10 Tips for Men – Staying Healthy Over 50

You’re a strong man.  You’re over fifty, loving life, and wanting to keep it that way.  Make sure you are ready to face all the great days ahead by keeping fit with a few health tips.

1. Keep active – The best way to stay healthy at any age is to keep active.  Maintaining a moderate exercise regime will keep your body moving and help avoid weight related issues.

2. Watch what you eat – Eating right is another constant in the quest for good health.  Give your body the proper tools for a healthy, happy lifestyle.

3. Watch your weight – While you shouldn't obsess about it, the number on the scale is important.  Make a habit of checking it at least once a week.  Let you doctor know if there are any extreme changes.

4. Watch your numbers - Especially now, it is important to watch out for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and the like.  Know your numbers so you can know what to watch out for.

5. No smoking - If you enjoy lighting up every now and then, now is the time to kick the habit.  Smoking can lead to several different health issues, lung cancer included.

6. Limit your drinking – Your body doesn’t process alcohol as well as it once did.  Give it a break by limiting yourself to one (at most two) drinks a day.

7. Visit your physician – It is more important than ever that you get in for those yearly physicals.  Your doctor can only be as helpful as he is informed.

8. Preventative screening - Most health experts highly recommend screening tests.  They can let you and your doctor know about problems before they get out of hand.  Consult your physician to see what he recommends.

9. Think health, not sickness - Instead of running to the doctor when something is wrong, look to bring in things that will help you stay well. A regular adjustment from your chiropractor can help you feel better, and give you more stamina to stay with that exercise routine. A massage therapist can keep you feeling your best all week long.

10. Celebrate your successes – If you finally lose that extra 25 pounds, give up smoking for good, or get your cholesterol scores down to an acceptable level, celebrate your successes. Even something small and local, like a basketball game with your favorite team, can be a great reward, and give you the push to take it to the next level.

Source: http://wattsdc.com/

10 Tips To Stay Fit Over Age 50

by Scooby Werkstatt

I am in my mid fifties and I consider myself in the best shape of my life now even though I have been active in sports and in great shape my whole life. At age 51 I completed my first half Ironman triathlon and did my first double century. Here are my 10 tips for staying healthy, fit, and happy in your 50′s and beyond. 50′s and 60′s does not mean “senior”! Strike that word from your vocabulary. If you think of yourself as old then you will act old. 50′s and 60′s means midlife to me – the prime of your life. I believe in a holistic approach to fitness. There is a mind body connection and in my opinion to be in top shape and in top health requires not just physical but mental well being also. Its all about attitude, think and act young and you are young. The placebo effect is real and you can let it work for you by having a positive, excited outlook on life and believe in your heart and soul that you can improve yourself thru exercise or you can let the placebo effect work against you by being a pessimistic victim. Without further ado, here are my 10 tips for staying fit and healthy after age 50:

1. Cultivate your passion, retirement is around the corner

Don’t be one of those people who goes home from their retirement party feeling like someone died. Long before you retire you need to find your passion and make it a part of your life so that when you retire you can totally immerse yourself in it. When you start following your passion, magical things happen. You will find your energy increases. You will find that as soon as you awaken you JUMP out of bed excited to start the day. Your mood improves too, you sleep better, and you are generally fired up about life. If your passion is collecting baseball trading cards then get started NOW. Read everything you can about trading cards, work on becoming the worlds #1 expert, join clubs, make a website. Who knows, your passion might end up making money so that you can retire early and get paid doing what you love.

2. Volunteer – Do something for others

Be selfish, volunteer! If you ever catch yourself feeling sorry for yourself you need to drop whatever you are doing and volunteer ASAP. Think YOU have problems? Find a way to volunteer at a VA hospital or a children’s hospital and it will put your problems in the proper perspective. The volunteers often seem to get just as much or more out of the charity than the people being helped. Think outside the box and find something that takes advantage of your unique talents. It would be awesome if you could couple it to #1, your passion, and kill two birds with one stone. If as in the above example you are becoming an expert at baseball trading cards, consider make a website to help others learn the joy of collecting. Or perhaps couple it with your work. If you are a plumber, consider volunteering for Habitat for Humanity. Whatever knowledge you have, think of a unique way to share it. Cant think of anything? Try volunteering at the local animal shelter.

