Mountain Views News          Saturday, July 10, 2010

9

The Good Life

 Mountain Views News Saturday, July 10, 2010 

SENIOR HAPPENINGS

YOUR HEALTH MATTERS

Today’s Subject: 

Those Sugar Blues!

FYI: 

Tell Your Social Security “Story” 

The ‘Social Security Stories Project’ calls 
on the public to share their personal 
stories and utilizes social media to spread 
the word. 

Newcastle, Maine (Vocus/PRWEB ) 
July 9, 2010 -- An effort to gather stories 
about the importance of Social Security 
in our society has resulted in a special 
video project and upcoming book. The 
Social Security Stories Project is seeking 
story submissions from the public, 
with a goal of receiving 1,000 stories by 
the end of July. The stories will then be 
reviewed for possible inclusion in a new 
book to be published in honor of the 75th 
anniversary of Social Security on Aug. 
14, 2010.

 

There are currently 10 stories featured in 
a new video that was showcased by the 
National Academy of Social Insurance 
on June 22, 2010 at the National Press 
Club in Washington, D.C. The video 
can also be viewed on YouTube. The 
video uses photos submitted by the story 
tellers, as well as audio captured through 
a special toll-free number set up for the 
project.

Those who have received Social Security 
as well as those who know of a friend or 
family member whose life was impacted 
are encouraged to submit their stories. 
Online submission is easy and requires 
less than 400 words or a short video. 
Full details and a submission form are 
available at www.SocialSecurityStories.
org. Stories can also be shared by calling 
1-800-335-2082.

“We are hoping the younger generations 
will interview their parents and 
grandparents on the subject which is why 
our website offers interview questions,” 
says Barbara Burt, executive director for 
the Frances Perkins Center, a nonprofit 
organization leading the project as part 
of its mission to honor and learn from 
Frances Perkins (the first woman to serve 
in a presidential cabinet). A pioneering 
woman in and ahead of her time, Perkins 
was U.S. secretary of labor for Franklin 
Delano Roosevelt. She was champion of 
the New Deal, close friend and advisor 
to FDR. 

The Social Security Stories Project seeks 
to create a full picture of the importance 
of Social Security to celebrate and share 
with all U.S. citizens, and the world. 

Stories featured in the video include:

• The story of a new dad that died a 
few days after his son was born. The son 
received his Social Security benefits, 
preventing a further tragedy for the 
family. “I am saddened that my grandson 
has to grow up without his daddy,” says 
Angela Stockwell of Athens, Maine. 
“But I am grateful that a program which 
began 75 years ago still exists today to 
help struggling families deal financially 
with the loss of a loved one.”

• The story of a dad struck by cancer 
suddenly, leaving his wife to care for 
their children alone. “The funeral 
director in our small town told my mom 
about benefits available from Social 
Security that would help her,” says 
Evonne Zalewski of Greendale, Wis. “ I 
remember my mom telling me how this 
will help so much and that we will not 
be poor or have to move. Having grown 
up during the depression with only food 
stamps available was terrifying for my 
mom.”

 “We’re inviting people across America 
to share examples of how Social Security 
made a meaningful difference in their life 
or the life of someone they know -- as it 
currently does for one in six Americans,” 
says Burt. 

Go to: SocialSecurityStories.org for more 
information.

Recipe of the Week:

Buffalo Chicken Salad

INGREDIENTS:

 3 cups chopped rotisserie chicken

 skin removed

 4 stalks celery, chopped

 2 red bell peppers, chopped

 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

 1 cup creamy blue cheese salad 
dressing

 1/2 - 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

 

DIRECTIONS:

Combine chicken, celery, bell peppers, 
and blue cheese in large bowl; toss gently. 
Combine salad dressing and Tabasco sauce 
in small bowl; drizzle over chicken mixture 
and toss to coat. Serve immediately or 
cover and chill 3-4 hours before serving. 
Serves 4-6 

 
In recent years, there has been a growing 
awareness of the effect that carbohydrates 
have on the body. Almost overnight, people 
began reducing carbs and moving toward a 
high-protein diet. So, how did carbs go from 
THE low fat, high energy food choice to the 
pariah of the population's diet consciousness?

 With research pointing to complex metabolic 
disorders such as Syndrome X, dysglycemia 
and insulin resistance, we began to realize 
that for some people even whole food choices 
involving carbs could be stressing their 
systems. It also became clear that certain 
foods pack a real wallop when it comes to the 
demands placed on the pancreas and other 
blood sugar regulating organs. Thus, the 
importance of the glycemic index chart.

