The Not Old - Better Show

William Faulkner and the Civil War - Michael Gorra The Not Old Better Show, Smithsonian Associates Series Welcome to The Not Old Better Show on KSCW.  That’s Barbara Dane and The Chambers Brothers playing ‘It Isn’t Nice” their version of the popular politically charged gospel and civil rights song.  I hope you’re enjoying a wonderful Saturday morning.  So great to be with you today, following, of course,  another excellent Community Chat with Gary Cohen, and good morning and welcome to the Not Old Better Show on KSCW.  As part of our Smithsonian Associates Art of Living series, we have another excellent interview today for you with author, historian, award-winning, Pulitizer Prize finalist writer Michael Gorra.  Michael Gorra will be presenting at the upcoming Smithsonian Associates program via Zoom, Sept 27, 2021, and details, and more information can be found on our website, and we’ll be talking about another author, William Faulkner.   He was an uncompromising modernist, a great chronicler of the American South, and inspiration—as well as an immovable obstacle—for the generations of writers who followed. William Faulkner (1897–1962) stands as one of the greatest, and one of the most problematic figures in American literature. Faulkner was Mississippi-born—a white man of his time and place who did not always rise above it. Yet his work also provides a burning account of the intersection of race, region, and remembrance: a probing analysis of a past that we have never yet put behind us. He set almost all his work in what he called an “apocryphal” territory, the imaginary Yoknapatawpha County in northern Mississippi. He carried characters and plotlines over from one book to another, as if the land itself were sprouting a story in which everything and everyone was connected.  Michael Gorra will be reading to us from his new book, ‘The Saddest Words,’ so stick around for this enlightening, historical interview with Michael Gorra.   My thanks to Michael Gorra for his time, expertise, and thoughtful preparation in joining me today. My thanks to   My thanks, always, to the Smithsonian team for all they do to support the show.  Of course, my thanks to you, our wonderful Not Old Better Show audience here on KSCW.  Please keep your emails coming to me at info@notold-better.com.  Remember, let’s talk about better. Talk About Better™ The Not Old Better Show on Radio & Podcast! Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Jenny Ashcraft - Family Story Telling: Newspapers.com The Not Old Better Show, Interview Series Welcome to The Not Old Better Show. I’m Paul Vogelzang, and as part of our Smithsonian Associates Art Of Living interview series,  we have an excellent interview with Jenny Ashcraft, who is a genealogist, a researcher, a lover of the written word, and who’ll join us today to talk about family history and resources available at Newspapers.com Our guest today, Jenny Ashcraft is a family history enthusiast. She works at Ancestry where she writes a blog at Fold3HQ. Jenny Ashcraft loves uncovering stories about ancestors and finds great joy in helping others to do the same. She feels completely at home immersed in dusty archives, pouring through manuscripts, or finding hidden gems in the pages of historic newspapers. Alex Haley, author of Roots: The Saga of an American Family puts it this way: "In all of us, there is a hunger, marrow-deep, to know our heritage—to know who we are and where we came from. Without this enriching knowledge, there is a hollow yearning." According to the Center for Disease Control, only one-third of Americans have gathered their family health history, although 96% of them believe that it is important. Family history is only one of a combination of factors that contribute to chronic diseases; still, not knowing it guarantees guessing where facts could make a difference. The psychological benefits of genealogy are significant and plentiful: among them are basic needs like acceptance and friendship, ego needs like achievement and status, and self-actualization. These psychological benefits and more, like knowing your roots boosts older adults mental wellbeing in positive ways, giving us: a sense of accomplishment, especially if you do the research yourselves; the perspective that we belong to a family which leaves a legacy for future generations; a sense of self-worth and belonging to ancestors with whom we can participate to play our part in history;  meaningful things, and of course, as we age acceptance of the concept of death and mortality. Older people who have paid attention to our family health history are better able to contribute to their own wellbeing, and better prepared to affect the wellbeing of their descendants. The grandparents, great-aunts, and great-uncles of our audience here on The Not Old Better Show also have the duty to relate the lessons their ancestors taught, and the moral principles that kept them focused. We’ll talk about that, some wonderful new resources for family search, and more on our packed show today so please join me in welcoming to The Not Old Better Show genealogist Jenny Ashcraft. Talk About Better™ The Not Old Better Show on Radio & Podcast! Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

