Elderly individuals do not differ from others when they make a New Year’s resolution. Along with millions of other people, they resolve to lose some weight in the upcoming year. While this is not always the easiest resolution to conquer, it is possible. The list of tips provided below will help seniors lose some weight and achieve their goals.

1. Try to be more conscious of what you eat. While sweets are hard to resist, try eating a piece of fruit instead of candy. It will satisfy your craving for sugar and is much healthier.

2. Buy a scale for the bathroom. This will help monitor your weight. You can even use a journal to keep track of any changes. A good scale will help you through your weight-loss journey.

3. Increase physical activity. Seniors do not need to join a gym. A simple short walk each day will help burn extra calories. In addition, that walk can help keep your heart healthy.  Exercise also increases your mood, so not only will it have physical benefits, but your mental health will improve as well.

4. Discuss weight loss plans with a doctor. You want to make sure your diet is providing you with the intake you need to stay healthy yet at the same time will help you lose weight.

Source: aarp.org

Image Source: sxc.hu

Home Instead Senior Care serving elders and seniors in San Jose, Los Gatos, Santa Clara and Saratoga home care - 408-370-6360.

Walt Whitman was a poet known for his poetic reflections of nature, he would take daily walks to get in touch with his natural surroundings and find inspiration. He was definitely onto something that meant more than simply creating his form of art, and San Jose seniors and older adults worldwide can benefit from following his example in order to improve their health, both body and mind.

Here’s how seniors can benefit their health, body and mind, by getting in touch with nature:

• Attention and memory spans improve by 20% after a 50 to 55 minute walk in a natural setting
• Sights in nature cause reflection and mental stimulation
• In nature, your mind can focus on stimulus rather than tuning out other surroundings in the environment when it’s overwhelming in a busy city environment
• Being in an environmental surrounding provides the brain with “active rest”
• Getting out into nature generally involves some form of physical activity and weight bearing activities like walking can help with osteoporosis and muscle strength
• Body weight, body fat and cholesterol is lowered when San Jose seniors get active by hiking or walking outdoors reducing the risk of stroke, and heart conditions
• The boomer generation has a strong sentimental to the outdoors based on Woodstock and other events, so it can take them back to fond memories of their youth

Sources:

1. AARP

Image Source: pro.corbis.com

Call Home Instead Senior Care serving elders in San Jose, Los Gatos, Santa Clara and Saratoga when seeking help for your aging parents - 408-370-6360.

In the San Jose clinic where I work, we constantly receive questions about common senior aging issues like osteoporosis and bone density loss. Recently, one of the most common queries we received is if the recommendations of resistance training to improve bone density truly are beneficial. Some articles have been published that indicate that perhaps these types of exercises can cause more harm than they help. While our doctors can provide seniors with more specific advice, in the end, it’s up to seniors to make their own decisions; considering both the risks and benefits of any activity that they are considering trying. So, in order to help seniors make these decisions, we provide them both the pros and cons of resistance training and bone density, which includes the following:

Pros

• Resistance training and weight bearing exercises can improve bone density by as much as 3%
• Physical activity has additional benefits to overall health and mobility
• Improved bone density can reduce the likelihood of accidents and injury, specifically as related to osteoporosis

Cons

• There is a risk of injury that comes with resistance activities, including sprains and even spinal problems
• Seniors who are unaware of proper weight lifting techniques increase their risk of injury
• Once resistance training stops, any improvements made by the physical activities can result in a return to previous bone density conditions

Sources:

1. Suite101
2. Mayo Clinic

Image Source: pro.corbis.com

Call Home Instead Senior Care serving elders in San Jose, Los Gatos, Santa Clara and Saratoga when seeking help for your aging parents - 408-370-6360.

Healthy living for seniors starts with nutrition. If you are a family caregiver or and older adult in San Jose, learn how seniors can maintain a healthy diet.

Studies show that healthy eating into your later years can prevent or reduce the likelihood of many diseases and illnesses that are relatively common in older adulthood, including osteoporosis, high blood pressure, heart disease and some forms of cancer. It’s easy for the elderly to neglect their diets as they age; they may have a reduced appetite, require less energy from food, or find they no longer get the same enjoyment from eating that they did when they were younger. Choosing a diet rich in nutrients, but low in empty calories can provide seniors with the vitamins and nutrients they require on a daily basis to keep them disease free, healthy and active.

A senior’s diet should consist of:

• Lots of fruits and vegetables (fresh, canned and frozen)

• Whole grains

• Low fat or fat-free dairy products (including milk, yogurt, cheese)

• Lean sources of protein, like lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts

Meal planning for seniors should follow guidelines set by the USDA’s Food Guide Pyramid to focus on proper nutrition, although senior food choices can still reflect the foods that they enjoy. Meals for seniors can be both nutritious and delicious.

Sources: NIH Senior Health

FNIC NAL USDA

Image Source: www.healthadel.com

Call Home Instead Senior Care serving elders in San Jose, Los Gatos, Santa Clara and Saratoga when seeking help for your aging parents - 408-370-6360.