STOP! SNATCH SOME WINTER SUNLIGHT.

Did you know February is considered the worst month of the year? It’s depressing because it’s gloomy, gray, and we’re sick of snow and cold. And yet, it does offer occasional surprises of sudden sunshine and warmer temperatures as harbingers of Spring. Especially here in the Midwest, we’ve enjoyed some beautiful days when the sun is bright, the sky is blue, and the weather is in the sixties. When one of those days happens, Stop! Snatch some winter sunlight.

If you’re working from home, shut down your computer and step outside. Is there a yard or patio nearby? Pull up a chair and lift your face to the sun. If your job is indoors, either take the day off or arrange for a very long lunch hour. Stop everything. Don’t clean your house or go grocery shopping. You need some of that unfiltered sunlight to lift your spirits and provide some vitamin D. Tomorrow it might rain or the temperature might drop. Plenty of time to catch up on the work you didn’t do yesterday. Enjoy the amazing grace of a sunlit day in February.

Sunlight has gotten a bad rap for a long time. Because everyone knows that too much of it can cause skin cancer. But lately, scientists have been telling us that we should get about 15 to 20 minutes of unfiltered sunlight every single day. That’s the best way to insure you get enough vitamin D, which has many important functions in our body. Vitamin D enhances the immune system, helps with depression, and is good for your heart and bones. Many folks who live up North don’t get enough of it in the winter.

There are many benefits of sunlight: It lifts your mood, increases energy and improves symptoms of mental health. It’s also healing. Ultra violet rays destroy bacteria and viruses. And besides boosting your immune system, Vitamin D is needed for stronger bones.

Listen to your weather forecasts, and if a beautiful day is coming up, make plans to take full advantage of it. Before you know it, you’ll be picking daffodils and tulips!

February 13, 2023

WARNING! BIG PHARMA MAY DISABLE YOU

Antibiotics save lives. That’s why so many octogenarians are still around. The year I got blood poisoning was the same year that penicillin became available for physicians. Otherwise, I would have been a goner. So I’m not knocking antibiotics. However, physicians really need to be careful when prescribing them, because many have serious side effects. Warning! Big Pharma may disable you.

Our travail began last week when my husband went for a routine doctor’s appointment with a cough. It wasn’t a serious cough, but he’d had it for quite awhile. Therefore, his doctor prescribed a certain antibiotic which has also been a target of many lawsuits, if you look it up on the internet. In other words, it’s one of those risky ones. Not like taking the more widely used like amoxicillin. Most people don’t have to wonder if they’re allergic to something like penicillin. They know within minutes after they take it, get help, and never take it again. However, the side effects of some drugs aren’t so readily apparent.

On day two of taking this prescribed medicine, my husbands lips began to swell. However, he believed that his doctor knew best. So, on day three, he took another pill, and that’s when the dam broke. His lips and eyes were swollen, sore and bleeding. That was on a Saturday morning and we all know you are wasting time calling a physicians office on a weekend. We hoped that by Monday, after discontinuing the antibiotic, the swelling would go down. But it didn’t. It got worse.

Warning! Big Pharma May Disable You — WARNING! BIG PHARMA MAY DISABLE YOU. Side effects like a torn tendon may appear weeks after you take this antibiotic.

Thus began a round of steroids which cause a diabetic’s blood sugar to skyrocket. Which meant he had to have insulin shots, administered by me. The swelling and soreness is improving, so we have hopes that we’ll be back to normal in a few days.

Since then, I’ve researched the side effects of this particular antibiotic and found them overwhelming. It has caused permanent disabilities in patients, ranging from torn tendons to heart damage. . You have to wonder why it’s even on the market.

Warning !Big Pharma may disable you. But they’re willing to take risks with your health because they are reaping huge financial benefits.

February 6, 2023February 5, 2023

COLLEGE DROPOUTS WILL WIDEN WEALTH GAP

Remember the old saying, “the rich get richer and the poor get poorer?” That axiom began to change in the last few decades, because college became more affordable and appealing to poor kids. But now, enrollment from that demographic has started to drop. In the town where I live, University enrollment has dwindled by 30% of what it was just a few years ago. Instead of roughly 12,000 students, it’s down to 8,000. Wowza! Conversely, enrollment at private colleges has greatly increased. Higher tuition and housing costs don’t seem to bother rich kids. Which means that college dropouts will widen the wealth gap for future generations.

Why do certain colleges and universities appeal to first generation students? Obviously, it’s all about money. Lower tuition and housing costs for sure, but also, lower academic standards. Kids who attend high schools in poor inner city neighborhoods don’t have the same advantages as children in ritzy suburbs. They don’t do nearly as well on achievement tests as their upper middle class counterparts. For obvious reasons. If you’ve ever taught school in a poor neighborhood, you know that some of the children can barely stay awake in class, and others are disadvantaged in ways that affect their academic achievement.

