When was the last time you had the flu And what were you thinking while lying in bed, running a fever and so tired to get up?

In between sneezing and wheezing, I bet you were thinking how you wish you had a flu shot.

Too late for remorse. You were too sure of yourself, like most of us; that you won’t get it – when you least expected it.

The flu virus is disrespectful. It knows no sex, race, or age. It infects indiscriminately, like an amok on a killing spree. And if you are an elderly person, you stand a good chance of becoming a victim.

Why?

Because getting the flu makes you vulnerable to more serious complications.

But before dwelling on something that you should avoid as much as you can, you must know what you are up against and why you must protect yourself against it.

What is Flu

“Flu,or influenza, is a highly contagious viral disease that mainly affects the respiratory system.

Though usually seasonal, it hundreds of thousands of people, worldwide, during outbreaks. In recent years, between 12,000 to 56,000, annually, have died from in the U.S.

One of the earliest reports of the disease dates back to the time of Hippocrates (circa 410 B.C.) who described an influenza-like illness that ravaged northern Greece.

The word flu is an abbraviated term from words “influenza di freddo” or “cold influence” to describe the epidemic which occurred in Florence, Italy, in 1357.

Medicine and science poured much interest and resources into the disease due to its virulence and its rate of spreading.

Finally, in 1931, researchers concluded that the flu virus came from pigs, and in 1933, they isolated the virus from people.

There are four types of flu viruses: Type A and B, which is responsible for the seasonal outbreaks in people, Type C, which is relatively rare, and Type D, which primarily infects cattle.

The swine flu virus made its U.S. debut in April 2009 and never left. It is called the 2009H1N1

To date, the viruses seem to be pretty much under control – until they mutate into something different, requiring a different treatment approach.

Which gives you even more reason to have an annual flu shot.

Flu Symptoms

At the outset, flu symptoms mimic that of the common cold because they share the same symptoms. But while the common cold develops slowly, flu tends to come suddenly. The common cold may drag you down a bit, but the flu makes it agonizing to get out of bed.

To help you cope with the flu more effectively, watch out for these symptoms:

• Fever over 100.4 F (38 C)
• Aching muscles
• Chills and sweats
• Headache
• Dry, persistent cough
• Fatigue and weakness
• Nasal congestion
• Sore throat

Why is a flu shot important

Since four or five years ago, I’ve been having an annual flu vaccination – doctor’s orders. And I can’t say “No” to her because she’s my daughter. LOL!

Being afraid of needles (we all are), I was hesitant at first. But after weighing the Pros and Cons, I relented.

Here’s why…

1. Flu is a serious health risk

Records from the CDC (Centers for Diseasse Control and Prevention) show that 70 to 85% of flu-related deaths and 54 to 70% of flu-related hospitalization involve people 65 years old and above.

Your odds of becoming a part of statistics is greatly reduced by having a flu shot.

Age weakens the immune system. A simple case of flu can quickly develop into a severe illness. It may even result in an untimely death.

3. A flu shot minimizes its severity

A lot of people are ske;tical about vaccinations of all types. They say they don’t work of produce side-effects. While this may be true for some people, it certainly is no across the board. Though they may not be as potent as expected, getting a shot will still prevent the disease from becoming as virulent.

People 65 and older are at high risk of serious flu complications and account for the majority of flu hospitalizations and deaths each year according to the CDC.

On the other side of the scale, the chances of hospitalization for vaccinated seniors vaccinated seniors is reduced by 50%.

4.  As protection against serious complications

Flu can result in a more severe form of pneumonia. In fact, people aged 65 and above, smoke and with diabetes should get a pneumococcal vaccination on top of the flu shot to prevent this from happening. This is a one-shot deal and should only be done per doctor’s orders.

Other than pneumonia, flu can cause the development of these complications:

• Sinus and ear infections
• Pneumonia
• Inflammation of the heart, brain, or muscle tissues
• It can result in multiple organ failure
• Or infect the respiratory tract
• Flu can worsen chronic medical condition like asthma or heart disease worse

5. It is free 

If the above reasons won’t convince you to have a flu shot, this should – it is free.

The flu shot is free to all children and those at grave risk like elderly people like you. All you have to do is to go to the nearest government health centers to inquire how to avail of it.

