As you age, being fit is more important than ever in order to stay healthy, and enhance your overall quality of life. Going to the gym is beneficial in order to build muscle and hop on the treadmill to keep your body in motion. But what if you could become leaner, more flexible, and do cardio in the comfort of your home? This is possible with yoga! As you age, yoga can be more effective than going to the gym.
Reduces Stress
The practice of yoga is to meditate, in order to give you a clear mind from all of the stressors of the day. When you do yoga, your mind blocks out all of the negative energies by reducing noises and distractions (that you experience in the gym).
Makes You More Lean
Stretching your muscles as you strengthen them will make your body more lean. During yoga, you will do different poses that will help strengthen your core, and build strength by holding your body weight.
Provides More Balance
Almost everything you do in yoga engages your core muscles, making it more muscular. You hold positions that engage your core, and when you move to different positions you engage it as well. Strengthening your core helps your body balance more. Improving your balance will help prevent you from falling and getting injured.
Yoga provides you with more balance, and can be done anywhere!
You Can Do It Anywhere
Yoga can be done anywhere! You can do it at home, in the office,and even in the park. As long as you have the time and need to meditate, you can do some yoga poses almost anywhere that is quiet and peaceful. You can tune out distractions, but it is not as easily done at the gym with all the loud noises from music, TV’s, and people talking.
No Waiting
Unlike at the gym where you have to wait for a person, or group of people to be done with a machine, you can do yoga on your own. Yoga is done at your own pace, without waiting for others to get out of the way or be done with something.
Good For You Internally
Twisting, stretching, and folding your muscles and body during yoga are good for the digestive system, the circulatory system, and more. It’s a great way to detox the body and can improve your cardiovascular system.
Easier On Your Body
There are different classes such as hot yoga, and intense yoga classes. But there are ones that are easier on your joints such as chair yoga. Yoga works your muscles without lifting weights. Lifting weight takes a toll on your joints and can be painful. It helps build good posture, flexibility, and balance without straining your joints.
Yoga slowly stretches muscles and increases flexibility. The increased flexibility keeps muscles and joints lubricated
No gym membership is required to do yoga!
and healthy. Weights and treadmills at the gym can cause strain which leads to soreness and injuries.
Saves You Money
Yoga does not cost a thing. You do not need a gym membership because as you stay, you can do it anywhere! You can wear any clothing that allows you to move, and you don’t need a mat. You can do yoga in the grass, or on a carpet.
Did you know that a balanced pH level of a vagina is between 3.8 and 4.5? When pH levels are not in this range, bacteria can thrive, and cause different infections, such as a urinary tract infection, also known as a UTI. Some signs that your pH levels are off are: an unusual odor, more than usual discharge, and discomfort/pain from a UTI. Aside from proper vaginal care like good hygiene, safe sex, and regular doctor visits, there is something else you can do to keep your vagina healthy.
What You Eat & Drink Plays A Role
You have most likely heard that eating cranberries or drinking cranberry juice can aid in UTI recovery. This is true, and many other foods can help promote a healthy vagina.
Cranberry juice can help you prevent and relieve urinary tract infections.
Cranberry Juice– Cranberries have a lot of acid compounds that fight off bad bacteria, and as stated, cranberry juice can help you prevent and relieve urinary tract infections. It contains antioxidants, vitamin E, and vitamin C, which will also help boost your immunity.
Sweet Potatoes– Loaded with vitamin A and beta carotene, sweet potatoes can contribute to making uterine walls strong. These vitamins have been linked to help aid in fertility and reproduction in women. Also, sweet potatoes help produce more hormones that helps you stay energized.
Apples– A study conducted in 2014 found that women who ate an apple a day had better sex, and had more lubrication than women who did not. The polyphenols and antioxidants in apples stimulate blood flow to a woman’s vagina, and boost arousal. Apples contain a chemical that resembles the female sex hormone estradiol, which protects against vaginal dryness.
Lemons– The acidic nature of lemons helps maintain the vagina’s healthy pH levels, as well as protect the cells from damage.