3. Read one book a month – keep your brain engaged

Reading is a great for many reasons but mainly because it makes you think. It exposes you to wonderful and strange ideas you have never thought of. It keeps your brain young. It can be an excellent component of a stress reduction plan. Read whatever you want, it can be “brain-candy” or serious – whatever floats your boat. Don’t read what you think will be good for you because then its a dreaded chore, read what you *want* to read so its fun! If reading really isn’t your thing, come up with something cerebral that works for you: crossword puzzles, sudoku, or whatever but you gotta have some activity you do that causes your brain to go into overdrive.

4. Find your retirement sport

Hopefully you have a sport you love by now but if not you need to find one asap! It doesn’t matter what it is as long as you love it: shuffleboard, hiking, cricket, golf, horseshoes. If you already have a sport you love, it might be time to think of a more age appropriate one. Skateboarding is fun in your 30s and 40s but its probably not advisable for 70 year olds so think about cultivating another sport.

5. Diet – Eat as unprocessed as you can

1. drink water like a fish
2. eat vegetables like a rabbit – full color spectrum
3. eat fibrous whole grains like a horse
4. lean cuts of meat third
5. full color spectrum of fruits fourth
6. 5g EFAs.
7. minimize fast food and junk food

6. Make weight training part of your daily life

Bodybuilding style weight training is excellent for older folks as are all bodyweight workouts, and many DVD workouts – find a style that you like. Workouts like 5×5, Crossfit and SS are only advisable if you have already been doing them for decades as its too late to start this kinds of workouts after age 50 in my opinion. Being strong helps you have a higher quality of life, for longer. What good is living to age 90 if you cant do the things you enjoy doing? Strength training not only makes you look and feel better but it keeps you doing the things you find fun longer, be it gardening, golf, or marathon running.

7. Make cardio part of your daily life – get a dog!

Over age 50, cardiovascular health is most peoples #1 problem – make daily cardio part of your daily activity. If you have never done daily cardio then you need to get a dog, TODAY, and you need to walk it twice a day. Having a dog is a great way to force you to do your daily cardio and if you haven’t established a solid habit of daily cardio by age 50 then you NEED to be forced and a dog is a perfect way. Not only that but pet owners live longer, happier lives. Please don’t buy a puppy, adopt a dog from the local shelter! Rescue dogs are the most loving dogs on the planet.

8. Throw away your alarm clock

Yep, in my opinion alarm clocks only serve one purpose and that is to wake you up before you have had enough sleep, in other words, alarm clocks only purpose is to insure you are sleep deprived! Sleep deprivation has many, many problems associated with it. Reduced reaction times, increased stress levels, decreased ability to concentrate, increased bodyfat. So, what to do? Throw out that alarm clock! “I cant possibly do that, I wouldn’t make it to work”. Malarky. Alarms are a poor solution to a time management problem. Which leads us to #9.

9. Do the important things first and forget about the rest.

Sleep is important, do it first. How do you do this practically? Easy! Go to bed about 12 hours before you have to be to work and don’t set an alarm. When you wake up naturally and then begin your days tasks with the most important first. You have precious little time left in this world, make the time count. Do a time audit to see if you are truly spending your time on the important things. Just for one day, keep a ‘timecard’ and ‘charge’ every activity down to the 0.1 hour. Is spending an hour on facebook every day really that important? Will the earth stop rotating if you don’t clean your house weekly? Is spending an hour watching the news a priority when you can read it in 5 minutes? How important is watching those three sitcoms you love? Please read one of my favorite books, the seven habits of highly effective people. Its a $7 book that will help you insure you are spending time on the things that are most important to YOU.

10. Take control of health and be minimally invasive

Take control of your health

YOU are the only one who can make and keep yourself healthy, not your doctor. Your doctor can assist you, but its 95% you. Even when surgery is involved, the outcome is as much more dependent on YOU than it is your surgeon. The surgeon makes the healing possible but if you don’t follow thru with your share of the work, the surgery will fail. If you get knee surgery but don’t do any rehab other than what they force you do to in those six post-op sessions, then your knee will never be 100% and its YOUR fault, not your surgeons.

