Battling For Health

In generations past, exercise was believed to be mostly for the younger set. It was even believed that older people couldn’t increase muscle mass or strength if they wanted to. Studies at Harvard and elsewhere have now firmly put that myth to rest.

Exercise for the over-50 crowd is decidedly healthy. As people age, several changes occur that exercise can help slow or reverse. Metabolism slows, leading to increased fat accumulation. Artery passageways often narrow, leading to higher blood pressure and lowered flow. Bones become thinner and more porous, a condition known as osteoporosis. Muscles and skin lose tone.

Those effects can be retarded or even turned back to a degree with regular, age-appropriate exercise. The American College of Sports Medicine suggests 15-60 minutes of aerobic (oxygen-enhancing) exercise a few days per week.

One goal among others is to raise the heart rate to 60-90% of the safe maximum (220 beats per minute, minus your present age). A good cardiovascular workout - a 30-minute brisk walk or three 10-minute walks per day, mild jumping jacks, gentle jogging in place, swimming, a dance routine or any other method - helps keep the heart and blood vessels healthy.

Strength-building exercises help keep the muscles toned and keep weight and blood sugar levels at appropriate levels. Balance exercises can help build good leg muscles, leading to better support for joints and less likelihood of a fall. (The National Institutes of Health report 300,000 hospital admissions per year for broken hips, many of them from seniors falling.)

Gentle static and dynamic stretching exercises help keep muscles flexible and joints lubricated. That helps out with balance, but it also maximizes range of movement. That means better coordination and less pain during both exercise and everyday activities.

Endurance exercises help keep the heart and lungs healthy as well as keeping muscles toned, joints moving freely and other body systems functioning well. A slightly higher metabolic rate stimulates a variety of organs to produce needed biochemicals. The human body functions better, longer when it is subject to mild activity than when sedentary for long periods.

All these activities help raise the onset age of osteoporosis and to minimize its effects after it begins. Non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus is less likely for the physically active. Certain forms of heart disease are less likely for those who exercise moderately later in life.

There is ample evidence that moderate, regular exercise helps the psychology as well. It can decrease the severity of depression and heighten mood. The social aspects can help with the isolation that older people sometimes feel, especially as friends and loved ones are no longer part of their lives.

Older people should consult a physician or trainer (preferably both) before starting any new exercise program. Begin slowly, especially if exercise has not been part of your lifestyle. Build up flexibility, strength and endurance gradually.

If you have a medical condition, be sure to discuss your plans with a physician and sports expert to develop an exercise routine appropriate to you.

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Day Twenty, trying to lose weight … (Monday)

It’s Pasta Salad Week!

Last night, While pigging out on mini donuts .. I made a new batch of HART’s FAMOUS PASTA SALAD .. counting as 3 points per cup. Hopefully it should last me the week!

Today I had:

Coffee - 1 poiint
Breakfast Pasta Salad - 4 points
Thinsations Oreo cookies - 2 points
(all day) Mini Donuts - balance from yesterday - 24 points
Lunch Pasta Salad - 6 points
Dinner - 4 Weight Watchers Toasted w/100g turkey sandwiches - 4 points
Dinner Pasta Salad - 6 points
4012 Orange - 1 point

Picture of my dinner

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After a crazy month, I can finally report that our household is getting back to normal. Thanks to the miracle of modern medicine, my husband has been feeling better than he has in months and has just gone back for his first day at work.

Since he’s a medical intern in a specialized cancer training program, he’s spending this month learning how to perform breast cancer surgeries. Of course, I didn’t figure that part out until I asked him why our kitchen table was covered with cartoon renderings of anatomically-correct breasts. He’s missed a couple of weeks on what surgeons apparently call “breast service,” so he’s been spending the last few days trying to study from as many resources as possible (hence, our newly-decorated table). I’m seriously amazed at how the internet has revolutionized teaching — did you know that there are videos of live cancer surgeries available?

Now that he’s back at work, I’m finally picking up where I left off a month ago. I had gone on a number of job interviews this past December, but I had been waiting to accept an offer on a full-time job due to last month’s events. Yesterday, I finally accepted a position as an epidemiologist studying cancer genetics.

I was really blessed to have been offered the opportunity to work as a scientist in some incredible research laboratories. However, in the last few years, I’ve been finding more personal fulfillment in patient education. As an epidemiologist, much of my new job be recruiting newly-diagnosed cancer patients and their families into long-term studies. The purpose of this is to help trace heritability of a particular syndrome that predisposes individuals to a number of different cancers. Results of these studies will help family members better understand their risk for developing cancer and be more vigilant with their cancer screenings. The opportunity to educate individuals about cancer prevention on a more intimate basis is intriguing to me, and I’m excited to make my impact in eradicating cancer in a new way.