Probiotics– This is especially good for your vaginal health! Probiotics balance pH levels, prevent infections and yeast infections, and help with PMS symptoms. The live cultures in yogurt provide “good bacteria” in your body, and produce chemicals like lactic acid that inactivate or kill other infection-causing organisms.
Green tea– This kind of tea has polyphenolic catechins that can help prevent UTIs.
Soy– The phytoestrogens in soy help keep your vagina lubricated. It also helps with women who are dealing with low estrogen levels, which causes vaginal dryness. Make sure to eat soy naturally from foods such as edamame, and tofu.
Garlic– Garlic is antimicrobial, and can help prevent vaginal problems such as itching, odor, discharge, UTIs, and yeast infections.
Avocados aid in vaginal lubrication.
Avocados– Avocados provide vitamin B6 and potassium to support healthy vaginal walls, and prevents vaginal dryness, itching, and burning. They help keep the vaginal walls naturally lubricated.
Dark chocolate– The antioxidants, magnesium, methylxanthines, and amino acids dark chocolate has boosts libido, soothes nerves, and releases the feel good chemical, dopamine.
Adding these foods to your diet will benefit you both physically, and vaginally. It is important to keep your pH levels between the healthy levels in order to prevent bacteria from growing and causing issues. UTI’s and other conditions can be avoided as long as you properly take care of your vaginal health, including eating the right foods!
In the past, when a person had hemophilia, it meant they had a very short life expectancy, around 20-30 years. Thanks to research, over the past 7 decades, the life expectancy has increased almost 10-fold. Unfortunately, as hemophiliacs get older, other health issues are more likely to arise such as hypertension, obesity, and diabetes. In light of March being Hemophilia Awareness Month, it is important to discuss how the elderly can manage this condition to avoid further issues.
What Is Hemophilia?
Hemophilia is a rare medical condition in which the ability to blood clot and coagulate is reduced. A person with this condition will bleed out severely if they are injured. Normally, a person who does not have this condition, the blood will begin to coagulate (thick and clot) in order to reduce blood from leaving the body when injured.
Symptoms
It is hereditary, and caused by a mutation in the gene for factor VIII. The blood lacks sufficient blood-clotting proteins. Symptoms vary depending on the level of clotting factors. They include:
Blood in urine or stool
Nosebleeds without a known cause
Large or deep bruises
Pain or swelling in joints
Excessive bleeding from cuts or injuries
Other Health Issues Associated With Hemophilia
People with hemophilia are twice as likely to have abnormally high blood pressure.
Hemophilia can be very dangerous as you age, especially if you get an injury on your head. This rare condition can be associated with pregnancy, autoimmune conditions, cancer, and multiple sclerosis. Other conditions associated with the condition are:
Viral infections like HIV & Hepatitis– the antiviral drugs for these conditions can affect the person’s kidneys and liver.
Liver disease– The leading cause of liver disease in people with hemophilia are those infected with Hepatitis C. The risk of cirrhosis increases over time.
High Blood Pressure– People with hemophilia are twice as likely to have abnormally high blood pressure.
Cardiovascular disease– risk factors such as hypertension, high blood pressure, and being overweight can all lead to heart disease.
Musculoskeletal issues– loss of joint and muscle function is common in people with hemophilia. This puts them at a high risk for osteoporosis.
Kidney disease– this causes hypertension which could increase brain hemmorage.
Tips To Manage Hemophilia
In order to stay on top of hemophilia as you get older, it is important to stay as healthy as possible. You should:
Remain active and take vitamins in order to help manage hemophilia.
Stay active
Check your blood pressure regularly to keep it on point
Take calcium and vitamin D supplements to prevent osteoporosis
Do not take daily aspirin to prevent heart issues, because aspirin thins out your blood more.
Lower your cholesterol
Check blood sugar levels in order to prevent diabetes, or keep it under control.
Keep a healthy weight and diet to improve your quality of life and prevent heart disease, diabetes, and other health issues.
