Health

Anti-Aging Diet: How to Eat to Stay Young

March 15, 2013 By admin Leave a Comment

You can definitely improve your health with a good diet, but you can help to combat the signs and effects of aging too. There is a way to eat to help keep your body young inside and out for as long as possible. You can make these changes right now and you will start to reap the benefits right away. While consistency is key, even a few of these a day will help to make a difference.

Fruits and Vegetables

When it comes to your fruits and veggies you want intense color. Think bright orange carrots, deep green spinach, bright blue blueberries and deep red raspberries. There are others, but you get the point about the color.

After looking at color you want to look for specific antioxidants and these include zinc, vitamin C and beta-carotene. These antioxidants can protect you from a variety of things, such as blindness, premature aging, macular degeneration, heart disease and cancer.

Red wine should be added here as well. Now, this means a single serving each day and not more. Red wines contain resveratrol and this is a compound associated with lowering your risk of a variety of age-related issues, such as cancer, premature aging and heart disease.

Whole Grains

Take all of your white flour items, such as white bread and white rice, and toss them. You want food that is brown and made from whole wheat and grains. Eating a variety of whole grains at least three times a day is known to help in keeping your blood vessels youthful and in great shape. You want to go for things like oats, barley, brown rice, quinoa and wheat. Since these are all also rich in fiber it will help to keep your digestive track humming along well too.

Fish

Fish are jam-packed with Omega-4 fatty acids and these are very important in keeping you young. They can help with preventing stroke, heart disease and maybe even Alzheimer’s disease. You only need to get two servings every week to reap the benefits. Some of the best fish include salmon, tuna and lake trout. If fish is not your thing then talk to your doctor about taking a supplement instead.

Dairy

Yes, you can and should have some dairy. Dairy tends to have high amounts of both vitamin D and calcium and these are critical for healthy bones. If your bones are not strong then you risk injury which could prevent you from being active and not being active can age you. Stick with low-fat dairy to keep your risk of heart disease and high cholesterol low.

Beans and Lentils

These are protein powerhouses and protein is a critical nutrient. You can eat these types of things as is, or add them to soups, salads and other dishes. You can help to prevent diabetes and heart disease when you eat these in place of fatty meats. Talk to your doctor about how much protein you need to strive for each day. This will help to ensure that you get what you need to maintain peak health.

Filed Under: Health Tagged With: aging, anti-aging diet, diet, Health, nutrition

Understanding Depression in Women

March 11, 2013 By admin Leave a Comment

Women are more likely to suffer from depression than men are, but women also appear to be less likely to talk about it. This is not just in someone’s head, but it is a real disease that occurs as a result from a chemical imbalance in the brain. Depression can become severe so it is important to not ignore the signs and symptoms. There are effective treatments available that can help you to get back to feeling like yourself. It is important that all women educate themselves about depression so that if it occurs, they can catch it early and get early treatment.

What is Depression?

Depression is a condition that can affect everything from your social life, to your career to your family relationships. It is estimated that one and eight women will experience this condition at some point. This is a pretty big number. It is important to know the signs so that they are easily recognizable should they occur. These signs and symptoms include:

Depressed mood

Feelings of hopelessness, guilt and worthlessness
Sleep disturbances (you could be sleeping a lot less or a lot more)
Difficulty concentrating
Not enjoying the things that you used to
Recurrent thoughts of death
Suicidal thoughts
Weight and appetite changes
Fatigue and lack of energy

Differences Between Women and Men

Women and men do differ in how they experience the signs and symptoms of depression. While these are the same, how they occur does differ. The following describe how men and women differ in their experience:

While men tend to blame others when depressed, women will blame themselves.
Women feel sad and worthless, where men tend to be irritable and angry.
Men are more guarded and suspicious, where women are more scared and anxious.
Women will avoid conflicts, while men will create them.
Men feel agitated and restless, while women feel nervous and slowed down.
Women cannot set boundaries, while men feel the need for constant control.
Men have a hard time admitting there is an issue, where women can often talk about it easily.
Men tend to self-medicate with sports, sex and alcohol, where women tend to use food, false love and friends.

