HOW TO DIE YOUNGER TAKE TO WHEELS MOTHERS DAY

LIFE
&HEALTH
national health journal. vol. 93 no. 5.$1
HOW TO DIE YOUNGER
TAKE TO WHEELS
MOTHER'S DAY MAGIC
LATE MARRIAGE-.
"I'VE NEVER BEEN SO HAPPY"
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national health journal
LIFEMEALTH
LEO VAN DOLSON, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Editor
JOYCE MC CLINTOCK
Assistant Editor
ROLAND HEGSTAD
WALTER E. MACPHERSON, M.D.
I. R. SPANGLER
Contributing Editors
WILBUR K. NELSON, Ph.D., Dr.P.H.
Editor-at-large
BYRON STEELE
Art Director
LILLIE L. JOHNSON
Editorial Secretary
RICHARD KAISER
Braille Editor
GARY WEDEMEYER, M.S.P.H.
Marketing/Advertising
EDMUND M. PETERSON
Circulation Manager
SAMUEL L. DE SHAY, M.D.
J. WAYNE MCFARLAND, M.D.
ALBERT S. WHITING, M.D.
Medical Consultants
HARRISON S. EVANS, M.D.
Mental Health Consultant
ELMER KELLN, D.D.S.
Dental Health Consultant
ALICE G. MARSH, Sc.D., R.D.
SDA Dietetic Association
Nutrition Consultant
SELMA CHAIJ RHYS, R.D.
Food Consultant
94th Year of Publication
Volume 93, Number 5
22
16
8
4 Staff
7 Miriam H. Lipman
8 William A. Allen
11 Merlyn E. McCalla
14 Vivian Buchan
Alayne Yates, M.D.
16
19 William Carl, D.D.S.
Karen Kenyon
22
26 Frieda Morgenstern
How to die younger Dr. Walden's tongue-in-cheek
hints for helping your family collect your insurance earlier.
Tips on guiding a blind person The author's advice
comes from experiences most of us never think about.
Take to wheels The bicycle is much more than a
sensible way of beating the energy crisis.
Mother's Day magic A special holiday menu with easy
recipes the family can prepare for Mom.
Late marriage—"I've never been so happy" Love is for
the young in heart, no matter how old that heart may be.
Give your children a reason to be good A child
psychiatrist explains how children learn to be responsible.
Preventing gum disease
life than decay does.
It claims more teeth in adult
Genetic counseling People who suspect they may have
an abnormal child can now have this concern checked.
My favorite apron What matters most is, not whether
the job is perfect, but how much love is put into it.
May, 1978
29
Gazette
services
34 Health
directory
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LIFE & HEALTH is published monthly
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1978 by the Review
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20012. (202) 723-3700. Second-class postage paid at Washington, D.C. Vol. 93,
No. 5. All rights reserved. Title
registered in U.S. Patent Office.
LIFE AND HEALTH—MAY 1978
3
HOW TO
DIE YOUNGER
B
could you tell me how I
Doctor,
could feel better, look younger,
and live longer?"
Thousands of people each day
visit their physicians for advice on
how to enjoy good health. They
don't put it exactly in these words,
perhaps, yet the demand the doctor
feels he is hearing is, "Just get me
well, Doc, but don't talk to me about
the way I live." What these people
are asking the doctor to do is make it
possible for them to feel better and
live longer while they go on killing
themselves.
It just doesn't make sense to expect your doctor to be able to change
the body's built-in laws of life to
accommodate a suicidal way of living.
In order to give his patients what
they apparently want, a distinguished physician, a former professor at California's Loma Linda University Medical Center, hands them
printed instructions. His printed
prescription is "How to Die
Younger!" In this pamphlet Dr.
Richard T. Walden outlines the program of increased disease and premature death in "eight simple
steps."
This, of course, isn't really what
the patients were asking for. They
wanted a program that would make
them healthy but allow them to live
4
LIFE AND HEALTH-MAY 1978
ff
as they please. But Dr. Walden
knows it just doesn't work that way.
So his "How to Die Younger" formula includes the following:
1. OVEREAT
vo Eat lots of fats,
and be sure that most of these
fats come from animal
sources or are hydrogenated.
1•0 Get prosperous-looking and
plump (for even being 10 percent overweight after age 35
may reduce your life expectancy by five years).
J00 Drink lots of whole milk, eat
lots of cheese, whipped cream
or whipped-cream substitutes,
butter, ice cream (the latter
goes well on frosted cakes or
pies).
Pa' Be sure to eat more than 4
eggs a week—it's the yolks
that count.
2. NEVER EXERCISE
1.0 Use your car to go any distance more than a half block.
Sit comfortably in front of the
TV in the evenings—especially after a heavy meal.
Get up only to walk to the
refrigerator for more snacks
during commercials. (With
planning, even this exercise
can be reduced if you get your
wife or children to bring the
snacks to you!)
✓ Avoid any regularity of exercise by: parking your car
closest to work at the parking
lot; never taking the stairs
(always ride the elevator);
using a power mower on the
lawn or putting in colored
rock to eliminate mowing entirely.
✓ Hire a gardener, painter,
plumber, et cetera.
3. SMOKE HEAVILY, AND FOR
MANY YEARS
✓ Everybody knows that there
is at least twice as much heart
disease in the group who
competes here—with twice as
many deaths.
✓ And don't forget the "help"
you get in your project by the
early development of many
cancers (not just lung cancer),
emphysema, hardening of the
arteries of feet, legs, brain, et
cetera.
✓ Never forget the work that
must be done if you are going
to become that junior (or senior) executive.
✓ Don't take time for recreation
or vacations.
soldiers under great stress and
a high-fat—high-animal-fat—
diet who died in combat during the Korean War were
shown to have fantastic narrowing and hardening of their
coronary arteries with cholesterol. (The U.S. Army did autopsies on the bodies of all
these men they could recover
from the combat zone.) The
arteries of many 19-year-olds
looked like the average 50year-old male of the United
States!
✓ Never take time for spiritual
growth. Don't take your burdens to God or accept His
promise to carry your yoke
and make it light. If you did,
your stresses would be reduced appreciably.
6. LIVE STRESSFULLY
✓ Emotional stress helps greatly
to increase cholesterol in the
blood stream. This cholesterol
will be deposited easily and
early in your blood vessels.
Remember that the American
4. DRINK ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES
✓ Even "moderation" for the
fellow who already has a little
narrowing of the blood vessels that supply his heart increases his risk of heart failure and death significantly (by
increasing workload of the
heart without increasing the
blood circulating to it).
5. DRIVE YOURSELF HARD
✓ Remember the goals and that
there is "plenty of room at the
top."
✓ Push, drive, fight all day long.
✓ When you come home, bring
lots of work from the office.
7. DRINK PLENTY OF COFFEE
✓ If you drink at least six cups a
day, a very positive correlation has been shown (by Dr.
Paul Ogelsby of Northwestern
University School of Medicine) to exist between coffee
drinking and the development
of heart disease.
✓ If you have a borderline disease already, the added caffeine will increase the irritability of your heart and help
produce abnormal rhythm.
LIFE AND HEALTH-MAY 1978
5
8. NEVER GET A PHYSICAL
CHECKUP BY YOUR PHYSICIAN
✓ Early detection and care of
your high blood pressure, diabetes, or hypothyroidism
might result in your getting
and keeping your cholesterol
down.
✓ You might detect early (while
treatable) the narrowing of
your coronary arteries.
What Dr. Walden is actually
doing, of course, is, in a tongue-incheek manner, setting forth the simple fact that our body is designed to
function smoothly and keep us feeling comfortable if we cooperate with
it and follow the simple laws of
health that he has emphasized in a
negative way in the list above.
A long and happy life doesn't
happen by chance. It results from
planned living, designed in harmony
with those principles that not only
prevent disease but also provide the
conditions for recovery from disease.
What is meant by "health"?
Health is not just taking your pills
before breakfast. It is much more
than just the absence of pain or even
the prevention of disease. The
World Health Organization's statement on the meaning of health infers
a magnificent goal toward which all
should aspire: "Health is a state of
complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." To
this they might have added the spiritual dimension. Obviously health
includes more than just being physically well. It includes mental alertness, social concern, and spiritual
commitment.
Dr. Walden adds to his pamphlet a
footnote that cautions, "Any combination of any three of the risk factors mentioned above increases your
chances of dying earlier than necessary by 32 times !—so try to take as
many of these as you can. Good
luck!"
His advice, of course, is directed
to people who are serious about
helping their family collect their insurance earlier.
Copies of Dr. Walden's pamphlet entitled
How to Die Younger are available from
Professional Health Media Services,
P.O. Box 922, Loma Linda, CA 92354.
Learn how—
HAPPINESS
IS GOOD FOOD
Here are 12 lessons in a
self-grading nutrition
series that can turn your
food budget from a
nightmare into a dream.
This attractively illustrated
set of practical helps is
available to you in two
colorful 48-page books.
• prepare tasty, more
nutritious meals.
• lower your food bills.
• to make your body heal
faster.
• preserve and improve
your health.
• beat the high cost of
meat.
• trim your waistline with
balanced meals.
• to avoid headaches.
• to get along with others.
• to give first aid.
• your body functions.
FREEDOM "
IS GOOD
HEALTH
Are you all tied up in
knots? Overweight? Do
you need a better home
environment? Know
someone needing help
with an alcohol, drug,
or tobacco problem?
Now you can—
• to keep your heart
healthy.
Health can be your
greatest asset. This set of
14 self-grading study
guides can help you keep
your health or find out how
to get it back.
AI
• to be good looking.
❑ Send the It's Your World of Good Food books on more
nutritious food preparation. (I am enclosing $1.00.)
❑ Send me the It's Your World of Good Health books
on better living through good health. (I am
enclosing $1.00.)
❑ Send me both It's Your World of Good Food and It's
Your World of Good Health. (I am enclosing $2.00.)
Name
Street
City
State
Send to: It's Your World of Good Food
P.O. Box 3838
Hollywood, California 90028
By Miriam H. Lipman
Tips
.on
guiding
a blind
erson
If you take a blind person to a special event there are a few things
you need to think about. For example, a driver can't really see the
conditions on the passenger's side of
the car under many parking situations. So to avoid a mishap, you
should ask your passenger to remain
seated until you check to be sure of
the safety. You may need to explain,
and ask how you can help. In a recent situation, for example, the only
available parking was adjacent to a
large round pipe, on the other side of
which was a ditch.
Moving through a crowd
If the person and you are accustomed to walking together this
doesn't present many problems—although you may need to say to people clustered with their backs to you,
"May we pass, please?" rather than
attempt to get your sightless companion around them.
If the person has some sight and is
used to walking with the aid of a
cane, perhaps without one in his
own home or office, he may wish to
be guided rather than led.
For example, I am able to follow a
person who precedes me slightly,
being guided by the shadow or general outline of my companion.
I usually prefer to avoid ramps,
because with my stick I can gauge
the length of step for a curb but not
the length of step for a ramp. I can
use an escalator if it is narrow so
that I can be sure no one will push
past me, two steps at a time, but not
an unfamiliar self-service elevator.
I have had only one bad fall—
when a good friend was leading me.
There was a slight rise on my side of
a doorsill, possibly not enough for
my sighted friend to be aware of as
an obstacle. No warning, no stick,
and down I went.
"Can you see to do that?" I am
frequently asked, especially when I
start for an after-sundown walk.
"No," I say, "but I can do it!"
However, a parking lot is another
place where I do need sighted help. I
can hear cars on a street, and if the
crossing is light controlled I can
judge when the traffic has stopped
and cross with the others. However,
when a driver deposits me in the
middle of a parking area I can't tell
what the cars are going to do.
One of my friends, on being told
that, said, "Cheer up, lady, neither
can we !"
Miriam Lipman; who lives in Texas and
is now retired, worked as a supervisor of
recreational and community activities
for the Bureau of Community Education
in New York. She has some residual
vision, but still is, she says, the perpetual
student, undertaking to relearn piano
and learn organ as a blind person, and
also to learn Braille.