The Benefits of Video Games for Older Adults The Not Old Better Show, Interview Series Welcome to The Not Old Better Show.  I’m Paul Vogelzang and today’s show is brought to you by NORD VPN and Inside Tracker.   I think you’ll enjoy today’s show as we’re talking about gaming, video games specifically.  When you think of a "gamer," you probably don't think of a 65-year-old man or woman spending their afternoon on the Wii, or PS 2, or X Box, or Nintendo Switch. But think again — an estimated 21% of people who play video games are over the age of 50. What’s more, it turns out that some of those older "gamers" are reaping very significant health benefits as a result. Here are just some of the social, cognitive, and physical benefits that video games and virtual reality (VR) have to offer seniors. BETTER EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING. Whether it's going for a walk, meeting friends for lunch, or seeing a movie, doing anything you enjoy improves emotional health. So it's no surprise many seniors who enjoy playing video games find themselves in better moods.  A study of 140 seniors over 63 years old concluded that both regular and occasional video gamers reported greater well-being, social functioning, and health than non-gamers. In addition, they reported significantly lower rates of depression among people who play video games than those who don't. IMPROVED BALANCE. Video games can provide physical benefits, too, especially to seniors. Certain games that require physical interaction, like Wii Sports and similar titles, can help seniors improve balance, coordination, and reflexes due to the quick decision-making and action required to play. Some seniors have even reported faster walking speeds as a result of playing video games.  It may not be obvious at first, but improving cognitive skills can translate into improved balance and gait. And while fitness video games like Nintendo Wii and even the newer Nintendo Switch have revolutionized exercise for seniors, virtual reality (VR) is already leaving its mark on physical therapy.  ENHANCED COGNITIVE ABILITY. Video games have the potential to support improvement not only emotionally and physically, but cognitively, as well. In fact, a University of California San Francisco study showed significant improvement in cognitive ability, effectively reversing signs of aging in seniors who played 3D video games. REDUCED RISK OF ALZHEIMER'S  With an estimated 5.5 million seniors suffering from Alzheimer's in th Talk About Better™ The Not Old Better Show on Radio & Podcast! Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

High Blood Pressure Alternative Treatments - Scott Sones The Not Old Better Healthy Start Interview Series Welcome to The Not Old Better Show.  I’m Paul Vogelzang and we’ve got a great interview with CEO, Scott Sones. Today’s show is brought to you by Raycon Everyday Earbuds.   Scott Sones is CEO of BP-RX, and we’re talking high blood pressure, high blood pressure medication alternatives, what to do about it if you have high blood pressure, and how to help understand new treatments for getting your high blood pressure under control. Scott Sones will discuss new powerful anti-aging benefits which significantly increase Superoxide dismutase (SOD), and will do so at higher than any pharmaceutical or nutritional. SOD is the body's most powerful endogenous antioxidant – thought to be 3500 times stronger as an antioxidant than vitamin C (Green tea is 100 times stronger). As one ages, the body produces less SOD - which can lead to oxidative stress, inflammation, and disease. Research conducted by Richard Cutler Ph.D. shows that mammals, including humans, that produce higher levels of SOD live longer more disease-free lives. Using a synergistic blend of 3 clinically validated herbs, BP-RX is able to accomplish what few, if any, presently available products are able to accomplish. According to the American Heart Association (2017), there are 140 million adults in the US with high blood pressure. Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control has predicted that 90% of US adults 55 years and older, will develop high blood pressure in their lifetimes. The American Heart Association statistics (2017) show 98 million adults have high cholesterol. Please join me in welcoming to The Not Old Better Show, CEO Scott Sones. My thanks to Scott Sones, CEO, for his time today.  My thanks to Raycon for sponsoring today’s program.  My thanks to you, my wonderful Not Old Better Show audience.  Please keep your emails coming: info@notold-better.com.  And, be safe out there…if you know those who are not yet vaccinated, have a polite conversation, encouraging them to do so for them, their families, and all of us.  Remember, let’s talk about better.  The Not Old Better Show.  Thanks, everybody. Please support our sponsors:  https://buyraycon.com/notoldbetter Talk About Better™ The Not Old Better Show on Radio & Podcast! Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

