Destination Wellness

Gee, us seniors got a 2.3% raise for the next year and we are expected to live on that minuscule amount with our economy pushing higher and higher. I make more in retirement than I ever made when I was working, but, I still pay rent, buy groceries, utilities and what I consider necessities and come out on the 5th of the month broke. This is supposed to be the "Golden Years" and it is for doctors and morticians.

Thank you for focusing on how we can take more control of our health by good nutrition and exercise. This is what I am trying to do. Now with the internet it is so much easier to find out what foods are best and what are the worst health-wise. I subscribe to several e-newsletter with such information.

I exercise every morning by walking at least 1-3 miles. I have eliminated soda pop from my diet and other foods which have negative impact, such as white sugar, most white flour, red meat (with rare exceptions of course). I have gone to an acupuncturist for some health concerns rather than pop pills and used acupressure on myself, and with my husband's help. I eat MORE cabbage, more eggs, more spinach and dark greens, and other cancer-preventative goods. I also try to follow heart-healthy guidelines.

These things are huge lifestyle changes, but I think they are necessary for everyone. Sure, some people are born with some disease proclivities and there is always the fact of injury and other unexpected forces. But eating foods that improve immunity and healing will help regardless of the condition.

Throwing more money at our medical institutions etc. is not the most efficient way to ease the health crisis in this country, but taking care of ourselves is.

I am a strong advocate for suicide prevention. In my travels and through experience, I have learned that it is not healthy to keep quiet. In most crisis situations, if you are not discussing it, you are not dealing with it. The one thing that people need to understand, especially those who are not familiar with a suicide survivor (those of us left behind) that there is NO deadline for grieving, everyone is differ. The friend you had before the suicide is a totally different person after the suicide and if you are their friend, the change will be accepted. I also wanted to tell the faithful friends of a suicide survivor, my hats off to you for being the friend, sometimes you do not need to say anything, just listen. Peace be with you ... Barb / my 23 year old son took his own life two days before his father died from cancer....

My wife and I have chosen to work hard, save money and live healthy. Why should we pay for those who decide to smoke and eat to obesity ? Are we looking at personal responsibility wrong ?

Exercising regularly, especially a daily walk. Cutting back on portions, but eating nutritious snacks between meals so that I don't overeat at mealtime.

When I turned 50, my best friend had a surprise birthday party for me. Of course, lots of pictures were taken. When I saw my picture it made me realize how overweight I was. I decided it was time to make a change. My friend, who also had a weight problem, and I decided to join Weight Watchers. After one year, we attained lifetime status (having reached our goal weights). We work hard at maintaining the weight loss which includes going to WW meetings weekly and walking everyday. I can't say it's always easy and my former lifestyle beckons me once in awhile but,I don't want to go back to the way I was. I have a lot more confidence, better health, and enjoy my life much more.

If we can afford through our govt leaders to tend to the needs of these foreigners that are acquiring health care by virtue of the share the wealth compaign then why can't we get it for our own who have worked and provided it from the beginning. Bush your finished as of now the only thing your concerned with is how high can you get these fuel prices before you leave office. Perhaps the answer is the oil companies should pay everyones medical needs or they won't have anyone around to buy their fuel......

I had decided to finally take the bull by the horns and lose weight and exercise to shed the unwanted 30 lbs. that I had gained over the past 10 years. My beautiful daughter was getting married and I had decided to run for political office in Palm Beach County...and it was now time to start to shed those unsightly pounds.

I tried several diets, So. Beach Diet, several diet books, the Mayo Clinic Diet, etc.
and all of thse worked for a short time and then the weight quickly came back on.

I decided to go to Jenny Craig where I was put on a 1200 calorie a day food program. It was easy to follow as the food was prepared and all you did was heat it in a microwave...The pounds started to come off at approximately 1 and a half to 3 pounds per
week and I had decided to increase this with exercise...As I hated going to a gym and watching young things bouncing up and down on rubber balls, I thought what would be the best exercise for me, someone in there late 60's. I opted to do water aerobics in my own pool and started a vigil of swimming and aerobics for a half hour every other morning and increasing this to a full hour after the first week...

My daughter's wedding took place a few weeks ago at the Franklin Lakes ITC Country Club in New Jersey and I looked so much better in my beautiful copper gown now down 18 lbs....I am still continuing with Jenny Craig and plan to go another few months to get down the additional 12 lbs. I want to lose by the holiday's. I did not think I could do this in the beginning and I am so pleased that I was WRONG!!!!

My wife has copd and I want to retire early. so I can live some of my retirement with her. we have both worked all our lives to get what little we have. Im lucky were making Doctor and perscription bills with my health ins. that I will loose at retirement. When will our government show some of the compassion to our countries seniors that they have shown the rest of the world with all the tax money they took from us since we both started working?

Please respond to my question from over a week ago. It is not impressive to call for dialog and remain unresponsive.
Thank you.

I have always been active, both mentally and physically. I have been a diving instructor, a judo instructor,an EMT, a Firefighter, and a Behavioral Science Specialist in the Army, and all kinds of other endevors. After the Army, I went to work for the Federal Government, believe it or not I built tanks and missels, with my military years and my Federal job I had 23 government years. Back in 1994 I was injured at work. I had a pretty bad head injury. I saw a lot of doctors. I now had a anurysm in my brain. In 1997 my doctor said that I probably had 3 months to live. I was allergic to iodine dyes so there was no way for them to put a clip over the anurysm. I felt that my doctor was overstating his diagnosis so I went looking for another doctor. I found a wonderful specialist at Hershey Medical Center. I chose him as my primary care giver. The other doctor kept trying to cut open my head to do surgery. I followed the doctor from Hershey and stopped seeing the other one. Well as you can read, I am still here. My federal job put me out in a RIF (Reduction In Force). This was their way to get me off of the workers compensation rolls. The day that I walked out the door for the last time, they closed my case and never paid another bill. I found a job and when the legal guys saw my waiver that I assumed all liability, they gave me the boot. I ended up in the Welfare System. They found me a really great Lawyer to help me get my Social Security Disability. My (Mr. Bubble) as I call my anurysm is over 5mm which is over the life threatening size. Now I am allowed to do most things I want to do as long as it's not too hard. My doctor wants me to have the best quality of life that I can. I am always surprising my doctor with how good I am doing. To keep me in good shape I work in my flower bed. I enjoy mowing my lawn. I get Lowes building project in my e-mail and I build things. I work on projects like passing down old traditional skills to the younger generation. I am working on doing rag rugs for my nieces and nephews for their homes. I walk and enjoy the trecks through the woods and look for wild flowers to plant. The best thing that I am doing for myself is going back to the old ways of cooking. I am avoiding chemicals in my food. Things like MSG and other unnatural chemicals. I have begun keeping up on Congress and I am a Activist for AARP, Conservations Groups, Against Illegal Alien Amnesty and some more. These issues helps me to keep my mind active and it makes feel like I'm still contributing. I could just sit back and moan about the losses I have had, but I prefer to fight, and I keep telling people who know me that I plan to outlive everyone I know. It's a joke, but my doctor says by the way I have made it up till now, I have a good shot at keeping that pledge. During the hard time I ended up with a depresson disorder, an anxiety disorder, and a few other quirks. The best thing to do when any of these things pop up watch a comedy, go outside into the sunshine and take a leisurely stroll and look at the beauty around you. Call a friend and have a good laugh, make a date with a friend to do something silly, like trying on younger clothes. Don't ever give up. Keep looking for something new to try. I hope that you can learn something from me to keep up your spirits and your determination to keep on going.

