I am told that age wise, the new 70 is the old 50 and I can believe that. I know that I don’t feel old and I’m 75. I may not have the strength and endurance that I once had but I feel great and most days I feel as good as or better than I felt at 50 and 55. Now I know that this is a blessing available to most seniors if we but take good care of ourselves. But we must exercise our bodies and our minds, eat right and stay in touch with friends and with what is going on in the world.

Here is a neat little article that reminds us of some of the things we shouldn’t take for granted.

Woody

(ARA) – Today’s baby boomers are growing older gracefully. And although more than 10,000 boomers each day will turn 65, most are not letting their age stop them from maintaining active and healthy lifestyles.

Here are a few ways to ensure that you (or the ones you love) stay healthy, active and safe:

* Maintain regular health screenings and immunizations. While it is important to have regular check-ups with your family doctor, it’s equally important to monitor vitals more frequently. Luckily, most local pharmacies offer free blood pressure and cholesterol checks, as well as seasonal flu shots.

* Fight against falls. Falls are the most common cause of hospital visits for those older than 65, according to the Home Safety Council. To help prevent falls in the bathroom – while maintaining stylish decor in your home – add new Grab Bars with Integrated Accessories from Moen Home Care. These unique products combine functional accessories, such as a shelf, towel bar and toilet paper holder, with the safety of a grab bar.

* Travel safety. Once you’ve updated your own bathroom with safety features, be sure that you are surrounded with these safety devices when you’re visiting others or on vacation. Products such as the Suction Balance Assist Bar from Moen Home Care offer a suction design that easily attaches directly to smooth, flat surfaces for a firm, secure grip in danger zones – and easily unlocks from the wall for convenient transport when traveling.

* Ensure help is a call away. Cell phones are not just for social uses, they are a valuable emergency response tool – and they don’t have to come with a pricey monthly bill. In fact, plans are available for as low as $10 per month without a contract to AARP members .

* Cease bad habits. Smokers will die 14 years sooner than non-smokers, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. No matter if you’ve been smoking for years or decades, your body will be better off if you kick the habit.

* Instill healthy habits. Being healthy doesn’t have to involve major lifestyle changes. For example, swap high-fat or high-calorie versions of your favorite foods with lower-fat, lower-calorie versions. Or, stock your fridge with healthy fruits and vegetables for snacks. These small diet changes can make big differences in your overall health.

* Boost your activity levels. This doesn’t mean running a marathon – but it does mean getting your body moving. Walking, playing golf or any other enjoyable activity that boosts your heart rate is a step in the right direction.

* Keep your mind moving. Cognitive performance levels drop earlier in countries that have younger retirement age, according to a study published by the RAND Center for the Study of Aging and the University of Michigan. But if you’re no longer in the workforce – don’t fear. Just be sure to keep your brain busy by engaging in activities that combine social, physical and intellectual stimulation.

By following these simple tips, you can ensure the golden years will be happy, healthy and safe. For more information on Moen Home Care safety products, visit www.moen.com/homecare.

I’m just back from morning exercise with my senior’s exercise group. . . I thought I was going to die!

The Extreme Dangers of Sitting

James A. Levine, MD, PhD
Mayo Clinic

Being a couch potato has long been known to threaten a person’s health. But now researchers are discovering that it’s much more dangerous than previously thought.

Troubling statistic: Americans spend more than half their waking hours sitting — primarily watching TV, driving and working at a desk.

Important new finding: When Australian researchers recently tracked 8,800 men and women (average age 53) for about six years, they found that for every hour of daily TV viewing, risk for death due to cardiovascular disease increased by 18%. For those who watched TV four or more hours daily, risk of dying from cardiovascular disease was 80% higher than for those who reported watching fewer than two hours daily.

Most surprising: A similar Canadian study of about 17,000 adults found that even among people who are physically fit and have a normal body weight, prolonged sitting, for any reason, was associated with increased health risks, suggesting that sitting for long periods may cancel out some of the health benefits of regular exercise.

