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Dreamshaping: Name Your Poison
By Mark McNease
Dreamshaping: Name Your Poison
From the upcoming dreamer’s guide: Dreamshaping, Second Edition“Have patience with all things. But, first of all with yourself.”
―Francis de Sales
Observing the current cultural and political climate, I’m reminded of a scene from the westerns once so popular with American moviegoers. A bartender in a grimy, dusty saloon, says to a weary customer, “Name your poison.” The customer asks for whiskey—they all drank whiskey in the movies, with names like Rot Gut and Dead Eye—and the bartender serves him from a bottle on the shelf. The customer throws back a mouthful from a greasy shot glass, grimaces as it burns its way down his throat, then smiles, slaps the glass on the counter and orders another one. That sure felt good
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Cathy’s Wealth of Health: Medicinal Mushrooms: A True Super Food
By Cathy McNease, Dipl CH, RH
Medicinal Mushrooms: A True Super Food
I first saw medicinal mushrooms being used in a family of Taoist healers with whom I was apprenticing in the early 1980’s. I had been asked to help the matriarch teach cooking classes, since she spoke very little English. Lily Chuang was a brilliant herbalist, but she preferred to prevent illnesses in her family rather than treat them. One of the tricks up her sleeve was regular use of Shitake Mushrooms (Lentinula edodes). She always had a jar of the dried mushrooms rehydrating in the refrigerator. Every meal included a small amount of these gems, cooked with eggs, in oatmeal, in soups and stir fries. She even made “burgers” out of the tough dry stems that she powdered in a coffee grinder and mixed with grated vegetables and eggs, and pan fried until brown. The soaking water from the rehydration process was used as a delicious addition to soups and grains.
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The Savvy Senior: Paying for Nursing Home Care with Medicaid
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
If my mother needs to move into a nursing home, what are the eligibility requirements to get Medicaid coverage?
Caretaking Son
Dear Caretaking,
The rules and requirements for Medicaid eligibility for nursing home care are complicated and will vary according to the state your mother lives in. With that said, here’s a general, simplified rundown of what it takes to qualify.
Medicaid Eligibility
Medicaid, the joint federal and state program that covers health care for the poor, is also the largest single payer of America’s nursing home bills for seniors who don’t have the resources to pay for their own care. (Note that some states have different names for their Medicaid program.)
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The Weekly Readlines August 1
QUOTE FOR THE WEEK
what didn’t you do to bury me
but you forgot that I was a seed
Greek poet Dinos Christianopoulos (1978)
BIG CUP: THE WEEK’S TOP STORIES
President Biden and his administration successfully negotiated an extremely complex, multi-national prisoner swap, from deep within the depths of his supposed dementia.
Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris challenged Trump to “Say it to my face” as voter enthusiasm continued to surge for the preferred candidate of childless cat ladies everywhere.
Catastrophic V.P. pick J.D. Vance doubled down on his ickiness, while admitting his wife is not white but he loves her anyway.
Trump rolled out the new Republican strategy, which is the same old racism, trying to get people to focus on Kamala Harri’s biracial heritage, which he pretends he doesn’t understand. Hopefully people outside MAGA-land won’t fall for it.
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The Twist Podcast #271: Killer Cat Ladies, Joe the Giant, and the Irresistible Charm of Clickbait
Join co-hosts Mark McNease and Rick Rose as we try on our Cat Ladies for Kamala T-shirts, salute President Biden and his astonishing successes, and marvel at the continued temptations of clickbait.
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AI: A Beginner’s Guide
By Mark McNease
with an assist from … you guessed it … AIFor the past few years now we’ve all heard about the dreaded AI and how it is going to replace human life on the planet, or at least put most people out of work. As someone who has never been afraid of technology, though often wary of it, I’ve mostly welcomed the possibilities. Whether it’s designing a book cover, or quickly creating images for blog posts, or using synthetic narration for this website, I’ve welcome the challenges and done my best to stay on top of what’s going on.
AI, broadly speaking, has been in our lives for a very long time. Everything from self-checkout kiosks at the grocery store, to Google maps, to auto-correct, it’s a part of our lives that isn’t going away. It can certainly be used for nefarious purposes, but it’s incumbent on all of us who are able to stay very aware of what we see, read, and hear. AI in and of itself is not evil, but there are people who can and do use it for evil ends. So let’s take a deeper dive into what it is …
What is AI and How Can It Benefit You?
A beginner’s guide to understanding artificial intelligence and its applications
Artificial intelligence, or AI, is a term that refers to the ability of machines to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as understanding language, recognizing images, solving problems, and learning from data. AI is not a single technology, but a broad field that encompasses many subfields and applications, such as computer vision, natural language processing, machine learning, robotics, and more.
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Health Beat: Juicing, Zepbound, and the Importance of Lifestyle Changes
As readers know from my post last month, I’m taking Zepbound for weight loss. I just completed the first four weeks, with two more months to go. This is not something I intend to do for more than three months. For one thing, my insurance won’t cover it. I’m on Medicare, and unless it’s for some underlying health issue, such as diabetes or heart disease, this is coming out of pocket.
For the sake of being informative: I’m paying $1049 for four injections, per month. It’s a lot, but I see this as an investment on a much healthier future. I’ve been 50 pounds overweight for a very long time, and I can’t carry this excess poundage around anymore. It’s corrosive to my physical and mental well-being. But I also won’t use this medication for more than three months, and that means addressing the underlying issues related to food addiction.
