Red Bluff Daily News

December 06, 2013

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2B Daily News – Friday, December 6, 2013 FEATURES Core exercises should be part of regimen possible, look in a DEAR DOCmirror when exerTOR K: I'd like to cising. start doing some A n o t h e r core exercises. instruction you're What do I need to likely to encounter know before I is to "stay neutral." start? Whether you're DEAR READstanding or seated, ER: Core exercisDr. K neutral posture es should be a part by Anthony L. means keeping of everyone's exercise routine. Komaroff, M.D. your chin parallel to the floor; your Committing to core work will improve shoulders, hips and knees at your posture whether even heights; and your you're sitting, standing or knees and feet pointing moving. Try to do a vari- straight ahead. A neutral ety of exercises that target spine means the back is straight except for the slight all the core muscles. Many people equate natural curves of the spine. the core with their abdom- It is not flexed or arched. inal muscles, but your And neutral alignment core is much more than means keeping your body that. It also includes mus- in a straight line from head cles in your back, sides, to toe (again, except for the pelvis and buttocks. These spine's natural curves). To get you started, I've muscles are essential for movement. They help your put descriptions and illusbody with everything from trations of a few core exerbending, twisting, lifting cises on my website, and carrying, to enhancing AskDoctorK.com. Core exercises not only your balance and stability. Weak, tight or unbalanced protect you from injury and core muscles can under- improve your posture, they mine the ease and power of also are used to treat various problems with the everyday motions. When performing core bones and muscles. For exercises, it's important to example, they often are have good form. Good used as part of an exercise form involves proper pos- program to treat chronic ture and alignment. When low back pain. Some scieninstructions for core exer- tific trials have found core cises ask you to stand up exercises effective for this purpose; other studies have straight, that means: — chin parallel to the been inconclusive. In any event, don't forfloor; — shoulders even (roll get to make core exercises a them up, back and down to part of your regular exercise program. They can help achieve this); —-arms at your sides, protect you from the aches and pains that come from elbows relaxed and even; — abdominal muscles injuries to the muscles, tendons and ligaments, which pulled in; become more easily injured — hips even; — knees even and point- as we age. ing straight ahead; Dr. Komaroff is a — feet pointing straight physician and professor ahead; Harvard Medical — body weight evenly at School. To send distributed on both feet. go to Quick posture checks questions, or before and during exercise AskDoctorK.com, can help you avoid injury write: Ask Doctor K, 10 and squeeze the most bene- Shattuck St., Second fit from your workout. If Floor, Boston, MA 02115. Ghost hunters in Pa. are mistaken for burglars GETTYSBURG, Pa. (AP) — Police in Pennsylvania are investigating a complaint concerning a ghost hunt that went bust after a police officer mistakenly thought it was a burglary in progress. The Gettysburg Times reported Tuesday that the Thanksgiving night ghost tour ended with two tourists and their guide being detained at gunpoint. A patrolman passing a closed store in Gettysburg says he saw flashlights inside, so he went in and handcuffed and searched the three ghost hunters. Police called the owner, who confirmed the tour operator had permission to use the allegedly haunted Civil War-era building. The first Union general killed in the Battle of Gettysburg was brought to the building after being fatally wounded. The owner of the Victorian-style photography studio that occupies the building and permitted the tour has declined to comment. Beau's passive-aggression not appreciated I know these are tiny Dear Annie: My things, but they add up, boyfriend and I have been especially when I'm worktogether for two years, and ing all day while he is he moved in six months watching TV. When he's ago. ''John'' is 25 years upset with me, he gives me older than I am. He has the silent treatment, and always been supportive and often it takes me days to fighelpful, but now he is disure out why. I know John is playing passive-aggressive Annie's depressed because of his behavior. retirement, but he is well sitJohn was forced into uated, doesn't have to pay retirement last year, and I think he somehow blames by Kathy Mitchell any bills and gets homeme. I work full time, take and Marcy Sugar cooked meals every day. I love him dearly, but I am care of two teenage boys, cook dinner every night, do dishes going nuts walking on eggshells. and laundry, clean the bathrooms, What am I doing wrong? — Massabuy the groceries and pay the bills. chusetts Dear Massachusetts: Nothing. John sweeps and vacuums and does the yard work, which is a godsend You did not live with John before because I have had shoulder issues his retirement and don't really know that make these things difficult for whether he was always like this. His age may also be a factor in that he me. But lately, John has been pushing might be less energetic and capable all of my buttons. He throws the than he was a year ago. And deprestowel over the shower door even sion could cause him to push you though there is a nearby towel rack. away in these subtle ways, feeling I know it's a small thing, but it's a he doesn't deserve you. Please talk to him. Tell him you daily nuisance, and he knows it bugs me. He also does not squeegee love him, but that the current situathe shower after he uses it, and I'm tion is making you worry your feelthe one who cleans it. And he leaves ings aren't reciprocated. Ask him to the toilet seat up — but only when see his doctor about depression. the toilet is dirty, which is his way Suggest he look into part-time jobs of telling me it's time to clean it. He or activities that will keep him more leaves dishes in the sink instead of active during the day. But if he loading the dishwasher, even makes no effort to address this, the though I've asked him to at least situation is not likely to improve. Dear Annie: I recently missed leave them on the counter. When they are piled in the sink, I have no my 10-year high school reunion. I found out it was held in August, and room to prepare dinner. Mailbox I was never invited because I am not on