Thursday, January 1, 2009

Aspects of Aging and Staying Healthy

The older we get the more we think we know what is going on when we’re sick and not feeling well. It is very important to know when it is time to make that visit to your doctor’s office. It is good to know how to take care of yourself but there is some things that if let go to long it could be too late. Over the counter drugs may not be the right decision. Recently, studies showed that some over-the-counter drugs are causing serious side effects. Your doctor can help you to find which over-the-counter, or medications to help you stay well. 


When you do break down and make that appointment or go to the emergency room for care you need to be able to work with the doctor. Your doctor needs to know what you’ve already taken at home for the problem so he doesn’t give something that will counteract to your home remedy.

Tell your doctor about all your past history of illness. He needs to know what immunization shots you have had and what treatments you’ve had in the past. If you can’t remember, keep records and dates handy. Knowing about your family health is important as well. Some illness run in the family and the doctor needs to have an idea what to look for when he makes his diagnosis. Always keep a list of current medications your taking including the over the counter drugs.

When you go to see your doctor write down questions you may have. Ask him to explain. Always ask questions if he says or does things and your not sure, what they are for. Remember a question not asked is a stupid one. Tell him if you are already taking a drug and you don’t feel like it is helping. If you don’t agree with what your doctor is saying always feel free to get a second opinion.

Routine check ups are very important to a healthy you. Having routine checks may not seem important but there could be something going on and maybe your doctor can catch it in time before it progresses too far. Make sure you get your flu and pneumonia shots every year as recommended. The shots may not stop you from getting the flu but it can lessen it so you won’t be so sick. Get out to help that depression, which sets in on older people faster than others do. Maybe take some classes on diet and exercise. There you will learn and meet new people. The activities will be good for all. If you don’t want to take, classes try a support group to meet people.

Most importantly, don’t take your health into your own hands. I know with the high cost of medications and healthcare it prevents us from receiving the care we need. Still, you will find resources available to help you get that care. 


Aging Body in Healthy Living

Body goes through many changes starting at adolescence. As a person ages the brain, eyes, ears, mouth, smell, heart, liver, lungs, kidneys, bladder, colon, metabolism, and so on starts to change. The body functions start declining which affects reproductive organs, blood, cells, tissues and so on. To slow aging one must exercise, eat right and continue visiting their doctors. Doctors are essential, since these caring souls take time to monitor your bodily functions. Doctors will consider environment, overall health, hereditary factors and more to maintain your health. 


Who studies aging? 
Geriatrics are the men and women in the branches of medicine that study seniors or aging. The experts often focus on aging or the aged since the majority of disease all start in later years. In view of the fact, geriatrics study the syndromes and disease simply because one disease that affects the young will effect the elders in a different light. For instance, if a younger person has a thyroidal problem, it may cause them to feel cranky, gain weight and so on. However, if an older person has a thyroidal problem, they may sink in and reduce themselves into depression. 

Compare the diseases: 
If an older person has a thyroidal condition, they may feel depressed, confused, withdrawn, fatigue, confused, and will lose memory. If common doctors noted these changes they may deduce dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, since the symptoms are in like. Therefore, someone has to focus their attention on aging only to understand the changes that older persons go through. 

Older people are subjects to Alzheimer’s disease, which is a progressive brain dysfunction. The disease causes massive memory loss, which the person will shrink back to infancy in time and finally die. Older people are subject to Aortic aneurysm, which is a disease of the aorta where the walls start dilating, rupturing the main functions and gradually causes death. Older people are subjects to atrophic arthritis, which is in harmony with vaginitis. This condition causes the urethra, as well as the vagina to shrink. As the organs thin the tissues, various symptoms emerge, including burning sensations. The person may feel pain during sexual intercourse. With the burning sensations during urine release, a typical doctor could confuse this disorder as some sort of infection, or sexual transmitted disease. (STD) 

Of course, the average doctors receive valuable information from the study groups of senior citizens. For this reason, the doctors stand alert to challenge aging symptoms, rather than confusing the symptoms with other disease. 

Elderly people are subject to bedsores. Due to prolonged force, this condition causes the skin to breakdown. In addition, elderly people are subject to cataracts, which the lens are clouded causing impairment of vision. Diseases such as benign prostate hyperplasia often develops in the older generation of men. This condition causes the prostate glands to expend large then normal. Urine is blocked when this condition emerges. 

Understanding what you are potentially, facing as an elder person, or youthful person can help you get ahead of the aging game. While we have no control over aging, we do have the ability to slow aging. To slow aging you will need to learn preventive tactics and so on. Ask your doctor to provide you pamphlets that help you understand common aging disease. 

