The vitamin of the decade has been chosen – Vitamin D. Everyone is taking vitamin D supplements for nearly every health benefit imaginable. It prevents osteoporosis, cancer, aging, flu, colds, heart disease, Parkinson’s Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis. You name it, vitamin D can prevent it. This is suspiciously reminiscent of vitamin C in the Linus Pauling era.
So, what do we know about vitamin D? In a nutshell: it is produced by human skin when exposed to sunlight with a UV index of more than 3. It is also found naturally in some foods, notably catfish, salmon, mackerel, sardines, tuna, eggs, beef liver, and for vegans, mushrooms. Other foods such as milk and cereals are fortified with vitamin D. Severe deficiency causes rickets in children and osteomalacia (soft, easily broken bones) in adults. Severe excess results
in too much calcium in the blood with loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and kidney damage.
Too much vitamin D during pregnancy causes mental retardation and facial deformities in the fetus. Vitamin D is used by nearly every cell in our bodies to regulate everything from calcium levels to immunity. Recent research has shown that too low or too high blood levels of vitamin D are associated with an increase in mortality from all causes. Low levels are strongly associated with
an increase in deaths from heart disease. As with most things, balance is the key: neither too high nor too low.
The evidence for vitamin D as a prevention for cancer deaths is impressive for colorectal cancer, less so for breast cancer and pancreatic cancer. It is clearly essential, along with calcium and other nutrients, in the prevention of osteoporosis. Studies of immunity are more theoretical than real; it does seem to provide some protection from colds and flu in the winter months when sun exposure is insufficient to maintain adequate blood levels. The evidence for
prevention of MS, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s is based on inadequate data. Research is in its earliest stages and the randomized controlled trials that will give more definitive answers have not been done yet. Taking large doses of vitamin D for long periods of time without this data, is like offering oneself up as a Guinea pig in an experiment without anyone overseeing the effects.
Do so at your own risk.
That said how much vitamin D3 (not D2) should you take? The consensus seems to be that the RDA of 200-600IU per day is too low and should be closer to 1,000IU, especially in the winter months. There is no way to know how much you should be taking without a blood test to find out where you are now. If your level is low, ask your doctor how much to take and be sure your blood test is repeated in 3-6 months. If you are pregnant do not take vitamin D without your physician’s okay. And keep watching for the research that will someday tell us the truth about vitamin D.
Judith J. Petry, M.D., resident of
Westminster, Vermont
Aged in Vermont - Articles for those who know someone who is aging...
Monday, October 25, 2010
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Our End of Life Letters
Having our life prolonged as long as possible is one thing, but having our death a prolonged event is an altogether different matter. Medical science has the ability to keep our bodies going long after our spirits have departed and our purses are empty. Protection from too much treatment is available to us through what is now called the Advance Directive, previously known as a combination of the Living Will and Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care.
Let's be clear: Advance Directives should not be thought of as legal instruments. Rather, as forms, they provide us the opportunity to state the kind of treatment we would want in our latter days. In the event we are no longer able to make health care decisions, we can name other(s) who know what we want and can act and decide on our behalf. In effect, they are letters to our family and doctors.
It has been shown that hope near life's end is a vital boost to morale, and this hope derives from having some control over events. This is what Advance Directives offer. We have the chance to choose and to limit, often, the treatments available. We can put a brake on the sheer momentum of treatment.
What is most crucial about Advance Directives is, first, they give us a way of thinking about our latter days, and second, provide us with a vehicle to talk to our family and doctor about our views. It is important not only that we make out these forms, but that we distribute them to all who have any voice or concern about our dying.
Then follows the most important element – a conversation with family members who will be involved in those latter days. It is this conversation, the conveyance of our wishes in dialogue form, that enhances the possibility our wishes will be fulfilled at life's end. If those wishes are not being fulfilled in the hospital, families have the ability to call into session the hospital's ethics committee to make clear to all our choices and wishes.
Westminster Cares has the necessary forms available for you. It is best and easiest to fill out these forms in conversation with someone. Westminster Cares can contact Ray Walker, M.D., to be available to answer your questions and help you fill out your Advance Directive. You can choose a place convenient for you. There is no charge for the service.
