The Green Buddha from oomphTV on Vimeo.

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.

It seems as though every week we learn something new about the real power of nutrition. Recently, Agricultural Research Service (ARS) funded scientists at the Laboratory for Nutrition and Vision Research and found some interesting information.
Age related macular degeneration (AMD) and the vision loss associated with it may be connected to the “quality” of carbohydrates.

One study showed that a regular consumption of a “slow carb” ( low glycemic index) diet provided a protective effect against macular degeneration. A food’s glycemic index is an indicator of how fast the carbohydrate it contains will spike blood sugar levels.

So how do you keep your glycemic index in check? To learn more about which carbs produce only small fluctuations in our blood glucose and insulin levels, check out http://www.glycemicindex.com/ and follow their recommendations:

1. Pile half your dinner plate high with vegetables or salad
Aim to eat at least five serves of vegetables (this doesn’t include the starchy ones like potatoes, sweet potatoes or sweet corn) every day, and aim for foods with a variety of of colors.

2. Cut back on most potatoes
If you are a big potato eater and can’t bear the thought of giving them up, you don’t have to. Just cut back on the quantity. Don’t be afraid of trying other starchy vegetables like sweet potato, yams or taro, steamed, roasted or mashed.

3. Swap your bread
Choose a really grainy bread where you can actually see the grains, granary bread, stoneground wholemeal bread, real sourdough bread, soy and linseed bread, pumpernickel, fruit loaf or bread made from chickpea or other legume based flours.

4. Replace those high GI crunchy breakfast flakes
These refined breakfast cereals spike your blood glucose and insulin levels. Replace them with smart carbs like natural muesli or traditional (not instant) porridge oats or one of the lower GI processed breakfast cereals that will trickle fuel into your engine.

5. Make your starchy staples the low GI ones
Look for the low GI rice’s, serve your pasta al dente, choose less processed foods such as large flake or rolled oats for porridge or muesli and intact grains such as barley, buckwheat, bulgur, quinoa, whole kernel rye, or whole wheat kernels and opt for lower GI starchy vegetables.

6. Learn to love legumes!
Include legumes like beans, lentils and chickpeas in your meals two or three times a week, more often if you are vegetarian. Add chickpeas to a stir fry, red kidney beans to a chili, a bean salad to that barbecue menu, and beans or lentils to a casserole or soup.

7. Develop the art of combining
No need to cut out all high GI carbs. The trick is to combine them with those low GI tricklers to achieve a moderate overall GI. How? Lentils with rice (think of that delicious classic Italian soup), rice with beans and chili, tabbouli tucked into pita bread (with falafels and a dash of hummus), baked beans on toast or piled on a jacket-baked potato for classic comfort food.

8. Incorporate a lean protein source with every meal
Eat lean meat, skinless chicken, fish and seafood, eggs, milk, yoghurt or cheese, or legumes and tofu if you are vegetarian. The protein portion should make up around a quarter of the plate/meal.

9. Tickle your taste buds
Try vinaigrette (using vinegar or lemon juice with a dash of extra virgin olive oil) with salads, yogurt with cereal, lemon juice on vegetables like asparagus, or sourdough bread. These foods contain acids, which slow stomach emptying and lower your blood glucose response to the carbs in the meal.

10. Go low GI when snacking

If it is healthful and low GI, keep it handy. Grab fresh fruit, dried fruit, or fruit and nut mix, low fat milk and yogurt (or soy alternatives), fruit bread etc for snacks. Limit (this means don’t buy them every week) high GI refined flour products whether home baked or from the supermarket such as cookies, cakes, pastries, crumpets, crackers, biscuits, irrespective of their fat and sugar content. These really are the ‘keep for the occasional treat’ foods.

Keep your eye on the serving size. Remember portion caution with carb rich foods such as rice, al dente pasta and noodles, potatoes etc. Eating a huge amount of these foods, even of the low GI variety, will have a marked effect on your blood glucose. A cup of cooked noodles or al dente pasta or rice plus plenty of mixed non starchy vegetables and a little lean protein can turn into 3 cups of a very satisfying meal.

Most of all, recognize that protective nutrients are in each and every meal that you eat, and we all my have the power to stave off certain age related conditions.

