HIV AIDS and Baby Boomers - A High Risk Group

December 1 has been set aside each year as World AIDS Day, a day to recognize the on-going problem of HIV and the epidemic of AIDS that continues to spread around the world.  Baby Boomers are one of the highest-risk groups for acquiring this disease, so it seems appropriate that World AIDS Day should be acknowledged in this blog.

Since the disease first attracted national attention in the early 1980's, much of the original hysteria about the disease has diminished.  However, while the disease may not be attracting as much attention as it once did, it has not gone away.

According to CNN's Headline News, the Center for Disease Control has reported that there are over one million people in the United States who are currently living with the HIV virus, and individuals who are over the age of 50 make up one of the fastest growing groups of people who are contracting HIV.  One reason why Baby Boomers and older generations continue to be infected is because they are not well-educated about the behaviors that put them at risk.

Baby Boomers Fail to Take Precautions to Prevent Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Since many Baby Boomers, and older senior citizens, no longer worry about pregnancy, they do not take precautions that could protect them from sexually transmitted diseases such as the HIV virus.  This is a serious problem. Headline News reports, in an online article entitled "The AIDS epidemic: 31 years later," that the HIV virus is now "the world's leading infectious killer."  Unfortunately, far too many Americans believe that the disease has gone away, or that it is not something they need to worry about.

AIDS is a Serious Health Risk for People of All Ages

Surprisingly, a number of Americans of all ages believe, incorrectly, that AIDS is no longer a serious problem.  I work at a high school and recently one of the science teachers gave the students a copy of an article about HIV and AIDS in teenagers (another high risk group).  One of the students pushed the article aside and told me that, since AIDS has been cured, he didn't need to read the article.  He used as his "proof" the fact that basketball star Magic Johnson is still alive.  Since this young man is only 15, his lack of knowledge may be understandable.  Unfortunately, I have heard adults much older than him who believe the same thing.

According to the World Health Organization, the truth is that each year about 2 1/2 million people around the world are becoming newly infected with HIV.  Right now almost 33 1/2 million people are living with HIV.  Children and adults throughout the world who become infected may have done so as a result of pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, blood transfusions, being exposed to contaminated blood, sharing needles during drug use, or sexual intercourse.

One in Five People With the HIV Virus Do Not Know It

In the United States, the Center for Disease Control estimates that, out of the one million people who are living with HIV in the US, approximately 200,000 of them do not know that they have the infection.  Because of this, they may spread the disease for years before they become aware of the fact that they are contaminated.

There is still no cure for HIV.  However, there are treatments, including a drug called Truvada which may prevent it.  Meanwhile, the best prevention is to be in a monogomous relationship with someone who has had a blood test.  It is also wise to use a condom if there is any uncertainty about your partner's health or prior activities.

If you are interested in learning more about health issues that could affect Baby Boomers, as well as where to retire, financial planning and changing family relationships (including dating), use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of the page to find links to hundreds of additional articles.

Source:

http://www.hlntv.com/video/2012/12/02/baby-boomers-aids-hiv-awareness-std

You may also be interested in reading these health related posts:

Sexually Transmitted Diseases After Age 50
Avoid Grapefruit When Taking Medications
Planning for Long Term Medical Care
Patient Safety in the Hospital Near You

You are reading from the blog:  http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

Photo of AIDS symbol courtesy of www.en.wikipedia.org/commons

Avoid Grapefruit When Taking Medications

Grapefruit, grapefruit juice and some other citrus fruits do not mix well with more than eighty-five oral medications.  In fact, the consequences of combining either fresh grapefruits or grapefruit juice with a medication can be so serious that it is probably wise to avoid consuming anything containing grapefruit and certain other foods if you take any medication, whether that medication is on the list or not.

This may seem like a drastic measure.  However, researchers are finding more and more dangerous drug and food interactions every day.

Common Drug Interactions with Grapefruit

Among the drugs which are known to have dangerous interactions with grapefruit are many that are taken daily by Baby Boomers, including statins for lowering cholesterol, certain heart drugs, cancer medications, anti-depressants, antibiotics and pain medications.

Why Grapefruit is Dangerous

Researchers at Western University have discovered that the result of combining many drugs with grapefruit can be "extraordinarily serious."   In fact, David Bailey, the head researcher for the group that completed the study, reported that the interactions can result in kidney failure, gastrointestinal bleeding, respiratory failure and sudden death.