Don’t blindly do what the doctor says, weigh the pros and cons and make your own decision. Remember that doctors need to CYA. If they don’t order all possible tests, they could be sued but that doesn’t mean that its always in your best health interest. Take catscans for example, these expose you to hundreds of times the radiation of an x-ray and increase your risk of cancer. If your doctor recommends a catscan, ask them why, what they expect to learn, and how their treatment of you will vary depending on the outcome of the test. Its your body and you need to decide if the benefit of the test or procedure is worth the risks. If your doctor cant explain the risks and benefits clearly, find another doctor and get a second opinion. If your doctor tries to bully or intimidate you into doing something you are uncomfortable doing with the “If you don’t do this you have to sign a wavier because I cant be responsible for your death” then find a new doctor. A great example of how to do this is what my 95 year old friend Helen did 10 years ago after she had a cancerous polyp removed from her colon. The doctor said there was a 95% chance that he got it all so she needed to do chemotherapy and to that Helen replied “no way!”. She explained that she was 85 years old and that the decreased quality of life from the chemotherapy wasn’t worth it considering there was a 95% chance she was fine. Her doctor respected her decision and she is now a healthy 95 years old – who knows what problems might have happened had she done chemo.

Be minimally invasive

• Stress: Try exercise, yoga, and meditation before medication
• Sleep: Try exercise, yoga, and meditation before medication
• Joint and back pain: Try PT and Yoga before surgery
• High Cholesterol: Try exercise and diet before medication

Thats it. I have a nagging feeling I left out something important but I hope not because “11 tips” sounds wrong and I’m not sure what I would cut out of my list! 

Source: http://scoobysworkshop.com

Healthy eating over 50: Feeding the body, mind and soul

BY Jeanne Segal, Ph.D. and Gina Kemp, M.A.

Remember the old adage, you are what you eat? Make it your motto. When you choose a variety of colorful fruits and veggies, whole grains, and lean proteins you’ll feel vibrant and healthy, inside and out.

• Live longer and stronger – Good nutrition keeps muscles, bones, organs, and other body parts strong for the long haul. Eating vitamin-rich food boosts immunity and fights illness-causing toxins. A proper diet reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type-2 diabetes, bone loss, cancer, and anemia. Also, eating sensibly means consuming fewer calories and more nutrient-dense foods, keeping weight in check.
• Sharpen the mind – Key nutrients are essential for the brain to do its job. People who eat a selection of brightly colored fruit, leafy veggies, and fish and nuts packed with omega-3 fatty acids can improve focus and decrease their risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
• Feel better – Wholesome meals give you more energy and help you look better, resulting in a self-esteem boost. It’s all connected—when your body feels good you feel happier inside and out.

How many calories do adults over 50 need?

Use the following as a guideline:

A woman over 50 who is:

• Not physically active needs about 1600 calories a day
• Somewhat physically active needs about 1800 calories a day
• Very active needs about 2000 calories a day

A man over 50 who is:

• Not physically active needs about 2000 calories a day
• Somewhat physically active needs about 2200-2400 calories a day
• Very active needs about 2400-2800 calories a day

Source: National Institute of Aging

Of course, balanced nutrition is more than calorie counting. There are many other aspects to creating a nutritious lifestyle.

SOURCE:  helpguide.org

Healthy eating over 50: Overcoming obstacles

BY Jeanne Segal, Ph.D. and Gina Kemp, M.A.

Let’s face it, there’s a reason why so many of us have trouble eating nutritiously every day. Sometimes it’s just quicker or easier to eat unhealthy food. If you’re having trouble getting started on a healthy eating plan, these tips can help:

Say “no” to eating alone

Eating with others can be as important as adding vitamins to your diet. A social atmosphere stimulates your mind and helps you enjoy meals. When you enjoy mealtimes, you’re more likely to eat better. If you live alone, eating with company will take some strategizing, but the effort will pay off.

• Make a date to share lunch or dinners with children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, friends, and neighbors on a rotating basis.
• Join in by taking a class, volunteering, or going on an outing, all of which can lead to new friendships and dining buddies.
• Adult day care centers provide both companionship and nutritious meals for older adults who are isolated and lonely, or unable to prepare their own meals.
• Senior meal programs are a great way to meet others. Contact your local Senior Center, YMCA, congregation, or high school and ask about senior meal programs.

Loss of appetite

First, check with your doctor to see if your loss of appetite could be due to medication you're taking, and whether the medication or dosage can be changed. Try natural flavor enhancers such as olive oil, vinegar, garlic, onions, ginger, and spices to boost your appetite.

Difficulty chewing

Make chewing easier by drinking smoothies made with fresh fruit, yogurt, and protein powder. Eat steamed veggies and soft food such as couscous, rice, and yogurt. Consult your dentist to make sure your dentures are properly fitted.

Dry mouth

Drink 8 – 10 glasses of water each day. Take a drink of water after each bite of food, add sauces and salsas to your food to moisten it, avoid commercial mouthwash, and ask your doctor about artificial saliva products.

