I just read in the New York Times an article called “Turn 70, Act Your Grandchild’s Age,” which plays into the notion that some of us expect 70 year olds to act like you should be 20 not 70. This article makes me think of the work we do here at oomphTV. I hope we don’t give the false impression that you must act like a 20 year old to have oomph!

Accepting your age and your limitations, while still doing what you want (and being realistic about what you can do) is part of the message of oomphTV. And a big part of having oomph! is simply enjoying and celebrating life, no matter what you can and can’t do. After all, life is short and let’s simply enjoy what we can while we are here.

Recently Ringo Starr celebrated his 70th birthday by playing at the Radio City Music Hall and saying his new hero is BB King, who still jams in his 80s. They will be followed by Bob Dylan (“May you stay forever young”) and Paul Simon (“How terribly strange to be 70”) who still both perform and write music.

Dr. Butler, a psychiatrist, died, at age 83, a few days before Ringo’s big bash. No one, his colleagues said, had done more to improve the image of aging in America. His work established that the old did not inevitably become senile, and that they could be productive, intellectually engaged, and active, sexually and otherwise. His life provided a good example: He worked until three days before his death from acute leukemia.

But as much as Dr. Butler would have cheered an aging Beatle onstage, his colleagues said he would have also cautioned against embracing the opposite stereotype, the idea that “aging successfully,” in his phrase, means that you have to be banging on drums in front of thousands or still be acting like you did at 22 or 42.

“The stories that we hear tend to pull us toward the extreme,” said Anne Basting, the director of the Center on Age and Community at the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee. “It’s either the stories of young-onset Alzheimer’s, or it’s the sky-diving grandmas. We don’t hear enough about the huge middle, which is the vast majority of folks.”

In the film and television business, the business I’m in, Clint Eastwood is still directing films at 80 and Betty White is now starring in a new sitcom at 88 (I worked with her on “Ugly Betty” and she was amazing) The pressure for 70 and 80 year olds is not to face mortality, but to kick up those slightly arthritic heels ever higher.

In the eighth decade, said Dr. Basting, is “now seen as an active time of life: you’re just past retirement, that’s your time to explore and play mentally.” But while many will be healthy, others will not. “There will be an increase in frailty and disability because people are living longer,” said S. Jay Olshansky, a demographer at the University of Illinois at Chicago who studies aging. For some people, an increased risk of stroke and Alzheimer’s “is going to be the price they pay for extended longevity,” he said.

The risk, gerontologists say, is that in celebrating the remarkable stories, we make those not playing Radio City, and certainly those suffering the diseases that often accompany old age, feel inadequate.

Thomas R. Cole, director of the McGovern Center for Health, Humanities and the Human Spirit at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston and the author of a cultural history of aging, said “We’re going to make it look like if you’re sick, it’s your own fault. If you’re not having orgasms or running marathons, there’s something wrong with you.

Here at oomphTV we don’t want to just portray “aging extremes,” but also inspirational people that fall somewhere in the middle. If we simply profiled extremes we would run into the possibility of alienating everyday people.

We did produce a story on Jack Kirk – The Dipsea Demon, the 94 year old runner. He could be considered one of those extremes. However, we also profiled Alice and Richard Matzkin. Both Alice and Richard Matzkin express themselves through their art, one by painting and the other by sculpting. They are not running any foot race, but clearly they have oomph!

In addition, we are currently in post-production on “The Green Buddha”, a wonderful story about my sister, Dana Dowell Windatt, and my own mother, Jeanne Dowell, that have started a new apparel business, based on gratitude. My mother has just turned 80 and was the original inspiration behind oomphtv.com She is not running a marathon or doing trapeze, but she is still doing what she wants to do at 80 years of age.

We are looking for different kinds of stories about people over 40 and sometimes way over 40 that have oomph! However, we do want to include stories of people that do have limitations. If you know of any, please write to us.

I hope we have found the right balance. Please feel free to write us and let us know what your thoughts are. We want to continue to inspire and inform, but not alienate our audience.

I am a new fan of this oomph! blog site and I recently took the time to communicate with David Dowell about doing an article for all of you, his readers. I do like the man’s style.

