December 2019 “Celebrating Age and Maturity” Heavenly Peace Carmel Community Faithfully Tends a Sacred Refuge Also Inside Don’t Let That Family Gathering Overwhelm You Stay Healthy This Winter What can you get for $1,563 a month? • One-bedroom apartment • Convenient parking outside the door • Delicious daily lunch with multiple choices • Free transportation to shopping, appointments • Variety of free entertainment, educational, health, spiritual and religious programs from which to choose • Wonderful friends to share your life • Beautiful, secure gated campus And, most important, peace of mind. Don’t wait until you need a nursing home to free yourself of the burden of a large home. Continue to live independently. Take charge of the decision and make a move on your terms. Larger apartment homes and additional amenities are also available. Visit our website, oaksofla.com, or call to speak with a leasing specialist, (318) 212-OAKS (6257). Live here and love it! 600 East Flournoy Lucas Road • (318) 212-OAKS (6257) • oaksofla.com • Leasing Office open 9 to 5 weekdays. After-hours/weekend tours by appointment. 2 December 2019 www.TheBestOfTimesNEWS.com Inside this Issue Briefs 6 Stat! Medical News & Info 8 Odds & Ends 28 Our Favorite 5 30 Snapshot Sleuth Caretakers Vance Shaver, Mary 32 Shreveport Then Lafitte, and Sandra Prudhomme & Now Features Advice 24 Heavenly Peace: Carmel Community Faithfully Tends a Sacred Refuge 10 From the Bench by Kathleen Ward A Christmas Memory by Judge Jeff Cox 22 Oregon: Varied Landscapes, Unique History, Beautiful Art, and a Laissez-Faire Lifestyle 12 Counseling Corner by Victor Block Don't Let That Family Gathering Overwhelm You by American Counseling Association Columns 18 Page by Page 14 Eat Well Live Well Review of The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern Stay Healthy This Winter by Jessica Rinaudo by Abigail McAlister 20 Tinseltown Talks 16 Laws of the Land A Lassie Christmas with Jon Provost Lock Them Up! by Nick Thomas by Lee Aronson In Every Issue 34 What's Cooking 36 Our Famous Puzzle Pages 38 Save the Date 43 Parting Shots The Best Of Times December 2019 3 THE BEST OF TIMES December 2019 l Vol. 28, No. 12 RADIO HOUR Founded 1992 as Senior Scene News ISSN Library of Congress HOSTED BY GARY CALLIGAS #1551-4366 A monthly publication from: TBT Multimedia, LLC P.O. Box 19510 Proudly Presented by: Shreveport, LA 71149 (318) 636-5510 www.TheBestOfTimesNews.com Publisher www.hebertstandc.com Gary L. Calligas [email protected] DECEMBER 7 DECEMBER 21 Editor 2019 Independence Bowl Latest on Arthritis and Tina Miaoulis Calligas Game Treatments [email protected] Erik Evenson Robert Goodman, MD Design Karen Peters, Jessica Rinaudo Chrissie Combs DECEMBER 14 DECEMBER 28 National Medal of Honor Fire Prevention and Fire Account Executive Museum Safety Patrick Kirsop [email protected] Joe Daniels, President of the Representatives from the National Medal of Honor Museum Shreveport Fire Department Webmaster Dr. Jason P. Calligas Writers Broadcasting every Saturday morning 9:05 to 10 a.m. on News Kathleen Ward Radio 710 KEEL, a Townsquare Media radio station in Shreveport. Contributors American Counseling Association, Lee Aronson,Victor Block, Streaming live on the internet at www.710KEEL.com Judge Jeff Cox, LSU-S Library, and on Radio Pup App Abigail McAlister, Jessica Rinaudo, Nick Thomas, Also broadcasting live on 101.7 FM Twin Blends Photography Archived programs at www.TheBestOfTimesNEWS.com and THE FINE PRINT: All original content published on APPLE Podcasts at The Best of Times Radio Hour in THE BEST OF TIMES copyright © 2019 by TBT Multimedia, LLC, all rights reserved. Replication, in whole or in part by any means is prohibited without prior written permission from the publisher. Opinions expressed are the sole responsibility of the contributor and do not necessarily reflect those of the publication, TBT Mulitmedia, its publishers or staff. Always con- sult properly degreed and licensed profession- als when dealing with financial, medical, legal or emotional matters. We cannot accept liability for omissions or errors and cannot be responsible for the claims of advertisers. 4 December 2019 www.TheBestOfTimesNEWS.com “To you, it’s the perfect lift chair. To me, it’s the best sleep chair I’ve ever had.” — J. Fitzgerald, VA NEW Footrest extension for better support head to toe You can’t always lie down in bed and other benefits, too. It helps with correct spinal sleep. Heartburn, cardiac problems, hip or alignment and promotes back pressure relief, to back aches – and dozens of other ailments prevent back and muscle pain. The overstuffed, and worries. Those are the nights you’d give oversized biscuit style back and unique seat anything for a comfortable chair to sleep in: one design will cradle you in comfort. Generously that reclines to exactly the right degree, raises filled, wide armrests provide enhanced arm your feet and legs just where you want them, support when sitting or reclining. 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Slower walkers were shown to risk for lung cancer, according to a study by Vanderbilt have “accelerated aging” on a 19-measure scale devised by re- University Medical Center researchers published in JAMA searchers, and their lungs, teeth and immune systems tended Oncology. Participants were divided into five groups, accord- to be in worse shape than the people who walked faster. Prior ing to the amount of fiber and yogurt they consumed. Those studies show that slow walkers in their seventies and eighties with the highest yogurt and tend to die sooner than fast walkers their same age. fiber consumption had a 33% reduced Baby Aspirin Improves Overall lung cancer risk Survival for Patients With Head as compared & Neck, Lung Cancer to the Doctors from Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center group who report new evidence that low-dose aspirin and other anti- did not inflammatories may improve survival in patients undergoing consume treatment for some head/neck and lung cancers. yogurt The retrospective analyses are among and con- the first to suggest a benefit in sumed the overall survival for patients least amount with either head and neck of fiber. squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) or early- Short-term stage non-small cell lung cancer Probiotics Regimen (NSCLC) who received non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs May Help Treat Gout, Kidney Disease (NSAIDs) — most commonly, low-dose aspirin — alongside New research suggests that an individualized probiotic standard radiation therapy or chemoradiation therapy. therapy regimen may improve symptoms of gout, gout-related kidney disease and other signs of metabolic syndrome. Gout Excess Body Fat is a form of arthritis caused by a buildup of uric acid crys- tals around the joints. Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts Increases the Risk that replenish “good” bacteria in the digestive tract. Yogurt, Of Depression fermented foods and certain dietary supplements contain Carrying ten kilograms (22 pounds) probiotics. Past research suggests that probiotics decrease of excess body fat increases the risk inflammation in the body and improve poor sugar and uric of depression by 17%. The more fat, acid metabolism that contribute to the development of gout. the greater the probability of developing depression. This is After 10 days of probiotic therapy, the volunteers’ experienced the main conclusion of a new study carried out by research- lower blood pressure, weight loss, reduced abdominal fat and ers from Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark. The study waist circumference, decreased lesion size and scar tissue on also indicated that the location of the fat on the body makes the kidneys, decreased tophi size, and normal uric acid and no difference to the risk of depression. This suggests that it is creatinine levels in the blood. People with gout may be able to the psychological consequences of being overweight or obese achieve the same results by eating yogurt or taking an over- which leads to the increased risk of depression, and not the the-counter probiotic supplement.