Living is Easy with Eyes Closed

Five Essential Nutrients your Body Needs

By Elizabeth M. Ward, M.S., R.D.
Nutrition consultant and author 

You need fewer calories as you get older. While the decline may seem like it happened overnight, it’s been in the works for decades, in part because of gradual muscle tissue loss. Muscle burns more calories than fat, so less physical activity further reduces your calorie needs. And if you don’t decrease calorie intake, it’s easier after age 50 to pack on the pounds if you’re sedentary.

While calorie requirements decrease, suggested intakes for certain vitamins and minerals also change. Here’s what women need to know about getting the nutrients they need from food, multivitamins and other dietary supplements when necessary, to feel their best. 

1. Calcium 

Menopause means a loss of estrogen, a hormone that assists the body’s absorption of calcium from foods and dietary supplements, and helps to keep calcium in your bones to boost their strength.  

To help slow the rate of bone loss that can lead to osteoporosis, experts suggest increasing daily calcium intake from 1,000 milligrams a day to 1,200 milligrams after age 50 – about the equivalent of four eight-ounce glasses of milk or other dairy foods. Many women don’t consume the calcium they need before age 50, and they may not meet the increased need after 50, either. 

2. Vitamin B6 

Vitamin B6 may not get much attention, but it’s important for heart health, energy production, and to support the nervous system. Vitamin B6 needs to increase after age 50, and some studies suggest that older people may need more than the current recommended levels of vitamin B6. Animal foods, such as meat, are among the richest sources of vitamin B6, and many breakfast cereals contain added vitamin B6. If you avoid vitamin B6-rich foods, or eat small portions of them, you may not be getting enough of this important nutrient. 

3. Iron 

Iron is part of red blood cells that deliver oxygen to every part of the body. Bleeding causes iron loss, and many women in their childbearing years experience iron deficiency. However, iron deficiency is uncommon among postmenopausal women, largely because monthly iron losses have ceased.  

Suggested iron intakes drop by more than half after menopause, which, in many women, starts around age 51. Iron is found in foods such as meat, poultry, fish and fortified grains. After menopause, avoid taking dietary supplements with iron to prevent iron overload, a condition that can harm the heart and liver. 

4. Vitamin D

You don’t need more, or less, vitamin D after age 50, but this nutrient is worth talking about because many people do not get the required amount at any age. Vitamin D is necessary to absorb calcium from food and dietary supplements and prevent bone loss, and it also may play a role in heart health.  

This nutrient is present naturally in high amounts in relatively few foods, including swordfish, salmon, and tuna. Fortified foods, such as orange juice and milk, are excellent vitamin D sources. However, it would take about six eight-ounce glasses of vitamin-D-added milk or juice to meet your daily needs. Many women need to supplement their eating plans with vitamin D supplements to help meet the recommended intake.

5. Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is necessary for producing red blood cells, making DNA, and digesting properly, among other important functions. Age does not alter vitamin B12 needs, but it does determine the type of vitamin B12 you should consume. 

In older people, synthetic vitamin B12, the form found in fortified foods such as breakfast cereal and dietary supplements, is preferred to the naturally-occurring kind. That’s because an estimated 10 to 30% of people over age 50 are unable to absorb the vitamin B12 found naturally only in animal foods such as meat, milk, and poultry. Even small shortfalls of vitamin B12 over time can lead to health problems.

Source: http://health.walmart.com/

Healthy food tips for over 50s

Simple recipe for good health after your 50th birthday - good nutrition and regular exercise

The Tree Hotel Group pride themselves on providing healthy and delicious dishes on their menu. Managing Director Kavita Pal shares some of her foodie tips to stay healthy in your golden years at 50+.

Chili 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 preventing the build up of cholesterol. It can also lover the risks of dementia, stroke and age related macular degeneration. Try and eat two fish dishes per week.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

Blueberries contain a perse 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.50connect.co.uk

Today is a Good Day!

Exercise for Seniors. Enhance the quality of later life with exercise!

