Archive for Health/Fitness
Keep Your Balance As You Age
Posted by: | CommentsHaving a balance in all areas of your life is important. However one area that you really need to pay attention to as you get older is your physical balance. If you think that you already have good balance then it’s important to maintain it, and if you are a bit wobbly on your feet then you need to work on your balance to save you from accidents that could really set you back.
Just recently I received an email from my cousin telling me that she was laid up and in severe pain caused by a cracked vertebrae in her back. I asked how it happened and the answer I got was not what I expected. It wasn’t doing anything daring or exciting by any means, she had been in her walk in closet pulling on her pants lost her balance and fell. I went to visit her and she had other examples of how loss of balance had caused other friends to have accidents too. She said from now on I am going to sit down to put my pants on and do up my shoes. I never realized just how much loss of balance you get as you get older.
My cousin is in her mid 60’s she swims 3 or 4 times a week in order to stay fit so she is totally aware of the importance of exercise, but her balance ability she hadn’t really given any thought to as most of us don’t until something happens. She told me of one of her friends around the same age had recently gone to visit her grandchildren, they were playing hopscotch outside and she decided to join them to show them how she used to play it as a child. She lost her balance, fell and broke her arm. A friend of mine climbed on a chair to get something off a shelf, she lost her balance fell off the chair and broke her big toe she ended up in a cast for several weeks. It happens way more than you would think and is so easily done. It happens in a flash.
Accidents will happen at any age but once over 50 you have to be extra careful our bones are not as strong and neither is our balance making it a potentially dangerous situation. We cannot afford these bumps and falls in our senior years, we aren’t as flexible and we don’t recover as quickly as when we were younger so it’s extremely important to try to maintain a strong balance to prevent unnecessary mishaps and injury.
Here are some suggestions that may help you with your balance.
- If you already have decent balance using a large exercise ball can be helpful in maintaining it. I like to sit on the exercise ball and first do some hip rotations and leg stretches. Then I work on my balance. I pick a spot to keep my eyes on so that I’m not wobbling all over the place, while focusing on my core muscles I raise my right leg in front of me and hold steady for a slow count of 20 then lower my leg and do the same with my left leg. I repeat this at least twice and try to do it daily. In the beginning I couldn’t steady myself for more than a 5 count but worked up to the 20 and more.
On the other hand if you are already very unsteady then this is probably not a good idea as the ball can roll away from you and you can fall. It would be better to start doing some balancing exercises where you are actually holding onto something such as a chair. You can always move to an exercise ball once you find better balance. Just remember to do things gradually until you are comfortable and you will soon notice an improvement
- The sit and stand exercise – From a sitting position stand up preferably without holding onto anything but if you are unsure do hold onto something until you get better at it. From the standing position sit down again, repeat 5 times to start and work up to 10 times.
- Holding onto a chair stand on one leg then switch to the other. Once you have the knack of doing it increase the time you stand on one leg and if possible gradually ease your hold on the chair but keep the chair near so that you can grab hold of it to steady yourself if you need to.
- Dancing is an excellent exercise and great for balance. Besides being a great exercise its lots of fun so whether you go out to a class or dance around you home have some fun with it, put on some music you like and go for it.
- Exercise bands can be a great choice you can use them sitting or standing. Personally I like the wide bands like they use in physio, they are excellent for exercising the muscles in your feet as will dancing which will give you a stronger stance and help with balance.
Exercise will help keep muscles, joints and bones stronger and lessen the chances of falling and maybe seriously injuring yourself. Remember do not take chances, always have something to hold onto close at hand then it’s there if you need it.
4 Important Tips on Pain Relief from Working at a Desk
Posted by: | Comments4 Important Tips on Pain Relief from Working at a Desk
If you work at a desk all day, then you are probably well aware of all the aches and pains that can come as a result. As a writer, I sit most of the day, as well as have had some back issues for a while now. So, I wanted to learn as much as I could about what I could do to help relieve some of that pain.
What I am about to share with you are tips that I have not only found, but also apply to my workday on a consistent basis. If I don’t, I can feel it by the end of the day, which leads to a bad start the next day.
First, let’s talk about the pain and the areas that are affected by working at a computer all day. If you work on a laptop like me, it can be even more difficult, if precautions are taken.
The Pains
As I mentioned, I have had problems with my back for a while now, and sitting all day aggravates it more than most things I do. Even if you have an amazing back pain remedy, it’s best to avoid the damage that is being done to begin with. After a while, the remedies will become less effective, so protect your back as much as you can.