Even though I’m leaving the fold, I have a deeper respect for bench top scientists than I’ve ever had before. Last week, I learned that the treatment that my husband has been taking for his Crohn’s disease had only received FDA approval a few months ago. Prior that that, the options available were not only much less effective but also had such undesirable side effects that patients would rather refuse treatment.

To all graduate students, laboratory technicians, research assistants, principal investigators and clinical trial coordinators that study any human disease or disorder, THANK YOU. I know what it’s like to be on that end, sacrificing your weekends and holidays to crank out another batch of experiments. It seems like a thankless job, but every step made is a step in a right direction. Also, a big THANK YOU to anyone who’s gone through a clinical trial. Your participation is a brave but crucial step in the development of new treatments, and I’m humbled by your contributions.

That’s it for this diary entry for today. Thanks to everyone who’s sent out their prayers and kind words — you don’t know how much they’ve helped. I’m excited about the content coming up in the next few weeks here at Battling Cancer, so please stay tuned!

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Day Nineteen trying to lose weight (Sunday)

Coffee - 1 point
4 Weight Watchers Toast with Peanut Butter - 4 points
Dry Fruity Cheerios Cereal - handfulls for snacks - 3 points
Mini Donuts @2 points each - >> 1/2 of this packet! 24 points
176oz Lean Machine Grilled Chicken Breast - 6 points (168g) diff to dogs as treats!~

> 38 Points, over by 6 points
> 28 splurge points remain

I went shopping today to Sobey’s to get some ingredients for HART’s Famous Pasta Salad and those Mini Donuts looked delicious! I forgot - that each mini donut counts as 2 points however!

Picture of My Snacks For January 20th & 21st

Picture of my Dinner

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What is a caregiver?

A caregiver is someone who gives care, as the name states. We are the people who day in and day out care for our young children, our elderly parents, or work in the healthcare system. I am the caregiver to an autistic child and a disabled diabetic mother, so when I share about care giving, I can promise you, I know how many of you may feel.

Giving your all each and every day can spread you very thin. A strain develops on other relationships, romantic or otherwise. You may feel anger and loss. Anger at the disease or the person whom you are caring for. Loss at missed opportunities, at being unable to do things ‘normal’ people do every day. These are normal feelings and you should not berate yourself for them. No matter the disease, caring for someone for twenty four hours a day will take its toll.

Take A Break.

Taking a break from your care giving is essential if you want to live a productive life. You will literally feel at times as if you are losing your mind. Exhaustion, both mental and physical opens a doorway to other feelings that undermine the self esteem and confidence of caregivers. Each day you should find at least an hour to devote to yourself and no one else.

You may wonder how to find even an hour. Take it. Do not go through your daily routine and beg yourself for an hour, then point out reasons why you cannot give it to yourself. Put your foot down to everyone in your household, including the person you are caring for. This is your time and no one else is to bother you, except in an emergency. There are some people being cared for who will make an emergency, but if you know that is the type of person you are giving care to, stand strong.

When To Seek Help.

Sometimes, we find ourselves caring for people who take advantage of us. If you are in that situation, it is time to seek help. Either by looking for a support group, talking to a therapist, or by possibly looking for a facility where older people can live with constant medical care. There is no reason to feel as if you are a slave or to let all of your relationships suffer.

With children, parents can work harder to teach them that their actions are wrong, if the child is using their health as a path to get their own way. With adults, it is up to them to change. If things become too strained, a health care facility may be the best option. These days, health care facilities are not the institutions of old. People are no longer strapped to their chairs or beds or left without care for hours on end. Activities and quality of life programs are in place to prevent neglect.

When you are a caregiver, it is important to take care of yourself, first. You deserve the same quality of care that you give each day.

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One of the common effects of quitting smoking is weight gain, usually from 5-10 pounds, sometimes more. But, though common, it’s not inevitable.

Weight gain from a stop-smoking program can have a number of causes.

For many individuals, it’s a natural response to cravings from nicotine withdrawal. They substitute food for smoking. Increase the amount of calories taken in, as snacks add up, and sooner or later you’ve gained several pounds.

At the same time, people coming off a long-term cigarette smoking habit don’t often immediately enter an exercise program. For a while, the effects of smoking linger on. The fatigue, shortness of breath and other common conditions of smoking don’t disappear overnight. Starting a healthy exercise program is tough enough for anyone. For smokers, the change is even more substantial.