I weighed 182 lbs before retirement in 2004. I was diagonosed with osteoarthritis in my hip and had difficulty even walking. My cholesterol was 354/85. I moved to Arizona, and began exercising regularly in the pool, walking and changing my eating habits. I lost 50 lbs and cut my cholesterol in half. This summer I worked for Princess Tours at Mt McKinley in Alaska, and participated in many physical activities. Two weeks ago I did a tandem jump at Sky Dive Arizona, at age 66. Our bodies are tremendously adaptable and will respond to good nutrition and exercise. For me, life has only just begun! When I take care of myself responsibly, I rely less on doctors to "put a bandaid" on what needs fixing. But when it is beyond my control and finances, I need to trust the healthcare system to be there for me.

My husband thought my switching from salt to lite salt without his knowledge was conniving and deceitful. Well, my 90 year old mother taught me that trick and his blood pressure's better than ever. Mother also told me to make MedicalSummary cards to keep her care organized. I must've been 30 before I realized she was right 99 times out of 100. MedSum Cards have saved our family alot of time and money through the years. We must take more control as individuals regarding our health and our health care.

I am 61 years old and have been in a wheelchair since age 18 due to an auto accident in 1965. After working 17+ years for the State of Alabama, I began exercising at Lakeshore Foundation at age 57. While I have not lost weight as I would have liked, my overall health is excellent. My blood pressure was beginning to creep up and now it is very well controlled without medication, as is my blood sugar level. Exercise is great, I recommend it!!

Just turned 60 last week and got a note from Aetna--said my premium went up $300/month. Also, a p.s. saying their system got screwed up last month so they didn't make an automatic withdrawal and they're going to cancel me if I don't pay up now!
This is the best health system in the world???

I am the only one in my entire extended family that was ever physically active. I was a big, East Coast city Police Officer, and a Bodybuilder. I studied nutrition on my own, ate the right foods, took natural supplements, and had more than enough exercise. I did the Bodybuilding to relieve stress, which it did, but I also began to like the way I was looking and feeling, so I lived Bodybuilding. Today, I am currently unable to exercise, due to two breast cancer surgeries, including a double mastectomy, and a malignant melanoma surgery, along with aggressive radiation and aggressive chemotherapy. I have already had two arthritis surgeries, and will be having two more before the winter is over. At this time, I am trying to live on $731. per month on Social Security Disability, and it is a matter of survival at this point. With this very small monthly income, I just cannot afford to eat the way I should be eating, or living the way I should be living, but at sixty-one years old, I am looking forward to a new life when the surgeries are over, and Spring comes. I am trying to find a scholarship or grant to take online credit courses in Professional Photography, and I am planning to help build my Habitat for Humanity house in the Spring without pain.

I "woke up" to the need for wellness when I had surgery for a knee tear in April. I already had arthritis in my hip, and the surgery revealed arthritis in my knee as well. The doctor told me that losing even a small amount of weight would make a significant change in my pain level and could prevent future surgery. I knew I needed to get more exercise, but it wasn't until my company sponsored a "Walk at Work" contest that I actually started to fulfill my commitment to welllness. My team won the contest, even though I was the "weakest link" as the oldest member (I'm 53), but I lost six pounds in six weeks from walking and that put me on the right path. We adopted a dog, and I made her my exercise partner. I make use of the BlueCross BlueShield Health Manager website that gives me flexibility and weight-bearing exercises, and rewards me with points for setting up and reporting eating habits, fitness habits and life enhancements such as gaining more optimisim, relaxation, etc. I can use the points for exercise equipment, gift cards and many other things for free! Then HR started a "Biggest Loser"-type contest, and reinstated a new walking contest. I re-committed to a healthier lifestyle and have lost 13 lbs. this year so far. I want to lose 30 more pounds, and know that I can achieve it by continuing to log in everything that goes in my mouth and losing 1/2 to 1 lb per week. My husband joined me on this weight-loss journey as well, and he had made significant improvement in his blood sugar level and blood pressure. I also have high blood pressure and have seen an obvious change to the point that I hope to get off medication by the time I lose enough weight. I get a lot of compliments and support from co-workers, so in addition to my husband, I have a good support network. I've struggled with my weight all my life and have decided that attaining wellness will serve me well as I age. I am confident that with continued commitment I can achieve my goals and ward off age-related diseases with healthier eating, continued exercise and life-affirming goals. You're never too old to change!

We are in our mid-60's, and a few years ago we went regularly to the gym for some daily work-out. Then we discovered that the gym was not a very hygienic place, because customers were dirty and didn't clean up the machines after their workout, and after I caught some virus there. Now, we take a 35-50 minute walk as often as possible during the week (about 4-5 times). That's it for the exercise.

However, we feel as great as we do because we are eating healthier than ever before. Thanks to the books and advice of Harvey and Marilyn Diamond, who together wrote the books "Fit for Life", "Fit for Life II", and two more after that. We now are "apostles" for them and their suggested life style. Basically it is a conversion from eating a lot of meat to either no meat or little, and a daily diet (that is NOT a diet) of vegetables and fruit, but more importantly, the correct combination of foods. The results in these six years of follwing this lifestyle have been absolutely overwhelming: A reduction in cholesterol and also reduced weight, not to mention the great feeling of feeling very energetic and simply -GREAT! I could go on and on, but all I can say is that I wish these books would become mandatory reading for everybody. Then people could decide for themselves whether or not to adopt this lifestyle. While I'm not a doctor, I guarantee that at least half those blimps who are a part of this "being fat epidemic", would be healthy, good-looking people. There is nothing more inspiring than being able to put that belt on your pants on the very last hole and see yourself in the mirror looking pretty darn good! And most importantly - never in my life have I looked forward so much to every meal my bride of 35 years prepared for us as I do now. Delicious!

My husband and I are both determined to get off medication for high cholesterol and reduce blood pressure. We've gone mostly vegetarian (no red meat with occasional fish) and he's pleasantly surprised at how much better he feels. I knew that I felt more energetic when I was a full veggie in my 20s. My blood pressure is down and so is his. Plus, we're walking and hiking almost everyday of the week for at least 45 minutes. I'm trying yoga -- even though I don't have a yoga body. I never thought he'd like it but we eat 3-4 veggies and 2-3 fruits a day. We encourage all of you to give it a try -- or do something else that works for you. Get out. Get moving. Get healthy.

People are the only ones that can pay for health care. The Federal Government may take the money from some citizens and give it to others. When ever the government takes money and redistributes it, it costs a significate amount to pay the bureracrats to take money and redistribute it. This adds no value to health care.

To keed health costs low we must keep the government out of healt care.

I begin each day, six days a week, with five minutes of cardio & 10 minutes of weights or stretches with the activity changing each day so it doesn't get boring. I ride a bicycle a few miles most days; & three days a week, I ride it to the tennis courts for my morning doubles game. I go to the gym twice a week. I limit my carb intake & try to load up on fresh fruits & vegetables. Visiting with my family & interacting with friends often is also important for keeping me mentally healthy. Life is good!