THE PROBLEM WITH SITTING

Our bodies are programmed to move. When we spend most of our waking hours sitting, our health suffers in various ways. Examples…

Sluggish central nervous system. Sitting causes your central nervous system to slow down, leading to fatigue. Three weekly sessions of low-intensity exercise, such as walking at a leisurely pace, which stimulates the central nervous system, reduced fatigue by 65% after six weeks, according to one study.

Weakened muscles. Sitting weakens your muscles (especially those that support posture and are used to walk) and stiffens joints, leading to a hunched posture and increased risk for back and joint pain.

Poor fat burning. The walls of your capillaries are lined with lipoprotein lipase, an enzyme that breaks down certain fats in the bloodstream. Sit for a few hours, and these enzymes start switching off. Sit all day, and their activity drops by 50%.

Increased heart risks. Sitting for long periods, even in people with healthy body weight, will have negative effects on blood sugar and blood fat levels, which may contribute to diabetes and heart disease.

THE “NEAT” SOLUTION

Fortunately, the dangers of prolonged sitting can be countered by engaging in simple, low-intensity movement throughout the day.

Thirty minutes or more of cardiovascular exercise (such as brisk walking, swimming or biking) several days per week is known to help promote good overall health. However, research at the Mayo Clinic has shown that the average American’s biggest health problem is a deficit in activity when formal exercise is not being performed.

Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) is the term that is used for the energy that is expended (calories burned) doing everyday activities.

While in previous generations our work and recreational activities involved regularly standing up and moving the body’s muscles, today’s world of cars, desk jobs, TVs and computers has reduced our daily NEAT dramatically.

The solution is to add small amounts of non-exercise-related activity into your daily routine. For example, simply standing up triples your energy expenditure compared with sitting. And since a slow (1 mile per hour) walk triggers more than half the metabolic activity of a brisk (3 mph) walk, a leisurely hour-long stroll burns more calories than an intense 30-minute power walk.

Interesting: We burn just five calories an hour while sitting and 15 while standing.

TO COUNTERACT SITTING AT HOME

With a little forethought, it’s possible to significantly raise your activity level without stepping foot in a gym. Not surprisingly, watching TV and long hours at the computer are among the biggest traps when you’re at home. To develop your own NEAT lifestyle in your home…

Stand up and walk around. Do this every time an advertisement comes on the TV. 

Keep a stability ball handy.Since sitting on this kind of large, inflatable ball requires you to shift slightly from side to side to keep your balance, it engages more muscles (especially those in your abdomen and back) than sitting in a regular chair does. Strong abdominal muscles help fight back pain and enhance stability and balance. Stability ball chairs are available from Gaiam (877-989-6321, www.Gaiam.com, $120)… and Isokinetics, Inc. (866-263-0674, www.IsokineticsInc.com, $65).

Place exercise equipment near your TV. Good choices include a treadmill, stationary bike and/or elliptical trainer. If you watch TV, choose a half-hour show every day and begin using the equipment as the theme music comes on. Continue until the show ends.

Another option: Try a “mini stepper,” a small device with two footpads that lets you step in place against resistance. These machines can be tucked away when not in use. Mini steppers are widely available from such companies as Stamina Products, Inc. (800-375-7520, www.StaminaProducts.com, $40 to $170)… and NordicTrack (www.NordicTrack.com, 888-308-9616, $120).

Put your computer on an elevated surface, such as a shelf or stand. This way, you can stand while typing or surfing the Web.

Choose action-oriented video games.If you play video games, opt for an active game (including Wii, which allows you to mimic motions used in sports such as tennis) instead of more sedentary games.

Engage in “active intimacy.” Catch up with your spouse or other family members or friends by talking with them while you stroll around the neighborhood together.

