Best Diets for Senior Citizens

As people age and the need for long term health care insurance looms on the horizon, their diets more often than not require some degree of adjustment. These changes result from a slowed digestive system, poor health, poor dental health, or changes in senses of taste and smell just to name a few.

So what should seniors pay special attention to when it comes to their dietary needs? One of the most important points is ensuring that they are getting enough of certain vitamins and minerals.

In addition older persons should up their intake of:

• Calcium: While especially important for women so as to fight against the bone disease, osteoporosis, men also need calcium for bone health.  Current research states that seniors should ideally be consuming at least 1500 milligrams each day.
• Protein: This is vital to the health of the elderly. Protein sources that are easy to prepare and digest include salmon, tuna and poultry. Seafood     has the added benefit of providing omega-3 fatty acids.
• Antioxidants: The benefits of antioxidants are still being revealed, but everyone needs antioxidant-rich foods. Great sources of these free radical fighting enzymes are cranberries, blueberries, gala apples and artichokes.
• Fiber: Since the digestive systems of most seniors tend to slow down with age, dietary fiber is important for regularity. Fruits, vegetables and     some cereals provide ample servings of dietary fiber.
• Fluid: Water intake is always necessary but becomes even more important as we age.

The MyPyramid food guide provides excellent information on creating the right diet for seniors. Best of all it can be used to individualize the needs of each person when used online at http://www.mypyramid.gov/.

While ensuring that they eat foods rich in certain nutrients, seniors should also reduce or eliminate the following from their meals:

• Sodium (table salt):  It is now advised that less than one teaspoon of salt be consumed per day. To compensate and still have tasty meals other spices can be added to food when cooking. Most senior citizens are more at risk for developing high blood pressure and water  retention issues. High salt consumption contributes to these conditions. Avoiding pre-packaged food is a good way to restrict salt intake in the diet.
• Oils and fats: Since activity level is reduced later in life it is important to cut down on the amount of fats and oils consumed.
• Sugar: Less sugar should also be consumed as one ages. Excessive consumption of sweets leads to obesity and all the myriad of diseases associated with being overweight.

Most food choices should be easy to chew and swallow. This is partially because older person produce less saliva which serves to moisten food as we chew.  The meals of seniors should be nutrition rich especially since most will eat smaller amounts as their appetites decrease.  Ultimately, the best diet for senior citizens calls for eating foods from the six major food groups.

Source: http://www.methodsofhealing.com

Stillness

How can Men after 50 Years Stay Healthy?

Men over 50 years of age always have risk factors such as diabetes, heart attack, blood sugar, blood pressure etc. There must be some remedy or precautionary measure for men who have crossed 50 years of age stay healthy. People might have consumed many variation of unhealthy food such as beer, doughnut binge, bucket of chicken wings etc. Nobody has ever thought in their life that they can become feeble and affected by all types of diseases after a certain age. But, even if you have crossed 50 years of age, you can still look younger and vibrant with proper lifestyle and diet choice.

Ways for men to stay healthy after 50 years

Cut the quantity of salt intake

Salt may add wonderful taste to the food that you consume. But, after a certain age, you must stop consuming high quantity of salt. According to the recent report, one among 10 people dies in US due to excess intake of salt. And most of the deaths occur in men. Main reason of increase in blood pressure can be too much of sodium and too less potassium in diet. This is one of the major contributors of the heart disease. You can definitely lower the risk of death, if you can cut back the processed food rich in sodium, cheese, meat etc. Getting potassium in diet through bananas, green vegetables etc will be another good reason of staying healthy.

Keeping bones strong: Some people have a wrong conception that Osteoporosis is the disease connected to women. But, it is not entirely a true fact. Men crossing 50 years of age also gets this disease. You can get benefit and keep your bones strong with the supplement of probiotics and calcium in diet.  This can also lead to an aid in digestive health.

Stay sharp: Another way for men to stay healthy is by staying sharp. You must consume Mediterranean diet which has all necessary nutrients along with unsaturated fat. You can consume nuts, fish and vegetable oil in your diet to stay sharp. It will be quite easy for you to retain your wisdom and wit even after you have crossed 50 years of your age.