Hemophilia, if extreme, can cause death. As you age, the more you are at risk for serious complications, especially if you have other health conditions such as hypertension. Seek emergency care, or your doctor if you have an injury that won’t stop bleeding, or have joints that are hot to the tough and painful to bend. Practice the tips provided in order to help manage hemophilia, so you can live a longer, healthier life.
If you want to increase longevity, research suggests optimism could be the cheat code. A new study finds that people who are optimistic and have a cheerful outlook on life are more likely to live about 10% longer–making it to the age of 85!
Genetics play a part in how long a person will live, but how you live your life and take care of it will play a bigger role. Even for people that find it hard to maintain a cheery outlook, with practice, you can enhance its role in your life.
Positivity training also reduces depression, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses. This might be one of the biggest reasons people are pushing for a happy cure-all!
Quick tip: smile at yourself in the mirror and think of something you’re grateful for.
The New Study
This new study we’re talking about started with researchers from Boston University School of Medicine; Lee (and colleagues) tracked optimism levels and overall health and health habits in 69,744 women and 1,429 men with questionnaires. They followed up with the women for 10 years, and the men for 30 years. Then the researchers looked to see whether higher optimism levels were linked to living longer. The analysis also took into consideration behaviors that would likely impact longevity such as smoking, diet, and exercise routines.
The outcome came out to be that the most optimistic men and women displayed an average of about 15% longer lifespan, and had 50-70% greater odds of reaching 85 years old and older.
The Reason?
People who are more optimistic are more likely to stick to a goal, such as their diet and exercise routines. These people are also inclined to recover from stress quicker, and seek healthier alternatives than those who are not optimistic. They are less likely to smoke or drink alcohol, which can hinder a person’s lifespan and longevity.
Most of the population studied were white and of higher socioeconomic class, and these two factors are tied to higher optimism levels in general. But the authors stick by the fact that the study’s purpose was to show a way to live longer. Lee adds, “Our study contributes to scientific knowledge on health assets that may protect against mortality risk and promote resilient aging. We hope that our findings will inspire further research on interventions to enhance positive health assets that may improve the public’s health with aging.”
How Can You Boost Positivity?
Clinical health psychologist Natalie Dattilo, with Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, says even if it doesn’t come naturally, optimism can be taught. Dattilo works mostly with adults who struggle with depression and anxiety — “a lot of folks who worry,” she says. Many are pessimistic and “tend to see things through a half-empty glass and typically expect negative outcomes.”
Even if this isn’t the secret, don’t you want a better quality of life?
There are some simple ways that you can boost optimism in your life. You can take on exercising, since working out releases feel-good endorphins to your brain, or you can meditate. There are numerous ways to become a more positive person. Writing exercises can help, and if you want more professional help, then look into cognitive behavioral therapy. Some other techniques to consider are:
Stop complaining, it gets you nowhere and just causes negativity
Remember there will always be ups and downs, even in a positive person’s life
Use positive affirmations
Surround yourself with positive people
Reminisce- thinking about happy times can boost your mood for the future.
Life is already hard enough to try and survive through. Do not let the half-full glass become half-empty. Instead, seek ways to become a more positive person, smile more, and do things that make you a better person and healthier. After all, studies suggest that becoming more optimistic is the key to a longer life!
In your circulatory system, blood pressure is the force of blood moving through your veins. It carries oxygen-rich cells to all parts of your body.
When you get your blood pressure checked, they are measuring how hard the blood is pushing against the wall of the arteries when your heart is beating, and when it is resting in between beats. But did you know that one in three American adults has high blood pressure, which doctors call hypertension? This puts affected adults at risk for a stroke or heart disease, which are among the leading causes of U.S.deaths.
To make matters worse, hypertension has been linked to dementia. Recent research shows a cognitive decline with dementia is higher in people in their 30s and 40s paired with hypertension.
You don’t have meters installed to catch blood pressure spikes, so learn to be proactive.
