Seniors Site

When seniors talk about their health, for some reason, it is easier for them to just lie about it or not tell anything at all. What they don’t know is that some of these littlest things are considered by doctors as important red flags when it comes to your well being so it is really important for you to mention them everytime you visit your doctor! By doing so, you prevent misdiagnosis from happening and your doctor will be able to give you better treatment than have him second guess things.
#1: Your smoking habit. Smoking is bad and seniors are not encouraged to continue smoking – healthy and otherwise. Seniors know this too but as they would simply put it, what difference does it make if they continue doing so? In return, they just keep on smoking – lessen it 2-3 sticks a day to remove guilt – then just lie about it when asked by their doctors. Some who admit the nasty habit to their doctors, try to trick their doctors into believing that they are on their way to weaning when in fact they don’t have any intention of doing so. One stick or ten, you just have to tell your doctor – they need to know about it. Smoking affects your blood circulation and put you in risk of forming blood clots which can clog your arteries. Smoking can also alter your treatment, bringing about unexpected drug reactions. Only your doctor can understand and foresee these reactions if told.
#2: Your stress levels. When you talk to your doctor, make it a point to express your current stress levels. A lot of bodily reactions these days are connected to stress. Just recently, my doctor found out that my incessant coughing has nothing to do with my lungs but it was brought about by an allergy – an allergy triggered by stress. So does my friend’s tummy ache – which was diagnosed as ulcers. So the next time your doctor is up for a chat, do a little rundown of the things that have been bothering you, just don’t burn your doc’s ear about it.
#3: Vitamins, supplements and other medications, herbal and otherwise, that you are taking these days. Sometimes when we refer to something as “natural”, we are quick to assume that it’s not worth telling your doctor when in fact, even the kind of food you eat, is something that should be taken note of. Fish oil for one is a blood thinner so if your doctor happened to be prescribing a medication to do exactly as such, you are doubling your recommended dose for thinning the blood.
#4: Your sex life. Just because you’re old doesn’t mean you are safe to have sex and/or invincible in acquiring sex related diseases. I say that this is the time when you should be more cautious about your sexual relations and be more aware of what going on “down there”.
#5: Your eating habits. Or more so, the kind of diet you are engaging at the moment or planning to engage in the near future. Even the slightest shift in your appetite should be reported as it is an indication of what’s going inside your body.

Healthy teeth and good dental health are important to seniors since your dental health plays a big role in maintaining your overall health and outlook. Good news is, seniors nowadays recognize this importance thus moving them into action and providing their dental health the attention it needs. Seniors need to know that it is important for them to pay attention to their dental health especially during their retirement years. Failure to do so could result to infections and other diseases such as diabetes and heart diseases as well as respiratory problems.
Maintaining a good dental health is quite easy, you just have to remember to brush and floss everyday and of course, to visit your dentist at least twice a year for regular checkups and minor repairs as well as professional teeth cleaning. Do tell your dentist about the medications you are currently taking or if you notice some changes in your oral health. These dental habits lessen the risks of having oral cancer.
Avoid alcohol and tobacco as much as possible. Alcohol damages your teeth’s enamel by way of the substance metabolizing into sugar which in return encourages plaques from forming. With that said, teeth, when constantly bathed in alcohol is pretty much like soaking it in a glassful of melted sugar. Tobacco, on the other hand, is hands-down, a tooth killer! The moment you put a cigarette stick in your mouth, you expose your mouth to a hundred different kinds of abuse! Let me count the ways:
Tobacco smoking is bad for your dental health because:
1. It causes bad breath.
2. It stains your teeth.
3. It shrinks your gums.
4. It irritates the soft tissues in your mouth leading to mouth sores.
5. It limits your sense of taste.
6. It slows down the healing process inside your mouth.
7. It has substances that scratch your teeth’s enamel.
8. It encourages tooth loss as a result of one or two of above.
9. It encourages gum diseases because it affects bones and soft tissues inside your mouth.
10. It disqualifies you as a candidate for some of dental procedures.
It really pays to adapt a healthy lifestyle since it, more or less, takes care of your teeth too. For one, if you are on a diet, you are most likely to be limiting your sugar intake which apparently is your teeth’s number one enemy – sugar is. Second, a recent study showed that exercising may improve your dental health too since it contributes to overall health.
Do invest on a good toothbrush since it is your first line of defense. Dentists suggest that high-quality electric toothbrushes with rounded heads are designed to remove plaques more effectively than your regular toothbrush.