RESPECT Movie Review and Jennifer Hudson Interview The Not Old Better Show, Movie Interview Series Welcome to The Not Old Better Show, brought to you today by Inside Tracker and NORD VPN. I’m Paul Vogelzang, and as part of our Movie Reviews interview series, we have an excellent interview with Jennifer Hudson to share with you. Jennifer Hudson is the star of the new movie, RESPECT, the story of Aretha Franklin, and Jennifer Hudson stars as Aretha! Talk About Better™ The Not Old Better Show on Radio & Podcast! Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Exercise and Cancer: What Works - Sami Mansfield The Not Old Better Show, Fitness, Health and Life Welcome to The Not Old Better Show. I’m Paul Vogelzang, and as part of our Healthy Art Of Living interview series,  we have an excellent interview with the founder of Cancer Wellness for Life, Sami Mansfield.  Today’s show is brought to you by InsideTracker. Sami Mansfield is the founder of Cancer Wellness for Life, an organization that develops oncology exercise resources for individuals, hospitals, and corporations. She’s also Director of Oncology Wellness for the Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute at HCA Midwest Health and has been an oncology exercise specialist since 2003. Sami Mansfield is experienced in both community and hospital-based cancer centers, non-profit organizations to help patients live better healthier lives. Sami writes articles for the American Council on Exercise and has been helping patients and hospital administrators navigate the research and practice of offering exercise programs for people with cancer. The role exercise plays in cancer care is becoming increasingly important. Exercise is known to be safe and helpful for cancer survivors during and after treatment, and oncologists and their teams continue to recommend it for their patients. Recent research studies point to many specific benefits of exercise. Some show it significantly improves cancer-related fatigue compared to medications and that it can help improve survival for some advanced cancers, including metastatic colorectal cancer. Research also shows the long-term benefits of increased exercise and a healthy lifestyle after cancer to reduce other diseases, as well as the benefits of higher intensity exercise. Sami will share why exercise and activity is so crucial during cancer. Why functional fitness is so important to cancer survival.  Nutrition and hydration tips for treating cancer. Involving family, and how you can do this in a way that really helps you to get the outcomes that you want and also do it in a way that is safe and is really going to make you feel better over the long-term, even living beyond cancer.   Please join me for an upbeat, enlightening interview and in welcoming to The Not Old Better Show, Sami Mansfield. My thanks to cancer exercise expert, Sami Mansfield for her time, expertise, and thoughtful preparation in joining me today about living beyond cancer, a complex subject. Thanks to InsideTracker for sponsoring today’s episode. And, my thanks, always, to the Smithsonian team for all they do to support the show.  Of course, my thanks to you, our wonderful Not Old Better Show audience.  Please keep your emails coming to me at info@notold-better.com. Talk About Better™ The Not Old Better Show on Radio & Podcast! Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Gwen Lafleur - Creativity and the Aging Brain Smithsonian Associates, The Not Old Better Show Welcome to The Not Old Better Show. I’m Paul Vogelzang and today’s show will be enjoyed by all, especially if you enjoy creativity, are yourself creative, or viewing the arts and creativity.   Arts positive effects on aging, both for the creator and viewer will rock your soul.  