Getting Help

Once you start to notice that you do not feel like yourself it is time to reach out for help. You can begin by talking to a trusted friend or family member to help vent any frustrations. You may also benefit from getting good sleep, regular exercise, a healthy diet and staying active with your normal activities.

When the above just does not get the job done you should talk to your doctor. He or she can discuss things like talk therapy and medications for depression. Most people with depression do see a psychiatrist for the pharmacological care and a therapist for talk therapy. Many women do not end up needing medications if they do regular talk therapy. The key is to find what will work for you.

Filed Under: Health Tagged With: depression, Health, mental health, women's health

Daily Habits that are Getting You Sick

March 3, 2013 By admin Leave a Comment

You go about your days and then you wake up one morning just not feeling well. This is a common scenario for many women and they often cannot pinpoint what made them sick. Well, some daily things that you do could be the cause. Things like vacuuming and washing the dishes could lead to getting sick or increasing your allergy symptoms. Yes, you can use this as an excuse the next time you are too tired to clean up after dinner.

You Use a Sponge

The kitchen is the dirtiest room in the home regardless of how much you clean. You are bringing in different viruses and bacteria just by unpacking the groceries. So, you have your trusty sponge that you grab to wipe things down in an attempt to prevent illness, but you still get sick. It is time to ditch the sponge because sponges harbor bacteria and other nasty things. Then, you grab it, touch your face and this is where illness starts. You can bleach or boil your sponge to help ward off the nasty stuff, but it is best to just ditch it completely.

Vacuuming

While vacuuming is meant to clean up dirt and dust, the tiny dust particles that cause illness just slip right through and go right back into the air. This can cause allergies or even something like a cold. If you want to get the most out of your vacuuming, then choose a vacuum with a HEPA filter and this will eliminate the most dust and allergens so that you can breathe in cleaner air. If your allergies are getting really bad, or if you get frequent colds, you may consider ditching the carpeting completely. Wood floors are a lot easier to keep free of dust and allergens so that you can spend fewer days sneezing and battling colds.

You Use a Mattress and Pillows

Well, not just you, but pretty much every American sleeps on these every single night. Now, mattresses and pillows are havens for dust mites because you shed dead skin cells as you sleep and this is what they feed off of. This probably has you pretty grossed out. This can double your allergies. To help with this, get a cover for your box spring, mattress and pillows. These can be removed and shaken off, and keep dust mites and dead skin cells from accumulating.

You Open Your Windows

The fresh air is a wonderful thing, especially after a long, cold window. However, once you open that window you invite in things like pollen and pollution. This can lead to allergies, the common cold and other more minor illnesses. Running your air conditioner can actually help to cleanse the air and keep your home comfortable at the same time. If you have seasonal allergies that really bug you, an air purification system is your best bet. You still want to limit opening the windows, but this type of system can help to remove pollen, dust, mold spores and other airborne irritants.

Filed Under: Health Tagged With: allergies, common cold, Health, housework, illnes

Adult Vaccines: Are You Up to Date?

March 2, 2013 By admin Leave a Comment

Vaccines have become controversial over the years, but the fact is that they have worked to eradicate diseases like smallpox and polio. There are some vaccines that adults need too, but most are not aware of this. If you are fine with vaccines and want to get up-to-date, then you should grab a pen, read this and make a list of vaccines to talk to your doctor about.

Flu Vaccine

A lot of people do not get this, and it is not one of those vaccines that is absolutely necessary, however, it can protect against the flu. The flu can be life-threatening for some people and anyone can get this. If you are pregnant, this vaccine is generally safe during your second and third trimesters as long as you get the actual shot. The only things that can make you ineligible are currently being sick (you could get it after you recover) and being allergic to the vaccine. Egg allergies and a past history of Guillain-Barre should be discussed with your doctor before getting this vaccine. It is ideal to get this vaccine as early in the fall as possible to afford yourself protection during the entire flu season.