If you have medical insurance and want to avoid the hassle of going to a government health center, the Affordable Care Act requires insurers to cover the cost of flu shots of members for free.

Note: Some insurers, however, only cover vaccines given by doctors or at certain locations.

However, as necessaary it might be, flu shot is not advisable for:

• People who had a previous life-threatening reaction to the vaccine.
• Those who experienced severe oculo-respiratory syndrome (red eyes, cough or and/or severe throat hoarseness) after having the vaccine
• People getting a checkpoint inhibitor (a form of cancer immunotherapy currently under development)
• Those who developed GBS (Guillain-Barré Syndrome) within 8 weeks of getting a flu shot without any other identifiable cause. The GBS can result in weakness and paralysis of the body’s muscles.

Like you, I have had several bouts of the flu before – when I was younger and my immune system was at its peak. Like you, I rode it out after a good massage and a couple of paracetamols.

But those were the days. Now I can’t afford to ruin my health and well-being for something not any more painful than a mosquito bite.

And neither can you.

~oOo~

The post What is a Flu Shot and How Important Is It first appeared on Age With Charm.

When people talk about health and fitness, they either take them as the same, or not. In either case, they are both right – and wrong.

Health and fitness are closely related with each other but are not the same.

Here’s why…

What is Health

Before:

The World Health Organization (WHO) defined health as a “state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. It includes aging well, longevity, quality of life, freedom from pain, etc.”

Now:

That was in the 1940’s. Things have evolved since then. Now, Stedman’s Medical Dictionary defines health as the “capacity to function and cope with life at an optimal level, whether physically, psychologically and socially.” 

The current definition includes these factors to determine your state of health, i.e., heredity, gender, education, job and income.

What is Fitness

Before:

At the same time WHO defined health, it also defined fitness as “a set of attributes that people achieve that relates to the ability to perform physical activity.”

To be considered fit, you must satisfy several factors such as endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, balance, etc.

Now:

The American College of Sports Medicine defines fitness, or “physical fitness” – to be more precise – is the capacity and capability of the body to perform, based on factors such as cardiovascular condition, muscular strength, stamina and body composition.

And these factors must all be present for you to be considered fit.

The illustration below will give you a better understand of the relationship between health and fitness.

Fitness and Health Relationship

With their relationship safely tucked under your belt, you may ask…

Can one be healthy, yet not fit and vice-versa?

Based on the updated definitions of health and fitness, it is possible that one can be healthy, but not fit, and fit but not healthy?

Let me explain…

You are healthy if your metabolic indicators like blood pressure, cholesterol levels (HDL and LDL), blood sugar, etc., are normal or within tolerable limits.

But you are not fit if you don’t exercise regularly. You are not fit if you have physical limitations and disabilities that stop you from undertaking fitness endeavors.

On the flip side, you can be fit but not healthy if you have serious family, social and financial problems that affect your capacity to perform or function normally.

No amount of exercise can make you healthy if you don’t eat well, take drugs or having an unhealthy lifestyle.

Health and Fitness in Seniors

Due to healthy lifestyles and advances in medicine and personal care, people these days live a longer than a decade or generation ago. For example, 1 in 8 Americans are older than 65 years and can expect to live 18 more years.

The downside is that increased longevity increases the incidence of chronic conditions that can result to functional disability. It can result to a decline in health, reduced mobility, depression, isolation and loneliness.

Other than these age-related issues, the health and fitness of seniors are also affected by other factors like demographic, social and environmental, or their amount of physical activity and nutrition.

Lucky for you and me (and other seniors), there is a plethora of programs and interventions to copy with these health and fitness issues among seniors. And seniors these days are making use of them. In fact, “health issues” are one of the most searched subject by seniors online

Most searches are about physical activity and diet programs, proving how conscious they are of their health and fitness.

And for good reason…

–  Physical activities:

Physical activity is important for people of all ages. For the elderly, it is crucial

Exercise slows down age-relate muscle mass deteriorating, thus reducing the risk of injuries to falls. It is essential for balance, strength, and mobility. And it is a good mood-enhancer.

Aside from its physical benefits, exercise also slows down cognitive function decline resulting to better memory and reasoning. It promotes faster healing of injuries, prevents diseases and other chronic conditions, improve quality of life and expectancy.