 There are several online sites, books and 
articles describing the various glycemic 
effects of specific foods. More important 
is the ability to identify whether or not you 
may be dysglycemic or prediabetic. There are 
indicators which provide information in the matter. Of course, the blood glucose fasting tests are 
the standard baseline lab tests used to identify this kind of problem. There are also indicators which 
point to blood sugar problems at a personal level, independent of lab work. For instance, how is your 
energy upon waking? At 3:00 to 5:00 in the afternoon? Do you often feel sleepy after a meal? Do you 
crave sweets? Do you experience dizziness when moving from sitting to standing positions? All of 
these symptoms suggest a possible imbalance in blood sugar.

 What, now, do you do about it? First of all, it is important to become aware of the amount of 
glycemic influence each food that you eat may have. Familiarize yourself with the glycemic index 
chart and low-glycemic choices. Further, read the labels of processed foods to find the hidden sugars. 
Next, for a brief period of a few weeks, lean away from carbs and toward proteins. For example, if you 
are used to having cereal with fruit and honey in the morning, try eggs and whole grain toast or even 
eggs and vegetables (in an omelette, as an example.) For dinner, have a low fat chicken, fish or tofu 
meal with vegetables instead of pasta, potatoes, and the like. After a few weeks, begin to gradually 
reintroduce unrefined carbs and see how you feel.

 In the long run, it's helpful to realize that we're often taking in far too much sugar, and the 
compromised level of vitality we experience is a direct result of that habit.

Next Week: Vitamin D 

Have a healthy, happy week! Dr. John

Dr. John Talevich, D.C. has practiced in Sierra Madre 
for thirty years. His clinic, LifeWorks! Chiropractic, 
offers patient-specific approaches to the alleviation 
of pain and individually tailored wellness programs. 

July Birthdays

Shahrzad Azrani, Eunice Banis, Betty Barlow, Cindy 
Barnard, Janet Cox, Martha Griffin, Betty Hansen, Dorothy 
Montgomery, Bess Pancoska, Janet Swanson, Linda Thunes, 
Barbara Watson, Anthony Gheezo, Joanne Gheezo, Beverly 
Turko, 

Activities: 

Lunch Program: Monday- 
Friday at the Intervale 
Café -12:00 Noon-Call 
(626) 355-0256 to make 
your daily reservation. 
Suggested donation $2.00 
for seniors (60+) and 
$3.75 for visitors.

Monday: 

1:00 pm to 1:45 pm: 
Strength training with 
Lisa Brandley. FREE class 
of stretching with light 
hand weights while you 
sit.

Tuesday:

2nd Tuesday of each 
month FREE blood 
pressure checks 
by Methodist 
Hospital; 11 
am to 12 noon 

3rd Tuesday 
of each month 
FREE financial consulting; 
10 -12 noon call 355-7394 
for an appointment

1:30 pm to 3:30 pm: 
BINGO; cards are only 
25 cents each so stop by 
& play 

5:30 pm to 7 pm: Yoga; 
$7.00 - 50 & over. Please 

call 355-5278 for more 
information

Wednesday:

11 –11:45 am: Balance 
Class with Teryl. FREE 
class designed to improve 
balance & refresh the 
joints

2nd Wednesday of the 
month: FREE Legal 
Consultations: 10-11:30 
am. Appointments call 
355-7394

Wii Wednesday - 1:00 
pm or call the senior desk 
at 355-7394 to arrange 
another time & day to 
learn how to play. No 
previous experience or 
skills required and it is 
great exercise.

Thursday:

1:00 to 3:30 pm: Game 
Day. Join us for UNO 
and Poker with Bridge on 
the 2nd & 4th Thursdays; 
so please call for more 
information.

5:00 pm to 6:30 pm: Yoga; 
$7.00 - 50 & over. Please 
call 355-5278 for more 
information

Friday: 

1:00 pm: Ping Pong

Saturday: 11:30 am: 
Senior Club brown bag 
lunch and BINGO at 
12:30 pm

 Unless listed differently, all 
activities are at the Hart 
Memorial Park (Senior Center) 
222 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., 
Sierra Madre

LifeWorks! Chiropractic Center

Individually Tailored Wellness Programs

31 S. Baldwin Avenue Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024

626-355-4710


Meals are delivered to home-bound seniors 
by volunteer drivers through the YWCA 
Intervale Lunch Program M-F (with frozen 
meals for the weekend.) Call the YWCA at 
(626) 214-9460 or Darlene Traxler at (626) 
355-0256 for more information.

Meals-On-Wheels

MEALS-ON-WHEELS NEEDS 
VOLUNTEERS TO DELIVER MEALS TO 
OUR HOMEBOUND NEIGHBORS **ONCE 
A MONTH OR WEEKLY** 

Please contact Darlene Traxler at 

626.355.6220 or 

(626) 355-0256.


COMING SOON!

MEN’S WEEKLY TENNIS INTERMEDIATE LEVEL

NOON EVERY WEEK IN SIERRA MADRE

CALL 355-2335 FOR INFO