Desert Health News July-August 2024

. www.DesertHealthNews.com July/August 2024 Through the Generations The Valley ' s Leading Resource for Health and Wellness 18 www.modernicareoptometry.com Improving Life by Improving Sight Susan Shahriari, OD "Quality care, friendly service and stylish results!" — Lauren Del Sarto (760) 674.7272 44435 Town Center Way, Suite B Palm Desert, CA 92260 modernicareo try.com Full Service and Specialty Contact Lens Clinic Providing individualized care for: Hard-to-fit Contacts for Post-surgical RK/Lasik Corneal Keratoconus • RGP Scleral Lens Cataract Care • Dry Eye Management Glaucoma Care • Exam with Digital Refraction www.cvalzheimers.org (760) 776-3100 l i ers.org 75105 Merle St., Suite 800, Palm Desert, CA 92211 Offering support services, free of cost, to families struggling with dementia in the Coachella Valley since 2017. Become part of the ACV Family by donating, volunteering, or becoming a business partner or event sponsor! Contact us to learn more about Alzheimers Coachella Valley (ACV). We are , your community partner We see them so often we may take them for granted, but flags are essential to our waking and dreaming worlds. Their size, colors, shapes and designs communicate safety, caution, family lineage, social status, celebration and sometimes danger. Dreams are often a microcosm of our waking world, and like flags, also speak to us with signs and symbols. Celebratory times, like the Fourth of July, can trigger memories that fill our dreams with important "flagged messages," so what could they mean? Flags have long been used as a symbol of presence, ownership, association, inspiration and relationship. The flag symbolizes the incredible power to unify, whether as a competitive nudge in sports or a celebration of a nation’s history and freedoms together. Flags can also warn (yellow for ‘slow down’ or red as ‘danger’ or ‘stop’). This warning is also true in our dreams. The spiritual meaning of a flag-dream often relates to our identity, belonging and personal beliefs. Colors serve a slice of spectral significance on the dreamflag's canvas, where our subconscious paints messages: blue could whisper loyalty or sadness; green may suggest growth or jealousy; red might trumpet passion or a warning. Like a coin, each dream color has opposing sides, so it is up to the dreamer to unfold the cryptic symbolism. A client shared a dream that exemplifies dream language warnings featuring flags: Parris dreamed she was walking down the middle of an empty street lined with friends and family. She holds hands with her current boyfriend, whom she plans to marry, and feels she is walking in her wedding procession to a waiting chariot. People silently waving red flags line both sides of the street, which ends at a boat dock where a submarine awaits them. As her boyfriend starts to drive the submarine, it begins to sink. She thinks, “I can't survive withmy head barely above the water while he rides high in the crow's nest.” So, she says, "Wake up!" and does. Parris gets the message, breaks up with her boyfriend, and is amazed when family and friends tell her that they saw serious red flags in the relationship. Under the Law of Divine Oneness, she is saved by the flags. Dream flags can symbolize various aspects of the puzzles in our waking life. In contrast, the flag-dream is a kaleidoscopic reflection of our emotional landscape, adorned with the hues of our internal hopes, fears and dreams. When a flag pops up in the theater of your dreams, it could be flashing a vital memo to your waking self, a message as profound and straightforward as, “Celebrate!” or "Wake up!" Kathleen O'Keefe-Kanavos of RanchoMirage is a dreamexpert, cancer survivor, author, speaker, and TV/radio host/producer. She has been featured on Dr. Oz and The Doctors and her new award-winning book, Dreams That Can Save Your Life, is now available. For more information, visit www.KathleenOkeefeKanavos.com . When Flags Appear in Our Dreams Are they warnings or celebrations? By Kathleen O'Keefe-Kanavos Research shows that the chances of getting a urinary tract infection (UTI) are more common in the summer. As heat and humidity rise, it is easier for germs or bacteria to grow, thus, not staying hydrated this time of year can increase the risk of developing a UTI. There are steps you can take to decrease this risk, but first, an explanation of the urinary system and the causes and symptoms of UTIs. The urinary system. The urinary tract is a system of organs (kidneys, ureter, urethra and bladder) that filter and eliminate waste products through the urine. This system can be affected by changes such as obstructions and infections. A UTI is a common illness that can affect people in any age group. However, the condition is more common in women and older adults (around half of women will need treatment for at least one UTI during their lifetime and over 10% of women 65 and older report this infection annually). UTIs are the cause of about 25% of all hospitalizations in older adults. Age-related risk factors that increase the chances of developing a UTI include: • Changingphysiology such as atrophyingof the vagina and ureter, decreasedbladder capacity, altered immune system, prolapse of the bladder, hormonal changes, diabetes and an enlarged prostate • Certain medications may have side effects that cause urine retention. When urine remains longer in the bladder than usual, it can create an opportunity for bacteria to grow and develop into a UTI. Drugs known as diuretics also may predispose to dehydration which can promote bacterial growth. • Changes in memory can also be a risk factor as the brain may delay signaling the need to void, thus, an individual with cognitive impairment may forget to go to the bathroom. Loss of taste and desire for water can also lead to dehydration. Symptoms in older adults. The classic symptoms of a UTI are burning, pain, urgency, frequency, blood in the urine, low back pain and fever. In older adults, however, a UTI may also present as confusion, agitation, fatigue, dizziness, decreased appetite, behavior changes and frequent falls. When left untreated, a UTI can develop into urinary incontinence, kidney infection, delirium (severe confusion, disorientation and hallucinations) and sepsis. More severe cases of UTIs can be fatal. Preventative strategies. There are several steps you can take to lower your risk of developing a UTI: • It is suggested that drinking between 6-8 glasses of water (8 ounces per glass) during waking hours may help to prevent a UTI. If you have a problem with drinking this much water, try adding sliced citrus fruits or cucumbers to flavor the water or consider drinking one-half cup of water hourly fromthe time you get up to 6pm. With this approach, you will have steadily maintained hydration without over-consuming. • Be mindful of your consumption of alcohol and caffeinated beverages as they can cause dehydration. • If you wear incontinence pads, change the pads regularly to minimize the harboring of bacteria. • Practice proper personal hygiene by wiping from front to back. • Consider adding fruits high in vitamin C such as oranges, strawberries, kiwifruit, tomatoes and leafy green vegetables that can lower the pH or acidify the urine discouraging bacterial growth. Treatment. If you suspect you have a UTI, contact your primary care physician or visit an urgent care. The doctor can recommend next steps, which may include lab work and medication. While a UTI normally passes quickly when treated with antibiotics, it is important to check with your physician to make sure the correct antibiotics are prescribed to combat the infection as well as the right amount to prevent antibiotic overuse. Pat Riley and Kathleen Lubanski are with Alzheimers Coachella Valley, a community resource for dementia support and education. For more information, call (760) 776.3100 or visit www.cvalzheimers.org. Summer Heat and UTIs Extra precaution for older adults By Pat Riley, MBA and Kathleen Lubanski, MN, RN, FNP, AGPCNP-BC