the bridge - june edition for whidbey seniors

life . health . happiness June 2013 | Vol. 5 | issue 2

Whidbey iSLANd’S

50-PLuS CroWd

By Ronda AddyPeople with positive attitudes seem

to have a better outlook on life, but are they healthier? The answer seems to be yes. People who are optimistic are more likely to overcome pain and ad-versity when recovering from illness.

They are also more likely to stay healthy.

Your body responds to your thoughts, emotions and actions.

Try to change your expectations from negative to positive.

Here are some suggestions:n Stop negative self talk. Make only

positive statements.n Send yourself affirmations. An af-

firmation is a phrase or sentence that sends a strong positive statement to you about you.

n Visualize health and healing.n Don’t feel guilty. Sometimes an

illness may develop and persist no mat-ter what. Do the best you can.

n Just about anything that makes you feel good about yourself helps you

recover and stay healthy: Friendship. Close social ties help you recover faster from illnesses and reduce your risk of developing diseases from arthritis to depression.

n Volunteering. Helping others helps you help yourself. People who volunteer enjoy life more than those who don’t.

n Petting an animal. When you stroke a pet, your blood pressure goes down.

n Spirituality. If you believe in a higher power, ask for support while you are recovering. Prayer, faith and spiritual beliefs can play an important role in recovering from an illness and staying healthy.

n Laugh. There are studies show-ing laughter does many things: It can strengthen the immune system, possi-bly increasing antibodies and disease-fighting cells.

It increases endorphins, the body’s natural painkillere. It gives you a mini workout by increasing your heart and

respiration rates, as well as blood pres-sure.

Experts say a hearty one minute laugh is equal to approximately 10 minutes on a rowing machine. It works certain facial and abdominal muscles.

This is especially useful for people who have neuralgia or rheumatism.

It helps people with certain kinds of respiratory illnesses by increasing their ventilation and clearing mucus.

It reduces the incidence of arterial blockage, angioplasties and heart at-tacks.

It is said that children laugh approxi-mately 400 times a day, while adults laugh 15 times. The older we get the more responsibilities we have and thus the more stress.

A good belly laugh will work the ab-dominal muscles, massage your inter-nal organs, improve the blood supply to the intestines and help the bowels move properly. So next time you are feeling stressed, try something positive, like an old-fashioned belly laugh.

Positive people live longerMORE OF THE BRIDGEn Whidbey Island’s 50-plus

crowd deserves its own monthly publication, and here it is. The Bridge, which covers all of Whidbey Island, will be published the last Wednesday of each month as a supplement to the Whidbey News-Times and South Whidbey Record. Please be sure to send your 50-plus news to [email protected] or mail to The Bridge, P.O. Box 1200, Coupeville, WA 98239.

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theBridge

Page 3The Bridge • June 2013 June 2013 • The Bridge

By Ronda AddyFor many, varicose veins are a

common condition that is inherited. In the United States, almost 10% of adult men and 20 percent of adult women suffer from varicose veins.

Putting it simply, varicose veins are bulging bluish cords that run beneath the surface of the skin.

While they can be anywhere, they most commonly appear on the legs. Superficial varicose veins are visible, swollen, twisted veins, which are sometimes surrounded by spider veins — flooded capillaries.

Even though they are painful and disfiguring, they are relatively harmless. If they become inflamed, however, they will become tender to the touch and can reduce circulation, causing swollen ankles, itchy skin and aching limbs.

What exactly causes varicose veins? In order to understand this, you

first need a basic knowledge of how the body works. The arteries have thick layers of muscle tissue to help circulate the blood from the lungs throughout the body. The veins rely on the surrounding muscles and valves to get the blood back to the heart.

Cup-like valves alternately open to let the blood through and then close to stop backflow. When the valves don’t work properly, varicose veins result. Blood pools in the veins, increasing

the pressure and congestion, thereby causing the veins to bulge and twist.

The lack of muscle support in these superficial veins causes them to become varicose.

No one knows exactly what causes varicose veins but there are several things that make some people more susceptible to them than others.

The number one cause is heredity, or being born with weak valves. Hormonal changes caused by puberty, pregnancy or menopause, and taking birth control pills, estrogen or progesterone are other causes.

Other factors are obesity, standing for long periods of time, leg injuries or age.

What can you do to help prevent varicose and spider veins? Here are some tips:

• Exercise regularly to improve and strengthen your legs.

• Watch your weight. Added weight means added pressure.

• Try not to stand for long periods of time. If that can’t be avoided, shift your weight from one leg to another every couple of minutes. If you have to sit for long periods, get up and move around or take a walk, at least every half hour.