Improve your prostate health: Many men have a tendency to develop problem in prostate after crossing 50 years of their age. Thus, concentrating on prostate health will be really important over here. In order to satisfy the taste buds, most men prefer soda along with water. But, consuming excess of soda water will not be favorable for the healthy living of individual. If you are still consuming sugary soft drinks after 50 years of age, it is the time to stop it. This will also lead to diabetes and weight gain of the particular person. This can also give rise to prostate cancer.

Go natural with sexual health: Sexual health is an important factor for many men. Diet rich in animal fat, cheese, butter etc will be undesirable. You must consume right diet with ample exercise.

Source: http://menhealth.in

Don't Let Yesterday Take up too much of Today

The best you can Do is Try your Best

10 Tips for Healthy Travel After 50

BY DR. LUIS NAVARRO

A top specialist in venous disorders (varicose and spider veins) advises how to avoid problems.

Some tips for optimizing the circulatory system while traveling would include:

1. AVOID PROLONGED PERIODS OF SITTING AND STANDING: Walk up and down the plane/train every 1-2 hours, when possible, for 5-10 minutes

2. GET EXERCISE: Ankle and lower leg exercises, such as ankle rotations

3. WEAR GRADUATED COMPRESSION STOCKINGS: Wear stockings, preferably knee highs with open toe, 15-25mm/hg or 20-30mm/hg

4. STAY HYDRATED: Double your water intake when traveling

5. AVOID ALCOHOL: Alcohol dehydrates so avoiding alcohol a few days before taking a long trip would be a good idea

6. AVOID CAFFEINE: Avoid caffeine while traveling to help prevent poor circulation.

7. AVOID CROSSING YOUR LEGS. Leg crossing constricts veins and increases venous pressure.

8. WEAR LOOSE-FITTING CLOTHING. Tight garments can restrict the flow of blood to and from the legs.

9. ELEVATE YOUR FEET. Raise your feet 6 to 12 inches above your heart whenever possible to assist circulation.

10. CONSIDER DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS. Vitamins C and E act as antioxidants, which are good for circulation. Flavonoids, butcher's broom, and Horse Chestnut Seed Extract (HCE50) improve venous circulation and decrease symptoms of venous disease.

Source: http://zestnow.com/

Follow your Brain, Your Heart is stupid as shit

The Top 10 Pieces of Advice for Staying Healthy after 65

By: Chaleigh Glass

As you progress past 65 years of age, it can seem difficult to keep track of and stay on top of your health. However, keeping your health in check can be a cinch with these 10 tips for staying health after 65.

1. Pick up an old or new hobby. If you find yourself sitting around much of the time with nothing to do, it’s more than likely time that you find a hobby that will excite you and get you moving!
2. Drop unhealthy habits. There’s nothing wrong with a glass of wine every now and then, but if you find yourself smoking or drinking regularly, it’s a great time to kick your destructive habits.
3. Get a medical alert device. As people age, their risk for falling and/or injuring themselves increases dramatically. What’s worse is the possibility of falling and not being able to move or call for help. This is why it’s imperative for each and every person over the age of 65 to have a medical alert device on hand at all times for emergencies.
4. Replace one meal per day with a protein shake. Protein shakes are great sources of nutrition. Check out http://www.mealreplacementshakereviews.com/protein-before-bed/ for answers to questions concerning protein shakes and how to use them.
5. Watch for dehydration. Because of the physical changes in the body as it ages above 65, dehydration becomes an issue. Drink lots of fluids throughout the day and be sure to keep an eye on your salt and sodium intake.
6. Always check with a doctor before beginning an exercise regime. Bones become more brittle and likely to fracture or break as time goes on, so let your doctor know about any exercise routines you are considering taking on.
7. Get regular check-ups. As you age in your 60′s and higher, many changes take place in your body that need to be overseen by a physician.
8. Stay connected with friends to avoid depression and feelings of isolation. Elderly people are more susceptible to depression and feelings of loneliness for a number of reasons. Because of this, make sure that you socialize on a regular basis.
9. Walk one mile each day. If your body permits, try to eventually increase your endurance to two miles.
10. Keep your doctor updated with any changes in your body. As previously discussed, your body is more than likely going through many changes. Some are completely natural while others could be problematic. Keep your doctor updated on any changes that don’t seem or feel right.

