Mountain Views News          Saturday, July 17, 2010

8

The Good Life

 Mountain Views News Saturday, July 17, 2010 

SENIOR HAPPENINGS

YOUR HEALTH MATTERS

Today’s Subject: 

Why Vitamin D?

FYI: 

Walking Tips For Seniors

 Walking may be the best fitness activity 
for many seniors givern the relatively low 
physical risks and the enormous long-
term health benefits. These ‘Walking 
Tips for Seniors’ are designed to reduce 
the risk of often preventable foot and 
ankle injuries and ailments that could 
lead to inactivity, and prohibit many 
seniors from realizing the tremendous 
benefits of walking.

The Foot Health Foundation of America 
(the Foundation) -- the education arm 
of the American Podiatric Medical 
Association (APMA) -- has issued 
guidelines for seniors in response to the 
recent release of two major long-term 
studies confirming the beneficial effects 
of regular walking on a person’s overall 
health and well-being.

 One study revealed that regular exercise 
walking lowered the risk of death from 
cancer and cardiovascular disease and -- 
in general -- prolonged life. Increasing 
the walking distance from just one to 
two miles produced even greater results. 
The second study found that taking brisk 
half-hour walks just six times a month 
appeared to cut the risk of death by 44 
percent, and even occasional exercisers 
were 30 percent less likely to die than 
sedentary folks.

 “Now -- more than ever -- we are urging 
Americans to get up and go. These 
tips should serve as a great starting 
point, from choosing a proper walking 
sneaker to knowing where and when 
to walk,” commented Dr. Marc Lenet, 
DPM, president of APMA. “To ensure 
a successful and safe walking program, 
seniors should also consult their 
primary care and/or podiatric physician 
-- especially if they have a family history 
of heart disease, poor circulation or 
diabetes, or if they have any pre-existing 
foot conditions.”

Benefits of Walking

 In addition to the long-term benefit of 
prolonging life, the Foundation points 
out that seniors can experience many 
short-term benefits from walking. 
Walking:

-- Controls weight, blood sugar and 
cholesterol levels. A brisk walk can 
burn up to 100 calories per mile or 
300 calories per hour. Walking is the 
perfect complement to a sensible diet to 
lose weight and keep it off;

-- Improves cardiovascular fitness and 
circulation. Walking gets the heart 
beating faster to transport oxygen-rich 
blood from the lungs to the muscles; 
and increases the size and improves 
the efficiency of tiny vessels that supply 
blood for cellular respiration;

-- Facilitates medical rehabilitation 
and recovery from many ailments, 
including heart attack;

-- Generates a sense of well-being, 
and can relieve depression, anxiety 
and stress by naturally producing 
endorphins, the body’s natural 
tranquilizer;

Getting started

 The Foundation recommends setting 
appropriate and realistic goals, pacing 
oneself, choosing an appropriate and 
“like-able” activity, and paying attention 
to what the body, including the feet, 
reveals. Drinking fluids on hot days or 
during very strenuous activities to avoid 
heat stroke and heat exhaustion is vitally 
important.

 For more information on walking 
or general foot care, please call 
800-FOOTCARE or visit the APMA’s 
Web site at www.apma.org. The Foot 
Health Foundation of America -- a 501(c)
(3) organization -- is a national health 
initiative of the American Podiatric 
Medical Association.

Recipe of the Week:

BUTTER BEAN SALAD

INGREDIENTS:

You can add canned tuna, chicken, or seafood to this 
salad for more protein. Use your family’s favorite type 
of canned bean; chickpeas, kidney beans, or black beans 
would work well. 

3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

5 Tbsp. olive oil

1/4 tsp. pepper

3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

2 (15 oz.) cans butter beans, rinsed and drained

11 oz. can shoepeg corn, drained

14.5 oz. can zesty chili diced tomatoes, drained

1 small red onion, chopped

 

DIRECTIONS:

 In large bowl, combine vinegar, olive oil, 
salt, pepper, and parsley and mix well with 
wire whisk. Add remaining ingredients and 
toss to coat. Cover and chill 2 hours, or serve 
immediately. Serves 4-6 


In the last few years, there has been a 
great deal of information generated 
about Vitamin D levels. At the risk of 
adding to the complexities of an already 
complicated subject, let me contribute 
this simple observation: many people 
are living with conditions that defy 
conventional diagnosis and treatment 
(fibromyalgia, chronic joint pain, fatigue 
to name a few). The "vertically ill" may 
benefit from Vitamin D testing and 
supplementation. It is important to know 
if levels are low, especially of they are 
significantly low, in order to strengthen a 
weak link in the system. Once this link 
is strengthened, the body is more able to 
resolve the underlying issue.

Getting on the Bandwagon

Estimates vary on how much Vitamin D 
is necessary to maintain adequate blood levels. Typical daily multivitamins contain 400 i.u., 
but recommendations of 1000 to 2000 i.u. a day are not uncommon. Amounts up to 50,000 
i.u. have even been suggested. So how much do I need? These concerns can be discussed 
with a nutritionally-minded doctor. There are also various online organizations that offer 
home testing kits.

To Sum It Up

Vitamin D is an emerging area of study and represents a complex set of insights, questions 
and concerns. The purpose of this brief article is to encourage those individuals who have 
been suffering from treatment-resistant conditions to look into whether there may be an 
underlying Vitamin D deficiency. It may be the solution that they have been looking for.

Have a great week!

Dr. John

Next Week: Andropause

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

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME!

 Angels Baseball Game

The City of Arcadia Recreation & Community 
Services Department – Senior Services Division 
is currently selling tickets to see the Los Angeles 
Angels of Anaheim in action as they take on the 
Boston Red Sox. The game is Wednesday, July 28th 
at 12:30pm. The bus will leave the Arcadia Community Center at 11am and 
return at approximately 4:30pm. The trip is intended for individuals 50 years 
of age and older and the cost of the trip is $20 per person.

For more information, please contact Arcadia Senior Services at 
626.574.5130.

 
If you have a clear speaking voice without accent 
or impediment and are free on Monday mornings 
from 10 a.m. until noon, you are eligible to tutor 
in the Conversational Skills Class held at the 
Arcadia Public Library on Monday mornings 
from 10 am till noon. 

 No prior teaching experience is required---
only a desire to help foreign-born residents 
improve their English speaking skills so they 
can communicate with their neighbors, their 
children’s teachers, the doctor and the grocer. 

 Both men and women substitute tutors are needed 
for this program run entirely with volunteers 
and co-sponsored by the Arcadia Public Library 
and Arcadia Branch American Association of 
University Women. An orientation/training 
meeting will be held on July 19 at 10 a.m. There 
is no obligation in attending. Please contact the 
Library Services Manager at (626) 821-5570 for 
further information or to let us know you would 
like to attend.


VOLUNTEER ENGLISH TUTORS WANTED

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