Experts from around the world cite research on how creative endeavors — storytelling and singing, weaving and dancing, and painting and poetry — make people’s lives better as they grow older and deal with the challenges of aging. So great to be with you today, and again welcome to The Not Old Better Show. I’m your host, Paul Vogelzang, and as part of our Smithsonian Associates Art Of Living interview series,  we have an excellent interview with mixed media artist Gwen Lafleur, and we’re talking about art today. It is well known that therapeutic art experiences can supply meaning and purpose to the lives of older adults in supportive, nonthreatening ways. Neurological research shows that making art can improve cognitive functions by producing both new neural pathways and thicker, stronger dendrites. Recent clinical research validates what some professionals and others who work with older adults have known for years—that making art is an essential, vital component of activities that offer a wide range of health benefits. Several studies show that art can reduce the depression and anxiety that are often symptomatic of chronic diseases. Other research demonstrates that the imagination and creativity of older adults can flourish in later life, helping them to realize unique, unlived potentials, even when suffering from Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease. Neurological research shows that making art can improve cognitive functions by producing both new neural pathways and while brains inevitably age, creative abilities do not necessarily deteriorate. Actually, the aging brain responds well to art by allowing the brain’s two hemispheres to work more in tandem. This ability to use one’s creativity throughout a lifetime and the impact of crystallized intelligence gained from the years of accumulated knowledge and life experiences, help to cultivate the aging, creative brain.   Experts in the field of aging recognize and applaud the importance of both creating art as well as viewing it.  Today’s guest, Gwen Lafleur is an artist, instructor and will attest to the significance of expressive art activities.  We’ll talk about creating art, learning about art, Gwen Lafleur’s artistic journey and all the benefits that come as an artist and as someone appreciative of art and the joy that art offers. Gwen Lafleur is a lif Talk About Better™ The Not Old Better Show on Radio & Podcast! Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning: A Reinvented Life - Fiona Sampson The Not Old Better, Smithsonian Associates Show Art of Living Interview Series Welcome to The Not Old Better Show, Art of Living Series with Smithsonian Associates.  Our guest today is author Fiona Sampson, who’ll be presenting at the Smithsonian Associates, August 17, and more details are available on our website.  The title of Fiona Sampson’s presentation at Smithsonian Associates is Elizabeth Barrett Browning: A Reinvented Life.  Fiona Ruth Sampson, a Member of the British Empire, and is a British poet and writer. Fiona Sampson has authored 28 books of poetry and nonfiction, including the acclaimed In Search of Mary Shelley.  Fiona Sampson’s new book titled ‘Two Way Mirror,’ the Life of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Britain’s most famous female poet.   “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” With these words, Elizabeth Barrett Browning has come down to us as a romantic heroine, a recluse controlled by a domineering father and often overshadowed by her husband, Robert Browning. But she defied cultural constraints—a modern figure whose life is a study in self-invention. Born in 1806 when women were denied property, a university education, or the vote, Barrett Browning seized control of her private income, overcame long-term illness, eloped to revolutionary Italy with Browning, and achieved lasting literary fame. A feminist icon, political activist, and international literary superstar, she inspired writers from Emily Dickinson to George Eliot, Oscar Wilde, and Virginia Woolf. That of course is our guest today, author Fiona Sampson, reading from her new book: ‘Two Way Mirror,’ the Life of Elizabeth Barrett Browning.  We’ll be discussing Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s extraordinary life, her prolific writing, and feminist icon.   Join us today with our guest, acclaimed writer and poet Fiona Sampson for a nuanced, comprehensive portrait of Britain’s most famous female poet, a woman who invented herself and defied her times. Please join me in welcoming you to The Not Old Better Show, Art of Living series, Smithsonian Associate Fiona Sampson. My thanks to our guest today for her generous time and expertise, Fiona Sampson. Fiona Sampson will be presenting at the Smithsonian Associates, August 17, and more details are available on our website.  The title of Fiona Sampson’s presentation at Smithsonian Associates is Talk About Better™ The Not Old Better Show on Radio & Podcast! Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Dr. Vonda Wright - Aging is The Most Natural Part of Life The Not Old Better Show Art of Living Interview Series We’re talking about exercise, fitness, cognition, and more today with a real superstar, Dr. Vonda Wright.  