To be effective, your exercise program must cover the following:

• heart health
• Strength
• Balance
• Flexibility

–  Diet:

Exercise, alone, won’t help you achieve your health and fitness goals without a proper diet.

However, most people cringe at the mere mention of the word “diet.” They take dieting as fasting or abstinence. That isn’t so.

Dieting is simply eating the right kinds of foods at the right time, and quantity. Dietitians call it healthy eating. And for seniors, healthy eating means:

• Lots of fruits and vegetables, either fresh, frozen or canned. Load your diet with dark green vegetables like broccoli, and orange vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes;
• Proteins from fish, beans and fish;
• At least three ounces of whole-grain cereals, breads, crackers, rice or pasta per day;
• Three servings of low-fat or fat-free dairy products fortified with vitamin D like like milk, yogurt or cheese. These are good for bone health;
• Using healthy, i.e., polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats.

Health and fitness is prescribed for people of all ages. It is crucial among seniors to offset the effects of aging such as changes in metabolism, mobility problems, loss of appetite, deterioration of the immune system, unwanted fats, chronic diseases, sleep problems and many others.

While these may be unavoidable but,  but their debilitating effects can be minimized by maintaining a healthy lifestyle, proper nutrition and regular exercise.

In old age, one should be as concerned in adding life to your years and adding years to your life.

Sharing is one of the nobler things in life. So please share with other seniors

~oOo~

The post Everything You Need to Know About Health and Fitness first appeared on Age With Charm.

I have a secret…I don’t have sleeping problems.

In fact, I sleep like a babe each night.

And if you read till the end, you will also know how to do it.

Why must you have enough sleep

Sleep is important to everyone, regardless of age. But when you reach 60 and beyond, it is crucial that you get enough of it each night. Never mind the common belief that old people need a lesser amount of sleep. That smacks of urban legend.

But how many hours is considered “enough#8221; Sleep experts cannot agree on a specific figure but suggest an average of 7.5 hours of sleep each night.

I average 6 hours of sleep but take an hour of daytime sleep each day. Missing a few hours will make me sluggish, lethargic and dizzy.

Sleep deprivation is not to be taken lightly. It cannot be shrugged off as part of aging because it can affect your health and well-being. Among others, it can cause:

• loss of strength and endurance
• Balance problems resulting in falls
• Lapses in memory lapses
• Increased wearing of vital organs
• More sensitivity to pain
• Increased risk of diabetes
• Immune system problems

While the importance of good sleep cannot be over-emphasized, the question is “How#8221;

According to the NIH (National Institutes of Health), 13% of men, aged 65 and above, and 35% of women find it hard to sleep at all.

Reasons cited are frequent trips to the bathroom, aches, and pains, anxiety, or past traumatic experiences.

But it can be done. If you belong to this group, it is still possible to have good quality each night.

How to sleep well each night

The following steps may take time to set in. It requires practice until it becomes a habit. If you don’t nail it the first time, don’t lose heart. Just keep on doing it. In time, they become second nature to you.

1.  Have a specific schedule:

I make it a point to be in bed by 10 p.m. You can choose your own time. But whatever it is, stick to it.

This will program your biological clock to send a signal to your brain to produce more melatonin, the sleep-regulating hormones. Once it becomes an evening habit, your brain takes over.

2.  Make your bedroom conducive for sleep:

Make sure your bedroom is conducive for pleasant and restful sleeping. A place for the body to recover after a hectic day. That said, a work-table or a TV set has no place in a bedroom.

Make sure your bed is comfortable to sleep in, i.e., the mattress is soft, and the bed sheets are clean.

Have as many pillows as you prefer (I have three and three other smaller cushions), and the pillowcases should not smell muggy.

Before turning in, turn off the major lights, except for a small lamp beside your bed or somewhere near your bathroom door. A pitch-black bedroom is risky for toilet-runs in the middle of the night.

3.  Tire your eyes:

Nothing puts you to sleep faster than lunch break rush than a couple of tired eyes.

You can do this by reading the Bible or watch Old Western on your iPad –  the smaller the screen and the older the movie, the better.

This is my first secret in sleeping like a babe. I watch YouTube movies from my laptop beside my bed until my eyes are about to pop out from their sockets.