Exercise for seniors is essential for quality of life! I'm sure we can all agree on that point! Most baby boomers and aging seniors can relate to this now famous quote, which is usually attributed to baseball great, Mickey Mantle..."If I knew I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself." If you're like me, you always think there will be plenty of time to make those healthy changes that you've always wanted to make!

I have observed so many people many of who are family members, age poorly. In almost every case, it was due in large part to leading sedentary lives. Being active as we age is the single most important gift that we can give ourselves! With so much that we can't control, let's tackle the one thing we CAN control! The anti-aging diet has become hugely popular, but as always, it boils down to a few basic steps - eat healthy, regulate calorie consumption and avoiding processed foods to get the best results as quick as possible.

Use common sense when you begin to start new activities. Start small and build as you become stronger. While pushing yourself is important, pushing yourself too much will set you back. Walking for weight loss is one of easiest ways to start being active, mainly because it can be done anywhere at any time.If you can be disciplined enough to follow these 3 essential rules most of the time, with only occasional indulgences, you will have your diet under control. Exercise for seniors is easily as important, if not more so, than diet. It is never too late to begin leading an active life. Just remember that all things are good in moderation so take it easy.

Other good alternatives to try..

A good pair of walking shoes is necessary once you develop stamina, but other than that, very little is needed. If the weather is a factor, you can walk indoors on a treadmill, around your home, or in the mall. Walking DVDs are abundant and can be used in your living room.

Swimming is another easy activity for a beginner that is very effective - you can find more about this at the aquatic exercise for weight loss page. I know the bathing suit thing can be intimidating, but if you can get past that, (and let's face it, who can see you once you're in the water), swimming may be the best exercise for seniors! It's easy on the joints and all you have to do is walk or jog in the water, or paddle yourself around to reap the benefits. Many cities have recreational centers with heated pools, and the cost is usually minimal.

"You don't stop laughing when you grow old; four you grow old when you stop laughing."

Using an exercise bike for weight loss can also be an excellent exercise that is popular for seniors. A stationary or recumbent bike can be used indoors if one prefers to stay out of the elements and biking around the neighborhood can be incredibly relaxing and social as well. 

Yoga is another great exercise for seniors. There are many classes for beginners and even special "senior yoga" classes. Classes can usually be found at recreational centers, fitness centers, hospitals, and private studios. In addition, there are dozens of great DVDs available if you prefer to exercise at home. Not only can yoga be an excellent way to build muscle (using your own body weight as resistance) but it encourages flexibility and balance as well.

If you prefer, you can also exercise indoors without special equipment. There are even workout routines designed for sitting in a chair. When there's a will, there's a way! It's essential for seniors to focus on weight-bearing exercises to keep their bones strong. There are target exercises that you can do at home to strengthen various parts of your body.

So, there you have it...some good ideas for getting started. By now you've figured out that it doesn't really matter WHAT you do, as long as you do SOMETHING! Like the saying goes, "Move it or lose it!"

Source: http://www.easy-weightloss-tips.com

Today is a Good Day!

Quick Tips For Seniors To Lose Those Hips!

Let’s get straight to the point! Here is how you can shed a few pounds. Begin with an assessment of your BMI (Body Mass Index) and figure out if you are overly healthy or close to being overweight.

Secondly, since most senior people lead a much less busy life (compared to us crazy moving youngsters), we highly recommend them to join some sort of an eating program, something like the Beyond Diet program.

Thirdly, once you have calculated your BMI, compare your actual body measurements with the average for your age and weight.

This will help you to decide whether you really need to lose weight or not.

Like youngsters, some older individuals too mistake good health and chubbiness for obesity and become very conscious. If you have been really thin all your life then putting on a little weight later in life won’t harm you at all.

As a senior person hitting the gym may be a little difficult for you. An evening and a morning walk of not more than 20 minutes will serve best to keep you in shape. You can always choose whether you want to make changes in your diet, exercise or both. People with knee and hip joint issues may choose not to walk.