I made my first vegetable juice this morning in a new blender! Yum. I have not had any sweets, at all, for the past four weeks, and I intend to keep it that way. I explain this to people by comparing it to alcohol for those who are alcoholic or who don’t drink for other reasons. I have not had a drink in ten years. I will not have sweets, either. I don’t care if it’s someone’s last day on earth, I am not having cake and ice cream to celebrate their life. And if you won’t offer me a rum and Coke, which you will not, then don’t offer me a cookie.
I feel great. I’ve lost 13 pounds and I’m aiming for 30-40 more. I can to this. You can do this, if you want to. But face the things that make you eat destructively in the first place. A healthier future starts now.
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The Savvy Senior: How Extreme Heat Affects Seniors
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
I work for a county health department and every summer we’re seeing more and more seniors get sick and even die from heat-related illiness. Can you write an awarness piece on the affects extreme heat has on older adults, and what they can do to guard against this summertime risk. Thanks for helping keep seniors safe!
Health Advocate
Dear Advocate,
Happy to oblige! Most people don’t realize that each year, extreme summertime heat kills more people in the U.S. than hurricanes, floods and tornadoes combined. While extreme heat can be deadly for anyone, older adults are uniquely vulnerable because of three key factors: biological changes that occur with age; higher rates of age-related diseases; and greater use of medications that can alter the body’s response to heat.
Here’s how to gauge the risk for a heat-related illness for you or an older loved one and how to stay safe.
How Heat Affects Seniors
The human body has two main mechanisms to cool itself: sweating and increasing blood flow to the skin. In older adults, both of those processes are compromised. Seniors sweat less and they have poor circulation compared with younger people.
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This Week’s Senior Newswire
READ THE FOLLOWING CONTENT MORE MORE AT SENIOR NEWSWIRE!
Senior Newswire is produced by Jim Miller’s Savvy Senior
Dealing with Diabetes Distress: Living with a chronic disease isn’t easy. But there are ways to manage diabetes to reduce burnout and frustration, anger, anxiety and even depression. Next Avenue, July 22.
These Nutrients Can Strengthen Aging Bones: Bone loss is a natural part of getting older, but prioritizing certain foods can help slow the process down. The New York Times, July 22. (Subscription may be required.)
Shingles Vaccine Could Lower Dementia Risk: Older people who avail themselves of the newest shingles vaccine could reap a hidden benefit: A significant drop in their odds of developing dementia. HealthDay News, July 26.
What Is Polymyalgia Rheumatica? Polymyalgia rheumatica is an inflammatory disorder that predominantly affects older adults. Though the condition can cause debilitating pain and stiffness, effective treatments are available to manage symptoms. U.S. News & World Report, July 24.
At-Home Colon Cancer Test Can Save Lives: A simple home screening test for colon cancer can reduce the risk of dying from the disease by 33%, a new study shows. HealthDay News, July 26.
Double Mastectomy May Offer No Survival Benefit to Women with Breast Cancer: Many women who develop a tumor in one breast are opting for double mastectomy. Now, a new study finds that treatment decision produced no benefit in terms of long-term breast cancer survival. HealthDay News, July 26.
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The Weekly Readlines July 27
QUOTE FOR THE WEEK
“I am afraid. Not of life, or death, or nothingness, but of wasting it as if I had never been.” — Daniel Keyes, Flowers for Algernon
BIG CUP: THE WEEK’S TOP STORIES
Wow, that was an earthquake. Vice President Kamala Harris will be the Democratic nominee. On Sunday, President Biden announced he would not run for a second term and immediately endorsed VP Harris. Within 24 hours, nearly every significant Democrat and Democratic organization had lined up behind her.
Meanwhile, Trump remains chained to the virulently misogynistic, homophobic literary fraud and Christian nationalist cheerleader JD Vance (his preferred name).
LGBTQ
Kamala Harris To Appear On ‘Rupaul’s Drag Race All Stars’ Season Finale
LGBTQ+ Americans Are Coming Out Earlier In Life: Gallup – The Hill -
The Twist Podcast #270: Biden Bows Out, Kamala Kills It, and the Church of the Golden Ear
Join co-hosts Mark McNease and Rick Rose as we practice saying ‘President Kamala Harris,’ salute Joe Biden, American giant, say no thanks to the Golden Temple of Trump, and have some fun.
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Cathy’s Wealth of Health: Treatment of Minor Injuries with Herbs and Food
By Cathy McNease, Dipl CH, RH
Summer time finds us spending more time outside at play in the long days, and sometimes that leads to an injury. Many simple home remedies can alleviate suffering. What follows are some simple remedies to help with the booboos of summer. Once the very hot days arrive, watermelon, tomatoes, cucumbers, summer squash, lemon juice and mung beans, can all be used to prevent dehydration and overheating. A large natural food store or Oriental market will have all of the remedies mentioned.
Simple Herbal Home Remedies for Common Ailments
Abdominal pain: valerian; chamomile; fennel; ginger; cinnamon; peony + licorice
Anxiety: valerian; chamomile; poppy; passion flower vine; Cal-Mag;
Bee stings: clay; plantain; aloe; vinegar + baking soda
Bladder infection: uva ursi; marshmallow; dandelion; cranberry; coptis; D-Mannose
Bleeding: tienchi; comfrey root powder; cayenne; seaweed; yarrow; charcoal