Reading just don’t tire the eyes, it also tires the brain.

4.  Say a mantra:

Repeat a mantra.

A mantra is a sound, word or sentence you repeat over and over again as an aid in concentrating.

Mystical Bee has 8 mantras to help promote better sleep. Take note that mantras are good if you sleep alone. Otherwise, they will have the same effect as snoring on whoever sleeps with you.

How to sleep like a babe

I can’t remember how or when I developed this habit. I guess it just evolved on me. But since observing that it allows me to sleep fast they have become my routine even if I sleep somewhere.

Here they are:

1.  Lie flat on your back:

Lie flat on your back and relax. Empty your mind of all concerns of the day. Relax your entire body, and make your mind as blank as possible.

Say a mantra or do deep breathing exercises.

When you are sufficiently relaxed, and no images are fluttering in your mind, go to step 2;

2. Lie on your right side

Lying on your right side preps you up for the next step.

Stay in this position until your pillow starts to warm under your head, then go to step 3.

Note: It is possible that you would have fallen asleep at this stage if you did step 1 right.

3. Lie on your left side:

Turn, and lie on your left side.

Sleeping on the left side is ancient Ayurvedic’s medicine to modern science. Not only does it promote faster and better sleep, but it also health benefits like:

• Better lymphatic drainage: The body’s lymphatic system is on the left side. This system carries important elements like protein, glucose, metabolites, and others that have to be filtered by the lymph nodes and drained towards the left side of the body.

• Promotes better digestion: Both the stomach and the pancreas (an organ that helps convert the food we eat into fuel for the body’s cells and regulates blood sugar), are on the left side of the body making it easier for these organs to function efficiently.

• Promotes better heart health: Eighty percent of the heart leans towards the left and the aorta leaves the heart by arcing to the left. This makes the heart pump blood easily.

• Promotes better spleen health: Spleen (an organ that filters blood as part of the immune system and helps fight certain kinds of bacteria that cause pneumonia and meningitis), is also on the left side of the body. Sleeping on the left side will help direct body fluids to the spleen by natural gravity.

It is to be expected that you may not get the desired results after a few tries. The body needs to be taught several times before it sinks in. Besides, old fogies take time to learn. But even old dogs can be taught new tricks. And you must. The importance of sleep cannot be over-emphasized.

Sleep is as important as food and water for your over health and well-being. It is crucial for your mental health.

Chronic lack of sleep or sleep deprivation can cause headaches, memory loss, and deprivation. On the more serious side, it can result in cardiovascular disease, Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis, and Alzheimer’s.

Not to mention being called a “cranky old man.”

Please help other seniors by sharing this. Better still, subscribe to Age with Charm and be the first to get updates.

~oOo~

The post Do You Have Sleeping Problems Try These first appeared on Age With Charm.

You are not over the top, as younger people may condescendingly describe you, or a spent force. You are a better remake of yourself 15 or 20 years ago.

Yes, your vision may be a little blurry, your hearing less acute, and your feet a little wobbly. But overall, you can still take on anybody younger than you. Well, in your own terms, of course.

Here are a few reasons why…

Reasons to Celebrate Old Age

The post 6 Reasons Why Old Age is Worth Celebrating first appeared on Age With Charm.

“Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude of what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.”  – Zig Ziglar

If you doubt Zig’s wisdom, then you must be living a wretched and ungrateful life. How else could it be if you have forgotten how nice it feels to you say a sincere “Thank you,” for a good deed done on you Or when complimented for having done something worthwhile for others?

What is Gratitude

Learning Gratitude

The post Simple Acts of Gratitude Can Make You Healthier first appeared on Age With Charm.

“Eat healthy foods, drink lots of water, exercise, sleep early, and no alcohol or tobacco And don’t forget your pills.”

You must have heard this bit of advice from your doctor or loved ones so many times you can recite it in your sleep. And they are right except for a little bit of exception – alcohol.

“Alcohol” implies alcoholic beverages like beer, wine, and spirits — alcoholic beverages with high ABV (alcohol by volume).

While it is good wisdom to keep away from it, several studies show that one or two glasses per day have health benefits.