Source: http://www.retirementforseniors.com/

7 Different Types of Exercises for Senior Citizens

By : Julian Hooks

Whoever said that exercising is just for the young? Exercising is important for everyone, even for senior citizens. Although the exercises cannot be as strenuous and hard care as those for the young, they still have workout routines that will fit them just right. Here are 7 different types of exercises for senior citizens that are safe and could get their blood circulating.

1. Yoga

Yoga can be an excellent source of exercise because it is stress relieving and is a full body workout. For senior citizens, the yoga sessions should be easier compared to yoga for the young. It is a great way to develop core power, lengthening and also strengthening muscles and also a moderate level of cardio activity which gets the heart pumping. Senior citizens should engage in yoga sessions that have low-impact movements and positions so that they can achieve each position.

2. Swimming

Swimming is called to be the ultimate full body workout for all ages. Since it does not require weights it is another ideal workout for senior citizens. It could possible help in strengthening core muscles, arms, legs and glutes. Since it is a low-impact option, it is great for those senior citizens that have chronic back problems. Make sure that seniors are placed in water that are not too deep, most preferably in a water depth that they can still stand in so they are not at risk for drowning.

3. Walking

This is one of the easiest exercises that seniors can engage in. Since they can do it pretty much anywhere they are, like their neighbourhood, the park and the mall, they can benefit from just 20 to 30 minutes a day of walking. Besides a good workout for their heart, they can also catch some fresh air.

4. Biking

For seniors that love biking, it can also be another great workout for them. It is also a low-impact option which works the legs and glutes. They can go slower in pace if they feel tired and go faster if they want to increase in speed.

Here a few useful resources!

5. Dancing

Dancing can be another wonderful workout for those seniors who want to let loose. Dancing can be a free activity and can be done at home with just some music or dancing can be a paid workout at dance studios. Whatever option, dancing is a great way to increase the heart rate and get in some cardio exercise for seniors.

6. Running

Since running is a little more intense compared to the other physical activities mentioned, for those seniors that can still tolerate this exercise, then they should definitely continue. But they should keep in mind to run in shorter distances and in well-lit places so that they can stay away from injuries from their surroundings. It is still an excellent cardio workout even for 15 to 20 minutes a day.

7. Pilates

For those seniors that have knowledge and experience on Pilates, it is a great strength training workout that focuses on core muscles such as the abdominal muscles and back muscles. The thing to remember is that as people age, there should be investment in smarter efforts to maintaining core muscles to stay away from certain aging conditions. Pilates is one of the best options in preserving core muscles even as senior citizens.

Source: http://www.retirementforseniors.com/

Big Goals get Big Rewards

Your Fear of Looking Stupid is Holding you Back!

Good Things take time

Why do Seniors Need to Stretch?

Most workout routines focus on cardio exercises — getting your heart rate up — and strength training, which develops your muscles. However, stretching is just as important, especially for seniors, who routinely suffer from loss of joint flexibility as they age.

As we age, our muscles normally become shorter and lose their elasticity. Bone structure can also be affected, causing decreased range of motion in the shoulders, spine, and hips. These changes can sometimes be painful. It becomes important for seniors to maintain the range of motion of their bodies, and to continue moving joints normally.

Stretching is an excellent way to relieve stressand tension in the joints, and can be combined with breathing exercises and good posture, so that we can continue to use our bodies normally long into our retirement years.