I don’t like healthy food

If you were raised eating lots of meat and white bread, for example, a new way of eating might sound off-putting. That’s understandable. But view eating healthily as an adventure and start with small steps:

• First and foremost, commit to keeping an open mind. Just because a food is healthy, it doesn’t mean it can’t be tasty as well.
• Try including a healthy fruit or veggie at every meal. You don’t have to change everything all at once. Add a side salad to your dinner, for example, or substitute unhealthy fries with baked sweet potato fries, or have a smaller portion of desert and fill up with melon and pineapple slices.
• Focus on how you feel after eating well – this will help foster new habits and tastes. The more healthy food you eat, the better you’ll feel afterwards

Stuck in a rut

No matter how healthy your diet, eating the same foods over and over is bound to get boring. Rekindle inspiration by browsing produce at a farmers market, reading a cooking magazine, buying foods or spices you haven’t tried before, or chatting with friends about what they eat. By making variety a priority, you’ll find it easier to get creative with healthy meals.

If you can’t shop or cook for yourself…

There are a number of possibilities, depending on your living situation, finances, and needs:

• Take advantage of home delivery. Many grocery stores have Internet or phone delivery services.
• Swap services. Ask a friend, neighborhood teen, or college student if they would be willing to shop for you.
• Share your home. If you live alone in a large home, consider having a housemate/companion who would be willing to do the grocery shopping and cooking.
• Hire a homemaker. Try to find someone who can do the shopping and meal preparation for you.

SOURCE:  helpguide.org

Healthy Food Tips for Over 50s

Add these superfoods to your diet today!

Having a healthy diet is important to keep energy levels up, weight down and mood constant. But it needn't mean eating nothing but lettuce...

Eating healthily in your 50s and beyond can have many benefits: on our bodies, minds and souls. However, more often than not, the idea of a healthy diet conjures up visions of single lettuce leaves served with a side order of cabbage soup, and a distinct hungry feeling in the pit of your stomach.

Kavita Pal, managing director of the luxurious Tree Hotel Group, argues that this needn't be the case, and their restaurants pride themselves on their ability to serve up delicious, innovative and, above all, healthy meals to their customers. 

Top Tips for Healthy Eating Over 50

Here are Kavita's top superfood tips to help you stay healthy well into your golden years:

1. Chilli peppers may be small but are mighty in terms of health benefits. They contain capsaicin, an analgesic compound which helps with a variety of health issues including pain, cancers and high cholesterol. Add a bit of spice to your suppers and reap the rewards.
2. Adding vegetables like broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, cabbage and brussels sprouts to your diet can have great brain health benefits. They all contain antioxidants which help protect the brain.
3. Make sure your diet contains plenty of calcium, which can help prevent osteoporosis. If you’re over 50 you need 1,200 mg of calcium each day. Good sources of calcium include milk, cheese, yoghurt, almonds and pulses. Try and have three servings of calcium rich foods or drinks each day.
4. Yoghurt is not only a great source of calcium, but is also beneficial in maintaining a healthy gut. Your body needs to have a healthy amount of ‘good’ bacteria, so look out for probiotic yoghurt which contains those precious living organisms.
5. Turmeric contains curcumin which has anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric has been used as a cleanser for thousands of years and is believed to help relieve pain and prevent the build of up amyloid beta plaque, which is a major cause of Alzheimer’s. Turmeric is found in many curries and other Asian dishes.
6. Fish is a great source of omega-3 fats, which are important for brain function. Having a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids has been linked to improved memory and prevents the build up of cholesterol. It can also lower the risk of dementia, stroke and age related macular degeneration. Try and eat two fish dishes per week.
7. Other types of spices also provide great health benefits. Cinnamon is anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory and may help boost brain function and control blood sugar levels. Cumin is rich in iron and can aid digestion. Coriander has anti-inflammatory properties and can help lower cholesterol. So reach for your spice rack when you cook and pack these health benefits into your meals.
8. Strawberries are not only delicious, but each serving contains lots of vitamin C, which could help ward off wrinkles and age related dry skin. Treat yourself to some strawberries and cream for your vitamin C and calcium needs all at once!
9. Ginger has lots of anti-inflammatory properties which can be useful in fighting heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s. It is also high in antioxidants which help fight other diseases, and the gingerol in it is commonly used as a digestive aid. Ginger can add delicious flavour and heat to all kinds of dishes.
10. Tofu and other soy foods can help preserve the skin firming protein collagen as they are rich in the compounds ‘isoflavones’. Try adding some tofu to your diet and your skin may stay smoother for longer.
11. Treat yourself to a bit of chocolate. Yes! The cocoa used in making chocolate is rich in flavanols which can help preserve the healthy function of blood vessels. Healthy blood vessels can lower the risk of high blood pressure and dementia as we get older. Look out for dark chocolate with a high cocoa content.
12. Blueberries contain a diverse range of micronutrients, which can provide great health benefits as we get older. They can reduce inflammation and lower cholesterol. Try sprinkling blueberries on your cereals or add them to your yoghurt for some delicious variety in everyday foods.

