Golden LivingCenter – Shafter

• Well: Why Patients Can't Sleep at the Hospital

  Sep. 07, 2011

  Sleep is necessary for healing, but the drama of fractured sleep plays out night after night in hospitals everywhere.
  
  

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• Drugs Beat Stents Against Stroke Recurrence in Study

  Sep. 07, 2011

  A new government-funded study found that aggressive use of cardiovascular drugs is much more effective in preventing a recurrence of stroke than deploying a stent to prop open narrowed arteries in the brain.

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• Side benefit of statin drug includes lower infection rates

  Sep. 07, 2011

  Some people must be asking themselves: Is there nothing statins can't do? New research suggests that atorvastin (Lipitor) is not only successful at reducing the risk of coronary heart disease and heart attacks, but also reduces the risk of acquiring a potentially fatal infectious disease.

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LivingCenter Newsletter

• Hard-Core About Apples

  Sep. 01, 2011

  Apples appear as the archetypal symbol of health, and for good reason. They are an excellent source of antioxidants, fiber and potassium. Apples may lower the risk of asthma, lung cancer and other diseases, and they also combat tooth decay by cleaning teeth and gums and fighting off bacteria. Here are some other facts about the fruit:

  Doctor deterrent. One of the earliest printed instances that "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" can be found in an 1866 edition of the Oxford Journal, Notes and Queries. It states: "Eat an apple on going to bed, and you'll keep the doctor from earning his bread."

  It's official. The apple is the official state fruit of Rhode Island, New York, Washington, West Virginia, Illinois, Minnesota and Vermont.

  By any other name. Apples are part of the rose family, and so are pears, peaches, plums, apricots, cherries, blackberries and strawberries.

• Designate Your Own Day

  Sep. 01, 2011

  Spending holidays with grandchildren is a wonderful way to celebrate and connect. Holidays give us a reason to decorate, bake certain treats and make crafts together. But what about the times when the calendar is clear? Grandparents.com suggests making up your own holidays!

  Why wait for an official observance to celebrate with your grandkids? Creating a holiday that's unique for you strengthens bonds and builds relationships. Once you determine what to celebrate, designate a day and mark your calendar so you can do something special and look forward to it together each year. Here are some ideas for silly celebrations:

  Apple Dapple Day. Perfect for fall, you can celebrate by visiting an apple orchard and picking produce for baking pies when you get home. Plan an apple craft to do together while the pies are in the oven.

  Mad Hatter Day. Schedule a day of activities but with each one, change your headwear and don a crazy hat.

  Photo Fun Day. Grab a camera and take pictures of each other in various locales. Process the photos that day and put them in a scrapbook.

• Wit & Wisdom

  Sep. 01, 2011

  "All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence." —Martin Luther King Jr. "Laziness may appear attractive, but work gives satisfaction." —Anne Frank

  "By working faithfully eight hours a day, you may eventually get to be boss and work 12 hours a day." —Robert Frost "Nothing will work unless you do." —Maya Angelou "Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." —Theodore Roosevelt "Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people don't recognize them." —Ann Landers "Work spares us from three evils: boredom, vice and need." —Voltaire