Elderly people face ongoing declinations of the body changes and can lead to chronic lymphocytic leukemia. This disease progresses in a later stage and grows. The condition can grow into malignant leukemia, which is cancerous. Finally, elderly people are potential victims to diabetes type two, glaucoma, hypothyroidism, arthritis, Parkinson’s disease and so on. Don’t be the next victim take action today! 

Stop The Smoking in Healthy Aging

Stop smoking now means you could live a happy and healthier life. As you already know smoking is bad for everyone, not just the ones that smoke but the ones that breath in the second hand smoke. Second hand, smoke is harder on you then smoking. Forty-five hundred Americans start smoking every year. Why would they want to do this to them self I can’t truly answer you.

Because once you get started, you cannot stop. You are hooked and that is not very good for you. Most people start at an early age in life, they are curious or they want to be cool. The biggest problem is most people lack education that helps them to see how smoking causes them to age faster. 
 
The problems smoking can cause:
Smoking can cause many problems when it comes to your health not to think about the expense. Smoking can cause cancer, heart disease, and strokes, increase cholesterol and so on. Your heart is affected, since smoking causes your blood vessels to build up with cholesterol and fat. The results leads to harden of the arteries. Harden arteries mean that the blood flow will not pump fast enough to support the heart’s natural requirements. This starts blood clotting, broken blood vessels etc. It can also cause angina which will make you think that your having a heart attack but your aren’t its just not getting enough blood to the heart to make it pump right. Then it can cause you to have a heart attack, since smoking is a blockage so that there is no blood going to the heart.

Smoking can cause strokes or bronchiolitis. This disease is contagious, which most people do not realize it. The viral infection affects the airway, which affects breathing. The common cause of this contagious disease is smoking or second hand smoke. Smoking promotes bad breath, stained teeth, smelly furniture and clothes. You also get common colds and flu more often. You will start to cough and then you won’t be able to breath they even may put you on oxygen. In addition, smoking is so expensive now days. It is not worth it you will end up regretting it in end. On top of this, you get addicted to the nicotine once you are hooked your hooked.

Bronchiolitis is a common viral infection, which affects the respiratory syncytial. The condition causes inflammation. Once the inflammation accumulates the airway is blocked, since the nicotine consumptions and infections causes the airway to narrow, which the flow of air is obstructed. 
 
Why is nicotine addictive?
You get addicted to the nicotine because of all the chemical put into the tobacco. It’s not so much as the nicotine that makes you sick it’s the chemicals that they put in the tobacco, that cause you to get the disease like lung cancer and heart disease. In addition, what ever you get from smoking. Nicotine or cigarettes have several chemicals incorporated into it to causes addictions, and finally death. 
 
How can I quite smoking?
Once you are hooked, it is going to be hard to quite. You have to decide that you’re going to quite regardless of what it causes, such as weight gain or being on edge.

You have to pull up the will power to do this and stick to it. You can say I will have one now and no more, yet it don’t work that way. You have to find the way that best fits your needs and build the will power. You may want to consult with your doctor who can offer you helpful suggestions on stop smoking. 

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

How to Understand Healthy Aging

Healthy aging is defined as a process that does not implicate disabilities and disease. Living a healthy aging involves removing these debilitating conditions. To leave this world of old age is healthy living. When you can go out without having conditions that end your life sooner, you have lived a healthy life. 


Someone who stays active throughout their life can reduce aging symptoms, such as crowfeet, wrinkles, etc. The person can maintain activities and take care of self can also keep their teeth longer, at least most. Most active people will enjoy life longer than those who sit on the couch holding it down. 

According to medical experts, the number of elders entering nursing facilities has decreased. Yet, people 85 years of age are becoming an increasing figure. Disabilities of people between 74-85 have also decreased according to medical experts. People 65 years of age and older has reduced incapacitating illnesses as well according to medical experts. This means that people are taking life more seriously, obviously; otherwise we would see ongoing conditions in society. According to medical experts also, the average person living active cannot live past “125,” yet the number of people living past 90 is increasing. According to medical experts the average life expectancy is past 90, yet some people manage to live past 120. This is due to transience conditions and its changes according to experts. 

Ironically, common aging is complex for the reason that impairments and illnesses may develop through the process of aging. Some of the diseases that cause rapid aging are due to hereditary. One must learn the processes in DNA to understand and relate to this factor causing rapid aging. 

