Generosity

 Generosity is not something that comes easily to many. We become trapped in our own circle and as we age, some of us begin to focus inward. We do not focus on the greater good, but on the greater good for us or those close to us. We think we are generous because we help close family and those who are part of our tribe. We also ignore or complain about the ungrateful people we have met. We may believe that the ungrateful person you met is the norm for the group they are associated with, and we begin to exercise caution and that can make you ungenerous. In your desire to avoid ungenerous people, you become less generous yourself and so lose out on the benefits of being generous yourself. 

I suggest it is better, however, to get no return than to confer no benefits. Even after a poor crop one, a farmer will sow again; for often losses due to continued barrenness of an unproductive soil have been made good by one year’s fertility. To discover one grateful person, it is worthwhile to be generous to many ungrateful ones. 

True generosity, Seneca argues, is measured not by the ends of the act but by the spirit from which it springs. He writes: 

Benefits, as well as injuries, depend on the spirit… Our feeling about every obligation depends in each case upon the spirit in which the benefit is conferred; we weigh not the bulk of the gift, but the quality of the good-will which prompted it. So now let us do away with guesswork; the former deed was a benefit, and the latter, which transcended the earlier benefit, is an injury. The good man so arranges the two sides of his ledger that he voluntarily cheats himself by adding to the benefit and subtracting from the injury.

 

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Six Ways to Promote Brain Health and Reduce Your Risk of Dementia

The following is from the MacMaster Optimal Age Newsletter and is important for those who want to maintain physical activity and control weight.

Follow the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines. Engage in 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous−intensity aerobic physical activity per week, in bouts of 10 minutes or more.

Add muscle and bone−strengthening activities using your major muscle groups at least two days per week. Pick activities that you enjoy so you are more likely to stick with it.

Eat a balanced diet to assist with weight management. 

Diet and Nutrition

Adopt the Mediterranean Diet to optimize brain health. There is no evidence that vitamin and mineral supplementation will promote brain health.

For the third year in a row, the U.S. News and World Report has named the Mediterranean diet the best diet overall in their annual rankings. The heart-healthy, long-term dietary plan focuses on fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains and calls for reducing unhealthy fats and sugars. Studies and anecdotal reports suggest adopting these eating practices could help lower cholesterol and blood pressure and decrease the risk of heart disease and other illnesses, such as cancer and Alzheimer's. Best of all, the foods encouraged on the Mediterranean diet are available throughout most of North America.

 

Blood Vessel Health

Actively manage conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes to promote blood vessel health.

 

Smoking and Alcohol Use

Quit smoking and stay within Canada’s Low−Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines, which advises:

•   For women: no more than 10 drinks a week, with no more than 2 drinks on most days.

•   For men: no more than 15 drinks a week, with no more than 3 drinks a day most days.

•   Plan non-drinking days every week to avoid developing a habit.

•   For women aged 65+: no more than 1 drink per day, and no more than 5 per week.

•   For men aged 65+: no more than 1-2 drinks per day, and no more than 7 per week.

•   A standard drink is 142 ml (5 oz.) of wine, 341 ml (12 oz.) bottle or can of beer or 43 ml (1.5 oz.) of liquor. 

Brain and Social Activity

Strive to maintain higher levels of brain activity in mid to late life. Being socially active is an important predictor of well-being in general and brain health throughout life. For optimum effect, incorporate activities that provide both cognitive and physical elements such as yoga or tai chi. 

Health Conditions and Drug Side Effects

Watch for medications that have the potential for adverse effects on memory and cognitive function (e.g. benzodiazepines, ‘Z−drug’ sleeping pills and certain pain medications such as those that contain opioids. Treat depression, get adequate sleep, manage conditions that lower your oxygen levels, like heart failure, COPD or sleep apnea. Get help with hearing loss.

Resources  to help:                                                                                            

iGericare

Learn more about dementia and mild cognitive impairment with free online lessons developed by experts in dementia and online learning at McMaster University. Visit iGeriCare.ca

 Fountain of Health

Tap into five actions you can take to maximize your health and happiness. Use the Wellness App assesses your health and resilience, set doable goals and track your progress. Visit fountainofhealth.ca

 Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines

Learn more about the recommendations for adults and older adults. Download the guidelines from the ParticipACTION website and access other helpful resources. Visit participaction.ca

 Smoker’s Helpline

Access free and personalized tools to help you quit smoking successfully from the Canadian Cancer Society. Visit smokershelpline.ca

 Canada’s Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines

The guidelines for adults aged 18 to 64 were developed by the Canadian Centre for Substance Use and Addiction. Visit https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-topics/abj7553

Baycrest Brain Health Diet

The Brain Health Food Guide, developed by Baycrest, provides practical advice about healthy eating for the ageing brain. Visit Baycrest.org

Hacking Exercise for Health. The Surprising New Science of Fitness

Take this free online course developed by experts from McMaster University to learn more about the right mix between cardio and strength training. Visit coursera.org/learn/hacking−exercise−health

Dead Penguins -

I never knew this!

Did you ever wonder why there are no dead penguins on the ice in Antarctica?

Where do they go?

Wonder no more!!!

I have found out what happens when a penguin dies, and I am glad to let you know.

 

It is a known fact that the penguin is a very ritualistic bird which lives an extremely ordered and complex life. This is an especially important fact that is overlooked by many. One of the little-known facts about the penguin is that the penguin is very committed to its family and will mate for life. It is also important to understand that the penguin does maintain a form of compassionate contact with its offspring throughout its life. So close family is very important to the penguin, not only do they mate for life, they stay close to other members of their family.

 

If a penguin is found dead on the ice surface, other members of the family and social circle have been known to dig holes in the ice, using their vestigial wings and beaks, until the hole is deep enough for the dead bird to be rolled into, and buried.

 

The male penguins then gather in a circle around the fresh grave and sing:

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"Freeze a jolly good fellow."

"Freeze a jolly good fellow."

 

 

 

You really didn't believe that I know anything about penguins, did you?

It's so easy to fool people.

I am sorry, an urge came over me that made me do it!!!

Oh, quit whining I fell for it, too

Time passages

We are still in the middle of the second wave of the Pandemic. Isolating is the norm and conversations with friends are done via phone, or by Facetime, or ZOOM. However, a vaccine is on the way, but until then, finding things to do that are interesting is becoming time-consuming, and somewhat stressful. Stores are still open, but who has any money to spend, I do not.

I thought I had digitized all my old slides, but I found about 200 more that I need to review. The thought of going back in time to decide what memories to keep and pass down and what to toss is, for some reason, weighing heavily. I am not sure why maybe I do not want to be caught in the time passages that happen when you are forced to look back and make decisions about what to keep so at this time I don't want the years go falling into the fading light, as said in one of my favourite songs written by Al Stewart:

It was late in December, the sky turned to snow

All-round the day was going down slow

Night like a river beginning to flow

I felt the beat of my mind go

Drifting into time passages

Years go falling in the fading light

Time passages

Buy me a ticket on the last train home tonight

Well I'm not the kind to live in the past

The years run too short and the days too fast

The things you lean on are the things that don't last

Well it's just now and then my line gets cast into these

Time passages

There's something back here that you left behind

Oh time passages

Buy me a ticket on the last train home tonight

Hear the echoes and feel yourself starting to turn

Don't know why you should feel

That there's something to learn

It's just a game that you play

Well…