-The good news about mid-life is that the glass is still half-full.  Of course, the bad news is that it won't be long before your teeth are floating in it.

My five-year-old daughter asks about her deceased grandfather almost daily. Her question to me or her father usually goes something like this: "Will we see Papa again someday?" Her words help us and her siblings keep this vital figure in our family's hearts and minds as well as keeping our family’s history alive.

Grandparents play an important role in the lives of their grandchildren. Although it is often an indirect role, most of their significance to their grandchildren is seen through the support and help they give to their parents. Grandparents are often seen as “stress buffers”, “family historians and story tellers", "peacemakers" and "supporters."

Research suggests that children find a unique acceptance in their relationships with grandparents, which benefits them emotionally and mentally. Grandparents can be a major support during family disturbances, such as divorce, a parent’s job loss, illness, etc. Sometimes they are simply playmates for their grandchildren. Often grandparents become role models and mentors for younger generations. They are also historians -- teaching values, instilling ethnic heritage, and passing on family traditions.

As a child, my grandmother was all of these things to me. My grandmother was a place of comfort I knew I could always turn to. My grandmother was my best friend, the first person I would call to tell good news to or the first shoulder I knew I could cry on. My grandmother was always a mentor. I wanted to become a teacher just as she had been. I admired her homemaking skills; the way she cooked, could fix a hem and always kept her house tidy. Everything she did seem to be with perfection and came easily to her. Still to this day I remember fondly the times I spent watching her in the kitchen, helping her with her daily chores and hearing the stories of how she grew up and eventually met my grandfather. Unbeknownst at the time, I was also learning life lessons that molded me into the adult I am today. Nothing flatters me more than to hear how I cook just like my grandmother or how I have the same sense of humor as she did.

Wise parents foster strong relationships between grandparents and grandchildren. Letters, phone calls, emails, video chats, sharing of school work, and personal contact where possible all build bonds of love and friendship between the generations. Perhaps my own parents knew of this value and encouraged me to spend this time learning from my grandparents.

Grandparents need their grandchildren as well. My grandmother seemingly needed us as much as we needed her. We kept her young at heart, in mind and body. We encouraged her to go outside for walks; we taught her how to use a computer and how to love even more unconditionally than she did as a mother. My grandmother lived her life to the fullest, everyday.

 Here are some ideas to foster a strong sense of self in your grandchildren while having fun:

• Share stories using family heirlooms and/or memorabilia. An old flintlock gun, pocket watches, great grandmother's glasses, her combs, a doll that has survived generations--these are all things that can help build a child's sense of family history and strength. Newspaper clippings, old deeds, old pictures, and family recipes all help tell the story of how one generation lived and transmitted its value and property to the next generation.

1. Visit the local zoo or museum; go on a picnic or a special outing such as fishing, hunting or on a nature walk.
2. Teach grandchildren to play board or card games or let them teach you a game. Put a jigsaw puzzle together.
3. Work together. Show them how to plant flowers, use a hammer and nail, make beds, milk a cow, paint, knit or crochet.
4. Read together. Listen to your grandchild read a story or make up a story or poem together. Teach them classic nursery rhymes.
5. Encourage your grandchildren to show scouting awards, achievements, trophies, and their goals for the future.
6. When all else fails provide scrap paper, old buttons, yarn, glue, and crayons for drawing or making crafts.

By spending time with grandchildren, grandparents can encourage healthy growth and learning while still having fun.

COMEDY CORNER
Diane DuFour, Publisher of the Charlotte, NC Senior Living Guide & SeniorStyle Contributor

Q: I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life; is this true?
A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that's it... Don't waste them on exercise. Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that's like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.

Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?
A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable). And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable products.

Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?
A: No, not at all. Wine is made from fruit.
Brandy is distilled wine, that means they take the water out of the fruity bit so you get even more of the goodness that way. Beer is also made out of grain.
Bottoms up!

Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?
A: Well, if you have a body and you have fat, your ratio is one to one. If you have two bodies your ratio is two to one, etc.

Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?
A: Can't think of a single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No Pain...Good!

Q: Aren't fried foods bad for you?
A: YOU'RE NOT LISTENING!!!
..... Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they're permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?

Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?
A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.

Q: Is chocolate bad for me?
A: Are you crazy?
HELLO
Cocoa beans! Another vegetable!!! It's the best feel-good food around!

Q: Is swimming good for your figure?
A: If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me.

Q: Is getting in-shape important for my lifestyle?
A: Hey! 'Round' is a shape!

Well, I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets.

And remember:

'Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Chardonnay in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming 'WOO HOO, What a Ride'

AND......

For those of you who watch what you eat , here's the final word on nutrition and health. It's a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting nutritional studies.

1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

2. The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

3. The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

4. The Italians drink a lot of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

5. The Germans drink a lot of beers and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

CONCLUSION

Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you. ............

HEALTH & FITNESS
Yoga for All Ages
Jill M. Willis, SeniorStyle Health, Beauty & In the Kitchen Contributor

Yoga can be a daunting term for many of us, but especially for seniors. People tend to shy away from Yoga believing that they are not flexible or strong enough. Certainly walking into a Yoga class full of experienced participants would overwhelm even the most physically fit individual. I have been there myself and have watched others float into a class never to return again. So I hope to break down the myths for you, outline the benefits especially to our seniors and give you helpful information on how to get started in the practice of Yoga.