I am 64 and exercise daily for about 1h 40m. I try to eat properly but have a sweet tooth for chocolate and ice cream. As a result, even though I excercise daily, I'm about 10 lbs over weight (181 lbs @5'10").
My exercise consists 3 sets each of upper body - pushups, dips, curls etc with surgical tubing interspersed with crunches. Following this I skip a little: shadow box, skip rope, side stradle hops then walk/sprint about 2.5 miles.
I would do more if it weren't for my knee which a doctor compromised by turning a torn minescus into a perminent injury.

And why aren't the Republican candidates coming to your Debate? Probably because none of them have any plans to address the things you seem to care about...like healthcare and social security. You should be looking to the candidates the Democrats have been tryng to hide. Dennis Kucinich has a plan for Universal Health Care and protections for our Social Security funds, including a plan to start funding a long-term care plan for all Americans!

A couple of years ago, a good friend was diagnosed with diabetes. When I saw what a problem it was for her, I decided to become more active and to eat healthier food.

I talked to my doctor who recommended I have a goal of losing 10 pounds a year for four years so my weight would be in the 140's. The first year I didn't lose any weight; I also didn't gain weight so that was an improvement over the [ast 10 years when I had gained a few pounds every year.

I started reducing the portions of food I eat and buying more organic foods because they taste so much better -- make me feel better. I now am steadily losing about a pound a week.

A free website that has really helped me is:
http://www.thedailyplate.com

I do exercise regularly by walking about one hour per day and stretching and weight lifting another 1/2 hour 3 times per week. The stretching has helped my neck and back. I used to have chronic neck pain which required visiting a chiropractor fairly often. I also developed a lot of pain in my right arm which led to my seeing a physical therapist for about 2 months of intense treatment. She taught me the stretching exercises which I have followed for 6 years. I have been free of pain since and regained full use of my arm and am much stronger now in my upper body. I also have only visited a chiropractor twice during those years for very brief treatment of my back. I have never had a weight problem because I have always been active and have tried to eat a balanced diet with some treats.

Since retirement, I do all the housework, laundry, etc, and take care of all the outside,unless something in trees, then grandkids help. Along with this, I joined a Steps4life program, using the pedometer and conversion charts for activities. Amazing, as I strive to increase my daily "steps", it also reminds me to watch my diet and weight as well. Made a difference, as I have lost over 40 lbs and 4 sizes, am holding on. May be harder for men to lose, but it can be done.

October 23, 2007

yes Sir, I execise every day, I Power Walk 4 Miles per day, rain or shine. I eat a balanced diet, lots of fruit, vegetables, Salomon, Turkey and Chicken. I take care of ME.

Now, I am renewing my membership for 5 years, when will AARP tell Congress to pass the Law that we get the same Drug prices as the VA. Hospital. Just to let you know my Plan D premium went up 38 % for 2008. This is an outrage. Best regards, and I count on you, Manfred H. Braig

Your obsession with letting the government take away what little freedom you have left makes me sick. How do I unsubscribe?

These two stories are all too familiar and disturbing to say the least. Unfortunately, things are only going to get worse if we don't get up off our pity pots and start doing something about it. Going to church and letting the minister direct you on how to vote is not going to do it. If you want to throw away your grandchildren’s access to the American way of life by voting for a man just because he is against abortion or something like that, then you deserve what you’ve gotten. It’s really God’s business away. The business of government should be about the welfare of its people and not about what they should think or how they should worship. You do want to keep your right to worship as you please, don’t you?
There are many including ex-attorney General Ramsey Clark who wish to impeach Mr. Bush and his associates. This is about the only way we can start to fix some of the problems facing each of us today. We have to get the attention of those whom we have elected, and get rid of the stigma now attached to our beloved nation. Domestic and foreign policy are tied together in such a way that one can have a severe effect on the other. We have, through treachery and the abuse of power by the executive branch under the guise of God county and patriotism, been distracted while the very meaning of the American dream has been sapped from us. The balance of power between the three branches of government has been deviously tilted in favor of the Executive branch and we now have a rich autocrat in power. The worst part is he is completely in favor of those who would have us work like slaves for little or nothing. There is no easy way out for us. One can pretend all he or she wants but the cold facts are every where; one only needs to look. This is not a time to be into denial, drastic measures are needed now whether you like it or not. If you want to get our good paying jobs back along with benefits and financial security, this has to be the first step. Wake up!! Don’t let fear and anger be used against us as it was in pre war Germany.

I do eat well but do no excersize because I have osteoarthritus throughout my body. It is painful just to stand in one place, much less excersize to cause more pain.

I have always been in fair physical condition but decided to step up my program in 1994 when I was treated for prostate cancer. I work out daily with stretching and other exercises then put in another half hour with a walking heavy hands program. (4lb.wts) I work out daily rain or shine. I also keep track of eating by charting good and bad carbs, fats and proteins and count the calorie intake. I also take about 15 supplements such as various vitamins and antioxidants. I keep track of my weight and waist. I never get a flu shot nor do I get colds or get sick and have plenty of energy. I worked three jobs until I was 75 then retired because my wife developed post polio syndrome requiring me to take on all of her household duties due to her inability to walk without aids. Except for continued prostate treatment I would be in the 99th percentile of wellness for a 77 year old.

At age 74,exercise is a part of my of my daily routine.
My husband, age 83, requires around-the-clock care. He has an electric wheelchair. When the weather allows, we use a lift to put him in his chair and then he and I cruise the neighborhood. I walk. He rides.
On other days, I do TaiBo, pilates, or other strenght training and aroebics.
Old age is after me, but he will have to run to catch me.

I use to go to the gym 4-5 days a week until they went up on membership fees. So not to loose all that I had accomplished, I have started walking. I walk 5 days a week now. I have been eating healthy for year.Drink lots of water. I enjoy begin out early in the morning with my just the birds singing(I feel there're singing just for me.)

I salute this AARP campaign to urge people to adopt a life style improving their quality of life dramatically. To persuade our fellow citizen to resist the temptation to indulge into copious meals contrary to promotion by the restaurants and food processing industry is a daunting task, indeed. My family has been fortunate to be able to avail itself of proper medical care; I am nevertheless dismayed by the ghastly dysfunctional medical care system. Only very recently did my internist begin to keep medical records in a computer data file; it is outrageous that in this day and age medical records are not the standard practice, one data file per patient with input from every physician, surgeon, hospital treating that person, a file that person can access him/herself even though she/he may not understand many of the entries. We need desperately a competent and loyal Surgeon General like the one who dared admonish the citizens of this nation to stop smoking while explaining the serious deleterious health effects of nicotine and carcinogens in the tobacco smoke. That Surgeon General wasn’t afraid to be exposed to the wreath of the powerful tobacco industry. We need a Surgeon General demonstrating the importance of prevention, prevention, life style, not so much as to save enormous Medicare costs as to dramatically improve the quality of live of the citizens.
Respectfully submitted
Marcel L, Brailey
White Plains, NY

Of course I live a healthy lifestyle even before my 6 year old was diagnosed with diabetes last June. Her condition is nothing I could have helped. It just happened. Though it has not been proven that genetics play a part in diabetes, my mother-in-law is also a diabetic. I have always taught my children to choose foods that aren't loaded with sugar and fat. They have always had well balanced meals. My oldest child who is 8, takes after her father and could be over-weight. But through constant positive coaching, my daughter is doing very well and is very active. We all are. But though we are a healthy family, we still struggle to pay for my 6 year olds' medications that she has to have to live. My concern is that my daughter has to have some kind of insurance to cover her diabetes medications and supplies for the rest of her life. If I cannot afford the health insurance now, what will the future hold?

