Recommended Vaccines for Adults

Posted on August 14, 2015September 9, 2023 by Martin

Vaccines are an important step in protecting adults against serious, sometimes fatal, diseases. Even if you were vaccinated at a younger age, the vaccine may have worn off, or you may have developed a resistance to the vaccine.

As you get older, you may be at risk for vaccine preventable diseases due to your age, job, hobbies, travel, or chronic health conditions.

List of Recommended Vaccines for Adults

Influenza Vaccine (Flu) is recommended every year.
TD Vaccine is recommended every 10 years to protect against Tetanus.
Hepatitis B Vaccine is recommended for people who have Type 1 or 2 Diabetes, because they have a higher risk of developing the Hepatitis B Virus.
Shingles Vaccine is usually recommended for adults 60 and older.
Pneumococcal Vaccine (Pneumonia) is usually recommended for people with heart disease, respiratory illness, and history of stroke, as they are at a greater risk of developing pneumonia and requiring hospitalization.

Staying healthy is a top priority for all of us. Vaccination is a simple thing you can do to help prevent diseases. Make sure you have the best protection. Speak to your doctor to see which vaccines are right for you.

Please visit www.cdc.gov/vaccines/ for a full list of vaccines to further educated yourself about preventing diseases and staying healthy.

Knowing When it’s Time to Ask for Help in Home Care

Posted on August 12, 2015September 9, 2023 by Martin

Whether a person is elderly or disabled, it can be difficult to know when to ask for help. Societally, we are taught that asking for help is a sign of weakness and a cause for embarrassment. Unfortunately, nothing could be further than the truth. If one of your friends or loved one is facing difficulty due to age or disability, certain telltale signs can help indicate when it is time to hire in-home help.

General Signs that It’s Time to Ask for Help

When an elderly or disabled friend or loved one needs help, the signs may manifest in a variety of ways. Some signs are clearly big-picture issues that will be obvious to friends and family, regardless of distance or relationship. Keep an eye out for the following:

Close Calls or New Difficulties

If your elderly or disabled loved one has been living alone, it’s likely that they have been relatively self-sufficient for some time. However, if your loved one has recently begun having new difficulties or suffering from close calls, like falls, medical scares or even car accidents, it’s likely that it is time to ask for help.

When an elderly or disabled person lives alone, these close calls are more likely to happen again and again and, when they do, it is wise to employ a trusted caretaker in order to ensure that somebody is there to respond to falls or other accidents.

Chronic Health Conditions or Worsening Health

Progressive issues like dementia, congestive heart failure and COPD can result in marked, rapid decline a loved one. Generally, the presence of these issues means that it is time to ask for help from a qualified caregiver or to move the person to an assisted living facility.

Difficulty Recovering

In elderly or disabled people, common illnesses like colds or the flu can produce serious health issues. If an elderly or disabled loved on has recently suffered from a common illness but is having a difficult time recovering, consider asking for help. This is especially true if your loved one was unable or unwilling to get the help he or she needed during the time of the illness, which resulted in the illness becoming much more serious.

Difficulty With Activities of Daily Living

The activities of daily living (ADL’s) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL’s) are the skills an adult needs to live independently – without the care of a relative or caregiver. These skills include dressing oneself, cooking, driving, shopping, using the bathroom, bathing, doing laundry, taking medications and cleaning.

Unfortunately, age or disability often rob people of these abilities and make it increasingly difficult for them to live alone. Fortunately, if a loved one is having difficulty with ADL’s or IADL’S, bringing in-home help into the equation can often restore some independence and help the person live a better life.

Social Signs That It’s Time to Ask for Help

Often, when an elderly or disabled person is beginning to decline, it will become obvious through their social interactions, or lack thereof. In order to determine if your friend or loved one needs help, keep an eye out for these important social waning signs:

Lack of Friendships

Age and disability make it easy to become reclusive and a person who no longer keeps close companions or pursues friendships may very well be declining. Generally, lack of active friendships is a sign of depressive symptoms and may indicate that it is time to secure in-home help or a change of scenery for your friend or loved one.

Refusal to Leave the Home

When an elderly or disabled person is afraid to drive and unwilling to take public transportation alone, they often begin to go days on end without leaving their home. Often, these individuals benefit from hiring in-home help, which may help them regain their mobility and resume regular outings.

