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Health & Wellness

Osteoporosis, the Silent Disease

By Health & Wellness

Osteoporosis weakens bones to the point that they can break easily. It is called a “silent disease” because people who develop it may not notice any changes until a bone breaks — usually a bone in the hip, spine, or wrist.

Bones are made of living tissue. To keep them strong, a healthy human body breaks down old bone and replaces it with new bone. Osteoporosis develops when more bone is broken down than replaced.

The inside of a bone looks something like a honeycomb. When someone has osteoporosis, the bone, which forms the “walls” of the honeycomb, get smaller, and the spaces between the bone grow larger. The outer shell of the bone also gets thinner. All of this makes a bone weaker.

In serious cases of osteoporosis, a simple motion such as a cough or minor bump can result in a broken bone, also called a fracture. People with osteoporosis also have a harder time recovering from broken bones, which can sometimes cause pain that does not go away. Broken hip and spine bones are especially serious, as these injuries can cause older adults to lose their mobility and independence.

To learn more about how osteoporosis is diagnosed, who’s at risk and how it’s treated, from the National Institute on Aging, CLICK HERE.

7 Simple Ways to Lower Your Blood Sugar

By Health & Wellness

In the United States today, approximately 96 million adultshave prediabetes — and up to 70 percent of those who have elevated blood sugar will go on to develop type 2 diabetes, according to an American Diabetes Association expert panel. That’s in addition to more than 37 million who already have the chronic disease.

Naturally, then, it might feel daunting to try to get high blood sugar under control. But fortunately experts say a number of simple (read: straightforward, not necessarily all easy, but doable) steps can bring glucose levels back into a healthy range. You also have plenty of reasons beyond diabetes prevention to do just that.

People with prediabetes have a higher risk of suffering from a heart attack or stroke in the future — along with other heart disease issues — “even without full-blown diabetes,” says Zhenqi Liu, M.D., James M. Moss professor of diabetes at the University of Virginia School of Medicine.

Here are steps you can take to reduce your risk and lower your blood sugar.

1. Know your numbers

To start, you need to know where you stand. The vast majority with prediabetes — more than 80 percent — don’t know they have it, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

To learn more about your blood sugar numbers, and ways to lower your blood sugar, from AARP, CLICK HERE.

The Best Exercises for Seniors: A Guide to Staying Active in Your Golden Years

By Health & Wellness, Senior Resources

Explore the best exercises for seniors and tips on how to get started, stay motivated, and enjoy the benefits of an active lifestyle.

Staying active is vital at any age, but it’s especially crucial for seniors. Regular exercise provides many health benefits, such as improved cardiovascular health, enhanced mental well-being, and helping seniors live a more independent lifestyle. There is growing evidence to show that it may slow the progression of dementia. In this blog post, we will explore the best exercises for seniors and provide tips on how to get started, stay motivated, and enjoy the numerous benefits of an active lifestyle.

Factors to Consider Before Starting an Exercise Routine

Before diving into a new exercise routine, taking a few precautions is essential. Speak with your doctor or physical therapist to determine which exercises suit your needs and health conditions. Pay attention to any discomfort or pain during training and adjust as needed. Begin with shorter durations and lower intensity, gradually increasing as your fitness level improves. To maintain long-term commitment, we recommend choosing exercises you’ll enjoy, and don’t be afraid to mix things up and try something new.

To learn more about the benefits and types of exercise, from CLICK HERE

Fatigue in Older Adults

By Health & Wellness

Everyone feels tired now and then. But, after a good night’s sleep, most people feel refreshed and ready to face a new day. If, like Liang, you continue to feel tired for weeks, it’s time to see your doctor. He or she may be able to help you find out what’s causing your fatigue. In fact, your doctor may even suggest you become more active, as exercise may reduce fatigue and improve quality of life.

Sometimes, fatigue can be the first sign that something is wrong in your body. For example, people with rheumatoid arthritis, a painful condition that affects the joints, often complain of fatigue. People with cancer may feel fatigued from the disease, treatments, or both.

Many medical problems and treatments can add to fatigue. These include:

• Taking certain medications, such as antidepressants, antihistamines, and medicines for nausea and pain
• Having medical treatments, like chemotherapy and radiation, or recovering from major surgery
• Infections
• Chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease, thyroid disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Untreated pain and diseases like fibromyalgia
• Anemia
• Sleep apnea and other sleep disorders

To learn about other causes of fatigue, and how you can feel less tired, from the National Institute on Aging, CLICK HERE.

Longevity Booster? Try Optimism

By 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.

The study, led by researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, included nearly 160,000 women. It found that across racial and ethnic groups, women with higher levels of optimism had a greater chance of living beyond age 90 than those whose outlook on life was less rosy.

“A lot of previous work has focused on deficits or risk factors that increase the risks for diseases and premature death. Our findings suggest that there’s value to focusing on positive psychological factors, like optimism, as possible new ways of promoting longevity and healthy aging across diverse groups,” lead author Hayami Koga, a Ph.D. candidate at the Harvard school, said in a statement.

To learn more about the results of the study, and the benefits of optimism, from AARP, CLICK HERE.

Foods You Can Eat Without Gaining Weight

By Health & Wellness

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.

13 Modern Health Problems and Their Solutions

By Health & Wellness

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.

1. No more meat???

I know someone who can’t eat beef, pork or lamb because of a tick bite. Could it happen to me?

Potentially. There is a carbohydrate called alpha-gal in the saliva of lone star ticks (common in the East and South) that is also present in the meat of mammals. A bite from that type of tick can trigger our immune systems to develop allergic reactions to beef, pork, lamb gelatin, even dairy products. Alpha-gal syndrome is one of many tick­-related health conditions; Lyme disease is the best known. Ticks are prevalent across the U.S. If bitten, use tweezers to gently lift the tick out of your skin (don’t twist or use oil or fire). If concerned, place the tick in a plastic bag and send it to a tick testing center to see if it was carrying dangerous bacteria.

To read the full list of health problems and their solutions, CLICK HERE.

Tips to Boost Your Health as You Age

By Health & Wellness

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.

How Much Exercise Do Seniors Need?

By Health & Wellness

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

Engaging in regular exercise might be the closest thing to the fountain of youth. Regular physical activity has been shown to reduce the risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, colon cancer, and diabetes in older adults.

To learn more about the benefits of exercise and which type may be best for you, CLICK HERE.

Loving Senior Living: How to Get the Most of Your Retirement Community

By Health & Wellness

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.