Mountain Views News          Saturday, March 5, 2011

THE 

15

THE GOOD LIFE

 Mountain Views-News Saturday, March 5, 2011 

YOUR HEALTH MATTERS

Today’s Subject: 

SENIOR HAPPENINGS

Recipe of the Week:

Activities: 

THE BURNING STOMACH

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

NEW ORLEANS-STYLE CHICKEN

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.

MENU BELOW

Monday: City Hall & Hart Park House/
Senior Center Closed on February 21 

• 12 noon: Intervale Lunch Café: Come enjoy 
a hot meal with others. Donation for seniors 
(60+) of $2.00; visitors $3.75. Please call 355-
0256 to make your daily reservation. 

• 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 

• 12 noon: Intervale Lunch Café; daily 
reservations needed 355-0256 

• 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 

• 12 noon: Intervale Lunch Café; daily 
reservations needed 355-0256 

• Free Income Tax assistance - 1 pm to 2 pm. 
For an appointment, please call 355-7394 

• 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: 

• 12 noon: Intervale Lunch Café; daily 
reservations needed 355-0256 

• 1:00 to 3:30 pm: Game Day. Join us for 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 355-52 

Friday: City Hall Closed on February 11 & 25 

12 noon: Intervale Lunch Café; daily 
reservations needed 355-0256 

Saturday: 

11:30 am: Senior Club brown bag lunch and 
BINGO at 12:30 pm. The Senior Club always 
welcomes new members ($5 membership 
dues per year) so please stop by to learn more.

INGREDIENTS:

1-1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, 
cubed

3 teaspoons canola oil, divided

2 medium carrots, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

1 medium green pepper, chopped

1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped

2 portobello mushrooms (3 ounces each), 
chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2-3/4 cups hot water

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and 
drained

1 package (8 ounces) red beans and rice mix

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) Hunt’s® Original Diced 
Tomatoes, drained

1/3 cup shredded Asiago cheese 

DIRECTIONS: 

In a large nonstick skillet, brown chicken in 1 teaspoon 
oil over medium-high heat until no longer 
pink; remove and set aside. In the same skillet, saute 
the carrots, onion and peppers in remaining oil for 
10 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic; saute 1-2 
minutes longer or until vegetables are tender. 

Stir in the water, beans and rice mix. Return chicken 
to the pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and 
simmer for 30-35 minutes or until liquid is absorbed 
and rice is tender. 

Stir in tomatoes; heat through. Just before serving, 
sprinkle with cheese. Yield: 6 servings. 

Editor’s Note: This recipe was prepared with Zatarain’s 
New Orleans-style red beans and rice. 

 
Up until roughly thirty years ago, if you 
had a peptic ulcer, it was thought that your 
lifestyle needed some management. Too 
much worry and spicy foods were considered 
to be the prime suspects. Perhaps a good 
glass of milk would be recommended to “coat 
the stomach.”

 It is now recognized that a particular 
bacteria setting up camp in the lining of 
the stomach is a common cause. When 
Helicobacter Pylori is eliminated through 
the use of antibiotic therapy, the symptoms 
often clear up quickly. In some cases, the 
eradication of the troublesome bug may 
require repeat doses or another type of 
antibiotic.

 Another leading cause of peptic ulcer is the 
use of various anti-inflammatory medicines, 
both prescription and over the counter 
(or OTC). Long term use of medications 
such as Celebrex, Advil, Motrin, Aleve and 
aspirin (even low dose) raise the possibility 
of ulceration. This gradual irritation of the 
stomach lining can promote the development of lesions which expose delicate underlying tissues 
to stomach acids. Often, because over the counter medications are perceived as being very safe, the 
consumer may not be aware that he is actually causing the problem.

 As a chiropractor, I have seen a number of patients who have an underlying gastric problem 
that is causing discomfort in the mid-back. The pain is usually unrelenting. While this appears to 
be musculoskeletal in nature, it is, in fact, a viscerosomatic reflex being generated from a sensory 
overflow originating in the stomach (whew).

 So, here’s the Catch-22: You may be taking an anti-inflammatory medication (prescription or 
OTC) for chronic musculoskeletal pain, and the medication may be contributing to the very pain 
for which it is being taken! Remember, pain is expressing for a reason; if you have been taking pain 
meds for a prolonged period of time, get checked out ~ your life may depend on it.

 Have a healthy 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. 

John M. Talevich, D.C. 

