may be able to help.”

Founded in 2020, Aging Connections is a nonprofit, grassroots cooperative of individuals and organizations working together in partnership to catalyze and promote their program of work.

The programs include educational offerings, promoting business, building community and relationships, and serv- ing the aging population for the benefit of each other, other professionals, and the community at large. Aging Connections is continuing to grow and now has four chapters serving eight counties in Indiana and a new chapter serving southwestern Michigan.

For additional information, visit www.agingconnections.org.

Tea: Nature’s healthy tonic

We’ve heard a lot about the health and hazards of drinking coffee but little has been promulgated about the benefits of that healthy worldwide tonic — tea.

So easy to make. A cup of hot water and a tea bag. It can be quaffed hot, cold or iced. This simple brew made from black, white, oolong or green tea leaves contains more than 2,000 beneficial chemicals.

More than 2 million cupfuls of this natural health food are sipped every day around the globe.

The natural compounds boost metabolic systems ranging from burning body fat to reducing the risk of such chronic diseases as diabetes and dementia.

According to Bottom Line Health, a decade-long National Institutes of Health study revealed people who drink two to three cups of tea a day have a 13% lower risk of dying from any cause compared to those who do not drink tea. The tea drinkers also face a lower risk of dying from heart disease and stroke.

Researchers found data from more than 350,000 seniors between the ages of 50 and 74 that indicated those who drank three to five cups of tea a day had a 28% lower risk of becoming victims of dementia.

Tea also helps lower the risk of cardiovascular disease in several ways. Besides lowering your blood pressure, it also protects your heart and brain by improving your blood flow. The brew also lowers LDL cholesterol and helps repair the lining of blood vessels.

Research has also revealed green tea helps kill cancer cells. A Harvard Medical School report indicates tea reduces the risk of oral cancer by almost 40% as well as reducing the risk of other cancers, including that of the breast and liver.

Besides being a quality beverage to enjoy socially or all by yourself, what else can it do?

It can also lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by more than 15%, according to a European report.

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