Benefits of Alcohol

While alcoholic beverages are not recommended for seniors, a glass or two each day can be good like…

Protection against the common cold:

Alcoholic beverages have long been recommended to treat the common cold, but there is no evidence to support the claim.

Then in 1992 Mellon Carnegie researchers did a study to back or disprove the claim. What they found is that alcohol does increase a person’s resistance to the common cold.

This was backed up by a study done in 2002 involving 4,300 adult Americans. The result, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, showed that those who drink 14 glasses of red wine per week, reduced their risk of getting the common cold by 60%.

The plausible reason given behind it is the antioxidant property of red wine.

Improves libido:

Among men, libido, or sexual desire, starts to decline between the ages of 30 to 40 and continues declining by 1% each year. By the time he reaches 60, all that is left are memories of his promiscuous days.

All is not lost, however. Studies show that men who drink a moderate amount of red wine have greater sex drive than those who don’t. Researchers attribute this to red wine’s ability to increase blood flow.

Lowers the risk of Cardiovascular Disease (CDV):

Studies also show that moderate intake of alcohol, one to two glasses per day, decreases the risk of mortality from coronary heart disease, diabetes mellitus, congestive heart failure, and stroke.

It also improves the body’s sensitivity to insulin — one of the factors that influence blood clotting in the arteries in the heart, neck, and brain.

Reduces the risk of gallstones:

Gallstones are small collections of material, may entirely be of cholesterol or calcium, which forms in the gallbladder.

There is a very thin line separating alcohol consumption and gallstone formation. But a study by researchers of the University of East Anglia, in the U.K., show that two units of alcohol each day reduce the risk of developing gallstones by a third.

Lowers the risk of developing diabetes:

Like the formation of gallstones, there is also a thin line between the amount of alcohol consumed on a regular basis the formation of diabetes.

To be sure, if you are already a diabetic, limit your alcohol to the barest minimum. Moderate quantities of alcohol raise sugar levels. Beyond that can cause serious medical problems.

Wine is the recommended drink against developing diabetes, followed by beer. Keep away from clear spirits like gin and vodka.

Reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s:

Volumes of studies show that excessive consumption of alcohol can damage the brain. Moderate consumption, however, may not be so bad. In fact, it may help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s.

A study done by the Loyola University Chicago’s Stritch School of Medicine shows that moderate drinkers are 23% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s or other signs of memory problems.

“This study is not the final word, but it does provide the most complete picture out there,” says Michael A. Collins, Ph.D., and author of the study.

Makes you happy:

“Drink and be merry,” is an often-used phrase to tempt people to have a glass or two. And it has some truth in it.

Alcohol releases feel-good chemicals in an area of the brain referred to as the ‘pleasure center.’ This rush of chemicals produce feelings of pleasure and reward.

Makes you live longer:

Excessive drinking almost always leads to an early death. Moderate consumption, on the other hand, has a rosy picture.

A study commissioned by University of California Irvine’s Institute for Memorial Impairments and Neurological Disorders show that moderate drinkers have an 18% drop in risk to an early death – even better than the usual life-preserving practice of exercising.

But just like anything, it has its own caveats.

Seniors who are moderate drinkers must consult their physician if they have existing medical conditions. Some drugs react negatively with alcohol like drugs against blood clots, cough, anti-histamines, or depression. They can make you feel drowsy and sleepy which will be compounded by the alcohol in your system.

Regardless of age, never drink and drive. It can make you sluggish regardless of your intake.

And always remember that too much of a good thing almost always have a bad ending. Figures from the NIAAA (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism), there are about 8 million American seniors who are alcoholics. These are those who couldn’t stick to their limits. Don’t be one of them.

~oOo~

The post A Glass or Two of Alcohol Each Day is Good for You first appeared on Age With Charm.

Let’s get real.

Health in old age is not a parting gift you get when you retire at 60 or 65.

Or is it a reward from Heaven for a lifetime of good behavior.

Rather, it is like a retirement fund you build by saving consistently through the years.

But just as a retirement fund can be lost to mismanagement, fraud or other economic factors, your health, no matter how well you take care of yourself, can take a nosedive when you get old.

Age affects practically every organ of your body, i.e., eyes, ears, limbs, circulatory and nervous systems, the heart, brain, etc. In one way or another, they can make your health a little fragile, a little delicate than when you were young.