Pneumonia

Not all adults need this vaccine, but you can get it at anytime. If you have a chronic illness, weak immune system, are over 65, smoke cigarettes or have your spleen removed, it is a good idea to have this vaccine. Like the flu vaccine, if you are allergic to this vaccine or are currently sick, talk to your doctor before getting it.

DTP

This is a vaccine that you get in childhood that helps to protect against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis. These are all very serious bacterial infections that can lead to death. Take your shot records to your doctor and ask if you are ready for a booster. The booster should be done about every 10 years. If you have a history of Guillain-Barre syndrome or have epilepsy, do not get this without consulting your doctor first.

Meningitis

You have surely heard of this infection and know that it is life-threatening. If you live in close quarters, are heading into the military, have no spleen or are traveling to certain countries, this is a vaccine to consider. Your doctor can talk to you about when it is best to get this, or if you even need it.

Chickenpox

This is commonly a childhood illness, but adults can get it too and it is far more serious for adults. This is not a vaccine that everyone needs, but if you have never had chickenpox and work somewhere where you are frequently exposed, like a hospital or school, you may want to talk to your doctor about this vaccine. If you are trying to get pregnant, it is also a time to consider this vaccine.

MMR

Not all adults who were vaccinated as children will need this vaccine. Rubella is the big one you want to avoid by using this vaccine. You can get a titer pulled (simple blood test) and if you have immunity to rubella then there is no need to get this vaccine. This vaccine also protects against mumps and measles.

Filed Under: Health Tagged With: adult health, Flu Vaccine, Health, Meningitis, Pneumonia, vaccines

Osteoporosis: Which Treatments Options are Available?

February 28, 2013 By admin Leave a Comment

Osteoporosis is a risk that all women face as they grow older. The bones become more fragile and this could result in painful fractures. The good news is that there are things you can start doing right now to lower your risk, such as regular exercise and adequate nutrition. If these are not enough, then there are other options that all women should be aware of.

Medications

Medications known as bisphosphonates are most often used to help in the treatment of osteoporosis. These work by slowing down the process of bones breaking down. When you are younger, your bones are constantly breaking down and rebuilding, but as you get older, the breakdown process is a lot faster than the rebuilding process. This leads to bones getting weaker and deteriorating because the breakdown is not replaced. This kind of medication essentially slows down the breakdown process so that rebuilding can keep up to keep bones strong.

Heartburn and stomach upset are common with these medications. It helps to drink a full glass of water, take on an empty stomach and not lie down for an hour after taking the medication. Following these tips can completely eliminate these site effects.

These medications can be taken up to five years safely. Women can take holidays from the medication after five years and still have the positive effects because the medication has a build-up effect.

Hormone Therapy

Many women avoid hormone therapy due to the increased risk of breast cancer, but this can still be very effective for osteoporosis. This is generally done after menopause when you are no longer producing estrogen. Lack of estrogen can lead to osteoporosis. While this is not used nearly as often as bisphosphonates, regular exercise and dietary changes, it is still an option and it is still FDA-approved for osteoporosis. Your doctor will review your health and medical history to determine if this is a good option for you. It is important to know that stroke, breast cancer, heart disease and blood clots are all risks with this type of therapy.

Calcium

You know that calcium is a mineral that is critical for optimum bone health. Getting more calcium in your daily diet is going to be the first goal because if you get enough, you could actually avoid this disease later in life. Now, if you already have it, more dietary calcium can only help you. Of course, you want plenty of vitamin D too because this vitamin is necessary for proper calcium absorption.

If you do not get enough calcium through food then your doctor may recommend calcium supplements. These can help to replace any calcium that you are deficient in. The same goes for vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency is not uncommon, but it can be easily corrected with a well-balanced diet and supplements. Your doctor will determine which supplement is best for you and if you need a prescription-strength one or not. The same goes for calcium because some women will need more than others, such as a prescription-strength supplement.

Filed Under: Health Tagged With: bone health, Health, osteoporosis, osteoporosis treatment, women's health

Women’s Nutrition 101: More Nutrients, But Fewer Calories

February 27, 2013 By admin Leave a Comment

When it comes to nutrition for women, there are basically two things that are almost always true: you need more nutrients and fewer calories than men do. It is important to know which nutrients are the most critical and how many calories you need each day so that you can strike a balance. Having this information will help you in maintaining a healthy weight and preventing nutrient deficiencies.

