Today is the first anniversary of the birth of this blog. I chose to celebrate an anniversary instead of a birthday because if my parents, Mark and Dorothy Murakami, were still living, it would’ve been their 66th wedding anniversary. I’ve had so much fun in the past year writing this blog and I appreciate everyone who has paused to read my blog. I’ve met some wonderful people and even met two of my California readers in person! How awesome is that?!

Through this experience, I’ve found a special passion for Alzheimer’s and now run  two blogs. You will see more guest bloggers in this blog, amazing seniors I’ve met through a networking group that I co-founded, Women’s Network of Springfield. I know you’ll enjoy their blog posts.

This is the time of year when we think about the many things we are grateful for. Did you know that there’s a science to happiness? Research suggests that gratitude makes us happier and is the key to a longer and more successful life. Robert A. Emmons, PhD, professor of psychology, University of California, Davis, has written a book on the science of gratitude: Thanks! How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier.

So from the bottom of my heart, I extend my deepest gratitude to all of you and a very special and Happy Thanksgiving!

Guest blogger Joanne Lozar Glenn writes about sharing one’s life stories. She will be my guest for the next six Wednesdays. Enjoy!

Last Friday, about 80 people came to Borders Bookstore in Tysons Corner, Va., to hear nine local writers reveal how everyday events—a shopping trip, a bracelet, a failed crop—shaped how they later came to view love, loss, life itself.

Kathy Nutt

Who are these writers? They are people—like you, perhaps?—who wanted to create a written record of their life in a way that is interesting for others to read. So they enrolled in writing classes—mine and those of my colleagues, Kathy Nutt (that’s Kathy in the photo) and Louise Gibney. The writers’ work earned them an invitation to participate in the “Writers Read” program, now in its second year.

Some of their stories, like Chuck Klee’s “The Busboy,” were funny. Some, like Susan Rich’s “Up the Hill,” were stunning. And some, like Mary Lucas’ “Legs,” and Maria-Mercedes Torres’ “Monologues with Julia,” had that perfect blend of humor and pathos. All of the stories were heartfelt in how they aspired to understanding, forgiveness, transformation—and in the process, inspired us, the audience, to see others, and ourselves, a little differently.

It’s not easy to do this kind of writing, to craft a story so well that it’s as compelling as a novel—and harder still to put that story into the world. But these writers did it, through lots of hard work and courage. I salute them for sharing their revelations of the heart.

If you’ve been thinking about writing your life stories, here are two resources for getting started in the Washington, DC, metro area:

1. Classes at Fairfax County’s Adult and Community Education Program
2. Frank Milligan’s Time to Write: Discovering the Writer within After 50

Recently, my husband and I visited our granddaughter. We knew she would start walking any day. She did take baby half steps while we were visiting. Of course, right after we left, she took off and according to my son, she took about 25 steps! What’s the long-distance solution for grandparents? It’s Skype for us. We missed the first step, but she was able to walk for us a few days later.

Skype is software that you download to your computer from www.skype.com. Click on the Download tab and follow instructions. Besides a computer, you will need a webcam and a microsphone. Most new computers have them built in — most likely into the monitor. If not, they need to be purchased. A webcam is relatively inexpensive. Amazon.com has a Microsoft webcam for less than $30 as of this writing.

Microphones come in two styles — a stick type microphone or a more expensive headset type of microphone. Although they are easily obtainable online, if you’re a novice computer user, you might want to visit your local electronics store — a big box like Best Buy or a smaller store like Radio Shack.

I’ve not had a problem with the built-in microphone while calling domestically to California and Hawaii. However, I made a call overseas to the United Kingdom to assist someone in a group I belong to called Synnd, and he told me several times that my voice was breaking up and he recommended that I use a headset. I used to teach an online course for a private university where I lectured in real time and although I bought a headset microphone, the stick microphone proved to be the clearest. So, I must look for my headset and try the call to my friend in the UK again.

Skype is not the perfect solution, but it’s certainly close. We Skype often with our other son as well and he’s able to show us what he’s cooked for dinner. One night he showed us the California roll (sushi) he made and it looked delicious. Skype is just a great way to stay in touch with family.

For the next six weeks, there will be a guest blogger. Enjoy learning about writing your memoir!

Many issues faced by seniors such as heart problems, arthritis, and even Alzheimer’s disease are said to be a result of inflammation. Turmeric comes from the root of the Curcuma longa plant and is a member of the ginger family. It has been used in the Ayurvedic (Indian) and Chinese medicine for ages. After processing and being ground into a powder, turmeric is better known to those of us in the west as curry. Today we are realizing more and more health benefits.

