Who are you?

You have retired or are thinking of retiring, time to set new goals and start off on another great adventure on this road of life. Maybe it is time to define or re-define who you are. So with that in mind, here are some questions for you to think about: (Pay close attention to the last two questions)

So who are you?

Are you your name?

Are you your job?

Are you your gender? Your age? Your race? Your sexual orientation?

Are you the daughter/son of.... or mother/father of....?

How do you see yourself?

How do you want the world to see you?

Prostate Cancer Blogs that help

When I am giving my workshop on “Getting to Know your Bladder” one of the questions asked by the men in the audience is about the prostate. I have had several friends who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer and I know that this diagnosis is one that causes them much pain and fear.

While everyone finds their own way to cope with a diagnosis, there are a number of prostate cancer blogs may help you to feel as though you are not alone. The Medical News Today Team have selected the best prostate cancer blogs.

Although around 26,730 yearly deaths occur from prostate cancer among U.S. men, most men who are diagnosed with the condition do not die from the disease; more than 2.9 million U.S. men who have received a prostate cancer diagnosis at some point are still alive today.

Healthcare providers will help you to determine the most effective course of care for your condition. However, prostate cancer blogs can help you to connect with people who understand what you are going through.

Harvard Health Blog: Prostate Health

Harvard Health Blog is run by Harvard Health Publications, the publishing division of the Harvard Medical School of Harvard University. Harvard Health Publications draw on the expertise of more than 11,000 physicians, researchers, and faculty members to deliver up-to-date information that is trustworthy and accessible.

Prostate Cancer Foundation

The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) was founded in 1993 to harness more financial and human resources in the mission to develop new breakthroughs and find a cure for prostate cancer.

Journey to ZERO

ZERO is a national non-profit organization with a mission to end prostate cancer and have a future with zero prostate cancer deaths. They aim to advance prostate cancer research, help to improve the lives of men and their families, and inspire action against prostate cancer.

ZERO provide educational resources and are funding research for early prostate cancer detection methods. They hope to motivate a passionate, like-minded, and multigenerational team of advocates to put an end to prostate cancer.

Sperling Prostate Center

The Sperling Prostate Center is based in New York City, NY, and offers advanced noninvasive imaging to detect prostate tumors, and prostate treatments with a goal of minimal side effects, a low rate of recurrence, a near non-existent risk of impotence or incontinence, and preserving the quality of life.

Prostate Cancer 911

Prostate Cancer 911 is a website by Dr. David Samadi and his team. Dr. Samadi is the chairman of urology and chief of robotic surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan, NY. He is a world-renowned prostate cancer specialist. He aspires to bring global awareness to prostate cancer.

Renew | Repurpose

Renew | Repurpose replaces the blog Cancer Adventures that Marlys Johnson initially set up with her husband Gary after he received a prostate cancer diagnosis. Marlys says that Gary was the "same witty, courageous wry-humored kind man until [his death in] November 2014."

Marlys explains that an unspeakable loss could happen through a serious illness or disability, loss of meaningful work, an empty nest, a divorce, unwanted location, financial setbacks, or the death of a loved one.

Dan's Journey through Prostate Cancer

Dan's Journey through Prostate Cancer is the blog of Daniel E. Zeller. Dan started an unplanned and unexpected journey into the world of prostate cancer in 2010.

Dan says that having first-hand knowledge from other people with prostate cancer was invaluable to him, and the intent of his blog is to help educate, increase awareness, and provide insight for those who are newly diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Vital Jake

Janet Worthington is the writer of the blog Vital Jake. Janet started writing about prostate cancer in the early 1990s after her husband's father had died from prostate cancer at age 53. Janet's father was also diagnosed with prostate cancer, and Janet says that having the radical prostatectomy saved his life.

Janet's heart lies in writing articles about men's health. Her mission is to be that of a patient advocate, to write for the typical person who visits the doctor. She writes in an easy-to-understand way and shares information with individuals who need it the most.

Living with Prostate Cancer

Living with Prostate Cancer is a blog created by Todd Seals. Todd was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer in 2006, at age 42, and he shares his story to inspire others. Before cancer, he says that he took life for granted and that cancer gave him a second chance.

Todd's blog is about living with cancer and focuses more on the living than the cancer itself. He says that while cancer will always be a part of his story, it will never be the focal point.

Prostate Cancer Institute of Los Angeles

The Prostate Cancer Institute of Los Angeles specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of prostate cancer of all stages.

They offer an expert team of urologists, oncologists, radiologists, and radiation oncologists to provide prostate cancer patients with the best treatment options and outcomes

Tia Chi may prevent falls for seniors

Falls are the leading cause of injuries among older Canadians and the sixth leading cause of death. It is important to understand that falling is not a remote possibility for seniors.  It is likely to happen.  

In BC among seniors, falls are responsible for, 40% of residential care admissions, 84% of injury-related hospitalizations, 90% of hip fractures.  50% of these never regain pre-fall functioning and 20% die within a year of the fracture.

In the USA falling is a serious risk for older adults. According to the National Council on Aging, falls are the "leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries for older Americans."

In the elderly population of the United States, 17.6 percent reported between one and five falls in the previous 3 months - 6 percent of which were serious.

One study concluded that the issue appears to be getting worse; self-reported falls among adults aged 65 or older increased from 28.2 percent in 1998 to 36.3 percent in 2010.

The Good news is that falls are the most preventable risk to seniors’ health, well-being, and independence. Earlier studies have shown that light physical activity can reduce the rate - but not necessarily the risk - of falls.

A 2012 Cochrane review concluded, "Group and home-based exercise programs, usually containing some balance and strength training exercises, effectively reduced falls”

So, it was interesting to see a study out of Spain that looked at the impact of Tia Chi training on falls and seniors.

Tai chi is an ancient Chinese practice. Its exact origins are buried in the mists of time, but it may date back as far as the 12th century

Tai chi improves balance, proprioception (a sense of one's position in space), and flexibility, all while being low impact, it is the perfect candidate for use by older adults.

Researchers from the University of Jaén in Spain set out to analyze previous research investigating tai chi as a way of reducing falls in older adults. The outline the study “was to investigate the most recent randomized controlled trials that analyze the effectiveness of tai chi on improving the falls rate, the rate of injurious falls, and the time to first fall..."

Participants were aged between 56 and 98. When compared with other activities, such as low-intensity exercise and physical therapy, tai chi fared well.

At short-term follow-up (under 12 months), tai chi reduced the rate of falls by 43 percent compared with other interventions, and by 13 percent in the longer-term (over 12 months).

When they investigated falls that caused an injury, the data were not quite as robust, but they calculated that tai chi reduced risk by 50 percent in the short-term and 28 percent over the long-term. However, tai chi did not seem to make a difference to when an individual was likely to have their first fall that caused an injury.

Although the current study did not attempt to explain why tai chi is beneficial, it is likely to be due to a range of factors, which could include improvement in reaction time, a better and more stable gait, improved balance, and better balance recovery.

Because tai chi is low impact, simple, and cost-effective, it is an ideal intervention for use in care settings, in the community, and at home.

However, the researchers are cautious. One of them explains, "Due to the small number of published studies, further research is needed to investigate the effect of tai chi on injurious falls and time to first fall."

Life moves us along a path

When we are young, we learn to accept responsibility for our actions.

As we mature, we learn to accept responsibility for our thoughts.

As we age, we learn to accept responsibility for our happiness.

Remarkable how life moves us along our path to acceptance.