One example of common aging is seen when a person eats carbohydrates. As we grow older, carbs will increase the level of blood sugar naturally. This is common, yet it is not normal when the blood sugar rises for a person with any type of diabetes. As you can see the senescence is obvious in natural changes, while it is not always understandable with unnatural conditions. 

On the same note, common aging includes forgetfulness, comprehension decline, and so on. Yet, if a person has signs of progressive conditions, such as dementia, which emerges from Alzheimer’s disease, thus its clear aging is unhealthy and unnatural. You want to understand genetics to relate to this condition. 

Our body goes through many changes, which in medical terms is known as senescence. Medical experts, as well as the general population find it difficult to understand common aging signs, since avoidable illnesses, accidents, etc, and non-biological aspects play a role as well. Unnatural causes such as drinking alcohol excessively, drugging, overeating, and so forth is factored into common aging and uncommon aging. Doctors also consider prolonged existence when dealing with healthy aging. 

When considering healthy aging one must take in consideration that longevity plays a part as well. Longevity has changed since the 19th centuries. Nowadays women are living well past 90 and men are living well beyond 80 years of age. Again, transience or mortality has changed, which has increased living expectancy. 

To live a healthy and long life one must take steps to reduce aging. One must take care of their teeth, and overall body and mind. In fact, taking care of your teeth and gums can reduce your chances of heart disease. Experts found that the teeth and gum link to nerves that can submit poisons to the heart, thus causing heart attacks, or strokes. To learn more about teeth and gums, speak with your dentist. 

Social and Physical Environment Slowing Healthy Aging

Living day to day brings a lot of stress into our lives. Some of the stress can be controlled but not all of it can. Everyone will always have a certain amount of stress on a daily basis. The excess can either be your best friend or worst enemy. It takes you to make it your own. 


Are you a person that stays in the house all the time who does not know your next door neighbor? Everyone need to get out and socialize with other people, it will help you relieve the stress of being alone. Sometimes being with other people, you can learn from them about how they handle stress just by observing and being welcoming. 

Get rid of as much stress as you can or it will lead into depression, maybe a heart disease, stress can cause many things to happen to your body. As aging progresses, we body lack the functions or abilities to maintain good health. 

You have control: 
Get out of the house and join an exercise group. Take in some vitamin D that comes from the sun by walking 15-20 minutes a day; make it fun by asking someone to walk with you around the block. The sun is good for you if you know your limits on how much you can handle and you can socialize too at the same time. 

Being around people is good for all of us. People teach you new things about life. Having friends or acquaintances prevent us from drifting into depress. Depression can be caused from many things; being alone and just thinking about things you have no control over. If you become depressed for more than a couple of days see your doctor and he can give you medications and advise you on how to control it. Depression will take over your life and when it does, you can’t get out of it alone. Don’t let this happen to you. 

What about your environment? 
Is there a lot of violence in your neighborhood or do your neighbors argue often, keeping you awake at night? If the neighbor’s are making too much noise talk to them and ask them to please quiet down because you can’t sleep. As we age, our sleep is very important to our health. Losing sleep effects our mental capability as well as body functions. If we don’t get enough sleep, we feel tired all the time; we stop enjoy activities and begin lying around the house, and maybe even to tired to eat. 

Is there a lot of violence in your area? Does your area have too many breaking and entering or stealing going around where you live? Violence and crime can scare all of us to the point that we’re afraid to go outside for that 15 minute walk. Locking yourself in the house is not good, which depression will step in again. Maybe it is time for you to relocate to somewhere your closer to family or to another area where you’ll feel safer to be. 


We all need to be and feel safe and if it requires moving to another location then that might be the answer. Don’t let things around you be a problem if you have to go to the area police, maybe they can drive around the area once in awhile to keep an eye on things. Safety is very important for all of us.

Remember we all need to socialize with others and be safe at the same time. As we age, things change everyday including the environment around us. Keep talking and enjoying your friends and check with others about safety; maybe they can help you decide on how the handle it.

Seeing Eye The Dogs and Healthy Aging

Aging alone is hard on us all, yet being blind too does not make life easier. You have support however. Being blind makes it hard to be independent, feel safe and secure, which could lead into stress and depression. Even if you have blurred vision but can’t read, a guide dog might just be the answer for you or someone you know.


With the help of a guide dog, one could live independent and go about living a normal life. Imagine living in darkness. This is when a qualified Seeing Eye dog could give someone the healthy life they deserve by guiding them to the light of safety. The feeling of being safe and still be able to have a social life could make one safer and healthier knowing they have protection with them at all times. The giving of dignity and self-confidence that a guide dog can give a person is the most wonderful thing that has ever happened for the blind. 