TO COUNTERACT SITTING AT WORK

For a NEAT lifestyle at work…

Stand up when you answer the phone. If possible, pace near your desk for the duration of the call.

Schedule “walking meetings.” This is ideal when you need to meet with just one or two people and don’t need to take a lot of notes.

Cut back on phone calls and e-mails to coworkers. When you need to speak to a coworker, walk to his/her work space. Besides getting you out of your chair, this face-to-face communication style has been shown to improve relationships.

Follow the 10-minute rule. Whenever you’re working at a computer, get up for 10 minutes every hour to stretch your back and legs. Use this time to perform tasks that can be done while standing, such as making phone calls.

Take the stairs. Avoid the elevator when going to and from your office floor.

Park your car a distance (half a mile, for example) from your office. If you take mass transit, get off the bus or subway one or two stops before your destination.

Take a midday walk. Use half your lunch hour for a stroll.

Use a standing desk. It allows you to stand while working. Ernest Hemingway used such a desk. They are available from such companies as Ergo Desk (800-822-3746, www.ErgoDesk.com)… and Anthro (800-325-3841, www.Anthro.com).

Cost: About $240 to more than $2,000.

Even better: Add a treadmill for less than $1,000 to your work space to create a “walking desk.” Don’t laugh — many people who have done this (using it for four to 12 hours daily) have found that their productivity and concentration have improved along with their health.

Bottom Line/Healthinterviewed James A. Levine, MD, PhD, director of the Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) Laboratory at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. He is coauthor of Move a Little, Lose a Lot (Crown).

Hi Folks,

Well, leave it to our British friend Susan Kersley to head us in the right direction for making our retirement life better – - by getting rid of “mental clutter”.

We have so many wonderful things to think about, to remember and to reflect upon but many times we let our “mental clutter” ruin it all!

Anyone know where I can get a good mental clutter broom?

Woody

Get Rid of Mental Clutter When You Retire

By Susan Kersley

If you consider yourself an organised sort of person and yet you procrastinate about getting things done then you need to consider whether you have too much ‘mental clutter’ which makes you delay completing tasks.  You may not have realised how this can effect your ability to get on and do what you want.

What is ‘mental clutter’?

1.Worrying about what might happen.

If you fill your mind with all the negative possibilities these are likely to stop you making progress. When your mind is filled with questions like, ‘suppose this doesn’t work’ or what if I fail?’ then you are likely to be stuck.

2. Remembering old resentments.

If you keep on recalling a time when you tried to do something similar to what you are trying to do now and remember how someone treated you badly or inconsiderately, so much so that the memory inhibits you making further progress. Instead remind yourself that both you and the other person have moved on and you are now able to deal with any adverse reaction you may have at this time from them.

3. Self-depreciation.

Your self-talk can stop you moving forward when you hear yourself doing yourself down when you say negative things about yourself and your ability to complete what you are aiming to do. Instead become more aware of this self-talk and practice re-phrasing your words into something more positive.

4. Working to out-dated rules.

Get into the habit of questioning your motives or reasons for doing certain things. Your actions or non-actions may be a reaction to what you were told about your abilities when you were a child. Your parents or teachers may have told you that you were no good at something or would never succeed in doing another thing and these messages may have stayed with you adding to your mental clutter.

5.Not making your own decisions.

When you want to achieve something for yourself you need to become more confident about deciding somethings for yourself. If you are not achieving because of mental clutter then you may have filled your mind with numerous opinions from others about what you should or shouldn’t do. The more opinions you ask from others the more you can become informed about the situation and so be better qualified to make the best decision for yourself. However eventually make the choice about what to do yourself.

When you follow these five steps you will reduce your mental clutter and be more able to have more time and make the changes you want in your life.

Susan Kersley is a retired doctor who became a life coach. She encourages you to have a life after work and live your dreams. http://getreadyforretirement.co.uk, http://lifeaftermedicine.co.uk

Here is a follow-up to yesterdays post about my personal experience with hearing aids.