But it doesn’t mean you can’t lead an amazing and healthy life at 60 and beyond.

In fact, even if you get down with one or two the common chronic diseases that afflict 80% of seniors, you can still live a normal life.

Here are some excellent ways of doing it:

1.  Exercise:

Exercise improves stamina and strength. It slows down muscle deterioration, works up the heart and the circulatory systems. It also makes the brain manufacture more dopamine, endorphins, and serotonin – the happy hormones.

No need for a club membership or expensive outfits because you can do it anywhere if you want to. The parking lot of a mall early in the morning is as good as any.

Keep away from junk foods and All it needs is the discipline to do it consistently.

2.  Eat well:

This means never to go hungry or to over-eat. Both are bad for your health.

It also means a little care in what you eat. Old age affects the digestive system and metabolism, so temper your diet with fruits and vegetables, lean protein from lean meat, seafood, eggs and bean), whole grains and low-fat fat dairy products.

If you can’t get the full serving during regular meals because of appetite problems, eat snacks in between.

3.  Get enough sleep:

Don’t fall for the regular belief that old people “sleep less.”

Regardless of age, sleep experts say seniors should have about 7 hours of sleep to stay functionally healthy.

I sleep an average of 6 hours but take 45-min mid-day naps. Anything less would make me feel light-headed and lethargic.

4.  Don’t be a recluse:

While being a recluse if often necessary to get our bearings, to find ourselves, keeping away from the mainstream for long periods of time can have a negative impact on your health.

It can lead to negativity and depression. It can affect your immune system, your sleep cycle; makes you clumsy in social interaction and may even shorten your life.

So get out and be with family, friends, neighbors or even strangers (with care, of course), if need be.

5.  Travel:

If you feel claustrophobic and stress out, go for a drive or pack your overnight bag and travel.

Travel is my favorite therapy for loneliness and boredom.

Travel improves mental, emotional and physical health. It is educational and can leave memories and impressions that you can talk about with family and friends.

6.  Do volunteer work:

Another way of staying healthy at 60 and beyond is to offer your skills and expertise to a good cause.

Not only does it drive away loneliness, improves your mental health and is a good exercise, to be of help to others is an excellent way of having a purpose in life.

There is never a shortage of activities to volunteer into like your church projects, senior citizens centers near you, or half-way houses for kids.

7. Take care of yourself:

But the backbone of all these is your health. As the saying goes, “You cannot give what you do not have.”

So take care of yourself. Never miss consulting your doctor, and listen to your body for signs of potential health problems. Never take them for granted.

Remember that you are on your last leg of your life. Live it to the fullest. Celebrate for having reached this far. Now is the perfect time to be bold and brave for having survived everything life has thrown at you.

Please share this ray of hope to other seniors.

~oOo~

The post 7 Ways to be Healthy at 60 and Beyond first appeared on Age With Charm.

Do you know that your habits can make or break you?

Your habits as a child earned you parental praises or a disciplinary smack on the butt.

Then you started going to school and developed new habits – habits that either made you the darling of the class or the class bully. Which was it?

High school passed swiftly and you entered college and a new set of habits. Can you remember them Did it help you make it to the Deans’ list or put you among those who were deemed least likely to succeed.

You finished college anyway and entered the workforce with yet another set of habits. This time they were more significant in your life. You were not playing for grades but of making a career. This time, too, your habits either made you breeze up the organizational ladder, or made you struggle, one rung at a time.

Looking back through the years can make you beam with pleasure or turn blue with embarrassment. They are nostalgic, yes, yet make you wish you did better.

But that’s water under the bridge, so to speak. Now you are old – with a new set of habits. How are you making out with them?

Yes, my dear John, at your age your habits can still make or break you. They can spell the difference between a bouncy and happy old you, or the grumpy type which society loves to stereotype us in.

Your habits can either take you places to explore or no farther than your doctor’s clinic.

They can either make you live longer or cut your retirement short.

You don’t know what they are?

Well, here’s a list of habits that can break you and tips to get out of their stranglehold.

1.  Loneliness:

Right now 18% of seniors are lonely and 43% reports feeling lonely on a regular basis.

