STOP! SAVE THE TURKEY BONES

By the time Thanksgiving dinner is over, everyone is in a hurry to clean the mess in the kitchen. There are so many pots, pans, and serving dishes piled up in the sink, that it’s almost overwhelming. First thing most of us do is get rid of the turkey carcass–clean off any remaining meat, then dump it in the trash. Stop! Save the turkey bones and simmer them for a delicious soup broth or nutritious bone broth. Both are great for your health.

First break up the carcass into a big pot and cover with about a gallon of water. Add a hunk of carrot, stalk of celery, some onion slices. Throw in a couple of bay leaves and maybe some thyme. Cover, Turn on the heat, and simmer for about an hour. Now you have the beginnings of turkey noodle soup. Strain everything through a colander and save the broth. Pick the meat off the turkey bones to put in the soup. At this point, you can discard the bones—unless you want to take it one step further and make turkey bone broth. In which case, you will keep simmering the turkey bones on low heat for at least four hours. Some recipes call for an eight hour cooking time, but others say four is enough.

After awhile, the broth will begin to turn a pale gold color, and the bones will break up, along with the shredded meat. You don’t have to do anything while this is going on. Just smell the delicious fragrance of turkey broth filling the kitchen. When you’re ready, strain everything through a colander. The meat and bones can be discarded, because now, you’ve extracted all the vitamins and minerals from the carcass.

If you’re tired from hosting Thanksgiving dinner, treat yourself to a cup of miraculous bone broth while it’s still hot. . The simmering helps the bones to release healing compounds like proline, glycine, glutamine and collagen. Suddenly, you’re feeling stronger. A study at the University pf Nebraska Medical Center found that the amino acids produced when making chicken stock reduced inflammation in the respiratory system and improved digestion.

Let the bone broth cool in the refrigerator, and skim off the top layer of fat. Store the broth however you like. I prefer Tupperware containers. You can keep it in the frig for a day or so, but it’s best to store most in the freezer. One day this winter, when you’re feeling kind of puny, warm some bone broth in a saucepan, add some noodles, carrots and celery, and you’ve got yourself a super soup that will help relieve the misery.

Stop! Save the turkey bones.

November 15, 2022

MANAGING A MINI MELTDOWN

It probably happens to everyone: a series of mishaps in a short period of time that overwhelms your nervous system. I’m not talking about a car crash, house fire, or tornado. Those are major events with life changing outcomes. But sometimes, it’s a bunch of little things that drive you to the brink. Managing a mini meltdown with the help of alternative therapies such as mindfulness, meditation and tai chi can help.

But still, it was a tough weekend for me. Friday was the first anniversary of the death of a loved one.. Heading into the weekend, my husband’s fragile health condition took a turn for the worse, and we had to decide whether he should call the doctor. (Who isn’t available on weekends) The next afternoon, I lost my credit card at the grocery store. Later that day, had an unexpected visitor who we really didn’t want to see. When the mail came, I found two letters chiding me for overdue payments that I had already made through online banking.

And to top it all off, the 2022 election has turned out to be a nail biter. . I can remember when we knew the winners of all races on election night. Now, the counting goes on for weeks, with thousands of mysterious mail in ballots cropping up from out of nowhere to turn everything around. And when the person running for governor in Arizona is also in charge of the election, you lose faith in the entire electoral process. It’s disturbing to realize that our nation could be run by people who weren’t elected legitimately.

By Sunday night, my stomach was churning and I wondered how I could even fix dinner. Turned out I didn’t have to, because my husband only wanted a fruit smoothie, which suited me just fine. Then, I sat in the recliner, closed my eyes, and took a few deep breaths. Mindfulness has taught me to accept my feelings, thoughts, and body sensations, without being overwhelmed by them. Concentrated on my breathing, meditated, then did some tai chi.

Breathe in. breathe out. My husband made it through the weekend without having to go to the ER. More deep breaths. The people who sent the deadbeat letters admitted they hadn’t gotten around to posting payments for over a month . Feeling calmer, Put my credit card on hold. Think I’ll become one of those little old ladies who write checks at the grocery store. Went swimming on Monday, and felt the gloom begin to lift. I can’t control the election process, so we’ll have to live with whatever happens.