I talk to so many people that are really, really unhappy with their hearing aids. The chief causes for their not being pleased seem to be:

• They did not shop around. They went to one vendor and that was it. No comparison shopping. No checking other audologist’s findings.
• Their aids are uncomfortable but the audiologist says they will get used to them (but they never do).
• They expected to hear as well as they did before they lost their hearing. 
• Repair costs and readjustments are too expensive.
• They were high pressured into buying expensive aids.
• They get tired of going back to the vendor for readjustments.
• They did not learn about the different types of hearing aids available before they purchased a pair.
• They did not read anything about hearing aids except advertisments before they went to the audiologist.

I have another couple of nice articles about hearing aids that I’ll post over the next days. If you are getting ready to buy hearing aids please do your homework. You will be sorry if you don’t.

Here is some good advice from a professional.

Woody

Hearing Aids – 5 Things NOT to Do When Purchasing!

By Kelly Calkins

I have been wearing hearing aids for over seven years. I guess I should say that I have owned hearing aids for over seven years. But until I purchased my new pair about six months ago I didn’t wear them very often.  

My first pair of hearing aids were very expensive. Looking back on it now I can’t believe I paid that much for them (almost $7,000.00) but frankly I was getting desperate. I was still employed and it was important in my job that I could hear well. My days were spent working with people and in meetings and it was getting more and more difficult to understand what people were saying.

Without going into a lot of detail I’ll say that my hearing aids were a big disappointment. They were the CIC type (completely in the canal – read vanity) and they made my ears sweat, were uncomfortable and seemed to blocked out more sound than they let in. I even went to the factory in California and had their “experts” try to fit me.

Bottom line - these so called professionals should have known that they were trying to fit me with the wrong type of aid and, of course, I had no way of knowing. So I wore the aids only when I had to and they didn’t help that much.  My not being able to hear well was one of the big factors that lead to my retiring. 

About six months ago I decided to check into hearing aids once again. I had read about a hearing aid called “open fit”, a behind-the-ear type that was supposed to be easier to fit and less expensive. So I asked other hearing aid wearers about their audiologist and chose one that is well known for good service and reasonable prices and I made an appointment.

Boy what a difference two hours of testing and consultation can make. I walked out of her office that day with a new pair of aids. No molds to be sent off with a two week wait for my hearing aids. The price, $2,400.00 and my medicare advantage plan paid $500.00 of that. But the important thing is that the new aids are comfortable and no more sweating ears. I am so used to them that one evening I walked into the shower still wearing them.

I wish I could tell you that my hearing is perfect now. Forget that – only God can give perfect hearing. But my hearing is so much better that I look forward to my get togethers with large groups. My biggest problem is hearing the TV clearly so I have learned to switch my aids to “telephone” and wear my “TV ears” – clear as a bell.

There are three things I would like for you to take away from this little article.

1. Hearing aids don’t have to cost a lot. I honestly believe that most hearing aids are extremely over priced. How else could sellers afford full page newspaper ads week after week. Don’t let an audiologist sell you some “gee-whiz gadgets” you don’t need.

2. There are several types of hearing aids. Get the one that is right for you. Don’t go for the aid that “your friend can hardly tell you are wearing” unless they are the ones that are best for you. That’s ego. Go for the one that helps you hear best.  

3. Find an honest audiologist. One that you can depend on fitting you with what will help you the most. Not what will bring him the most profit.  

Tomorrow we’ll hear from a professional audologist on the five things NOT to do when buying hearings aids.

Woody

Hi Folks,

Every time you turn on the television or open a general interest magazine these days, you are bound to be confronted with a story about the startling and ever-growing worldwide problem of obesity. More and more people are unhealthily overweight, to the point where eating can actually endanger our lives. There have always been some individuals that have eaten unhealthily, mainly because naughty foods taste so good, but the population as a whole now has to consider how our diets are affecting us. We can become sluggish and lethargic if we are getting the wrong amounts of nutrients and so conscious thought about what we put into our bodies is essential, and that especially applies to seniors.