The Higher Education Act of 1965 changed the scenario for high school graduates raised in poverty . Pell grants and college loans were more readily available. Conventional wisdom was that a college graduate’s loans could be quickly repaid because of higher paying jobs after graduation. That worked out for students in certain fields like medicine, law, engineering, and other degrees. But for the C student who majored in English Lit, or became an elementary school teacher, that promise of a high paying career turned out to be a heartbreaking myth. And yet, a college degree was still seen as the key to upward mobility, higher social status, and a better life.

In the past few years, high school graduates have started to make pretty good money. Labor shortages and increased demand has resulted in higher wages for skilled workers. Now they can afford to buy a house or new car at a young age. A plumber or laboratory technician might make as much as a marketing manager. Truck drivers may earn more in the short run than English teachers. And they don’t have student loans hanging over their heads.

However, higher education still pays off in the long run. Over a lifetime, a person with a college degree will have more job security, occupational mobility, and greater earnings. Compare the job satisfaction of a 50 year old accountant to a top earning construction worker of the same age. Their incomes may have been similar. However, the construction worker’s legs and back could be giving out, while the accountant has no such worries. The accountant also has a good pension coming when he finally retires at age 65.

College enrollment is dwindling because a college education seems to have lost it’s appeal for kids from low income families.. Consequently, the wealth gap between rich and poor is likely to widen in the coming years.

January 31, 2023

BE SWEET TO YOUR FEET

Most young girls start taking care of their faces before they’re old enough to vote. Why? Because the first thing a young man looks at when he sees a girl is her face. There are creams for dry skin, oily skin, pimples, rashes, eczema—you name it, there’s a tube of something for it. Then we move down to the hands, because red, dry hands are bothersome and unattractive. Pretty hands are a must for the beauty conscious. But the last thing most of worry about is our feet. Who looks at them? Consequently, feet take a beating from the day we start walking, even though we expect them to perform effortlessly without any attention at all. That needs to stop. Valentines Day is coming, and it’s time to be sweet to your feet.

Start with a foot bath. for 20 minutes, twice a week. All you need is a plastic tub wide enough to accommodate both feet. Fill it up to your ankles with warm water, and maybe add some Epsom salts. . Afterwards, use a pumice stone to remove dead skin. Before you put on your socks, massage the balls of your feet gently , and rub in some lotion. Did you know that a foot massage relieves stress and anxiety? It also improves circulation, reduces irritation, and helps transport oxygen through the body.

If you want to get fancy, order a heated footbath online, or buy one at the store. However, you shouldn’t use a heated bath if you’re a diabetic , because it can burn your feet and cause blisters.

Most of us use hand cream every day. Why not foot cream? Our feet get tired and itchy and sore. They can use some loving care, too. At least twice a day , massage your feet with lotion. However, don’t rub the cream between your toes because you don’t want to create a moist place for fungal infections to invade.

One of the kindest things you can give your feet is a professional pedicure Let’s face it, pedicures are pricey. The average working woman can’t afford to spend hundreds of dollars a year getting her toenails painted. But if a special occasion is coming up, or you’re simply feeling down and out, a trip to the nail salon will lift your spirits and vastly improve the appearance of your feet. Not to mention the soothing warmth of a foot massage.

Be sweet to your feet this Valentine’s Day!

January 25, 2023January 25, 2023

ANOTHER WACKY SQUAD IN CONGRESS

To paraphrase Tolstoy : “All ordinary congressmen are alike. Every wacky congressman is wacky in his/her own way.” In contrast, most US Senators tend to be more dignified. They’re thoroughly vetted by their own party, and the media in the states they represent. But when it comes to congressional candidates, it seems like anything goes. Especially in states with mega cities and numerous congressional districts. This year’s strange Republican congresspersons boggle the mind. If you thought the Democratic Squad was off the wall, hang on to your hat. There’s another wacky new squad in Congress.

ANOTHER WACKY NEW SQUAD IN CONGRESS, thanks to the Republicans. — ANOTHER WACKY NEW SQUAD IN CONGRESS include Rep. Boebert, Gaetz, Santos and Greene.

Let’s start with last season’s Democratic Squad. There’s Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota who was rumored to have married her brother. In 2019, she filed a joint tax return with her future husband while she was still married to the old spouse. It goes on and on. Then there’s Rashida Tlaib from Michigan who declared on the first day of Congress that her main goal was to get rid of Trump, and loudly declared, “we’re going to impeach the m…….f…….. Such crude behavior would not fly in Indiana, but apparently it pleased the constituents in her district.

Next, we have Alexandria Cortez who, among other things, killed a deal with Amazon that would have provided thousands of new jobs to constituents in her New York district. Finally, extreme liberal Ayanna Pressley from Massachusetts who wants the voting age lowered to 16, and has sparked anger by calling for “unrest in the streets.”

If you live in fly over country, you’re probably wondering how anyone could have voted for these extremists. But not to be outdone, the Republicans have managed to produce their own wacky new squad in Congress.