Dr. Ray Walker helps people in
Windham County write Advance
Directives. He has been a psychoanalyst
in the Jungian tradition and now resides
in Guilford, Vt.
Let's be clear: Advance Directives should not be thought of as legal instruments. Rather, as forms, they provide us the opportunity to state the kind of treatment we would want in our latter days. In the event we are no longer able to make health care decisions, we can name other(s) who know what we want and can act and decide on our behalf. In effect, they are letters to our family and doctors.
It has been shown that hope near life's end is a vital boost to morale, and this hope derives from having some control over events. This is what Advance Directives offer. We have the chance to choose and to limit, often, the treatments available. We can put a brake on the sheer momentum of treatment.
What is most crucial about Advance Directives is, first, they give us a way of thinking about our latter days, and second, provide us with a vehicle to talk to our family and doctor about our views. It is important not only that we make out these forms, but that we distribute them to all who have any voice or concern about our dying.
Then follows the most important element – a conversation with family members who will be involved in those latter days. It is this conversation, the conveyance of our wishes in dialogue form, that enhances the possibility our wishes will be fulfilled at life's end. If those wishes are not being fulfilled in the hospital, families have the ability to call into session the hospital's ethics committee to make clear to all our choices and wishes.
Westminster Cares has the necessary forms available for you. It is best and easiest to fill out these forms in conversation with someone. Westminster Cares can contact Ray Walker, M.D., to be available to answer your questions and help you fill out your Advance Directive. You can choose a place convenient for you. There is no charge for the service.
Dr. Ray Walker helps people in
Windham County write Advance
Directives. He has been a psychoanalyst
in the Jungian tradition and now resides
in Guilford, Vt.
The Importance of Hydration
Water is essential for a lifetime of optimal health. Approximately 60% of a young adult’s weight is water. As we age this decreases to 50%. Staying hydrated helps us stay healthy as we age.
What else can drinking water or staying hydrated do for us?
How much water do we need? You should drink one-half your body weight in water (ounces). So if you weigh 130 pounds, you need to drink 65 ounces of water a day, or about eight medium glasses.
During the summer months we tend to drink more water than usual because we sweat a lot. We need to drink extra in hot weather because a lot is lost, but we must remember to drink water all winter long to protect our organs and to keep going strong. Drinking water will also increase your energy by boosting your metabolism. It also facilitates weight loss.
Dehydration in the elderly is common and can be life-threatening. Falls are often a result of the dizziness that results from dehydration. The thirst stimulus decreases with age as does the total water content of our bodies. Seniors should make themselves drink water or non-caffeinated beverages throughout the day. Don’t wait to get thirsty.
Those taking blood pressure medicines or heart medication should talk to their doctors about how much water they should consume per day. As always, one size, or in this case amount, doesn’t fit all.
Sheila Allaire is a wellness coach
and Westminster resident. Judith J. Petry,
M.D. is a resident of Westminster.
What else can drinking water or staying hydrated do for us?
- Moisten the tissues in the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Protect the body organs and tissues.
- Help prevent constipation and dissolve minerals and other nutrients to make them accessible to the body.
- Regulate body temperature, lubricate joints and lessen the burden on the kidneys and liver by flushing out waste products. Your kidneys do not function properly without adequate water intake.
- Carry nutrients and oxygen to cells.
How much water do we need? You should drink one-half your body weight in water (ounces). So if you weigh 130 pounds, you need to drink 65 ounces of water a day, or about eight medium glasses.
During the summer months we tend to drink more water than usual because we sweat a lot. We need to drink extra in hot weather because a lot is lost, but we must remember to drink water all winter long to protect our organs and to keep going strong. Drinking water will also increase your energy by boosting your metabolism. It also facilitates weight loss.
Dehydration in the elderly is common and can be life-threatening. Falls are often a result of the dizziness that results from dehydration. The thirst stimulus decreases with age as does the total water content of our bodies. Seniors should make themselves drink water or non-caffeinated beverages throughout the day. Don’t wait to get thirsty.
Those taking blood pressure medicines or heart medication should talk to their doctors about how much water they should consume per day. As always, one size, or in this case amount, doesn’t fit all.