LIFE AND HEALTH-MAY 1978
7
Horse." "Swift Walker."
Hobby
"Dandy Horse." "Boneshaker." Over the years, these
nicknames have been given to bicycles as they went through various stages of development. From a
wooden creation, without pedals
(propelled by the rider's feet), bicycles have progressed to the modern
machine with as many as ten gears
that enable the rider to climb hills
with hardly any more effort than is
exerted on a straightaway.
With gasoline prices on the rise
and the constant threat of gasoline
rationing hanging over the nation
like Damocles' fabled sword, people
are increasingly turning to the bicycle as a sensible way of beating the
energy crisis. In one community, an
elderly woman physician bikes to
her office daily, a hospital executive
is seen chaining his bike to a pole in
a busy downtown business section,
and pleasure bikers thread their way
through the traffic on the main thoroughfare. Where I live, one bank has
installed a bike rack outside its entrance as a convenience for customers.
Another reason for the growing
popularity of the bicycle is that the
need for energy conservation in the
United States is becoming indisput-
By William A. Allen
8
LIFE AND HEALTH-MAY 1978
ably clear. In 1940, we used slightly
fewer than 1.4 billion barrels of oil,
of which less than 5 percent was
imported. By 1976, our use of oil had
risen to nearly five billion barrels, of
which 44 percent was imported;
today, we are constantly being
warned that this percentage may go
even higher in the next few years.
Motor vehicles not only devour
huge quantities of fuel but are also
responsible for about two thirds of
the air pollution in large cities. One
large Eastern city estimates that
motor vehicles are the cause of more
than 95 percent of the carbon monoxide, 70 percent of the hydrocarbons, and 50 percent of the nitrogen
oxides polluting the air.
The bicycle is an excellent• example of the fact that conservation of
energy and air-pollution control
usually go hand in hand. Since bikes
expend no fuel and cause no air pollution, riding one enables you to help
beat the energy crisis, yet still use
wheels.
History of the bicycle
Bicycles were not built in America
until 1877, but velocipedes were
constructed in the early part of that
century in Europe. These were
granddaddies of the bike and con-
sisted of a wooden frame, two
wheels, and a crude steering device.
The rider balanced on the seat and
walked the vehicle along with his
feet. About the only advantage the
rider enjoyed over plain walking was
that he could travel a bit faster,
coast from time to time, and place
some of the weight of his body on
the bike rather than on his legs and
feet. These machines were also
called "Dandy Walkers," because
fancily dressed young men of the
time adopted them as a means of
transportation. Probably the first
practical machine of this kind was
one constructed by Baron Karl von
Drais, of Germany.
In 1839 a Scottish blacksmith,
Kirkpatrick MacMillan, added
pedals with connecting rods to drive
the rear wheel of the velocipede, and
another important step in the bicycle's evolution was taken in 1862
when Ernest Michaux, of France,
constructed a velocipede with a
front wheel larger than the rear
wheel. In 1866, Pierre Lallement
patented such a machine in the
United States. Because these ironrimmed two-wheelers jarred their
passengers so badly, they were
given the name of "Boneshakers."
Just about one hundred years ago,
Col. Albert Pope, of Boston, made
the first American bicycle, an ordinary high-wheeler much like one
constructed earlier in England. The
front wheel was about four and onehalf feet high, and there was a much
smaller rear wheel. The large front
wheel of the ordinary bike gave the
rider extra speed, but made the machine more difficult to operate.
Wire-spoked wheels with solid rubber tires had come into use by this
time.
In the latter years of the nineteenth century, the bicycle took
America by storm, and every
"Dashing Dan" had his highwheeler, or "Dandy Horse." With
the growing number of cyclists, special policemen were assigned to bike
patrols, and cyclists traveling at unheard-of speeds of twelve miles an
hour were arrested. Although a
safety bike was introduced by an
Englishman, Henry J. Lawson, in
the 1870's, this design did not begin
to take the place of the highwheelers until after 1885, when the
Rover, a model of about the same
size, came out. Soon there were
other improvements in bicycles,
such as air-filled tires for a smoother
ride, ball bearings, coasting hubs,
two-speed gears, and more efficient
brakes.
Because riding a bike was a step
ahead of the horse and buggy, it
became very fashionable to be a cyclist, and there were far-reaching
effects from this new fad, which
even brought about changes in
women's clothing. Turkish-style
pants, making it easier for women to
ride bicycles, were developed by
Mrs. Amelia Bloomer, from whom
the new article of clothing took its
name. Other changes in women's
clothing, including the transition
from bloomers to slacks, culottes,
pedal pushers, and shorts, have to a
great extent come about as a result
of bicycle riding.
In the closing years of the nineteenth century, bike racing became
extremely popular, and the champion bike racer was as widely known
as a baseball, football, or basketball
star is today. In 1891, the first of the
popular six-day bicycle races was
held in the old Madison Square Garden in New York City. The first
bicycle racer to travel sixty miles
per hour was Charles "Mile-a-Minute" Murphy, who got his nickname
in 1899, by riding his bike behind a
train on a board track at a speed that
actually surpassed sixty miles per
hour. In 1962, a Frenchman, Jose
Meiffert, sped twice as fast as
Murphy when he traveled at 128
miles an hour behind an auto on the
German Autobahn.
Health-giving exercise
With 100 million bicycles in use in
the United States, and more than 15
million bikes being sold annually, it
can truthfully be said that America is
taking to the bicycle. The bicycle not
only affords a convenient way to
travel but also provides an excellent
form of health-giving exercise.
You can travel at your own pace
on a bike, taking full advantage of
the sights and sounds in your surroundings as you roll through city
and country. Or, if you prefer, you
can bike with a group of family and
friends to enjoy picnics, overnight
trips, or even longer trips, such as
those arranged by youth hostels or
recreation departments. Among the
rewards of biking are breathing
deeply of the air, enjoying the
strength of your muscles, feeling the
wind in your face and the sun at your
back, and knowing that you are
traveling on your own power, without expending petroleum fuel and
without causing pollution.
Biking can be very hazardous,
particularly if safety rules are not
Ip
carefully observed. According to a
study by the Product Safety Commission of the Federal Government,
an estimated 372,000 injuries involving bicycles required treatment
in hospital emergency rooms last
year, and this does not include
bruises, abrasions, and lacerations
treated at home. More than one
thousand people lost their lives in
bicycle accidents during the year,
with many of the fatal accidents
taking place at intersections, where
collisions with motor vehicles occurred.
In order to make biking safer,
some communities have developed
bike routes that are reasonably safe
and quiet. In certain cities, roadways and highways are blocked off
and reserved for bicycle riders at
special times. If you live in or near a
city, you can obtain information
about bike routes, protected areas
for bikers, and trips for cyclists by
calling your local health department,
department of recreation, or
chamber of commerce.
Rules for safer cycling
Because we believe that you and
members of your family may well be
doing more biking this year than
ever before, the following rules are
listed for safer cycling:
4 Be sure your bike is safe. Check it
to be certain that all nuts and bolts
are tight; that wheels are not bent or
misaligned; that tires are in good
shape and do not have glass or
gravel stuck in the treads and
brakes; and that pedals, lights, reflectors, and shifting mechanisms
are sound. When problems occur,
have repairs made promptly.
4 Keep in mind that a bicycle is a
vehicle, and observe all traffic regulations and local biking ordinances,
including biking on the right side of
the road as near the curb as possible.
Never bike against traffic on the left
side, since your chances of having
an accident are much greater. You
are also more likely to run down an
10 LIFE AND HEALTH-MAY 1978
unwary pedestrian or another biker.
4 Ride at a safe speed for you,
whether pedaling or coasting, a
speed at which you are in complete
control of your bicycle and ready for
anything that shows up in your path.
4 When cycling with others, ride
single file, properly spaced, and do
not sway or engage in horseplay.
Never weave, stunt, or show off at
any time, since these actions can
cause serious accidents.
4 Watch for road conditions such as
potholes, soft shoulders, parallel
drains, gravel, oil slicks, manhole
covers, and sticks and rocks. Cross
streetcar or railroad tracks at right
angles whenever possible. Often the
safest policy is to dismount from
your bike and wheel it over tracks or
drains.
4 Day or night, wear brightly colored clothing to make you more visible. Yellow, orange, and red are
highly visible colors. At night, be
sure your bicycle is well lighted.
Check batteries periodically to make
sure they are ready when needed.
4 Equip your bicycle with bell,
horn, or whistle, and use the device
when necessary.
4 Listen carefully when riding on a
deserted road, so that you hear approaching cars before they are
sighted. Remember that the sound of
a car approaching from one direction
can drown out the sound of a vehicle
coming from the other way.
4 Never carry packages in your
hands or under your arms while biking. Equip your bike with a rack or
other carrying device, and be sure to
use it when transporting any object.
4 Ride one to a bicycle unless the
bike is a tandem or is equipped with
a child carrier.
4 Be particularly careful at intersections, especially when making a
left turn, and always use hand signals for turning and stopping. If the
traffic is heavy, dismount and walk
your bike across the intersection.
4 Slow down when making turns.
Speeding and turning often combine
to cause a skidding accident. Lefthand turns are the most dangerous.
4 Observe the right of way. Yield to
pedestrians and be prepared for the
right action when automobiles do
not yield to you. Never depend upon
the driver of an automobile to do
what is logical, legal, or even what
he, or she, is signaling to do. Ride
courteously and set a good example
for motorists and other cyclists.
4 Watch for automobiles parking,
unloading, and making turns into
and out of traffic. Take special care
to avoid people in parked cars who
are opening car doors suddenly. In
cars with high headrests, it is difficult to spot occupants.
4 Never hitch a ride by holding onto
a truck or other motor vehicle. The
vehicle may stop suddenly, and you
may be thrown against it. Also, your
speed may build up to such an extent
when hitching that when you release
your hold, you cannot control your
bike.
4 Avoid "curb jumping." This is
one of the most common ways that
bikes become damaged, and it can
cause a serious injury.
4 Ride your bike defensively at all
times. Watch the auto or bike ahead
of you and the one in front of him.
Allow sufficient space and time to
take defensive or preventive action
to avoid an accident.
4 Wear pant clips to keep trousers
or slacks from becoming entangled
in the gears.
If you keep these points in mind,
you can take to bicycle wheels with
the knowledge that you are helping
to beat the energy crisis and cut air
pollution at the same time that you
are enjoying and helping yourself to
8
better health.
William A. Allen, M.P.H., is coordinator of information and education fpr
the Philadelphia Department of Public
Health, Community Health Services. He
is also chairman of the Greater Philadelphia Interagency Council on Smoking
and Public Health.
MOTHERS BAY
MAGIE
By Merlyn E. McCalla
spend so many hours
M others
each day preparing meals for
the members of their family that it
seems only right and proper that, on
her special day, Mother should be
able to sit back and relax and let
someone else prepare a meal or
meals for her.
This month's recipes are especially designed to make cooking
easier, especially for the pre-teen or
early teen-ager, by utilizing the oven
as much as possible. However,
Mother herself will enjoy their convenience.
Serving Mom a good nourishing
breakfast is an excellent way to start
her day. Whether the meal is served
in bed or at the table, no mother is
likely to forget the pleasurable experience of having breakfast made
for her.
Baked pancakes
3 eggs
1 cup of milk
1 cup of flour
V4 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. margarine (melted)
I. Blend all ingredients together
in a blender, or in a mixing bowl with
an egg beater.
2. Pour into lightly oiled oblong
baking dish (9 by 13 by 2 inches).
3. Bake at 350°F for one-half hour
or until edges are lightly browned.
4. Can be cut into squares of desired sizes.
The main meal of the day is
preferably served at lunchtime.
Even though it is the largest meal, it
need not take the longest to prepare.
If you plan everything to go in the
oven about the same time the dishes
will be ready within minutes of each
other.
In the meantime you can set the
table with Mother's best tablecloth,
china, and silver. Next make the
salad for the centerpiece, and place
the appetizer (pineapple juice in
small juice glasses) on the table. The
cake should be made as early in the
day as possible, to allow time to cool
and lessen dinner preparation time.
