An Apple A Day… Seniors And Nutrition

An Apple A Day… Seniors And Nutrition

Every time you turn on the television or open a general interest magazine these days, you are bound to be confronted with a story about the startling and ever-growing worldwide problem of obesity. More and more people are unhealthily overweight, to the point where eating can actually endanger our lives. There have always been some individuals that have eaten unhealthily, mainly because naughty foods taste so good, but the population as a whole now has to consider how our diets are affecting us. We can become sluggish and lethargic if we are getting the wrong amounts of nutrients and so conscious thought about what we put into our bodies is essential, and that especially applies to seniors.

As we get older, our metabolism slows down and we can no longer burn calories at the same rate as we used to. It therefore makes it easier for us to put on weight but harder for us to shed it. However, putting on weight has a more negative affect on seniors than it does any other age group. Being overweight can put unnecessary stress on the joints and thus accelerate the affects of arthritis, osteoporosis and other bone and muscle disorders and illnesses. It can also bring about the onset of diabetes, which is more common in seniors than in any other age group as it is. Whilst any senior should enjoy a little of what he or she loves to eat every now and again, no matter how unhealthy it may be, a regular balanced nutritious diet is just what the doctor orders!

A typical senior diet should consist of:
* 5 to 10 servings of fruit and vegetables a day, although more of the latter than the former
* 6 to 10 servings of complex carbohydrates a day, which incorporates rice, pasta, bread and cereals
* 2 or 3 helpings of calcium-based products, which includes milk, cheese and yoghurt (although the low fat variety would work out best)
* 2 to 3 servings of meat, poultry or fish a day o provide the body with protein
* A large amount of fiber throughout the day, which can also be found in the cereals, fruit and vegetables mentioned above

All of the foodstuffs in the list above are finely balanced as far as amount are concerned. This diet would fulfil every nutritional need that a senior has and would encourage good health. However, dieticians do advise that seniors stay away from saturated fats and sodium. The latter, also known as salt, is a factor of increased blood pressure. Therefore, salt should only be used sparingly. Most natural foods do contain salt, but in healthy doses, and so excess salt should be avoided. Avoid baking with it if at all possible, and try to resist that liberal sprinkle on your main meal! Saturated fat is actually resistant to the body’s nutritional process. That is to say it is not broken down and used for good within your body. It just sits there and clogs up your arteries. As a result, it is a factor in heart disease, forms of cancer and gallbladder disease, as well as the widespread obesity in society today.

A well balanced diet can boost your health, but a poor diet that does not fulfil all bodily nutritional requirements can actually cause it to deteriorate. In seniors, this is especially dangerous. After all, if you struggle to move the how are you supposed to work off the excess weight? If you are in shape you can avoid immobility. It is therefore a vicious circle that may relate directly to your diet.

All seniors should enjoy life to the fullest extent, but eating healthily on a regular basis can actively extend the amount of time you have left to enjoy it! Make the most of every opportunity because you only get one chance at life. Revolutionize your diet and reap the rewards!

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Stay Happy And Healthy And Enjoy Life As A Senior!

Stay Happy And Healthy And Enjoy Life As A Senior!

You cannot pick up a book or switch on the television these days without having a so-called expert preaching to you about the benefits of healthy living. Most of these experts have something to sell and so are easy to dismiss. However, all seniors should attempt to see through their gimmicks because a very important message lies at the heart of their sales pitch – we should all make the effort to be healthy in order to improve our quality of life.

Maintaining health is all about moderation. There is no point going overboard to try and get healthy when we get to a certain age. That just takes all of the enjoyment out of life. If you like something that is bad for you then simply cut down rather than remove it from you life altogether and be miserable. Having said that, there are certain key areas that require attention if an individual senior wants to stay healthy:

Tobacco: We have all seen the warnings on what smoking can do to us, but yet a high number of seniors still smoke. As seniors are more vulnerable to breathing difficulties, smokers should look into the possibilities of quitting. There are now clinics, medication and counselling sessions on offer in every state that are aimed at those looking to quit. If you don’t want to quit though, it would be advisable to cut down. Poor circulation, lung cancer and pneumonia are just some of the illnesses associated with smoking, so ask yourself how long you really want to be around for before lighting up next time.

Alcohol: There is nothing wrong with consuming alcohol, as long as you do so in moderation. Health guidelines state that men should not consume more than two units of alcohol a day, and women should limit themselves to one. A unit is the equivalent of a glass of wine or beer, or a shot of liquor. Some forms of alcohol, red wine for example, are considered healthier than others too. However, all alcohol can contribute to certain cancers and liver disease and thus should be consumed sensibly.

Exercise: Seniors should do at least an hour’s worth of exercise every week. It can be split into six lots of ten minutes, three lost of twenty minutes and so on… you get the picture. That hour of exercise can give the muscles and joints a work out to ensure that they remain supple and flexible, thus cutting the risk of arthritis and stiff joints. It can get the blood pumping, boost your immune system and thus keep any diseases or illnesses at bay to ensure that you enjoy your senior health rather than let it rule your life.

Nutrition: Diet is more important for vulnerable groups than it is for anyone else, and more so for seniors. Diabetes is common in seniors and, for the most part, has to be controlled by diet. Other ailments such as osteoporosis and arthritis can also be aided by a carefully controlled diet. Although none of these illnesses can be cured by a healthy diet, the condition that senior bodies are in can. Eating nutritious wholesome meals can give seniors the strength to fight against their effects.

Medical attention: Seniors should get regular health checks that include blood pressure and sight/hearing exams. Blood glucose should also be tested so any sign of diabetes can be caught early, and some doctors will even do a urine test as well to make sure that their patients are in good health. There is nothing more precious than your health and seniors should pay more attention to theirs than most! If you take care of your body, it will take care of you for that little bit longer!