Sheila Allaire is a wellness coach
and Westminster resident. Judith J. Petry,
M.D. is a resident of Westminster.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Important News about 3SquaresVT!
3SquaresVT (formerly Food Stamps) is Vermont’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program -- a nutrition program designed to help you stay healthy by allowing you to spend more money on healthy, nutritious food. 3SquaresVT can help you make ends meet, which is especially helpful in this challenging economy! It can help you stretch your food budget and put three square meals a day on your table, at the same time freeing up money for other living expenses.
Families: Now you can deduct all of your out-of-pocket child care costs when you apply for 3SquaresVT. And, if you are eligible for 3SquaresVT, your children are eligible for free school lunches.
Seniors and People with Disabilities: If you are elderly or disabled, special rules make it easier to qualify. If you are an eligible senior, you can get your benefit directly deposited as cash right into your bank account. And, if you have over $35 a month in medical expenses, you could get a higher food benefit by including your out-of-pocket medical costs on your 3SquaresVT application.
People who qualify for 3SquaresVT can also get Lifeline (a monthly credit of at least $13 per month to help households maintain phone service) and Link Up (a credit up to $30 to pay half the cost of installing a phone line).
Don’t assume that you earn too much to qualify. There are new rules to qualifying, and you can get 3SquaresVT even if you have a savings account or own your own home. You may be eligible for 3SquaresVT even if you were turned down for Food Stamps in the past.
You may be automatically eligible. People who receive Vermont Earned Income Tax Credit or SSI are categorically eligible for 3SquaresVT. That means that even if you receive a $0 benefit, you are still ‘eligible’ and therefore are eligible for Lifeline, Link Up, free school meals, etc.
In addition, 3SquaresVT benefits are all federal dollars, so by applying for the program, you are bringing money into the state. Also, shopping locally or buying local products is a way to support your community and your local farmers. 3SquaresVT makes you eligible to receive coupons to the Farmer’s Market when they become available in mid-June. And now you can use your 3SquaresVT card to buy seeds or plants to grow your own fruits and vegetables.
For more information about these changes and more, visit www.vermontfoodhelp.com. Beginning in June, individuals may apply online. Or you can call SEVCA at 1-800-464-9951 or the Senior Helpline at 1-800-642-5119 if you are a senior, for help filling out a 3SquaresVT application.
Susan Howes, SEVCA Family Services
Families: Now you can deduct all of your out-of-pocket child care costs when you apply for 3SquaresVT. And, if you are eligible for 3SquaresVT, your children are eligible for free school lunches.
Seniors and People with Disabilities: If you are elderly or disabled, special rules make it easier to qualify. If you are an eligible senior, you can get your benefit directly deposited as cash right into your bank account. And, if you have over $35 a month in medical expenses, you could get a higher food benefit by including your out-of-pocket medical costs on your 3SquaresVT application.
People who qualify for 3SquaresVT can also get Lifeline (a monthly credit of at least $13 per month to help households maintain phone service) and Link Up (a credit up to $30 to pay half the cost of installing a phone line).
Don’t assume that you earn too much to qualify. There are new rules to qualifying, and you can get 3SquaresVT even if you have a savings account or own your own home. You may be eligible for 3SquaresVT even if you were turned down for Food Stamps in the past.
You may be automatically eligible. People who receive Vermont Earned Income Tax Credit or SSI are categorically eligible for 3SquaresVT. That means that even if you receive a $0 benefit, you are still ‘eligible’ and therefore are eligible for Lifeline, Link Up, free school meals, etc.
In addition, 3SquaresVT benefits are all federal dollars, so by applying for the program, you are bringing money into the state. Also, shopping locally or buying local products is a way to support your community and your local farmers. 3SquaresVT makes you eligible to receive coupons to the Farmer’s Market when they become available in mid-June. And now you can use your 3SquaresVT card to buy seeds or plants to grow your own fruits and vegetables.
For more information about these changes and more, visit www.vermontfoodhelp.com. Beginning in June, individuals may apply online. Or you can call SEVCA at 1-800-464-9951 or the Senior Helpline at 1-800-642-5119 if you are a senior, for help filling out a 3SquaresVT application.