The reason grapefruit is so dangerous is because it interferes with enzymes in your body that break down drugs.  This causes the drugs to remain in your body and build up until they become toxic.  According to an ABC news report on the topic, you should not take one of the listed drugs within 24 hours of consuming grapefruit in any form.  For people on a number of daily medications, this means they should never eat grapefruit or drink its juice.

Drugs that Interact with Grapefruit

According to a report on Yahoo, the specific drugs that should not be taken after consuming grapefruit are: statins like Zocor (simvastatin) and Lipitor, calcium channel blockers like Procardia, Nimotop and Sular, depression drugs like Zoloft, anxiety drugs like BuSpar, the painkiller oxycodone, seizure medications such as Tegretol and Carbatro, heart arrhythmia drugs like Cordarone and Mujltaq (dronedarone), insomnia drugs such as Halcion and the malaria drug, quinine.

If you are taking one of these medications, you may want to check with your doctor or pharmacist in order to better understand the potential consequences of combining grapefruit with the specific drug you are taking.

Since I take simvastatin, I was alarmed to discover that combining it with grapefruit could lead to kidney damage or kidney failure.  Although I do not eat grapefruit often, I do enjoy other risky citrus fruit, including limes and Seville oranges in marmalade.  Like many other Baby Boomers, I will need to be more careful about thoroughly reading the packaging material that comes with my medications.

Other Foods That Interact with Medication

While we are discussing grapefruit, this is a good opportunity to mention other foods that could react with your medications.  In addition, don't forget to carefully read the insert that comes with any medication you take to see if there are other drug or food interactions that are not listed below.  New problems are discovered frequently.

Below are common foods to avoid eating while taking certain medications:

Black licorice (ACE inhibitors, diuretics, insulin, corticosteroids, Lanoxin, and birth control pills.)

Large quantities of leafy green vegetables  (Coumadin - get specific information from your doctor.)

Milk or Calcium supplements (antibiotics including Cipro, Levaquin and Avelox; my Synthroid package insert also mentions not consuming calcium within four hours of taking that medication.)

Alcohol (painkillers, OTC cold, cough and allergy medications, statins, Isodil, anxiety meds, epilepsy medications, arthritis medications like Celebrex and Voltren, depression drugs like Celexa, Effexor and Lexapro, and diabetes medications.  In fact, be careful about combining alcohol with almost any other medication.)

Pickles, Aged or Cured Foods such as lunch meats (avoid consuming while using MAO inhibitors for depression and antibiotics like Xyvox and isoniazid.)

Chocolate (MAO inhibitors for depression, Vicodin, Percoseet, asthma medications, Ritalin and some antibiotics)

The dangers of combining chocolate and Ritalin concern me because I know many Baby Boomers have grandkids on ADHD medications like Ritalin, and these kids often love to eat chocolate.  Apparently, the caffeine in chocolate (and other caffeine containing foods and beverages) are dangerous when consumed in excess with the stimulants in ADHD medications.

If you are concerned about drug interactions with foods as well as other drugs, do your reseach by reading the insert that comes with your medications and using the online interaction checker at:  http://www.Drugs.com.

Learn more at: http://health.yahoo.net/experts/dayinhealth/grapefruit-and-medications-may-be-deadly-mix

For more helpful information on common health issues, where to retire, financial planning or changing family relationships, use the tabs or pull-down menu at the top of this page.  They provide links to hundreds of additional articles that could interest you.

Baby Boomers may also be interested in reading:

Planning for Long Term Medical Care
Patient Safety in the Hospital Near You
Aging and Tips to Prevent Hip Injuries

You are reading from the blog:  http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

Photo of grapefruit courtesy of www.morguefile.com

Sun City Texas is a Premier Retirement Destination

When I sold real estate in Dallas, Texas in the 1990's, the other Realtors and I were delighted when Del Webb made the decision to build one of their fabulous Sun City retirement communities in Texas. Nothing like that existed in Texas at that time.

The developers made a presentation to the real estate community and told us that, although they had been aggressively promoting their Arizona Sun City to Texans for a number of years, they had found that the majority of Texans who visited Arizona were reluctant to leave Texas.  If they couldn't get Texans to move to an out-of-state Sun City, they realized they would have to build one in Texas.  Since then, of course, Del Webb has built up their Sun City franchise in a number of other states, including California.

Sun City Texas

The Sun City concept has turned out well for Del Webb.  It has also been a popular retirement choice for the people who moved to Sun City Georgetown (since renamed Sun City Texas) and has helped the economy of the charming town of Georgetown, located about 26 miles north of Austin's central business district in the beautiful Texas Hill Country. 


