Life After 50 Expo

Winter tips for Seniors !

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As temperatures continues to drop, make sure you are ready to stay healthy and safe in the cold weather! When you get older, you may lose body heat faster than when you were younger, and it can be hard to realize you are getting too cold. A dangerously low body temperature is called hypothermia, and it can cause other health problems, like a heart attack, kidney problems, and liver damage. The National Institute on Aging offers tips to avoid getting too cold this winter, including:

  • Make sure that your house is warm enough at all times – this means setting your heat at 68°F or higher and making sure that you are not losing heat through your home’s windows. If you’re concerned about the high costs of heat, you can look contact the National Energy Assistance Referral Service for information about financial assistance.
  • Dress warmly, both inside and outside. This might mean wearing long underwear, ensuring that you have enough blankets to sleep with, and wearing a hat and gloves.
  • Eat enough food to maintain your body weight, and drink moderately, if at all. Body fat helps you retain heat, and excess alcohol can make you lose body heat.
  • Talk to your doctors—they can help you learn how to stay active, tell you if any medications you are taking will affect your body heat, and help you understand the warning signs of hypothermia.

If you or someone you know is exhibiting signs of hypothermia, call 911 right away.
 

Wine or beer? The differing effects of alcohol on mood !

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Do you become relaxed, energized, teary-eyed, or angry after having a drink? A new study suggests that what you drink – be that beer, wine, or spirits – may make a difference to how you feel.
different drinks with lime wedges

 

How does alcohol affect your mood? It may depend on what you drink.

Researchers from the Public Health Wales National Health System Trust and King’s College London — both in the United Kingdom — have turned to the general public to try to understand what different types of alcohol do to our emotions.

If you feel relaxed when you have a beer with your friends after work, but a glass of whiskey on the rocks makes you want to pick a fight with your loud neighbor, then you’re not alone.

Prof. Mark Bellis and colleagues found that certain drinks are likely to be associated with particular emotional states more than others. Spirits, they say, are more often associated with negative moods, while wines and beer more often elicit a positive response.

“For centuries,” says Prof. Bellis, “the history of rum, gin, vodka, and other spirits has been laced with violence. This global study suggests even today consuming spirits is more likely to result in feelings of aggression than other drinks.”

to read full article click link below:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320128.php?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weekly-us

Six surprising health risks in your home !

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We all know that our homes can be a repository of health risks, if not managed properly. Mold, bleach, gas leaks — these are all certified hazards. But what are some of the less obvious household risks? We investigate.

Our home is our safe haven, a place infused with markers of our tastes, interests, and personalities. We share our homes with people, creatures, and things we love, and they provide comfort and joy.

Yet, our homes can sometimes also pose risks to our health. For instance, gas heaters and stoves, in the absence of proper ventilation, can release enough carbon monoxide to poison us.

Another health hazard lies in all the domestic cleaning products containing bleach. As Medical News Today reported earlier this month, using bleach-based cleaners can lead to chronic lung disease. Other common disinfectants used in the home have been linked with birth defects.

Still, these may not exactly be unexpected hazards: the toxic properties of cleaning products, for example, are no secret, and this is why we keep our stove cleaners stowed safely away, and out of the reach of children or pets.

Other household hazards, however, are nowhere near as obvious. In this article, we will look at the hidden risks in our homes, and investigate when friend turns into foe.

click link below to read full article:

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 https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319961.php?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weekly-us

How to fail at weight loss !

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Millions of people in America are trying to lose weight without much success. There are many reasons for this failure, although most would rather give up than fix their mistakes. Weight loss is hard! Without a little patience and knowledge about nutrition and exercise, your best weight loss plan may crumble. Learning the top reasons why weight loss plans fails is important so that you do not make these mistakes in your own life.

First, many weight loss plans fail because the people trying to lose weight follow too strict of a diet. When you cut back your calories, you will burn more than you eat, so you’ll lose weight, right? If you do this gradually, then yes, it works like a charm. However, if you suddenly cut too many, you won’t lose any weight at all because you metabolism will slow down. You also put yourself at danger for not getting enough for the vitamins, minerals, proteins, and other nutrients you need every single day in order to stay healthy.

Another common mistake is trying to go at weight loss alone. Everything you do regarding weight loss, from dieting to exercising, will be a hundred times easier if you have a partner because you will push each other not to quit. Working with a support system on a large scale is also important. Your friends and family should know that you are attempting to lose weight so that they can help you on the process and not tempt you by doing things like baking you cookies or taking up your gym time. Also, remember that professionals, like doctors and trainers, should come into the weight loss plan to help you shed the pounds.

Setting unrealistic goals is another good way to fail at a weight loss plan. When you set goals that you can’t easily reach, you push yourself to move forward and will feel successful even if you fall short. However, when you set impossible goals, you will find that you are easily frustrated. Don’t weigh in every day, don’t completely cut out all of the foods you eat on a regular basis, and don’t exercise to much right away. Gradually build up to reaching the goals you really want for your life, but smart out with smaller ideas.

Lastly, simply know yourself. Weight loss plans fail when you attempt to be something you are not. Maybe you have wide hips—a weight loss plan won’t completely change that, for example. You have to be happy with yourself on the inside before you change things on the outside in order to succeed at losing weight.

Exercise info !

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You probably know that there are many benefits to getting regular exercise, but if you’re not sure how to get moving easily and safely, you can visit Go4Life, the National Institute for the Aging’s exercise and physical activity campaign. Go4Life recommends regularly getting all four types of exercise:

  1. Endurance: Activities like brisk walking, jogging, yard work, and dancing increase your breathing and heart rate. These exercises keep your heart, lungs, and circulatory system healthy.
  2. Strength: Exercises like lifting weights and using resistance bands that make your muscles stronger. These activities can help your overall strength and your ability to continue doing daily tasks like carrying groceries and climbing stairs.
  3. Balance: Activities like standing on one foot or doing Tai chi. These exercises are especially important because they can help prevent falls.   
  4. Flexibility: Exercises like yoga and stretching that help your body stay limber. Gaining flexibility can give you more freedom of movement in both exercise and daily activities.

If you’re looking for ways to get started with a healthy exercise routine, you can visit the Go4Life website to find exercise guides and other online tools.