As a person who has struggled with my weight all my life, I firmly believe that we as Americans are responsible for our wellness. As a result, I have recently begun a weight loss plan before obesity set in. Also, realizing that I need exercise if I am to even to try to avoid the diabetes that claimed my father's life, diet is not enough, I have to exercise. In an effort to do so, I have joined a women's gym. It is not always easy to foster a healthy lifestyle, but it is of utmost importance that we realize our need in this country and motivate ourselves to change. Or our country will continue to become sicker, and the health care expenses will continue to rise.

Dear Sir or Madam:
Reading the note on wellness triggered a visceral anger response on my part. I am a single parent. I work a 13.5 hour day to make ends meet. Despite that, I cannot afford health insurance for my daughter and, in my 50s, I am taking on the first massive debt of my life to pay for her college. I leave for work at 7:30a and return home at 9p. I work six days a week. I am a firm believer in healthy nutrition. We do no keep sweets, never drink soda, etc. But I cannot afford the price of fresh fruits and vegetables,fish and poultry, even at Walmart. I have high blood pressure and high cholesterol.Rather than provide a living wage and affordable health insurance, my agency exhorts us to exercise daily. Depriving myself of sleep in order to exercise is simply trading evils.
Your little article simply continues the insidious paradigm beat into us by the media -- that it is an individual problem, a lack of willpower or education,that causes these problems.
Frankly, I felt insulted at the assumption that I, personally, need to do more when I do not have the luxury of wallowing in the rapidly shrinking middle class economy of this country. My family, which is both highly educated and disciplined, and knows all about health, does do its "every little bit." We live on beans and rice; and physically work hard in a garden to provide ourselves with at least some vegetables and to keep a clean home - that is what I do on my one day off. Forget about the health benefits of a balanced life and some recreation. We cannot walk to work because it is a rural area and work is 30 miles away without any public transportation.
I challenge you to print this, and see what degree of a groundswell response you receive from readers. And please do try to minimize your offerings of bromides and palliatives that do not include some understanding of the very real exigencies that more and more Americans experience - it is beneath your dignity and that of your readers.
Sincerely,
Jennifer L. Morrow

You arrogant people will not want to see this, but... Social Security is a pyramid scheme. Aren't you the same people that opposed the chance for younger people to dedicate a very small percentage of their S S to private funds. S S has the poorest return for the investment. If you really cared for anything but dependence on the national government, you'd open your eyes. I would guess you wopuld not print this on your propaganda site.

My diet includes mostly white meats,dark breads, oatmeal, low-fat milk, vegetables, and fruits. I walk 1 1/2 miles every morning, partly on a hill. I plan to drop dairy products, as my wife suggests, to see if my health will improve. I'm 73 1/2, 5'8', at 162lbs. I've just retired this past April, but continue to be very active. My Dr. says she'd like to see more healthy patients like me.

I do an hour of weights every day. One day I do lower body and the next upper body. This began almost 20 years ago. It was nearing Xmas and they were advertising excercise equipment a lot. My thought was, "You know that would make a good New Years resolution." and then that little voice in the back of my head said, "If you are serious why don't you begin tomorrow!" There was no argument so I went into town and bought a weight machine and some dumb bells. The advertisements all said "three or four times a week", but I know me and I had to go for every day. Now, I didn't want to 'bulk up' as they call it, I just wanted to use every muscle and move every joint. I designed my own program based on things from a variety of sources. After a few months of this I gradually realized what an incredible difference it was making. It changed my behaviour, my diet, my whole way of living. A year or so later on I realized I didn't have to excercise every day...any day that I didn't want to feel good I could just not do it. In case you're wondering, there has never been a day. Excercise along with a diet of fruit and vegetables and some light meats, has become my only daily medication. About 5 years ago I began a daily walk early in the morning after my weights. I try to do two 15 minute miles but it usually takes me about 4 minutes over the half hour. No anti-depressant can even come close to the effects of caring for yourself enough to excercise your body and your mind. I'll soon be 73.

I have recently stopped smoking after 27 years of smoking. I am eating much more healthy foods, staying away from the ever present fast food/french fries, I removed red meat from my diet over a year ago, have switched to olive oil in my veggie stir fries, learned to "dry fry" fish and chicken. I am easing back into an excersise routine. I have learned that a good laugh and some deep breathing not only make me feel better but are good for me too.

Though I am now 80, but I can attest to the benefits of exercise. I played racquet ball for some 45 years, 3 3-4 times a week. Six years ago I was in a serious car accident. Doctors did not expect me to live due to broken bones, cracked pelvis and much infection. However because of years of exercise I pulled through after 8 weeks in ICU and 4 weeks in hospital after. So exercie and good eating habits go a long way to keeping you healthy. So start today. It could save your life.

My wife and I live a semi-retirement lifestyle. But before being laid off my stressful work resulted in high blood pressure and my cholesterol was through the roof. I am currently on medications to treat both but would like to get off them. I have been diagnosed as pre-diabetic because of my high blood glucose level. Our doctor says that this can be controlled through diet and exercise. We have always been active, mostly walking. Since relocating to Florida we went on the South Beach Diet on the recommendation of our doctor and have increased the amount of time we exercise. So far we are doing well.

It is sad to read where people start a diet then when they reach their goal they go off it and destroy all the progress they made. Diet does not mean a specific plan to follow. Rather it is or should be a nutrition plan adopted as a way of life. We found the South Beach Diet to be very realistic and doable. Generally we follow the basic principles of the plan. For example: stay away from processed foods, little to no red meat, lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, use only whole grains, no white starches (refined flour baked goods, pasta, rice or potatoes), stay out of the center of the grocery store, no soft drinks, no fried foods. I could go on but you get the idea. Processed foods especially fast foods are, simply put, bad for you. Among other things they are heavy on high fructose corn syrup and loaded with bad chemicals like MSG that lead to all sorts of complications like obesity and diabetes.

The best strategy is to do your research, read those nutrition labels, develop a healthy diet plan and stick to it.

Good luck out there.

I do have a problem with being overweight. I was diagnosed with diabetes in l999 when I had a pituitary tumor removed. I control it with a diabetic diet, metformin, and exercise. I prefer walking to my destinations rather than driving. I also enjoy dancing a great deal and I have taken a Tae Kwondo class for conditioning and self-defense. I also do mobility exercises which are very helpful in maintaining my ability to get around.

I'm a bit of a doubting Thomas. Okay I am a doubting Thomas. I do believe we need to stand together and kick the insurance companies in the knees. Actually I believe insurance companies should be non profit, that way they would concentrate on what they are truly there for.

