Nancy’s Bulletin Board has been here since March of 2020 to connect us in real time with updates on events, activities, community resources and your feedback. At the bottom of the page please leave a positive comment, story, joke, pun, riddle or community news to post on this board. Resident art and photography would post on this website’s “Show and Tell” board. Or, you can email me your contribution at general_activity@otowfl.com and please note whether you want it published or not.
To make a reservation on the calendar, register for a Master the Possibilities (MTP) class or make an appointment to meet, please email me at general_activity@otowfl.com or give me a call at 727-799-2734. If you are a new resident and have questions, do not hesitate to call or email me and we can also set an appointment to meet.
The next Farmers Market will be held on Wednesday, May 25, 10 – 5 at the East Activity Center S.E. parking lot off of World Parkway
The next Food Truck Night will be held on Wednesday, May 18, 3 – 7 pm at the East Activity Center Parking Lot near the pool
To Our Mothers’ Health: Through Blue Zone Choices
(note: Jan is a resident of On Top of the World and writes for “Lifestyles After 50″ magazine. She recently received an award for Profile from NAMPA (North America Mature Publishers Association)
By Jan Larraine Cox
About Blue Zone Areas
The blue zone areas of the world—Sardinia, Italy; Ikaria, Greece; Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica; Loma Linda, California; and Okinawa, Japan–share certain practices that increase longevity and health. The vitality these practices deliver lowers rates of disease while improving quality relationships, as the blue zones promote active engagement within their communities; not just enjoyment in the moment, but also long-term within one’s circle of friends.
The longest-lived women over 70 in the world live in the blue zone of Okinawa, Japan. There are certain common denominators they exhibit. First, they move naturally. Rather than joining a gym, they live in environments that encourage them to move: they grow gardens and don’t use modern conveniences for housework and yardwork.
Next, they feel a purpose, which they call ikegai; this translates into “why I get up in the morning”. That inner knowledge grants them up to seven years of extra life expectancy,” according to blue zone researcher Dan Buettner. Image from bluezones.com
But even blue zone people experience stress. This can lead to chronic inflammation, which is related to many age-related diseases. Okinawan women take a few moments each day to decompress by thinking of their ancestors. Having photos of them in the home is a natural segue to engaging in this practice.
Hara hachi bu is a mantra the Okinawans say before meals, which instructs them to stop eating when their stomachs are 80 percent full. The smallest meal of the day is prepared and eaten in the late afternoon or early evening. And that’s it for the rest of the day.
Lentils could be your green (or blue) answer to reaching your protein goals. Beans are a cornerstone of the centenarian diet: black beans, soy and lentils are favorites. Rather than concentrating on meat for protein, that is put on the back burner for all but once per week, and then only the size of a deck of cards.
Blue zone people drink alcohol moderately and regularly, with food and friends. And a sense of belonging to some sort of faith community that they attend weekly adds four to 14 years of life expectancy, according to research quoted by Dan Buettner. Blue zoners put their families first, and keep parents and grandparents nearby.
Finally, Okinawans create moais—a group of five friends that commit to each other for life. These social circles support healthy behavior, through contagious happiness. Moai means meeting for a common purpose, for social, emotional or financial support, in times of need. Knowing there is always someone there for them provides a sense of security and lowers stress.
How do Okinawans form these moais? Select four to eight people to join in for a walk or potluck moai, or wine at 5 pm. Stay in touch through group email or a closed Facebook group. They share blue zone recipes and walk certain special trails and neighborhoods to check out together.
They spend time outside each day, exposed to sunlight, which promotes stronger bones. The Okinawans are active walkers. Their top longevity foods are: bitter melon, tofu, sweet potato, garlic, turmeric, brown rice, green tea, shitake mushrooms, green onions and seaweed (kombu; wakame).
From them we can learn to eat 100% whole grains, two handfuls of nuts a day, a cup of cooked beans, and a variety of fruits and vegetables via 5 to 10 servings per day.
SHINE
SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) is a Free program offered by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs and the Area Agency on Aging of Pasco & Pinellas. Specially trained volunteers can assist you with your Medicare, Medicaid, and Health insurance questions by providing one-on-one counseling and information.
SHINE services are free, unbiased, and confidential.
SHINE Counselors can be reached by calling 1-800-963-5337 or 727-217-8111.
- Medicare Part C Advantage Plans with SHINE Zoom meeting Monday May 16th 2022 at 1:00 pm
(Provides an overview of Medicare Advantage Plan options available in Florida)
When: May 16, 2022 01:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Register in advance for this meeting:
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
- Medicare Financial Assistance with SHINE Zoom meeting Wednesday, May 18th 2022 at 10:00 am
(Designed to provide an overview of Medicare options and how SHINE can help)
When: May 18, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Register in advance for this meeting:
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
- Medicare Part C Advantage Plans with SHINE Zoom Wednesday, May 25th2022 at 10:00 am
Provides an overview of Medicare Advantage Plan options available in Florida)
When: May 25, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Register in advance for this meeting:
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
- Medicare Part D Drug Plan with SHINE Zoom meeting Wednesday, May 25th 2022 at 12:00 noon – Lunch & Learn
(Provides an overview of Part D Drug plan options available in Florida)
When: May 25, 2022 12:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Register in advance for this meeting:
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
LOOKING FOR A VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY?
HURRICANE TIPS
- Purchase a battery-operated radio and a supply of batteries.
- Purchase flashlights with batteries. Use caution when using candles.
- Get an ice chest. Stock up on a week’s worth of water, food that won’t spoil, pet supplies, toilet paper, purchase a battery-operated fan.
- Refill medical prescriptions.
- Go to an ATM or bank and get cash.
- Fill your vehicle with gas. Fill a lawn mower container with gas.
- Do you need a generator? Never operate a generator indoors.
- Recharge cell phone batteries and use only when necessary.
- If you are evacuating, tell people where you are evacuating to and leave you contact information.
- Bring lawn furniture and outdoor decorations indoors.
- Sign up for the RAVE alert system from OTOW.
- Community updates will be posted on otowclearwaterinfo.com,
OTOW-TV Channel 732 and the Box Office (otowboxoffice.com).
- Make sure you have a first-aid kit, including bandages, ointments.
- Make sure important documents are safely stored.
- Don’t forget rain gear, blankets and home entertainment.
Don’t panic, but you may not have internet service for days.
WHEN A STORM HAS PASSED
- Do not go outside and begin cleanup on your own. Let OTOW
employees remove limbs and all damage. There could be wires down.
- Traffic lights may be out. Stop at all intersections.