One of the easiest tricks to a successful weight loss program is controlling hunger. Contrary to popular notion, hunger doesn’t really lead to weight loss and most of the time, it even backfires and would only make you want to eat more, therefore sabotaging your diet. It goes without saying too that crash dieting is a big no-no and won’t ever get you to lose weight effectively, nor does its effect would last.
For seniors, going hungry in the name of skinniness won’t do you any good. Just think of it this way, did your doctor ever told you to “don’t eat and you’ll be cured”? First of all, no senior is ever recommended of not eating at all, in fact, we’re always encouraged to eat healthy meals several times a day even if these meals are portioned. The point is, you just have to eat, whether you like it or not.
Excluding all would-be health issues, let’s focus on weight loss and hunger management. Below are some helpful tips on how to effectively manage hunger:
· Never, ever miss breakfast. This is the first meal you are going to give your body, this will also be the one which your body will eventually burn so there’s really no harm in having your breakfast every single day. What’s harmful though is when you skip it as there is a chance you’ll end up craving and too hungry for lunch, you’ll eat more than you should.
· Eat eggs in the morning. Eggs are fabulous at keeping hunger at bay. The protein in eggs will keep you full longer than any other kind of food taken in the morning.
· Drink lots of water. If you would like to cut back on your calorie intake, you might want to drink a glass of water before and after a meal. Water makes you feel full while ice cold water makes your body heat up to maintain ideal temperature hence boosting metabolism to burn more calories.
· Avoid anything white such as white bread, white rice as they are refined. You are better off with grainy stuff as they will add fiber in your daily intake.
· Munch on nuts. Nuts are packed full of nutrients you need to ward off hunger. Also nuts, particularly almonds are high in protein, fiber and good fat – a handful is sure to keep you full until your next meal!
· Look for diversions. I once asked a friend who just turned 70 last week what’s the big secret behind her trim and youthful body, she said that the road wasn’t always as smooth as it seemed, that there were times she was hit by cravings so strong she cried but she learned to divert her cravings into activities that instead of taking in more calories, would require her to sweat out, like running or gardening. Just imagine how uncomfortable it would be to run and eat at the same time.

Diabetes is as common as the sun these days – even kids can develop them! While diabetes may be controlled, the ugly truth is once you get it, it’s yours for life – no way curing it or getting it out of your system yet. However, if you are prone to diabetes, it is good to know that you can prevent diabetes or manage your sugar levels when still in prediabetes stage – you can even make your blood glucose levels return to its normal range if you are just careful about it and adjust your lifestyle accordingly.
If you are trying to prevent diabetes, you should be able to assess your risks. Below are some of the most common risk factors for diabetes:
· Obesity or if you are overweight.
· Genes. If your family has a long history of diabetes or if it runs in the family.
· Heritage. A study showed that African Americans, American Indians, Asian Americans, Pacific Highlanders and Hispanic Americans are more prone to diabetes.
· History of having gestational diabetes.
· High blood pressure.
· Abnormal cholesterol levels.
· Lack of everyday physical activity.
If you take a look at the risk factors for diabetes, you’d see that most of it can actually be prevented if the person has taken steps to healthy living, i.e healthy diet and exercise. Notice too how important it is to stay within your ideal weight to prevent diabetes from happening.
This is also why it is important to be conscious of your eating habits. ADA or American Diabetes Association is currently running a campaign which they termed as “create your plate” campaign. This campaign is supposed to help prediabetes sufferers to adapt healthy eating habits thus preventing diabetes onset. This campaign is made famous by it use of a 9-inch plate to determine adequate eating portions. Below is a quick rundown of the campaign:
· Make it a point to always fill half of your plate of non-starchy foods such as greens, fruits etc.
· Only one-fourth of your plate is allowed to have starchy foods such as rice and noodles as well as potatoes and corn.
· Another one-fourth is for meat and meat substitute such as poultry and tofu.
· One serving of fruit or half cup fresh or canned fruit medley.
· A glass of milk or 6-ounce worth low-fat yogurt.
While this food guide is generally applicable to those with pre-diabetes, it can also be done for those who already have diabetes, although with slight adjustments to the portions. Depending on the type of diabetes you have and your risk of having one, one can adjust the food portioning accordingly just as long as the nutrient-dense choices are always there and take up the majority of your plate.