Seniors are vulnerable to the effects of ill health and should make more of an effort to look after themselves than other age groups. Trying to stay healthy will probably prolong our lives and will certainly improve the quality of them, regardless of how long left each and every one of us has.

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A Beginner’s Guide To Retirement Homes

A Beginner’s Guide To Retirement Homes

There may come a time in every caregiver’s life that you have to make a decision. If you are caring for a relative then you may well have to decide whether to register him or her with a retirement home with a view to procuring a room. If you have been caring for that relative at home for some time then it will be even more of a wrench to make that decision. You may well be unable to cope with the stresses and strains of it now, or the condition that your elderly relative may have worsened to the point that it is now impossible for the relative to remain at home. Either way, it is a difficult decision to make and you should do all of the necessary research to convince you that you are making the right decision. This article will provide you with a brief overview to help you make that decision.

There are various types of retirement home that are designed to cater for seniors in a variety of ways. General retirement homes can be split into two categories – residential and nursing. Nursing homes are designed for individuals that require better medical care. These are often the best choice for those suffering with the after effects of strokes and cancer, as well as catering for those with advanced forms of dementia. Residential homes are better for those who have milder forms of dementia and slight physical disabilities because they do not provide nursing care but do attempt to provide residents with a greater freedom. There are also specialist retirement homes that cater for specific illnesses if you are indeed looking for specialist care.

It can be difficult to choose a home for your loved one because of the sheer choice of retirement homes out there. Most are privately funded and have state of the art facilities so they are fully equipped to take care of any physical or medical complaints that they may have. As a result, it is hard to distinguish between them on paper alone and so visiting your short-listed homes may be a great idea, especially if you take your senior relative with you. You will able to choose between them if you sample the atmosphere and facilities yourself, and of course the reaction of your loved one may also play a big part in your decision. It is likely that they will initially appear happier during a visit to one than they are when visiting the others.

Before finalizing your decision, even if you do have one place in mind, you should always do your homework. You should look into the background of the home, how it is run and its health and safety credentials as well as asking around for feedback. Going into any situation blind is taking a huge risk, but would you really want your loved one to stay at a place that may flaunt health and safety provisions and could ultimately be damaging to their health?

Whatever you decide to do in the end, retirement homes can provide a safe and secure environment that will allow your loved one to live out his or her last days in peace with the best medical care available. It will also provide you with peace of mind. It can be a hard decision to make the first break but you have to ultimately do what is best for your loved one. If you can no longer cope as the primary carer then you should think of your health as well as considering what may be best for both of you in the long run.

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Caring For The Elderly: Senior Illnesses And What They Mean To You

Caring For The Elderly: Senior Illnesses And What They Mean To You

As we get older, we all become more susceptible to illnesses, diseases and ailments that may render us incapacitated in some way, shape or form. In some cases we may not even recover from them. It is a sad fact, but we will all eventually shake hands with the very thing that is going to kill us. However, that is not to say that all senior illnesses are incurable. In fact, there are very few that are untreatable. If you happen to be a caregiver and look after a senior on a daily basis, then there are various diseases that you may actually come into contact with and learn how to cope with via that individual. It can be difficult watching someone you care about succumb to illness at any age, but with seniors it is inevitable. A little bit of background knowledge can help to prepare you for the worst, so here is a quick guide to senior illnesses:

CANCER – Over two thirds of all seniors are affected by cancer at some point in their lives. Some forms of cancer are more common than others. Lung and breast cancer are the most common forms as found in seniors, but skin cancer also puts in an appearance in the top senior afflictions list. Cancer can be treated with great effect these days but the older the sufferer is, the more the odds of a full recovery are cut. After all, how many eighty years olds are strong enough to come through a course of chemotherapy? Any form of cancer must be caught early if a patient is to stand any chance of recovery so bodily abnormalities must be checked out by a medical professional as soon as they are discovered.

DEMENTIA – A high number of seniors also suffer from dementia. There are many forms of dementia, but they all stem from decreasing brain activity owing to degradation and resultant damage to the connections between the brain and nerve endings in the body. The cause of dementia is not known and there can be little done to effectively treat it, although some drugs do hols off the symptoms for a while. The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer’s Disease, which is generally more potent than other versions of the illness. It can be extremely frustrating for sufferers because they gradually become more confused, although they will initially know what is happening to them. It may take anywhere between a few months to many years for the full symptoms to actually emerge, but when they do it is extremely unlikely that the sufferer will know who you are.

PARKINSON’S DISEASE – Again, this is a disease that affects the nerve cells leading to the brain and like, dementia, nobody knows exactly what is behind it. Whereas dementia will affect an individual mentally, Parkinson’s primarily disables the body and then moves onto the mind. It may be apparent that a sufferer has the disease because of uncontrollable shaking, which is just as frustrating as the confusion associated with dementia. Again, there is no known cure and drugs only work for a limited time before symptoms can no longer be controlled.

DIABETES – More and more seniors are suffering with this disease as a result of their lifestyles and, primarily, their diets. As sugar and fat intake increases, the body rebels. However, diabetes is an age-old ailment that is caused by the body’s inability to produce enough insulin to keep their blood sugar levels under control. It is incurable but can be treated either by diet or medication in tablet or injection form. It will not cause the death of an individual is treated correctly. However, particular attention has to be paid to wounds that diabetics have because they have a tendency to degenerate more quickly than those in non-diabetics. Amputation of limbs is also quite common as a result of the illness. It is therefore imperative that a diagnosis is swift and observations thereafter occur daily.

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