If a punch or milk is served it too
should be placed on the table. Don't
forget to enlist Dad's hands if necessary.
BREAKFAST
MAIN MEAL
A good breakfast for the day could
include:
Juice
Baked pancakes with Mother's
favorite preserves or warm applesauce
Bowl of fresh strawberries or
frozen fruit
Milk or hot chocolate
Some time ago a friend passed on
a recipe she heard about on the
radio, for baked pancakes. It has
become a favorite since---it's so
easy.
Chilled pineapple juice
Mushroom herb loaf with cranberry sauce
Broccoli spears Italienne
Baked herbed rice with parsley
Centerpiece salad
Whole-wheat bread and butter
Plain cake with topping
Milk
Let's get started. First take the
broccoli out of the freezer and set it
aside. Then work on the mushroom
herb loaf. Preheat your oven to
350°F.
TERRY MCBRIDE
LIFE AND HEALTH-MAY 1978 11
Baked herbed rice with parsley
1 cup long-grain rice
21/2 cups boiling water
1 tsp. sage
2 packets of G. Washington broth
(or salt to taste)
2-3 tbsp. dried parsley
1 tbsp. margarine or oil
Mushroom herb loaf
11/2 cups of Pepperidge Farm bread
stuffing
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 egg, well-beaten
1/2 cup onions, grated (or chopped
fine)
1 packet of G. Washington seasoning, brown or yellow
1 tbsp. dry parsley
1 can mushroom soup (diluted
with 1/4 cup water)
1. Combine all ingredients together in large mixing bowl. Mix
well.
2. Bake in slightly oiled 8-by-8-in.
square casserole dish or pan.
3. Bake at 350°F for 40 minutes,
or until knife placed in center comes
out clean.
4. Serve with cranberry sauce.
Next prepare to make the next
two recipes by measuring 21/2 cups
of cold water and place in small pot
to heat. Measure rice into glass casserole dish or pan. Add seasonings.
While waiting for the water to boil,
open packages of broccoli into another baking dish and pull spears
apart. By this time the water should
be ready for the rice.
12
LIFE AND HEALTH-MAY 1978
1. Combine all dry ingredients in
casserole dish.
2. Add hot water and margarine.
3. Cover and bake at 350°F for 45
minutes.
NOTE: If too young to handle hot
water—use cold water and 1
tbsp. of oil. Cover and bake
at 375°F for 1 hour and 10
minutes.
Now to finish the broccoli:
Broccoli spears Italienne
1 box of frozen broccoli (use
extra if serving 4 or more)
2-3 tbsp. of Italian salad dressing or
2 tbsp. of olive oil and a tsp. of
garlic salt
1. Partially thaw broccoli. Spread
out in baking dish.
2. Sprinkle salad dressing on top
of broccoli.
3. Cover tightly with foil and bake
35-45 minutes at 350°F.
The centerpiece salad is just that,
a centerpiece for the middle of the
table and a salad. Use a round platter if one is available, otherwise an
oblong one will do.
Centerpiece salad
5-6 large lettuce leaves
2-3 medium tomatoes
1 large cucumber
1 small can of olives (black)
1 cup of cottage cheese
1. Wash and dry lettuce leaves
and arrange them so that their outer
edges are even with the rim of the
platter.
2. Place cottage cheese in the
center of the platter, forming a neat
mound.
3. Place olives around this in a
circle.
4. Slice tomatoes and arrange
around the olives also in a circle,
leaving a little space between tomatoes and olives.
5. Wash and dry cucumber. Do
not peel. Score down the sides with
the tines of a fork (or scrape the
sides of the cucumber lengthwise
with the prongs of a fork). Slice
thinly and arrange in circle on top of
tomatoes, filling in the space between tomatoes and olives.
A light supper (or lunch if it is
impracticable to serve the main meal
at noon) should be simple and easy
to prepare. Our menu can be prepared and refrigerated until almost
time to serve. The sandwiches
should go into the oven a half hour
before serving. While they are baking, the soup can be heating, and the
table be set.
LIGHT MEAL
This menu includes:
Cottage cheese boat
Tomato soup
Carrot and celery sticks
Easy fruit cup
Cottage cheese boat
This easy recipe is guaranteed to
become a family favorite. It can be
made the night before and refrigerated for use the following day,
or the one after that.
11/2 cups creamed cottage cheese
2 stalks of celery, sliced thin
3/4 cup sliced black olives
1 tbsp. of onion flakes
1 tbsp. of mayonnaise or salad
dressing
Soft margarine
Small French rolls (about 5
inches long) or whole-wheat
Frankfurter rolls
Aluminum foil
1. Mix all ingredients.
2. Slice rolls and scoop small
amount of insides and spread lightly
with margarine.
3. Fill with 1/4 cup cottage cheese
mixture and cover with top slice.
4. Wrap in aluminum foil and
bake at 350'F for one-half hour.
Easy fruit cup
1 can of pineapple chunks
1 can mandarin oranges
2 ripe bananas, sliced
1 cup of purple grapes (green if
preferred)
1
/4 cup dried coconut
1. Open canned fruit and place in
pretty salad bowl.
2. Add banana slices and grape
halves.
3. Mix fruit together lightly with a
fork.
4. Sprinkle coconut on top.
NOTE: If fruit is served in individual
dishes, sprinkle coconut on
top of each dish.
For the cake use any plain cake
mix and follow the instructions on
the box. Serve cake with Mother's
favorite fresh fruit, or just plain
whipped topping.
I found a special recipe for a
Mother's Day cake that I'd like to
share, and I am sure it will please
Mother even more than a fancy dessert.
Mother's Day Cake
It isn't her birthday, but couldn't we
make
A kind of a sort of a Mother's Day
cake?
We'll mix up a batter of love, deep
and true,
Add memories old, and good wishes
brand new.
Obedience, helpfulness, promptness, can be
Most welcome additions, from you
and from me.
We'll bake it in warmth of affection
and praise.
We'll frost it with compliments—
light bright rays,
Of candles of joy, that will twinkle
and shine,
With every good wish for your
mother and mine.
So let us get busy, and measure and
bake,
Our marvelous, magical Mother's
Day cake!
—Edith Sanford Tillotson*
Happy Mother's Day baking to
you. Remember, if you have any
difficulties with these recipes,
Mother will be nearby to help.
Good luck.
Reference
* George W. Sanville. Mother's Day Helper No. 55.
The Rodeheaver Hall-Mack Co., Winona Lake,
Indiana.
LIFE AND HEALTH—MAY 1978
13
Lake Marriage
've never been so
By Vivian Buchan
ongwriters would have us believe
S that love is for the young. And
they're right as far as they go. Love
is for the young in heart, be that
heart beating in a 60- or 70- or 80year-old breast. What's so wrong
about falling in love at any age?
Nothing. In fact, it could be the best
thing an oldster can do.
The happy marriage of Ercell and
Michael Heath, spotlighted on
PBS's "Thin Edge" series on mental
health, is typical of the growing
number of late marriages. In 1960,
brides over age 65 numbered 7,800.
By 1974, the number had doubled to
16,000. And studies show that 75
percent of these late marriages are
successful. In most instances, the
late-marrieds say they are happier
than they were as early-marrieds.
A Boston University study conducted by Barbara Vinick disclosed
that companionship was the most
frequent reason for oldsters remarrying. "It's the best thing about our
marriage, for it's relieved the loneliness of living alone." The second
most popular reason was "the sharing-and-caring relationship we have
that's brought serenity into our lives
by living with someone who's understanding and sympathetic."
The fastest-growing segment of
14
LIFE AND HEALTH-MAY 1978
society is the over-75 age group,
which may explain why more marriages are taking place among the
late-set members. But attitudes
toward late marriages have changed,
too, making late-marrieds feel that
what they're doing is approved by
society. Studies on aging demonstrate that the desire to be loved and
to love continues into the late years
and may even become stronger because of the loneliness that comes
when grown children have left the
home and retirement has meant the
77
Pi()
loss of a job or a career.
Vinick found that "there isn't the
bias and prejudice against older
people getting married that there
was even five or ten years ago.
There's a much more general
awareness that older men and
women can have an interest in each
other. This is certainly normal."
Some of the couples were surprised by the attitudes of their older
friends who acted astonished and
somewhat resentful when they heard
of the marriage plans. In one group
of widows and widowers who hadn't
remarried, some called the idea ridiculous. One widow sputtered,
"Why would women want to remarry unless there was money involved?" Another said, "I spent
forty years looking after a man, and
I'm not about to put in more years
doing that."
On the other side, the children of
both spouses were usually delighted
and voiced happy approval when
they heard of the marriage plans.
They said, "We want you to be
happy with someone companionable. We won't have to worry so
much about you now that you'll
have someone to be with. We think
you're lucky to have found one another."
The late-marrieds have a lot going
for them. They have time to be involved with each other. They aren't
plagued by the pressures youngmarrieds experience—child-rearing,
striving for economic security, inlaws, aging parents, debts and mortgages.
Instead of worrying about accumulating worldly goods, most
of the late-marrieds worry about
what to do with all they've accumulated. They've usually acquired Social Security benefits, pensions, annuities, property, and investments
of various kinds. Pooling their resources under one roof often provides greater advantages and conveniences than either would have
living alone.
Most late-marrieds agree on prenuptial arrangements whereby they
decide what will happen to their
personal possessions if one dies.
They then explain these arrangements to their children so that all
concerned know what plans have
been made.
"These late-marrieds have a positive outlook on life," the study
showed. "They're really happy."
One man said, "I'm so glad to have
someone to come home to, to take
care of, someone who takes care of
me with love and affection. I'm
brimming with happiness."
A wife said, "These are the things
your children can't do for you. You
love them, and they love you, but
they have their own lives to live and
their families to think about. And
besides, they don't understand how
older people feel about life and what
they want out of it."
It's been suggested that those
previously happily married tend to
remarry, and those who've been unhappy in their first marriages shy
away from marriage. But I have a
friend who's now 75, who was a
widow for five years before she remarried. She confided, "I was afraid
to marry Jack. I'd had such a miserable first marriage. But our marriage
has been everything I'd dreamed of
as a girl. I've never been so happy in
my whole life as I've been these past
five years."
Late-marrieds may not only be
happier, but they seem to be healthier. One man said, "Maybe my
health isn't any better, but I sure feel
better." Some of those interviewed
by Vinick felt that they'd been able
to stay out of nursing homes because
they'd enjoyed better health by
being active and interested in life.
They felt that living alone leads to
inactivity and disinterest in the
world.
Fewer unmarried men over 65
The U.S. Department of the Census predicts that by 1985, there will
be 10.3 million unmarried women
over 65, but only 2.8 million unmarried men in that age group. Not all
widows want to remarry, of course,
but those who do will find the competition keen. Statistically, women
do outlive men, so there are now and
will be more widows than widowers
in the marriage marketplace. On the
average, widows who do remarry
live twice as long after the marriage
as their husbands do.
My doctor said recently, "People
in their sixties aren't old these days.
They're extremely alert and active.
Most of them don't think in terms of
having just a few years left. They
take a positive attitude toward life,
and many of them are living longer
because of it.
"Do I have patients who've remarried late in life? Yes, and I can
tell you they're full of vim and vitality. In most instances, I'd prescribe
a late marriage between compatible
people, for my experience has been
that mentally and physically they're
better off. They're more emotionally
stable, too, than people living
alone."
I have a 72-year-old friend who's
more vivacious now than she's ever
been. She's been married five years
to a man totally different from her
first husband. She said, "Dave and I
have been happier with each other
than we were in our first marriages.
We both went through a sad period
when our mates died after long illnesses. We knew one of us might
have to face that again, but we decided it was worth the chance.
We've traveled a lot, gone to and
given lots of parties, made new
friends. We're living life to the hilt
and loving every minute of it. The
way we feel, we'll probably be doing
that for a long time yet. I never
dreamed oldsters like us could have
so much fun!"