Susan Howes, SEVCA Family Services
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Free "Medicine"
What reduces the risk of breast and colon cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and depression; improves your immune function and brain performance, makes you feel better, look better and live longer, and is free? WALKING
And it doesn’t have bad side effects, interact with medications, or hurt (if you wear decent shoes).
Study after study results in the same conclusion, walk several times a week and you will be healthier and happier. That’s the bottom line.
So why do people NOT walk? No time, too cold out, knee hurts, the excuses are endless. My suggestion? Decide now , this very moment, that you are going to walk three times a week for at least 30 minutes. Find a friend, or a dog, who is willing to walk with you. Set goals: today to the end of your driveway, tomorrow to the end of the road. Start slowly, your body will get used to walking longer and longer distances.
If you think you’re too old to start walking, AARP has suggestions on their website to inspire you. Get a step-counter and attach it to your waistband when you get dressed each morning, and aim for 10,000 steps per day. If you don’t like the cold, walk in a gym. Here are a few ideas:
Get motivated.
Walking is the simplest and most accessible thing you can do for your health and well-being, and it is highly unlikely that new research will come out that says, ‘oops, never mind, we found out it’s unhealthy to walk’.
Judi Petry, MD, Westminster Resident
And it doesn’t have bad side effects, interact with medications, or hurt (if you wear decent shoes).
Study after study results in the same conclusion, walk several times a week and you will be healthier and happier. That’s the bottom line.
So why do people NOT walk? No time, too cold out, knee hurts, the excuses are endless. My suggestion? Decide now , this very moment, that you are going to walk three times a week for at least 30 minutes. Find a friend, or a dog, who is willing to walk with you. Set goals: today to the end of your driveway, tomorrow to the end of the road. Start slowly, your body will get used to walking longer and longer distances.
If you think you’re too old to start walking, AARP has suggestions on their website to inspire you. Get a step-counter and attach it to your waistband when you get dressed each morning, and aim for 10,000 steps per day. If you don’t like the cold, walk in a gym. Here are a few ideas:
- The Westminster Center School gym is open for walkers weekday mornings from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m.
- Putney Central School opens to walkers each Tuesday and Friday, 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Get motivated.
Walking is the simplest and most accessible thing you can do for your health and well-being, and it is highly unlikely that new research will come out that says, ‘oops, never mind, we found out it’s unhealthy to walk’.
Judi Petry, MD, Westminster Resident
The Fine Line
This article is directed toward the adults who have parents or loved ones in their life who have shown signs of giving up on the future.
There is a fine line between wanting to help someone stay active and positive and allowing them to be comfortable with their position in life. It’s not unusual to hear someone complain because their elderly parents have become uninterested in life. “All they want to do is sit around and watch TV” “They never want to go anywhere” “They won’t leave the house.” “What’s the matter with them?” To the active adults in the family this seems to be intolerable. And the nagging can’t be much fun for the elders. Obviously it is very unhealthy to be idle and to be disconnected socially. Depression sets in. Physical health is impaired. So we try to encourage activity. We try to encourage socializing within or outside the family. And we do it with the best intentions. However, is this in the best interest of “Mom and Dad”? Every family is different. Every situation requires thoughtful consideration. In some cases magic can be performed and the parents can become happier and healthier with the smallest amount of encouragement. In other cases we could be adding to the pain of growing old that many are experiencing. So what is the answer? There isn’t a one size fits all conclusion. But here is a suggestion. Have you noticed how much more improved parenting has become over the years? Today’s parents are masters at disciplining their children while at the same time, considering the child’s self esteem. Try it on the elderly. Give them your best advice. Share with them all you know. Gently remind them how important they are and how valuable their lives are, not only to themselves, but to others. But be careful not to take away any more of their self esteem than the aging process has. Remember, many of their friends are gone, much of their energy has diminished, and the horizon is getting closer and closer. Encourage positive living while maintaining understanding and dignity.
Pete Harrison has been a resident of Westminster
for approx. 40 years. Pete is President of the
Westminster Cares Board and an active
community member.
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