As a Baby Boomer (and an all around nice guy) taking up space on our planet, I feel it is my obligation to maintain good health and a supportive positive attitude with all other earthlings I come in contact with. I think we owe that to each other. Life has it’s problems and, at times, life is not fair. But this life is a wonderful adventure that we can truly enjoy with the right frame of mind. Of course, a healthy body makes the adventure much more interesting.

I have become a steady visitor to this oomph! blog site because of the good information I can take from it. I have found health and wellness ideas that I have never heard of before. I now look at oomph! as my source of many issues that fly under the radar for most of us. I don’t know where David finds his material and, truthfully, I don’t care. I just know that I can count on this blog site to provide me with important ideas that I won’t take the time to find myself.

I do want to mention to you readers of oomph! another idea you need to consider as another component of health and wellness. Some where along the line similar ideas have probably been expressed in various posts on this blog. I’m referring to the need for each one of us to develop the habit of daily laughter. Author E.E. Cumming once said “The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.” Many people do not realize that laughing is very healthy for both your body and your mind.

Laughter creates positive changes in our bodies. It will boost your energy, help your immune system, and it will protect you from the effects of stress. Obviously, laughter will put you in a good mood. It will improve your relationships with family and friends.

So, you need to develop sources that will bring you daily smiles, grins, and chuckles. More importantly, find sources that will get you to laugh out loud. It’s well worth your time… and good for your health.

Phil McMillan
http://www.babyboomerbaloney.com

You know when you read something and it really hits home? I just read about another study today done on gratitude. I know I just wrote about gratitude and oomph! not to long ago. But, here goes another one. And why not share these studies with everyone you can? I think if everyone expressed gratitude more often, we would be living in a better world.

When I express gratitude to my wife it always is appreciated and can be contagious.

Picking up some flowers. Issuing a compliment. Doing your partner’s chores. All are small acts that provoke gratitude and strengthen relationships, say the authors of a new study.

Researchers studied 65 couples who were in committed, satisfying relationships and tracked the day-to-day fluctuations in relationship satisfaction. The so-called “ups and downs.” The researchers found that feelings of gratitude boost the health of relationships. Both the giver and the receiver of an act of kindness benefit, said the lead author of the study, Sara Algoe, a psychologist at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

The emotion of gratitude helps people find and then bond to people who care about their welfare, the study finds.

“Gratitude triggers a cascade of responses within the person who feels it in that very moment, changing the way the person views the generous benefactor, as well as motivations toward the benefactor,” Algoe said in a news release. “This is especially true when a person shows that they care about the partner’s needs and preferences.” The study is published online in the journal Personal Relationships.

This work was supported by a National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biobehavior Issus in Physical and Mental Health.

And why did I place this blogpost under “inspiration?” Because I do feel gratitude does inspire.

By Michael Thomas Masters

In the film, Paulie (United States,1998), an intelligent and talking pet parrot (voiced by actor Jay Mohr) befriends a little girl who stutters and assists an aging and blind widow, enriching their lonely lives.  Bim, a brave and caring pet dog, in White Bim, Black Ear (Russia, 1978), fearlessly assists his human owner, even bringing the man great joy while he’s ill in a town hospital.

Of course, these are fictitious stories and films, which illustrate the emotional and healthy bonds between pets and humans.

Nonetheless, cats, dogs, birds, or any other pet, can make humans happier and healthier.   In fact, pets definitely provide special oomph to our lives!

By no means should we underestimate the power of love and devotion between pet owners and their pets, especially in regards to the positive influence that pets offer to the good mental and physical health of their humans.  Pets are genuine companions. They sense when their owners do not feel well or are unhappy.  Animals keenly feel when their humans need comfort.

For instance, a guide dog makes a blind person feel happier, since this very special kind of canine will help a sight impaired human to be more mobile to go wherever they desire, building their self confidence, spirit and positive state of mind.

While living and working in New York City, several years ago, I visited with my friend George, who is a blind actor, and his wonderful black lab guide dog, Royal.  I was impressed by Royal’s ease and comfort as she walked along the busy sidewalks of downtown Manhattan while assisting George, as well as when she sat quietly in a restaurant during dinner.

As a loyal companion and canine family member, George credited Royal in helping him through personal challenges, often by Royal just being there with her unconditional love.