But here’s a helpful tip – even if you have such a problem, walking a little bit daily will keep the joints from getting jammed. Walking helps some warmth reach the joints and relaxes them a bit. Obviously you cannot be expected to walk long distances, but a little stroll once a day will be good enough.

As far as your diet is concerned, you should ideally talk to your doctor before cutting down calories. Snacking can include healthier options like oats, porridges, sandwiches and baked crunches.

And while eating, be watchful about fried food and sweets. If you are a diabetic or have chances of becoming one, keep sugar and sweets at bay. As for those with heart problems, thinking about fried snacks is a sin!

Your energy levels are also responsible for how you take care of yourself. Starving yourself could be fatal. You need some energy even to stay awake during the day, read and do little things around the house. Make it a point to be as active as your body permits; but don’t overdo it. As you age, your doctor will naturally tell you to cut down on carbohydrates but not stop consuming them altogether.

Keeping yourself occupied is a good way to lose some weight too. There are yoga classes for senior citizens that guide them to lose weight in a healthy way and stay relaxed. Yoga has been known to curb symptoms of oncoming diseases too.

Along with weight loss you can also experience positive vibes which will make you feel motivated to lose weight without giving up too much.

These are some of the best tips that a senior citizen can follow, not only will this help you lose some excess weight, but it will also improve your overall health and well being.

Source: http://nordichi2008.org/

Take these Broken wings and Learn to Fly

Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will...

Calories for Weight Loss for Women Over 50 Years

By Lynne Sheldon

No matter what your age, you have to cut calories in order to lose weight. However, as a woman over 50, you may find that you need to scale back on your caloric intake even more than you did in your 30s and 40s. This is because as you age, your metabolism slows down, and you also begin to lose muscle mass. Fight off the middle-age spread by eating a low-calorie diet and choosing nutritious foods.

Body Changes, Metabolism and Calories
As you get older, the amount of fat in your body may increase by up to 30 percent, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. When this occurs, you also lose lean muscle mass, which in turn slows down the rate at which you burn calories). This makes maintaining your weight more difficult and makes losing weight more difficult still. To compensate for your slower metabolism, you will need to eat about 200 calories a day fewer than you did when you were younger. However, don't eat fewer than 1,100 calories a day, as this can pose risks to your health and deprive you of essential nutrients.

Caloric Needs
You can get a rough idea of your daily caloric needs with a simple mathematical formula: multiply your goal weight by 12 to 15 calories. A person’s caloric needs will depend on her age, gender and activity level. In general, a woman who is older and not as active will need fewer calories than a man who is younger and more active. For example, if you are a 55-year-old woman who is mildly active and wants to weigh 140 pounds, you would multiply this goal weight by 12 for a daily caloric need of 1680 calories.

Healthy Food Choices
When you are cutting calories, do not skimp on nutrition. Following a balanced diet that is rich in vitamins and minerals is essential for your health, especially as you age. Rather than skipping meals or cutting out carbohydrates or dairy, eat four or five smaller meals throughout the day, and choose whole-grain carbs and low-fat dairy products. Load up your plate with fruits and vegetables, which are full of nutrients and fiber, and choose plant-based proteins like beans and soy products. Limit items with empty calories like cakes, chips and other processed foods, since these have little to no nutritional value and are often high in calories.

Importance of Exercise
Cutting calories is only part of a successful weight-loss plan -- especially as you enter your 50s, you need to get regular exercise. Not only does working out burn calories, thereby allowing you to eat a little more, it also builds lean muscle mass. This can rev up your metabolism, as well as keep postmenopausal fat at bay. Ask your doctor if you are healthy enough to incorporate exercise into your weight-loss plan, and then aim to get about 30 minutes of exercise every day.