Vivian Buchan is a free-lance writer,
residing in Iowa City, IA. She holds an
M.A. in English from the University of
Illinois, where she has taught creative
writing, expository writing, public
speaking, and literature.
LIFE AND HEALTH-MAY 1978
15
Give Your Children
a Reason
to Be Good
By Alayne Yates, M.D.
ow children develop a conscience is especially important
today. Violence on the street, corruption in government, and the vast
social changes we face are of great
concern to us all. But won't the
children of today shape society tomorrow? How can we as parents
help them to become thoughtful, responsible citizens?
They need to develop not only a
sense of right and wrong, but intangibles such as generosity, altruism,
and empathy. Their moral code must
be flexible enough to persist through
school life, business, and marriage.
Their values must be their own and
not dependent on some other person's interest in enforcing rules. On
the other hand, the conscience they
develop must not be so harsh as to
stifle creativity or foster feelings of
Worthlessness.
A number of psychiatrists and
psychologists have studied the formation of the conscience, tracing it
from infancy throughout the early
years. These studies offer valuable
insights toward facilitating healthy
moral and emotional growth. Certain
factors in a child's life seem crucial.
The parents need to serve as positive
role models for the very qualities
that they wish the child to develop,
and need to communicate warmth
and caring, along with a consistent
set of age-appropriate expectations.
This last is perhaps the most difficult
of all—knowing exactly what a child
is capable of accomplishing or comprehending at a given age.
Just as we can't expect a 2-yearold to know his alphabet or a 4year-old to travel to nursery school
H
by himself, there are certain moral
expectations appropriate for each
level. Knowing what is reasonable
enables the parent to react appropriately to the child's behavior, offering the kind of guidance the
youngster needs. If parents demand
too much, they predispose the child
to failure. As a result, he may become resentful and resistant, or feel
poorly about himself. If the parents
demand too little, the child may
never develop to his greatest capacity, as he expects little of himself
also.
Growth of conscience
During the first half of the first
year of life, the child is too immature
to perceive the difference between
good and bad or to understand his
parents' values. In fact, the infant
doesn't yet distinguish himself from
his parent, nor does he have the
concept of cause and effect. Thus,
any effort to train the child is
doomed to fail because the child
does not yet intend any of his actions, nor would he associate his
parents' displeasure with whatever
he has done. Yet, even in the first six
months, a most powerful tool for
shaping the child's behavior is already forming. This is the close,
trusting bond between the little one
and those taking care of him.
During the first six months, children are, for the most part, passive
and dependent. Very gradually they
begin to recognize that mother provides them with comfort, warmth,
and food. They start to trust that
their needs will be met and that good
things will happen. From this is de-
rived a sense of predictability and
rightness—a cornerstone for the
conscience. Without trust, there is
little reason to be good. The attentive mother who is sensitive to the
cues of her infant builds for him a
sense of trust.
In the second half of the first year,
the first glimmer of a rudimentary
conscience appears. By this time the
infant crawls about, or lurches from
one piece of furniture to the next.
Constantly active, he pulls over
wastebaskets, empties drawers, and
dumps cereal bowls on the floor.
Most parents initiate some form of
training toward the end of the first
year—for their own sanity, if nothing else. If the training is not too
harsh or inconsistent, it can be quite
helpful to the child. It enables him to
see himself as an individual separate
from mother. He begins to appreciate nuances and to moderate his actions as he cultivates a healthy regard for reality.
Some authors have called this the
period of "hedonic self-regulation,"
meaning that the child is solely motivated toward what feels good and
away from pain. This isn't completely true, as infants this age who
have developed basic trust are also
motivated to please mother. However, young children frequently test
their parents.
An infant of ten or eleven months
can be expected to wait for a few
minutes before being fed, although
he likely won't enjoy the delay. He
can also be taught not to pull over
wastebaskets most of the time.
However, it's too much to expect
that he refrain from touching a disLIFE AND HEALTH-MAY 1978 17
this month's
MENFAL HEALTH
play of porcelain figurines. Such
items need to be placed beyond his
reach.
Parents sometimes expect to accomplish everything at once. They
feel that the child can now understand simple commands, such as
"No," and therefore must be held
fully accountable for his actions.
Multiple restrictions, or a reliance
on physical punishment, tend to
overwhelm the child, making him
anxious or angry. These approaches
militate against the favorable formation of the conscience, because the
child no longer wishes, or feels able,
to please his parents.
"Thou shalt not" preschool years
During the preschool years, the
child lives primarily by a "thou shalt
not" system of morality. He learns
very specific injunctions, such as not
to bite sister or pull the cat's tail.
Because of his cognitive limitations,
he doesn't generalize these rules to
form principles. He needs the
presence of an older person not to
forget the shoulds and shouldn'ts
when temptation presents itself. The
youngster can be expected to work
along with mommy in order to clean
his room, but can't be expected to
remember all by himself that room
cleaning is important.
Children who enjoy, and therefore
wish to please, their parents, and
children who feel good about themselves adhere to rules more easily
and test limits less. The 4- or 5year-old child who has successfully
completed this phase of growth will
feel that rules are important and
necessary. He no longer operates
just to avoid the painful consequences that follow if he breaks a
rule. However, the preschool child
can't understand concepts such as
intent. Although adults would see
the accidental breaking of a lamp as
less heinous than intentional vandalism, the preschool child can't grasp
18
LIFE AND HEALTH—MAY 1978
FPFURE
that concept, nor can it be taught to
him.
At age 5 or 6, there is a relatively
sudden increase in the child's maturity and sense of responsibility. This
tends to coincide with greater independence and the child's entrance
into school. Now the child accepts
rules as part of himself, or, in psychiatric terms, he gains an internalized conscience. He shows interest
in structured games, and he may be
seen slapping his own hand when he
wishes to take a cookie before
lunchtime. The child no longer needs
to have his parent or some adult
close by in order to act the way that
he knows he should act. In a sense,
he has taken his parents' precepts
into his own head, where they continue to dictate proper behavior. Indeed, he may seem more harsh
toward himself than his parents
would have been.
If a child reaches this level, but
goes no farther, he will likely become a productive, law-abiding citizen. But what about traits such as
generosity, sympathy, and consideration for others? These qualities
extend above and beyond rote adherence to rule. They are gained
through role modeling or identifying with parents who demonstrate
those qualities, and can't be taught
by a system of rewards and punishments alone. The child's positive
identification is enhanced through
his feelings of warmth and affection
for his parents.
Altruistic behavior, for instance,
is learned best in families where the
child's verbal expression of his feelings is supported, and where the
parents demonstrate concern for
others. Altruism is less likely to develop in competitive, status-conscious families.
The character of the parent is important. Selfish, inconsistent adults
lose their value as role models and,
even if they try, cannot reinforce
moral behavior in their children. The
older child's moral code continues to
expand as he becomes better able to
understand his environment. At
about age 8, the child can place
himself in a stranger's shoes, and
feel as that person might in a certain
situation. This is an immense aid in
acquiring empathy.
It's at about this same time that
the child perceives the relationship
of past to present and present to
future, which allows him to achieve
a sense of long-range accountability.
The ability to abstract occurs in
early adolescence, enabling young
people to form principles and apply
them to a variety of situations outside their personal sphere. In this
way, conscience continues to expand throughout maturation.
Children need realistic guidance
and expectations appropriate to their
stage of development. Parents play a
crucial role in the formation of the
child's moral code, not only by
presenting firm, consistent, and reasonable limits but also by setting a
good example. Through a loving re-.
lationship, parents give the child
reason to be good.
Alayne Yates, M.D., is associate professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at
Loma Linda University Medical Center
in California and a member of the Academy of Child Psychology.
REFERENCES
J, Bryan and P. London. Altruistic behavior by
children. Psychological Bulletin, 1970, vol. 73, No.
3, pp. 200-211.
E. Midlarsky, J. Bryan, and P. Brickman. Aversive
approval: interactive effects of modeling and reinforcement on altruistic behavior. Child Development, 1973, 44, 321-328.
E. Rutherford and P. Mussen. Generosity in nursery
school boys. Child Development, 1968, 39 (3), 754765.
M. Schleifer and V. Douglas. Effects of training on
the moral judgment of young children. Journal of
Personality and Social Psychology, 1973, vol. 28,
No. 1, pp. 62-68.
R. Stouwie. An experimental study of adult dominance and warmth, conflicting verbal instructions,
and children's moral behavior. Child Development,
1972, 43, 959-971.
PREVENTING
GUM DISEASE
By William Carl, D.D.S.
he had been referred to me for
S
crowns and bridges to "replace
missing molars," as she put it. Before asking the usual questions on
past medical and dental history, I
took a quick look in her mouth: large
silver fillings, a few gaps here and
there where teeth had been lost—not
particularly difficult to reconstruct—so it seemed. What concerned me more than the missing
teeth was the color and shape of her
gum tissue: bluish-red and puffy
throughout most of her mouth.
"Do your gums bleed when you
brush your teeth?" I asked her.
"Every time," she answered.
"Sometimes I just rinse out and
don't brush at all. I hate the taste of
blood."
"You should have periodontal
treatment before you spend money
on crowns and bridges," I said.
"Most of all, you need some instructions on how you can help
yourself. With a little effort and understanding you can actually prevent
most of the problems you're having
now."
"Nobody ever told me that. Do I
have gingivitis?"
"I'm afraid it's more than gingivitis. Looks like periodontitis to
me."
Some selective probing confirmed
my suspicions: This patient, an attractive woman in her early forties,
had eight and ten millimeter deep
pockets between her teeth.
Periodontal disease usually starts
very insidiously. And, as in the case
of my patient, it sends no spectacu-
lar warning signs, not even pain.
You may get some bleeding now and
then, some mild discomfort, occasionally bad taste and odor, but
nothing more until the teeth become
loose.
The disease is as old as mankind.
The ancient Egyptians and the ancient Midwest American Indians had
it. It allegedly caused at least one
war among the Aztecs of Mexico.
The Cronica Mexicayotl tells us that
Princess Chalchiuhnenetzin had
very foul-smelling teeth. Because
her teeth "stank terribly," the king
neglected her. Axayacatl, the princess' brother, didn't take this lying
down. He made war on the king to
Normal gingival
crevice
Normal bone
level
Inflamed
gum tissue
Lowered bone
level because
of inflammation
Fig. 1 Gum disease starts in the gingival crevice, a small cuff surrounding the
tooth. Plaque and calculus, often called tartar, collect there and, if not removed,
initiate inflammation of the gums.
LIFE AND HEALTH-MAY 1978
19
Fig. 2 An effective method of getting into the gingival crevice is using a soft brush
and moving it horizontally at an angle of about 45° in short strokes along the
junction of teeth and gums.
avenge the affront. During the Aztec
gum feud, Moquihuixtli, the king,
was killed.
Modern man is still burdened with
periodontal disease. It claims more
teeth in adult life than decay does.
How does it start?
How does the disease start? How
can it be treated, or better yet, how
can it be prevented?
While there are some rare degenerative and other systemic conditions that threaten the health of the
supporting structure of the teeth,
periodontal disease is usually caused
by local factors, connected with
poor oral hygiene and, in some
cases, even poor restorative dentistry.
To be specific, it starts with
plaque. What is plaque? A definition
I saw recently goes like this:
"Plaque is an invisible film of bacterial colonies and food debris that
sticks to the tooth surface by gummy
substances called dextrans."
Figure 2
20
LIFE AND HEALTH-MAY 1978
Obviously this is an oversimplification. The so-called periodontal
plaque is a lot more complex. However, periodontists agree that plaque
is the single most important factor in
starting periodontal disease.
Another type of deposit that can
start gum inflammation is calculus,
often called tartar. It's a calcified
mass that can adhere to teeth,
crowns, bridges, partial dentures,
and full dentures. The largest
amounts of it usually accumulate
opposite salivary-gland ducts, that
is, on the inside of the lower front
teeth and the outside, or buccal,
surfaces of the upper molars. Why
some people form more calculus
than others remains a mystery.