As we get older, our metabolism slows down and we can no longer burn calories at the same rate as we used to. It therefore makes it easier for us to put on weight but harder for us to shed it. However, putting on weight has a more negative affect on seniors than it does any other age group. Being overweight can put unnecessary stress on the joints and thus accelerate the affects of arthritis, osteoporosis and other bone and muscle disorders and illnesses. It can also bring about the onset of diabetes, which is more common in seniors than in any other age group as it is. While any senior should enjoy a little of what he or she loves to eat every now and again, no matter how unhealthy it may be, a regular balanced nutritious diet is just what the doctor orders!

A typical senior diet should consist of:
* 5 to 10 servings of fruit and vegetables a day, although more of the latter than the former
* 6 to 10 servings of complex carbohydrates a day, which incorporates rice, pasta, bread and cereals
* 2 or 3 helpings of calcium-based products, which includes milk, cheese and yogurt (although the low fat variety would work out best)
* 2 to 3 servings of meat, poultry or fish a day to provide the body with protein
* A large amount of fiber throughout the day, which can be found in the cereals, fruit and vegetables mentioned above

All of the foodstuffs in the list above are finely balanced as far as amount are concerned. This diet would fulfil every nutritional need that a senior has and would encourage good health. However, dieticians do advise that seniors stay away from saturated fats and sodium. The latter, also known as salt, is a factor of increased blood pressure. Therefore, salt should only be used sparingly. Most natural foods do contain salt, but in healthy doses, and so excess salt should be avoided. Avoid baking with it if at all possible, and try to resist that liberal sprinkle on your main meal! Saturated fat is actually resistant to the body’s nutritional process. That is to say it is not broken down and used for good within your body. It just sits there and clogs up your arteries. As a result, it is a factor in heart disease, forms of cancer and gallbladder disease, as well as the widespread obesity in society today.

A well balanced diet can boost your health, but a poor diet that does not fulfil all bodily nutritional requirements can actually cause it to deteriorate. In seniors, this is especially dangerous. After all, if you struggle to move how are you supposed to work off the excess weight? If you are in good shape you can avoid immobility. It is therefore a vicious circle that may relate directly to your diet.

All seniors should enjoy life to the fullest extent, but eating healthily on a regular basis can actively extend the amount of time you have left to enjoy it! Make the most of every opportunity because you only get one chance at life. Revolutionize your diet and reap the rewards!

Woody

Please allow me to introduce Dee Cascio, Certified Life & Retirement Options Coach. Lee has a lot of good information and sound advice for this blogger and his readers.  

I know you will appreciate the wisdom Dee brings into her articles. I plan to bring you more of her writings in the weeks and months to come.

Happy Retirement,
Woody

Use it Or Lose It – The Memory Challenge

By Dee Cascio, LPC, LMFT, ACC

I’ve been reading a lot lately about the effects of blueberries on reversing memory loss in seniors. It all sounds very promising so I’m sure there will be a lot more research done on blueberries as well an abundance of naysayers coming out of the woodwork. In the meantime I’ve asked Janie to put more blueberries in our strawberry/blueberry smoothies. (She’s fixing one for us right now as I write this post.)

The following article by Russ Anderson is a good summary of the research being done on blueberries effect on memory loss and why blueberries are good for you.

Have a happy day,
Woody

Be Good to Your Brain – Eat Blueberries

By Russ Anderson

Well, I finely bit the bullet and purchased a new pair of hearing aids last month and I am sooo glad I did. The pair of really expensive ones I bought about six years ago never really worked for me. They were uncomfortable and didn’t help me hear that much better. They were the “completely in the canal” type with all the fancy channels but the audiologist couldn’t get  them right. I thought that maybe it was just me and that I would get used to them. Wrong! They were a complete waste of money. I was hesitant to buy another pair and I couldn’t afford them any way.  But I finally saved the money to buy a new pair and chose a new audiologist and what a difference they have made in my life. They are the behind the ear, open fit type. Very small, most folks don’t even know I’m wearing them - as if I care . And they were less than half the cost of my first pair.