According to www.whfoods.com, (The World’s Healthiest Foods and The George Mateljan Foundation, a not-for-profit foundation with no commercial interests, is a new force for change to help make a healthier you and a healthier world), their food rating system shows the following nutrients in turmeric:

According to The World’s Healthiest Foods, the volatile oil fraction of turmeric has demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory activity in a variety of experimental models. Even more potent than its volatile oil is the yellow or orange pigment of turmeric, which is called curcumin. Curcumin is thought to be the primary pharmacological agent in turmeric. In numerous studies, curcumin’s anti-inflammatory effects have been shown to be comparable to the potent drugs hydrocortisone and phenylbutazone as well as over-the-counter anti-inflammatory agents such as Motrin. Unlike the drugs, which are associated with significant toxic effects (ulcer formation, decreased white blood cell count, intestinal bleeding), curcumin produces no toxicity.

Ezine articles author Henri K. Junttila also writes about the benefits of turmeric in “Discover the Incredible Health Benefits of Turmeric Spice.” She says, “The best way to take advantage of the benefits of this herb is to take it in the form of multi-vitamin supplements.  Studies reveal that the substance is digested and ingested in the bloodstream better in combination with other beneficial substances. It is important however, to check which of the other complementing substances and ingredients work best with turmeric spice.”

There are nutritional supplements available. The supplements that I have taken contain turmeric as part of another supplement. For example, Immunotec has an Omega-3 product with turmeric. Vitamark International puts it in their Naturflex product and includes ginger root in their vitamin, VitaChe, specifically for heart health. My favorite, VitaOne, Vitamark’s multi-nutrition pack, contains 100 mg of turmeric. Does your favorite multi-vitamin contain turmeric?

Japan's Elderly Playground

This is a short post because I’d like you to enjoy the original article and video. Yesterday, Reuters ran an article called “Japan’s elderly playgrounds show fun is for everyone.” They stated that the popular workout classes use playground equipment specifically designed for the senior population. What fun to participate in a class like that. What a healthy thing to do … keep the elderly moving. Wouldn’t it be great to have it in our senior communities? If you live in a senior community, does your community have anything like it?

Enjoy the article. Click here. Be sure to watch the video, too.

In a previous post, I wrote about insomnia and how cherries might be able to help the problem. Not being able to fall asleep at night or getting up in the middle of the night and not being able to fall asleep again can be very frustrating and a common problem for the elderly. I came across a Web site, http://insomnia123.com that you might want to check out, if sleep is a problem. Michael B. Steinberg, MD, MPH educates you on what insomnia is in short video or text segments. Additionally, if you join (no charge for membership), you can download sleep music and get his newsletter.

In my very first blog post, I talked about committing to walking every day. If insomnia is a problem, try the recommended 10K steps every day. Personally, I think one of the nicest places to walk is on the sand along the ocean. As I write this post, I’m in southern California and I had the opportunity to visit the Santa Monica State Beach.

After getting up from a good night’s sleep, wake up happy. According to Whitney in her feng shui tips, she suggests that you place a picture of your loved one(s) by your bed because feng shui believes that the first thing you see in the morning and the last thing you see before you fall asleep will have a profound impact on your life. By looking at loved ones, it triggers your brain to release oxytocin, which is the “love” hormone, which makes you feel happy and secure. What a great way to start and end your day, especially if you are fortunate to have grandchildren!

In the past year, I’ve been introduced to two energy healing modalities — Quantum-Touch and Cellular Response. Both advocate that your body can heal itself. The first time I sought a Quantum-Touch practitioner was because I had fallen hard on my cheek bone and it did not feel right after many months despite the fact that the ophthalmologist and the otolaryngologist could find nothing wrong. I found Miriam Hunter in Virginia and she balanced the energy in my body, showed me some exercises and I felt much relief.

Cellular Response was something I experienced just a few days ago on a visit to California. During my yoga class a couple of months ago, I noticed that I did not have full range of motion with my left arm stretched above my head lying on the floor. Additionally, if I tried to lift my arm in the “wrong” direction, it was painful. At the beginning of the treatment, while standing, I was able to lift my left arm 90 degrees straight out to the side. By the end, I could lift it to almost 180 degrees. It’s weak from limited use, but I was given weight-training instructions to strengthen it. I’ve always had a left knee that tends to buckle and the practitioner found that my hips were not aligned. Now he says, I should walk a lot better. Hopefully, that will prevent falls as well.

