ISLAND VOICES
'Tricks' for us old folks

Ted Gibson lives in Kailua.

Regarding the April 23 article "Pedestrian safety poor in state": There is an increasing attitude for the government to be increasingly responsible for the safety and well-being of the public.

Eventually, a person's safety must be the responsibility of himself or herself and immediate family members.

I'm 82, and as far back as I can recall, old folks get run over crossing streets.

Drivers are required to concentrate more on all the devices, signals and controls on their dashboard, as well as the ever-increasing amount of signs, directions, traffic lights and "crazy" drivers coming at them.

Then there's a lil' old man trying to navigate a crosswalk with what he hopes is the signal in his favor. He suddenly realizes that a car is bearing down on him, isn't going to stop and he'd best start running.

He pushes forward with his left leg, and his body starts to lean forward slightly. So far, so good. He places his right foot firmly on the ground, with his knee bent. Still, so far, so good.

And then something fails to happen. His knee is bent — the muscles around the knee are no longer in good condition — and the knee will not straighten. He eventually falls flat on his face.

When the medical technician rolls the body over, he will note the clenched fists as he, in his last gasp, waited for the impact.

Old folks don't realize they are no longer in condition. They can't run.

Now, however, if one realizes he or she is out of condition, that's the first step toward a longer life.

Start walking around the block daily. After several days, try to jog 10 steps and then walk 100. As you tire, switch to walking. It's slow. Getting back into "condition" is far slower now than 40 years ago! Gradually add more jogging steps.

There are many other "tricks" that old folks can use. Here's one for your health. Buy a gallon of grade-A milk and drink a full glass once a day, every day. Why?

As one grows older and stops ingesting calcium, the body still requires it and when there is a depletion, the body draws calcium from bones. Voilà, the bones gradually become brittle.

I'm not a doctor, just an old man. But when I fall, I pick myself up, brush dust off my elbow, knee or 'okole, and am on my way. You can be, too — aloha.