No Activities or Interests

If your friend or loved one has abandoned activities and interests, it is time to call for help. Isolation is generally related to depressive symptoms and acting quickly is the best way to prevent your loved one from becoming further depressed and isolated.

Physical Signs That it’s Time to ask for Help

An elderly or disabled person who is declining will exhibit noticeable physical signs that indicate in-home help is needed. Any of the following signs warrant a call for assistance:

Weight Loss

If your friend or loved one feels thinner or looks like he or she is swimming in their clothing, there’s a good chance that something is wrong. Physical conditions ranging from tumors to depression can cause weight loss, as can declining motor skills that may result in a loss of cooking or shopping ability.

Additionally, some elderly or disabled people may be forgetting how to cook or eat. In these cases, it is wise to ensure there is food in the house and spend some time watching the person prepare a meal for him or herself. In any event, drastic weight loss is a valid reason to call an in-home caregiver.

Weight Gain

Like weight loss, sudden and drastic weight gain can indicate serious health issues like diabetes. Additionally, weight gain may indicate that a person is having financial troubles and subsisting on cheap, processed foods rather than healthy fare. Watch meal prep and call for help if you notice that the person is forgetting having eaten or binge eating all day long.

Frailty

If you notice that your friend or loved one is having difficulty completing simple tasks like removing shoes, opening drawers, sweeping or getting out of a chair, it is time to call for help. As people age, they generally become frailer, which may lead to difficulty completing everyday activities.

Disheveled Appearance

It is generally possible to tell a great deal from a person’s appearance. If you notice that your typically well-kept loved one is wearing stained, sloppy or torn clothing or that hair and makeup are noticeably different or disarranged, consider asking for help. These signs typically indicate that the person has lost strength, dexterity or memory and are a valid reason to call for in-home help. Elderly or disabled people often need help dressing, shaving and fixing their hair and an in-home caregiver can help them meet those needs.

The Case for In-Home Help

Realizing that a friend or loved one needs help is never an easy experience. Watching a person decline is difficult and it is made worse by the fact that they often need help we are simply incapable of giving. In these cases, the most important thing you can do is notice signs that indicate physical or mental deficiencies and take it upon yourself to secure help for your friend or loved one.

Often, elderly or disabled people are embarrassed to ask for help and see it as a sign that they are becoming infantile or incapable. Assure the person that this is not true, that there is nothing to be embarrassed about and that extra help can help them preserve the quality of their life rather than subtracting from it. Although it can be difficult, asking for help is never anything to be embarrassed about and in-home caregiving can often preserve, extend and boost a person’s quality of life for many years.

National Smile Week: 10 Fun Facts About Smiling

Posted on August 10, 2015September 9, 2023 by Martin

Smiling. It feels good and looks great but did you know it could actually increase your life span and do everything from making you more attractive to helping you land that promotion? In order to help you celebrate National Smile Week, we’ve compiled a list of fun and surprising facts about turning that frown upside down. Get ready to smile because these facts about smiling are nothing but good news:

Fact #1: Smiling Helps You Live Longer

Smiling has many benefits, not the least of which is that smiling can actually help us live longer.

People who smile more often are generally happier and, since smiling decreases blood pressure and releases endorphins, it’s a great way to boost health and protect your golden years.

Fact #2: Smiling Makes Promotions More Likely

Who knew that landing that exciting new position would be as easy as smiling? As it turns out, people who smile at work are more likely to be promoted than those who do not. This is because smiling conveys a message of happiness, approachability and confidence, all of which are things managers typically look for in employees that are up for promotion.

Fact #3: Smiling Boosts The Immune System

In addition to making you look more attractive, successful and approachable, smiling and laughter may also protect you from the common cold. According to recent data, smiling can help boost the immune system by decreasing stress levels, which in turn increases white blood cell count and releases beneficial antibodies that help fight infection and disease.

Fact #4: There Are Many Different Types of Smiles

People smile for all sorts of reasons and, as it turns out, we smile all sorts of ways, too. According to Paul Ekman, an American psychologist who studies human emotions and facial expressions, humans display very different types of smiles depending upon the situation. Types of smiles include the felt smile, the fear smile, the miserable smile and the flirtatious smile.

Fact #5: Smiling is Contagious

Have you ever been around someone who seemed to be smiling all the time? Chances are, you found yourself smiling as well. This is because smiling is incredibly contagious. Research suggests that happy people influence the people closest to them and provide a boost of good energy, smiles and laughter. So, next time you’re feeling down, seek out your happiest friend and let the smiles begin.

