Posts Tagged ‘women’

Hormones and All that Good Stuff in Healthy Aging

August 17th, 2009

Stomach weight is associated with making the arteries age. Your arteries supply blood through out your whole system and if these become blocked it can cause many problems for you. Obesity can lead to a heart attack, memory loss, the skin will wrinkle and strokes can occur too, which is all caused from the blocked arteries. Your diet plays an important role in helping to keep these arteries clear. You need to include a certain amount of goods fats in you diet if nothing else eating nuts for a snack.

Keeping the mind busy and enjoying activity helps the brain and it will help prevent depression, anxiety and stress. Everyone seems to get these three things as we age because we slow down and don’t get out enough. It is very important to be with people and get that exercise to keep your mind from thinking and worrying so much.

Watch your diet keeping it in control and enjoy many activities. You’ll feel and look better as you age. We can consider all these aspects, yet to find a clear vision of what healthy aging means to you, we have to consider hormones.

The glands produce several hormones, including the Human Growth Hormone. (HgH) Science shows the body produces enough but it doesn’t release all of it as we age. The low levels of human growth hormone cause wrinkling of skin, reduction of energy and sexual performance. Gray hair is incurred from hormonal deficiencies. The hormone will also cause increases of body fats, and puts you at the risk of heart disease. You will lose muscle mass from deficient HgH, which can lead to shrinking of bodily organs.

Studies were conducted that shown results from 26 men. These men were between the ages 61 and early 80s. The studies shown that the supplement of Human Growth Hormone slowed the aging process 10-20 years total. After giving HgH, these men showed improvements, which enhanced muscle strength. The skin tone was enhanced as well as the memory. The overall of aging has not been stopped but important signs of maturity are improved.

Vitamin A is known to help the eyes but in recent studies, it was discovered that it is also helps release the human growth hormone. Just remember when buying supplements in a health food store the labels are not always accurate.

When taking any hormone replacement supplements make sure that you consult with your doctor, only he or she knows what is best for you. Since supplements, Vitamins, or replacement therapies may include side effects, you want your doctors advice first before administering these remedies.

Women rely on estrogen to maintain healthy bones. Women need these hormones to reduce the risks of shrinking in bone density. Women will often experience symptoms that form into osteoporosis when estrogen is deficient. Estrogen will often slow as a woman ages, and usually after menopause the woman’s lipid levels drop.

This can cause high cholesterol also, since LDL increases. In addition, lipid levels when increased can lead to blocked arteries, or coronary blood vessel/artery disease. After a woman goes through menopause she, starts to age for the reason that the ovaries begin to slow the production of progesterone and estrogen. These major hormones control menstrual cycles, which stop at this point.

Men rely on testosterone to maintain their youth. This hormone controls a male’s sex drive, facial hair growth and so on. We all have our hormones that perform many actions, yet in some instances we need replacement, especially as we grow old. Sometimes replacing the hormones will slow the aging process, thus promoting healthy aging.

Longevity and Healthy Aging

August 15th, 2009

Since the 19th centuries, common prolonged existence or longevity is greater than before. At one time, the average male expected to live up until the mid forties, while the average female expected to live until the late forties. This seems illogical, since many of our older generation of people born in the 1900s are still around today. As our system advanced, experts found that people were living beyond the 70 and 80s. The longevity has changed dramatically providing the people gain. Still, in recent times, men are expected to live over 80 and women are expected to live past 90. Rarely do you see someone who has lived past 100 years of age. According to experts, a person living past 125 years of age has the same odds of finding a needle in a large haystack. Most people can live past 90 however providing they have quality medical care and their hereditary makeup is healthy.

Many illnesses today emerge from poor eating habits, lack of exercise, poor sleeping habits, and bad habits such as excessive drinking, drugs, nicotine, etc. Still, some people are marked at the beginning since they have genetic makeup that poses threats to their health. According to experts, genetic makeup is responsible for some cases of Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, and so on. According to experts, genetics influences a person's longevity. If a person has a family history of disease, their risks are higher of coming in contract with the same or similar disease. In short, if a person has a high risk of genetic factors, the person will likely have a shorter living expectancy.

