Medical Issues

There’s often the cliche that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. However, when it comes to quitting smoking, sometimes that’s the only choice. While many believe that it’s much harder to quit when you’re older, your age actually has little to do with your willpower. In fact, many older smokers find it easier to quit later in life because it fell out of fashion or was something they had to do for their kid’s sake. And, if you’ve been considering quitting as you’ve started to reach the middle of your life, we’ve provided a few smoking cessation tips for older adults.

Take It Easy At First

The hardest part of developing a healthier lifestyle is learning how to take things in stride. We often get these grandiose visions in our heads of who we could be, imagining someone that not only has quit cigarettes, but is in tip-top shape, eating healthy, and even just overall looking and feeling better. While it’s great to have an overall goal, being able to accomplish that comes with looking at what you can do one day at a time. And, often, that means taking things easy at first.

When it comes to quitting cigarettes, the first thing you should consider is if you want to use a tobacco-free product or not. While some people go at it cold turkey, others find it easier to have something there to help alleviate withdrawal. There’s no shame in giving yourself the chance to catch up with yourself, which means not always doing everything all at once, but rather gradually over time.

Learn To Pick Up New Habits

A great way to get out of bad habits is to develop new ones. Although it sounds easier than it is, picking up new habits is a day-to-day task. Usually, it can take an average of 66 days to develop a habit, which requires a significant amount of patience. A lifestyle change is never accomplished overnight (especially in older age), which is why learning how to reward yourself is also an important aspect as well.

Remember To Reward Yourself

One of the biggest secrets to breaking old habits while building new ones is knowing how to reward yourself. As noted by behavioral psychologist Charles Duhigg, the biggest reason why people fail to develop a new habit (or, quit a current one) is that they don’t reward themselves enough for successfully breaking the action. Granted, this doesn’t mean to necessarily go hog wild for every micro-accomplishment, however, setting milestones or benchmarks in your progress is important, giving your reward complex the boost it needs.

Take A Second To Appreciate What You’re Gaining

While you’re in the trenches of quitting, it’s smart to remember what you’re gaining from this whole process. These are things as simple as your risk of a heart attack being reduced 24 hours after quitting, as well as an array of other health benefits too. Furthermore, this is also time you’re winning back to spend with friends and family, enabling you to get to know them better and feel like you’re truly getting more time on this earth. Finally, this is a moment to counterbalance and reverse a lot of negative things in your life; for example, most middle-aged people gain at least 3-4 pounds per year, which you can start counteracting with your newfound ability to exercise.

Give yourself a chance to enjoy being a nonsmoker, as you might learn something new about yourself.

Enjoy The Perspective Of Being A Nonsmoker

Being a nonsmoker can be quite an enjoyable lifestyle if you let it be. While it’s estimated that only 6 percent of people who attempt to quit are successful, a big reason for that is they view themselves as being deprived. Quite simply, they count the days in agony, relying on the idea that if they make it ‘3 days, 2 weeks, 1 month, etc’, that at some point, they’ll stop thinking about it. However, this confines you from being able to truly enjoy being a nonsmoker. Use these smoking cessation tips for older adults to get started now. 

Make a list of all the activities you’d like to do as a nonsmoker. No matter how silly, these can be activities you want to try, objects you’ve wanted to buy, or even trips you’ve wanted to take. Nothings off limits, especially since you don’t have to worry about cigarettes holding you back anymore. Even as an older adult, there’s no reason you don’t deserve to feel young again, which starts by looking at this as a new chapter in your life. The only thing left to do is start writing the story you want to see.

My great grandson, Zaidyn, is turning a year old this month. It’s hard to believe that little guy is growing up so fast. Because I want him to be healthy and happy, I’m posting this chart to let his Mom (and all the other new moms who may read my blog) know what age is appropriate to start dental and oral care for little ones. Happy birthday, little Z!

Oral Health Checklist created by Natomas Crossing Dental Care

Growing older can feel incredibly daunting – and while it’s only natural, it’s easy to worry about what lies ahead. From the memory loss to the mobility issues that affect your lifestyle, it might be a scary prospect to think about. If you’re heading towards retirement, then there are certain inevitabilities to expect that naturally come with aging. And while it might feel negative to consider, it’s important to be as prepared as possible for the future and what potential issues could affect you. To help guide you, here is a list of 10 of the most common health issues that you could face as you age.

Mobility Issues

As mentioned above, issues with mobility start to occur for many people as they age. This decline in mobility starts to affect your ability to climb stairs, walk long distances and do other activities that used to be easier when you were younger. But don’t worry, there are solutions out there that assist with your mobility. This support could include the likes of assisted living to mobility aids – for example, mobility scooters, stair-lifts and walkers.

