Dialysis without Fear or Strength Training Over 50

Dialysis Without Fear: A Guide to Living Well on Dialysis for Patients and Their Families

Author: Daniel Offer

More than 400,000 people in the United States undergo kidney dialysis. If you or a member of your family are one of them, then the prospect of a regular appointment with a dialysis machine may seem like the end of life itself. But that reaction couldn't be more wrong.
In Dialysis Without Fear, psychiatrist and dialysis patient Dr. Daniel Offer joins with his wife, Marjorie Kaiz Offer, and daughter, Susan Offer Szafir, to reveal how life can be lived--and lived well--on dialysis. Drawing on his long medical career and more than seven years of personal experience with dialysis, Dr. Offer dispels many misconceptions surrounding this treatment, explaining how you can adapt to the new diet, travel, work and continue to partake in life's joys and celebrations. But the fears and hardships can be quite real, and Dr. Offer brings his years as a psychiatrist to bear as he provides practical advice on how patients can overcome them. Walking through each step of dialysis, he explains different types of treatment, examines the pros and cons of a transplant, and discusses side effects. Since dialysis affects the entire family, Dr. Offer and his coauthors also provide realistic insights into how relatives can cope and thrive together, sharing the humor, courage, and triumphs of real families who have successfully faced the challenges of dialysis. The result is an inspiring, practical guide that will help you and your family learn to overcome the difficulties of dialysis, live without fear, and enjoy every day.

Table of Contents:

Preface     ix
Acknowledgments     xiii
Dialysis Misperceptions versus Realities     3
A Visit to the Suds Factory: Demystifying the Machines and Tubes     29
Dialysis Options: Choosing What Works Best for You     55
The Decision to Pursue a Transplant     73
The "K-Team": Working with Dialysis Professionals     94
Dealing with Emotions: The Psychological Impact of Dialysis     114
The Impact of Dialysis on Interpersonal Relationships: Love, Sex, Family, and Friendship     136
Work and Financial Implications of Being on Dialysis     160
Adapting to the Dialysis Diet, Curbing Liquids, and Embracing Exercise     183
Traveling and Planning for Emergencies while on Dialysis: Taking a Leap of Faith     204
Afterword     228
Glossary of Terms     231
Helpful Resources     235
General Educational Resources
Travel Resources
Professional and Financial Resources
Legal Resources
Books
Journals, Magazines, and Newsletters
Notes     245
Bibliography     247
Index     251

See also: Yeast Connection or How to Quit Drinking without AA

Strength Training Over 50: Stay Fit and Fabulous

Author: D Cristine Caivano

Strength Training Over Fifty focuses on the health needs of more senior men and women. Men and women lose as much as 20-40% of their muscle mass, beginning in their 30's. This muscle loss, often thought of as an irreversible part of aging, is really the result of disuse. Strength-building enables you to regain this lost muscle. It is the key to feeling and looking great after 50. With over 80 explicitly described exercises and 350 color photographs, this user-friendly book will teach you what you need to know to get started, get strong, and stay motivated.

• Get started with reassuring advice if you are just returning to training.
• Stand straighter (and have a trim waist) by strengthening your core.
• Improve functional strength, making all the actions of daily life easier.
• Learn which muscles can be strengthened to alleviate specific problems such as back pain or achy knees.
• Improve your balance.
• Exercise safely, even with arthritis, osteoporosis, or if you are over 65 years old.
• Learn about nutrition, motivation, and how to design your own work-out.
• Follow extended exercise programs, including sessions for exercise on the road, a 15-minute work-out, and one to protect and strengthen your lower back.

From the foreword by Michael George, fitness expert and trainer to Richard Dreyfus, Meg Ryan, Julianne Moore, and James Spader:

"This fun and challenging book will help the older trainer rediscover" his or her body, beginning with the basics: posture, breathing, and motivation...Start training with this book and you'll never look back-I promise you."

About The Author:
D. Cristine Caivano (MA Columbia University) is an exercise/movement therapist in private practice in NYC. A former dancer and teacher, her work now focuses exclusively on the needs of the over-50-year old exerciser.