I read the statistics on people who have chronic maladies. I like the way it was put forward. 50% of people over 50 have diabetes (or some other chronic illness). This is the type of speak spin I hate. statistics falsely used to make a point. So exactly how many Americans over 50 have diabetes (only diabetes). I'm sure its much lower than 50%, probably lower than 10%.

On to wellness. Diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, etc are all results of decisions we make. We Americans eat badly, don't exercise, make excuses then the result is a sickness and we expect insurance companies and the government to shell out the money to cover our mistakes. WAKE UP! Eat less, move more and take responsibility. Everything is not a sickness. Sorry to burst the bubble.
\
Lou

I have been exercising regularly for over 50 years and I love it!! It is a great way to reduce strees of the workplace and life in general. I lift weights and walk over 10 miles per week at a fast pace on a treadmill. I am a former runner who ran many races (for fun). I gave it before problems began.

I am also a big believer in supplements. I take over 40 vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and herbal supplements each day. At 63 I am feeling very healthy, and by the grace of God, I will remain in good helth. Take care of yourself, America, or face the consequences.

Peter Nasiff

Wellness is a personal responsibility. No one can sit back and hope that others will take care of you. I hagve run and workred out daily all my life. I am seventy, 6'-1" talland weigh 200 lbs. I do not have a single ailment and intwend ti remain that way as long as possible. I stromgly recommend, eat right , take appropriate suppliments and exercise daily.

When I asked a friend "why, when the waitress asks if I want fries or a salad, I want the fries even though I should know better," she gave me a book: The Pleasure Trap. It explains how we are hard-wired to go for the most dense calories. An ideal diet is described with the promise that if one sticks to it for three or four months, one wouldn't want to revert to old eating habits, and if a kick-start is needed, fasting is recommended. So I signed up to go to their TrueNorth clinic via their site: healthpromoting.com and ended up on a three week fast. While there, we had lectures, read, watched DVDs and could ask questions of a sports medicine doctor, a psychologist and other doctors. We were introduced to the book: China Study: startling implications for diet, weight loss and long-term health and also to Dr. McDougall, whose program is a little more lenient but also prescribes a vegan lifestyle. (drmcdougall.com) 95% of illnesses in western societies are dietary related and 20% of global warming is due to animals farmed for food, so getting a handle on diet is beneficial individually and for the planet. The hygienic lifestyle also includes proper exercise, sunshine, sleep and meaningful work/community. It's been almost two years since I stayed at the clinic & most days I just want to brag about the variety of flavorful fruits and vegetables in my meals. There is so much goodness in whole foods that don't come in boxes or packages and it's fun to share with pals. My friends are eating better now too and I hope others will look into these alternatives too. An upward spiral is fun at any age, but it's a kick to weigh less than in college and be more fit as a senior citizen than ever.

I am a cervical cancer 3.5 year survivor with alot of damage from radiation. I am also 40 pounds overweight due to having cancer. I am now going to physical therapy for lower back/nerve issues & have to exercise. DON'T LET ILLNESS FORCE YOU TO EXERCISE OR EAT HEALTHIER! Do it for yourself!

At this point I am barely getting by but thanks to my father and my divorce some years ago I do have a small savings to fall back on which will disappear in a flash at todays' costs. The cost of any insurance coverage is out of sight; they have invested the money and are not liquid enough to be able to pass it back to us who have paid in for the protection over many years. Fuel is way over priced and nothing is being done about it; we all know that they are raking in huge profits. I am frugal in every way possible. Need lots of repairs done but can not chew up the savings for it will be needed as my physical abilities decline even more. Bush and business made sure they got theirs and do not give a darn about the 'little people' (little income/fixed). He made the rich richer and they can generously give away billions to Africa etc.they are not opening new businesses and increasing the labor market. The congress is badly informed and misled into making very bad decisions. The blessings this country had are slipping away due to rampant immorality and increasing 'worldliness'. There no longer seems to be any personal restraint and anything goes. Home schooling is a wonderful attempt but very costly and when that child gets loose in the world he/she will be swallowed up by the degrading atmosphere. Today my life and comfort rest in God and His church, The Church of Christ, established by The Christ.

I feel that I have tried to eat sensibly and I exercise on a stationary bike at least 4 to 5 times a week for at least 20 mins. I do eat sweet goodies because I crave them from time to time, but I also will skip days and I always keep fresh fruit in the house.
Since I am over 60 yrs of age, I do get routine mammograms done and I have just had my first colonscopy performed. Great results. I also think my genetics are good because both my dad and his sisters lived to up in years. I am not on any blood pressure meds or cholestrol meds. I have been richly blessed by God. Thank you.

My doctor is trying to scare me into avoiding going blind or having my feet cut off for Type 2 diabetes. Being retired and therefor free of having to make professional matters my first concern, I for the first time am focussing first on my health. At 6 a.m. I check my blood sugar. If it's over 130, I don't eat until it is lower. I have discovered that one evening martini means it will come in at 145 or so the next morning and 2 at 170. Way too high. Also, simply walking a mile and a half coupled with some modest weight lifting drives the sugar level down nicely.

Hello,

I am not quite a senior. I just only had my 51st on the same day as the INSIGATOR of the American Revoulution, Mr. Samuel Adams hence the e-mail address.

I have had a rough go of it for I am an individual who spends money as I earn it as as an Interior Decorator in Vegas! Any how, as for my Health Insurance (NONE) (BUSH DEPRESSION),Ronald Wolf 2007. My health is good-Thank GOD! I do exercise daily by dancinging in front of a mirror naked to Billy Joel's "We did'nt start the fire" It keeps my life in perpective! Gets that heart going too. I am at the library on a computer writting this now-No Internet can not afford it. I ride a Bike about 3 miles to get here. It is great. I pray for a better world for my Daughter but, I do not know if possible. I say read more books, exercise like me, and entertain people and I may have a long life like my Immigrant Father did till 99 and so can the rest of us. As for Social Security I hope it is their when I am ready.

While I am only "holding my own" on weight management,I am definitely improving my physical capabilities and health through regular workout at GA Fitness. GA Fitness is a fitness facility designed especially for baby boomers, seniors and physically challanged. That is why I URGE AARP to support the Medical Advantage Plans (even over the regular supplemental Medicare plans. These Advantage Plans pay for gym memberships (some of them better than others). I use the Sterling Medicare Advantage Plan. It is better than the AARP United Health plan. Furthermore, since I was using United (through work), I found them to be terrible. They are now making everyone pay "out of pocket" expenses and "deductible" expenses first ($1500). This is not insurance! Has AARP researched the other Medicare Advantage Plans other than United? I hope they are not reccommending a similiarly bad plan. I would like to see a comparison of the United vs Sterling vs Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Plans.

When my father broke his kneecap and was in a nursing home, I noticed that exercise was still beneficial to older people. So it's never too late. For a longer, better life, exercise and eat your veggies. Also, I noticed one of the healthiest and happiest nursing home residents helped the staff care for other residents. Stay active, stay involved, stay alive.

Hi, I am a 57 year old married woman, mother of 4 university graduates. I have always used 2 addages: 1. Eat for health &
2. Know 'enough '.
I am still my high school weight...without too much effort, I have cake sometimes but not every day. If you 'eat for health' you are satisfied & less inclined to feel hungry for devitilising food! It's a win-win scenario. It's not magic, exercise that 'will power' muscle (it gets easier...a habbit) go on walks & to the gym, all in moderation is so good! Have fun being healthy!!!