Sun City Texas is primarily made up of single family residences as well as a few duplexes.  You can legally drive golf carts in the streets, and there are special community parking spaces for golf carts.  The community has tennis courts, three golf courses, a large central activity center as well as satellite community centers, hobby facilities, several swimming pools, a fishing lake, dances, yoga classes and many other clubs and activities.  Southwestern University in Georgtown and the nearby city of Austin both provide the opportunity to attend many cultural and sporting events.

Georgetown, Texas

Georgetown gives you the advantage of living in a small community with a population of about 30,000 people, while being only a short drive away from the state capital of Austin, Texas.  There are many colleges and universities in the area, including the University of Texas in Austin and Southwestern University in Georgetown, a small liberal arts college which one of my daughters attended.

Georgetown, like most of Texas, has long, hot summers and cool, mild winters.  High temperatures in the summer range from about 90 to 100 degrees, and highs in the winter are typically in the 50's and 60's.  Occasionally, temperatures will drop near freezing.

Many people consider Georgetown to be one of the top places to retire in the United States because of its warm climate, close proximity to excellent medical care in Austin, and the approximately 11,500 retirees living in the master planned community of Sun City Texas.  In addition to Sun City, retirees may also want to consider living in one of the other over-55 communities that have been built in the area, including Wesleyan at Estrella, Heritage Oaks and the Oaks at Wildwood.  There are also different levels of assisted living in the area.

The charming community of Georgetown is another reason why Sun City Georgetown has become a popular retirement community.  The shops shown here are typical of the shops you will find facing the historic town square.  The town has made a genuine effort to reface their downtown buildings to enhance their Texas-Victorian architectural heritage.

In addition, several of the town's historic neighborhoods have also undergone redevelopment with the restoration of some of the older homes.  In fact, Georgetown has been called one of the best places to buy a historic home.

Whether you are a native Texan, or someone who wants to relocate to Texas because of its warm climate and low cost of living (including no state income tax), you may want to put Sun City Texas and the other Georgetown retirement communities near the top of your list.

If you are looking for more places to retire, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of the page to find links to hundreds of additional articles on where to retire in the United States or abroad, common medical issues, financial planning and changing family relationships.

You may also be interested in reading:

The Best Sunny Places to Retire
Cheap Places to Retire
Finding Niche Retirement Communities

You are reading from the blog:  http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

Photo of Sun City Texas entry courtesy of www.en.wikipedia.org/commons

Photo of downtown Georgetown, Texas courtesy of www.en.wikipendia.org/commons and should be attributed to Austex.

Thanksgiving 2012

Thanksgiving is said to be one of the favorite holidays for most Americans because it is simply a time we spend with our families.  There are no presents to purchase, no greeting cards to send, and most people look forward to the meal.  Thanksgiving also does not come with a lot of expectations regarding how you should spend the day.  Some people watch football on TV.  Others go to a movie.  This year there will even be a large number of consumers who will head to their favorite store to begin their Christmas shopping.

However, despite the generally laid back attitude about Thanksgiving, it will be still be a stressful time for many Baby Boomers.  Some of them will be torn between which child they will see this year.  Others will be depressed because they are far away from their children and grandchildren and will not get to see them at all.  Hurricane Sandy and other natural disasters during the past year has caused many Americans to unexpectedly be living in hotel rooms or other cramped quarters.  With the difficult times many Baby Boomers and their family members experienced during the past few years, a number of people will be depressed by their financial situtation, which may make it difficult for them to cook a large meal or enjoy the holiday.   Others may be saddened by the recent loss of a dear relative or friend.

For those of us who will be sitting down to a bountiful table covered with food and surrounded by family and friends, let us be grateful for what we have and remember those who are not so fortunate.  Let's enjoy our time together and not allow this special day to be spoiled by petty squabbles with relatives, or stress over creating the perfect meal.

If you are able to reach out to someone and lend a helping hand, please do so.  Invite that lonely friend.  Donate a turkey or canned goods to your local food bank.  Help serve a meal at a soup kitchen.  Even making a phone call to a relative who is unable to share the day with you will be greatly appreciated.

Are you estranged from one of your adult children or grandchildren?  You may find it helpful to read my blog post, "Healing Relationships with Your Adult Children."  In fact, even if you currently get along with your children, you may still find it helpful to read this short article so that you can minimize any stresses that do exist in your relationship and avoid future conflict with them.

I want to thank each of my readers for their continued support during 2012, and wish you all a very HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

You are reading from the blog:  http://Baby-Boomer-Retirement.blogspot.com

Photo of turkey dinner courtesy of www.morguefile.com