Source: http://www.giddylimits.co.uk

Memory loss: 7 tips to improve your memory

Concerned about memory loss? Take heart. Simple steps — from staying mentally active to including physical activity in your daily routine — may help sharpen your memory.

Can't find your car keys? Forget what's on your grocery list? Can't remember the name of the personal trainer you liked at the gym? You're not alone. Everyone forgets things occasionally. Still, memory loss is nothing to take lightly. Although there are no guarantees when it comes to preventing memory loss or dementia, memory tricks can be helpful. Consider seven simple ways to sharpen your memory — and know when to seek help for memory loss.

No. 1: Stay mentally active

Just as physical activity helps keep your body in shape, mentally stimulating activities help keep your brain in shape — and perhaps keep memory loss at bay. Do crossword puzzles. Read a section of the newspaper that you normally skip. Take alternate routes when driving. Learn to play a musical instrument. Volunteer at a local school or community organization.

No. 2: Socialize regularly

Social interaction helps ward off depression and stress, both of which can contribute to memory loss. Look for opportunities to get together with loved ones, friends and others — especially if you live alone. When you're invited to share a meal or attend an event, go!

No. 3: Get organized

You're more likely to forget things if your home is cluttered and your notes are in disarray. Jot down tasks, appointments and other events in a special notebook, calendar or electronic planner. You might even repeat each entry out loud as you jot it down to help cement it in your memory. Keep to-do lists current, and check off items you've completed. Set aside a certain place for your wallet, keys and other essentials.

No. 4: Focus

Limit distractions, and don't try to do too many things at once. If you focus on the information that you're trying to remember, you'll be more likely to recall it later. It might also help to connect what you're trying to remember to a favorite song or another familiar concept.

No. 5: Eat a healthy diet

A heart-healthy diet may be as good for your brain as it is for your heart. Focus on fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Choose low-fat protein sources, such as fish, lean meat and skinless poultry. What you drink counts, too. Not enough water or too much alcohol can lead to confusion and memory loss.

No. 6: Include physical activity in your daily routine

Physical activity increases blood flow to your whole body, including your brain. This may help keep your memory sharp. For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity (think brisk walking) or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity (such as jogging) — preferably spread throughout the week. If you don't have time for a full workout, squeeze in a few 10-minute walks throughout the day.

No. 7: Manage chronic conditions

Follow your doctor's treatment recommendations for any chronic conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and depression. The better you take care of yourself, the better your memory is likely to be. In addition, review your medications with your doctor regularly. Various medications can impact memory.

When to seek help for memory loss

If you're worried about memory loss — especially if memory loss affects your ability to complete your usual daily activities — consult your doctor. He or she will likely do a physical exam, as well as check your memory and problem-solving skills. Sometimes other tests are needed as well. Treatment will depend on what's contributing to the memory loss.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

Healthy lifestyle for people over 50 years old

image from livesuperwell.com

Many years ago a lot of people viewed turning 50 years with dread. It meant they were getting old. Today people realize that turning 50 years can mark the start of the best part of their lives. Many people are looking forward to fewer family and more time to spend enjoying life.

Tips for healthy living:

• never skip breakfast
• if your sense of taste has faded, perk up your food with herbs and spices
• if you don’t have much of an appetite, divide your food into five or six small meals spread throughout the day
• if you have difficulty swallowing, try hearty soups and stews
• drink plenty of water. People tend to become less thirsty as they get older, but the body still needs the same amount of water
• take your multivitamin if you need at the same time every day with food so it becomes part of your daily routine
• select foods that are high in fibre. This will help prevent constipation and may reduce your risk of developing certain types of cancer
• be sure to get enough sleep
• keep physically and mentally active. Walk, garden, solve crossword puzzles, read, etc.
• start a new hobby, learn a new skill, or take a class to keep your mind active
• stay connected to family and friends and participate in social activities
• laugh often and enjoy life

Source: http://www.esnoring.com/