Good morning and welcome to agebuzz… Headlining today’s topics:

-Gut Check: Meds That Mess With, And Mend, Your Stomach

-How Long Will It Last? Holding On To Money In Retirement

-Beat The Clock: The Impact Of Time Of Day On Surgical Procedures

-Breathe Deep: Using Yoga To Reduce Stress And Chronic Inflammation

-Write Away: Older Characters And Aging Authors

-Radio Days: Audio Diaries From The Front Line Of Aging

-The Last Word

Gut Check: Meds That Mess With, And Mend, Your Stomach: Few of us escape the occasional menace of gastrointestinal distress. Heartburn, diarrhea, nausea, constipation- most of us have had to deal with these problems, sometimes more frequently than we like. When it happens, you probably look to blame your latest meal, but sometimes it can also be the medications you ingest. A recent feature in Med Shadow breaks down the most common culprits in your medicine cabinet- what they can cause and how to avoid these maladies. Take a look at their recommendations Here. And one suggested antidote to reach for in response is probiotics: either through food or supplements, you can introduce healthy bacteria into your system to help balance your gut and avoid nasty problems. Med Shadow also has a piece that gives you the benefits and burdens of probiotics and tips for how to employ them.  So open wide, and Read Here.

How Long Will It Last? Holding On To Money In Retirement: You’ve saved and planned and now, in retirement, you have the necessary money you need to live comfortably and securely. Or do you? One never knows when the unexpected will arise or when circumstances will lead to unplanned expenditures. Fear of running out of money often eclipses fear of death for retirees and many try to be extra frugal so as to preserve their assets. While that may sound like a wise idea, in fact, such stringent frugality could have its downside, both for the individual and the broader economy. While no one can predict the future or prevent the unexpected, one consideration you can control is where you live during retirement, which may in turn affect how fast your money gets spent. Recently the website GOBankingRates did some calculations to determine how long a retirement nest egg of $1 million would last in each state. The results varied significantly, depending on such things as the cost of food, utilities, housing and health care. See how they did their calculations Here. And find out how your state rates, by Clicking Here.

Beat The Clock: The Impact Of Time Of Day On Surgical Procedures: It’s very common for surgical procedures to be scheduled for early in the day, especially if pre-surgery fasting is necessary. Why delay a procedure if you can get an early start, right? Well, not so fast- turns out time of day may play a role in recovery from surgery. A new study published in The Lancet revealed that the body’s circadian rhythm (internal clock) seems to affect the recovery of patients who undergo heart surgery. Researchers found that patients who underwent surgery in the afternoon had better health outcomes than those who had morning surgeries- in fact, 50% less risk of a major cardiac event post-surgery. Read more about the study results and their potential impact on surgery schedules Here. And for seniors facing surgery, not only may time of day make a difference, but so may your stamina and strength. In fact, it’s becoming more common for pre-surgical work-ups for seniors to include frailty assessments, as it’s clear that frailty can cause post-surgical complications. Read about the protocol for this type of surgery screen at The Cleveland Clinic by Reading Here.

Breathe Deep: Using Yoga To Reduce Stress and Chronic Inflammation: Maybe it’s beginning to take its toll- the daily onslaught of provocative news stories is certainly reason for many of us to feel stress and be anxious- separate and apart from whatever challenges we are experiencing in our personal lives. What you may not be aware of is the negative effect that stress can have on both your mind and body. Ongoing stress is associated with inflammation, which has an association with all sorts of physical maladies, including diabetes, heart disease, depression and weakened immune systems. What can you do about this? Besides turning off your radio, tv and internet connections, you may want to try yoga. Longtime readers of agebuzz know that yoga has been shown to be beneficial for maintaining muscle mass in older women. Now, new research shows that yoga can be instrumental in slowing down the harmful physical effects of stress and inflammation. So take a deep breath and Read Here. And worried about your bone density? There are a dozen yoga poses for that- So stand tall and Read Here.

Write Away: Older Characters And Aging Authors: For many of us, reading is truly one of life’s great pleasures. Losing oneself in a book can be the most relaxing and engaging activity during our day. Sometimes, a great book is pure escape and fantasy- and sometimes it provides real life lessons. Recently, the Nigerian writer Sarah Ladipo Manyika put together a list of some of her favorite older characters in the world of fiction- some may be familiar and others new to you- but she suggests that all have important lessons to impart for the journey of aging we all find ourselves on. So take a look at her list Here. And if reading inspires you to consider writing, check out this list of writers who came into their own as acclaimed members of the world of literature at an older age. Finally, who’s telling your own story? Have you considered writing it yourself? While you may not find fame and fortune as a writer, there are other reasons to consider putting down your life story on the written page- check out considerations for why to do this, and how to get started, by Reading Here.

Radio Days: Audio Diaries From The Front Line Of Aging: The stereotype of life in a retirement community or long term care facility is not great- images of disability, bland food and boredom probably come to mind. And in some ways, those are accurate visions. But in many other ways, the reality is more complex and messy- just like life in the outside world. The podcast Radio Diaries recently featured audio diaries directly from the front line- residents of a retirement community were given the tools to record and reflect upon their daily lives living among their peers. Called “The Last Place,” to recognize that most of the residents will live out their lives in this facility, the podcast introduces us to several seniors who give us insight into the various facets of their daily lives- from love and marriage, to loneliness and friendships, to disability and death. If it sounds like real life, that’s because it is- just lived out within the confines of a planned community of seniors. Their stories are poignant and extraordinary- as they reveal the ordinary in a setting that few of us really understand. Take a listen Here.

THE LAST WORD: “We want autonomy for ourselves and safety for those we love. That remains the main problem and paradox for the frail. Many of the things that we want for those we care about are things we would adamantly oppose for ourselves because they would infringe upon our sense of self.” Atul Gawande