Though loneliness is not a habit, it can develop into one if it comes regularly. And it can have dire consequences.

A study made by a psychology professor at Brigham Young University shows that loneliness can shorten a man’s life the same way as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

This finding is very tragic at a time of instant messaging and the proliferation of social networking sites. These days being lonely is anachronistic.

So before loneliness breaks you, break free from it.

If you are a “loner” develop a hobby, travel, volunteer, or join a group in your locality. Get involved.

Learn how to use the Internet so you can get in touch with family and friends, exchange stories or old photos, or meet new friends online.

Anything to keep your mind off your loneliness is a step away from depression, or dementia.

Vivek Murthy, former US. Surgeon General has labeled loneliness as a worldwide epidemic.

Don’t be a  part of it.

2.  Sitting:

If you have the habit of spending hours on end in front of your TV, break it before it breaks you. That is like taking a slow boat to an early death.

Studies show that too much sitting increases your risk for colon cancer, endometrial and lung cancers.

In a worldwide study released last April 13, 2013, a sedentary lifestyle is responsible for 6% coronary heart disease cases, 7% type 2 diabetes, 10% breast cancer and 10% colon cancer cases. In fact, it further stated that inactivity causes more deaths than smoking.

If you want to break this habit, yet too lazy to exercise, don’t use the remote control so you will be forced to get up each time you want to change channels, and keep a bowl of popcorn on your lap. Walk to the ref if you have a replenishment.

These little acts of self-sacrifice may allow you to enjoy life a lot longer.

3.  Insufficient sleep:

Though aging affects a person’s sleep patterns there is no truth that seniors need less sleep than younger people. Regardless of age, healthy sleep should between seven to eight hours (depending on the person).

You can get by with occasional sleep insufficiency, but if it becomes a habit, you expose yourself to the risk of strokes and heart attacks, high blood pressure and diabetes.

I’ve learned how to sleep well a long time ago and you can learn it too if you want to sleep like a babe as I do.

4.  Tanning:

The next time you want to bask under a noonday sun or underneath artificial sunlight, be careful. Your desire to have that golden brown tan can become a nightmare.

A study published in 2014 showed that it causes more cases of skin cancer than lung cancer from smoking.

If you must, don’t stay under the sun from 10 am to 3 pm – that’s when the sun is at its hottest. And never forget to cover your body with a sunscreen lotion of no less than 30 SPF.

And don’t ever think that indoor tanning is safer than outdoors. Both emit the same amount of UV (ultraviolet rays) – the sun’s spectrum that gives you that beautiful tan can also result in skin cancer if you don’t curb this habit.

5.  Poor diet:

Another habit you must get out of concerns about your diet. Not that you want to go hungry, but age diminishes the sensitivity of the taste buds. If this goes together with cognitive decline, anxiety, depression, and lack of access to nutritious foods, the habit of eating just about anything or nothing is formed.

The result Poor diet.

Poor diet, or malnutrition, is a worldwide concern considering that the world is getting old every day. In the U.S., one in three elderly admitted to hospitals each year is due to malnutrition.

Malnutrition among seniors is plain bad news. It can lead to various health concerns such as weak immune system, muscle weakness which can lead to falls and fractures, and many more.

While poor diet is easy to address for healthier adults, the lack of resources, mobility problems and nutritious foods may be insurmountable for seniors.

Breaking out of this habit requires the help of family members and close friends. You cannot handle it alone. Many factors have gone into making you form this habit and tackling each one requires help. And you must reach out.

Breaking old habits and forming new ones is always difficult. But there is no truth to the saying that “old dogs can’t learn new tricks.” They can and so can you.

If given the choice between living a happy and vibrant old age, or being hobbled by countless medical problems, it is pretty obvious which to take.

Please share with other seniors to help them get out of habits that can break them.

~oOo~

The post Habits that can Break You – and How to Get out of Them first appeared on Age With Charm.

Do you know that I start and end my day reciting a mantra I am not doing it because I am into the mind-over-body thing, or I am into this “meditation.“  I do it because it gets me into a positive, hopeful mood; gives me faith that my day will always end right.

But wait, “what is a mantra “ you may ask.

For a layman, a “mantra “  is a word or group of words or a sound repeated several times to aid concentration in meditation.