Sometimes, the seemingly smallest acts of affection from pets, like when a pet curls up at the end of one’s bed, can make humans feel happier, stronger and more secure, thus creating a healthier person.  An affectionate lick from a dog, the purring from a loyal cat seated in ones lap or the lovely singing from a bird, can do wonders for our spirits and hearts.

My friend Carolyn’s husband, Bob, had heart surgery in Oregon a few years back.  Bob was feeling mighty tired, depressed and lonely after the operation.  After two adorable and inquisitive kittens, Jacques and Jill, entered their lives, Bob’s attitude and energy noticeably changed for the better. The playful kitties licked, purred and showered him with attention and love.  They made Bob forget his troubles and worries, as he grew healthier following his surgery.

It is also common knowledge that pets and animals can improve the mental and physical well being of elderly humans, especially when living alone.

In addition to becoming a valued and beloved friend, pets can become an elderly person’s lifeline.  Pets can provide valuable assistance to injured and aged humans.  In fact, pets have often saved their owners lives (of any age) by securing help for their injured or ill humans.

Of course, be aware of the size of your home, your financial situation and the size and type of the pet being considered, before welcoming any pet(s) into your home.

It is wonderful when affection, trust and devotion is shared between pets and humans, making them each happier and healthier creatures.

Michael Thomas Masters is originally from New Jersey. He is a published author, public speaker and arts administrative who presently resides in Iowa. His e-mail address: filmguy552003@yahoo.com

It has now been two months since this video was taken and it’s amazing to see how far Rashida has come. She’s lost weight at the rate of about one pound per week, which is considered ideal because it signals healthy, permanent weight loss that is the result of lifestyle changes.

But there is so much more to Rashida’s journey than simply losing weight. In this video (Rashida’s video) she talks about how hard it is to get up and exercise in the mornings.

Nevertheless, she has stayed focused and committed to her morning workouts at All About You! Wellness BootCamp. She almost never misses a day and she does a variety of other physical activities on the weekends, and on some evenings as well.

She’s also made improvements to her nutrition. She’s incorporated a lot more vegetables, fruit and other whole foods. Rashida has such a down to earth, realistic attitude. She knows that giving up all her favorite foods would backfire, so she’s learned to enjoy them in moderation.

Rashida inspires others with her hard work, determination and positive attitude. It is an honor to have her in our fitness & nutrition program and it’s exciting to be a part of her wellness journey.

Elaine Miller, Co-Founder
All About You! Wellness BootCamp

Rate x Time = Distance
My Journey Journal
By Alicia Coil

Why Run?

The most often asked question when I say that I’m training to run a marathon is, “why run?” A fair question. After a little thought, I came up with my top 5 reasons to run.

5. Workout Outside!
Spring is here! The weather is nice; why not take advantage of the outdoors? Who wants to be inside a stuffy, crowded gym working out on machines? Outside, James and I enjoy the sunshine and fresh air, choosing different routes and scenery everyday.

4. Long Term Goal
Running 26.2 miles (or 13.1 miles, I haven’t quite decided yet) is a BIG GOAL!  By breaking it into smaller goals, I have a sense of accomplishment at every step. At the gym, you workout by doing endless reps on the machines and mark achievement by adding more boring reps. But running, each week I move closer and closer to the Big Event. And going slowly, I track my progress by every goal reached, no matter how small, knowing I am a little stronger and running a little farther than the week before.

3. Get In Shape
One thing I have always noticed about runners is they have long, lean muscles and bodies. I want to be in better shape, but I don’t want to bulk up. I’m not very tall; 5 feet even, so leaner is better. And in my research, I’ve also noticed that training for a run is so much more than just running. It emphasizes nutrition as fuel for hard working muscles and a greater sense of health in all aspects for overall wellness, which leads me to…

2. Strong Body = Strong Mind
Running is a great way to work out stress and tension in both my body and mind. It allows me uninterrupted time to think, as well as the ability to spend the excess energy of tense muscles. And, this is my own personal opinion and I can’t prove it, but I believe an active, strong, healthy, fit body facilitates an active, strong, sharp, healthy mind. If I can encourage a sharp mind as I get older by becoming more fit and healthy now, and maintaining physical activity throughout the upcoming years, why not? Seems like a no-brainer!