Having high blood pressure this early in life continuously creates blood vessel damage in the brain. These are typically called white matter lesions. If enough nerve cells are damaged by high blood pressure, then memory cannot be restored.
Blood Flow in the Brain
The brain typically receives about 20% of the body’s blood supply, which carries oxygen, glucose, and other nutrients to give it energy. If this blood flow is blocked somehow or reduced, such as with high blood pressure, the brain is damaged.
One study found that even just slightly higher blood pressure (which is 120/80) could increase the risk of dementia. While another study found that women in their 40s with high blood pressure were 73% more likely to develop dementia than those who did not have hypertension. But now there is a risk of overall cognitive decline, including memory and processing speeds.
What Recent Studies Suggest
In a study published in The Lancet Neurology, a team checked the blood pressure of over 500 participants that ranged from the ages of 36 to 69 years old. None of the participants had dementia. The results showed that people between 36 and 43, and 43 to 53 had a greater than normal increase in blood pressure and a smaller brain volume later in life.
People who had higher blood pressure in their 30s and 40s had a 7-15% increase in white matter lesions in their brains.
“We found that higher and rising blood pressure between the ages of 36 and 53 had the strongest associations with smaller brain volume and increases in white matter brain lesions in later life,” he continues. “We speculate that these changes may, over time, result in a decline in brain function, for example, impairments in thinking and behavior, so making the case for targeting blood pressure in mid-life, if not earlier.”
Can You Lower Your Chances Of Cognitive Decline?
Well, as far as the clinical trials say, there is no medical proof showing that controlling high blood pressure through drugs or lifestyle changes can prevent the decline in cognition or dementia.
Stress plays a role in your blood pressure too. Don’t just hit the gym, meditate to lower blood pressure.
However, the landmark Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT), which included 9,300 participants, ended in 2015 with a positive finding about blood pressure control and heart health: Lowering systolic blood pressure to less than 120 (which is below the hypertension threshold of 140) significantly reduced the number of deaths and cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke, in nondiabetic adults age 50 and older. Similar results were found for about 2,600 participants aged 75 and older.
What You Can Do
Although there has been some skepticism on if you can do anything to lower your chances of dementia, it is important to get your blood pressure down. Hypertension is not good for your brain, heart, and body, in general. You can still lower your chances of a stroke, heart disease, and more by following these guidelines:
Diet– Your diet plays a major role. Make sure to eat things with lower salt and sodium. Sodium intake should not exceed 1,500 mg a day. Reduce, and cut out processed foods altogether, and instead eat as many vegetables, whole grains, fruits, and fish that you can.
Exercise– Exercise can lower your blood pressure. Try to walk at least 30 minutes a day, and other moderate exercises. Keeping your weight down can help drop points in your blood pressure.
Limit Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs- Using ibuprofen, and other NSAIDs can raise blood pressure, especially in older people.
Getting older means dealing with things like menopause, gray hairs, and wrinkles. As we age, our skin loses elasticity and collagen. The loss of these two proteins causes the skin to look saggy and leathery, leaving behind wrinkles and loose skin.
A new wrinkle here. Crow’s feet there. All you seem to notice are the new lines, and can begin to panic. Don’t. Wrinkles mean you laughed and they are earned from a life well-lived. Besides, there are easy ways to lessen their appearance.
Loose skin can occur from losing an extreme amount of weight, such as having a baby. Voila! You might have loose skin that never really goes away. Although surgery or expensive makeup are two options, there are easier natural ways to tighten your skin.
No need to hide it, you can fix lose skin with a little extra exercise!
Exercise More
Building lean mass is your best friend when it comes to keeping your skin healthy. Sagging skin has a tighter appearance when stretched over muscle. Some exercises to consider are:
Deadlifts– Deadlifts tone almost every part of your body. They strengthen your legs, arms, back, stomach, and pectoral muscles. Make sure to follow proper weight-lifting form. For deadlifts, keep your posture straight, your chest out, and focus on lifting only with your legs.