How do doctors consider longevity?
Doctors review family history to search for genetic factors that may show short or long life expectancy. If you have a history of diabetes, the doctor will take actions to reduce your risks, yet it may not help stop the disease. Doctors also consider your lifestyle. Do you smoke? Do you have an alcohol problem? Do you have drug problems? Do you have anorexia or bulimia? Do you exercise? If you answered no to each question, then likely you will live a longer and improved life. On the other hand, if you answered yes to these questions you can expect to live a shorter lifespan.

Doctors will also consider factors, such as environment when considering longevity. If you live in an area where toxins are high, likely you will have unnatural exposure to these toxins, which shortens your life. Even if your genetic makeup illustrates longevity, your environment plays part in how long you can live.

Doctors consider medical care. If you have a history of visiting your doctor often, then you will have a better chance at living healthy. Medical care is the process of reducing risks of disease, preventing disease and finding treatments for pending disease.

What you should know:
Did you know that some types of not all cancers are curable providing the disease is spotted early? Did you know that Alzheimer’s disease is curable if the disease is caught in the early stages? Did you know that most diseases are curable, providing the disease is caught at an early stage?

If you know this, you will see that medical care is essential to live healthy while aging. Since the 19th centuries, medical experts have come along way. In addition, the experts continue to find ways to help people live a longer life. Doctors took their roles in life because they care about your health (at least most) therefore listen to the considerations that doctors focus on to help you live a healthy aging life.

Bodily Changes and Healthy Aging

August 13th, 2009

From the beginning of our birth, our body endures many changes. As we reach young adolescence, however the body experiences a series of senescence, or bodily changes abnormal, which the bodily functions start to decline. The body makes these changes, which most people will notice, the difference.

The musculoskeletal system is the first area that most diseases and illnesses start. For this reason once, a person turns 35 years of age regardless of their activities, athletic nature, etc. Still, one can reduce such disease by avoiding injuries to the muscles and joints. You can do this by avoiding accidents when possible, abuse, excessive alcohol, drugs, tobacco and so on. You can increase your health by exercising, eating healthy, socializing with positive people, and avoiding environmental toxins.

Visiting your doctor is essential to prevent disease as well. When you visit your doctor, he takes the time to study your physical status based on the family history you gave to him. The doctor will consider family history, including hereditary diseases. Your doctor will take family history into consideration as he studies diagnostics, cures, prevention, and treatment to help you avoid disease. As noted earlier, our body starts to refuse by age 35, which our sensory organs will also start to take a rain check. At this time, the eyes are affected since they cannot remain focused on objects up close. In medical terms, this condition is known as presbyopia. This is why you see many people in the world over the age 40 wearing glasses, contact lens, bifocals and so on. Still, you see the younger generation with these same needs, which is a clear sign that aging progression is starting earlier for some. This is a note signaling hereditary makeup, or lifestyle based on environment, etc.

Many people as they grow older lose a degree of hearing. In some instances, people go deaf after 40. This condition is called presbycusis, which is a sign of aging. Since this condition is common for those aging, it is natural to dislike things you once liked. For instance, if you enjoyed concerts when you were younger, and now find that you do not enjoy concerts at all, it is because your hearing has changed, which means that the high-pitch of hearing is affected, which slowly wore down the lower hearing tone. When hearing is impaired, it often seems like those talking are inarticulate. Since the hearing is tarnished, the person will hear speech differently. For instance, the use of K may sound distorted, which affects comprehension. In other words, a person older may here the CH in a word, such as Chute Up, and think that someone is telling them to shut-up. The CH is distorted. You can help those with hearing difficulties by learning sign and body languages to help them relate to you. These people can also benefit from hearing aids, or Assistive Listening Devices. The devices act as hearing aids, since it allows a person to block out noise in the background while focusing on the speaker.

We see natural healthy aging in this picture, yet in some instances aging signs are unnatural. For instance, if you incur lung cancer based on your history of smoking, or being around second-hand smoke, then the cause is unnatural.