The word is Hindu in origin and comes from the words “man,“ which means mind, and “tra,“ meaning transport or vehicle. In other words, a mantra is an instrument of the mind to enter into a deep state of meditation.

For people who are not into meditation, like me and you, a mantra is simply the seed for energizing intention.

Mantras are good to ease the ill-effects of aging by refocusing the mind into thinking positive, cheerful, happy and uplifting thoughts.

They help remove stress, depression and can lower blood pressure. And they cost nothing but a few minutes of stillness and concentration.

To get you started in reciting a mantra here are one-liners that are easy to memorize:

1.  I love my body;

2.  I am powerful, or I am strong;

3.  I am enough;

4.  I am at peace, or I am where I am supposed to be;

5.  I have love in my life and joy in my heart;

6.  I trust my path;

7.  I embrace change;

8.  I am worth it;

9.  Be still;

10. Breathe in, breathe out.

If you want poetic mantras, try any one of these:

11.  There are blessings found everywhere. I will find them;

12.  I focus on how I feel, not what I want to achieve;

13.  Accept “what is,” instead of resenting it;

14.  Just to be alive is a grand thing;

15.  I am not a drop in the ocean. I am the entire ocean in a drop;

16.  Don’t postpone joy.;

Now I would like to share with you my mantra:

“Sometimes the best thing we can do is not think, no wonder, not imagine, not obsess. Just breathe and have faith that everything will work out for the best.”

I got it online but I can’t remember who passed it on to me. Whoever it was my gratefulness for his act reaches Heaven-wards.

I say this twice a day- early in the morning before I get into my work, and when I am lying flat on my bed for the night.

It works all the time. My mantra gives me stress-free days, and sleep like a baby at night.

Please share to help other seniors who are struggling with adversities all days of their lives.

Image: http://www.reneweveryday.com/how-meditation-could-be-the-key-to-senior-addiction-recovery/

~oOo~

The post Mantras to Help You Through Adversities first appeared on Age With Charm.

Can the life of a senior be described?

No! Objects can be described, but seniors are people and people cannot be described – especially seniors.

You have to live and experience it to know how it is to be one. So if you are not, be patient. You will soon find out.

Suffice it is to say that seniors are a diverse lot and how they live and experience their lives is highly individual-oriented.

But they are all driven by the same desire – to be happy.

These 20 adorable will augment that desire:

1.  The surprising thing about young fools is how many survive to become old fools.

2.  lt is easier to get older than it is to get wiser.

3.  By the time you are 80-yrs-old you have learned everything. You just have to remember it.

4.  In order to be old and wise, it is necessary to be young and stupid

5.  At my age, I’ve seen it all, I’ve heard it all and I’ve done it before. I just can’t remember it all.

6.  I live in that solitude that is painful in youth, but delicious in the years of maturity.

7.  The longer I live, the more beautiful life becomes.

8.  Wrinkles were not one of the things I wanted to have when I grew up.

9.  It’s frustrating when you know all the answers, but nobody bothers to ask you questions.

10.  I  have a photographic memory. Unfortunately, it no longer offers same day service.

11.  Young at heart, slightly older in other places.

12.  I’m not aging. I’m marinating.

13.  You know you are getting old when your pacemaker opens the garage door when you see a pretty girl.

14.  You know you are getting old when everything hurts and what doesn’t doesn’t work.

16.  Old age takes away what we’ve inherited, and gives us what we’re earned.

17.  Age isn’t important unless you’re wine.

18.  Aging is not “lost youth” but a new stage of opportunity and strength.

19.  Do not try to live forever. You will not succeed.

20.  Sex after 60 is like shooting pool with a rope.

And to inspire you all, be like George…

When asked by friends what he was doing now that he’s retired, his usual answer is:

“Well…I’m fortunate to have a chemical engineering background and one of the things I enjoy most is converting beer, wine, and whiskey into urine. It’s rewarding, uplifting, satisfying, and fulfilling. I do it every day and I really enjoy it.”

Groucho Marx said, “Anyone can get old, all you have to do is to live long enough.”

If you are reading this, you have lived long enough.

Please share these quotes with other seniors who need cheering up.

~oOo~

The post Twenty Adorable Quotes for Seniors first appeared on Age With Charm.