By Michael Thomas Masters

In the spring of 2010, I was extremely fortunate to have been introduced to a modern day chef, Robert Lewis, The Happy Diabetic, residing in Bettendorf, Iowa, who offers his own unique 21st Century culinary innovations. Chef Robert’s personal goal is for everyone – diabetic and non-diabetic – who are eager and willing, to maintain a healthy, happy and delicious culinary lifestyle filled with oomph and success.

Like Chef Robert, Julia Childs and Graham Kerr (1970s Galloping Gourmet) comprise a long list of popular chefs. Furthermore, the mystery farce, Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? (1978), the animated film, Ratatouille (2008), and the comedy-drama, Julie & Julia (2009) creatively focus on the culinary world of chefs.

In fact, eating well and knowing how to properly cook and bake, continues to both captivate and challenge people worldwide.

Honestly, do not Amos & Andy’s Moon Cake, Grandma’s Rice Chex Dessert and Wilma Marie’s Cream Puffs desserts all sound incredibly delectable? How about Chicken-Almond Stir-Fry or Glazed Pork Chops with Caramelized Onions? Perhaps even barbequed Shrimp or Lemon garlic Alaska Salmon? Has your mouth begun to water yet?

Now understand that all of these recipes (and countless more) are featured in two successful cookbooks for diabetes, Simply Desserts and Get Happy, Get Healthy! both written by Chef Robert Lewis. Chef Robert’s latest cookbook catering to diabetics, Cooking for One, will be available in Fall 2010. Additionally, visit Chef Robert’s informative and cool website, happydiabetic.com.

Of course, non-diabetics, like me, are also strongly encouraged to enjoy these appetizing and healthy meals and desserts. Eating well and being healthy and happy should be the objective for all people.

Robert Lewis’s passion for good food, and the creative outlet it provides for him, initially materialized as the promising chef, who graduated in 1976 from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, grew up in culinary unique Los Angeles.

When first diagnosed in 1998 with type 2 diabetes, Chef Robert believed that the infinite food choices he had come to appreciate would be greatly restricted.

“Much of what I heard in those early days after being diagnosed was about the foods that were prohibited. I suspected my days of good eating were over,” Lewis recalls.

However, Chef Robert did not lose heart, but instead, he moved forward with a positive and educated approach towards the disease and his new life’s challenge as a type 2 diabetic.

“Instead of viewing meals and diet as just another set of restrictions, it’s about treating food as a reward,” states the renowned Chef.

Robert Lewis is thrilled that his recipes celebrate great-tasting as well as healthful foods that both diabetics and non-diabetics can enjoy.

Extensive knowledge of cooking and food preparation, coupled with his friendly personality and delightful humor, has landed Chef Robert on the Quad City TV’s top rated show, Paula Sands Live. Additionally, Chef Lewis has been featured each fall on WGN Chicago’s call-in radio show, Turkey Talk, and appeared on ESPN’s Cold Pizza program. Lewis has also worked with television personalities Al Roker, Richard Simmons and Ann Curry.

Chef Robert currently is the Director of Training and Development and Corporate Chef for Happy Joe’s Pizza and Ice Cream Parlors at its support center in Bettendorf, Iowa.

In recent years, Chef Robert and the Eli Lilly Company have successfully teamed up to create an amazingly informative and fun interactive virtual kitchen, filled with tips, tidbits and humorous anecdotes, available at both the lillydiabetes.com and happydiabetic.com websites. In fact, Chef Robert was selected to be the culinary face on the new Lilly Diabetes website.

The Happy Diabetic recommends that people work to manage their health in partnership with their doctor or dietician.

It is critical to note that diabetes is an incurable (and often successfully manageable) disease and not a medical condition, as many people incorrectly suppose. Diabetes can cause serious health complications including heart disease, blindness, kidney failure and lower-extremity amputations and can strike all ages and all nationalities, both male and female.

During the last ten years, diabetes has grown at an astounding rate of 50%. Americans need to become better educated about the disease and how to effectively control it, while living a high-quality life, through a healthy and well-balanced diet and exercise.

Yes, exercise is important for diabetics (and non-diabetics) alike. Physical activity, such as walking or riding an exercise bike, is a critical factor in maintaining a healthier life.

Chef Robert also encourages joining a neighborhood diabetic support group,

“Newly diagnosed diabetics can learn from people who have lived with the disease for a long time. It helps to talk with others who have similar challenges and questions.”