Fewer Calories

As adults, women naturally need fewer calories than men do. Women who do not exercise need about 1,200 calories every day. This is considerably less than men who do not exercise. Now, if you do work out, you will need to increase your caloric intake to compensate for this. How much it is increased by will ultimately depend on you level of physical activity. There are formulas that a nutritionist can use to help you determine exactly how much you need to sustain your body. Caloric intake is a funny thing and you definitely want to make sure that you are getting enough without getting too many.

More Nutrients

There are some nutrients that women need a lot more of than men do. Iron is a good example. Women that are 19 to 50 should be getting 18 milligrams of iron each day. Now, men only need eight milligrams, so as you can see this is a big difference. Since women are consuming fewer calories and have a menstrual period every month, they need a lot more iron. There are supplements that can be taken to ensure you are getting what you need. Talk to your doctor before taking a supplement and to get some advice on which would be best for you. Since vitamin C increases the absorption of iron it is a good idea to take some more of this too. Now, you can increase your vitamin C intake by simply drinking and consuming more citrus fruits like orange juice and oranges.

Calcium and folate are two other nutrients that women need a lot more of. Calcium is critical for good bone density. When bone density is not where it needs to be, you will be at risk for osteoporosis, and from here, fractures. Since you definitely do not want to deal with broken bones, it is important to get the nutrients necessary to avoid them. If you are younger than 50 years old, you should be getting 1,000 milligrams of calcium each day. If you are older than 50, then you need 1,500 milligrams each day. This is a nutrient that you cannot skimp on. You need to make sure you are getting the right amount of vitamin D to ensure proper absorption of calcium.

Folate is a B vitamin that is critical in your childbearing years. Not having enough could result in birth defects should you get pregnant and have a baby. In addition to your baby, this vitamin is important to help protect against heart disease and colon cancer. You need 400 micrograms every day. If you become pregnant, this increases to 600 micrograms every day.

Filed Under: Health Tagged With: diet, Health, nutrients, nutrition, weight management, women's health

Vitamin B12 Deficiency: It Affects More than Metabolism

February 22, 2013 By admin Leave a Comment

Vitamin B12 is best known as the metabolism vitamin, but it does a lot more. A deficiency can affect quite a few things including your memory. It is estimated that as many as 15 percent of American adults are deficient in this vitamin. The severity of deficiency varies, but any degree of deficiency will lead to some symptoms, with the more severe symptoms occurring with the most severe of deficiencies.

Am I Deficient?

In the early stages, you may not really notice the symptoms because they are pretty broad. Early symptoms may include:

Feeling tired, weak or lightheaded

Pale skin
Bleeding or bruising easily
Constipation or diarrhea
Rapid breathing and heartbeat
Sore tongue
Weight loss and stomach upset

When this deficiency becomes more severe, you may experience the following:

Toe and finger tingling or numbness
Depression or mood changes
Difficulty walking
Disorientation, memory loss or dementia

The severe symptoms are associated with nerve cell damage so you definitely do not want this deficiency to get this far. Once the early symptoms start, it is a good idea to have them checked out. They may not be this deficiency at all, but it is always better to be safe than sorry.

To determine if you have the deficiency, your doctor just needs to get a quick blood test. So, this process is quick and easy and while you may feel a prick when the needle is inserted, there really is no discomfort involved. The results tend to come back pretty quickly so that you will not have to sit around wondering if you have this issue.

Correcting this Deficiency

It is important to try and get as many vitamins and minerals as possible from your diet. When you have a well-rounded diet, then deficiencies are less likely. However, if you have certain medical conditions or are vegan or vegetarian, your risk of a vitamin B12 deficiency are a lot higher. When it comes to diet, things like poultry, eggs, milk, fortified cereals and fish can provide good amounts of this critical vitamin. You should be getting 2.4 micrograms each day as an adult and the more you can get through food the better. If you are already deficient, you may need more than a good diet though.