Fact #6: Smiling Is A Global Sign of Happiness

There are a few human gestures that cross language barriers around the world and smiling is one of them. No matter where you are on the globe, smiling is recognized as a universal display of happiness and good nature.

Fact #7: Babies Can Smile Moments After Birth

Most of us have heard that babies are not capable of smiling during their first few months of life. As it turns out, this is untrue. According to research and ultrasound evidence, babies can smile in utero and immediately after birth, although it is important to distinguish between automatic smiles and social smiles. Automatic smiles are produced as a result of pleasurable physical sensations, such as falling asleep, resolving gas or eating. When babies smile during the first few days after birth, it is typically an automatic smile.

Social smiles, on the other hand, are produced as a result of facial recognition and the type of conscious happiness that arises when a baby recognizes a parent’s face or sees a favorite toy. Babies do not generally begin to exhibit social smiling until about two months of age.

Fact #8: Women Smile More Often Than Men

Studies have found that women smile more often than men but the difference disappears when men and women occupy similar business or social roles. Many scientists interpret these results to indicate that gender roles are fluid and that both men and women act differently depending upon their social or business environment.

Fact #9: Smiling Drastically Reduces Stress

Feeling stressed out and over-loaded? Try smiling. According to recent studies, smiling has the power to reduce stress and increase our ability to deal with trying situations. This is largely owing to the fact that smiling boosts endorphin output and forces us to breathe deeper, resulting in a calmer outlook and increased coping ability.

Fact #10: Smiling Can Make You Happier

If you’re having a bad day, force yourself to smile. Research suggests that the act of smiling can actually trick the brain into feeling happier, no matter how bad the current situation may be. While smiling certainly doesn’t fix all problems, it certainly has the power to make us feel just a little better at any given moment.

The Case for More Smiles

National Smile Week is a wonderful way to bring some consciousness into your everyday life. We all know that it feels better, emotionally and mentally, to smile than it does to frown and it is obvious now that smiling offers some serious, scientifically backed benefits that have the power to boost our lives and improve the quality of almost everything we do.

A Boost in Morale

The simple act of smiling can go a long way toward boosting morale in difficult situations, as well, and is a powerful practice for those employed in difficult fields, such as medicine, hospice and home care. These jobs often entail dealing with great sickness, disability and transition and the simple act of smiling has actually been proven to significantly boost morale in hospital settings.

Increased Comfort for Patients and Caregivers

Because smiling is a global signal of happiness and confidence, patients who are cared for by smiling, upbeat caregivers are more likely to feel at ease, positive and comfortable, not to mention that the hormonal and endocrine changes induced by smiling may actually reduce pain and promote quicker healing. It is easy to bring National Smile Week into a home care setting by simply paying more attention to the things you can do and say that will help your clients smile. This could be as simple as baking a favorite meal or playing a favorite song. Smiling is a practice that is accessible to everyone, at all times, and it is clear that nurturing a life with more plentiful smiles is synonymous with nurturing a healthier, happier, more confident and more resilient life.

A Happier World

We’ve all heard the saying “turn that frown upside down” but who knew that smiling could actually be so beneficial to health and happiness? With perks like increased life span, greater happiness, reduced stress and boosted immune function, it seems obvious that a smile a day can truly keep the doctor away. In honor of National Smile Week, get out there and give the world your best grin.

Don’t forget to smile today!

How Stretching can Help Prevent Injuries and Enhance Mobility

Posted on August 5, 2015September 9, 2023 by Martin

Have you ever noticed how we stretch ourselves when we have been motionless for a long time? For example how we intuitively stretch when we wake up or when we have been staring at our computers for too long. When we are inactive for some time, our muscles start getting stiff and blood flow slows down. Stretching helps loosen these muscles and increases the blood circulation, basically waking up both our mind and body. This is why we stretch as an instinct.

The same logic applies to our lives in general. Stretching helps us in remaining flexible as we age. It also helps in preventing injuries. Once stretched, our muscles relax and therefore, are less prone to injuries caused by shocks and jerks which happen during physical events like exercise, sports, or even during less active activities.

