How To Live Longer And Stronger? 17+ Little Things That Can Help!

Try Intermediate Fasting

A saw a segment on 60 minutes which was full of information about a movement that I have heard about recently. The movement is people eating less and using calorie restrictions in an attempt for a healthy and longer life. It seems that science is backing the thinking. Tests on monkeys and selected groups are being followed and the results are all positive. Less disease and sickness in addition to more years on this earth.

Tough regiment to stick with but seems well worth the effort. They even found after doing autopsies on animals that had been on a calorie restriction for decades, that the organs of these test subjects were in great shape and free of typical aging diseases. They have even found less occurrence of arthritis in subjects on a restricted diet.

Improve Driving Safety

When it comes to driving and comfort. If you or your parents are having some difficulty in the area of getting in and out of your car due to physical limitations. Statistics show that many seniors are injured just in the act of getting in and out of their cars. As in many areas of life – the little things can help.

For instance, a swivel seat is recommended for people that have to back into the driver’s seat. Installing a wider rearview mirror or backup camera. With arthritis and other contributing factors, mobility in the neck area is usually limited and it may impossible for some of us to maneuver to get the best angle. Eventually, all cars will be equipped with some of these features but it will not empty your wallet to consider add ons.

Ensure Healthy Brain

They’ve recently come up with risk factors in relation to Alzheimer’s disease. Family history is one but not much you can do about genetics.

The first is to protect your head such as wearing a helmet and using a seat belt. They are finding a connection between previous head trauma and Alzheimer’s.

Practice good habits for your heart and these will also benefit the brain.

Practices that enhance healthy aging are important and relative to a healthy brain including any course that will be intellectually and socially engaging.

Go For Senior Day Care

Daycare for seniors has been around for years and I have a co-worker whose elderly mother needed constant care and he was doing his best to keep her in the comfort of her home during the early onset of Alzheimer’s. He was able to hire family, and professionals to spend evenings and nights and he got her to daycare while he worked. Nice to have options when it comes to caring for our relatives.

Consider Ankle Replacement

At the rate that the medical field is replacing our worn-out joints, we’ll have a better quality of life with the ability to live longer. Ankle replacement has come a long way since the ’80s and ankle replacement can be is important for even the basic of movements such as bending, walking, and climbing. This can be the answer to people afflicted with severe arthritis, limiting their mobility. Arthritis runs in my family and is an inevitable affliction of age so these types of breakthroughs are good news for our future quality of life.

Spice Up The Tastes

Have you noticed as you’ve gotten up there in age, that your tastes have changed?  I’m talking about the spices you use on your food and your unexplainable desire to eat spicy foods..well, there’s an explanation for your newfound desire for wasabi, chili, and hot peppers. 

As we get older, our taste buds become less sensitive and our sense of smell hence we require additional spices and flavorings to really taste it.  Some cases can be extreme with some seniors reporting that food hardly had any taste at all.  Hard to believe – but you can actually take steps when you are younger to avoid a drastic decrease.  Stay away from fast foods – for a lot of reasons – that contain MSG.  Avoid salt processed foods and frozen foods.  

If you still are experiencing a decline in your taste buds, find healthy alternatives to spicing up your food.  Try citrus flavoring, ground peppers, and garlic.  Cook your beef in beef or chicken stock or bouillon.  This isn’t unhealthy as long as you chose the low-sodium or low-fat version.

Try Art For Mental Health

The senior population is growing by leaps and bounds and these seniors are at risk for depression. States are now looking for ways to best support the mental health of their senior citizens. They are finding that art is a great way to enhance the health and welfare of elders. The ability of the arts to improve the quality of life for residents of nursing homes and other healthcare facilities is widely documented. A fairly easy and inexpensive way to benefit the elderly and bring more beauty into the world.

Find Mutual Support

After living with someone for an extended period, you pick up similar habits so it’s no surprise that studies show that if one member of a household has health issues due to habits, other members of the household may have similar problems. Lifestyle changes are more likely to succeed if both members of the house are on board. If there is a support system, success is more likely.

Target For Better Sleep

I have them – and, in the past, I would read any articles related to the issue but always found the same tired advice was given. Similar advice to how you would best get your kids to settle down and go to sleep. One bit I just read fits my issue and I somewhat employ it now. The problem of stopping your brain from thinking of the million and one things you have to do the next day. This anxiety over the future keeps you awake.

To combat this, leave a notepad and pen next to the bed. Think of things to do the next day, jot it down and forget about it. Not a cure but it helps!

Use Tech Gear For Seniors

Today’s business people are smart enough to realize with the senior population growing by leaps and bounds, that they have to consider their needs and their buying power. When it comes to design, they are coming up with age-friendly features. They are having design people identify with elders. An example – wearing vision-impairing glasses before trying to read maps. Keeping this type of handicap when designing reading material, cars, and other items.

We visited a Consumer Electronics Show. One of the intentions is to get the attention of retailers as far as the presence of baby boomers in the technology world. Considering that boomers control about 75 percent of the wealth and are more tech savvy than the last generation, it would seem that the technology groups should be listening.

One of the items that seniors are looking for – a cell phone that is a simple design with fewer buttons, bigger buttons, larger displays, and louder earpieces.

Get A Big Ken

Well – getting to that age where I want everything in gargantuan size.  My Mom used to wear a big old men’s watch so she could tell the time without digging out her reading glasses every time.  Well, I’m there.  Been thinking about what a great idea having a Big Ben on my wrist will do me.  

