11 Ways to Increase Your Energy...

Vitality doesn’t come in pills. You have to change your daily habits. In the commencement address he gave to graduates of Kenyon College in 2005, award-winning novelist David Foster Wallace talked about fish: “Two young fish are swimming along when they happen to meet an older fish swimming in the opposite direction. The older fish nods at them and says: ‘Morning, boys. How’s the water?’ The two young fish swim on for a bit. Eventually one of them looks over at the other and says, ‘What the hell is water?’ That was Wallace’s example of how when something is always present in your life, you don’t notice it. Well, it’s the same for energy. Much like the water in Wallace’s parable, energy is something you take for granted — until you don’t have it. What’s more, you can’t get it, at least not in the traditional sense. Trying to do so is like trying to grasp water in your hand: It just slips through your fingers and splatters on the ground. However, if you cup your palm, water can sit in it, unperturbed. Consider this: You don’t have to teach 2-year-olds ways to have more energy; that’s the way they come out of the box. So really, it’s not that we don’t have energy; it’s that we’ve created conditions — often by many years of bad lifestyle choices — that make it almost impossible for energy to show up. After spending years constructing all kinds of roadblocks to that energy, now we wonder how to get it back. The answer is to remove the conditions that keep it from surfacing. Some of the ways to do that are common sense. Others require that we change some of our daily habits....

The Importance of Sleep and How to Get More of It...

A couple of years ago, I was suffering through a serious bout of insomnia. I would stay awake until 4 or 5 in the morning, and then have to get up around 8AM to get ready to go to work.  After a month of getting between 3-4 hours of sleep a night, I was a mess. Physically I felt awful, my body was achy, and I displayed symptoms similar to flu symptoms. Emotionally I felt as if I was on the brink of a nervous breakdown. Things that usually wouldn’t even faze me, sent me into a downward spiral of emotional outbreaks and tears. On top of all of that, my brain just barely functioned, turning the simplest of tasks into the most difficult. After making some lifestyle adjustments, I began falling back into a regular sleep pattern. My health and emotional/mental well-being were restored, but I’ll never forget how negatively those months of sleep deprivation affected me. Sleep is one of the most important factors to living a healthy, happy life. It allows your body to rest and heal, and helps support healthy brain function. Sleep deprivation can cause serious health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure.  If you’re prone to being depressed, not getting enough sleep will only feed those symptoms. Insomnia and depression tend to go hand in hand, with sleep loss intensifying depression symptoms, and those symptoms in turn, causing sleep problems. One of the biggest side effects of my sleep deprivation was that my memory began to fail me big time. I couldn’t remember the simplest things. According to a recent study, the brain waves that are responsible for consolidating memories usually only happen during the deepest level of sleep. When you...

Parkinson’s Disease: What It Is, How To Diagnose It, What Do To Control It...

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a neurological movement disorder that happens when certain brain neurons become impaired and can no longer produce dopamine. Dopamine is a chemical that is important for relaying messages between different parts of the brain to help control movements in the body.  This is what allows people to have smooth movements.  Parkinson effects are not noticeable until 60 – 80% of the cells that produce dopamine are compromised. In the United States, as many as one million people live with Parkinson’s Disease, and there are 60,000   new cases diagnosed every year.  Parkinson’s tends to impact senior citizens the most, with almost 1% of Americans over the age of 65 experiencing some form of the disease. About 4% of those with the disease are younger than 50. This can be a difficult diagnosis at any age. There is a specific website for young-onset Parkinson’s which is quite helpful. Early diagnosis of PD is important, so that its progression can be stopped or slowed. It is important to watch for the following changes: Tremors or shaking of limbs, fingers, chin or other body parts. These movements can be normal after heavy exercise or an injury. Handwriting changes, often becoming smaller or more crowded. This tends to happen more suddenly than age related handwriting changes. Loss of smell, especially that of foods like bananas, licorice or pickles. This is not the type of smelling loss associated with colds or flu, but is more persistent. Trouble sleeping because of sudden movements or thrashing around in bed. Trouble moving or walking, because of stiffness in your body, arms, or legs. Change in coordination and balance. This is not the type associated with an injury or arthritis. Constipation, and straining to move your bowels every day. If...

The Many Benefits of Water Exercise...

I’ve never really associated swimming as a “hard” workout, because while I’m swimming, I don’t necessarily feel like I’m exercising. Since I’m in water I don’t sweat, and although there is resistance, the motion of being in water is so fluid that it usually doesn’t seem very strenuous. It’s much later, usually after being out of the water for a couple of hours, that my muscles begin to feel a little sore and that I feel the exhaustion that accompanies a proper workout. Water has natural buoyancy that provides your body with support, so the injury-risk associated with water-based exercise is quite low. For seniors it can be an ideal workout, since the risk of falling or hurting yourself is much lower than any other exercise program. Since exercising is an important part of healthy aging, adapting a low-impact workout program such as water aerobics or light swimming could really benefit your health and state of mind.  With so many proven benefits, it’s no wonder water exercise is rising in popularity. Read on for some of the many ways water exercise can benefit you. Low/No Pain Factor As stated before, the risk associated with water exercise is extremely low. Since being in water can “reduce” the weight of a person by almost 90%, there is less stress on your joints and muscles. Those who are not able to comfortably work out on dry land may find that they can work out in water relatively pain-free. Being in water also gives you a wider-range of motion, which can help increase your agility and flexibility. Many doctors will recommend water exercise to those suffering from arthritis or osteoporosis, because it allows for a pain-free workout. Balancing Act Water’s buoyancy also makes it...

