Not For Babies Only...

 As I turned on the water to draw my bath, I glanced at the shelf by the tub lined with bottles of bath oils and lotions, reflecting various colors of the sky, the earth and flowering desert plants.  Many of those bottles were given to me by friends at a birthday party who said, "Be kind to yourself, take a warm, long bath, relax, luxuriate and treat yourself like a baby."  Hmmm...

 I began by dipping my elbow into the bath water to check the temperature.  As I slowly stepped into the water, the warmth of it engulfed my leg, and my foot felt the security of the smooth mat on the bottom.  I lowered myself into the tub and cradled my neck in a soft pillow and breathed in the rising steam scented by a mild eucalyptus oil.  Closing my eyes, covered by a cool eye mask, I consciously relaxed every muscle in my body.  I listened to my deliberate, steady breathing, felt my heart beat ever so slowly and I fell peacefully asleep.

 Upon awakening I ran a hot shower and washed my hair, massaging my scalp with the hardness of my fingernails and the softness of my fingertips, making thick lather.  Using one of my scented soaps and loufa, I washed my body, the roughness of the loufa scrubbing away dead skin, the faint lavender scent of the soap making me feel lusciously clean.

 Stepping out of the bath, I wrapped myself in a large, soft towel, heated by the towel warmer.  As I poured the cool moisturizing lotion into my hands to warm it and smoothed it over my body, I luxuriated in the silky feel it was giving my skin, and it reminded me of the obvious joy a baby feels when rubbed with baby lotion after a warm bath.

 Babies are touched, caressed, massaged, nurtured for a reason.  It gives them a feeling of security, love and acceptance. The human touch is so immensely important, not only to babies, but to all of us.

 Even if we don't have the time or resources to indulge in professional massages, manicures, shampoos, or aromatherapy treatments, there's nothing to keep us from pampering ourselves and recalling those same feelings a baby feels.

 As I dry my hair and dress, I think how I feel nurtured, loved, safe and relaxed, and it makes me recall those same feelings as when I was growing up.  And I'm the one who made me feel this way.  Pamper yourself -- treat yourself like a baby!

Warmly,

Susan Hays

Seniors Find Eye Care Improves Lifestyle

By Tom Hays, ABOC, NCLE

Some older adults may be able to improve their quality of life with a simple device: new eyeglasses. In a recent study, those seniors who received eyeglasses for uncorrected vision problems were found to have improved quality of life and decreased symptoms of depression when compared to those with vision problems who had not received eyeglasses.

Cynthia Owsley, Ph.D., M.S.P.H., and colleagues at the University of Alabama at Birmingham conducted a trial in which 142 nursing home residents age 55 or older were assigned to a group that would receive eyeglasses one week after check-up (78 residents) or a group that would receive eyeglasses at follow-up two months after check-up (64 residents).

Vision-related quality-of-life and depressive symptoms were measured at baseline and at two months.

At baseline, both groups had similar demographic and medical characteristics and had similar visual problems uncorrected by eyeglasses. After two months, distance and near visual abilities for the right and left eye improved in the group that received eyeglasses, while the group that had not received eyeglasses had no change in visual ability.

At the two-month follow-up, the group that received eyeglasses reported higher scores for general vision, reading, activities and hobbies and social interaction as well as fewer depressive symptoms.

“This study implies that there are significant, short-term quality-of-life and psychological benefits to providing the most basic of eye care services—namely, spectacle correction—to older adults residing in nursing homes,” the report authors conclude.

You do not have to be in a nursing home to benefit from new, properly prescribed and fitted eyeglasses. They will make your life easier and more enjoyable wherever you live. See better, live better!

Tom Hays is a Board Certified and Registered Optician and a Fellow of the National Academy of Opticianry. He is currently President of Velocity Business Advisors headquartered in Napa, California. http://www.velocityup.com

Wrong eyewear choice can be a “glaring” mistake.

By Tom Hays, ABOC, NCLE

Good vision is more than just having the right prescription in your lenses. As spring blossoms and summer approaches another important consideration in selecting and purchasing eyewear is how to deal with glare.

Glare is a vexing visual problem. Glare can be described as “extreme brightness” from the presence of excessive visible light. Glare can be distracting and even dangerous and can occur day or night in a number of ways. It can cause you to squint, resulting in eye strain and eye fatigue, and in extreme cases, glare can even result in temporary blindness.