There are two general approaches to stretching exercises:

• Static stretching - Static stretching aims to achieve permanent lengthening of muscles and surrounding tissues, increasing range of motion. In static stretching, one reaches and holds an extended position for a period of time — 10 to 30 seconds — before relaxing again. Because this is low impact, it is generally considered safer for seniors, particularly if you’re just starting out

• Dynamic stretching - Dynamic, or oscillatory motions, on the other hand, aim to increase the range of available motion in a joint. Using this approach, one gently propels one’s muscles toward a maximum range of motion; continue to move your muscles into the stretch, taking care not to bounce or jerk into a stretch or to overextend. For example, to stretch a hamstring (the back of your thigh) from a standing position, gently kick your straight leg forward repeatedly, doing light kicks with minimal acceleration but kicking a little higher each time.

The best way to develop a beneficial stretching routine is to join a gym and work with a trainer. If your muscles and joints are tight and restricted and you haven’t stretched or worked out in a while, it’s easy to hurt yourself; a trainer can recommend stretches and then show you how to do them safely. If you have any preconditions such as arthritis, it’s worthwhile consulting with a physician as well before undertaking any kind of workout regime, including stretching.

Most seniors should stretch two or three times each week, performing each static stretch three to five times, with hold times of 20 to 30 seconds. Try to do one or two different stretches for each muscle group or joint. If you want to increase flexibility, you can stretch four or five times a week.

Never bounce into a stretch; static stretches should ease into a hold position, and dynamic stretches should use steady, gentle motions. Never hold your breath during stretching; try to pattern your breathing so that you exhale as your stretch your muscle. You should stretch to the point where you feel mild discomfort, but do not approach feeling pain; if you do feel pain, stop immediately. When working on your back, don’t combine stretches such that you turn and bend your back simultaneously.

The best way to learn specific stretches is to work with a trainer. The Internet offers an abundance of videos that show you how to do specific stretches, but be sure that any Internet videos you learn from are from reliable websites. If you’re not sure, consult with a trainer. For your upper body, you should concentrate on your shoulders, upper back, and neck. If you suffer from arthritis or other problems with your elbows and wrists, some special stretches can help improve range of motion in these areas.

You also want to be sure to stretch your lower back as well as different muscle groups in your legs. Increased flexibility in your hamstrings and shins, and improved range of motion in your ankles and knees, will not only help improve your mobility but also make you better able to handle a fall or other accident.

Once you have your routine down, you can stretch at home just as well as at a gym. Remember to not overdo it, and to stop immediately if you feel pain. If you stick with a good program, you’ll start to feel beneficial effects in just a short time.

Source: http://www.retirementforseniors.com

Senior Wellness Tips for Healthy Living

Lisa LaCount

A healthy life is what almost every person strives to achieve. However, there are many things that prevent a person from living a stress-free life. Stress is a major contributor to various problems including health. 

Problems with health interfere with wellness and this can, as a result, affect every aspect of your life. Most often, you may not know how to prevent stress from overtaking their lives. Below are 10 wellness tips that will help you to live a comfortable, stress-free life.

BreatheMany people do not know the powerful effect deep breathing has on their health. Deep breathing or even one deep breath can relax your mind and body significantly. A deep breath can reduce tension and stress and enable you to think clearly and make the best choices. There are breathing exercises, meditations involving breathing and practices as yoga and Reiki that depends on the relaxing effects of breathing. So, simply take a few deep breaths and enjoy the fresh air to give this technique a start.

Think PositiveChanging the way you think can make a significant difference in your stress levels and your life. If you are a pessimist and always think in the negative, you will be constantly stressed out and stress can harm your health and reduce wellness. It is proven that positive thinking provides a longer life span and increases the quality of life.

Be Proactive Being proactive means taking your life into your own hands and making it a good one. Consider your options, weigh the pros and cons and make your decision to achieve your goals. Developing effective time management strategies and routines is also extremely beneficial. For instance, if you wish to lose weight, do not wait for it to happen automatically. Set some goals and develop an action plan. Execute it and be at it till you get your results. If you are looking to get slender and svelte, do check out the Boosh product range for weight loss.

