136 Uptown NewsletterMarch 2016

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March 2016

How Not to Turn Into an "Old Driver"

As you buckle yourself into a two-ton metal machine and rocket down the road at 60 miles per hour or faster, you may ask yourself, "Am I as safe a driver as I used to be?" This can be a legitimate concern even if you’re in robust health and still a long way from being a senior. For instance, you may no longer be able to turn your head far enough to look behind you. Safety concerns become increasingly relevant as the years pass. Consider: Compared with drivers age 55 to 64, those over the age of 65 are almost twice as likely to die in a car crash... drivers age 80 and older have higher crashfatality rates than all other age groups except teens.

Cognition slows, impairing the behind. ability to recognize and react appropriately to a hazard (such as On the highway, stay in the right lane whenever possible. There’s a child dashing into the street). less risk of being tailgated, and The physical ability to operate a you probably won’t need to car may be impaired by stiff change lanes to exit. joints, muscle pain, nerve damage Minimize travel on congested or and other maladies. poorly lit roads. Advancing age also brings increased frailty. This means that, Do not drive in rain or snow or even if driving skills remain sharp, when you feel tired or stressed. the ability to recover from Stay home or call a taxi. accidents decreases. See and be seen... The modern world also presents hazards that older drivers may not be accustomed to. More than ever, drivers around you are likely to be distracted by cell-phone calls, text messages and GPS devices. These distractions greatly increase the risk for accidents.

To determine if you’re tailgating, pick a spot that the car in front of you passes, then count the seconds until you reach that spot. If it’s less than three seconds—or six seconds in rain or fog—back off.

Use your window defroster on high heat to clear window fog Avoid dangerous situations... quickly...then switch to cool air Use routes that minimize left (not cold) to keep fog from turns—they are more dangerous coming back. This works in all Aging affects driving ability in than right turns. When waiting to weather. several vital ways... turn left, keep your wheels Keep your windows clean inside Vision and hearing become less straight so you won’t be pushed into oncoming traffic if hit from (Continued on page 4) acute. NEW RULES OF THE ROAD ROAD

In anticipation of this month’s most well known holiday, my team and I wish you a Happy St Patrick’s Day. To share in the spirit of the day, don’t Dr. Jerry Shapiro forget to wear green on the 17th! Speaking of spirit, for those of you who visited us on February 11th for our “Elvis Day”, I hope you had as exciting a time as we did planning it for you! If you missed the day, hopefully you will stop in frequently to join us at one of our future special events.

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(which may be less than that of your copay by going through insurance). Our Extended Day Generic Plan offers our patients 3, 6, 9 and 12 month supplies of chronic prescriptions at very competitive prices. Taking advantage of this will also prevent you from having to refill as frequently and waiting for long periods of time to receive your order.

vaginal and urinary infections. They crowd out bad bacteria, preventing the bacteria’s ability to host in the body, which inhibits infection, inflammation and disease. Some studies have also indicated that they help the body to absorb nutrients, making sure your body receives the vitamins, minerals, fats and amino acids from the foods that you are consuming. Along with the refrigerated probiotics that we have always had and will continue to carry, we are thrilled to have been able to get a supply of chewable probiotics that work as well.

Want to speed up your healing and recovery? For those that will have to undergo surgery, be aware of a nutritional Vitamin C that promotes healing and speeds the recovery process. We carry both the swallowable tablets To shorten the duration of your cold and gummy version (that tastes like or even wipe it out, shop our herbal products. The homeopathic an orange). To enhance the health of your supplements have no side effects and digestive system, we suggest the use can be taken in conjunction with of probiotics, which are live (good) anything else you might be taking. bacteria and yeasts. Most people We also now have an herbal product are aware of the significant impact that can eliminate up to 80% of probiotics can have in improving “hot flashes”. This product is sold digestion—combating diarrhea, with a money back guarantee. The irritable bowel syndrome and feedback from our patients has been inflammatory bowel disease—but, in wonderful with repeat purchases addition, use of probiotics have month after month. (As of yet we shown positive results for an array of have not had one returned.)

Tired of your high prescription copays? As the year progresses it is apparent for all of us that copay fees – dictated by insurance plans—have increased. Even those on mandatory mail order insurance plans have seen their copays go “through the roof”. This has been especially true for generic drugs. If you are in this situation, we urge you to call us for conditions ranging from asthma and That is all for this month. On behalf a price quote for cash payment allergies, to skin disorders and of my team, I hope you have a great March and a safe, enjoyable St. Patrick’s Day!