I’ve finally realized I absolutely need to bring reading glasses in my purse for reading menus that always seem to be in way too small a print on top of available light is not the best for my old eyes.  And it seems like the fancier the venue the smaller the print on the menu. 

Don’t the owners and managers realize seniors are probably a large portion of their patrons?  Cater to us a bit – just make the damn print in a bigger font.  Now I need to figure out how to tell time without wearing a 3 inch faced wristwatch.

Avoid Shingles Epidemic For Seniors

Shingles is a painful, skin rash related to the virus that causes chickenpox. It is more common with people over the age of 60 so is a plight for seniors. For most of us, this virus lies dormant but for others, stress and a weakened immune system can bring “it out”. Occasionally you hear of a case of this painful condition.

Over the years I’d estimate I hear of a co-worker or a neighbor or acquaintance that has to endure shingles. This year, it’s a friend that lives in New York. He has been suffering for 5 weeks and although it’s getting better he’s still in pain and discomfort. While talking to his wife, she mentions at least six people in her office building that she knows personally that are now plagued with this. We discussed the large number – seems so unusual.

Yesterday, I’m reading my favorite blog, and – she’s taking a break from the blog – one of the reasons being that she is currently dealing with – yup – shingles. Has anyone else noticed this increase in cases? Is the cause, the state of our world which is, in turn, bring out the stress in everyone? Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed an abnormally large number of cases?

Treat Hearing Loss

I used to be known for my sharp hearing – being able to hear things that others failed to catch.  Since I’ve gotten older that ability has diminished noticeably but at this point, I can get through the day just fine.  The diminishment makes me realize that in another 20 years I am anticipating more of an issue and hindrance.

Among seniors, hearing loss is the third most prevalent but treatable disabling condition.  We have had the technology available for people with hearing issues but it requires participation from businesses and public locations.  The technology is called a telecoil system and has been around for 70+ years.  

European countries have been implementing the technology for years.  It consists of 2 devices.  One is worn in a similar fashion to a hearing aid and can be turned on and off.  The second part is a loop system set up in a room that enables the device wearer to clearly hear.  In England, taxis have had loop systems since 1998.

At this time, the United States is behind in the advancement and use of this technology but we’re catching up.  The intention is to make this technology available in a larger number of buildings such as banks and airports.  I’m keeping my fingers crossed that by the time my hearing aid days are here they’ll have this and even better technology available.

Avoid Falling

Have you read about the recent hip replacement recall?  There have many incidents of a second hip replacement after the first one failed.  The company that makes the hip replacement in question is Johnson and Johnson.

For more than two years the F.D.A. had been receiving complaints that the devices failing.  Often requiring additional painful and expensive second surgeries. Since 2008, the F.D.A. has received about 400 complaints just from patients living in the US.   But even if you aren’t experiencing problems right now – they advise you to visit their surgeons.  They’ll be evaluated and then be periodically monitored.

Although the company will repay the necessary medical expenses, they’ll never be able to pay you enough for the pain involved.  Although I haven’t experienced it first hand, seeing what my mother went through motivates me to climb on my treadmill every day.  Avoiding hip problems as long as possible is one of my personal physical goals.  I took her to her presurgery appointments and was allowed to listen to his explanation of what happens with the piece there for demonstration purposes.  And then the after pain and rehabilitation.  It was painful to watch.  I can’t imagine how upsetting this recall news would be.

Follow Medical Technology Advancement

Scientists recently achieved an amazing feat. They took some laboratory mice and aged them artificially. Signs of aging are related to the natural breakdown of telomeres. With this breakdown comes graying hair, infertility, organ failure, and other signs of aging. These scientists suppressed the gene that makes telomeres, therefore, accelerating the aging of the mice.

The mice showed the typical signs of aging – their coats turned gray, their brains shrunk, their testes shrunk, and their spleens atrophied. Then the scientists injected a drug that turned the gene back on. The mice regained their youthful condition. The signs of aging left. Interesting stuff but far from reality. First, they need to see if it works on naturally aged mice. And then we’re talking about a giant leap from mice to humans. And it’s not indefinite. There are other physical changes that bring on aging. And the gene cannot be suppressed indefinitely. This sounds too “Star Trekish“ for me. Scientific advances and cures for disease and illness are one thing. I’m all for it. But messing with our physical makeup and turning “genes” on and off just doesn’t interest me. At least right now. Maybe when I’m 75 I’ll rethink it.

Convert To Ebikes Or Trikes

Hopefully, you’ve been a conscientious and safe motorcyclist.  With that in mind, many riders are admitting that handling a big heavy bike isn’t as easy as it used to be.  

Baby boomers moving into their senior years are looking for modifications to address these safety issues.  The problem is declining capacity in the categories of strength, endurance, reaction time, vision, and orthopedic problems.  It is more difficult to pick up and balance a heavy bike as our muscle mass shrinks.  

Some seniors are turning to trikes and e-bikes.  The trikes provide security and stability and the ride is much more comfortable.  Spokespeople for the motorcycle industry expect to see more trikes on the road as baby boomers age out of their two-wheeled bikes. The boomers represent the largest group of motorcycle owners in the country.  Even Harley has begun producing some nice-looking trikes. 

Another safety advantage is these larger bikes are easier for other drivers to spot on the road. And we all know that a lot of accidents are caused by motorists that just don’t pay attention and see a bike.  I love the idea.  Enjoy the open air while cruising along in a comfortable bike.