Advantages of stretching:

It reduces tension in stiff muscles. Stretching relaxes the taut muscles and loosens them up. This eliminates the muscle tension- helping you avoid injuries and tiredness.
Stretching increases blood circulation in the stretched area. Proper blood circulation keeps our muscles nourished and waste free. It also hastens recovery in muscle tissues.
Increased blood circulation also makes people feel more energetic and happy. Stretching gives you a quick dose of energy.
Stretching increases the range of movement in our joints and muscles. It keeps us flexible and mobile. If you stretch regularly, you will have no problems in bending over, running or lifting things. There will be no painful muscle pulls as your muscles will be habitual to flexing.
It corrects our posture. If you stretch your body parts regularly and maintain symmetry, your posture will improve gradually. Correct posture solves a lot of pain problems like neck pain, back pain, shoulder pain etc.
Stretching improves our flexibility and mobility and this in turn, improves our balance. This leads to less falls and stumbles as we age.
It acts as a stress relief. When we are stressed, our muscles become taut and tense. Stretching relaxes and loosens up these muscles, helping us let go of the stress in process.

How to stretch:

Neck:

Stand straight and keep your feet flat. Your feet should be shoulder width apart. Now turn your head, slowly, to the right until you feel a slight stretch in your neck. It should be slightly uncomfortable but not painful. Remember- no tilting. Maintain the same position for 30-40 seconds. Repeat the process above for the left side too. Do this exercise for 4-5 times.

Shoulder and Upper Arms:

Take a towel in your left hand and throw it behind your back. Take your right hand behind your back and hold the other end of the towel. Keep your right hand loose. Now from your left hand, slowly pull your towel up. This will help you stretch the muscles in your shoulder and upper arms. Repeat the same by changing the position of left and right hands. Repeat it for 4 to 5 times.

Shoulder and Chest:

Stand straight and keep your feet flat, at shoulder width distance. Raise your arms at shoulder length and keep them straight. Now move your arms back slowly. It will feel like you are pushing your shoulder blades together or pushing your chest out. Do it till you feel a slight discomfort. Maintain the same position for at least 30 seconds. Repeat it 4-5 times.

Back:

Sit up straight on a chair with an armrest. Keep your feet flat on ground. Now slowly turn your torso and head to the left, without moving your hips. Now hold the armrest with your left hand and your right hand on your left thigh. Do it till you feel a slight discomfort. Maintain the same position for at least 30 seconds. Now slowly turn to your right, hold the armrest with your right hand and keep your left hand on the right thigh. Repeat this 4-5 times.

Hips:

Get on your knees. You can hold on a sturdy chair or bed to do this. Now place your left foot in front. Then place your right hand on your right hip and lean forward from your hips till you feel a slight discomfort. Don’t lean your torso forward. Keep your chest straight. Maintain the position for 30 seconds. Now go back to original position of being on your knees and bring the right foot forward. Repeat the process above with focus on your left side.

Calf:

Stand straight in front of a wall. Keep your feet flat and at shoulder width distance. Place your palms on the wall, at shoulder length and shoulder width apart. Now put your right foot forward and bend slowly at the knee. Keep bending till you feel a slight discomfort. Hold the position for at least 30 seconds. Repeat the process with other leg.

Precautions:

Stretching is not a warm up. In fact, you need to warm up by doing a little jogging or power walking before you stretch.
Slight discomfort is acceptable, sharp pain is not. If you feel regular pain in doing any of the stretches, talk with your physiotherapist or doctor.
Don’t bounce. It causes injuries. Instead just maintain the position for at least 30 seconds.
Don’t hold your breath.
Maintain symmetry while stretching. This means that stretch both left and right sides of your body.

National Simplify Your Life Week: Seven Tips to Help You Simplify, Cut Stress, Make Better Decisions and Be Happier

Posted on August 3, 2015September 9, 2023 by Martin

We all know the feeling. You wake up to a to-do list that feels about five miles long. You’ve got fifteen minutes until you need to be out the door and on your way to work but you can’t find your car keys because they’re buried under a pile of last week’s junk mail. You feel stressed, hurried, like there isn’t enough time in the day.

You’re worried about burning out and it seems like the vicious cycle just won’t stop.

Fortunately, there is a way out.

Simplifying your life is often a sure-fire way to get rid of excess stress and create an environment that allows for enhanced relaxation, more time and greater happiness. In celebration of National Simplify Your Life Week, we’ve gathered a selection of the greatest tips for simplifying and starting fresh this month. Keep reading to learn more.