There are also purely physiological effects. Smoking, at low dosages, elevates the heart rate. That stimulating effect plays a role in keeping weight off. But, longer term, the build up of fatty deposits in arteries and other changes induced by smoking will outweigh them.

For most people, the combination of increased food consumption and little or no exercise is the double-whammy that puts on the pounds.

Fortunately, that problem is solvable. As you start your stop smoking program, start on other lifestyle changes as well. Plan a healthy diet, outline an age-appropriate exercise program.

Like any other issue in a stop-smoking program, or life in general, some willpower is required. Popping a piece of fresh fruit is a good way to stave off the cravings for a cigarette. But be sure to balance out that extra consumption by cutting down somewhere else. Resist the urge to substitute high calorie foods in large proportions to compensate for the desire for a cigarette.

That will be particularly difficult the first two weeks as the compounds introduced by smoking are flushed out of the body. That’s a good time to lay out that diet and exercise program. It’s short enough that only modest weight gain is likely during that period.

Drink lots of water during this time. It will show up as extra weight on the scale. But it’s easily flushed out later when you taper off, so the effect isn’t permanent. It also has other added benefits. Extra water helps the body more quickly remove the remaining contaminants from smoking. And, it’s a zero-calorie way to react to cravings. Water isn’t fattening.

The main struggle will be, as it is for anyone concerned with diet and health, to maintain the commitment to a long term goal. It will help to visualize the results. Aid your willpower by imagining a healthier, better looking you. Think of not having shortness of breath, from smoking or obesity. Think of having more energy and being able to accomplish your other goals more easily.

Stay on track and you can quit smoking without gaining weight.

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It has been more than a month since I last been to the beach for my sand therapy. The holidays and the rainy season prevented me from doing so.

In an old post, I have discussed the benefits of sand therapy for people with arthritis.

I’m not sure if there is a scientific explanation for beach therapy against arthritis pain, but according to a local old wives’ tale, it does work.

But anyway, just think of the exercise (not to mention fun!) that you’ll get at the beach, and the early morning sunshine — if it is good for your bones, it will be good for your joints.

Remember that sand therapy is not a cure. However, sand therapy can relieve the stiffness and pain in arthritis joints. Besides, arthritis patients need some form of exercise that is not straining.

Since the Christmas rush started and family members started coming home for the holidays, I’ve only been to the beach once. ONCE.

Next week I will be able to. Me and my five-year-old son is leaving on Sunday for a beach holiday in Panglao Island, Bohol, Philippines.

WOW. The beach, the sand and the sun is a great treat somebody like who has been stuck in this little hole, blogging the days away even in between the holidays.

We leave this coming Sunday to the first real beach holiday that I will take my son too. I have personally resolved in the New Year that this year will be a year that my son and I go places. If not out of the country, even out of town will do.

The Philippines has 7, 107 islands. The majors ones are tropical paradises. Most importantly, I am not going to let osteoarthritis get in the way of traveling.

This one particular beach paradise is waiting for us:

While I cannot wait to get there, I have work to do.

First of all, I need fill this blog (and my other blogs too!) with posts that will last until the end of next week.

I have less than 48 hours to do just that. Wish me luck.

Beach and sand therapy…here we come!

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Robert T. DeMarco at I am an Alzheimer’s Caregiver says he missed the early signs of Alzheimer’s in his mother. He says that if he had known sooner, “This would have allowed me to get her in an exercise program, get her proper nutrition, and insured that she was taking her medication as prescribed. I learned in the last four years how important these factors are in the quality of her life.”

What should you do if you knew that Alzheimer’s disease was developing in you or a loved one?

• Make up your mind while you still have one. (I know, that’s an irreverent thing to say, but it would have made my grandmother laugh. And laughter is good medicine.) Decide how you want to live your life, and express your wishes in writing and verbally to your loved ones. Do it while you can think clearly. You can always change your mind later. It’s harder to make decisions when you’re feeling confused, and by that time, your decisions can be challenged legally. After all, a person with Alzheimer’s disease eventually gets the point where they can’t honestly say, “being of sound mind and body.” The unsound body part, we all get to.
• Lose weight and get exercise. Brain traumas such as strokes are the most preventable factors in Alzheimer’s disease. Some people may have plaques and tangles in their brain, but unless they have a stroke, their brain function may be unaffected. Obesity is one of the leading causes of strokes. Lack of exercise is another.
• Control your blood pressure and limit cholesterol. High blood pressure and high cholesterol are linked to stroke, which again, is linked to Alzheimer’s disease. If you gummed up the plumbing in your house and the water pressure was too high, you’d have problems in your house. If you do that to your arteries, you will have problems in your brain.