If plaque and calculus are not removed, the trouble begins. Plaque
piles on top of plaque, calculus
builds up around the teeth and irritates the gum tissue. Finally, inflammation starts, the gums begin to
look angry red and bleed when you
brush.
First it's gingivitis, inflammation
of the gum tissue surrounding the
crowns of the teeth. Gingivitis, if not
treated, becomes periodontitis, inflammation of the deeper structures
supporting the teeth. Pockets form.
The process continues and eventually the bone is affected. The
pockets become deeper and deeper
and eventually so much of the bone
melts away that the teeth become
loose. And all this can happen without very many warning signals.
Successful treatment of periodontal disease is a two-way street. It can
never be accomplished alone by the
dentist. As I see it, when a dentist
gets a patient with periodontal dis-
Figure 2
ease, his first responsibility is to instruct that patient in oral hygiene. It
may take several visits to get the
point across and full cooperation,
but without good plaque control any
other treatment is bound to fail in a
short time.
Second, the teeth have to be thoroughly scaled, that is, plaque and
tartar above and below the gum line
must be meticulously removed.
The third procedure often necessary in periodontal therapy is gingival surgery. The purpose of it is
reduction of the pocket depth, contouring of bone and gum tissue and
reattachment at a new level so that it
is easier for the patient to clean
around the teeth. And we're back
where we started: good oral hygiene.
Now, for the fourth and most important procedure in periodontal
therapy: teaching the patient maintenance of his teeth and gums and
prevention of further disease. We
can say that it is both easy and difficult at the same time. It's easy in
Fig. 3 Dental floss should be used daily to clean the areas between the teeth
where the brush won't reach.
that it takes only an elementary understanding of the anatomy of the
mouth and teeth and applying that
understanding daily for a few minutes in oral hygiene. It is difficult in
that there are people attached to the
teeth and human nature gets in the
way. "I'm too tired at the end of the
day," or "I simply don't have five or
ten minutes to spend on my teeth,"
are quotations familiar to every
dentist.
Unfortunately, there is no pill, no
mouthwash, and no gadget that will
prevent gum disease. Undoubtedly,
some people have natural resistance
to almost any disease, including
dental disease. But most of us are
not that lucky: we have to work for
our health—so to speak. The most
effective preventive tools are still
toothbrush, dental floss, and a
healthy portion of elbow grease.
Use a small, soft toothbrush
Now, what brush should you use
and how? A small, soft toothbrush is
better than a hard one. (I would
suggest "Right Kind," Oral B, 179
Pro-perio). The gum tissue hugs the
neck of the tooth in a small cuff or
groove called the gingival crevice,
which is normally 2-3 mm deep (Fig.
1). Most periodontal problems start
in that area. If you want to clean a
groove—any groove—you have to
move the brush in the direction of
the groove and the brush you use has
to have thin bristles that'll enter the
groove. Only soft bristles will do so
without lacerating the tissue. Hold
the brush at an angle of about 450
between the teeth and the gum line
and move it in short strokes horizontally along the row of teeth, both
on the inside and on the outside (Fig.
2).
The inside of the front teeth is
best brushed with either the tip or
the heel of the brush. How do you
get in between the teeth? Most people's teeth are not spaced far enough
apart that the bristles of the brush
get in between them. Dental floss is
about the best thing for the job.
Gently pull it through the contact
between the teeth, pull it forward
and push it backward while moving
up and down a few times, literally
scraping off all debris that sticks to
the surfaces of the teeth (Fig. 3).
Make a daily habit of it. Pretty soon
you'll feel uncomfortable if you skip
using it a day or two.
This method of oral hygiene is
called the Bass technique. Dr. Bass
spent much of his life doing research
in periodontal therapy. I'm a firm
believer in his method and try to get
all my patients to use it. The results
are very gratifying.
People who have some degree of
gum disease and who start to use the
Bass technique will at first have a
fair amount of bleeding. But don't
be alarmed, you won't bleed to
death. In a few days things start to
improve, bleeding will gradually
lessen and eventually stop altogether. Spend five to ten minutes in
the evening before going to bed on
cleaning your teeth. You may not
like it particularly and it may be very
boring, like jogging. But what counts
is how you feel afterward. It's time
well spent and an excellent investment that'll pay dividends in oral
health and minimal dental bills. And
try to find a dentist who is prevention oriented.
Probably quite a host of factors
contribute to periodontal disease.
But we know for sure that good oral
hygiene is the most important means
of preventing it.
LIFE AND HEALTH-MAY 1978
21
,,
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GENETIC
COUNSELING
By Karen Kenyon
and Bob's first child was a
Ellen
normal, beautiful girl. Three
years later their second child, also a
little girl, was not. Examination
pointed to Down's syndrome (its
manifestations include both physical
and mental retardation). Chromosome analysis of the baby's cells
showed that she was a victim of this
chromosome disorder, and tests on
Ellen and Bob showed that Ellen
was a carrier of a chromosome abnormality that resulted in her baby's
defect.
A new kind of medical specialist,
called a genetic counselor, explained
the facts gently and thoroughly to
Ellen and Bob. He explained what
Down's syndrome is and showed
them the chromosome analysis, explaining how the abnormality occurred in their case. He told them
what the chances were for another
normal baby, and the chances for
another defective child (in Ellen's
case there is one chance in six that a
baby from any pregnancy could
have Down's syndrome).
Method of early diagnosis
He also explained that if she did
risk another pregnancy, it is possible
to perform an amniocentesis (perfo, ration of the uterus to permit drainage of amniotic fluid) at about the
fourteenth to the sixteenth week of
pregnancy for the purpose of making
an early diagnosis. A thin, hollow
needle is inserted into the abdomen,
and a small amount of amniotic fluid
is withdrawn. Fetal cells are grown
in culture, then examined to detect
any chromosomal abnormalities.
Biochemical tests can also be performed on the fetal cells to detect
other types of genetic disorders.
If test results indicate no problems, the parents can then relax and
look forward to the birth of their
baby. If the culture shows an abnormality, then they face a major decision as to whether to hope for minimal retardation or to end the
pregnancy.
In Ellen and Bob's case, since
they were still in a state of shock
from the birth of their second
daughter, the counselor stressed that
he understood their grief. He understood they must accept the presence
of the baby they now have, and
grieve the loss of the normal baby
they had expected and planned for.
In this case the parents eventually
chose not to try again for a normal
baby. They didn't feel comfortable
with the risk involved. With the information they received, they could
plan what was best for them.
Sandra S. had a sister who lost a
baby to Tay-Sachs disease. Sandra
and her husband are both descendants of Ashkenazic Jews, of whom
one in thirty carries the recessive
Tay-Sachs gene. Tay-Sachs is a disease in which the baby is perfectly
normal at birth, but at about six
months of age development begins
to slow because of an error in body
chemistry. Nerve cells rupture and
die, responses slow gradually, and
the brain deteriorates. (See "A
Boutique to Save Babies," Life &
Health, January, 1977, page 30.)
Before she became pregnant,
Sandra and her husband, Ben, were
tested for Tay-Sachs. Tests showed
they were both carriers of the defective gene. Since Tay-Sachs is recessive, both parents have to carry
the defective gene in order for their
offspring to be affected. These results meant each of their children
stood a one-in-four chance of inheriting the disease. Since Tay-Sachs
can be detected by amniocentesis
and biochemical analysis of fetal
cells, and because they were willing
to take the risk, Sandra and Ben
began a pregnancy. At fourteen
weeks Sandra underwent the amniocentesis, and in a few weeks it was
discovered that the fetal cells were
normal. The couple could feel peace
of mind then as they continued to
plan for their child.
The degree of risk
These are examples of how genetic counseling has helped families
to become informed of the degree of
risk of genetic disease. The genetic
counselor holds, in a sense, a key to
the prison of heredity.
Those families in a risk category
for genetic disease would include:
women over 35, and probably men
over 40; parents with previous abnormal children or a family history
of genetic disorders; a parent with
diabetes, certain types of anemia,
high blood pressure, or some 125
other metabolic diseases; individuals
with histories of miscarriages or
stillborn infants; or those of a few
susceptible ethnic groups, such as
LIFE AND HEALTH-MAY 1978
23
Genetic counseling was
made possible about ten
years ago as new discoveries and tools became available.
Greeks and Italians of Mediterranean origin, who should be tested
for thalassemia (a rare type of anemia); Eastern European Jews, for
Tay-Sachs disease; and blacks, for
sickle-cell anemia.
Genetic disorders can range from
a diabetic, who may be able to control his disease and lead a full life, to
a severely mentally and physically
crippled person.
Some genetic defects are caused
by misplaced, missing, or extra
chromosomes; others, by a malfunction in the genes themselves.
A gene is a portion of a ladderlike
molecule of DNA, a substance present in the nucleus of every cell.
Structure of various genes set the
patterns of cell growth and so determine such inherited traits as hair,
skin, eye color, and body structure.
There are hundreds of genes in each
strand of DNA. Genes are inherited
in pairs, one from the male and one
from the female. The DNA is packaged in highly organized structures
known as chromosomes. There are
normally forty-six chromosomes in
each human cell, or twenty-three
pairs. Of these, twenty-two pairs are
known as autosomes; the remaining
pair comprises the sex chromosomes, XX for the female, and XY
for the male.
Genetics is the science that studies the transmission of heredity
factors. One hundred years ago, an
Austrian monk, Gregor Mendel,
demonstrated the concept of the
cellular mechanism for heredity,
24
LIFE AND HEALTH-MM' 1978
using the common garden pea.
Later, because of high-powered microscopes and sophisticated testing
equipment, great progress was
made. Approximately ten years ago,
genetic counseling became possible,
as new discoveries and tools became
available to probe the mysteries of
the structure of life within us.
Three basic types of disorders
There are three basic types of
genetic disorders. The first group
consists of disorders with singlegene or Mendelian inheritance, such
as dominant, recessive, or sexlinked inheritance patterns.
A defective dominant gene masks
the effects of its normal partner.
Some examples of dominant disorders are: one type of dwarfism, a
specific type of anemia, Huntington's chorea, and polydactylism
(extra fingers and toes). One half of
the affected parents' children are
theoretically expected to be affected. In their cases, there are no
specific biochemical tests to substantiate the diagnosis directly.
Conditions in which recessive inheritance has been observed include: albinism, cystic fibrosis, microcephaly, sickle-cell anemia, and
Tay-Sachs disease. Precise counseling can be given when parents have
had one affected child with a recessive disorder, since the parents are
then known to be carriers. Each
child will run a 25 percent risk of
manifesting that genetic disease.
Prenatal diagnosis—by testing the
cultured amniotic cells—is frequently possible.
Conditions in which sex-linked
recessive inheritance has been observed include colorblindness, some
types of muscular dystrophy, and
hemophilia. Genetic information is
carried on the X (female sex) chromosome. The Y (male sex) chromosome carries no genetic information.
Since the normal male has chromosomes XY and the female XX, in the
female the dominant X will mask
defective recessive genes. Males
have only one X, however, and if
that X is defective, there is nothing
to mask it. Sons of a carrier mother
have a 50 percent chance of inheriting the problem gene. Queen Victoria is one of the best-known carriers
of a sex-linked disease. She passed
on hemophilia to several royal sons
and grandsons. In this group the
genetics is clear, and precise risk
figures can often be given to families.
Multifactorial inheritance represents another class of genetic disorders. These conditions are caused
by interaction of several genes
and/or environment, and include
cleft palate and congenital dislocation of the hip. Anencephalia (incomplete formation of the brain
structure), hydrocephalus (water on
the brain), and spina bifida (congenital malformation of the spine) come
also under this heading and fortunately usually can be detected by
ultrasonography (visualization of the
fetus indirectly by a sonarlike pro-
One out of every 150
babies has a chromosome
abnormality. Most people
want to know the facts and
face the reality.
filer or by protein tests on amniotic
fluid). Precise risk figures are not
available for these conditions; however, there is a small chance of their
recurrence, approximately 2 to 3
percent.