Problems with Oral Health

Another significant health issue that is faced by those growing older is posed by their oral health. Because of tooth decay and cavities, a large portion of the older generation no longer have their natural teeth. This leads to low self-esteem and other health conditions. Thankfully, these can be maintained and the risk can be prevented by arranging regular check-ups with your dentist. To replace missing teeth, there are also options available such as these Affordable Dentures.

Loss of Sight

Although this can happen at any stage in life, it’s a particularly common issue faced by those in their later years. Of course, the degree of sight loss will depend on the individual, but it can bring frustration and stress. There are ways, however, that can help with this such as through wearing progressive eyeglasses.

Loss of Hearing

Age-related hearing loss is a genetic condition that makes it difficult for a person to hear what’s going on around them or to tolerate loud sounds. Typically occurring in both ears equally, the loss occurs gradually over time. For age-related hearing loss, hearing aids are often recommended. Loss of hearing is a really common health issues you could face as you age, for both  men and women.

Cognitive Health Issues

Another health issue that you could face as you age is associated with your cognitive health. This directly affects your ability to remember, think and learn new things. And one that’s particularly prominent is dementia. However, even if dementia isn’t likely in your family, memory loss is likely to be an issue.

Even though there’s no real way to fully prevent this from happening, there are ways to help with it. For example, you could try to keep your brain active through completing puzzles, reading and other activities which are designed to assist with brain function. Loss of cognitive ability and dementia are cruel common health issues you could face as you age.

Chronic Health Issues

As you start to age, your body starts to become more susceptible to certain chronic conditions – including heart disease, strokes, diabetes and cancer. Because these chronic health issues affect a large part of the population, it’s important to know how to prevent the risk and manage them in the future.

As well as trying to avoid smoking, eating healthily and keeping alcohol consumption low, it’s important to try and attend annual checkups with your doctor. This way, you’ll have first-hand advice on how to care for your health using methods that are suitable for you.

Menopause

A natural part of aging for women involves facing menopause. A common stage in life for those aged 40 and over, it can affect your overall health and will bring changes to your hormones. Although it can’t be avoided, it’s good to know what the typical symptoms include, these are:

• High levels of anxiety
• Hot flashes
• Depression
• Difficulty sleeping
• Reduction and stopping of periods

Once you’ve gone through menopause, you could face issues such as osteoporosis because of the loss of bone mass that comes as a result of it.

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

Caused by a blood clot within your deep veins, Deep Vein Thrombosis is typically found in the legs. Those over 40 are at particular risk of this condition. And while it on its own can be very painful, the fact that it can lead to complications such as pulmonary embolism (when the blood clot travels to the heart or lungs) make it a particularly dangerous condition.

There are certain factors that can result in DVT, including a family history of blood clots, damage to blood vessels (due to prolonged smoking habits), obesity and being inactive for long periods of time. The initial symptoms of DVT include:

• Warm skin where the clot has occurred
• Discoloration of skin
• Swelling and cramps in the affected area
• Pain in the ankle or foot

To help with this issue, a doctor may recommend certain blood-thinning medication, compression stockings to ease the swelling, etc. Alongside this, they may recommend certain lifestyle changes to assist with the healing and prevention of blood clots in the future.

Depression

Another unfortunate health issue that can be faced by people when they age is depression. Some days might feel unbearable and extremely negative – just two emotions that depression can bring with it.

 However, despite the large percentage that have experienced this at one stage or another in their life, it’s important to acknowledge what treatment is out there to help with it. Not only can regular therapy and medication help, but by prioritizing socializing and physical activity in your everyday life, it will prevent overthinking and boost happiness.

Arthritis

Similarly to osteoporosis, arthritis is easily one of the most common health issues faced by people over the age of 50. Leading to everyday pain (whether it’s in the wrists, feet or another part of the body) and a lower quality of life in certain cases, it’s essential to know what to do if you face it. This is where medical assistance can come in.

Not only can a doctor recommend suitable medication to help ease the pain, but they can develop a personalized plan that includes what activity you can do, any changes that are necessary to your lifestyle, etc. That is why it’s worth booking appointments with your doctor if you notice any warning signs ahead of time.

Final Thoughts

So, there you go! Those are 10 of the most common health issues you could face as you age. It’s essential to recognize that not everyone will face these issues, but that if they are likely, you know what to do. Of course, not everything in life can be prevented. But by knowing the little things you can do to help to try to prevent them, you’ll be in a far better place in the future when it comes to your health.

Alongside this, it’s vital to realize that you’re never on your own and that there is always support available if and when you need it. Although it might feel very negative, it’s also important to try to stay positive throughout life. There are many wonderful things to look forward to – it’s not all downhill from here!