And my Number 1 reason to run…

1. The Stamina to Keep Up with My Daughter!
I am 48 years old and I have a 4 year old daughter and 3 grand children ranging in ages between 1 and 3 years old. They have limitless energy! I have a responsibility to set a good example for these little ones. When I complete a training session, I am exhausted, but feel stronger and energized. At this point of my rookie training, I am incorporating running with brisk walks. Each week, I will run more, farther and longer, building the strength and stamina I need to keep up with these bundles of energy for years to come!

Rate x Time = Distance

My Journey Journal

No one has actually said, “YOU’RE CRAZY”. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Everyone’s been extremely supportive. But, I’ve thought it. I’m 48 years old, and I’m training to run a Marathon.

A month ago, I “retired” from a job where I was fairly physically active. Nothing too strenuous; I was walking, climbing ladders, and lifting boxes between 10 and 20 pounds throughout my 8 hour day. Suddenly, my work is 100% in a chair, in front of my computer screen. After one month, I’d noticed a difference. I felt heavier and sluggish. I needed to become more active.

The idea came to me when a good friend sent me a text message after he completed the Los Angeles Marathon. At first, I was first thrilled for his accomplishment. Then I realized, we’re the same age, and he just ran a Marathon! Perfect! I won’t need any special equipment or an expensive gym membership. After all, I already have what I need to run…FEET! I made up my mind right then and there; I would start training the next morning!

I hopped on the internet looking for a marathon in my area about a year from now, and I found it, The Rock and Roll Marathon in Phoenix, AZ.
January 2011.

This is my Journey Journal.

WEEK ONE

Now, I know a little about human nature, and a lot about myself. That Sunday evening, when I decided to run a marathon, I immediately recruited my oldest son, James, to train with me. I knew if I have someone to train with, I would be accountable to follow this journey through to the finish line. I also knew I needed to set a consistent time of day to run; to make it a routine. Being an early riser, and since I have responsibilities during the day, we agreed on 4 a.m.

Our next decision was the route. The one we chose seemed reasonable, around the block, 4 miles around the perimeter of our neighborhood.

4 a.m. Monday morning was cold and dark. We started down the driveway jogging. I lasted maybe a quarter of a mile before I had to stop. “Let’s just do a brisk walk,” I said, when I was able. So, a brisk walk it was. We also opted for about half of the distance we’d originally planned, jogging the last quarter mile. Forty minutes, and two and a half miles later, we’d completed our first session, exhausted and energized!

That same day, though, I headed back to the internet, this time looking for guidance on how to train for a marathon. Low and behold, I found a site specifically for rookies. I noted that we had been a little too enthusiastic with our first session, and adopted their advice to start slowly, with rest days in between runs. The schedule consists of twenty-six weeks in-training for the Big Event. The remainder of the week, 3 more training days, we walked briskly for 20 minutes each day.

I’ve been back to the internet several times this past week, on several different websites, and I’ve learned that I have a lot to learn: nutrition, vitamins, hydration, and shoes. I know it’s just the beginning, but I feel better. Stronger and healthier because the first step of my year long journey of body and mind, was the first step out my front door!

Next week, James and I incorporate running with the brisk walks!

It was a hot day in May 1996 when I found myself struggling to walk. Over the course of the previous month, I had been slowly losing feeling throughout my limbs and torso. With the heat, the tingling and numbness I had been experiencing spread to envelop my face and skull…I had lost feeling in my body from head to toe. It wasn’t just a pinched nerve as first suspected. Something was very wrong. After various medical texts, I was admitted to UCLA Medical Center where I was clinically diagnosed with Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis. Lesions had been detected in my cervical spine, thoracic spine and on my brain.

As I have always been a physically active person and not one to accept the role of victim, I asked my then doctor’s recommendation for my physical protocol. He suggested swimming and yoga, as long as I don’t overheat the body.

The initial protocol of intravenous steroids helped to get my symptoms into remission but along with the other medications prescribed for MS management, they do not offer a cure. With a pocketful of meds, I was released from the hospital and decided to explore some yoga – Iyengar Yoga to be specific – as the Iyengar system employs props to help the practitioner gain access to the poses in order to glean their potential benefits. So I made some necessary dietary and lifestyle changes, started yoga and chose to forego the medications.