Oral supplements are very common when it comes to this deficiency. These are generally taken once a day with a meal. These also come in a form where they dissolve under your tongue and these are said to have a better absorption rate than swallowed pills. These are also ideal for those that do not care to take pills. Some people will need to get B12 injections. How often you get these is something your doctor will determine based on the severity of your deficiency. If you have a condition that prevents you from absorbing vitamin B12 from food sources, such as pernicious anemia, you will likely need these injections for life to maintain a healthy level of this vitamin.

Filed Under: Health Tagged With: diet, Health, vitamin b12, vitamin b12 deficiency, vitamins

Losing Weight: Diet Versus Exercise

February 14, 2013 By admin Leave a Comment

You always hear that to lose weight you must consume a healthy diet and exercise regularly. This is not inaccurate as both do lead to weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight. However, one is more effective than the other in helping you to shed the pounds. This information will help you to make the right choices when it comes to shedding those extra pounds.

Diet

The key to a successful diet is not being overly restrictive. For example, some people try to do too much at once and this backfires. Cutting to 800 calories per day is not only unhealthy for most people, but it is just not enough to be satisfied. If you are not satisfied you will not stick to your diet for very long. You need to make sure that you can eat at least two to three meals a day that are satisfying plus a snack or two. This is why most people do not cut below 1,200 calories. 1,200 allows you to still eat a decent amount of food and get your necessary nutrients in so that you feel good as you strive to regain your health.

With a 1,200 calorie diet you can do a 300 calorie breakfast, a 200 calorie lunch and a 500 calorie dinner. This will leave you 200 calories for a snack or two. If you snack smart, this can be as many as three snacks. Or, if you are not really into snacking, you can use this extra 200 calories for something like a glass of wine after a long day.

Exercise

Regardless of whether you need to or not you should exercise for 30 minutes at least three times per week to maintain a strong heart, lungs, bones and muscles. However, if you never exercise, but only eat right, you will maintain a healthy weight. If you restrict calories and never exercise, you can lose weight. However, you want to exercise during weight loss because this helps to build muscle and lean muscle will contribute to burning more calories, thus increasing your weight loss. It also works to tighten and tone which will help to prevent some loose skin as you lose weight.

Exercise should consist of cardiovascular exercise, flexibility training and strength training. This will give you overall benefits that help you to fight disease and age-related issues like osteoporosis, heart disease and reduced lung capacity.

Which Works Better?

You can exercise seven days a week, but if you are consuming twice what you need to lose weight then you are either going to slowly gain or just not lose depending on your activity level and how many calories you burn. Now, with dieting, you are restricting calories to just what you need. Most people cut 500 calories per day and this alone will knock off a pound per week. Of course, the more a person weighs, the faster the weight will come off, but it will come off anyone who is cutting calories every day.

The bottom line is that you should be doing both to maintain overall health, but diet alone can result in weight loss.

Filed Under: Health Tagged With: dieting, exercise, Fitness, Health, weight loss

Dealing with Embarrassing Foot Problems

February 12, 2013 By admin Leave a Comment

With spring just around the corner you want to get your feet ready for sandals and being without socks. However, there are some foot problems that can cause embarrassment and make summer fashion trends difficult to impossible to wear. However, you can do things to get your feet ready now so that come spring, you can wear those hot sandals without any fear.

Corns

If you wear tight shoes often, then it is almost inevitable that corns will occur at some point. It is important to ensure that your shoes fit properly and that the toe box is wide enough to wiggle your toes. To get rid of those corns, you can head to the drugstore and grab a corn remover. These are generally effective and get rid of corns within a month or less. If for some reason this fails to work for you, then your doctor can remove them.

Nail Fungus

This is actually quite common and is often seen in those who get regular pedicures. It is important to choose only the cleanest of salons, or save time and money by doing your own pedicures at home. To get rid of fungus requires at least 12 weeks of using a prescription anti-fungal medication. Since spring is close, you will want to get started with this as soon as possible.