There’s no denying that life can be unpredictable and can throw you some curve balls, but that doesn’t mean that you have to be waiting for one of these conditions to strike. By living your life one day at a time, you’ll feel a lot happier, resulting in a far more fruitful life that you love. Start now to help prevent these common health issues you could face as you age. 

Your body naturally builds muscle mass and muscular strength until around the age of 30. That is when many men begin to lose testosterone, and women start losing estrogen as the activity levels decrease in daily life. Significant changes continue as hormone concentrations shift between the ages of 30 and 60, and muscle loss is often the result of lower amino acid conversions. Here are seven ways you can help improve muscle mass as you age.

1. Exercise

Although running around the block is good for the heart, other activities are better for building and strengthening muscles. Lifting weights, resistance training, sit-ups, and push-ups are all good ways to keep muscles in good repair. Staying busy with daily routines such as yard work, household cleaning, and outdoor activities can also help you improve muscle mass.

2. Water

The body works hard to build and repair itself. To enhance this process, residual toxins need to be consistently removed. Nature uses water to cleanse the body of unneeded contaminants and pollutants and provide necessary energy access. That is why it is essential to stay hydrated as you build muscles.

3. Supplements

As your body ages, the amino acids that are critical for continued cell regeneration and healing become less available. Many people find taking an ipamorelin acetate or peptide supplement promotes the body’s ability to access growth hormones essential in keeping and developing muscles. Besides promoting lean muscle growth, it can also increase muscular strength.

4. Vegetables

Your body requires many macro-nutrients that you may have trouble providing if you want to build muscle. Folic acid, potassium, vitamin A, and vitamin E can all be found in abundance in these super-foods. They are also filled with fiber that is essential to building muscles.

5. Sleep

Your muscles re-knit themselves on a 48-hour schedule, and one way to allow the structures to recover is through sleep. Working your muscles stresses the tissues, but sleep permits the body to destress and replenish vital stores of energy and nutrients. Allow yourself at least seven hours of deep sleep a night.

6. Protein

Not all proteins provide the same muscle-building abilities when consumed. Although a thick hamburger may sound incredible, lean chicken and fish can provide better quality nutrients with less destructive saturated fats. You can also find high-quality protein in nuts, beans, and whey.

7. Fat

Although many people believe that fats should be restricted in a healthy diet, the truth is just the opposite. DHA and EPA are essential for vision, heart, and brain health, so make sure you eat nuts, fish, seeds, and olive oil every day. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats should provide 25% of your calories to ensure your body has all the food it needs.

You do not have to be a bodybuilder or strength-trainer to work on your muscle mass. Use the seven tips above to help build stronger muscles with more size.  Staying active can help you fight muscle decline, but so can eating right and adding necessary supplements. You only have one body, so taking care of it can help your muscles take care of you.

There are few things that can be as detrimental to your enjoyment of a good summer quite as much as a seasonal allergy. In most cases, this means dealing with hay fever, also known as an allergy to either tree or flower pollen, or seasonal allergic rhinitis. Take a look at what you need to know to beat seasonal allergies and a few methods on preventing and managing your symptoms as best as possible.

How allergies work

First of all, we have to know that when we’re talking about allergies, we’re not just talking about one kind of illness. For the rest of this article, we are largely going to cover seasonal allergic rhinitis, aka hay fever, which is what we typically mean when talking about seasonal allergies. However, all kinds of allergies work due to the fact that the immune system recognizes an allergen (a substance that originates externally from the body) and over-reacts to it. Most allergens are not noxious, but rather it’s the immune response that causes the symptoms that cause so much trouble.

 Symptoms of allergies

The different types of allergies can come with different symptoms, as well. For instance, some allergies, like those caused by fleas, ticks, and other insect bites, can result in localized swelling, itchiness, and pain. In most cases sneezing, a runny or blocked nose and itchy, red, watery eyes are the most common symptoms, particularly prevalent in seasonal allergies. Other symptoms can include wheezing, shortness of breath, coughing, rashes and hives, swollen lips, tongue, eyes or face, stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea, and dry, red or cracked skin. If a person is prone to experiencing the more severe symptoms, then it may be recommended they have regular access to treatments such as epipens that can calm down the body’s immune response. For a lot of people, allergy symptoms are going to be bothersome and perhaps painful, but nowhere near as severely threatening.

 Know what you’re dealing with

As mentioned, you will notice that different types of allergies tend to come with different symptoms, as well as different levels of severity. For that reason, it’s crucial to make sure that you know which allergy you’re dealing with. Hay fever is not the only allergy more common in the summer. Insects, pet dander, certain foods, and other types of allergens are all more likely to affect people in the spring and summer as well. Learn how to get an allergy test so you can pinpoint what, precisely, is causing any symptoms of allergies you might be experiencing. Only then can you accurately begin to take the steps to beat seasonal allergies from disrupting your life as much.

What else could it be?

