Page 15 - Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens - May '22

Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens, Page 15

Cairns: Gateway To The Great Barrier Reef from page 14 and plant life. The indigenous Aborigines have lived in these
elevated areas for thousands of years. Their culture has continued
A special scuba training dive platform and snorkel platform for millennia by “Dreamtime,” the oral history that is passed daily
with easy access to the water are all part of this great facility. from the elders to the youth of the tribe. The Aboriginal culture
Scuba instructions are given to the novice on the 90-minute has been dated back some 50,000 years.
trip out, which, when coupled with the dive platform practical Kuranda, 16 miles northwest of Cairns, is a picturesque
training, qualifies them for the two dives on the Great Barrier village set in the lush area on the edge of the Atherton Tableland,
Reef that they will make that very same day. which is served by both the Kuranda Scenic Railway and the
A few miles west of Cairns lies the Great Dividing Range, Skyrail Rainforest Cableway. The railroad was built to supply
which separates the subtropical coastal area from the lush beauty goods to the miners of the area who were often trapped atop the
of the hinterland with its national parks and unique birds, animals plateau because of the rain and mud. The steep walls of the gorge
that it climbs give passengers spectacular views of the tropical
scenery and waterfalls.
In 1995, the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway started making
the journey from the valley at the plane of the Coral Sea to the
mountaintop at Kuranda. The trip is made in enclosed gondola
cars on a cable. One gets a unique view of the canopy as the car Skyrail Rainforest Cableway. Photo by Louise Marshall
travels just above treetop level through the rainforest.
Enjoying both the historic train and the skyrail on your visit some hands-on experiences, possibly throwing a boomerang or
can culminate in experiencing the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural spear. This is all part of a full-day experience.
Park. Here you witness the true lifestyle of the Aborigines And for those who prefer a bit slower pace and lodging
A green turtle floats above the coral on the Great Barrier Reef through their music, dance and Dreamtime stories. You can get directly on sand beaches, the Palm Cove and Port Douglas areas
just north of Cairns are excellent venues to do just that.
Few places on earth have as much diversity in so small an
area. There is always so much to do, and so little time to do it,
but even a short visit to North Queensland will give you a unique
perspective of the real Australia.
Don Kiselewski writes from his personal experiences, having
traveled in 122 countries and cruised the oceans, seas and rivers
of the world. Palm Beach Gardens Travel Leaders, his family
owned and operated agency, is located at Mirasol Town Square,
11360 North Jog Road, Building A, Suite 102-6, Palm Beach
NEUROLOGY Gardens. The agency has been serving the travel needs of the
South Florida area for over a quarter of a century. Contact him
Stroke risk and stroke symptoms in women at (561) 694-9696 or Aussie@PBGTravel.com.
Photos by Don Kiselewski
You probably know that stroke is one of the
top causes of death worldwide. But did you
know that it disproportionately affects women? Reading
According to the American Heart Association/
American Stroke Association, one in five Comprehension
women will have a stroke. So, if you’re a
woman, it’s important to understand your
unique risk factors and be aware of the early
signs of stroke in women. Problem?

Stroke symptoms in women
The most common stroke symptoms are the By Jim Forgan, Ph.D.,
same in both sexes, including: Licensed School
• Face drooping Psychologist
• Arm weakness Science-based recommendations Reading comprehension
• Speech difficulty The guidelines from the American Heart Association/ is a complex task involving
• Vision troubles American Stroke Association provide science-based your child, the text, and the
• Balance or coordination problems recommendations, including: multidimensional task of
reading. These variables
• Severe headache without a cause • Women with a history of high blood pressure combine to create reading
before pregnancy should be considered for low-
Some women experience other, more subtle early dose aspirin and/or a calcium supplement to comprehension.
signs of stroke that may be easy to brush off. This lower risks of preeclampsia, a serious high blood Consider your child.
includes fatigue, confusion, general weakness and pressure pregnancy disorder. To achieve reading
nausea or vomiting. comprehension, your child must bring a positive mindset,
• Preeclampsia should be recognized as a risk factor
Any sudden, unexplainable loss in function should well after pregnancy, because women who have background knowledge, and reading skills to what they read.
prompt a call to a healthcare provider. If it is a preeclampsia have twice the risk of stroke and a If your child is a reluctant or struggling reader, does he have
stroke, getting treatment immediately can make all four-fold risk of high blood pressure later in life. a positive mindset about it? If not, how can you change it?
the difference. • Other risk factors such as smoking, high cholesterol Your child’s prior life experiences contribute to reading
and obesity in women with preeclampsia should be comprehension. Consider yourself assembling furniture.
Stroke risk factors treated early. When you’ve previously put together furniture, that
Women and men share the major stroke risk factors: experience helps you anticipate assembling the new piece.
smoking, high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol. • Pregnant women who have moderately high blood
pressure may be considered for blood pressure Every time your child learns or experiences something
But according to Sara Huser, DO, a Cleveland Clinic medication. Expectant mothers with severe high new they make connections and store it to use later when
Florida neurologist, there are other risk factors blood pressure should be treated. encountering new material. Thus, what type of varying
that are unique to women. These include certain • Women should be screened for high blood experiences or knowledge are you giving your child?
hormones, childbirth, pregnancy, birth control pills pressure before taking birth control pills, because The text or books your child reads contributes to his or
and migraine headaches with aura. This is why the combination raises stroke risks. her understanding. Like the story of Goldilocks and the Three
women have their own set of stroke prevention • Women who have migraine headaches with aura Bears, you don’t want the text your child reads to be too easy
guidelines with strategies to help reduce their risk.
should stop smoking to avoid higher stroke risks. or too hard, but just right. Find out your elementary age child’s
“There are specific guidelines for women,” says Dr. • Women older than 75 should be screened for Lexile level and pick books within that range. Learn more at
Huser, who sees patients at Cleveland Clinic Florida’s atrial fibrillation risk, because it’s linked to higher lexile.com or talk to your local librarian.
Tomsich Health and Medical Center of Palm Beach stroke risk. The act of reading is multidimensional and includes
County. “If you have high blood pressure, diabetes or quickly sounding out words, reading speed, and vocabulary. If
cholesterol, or if you’re taking oral contraceptive pills Sticking to healthy lifestyle behaviors – like your child is reading aloud to you and mispronounces words,
and smoking, those are major risk factors that you maintaining a healthy body mass index, eating a only correct the words that change the meaning. Using a book
need to pay attention to if you are female.” diet rich in fruits and vegetables, exercising regularly at your child’s Lexile level, simultaneously read aloud with
and not smoking – has been shown to reduce stroke
The good news is that some of these factors can be incidence in women and improve stroke outcomes in your child to build reading speed. Stop periodically and take
changed or addressed. both men and women. turns describing what each person is picturing in their mind
as visualizing helps with comprehension. Teach your child a
new vocabulary word each week and practice using it during
TALK WITH AN EXPERT. the week.
From stroke recovery and specialized spine care to brain tumor surgery, If you want to increase your child’s reading comprehension,
Cleveland Clinic Florida provides comprehensive care for every neurological allocate sufficient time to work on it, read with your child,
condition. Call 877.463.201 to schedule an appointment or visit provide varied life experiences, and work on skills. If you
ClevelandClinicFlorida.org/stroke to learn more. need a specialist, I have reading tutors at jimforgan.com/tutor.
Sara Huser, DO Dr. Forgan is a licensed school psychologist and certified
dyslexia testing specialist and can help you at (561) 625-4125
or JimForgan.com.