October 2014
Villa Voice
Ten Years Younger
How would you like to take
10 years off your brain age? It may
be as easy as challenging yourself
with a crossword. Researchers
have found that crosswords and
other puzzles can lead to serious
brain benefits, including helping
80-year-olds retain the brainpower
of someone 10 years younger.
Super Food: Bananas
A perfect peel and eat snack,
bananas are a great source of
vitamins C and B6 and are loaded
with potassium, which regulates
sodium in the body and lowers
blood pressure. Bananas also
contain tryptophan, which helps
produce serotonin, a brain
chemical that regulates mood.
Studies have shown that eating a
banana can help reduce feelings of
depression and anxiety.
Juice Boost
Add a squeeze of lemon, lime
or even an orange to a cup of
green or black tea. Citrus juices
have been found to boost the
tea’s natural antioxidants by
making them last longer, so your
body can take full advantage of
their health benefits.
Come Together
October is Intergeneration
Month, a time for generations to
connect through
communication, celebration and
education. Older adults can offer
wisdom that only comes from
life experience, while younger
people provide new ideas and
perspectives. Spend some time
with each other and see how
much you learn!
Skin Care From the Sea
Youthful, radiant skin is
among the many benefits of
eating fish. Salmon contains
astaxanthin, a carotenoid
antioxidant that helps repair sun
damage. A bonus boost is
salmon’s omega-3 fatty acids,
which have anti-inflammatory
power. Aim for a serving of
salmon or other cold-water fish,
such as tuna or sardines, about
twice a week.
Fall’s Flavors
Immerse yourself in the
scents of the season, whether
you are picking a hand soap or
room spray, or enjoying a tasty
treat. Choose pumpkin or apple,
or spice things up with clove,
cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger
or peppermint.
Be Proud
“I think your whole life
shows in your face and you
should be proud of that.”
—Lauren Bacall
Chew on This
Healthy Eyes
Have a task when you need to
concentrate, such as solving a
sudoku puzzle or balancing your
checkbook? Try chewing gum.
The chewing motion improves
your focus, making it easier to
tackle something tedious.
Our eyesight changes as we
grow older. Some changes are
normal, while others signal a
problem. Regular eye exams can
keep your peepers healthy.
People over 65 years old should
have yearly eye examinations
that include dilation.
Sweet Memories
What’s So Special
About Spiders?
With eight legs and multiple
sets of eyes, spiders are seen by
many people as creepy crawlies
to be feared. But these arachnids
are fascinating and useful
creatures, feeding on numerous
insects that are harmful to crops,
animals and people.
Here are more not-so-spooky
spider facts:
• There are about 40,000
known spider species
around the world, with
3,000 in North America.
• A spider’s silk is stronger
than steel and extremely
elastic. Produced in the
abdomen, the silk is used
to spin webs, line burrows,
trap prey and build egg
sacs, among other tasks.
• Spiders must rebuild their
webs often, as dust and
other particles easily stick
to them. The spider rolls
the old web into a ball
before eating it or
discarding it.
• Arachnophobia, the fear of
spiders, is one of the most
common fears in the world.
• Most spider species are not
able to bite humans
because their fangs are not
strong enough to pierce
our skin.
Candy trends come and go
with the decades. Here’s a look
at the backstory of some old
favorites that are still around.
Necco Wafers. New England
Confectionary Co. (NECCO) is
famous for its roll of chalky
lozenges in lemon, lime, orange,
clove, cinnamon, wintergreen,
licorice and chocolate. Created
in 1847, Necco Wafers were
carried by Civil War and World
War II soldiers and Arctic and
Antarctic explorers.
Nik-L-Nip. Packaged in wax
bottles and a rainbow of colors,
these unique candies originally
cost a nickel in the early
20th century, hence the “Nik-L.”
“Nip” the top off to get to the
Building Ships in Bottles
It’s an old maritime art that
produces meticulous creations.
Model ships in bottles have
been around for more than
200 years. These mini marvels
are celebrated on Oct. 4,
National Ships-in-Bottles Day.
This collectible form of folk
art began as a hobby for
19th century sailors, often at sea
for months or even years with
few sources of recreation and
little room for possessions.
sweet drink inside. What to do
with the empty wax bottle?
You chew it, of course, like
chewing gum.
Pixy Stix. These colorful straws
of sweet and tart powdery sugar
pack quite a rush. While the
modern-day version got its start
in the 1950s, it was originally
marketed in the 1930s as
Frutola, a concentrated
drink mix.
Using available materials, such
as wood, the teeth and bones of
marine life, and rope and yarn,
skilled and steady hands carved
and created the replicas of real
ships, many to an amazing
degree of detail.
These curiosities usually beg
the question, “How do they get
the ship inside the bottle?” It
demands patience and precision.