Facebook. When did social media get so big that people can't pick up a phone or write a letter? — Curious Dear Curious: Social media sites began springing up as early as the mid-90s. Facebook was founded in 2004, and there are now more than a billion users. Like it or not, people are more apt to use such a site for mass invitations rather than pick up a phone and make dozens of individual calls. Our readers have let us know that when you haven't heard about an upcoming reunion, you should contact others and find out whether you are out of the loop. Dear Annie: I'd like to respond to ''Too Good of a Cook,'' whose grown children often visited for the weekend but never offered to help cook or contribute to the growing grocery bills. My mother had many siblings who visited from out of state. Her rule was, ''You are guests for one day. After that you are living here.'' So everyone helped out with the dishes, cooking, cutting grass, doing wash and whatever. — J.F. Annie's Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column. Please email your questions to anniesmailboxcomcast.net, or write to: Annie's Mailbox, c/o Creators Syndicate, 737 3rd Street, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254. Plan is not a four-letter word A friend -- I'll call her Sally -in her early thirties moved from Arizona to Florida in search of a better job and a new life. Not that many months later, she decided a change of scenery wasn't the solution she thought it would be and moved back. She decided that what she really wanted was to settle down and buy a house. She'd had surgery the year before, and thanks to some poor choices during employee benefits enrollment, she'd had to pay a big share of the bill. The recovery was easy; the doctor and hospital bills were not. Back in Arizona, she was working two jobs just to make a dent in the medical bills, not to mention her rent, credit-card debt and car loan. For some reason I have never quite understood, she thought it was time to take on a mortgage. To jumpstart her dream, Sally packed up her belongings and moved again, but this time into the basement of some friends for a hundred bucks a month. It wasn't the ideal housing arrangement for a thirty-something professional, but it helped her overcome the obstacles blocking her way to her dream of home ownership. She lived cheaply, all while diligently paying down her debt and putting cash in the bank for a down payment. Two and a half years later -- ironically on April Fool's Day -- she was pre- approved for a mortgage. Two how goofy it sounds, write down months later she took pos- your goal. You have to own it for session of a quaint starter a goal to have any chance of being reached. home. • Be positive. Don't go wishyThat's what financial washy by saying, "I hope planning is all I can buy a house," or about. You have "I'd love to pay off my a goal, and then debt." Instead, make it "I you do whatever it will buy a house," "I will takes to make it happay off my credit-card pen. Given her situadebt." tion, two and a half • Set a date. Unless years was a remarkably you have a deadline, you short season of hard won't accomplish the work in order to realize goal. Just be reasonable her dream. There were and don't be too hard on sacrifices, but that's Mary yourself if you miss your nothing unusual for a deadline. first time homebuyer. • Stay focused. Keep Affordability and visual reminders around availability prompted that will keep you thinkSally to buy a house in ing about your goal. Crean entirely different ate a chart that will let city than she had origiyou see when you meet nally planned, but doing so cut her commute to interim goals along the way so work in half. She also chose an you can adequately evaluate your adjustable rate mortgage with a progress. Celebrate lightly, and lower introductory interest rate in then keep going. Even now, Sally tells me that hopes of landing a better house. In her excitement, she forgot the when she is tempted to charge up "introductory" part and got a big the cards and fall back into her surprise when her rate jumped a old ways, she forces herself to year later, pushing her mortgage recall the cold, damp floor of her payment up more than $200. That friends' basement. increase presented her with yet Mary Hunt is the founder of another financial planning opporwww.DebtProofLiving.com and tunity. But Sally also picked up a few author of 23 books, including her planning tools that will help her 2012 release, "7 Money Rules for make the next goal happen. Per- Life." You can email her at haps they're tools you could put mary@everydaycheapskate.com, to work as you consider your own or write to Everyday Cheapskate, P.O. Box 2099, Cypress, CA dreams: • Write it down. No matter 90630. Hunt Everyday Cheapskate BBB warns of Medicare phone scams SACRAMENTO – The Medicare open enrollment periods ends on Saturday, Dec 7, and your Better Business Bureau serving Northeast California reminds consumers to be vigilant whether you or a loved one are shopping for coverage. Your BBB has received several reports of consumers being contacted by alleged Medicare representatives demanding sensitive information. Scammers call claiming that they are Medicare advisors or benefit counselors offering to reduce Medicare premiums, handle enrollment issues or more commonly issue a new Medicare card, when in fact they do not have any affiliation with the government or Medicare. Their ultimate goal is obtain a victim's bank account number, credit card information or Medicare number in order to gain access to their bank information or commit identity theft fraud. "It doesn't matter who claims to be on the phone; do not give unsolicited callers your bank account or social security numbers," said Gary Almond, president of BBB Serving Northeast California. "Always make sure you are speaking with a trustworthy person and business before taking the conversation any further." To avoid giving out sensitive information to the wrong people, your BBB offers the following tips: Do not give personal information to unsolicited callers. The government does not call, text or email. Also, the government should already possess the necessary information and should not ask for your social security number or address. Do not accept free medical services or equipment in exchange for your Medicare number. Identify real Medicare providers. Call 1800-MEDICARE or TTY at 1-866-6534261. For more tips visit necal.bbb.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter. 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