The third class of genetic disorders is that of chromosome abnormalities. One out of 150 babies
has a chromosome abnormality.
These abnormalities usually result
from errors at the time of fertilization. Recurrence risk is low except
in the case of inherited structural
abnormalities such as translocations, where recurrence risk is substantial.
What can be done?
The genetic counselor can,
through simple blood tests, determine whether parents are carriers of
certain genetic disorders. He can,
from blood and tissue samples, grow
cell cultures from parents and/or
child, by which cell irregularities can
be determined. These are scanned
for chromosomal irregularities or
broken down for biochemical tests.
The ineffectiveness or lack of an essential enzyme can indicate a genetic
error. If any one of the genes that
orders production of an enzyme is
not properly formed, that enzyme
could be useless and cause serious
problems. Cell culturing also produces good samples for chromosome analysis. The chromosomes
are scanned for missing sections or
irregularities. There are several
chromosomal abnormalities, and
Down's syndrome (forty-seven
chromosomes are seen, rather than
the normal forty-six) and the sex
chromosome abnormalities are by
far the most important clinically.
Geneticists also help parents by
tracing the family tree (pedigree) to
help predict the chances for inherited genetic disease.
If a pregnant woman is in a highrisk category for genetic mistakes,
she can be tested by an amniocentesis. To date, there are about sixty
metabolic conditions, 250 chromosome abnormalities, and several
structural defects that can be diagnosed in this manner. Most are
chromosome abnormalities, and
Down's syndrome (Trisomy 21) is
the most common.
Statistics show there is no significant danger to mother or child from
amniocentesis.
Barbara Dixson, a genetic counselor and coordinator of genetic
counseling at San Diego's Regional
Center, says that in her experience
she finds that people usually do want
to know the facts and face that reality. She tells of a mother who gave
birth to her sixth child. The baby
was a victim of Down's syndrome,
as was the woman's 13-year-old
daughter. Chromosome workups
had never been done on the daughter, because at that time it just
wasn't done. It was discovered that
the woman was a carrier of a translocated chromosome. Blood samples
were taken of all members of the
family, to determine which of the
other children might be carriers.
Members of the family were glad to
be able to take the tests, in order to
know whether they needed to be
concerned over the possibility of
having an offspring with the disease.
"Usually the test shows no problem," Mrs. Dixson reports, "and at
that point I usually don't hear from
the mothers anymore until they call
me from the hospital, happily telling
me about their beautiful, healthy
babies. It is so gratifying to see people who wouldn't have the courage
to try again for a healthy baby be
able to do so because of the test. It
makes them willing to try."
What does the future hold? 0. W.
Jones says that early detection is
only the beginning. "Someday we
hope to not only be able to detect the
presence or possibility of genetic
disease, but possibly be able to alter
the course of it—to repair defective
genes."
With this new knowledge come
new choices and new responsibilities. We must ask ourselves questions we have never had a reason to
ask before. It would seem that just
as the problems lie within the complicated structure of cells, so, too,
the answers and choices lie within
the complicated centers of ourselves.
Johana, Karen Kenyon's daughter, lived
six months. She was born Mongoloid,
and influenced her mother to start writing. The author has been published in
Redbook, Ladies Home Journal, and
other publications.
LIFE AND HEALTH-MAY 1978
25
My
Favorite
Apron
A s •
• • * • •
• •
1
• • • • • • •
36•R•a
• • *
♦
###
26
LIFE AND HEALTH-MAY 1978
•
•
•
By Frieda H. Morgenstern
One morning I laundered a favorite apron of mine, to be worn that
evening when we were expecting
dinner guests. That simple act almost precipitated a social—and familial—disaster.
Somehow in the laundering
process the waistband became partially detached from the body of the
apron at the seam. While I was busy
getting dinner ready I thought that
my mother, who lived with us, could
sew the separated parts together.
She always did fine and meticulous
handiwork, and this was just a simple task.
Taking the apron into her room, I
asked whether she would please do
the mending for me. She was happy
to do it, and I dashed back to my
kitchen chores.
As I tossed the salad my mind
somehow went back to the time my
mother first came to live with us.
She had recently become a widow,
and my husband and I invited her to
share our home (her adored, and
adoring young grandson rounded out
the family unit).
During the eight years she lived
with us she suffered a series of illnesses that forced her to become
housebound. We made one strict
rule, however. Mother was never to
lose her sense of independence or
sense of personal worth. We asked
her counsel on various matters, such
as whether or not our 12-year-old
son should continue piano lessons.
She was always on his side and when
he said he would like to stop taking
lessons for a while because he "was
too busy at school, and besides a
boy of 12 likes to play baseball instead of the piano," she agreed with
him. The lessons stopped.
Although we often sought it, we
did not, of course, always take her
advice. She laughed good-naturedly
when, after giving her opinion on a
matter, my answer was only a polite,
"Yes, Mother."
She said, "I know what that
means. That means 'thanks very
much, but I think I'll do it my
way.' "
We were in her room a dozen
times a day to have a chat, make a
fuss over her, ask her how she felt.
My husband said that when he
couldn't find me anywhere in the
apartment, he knew he could find me
in grandma's room.
There wasn't anything my mother
felt a woman couldn't do. She fixed
our toys (she had her own tool kit),
made beautiful cradles for our dolls
out of wooden crates, knew how to
change defective wiring in a lamp, or
how to fix a leaky faucet.
Once when I was a youngster we
were headed for a picnic in the
country with a caravan of three automobiles filled with assorted relatives. As often happened in those
days, one of the autos chugged to a
stop on the road. The cars pulled
over to the side of the road while the
male members opened up the hood
of the auto to see what the trouble
was. They found that two ends of a
part had to be spliced together, but
no one seemed to know how to do it.
My mother was respectfully permitted to take a look (her reputation
was such that everyone knew she
could do anything), and she came up
with an assured, "I'll fix it."
She took a safety pin from her
purse, connected the two parts together with the pin, and off we went
to our picnic. This is the kind of
story that the family likes to recall
time and again—at least the female
members of the family like to recall
it.
My mind came back to the present. Our guests were soon to arrive,
so I flew back into mother's room to
put on the apron she had mended.
Handing me her completed work,
she asked anxiously as she did so,
"Is that all right?"
I looked down at the apron with
dismay. My dear mother had folded
over the waistband unevenly, sewed
it with irregular size stitches and, to
complete this dismal picture, used
the wrong shade of thread.
My immediate reaction was to go
to my sewing basket and redo the
whole thing, because it was an apron
I particularly wanted to wear that
evening, as it coordinated in color
and design with the dress I planned
to wear.
My second reaction was one born
of love.
Recalling the years before my
mother's eyesight became poor, before her hands became unsteady, I
no longer saw the uneven stitches or
the wrong-color thread. Instead, I
saw the warmth of her years with me
and my family—and how much effort she must have put into getting
that apron sewn just exactly right.
Kissing her softly on the cheek, I
said, "Thanks so much. It's just
perfect."
At that moment my imperfect
apron was as valuable to me as the
imperfect Venus de Milo is to the
Louvre.
I walked out of the room to wait
for my guests, wearing my special
apron, mended—and accepted—
with love.
LIFE AND HEALTH-MAY 1978
27
Bed wetting
Q. Why does a child 8 years old
still wet the bed? E. 0., West Virginia.
A. The age of bladder control
varies from child to child. In most it
is accomplished by 2 years of age, in
others it is delayed until age 10 or 12.
Bed-wetters usually outgrow their
problem eventually. In most cases,
parents can help such a child to gain
control earlier than he would without aid. The goal is to help him
practice a procedure that will have
the effect of stretching the bladder
gradually so that it can hold more
urine between emptying times.
You see, this bed-wetting tendency occurs during the time a child is
growing rapidly, and in some cases,
the bladder does not grow as rapidly
as do other organs of the body.
Therefore, when it becomes filled, it
sets off the reflexes that bring about
emptying. We suggest that you encourage your child to hold his urine a
little longer than is comfortable during the time he is awake, so that his
bladder will be stretched and thus
become larger.
You might propose a chart for him
to record the amount of urine he
passes each time he voids. To
measure the volume, he should void
into a measuring glass of at least
fourteen-ounce capacity. After a
few days of charting, it will become
apparent what is his usual pattern of
filling and emptying the bladder.
With this accomplished, he should
be encouraged to hold his urine a
little longer between daytime voidings. Praise him each time he goes a
little longer or voids a larger amount.
Pains in chest and head
Q. I am a 27-year-old clerk/typist.
For some time now, I have had pains
in my chest and sometimes in my
head, also attacks of palpitation in
the middle of the night, weakness and
pain in my knees, dizziness and lack
of concentration. In 1972 my doctor
told me I had trouble with my nerves,
28
LIFE AND HEALTH—MAY 1978
and he gave me some tablets. I recovered quite a bit, but because of
work, evening school, and other
things, this complaint has returned.
Now I am wondering whether my
heart has been affected. Recently I
have been having shortness of
breath. I would like to know whether
there is any cure for my condition. Is
there anything I can take that will
strengthen my nerves completely? I
am contemplating a career as a
nursing assistant. Would this in any
way hamper my doing so? Would
tranquilizers and sedatives improve
my condition? M. S., Barbados,
West Indies.
A. From the information contained in your letter, it seems quite
clear that your problem of nervousness stems from your having exceeded your personal limits of energy. You have been working
beyond your tolerance. No doubt
you are highly motivated, and your
ambitions are commendable. The
symptoms you describe, however,
are usually caused by nervous fatigue. There are two ways to combat
this, and neither of these involves
the use of tranquilizers or sedatives.
To use such drugs only postpones
the day of reckoning as far as your
general health is concerned.
The two procedures that we recommend are (1) becoming more
moderate in your various activities,
being careful not to spend your energy beyond your reasonable limits
of tolerance, and (2) engaging in
physical exercise, which serves very
well as an antidote for nervous fatigue. Walking, swimming, cycling,
or gardening are a few of the good
means of recharging your battery of
nervous energy. But exercise, in
order to be beneficial in a case such
as yours, must be carried on daily
rather than once or twice a week.
Preferably, the exercise should be
selected because you enjoy it, so
that there is a factor of recreation
coupled with the use of your muscles.
Discover
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GAZETTE
Diagnostic X-rays and
breast cancer
Increasing evidence points to the increased risk of breast cancer in women
who were repeatedly exposed to X-rays
for treatment of collapsed lungs or examination for breast cancer.
Women exposed to X-rays before the
age of 30 seem to be particularly sensitive to radiation injury. X-rays are no
longer used for treating collapsed lungs
resulting from tuberculosis; however,
X-ray examinations (mammography) are
commonly used today for detection of
breast cancer.
Discretionary use of diagnostic X-rays
of breast tissue is recommended to reduce risk of increased cancer.—"Multiple Fluoroscopies and Breast Cancer,"
FDA Drug Bulletin 6:38, 39, 1976.
Top of its class
It's grade A in more ways than one!
While it is stepped on, detested as a
pest, or its mature flowers used to delight youngsters, the dandelion doesn't
receive the kind of reputation it deserves.
One cup of cooked dandelion greens
contains more than 20,000 international
units of vitamin A equivalent. That's more
than your body requires for four days—
even if you ate no other food containing
the vitamin!
In these days where talk of shortages
abounds everywhere, perhaps we
should look to our lawns for nature's
abundant—and free—source of vitamins.—"Vitamin A Champ." Service—
USDA's Report to Consumers, August,
1976.
2
First Aid BooKassette (TM) provides instant
information for emergency treatment
First Aid is serious business, and now
there is a handy, easy-to-carry, easy-toread guide that provides instant information in time of emergency.
The First Aid Illustrated BooKassette
(TM) is a revolutionary communications
tool that was recently introduced in the
United States and has been received
with widespread enthusiasm. What
makes it unique is its size, 7 cm. by 11
cm., with information printed on both
sides of 46 durable, plastic-coated
cards protected in a plastic enclosure.
