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PAGE 10, DECEMBER 1, 2008, THE ISLANDER
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The Best is Yet to Be
By Clark Gillespie M.D.,
Professor Emeritus, the University of Arkansas
Thanksgiving
Let’s just look at some of the health
benefits that have accrued in recent
years and for which we should all be
giving grateful thanks - thanks now
at this celebratory time and thanks
always. Although these advances and
benefits profit all generations, they
are vastly important to us seniors - not
only by increasing our lifespan but, as
well, by providing us an increasingly
healthy body while we are up there.
We are not just seniors existing, we
are more likely to be seniors living and
enjoying.
First, our food understanding. We
are aware now that our massive food
resources are there to be used and
shared - but with some significant
reservations. We have learned to avoid
trans-fats and most saturated fats, and
to very significantly lower our caloric
intake - even of excellent foods. Fed
eral regulations have forced producers
and providers to disclose the presence
in their offerings of calories, fats, and
sodium, and further to list dietary
needs that they do not provide.
So, we have plenty of foods and we
are truly learning how to eat them judi
ciously. Incidentally, greatly lowering
our caloric intake not only keeps our
weight in a normal BMI range, but a
growing volume of important research
papers reveal the healthy life-extend
ing miracle thus provided.
Centenarians from our ranks will
soon become as common as earmarks
on federal legislation. Well, that may
be stretching it a bit - but your family
may soon boast one! A centenarian, not
an earmark! Finally, our food supply is
the world’s safest - even with it’s rare
glitches.
Now, exercise. We have learned that
there hardly exists a human disorder
that will not better respond to care
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when some form of exercise is included
- and followed. True, it must be clearly
understood by the potential exercisee
that the type and the level of physical
activity to be undertaken must match
the capabilities and needs of that
attempter. As the benefits of physical
activity become more widely appreci
ated so do the facilities get a push.
Even without any formal program
ming, we are regularly advised and
encouraged to use facilities at home -
inside and outside - in order to achieve
our physical goals - goals and limits
established by our health care profes
sionals.
As a heartening new work reveals,
gardening is a superb way for us to
achieve such goals. Not window gar
dening - the real outside thing! Final
ly, before leaving exercise behind, our
medical studies show that this kind
of physical activity is a substantial
resource in reducing stress.
Other current medical therapies
also play a valuable role in stress sup
pression. It is clear that stress has
been a major contributor to our health
problems, and our lifestyles along with
a predatory environment only help
embed stressors more deeply into our
lives. Many of our senior health prob
lems flourish under the stress banner.
Fortunately, our health care profes
sionals have brought out a number of
stress-reducing programs and tactics
that we can all use. Medications - excel
lent medications - are available but
should be reserved for short-term use
>
r
(unless significant depression accom
panies the stress) and carefully inte
grated with other necessary medica
tions.
Minimally, exercise, massage, avoid
ance of tobacco and most alcohol, along
with modest counseling is enough.
More serious involvement with stress
requires cognitive therapy and profes
sional stress management programs -
along with medication as noted. We are
making real progress with this crip
pling disorder which haunts so many
of us, and which complicates so many
of our other senior illnesses.
We have by no means conquered
cancer yet but we are at its throat and
getting ready. Our incredible research
ers have learned so much about its
genesis and weaponry that we will
eventually be able to strangle it.
Meanwhile we have learned sig
nificant ways to suppress its induction
- a simple example is banishing tobac
co use and ending the massive lung
cancer toll that followed its addictive
scourge. Another important example is
the prevention of most all cancer of the
female cervix by using our new vaccine
which eliminates the irritant HPVirus
inhabitation of the cervix.
Certain other major cancers still
elude our preventive search but are
at least responding to our advancing
treatment methods. Thus, as an exam
ple, breast cancer continues to flourish
but its death toll continues to shrivel.
Thus we now joyously and thank
fully see several million breast cancer
survivors and their ranks grow rapidly.
There is much more to our cancer story
but suffice to say here, we are gradually
choking this tyrant into submission.
Now to our incredible vaccines.
These little medical jewels have con
tributed in an enormous proportion to
our disease-free life extension, bring
ing vast numbers of us safely into a
healthier seniority.
We still can benefit very significant
ly from regular influenza vaccination
(regardless of some experts opinions)
and most definitely from the one-time
pneumonia vaccine. Get it! Certain
new incredible senior vaccines are sure
to come. There are a host of other medi
cal miracles that have secured for us a
safer passage into and through senior
life - some of which we are not even
aware - until or unless we need them.
For example, new surgical tech
niques and procedures are in use that
can perform corrective operations once
considered impossible. Further, statin
medications have put cholesterol back
where it belongs while the bisphospho-
nates have done the same for osteopo
rotic bones.
True, there are times when we abuse
such advances and there are times
when they abuse us - but who would
want to go back to the good old days?
Moreover, as our ten major health
threats are decimated, new ones are
waiting their trip to the top. Thus
Alzheimer disease is rising, but it too
will succumb to our attacks. Truly, giv
ing our thanks this week is the least
that we can do. □
Blood drive scheduled
at SGHS on Dec. 4
Southeast Georgia Health System
(SGHS) Brunswick Campus will hold
a blood drive on Thursday, Dec. 4 from
1-6 p.m., in Linda S. Pinson Confer
ence Center, located on the first floor
at the SGHS Brunswick Campus, 2415
Parkwood Drive, Brunswick. Free
valet parking is available until 5 p.m.
Remember to bring a photo ID. For
more information, call 912-466-5160 or
email bfitzgerald@sghs.org. □
Some people never age.
But many of us need a little help when it comes to looking
our best during the fun and festivities of the Holiday season.
This is the ideal time to treat yourself (or a special someone)
to the gift of non-surgical rejuvenation and energizing treatment
services at the Golden Isles Center for Plastic Surgery.
From chemical peels, spider vein therapy, laser hair removal
and photofacials to Radiesse®, Botox or Restylane® injections,
we offer the care and compassion you deserve, all within a
personalized rejuvenation program shaped around you.
To learn more about all of our skin care treatments and
therapies, or for a ,
consultation appointment, /CsiXv"\
call (9 12) 634-1993. F)|i| \ GOLDEN ISLES
^PCenter for
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—■^Diane G. Bowen, MD
Island Health
1015 Arthur J. Moore Drive
St. Simons Island, GA 31522
www.drdianebowen.com