1) Get Rid of Clutter

Unneeded clutter is a great way to find yourself feeling stressed out, overwhelmed, frustrated and short on time. Fortunately, getting rid of stuff is easy and it only takes a few minutes to banish undue clutter. To start with, take two bags to your car and fill one with garbage and the other with junk that doesn’t belong in the car.

Spend five minutes in your closet and pull out the items you don’t often wear to donate to charity. Box up duplicate or unused kitchen items and either donate them or store them. Getting rid of clutter leaves you with only the most needed items and, in turn, allows your days to function smoother and with less frustration.

2) Unplug

In today’s society, we are ever connected. People expect to be able to get ahold of us at all hours and under any circumstances, but this isn’t exactly healthy. Being perpetually available or feeling the need to check your email five times during dinner produces stress and anxiety and indicates that it might be time for a social media detox.

To counteract this and take another step toward simplifying your life, unplug completely for at least one hour a day. Take a walk in the woods without your cell phone or enjoy a yoga class or a run. No matter how you choose to unplug, giving yourself some time each day to disconnect from the virtual world can work wonders for stress levels.

3) Evaluate Your Relationships

As humans, we have limited resources. It is impossible to give all of our love, patience, enthusiasm, energy and attention to everyone all the time without feeling exhausted and drained. This is especially true when we find ourselves putting our energy into life-sucking sources such as bad friendships, abusive work environments or poor relationships.

In order to simplify your life and make more room for the things that matter, take some time to think about your relationships. Identify which relationships are uplifting you and contributing to your overall wellbeing and which ones are stressing you out and making you feel bad. Begin to detach from the latter and pay more attention to the former. In addition to making you feel better, this simple practice will free up space in your life for new hobbies and better scenarios to spring up.

4) Automate as Much as Possible

There is nothing quite so stressful as realizing that you’ve forgotten to pay a bill and it’s now a week overdue. To avoid this, consider automating as many details of your life as you can. Place bills on auto-pay and paychecks on auto-deposit. Input appointments, obligations and important dates into a digital calendar for convenient reminders. When you spend less time worrying about the minutia of your daily life, you have more time to spend living.

5) Make Time for Fun

In Italy, there is a great practice called “La Dolce Far Niente” or “the art of doing nothing”. We could stand to learn a thing or two from this. A large part of simplifying daily life and making more space for enjoyment entails learning to slow down, have fun and create openings for hobbies, recreational activities and aimless happiness.

While you certainly don’t have to “do nothing” in the literal sense, it is important to make space for fun. This is especially important for those in the busy and often stressful home care field. In order to be a better person, partner, employee and support system, it is important to make time for yourself and what you need. After all, you can’t give when the well is empty.

6) Breathe

There is nothing simpler and automatic in the world than breathing but, some days, we forget to do even that. If you work in the home care field, there’s a good chance that you often have days where you hardly sit down because you are so busy. Unfortunately, being so busy you cannot take a moment to simply sit and breathe is not beneficial for you or your clients and often leads to negative emotions like stress, anger, frustration or feelings of burnout.

Learning to take a moment to breathe during your day will go a long way toward making you a more patient caregiver as well as a happier person. The great news about breathing is that it’s easy to sneak it in anywhere in your day. If you’re rushing between clients, take five minutes to sit down (outdoors, if possible) and simply take in the world around you. These “sit and breathe” sessions are like psychic power-naps and have the power to help you recharge, prioritize, improve your mood and simplify your day.

7) Exercise

There are plenty of studies that clearly observe the correlation between exercise and happiness, better decision making, less stress and better sleep. In order to simplify your life and cut out the excess static of the everyday, make it a priority to slip some exercise into your schedule.

“Exercise” is a fluid term and it can take whatever form you want it to. If you don’t enjoy the gym, take a walk outside, play a game of soccer with friends or swim some laps at the local pool. Regardless of how you choose to exercise, including some predictable physical activity in your everyday life will help you decrease stress, cut to the chase and simplify your schedule.

The Case for Simplification

Simplifying your life goes a long way toward reducing stress and increasing enjoyment and the best part is – it is easy! You can apply these simplification tactics to any aspect of your life at any time and it is likely that people in the home care field will find these tips helpful. Whether you’re seeking to get rid of clutter or making prioritizing important, simplification techniques can help you feel better, serve your clients better and reduce everyday stress levels.