Now in its third printing, First Aid Illustrated has more than seventy-five illustrations, covers all areas of emergency
treatment, and includes a chapter on
"Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation" that
meets the standards of the American
Heart Association. It also includes instructions on the "Hug of Life," the
Heimlig maneuver. Another feature is
space for important emergency telephone numbers.
First Aid Illustrated is distributed by
Triad Consultants, Inc., P.O. Box 11771,
Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27106.
Quantity orders range from $1.75 to
$2.50.
What to do when your
child stares at a mentally retarded person
The last section contains "A Guide for
Parents and Teachers," by Robert
Perske, author of several books on mental retardation, so that the parent or
teacher who reads More Time to Grow
will be prepared to answer questions
that children may ask. This is followed by
a substantial list of organizations, books,
and films that the reader may use as
resources on the subject.
Available in casebound as well as paperback editions, More Time to Grow is a
handy and economical little book to have
on hand, at home or in the classroom,
when the subject of mental retardation
comes up.
Publisher is Beacon Press, Boston,
and the price is $3.95.
—Gary B. Swanson
More Time to Grow: Explaining Mental
Retardation to Children, Sharon Hya
Grollman.
What do you do when your child stares
at a mentally retarded person in the grocery store, or when a family whose
youngest child is mentally retarded
moves in next door, or when your child
comes home from school one day and
asks, "Hey, Dad, what's a 'retard'?"
More Time to Grow attempts to answer
these questions for parents and teachers. The first part of the book contains a
short narrative by Sharon Hya Grollman,
to be read to children as an introduction
to the topic of mental retardation. It is a
story of a girl who learns to accept and
love her mentally retarded younger
brother.
The next two chapters consist of
"Questions to Think About" and "Activities for Children" and are designed to
bring about a greater understanding of
mental retardation. This section includes
topics to foster frank and honest discussion and even some role-playing to show
that mental retardation is nothing more
than one of many handicaps that can be
overcome with understanding and effort.
Psymptomatic?
When we read books on physical medicine
And psychiatry, from the layman's view,
In the first case, we have all the symptoms:
In the second, we have friends who do!
—Ruth Walsh
"Observe your dog. If he's fat you're
not getting enough exercise."—Bob
Hope (Quote Magazine).
LIFE AND HEALTH-MAY 1978
29
GAZETTE
Coping-with-cancer
volume details author's
courage to fight
Joie McGrail's cancer came upon her
like an earthquake—devastating and
completely unexpected. As one who
prided herself on living close to nature,
she was incensed by this cruel trick. The
reader of her book, Fighting Back: One
Woman's Struggle Against Cancer,
shares her feelings of indignity and then,
with Joie, gathers up courage to fight.
This is a book of involvement and is
the best written of the several copingwith-cancer books I have read. The
movement is fast, and the figures of
speech wonderful. With tears pressing
behind your eyelids, you find yourself
exploding into laughter at some delightful metaphor or cleverly presented ludicrous situation.
It is a book of strength, yet the reader
finds himself wishing that the author
could have had more in the way of spiritual support, that she had enlisted the
greatest Power in her own powerful battle.
Although not attempting an exposé,
the book documents the inconsistency
and helplessness of the medical community in dealing with her kind of cancer.
Through what seems to be blundering
and ineffectiveness, Joie proceeds
firmly on her way, determined to live fully
and completely as long as she has life.
The reader rejoices in her accomplishment.—Available from Harper and Row,
New York, New York. Price $8.95.
—Reviewed by Bobbie Van Dolson
Select Your
LOG HOME
HDL protects people
with coronary disease
A team of scientists from the Johns
Hopkins University School of Medicine,
Baltimore, has found low amounts of
high-density lipoproteins (HDL) in the
blood of women and men with confirmed
coronary-artery disease, according to a
report to the fiftieth scientific session of
the American Heart Association last November.
This study adds weight to the theory
that high levels of HDL are protective
against heart disease, particularly the
development of atherosclerosis, and that
low HDL levels increase an individual's
risk of developing the disease.
HDL is one of the three types of protein that transport cholesterol within the
bloodstream. In the research reported
by Thomas A. Pearson, M.D., for the
Johns Hopkins group, confirmed coronary-artery disease was defined as a 50
percent or more narrowing of one of the
coronary arteries that nourish the heart
muscle. The narrowing is caused by deposits of fats and cell debris.—American
Heart Association.
Mothers, beware!
As evidence mounts that tranquilizers
taken during pregnancy adversely affect
the developing fetus, the Food and Drug
Administration recently began requiring
warning labels on such drugs. These
caution against their use during the first
trimester, or three-month period, of
pregnancy.
The agency admits that the labels
have caused some panic among
women, but they add that, while the evidence of harmful effects is mostly suggestive and not conclusive, a position
must be taken without waiting for abnormalities in the newborn. The memory of
the 8,000 thalidomide-damaged babies
of a decade ago is still fresh in the
memories of concerned scientists.—
"New Tranquilizer Labels Stir Maternal
Anxiety," Medical World News, Aug. 23,
1976, p. 20.
Hazards of living
Use your custom plan or select one of ours.
Cedar or Pine Log homes, leisure homes,
and cabins from $3900. Plan book $3.50.
Dealership information pack $5.
61341derness
Log Homes
Rt. 2-LH5-D, Plymouth, Wis. 53073
Please send El Dealership information pack $5.
I=1 Plan book $3.50.
Enclosed is $
Name
Street
Town
State
30
LIFE AND HEALTH—MAY 1978
Zip
1. The results from a 1975 survey of
smoking habits, when compared to a
similar survey in 1967, indicate that the
proportion of physicians who smoke
dropped from 30 percent to 21 percent;
dentists, from 34 percent to 23 percent;
and pharmacists, from 35 percent to 28
percent. Do they know something?
2. A recent report from the University
of Hawaii Medical School indicates that
in surfboarding, only one injury occurs in
approximately 17,500 surfing days, an
incidence far below most sports—and a
reason why we should all consider moving to Hawaii to take up surfing.
NUTRI-FLOW
FOOD DEHYDRATOR
Beautiful wood-grain cabinet,
14x16x22 inches, counter size, 32 lbs.
Electricity cost less than 2 cents per
hour. UL approved. Adjustable exterior
thermostat with FDA approved trays.
A rapid-drying, one-step method.
No tray rotation. Vitamins are
protected by low temperatures.
Your finest buy in dehydrators!
One-year warranty. Write for
FREE brochure.
6-tray, 10-sq.-ft. surface
12-tray, 20-sq.-ft. (pictured)
12-tray, 20" Deluxe
$ 87.50
$129.50
$149.50
NUTRI-FLOW COMPANY
5201 SW. Westgate Dr., Room 102-Z
Portland, Oregon 97221
Order desk—TOLL FREE 800-547-4264
UP TIGHT ?
You live in a tense, hurried world. Controlling
stress is important. So important, we've prepared an album of tapes to help you learn a
medically-approved relaxation technique. You
simply follow the instructions as used in the
nationally, conducted Stress Management
Seminar co-developed by a physician and
hospital chaplain.
The five-cassette tape program includes
relaxation exercises, a simple breathing
routine and an overview of stress, its causes
and management. Feel the difference as your
muscles loosen and relax. Learn to unwind,
and be comfortable. After all, how long can
you afford to be uptight?
Introductory offer now
only $19.95 (reg•$24.95)
10 day money back
guarantee.
Enclosed is my check/money order in the
amount of $111111forillialbum(s).
Colorado residents add 3% sales tax.
Address
City
State
Zip
MAR LETT MARKETING, P.O. BOX 156
LOUISVILLE, COLORADO 80027
NEW DISCOVERY
RE SPIRIZER®
THE MOST EFFECTIVE
RESPIRATORY THERAPY
KNOWN TODAY
Consumer's guide to
prescription prices
How do you buy prescriptions? If you
are like most people, your doctor scribbles on a prescription blank something
you can't read, you take it to the drugstore, and you pay whatever you're
charged. Not once during the entire
process do you have any idea what the
prescription should cost. You can
change all of this with a new and unique
book, Consumer's Guide to Prescription
Prices, because it teaches you a simple
way to read your own prescriptions and
know the drug your doctor has prescribed. Then it gives you the average
retail price of more than 7,000 prescription drugs available today. Since prices
vary notoriously from one drugstore to
the next, you can often buy the prescription as much as 20 percent below
average retail if you'll (1) always ask the
price before you buy, and (2) never be
afraid to walk out and try another store if
its too high.
31 Doctors Report Respirizer Therapy
Results on 2331 Patients
(Doctors Names Available on Request)
Condition
emphysema
asthma
allergies
sinusitis
bronchitis
headaches
colds-flu
air pollution
Improved
Recovered
53%
79%
85%
79%
83%
89%
96%
77%
5% partial
21%
29%
57%
68%
75%
95%
70%
A mixture of medicated steam and air
produces sub-micron moisture particles
(gas) which are directly inhaled through
a mask or a nozzle held under the nose.
This breakthrough is the only known
method of penetrating the sinuses and
lungs. Headaches due to sinusitis are
gone with a 10-minute treatment;
mucous is liquefied and disposed of.
Moisture is restored to dry tissues.
Medicare Reimbursement
Non-orescription medication (refills available)
and all supplies included.
Send 139.00 (checks accepted). You
may also write or telephone C.O.D.,
Mastercharge or Visa orders. Shipped
within 24 hours.
FREE TRIAL GUARANTEE
Guaranteed to help you as nothing
else can, or return for full refund
less shipping and handling charge
after you have tried the Respirizer
for 10 days.
Campillary Systems, Inc., Dept. LH
Gettysburg, PA 17325
(Street address unnecessary)
Phone (717) 334-1478
By checking the Guide for the average
retail price of every prescription, you'll
always be sure you're paying the lowest
price and are still getting the drug you
want.
Available for $5.95 postpaid from the
Powell Company, P.O. Box 545, 114
South Goldsboro Street, Wilson, North
Carolina 27893.
Golden rage
I'm tired of terms like "senior citizen"
Or belonging to the "Golden Age."
Wrinkles are completely natural
To life at a certain stage.
WORLD'S
SMALLEST
PENNY
World's Smallest Penny, 2-side replica
dia.) Shiny Lincoln Penny,
Solid Copper. $1.00 MINI-PENNY,
Box 19531 Indianapolis, Indiana
46219
(',"
GRANDMA MAC'S
WHOLE NATURAL
ALMONDS
When you taste the sweet natural
snacking goodness of these Almonds,
you'll wonder how anyone could be
happy with that store bought fluff
and puff.
Each yummy whole Almond contains what Nature wanted and nothing more. All we've done is hull 'em,
shell 'em and sort 'em. And all you
have to do when the carton arrives
is pour 'em into a big bowl and start
munching.
We didn't know how many visitors
you might have so we put up two
carton sizes. Both are packed nice
and tight.
If you'll take a moment and look
below, you can see what's in our
Almonds.
Sure hope you'll try this snack and
enjoy all the Natural goodness that
we do.
Whole Natural Almonds
$10.95 (Postage Included)
5 lbs.
$16.75 (Postage Included)
8 lbs.
Per Half ('up Serving
480
Calories
16 grams
Protein
44 grams
Fat
16 grams
Carbohydrates
Percent of U.S. Recommended Daily
Allowance per Half Cup Portion:
20%
Protein
25% Calcium
20%
Vitamin A...0-10% Iron
90%
Vitamin C
*
Vitamin E
20%
Thiamin 1B-11 . .10% Folic Acid
Riboflavin 113-21.35% Phosphorous. 40k
Niacin
20% Magnesium . .. .50%
'Contains less than 2% of the U.S.R.D.A. for
this nutrient.
Write to:
Grandma Mac's Orchard
P.O. Box 5200Kern County
Bakersfield, Ca. 93309
I'm going to tell the next person
Who dares to be so brash
That wrinkles are far more becoming
Than acne or diaper rash!
—Ruth M. Walsh
LIFE AND HEALTH—MAY 1978
31
GAZETTE
New product aids handicapped tie shoes
Are liquefied foods
nutritious?