Athlete’s Foot

This is not exclusive to those that spend hours a day in the gym. In fact, you can get it simply by going barefoot at the gym or public pools. Always wear shower shoes and never go barefoot in public. There are over-the-counter creams and lotions that will help to clear this up. It only takes about a week. If you have been properly treating this for two weeks with no results, then it is time to go see your dermatologist.

Ingrown Toenails

These are both painful and unsightly. These often occur just because with no actual cause, but shoes that are too tight and short toe nails can also result in this. Pain, redness and pus could indicate infection so if you are experiencing any of these, head to your doctor. There are treatments that can be done to help this issue.

Plantar Warts

Warts are contagious, but not highly. There are over-the-counter treatments that freeze them off, but if this does not work your doctor can freeze them off. These are not dangerous, but they do look awful. Avoid being barefoot in public to help prevent this.

Dry Skin

Dry skin can crack, callus and it just looks awful. This can be fixed, but it takes work and you should get started today. First, always apply lotion to your feet after showering. You should first use a pumice stone or foot file to slough off some of the dry skin then apply some lotion and massage it in well. Using petroleum jelly at night is also helpful. You should apply lotion, then petroleum jelly and then sleep in cotton socks. Your skin will absorb this throughout the night and calluses and other rough spots are softened. It is important to do this every night and then about once to twice a week once your feet are in the condition that you want them.

Filed Under: Health Tagged With: beauty, feet problems, foot care tips, foot health, Health, style

Losing Weight After Menopause: Quick Tips for Women

February 9, 2013 By admin Leave a Comment

Losing weight is no easy task and this is especially true after menopause. The body goes through changes and your weight is one of these. However, you can lose weight after menopause once you know why you are gaining. It will not be as easy as it was in your 20s, but it is possible. In fact, many women achieve their highest level of fitness after going through the change.

Why You Gain Weight

Gaining weight after menopause is actually mostly related to your lifestyle and certain genetic factors. Now, if you do gain weight this is going to show most around your midsection due to hormonal changes. Your thighs and hips will not be nearly as affected as they were in your younger years.

Once a woman goes through menopause, she tends to reduce her exercise and activity level. Then, since you are getting older your muscles will start to diminish naturally. We know that muscle burns more calories than fat and it also gives you that nice toned look. If you are not working to replace the diminishing muscle, your body will begin to be taken over by the fat and you will not burn nearly as many calories. This, of course, can lead to weight gain.

In terms of genetics, look at the women in your family. If your grandmother, mother and older sister all seemed to gain weight after menopause, then your chances of gaining weight are increased.

Why Should I Work to Lose Weight After Menopause?

There are a number of reasons why you do not want to carry around extra weight after going through the change. Having extra weight, especially around your abdomen, increases your risk of Type 2 diabetes. Things like high cholesterol and high blood pressure can also occur, increasing your risk of stroke and heart attack. Other risks include breast and colon-rectal cancer. These are already more prevalent after menopause, but extra weight increases your risk even more.

How Do I Lose Weight After Menopause?

Contrary to the media, there are no magic pills or methods to help you get into shape. You will have to put the work in. Your first priority should be to get a full health physical from your doctor. You want to know what your overall health status is and make sure that exercise is safe for you. Once you get the go-ahead from your doctor, it is time to start moving more. Just walking 30 minutes a day, most days of the week can have a major impact on your health and weight. You also need to strength train. Remember that your muscles are diminishing naturally so you need to get them back and strength training is the only way to do this. Ideally, you will strength train every other day because your muscles do need a rest day in between workouts.

Next, is your diet. You want to eat as healthy as possible. This does not mean that you can never have a piece of birthday cake again, it just means that you cannot have cake every night. You want the majority of your diet to be lean protein, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Also, do not forget about water because dehydration is more common as you get older.

You may want to get together with some of your same-age friends and get a walking group together. This will help you to stay on track. You can also strength train together and exchange healthy recipes. Those that work out with a buddy tend to stick to their plan more than those who go it alone.

Filed Under: Health Tagged With: aging, Health, menopause, women, women's health