My 70th birthday was coming up and I was feeling every year of it. I was having knee and hip problems and energy level was very low. On a trip to Reno last year I had a sudden idea to reinvent my self and like native american tribe members, my husband and I decided to take new names for the last phase of our life. The result is a my new book idea about our senior life adventure! Diet and exercise are wonderful but a new attitude, new name and creating fun things to do together is the central core of feeling wonderful! I would love to have AARP take a look at The Senior Adventures of Buck and Bunny (our story) for the AARP magazine. Still having fun, Bunny (Joan Hibbs)

For over 3 decades, I consistently engage in aerobic excercise, running and now biking. I bike 1500 miles per year. In addition I take great care of my mental health by volunteering as a youth soccer referee. I've done this for over 22 years. I do about 36 matches a year. Being a behavioral health clinician and faculty professor, The link between physical and behavioral health is an intimate one. So I conduct my entire lifestyle by being in charge of my health; this is referred to in psychology as having an internal locus of control.
Rich

I am a very healthy 77 year old male. Twice a deay, except Sundays I do 150 pushups and 150 excercises of my own invention. For breakfast I usually eat granola mixed with white yogurt, bananas and honey. And I drink just squeezed orange juice. Lunch is variable and supper is fruit and peanut butter. I also have my own hyperbaric oxygen chamber, which I use more than an hour per week at 7.5 psig.

I have found if you will eliminate saturated fats, trans fats and sugar You will decrease your waiste and you need to take a minimum of 10,000 steps per day every day of your lie. When you eat a meal don't go lay on the couch do something for at least 30 minutes. Don't starve youself eat a small portion of food every 2 hours and you will be pleased with the results. This is not a diet it's eating different and you don't care about your weight because as your waiste goes down your weight will. Good luck and thank you for letting me share this with you.
Dale Whitney

I have decided that life has too much to offer. I recently retired and am currently fighting off the extra-time food frenzies that often accompany retirement. The day I left my job I returned to Weight Watchers and lost a few pounds. Currently, I am 5 months out of work and 15 pounds lighter. I walk my dog everyday at a beautiful state park, and if I get a bit lazy, his sad brown eyes gaze at me until I say the magic sentence: "Cash, let's go for a walk!" He circles in a frenzy, licks my face, and leans his labrahound body on my legs as I am putting on my shoes. I get benefit and so does he. Recently, a friend was diagnosed with cancer(she retired last year) and I walk to lessen the sadness and shock of that fact of life. When I get a little lax on my food and exercise program, I think of the alternative: high bood pressure, diabetes, cancer, and heart failure. I get my jacket, shoes, and dog and thank God I am able to go!

I am so young...but here I am, a member of AARP! I had been fit all my life, always active, an athlete, never a major weight problem. I knew that this was much for which to be grateful. Over this last year and a half, I have experienced several very heartbreaking situations. I found myself little by little, slipping away from the habits that have kept me so well and fit all my life. A lack of interest in life translated into a lack of interest in food. Most of the world joke about, "Oh, what a problem it is to be too thin!". I've come to believe that it is probably less detrimental to your health (to a degree) to over-eat than under-eat, because at least you are getting nutrients to keep you going.
To make a long story short, the message I want to share is how great the impact of emotional hurt is on the physical...and what a rapid downward spiral it can be. After many months of decent, I am now, finally, on a healthy path back to wellness. I have to work at being easy on myself, acknowledging progress often in "baby steps". I pray for strength and guidance constantly, and keep a gratitude journal. And something that I've found to be of huge importance is I surround myself with people who support and love me just exactly how and where I am. Anyone else, including some family members and longtime "friends", I keep at a distance. This is all to say, there is hope! No matter how low, un-fit or out- of-shape you might be, there is hope that you can feel good again. I know! Been there, done that, got the tee shirt!!!

I don't know if this is the type of story you are interested in...& I'm not quite sure why I was compelled to write but here it is. I know what it is to be truly depressed and feeling w/out hope, and how good it feels to see the sun!!! Being healthy, eating well, exercising daily (doing something) and being with healthy (emotionally as well as physically) people, is THE ANSWER.

Thank you for allowing me to share! If my story helps even 1 person, then this was worth the time.

Diabetes is research linked to a genetic auto immune disorder, Celiac Disease. Every 6 1/2 minutes a child diagnosed with diabetes will also have Celiac Disease. Type II diabetes is now also linked to CD as are other auto immune disorders. 3 million people in the US are projected by NIH to have celiac disease and those with diabetes or a family history of diabetes are in the highest risk group.

I was not diagnosed with CD until age 45 after years of medical nightmares, and with that diagnosis I have come to "thrive" rather than "survive" and am now a healthy 68 year woman who is generally taken to be 50 ish.

I developed a rice flour that offers a simple and tasty solution to having to follow a gluten free diet to regain and maintain health, and have shared it for many years. Whole grain rice and of course, fresh veggies and fruits, a positive attitude and exercise and Faith to keep you going forward is my simple 'secret'.

When you are diagnosed with CD the only treatment is to remove the trigger that causes the villi in the small intestine to become damaged preventing proper absorption of nutrients - which causes a multitude of medical conditions that could be prevented. Associated symptoms generally disappear when you follow a gluten free diet.

I have been wanting to contact someone at AARP to ask about doing a feature article on celiac disease and the links to other common disorders, especially diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, early onset osteoporosis, depression and Downs Syndrome. Most adults are misdiagnosed with IBS, Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, and anemia. Migraines and Infertility and infant deaths and so many others could be addressed without medications with a proper diagnosis of CD and adherence to a healthy gluten free diet.

A large percentage of the 1 1/2 to 2 million people in the US who are projected to have undiagnosed CD and those finally being correctly diagnosed are seniors. Doctors have just not known about CD. NIH has directed that to be changed. You can view the NIH news release on their website.

There is an increased death rate among those not diagnosed with CD or who choose not to follow the gluten free diet when they are diagnosed. Seniors are often turned away from nursing homes because of their diet.

The simple whole grain rice flour I spoke of can be substituted for the wheat flour called for in any general cooking or baking recipe including your own favorites. Because it is whole grain it is especially good for the diabetic diet. Not being able to consume gluten is no longer a problem. Gluten free and/or dairy free and/or just a healthy alternative to wheat- no special diet or diseases required can now taste like "normal" foods. We are trying to make the best ones available on the commercial market without being cost prohibitive.

Products we have made from this flour have been endorsed by clinical nutritionists for use in the diabetic diet - no artificial sweeteners needed - no gums or starches either.

Locations where you can get more information on them will be posted soon. In the meantime, if you happen to live in the Frederick, MD area you can get these products now at The Common Market, Clustered Spires Pastry Shop and in Baltimore at Tenzo's. Just ask for Grandma Whimsy's flour and/or baked products made from it.

Pumpkin pie, stuffing in your turkey, rolls on the dinner table, pizza in the oven and biscuits for your gravy - all made with rice flour that is produced from fresh whole grain rice grown in Arkansas. There will be a new website up very soon to provide more information and your patience is appreciated.