My advice to you folks struggling with hearing loss: don’t wait any longer, go shopping for hearing aids. And do shop around, go to several dealers. Hearing aids are big business and a high profit item so don’t get sold on something you don’t need. Go to several dealers, compare their findings, their recommendations, and their prices - you will be surprised at what you learn.

May is “Better Hearing Month” so read the following article and then go have your hearing checked. You’ll br glad you did.

Woody   

Not your father’s hearing aid: the new generation is small, sleek and super high-tech

(ARA) – “If you think hearing aids are synonymous with getting old or becoming less capable, think again,” says Dr. Kathy Landau Goodman, chairperson of the Audiology Awareness Campaign. Most individuals experiencing hearing loss are younger than 65, and hearing loss is significantly affecting their lives at work and home. Fortunately, with today’s wealth of discreet and stylish hearing aid options it has become easier than ever to address a hearing loss.

Today’s advanced technology digital hearing aids offer features and sound processing systems that offer wearers major advantages over older analog instruments. These features include superior sound quality, improved clarity of speech in noisy conditions, and reduction in hearing aid feedback or whistle. Some hearing aids now connect wirelessly and seamlessly to cell phones, TVs, computers, mp3 players, radios, landline phones and other electronic devices. Audio sounds are streamed directly into the hearing device using bluetooth technology.

“The first step is to have your hearing evaluated by an audiologist to determine the type and degree of your hearing loss and its impact on your ability to communicate,” says Dr. Landau Goodman. If you are able to benefit from hearing aids, the audiologist will then discuss the various types of hearing aid styles, latest technologies, and what to expect from wearing hearing instruments.

Together, you and the audiologist will select the most appropriate hearing aids to improve communication with others and to fit your lifestyle needs. To receive maximum benefit from your hearing aids, the audiologist will adjust the aids to maximize sound quality, comfort and clarity. Follow-up evaluations are necessary to get the maximum benefit from hearing instruments.

“A hearing loss does not need to restrict recreational, family or work related activities,” says Dr. Landau Goodman. Properly fitted and programmed hearing aids, as well as instruction on effective communication strategies by an audiologist, can help improve communication in most listening situations and help you stay connected to friends and family.

To coincide with Better Hearing Month in May, the AAC has partnered with GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare to bring free hearing screenings to communities around the country so that people can have their hearing checked by audiologists who specialize in evaluating and treating hearing loss. National hearing screening week, called “Listen Up America Week,” is sponsored by AAC and runs May 10 to 14.

“By offering free hearing screenings throughout the United States, we have the ability to reach many Americans who might otherwise not have access to licensed audiologists. Now these individuals will have access to audiologists who can evaluate their hearing, determine whether they have hearing loss, and then make appropriate recommendations for treating their hearing problems,” says Dr. Landau Goodman.

To find an audiologist in your area conducting free hearing screenings May 10-14, as part of “Listen Up America Week,” visit the AAC website, www.audiologyawareness.com or call the AAC hotline at (888) 833-EARS. All family members, regardless of age, are encouraged to have a free hearing screening.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Well, I’m just back from exercise and I feel great. I really enjoy our exercise group. We have a good and dedicated leader, the fellowship is great, and we get to move all of our moving parts for an hour three times a week.

Exercise is such an important part 0f staying healthy as we get older. I wish I could get all of my friends to take part in some sort of a senior’s physical fitness program. 

What sort of physical fitness program do you participate in?

The following article by Stephanie Rice has some good, encouraging advice for all of us. Thanks Stephanie

Woody  

The Importance of Senior Health

By Stephanie Rice