Side-bridges– This exercise strengthens your core and oblique muscles. Lie on your back and rest your weight in your forearm as you raise your midsection. Imagine a straight line running from the top of your head all the way to your feet. Hold the position as long as you can. Alternatively, you can dip yourself down and roll, switching sides. Be careful as you do so.
Air Bikes– Lay on your back and bring your knees toward your chest. Elevate your shoulders and bring your right elbow to your left knee and vice versa, This will strengthen your ab muscles and reduce sagging skin. You can keep your hands at the base of your skull to support your neck during air bikes. Remember, the focus should be on your abs, not straining your neck or shoulders.
Yoga– Doing yoga exercises regularly firms and tones the skin. There is such a thing as face yoga that you can do in the comfort of our own home. With all the forms, the important thing to remember is that it’s a practice. Your face won’t be toned overnight with these stretches, but keeping up with them can help.
Sweat Out the Toxins
Every day you are exposed to different toxins. Toxins enter your body through the air you breathe, the things you touch, and the food you eat and drink. These toxins accumulate under your skin.
Don’t worry though, when you exercise and sweat, you sweat out the toxins from your pores. This will battle the premature aging of your skin.
A Healthy Diet Can Do Wonders
Diet is key to staying healthy and beating diseases. Doctors and researchers can not stress this enough, and it is obvious why. Your diet has an impact on the look of your skin too. You’ll want to add foods with amino acids and proteins. Common food items rich in these are:
Add vegetables and fruits rich in vitamin C and antioxidants to increase skin moisture and aid in forming more collagen.
A vegan lifestyle could up your skincare game!
Hydration is also super important. The more water you drink, the more hydrated your skin cells are. When they are full of water, then they firm up and keep their elasticity longer. Something as simple as drinking water can reduce your wrinkles and sagging skin.
So find the closest store and buy a pack of water or a filtration system for your home! A good rule to follow is to drink about 70% of your weight. For example, if you weigh about 150 lbs, you should be drinking four 16 ounce water bottles per day, more if you’re working out.
Supplements Can Help
Even though we all wish there was a magic pill to get rid of the loose skin and wrinkles, there isn’t. But there are supplements that can aid in it.
Collagen is sold in powder form that you can mix into your coffee every morning. If you’re not into additives, there are topical options like skin firming lotions. These contain CoQ10, an antioxidant that helps generate energy to your cells, and helps your body produce collagen and elastin.
On a daily basis, try to take vitamin C, gelatin, protein, and collagen hydrolysate. These supplements will help you keep a youthful appearance over time.
Massage The Area
Massages are great for relieving stress, loosening up your body, and firming your skin. It is a triple threat! When you massage an area, blood flow increases which is amazing to ward off skin aging.
Massages also hydrate your skin. When you get a massage or want to exfoliate to remove dead skin cells, there are many different age-defying aids you can use:
Aloe Vera heals damaged skin
Coffee scrubs can tighten the skin and exfoliate it as well
Cucumber juice can rehydrate your skin
Epsom salt promotes skin circulation and hydration
Olive oil is a great moisturizer
Be Careful Of…
Tanning! Everyone wants to get the sun-kissed look because it is all over magazine covers. But sitting out in the sun too long, or in a tanning bed, can trade skin elasticity in the future for a quick boost to sex appeal.
Tanning can give you a beautiful glow, but beware that you’re not trading long term health for short term benefits.
“Leather skin” is real, and it’s caused by moisture draining out of your body. Wear a high SPF sunscreen when out in the sun and apply every hour or when needed.
Smoking ages your skin. The chemicals in tobacco smoke damage collagen and elastin, causing your skin to sag and wrinkle faster. Studies show that people who smoke develop crows feet and other wrinkles much earlier than people that do not smoke.
While we can fight on many fronts, aging is inevitable. You will get older, and your skin will reflect it. But that does not mean you can’t slow down the process.
Exercise, eat a healthy diet, and take supplements that increase the collagen and elasticity in your skin. Don’t give up when simple health care can take years off your appearance!