Have FunLife is not only about achieving goals. It is also about doing things that you like to do. Read a book, garden, take a walk or sing a song. Do whatever makes you happy. This also reduces your stress levels.

Build-up Personal Resilience

Stress cannot be avoided. It is something that comes with life. Build-up your personal resilience so that you are able to thrive irrespective of the challenges that come your way. How you handle your challenges enable you to enjoy life.

Exercise

A certain amount of time should be put aside for daily exercise. Exercise releases hormones that are extremely beneficial for health. Exercise keeps you fit, makes you look good and reduce stress. It also boost your mood related enzymes, making you feel upbeat and happy.

Spend Time in Socializing

Spending time with family and friends is an excellent antidote to facing challenges that come your way. So, make sure to manage your social circle and take part in some socializing. You may find companion match facility offered by irefuse2age.com to be an ideal solution, if you need a gaming partner, a golf buddy or a travel companion.

Complete a Daily Task

However minute a task may be it brings a personal sense of accomplishment on completion. Therefore, if you start something, always make sure you complete it.

Stop Worrying

Constant worrying about various things during the day is extremely harmful to health. It raises stress levels and stress increases cholesterol, blood pressure etc. You do not need this aggravation. If you must worry, set a particular time every day for worrying. Ignore your worries for the rest of the day. This is known to increase wellness.

Establish Consistency, Structure and Routines 

Routines and consistency go hand in hand. They provide stability and this in turn reduces stress levels, increases security and efficiency. Live a stress-free life by sticking to these three factors.

Adhering to these 10 wellness tips might seem challenging at first. However, it is possible with time and effort. A stress-free enjoyable life is surely within reach, if you adhere to these 10 wellness tips.

Source: http://irefuse2age.com

Fantastic Hip Replacement Exercises

Exercises to Try

Make sure you choose hip exercises that are fun for you and keep you motivated. Aim for 30 minutes of light activity a few times a week to start, and gradually work your way up to more frequent and moderate movement. Be sure to talk to your doctor before beginning any exercise program.

To strengthen your hips, think low impact and weight-bearing, like:

1. Pool activities. Especially enjoyable during summer months, getting in the pool is low impact and can increase flexibility. Swim  a few leisurely laps, or even take a water aerobics class.
2. Yoga/Pilates. Both of these options incorporate stretching and breathing techniques. They are great not only for flexibility, but  for relaxation as well. Be sure to work out at your own pace.
3. Weight lifting. Lifting light weights gives you a bit of an edge over cardio in building muscle because it targets specific muscles groups and helps strengthen bones and joints. A trainer at the gym can suggest some weight-lifting options.
4. Walking. Many people who aren’t used to regular activity start by walking. Depending on your level, you can customize your walk by switching up speeds, incline and duration. Make sure you own a quality walking shoe; many shoe retailers can help fit a pair to your gait.
5. Dancing. Some people are hesitant to try this, but you don’t need to be! Put on your favorite album and shimmy around your living room, or if you’re feeling brave, take a class. You may just love it!

Down the road. if you do need a hip replacement, exercises will still be required to keep your new hip strong. Before surgery, ask your doctor and do some research about the type of implant you’re getting. Faulty implants, including some made by Biomet, can create more problems than benefits.

After surgery, your doctor will give you specific instructions for rehab and exercises. You will also work with a physical therapist to get your new hip in working order.

Source: http://www.superseniorfitness.com

5 Best Foods For Hair Growth

Your hair needs food to grow. You can make your hair healthier, longer and fuller by eating some special foods that, together, are particularly good for hair growth and hair health. The foods for hair growth in this article work synergistically to supply your hair with the building blocks it needs to grow healthy and strong.

Hair is primarily made of a protein called keratin, which is formed from several amino acids. By increasing your consumption of these amino acids, you can increase your hair growth. However, as we age, our blood circulation becomes weaker, particularly to our extremities. Therefore the problem for many people isn’t necessarily lack of protein; in fact it is poor blood circulation in the scalp.

