Paleo? Really?

Posted by eldadm

If one more person at work asks me if I am “On Paleo” I might scream. No, its not a drug, it is the newest Fad Diet. And everyone know that Fad Diets come with groupies. This diet is not different than the others in that it tells you that restricting certain foods will make you lose weight. No shit, Sherlock.

The Paleo diet maintains that healthiest way to eat is to avoid the ground grain products that were unavailable to our cave man ancestors. People all over the world are changing the way they eat because some dude name Dr. Loren Cordain. PhD, of course. I think he’s a total nut who is selling folks a bill of goods.

Author Laura Miller agrees with me. At least about the diet. She states that thinking the human species hasn’t evolved in billions of years is just plain silly. Humans (and animals) have been evolving and changing for a really long time. She also points out that many species evolve quite quickly (humans being one of them) so basing a diet on “science” of evolution doesn’t hold water. Think about it. Humans have been grinding grains for close to 40,000 years – that’s a really long time to not get used to something. There are a great deal of foods that are included on the Paleo Diet that were NOT around in the hunter gatherer time. Foods such as the Brussel Sprout are only a few hundred years old. They were first … Read the rest

The Importance Of Keeping Fit As you Get Older

Posted by eldadm

The Journal of the American Medical Association encourages older adults to keep active and remain fit to help prolong your life.  Keeping active and fit can help prevent and delay illnesses or disabilities as you grow older.

Physical fitness is important throughout your life, and is just as important at older ages as younger.  Being active has been shown to lower risks of falls.  Fitness has been shown to lower risks to heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and even promote longevity.

Most older adults may safely do exercises, fitness regimens, and physical activities while following guidelines by your doctor, a fitness trainer, or physical therapist.  Get an evaluation on your overall fitness, and find out the best workout for you.  Each of us is an individual, and your workout routine needs to fit your own needs, not those of someone else.  Follow your fitness routine, and before you know it, you will increase your overall fitness level.

Regular physical activity can also improve mental function in older adults.  We all know older adults with memory complaints.  Look at a study published in 2008 to find the connection between overall fitness, an active lifestyle, and improved memory function.

Choose activities you enjoy.  Just like when you were younger, if you don’t enjoy it, you won’t follow through and do it.  Plan to make being fit a part of your everyday life.  Simple routines at home can help you stay fit, limber, and active.

Play with children, they love it.  Remember how they … Read the rest

Can E-Cigs really Help You Stop Smoking?

Posted by eldadm

Every smoker knows just how hard it is to give up cigarettes and we should know as we seem to spend as much time trying to give up as we do smoking. With so many different methods promoted as being the perfect way to stop you would think that we have eradicated this problem by now but things seem to be getting better very slowly. 

If you are still in the nicotine trap and have tried all the regular stop smoking aids you might want to pick up an e cigarette.Its possible you haven’t heard of the electric cigarette before as they are relatively unknown compared to the regular nicotine replacement therapies. This new device is similar in many ways to the nicotine inhaler you might have seen in the pharmacy but is much more effective.

The reason for this being that e cigs not only satisfies the nicotine craving but also gives the sensation of smoking. Given that its losing the habitual nature of smoking that causes you to go back to smoking after most attempts to quit, it should be easy to understand that this could be a major step forward.e cigarettes look much like standard tobacco product but works by means of a battery operated component called an atomizer. When you inhale, this atomizer vaporizes the nicotine contained in a cartridge and delivers your nicotine and a sensation very similar to that which you are used to.

This high tech device is still pretty hard to find … Read the rest

Is Cheap Health Care Really Possible?

Posted by eldadm

Cheap health care is every one’s dream. In addition to this, people also need the assurance that such health care will be quality and effective. Over the years, the government has struggled with the issue on how best to ensure that every citizen has access to affordable health services. The private sector too has had its fair share of contribution to the debate as Louise Minchin from ANA Recruitment – a leading provider of health care staff in Aberdeen, Scotland explains,  with health insurance providers on the forefront selling us cheap packages.
This however raises the question – just what is entailed in cheap health care? According to the government, cheap health services need to be affordable for anyone who is seeking medical check-ups, treatment for an illness, complete pre and ante-natal care, check-ups and immunizations for children, prescription drugs and dental care.
Government sentiments indicate that cheap health care provision would make the country a healthier nation since those who go without health care due to the high costs involved would embrace health services more.  The cheap health care concept is different from the free health care concept. In the latter, cost-sharing between the government and the citizenry is what most people rely on. Usually, government offers health subsidies to different social groups. It can also engage the pharmaceutical companies into providing cheaper drugs or through engagement with health care insurance providers to ensure that every citizen has insurance cover.
So far, the poor, the seniors and the … Read the rest

Why You Need To Stay Fit As A Senior

Posted by eldadm

We’ve always been told that fitness is vital for everyone, regardless of their age. However, as you get older, there are some increases in your needs, including a bigger need for being physical fit. Here are some reasons you should focus on your fitness as a senior.

Improves Cognitive Function

For a long time, it’s been known that there is a link between physical activity and cognitive health. Some people believe that this could be due to the increase of blood flow to all parts of the body, including the brain but, whetever the reason, having a well maintained routine has been shown to have a noticeably positive effect on depression, as well as a reduction in damage resulting from cognitive brain disorders. Daily exercise improves coordination and communication between the brain and the body, which is better for a healthy system overall.

Helps Prevent Diseases and Injury

It’s been discovered that an active lifestyle during the senior years can improve blood pressure, and in turn aid heart health. Getting your heart rate up for a sustained period helps to strengthen the heart which can help reduce the risk of heart failure. Exercise can also sure up the muscles that you need to remain balanced, which results in a reduction of risk for falling. The simple act of standing, extending and stretching can help preserve flexibility, which will both reduce risk of muscle injury, and help to slow or prevent loss of bone density.

Your Body Will Heal Better

When the body … Read the rest

The Importance of Understanding Cholesterol For Older People

Posted by eldadm

Cholesterol is a fatty substance. It doesn’t sound like something you would want in your body, but you do need some. It plays a role in the production of many things your body needs, which I’ll cover later. The problem lies in having too much of the bad fatty substance that can lead to clogged arteries cutting off blood flow throughout your body, but especially to your brain. This can be a particular problem for elderly people who are often less active but still have the same basic health requirements as the rest of us. Lets take a quick look at why controlling your cholesterol and minimising its negative effects is so important, particularly if you are older.

First of all, you have good cholesterol and bad cholesterol. Your objective is to raise the good and lower the bad. First, though, you need to understand what the numbers mean.

Cholesterol is measured in 4 ways; total cholesterol, good cholesterol, bad cholesterol, triglycerides. When the doctor does a blood test and sends you the results, it will be a measure of the numbers above. Here’s a breakdown of what those numbers indicate.

Total cholesterol measures the amounts of LDL and HDL levels in the blood. It’s a count of the overall amounts of cholesterol–good and bad.

LDL or Low Density Lipoprotein is bad cholesterol. It should be less than 100mg/dL (100 milligrams per deciliter). Anything above 129 is cause for concern.

HDL or High Density Lipoprotein is good cholesterol. It should be 60 mg/dL or … Read the rest