In regards to diet, Chef Robert also recommends a diet high in fiber to help control blood sugar levels from spiking. Additionally, he recommends considerably cutting down processed foods from one’s diet and substituting them with beans and whole grains, which are not just healthy, but can actually save money. In addition, when out dining, “pair and share” restaurant portions, since many meals are often too large for one person. Order a salad each and spilt one large entrée.

When making healthy dietary choices, Chef Robert suggests creating small changes over time, in what one eats and in the level of exercise, since small steps usually work better than taking giant hurdles. Eat and enjoy all foods in moderation. If you occasionally desire to visit a fast food restaurant, choose your meals wisely (favoring salads and low calorie and less fat menu items) and resist the temptation to super-size your order.

By shifting eating habits and food menus towards a healthier diet and lifestyle, Chef Robert Lewis advocates, “We’re changing the way people eat one recipe at a time.”

Certainly, my eating habits and meal menus have become healthier, as well as more exciting and delicious since discovering Chef Robert Lewis.

Now, a healthier and tastier Bon Appetite to you!

Michael Thomas Masters can be reached at filmguy552003@yahoo.com

Robert’s Mediterranean Chicken of Love

Recipe by Robert Lewis, www.happydiabetic.com

If you’ve ever traveled to Greece, you know all about the healthy eating habits of the locals. This dish is a rich and full-flavored sample of their cuisine, heavy with aromas from the Mediterranean. The tender chicken, garlic, and tomatoes create a delicious combination that your friends and family will not soon forget, and it’s just as good if you substitute shrimp for the chicken. This recipe is easy to prepare…and remember, it was made with love!

Ingredients & Methods

Serves 4
Robert’s Mediterranean Chicken of Love
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup white wine
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, sliced
2 cloves of garlic
3 roma tomatoes, diced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon rosemary
1 tablespoon oregano
10 pitted black pitted olives
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
Nutrition at a Glance (per serving)

Calories

336

Total fat

17.75g

Carbohydrate

4.92g

Protein

34.58g

Method:
1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced chicken and sauté about 4 to 6 minutes, until golden. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
2. Sauté garlic in pan drippings for 30 seconds, then add tomatoes and sauté for 3 minutes. Lower heat, add white wine, and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add oregano, rosemary, and basil, and simmer for 2 to 3 more minutes.
3. Return chicken to skillet and cover. Cook over low heat until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside. Add olives and parsley to the skillet and cook for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

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

Fitness for life is something many of us would like to think that we have, but how do we measure our own success? If I can run a 5K without experiencing cardiac arrest, does it mean that I’m ‘fit’? Or if I’ve moved on to the advanced yoga class, will this classify me as ‘fit’? Just how do I rank amongst others my age and just what should fitness measure?

To answer these questions, I’ve decided to take the plunge and take the President’s Fitness Challenge Program. As you may remember from Junior High days, The President’ Council of Physical Fitness and Sports focused on youth fitness, seemingly trying to motivate kids towards healthy fitness levels. I remember these tests as being nothing but humiliating, confirming that “jocks” were indeed jocks, and that the non-athletes (me) should just give it up. I shared the same amount of love for physical fitness tests as my love for my starched gym uniform. None.

Fast forward a few years (okay, more than a few) and here I am wondering if my own fitness levels are up to federal standards. Fortunately, the President’s Council has created the first-ever Adult Fitness Test. “What began as a national youth fitness test has grown up. Today, the President’s Challenge takes staying active beyond the school gym and into everyday life.”

The Adult Fitness Test is actually a series of four tests that give one a general measure of fitness in four health related areas: aerobic capacity, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, and body composition. First, you need to find out if you are healthy enough for testing, easily accomplished via a screening questionnaire. Second, it is recommended that adults find a partner to help collect and record the results for each challenge.

Fortunately, you don’t need to perform the challenges in any particular order or even on the same day. Once you’ve finished, you can record your results online and even get suggestions of ways to improve fitness in that particular area. Each test includes a “FITT” box which recommends Frequency (F), Intensity (I), TIme (T) and Type of exercise (T). Put the four together (FITT) and you get specific ways to improve your level of fitness. You can also compare your results to others and follow your own progress. And no starchy uniforms! What’s not to like?