Source: http://www.livestrong.com

Simple exercise tips and guidelines for senior citizens

By Kevin Vizcarra 

Participating in a regular exercise program is an effective way to reduce and prevent functional declines associated with aging. Both endurance and strength exercises are encouraged to improve your overall health status. For many of seniors, squeezing in an exercise routine in their daily schedule isn’t always easy. With the help of a caregiver, you can work together to find easy ways to make the time for it and stay safe while exercising.

Brisk Walking

Endurance is a fitness component that is important to maintain as you age. Both aerobic and endurance exercises can help maintain various aspects of heart and lung function as well as cardiac output.

Seniors should build up to at least 30 minutes of endurance exercises. Walking is a great way to start. Try taking a slow walk for about 20 minutes each day. It’s a great way to be outdoors and enjoy the weather.

Weight Lifts

Strength and resistance training is a realistic strategy that can also help offset the loss of muscle mass typically associated with aging. It will also help improve your functional capacity and independence. Risk factors can be reduced that are associated with diseases prevalent in seniors such as hypertension, diabetes and osteoporosis.

Using your body weight with sit-ups and pull-ups is the least expensive option. But for minimal cost, you can also purchase dumbbells and elastic bands to provide better resistance. Strength training two to three days a week, with a day of rest between workouts, is recommended to maintain bone and muscle strength.

There are the usually concerns about what would be the exercise goals and whether it would be safe. Here are some easy guidelines to begin an exercise program:

How hard should you work?

• Monitor the intensity and duration.
• Monitor heart rate. Your HomeHero caregiver can help you with this.
• If you are on medications that affect your heart rate, talk to your doctor.
• You should never be in pain or be unable to speak.
• Start each session slowly and give yourself time to warm up.

Where should I exercise?

• A health club is a good place for self-help, but if you’re not comfortable outdoors, you may do it at home. It’s important, however, not to overwork yourself too quickly. Be sure to get advice about any exercise program you take on and have someone, ideally your caregiver, to watch after you.

• Selecting exercise equipment is an important decision, both in terms of function and finance. It can be a treadmill, stationary bike or even walking shoes. Make sure they’re comfortable and safe.

How long should I exercise for?

• Duration may be five minutes at the beginning of your program. Plan to gradually increase your progress to at least 20 minutes of continuous exercise each day. 30 to 45 minutes is ideal.

How often should I exercise?

• Endurance exercises are recommended three to five days each week. You can also do strength exercises to switch up your routine.

Safety

• It is better to exercise with a partner or in a supervised facility.
• Consider seeing an exercise professional and your doctor before starting your exercise program.

After you go through this list, you should be ready to start your exercise program. Keep in mind to always avoid strain and exhaustion. Don’t be afraid to stop exercising as soon as you feel tired and long before you feel exhausted. Be sure to seek the advice of a doctor before you undertake a new form of exercise.

Take part in physical activities you enjoy most. Walking, stretching, dancing, gardening, hiking and cycling are all excellent activities that you may have not tried or thought about yet.

Source: http://www.homehero.org

Good Things take time

Don't Let Yesterday Take up too much of Today

Exercise Tips For People Above 60

A little of exercise and physical strain is like a medicine to keep away body ailments for a person of any age. As you grow older, the need of some physical strain becomes of more importance to remain fit. The only difference is the extent and intensity of the exercise changes as you grow older and one should adopt exercises which are a little mild. 

How to exercise over 60 is a big question may senior citizens have. So here we are with fitness tips for over 60 people who can use these tips and stay fit and slender. For any exercise, it is the will power which is needed and not the age. Many young people do not or rather cannot exercise as much as the over 60′s can. Never make age as a factor interfere with your fitness. These are simple answers on how to exercise over 60!

1. Yoga
Yoga has no age limitations and can be done by all at any age. Yoga helps in keeping the body flexible and improving the muscle and bone health. Doing mild yoga postures is one way of exercise on how to exercise over 60. Yoga helps in keeping the internal organs strong and healthy. Yoga can be performed by people over 60 everyday for half an hour or so.

