A program on health and home economics was discussed by the Town and Country Women at their May 8th meeting, held at the home of Lynn Rederburg.
The thought for the day was, “To live a long life, eat healthy, exercise, be happy and lie about your age!” (Lucille Ball)
The meeting opened with the singing of the club ode, accompanied by Kathryn Groshong on the piano. Margaret Lukey, president of the Town and Country Women, read a poem, “A Mother’s Love”, and they all sang a tribute to mothers, “M is for the million things you gave me.”
The club secretary, Kathryn Groshong, read the minutes of the April meeting, and treasurer Edith Jacobs gave the financial report.
The lap robes were gathered, displayed and pictures taken before they were taken to the nursing homes.
The roll call was for each of the members to tell about one thing that contributes to their long life, as most of the membership are in their 90s. This brought forward a variety of interesting health ideas from those present:
• Gardening is one person’s specialty, as the moderate exercise and working outdoors makes her feel much better.
• A regular routine of planned exercise several times a week helps keep muscles and joints more flexible and life more enjoyable.
• Getting enough sleep and eating well nutritionally, and above all, “keep moving”.
• Apple cider vinegar is a standby at one member’s house for health and wellness, poultices, foot care, gargle and so on, as well as being useful in the kitchen and in the preparation of food.
• Using food directly from a home-grown garden, without additives or preservatives contributes to a health lifestyle.
• Therapy and exercise and using the support of a walker, especially after hip and knee surgeries, give confidence and support and helps one’s balance and may prevent a fall.
The program for the afternoon was prepared and given by the “health and home economics” convenor, Margaret Lukey. She quoted from an article on “The Benefits of Reading”, “Avid readers feel a good book is entertaining and perhaps a form of escapism from the daily grind. However, there are additional benefits when enjoying a good book.
“Reading can improve brain function. During a study, researchers found that reading a novel or fiction improves connectivity in the brain. In addition, reading fiction improved a reader’s ability to put themselves in other people’s shoes, which might help them relate better to people in both the present and the future.
“Reading is one of a handful of mentally stimulating activities that can benefit brain health in old age. Reading can also help reduce stress, according to researchers at the University of Sussex, England, who say reading can reduce stress by up to 68 per cent, allowing for a more immediate escape from the stress of daily life.
“Reading can help you get a more restful night’s sleep, as reading for an hour before going to bed has a calming effect and helps you get ready for sleep. Reading on an electronic device such as a tablet or e-reader may have an opposite effect, as the light that emanates from such devices may be activating the brain, so stick to reading traditional print books or magazines before going to bed.”
The second part of the health program was about funding for equipment at cancer centres.
Patients receiving radiation therapy at the Allan Blair Cancer Centre in Regina now have access to the most advanced equipment available, with the installation of a $5.08 million TrueBeam accelerator, and a similar linac replacement in Saskatoon.
The TrueBeam can deliver higher doses of radiation more quickly and with greater precision, providing cancer patients with leading-edge treatment techniques.
Following the meeting, the hostess, Lynn Rederburg, served lunch. The table was graced with fresh crocuses. “Happy Birthday” was sung to Kathryn Groshong for her birthday celebrated on May 9.
