Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/11663
6A – Daily News – Monday, June 7, 2010 Vitality & health ST. LOUIS (MCT) — Lucille Morris was in her mid-50s when she was diagnosed with Type 2 dia- betes. Not long after, she began experiencing pain and numbness in her feet from neuropathy. Walking felt painful and wobbly. "Sometimes my feet feel like they're frozen and are so stiff they don't want to move," said Morris, 64, of Ballwin, Mo. "When I walk on uneven surfaces, like in the grass, I don't feel like I'm in control of my bal- ance." Twenty-five years ago, a hobbled woman in her 50s would have seemed unusu- al. Not anymore. Health care providers report an increase in the number of patients under age 64 suffer- ing from disabilities in the past decade or so. "The people I'm seeing are aging more quickly than the people I used to see, and for what seems appropri- ate," said Dr. F. David Schneider, chair of family and community medicine at St. Louis University. Studies show similar findings on a national level. Researchers at the Universi- ty of Michigan and the RAND Corp. analyzed information from the 1997 to 2007 National Health Interview Survey and found that more than 40 percent of people ages 50 to 64 report- ed having difficulty doing one of nine physical func- tions, such as stooping, standing for two hours, walking a quarter mile or climbing 10 steps without resting. The health prob- lems most often cited included neck and back problems, arthritis, diabetes, anxiety and emotional prob- lems. Researchers noted that the 40 percent figure was in contrast with the older group, age 65 and older, who reported a decrease in disabilities during that same period. Disabilities strike the middle-aged Courtesy photo Lucille Morris, 64, who has diabetic neuropathy, takes part in a study at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The study, published in the April edition of the jour- nal "Health Affairs," also found that some middle- aged respondents _ less than 2 percent, but growing _ need help with personal care activities. Those include getting out of bed, using the toilet and shop- ping for groceries. The national study didn't pinpoint a root cause of the increase in disabilities among middle-aged people, but local health care providers list these as the biggest reasons: obesity, sedentary lifestyles and lack of preventive medical care. "I don't think people are taking time for themselves to be focused on healthy behaviors," said Carolyn Baum, director of occupa- tional therapy at Washing- ton University. And it's more complex than just handing people a sheet of paper with instruc- tions on how to eat and exercise. "We need to address how people plan their daily lives, how they educate their fam- ily members to help them do what they need to do," Baum said. MOVE YOUR BODY While the increase in disabilities among middle- aged people mirrors the rise in obesity rates, experts stress that those of normal weight do not have a free pass to sit and do nothing. "One thing that creates disability is not using your body," Schneider said. "People who exercise and move and do things physi- cally are less apt to be dis- abled." Technology, he said, is a big culprit in promoting inactivity. There was a time, he added, when people got up and walked down the hall to talk to co-workers. Now they send e-mails or instant messages. Inactivity and poor nutri- tion lead to cardiovascular disease and diabetes, which can lead to a host of prob- lems that make moving about difficult. As we age, people of all body types are also subject to deterioration of cartilage in joints and the loss of bone density and muscle mass. Sherry Muir, assistant professor of occupational therapy at St. Louis Univer- sity, said Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center found that losing 11 pounds decreased the risk of osteoarthritis in the knees by 50 percent. "We talk so much about obesity, but we forget that even a 10- to 15-pound weight gain causes signifi- cant problems in the hips Professional Personal Convenient • Premium Digital Ask about our Open Fit Technology Discreet and Comfortable Red Bluff Community Center 1500 So. Jackson Wed., June 9, 2010 10:00 am - 3:00 pm 1-800-488-9906 Appointments CALL Limited Hearing Aids for every budget • FREE hearing evaluations • Service/Repair, all makes and models • Batteries & accessories • Preferred provider for most insurance plans: Including PERS, Carpenters, Blue Cross/ Blue Shield, etc. • Low monthly payment plan available • Trial Period/ Satisfaction Guaranteed Performed for proper amplification selection only. Dave HENCRATT ★★★★ dave4sheriff.com for Sheriff Only 300 will be sold …they’re starting to move! could win $10,000 $100 each You Proceeds will go to provide the Fireworks Extravaganza at the First Annual 4th of July Heritage Celebration at the