The ships must be assembled in
pieces small enough to fit
through the bottle’s opening,
and the intricate masts are
typically inserted in a collapsed
state. Pulling strategically placed
strings or threads raises the sails
and taller parts of the ship,
filling in the open area inside
the bottle.
Practice Positivity
Practicing a positive attitude
pays off. Enhanced health,
increased longevity and better
relationships are just a few
benefits. October is Positive
Attitude Month, a perfect time to
improve your outlook with these
helpful habits.
Be grateful. Every day presents
us with blessings that we often
take for granted. Taking time to
recognize them and be thankful
helps prevent negative thoughts
or events from overshadowing
your life.
Pal around. Attitudes are
contagious. Make it a point to
spend as much time as possible
with other positive people.
Surrounding yourself with that
energy can rub off on you.
Stay active. Exercise is good
for your mind as well as your
body. Exercise releases
endorphins, the natural,
feel-good chemicals in your
body that improve mood and
elevate your spirit.
Crack up. They say laughter is
the best medicine, and it’s also
the perfect antidote to
negativity. Whether you spend
time with funny friends or tune
in to a TV comedy, strive to get
some giggles in each day.
Being positive is a choice, and
like other good habits, it takes
practice and dedication.
Community Resource
Reminder
Home Health Care - HOME
INSTEAD SENIOR CARE is onsite at Villa Marie to provide
private duty home health care.
Contact them at 734-525-5300.
Physician Services DR. KRISHNAN, M.D., practices
internal medicine (primary care)
and has expertise in geriatrics
and is on staff at St. Mary’s
Hospital. Dr. Krishnan has office
hours at Villa Marie every
Wednesday from 2 to 4 p.m.
See community board for signup sheet. You may also contact
Dr. Krishnan’s office at
734-464-7600.
Podiatry Services DR. WEXLER, DPM, makes
monthly house calls (generally
3rd Thursday of each month) to
Villa Marie. Dr. Wexler will visit
you in the convenience of your
own home. Appointments are
set directly through Dr. Wexler’s
office by calling 248-476-5288.
Beauty/Barber Shop Villa Marie has an on-site
beauty/barber shop called the
Hair Place. Hours and days vary,
please contact Cindy Meyer to
schedule an appointment at
734-740-1566.
Puzzle Picture
Puzzles with missing pieces
don’t have to go in the trash.
Sort the puzzle pieces by color,
then glue them to a canvas in an
arrangement you like to create a
one-of-a-kind piece of art.
Wit & Wisdom
“Books are the bees which carry
the quickening pollen from one
to another mind.”
—James Russell Lowell
“You can’t get a cup of tea big
enough or a book long enough
to suit me.”
—C. S. Lewis
“I must say I find television very
educational. The minute
somebody turns it on, I go to the
library and read a good book.”
—Groucho Marx
“Books are the compasses and
telescopes and sextants and
charts which other men have
prepared to help us navigate the
dangerous seas of human life.”
—Jesse Lee Bennett
“Finishing a good book is like
leaving a good friend.”
—William Feather
“I don’t know what your
childhood was like, but we
didn’t have much money. We’d
go to a movie on a Saturday
night, then on Wednesday night,
my parents would walk us over
to the library. It was such a big
deal, to go in and get my
own book.”
—Robert Redford
“If we encounter a man of rare
intellect, we should ask him
what books he reads.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson
Popcorn Pick:
‘The Goonies’
Secret caves, a lost pirate ship, a
gang of kids who call themselves
“Goonies,” and a lovable creature
named Sloth. Those are just some
of the reasons the 1985
comedy-adventure “The Goonies”
remains a cult classic among
generations today. After
discovering an old map, the
Goonies go in search of a lost
treasure that could save their
Oregon neighborhood from
developers. But in order to claim
One-Eyed Willy’s pirate fortune,
they have to outwit a series of
booby traps, as well as a family of
fugitives trying to beat them to it.
The Year Was: 1915
• The first official
transcontinental telephone
call is made.
• Colorado’s Rocky Mountain
National Park is established.
• John Gruelle, a children’s
book illustrator, patents the
Raggedy Ann doll.
• The Boston Red Sox beat the
Philadelphia Phillies to win
the World Series.
• The 1 millionth Model T rolls
off the Ford assembly line
in Detroit.
• Showbiz greats Frank Sinatra,
Ingrid Bergman and Orson
Welles are born.
• A gallon of gasoline costs
25 cents.
Memorable Melody:
‘Stormy Weather’
The melancholy pop classic
“Stormy Weather” was originally
performed in 1933 by Ethel
Waters at Harlem’s famed Cotton
Club. However, the best-known
recording is Lena Horne’s version,
which was included in the 1943
film of the same name and would
go on to be her signature song.
Ironically, Horne was a chorus girl
in the same Cotton Club revue
that premiered the ballad.
‘Charm’ Is One
How many words can you
come up with using the letters
in “chrysanthemum”?