Hello

Welcome to all our new readers and a warm return to our regular subscribers. Lots of snow here in the North East (I know. Those of you in Upper Midwest and Canada think, '3 ft is not THAT much' but for us it is a lot.)

HEALTH TIPS

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2. Tomatoes and blood pressure. A recent study out of the University of Eastern Finland found that men with the highest levels of lycopene in their blood were 55% less likely to have a stroke than men with the lowest blood levels of lycopene. (Lycopenes neutralize free radicals, preventing them from damaging blood vessels.) The study did not include women, but I think why would it not work for women too?

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3.If you eat grapefruit be sure your prescription drugs are safe with it. Cholesterol-lowering statins, cancer drugs, some antibiotics, and certain pain medications are problematic. Eating a grapefruit with these drugs can increase their potency, causing an overdose. If you are unsure, please check with your health care provider.

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4. A recent study from Stony Brook University in New York found CFL bulbs can cause skin cancer. CFLs have a phosphor coating on the inside that uses UV light to produce the bright white light the bulbs emit... without letting any UV rays out. But researchers found that this coating wears out over time. And in some cases, the coating gets cracked early in the life of the bulb, allowing ultraviolet radiation to escape. Healthy skin cells experienced damage from the ultraviolet radiation emitted from CFL bulbs.

. NOTE: Some of these tips came from Dr. Eifrig's newsletter.

TOO LATE?????

Colonel Sands was 65 when he STARTED Kentucky Fried Chicken. Rae Kroc started McDonalds a age 52. .

Harrt Doerr first novel "Stones for Ibarra," was published at seventy-three, Richard Adams published "Watership Down,"in his fifites (mere youth!), .

Golda Meir became prime minister of Israel at age 70, Nelson Mandela was elected president of South Africa at 74, Peter Mark Roget published Rogets Thesarus at age 73, .

Henry Ford created the first assembly line at age 60. .

Winston Chuchill lost every election he ever entered as a candidate until finally – at the age of 62 he won the election for Prime Minister of Great Britain just prior to World War II, . .

Mary Cassatt sold her first painting at age 78, Betty White is still working at age 91. .

It is never too late to begin. It is never to late to try again. It is always sad to die regretting what I might have tried or might have done. You have done your duty. Now is your time. And when you begin, you will offer a model of courage to the young - who, when they are your age might say, I remember xxxx who began at age xxxx. I, too, can begin now.

Are your prepared?

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If we live alone, we need to prepare for 'down times'. Everyone can have times when we can not drive or even get out of the house. When we were small, our parents fixed the meals or drove us to the doctors. When we were an adults, we may have depended on spouses or other relatives. .

Who will you depend on now? Some plan to ask their children but adult children are often 'stretched thin' these days by their other duties. Helping out on a regular basis for more than a week or so can be 'just too much'. But a bad case of the flu, or a broken bone can stretch on for weeks. How will you manage? .

If you are at least 50, it is not too early to begin to create a safety network for yourself (and maybe your friends). Make a list of persons you could call on to drive you to the doctor or shop for groceries, do a load of wash or fix a meal or two. Some friends make a 'mutual commitment plan' just so such necessities are covered. (Also, it pays to make a list of pharmacies, restaurants and grocery stores that deliver. File phone numbers and a copy of restaurant menus). .

These things are important! Mutual care and concern can keep you living independently for as long as you like --- You just need to PLAN how you will get through the 'emergency times' that are sure to come as we age. Having a list in place can make such a difference....and it is likely to keep you out of emergency nursing home placement. Please do not put it off. Start your plan today. .

And thanks for reading this far. Oh, and March is the time stores have sales on gardening supplies so if you can think 'summer' you will save some money. .

Be well, be happy, ....love,

Kate