Yoga can be practiced by anyone, regardless of age, to achieve a more limber body, increased physical coordination, better posture, and improved flexibility without incurring the potentially negative effects associated with high-impact forms of exercise. While there is no one who should be excluded, you should check with your doctor before you begin a course if you suffer from a medical condition or have any doubts. If you have any concerns about your health or fitness, consult your physician, qualified health practitioner or yoga teacher before undertaking a yoga practice, especially with these specific health problems: high blood pressure, heart disease, arthritis, back or neck injury or recent surgery.

Often associated with Hinduism, yoga actually is older. It is the oldest physical discipline in existence. The exact origins of yoga are unknown, but it is thought to be at least five thousand years old. The earliest evidence of yoga practice can be traced back to about 3000 B.C. The original purpose of the postures and breathing exercises was to bring stability and relaxation so practitioners could prepare for the rigors of meditation, sitting still and alert for long periods of time.

The word yoga has its roots in the Sanskrit language and means to merge, join or unite. Yoga is a form of exercise based on the belief that the body and breath are intimately connected with the mind. By controlling the breath and holding the body in steady poses, or asanas, yoga creates harmony. Yoga is a means of balancing and harmonizing the body, mind and emotions and is a tool that allows us to withdraw from the chaos of the world and find a quiet space within. To achieve this, yoga uses movement, breath, posture, relaxation and meditation in order to establish a healthy, vibrant and balanced approach to living.

Yoga is one of the original concepts which today would be labeled as holistic. That means that the body is related to the breath; both are related to the brain; in turn this links with the mind, which is a part of consciousness. The essence of yoga is to be in the driver's seat of life. Control is a key aspect of yoga: control of the body, breath and mind.

The system of yoga used most often in the West is called Hatha yoga. The word Hatha is a composite of Ha, which means sun and Tha which means moon. Yoga is the union between them, suggesting that the healthy joining of opposites - in this case, the mind and body - leads to strength, vitality and peace of mind.

As a form of exercise, Hatha yoga consists of asanas or postures that embody controlled movement, concentration, flexibility, and conscious breathing. About half of the nearly 200 asanas or postures are practiced widely in the West. The postures range from the basic to the complex, from the easily accomplished to the very challenging. While the movements tend to be slow and controlled, they provide an invigorating workout for the mind and body, including the internal organs.

Yoga exercises are designed to ease tense muscles, to tone up the internal organs, and to improve the flexibility of the body's joints and ligaments. The aim of proper yoga exercise is to improve suppleness and strength. Each posture is performed slowly in fluid movements. Violent movements are avoided; they produce a buildup of lactic acid, causing fatigue.

Hatha yoga is a complete fitness program and will release endorphins in the brain as well as any regular exercise program. Yoga postures stretch, extend, and flex the spine, while exercising muscles and joints, keeping the body strong and supple. When done in conjunction with breathing techniques, Hatha yoga postures stimulate circulation, digestion and the nervous and endocrine systems. As a workout, yoga can be intense, easy, or somewhere in between.

Overall, the postures release stiffness and tension, help to reestablish the inner balance of the spine, renew energy and restore health. Some postures provide the added benefit of being weight-bearing which helps sustain bone mass (very important for women). Relaxation and breathing exercises produce stability and reduce stress and put you in touch with your inner strength. In addition, regular practice of Hatha yoga can promote graceful aging.

Whether you are learning yoga singly or in a group, it is a good idea to be supervised by a qualified teacher. A teacher will demonstrate how to ease your body gently into and out of the yoga postures. He or she will ensure that you do not strain your limbs and will help you align your body in the asanas. I would recommend that if you are interested in beginning the practice of Yoga, you take the time with an experienced teacher in several private sessions so that he/she can assist you with the basic postures. This will achieve several things for you – you will feel more at ease in a group yoga class and you will learn the breathing techniques which are most important in Yoga practice.

According to a recent Roper poll, six million Americans now practice Hatha yoga. Furthermore, yoga's visibility and viability as an effective exercise program has been increased by the endorsements of celebrities such as Jane Fonda, Demi Moore, Woody Harrelson, Sting, Madonna, Michelle Pfeiffer, Michael Keaton, Kareem Abdul Jabar and Evander Holyfield.

Yoga also is increasingly embraced by the medical community. Popular health practitioners who possess mainstream medical credentials and are open to alternative practices include Andrew Weil, M.D., Dean Ornish, M.D., Joan Borysenko, M.D., and Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D. Such practitioners have long encouraged patients and clients to take up yoga. Yoga is also an integral part of many stress management programs endorsed and paid for by HMOs and insurance companies. In fact, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center's Preventive and Rehabilitative Cardiac Center includes gentle yoga postures and breathing techniques to aid the recovery of patients with heart disease. Older people often find that gentle yoga exercises allow them to retain mobility and may relieve problems such as arthritis and poor circulation.

Whatever your age, yoga can enhance your lifestyle...

(Resources: www.yogaforbeginners.com)