I hate to break this to you, my fellow seniors, but there is no getting around exercising. You just have to do it. No amount of sauna sweating sessions can help you achieve the full benefits of exercising, nor those designer exercise-replicating devices you see on TV. However, the beauty of exercising is that you don’t have to spend too much on anything and thinking of all those health benefits by taking the hard road should be enough to convince you that indeed exercising is still the easiest way to a healthy you!
I won’t enumerate the benefits anymore, let’s just say that exercising delays aging, inside and out. I have seen this happen and it is never too late to exercise. Why not start now?
I have listed below everyday exercises that are suitable for seniors. This can be done at home or just about anywhere so there’s no reason for you not to do them!
· Moderate endurance exercises or aerobics. These are activities done to increase your heart rate thus training your body to improve stamina and endurance. Endurance exercises are recommended to be done at least 30 minutes everyday. For this, seniors could join health clubs and aerobic sessions or if time doesn’t permit, brisk walking and running can achieve the same effect.
· Do some squats. Squats, when done properly will strengthen your lower body specifically your hips, glutes and thighs. That means a little tighter around your fanny too! Beware though as squats can get a little tricky so you should get someone to observe you while you do some squats or perhaps do it in front of a mirror so you could see if you are doing it right. Remember that your knees shouldn’t go pass your toes and your fanny should be sticking out. To help you achieve proper form, try doing first couple of squats on a chair.
· Lift weights above your head. Ideally, do this with a fitness instructor around but if there’s none, two identical-in-weight cans or plastic water bottles can do the trick. Above head lifts will give you upper body strength.
· Do bicep curls to improve your lifting ability. Bicep curls add definition to your arms thus preventing the saggy, wrinkly look. Also, training your bicep muscles will help you in lifting everyday objects like your suitcase or your week’s groceries.
· Leg raises to strengthen your lower back. While leg raise is an excellent way of strengthening your lower back, it helps improve your balance too. You can do leg raises sideways and backwards while standing or while lying on your side.
· Stretch whenever you can! Stretching helps your muscles unknot. It also improves blood circulation. Simple stretching routines performed periodically all throughout the day keeps everything inside you oiled and moving.

Don’t we all? I mean, would love to age gracefully? I have just been to AARP website and saw there Raquel Welch and was reminded how a 70-something woman should look like. I know, I know. I shouldn’t be comparing my mediocre looks to that of an actress, I can even hear me saying to my daughter the day she fussed about how Jessica Alba looked like after giving birth while she still battles with the baby belly two years after her firstborn. However, admit it or not, who wouldn’t kill for youthful looking skin at age 60? Below are some “reported” secrets to aging gracefully. Hopefully, it will still work even if we’re this late in life!

* Smile a lot. To be able to really smile, you must learn how to let go of all the grudges you’ve been holding onto for so many years! This is not easy and it takes a lot of time but if you think of all the bad effects these grudges can bring you then might as well consider it as an investment of a lifetime!
* Wear your age and be proud! Accepting your age as well as its implications can help you age gracefully and keep depression at bay at the same time. Bear in mind that your emotional self is your biggest enemy, not your physical self since being content and happy can make you look years younger, with or without botox.
* Accepting changes. You can no longer climb a tree, so what? It takes a couple of seconds before you recognize a face, so what? You are old now and no one is expecting you to do 20-ish things anymore. Take it and revel in it! There are things you can no longer do but certainly there are things which they, young people, cannot do so that makes it even.
* Break the rules! Who says you should never go out with your gray hair all hanging for everyone to see? Whoever told you not to wear lacy Victoria’s Secrets because they are for the young ones only? Get over with the stereotypes and let yourself rule!
* Find meaning in your life. Have you fulfilled your purpose already? Or are you still finding your own little place under the sun? Are you content with what you have and would rather be home passing hours? Don’t let your golden years be wasted by waiting for death to come. You can still find your life’s meaning even this late in life.