2. Laughing workshops
When a person reaches the age of 60, being happy always is very important to remain fit and healthy. Laughter is one of the best ways on how to exercise over 60. Laughing is a medicine for all ailments and laughing helps to release the feel good hormones and make you feel energized and happy. Every morning if you start with laughing exercises, ut will be one great kick start to your day.

3. Walk
Morning and evening strolls in gardens and natural scenery is very good for people over 60 to relax and rejuvenate themselves. It is a good way to exercise and is included in every fitness tip for over 60. Walking is the simplest of all exercises and dies nit need a lot of strain or stress. Early morning is the et time to go for a walk or jog as the body gets the required oxygen.

4. Follow a diet
Over 60 if you feel like you need to keep a control on your weight, you must exercise. But along with a bit of exercise there are things like a diet that can help you to remain fit. Fitness tips over 60 includes a healthy diet with food that will help you to reduce your weight. Along with the right food, the correct amount of water intake also helps in keeping you fit.

5. Aerobics
Another light but peppy workout for all age groups is aerobics. You can do this exercise according to your speed and comfort and it does not require a lot of energy. Aerobics is one way on how to exercise over 60. The stretching and cardio exercises helps in keeping the body flexible along with improving the health of the heart. 

Source: http://medicmagic.net

Depression in men over 50

What is signs and symptoms of depression in men over 50?

When men turn out to be stressed out they might not really identify the actual signs and symptoms with regard to exactly what they're. Anxiousness might be among the very first actual feelings men know about. There might be a feeling associated with sensation edgy as well as discovering trouble within conference individuals or even heading locations are indicators. Actually the person may really feel panicky and also have signs and symptoms associated with perspiring, trembling, diarrhea, palpitations as well as perspiring.

Even though depressive disorders within men will reveal most of the exact same signs and symptoms skilled through ladies, men are usually vulnerable to unexpected reactions associated with frustration as well as discomfort. Danger getting conduct might improve as well as there might be the elevated lack of manage as well as hostility.

The way in which men deal with depressive disorders might mostly connect with how they had been socialized. Men occupying typically man functions tend to be more attuned in order to behaviour associated with energy associations, competition as well as self-reliance. It's not unusual with regard to men in order to hide their own emotions within alcoholic beverages in order to make use of other styles associated with self-medication. Instead of deal with depressive disorders through recognizing their own emotions they will look for interruptions.

Just about all men tend to be vunerable to depressive disorders. There's a few proof in order to claim that much more introvert guys may turn out to be stressed out, however this particular needs to be tempered through the truth that additional man personas might be able to cover up depressive disorders better.

Men frequently appear to arrive away even worse following romantic relationship complete breakdowns. Depressive disorders is actually much more typical within men who're divorced. This might connect simply towards the break down from the romantic relationship however you will find frequently spin-offs to some separation and divorce, for example insufficient use of kids, less cash, lack of a home, which impact men and could bring about their own depressive disorders.

Men tend to be 3 times prone to dedicate committing suicide, especially if they're divided, divorced or even widowed. Men that consume alcohol may dedicate committing suicide.

Main occasions within individuals life might have an adverse impact on feeling. Exactly the same holds true with regard to males. Probably the most substantial modifications inside a romantic relationship may be the appearance of the infant. Depressive disorders within moms is actually nicely recorded however we have now realize that as much as 1 within 10 dads encounter depressive disorders as well. Modifications within the framework associated with associations, feasible earnings decrease as well as exhaustion might just about all lead.

Joblessness is actually a common factor in order to depressive disorders within males. Close to 1 within 7 out of work men will build up the depressive sickness inside six months associated with dropping their own work or even becoming created repetitive. The old saying ‘you tend to be that which you do' is extremely accurate for a lot of males. Get rid of the function part along with a domino impact happens which might impact their own part associated with breadwinner, mind associated with home, self-reliance, option, self-esteem as well as self-worth.

Pension can impact men inside a approximately comparable method to work reduction. Having less expert, socialization may co-workers, the framework as well as objective towards the day time, may just about all possess a damaging impact on feeling. Get yourself ready for pension can be hugely advantageous. A few men discover they could decrease their own operating several hours as well as setup additional pastimes or even actions to assist the actual changeover.

