Health & Wellness

If you want to give yourself a better shot at extending your life span, put your mind to it. New research published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society has found a greater likelihood of living longer among optimists.

Cutting is critical when you’re trying to lose weight. You cut calories. You cut fat. Basically, anything that’s crammed with carbs, sweetened with sugar or dipped in a deep fryer is suddenly off-limits.

But dieting doesn’t have to require deprivation. Many delicious (and healthy) foods can still be part of your dining repertoire. Some members of the produce family are so light in calories and fat that you can eat them with (relative) abandon.

Vegetable love

The one category of foods that you can eat loads of without suffering the consequences of weight gain are nonstarchy vegetables, says Alexis Supan, an outpatient dietitian with the Cleveland Clinic Center for Integrative & Lifestyle Medicine. “Mostly any vegetable besides potato, corn and peas, you can eat endlessly,” she says.

A cup of chopped broccoli or a grilled portobello mushroom contains just 30 calories and less than 1 gram of fat. You can chow down on two entire cups of lettuce and consume less than 16 calories. Because of its high water content, a whole tomato has a mere 22 calories. Cauliflower, kale, carrots and sprouts are similarly nutrient-dense and light in calories.

These produce mainstays bring a few other things to the table. “What makes them so incredible and so beneficial for weight maintenance and weight loss is they are high in macronutrients [such as carbohydrates] and micronutrients [vitamins and minerals]. And they’re rich in fiber,” says Beata Rydyger, a registered nutritionist based in Los Angeles. Fiber keeps your blood sugar levels stable, which helps you avoid sudden attacks of the munchies that might otherwise make you crave junk foods.

If vegetables aren’t your favorite foods, you might be thinking how unappealing this way of eating sounds. But there are ways to spice up your veggies to make them more palatable.

Roast them in olive oil spray, then add a blend of garlic and other herbs and spices, Supan suggests. If you love dip, which tends to be high in fat, use salsa instead to add even more vegetables into the mix. Or blend a ranch flavor packet into plain Greek yogurt. “Now you have a really high-protein, very healthy dip that you can use along with your vegetables,” she says.

To learn about other foods you can eat without gaining weight, from AARP, CLICK HERE.

Between fad diets, trendy skin care regimens and an evolving landscape of illnesses and treatments, staying on top of the latest health news is no easy task.

To help you kick the new year off with the best information, here are 13 common health issues and dole out some sensible advice for each, from AARP.

Many factors influence healthy aging. Some of these, such as genetics, are not in our control. Others — like exercise, a healthy diet, going to the doctor regularly, and taking care of our mental health — are within our reach. Research supported by NIA and others has identified actions you can take to help manage your health, live as independently as possible, and maintain your quality of life as you age. Read on to learn more about the research and the steps you can take to promote healthy aging.

Taking care of your physical health

While scientists continue to actively research how to slow or prevent age-related declines in physical health, they’ve already discovered multiple ways to improve the chances of maintaining optimal health later in life. Taking care of your physical health involves staying active, making healthy food choices, getting enough sleep, limiting your alcohol intake, and proactively managing your health care. Small changes in each of these areas can go a long way to support healthy aging.

To learn about tips to boost your health, such as physical activity, healthy eating and sleeping and much more, from the National Institute on Aging, CLICK HERE.

It’s important to talk to your doctor before starting any exercise program. They will advise on programs based on current health and fitness levels. There’s no way around it. Regular exercise for seniors can greatly improve not only physical health but mental health too. We know how good exercise is at any age, but for seniors, it’s especially important to get out and move. We’ll explore how much exercise is too much for seniors, along with the benefits of exercise, what types are great for seniors and more.

Importance of Health and Fitness for Seniors

With a lot of thought and consideration you’ve made the move into a retirement community – congratulations are in order! Know that few of us glide into retirement living without a few adjustments. We have a few tried and true tips and tricks that can help you ease into your new retirement community and make the most of this exciting change.

With a lot of thought and consideration you’ve made the move into a retirement community – congratulations are in order! Know that few of us glide into retirement living without a few adjustments.

We have a few tried and true tips and tricks that can help you ease into your new retirement community and make the most of this exciting change. To learn more, CLICK HERE.

Many people think that Alzheimer’s and dementia are the same and use the terms interchangeably. However, there are distinctions between the two. It is important for effective treatment and management to know these differences. We’ll learn more about dementia, the types, causes, and how it differs from Alzheimer’s.

What is Dementia?

Many people assume Alzheimer’s is a broad term for all dementia. Alzheimer’s is actually a common form of dementia and falls under the dementia umbrella, not the other way around. More specifically, dementia is considered a syndrome, not a disease. Dementia is a decline in mental function with a loss of memory, cognitive functioning, problem-solving, remembering, reasoning, thinking, attention, and other issues.

To learn more about Alzheimer’s and dementia, and the varying types of each disease, CLICK HERE.

Feeling down every once in a while is a normal part of life, but if these feelings last a few weeks or months, you may have depression. Read this article to find common signs and symptoms of depression, treatment options, and if you or your loved one may be at risk for depression.

What is depression?

Depression is a serious mood disorder. It can affect the way you feel, act, and think. Depression is a common problem among older adults, but clinical depression is not a normal part of aging. In fact, studies show that most older adults feel satisfied with their lives, despite having more illnesses or physical problems than younger people. However, if you’ve experienced depression as a younger person, you may be more likely to have depression as an older adult.’

To learn about the types of depression and risk factors, from the National Institute on Aging, CLICK HERE.