• Don’t wear clothing that is too tight around your waist, legs or groin. Elastic support stockings will help.

• Eat high-fiber foods to avoid

constipation, which contributes to varicose veins. Watch your salt intake. Too much salt equals water retention, which equals swelling.

If you have varicose veins, you need to see a doctor if the veins become swollen, red, tender or warm to the touch or if you develop circulation problems in your feet.

Severe cases of varicose veins can lead to venous insufficiency, clogging of the blood in the veins, which stops the blood from returning to the heart. This can lead to blood clots or a severe bleeding infection caused by some sort of injury to the vein.

There are treatments for varicose veins, but because not all cases are the same, doctors may differ on treatment.

The most common treatment is sclerotherapy. A solution is injected into the vein, causing the walls to swell, stick together and seal shut. After about a week, the vein should fade. In a severe case, another injection may be needed.

There may be side effects, but these usually disappear or can be taken care of with aspirin or antibiotics. Lasers and electrodesiccation are two other treatment options.

While varicose veins are not life-threatening in most cases, they are extremely unattractive. Taking steps now to help prevent them can make you healthier in the long run.

Minimize painful, unsightly varicose veins Senior Services of Island County’s Meals on Wheels Program consists of volunteers delivering hot and frozen meals three times a week to Island County seniors, while at the same time checking on the safety of those homebound seniors who may need further assistance.

If you or someone you know could benefit from MOW service on Whidbey Island, call the South Whidbey-Bayview Senior Center at 360-321-1600 or 360-678-3373 and ask for Leslie Saelens, Meals on Wheels Assessor, or Debbie Metz, Nutrition Director.

Meals on Wheels Assessor Leslie Saelens will assess applicant’s eligibility within two weeks of initiation.

Reassessments are done once a year or sooner if deemed neces-sary.

Call 360-321-1600 with your questions.

MENU — JUNEWEEK 1Mon 3 Beef Stroganoff w/MushroomsTues 4 Salad Bar w/Variety of VeggiesWed 5 Turkey SouffleThurs 6 Teriyaki Chicken WingsFri 7 Sweet & Sour MeatballsWEEK 2Mon 10 Beef & Bean Burrito w/CheeseTues 11 Fish Sandwich w/Cheese & LettuceWed 12 Baked Greek Chicken BreastThurs 13 Red Beans & Rice w/SausageFri 14 Taco Salad w/Ground Beef, Cheese &Salsa

Cam Bey Apartments50 N. Main, CoupevilleMon. - Fri. at noon360-678-4886Oak Harbor Sr Center51 SE Jerome St., Oak HarborMon., Wed., Fri. at 11:45 am360-279-4580 First United Methodist Church608 N. Main, CoupevilleWednesdays at noonGreenbank Evangelical ChurchGreenbankWed., Fri. at 11:30 a.m.Brookhaven51 E. Jerome St.Mon., Wed., Fri. at 11:45 a.m.360-279-4580S. Whidbey Sr. CenterLangleyMon., Wed. at 5 p.m.360-321-1600

WEEK 3Mon 17 Spinach Lasagna w/MarinaraTues 18 Salad Bar w/Variety of VeggiesWed 19 Turkey TetrazziniThurs 20 Chicken Curry Sandwich & SoupFri 21 Fish & Chips w/Tartar SauceWEEK 4Mon 24 Italian Meatball SandwichTues 25 Old Fashioned HamburgerWed 26 Almond Chicken & Rice PilafThurs 27 Baked Potato BarFri 28 Chef Salad w/Ham & Turkey

678-CARE • 360-321-6600 • 311 NE 3rd Street • Coupeville

• FUN-FILLED ACTIVITIES• BEAUTY SALON• EXERCISE PROGRAM• TRAVEL AROUND COUPEVILLE• REHABILITATION SERVICES“People Caring About People”

Burley Funeral Chapel30 S E Ely Street, Oak Harbor, WA 98277 | 360-675-3192

www.burleyfuneralchapel.com

As your local Dignity Memorial® provider,we are able to offer unmatched services

and bene� ts when it matters most.

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Whidbey IslandSince 1961

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We offer a number of custom options, including celebrations of life and

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farewell just as you envisioned.

A Resource You Can Rely On!

Senior Information & AssistanceMeals on Wheels | Congregate Meals

Adult Day Services | Caregiver SupportSenior Activities | Travel

and much more . . .

South Whidbey(360) 321-1600

Oak Harbor(360) 675-0311

Camano Island(360) 675-0311

Serving Island County Since 1973

of I s l a n d Co un t y