Lovemaking relationships often endure throughout depressive disorders or even might bring about depressive disorders. The actual situations tend to be numerous as well as diverse as well as lovemaking issues may occur for several factors. For instance, the connection might have soured as well as lack of lovemaking get in touch with is really a result as well as continuous reminder. On the other hand, a few men still have sexual intercourse throughout depressive disorders however explain this because practical as well as much less fulfilling. However additional stressed out men look for intercourse because a kind of comfort as well as distraction. Within other people, depressive disorders can lead to decreased intercourse or even erectile dysfunction. The side-effect associated with medicine with regard to depressive disorders could be decreased sex-drive. Erection dysfunction might be as a result of bodily trigger however among the results might be depressive disorders.

Source: http://www.e-womenhealth.com

The best you can Do is Try your Best

Exercise Routines for Men Over 50

by Nannette Croce

Simply being male automatically increases your risk of developing heart disease. Being older than 45 adds another risk factor that's compounded for African-American men. If you're inactive -- you do less than 30 minutes of moderate activity at least three times a week -- that adds another factor. Then there's being overweight, especially if you carry that fat around the middle. As a man over 50, you can't change some risk factors, but you can avoid or reverse others through proper diet and exercise, and the half-century mark is not too late to begin.


Cardio

The American Heart Association and others recommend a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate activity per week for health and weight maintenance, and twice that much -- or upping the intensity -- may be required for weight loss, according to Mayo Clinic. So your workout should include cardio on the treadmill, elliptical or stair climber at the gym or walking briskly or running outdoors. If it's been a while since you've exercised, don't try to prove something to the younger guys by running at top speed. Just like any muscle, your heart needs to be conditioned. Start at 40 percent to 60 percent of your maximum heart rate for 15 minutes, building to 30 minutes. After four to six weeks of regular workouts, up the intensity to between 50 percent and 85 percent of your maximum heart rate, and increase the time if you want to lose weight.

Resistance Training

Muscle begins to diminish around your 40s, and the loss accelerates even more after age 75. Like anyone of any age, you should concentrate on working the major muscle groups of the pecs, shoulders and upper back, lats, ams, legs and abs. If you can do two or more sets of eight to 12 repetitions, by all means, go for it. However, the American College of Sports Medicine notes that for adults 50 to 65, one set of 10 to 15 reps may be just as good.

Work Your Midsection

Men sometimes focus on running and lifting, and neglect their cores. A strong core leads to better posture, thus helping you avoid backaches. Plus it just makes you feel and look stronger when you can walk upright -- not stooped -- with a strong, straight back. Situps and crunches on the floor or a ball are as important for men as for women. As you get stronger, you can try inclined crunches or situps or a hanging leg/hip raise. You don't have to work fast; work smart. There's no reward for how many situps you can do in a minute. Instead, try to reach the deep muscles using proper form. And don't forget to work the opposing erector spinae with back extensions.

Considerations

Your maximum heart rate is probably not as high as it used to be, so the standard 220 minus your age formula for tracking cardio intensity won't work. Outdoor training expert Courtenay Schurman recommends 208 minus 0.7 times your age. You may also find that you need more rest days between workouts. The general recommendation is at least 24 hours between working the same muscles. It doesn't matter how many days' rest you allow as long as you fit in at least two workouts per week. Balance and flexibility training are also something you may have overlooked when you were younger. After 50, it's important to include these in your regular workout routine.

Source: http://healthyliving.azcentral.com/

Follow your Brain, Your Heart is stupid as shit

Exercise Tips For Women Over 50

by Laura Lawrence

We all want to age beautifully, and no matter how old you are you can take advantage of these simple exercises. Light exercise does wonders for skin tone, wrinkles, and flexibility – all things that tend to decline as we move into our golden years.