The daily practice of Iyengar Yoga has had a profound effect on my course of the condition. However, my journey has not been without setbacks, as anyone’s might be who deals with relapsing-remitting MS, whether or not they are on the medications. The symptoms I have experienced over the years include: loss of feeling throughout my body, numbness and a banding sensation in the torso and limbs, difficulty walking, compromised gait, loss of motor skills to the point where I could not use a pen or use a fork to feed myself, optic neuritis (loss of vision in my right eye and compromised vision in my left); bowel and urinary incontinence; the L’Hermitte’s symptom (a symptom where electrical charges are felt throughout the body when moving the head in a forward fashion); fatigue and depression.

When I had two severe exacerbations within months of one another in 2001 – loss of eyesight in January 2001 (which returned within a couple of months) and loss of feeling from the navel down in June 2001, fear and doubt crept in and I started with the weekly protocol of interferon beta 1-A. As no medications offer a cure for the MS, I found the ongoing side effects of my weekly injections to be more challenging than the condition! While I am not advocating that people with MS ignore the benefits of the pharmaceutical approach in managing their course of MS, I personally opted for the side effects of a daily practice of Iyengar Yoga over the meds. In January 2004, I chose to once again forego the medication.

My agreement with my neurologist is to have an annual MRI to monitor the lesions on my brain. The MRI reports over the last five have been promising, showing a reduction in size of the brain lesions as well as consistently showing no change in activity – which is really good news. I have been able to successfully overcome the symptoms listed above and remain symptom free, with the exception of fatigue and the residual loss of feeling in my right leg and foot which results in strength and balance challenges on my right side. I see my doctor (Dr. Hart Cohen, Director of Multiple Sclerosis Research at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles) semi-annually to continually monitor my course of the condition.

With these results, I am hopeful and my outlook for the future is positive. Undaunted, I carry on with “courage and caution” as encouraged by Yoga master, BKS Iyengar.

Many of us want to find creative ways of getting oomph! We all know we will not live forever, but how do we live into a ripe old age with plenty of zeal, energy, vitality, inspiration or shall we say…oomph!

Some of this information I received from various studies listed below and from health expert Joel Weber, who writes for Men’s Health magazine.

Personally, I think there are many ways to get oomph!, but here are 6 different key ways you can get oomph! and maybe even stick around a long time:

Exercise – I know, I know, maybe we all know this and maybe it’s boring to keep hearing about. But, I will tell you this, it also happens to be true. In fact just this month four studies were published in the Archives of Internal Medicine that show us that if you want to stay physically and mentally healthier in old age then better start or continue exercising. According to a study by researchers at Harvard School of Public Health, Brigham And Woman’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, women who exercised more during middle age had lesser chances of developing a serious disease after 70. Second study stated that there was improvement in attention spans and conflict resolution skills by a year of resistance training. A third study found that people age 55 or more who were into a moderate or high physical activity were able to fight cognitive impairment better.

Maintain Good Weight – The fat you carry today could kill you tomorrow. And if you do maintain good body-mass index (BMI) you can feel better. I know you can feel better, because I lost over 25 pounds last year and I do feel better. University of Alabama researchers discovered that maintaining a body-mass index of 25 to 35 can shorten your life by up to three years. Excess body fat raises your risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and colon cancer. In one landmark 2007 study, men with a 5-point increase in BMI – about 30 extra pounds on a 5’10 guy –had testosterone levels comparable to men who were a full decade older. Women need to watch their BMI, too. Research also suggests that women gaining more than 20 pounds from 18 to midlife doubles the risk of post-menopausal breast cancer.

Eat More Vegetables – I know, I’m not really using my imagination here on how to get oomph am I? What can I say, eating vegetables and good raw ones can give you a boost and expand you life. Italian researchers have found that eating as little as one cup of raw vegetables daily can add two years to your life. Why raw? Cooking can deplete up to 30 percent of the antioxidants (the stuff our bodies love) in vegetables. That said, sautéing or steaming them is far better than not eating them at all. If you consume more than five servings of fruits and vegetables per day, you have a 26 percent lower risk of stroke than people who eat fewer than three servings, according to one British study.

