Taming The Open Sky: Some Seniors Go The Limit In Sports

I often watch hang-gliders take off from the park's high plateau and float above me. My mind drifts to the possibility of my attempting this sport. Why is it, then, that the only picture I can conjure up is a stack of my bones (similar to twigs on a campfire)?

I reflect back to my high school drill team days. They went left. I went right. They went forward and I marched backward. I felt like one of the 3 Stooges providing comic relief to anyone who forfeited a snack or bath room break to watch the half-time show.

I continued this tradition in college where I audited a jazz dance class. To my delight the elderly instructor asked me to demonstrate a move for the dance majors ONCE.

It boggles my mind that I produced a high level gymnast and an athletically talented kindergartner.

Some Seniors (not me) are testing their limits. They're enjoying the challenges or competition of sports.

For more on senior sports, visit 50somethinginfo.com.

Danger In Your Pantry Or Medicine Cabinet: Seniors Ignore Expiration Dates

Guess what? Moms aren't perfect. But my mom has a "tragic flaw."

Little was more fun than our family's rivalry over finding the oldest foodstuff or medication in mom's pantry or medicine cabinet. As soon as we'd arrive at her house, we'd scramble towards our treasure (barely greeting the anxiously awaiting mom/grandma!) robustly declaring a victory when we'd find a bulging (unsafe), non-dated item or a well-expired antibiotic.

Mom thinks that dates are scams by companies to make the consumer buy more. To a degree she's correct. According to a medical newsletter expiration dates do not mean that the medicine is not effective. In fact, many are safe well beyond the printed date--so long as they are stored correctly--in a cool, dry, dark place--which means not in pockets, cars, or bathrooms.

For more on Health and Wellness Safety, visit 50somethinginfo.com.

Play it safe with your medicine.

For Women Only: Undergarment Essentials

I was getting ready to leave for a party when Car-Man stopped me.

"Honey, you look great but I don't like the panty-lines."

Been there, done that. I should have known when I dipped into the drawer and selected the first pair that my fingers pinched.

So today I searched the web and found Tomima Edmark's "Underwear After 50: 9 Essential Pieces."

This is what she maintains should be in our wardrobe:

1. A biker pant shapewear piece to smooth us out

2. A shaping camisole (I didn't even know there was such a thing!) to remove bumps and lumps on our back and sides

3. A seamless cup bra to go with t-shirts

4. A fun, black, lacy bra for when you want to feel sexy

5. A well-supported strapless bra for...whenever

6. A front-closure or racerback bra for sleeveless garments

7. Bikini-style panties (I was surprised here but Edmark insists they are most flattering)

8. A comfortable thong (ditto above)

9. Boy shorts that are comfortable, smooth, and oh yes, comes far enough down on the leg so you (or Car-Man) don't see panty-lines.

Stay away from white bras. Nude is best.

For more on women's clothes, visit 50somethinginfo.com

The Case Of The Missing Struedel: Boomer And Senior Hoard Goodies

This is one of my favorite times of year because our dear friends, Mario and Virginia, celebrate each anniversary in our town and we always have dessert and the customary annual catch-up conversation together. Virginia gives us the absolute best biscotti (ever). This time I told her that I'm not going to let my Mom know about it because she'd swipe it all.

"Do as I say, Not as I do" was never more applicable than with my Mom.

Mom always says you need to share. But just today she told me about the time she bought some struedel at a bazaar and broke her hard and fast rule.

Years ago she was in Victoria, B.C., where she sampled some struedel lovingly baked by a congregant. Mom bought all 8 bags, leaving nothing for any other prospective customer. As Mom said, "The struedel was baked just the way Mama used to make it."

This morning Mom fessed up that she ate every single piece of struedel in those 8 bags, "not sharing a single crumb with anyone else!" She also revealed that she has proof of the incident--because it all went to and still remains on her tuchas (rear end).

So I guess I get my "hoarding" instinct honestly. All that See's candy given to me by my library students and secretly stored in the dining room drawer also made its way to my backside.