Happy National Simplify Your Life Week

Reducing Stress and Enhancing Quality and Longevity of Life

Posted on July 30, 2015September 9, 2023 by Martin

Everyone might be familiar with stress but not everyone is aware of just how dangerous it is for one’s health. In fact, the top causes of death around the world: heart disease, cancer, lung problems, cirrhosis of the liver, accidents, and suicide are all related to stress.

Moreover, seventy-five to 90% of all doctor’s office visits are due to conditions and complaints that are stress-related. Even the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has asserted that stress is one of the threats in the workplace.

What is stress?

Stress is the body’s normal response to situations that make a person feel upset or threatened. It is the body’s way of protecting itself.

During periods of stress, the body starts pumping adrenalin, the heart rate goes up, blood vessels dilate, breathing and sweat production increases, metabolism slows down, and muscles become tense. These reactions are part of what is called the body’s “fight-or-flight response.”

Stress doesn’t always produce negative effects. For some, it could lead to better performance because pressure can help you stay alert, energetic, and focused on the tasks at hand. Exposure to constant stress, however, could take a toll on your health and can adversely affect the different areas of your life.

What are the signs of stress?

It’s not difficult to determine whether you’re stressed or not. Almost everyone is familiar with the effects of stressors, the catalyst that causes stress. Nonetheless, you may still be surprised at just how extensive the effect of stress is on your body. If you’re not careful, it might be too late to undo the damage that it has caused.

These are some of the specific symptoms of someone who is suffering from stress:

Psychological signs

Poor memory
Lack of concentration
Confusion
Pessimism
Anxiety
Restlessness
Impaired judgment
Constant worrying
Inability to solve problems

Physical signs

Chest pains
Dizziness and nausea
Constipation or diarrhea
Persistent colds
Menstrual disorders
Erectile dysfunction
Infertility
Psoriasis
Eczema
Hair loss
Mouth ulcers
Stomach upset
Aches and pains in general

Emotional signs

Agitation
Irritability
Moodiness
Depression
Sense of helplessness
Indifference

Behavioral signs

Eating disorders
Sleeping disorders
Antisocial attitude
Use or abuse of cigarettes, alcohol, or drugs to calm down
Nervous habits
Disregard for one’s obligations or responsibilities

Apart from the effects stated above, recent studies have shown that stress shrinks the brain, makes kids age prematurely, triggers the development depression, and could affect the genes of your future children.

Moreover, several researches have also shown that unexpected emotional stresses can provoke arrhythmias, heart attacks, and even death. This is why people who are at risk of heart disease should try to reduce stress as early as possible.

What can you do to reduce stress?

Stress affects people in varying degrees because some deal with stress better than others. In any case, it is important to remember that reducing stress will not only affect your well-being at present, it will also benefit your health in the long-term.

Here are some examples of what you can do today, which will make your older self thank you later:

Determine the factors that cause stress

The first step to reducing stress is pinpointing the exact cause/s of stress in your life. Keep a diary where you can write down your emotions and thoughts whenever you feel stressed. At the end of a few days, you should be able to identify some of the major stressors and you’ll get a sense of what you need to do to deal with them.

Build positive connections with the people around you

One of the best ways to effectively deal with stress is to have family and friends who could provide you a strong support network. Because loneliness and isolating yourself from others are symptoms of stress, it is all the more important to build positive relationships with the people closest to you.

Learn to condition your attitude and mindset

It is possible to train your mind to dwell on more positive thoughts than negative ones, which is crucial in your becoming more resistant to the effects of stress. People who suffer from the negative effects of stress think that they are victims of circumstances and that they have no control. While it is true that we can do nothing about a lot of the situations we are in, we have control over how we allow the situations affect us. Having a sense of humor, the ability to embrace challenges, and the willingness to accept change all go a long way in successfully dealing with stress.

Learning relaxation techniques, such as meditation, deep breathing, and yoga will also help you have better control over your attitude and mindset. This leads to reduced stress and improved health.

Know that preparation is key

It pays to know everything you can about a stressful situation you will face because this allows you to prepare. When you’re prepared, you are better equipped and able to cope with the challenges or difficulties that the situation entails. This, in turn, reduces the possibility of stress.

Acknowledge the wisdom in walking away

There will always be situations that can’t be dealt with easily and immediately. In those instances, you’ll probably be tempted to give in to anger and frustration but before that happens walk away even for just a few minutes. If you can’t physically walk away from a stressful situation, delay your reaction by taking a deep breath, having a sip of water, or counting to 10. These actions will give you the opportunity to organize your thoughts and allow you the chance to react in a more positive way.