Topping the list is George Santos, a pathological liar from New York who faked his resume and entire work history to get elected. Why? Because the Democrats paid him no mind, and he got caught up in a Republican sweep. Next, we have Marjorie Taylor Greene from Georgia who recently claimed Bill Gates wanted to force people to eat burgers grown in “peach tree dishes.” Lauren Boebert ran a restaurant in Colorado where the wait staff carried guns. Finally ,there’s Matt Gaetz who’s currently under investigation for sexual misconduct in Florida.

It’s kind of scary, but it demonstrates the danger of knee jerk voting. Most Americans vote for the party, not the individual candidate. They rarely listen to the candidate speeches, or God-forbid, read about their platforms in the newspapers. If you’re a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat or Republican, the poll workers will happily hand you a one party ballot. No explanations necessary.

So now, Republicans have their own squad to grab headlines and distract from the important work of congress.

January 20, 2023January 20, 2023

ANNOYING HEALTH CARE PHONE SURVEYS

If you visited a doctor yesterday, you’re apt to receive a telephone call today around dinner time. The hospital he’s affiliated with wants to know if you were pleased with him/ her. Since your meal has been interrupted, you may not wish to participate in their survey at all. Here’s a suggestion for hospitals and other health care providers: Please stop annoying health care phone surveys.

There are several questions they want you to answer. But the most ridiculous one, to me, is: How happy are you with your doctor’s treatment? Does anyone like having their nose cauterized? Even if you give a positive answer, you may change your mind a few days later when you get another nosebleed. There is absolutely no way of judging the efficacy of a doctor’s treatment a day later. Here’s why:

He could have misdiagnosed your problem. But you won’t know that within twenty four hours. Weeks or months later, if you’re still getting nosebleeds, having pain, or losing weight , you will realize he didn’t really help you at all. But now, it’s too late to complain. He was cheerful and friendly and confident. So you gave him an A plus or a 5 or whatever scoring system they use. Now, you might want to change your survey answers but that ship has already sailed.

Here’s another one: Were we able to answer all your questions? The doctor may have responded when you asked something like, “how long will this last,” Or “how did this happen?” but the answer may have been vague or ambiguous..

One question they could ask– but never do–is this: Do you think your doctor ordered too many tests? Many tests may be important, but there’s no way of knowing. And no health care facility is going to complain if a CT Scan costing the patient or his insurance about $3,000 was unnecessary. Which they often are. But when you’re frightened that you may have a serious disease, you willingly go along with uncomfortable and expensive procedures.

Once, I had a very unpleasant experience during laparoscopic knee surgery. . The nurse was rude, stabbed me with a needle numerous times to draw blood, and complained my veins were too small. The anesthesiologist gave me a total knee block instead of a partial, without asking my preference. When I received a survey, I filled it out honestly and described my displeasure. But I didn’t mail it, because I wanted to see if the procedure was successful. Which I wouldn’t know for several weeks. It was successful—no more knee pain. But the surgeon became angry when I voiced my complaints on our follow up visit. Several months later I finally mailed in that survey and didn’t change a thing.

Please, stop the senseless health care telephone surveys. They are annoying, and in no way provide an accurate evaluation.. The way someone rates their health care provider after twenty four hours may not reflect the quality of care they received..

January 15, 2023January 15, 2023

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING IN UK

I guess by now everyone has read some excerpts from Harry’s memoir, SPARE. It’s amazing that it’s a #1 best seller. The British monarchy is an outdated institution. For 1,000 years, it’s been assumed that the oldest son of a dying king was qualified to take over his Dad’s job, and do whatever kings are supposed to do. Which seems like a pretty flimsy premise. Would the oldest son of every cardiologist automatically qualify as a heart surgeon? Does a Kentucky derby winner stud breed a champion with every mare? As far as I can see, the British obsession with the monarchy is much ado about nothing.

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING Harry's memoir reveals the monarchy's many flaws — MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING IN UK. Prince Harry’s memoir, SPARE, exposes the frailty of the monarchy.

One episode in the book exemplified the trivial pursuits of the monarchy. Pregnant Princess Kate forgot something and American wife of the Spare jokingly attributed it to baby brain. Kate, being an uptight future queen, did not brush this off or take it in stride. She and the Prince of Wales decided this was a major insult that called for a formal confrontation at their home, after inviting Meghan and Harry for tea. Kate might have vented to her husband , but did they really need to make a mountain out of a molehill ? And when Meghan tried to explain, did William have to stick his finger in her face? Much ado about nothing

The monarchy is probably super touchy because they’re aware that their very livelihood is based on a scientifically invalid premise. They’re scared to death it’s finally going to dawn on the British taxpayers that the whole thing is a hoax. They’re frantically trying to maintain their image, even if it means playing games and planting stories with the British tabloids. It must be nerve wracking to think your very existence depends upon the whims of yellow journalists and muckrakers.

I don’t know what’s going to happen to Harry and Meghan in California. They may run out of steam after awhile, but I hope they achieve some sort of stability for their children. As far as re uniting with Harry’s toxic family-why would they want to?

LIVING WELL AFTER 80

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