Why Go Nuts: How Nuts Help In Weight Loss

Even though nuts are caloric, studies have shown that people who tend to eat them weigh less than their nut-less counterparts.

One study even revealed that a low-cal diet that included almonds led to more weight loss than a same calorie, nut-free diet.

How can this be, you ask? Because the fiber and protein in nuts help make you feel fuller longer.

Some researchers also suspect that nuts may slightly increase caloric burning or that not all the fat in whole nuts is absorbed.

Some nuts, particularly almonds, pecans, peanuts and walnuts have been consistently linked to reduced risk of heart disease because of their effect on your blood cholesterol.

So if someone says they are going nuts, be happy for them!

Mama Says to Eat Your Veggies: How Much Fruit and Vegetables You Should Eat Every Day

Subjects aged 45-79 with no known cancer or cardiovascular disease were found to live 14 years longer on average if they refrain from smoking, are physically active, drink alcohol in moderation and eat at least 5 servings of fruit and veggies a day.

(Study of 20,000 participants from Norfolk, England)

For more on diet and nutrition, visit 50somethinginfo.com.

How To Win Your Credibility Back

I know Mom sometimes thinks I was AWOL when they passed out brain cells.

Maybe it's because she knew about my locking myself out on a hotel balcony wearing only a towel or the time lawgirl caught me testing the speed of our treadmill (she said I looked like a hamster traveling at top speed on its wheel) without knowing how to stop it.

But now I have a surefire way to win back Mom's albeit shaky confidence in my intelligence. It has to do with a story about a single wire.

I got Mom Netflix for the holidays and arrived at her retirement community when she received her first disc. Being anxious to show how simple it was to play a movie, I placed the DVD into her player, adjusted the TV input, and pressed "Play."

Nothing.

I started over and rechecked all my steps and then pressed "Play."

Nothing.

So I turned the player around and studied the hook-ups. Yes, the player was plugged into the wall. But the cord connecting the player to the TV was non-existent.

I referred to the manual which said that this cord was not supplied with the unit.

After stewing a few minutes that that was a crappy thing for a company to do to people who would be very anxious to test out their new device, I announced to Mom (and anyone else that was around--why not get more mileage out of my heroic measures?) that I knew what to do (I have to admit that I momentarily imagined myself donning a SuperGirl cape and flying off). I'd just have to go to Radio Shack and pick up a few things.

When I arrived back armed with the right cord, I attached the ends to the TV and the DVD player and voila, everything worked!

Mom used words like "brilliant" and " my smart kid." I prompted her to continue these profuse expressions of adoration and pride until we both had enough.

Disclaimer: This strategy works only on people who know little more than how to plug a cord into a wall or change a light bulb.

Ways to Keep the Old Brain In Action: Brain Games Plus

Boomers and seniors need to pay particular attention to exercising their brains in order to stimulate it and keep it functioning properly.

Here are ways to do that:

Go on interesting outings. Meet up with friends.

Discuss current events.

Cook.

Exercise.

Play brain games.

Share memories--look at photos together.

Listen to music.

For more on mental fitness, visit 50somethinginfo.com.

Prevent Car Theft While You Exercise, Hike Or Go To a Game: Stop Thieves From Taking What's Not Theirs

If you go to a gym, field or park and you think your valuables are tucked safely in your glove compartment, think again.

Thieves who target these areas have figured out ways to break into your car, take one or two credit cards (you're less likely to notice the theft than if they took the whole kaboodle) and then relock it.

So:

• Don't keep valuables in your car
• Don't think that a jacket or towel will hide them

And when you get a new card, write "Ask for ID" in the signature space on the back of the card.

Lately I received an email about someone whose car was broken into while they were at a football game. A garage door remote control and a GPS prominently mounted on the dashboard was stolen.

The thieves had used the GPS to guide them to the house and they ransacked the house while the occupants were at the football game.

Make sure your GPS doesn't have your home address on it. Put a nearby address of a store or gas station. You might also want to make sure the door from your garage to your house requires a key to unlock.

Check 50somethinginfo.com for more on protection.