PlaneTree opened its then-Victorian doors in February, 1989, followed by a grand opening on April 28. This year our anniversary again coincides with Dining Out for Life, when participating South Bay restaurants donate 25% of their revenue to The Health Trust's AIDS services.
     Celebrate PlaneTree's anniversary with our staff, volunteers, and supporters with a no-host dinner at Viva (near the library in Los Gatos) on Thursday at 6 p.m. If you can join us, please email or call (408/358-5667) by 5 p.m. Tuesday so we can include you in our group reservation.
     We'll raise funds for a good cause while raising our glasses to PlaneTree!

  

     Lush vegetation following our rainy March promises a sneezy spring for many of our readers. This Mayo Clinic article on hay fever covers self-care, over-the-counter and prescription drugs, when to consult a doctor, and how to prepare for your office visit. Reduce pollen-induced eye irritation with these tips from National Jewish Health. NJH, a specialty center for respiratory conditions, also recommends salt-water wash treatments (nasal irrigation) for hay fever and allergic asthma sufferers who are bothered by sinus or nasal drainage.

  

Teens on the Autism Spectrum

     A recent New York Times article discussed diverse issues that parents of adolescents with autism or Asperger's face in planning for their teens' future. The Transition Tool Kit created by Autism Speaks will be helpful for many families.

  

Exercise

     The New York Times website is a great resource for learning about the science of exercise and physical fitness, as evidenced by this sampling of recent articles:

• Exercises for people with knee instability or sprain-prone ankles (text & demonstration video)
• Research on the effects of a "chair-based lifestyle"
• Problems with many core-strengthening exercises and better alternatives (text & demonstration video)
• Experts attempting to answer the question, "What's the single best exercise?"
• A review of research on associations between heart attacks and physical or sexual activity

     The following news items have no information that laypersons can currently make practical use of, but the research they describe is so fascinating we want to share it with you.
     One line of study in genomics has been the microbes living on our own bodies. (The human body contains about 10 trillion cells; each of us hosts about 100 trillion microbes.) Recent research found 3 "distinct ecosystems" of microbes in the gut of 38 individuals, regardless of their digestive health or residence on any of 3 continents. The New York Times compares the potential significance to this finding to the discovery of blood types a century ago, because of the promise it offers in tailoring treatments to fit individuals.