Acting Your Age with oomph!

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.

The Happy Diabetic

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.

Inspired by oomphTV

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

The Emerging Field of Epigenetics

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!

Pets Can be Good for Your Health

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

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