Diabetes or Celiac Disease or obesity or any other medical condition does not have to keep you from living a full and joyful life. Maybe there is an answer after all. Faith and believing and believing in Faith may be the single most important ingredient - at least it is for me.

For more information on Celiac Disease go to the nih website or call the National Institute of Healh - NIDDK and they will send you a packet. My life did a complete turnaround when I was finally diagnosed. CD is a very friendly disease and the diet can help you in so many ways.

When my husband died a couple of years ago, I totally changed my eating habits. He always had sweets & snacks around. I eliminated both. He required a dinner of meat/potato/vegetable/salad. Instead of 3 meals a day, I tend to have several small ones. Within 5 months I had lost 25 lbs. Only problem was that my clothes no longer fit!

Many people can not/should not use my diet, but it is what works for me. I must use a very restrictive, low carb type diet. I include addition of multivitamine & mineral supplament, plus a multivitamin B complex and C. There is a potassium supplement amid my many meds assigned and a Dr. recomended zinc/calcium/magnesium. When I started this "strange" die 7 years ago, I weighed in at 266 pounds on a hospital scale! "I" decided to use this type diet, if it would work again and not interfere with my meds and health. It had done good for me many years ago, so I had to see if it could save me this time. My doctors all told me not to, but I simply told them I must try. I understood what "side effects" meant and if there were any noticed, I would quit and let them know what happened. Now, 7 years later, I weigh in the 180's and my doctors have found even a lowering of cholesterol. I am no longer on blod pressure meds and have a body which is not painful to walk and move around. If you wonder why I am determined to live on a diet like this for the rest of my life, put a 75 pound pack on your back in the morning and wear it for the day. You may understand better.

I was not overweight growing up, but little by little over the years since high school, the pounds kept piling on so that I was nearly 100 pounds heavier than I was at age 16. I'm now 62. I blamed my weight on heredity as my grandmother was about 350 when she was in her 40's and 50's. (I would rationalize, "well, I'm not as obese as my grandmother." I finally decided to take ownership for my being fat. I joined a water aerobics class and exercise one hour 6 days a week. I started cutting out processed foods such as flour and sugar from my diet and stopped drinking sodas and coffee. It took a while, over two months, but I've started losing weight and more importantly inches. I figure it will be another six months or so before I lose all the weight I want, but I'm starting to have more energy and feel so much better about myself. Working towards my goal has actually become a challenge and is fun.

After being overweight for the past 5 or so years due to any number of excuses I could write about, I took back responsibility for my health, for my life, and what a wonderful adventure it has been. I forgot how good it feels to get up early, and run/walk in the morning for an hour, or swim laps, or hop on the treadmill and race .... I forgot how good, good food can taste, and I forgot how amazing it feels to feel amazing .... and I don't even miss the 60 lbs I have lost or the old clothes I have gotten rid of to buy skinny little things. But, most important is the overall healthy feeling I have about life and about my future.

I've been exercising regularly since high school. Being an avid long distance runner, I've had various knee and feet surgeries, but I've always bounced back and maintained a wonderful fitness base. I turned 50 this summer. I get up at 4:00 am each day, and run or fast walk the trails (with a flashlight) with my dogs for at least an hour and a half. I walk to and from my job, then walk the dogs again in the evening. My dogs are also in excellent shape! I lift weights 2 times a week, and try to bike into town for all the errands I can do on a bike. I have two teenage daughters and try to show them that being a 50 year old female is simply grand! I do eat a healthy diet with lots of vegetables, complex carbs, calcium, fresh fruits, and lots of nuts. However, I do enjoy junk food once in a blue moon. I don't drink and certainly don't smoke. (I'm a recovering alcoholic, 25 years sobriety). The best part is, I'm in a pretty darn good mood most of the time, due I'm sure, to the exercise. (I do go to be at 8:30). The early bird gets the worm is certainly true!

I am 5'4 1/2" and an adult now but when I was a teenager I was not obese but I certainly was not thin. Then around 17 I decided to trim down and just cut out the junk food and for one entire summer after I graduated from H.S. I went on a high protein diet and started speed-walking 5 miles an hour and managed to get down to about 118 pounds. My father told me "If you don't gain 10 pounds, I'm going to put you in the hospital!" Well, I did, then he died of suicide and I went through all the emotions of loss, grief, feeling victimized, etc. Then I met my first husband at 24, we married, no children, I put on about 35 pounds. Then, due to him, I divorced, met my second husband, got pregnant, put on another 42 pounds and never could get it off after her birth. Then, 3 years later, when my second child was born, I had put on another 28 pounds and then afterwards I got up to the highest I'd ever been in my life. A whopping 224 pounds! Well, my mother mentioned that she was going on the Rice Diet, back in the 80's so I joined her. I lost nothing but water and tissue basically, the worst thing a person can do. My health began to change. I lost about 12 pounds, then when you're supposed to begin re-introducing normal foods back into your diet, of course the weight came back on. I tried once more, same thing. I went to several classes, workouts, etc. Then in 1997 my neck developed two herniated disks, 5-6 and 6-7. So, then I began the next 10 years of Phys. Ther. off and on. Then in April of 2004, I learned I had Type II Diabetes. Well, the lab Tech told me "Do you eat a lot of whites?" I said: "Yes, why?" He said: "Get off it immediately! Start eating brown rice, oatmeal and no white potatoes." It's the carbs in the whites that lead to Diabetes. So I did. My numbers still didn't come down. I was only around 150-160 all the time. Well, unbeknownst to anybody, I had started taking Glucosomine Condroitin for joints and have since found out that that will drive a person's blood sugar up. Also, I'd been put on Prednisone several times because every time I had contracted Poison Oak or Ivy I needed the steroids to aid in the medication of getting the poisons out of my body. Well, that also drives blood sugar sky high! Also, I found out my maternal grandmother who had had Type II for years along with her brother and father, it appears that Diabetes is passed every other generation maternally and I happened to have the marker for it. So I was predestined for it and couldn't do a thing about it. So now I have a wonderful Diabetic Specialist who's got me on Metformin 1,000 2 x daily, I take Vytorin for Cholesterol and Avapro for BP. Now working for the past three years to watch what I eat and exercise my recent cholesterol total was 157, my BP was 132 over 68 and my blood sugar was 6.6 down from 7.2. Needless to say my doctor was thrilled! He said "What ever you're doing, keep it up!" Well, what I'm doing is eating oatmeal at least 3 times a week, Substitute eggs as many times as I can, I limit myself to the 3 real eggs a week reccomendation, I happen to love smoked or grilled salmon (Omega 3) and I love any kind of dark breads!
I still try to walk at least 2-3 miles and hour but with Fybromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and now just on Oct. 19th I had a frontal Neck Spinal fusion for my herniated two disks, I'm looking forward to recovering and getting better.

If I can do it, you can too! The key is finding good doctors who will listen to you, be empathetic to your concerns and treat you as an individual. Just take it day by day and it can be done. I am now happily hovering around 189 all the time and feel much better. I'll never be down to 120 as I was as a teenager but my goal is to get to at least 170. I'm now 52 and have had 4 surgeries this year along with taking care of my mother's medical Workmen's Comp. crisis and her own 5 hour surgery to repair two broken arms. Hopefully, next year will be a much better brighter year!

