Osteoporosis is also known as porous bone or brittle bone. It generally begins without any symptoms or pain, and is often called the "silent disease". This silent disease is becoming a major public health threat. In the United States alone, ten million people have osteoporosis, eighty percent of them women. Eighteen million more people are at risk for the disease. People who have osteoporosis do not usually know they have the disease until they experience a fracture. Fractures most often occur in the wrist, hip or spine, but they can happen in any bone of the body.

Do you remember the Tin Man in the movie The Wizard of Oz? He got caught in a rainstorm and couldn't get to his oil can. Eventually, he rusted up and could hardly move. People who have arthritis at times feel like the Tin Man. There are many forms of arthritis. The term, in fact, refers to over 100 different conditions. The word arthritis means inflammation of the joints. All forms of arthritis affect the joints and other connective tissues in the body, such as ligaments and tendons. Arthritis affects an estimated 40 million Americans, the majority of them suffering from osteoarthritis.

"The older we get, the more reasons there seem to be for feeling sad. Most of us have retired, losing the day-to-day routine of work that has filled our days for years. Our children are grown, and some of them have moved far away. Many of us have lost our parents, and now, we are beginning to face the reality that we are going to lose siblings, friends and even spouses as the years go by." Have you ever felt that way? No one can deny that loss creates sadness. It is totally appropriate to react with deep sadness to the major losses in one's life. But where is the line drawn between the sadness of loss or grief and depression that needs the attention of a doctor? There are people who think that depression is something that happens to you as you age, just as your skin begins to wrinkle or you tire more easily.

Even those of us who keep fit and eat a balanced diet sometimes become ill. It's part of life. It is important to be aware and informed of potential health problems, so that when they arise, we can care for ourselves properly. In this series, the Senior Center will provide information about various medical conditions in a question and answer format, based on interviews with physicians. According to the American Diabetes Association, almost 16 million Americans have diabetes. The following questions and answers are based on an interview with Dr.

When I was growing up, there were things my mother used to say that always made me mad. I was determined I would never say the same things to my own kids. Now, at 44 with three growing children, I occasionally hear myself saying, "Sit up straight" and "don't eat with your mouth full" and "if you don't stop fighting in the car, we're going to stop and let you off. And you can walk home." I tell my kids to put hand creme on so their skin won't be dry, and to get off the phone (my daughter, mostly) I often repeat stories from my life that can teach them lessons. Thank God all the things I tell them are for their own good! And I realize, of course, that when my mother said those things to me, she was simply telling me what was for my good.w