There are actually four types of glare that must be dealt with:
Distracting glare is created by the reflections on lens surfaces. The images they generate can be distracting to vision, hence the name. The way to eliminate this problem is to use an anti-reflective coating on the lens. This is particularly true for sunwear where back-side surface reflections can be especially distracting since the dark lens color accentuates the reflected light. Computer users also benefit from anti-reflective coatings.

Discomforting glare is caused by everyday bright light where the eye is unable to adapt naturally, as when light conditions change often. Photochromic lenses are a good choice here, as they automatically darken and lighten to meet the lighting conditions.

Disabling glare is caused by intense bright light. Fixed tints or photochromics help in this instance. An Optician is trained to recommend the correct shade and tint.

Blinding glare is due to reflections off of shiny surfaces, such as water, automobile windshields or snow. Polarized lenses are the best solution for this problem.

Where there is light there is glare in some form or other, and finding the right way to deal with it is not something that can be done in a “self service” store. A professionally trained optician can help you choose the right lens type or treatment for the distinctive kind of glare you wish to eliminate. So, before you head outdoors to enjoy the sun, make sure your eyes are properly equipped for the tasks expected of them. Visit a professional eyecare provider.

Tom Hays is a Board Certified and Registered Optician and a Fellow of the National Academy of Opticianry. He is currently President of Velocity Business Advisors headquartered in Napa, California. http://www.velocityup.com

Not For Babies Only

by Susan Hays

TREAT YOURSELF LIKE A BABY

As I turned on the water to draw my bath, I glanced at the shelf by the tub lined with bottles of bath oils and lotions, reflecting various colors of the sky, the earth and flowering desert plants. Many of those bottles were given to me by friends at a birthday party who said, "Be kind to yourself, take a warm, long bath, relax, luxuriate and treat yourself like a baby." Hmmm...

I began by dipping my elbow into the bath water to check the temperature. As I slowly stepped into the water, the warmth of it engulfed my leg, and my foot felt the security of the smooth mat on the bottom. I lowered myself into the tub and cradled my neck in a soft pillow and breathed in the rising steam scented by a mild eucalyptus oil. Closing my eyes, covered by a cool eye mask, I consciously relaxed every muscle in my body. I listened to my deliberate, steady breathing, felt my heart beat ever so slowly and I fell peacefully asleep.

Upon awakening I ran a hot shower and washed my hair, massaging my scalp with the hardness of my fingernails and the softness of my fingertips, making thick lather. Using one of my scented soaps and loufa, I washed my body, the roughness of the loufa scrubbing away dead skin, the faint lavender scent of the soap making me feel lusciously clean.

Stepping out of the bath, I wrapped myself in a large, soft towel, heated by the towel warmer. As I poured the cool moisturizing lotion into my hands to warm it and smoothed it over my body, I luxuriated in the silky feel it was giving my skin, and it reminded me of the obvious joy a baby feels when rubbed with baby lotion after a warm bath.

Babies are touched, caressed, massaged, nurtured for a reason. It gives them a feeling of security, love and acceptance. The human touch is so immensely important, not only to babies, but to all of us.

Even if we don't have the time or resources to indulge in professional massages, manicures, shampoos, or aromatherapy treatments, there's nothing to keep us from pampering ourselves and recalling those same feelings a baby feels.

As I dry my hair and dress, I think how I feel nurtured, loved, safe and relaxed, and it makes me recall those same feelings as when I was growing up. And I'm the one who made me feel this way. Pamper yourself -- treat yourself like a baby!

Warmest regards,
Susan Hays

Help fight FCS. Is a cure at hand?

Picture yourself. You are very high up in a tree top, in a wooden container with a rounded bottom, perched precariously on a slender branch. The container teeters back and forth, side to side, as the wind blows. You are so afraid, not daring to move a muscle. Suddenly, without warning, the bough breaks and you are falling and falling. You crash to the ground and the cradle lands squarely on top of you.

Terrifying isn’t it? How can you go to sleep imagining that? But that’s the story that was repeated night after night to millions of babies, including me. It was called “rock-a-bye baby” time. I called it “torture” time.

That’s why I, along with countless others, suffer from Falling Cradle Syndrome (FCS). FCS needs your help. It has been proven that the more money we have, the better we sleep at night. Please send a generous contribution now. Send your check directly to me, and you’ll know you’ve done your part in the fight against this horrible affliction. Thank you for helping fund the cure.

For more information click on http://www.platinumpearls.com/.