Back pain can also bring on compensatory pains, such as hip and leg. When our backs hurt, we compensate for that in how we sit, stand, and walk, which can lead to injuring other body parts, as it’s not our natural way of sitting or walking. Read More→
Over 50s Fitness
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Shirley Price Author
If you’re over 50 years of age you will probably find that it’s become more of a problem to maintain or lose weight than it used to be. As a matter of fact you will begin to notice so many changes. Sometimes you don’t know where to begin to try to stay youthful for as long as possible. Your over 50s fitness level is extremely important if you want to stay active and get the most out of life.
It is so easy to forget about taking care of yourself and to not make yourself a priority when taking care of you should be the number one focus at the top of your list. Is procrastination a problem for you? Do you keep promising yourself to do better with your health and fitness but never get around to it? I can be a real procrastinator and other times once I make up my mind I can be so focused on what I am doing. There are times when I am on track with healthy eating and a bit exercise, and yet when something changes in my daily routine that takes me away from my environment I lose my momentum and find it really hard to get going again. Whether it’s going on vacation or for personal family reasons that means being away for more than a couple of days I just totally fall off the wagon. My over 50s fitness plans goes out the window.
Over 50s fitness
Finding ways to follow an over 50s fitness plan and keep up the good work along with managing life’s challenges and changes can be difficult. I always vow to get back on track as soon as I return home and into my normal routine but most often it can take me weeks or even a couple of months before I can get back into the right mind frame and on track again. It’s amazing how much damage you can do in a short period of time when not eating the right foods or exercising. However, the good news is that once you get back on track you can also do a lot of good in the short time. I just wish I could continue to eat healthy and have some form of exercise no matter where I am and not get so easily tempted away and distracted. Read More→
How to Get Life Insurance Plans for Over 50
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Seniors life insurance
Are over 50 and having a hard time getting a life insurance plan? I can imagine the difficulties you experience in securing one for yourself. A lot of insurance companies are very particular about the current state of your health and will ask you to go through a medical check up before anything else. This is because of the fact the people’s health tend to start deteriorating once they reach the age of 50, which is a huge factor that insurance companies consider when you apply for a conventional life insurance plan.
Don’t fret because there is actually a solution to this problem. You can apply for an over 50 life insurance plan and even get a guarantee that you will be accepted. This insurance plan is especially available for retirees or seniors and is designed to meet their needs. Why do you need to get a life insurance plan in the first place? If you have a life insurance policy, you will be taking care of the finances of your family when you are no longer with them. You take away the cost of funeral expenses from your children or grandchildren as well as clear your debts.
First thing to do when looking for you over 50 life insurance plan is to go online and make a quick search. Make a shortlist of about two to three companies and ask them for quotes. The life insurance quotes usually come for free and you only need to provide them with very little information. It may not always be the most accurate quotes but you will get an idea of the market rates. It may be worth talking to an insurance agent too since they know the best plans for you, but their rates may be a little higher. Once you have all information from your online research and insurance agent, you will have the ability to identify which life insurance plan will work best with your budget. Read More→
Top 10 Health Tips for Seniors
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Healthy Fruits
Retirement does not necessarily mean retiring from what you used to do. The challenge for the senior years is staying fit and healthy to continue engaging in preferred activities and interests.
Health concerns are not only true for those over 50 but for everyone as well. In fact, the single most common cause of bankruptcy today is getting sick. Onset of a disease does not only mean robbing you of your income because you cannot work but also means tons of bills and expensive medication.
Staying in shape is important at any age and keeping a healthy lifestyle becomes more important as the body ages and you become older.
Contrary to the popular notion, you do not need to have a fancy gym membership to lead a healthy lifestyle. Looking into your daily routine and enhancing it with some healthy practices, life over 50 will certainly prove to be productive and fulfilling. Here’s how: Read More→
Don’t Pack On The Pounds Over The Holidays
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By Shirley Price
Holiday festivities whether at home or away usually mean extra food, drinks and treats. And as much as we are determined not to gain weight during those times most of us give in to the
Holiday entertaining
temptations. Some times it’s just being away from your normal surroundings and having healthy food at hand that can be difficult. when you are in someone else’s home that may not be into eating in a healthy way it is more difficult to prepare just for yourself.
How much damage can you do? Well it depends on some of your choices and how long you celebrate for. It also makes a difference how you prepare yourself and what changes you make in advance to allow for those extra treats. It is possible to not gain any weight if you’re careful and serious about what you want.
A good place to start is making a list of the events that you plan to go attend. Once you know that you’ll have a good idea of what type of temptations will be there. If you know you are going to an event that is going to cost you a lot of calories it’s definitely a good idea to cut back during the day by having small healthy meals in preparation for the event so that you can indulge a bit without paying for it later.