The Big Sweep

You have a headache, and you buy an essential oil to soothe it. You have a sore muscle, and you buy a topical treatment to ease the pain. You use these remedies—and then you don’t need them anymore and they sit in your medicine cabinet for a while. For a long while. Before you know it, you have a pile of old, outof-date remedies...or supplements...or medications on your hands. Take a few minutes to go through your medicine cabinet—and discard those items that have expired. You can do the same with your kitchen cupboards. You may be surprised to find so many jars of old spices and baking supplies that are out of date.

Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of

your values.

The simplest way to slice a bunch of cherry tomatoes is to •

WD40 can be used to remove crayon marks from any surface! •

sandwich them between two plastic lids and run a long knife through all of them at once!

from

JoAnn

Flip a toaster on its side to make grill cheese. •

Add half a t eas po o n of baking soda to the water when hard-boiling eggs to make the shells incredibly easy to peel off. •

First On the To-Do List We all find ways to put off tasks on our to-do list. So what can we do to motivate ourselves? Here’s a simple trick that you might not like, but that will probably help you. Do the hardest task first. Think of it this way—you have more energy (and determination) when you first attack your list. So put your energy toward the most difficult task first…and then you can relax a little (and feel a sense of accomplishment)

rubber bands to help open a jar easily: place one around the jar lid and another around the middle of the glass. The rubber provides friction to prevent your hands from slipping.

To tell if eggs are fresh, immerse them in a bowl of water. Fresh eggs will lie on • To prevent your the bottom, while stale eggs will eyes watering while float to the surface. chopping onions, wipe the chopping board with white • Use ice-cubes to lift vinegar (which out indentations won't affect the taste of the onions). made by furniture on your carpets. • Use chalk to remove grease stains • Prevent soil from from clothes. escaping through Simply rub white the holes in the chalk on the affected base of flowerpots area and wash as normal—the by lining with large chalk will absorb the grease and be coffee filters. washed away in the cycle. •

Hints

• Use

Chia seeds are good for you They provide healthful omega-3 fats, fiber, protein, calcium, iron, zinc and other minerals. They may slow the absorption of sugar and help reduce cholesterol. Add the seeds to cereal, oatmeal or yogurt. You can buy them at health-food stores and online.

CURB YOUR APPETITE Curb your appetite by smelling vanilla before a meal. The aroma is satisfyingly rich and tricks your brain into thinking you are eating more than you actually are, so your body feels content sooner and needs less food.

(Continued from page 1)

and outside. Be on the watch for distracted drivers. Stay focused yourself, too—don’t talk on the phone or eat or fiddle with the CD player or have emotional conversations with your passengers. Keep headlights on, even during the day—it makes you more visible to others. Clean headlights often. If you have poor night vision, drive only in daylight.

Master new car technology... Put your seat as far back as you comfortably can to avoid being injured by the air bag if it deploys. Tilt the steering wheel so that the air bag points toward your chest, not your head. If your steering wheel telescopes, move it closer to the dashboard to lessen air bag impact. If you skid, do not "pump" anti-lock brakes—just brake steadily. HEALTH CHECKS

Work with a healthhealth-care team... team... Ask your doctor if any of the medications you take can cause drowsiness or light-headedness. If you start a new drug, avoid driving for a few days until you see how it affects you. Have your vision checked every year or two. Get a hearing test every three years. If you have hearing loss, watch dashboard indicators because you may not notice strange engine noises.

Also: Be vigilant about watching for

local AAA club (www.aaa.com).

emergency vehicles.

PUTTING DOWN THE KEYS KEYS

SHOULD YOU TAKE A CLASS? CLASS? The more of the following factors that apply to you, the more advisable it is to take a refresher course in driving. Take it as a clue

if you... Often are honked at by other drivers. Sometimes have trouble staying in your lane. Occasionally think that vehicles or pedestrians have appeared out of nowhere. Caused a recent accident. Many insurance companies offer discounts to drivers who pass a refresher course. Contact your i n s u r a n c e a g e n t f or m o r e information. Some classes can be completed in one or two days...some you do at your own pace. Bonus: Classes review your state’s laws, which may have changed—for example, many older drivers are unaware of certain states’ requirements to signal at least 100 feet before turning. Refresher courses are given online and in classroom settings. A course that includes several hours of behindthe-wheel training is most beneficial, though this can add significantly to the cost. For schedules and pricing, contact AARP (888-227-7669, www. aarp.org/drive) or your

It’s time to consider leaving the driving to others if you have taken a refresher course and yet still experience any of the following... Often feel lost or confused on familiar roads. Occasionally hit the gas when you mean to hit the brake. Hear that other people worry about your driving or are scared to ride with you. Have been advised by your doctor to stop driving.

If you stop driving... driving... Find out about public transportation options, including discounted fares for seniors. For referrals to civic groups that provide rides, contact your local council on aging. Ask nearby friends for rides (and offer to pay for gas). Many people are happy to help out.