As a person grows older his or her, weight changes as well and more so for those with family history of obesity. The body fat starts to change up to 30% by the time a person reaches 40. The changes affect the body tremendously, since this is the start of wrinkles and other natural aging signs.

Exercise and Arthritis

August 7th, 2009

Your bones hang out in a lot of joints. Knee joints. Hip joints. The joints in your fingers and the joints in your toes.

Wherever bones meet, there is also cartilage, a rubbery, protective layer that ensures your joints bend smoothly and painlessly. But even cartilage cannot do this tremendous job alone. A thin membrane called the “synovium” provides fluid that lubricates the moving parts of the joint. When the cartilage wears out of the synovium becomes inflamed, the result is generally a case of “osteoarthritis” or “rheumatoid arthritis.”

In osteoarthritis, the cartilage can be eroded so much that bone does rub on bone. Thos type of arthritis develops gradually over a lifetime as a simple result of the wear and tear placed on your joints over the years. Very few people escape some degree of osteoarthritis, though the severity varies a great deal.

As a matter of fact, if you are over the age of 50, you are likely to have at least one joint affected by osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis affects men and women equally and is by far the most common type of arthritis, with almost 16 million Americans in the list.

In rheumatoid arthritis, damage to the synovium is at the source of trouble. Doctors and researchers are not absolutely sure what causes it, but most think that rheumatoid arthritis is a disease in which the immune system actually attacks certain tissues in the body, including those that connect the joints and the synovium.

Rheumatoid arthritis begins with swollen, red, stiff, and painful joints, but it may progress until scar tissue forms in the joint or, in extreme cases, until the bones actually fuse together. Almost 75% of the 2 million people with rheumatoid arthritis in the United States are women. The disease can hit as early as teen years.

Exercising Your Prevention Options

Investing a little time in developing a good weight-bearing low-impact exercise and stretching plan can add up to great results when it comes to staving off arthritis pain. Strong muscles help protect the joints from wear and tear, and the movement keeps joints flexible.

That is why the quest for fitness is at hand, even if you are 50 years and over. However, most Americans over 50 are still right where they always were sitting back and watching others jog by. Most of them contend that that is just for people who have been athletic all their life, or some say exercise is for young people and engaging into exercise will do them more harm than good.

There are still some that insist on excusing their selves in exercise routines because they do not just have time or they have less energy than ever before. These are all lame excuses. Hence, it is time to start to get rid of those pains. Start exercising.

Consequently, preventing arthritis is not an exact science, but physicians have discovered a few ways to lower your risk. Here is how:

1. Do not weight around

The single most important measure anyone can take to prevent osteoarthritis of the knee is to lose weight if they are overweight. Extra weight puts extra stress on your knees. If you are 10 pounds overweight, for example, you put 60 pounds per square inch of extra pressure on your knees every time you take a step. That extra pressure can slowly but surely erode the cartilage in your knees, leading to arthritis.

A study has clearly supported the theory that weight loss weighs in on the side of prevention. In the study, overweight women who lost 11 pounds or more over a 10-year period decreased their risk of developing osteoarthritis of the knee by 50%.

2. Stretch those muscles

Any kind of stretching is good as long as you do not bounce, which can lead to a muscle pull. This is according to some of the professors of clinical medicine in New York City.

Try to hold a slow, steady stretch for 15 to 20 seconds, then relax and repeat. It is best to flex up by stretching before any exercise, especially running and walking. But it is also a good idea to stretch each day. Ask your doctor to teach you stretches that focus on potential arthritis trouble spots, such as the knees or the lower back.

3. Walking is always the best exercise

Take a good long walk at least three times a week or participate in a step-aerobics or low-impact exercise routine maximum results. There is no proof that running is bad for the joints, but remember, it may aggravate an injury if you already have one. Just remember to check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program.

The bottom line is that of all the healthful habits, exercise is the most important. This is because people are designed to be active. Hence, it is really important for people to exercise in order to stay healthy and keep those joints free from wear and tear.

Just keep in mind that the unexercised body, even if free from the symptoms of illness or problems like arthritis, is not at its full potential. Hence, start exercising right now!

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