Archive for the ‘Living’ Category
Choices for Senior Living after Retirement
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When seniors reach retirement age they have a number of options open to them regarding their choice of lifestyle after retirement. In addition to remaining in their preretirement community or aging in place, they can consider other options. Among those options are a variety of retirement communities that include active adult communities, retirement resorts, independent living for seniors, senior apartments, and retirement resorts. In terms of options that provide a wide variety of health care seniors can choose assisted living facilities, nursing homes, continuing care retirement communities, and facilities that provide Alzheimer’s care. Whatever their choice of facility, seniors need to remember that taking their prescriptions as instructed by their physicians is of utmost important to maintaining their senior health.
After senior choose their option for retirement, they need to keep in mind that they need to maintain access to information on those topics that are of critical importance to seniors. The information they need includes senior health, caregiving, money management, real estate, and travel designed for seniors. In particular the information on senior health should include resources that explain Medicare and Medicaid, as well as services that are available to seniors.
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Senior Men Need Alpha and Gamma Vitamin E
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When folks are younger taking multivitamin supplements that contain vitamin E as one of the vitamins, the supplement usually lists the alpha form of vitamin E which is the most important component for that age group. It turns out that there are a number of other components found in natural food sources of vitamin E. When we age and enter our senior years our bodies change and the vitamin supplements that enhanced our health when we were younger may not enhance our health, but may even degrade it. This is definitely the case with the alpha component of vitamin E. Recent research has shown that senior men need to supplement with the gamma component of vitamin E as well as the alpha component, in order to maintain prostate health.
In one recent large scale test that was designed to resolve the issue of whether or not vitamin E helped to promote prostate health and to preempt prostate cancer the result was negative. That particular test used the alpha component of vitamin E which is why the test produced a negative result. Other research has shown that senior men need to consume the gamma component of vitamin E along with the alpha component in order to promote their prostate health. A number of foods such as asparagus, avocado, almonds and sunflower kernels contain the full spectrum of vitamin E components. Senior men would be well advised to add these foods to their diets or to use supplements that contain the full spectrum of vitamin E including both the alpha and gamma components.
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Pick the Right Type of Vitamin D
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Recently the major health publications and the press have been promoting the significant health benefits that result when folks consume an adequate amount of vitamin D. Sadly some of the reports fail to identify the form of vitamin D that produces the better health results which are especially important for achieving senior health. The form of vitamin D that produces the better health results and last for a longer time is the same form that our bodies synthesize using sunshine. This is the form of vitamin D that is sometimes called the “sunshine vitamin” which is vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). The form of vitamin D that is often put in many multivitamins is the vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) form which is not utilized in our bodies as well as is the vitamin D3 form.
Seniors who are concerned about taking preemptive aging steps to protect themselves against as many as 27 age-related diseases need to verify that they are getting the vitamin D3 form. This is particularly true in the winter months when the amount of sunshine is at its yearly lowest. Seniors who are deficient in blood levels of vitamin D3 are at greater risk to their cardiovascular health and to contracting cancers, particularly the hormonal ones.
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Breast Cancer Prevention by A Dynamic Team
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The diagnosis of breast cancer is always dreaded, because it often results in death or severe disfigurement of the patient. Once breast cancer gets a foothold, it becomes very difficult to treat without negative side effects. Recent research at an American university has found a way to prevent breast cancer from developing and spreading the way its typically does. In lab tests they tried varying the concentrations of curcumin applied to cultured breast cells and compared the results against untreated cultured breast cells. They found that even at the lowest levels of curcumin the number of stem cells was reduced. The reduction in stem cells meant that the cancer could be prevented.
The researchers doubled the concentration of curcumin and achieved complete inhibition of the stem cells. In further tests they tried varying concentrations of piperine and achieved lower reductions in stem cells compared with curcumin. Finally they combined curcumin and piperine and achieved a reduction in the stem cells that was greater then that resulting from either piperine or curcumin alone. The combination of curcumin and piperine did not affect the normal development of the cells, but it reduced the stem cells that fuel breast cancer. Curcumin and piperine combine to form a dynamic team against breat cancer. These results are very encouraging, because they have opened a path to possibly preventing breast cancer without serious negative side effects. This is very good news for senior women who are concerned about fostering their senior health by taking preemptive measures against breast cancer.
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Supplements Support the Big Five Health Categories
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During the last few years numerous articles have appeared in the popular press in favor of taking nutritional supplements and other against taking them. In the reports in professional literature from medical and nutritional professionals a very healthy majority of medical professionals that includes both doctors and nurses recommend supplements to their patients. More than 75% of physicians and more than 80% of nurses recommend that their patients use supplements in addition to consuming a healthy diet and engaging in exercise. Typically a majority of both nurses and doctors recommended that their patients take multivitamins.
The use of supplements was recommended for five big health categories including overall health, bone health, joint health, healthy cholesterol levels, and cardiovascular health. The doctors and nurses practiced what they preached, because a healthy majority of both reported using supplements themselves. Multivitamins were the most popular supplement used by the doctors. This is good news for seniors who are concerned about geting preemptive aging information so that they can take steps to improve their senior health.