Listen to music

Take a break from a stressful situation by listening to relaxing music. Doing so can affect the brain and the body positively by making you calm, lowering your blood pressure, and reducing cortisol. Most people usually find classical music calming but you could also listen to nature sounds if that’s your thing.

Laugh

The saying “laughter is the best medicine” is especially true when it comes to fighting stress because when you laugh, the levels of stress-aggravating hormones (cortisol, epinephrine, and adrenalin) are lowered and feel-good hormones, such as dopamine, are released.

Get enough sleep

Many emotional disorders have been related to disrupted sleep. If you’ve been feeling angry, sad, exhausted, and generally stressed for no apparent reason, you might not be getting enough sleep. Admittedly, stress could be what is making it difficult for you sleep but if you don’t do something about it, this vicious cycle will continue. The National Sleep Foundation provides some tips on how you could develop healthy sleeping habits. Try some of the tips to see which works best for you.

Incorporate stress-busting super foods into your diet

When you’re stressed, you’re more prone to eating food that are bad for your health, such as those high in fat and sugar. Although your first instinct might be to reach for these comfort foods during stressful situations, turning to healthier alternatives could not only help relieve your tension but will benefit your overall health as well.

The next time you feel stressed, try consuming the following:

Grapes, berries, nuts, and green tea

These contain antioxidants that help increase the body’s ability to respond to stress. They also combat free radicals brought about by stress.

Spinach, collard greens, mustard greens, and romaine lettuce

These are some examples of leafy greens that contain folate, which regulates the production of dopamine, a chemical that induces pleasure and helps keep you calm.

Oatmeal, whole-grain pasta and breads, corn, and peas

These are examples of complex carbohydrates, which help the brain create serotonin without adding to your body’s already elevated blood sugar level caused by stress.

Salmon contains omega-3 fatty acids that have anti-inflammatory properties, which may help offset the adverse effects of adrenalin and cortisol.

Fortified milk, fortified cereal, and egg yolks

These contain vitamin D, which is believed to increase happiness. In studies, people with high levels of vitamin D in their system exhibited a reduced risk of panic disorders.

Yogurt, nuts, fish, and leafy greens

These are great sources of magnesium, which has been shown to aid in relieving irritability, depression, and fatigue.

Exercise

Exercise is not only essential if you want to stay fit, it’s also a great way to relieve stress since it boosts the production of endorphins. Endorphins are the body’s natural chemicals that leads to euphoric feelings, regulation of appetite, and the strengthening of the immune system. If you’re having a stressful day, try taking a walk or spending at least a few minutes at the gym and see how different your mindset will be when you return to work.

Recognize when it’s necessary to seek professional help

When you’ve tried everything you can to deal with stress on your own and you still feel overwhelmed, it may be time for you to ask the help of a professional. A psychologist or other licensed mental health professional can teach you ways to effectively handle stress.

Stress is an everyday occurrence but it doesn’t have to be part of your life so follow the practical tips in this article if you want to live longer, healthier, and happier.

Natural Anti-Inflammatory Foods | Staying Healthy When Aging

Posted on July 21, 2015September 9, 2023 by Martin

Inflammation provides a necessary function in the human body, as inflammation is a natural reaction of the immune system when battling infectious agents and removing damaged cells. Though inflammation is necessary for healing the body, too much inflammation can also pose a problem.

Particularly, inflammation is a concern when the body “overreacts” or instigates inflammation even when there are no harmful pathogens present, as characteristic in many autoimmune disorders, such as celiac disease, type 1 diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis. Too much inflammation in the body can lead to discomfort, including redness or stiffness of the inflamed area, rashes, heat, pain, and swelling (1). Furthermore, long-term chronic inflammation has also been linked to increased risk of heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and certain kinds of cancer.

Some foods contain components that promote inflammation, while others reduce inflammation. Consumption of these foods below containing anti-inflammatory agents may help alleviate the symptoms and discomfort of inflammation, as part of a healthy diet.

1. Carrots

Vitamin A deficiency can increase the body’s inflammatory response and a sufficient intake of vitamin A is beneficial both in the prevention of disease and as a potent anti-inflammatory agent (2). Vitamin A is also essential in curbing night blindness and needed for proper immune system function. As carrots contain high amounts of vitamin A, eating just a small amount of carrots is sure to fulfill your recommended intake for the day. In fact, just 1/4 cup of chopped carrots contains the recommended daily value of vitamin A!