The next time you have a mini meltdown, remind yourself that nothing lasts forever. With the help of meditation, mindfulness, controlled breathing, and other calming techniques, you can mange to come out on the other side. .

October 17, 2022October 17, 2022

SHOULD HOMELESS SLEEP IN LIBRARIES?

Anyone who reads my blog knows that I’m concerned about the plight of the homeless. No one should have to live on the streets, IMO. Not in a civilized society. In many cities, the homeless can often be seen in public libraries. Our local library removed all the couches, which helped a little. But many men and women still manage to fall asleep slumped over in chairs. Should the homeless be allowed to sleep in the library? And if not, why?

Three reasons:

1. Public safety. Statistically, many homeless are drug addicts. who could be running out of money for their next fix. When I walk past them– snoring in a chair beside a backpack– I feel somewhat apprehensive. Yes, there are many employees and patrons around, but as we know, that doesn’t always stop a random attack on innocent people.

Library employees are not social workers or police officers, and they are not expected to deal with this problem—nor should they be. Naturally, some folks might doze off while reading a book or magazine, but when it goes on for an hour or more, here’s what I would suggest: Call a plain clothes police officer who can gently awaken the individual and offer to connect them with someone who can help. Wait with that person until you’re sure they have found a roof over their head. If they refuse shelter, then they really must be banned from the library.

2. Public health. Because of where they live, and lack of running water to clean up, a homeless person could be carrying a communicable disease. Whether you touch them or not, they are breathing the same air as you. They’re also using the restroom, touching handles, faucets and door knobs.

3. Humanitarian concerns. If they are truly homeless, their needs should not be ignored. Suppose you saw a child asleep in the library. . Would you walk past them as if they didn’t exist? Of course not. You would ask a librarian to awaken the child , find his parent , or refer him to some social service agency if he was alone. Or, if someone fainted , an alert librarian would call an ambulance if the patron had no companion.. Surely, a homeless person deserves the same consideration.

No man is an island. A homeless person is part of our collective humanity. Should they be encouraged to sleep in the library? I don’t think so.

October 9, 2022October 9, 2022

DOCTORS GHOST YOU ON WEEKENDS

There’s a trend in healthcare which you may not be aware of. At least not yet. If you’re young and healthy, you won’t even know about it, until it’s too late. Let’s say you’re seeing a specialist because you’ve developed one of thousands of medical conditions that require the ongoing care of a doctor. Not just a yearly checkup, but something more serious. Supposing you have a flareup of this condition on a Friday afternoon. And so, you call the physician who’s been treating you. Not too long ago, if your doctor was not available, he had a partner who was “on call.” That doesn’t happen anymore. Now, many doctors ghost you on weekends.

In our case, my husband has frequent nosebleeds while being prescribed a well advertised, over priced blood thinner. Thanks to information gleaned from the internet, I have learned how to deal with the situation most of the time. No doctor gave me this advice. I had to find it out on my own, after one too many trips to the emergency room for a procedure I could have handled on my own, if only someone had been on call who could have told me what to do.

Doctors may ghost you on weekends. You may have to call 911. — DOCTORS MAY GHOST YOU if you call on weekends of holidays with a nosebleed.

He had seen an ENT a few days before, who insisted the problem wasn’t caused by blood thinners. The doctor said he simply needed a cauterization to stop the nosebleeds. Afterwards, she said that he should never have another one. . But, if he did, he should consider it a medical emergency and call her office immediately. She assured him that he would be given top priority to be treated right away. That sounded very comforting. We could rest assured that he was in good hands.

Fast forward to less than 10 days later, on a Friday afternoon at 1:30. Major nosebleed. Called the doctor’s office and got no answer at all. Called the hospital where she’s on staff, and was informed that the office closed early for the weekend. Frantically tried to find a way to contact her. Finally got an answering service from her old office which she had left three years ago. Said they couldn’t help.

Now, of course, we knew what we were supposed to do, based on previous experiences with other physicians. If you have a problem on weekends, you’re basically up shit creek. You’re supposed to call 911, get taken to the hospital emergency room, wait hours until SOMEONE shows up to decide what to do. If they admit you to the hospital, you will not see your original doctor. You will be treated by “hospitalists” who have been assigned to treat you over weekends and holidays. These strange doctors are starting from scratch. They have access to your medical records, but other than that, they know nothing about you as a living, breathing, human being. .