Exercise increases blood flow, which helps skin cells reproduce effectively – the result is firmer, tighter skin and a healthy glow all over your body.

What are the other benefits of exercising when you are over 50? For one thing, it’s great for reducing menopause symptoms. Many women experience sleep issues, hot flashes, even increased anxiety and symptoms of depression as they age.

Exercise is also going to hammer out those physical ailments – it’s been shown to reduce the risk of osteoporosis, diabetes, and heart disease. Who wouldn’t want some of that?

Slow And Steady

It’s important to take it slow, especially if you’re just getting into a new exercise routine. Low-impact exercises work best because they’re easy on the joints, but they still allow you to get a great cardio workout that will be beneficial for your heart and respiratory system.

We’re going to break down an exercise routine for women over 50 into two categories: light cardio and flexibility exercises. This is a beginner routine that will help you build up endurance.

For now, stay clear of too many weight-based workouts or anything that’s hard on the joints, like squats. The worst mistake you can make is pushing your body too far before it’s ready.

Cardio Exercises For Women 50 And Up

Light aerobic exercise is like the Holy Grail for you – it’s something doctors have known for years, but which few women take advantage of. No matter what aerobic activity you decide to do, aim for 20 minutes with each session. The hardest part of this is finding the right pace.

You want to increase your heart rate, but not too much. At the ideal pace, you should be able to talk regularly without huffing and puffing between each word. Physicians call this the talk test.

Try walking or jogging, or if you don’t want to leave the house you can simply turn on the TV and move around as you watch. Bounce from foot to foot, swing your arms, jog in place, dance a little if you want. Just keeping your body moving will work out the large muscles – your thighs, calves, abs, and shoulders, pumping oxygen-rich blood to your organs.

Flexibility Exercises For Women Over 50

For the second part, let’s talk flexibility. I don’t mean just stretches, although those are important too. I’m talking about a few simple exercises that give your muscles a light workout while you stretch them out. Arm lifts are a great example. Here’s how:

Arm Lifts

For this exercise, you’ll need a set of light dumbbells. With the dumbbells in hand, hold your arms flat at your side. Keeping your elbows locked, raise your arms to the side until your hands are higher than your shoulders. Hold it there, then slowly bring them back down. This will increase the range of motion for your shoulders while strengthening your shoulders, triceps, and biceps.

Side Toe Touches

Another good flexibility workout is the side toe touch. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, then step each foot sideways until you can feel a light strain on your inner thighs.

The next part should be done rapidly: Bend sideways at the waist and reach down towards your left foot, going as far down as you can. Now switch over to the right foot. Try it ten times with each side for a low impact workout that also stretches your ab muscles and your thigh muscles.

At the end of the day, what’s important is the motion. Look for ways to move more during the day, whether it’s parking further away than normal or simply getting up to march in place while you watch TV.

Hitting 50 isn’t an excuse to stop working out; it should be motivation to stay active and continue to lead a healthy lifestyle.

Source: http://dailyweighin.com

Stillness

Heart Attack Symptoms In Women Over 50

It is a general opinion that the major targets of heart attack are men and they are more likely to die from heart attack. But it is not true, rather women are more at risk to die from heart attacks and a fact that is even more worrying is that they may have one earlier than a man. Do you know that heart attacks are major cause of death in women over 50 years? As women usually take more emotional tension throughout their life, so they are affected by more diseases than men.

A heart attack takes place, when an artery is completely or severely blocked and the heart does not receive the enough blood it requires for more than 20 minutes. The women can have different symptoms of heart attack or the heart attack warning signs than men. Women might have warning symptoms that they pay no attention to, for weeks, months, and even years before having a heart attack. For up to 6 months before a heart attack takes place, women normally feel prodromal symptoms (pre-heart attack symptoms).

There are some Heart Attack Symptoms In Women Over 50 that they must know.