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Games To Keep Seniors Healthy
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Regular physical exercise is typically recommended to seniors, in order to promote senior health. In addition to the obvious forms of exercise that involve the entire body there are other types of exercise that do not require total body participation. It turns out that one of these forms of exercise is actually a game, so it tends to be fun. The exercise in this case is provided by playing video games. The Wii video game system that was introduced by Nintendo in 2006 was the first interactive video game, but other major corporations like Microsoft and Sony are planning to enter the field with similar systems.
The benefit of playing interactive video games is due to the fun factor which makes the game a pleasant form of physical rehabilitation for seniors who are afflicted with disease induced disabilities. For example folks who suffer from Parkinson’s disease have regained some of their lost physical abilities after playing interactive video games. People who have suffered strokes or who suffer from diabetic neuropathy have been aided in their recovery by engaging in these interactive video games. Finally, patients with Parkinson’s who suffered from depression had it lifted by participating in the video games. This is good news for seniors who either suffer from such physical disability or who know a senior who does. The path is clear for these seniors to take advantage of this new technology to improve their senior health and enjoy their senior living.
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Step Into The Light
Everybody should be concerned about his or her health. With information readily available nobody should be left in the dark about their particular health issues. One group who really needs more information about their health is the elderly and, luckily, there is a wealth of information on independent living for seniors.
Elderly health information should be sought out because a lot of medical issues arise and get complicated when we get older. One of the concerns raised is the depletion of glutathione levels in the body as we age. Other factors are stress, exercise, injury and environmental toxins. But with glutathione supplements, we can easily increase the glutathione levels in our body. This can boost our immune system and fight off the damage of free radicals on the cells. We will feel and stay young longer with the supplements.
Dynamic Combo Defeats Atherosclerosis
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The nutrition health literature is full of reports about the health benefits of drinking green tea. The polyphenols in green tea are known to contribute to cardiovascular health. Olive oil which is used in the Mediterranean diet is known to contribute to preventing cardiovascular disease. In a recent study olive oil and green tea polyphenols were used in lab tests to study the heart healthy effects of olive oil versus the effects of combining olive oil with green tea polyphenols. Earlier research had shown that consuming extra-virgin olive oil raised the level of the beneficial high-density lipoprotein (HDL) which benefits cardiovascular health by removing potentially harmful cholesterol from the bloodstream. Olive oil is known to produce a second heart healthy effect which is the reduction of lipid peroxidation.
In the study olive oil increased the removal of cholesterol by more than 40%. When the extra-virgin olive oil was combined with the green tea polyphenols the cholesterol removal was increased by more than 135% compared with a placebo. In terms of reducing atheriosclerosis, olive oil by itself reduced the size of the atherioschlerotic lesions by more than 10% and the dynamic combo of olive oil and green tea polyphenols achieved a 20% reduction.
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Black Tea Aids Healthy Blood Sugar Levels
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The health literature is full of glowing reports about the many health benefits of drinking green tea, but what about the other tea, black tea? It turns out that it can provide a number of health benefits, too. Both types of tea contain polyphenols that are generally regarded as the substance that has been source of the teas’ historic ability to alleviate a wide range of medical ailments. Recent university research on nutrition reported that the polysccharides from black tea might moderate the spike in sugar levels that typically follow a meal. This report is good news for folks who are struggling to manage pre-diabetes or diabetes.
The researchers studied three types of tea including black, green, and oolong tea. All three were rich in polysaccharides, but they discovered that the black tea’s polysaccharides had a unique feature that made it better suited to support the body’s own function that reduces the spike in glucose levels in the blood after a meal. The lower molecular weight of the black tea’s polysaccharides is suspected to be the cause of its enhanced ability to lower the post meal spike in the glucose levels. Based on this research black tea has the potential to provide a natural glucose inhibitor against diabetes that will be a genuine benefit to senior health. For seniors drinking black tea after meals can provide a preemptive aging effect against diabetes.
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Why Increase Your Potassium Intake?
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Recent studies of the typical American diet revealed that most Americans are consuming only 50-70% of the amount of potassium recommended by the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine. The recommended amount of potassium is 4.7 grams/day. This is amount of daily potassium is supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but most Americans are not getting even this minimum amount. Most Americans are nutritionally deficient in potassium. One result of this potassium deficiency is that the same folks are inverting the potassium/sodium ratio in their diet. This inversion of the potassium/sodium ratio can have negative consequences for senior living.
Seniors who increase the potassium intake in their diet by consuming potassium rich foods can usually preempt the decreased muscle strength that is typically observed in older women and men. Maintaining muscle performance is vital for senior health, in order for seniors to enjoy their golden years. Restoring the dietary potassium/sodium ratio by increasing the potassium intake to at least the minimum level recommended level of 4.7 grams/day will contribute to enhanced muscle performance in seniors.
Seniors can increase their potassium intake by consuming potassium rich foods such as fruits, leafy green vegetables, vegetable fruits, and roots.
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