District Fairgrounds in Red Bluff, brought to you by The Red Bluff- Tehama County Chamber of Commerce, Tehama District Fair and the Daily News! Buy your Golden Ticket(s) at: RB-TC Chamber of Commerce Red Bluff Yamaha – Antelope Blvd. Buds Jolly Kone – Antelope Blvd Nu-Way Market – Los Molinos Napa Auto Parts, Corning Tehama Get your and knees," Muir said. "And our mobility relies primarily on our hips, knees and back." Plus, she said, the carti- lage in the joints between our bones is kept alive and healthy by the fluid that sur- rounds it. Exercise helps keep the fluid around the cartilage clean. "It's like a sponge," Muir said. "When you move, you squish the sponge and push out all the waste product and then the joint sucks in all the healthy stuff." She blames clothes dry- ers for decreasing the range of motion in people's shoul- ders: "Washing those clothes on a wash board, squeezing then hanging them kept our joints healthy. I believe some damage hap- pens to our cartilage just by not moving." IT'S NEVER TOO LATE Lucille Morris knows she's obese. It didn't seem like a big deal until she was diagnosed with diabetes and then neuropathy. Suddenly, walking became painful and scary. "People tell you to exer- cise, but they don't tell you what's good for neuropa- thy," she said. Several weeks ago, she learned about a study at Washington University that's looking at whether people with diabetes and peripheral neuropathy can increase their activity and leg strength without increasing their foot prob- lems. Morris signed up. She spent one morning stretching, doing balance and strength exercises, then walking on a treadmill. Afterward, she reported feeling more energized and stable. She was even able to traverse a cemetery without worrying that she might stumble and fall. House – Apartment FOR RENT Classified Line Ads June Special! Online re-publication in BOOK BARN Used Books FREE TOP LISTINGS RENTALS $11 Value on the front page at www.redbluffdailynews.com 60,000 unique visitors monthly Daily News Classified (530) 527-2151 Tues-Fri 10-5 Sat 10-2 Serving Tehama County since 1994 619 Oak St., Red Bluff (530) 528-2665 Mon.-Fri. 10:30 to 5:30 Sat. 11-3 40 Crafters in 1 Shop! 650 Main St., Red Bluff 530 528-2723 Come & Shop Crafter’s Boutique Or Rent a Space to Sell Your Crafts Gifts for family & friends Wrapping available$1.00 Paid political advertisement fitness Nutrition Quiz: The facts on celery (MCT) Celery, perhaps unjustly, has a long-stand- ing reputation as the bland- est of vegetables. Prepare to change your mind after taking this quiz. 1. A new study reports that celery contains a hor- mone called andosterone, which has what effect on men? a) Improves oxygen capacity for cyclists, enabling them to ride faster, longer b) Puts pheromones into their sweat, which helps draw the attention of the opposite sex c) Fights tooth decay and gum disease better than fluoride and flossing 2. Celery also contains a phytochemical compound, courmarin, that is effective in enhancing the activation of white blood cells. What is among the benefits? a) Lowers blood pres- sure b) Helps ease migraines c) Both 3. True or false: Celery contains more sodium than most vegetables. 4. Two pieces of raw celery covered with a half- tablespoon of peanut butter is considered a healthy snack. How many calories does it contain? a) 50 b) 100 c) 200 5. True or false: Accord- ing to snopes.com, it takes more calories to eat a piece of raw celery than the cel- ery has in it to begin with. 6. What percentage of a celery stalk is fiber? a) 86 percent b) 92.5 percent c) 99 percent Sources: "Staying Young: 10 Steps to Ulti- mate Health"; thedaily- plate.com; www.everynu- trient.com; www.snopes.com. Don't crunch your ice (MCT) Here is a short list of dental-health tips that most patients have either forgotten or never knew: Don't eat ice cubes, it can result in fractured teeth. Many older fillings are made of silver, which doesn't bond to teeth like the white amalgams and can cause tiny cracks because of the stress of chewing hard items like cubes, candy or unpopped popcorn kernels. To clean the sulcus (the space between the gumline and the point where gum attaches to the tooth), turn your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle and get the bris- tles in there. A normal depth for the sulcus is 2-3 mil- limeters, but if it reaches 7-8 it's time to start worrying. When flossing the back teeth, curve the thread around the tooth and push it underneath the gumline. When the outer bristles of your brush start to flare, it's time to change it. Stop smoking. Smoking is so destructive to teeth and gums that many periodontists won't even treat these patients because the prognosis for recovery is so poor. Golden Ticket ANSWERS: 1: b; 2: c; 3: true; 4: b; 5: true (celery has 6 calories per stalk; it takes more calories to digest it); 6: a