• Chest Pain: Usually a classic heart attack symptom is discomfort of the chest or a crushing pain. It is mild to start with and recurs at long intervals. However, it must be noted that the women may or may not experience the chest pain during heart attack.
• Breathlessness or shortness of breath: A common symptom of heart attack is shortness of breath or difficulty in breath. It is commonly seen in women as a symptom of heart attack.
• Nausea or Indigestion: Nausea and stomach pain are one of the most often overlooked signs of a heart attack. Women over 50 are more likely to experience this symptom. Symptoms can vary from gentle indigestion to severe nausea, vomiting and cramping.
• Dizziness: The feeling of lightheadedness or the sensation that you might pass out is dizziness. It takes place when blood will not get to the brain quickly enough or if there is a shortfall in the quantity of oxygen in the blood.
• Unusual Fatigue: Unusual crushing fatigue can happen during a heart attack as well as in the days and weeks leading up to one, especially among women. Sleep disturbances and unexplained weakness or fatigue are the most common heart attack symptoms for women over 50.

After having information about these Symptoms Of Heart Attack In Women Over 50, you will come to know about the signs of heart attack that may occur in women over 50. As a woman gets older, the probability is more to have a heart disease. But women of all ages must be aware of heart diseases. By practicing healthy lifestyle habits, all women can take steps to stop it.

Source: http://www.ahealthyclick.com/

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Health Concerns for Women Over 50

Everyone experiences health issues no matter their age, but for mature women, unfortunately there are likely to be a few more female health concerns to look out for. With regular check ups and some preventative care, there is no reason you can't sail smoothly into your golden years. Knowledge is power ladies, so here are the top five health concerns of all women's health issues for women over 50.

1. Menopause -- Perhaps the most common of all women's health issues over the age of 50 is menopause. Menopause is the process where the body begins to stop producing female sex hormones and it becomes impossible to have children. Nearly 1/3 of a woman's life is spent in the menopausal stage, and it brings with it symptoms and complications. Symptoms range from severe mood swings and hot flashes to fatigue, urinary issues, and more.
2. Osteoporosis -- Osteoporosis, meaning porous bones, is a disease where the quality and density of the bones are reduced and bones get thinner. This is one of the top female health concerns in women over 50 because as women age, their risk of having osteoporosis increases. Often there are no symptoms of the disease until a fracture occurs, so it is important to get bone density tests to ensure there are no major issues. Maintaining an active lifestyle is a good way to prevent the disease. Issues are more prevalent in older women as the bones become more fragile with age. With this fragility, the risk of fractures, especially in the hips, wrist and spine is greatly increased.
3. Heart Disease - Unfortunately, there are a great number of women who suffer from heart disease that have not been diagnosed. Heart disease is actually called the silent killer among women due to the fact that it typically goes undetected until something major happens, and is the most dangerous of all women's health concerns.. According to the Center for Disease Control, heart disease is responsible for almost 29% of deaths in women. Risk factors of heart disease include increase in age, heredity, race, smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, sedentary lifestyle, diabetes, and being overweight. Heart disease can be prevented by choosing a healthy lifestyle and eating a balanced diet.
4. Breast Cancer -- Breast cancer is very common among female health concerns, especially in women over 50. It is actually the most common cancer in women. Experts indicate that sometimes women don't go to their doctor for breast cancer screenings because they are afraid of actually finding that they do have the disease. It is imperative that you get screened each year for breast cancer, in order to possibly save your life. Women should know that having breast cancer does not mean you are definitely going to die. There are a lot of successful treatment options. Risks for breast cancer include increasing age, family history of the disease, early onset of menstruation, sinking too much alcohol, not having children, and obesity.
5. Depression -- The National Institute of Mental Health indicates that over 12 million women are affected with depression each year. A key factor in depression in women is lack of a connection with others. Women need sustenance and without it, they tend to get depressed. In addition, women who are going through menopause suffer from depression due to hormonal changes that can trigger the condition. Keeping busy and being active can help reduce the risk of depression. Those who are in a caring relationship are also less likely to suffer from depression.

Source: http://northwestprimetime.com/