Page 18 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, December 20, 2024 MUSINGS | FROM PAGE 6 ries that stayed with you forever. And for those rare, sacred moments, like Christmas Eve Midnight Mass at the Immaculate (1971) with bestie Jimmy Damiano, the season’s magic was truly complete. Those were the days that made Christmas feel like more than just a holiday – they were the times that made Malden feel like home. Priceless!! Ten Christmas/Holiday songs for 10 nights in December – all guaranteed to get you in the Holiday spirit. YouTube them. You’ll like ’em! In no particular order for 2024: • Sal Baglio’s Stompers – “All I Want for Christmas Is a Rock n Roll Guitar” • Louis Armstrong – “Christmas Night in Harlem” • Tom Waits – “Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis” • Merle Haggard – “Lonely Night” • Paul Robeson – “Silent Night” • Harry Belafonte – “I Heard the Savvy Senior by Jim Miller Be Wary of Winter Heart Attacks Dear Savvy Senior, I’ve heard that people with heart problems need to be extra careful during the winter months because heart attacks are much more common. What can you tell me about this? AFib Alan Dear Alan, Everyone knows winter is cold and flu season, but many don’t know that it’s also the prime season for heart attacks too, especially if you already have a heart condition or have suffered a previous heart attack. Here’s what you should know, along with some tips to help you protect yourself. In the U.S., the risk of having a heart attack during the winter months is twice as high as it is during the summertime. Why? There are a number of factors, and they’re not all linked to cold weather. Even people who live in warm climates have an increased risk. Here are the areas you need to pay extra attention to this winter. Cold temperatures: When a person gets cold, the body responds by constricting the blood vessels to help the body maintain heat. This causes blood pressure to go up and makes the heart work harder. Cold temperatures can also increase levels of certain proteins that can thicken the blood and increase the risk for blood clots. So, stay warm this winter and when you do have to go outside, make sure you bundle up in layers with gloves and a hat, and place a scarf over your mouth and nose to warm up the air before you breathe it in. Snow shoveling: Studies have shown that heart attack rates jump dramatically in the first few days after a major snowstorm, usually a result of snow shoveling. Shoveling snow is a very strenuous activity that raises blood pressure and stresses the heart. Combine those factors with cold temperatures and the risks for heart attack surges. If your sidewalk or driveway needs shoveling this winter, hire a kid from the neighborhood to do it for you, or use a snow blower. Or, if you must shovel, push rather than lift the snow as much as possible, stay warm, and take frequent breaks. New Year’s resolutions: Every Jan. 1, millions of people join gyms or start exercise programs as part of their New Year’s resolution to get in shape, and many overexert themselves too soon. If you’re starting a new exercise program this winter, take the time to talk to your doctor about what types and how much exercise may be appropriate for you. Winter weight gain: People tend to eat and drink more and gain more weight during the holiday season and winter months, all of which are hard on the heart and risky for someone with heart disease. So, keep a watchful eye on your diet this winter and avoid binging on fatty foods and alcohol. Shorter days: Less daylight in the winter months can cause many people to develop “seasonal affective disorder” or SAD, a wintertime depression that can stress the heart. Studies have also looked at heart attack patients and found they usually have lower levels of vitamin D (which comes from sunlight) than people with healthy hearts. To boost your vitamin D this winter, consider taking a supplement that contains between 1,000 and 2,000 international units (IU) per day. Flu season: Studies show that people who get flu shots have a lower heart attack risk. It’s known that the inflammatory reaction set off by a flu infection can increase blood clotting which can lead to heart attacks in vulnerable people. So, if you haven’t already done so this year, get a flu shot and Covid-19 booster for protection. And, if you’ve never been vaccinated for RSV or pneumococcal pneumonia, you should consider getting these vaccines too. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior. org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. Bells on Christmas Day” • Johnny Crawford – “Greensleeves” (The Rifleman TV Episode 168, “Old Tony,” April 8, 1963) • The Louvin Brothers – “O Come All Ye Faithful” • John Lee Hooker – “Blues for Christmas” • Yogi Yorgesson – “I Yust Go Nuts at Christmas” • Frank Sinatra – “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” Craig “Best Words” Spadafora revisits the gold standard of Christmas Eve remembrances: “Some of my fondest Christmas memories will always be from my grandparents’ home on Emerald Street, especially those magical Christmas Eves. As a kid with a big, bustling extended family, I’d count down the days to this beloved tradition. The evening was pure magic – a gathering of cousins, aunts, and uncles all under one warm roof, filled with love, joy, and that unmatched anticipation of the season’s most wondrous day. “The night felt like a scene from a holiday classic. Each child was surprised with gifts from aunts and uncles chosen at random, and the house rang with laughter and cheer, with a Christmas tree that seemed endlessly stocked with presents. Then came the food – a feast that was its own kind of holiday gift. Our family whipped up every Italian delight: baked, stuffed, boiled, fried, cured. For weeks leading up to Christmas, the house was perfumed with the smell of Italian cakes and cookies from our annual baking marathon. The kitchen became a bakery, producing batch after batch of treats: taralli, pizzelle, biscotti, struffoli, panettone, cannoli, and so many others. “And then there was Christmas Eve dinner – ‘The Seven Fishes.’ A gourmet spread of baked, fried, and sautéed seafood, a tribute to tradition and family. As I got older, leaving my grandparents’ house that night got harder, and I began to realize that it was this gathering that made the season so magical. “Looking back on it as an adult feels like replaying a favorite Christmas movie. My grandparents’ tree was perfect, my grandmother’s smile genuine and radiant, and the house had that unmistakable Christmas scent that still lingers in my memory. While I can’t make any more holiday memories with my grandparents, I feel blessed to have had them as examples. Now, the responsibility of creating these precious holiday memories for my three children is in my hands. I’ll always be grateful to Tony and Alice for giving me a foundation of love and joy, for teaching me what it means to have a ‘Merry Christmas,’ and for helping shape the person I am today.” Hizzoner Gary “Mayor for Life” Christenson, holiday memories – he has a few: “My favorite Christmas memories were of mom taking me shopping in Malden Square. After walking from our apartment on Cross Street we would first visit Jordan Marsh where it seemed like we spent hours between floors. We would then head to Brigham’s where I always made sure to have my favorite, Peppermint Ice Cream. After more shopping including stops at the Army & Navy Store, mom would always take me to Granada Lanes. I loved bowling growing up which I think was because my grandfather was on an episode of ‘Candlepins for Cash!’ I loved bowling so much that I actually ended up working at Granada Lanes for much of my teen years and through college at Suffolk. I later became known as ‘Bowling Alley Gary’ which stuck with me off and on throughout my life (on a personal note I prefer Gary ‘The Beast Slayer’ Christenson – LOL). When my mom had enough of me in the downtown my dad would take over and I can still remember to this day when he took me to see ‘Jaws’ at Granada. All I have to say is that I went to bed with the lights on that night! Malden Square during Christmas had a big impact on me growing up and that is one of the reasons why I am focused on doing what I can to help continue its storied tradition in our city.” As Peter Falk’s iconic TV character Columbo would say, “Just one more thing, sir” – a favorite passage from Dr. Seuss my late mother (Dorothy) loved so much I’m bringing it back once again this holiday season in her honor. She adored Christmas, as anyone who knew her can attest to, and as long as I’m writing, I’ll keep her memory alive. My beloved mom was a remarkable woman as many will attest to, just ask anyone who MUSINGS| SEE PAGE 19
19 Publizr Home