One good thing about cocktail parties is that you mostly stand around and chat to people often with a drink in one hand which makes it pretty difficult to hold a plate and eat at the same time as chatting. This is one way to keep things under control and make sure you don’t over indulge. Talking with your mouth full or juggling plate, glass and trying to eat food at the same time can be undignified and make it not worth the hassle, so keep up the talking and save your calories for another time. From my experience I eat or should I say nibble less at a cocktail party than almost any other time. Read More→
Over 50 – Then You Just Gotta Dance
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If you are looking for a fun way to get and stay fit you gotta dance. The chances are even if you haven’t danced in a very long time there was a time when you probably did at one time. The fashions may have changed quite a bit, and there may be some dances that you don’t recognize but that’s okay, it’s still a lot of fun.
And if you think you’re too old to learn to dance think again. Just watch the movie clip below and you will see it’s never too late. These seniors are great and they are having fun and staying young physically and 
mentally. Did you know that dancing is one of the best exercises for your brain? When you dance you are have to think and coordinate and move your body at the same time, plus the music and general enjoyment aspect of it makes it a perfect activity at any age.
A lot of people are intimidated about learning but even the learning can be fun. And if you want to meet new people take some dance classes. Remember others are probably going to be there for the same reason that you are.
Whether you like ballroom, Latin, swing, jazz, country, line dancing or square dancing it doesn’t matter, the thing is just pick something and get started. Dancing is a time when some people feel that they can really let themselves go. If your over 50, especially over 60 you will surely remember the music of the 50s and 60’s just get some of your favorites of that era that and you will soon get your feet tapping and be in the mood to dance.
Keep on Dancing
Dancing is one of my very favorite things to do. I danced a lot when I was younger then didn’t dance for years until after I turned 50 when I took lessons. Taking up dancing again was the best thing I could have done, I met some great people and just had the time of my life.
Don’t tell me you don’t want to give it a try once you see these seniors from the movie ‘Gotta Dance’…Enjoy!
Over 50s-Senior’s with Addictions.
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Addiction treatment has risen in the over 50s age group. It is a real problem and often difficult to detect especially when it is drug addiction from medications prescribed from the doctor. When we 
hear about drug and alcohol addiction we don’t tend to think of the seniors. Pain killer addiction is described to be the hidden addiction.
Many of the seniors started drinking and using drugs before the age of 25 and continued over the years, which has lead to it becoming an addiction in their senior years.
When it comes to medication as we age there are a number of things that people get prescriptions for including insomnia, pain, anxiety and depression. Seniors don’t tend to use street drugs but a large number will use prescription drugs as mood altering drugs and like any drug or alcohol once they lose their initial affect they take more and more to get the desired effect.
One disabled senior that I know of had been getting prescriptions for many years for both herself and her husband. As well as taking the drugs, she had been stashing them away. Sometimes she would overdose herself, and more than once the paramedics would have to come to bring her out of the almost unconscious state.
Because she already had some serious medical issues the family thought that her passing out and other odd behaviors were related to her health condition. It was a very long time before the family realized what had been going on. They would never have considered the fact that their mother was actually addicted to the drugs and was overdosing. Had they realized sooner they could have got her the drug addiction counseling that she required. Read More→
Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices Over 50
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Can you believe how fast time goes by and before you know it you are at some major milestone in your life? Perhaps you’ve just turned 50 or even 60 years of age and realize that maybe you 
haven’t taken such good care of yourself, and now it shows. To make matters worse it’s not just that it shows; you also feel it too. You know that you should be in better health and shape than you are.
We do tend to take our natural good health and fitness level for granted when we are young but by not taking care we pay for it later. Even some of the greatest athletes and fitness fanatics still have problems from the over use of joints so we shouldn’t beat ourselves up too much for not doing better. The thing is it’s never too late to make some changes to improve our life.
Some of the issues we face with being 50 plus is joint pain; it maybe from arthritis or old injuries, high blood pressure, and often high cholesterol, not to mention that we are not as flexible any more. When we feel pain and discomfort the last thing that we feel like doing is exercising, and yet it’s something that can really help build our stamina and strength and have us feeling younger and more fit.
I know from personal experience that having arthritis in my knee has at times made me feel 10 years older than I am. I used to dance (a lot) then I started getting knee problems so felt forced to quit. I missed it terribly and got to the point that I didn’t dance at all for quite a while. When you have pain its so much easier to not do something than suffer the discomfort.
When you stop exercising the chances are you will gain weight, which may lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol and even diabetes for some. Besides this you are not doing the things that you get pleasure out of, so it becomes a downward spiral. The one thing you don’t want to do is quit and give into it. You need to figure out a way to give your body what it needs so that you are still be able to enjoy life to the fullest. Read More→