Keep your mind active all your life and never stop learning. Retirement can be deadly. Reducing your stress after 65 is a great idea. Changing how you work is wise. But putting your mind into idle gear simply because you’ve reached retirement age is a bad idea. Experts aren’t sure if exercising your mind slows the onset of dementia by creating new nerve connections in your brain, or if it just keeps you sharp enough to pass an Alzheimer’s screening test and fool the doctor. But it can’t hurt.

• Make financial plans and arrange your affairs while it’s easier to do. Getting old is expensive and usually complicated. It’s harder to prepare for retirement if you wait until you’re 64, especially if something happens to your pension fund or the your government retirement system turns from a parachute to a trampoline. Instead, start saving as early as you can, so the interest can multiply. Decide where you want to live if you can’t care for yourself, and how you will pay for it.

What are your ideas? How would you prepare for Alzheimer’s disease if the diagnosis came sooner?

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Making good choices

When you are a diabetic each and every food item that goes into your body should be healthy. This is true for all people, but since diet plays such a huge role in the health of diabetics, choices must be carefully considered. Carbohydrates literally turn into glucose once they have begun digesting and can have devastating results when combined with other foods high in sugar.

Often people find themselves wondering just what can be substituted for traditional meals items. So often we become stuck in a rut and have the same meal combinations. Trying out new foods can be an adventure into a more healthy lifestyle, not to mention a tasty one! If you are a fan of vegetables and fruit, then you are already a step ahead. But, if you have put off trying new vegetables because you are not sure how to prepare them in new and interesting ways, this might be just what you need to get you going.

Some Alternatives To Consider

When you are deciding on what to cook or what to order when eating out, check out all available options. Here is a list of some items and good alternatives:

* Potatoes, Rice, or other Starchy Vegetable- Substitute green leafy vegetables, broccoli or a salad.
* Cereal- Lean meats, eggs or less of a cereal product
*Sodas- Diet soda, water, unsweetened tea
*Snacks like crackers, chips, and sweets- A handful of nuts is a wonderful way to replace these.

But Fruit Is Sugary!

You may notice that I do not include fruit as something to avoid. Many websites do, but I advocate fruit for the fiber and vitamins it contains. Avoiding fruit is not healthy for anyone. The key to enjoying fruit is to avoid processed fruit juice and have only one serving of fruit with your meal or as a snack.

Dried fruit is often sweetened further, as is fruit juice. Try dehydrating your own fruit and juicing fresh fruits to avoid the extra sugar placed in products by manufacturers. Fructose is contained in fruit, but by eating it in moderation and not in combination with sugary/starchy foods, you should be fine.

Always speak with your doctor concerning your diet before changing it.

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One reason why Alzheimer’s disease is so difficult to treat, and sometimes even to identify, is that its symptoms can be caused by other diseases. Earlier I mentioned that, besides Alzheimer’s, my grandmother also had macular degeneration - she was losing her vision in her 60s, and was legally blind for thirty years. Sensory deprivation can cause delusions in itself. People with macular degeneration can hallucinate. Perhaps the mind, struggling to make sense of the fog it sees, gets a little too creative.

Alzheimer’s is primarily a disease of the old, and the older you are, the more likely you are to have it. There are hundreds of thousands of exceptions, in both directions. Kris, who writes Dealing with Alzheimer’s, is one of hundreds of thousands of people under 65 who have early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. 82-year-old blogger Millie Garfield, who writes My Mom’s Blog, has a better memory than I do. The ageless project lists ten bloggers over 75.

But the fact remains that Alzheimer’s disease affects more than half of all people over 85, according to the Mayo Clinic.

But when you put it that way, the question is: what else affects most people over 85? What else affects how they think and how they are treated?

• Older people move slower. If you move slowly, people assume you think slowly. If you talk slowly, as many older Southerners were trained to do, people become convinced that you think slowly.
• Older people get less respect. If people believe that you think slowly, they won’t ask you any mentally stimulating questions. And they certainly won’t listen to hear if you have any mentally stimulating answers. It takes patience to walk and talk with a slower person. Even I have trouble with that, after living for years with my grandmother.
• Older people can’t hear or see as well as young people. As my grandmother’s doctor explained, sensory deprivation causes mental deterioration. That’s one reason why endless solitary confinement is so cruel, and why people who have been institutionalized for years have trouble recovering in their minds.
• Older people have less stimulation. They play few video games. You and I have millions of things to think about - maybe too many things - because they’re bombarding our eyes and ears dozens of times a minute (hundreds of times a minute if you’re living la vida electronica). But when you can’t see or hear, you don’t have much to think about.

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