Individuals with limited hand function,
or only one hand, can now fasten shoelaces quickly and easily with new NoBows "One Hand" Shoelace Fasteners.
Recently introduced by Maddak, Inc.,
a subsidiary of Bel-Art Products, Pequannock, New Jersey 07440, No-Bows
operate easily with a spring release that
can be operated with one hand. It is
perfect for the elderly, children, or the
handicapped.
Some may wonder whether nutrients
are lost from foods that are liquefied in a
blender. Scientists of the U.S. Department of Agriculture say that the loss, if
any, would be extremely small. They
caution, however, that nutrients in foods
are affected by such factors as temperature, light, and air. During the blending
process air (which contains oxygen) is
mixed with the food, and nutrients sensitive to oxygen would be partially destroyed. The length of time taken to
blend foods would be important, as well.
Since food cells are alive until they are
disrupted, many of their biochemical
processes continue, and this may have
an adverse influence on nutrient quality.
To be safe: Use blended foods as
soon as possible—before any significant
nutrient loss can occur.—"Blenders and
Nutrients," Service—USDA's Report to
Consumers, August, 1976.
STAINLESS STEEL
Home Water Distillers.
DISTILLATION 17 IFTS WATER
ham, Cietknti,cata aitrL 1111pWaLPA
HOME SAFETY EQUIP. CO., INC.
P.O. Box 691, New Albany, Ind. 47150
Toll Free Hotline-1-800-457-9183
Send complete information on distillers. No obligation — no salesman will
call.
What's new from IIFE&HEALTH
COVER POSTERS
Two LIFE & HEALTH covers are now
available in 16" x 20" posters as
illustrated below. These four-color
reproductions are ideal as visual aids
for the classroom or for health
education programs, or even for
framing. Prices are:
1-9
$1.25 each
10-49
.85 each
50 or more
.55 each
Order directly from LIFE & HEALTH,
6856 Eastern Ave., NW., Washington,
D.C. 20012.
COVER SLIDES
A set of twenty interesting and
dramatic LIFE & HEALTH cover slides
are now available for use in health
education lectures and programs. The
20-slide set sells for $9.95 plus an
additional $1.50 for postage and
handling. These can be ordered from
Professional Health Media Services,
Box 922, Loma Linda, California
92354.
32
LIFE AND HEALTH-MAY 1978
NUTRITION SERIES
Last year's nutrition feature articles are
now available as reprints in either
single copies or in full sets containing
the twelve articles published during
1977. Order from LIFE & HEALTH.
Prices are:
1 to 4 sets
$1.50 per set
5 to 9 sets
1.35 per set
10 or more sets
1.10 per set
Single Copy prices:
1 to 24 copies
25 to 49 copies
50 to 499 copies
500 or more copies
15c each
12c each
10c each
8c each
STOP WASTING FOOD, Time, Energy, Money
Total Juices', hot soups, all grain
cereals, flour, instant dinners, salads,
hamburgers, cakes, peanut butter,
baby foods, bland diets, purees, party drinks, chopped ice, freeze "ice cream."
SAVE! MAKE BREAD
"3600" VITA MIX® makes them all INSTANTLY ...
SIMPLE AS ONE, TWO, THREE ...
1.
The one that throws
NOTHING away!
Now is the time to start saving money
and the nutrition in your food
Use patented "impact" method—not old
separation "throw-away" method.
U.S. Dept. Agriculture handbook says:
LEMONS (VIT. C)
ORANGES (VIT. C)"
"Fresh, ripe Cal. Valencias
extracted
juice only*
peel and
everything'
90 mg.
109 mg.
346 mg.
319 mg.
'per pound of fruit
2. FLIP FULL-IMPACT LEVER —
THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE!
Hammer blades revolve and
reverse — smash into foods up
to 1,000 times harder than any
one-way appliance that just
pushes food around.
SUPER 3600
BREADMAIOR
COONS!
JUICES'
flES!
Now you can get up to the nutrients
shown above the Vita Mix way.
MERELY PUT FOOD IN
PATENTED "SPLASH GUARD
ACTION DOME" ®
Always wide open. Safe for hot
liquids! Your "3600" juices,
freezes, cooks boiling soup,
porridge, pudding, etc. in a
never-ending stream as long
as you continue to add food
through the wide open top.
3 OPEN THE PATENTED
PRESSURIZED SPIGOT
serve Total Juice® "ice cream",
hot soup—over 800 recipes—
by dish, glass or by gallons. No
lifting, pouring or lid handling.
Continuous usage for the first
time — right at the table.
Large or small quantities.
("Peel and everything" is the VITA MIX° way)
SUPER 3600
STAINLESS STEEL
VITA MIX®
BREADMAKER
Free Recipe Book
The easy way to make home made
bread — not only fresh-baked but
of fresh-ground grain with precious,
fragile vitamin oils retained for that
yummy "3-minute fresh" flavor.
Only VITA-MIX" can grind grain,
mix and knead the bread all in one
easy 3-minute operation.*
TOTAL JUICES!
COOKS!
FREEZES!
IMPACT
LEVER
No need for old fashioned, oversized
bowls, kettles, dough hooks or stone
grinders that clutter your kitchen
and take so much time.
3 minutes for us
5 minutes for you if you are new at it
CHECK THESE FEATURES
LI Full 5 Year Parts Replacement
O U.S. Made, Nation-Wide Service
O Self Cleaning
O Commercial Super Powered Motor
E Save Food, Time, Money—Now!
Listed — Commercial Quality
•
E 265 MPH Blade Tip Speed—Instant
head-on impact in safe, heavy,
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O Safest Stainless Steel Construction
O No Other Appliance Has Vita Mix®
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r
WRITE TODAY! — OR PHONE (216) 235-4840 — outside Ohio call TOLL FREE 800-321-2790
We will RUSH TO YOU A GIANT FOLDER giving you the complete, never-before, exclusive details . . plus WHERE
TO BUY information ... and SPECIAL PRICE.
SPEED IS IMPORTANT
Supplies are limited. We will do everything possible to prevent slowdowns due to lack of
materials. WE WILL FILL ORDERS AS THEY ARE RECEIVED — on a strict and fair first-come basis .
SEND THIS COUPON TODAY to:
VITA MIX-X Corporation: "3600" Division, Dept. LH
8615 Usher Road, Cleveland, Ohio 44138
578
YOUR NAME
ADDRESS
CITY
STATE
ZIP CODE
HEALTH SERVICES DIRECTORY
In order to maintain a state of high-level
wellness, it is necessary to take a preventive
approach to healthful living. Seventh-day Adventist health service centers throughout the
country are staffed with qualified personnel
happy to advise you in the essentials of preventive care. Charges, if any, are modest. In
calling the phone numbers listed, ask for the
Health Services Director and indicate your interest in any of the following topics or programs:
1. Personal Exercise & Physical Fitness 2. How to Save Money on Food 3. Simple Treatments
for the Home 4. Dental Hygiene 5. Stress & Tension Control 6. Heart Disease Prevention &
Coronary Risk Screening 7. Weight Control 8. Stopping Smoking 9. Cancer Prevention
10. High Blood Pressure 11. Backache 12. Nutrition for Health 13. Alcohol & Drug Abuse
14. Low Cholesterol Meals 15. Diabetes & Low Blood Sugar
Health Information Kits are available on these topics—ask for by number
Alabama
(205) 272-7493
Alaska
(907) 279-2455
Arizona
(602) 244-9851
Arkansas
(318) 865-1483
California
Central
(408) 297-1584
Northern
(415) 687-1300
Southeast
(714) 689-1350
Southern
(213) 240-6250
Colorado
(303) 733-3771
Connecticut
(617) 365-4551
Delaware
(301) 461-9100
District of Columbia
(202) 362-3668
Florida
(305) 898-7521
Georgia
(404) 629-7951
(404) 755-4539
Hawaii
(808) 524-3160
Idaho
(208) 375-7524
Illinois
(312) 485-1200
(312) 846-2661
Indiana
(317) 844-6201
Iowa
(515) 223-1197
34
LIFE AND HEALTH-MAY 1978
Kansas
(913) 478-4726
(816) 361-7177
Kentucky
(615) 859-1391
Louisiana
(318) 865-1483
Maine
(207) 797-3760
Maryland
General
(301) 461-9100
D.C. Area
(202) 362-3668
Massachusetts
(617) 365-4551
(617) 665-1740
Michigan
(517) 485-2226
Minnesota
(612) 545-8894
Mississippi
(205) 272-7493
Missouri
(816) 353-7113
Montana
(406) 587-3101
Nebraska
(402) 488-2323
Nevada
(702) 322- 6929
New Hampshire
(207) 797-3760
New Jersey
(609) 392-7131
New Mexico
(806) 353-7251
New York
Northern
(315) 469-6921
Southern
(516) 627-9350
N.Y. City
(212) 586-2336
North Carolina
(704) 535-6720
North Dakota
(701) 252-1431
Ohio
(614) 397-4665
(614) 252-5271
Oklahoma
(405) 721-6110
Oregon
(503) 233-6371
Pennsylvania
(215) 374-8331
(215) 242-6930
(215) 326-4610
Rhode Island
(617) 365-4551
South Carolina
(704) 535-6720
South Dakota
(605) 224-8868
Tennessee
(615) 859-1391
(615) 228-3403
Texas
Eastern
(817) 921-6181
Western
(806) 353-7251
Southwestern
(214) 943-4491
Utah
(702) 322-6929
Vermont
(207) 797-3760
Virginia
General
(703) 886-0771
D.C. Area
(202) 362-3668
Washington
Eastern
(509) 326-1550
Western
(206) 632-5862
West Virginia
(304) 422-4581
Wisconsin
(715) 344-1800
Wyoming
(307) 237-2503
Canada
Alberta
(403) 276-4491
B.C.
(604) 853-5451
Man.-Sask.
(306) 244-9700
N.B.-N.S.
(506) 855-8622
Nfld.
(709) 576-4051
Ontario
(416) 725-6543
Quebec
(514) 651-4240
The Water Master & Centurion 310111 Bacteriostati*
Water Purifiers • - othing else to buy. e tyater Master
lnd Centurion XXI are complete.
'ou can install your Water Master and
enturion XXI. It's simple.
The Water Master and Centurion XXI
Nater purifiers
• Kill many dangerous bacteria
• Remove harmful, poisonous,
bad-tasting substances
• Have no moving parts
• Are easy to maintain
• Are economical.
Just fill out this coupon and mail it to:
Key Marketing, Inc.
I
P.O. Box 31150
■ Marlow Heights, MD 20031
I
I
I
I
Please send me: ❑ WATER MASTER $129.95
❑ CENTURION XXI $199.95
I
❑ More information on these products
I
Maryland residents add 5% sales tax
in ❑ Check ❑ Money Order in
I have enclosed
payment for this order. (Postage is included in price.)
Please bill my ❑ American Express
❑ Master Charge
❑ Visa (BankAmericard)
Account No.
Master Charge Issuing Bank No.
Address
State
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Pour a glass of fresh nutrition.
It's a Loma Linda lunchtime.
Kids and grownups put their bodies
through some pretty tough workouts
most days.
So when they all meet for lunch, pour
each one a cold glass of Loma Linda
Soyagen, the delicious soy beverage.
It not only quenches their thirst. It
contains plenty of protein and calcium to
help them through the afternoon.
Soyagen is vitamin and mineral fortified, to give you a highly nutritious food.
And Soyagen comes in three delicious
flavors. Soyagen All-Purpose (now
in new liquid form, too). CarobFlavored Soyagen, with a rich,
chocolate-like taste. And a
special blend of Soyagen,
with no cane or beet
sugar added.
If you're feeling creative, substitute
Soyagen All-Purpose for whole dairy milk
in recipes for cookies, cake and sauces.
Whatever flavor you choose, you can
be sure of one thing.
With Loma Linda Soyagen,
your family is getting only the
best for their bodies.
ctomae,t
inda_700da
TASTE IS IMPORTANT.
NUTRITION IS ESSENTIAL.