I had smoked cigarettes for about 35 years. It was a 5 year process for me to finally quit. I took a refresher course in swimming. When I first began the course I could hardly swim to the half length of the pool with out stopping for air, coughing, breathing breathlessly. It was torture which made me realize what I had done to my health. I kept at the swimming anyway. Swimming on a daily basis. This is a much longer story. However, I am going to shorten it. I entered the 50 and 200 meter swim race in a city Olympics event and won the gold medals for both races coming in first place. I did not expect to place in those races. This has been a healing journey for me. I am still swimming three to four times a week. I have been taking Kickboxing classes twice a week for about three years. I am on the treadmill weekly, walking and working with free weights. I thank God for leading and guiding me on this journey. It is with pleasure and gratitude that I share this story with you.

Hi I had a little weight problem myself not
much but it was not my ideal weight.now I eat
almost the same but less portion.I do aerobic
5 times a week and whenever I can i go for a long walk,I feel much better now and my clothes fits much better.Iwent from 150 to 135
and trying to loose a little more.and I'm
happy to be an aarp member.

Interesting that we keep saying we are getting fatter and more diseased. Are we looking at alternative ways of eating? What we are consuming for energy needs? At almost 59 years old I am studying for a PhD in Natural Health. As a life long learner, I have studied nutrition since the birth of our youngest child, many years ago. Now what I am learning from research is that we have been sold a bill of goods when it comes to our diets. Interestingly who makes the billions of dollars from all of the "new & improved" ways of eating? What happened to good old vegetables, fruit, a bit of meat, and grains? We need to look into what consitutes "real" human nutrition. What did humans eat for many, many centuries? Was it soda pop, sugared everything, or huge portions of pasta? If we truly want to be healthier it is time to research our personal direction for health. We didn't used to mind walking or swimming. When did it become necessary to watch tv hours and hours of the day?
These are just the tip of the iceberg questions we need to ask ourselves. The government isn't going to give us the answers. We need to do some research on why are we becoming fatter and a more diseased nation? Remember less is more!
Thank you and health be yours :)

Picture a person who has gone from 134 pounds at 5'7" and full of energy to lying on my back for part of the day to heal herniated discs. I vacillate between tenacity and the tower of "pizza", leaning toward whatever whim or craving I happen to be battling with at the moment. That's me. I have been reading all that I can get my hands on to learn about the blood type diets for the last two weeks. Just yesterday, I listened to an online lesson on essential oils and their benefits. When it's time to put a meal on the table, I can get frustrated when I should only eat a variety of foods one particular way and my family is used to another.

Still, rather than become a fanatic, elimating overnight all that is proclaimed to be offlimits, I have, just for today, allowed myself a blueberry muffin(who can resist them fresh out of the oven)when they were ready. Later I enjoyed oven baked sweet potato fries and chili, grapes and cottage cheese.
Mind you, I have been known to fill a table with delectable home baked breads, pies, cakes, and cookies. The aromas of each wafted into a beckoning signal to follow their senses and indulgence in savoring. Gone are those days. I look at a recipe now and I am amazed at the incessant daily onlslought of processed sugar and flour. Yeahhhs, they looked mouthwatering. Yeahhs, they smelled tantalizing. And yeahhs, they both teased and satisfied our tastebuds into not wanting or being able to stop with just one bite or even a normal serving.

It's a long haul to back up, regroup, and reteach my senses. But if I don't, I will find myself in a health battle many have already lost.

If others can do it,...... I CAN.
Bon appetite! ...to fresh sprouts, spelt bread from the bakery, soy milk on my brown rice with cinnamon, wild alaskan salmon with olive oil or grapeseed oil,seasoned with thyme, dill and rosemary, with garlic salt and parsley, and the list goes on.

Exercizing... is another chapter entirely ")

Yours in good health,
Carol Catlin ")

The drug makers just keep getting richer and richer. If you can afford to go to the doctor with a specific problem, the medicine prescribed may help with that problem but may cause several other problems. Guess what. You have to get another prescription. It goes on and on.
After you have taken your medicine like a good person, you find out a year or two later that the particular medicine has a problem. What happened to testing? As I said before, drug makers get richer and richer. They obviously have no regard for all the people making them richer. Someone is allowing this to happen. I wonder who.

AARP should do an article on the book "Eat to Lve" by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. He is a brave pioneer in this field and has reversed heart disease, diabetes, lupus and many diseases the senior population suffer from. They NEED to have this knowledge. Please try and do this soon for your readership's sake.
Joan Grealis, Monroe, NJ

Making healthy choices in our diet or the way we live is not difficult. Making the choice to choose to make healthy choices is what is difficult.Taking charge of our own health is our responibilty to ourselves and our family.If more of us made healthier choices our dependencies on the drug companies would be less and our tendencies to for illness would also be less, all that is needed is to change the way we think about food and the way we lead our lives, we can make a big difference just by taking baby steps.Instead of driving around trying to find the closest parking spot to the entrance of the store or to work park further away and walk the rest of the distance, take the stairs if able, fix yourself a healthy meal instead of stopping for take out or fast food. Buy a low-fat cooking book if your unsure on how to cook healthy. Getting healthy and staying healthy can start now today it is not difficult.

Several years ago, I suffered a major health crisis. As a former active person--I danced, rode my bike, hiked, etc.--it was a humbling experience when I was diagnosed with CFIDS in the 90's. Lying in bed most of the day with brain fog and no energy was not my idea of a good time. However, I was determined to get well--there was never a doubt in my mind.

I had been meditating for several years prior to getting sick, but now I took it seriously, knowing how stress contributed to my symptoms. Ill as I was, I attended 10-day silent retreats, changed my diet, and studied alternative medicine in my bed on those days I couldn't get up. I learned about and incorporated chiropractic care, herbology, and homeopathic remedies into my healing regime; I also ate the freshest whole foods I could find--no more pesticides or non-organics. I took no medications and underwent no traditional medical treatments, as something inside told me what I needed to do was surrender to the most natural therapeutic regimes in order to heal.

Additionally, I visualized myself dancing again. Over and over, I pictured a healthy, strong me dancing in a studio with joy and strength. I would do this the way Olympic contenders did--by sensing the movements in my body, using my dancer's sense memories and feeling the sensations in my muscles, not just in my mind.

To make a long story short, after 3 years of CFIDs, I began to get a lot better. Cut to 2005. After finding a movement routine called, Nia, I became a teacher of this form of movement incorporating dance, martial arts and yoga, among others.

I'll never forget the day I burst into tears was the day I happened to look in the studio mirror and saw myself healthy, strong, joyful, and dancing--exactly the way I had visualized myself all those years ago when I
could hardly get out of bed. I knew then I had truly healed myself.

I was blessed to have a mother who always fed us healthy meals before anyone really talked about things like "junk food". Eating healthy is a natural part of my life, I have always eaten fresh fruits and veggies. However, now I make an effort to have at least 3 or 4 vegetarian meals a week, not vegan but vegetarian. I find it gives me great energy and it's hard to do, even dining out.

I am 63 years old and last year had a gastric bypass. I have fought overweight all my life & was almost 300 lbs at 5'2" - I had diabetes, heart problems, breathing problems from asthma & having my lungs burned 3x plus I smoked for 27 years, tho it has now been 20 years since I quit. I have lost 140 pounds, le