Four Major Conditions that Could Affect Your Vision...

Vision loss has become a major health issue for seniors. 30% of Americans, age 65 and older suffer from vision problems that can’t be corrected with contact lenses or glasses. The American Foundation for the Blind reports the prediction is that this number will double by the year 2030. Losing your vision can severely impact the quality of your life. Aside from hindering basic activities such as reading or watching TV, losing your vision can impact your mobility and freedom. Visually impaired seniors are also at a much higher risk for falls and fractures. Many seniors may experience depression as a result of their vision problems, and the resulting limitations in their lives. Age-related vision problems are usually caused by one of these four major conditions: cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration and glaucoma. Cataracts Cataracts occur when too much protein builds up in your eye lens, resulting in a clouding of your vision. Over half of all Americans age 65 and older have cataracts, and it is the number one cause of blindness worldwide. Some of its symptoms include: vision that seems cloudy, blurry or foggy, double vision, perceiving colors differently and problems with glare and halos around lights. In the United States, cataract surgery, which is readily available and effective, has reduced the blinding effect of cataracts. It is usually recommended to those who have cataracts that impact their everyday activities. You can also take preventative measures in order to lower your chances of getting cataracts. A study reported by the National Center of Biotechnology Information showed that those eating a diet rich in antioxidant vitamins, such as vitamins A, C and E, had a smaller risk of developing cataracts. Diabetic Retinopathy Diabetic Retinopathy causes the blood vessels...

Benefits of Massage for Second Half of Lifers...

As you get older, it can seem that the every day activities you once enjoyed can leave you feeling sore and tired. Instead of leaving you energized, the slightest bit of exercise can drain you for days. It doesn’t have to be this way.  With age, the body may require a bit more upkeep, but with just a little love and care there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be as active and healthy as ever. Massage therapy is a great tool in helping your body recover and strengthen. Recent studies have shown that massage therapy is one of the most powerful ways to combat the health problems often associated with aging. The benefits of massage are many, but we’ve listed some of the most popular ones below. Improve Your Balance, Posture and Agility Just a single 60-minute full body massage can have a stabilizing effect on your body. By addressing the causes of instability and connecting your mind with your body, massage therapy can help improve your ability to balance. Long-term massage therapy has been proven to restore muscle balance and function, restore appropriate activation, decrease spasms, correct postural imbalances, and improve movement confidence. Reduce Stress Levels and Depression A good massage can flood your brain with serotonin and dopamine, helping you to relax and de-stress. It also reduces cortisol, which is known as the “stress hormone”. When you’re stressed out, your body produces cortisol, which can wreak havoc on your health. Studies have proven that a single massage can greatly reduce the amount of cortisol in your system, keeping you happy and healthy. Strengthens Your Immune System Cortisol is known to kill immune cells, especially those that fight cancer and viral cells. By reducing the number of cortisol...

How to Keep your Brain Healthy...

When people talk about staying healthy and fit, they’re usually thinking about their body from the head down. What many people don’t realize is that one of the most important parts of your body. Your brain needs just as much care as the rest of your body. The brain controls nearly everything that you do, from your thoughts to your movements, so keeping it in the best shape is vital to healthy aging. As you get older, your brain, much like your body, will lose some of its agility, and if you don’t take care of it, it will, eventually, start deteriorating. There have been numerous scientific studies proving different ways that you can boost your brain health, keeping  you functioning at an optimal level. Below are some ways that you can keep your brain healthy: Train Your Brain A recent study showed that a group of elderly people who participated in “brain training” classes are continuing to see positive effects 10 years after the initial training. By giving your brain a daily workout, you can generate new brain cells and stave off age-related cognitive decline. There are multiple apps and online companies that can provide you with free games to help boost your brain strength. Learn Something New By picking up a musical instrument, learning a new language or something else that is completely new to you, you challenge yourself and stimulate your brain in doing so. Stay Rested…but Not Too Rested Getting enough rest is vital to brain health. Get between six and eight hours a night. Don’t overdo it. Sleeping too much can cause just as much rapid decline in cognitive function as not sleeping enough. Feed Your Brain Adopting a balanced diet is vital to...

Acupuncture: The Medical Alternative That You Need To Know About...

With the cost of Western medicine skyrocketing, many are looking to alternative medicine for more affordable, and possibly, more effective treatments. With around $82 billion dollars being spent on prescription medication for the elderly, seniors could benefit greatly from exploring alternative medical treatments, such as acupuncture. Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese treatment that uses needles to stimulate specific acupressure points in the body. In this alternative healthcare system, pain and illness are viewed as a sign that your body is out of balance. Acupuncture treats each person based on his or her individual needs, rather than using the same treatment for every person showing the same signs of a particular illness. Just because two people share the same medical diagnosis, does not mean that they will share the same acupuncture treatment, as the cause of illness will vary from person to person. Physical, emotional and mental conditions all are taken into account, and the main goal of an acupuncture treatment is to balance the body, thus erasing the root cause of illness, rather than just treating a byproduct of it. Although acupuncture is rising in popularity, many people still know little or nothing about it, especially since it’s just entered the mainstream world in the last twenty years. In order to give you some insight on what acupuncture is, we’ve answered some general questions about it below: What Does an Acupuncture Treatment Consist Of? Most often, acupuncture involves several weekly or bi-weekly treatments, with most treatments involving about 12 sessions. You’ll be asked to lie down, either face-up or facedown, or on your side depending on where the treatment needs to be administered. Your acupuncturist will insert single-use, disposable needles into acupuncture points in your body. The needles then...