However, although sufficient amounts of vitamin A are essential for proper health, it is important not to get too much. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin and excess amounts are stored in the liver. Detrimental effects caused by acute or chronic vitamin A toxicity include cracked fingernails, ulcers, respiratory infections, liver abnormalities, and intense headaches.

2. Ginger

Ginger contains components that can reduce inflammation, as has also been known to decrease nausea and alleviate upset stomachs. It’s a great choice due to its versatility – it can be seeped in tea, cooked in soup or with fish, incorporated in salad dressings, and much more.

3. Broccoli

Broccoli is rich in the antioxidants flavonoids and carotenoids, which work in the body to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress to cells. Reducing or delaying oxidative stress caused by free radicals is important because it causes damage to cells, DNA, proteins, and genes. In order to retain most of broccoli’s nutritional value, avoid steaming or boiling it for more than 4-5 minutes.

4. Flaxseed

Apart from the necessary inflammation present in the immune response, a large imbalance of omega-6 consumption versus omega-3 consumption contributes to an internal environment optimal for inflammation. This is because foods containing high amounts of omega-6 are generally pro-inflammatory, while those containing omega-3 are mostly anti-inflammatory. Flaxseed (as well as fatty fish and walnuts in particular) contains high amounts of omega-3 that are necessary in combatting inflammation.

5. Basil

Basil contains eugenol, a volatile oil capable of blocking the activity of an enzyme called cyclooxygenase (COX-2) (3). COX is part of the pathway that produces compounds called prostaglandins, which is perceived by nerve endings as pain in the human body. Thus, suppressing the activity of COX is particularly beneficial to those with rheumatoid arthritis or joint aches.

6. Spinach

Spinach contains flavonoids, which also can decrease the activity of the COX-2 enzyme. Furthermore, it contains vitamin E, which functions as an antioxidant. As a tip, dark leafy vegetables generally contain more vitamin E than vegetables with light-colored leaves. Spinach can be easily incorporated in the diet by baking it as part of a low-fat quiche or adding a half cup of spinach into a fruit smoothie.

7. Cinnamon

Used as a traditional medicine in ancient times, cinnamon has anti-inflammatory properties and contains antioxidants called polyphenols, which are useful in preventing oxidative damage. Cinnamon has other therapeutic effects – it has been used as part of a remedy to treat diabetes, Alzheimer’s, gastrointestinal disorders, and has some antibacterial and anti-fungal properties (4). Sprinkle cinnamon in a hot cup of tea for a kick of flavor or bake halves of pears with honey and cinnamon at 350°F for 20 minutes, or until soft.

8. Turmeric

Turmeric is an herb that originated from Southeast Asia and has been used in India both as a spice and as part of religious ceremonies for over 4000 years (5). Its therapeutic properties of being anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial have been discovered more recently, within the past 25 years, and have been used for rheumatoid arthritis, colon cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, and wound healing (5).

Exercising and Staying Healthy

Posted on June 2, 2015September 9, 2023 by Martin

Physical activity provides long-term health benefits for everyone! By being active, you will burn calories that you store from eating throughout the day and—it can be as easy as walking the dog or as rigorous as running a marathon. It’s never too late to jumpstart a healthy lifestyle.

Regular physical activity can produce long term health benefits. People of all ages, shapes, sizes, and abilities can benefit from being physically active. The more physical activity you do, the greater the health benefits.

Being physically active can help you:

Increase your chances of living longer
Feel better about yourself
Decrease your chances of becoming depressed
Relieve Stress
Increase your energy level
Sleep well at night
Move around more easily
Have stronger muscles and bones
Stay at or get to a healthy weight

When you are not physically active, you are at a greater risk or developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and stroke.

Being active increases the amount of calories burned. As people age their metabolism slows, so maintaining energy balance requires moving more and eating less.

There are different types of physical activities that can be done at all levels. If you are not comfortable doing aerobics on land, you can always do aerobics in a pool. Muscle strengthening can be done with varying weights. There are weights beginning at 1 lb., so people of all ages can do these exercises. Balance and stretching exercises help stability and flexibility, and can reduce risk of injuries. Gentle stretching, dancing and yoga are a few ways of achieving this goal.

Remember, always check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program.