Often this subject is just ‘the same old song,’ in other words, exercise and fitness is good for our aging bodies, blah, blah, blah.  Not the case with our guest today, Dr. Vonda Wright, and we’ll get into all that, but, it is so great to be with you following another excellent Community Chat with Gary Cohen, and good morning and welcome to The Not Old Better Show on KSCW.  I’m Paul Vogelzang, and as part of our Smithsonian Associates Fitness program, we have an excellent show ourselves and interview with Dr. Vonda Wright.   Dr. Vonda Wright is a double-boarded orthopedic sports surgeon, internationally recognized authority on active aging and mobility.  In addition to her surgical practice, Dr. Wright regularly contributes to national TV shows including “Dr. Oz,” “The Doctors” and the “Today” show. Dr Wright is frequently quoted in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, USA Today and U.S. News & World Report, and Dr Wright has written 4 books on topics surrounding active aging and precision longevity, she has created the non-profit, “Women's Health Conversations” which ignited a national conversation on women’s health, and performed award-winning research that is reshaping the way we think of aging in this country.   Please join me in welcoming to The Not Old Better Show on KSCW, Dr. Vonda Wright.   My thanks to Dr. Vonda Wright for her time, expertise, and thoughtful preparation in joining me today about the complex subject of health, fitness, and aging…It’s NOT the Same Old Song from Dr. Wright.  My thanks, always, to the Smithsonian team for all they do to support the show.  Of course, my thanks to you, our wonderful Not Old Better Show audience here on KSCW.  Please keep your emails coming to me at info@notold-better.com.  Remember, let’s talk about better.  The Not Old Better Show on KSCW.  Thanks, everybody. Talk About Better™ The Not Old Better Show on Radio & Podcast! Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

The Science of CBD - Dr. Steven Grant The Not Old Better Show, Inside Science Interview Series Welcome to The Not Old Better Show on KSCW. I’m your host, Paul Vogelzang, and as part of our Smithsonian Associates Science Makes Us Safer series, our guest today is Dr. Steven Grant.  Dr. Steven Grant is a neuroscientist and is formerly the Senior Program Officer at the National Institute on Drug Abuse at the National Institutes of Health, and we’ll be examining today what the research on cannabidiol, or CBD, —and more importantly — what the science has discovered about this elusive chemical's potential benefits for chronic pain and the potential risks. Pain can be physical. It can also be emotional.  And we’re going to talk about physical pain on today’s show on KSCW and we’re going to discuss the science of CBD, and how CBD can help with the pain. People with chronic pain are increasingly turning to cannabis or CBD, which is an ingredient in marijuana and hemp that does not produce a high). In 2020, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), reviewed hundreds of studies and published The Role of Cannabidiol (CBD) in Chronic Pain Management, and found substantial evidence for its use in chronic pain.  Additionally, the NIH found that cannabis and CBD can be helpful and relatively safe for older adults.  I’ll put citations to these studies in the notes today on our website.   But, CBD may cause dizziness or confusion in high doses, affect blood pressure and heart rate, and interact with medications such as blood thinners and anti-seizure drugs.  If you want to try CBD for pain, be sure to tell your primary care provider and “start low and go slow.”  Your primary care provider can help with finding the right dose that helps your symptoms.   Of the more than 100 related chemicals found in cannabis plants, cannabidiol (CBD) has become almost as well-known as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), seemingly overnight. Now widely available in retail stores and websites, it has suddenly emerged as a popular consumer product. But, despite the claims and even some research, it has been difficult to demonstrate exactly what CBD does. It neither produces a high like THC nor does it have the same biological actions. And although promoted as a remedy for a wide variety of conditions, only one CBD product has received FDA approval—for the treatment of a specific type of severe childhood epilepsy. Much remains unknown about the effects, mechanism, long-term consequences, and legality of CBD, and we’ll talk to Dr. Steven Grant about all that and more, so please join me in welcoming to The Not Old Better Show on KSCW, Dr. Steven Grant. Dr. Gr Talk About Better™ The Not Old Better Show on Radio & Podcast! Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.