I spent almost three hours at a Cellular Response workshop where, under the guidance of the master instructor and developer of Cellular Response, Dan Yamaguchi, I watched his students of all levels work on mostly seniors (after all, aren’t we the group with all of the aches and pains?) for a myriad of health problems. One person was about to receive treatment for cancer and although Cellular Response cannot cure cancer (it does not claim to cure anything), a person can get relief from the effects such as nausea and it can even prevent hair loss. I also watched while someone with calcium deposits from arthritis on her fingers had them broken up so that the lump on her fingers got smaller.

According to quantumtouch.com, Quantum-Touch is a powerful, yet easy to learn, method of natural healing (or energy healing).  Everyone has the innate ability to help ourselves and others. The Quantum-Touch techniques teach us how to focus and amplify life-force energy (or Chi, Bioenergy, Prana) by combining various breathing and energy awareness exercises.  QT energy healers learn to amplify and direct the life-force energy, facilitating the body’s own healing process. Our love has more impact than we can imagine; the possibilities are truly extraordinary.

The Cellular Response brochure says that Cellular Response is a healing art. It is a procedure used to activate one’s cellular response to promote natural healing. A gentle touch to specific body points along with a breathing process is used during this procedure. The basic premise is that the body will heal by itself and return to a normal state. Cellular Response accelerates the self-healing process.

Quantum Touch offers teleseminars. For more information, click here. Richard Gordon, founder of Quantum-Touch, wrote a book called, Quantum-Touch: The Power to Heal. He explains all of the basic techniques in his book.

Cellular Response currently operates mainly in the Silicon Valley/San Jose area of California, although there are a few practitioners elsewhere. For more information, you can e-mail me at nora@noranagatani.com or call me at  703.825.8384. I find energy healing fascinating and in line with my view of using all natural products instead of prescription medication. Click here to view my post on prescription medication and nutrient depletion.

If you’ve been following me in this blog, you know that I am a big proponent of exercise. From the beginning, I’ve been telling you to just take baby steps and simply get off the couch and start walking a little each day. However, I saw an article that quoted Dr. Robert J. Rowen and it had to do with excessive exercise. Is too much exercise a bad thing?

Dr. Rowen says that excessive exercise can be dangerous because it increases your metabolism, so the chemical reactions accelerate. The process generates free radicals, which can damage cells.When you exercise in moderation, however, your cells have a chance to adapt and repair.

Of course, if you’re just starting out, you want to make sure that you consult your medical professional and start out slowly.The American Heart Association says that your maximum heart rate is about 220 minus your age. You can also use a calculator or a different one here. You can also use Dr. Rowen’s formula: subtract your age from 220 and multiply by 0.8. For example, if you’re 60, 220-60 =160; 160 x 0.8 = 128. So a heart rate of 128 is a relatively safe heart-rate target for a 60-year-old without signs of heart disease.

Start gradually and work up to a moderate level. I also add nutritional supplements to my diet, one of which is to protect the heart. For more information, click here.

I have started a brand new blog on Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Although I have had immense joy in writing this blog (and will continue to do so on a weekly basis — watch for me on Wednesday mornings), I have a special passion and interest in AD. So please visit me at http://aboutalz.com. I look forward to seeing you there.

Related blog posts on Alzheimer’s on this blog:

• Nun Study — Language Skills Determine Alzheimer’s Risk
• 7 Ways to Boost Your Brain Power
• Fear of Alzheimer’s Disease
• The Alzheimer’s Project

Walter Breuning

Walter Breuning turned 113 this week — the oldest man in the world. For the past 35 years, he’s eaten just two meals a day. According to USA Today, Breuning said, “You get in the habit of not eating at night, and you realize how good you feel. If you could just tell people not to eat so darn much.” So, I’m passing on his message.

Talk about a specimen of health — he takes no medication except for one baby aspirin, drinks plenty of water, and eats a lot of fruit every day. He eats a big breakfast and lunch and has a couple of cups of coffee a day.

He believes his diet has a lot to do with being healthy as well as working until he was 99! Although his eyes don’t allow him to read any more, he keeps his mind active by listening to the radio. And, he’s busy talking to all the visitors who want to meet the world’s oldest man.

Here are some selected words of wisdom from Walter Breuning’s birthday speech:

• Life begins each morning whether we have succeeded or failed or just muddled along. Life is a school to learn, not to unlearn.
• Life is short but the influences of what we do or say is immortal. There needs to be much more of the spirit of fellowship among us and more forgiveness. The power of gentleness is little seen in the world.
• The day will come when light and truth and the just and the good shall be victorious and wrong as evil will be no more forever.
• Everything just is beautiful; everything beautiful ought to be just.
• The world is neither a prison nor a palace of ease, but rather for instruction and discipline.