If you have hay fever but you haven’t had any exposure to pollen or other allergens, or if you have been tested and seem to have no allergies at all, then you should be aware that other summertime sicknesses can be easy to confuse with it. For instance, cold and virus symptoms can be very similar to allergic reactions. Infections such as enteroviruses are a lot more common during the summer. If you have any aches in the body or a fever, then it’s more likely to be some sort of infection. If any symptoms last longer than a week, it’s worth getting it checked out, no matter what it might be.

 Control the pollen count in the air

If you have confirmed that you are, indeed, dealing with hay fever, aka seasonal allergic rhinitis, then you should be aware that’s exposure to pollen that is the big problem. In the summer, it might feel like there’s nothing more refreshing than letting the breeze in through the home. However, this breeze will carry any pollen that is in the air directly into your home. Check the local weather report to see if pollen is high in your area today. If it is, close the windows and doors. If you have an air conditioning system, a HEPA filter will be able to catch all kinds of airborne particulates, including pollen, making sure that they are not spread throughout the home.

Get to know your medication early

There is a range of medical treatments for allergic reactions to pollen. Again, knowing whether you’re allergic to tree pollen, flower pollen, or something else is crucial in making sure that you’re taking the right stuff. There are over-the-counter medications, but it’s usually worth getting the advice of your doctor to see which seasonal allergy medications are right for you. Regardless of which ones you have to take, if you can safely take it early, then you probably should. If you know seasonal allergies are coming up, then taking your medication a month in advance can make sure that the medicine is already working through your system by the time the allergies are starting to flare up. This is a great way to beat seasonal allergies.

Don’t bring pollen home with you

When you go outside, try to go out when the pollen count is at its lowest. Pollen counts tend to be the highest in the morning and in the evening, so keeping trips to around noon might be safest. However, you may still bring pollen with you on your clothes. As such, change clothes and get them washed in hot water as soon as you get inside the house. Similarly, you will want to take a shower. Pollen can also get trapped in bed sheets over time so you should be washing and replacing them with fresh sheets every week. Be sure to keep your home free of dust, as well. Pollen often gets trapped in dust which also contains other allergens that make your symptoms worse.

Wear a respirator mask when you go outside

If you’re reading this at the time of publishing, then there is already a debate raging around masks and many people will have a very good reason to wear one. However, in most cases, the DIY and basic masks that are worn to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are not going to be very effective at preventing allergy symptoms. If you’re outside when there’s a high pollen count, or you’re taking care of the yard or vacuuming, then you want to specifically find an N95 respirator mask. Many masks will prevent you from spreading your germs, but respirator masks are specifically designed to block small particles from entering the body. They don’t offer 100% protection (nothing does) but they are highly effective and can help beat seasonal allergies.

Clear your system

One of the most common complaints when dealing with any respiratory allergy is just how congested they can make you feel. Your nose and airways may be full of mucus and feel like they are sealed shut which can be uncomfortable, especially when you’re trying to sleep. You can help clear away this mucus, as well as the allergens then get stuck to your nasal membranes, lessening the immune response in this part of the body. The best way to do this is with a saline nasal rinse, such as by using a Neti pot. Similarly, if you have a sore throat, gargling salt water can help clear those symptoms, too. It might not be the most pleasant treatment, but saltwater is great at cleansing.

Beware other allergens

If you have hay fever, you are also more susceptible to developing other ear, nose, and throat-based allergies. As mentioned, you want to keep dust to a minimum in your home, but you also want to limit your exposure to other airborne allergens. Indoor and outdoor mold is another of the most common allergies, and keeping the home well ventilated and wiping down any standing water is the best way to prevent it. A dehumidifier can be especially useful in the summer. Similarly, you want to limit your exposure to pet dander. If you don’t have a pet, then you shouldn’t get one. If you do have a pet, then make sure they can’t freely relax and rest in your bedroom or on your bed.

Know when to rest

A lot of people learn to live with their allergy symptoms. Even with all of the steps above, they can sometimes get the best of you and make your day at least a little worse. However, you shouldn’t simply ignore them if nothing else works. If you have a headache or nasal congestion, don’t think of it as just a niggling side-effect of your allergies. They can take a serious toll, especially if you try to work past them. If you’re feeling sick, then take a sick day. Get in bed, stay hydrated, and take care of yourself. Overworking will only make things worse in any case.

What’s most important of all, when dealing with allergies, is that you know precisely what you’re dealing with. If you haven’t had your allergies diagnosed yet, or if they have been diagnosed but seem to have changed from one year to another, don’t skip getting an allergy test. Otherwise, you may have allergies you don’t know about and aren’t protecting yourself from, making you even more susceptible to symptoms. Hopefully these suggestions will help you beat seasonal allergies, and have a great summer.