In this article, we’re going to look at the best foods for supporting the formation of keratin and improving blood circulation in the scalp, so the nutrients your hair needs to grow reach your hair and feed it.

Watermelon

Surprisingly, our base ingredient in this recipe is watermelon. Watermelon contains high levels of a phyto-nutrient called ‘citrulline’, which increases your body’s levels of arginine. Arginine is a key amino acid for improving blood circulation. Watermelon is so effective, it’s even been described as ‘natural viagra’. This viagra effect is perfect because it will get your blood pumping to your scalp bringing with it the proteins and minerals that make your hair grow – and this is key to increasing hair growth.

Eggs

Eggs are like perfect parcels packed full of nutrients. They contain just about all the right nutrients for hair growth! Eggs are great sources of protein, vitamin E and B vitamins.

While eggs are perfect for hair growth in almost every way, be careful; raw eggs contain a glycoprotein called avidin, which can block the body’s absorption of the B vitamin biotin. Since biotin is very important for hair growth, consider supplementing with biotin if you eat of raw eggs frequently. All that said, some nutritionists still advise eating raw eggs instead of cooked eggs because many of the benefits of raw eggs are lost when the eggs are cooked.

Baby leaf spinach

As a general rule, deeply and brightly coloured vegetables are rich in nutrients. Spinach is great for hair growth because it’s rich in iron, protein, B vitamins and vitamin C. So it’s a perfect vegetable for hair growth. Iron deficiency is widely thought to be a cause of hair loss and although a deficiency is rare, healthy iron levels are recommended for healthy hair.

Orange juice and other fruits high in vitamin C

Vitamin C is very important for healthy blood circulation and good blood flow is important for hair growth. By consuming high levels of vitamin C every day, you can improve the health of your circulatory system as well as your immune system. This, coupled with consuming watermelon regularly, will help increase the flow of nutrients to your hair, which is arguably the most important aspect of a senior’s hair growth diet.

Kelp

Kelp is a sea plant that is very rare in modern diets, but may be very important for hair growth because it contains high concentrations of iodine.

Iodine is a key nutrient for thyroid health. An overactive thyroid can cause hair loss. Kelp is a natural way to maintain the health of your thyroid gland. It also contains many other minerals that benefit your health. If you have trouble maintaining your weight, it’s worth having your thyroid checked as you may have a condition such as hyperthyroidism. Hyperthyroidism is particularly common among older women.

Making the most of these foods for hair growth

Because hair is made of protein, it’s easy to assume that eating more protein is the best way to feed your hair, but it’s not the case. Our modern diets are already very high in protein, and in fact, it’s not the protein we’re lacking, it’s the nutrients that help deliver the protein to the hair and enable hair growth to occur. So if you want to improve the health of your hair and increase hair growth, try adding these five foods for hair growth to your diet several times a week.

Source: http://www.superseniorfitness.com/

Stillness

10 Easy Ways for Seniors to Lose Weight

By Jake Roth

It’s important not to fixate on weight and let it control our lives. But, sometimes, losing a few pounds is a necessary step to improving our overall health. Making this change in your life should be gradual, as shocking your body is never healthy. Moreover, any weight loss should come from healthy lifestyle choices, instead of fad diets or obsessive behaviours.

Here are ten handy tips to help you lose the weight healthily over time:

1. A Balanced Diet—You should not consume nutrients in isolation. For example, while butter is not the healthiest choice, a piece of bread with butter is better than a plain piece of bread is. Simply put, butter contains protein, so it slows down the rate at which the carbohydrate (bread) breaks down and turns to sugar in your body.
2. Regular Eating—There exists a ubiquitous misconception that you should not snack. In truth, you can improve your basal metabolic rate—the amount of energy your body uses when you rest—by eating three meals daily and snaking regularly. The latter provides your body with adequate fuel and also ensures that you do not overeat at meals. Just make sure that you choose a healthy snack.
3. Avoid Calorie Snacks—First, balance and proper nutrient consumption is a lot more important than the number of calories that you consume. Second, eating a 100-calorie pack of junk food, for example, will not satisfy you. But, most importantly, it will just represent wasted calories, as your body will not have much use for it. Replace diet snacks, which are usually loaded with harmful chemicals, with more nutritious snacks, like yogurt and fruit.
4. Water Aerobics—Water forces your muscles to work with a lot more resistance than they could handle on land. As such, water aerobics is a great way to burn calories, while increasing your muscle mass. In short, you reduce your body fat index.
5. Walking—Walking for at least 45 minutes daily is a really simple way to shed calories.
6. Golf—Live Strong notes that walking the course, instead of using a cart, is ideal. However, merely swinging clubs can tone your muscles and burn some calories.
7. Strength Training—Putting on muscle is an important part of raising your metabolism. Adding muscle burns calories, so any growth in this department will lower your weight. Moreover, muscles do not need as much space on your body as fat does, so increasing your muscle mass will result in your body fat percentage dropping. However, before strength training, you should consult an expert in the field to make sure that your program and form are safe.
8. Flexibility Training—Becoming more flexible will positively affect any other type of exercise or daily activity. Yoga and Pilates are great options here.
9. Posture—Dr. James Emmetet tells Canadian Living, “If we can teach them about body posture, that can have a widespread effect. Because they’re carrying themselves better it takes tension off the whole body and everything starts to flow better.”
10. Rest—After a hard day or a grueling workout, take a break. In short, if you do not rest sufficiently, your future exercise sessions will be less effective.

Regardless of how you choose to get active, these simple ways to lose weight can help you to effectively adjust your lifestyle for better overall health and wellness.

-See more at: http://www.comfortlife.ca/

Exercise Tips for Seniors

Here are some great healthy exercise tips for seniors…

Moving at all time, not just when you feel like it 

Exercise improves your metabolism. When you get moving several times a day it keeps that internal calorie burner amped up. Try two 15-minute cardio sessions daily, the improvement will be more noticeable than if you did one 30-minute session once a day.

Push your muscles to the limit
Next time you strength (resistance) train, try not to rest more than 15 seconds after the last repetition. Instead, pick up a lighter weight and do three to five more reps. You have fast and slow twitch muscle fibers. The fast ones will tire quickly, and the slow ones can endure longer. Switching over to lighter weights and continuing to fatigue all the muscle fibers will help build strength and tone faster.

Stretching will help.

As an essential part of everyday life, from driving to dressing, cleaning to gardening, lack of flexibility can limit a person’s lifestyle. Stretching will surely to complement an activity program and add to your functional fitness, helping you stay agile and independent as long as possible at any age, improving your general health safely and effectively.

*** Keep in mind not all exercise tips will apply to your particular situation. These tips are for more active and agile adults. Be sure to warm up prior to starting and give yourself time to cool down and stretch. Many exercises require supervision to avoid injury.***

Source: http://selecthomecare.com

Follow your Brain, Your Heart is stupid as shit

Cardio Exercise Tip for Elders

By Abubakar Najam 

With increase in age there are number of changes which appears in human body. Different systems start working at quite slow pace e.g. metabolic system and circulatory system. Elder people also experience physical weakness and memory loss problems. Accompanied with these are the changes which appears in the overall skeleton i.e. weakness of bones etc. Although age factor is responsible for upbringing of these changes yet another factor that matters more than age is lack of physical activity. Physical activity is need of people with all age groups but in case of elderly people it is must.

Researches have shown that elder people who exercise regularly and take balance diet experience more physical fitness. Not only they remain fit but also they lessen the threat of having fatal diseases such as heart problems, hypertension, diabetes etc. thus, elder people should remain physically active in order to save themselves from number of diseases. Here, becoming physically active does not mean that you have to join a gym or have to do strenuous exercise. It simply means you have to adopt such lifestyle which includes some sort of physical activity. Cardio is good option for elders as it takes away physical weakness, boost the metabolic system, helps in muscle toning and keep one energetic and fresh.

What Is Cardio?