There are also hearing ear dogs trained to keep their masters safe and help them live a normal and healthy life. Hearing ear dogs are trained just like the Seeing Eye dogs to listen and watch for danger giving their master a safe environment. They too are to protect them and help give them a healthier and happy normal life.

A seeing eye dog and the hearing ear dogs have the life of 7-10 years and than is retired and can be replaced. These seeing and hearing guide dogs are trained to watch where the master is walking, to hear and see things that might harm them in some way. People even work regular jobs with their friend beside them guiding them through the everyday working tasks. Seeing and hearing dogs are trained to work not play at all times taking care of their master always watching and listening.

As we age, we need our exercise and socializing to keep us healthy. Being blind and not being able to hear are two very emotional things that can be very depressing especially if they were not born this way. If at one time a person could see or hear normally and all of a sudden diabetes or maybe even a stroke happens to cause them to lose their independence they are naturally going to feel lost and be afraid. A dog is man’s best friend and will give protection where and when it is needed.

When someone decides they might want to have a guide dog but are afraid it might not work out for them or can they trust each other enough to feel safe. The dogs and the new owners are trained together once the dog has learned their manners. The trainer will supervise during the training to teach the dog all your needs and the area so he can guide you through a large city street even. Don’t worry these dogs are trained to keep you healthy and happiness will help provide you with healthy aging?

Healthy aging means many things and one of them is the independence, dignity, safe feeling of protection at all times. What better way to aging if you can’t see or hear than to have a guide dog be your best friend? 

If you can’t see or hear and thinking about getting you a guide dog do it soon. You will not forget the experience. Just think you’ll become more independent and will be able to stay alone to have your own personal life again. Keep safe with guide dogs, since being blind puts you at a deeper and higher risk in society. 

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Healthy Aging with Vitamin and Supplements

The aging progression in our bodies is an on going thing each day of our lives. Bringing the clock to a standstill is out of the questions so we need to take care of ourselves on a daily basis. It is a known fact that as we age we need a dietary supplements and vitamins to substitute the declining bodily chemicals and substances.


Dietary supplements are sometimes needed because as we age our diets change and we eat less. Sometimes we eat more. As our skin and digestive system starts to change, so do our vitamin levels. In order to keep these levels up we may need to take a supplement to bring that level up where it belongs to keep us happy and healthy as we age.

Not having the right vitamins can cause cancers and chronic diseases to develop. We all need to understand the vitamins that we need and how they will help keep us stay healthy and safe. In all, we have two different kinds of vitamins, which one is the fat-soluble [A, D, E, K] and the second one is the water-soluble [B, C, P].

The fat-soluble vitamins if taken too much of can turn into a poison toxic. Our bodies produce Vitamin D and K, and the vitamins A and E need to come from our food or a supplement to help prevent cardiac disease and some cancers. Therefore, it is very important that you have the right amount of A, C, and E.

The water-soluble vitamins help the kidneys to rid of our excess waste on a daily basis so it is very important to get the right amount daily. You should consult with your physician to learn which vitamins and supplements are best suited for you. 

TIP: CHIRO-KLEENZ is a healthy, natural herb tea that detoxifies and trims the system. It is designed for both men and women. NOTE: This tea will cleanse the body of poisons, yet you should note that the tea would cause cramping, and frequent bowel movement. 

As we get older, our diets change and we don’t eat like we should. In addition, the foods we buy sometimes don’t have all or enough vitamins in them. The farmers are putting fertilizer and chemicals to make their crop larger and better and with all these chemicals, it lowers the vitamins that you get from your diet. Not eating the right diet or not enough can cause your vitamin level to drop. Some things you need to know are that Vitamin D is produced from the sun and the older we get the less we are outside, so by taking vitamin D it can help the brittle bones in our body and make them stronger. 

You can find B-12 by eating the right lean red meats, chicken and drinking skim milk. Taking Vitamin B-12 and B-6 it helps to reduce heart disease. B-12 will help the red blood cells produce and maintain the nervous system as well too.


Are you not taking vitamins because it is too hard to swallow them? 
Some of us as we get older have a hard time swallowing, stay healthy by buying liquid vitamins. If you are not sure what ones come in liquid form ask your doctor and he can help you decide what you need and tell you if they are in liquid form or not. Some pills can’t be cut up or crushed because they lose their strength, so stay healthy and look for the liquid type.

One of the most important things about healthy aging is to have a well balance meal three times a day. Take your medications and vitamin everyday as your doctor has prescribed and enjoy life.