Not all physicians operate this way. But many of them do. They’re covered, legally, by the old refrain on their answering machine: (if they have one). “If this is an emergency, call 911.” (Average cost of ER visit is $1,610 in most states)) Beware: your doctor may ghost you on weekends.

Follow up: I did finally stop the nosebleed by placing a frozen bag of peaches on the back of his neck. I doubt if I would have received this piece of advice if I had actually received a call back. It was something learned while in girl scouts, back in elementary school.

September 30, 2022September 30, 2022

BEWARE OF BAD STAIRLIFT SERVICE

STAIRLIFTS HAVE proven to be a blessing for seniors who want to stay in their own homes. Many of us live in two story houses, and have no desire to move into a cookie cutter, one story house in a new sub division. For years, my husband struggled up and down the stairs, until his knees gave out. Due to his age and various health issues, knee replacement surgery isn’t possible. Therefore, we invested in a brand new, Acorn stairlift. But now, a year and a half later, the battery is acting up, and the company is no longer responsive to our calls for repair and maintenance. Beware of bad stairlift service.

We looked into a stairlift several years ago, and even got a detailed estimate from a bright and personable sales representative who assured us that service was readily available. They even tout their trusty stairlift service on their website : “We employ highly-trained service technicians based all over the USA who are dedicated to servicing and maintaining our customers’ stairlifts” We were impressed. . And then, our fickle hearts lost interest, and we opted out of the installation. It seemed like a drastic solution, which would change the character of our 100 year old farmhouse. Then things got worse. Three years later, we called Acorn, and they had the old bids on file. They agreed to install the stairlift for the originally quoted price, which seemed like a very generous offer, considering inflation pressures.

BEWARE OF BAD STAIRLIFT SERVICE. If you can't get it fixed, it won't do you much good. — BEWARE OF BAD STAIRLIFT SERVICE. You can’t wait around for weeks on end if you need it fixed.

The first year, things went pretty well. Although, we did have to call and remind them that we were due for the yearly maintenance check which was promised as part of the deal. At that point, nothing was wrong, so all the service rep had to do was whatever is required just to make sure things are clean and running okay. Mission accomplished. When you have a machine that is in good working order, you take it for granted that it will always be that way. But it won’t. Like any other electrical appliance, it eventually develops some glitches. . And for us, that’s when the trouble began.

Our battery appears to be in need of charging. . At least, that’s how it looks to us , as the blinking numbers keep going down. But it could be something else. We called the Acorn phone number, and had to wait about 45 minutes on hold until someone finally answered. Actually, it was an answering service. Should you have to wait that long for a recorded message? Anyway, we left a message, and never received a call back. Finally, my husband drug out the original contract and found the phone number of the salesman who got the commission for selling us the stairlift. He assured us that we would receive a call by the end of the week. That was a week and a half ago. Still haven’t heard from them.

Now, we wonder what we’ll do if they’re in the process of going out of business. However, their website is active, so they’re still advertising their stairlifts for sale to gullible seniors. Beware of bad stairlift service.

September 20, 2022September 20, 2022

FOUR GAME CHANGERS FOR SLEEP

Younger people who work or study hard find it easy to sleep at night. But after retirement, seniors often complain about falling and staying asleep. Consequently, they’re groggy during the day. It’s a vicious circle that never seems to end. We get all kinds of advice from well meaning family and friends. As an example,” don’t drink water before you go to bed”. But if you have allergies or a dry mouth, you will probably keep a water bottle on your bed stand. Doctors often prescribe sleeping pills, but they can be addictive and if you’re like me, you don’t care for the side effects of drugs like Ambien and Lunesta. And Melatonin actually keeps me awake. Lately, I’ve been investigating alternative strategies, and have discovered four game changers for better sleep. They may not work for you, but you might want to give them a try.

Bamboo sheets have two advantages: A) They’re hypoallergenic and keep you cool. They are naturally thermal regulating and don’t retain moisture. Instead, the bamboo moves heat away while you sleep – keeping you at the ideal temperature all night. It is also very lightweight and breathable so it feels easy on your skin even on hot nights. B) They’re hypoallergenic and anti microbial. For those of us who have skin allergies (psoriasis, eczema), skin asthma, or sensitive skin, we may experience itching and irritation that becomes worse at night. However, bamboo beddings are free from allergens, dust mites, odors, and bacteria so it reduces your allergies and it’s gentle on sensitive skin.