Cardio generally refers to cardiovascular system. It is a broad term includes sets of exercises done for achieving different aims such as body building, muscle toning, developing body stamina, burning fats, and most of all to remain physically active. Among numerous cardio exercises it become difficult for elder people to choose right type of exercise for themselves. Here are some easy cardio exercise tips for elders:

Before Starting:

If you are doing exercise after long period of physical inactivity then it is best for you to make an exercise plan before starting. In the plan mention the type of exercise, number of repetitions you will perform and the total time you will be spending for exercise. Consider your physical conditions while making plan. If you are suffering from osteoporosis or arthritis problems then opt for low intensity exercises.

Cardio Exercise Tips:

Warm Up:

Warm up is must for cardio. Warm up of 10-15 minutes activates the body parts and helps you in the long run. Warm up by doing some light activity.

Gave it A Go:

It is recommended that in beginning you should start with less strenuous cardio such as walking,jogging at a faster pace etc. Within couple of days your body will get used to cardio this is the time when you can switch to exercises which put stress on your body muscles such as arm and biceps exercises.

Gradually Switch To Muscle Training Exercises:

When you think you are ready for more cardio workouts then go for muscle training exercises such as leg exercises, abdominal exercises, triceps extensions etc.

Water Intake:

As a result of exercise your muscles get activated. Harmful metabolites, toxins, chemicals are released from muscles which are only flush out when there is ample amount of water present in body. So, drink water before, after and during cardio, it will keep you fresh and will activate your body organs.

After Cardio:

Always do stretches after cardio as muscles are warm and it helps in toning. If you feel dizziness or headaches during cardio it means you have put on more stress on your body. In such a situation switch off to low intensity exercises.

Being elder is not an excuse for not doing exercise. In fact exercise will keep you more fit and healthy. So, what are you waiting for make your cardio plan and gave it a go.

Source: http://www.smerete.com

Stillness

Key Nutritional Tips to Help Prevent Muscle Loss in Seniors

In order to age healthfully and enjoy continued quality of life and physical independence, older adults must focus on bone and muscle health – and avoid sarcopenia.  Sarcopenia refers to the gradual loss of muscle mass, which is a common consequence of ageing.

Sarcopenia is a concern because muscle strength plays an important role in the tendency to fall. Falls can result in fractures and other injuries, particularly in people with weak bones due to osteopenia or osteoporosis. Seniors who have suffered a fracture, particularly a hip or spinal fracture, may face a future of long-term disability and loss of physical independence.

So what can seniors do to help maintain strong muscles?

One of the most important aspects is exercise, specifically resistance training. Regular targeted exercise is critical in order to maintain and build muscle and bone strength. In addition, a recent International Osteoporosis Foundation review paper* has highlighted the importance of specific nutritional factors in preventing sarcopenia.

The experts identified which nutritional factors can contribute to loss of muscle mass, or conversely, are beneficial to the maintenance of muscle mass.  Reviewing evidence from worldwide studies, they identified the following nutritional factors as important to the maintenance of muscle mass and the prevention of sarcopenia:

• Protein: Protein intake plays an integral part in muscle health. The review proposes an intake of 1.0–1.2 g/kg of body weight per day as optimal for skeletal muscle and bone health in elderly people (those without severely impaired renal function).
• Vitamin D:  Adequate vitamin D should be ensured through safe exposure to sunlight and/or supplementation if required. Vitamin D supplementation in seniors, and especially in institutionalized elderly, is recommended for optimal musculoskeletal health.
• Eating more fruits and vegetables: The experts found that excess intake of acid-producing foods (meat and cereal grains) in combination with low intake of alkalizing foods (fruits and vegetables) may have negative effects on musculoskeletal health. Modifying the diet to include more fruits and vegetables is likely to benefit both bones and muscles.

Emerging evidence also suggests that vitamin B12 and/or folic acid play a role in improving muscle function and strength.

Overall, the best strategy to maintain strong muscles (and not just in seniors!) is to combine regular resistance training with optimal nutritional status.

Source: http://www.iofbonehealth.org