I went to a conference on aging. To be more exact, I went to a conference on how to treat elders with memory problems, and how to avoid becoming an elder with memory problems yourself.

One of the topics was on sleep patterns, and how they change as we age. The physician giving the talk spoke about "sleep hygiene," which is basically "how to get to sleep if you have insomnia 101." This doctor said that the bedroom should be used only for two things. One of them was sleep, and as the doctor said, the other one also begins with an "S." And to think that I thought the kitchen table was for the other "S." Silly me.

But seriously, I couldn't imagine only using my bedroom for sleep. I usually read before I go to sleep because it relaxes me. I don't like the television in the bedroom because I think the sound and light interfere with sleep. But I am obviously in the minority here, if my hospital experience is any measure. Most people in the hospital keep their TVs on 24/7. Sometimes after work I don't even put on the radio after work, because of all of the beeping monitors, ringing telephones, and blaring of televisions all night long. Ick. But I digress...

Anyway, there was another person at this conference who spoke about nutrition and aging, and by the end of the lecture, I wondered if it would be ever safe to eat again. She not only advocated for eating all organic food, she said that the only vitamins that we should be taking are "pharmaceutical grade" vitamins, available, of course, for a price, from certain physician-run formularies.

During lunch, I spoke with the other people at my table and we decided that if we followed this doctor's recommendations, the only food items that would be safe to eat would be organic red wine and potato chips. I'm okay with that, as long as I can have the occasional dose of chocolate.

It was interesting to listen to these people who are definitely leaders in their fields, talking about ways to prevent excessive aging if you only followed their rules. The doctor who advocated "pharmaceutical grade" dietary supplements also said that if we use microwaves, all the nutrients in our food would be lost. She also advocated for the reduction of caffeine in the diet. As I said to my colleagues, "I can't imagine getting through graduate school without caffeine and a microwave oven."

I guess the thing that bothered me about this particular nutritional talk was that for most people that I see in my career, the goals that the doctor advocated would be unattainable. Many of the elders that I have encountered in my career have had at least deficits in their mobility, if not multiple health problems. Often, they also live in either subsidized housing for low-income individuals, or live in their own homes, and continue there on limited incomes. They also have very limited transportation options. Unfortunately, one of the disadvantages of living in the Mitten is that our state has relied too heavily on the "power" of the automotive industry, and never developed a viable public transit system. So those patients who either cannot drive because of deficits, or who cannot afford to own a car or pay for regular cab service, are at a monumental disadvantage.

To tell these people, who already are either very ill or living at poverty levels (or both) to eat only organic foods and do away with their microwaves (and possibly their Meals on Wheels, which may be the only balanced meals that they receive), is laughable, in a sad sort of way.