Eat Some Nuts – When Loma Linda University researchers tracked the lifestyle habits of 34,000 Seventh-Day Adventists – a population famous for its longevity—they discovered that those who munched nuts five days a week earned an extra 2.9 years on the planet. ( watch the oomph profile on Jack Kirk – The Dipsea Demon. He was Seventh-Day Adventist ) Not surprisingly, nuts are one of the healthiest snacks you can have. High in monounsaturated fats and protein, they help keep your arteries clean and your stomach feeling full.

Okay here are two ways to get oomph! with a little more imagination:

Don’t Forget Your Friends – Studies show that good friends can help extend your lifespan. Chronic stress weakens the immune system and ages cells more quickly – ultimately shortening life-spans – but friendships can act as a buffer against stresses of everyday life. When Australian researchers looked at seventy somethings, for instance, they found that those with the largest network of friends had the longest lease on life. For the average person, this could add up to seven additional years. But acquaintances aren’t friends: You need people you can openly confide in.

Keep a Positive Frame of Mind – In a Yale University study of older adults, people with a positive outlook on the aging process lived more than seven years longer than those who felt doomed to deteriorating mental and physical health. If you’re outlook has some room for improvement, give back to your community by volunteering or mentoring-selfless actions that distract from unhealthy obsessing, according to studies. In addition to helping others, don’t forget to care about yourself. Make yourself happy by doing the activities you enjoy most – whether it’s going to the spa , playing golf, going to a movie or drinking green tea. Do something for yourself.

Well there you go with 6 ways to get oomph! I know there are many, many more ways to get oomph! I would love to hear back from you, on how you get oomph!

Read more inspiring news.

My partner, Tammy 0’ Connor, read about a local long-distance run in our home town of Glendale California and wanted to cover this event for oomphTV. This will be the third annual 5K (3.1 miles) Glendale Downtown Dash taking place on March 14. Nearly 70 runners and walkers started preparing two weeks ago as part of an eight week training program designed to shape up the participants before the Dash.

The Glendale Downtown Merchants Assn. will host the Dash, which raises money for the Glendale Adventist Medical Center’s stroke services.  The event has raised nearly $100,000 for the hospital’s stroke services.

In addition to the Dash, participants were also asked to take part in the “Lose a Ton in 10” community weight loss challenge. This challenge urges residents to set weight-loss goals and pledge money for each pound lost. The funds raised will benefit Glendale Healthy Kids, a non-profit organization that provides health-care services to uninsured children. And the hospital will donate $1 – up to $2,000 – for every pound lost by residents.

Co-owners Elaine Miller and Narina Minassian, from a local gym called All About You Wellness Boot Camp, coordinate the work-outs. They aim to train local participants in the Dash and help them lose weight.

There are countless events and challenges across American like this one.  Tammy and I wanted to see the kinds of people that participate and help organize this kind of positive community experience. Raising money for those in need and getting yourself more healthy? This seems like a win, win for everyone.

After spending the first cold Sunday morning with the participants and the organizers, I can tell you it was worth effort. First of all, Elaine and Narina, the owners of the gym, were filled with great enthusiasm and designed a well thought out and easy to follow work out routine. The local participants were eager to join in and seemed ready to dive into the eight-week training program.

After the first workout program was completed, there was a weigh in for the “Lose a Ton in 10.” We then announced to the participants that we would be interested in interviewing and keeping track of a few participants progress during the eight week program. Tammy and I thought maybe one or two people might volunteer. We were shocked when nine participants stepped forward to be interviewed on the first day.

After interviewing the nine participants we found out that what got them active in “Lose a Ton in 10” was their deep desire to lose weight and get control of their own health. Pasadena resident Phyllis Cremer just turned 50, and is hoping to improve her health for the next 50 years.  We found out that another woman was also turning 50 this year and wanted to see her grandchildren grow up. She told us heart disease runs in her family and felt this year she was going to be the time to take action and make some positive lifestyle changes.

Tammy and I came away from this event very surprised by how much we were inspired by the energized owners of the gym and by the residents of our home town. We plan to continue to follow some of these residents and get back to you with their personal oomph! stories.