This June, I’m off to visit www.adultfitnesstest.org and I’m inviting others to join in. Be sure to let us know what you think of the test after completion. Not a bad way to start the summer, eh?

How much of our health depends on our family genes? How much can we influence our own lifespan? These are questions that I have discussed with friends and family over the years and are questions that interest me for oomphTV.

I recently came across an article in the LA Times about a rapidly growing field in health called Epigenetics that caught my eye.

We all have an idea of what DNA is and what it does. I just learned there is a kind of secondary code, carried along with the DNA, called the “epigenome.” This code is a set of chemical marks, attached to the genes, that act like the DNA referees. They turn off some genes and let others do their thing.

And although the epigenome is pretty stable, it can change. This means lifestyle choices such as diet, exercise and drug use could have lasting effects on how the body works.

“The thing I love about epigenetics is that you have the potential to alter your destiny,” says Randy Jirtle, who studies epigenetics at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C.

The epigenome is part of what tells different cells in the body which DNA recipes to read and which to ignore. The small chemicals that attach to the DNA may cover up or restrict access to genes that aren’t needed and keep others wide open and readable.

Jirtle compares the system to a computer: The DNA is the hardware – set and unchanging- and the epigenome is the software that tells it when, where and how to work. Some very important stuff here.

Epigenetics might be especially important for pregnant women and infants, because much of the epigenetic code is laid down early in development. Some experts speculate that the time before puberty might also be important, since the genome and epgenome are gearing up to launch new genetic programs.

So why should those of us over 40 care about about epigenetics? Because the epigenome can also be altered in our adulthood. Epigenome may change in response to what you had for breakfast today, or the stress you feel after a tough day.

Genes are not just “on” or “off.” They can be on just a little bit, on a lot and everything in between. So referees, both the short-term and long-term types, turn genes up or down, rather like the dimmer switch for a lamp.

And many genes can be turned up or down by changes in behavior and environment. For example, researchers at the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, Calif., studied 30 men with prostrate cancer. These men declined traditional medical treatment and instead underwent a three-month program that included a healthy diet, moderate exercise and daily stress management.

When the researchers examined gene activity in the men’s prostate biopsy samples, they found that 48 genes were turned up and 453 were turned down, compared with gene activity at the beginning of the study. The authors noted that the study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in 2008, was small and needs to be repeated to be sure of the effects.

Though the science of epigenetics is young, scientists think there’s good reason to think about how lifestyle choices may affect the epigenome.

So the next time you eat a healthy meal or finish a good round of exercise, think of those little epigenomes. Hopefully you are helping them make good decisions and giving them a little oomph!

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.

The researchers were among two dozen USC faculty who spoke at the April 20 conference, “What’s Hot in Aging Research at USC: Interdisciplinary Perspectives,” hosted by the USC Davis School of Gerontology and the Office of the Vice Provost for Research Advancement. 

Demographer Eileen Crimmins warned that the U.S. is falling behind other developed countries.

“Life expectancy is low in the U.S. and has been getting worse, relative to other countries like us. For a country that is the richest in the world and spends the most on health care, you might think that we’d do a little better,” Crimmins said.

World leaders in life expectancy include Japan, France, Switzerland, Spain and Italy.

Health care reform will help slightly, Crimmins said. Smoking, obesity, economic disparity and other deep cultural problems have a greater impact on life span. More than health care reform, the nation needs health reform, Crimmins told the nearly full auditorium at the Andrus Gerontology Center.

According to Crimmins, one of the biggest influences on life span is the inequality in health and mortality between the top and bottom of society, which is greater than in other countries.“People who are poor and have low education live different lives,” she said, regardless of their race.

Crimmins’ frequent collaborator, University Professor and neurobiologist Caleb Finch, described a future in which most people will lead less healthy lives than the wealthy few, due to rising health care costs and uneven environmental conditions. His current research studies possible links between air quality and brain development.

“There are very powerful counter longevity forces that are building. Future benefits of longevity may be limited to a very small privileged group of people,” he said.

However, you can make a difference in your own life, no matter who you are. 50% of the factors that influence your own life span, is your own behavior, according to Walter Bortz, MD, a clinical associate professor of medicine at Stanford University. Please read “Tips on how to be 100” These are very simple tips we all can learn from.

We need to examine the current data coming out of the Universities and learn from what they are telling us.

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