Okay, seniors can exercise anytime they want but studies show that exercising in the morning maximizes the effect thus giving you a better result than doing it any other time of the day. Below are some of the reasons why seniors need to exercise in the morning:

• Exercising in the morning improves sleep. This is because early morning exercise sets your circadian rhythm or your internal body clock that tells your body when it’s time to wake up and when it is time to rest thus improving your sleep.
• Helps you to be consistent with your exercises. Because you are doing it in the morning, you don’t have to set aside time for it during the day which is quite hard once you start doing your everyday tasks. It’s more like doing it first thing in the morning so it’s out of the way already.
  Burns more fat efficiently. It sets your metabolism in high gear so it will burn longer than your body would normally do.
• Helps you adopt a proper mindset. Because you are still feeling that “healthy glow” that comes post-exercise, you are more conscious of the things you eat and how you do things all throughout the day.
• It regulates your hormones better. Your metabolism and hormones go hand-in-hand so when you get your metabolism going, you are also encouraging your hormones to release properly.
• It makes you more alert, keeps your blood pressure in tiptop shape and encourages good blood circulation.
• It sharpens your mind. Studies show that it improves mental acuity which lasts up to ten hours after exercise.
• You feel great. All throughout the day. You do know that exercising releases happy hormones therefore if you exercise in the morning, you feel happy the whole day.
• Trains your body when to be active and when to rest.
• Provides your brain the oxygen it needed. In the morning.
• Jumpstarts your day right. Exercise in the morning has better effects than a cold shower or a strong cup of coffee.
• You feel fulfilled since you’re able to accomplish something so early in the morning.
• The hormone cortisol is higher in the morning. Cortisol is the hormone responsible for breaking fat and turning it into body fuel or energy. Which means you are naturally stronger in the mornings than in any other time of the day.
• Your body burns stored fat rather than burning the energy source you introduced during the day since you exercised first thing in the morning and there’s not much going around to fuel your body.
• You feel lighter when exercising. It doesn’t get any lighter than mornings so take advantage of it.

Unless you have serious endocrine problem , getting fat and losing it definitely don’t happen overnight. More often than not, it is brought about your eating habits’ cumulative effect. If you would like to gain weight, try adding 500 calories to your daily intake for a week and you’ll definitely see results. In fact, a mere 100 extra calories everyday is a sure fire way to add stones on your weighting scale! With that said, losing it is pretty much the same when you’re trying to gain it. Instead of adding extra calories or maintaining a steady number of calories, try to lessen it by 100-200 calories everyday. Very soon, you’ll feel the difference! However, due to our health, seniors are strongly advised to seek help from their doctors before engaging in any weight loss programs. Below are some easy and safe fat busting tips for seniors:
· Load up on fruits and veggies. These food groups are mostly without calories or if they have, it certainly won’t hurt your weight loss efforts.
· Cut your meals by half. If you are used to having a full plate, go for half plate and fill the other half with fruits and veggies. This way you won’t feel deprived but at the same time won’t feel guilty about loading up on calories again.
· Avoid anything white. White rice, white sugar, white pasta – all these are refined thus lesser nutrients and more fattening agents.
· Drink a glassful of water before meal. Straight. It will make you feel fuller and less hungry so that when it’s time to eat, you’ll consume lesser than you would if you eat straight on.
· Focus your attention to your plate when eating. Avoid eating while watching TV as you are not totally mindful of how much you are eating. Furthermore, if you are in dire need of snacks when watching your favorite soap, prepare a chilled bowl of fruits instead of grabbing chips and junkfoods.
· Eat in portions. It is to give your stomach some time to digest the food you are taking and not feel overloaded. It is also a good training for your tummy to take meals in smaller portions.
· Go for steamed instead of fried. Better yet, avoid anything that is fried because it is not good in any way especially for an aging body like ours.
· Give yourself a break. It is not bad to give yourself a reward for being good all week. A scoop of your favorite ice cream once a week will help your body regulate its metabolism properly, in other words, you’re giving your body a huge favor too!