When I switched to bamboo sheets, I noticed an immediate difference. No more coughing and sneezing at night.. My skin stayed dry and cool. I felt more rested, because I wasn’t waking up so often. . And yet, I was still having trouble falling asleep. That’s when I started discovered weighted blankets.

Weighted blankets. According to the sleep foundation “ Many people find that adding a weighted blanket to their sleep routine helps to reduce stress and promote calm. In the same way as a hug or a baby’s swaddle, the gentle pressure of a weighted blanket may help ease symptoms and improve sleep for people with insomnia, anxiety, or autism. “
FOUR GAME CHANGERS FOR SLEEP. Try bamboo sheets and weighted blankets.

When ordering a weighted blanket , I saw that the manufacturer cautioned it might take a week or so to become accustomed to it. That proved to be true for me, as it really was a radical change. However, after a few days, I was sleeping more deeply and waking up later in the morning. It’s a mystery to me why they work, but I’m sold on weighted blankets.

3. Darken the bedroom. .Now that you’ve settled into your new bedding, be sure that you’ve blocked out any light in the room, . Cover digital clocks, bright buttons on television and computers. It’s been proven that our eyes are sensitive to this type of lighting, which may keep you awake.. If outside light peeps through your window shades, you may benefit from wearing a sleep mask.

4. Drink beet juice. Beets aren’t a very popular vegetable, but you might try acquiring a taste for beet juice. Recent studies showed that when COPD patients drank concentrated beetroot juice at bedtime, their overnight sleep quality improved and the duration of deep sleep episodes was increased. This is due to the nitrates in beets, which increase oxygen consumption.

These four game changes have helped me sleep better. . They may or not not work for you, but why not give them a try?

Here’s wishing you sweet dreams.

August 22, 2022August 22, 2022

5 WAYS TO LIVE AS LONG AS RICH PEOPLE

Did you know that rich men and women live longer than poor people? This is not a guess—it’s a proven fact. A recent study showed that the richest people are living 12 years longer than the poor. However, only about ten percent of the population are statistically considered rich. How can the rest of us hope to match their life span? Here are 5 ways to live as long as rich people.

1. Make healthcare a priority. Wealthy people like Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip have had access to good medical care. They probably have a live-in physician. However, if you’re enrolled in Medicare, you’re entitled to receive preventive care on a regular basis. Flu shots, yearly checkups. And if you have diabetes or some other risk factor for heart disease, it will pay for any necessary doctor visits. Prescription drugs are covered under a separate policy, but make it a priority to pay that monthly premium, even if you can’t take a fancy vacation or eat out quite as often.

2. Weight control: Ever notice that fewer rich people are overweight? That’s because they can afford to buy healthy foods. Never, would they ever, make a meal of a $5 special at Burger King. Which is what a lot of folks are doing these days of high inflation, because it costs less than preparing a meal at home. Unfortunately, a greasy burger with French fries provide a lot more calories and fewer nutrients than a homemade dinner of tossed salad and ground round burger. And there’s no temptation to ask for a chocolate shake to go along with your order.

3. Brush your teeth twice a day, and see your dentist at least once a year. Rich people usually have nice teeth. Do not ignore a toothache. Studies have shown those with poor oral health (such as gum disease or tooth loss) have higher rates of cardiovascular problems such as heart attack or stroke than people with good oral health.

4, Don’t smoke; it’s the leading cause of preventable death from lung cancer, heart disease, stroke, and other lung diseases. Ever notice how many cigarette butts you see in a Dollar Store parking lot? That’s because low income people are 75% more likely to smoke than rich people. Ditch the cigarettes if you want to live a long life.

5. Exercise often. Don’t leave the television on all day in your home or apartment. The CDC recommends a least 150 minutes of exercise per week for seniors. You seldom see runners and walkers in poor neighborhoods the way you do in upper class suburbs. You don’t have to belong to an expensive fitness club to get enough exercise. Walking and jogging are free. Other alternatives like swimming, Tai chi and Yoga may be offered at your local YMCA or senior center.

Many fatal diseases affect people in all walks of life. That can’t be changed. But you can improve your chances for a longer life if you follow these 5 ways to live as long as rich people.