CHIROPRACTIC: Simple, Elegant, Effective

31 S. Baldwin Avenue Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024

626-355-4710


March Birthdays

Ella Guttman, Santos Ruiz, Viky Tchatlian, 
Mary Cooper, Georgina “Snooky” Greger, 
Sun Lui, Helen Wallis

News From Social Security

ELECTRONIC PAYMENTS ARE A MUST

 

For years, Social Security has stressed the convenience, security, and safety of getting benefit 
payments electronically. Soon, direct deposit (or Direct Express) will not only be the best 
way to receive Federal benefit payments — it will be the only way. 

 

That’s because the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced a new rule that will phase 
out paper checks for Federal benefit and non-tax payments by March 1, 2013.

 

Here is how the transition will work.

 

• Anyone applying for Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits 
on or after May 1, 2011, will receive their payments electronically, while those already receiving 
paper checks will need to switch to electronic payments by March 1, 2013. 

 

• Anyone already receiving their benefit payments electronically will continue to receive 
their payment as usual on their payment day. 

 

• People receiving benefits have the option of direct deposit to a bank or credit union 
account (of their choice) or into a Direct Express• Debit MasterCard• card account (a Treasury-
recommended prepaid card option). You can visit www.GoDirect.org to learn more.

 

• Social Security, SSI, Veterans Affairs, Railroad Retirement Board, Office of Personnel 
Management benefits, and other non-tax payments are included.

 

For most people getting monthly benefits, this won’t really be a change; already 8 out of 10 
beneficiaries receive payments electronically. 

 

Why the push for electronic payments instead of paper checks received in the mail? 

• It’s safer: no risk of checks being lost or stolen; 

• It’s easy and reliable: 
no need to wait 
for the mail or go to 
the bank to cash a 
check; 

• It saves taxpayers 
money: no cost for 
postage and paper 
and printing; 

• It saves you money: 
no check-cashing 
fees or bank fees; 
and 

• It’s good for the 
environment: it 
saves paper and 
eliminates transportation 
costs.

 

If you still get your 
check in the mail, 
you don’t need to 
wait for the new rule 
to go into effect to 
enjoy the benefits of 
electronic payments. 
Please visit www.godirect.
org today and 
begin getting your 
Social Security and 
SSI payments the 
safe, easy, inexpensive, 
and green way 
— electronically.

Meals-On-Wheels


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.


Sponsor Bingo Prize

Pasadena Highlands, an independent 
and assisted living 
community, is proud to provide 
a special gift basket on the first 
Tuesday of each month. Accredited 
In-Home nursing care will 
provide a special prize on the 4th 
Tuesday of each month. Bingo 
takes place every Tuesday at 1:30 
pm in the Hart Park House / Senior 
Center in Memorial Park. 
The game begins at 1:30 pm but 
those wishing to play must arrive 
10 minutes before to secure 
your Bingo cards. Join us on 
the 1st & 4th Tuesday of each 
month for your chance to win 
these special prizes. 

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.

INCOME TAX TIME

Don Brunner will be volunteering his time once 
again to assist seniors with filing their 2010 tax 
return. The service is free but appointments are 
necessary. 

 Every Wednesday - February 9th to April 6th 
1 pm to 2 pm Hart Park House / Senior Center, 
222 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre (in 
Memorial Park). Please call the Senior Desk at 
(626) 355-7394 to make an appointment. 


MORE ACTIVITIES

 The Sierra Madre Library is offering a 
new program to homebound persons 
in Sierra Madre called “Titles To Go” - 
Where volunteers bring the library to 
you! For more information, please call 
Ana Valencia at (626) 355-7186. 

• Sierra Madre Aquatic Center, 611 E. 
Sierra Madre Blvd., will be open for 
spring lap swimmers & walkers starting 
March 14 through June 12. Hours: 
12 noon to 2 pm (Sunday, Monday, 
Wednesday, Friday & Saturday) 
and 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm (Tuesday & 
Wednesday). Cost is $100 per person 
for a spring pass (no daily admission). 
This is a great opportunity for low 
impact exercise in a heated pool. For 
more information, please call 
(626) 355-5278. 


LUNCH & LEARN 

Join the Senior Community Commission at the Sierra 
Madre Hart Park House / Senior Center for a 
FREE presentation. Lunch is available for a $2 donation 
by calling (626) 355-0256 by 12 noon the 
day before. 


DIAL - A - RIDE 
TICKETS

Tickets can now be 
purchased at:

Sierra Madre City 
Hall

Hart Park House / 

Senior Center

Sierra Madre Library

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