Vacation plans? Check. Plane tickets? Check. Designer suitcases? Check. Yourself? Not yet. Well, if this is your case then you are not alone as there are many seniors who are still in doubt if they would ever fit into their swimsuits right in time for summer!

Aside from the usual last-minute diet, there are many things you should consider especially now that the summer is fast approaching. Don’t worry, there is still hope, or at the very least, a slim chance that you’ll make it into shape by summertime. So, shall we start with your be-slim-by-summer plan? Let’s go!

•    Start your day with a smoothie. Springtime is a good time to start your mornings with something naturally sweet and totally refreshing drink that is also loaded with fiber and really easy on your stomach. Smoothies are good for seniors especially those with digestion problems. It is also a good replacement for your cup of coffee if your carer won’t quit bugging you about your coffee intake.
•    Make fruits and veggies your friend. If staying healthy is not good enough a reason for you to lessen your meat intake and load up on fruits and veggies then just think about that teeny-weeny bathing suit waiting inside your closet for you. This is the only way to take off those extra inches without starving yourself to death. Be as colorful as can be with your fruits and vegetables selection.
•     Replace one meal with tossed greens. Don’t even think that tossed greens won’t fill you up because it will, and best of all, it will help things inside your stomach move south without leaving an unfulfillable void right after. In fact, if this won’t gross you out, it actually feels good!
•    Forget fad diet. It won’t do you any good, so is crash dieting. Such diets are never good at any age, double that if you belong to age 65 and above bracket. Also, fad diets don’t have longterm results and often have health risks. At your age, you don’t need that kind of risk.
•    Go for cardio exercises. It may be a little too late if you go for muscle building as summer is just around the corner so the easiest and safest route for you to take is cardio exercises. There are many cardio exercises available for seniors and it almost always depend on your level of fitness so you don’t have to worry burning yourself to death with cardio exercises. Of all exercises, cardio is the fastest burning of them all.
•    Stave off hunger by drinking water. Water will make you feel fuller, that is why dieters go for a glass of water before a meal so that they won’t feel too hungry when it’s time for the meal itself.

Let’s keep it light today shall we? While doing my regular volunteer work for a nearby care residence which houses a couple of really, really old people left abandoned by their families and friends (if they still have any surviving), I encountered a new “recruit” and I must say, this new recruit is not a happy one, either. I knew from the moment I laid my eyes to this new one that the day would be longer than usual.

He was a grumpy, old chap and based from my experience, that kind of person will do other residents no good. Understood without saying that we, volunteers will have intervene and make this old chap a little likable before the day is out.

While we don’t have any handy solution for taking years off physically, there are things a senior can do to keep themselves “young-at-hearts”. Always be reminded that a happy disposition can always make you look and feel younger that no amount of elixir can really compare. If we can’t take the years off outside then let it come from inside. You just need to give it a little more effort and lots of practice!

Years of counting your age off a calendar only made you weary and tired even if you are not physically feeling it. Throw your doubts out the window and start making everyday count. Instead of counting the years away from your birth year, think of it as a badge you wear, a badge which bears your accomplishments as a person. Numbers are not something you need to be worried about, let your doctor worry about it!

Seniors also need to learn how to invite positive energies into their lives. Smile and laugh as often as possible and stay away from any or all negative vibes as you don’t really need them at this point. Sort your friends and keep those who strive with positivity; those who were not lucky enough to develop this kind of outlook in life, you need to stay away from as they will only pull you down. Enjoy life as it happens and be there when it actually happens.

Live without regrets. Life is beautiful, we just need to learn how to appreciate it. Let go of old grudges and forgive those who trespassed you. You are older, you should be wiser, and wiser means you should be able to move on with your life and not dwell on the past. There is no use in doing this, you see? You just have to learn to let go of the things you can no longer control.

Lastly, it is okay to feel pain and hurt and sorrow. These things make you the person you are right now and the person you’ll be tomorrow. The most important thing is you know how to accept things as they come and you don’t hold life accountable for all the lemons thrown your way.