Category Archives: Going Healthy

Staying Healthy As You Get Older

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Looking after yourself is essential no matter what age you are. However, you may need to pay closer attention to your body as you get older because things change as you age. For example, it is likely that your bones will become thinner and more brittle. Conditions such as osteoporosis are caused by thinning bones and decreasing bone mass. This will also make you at risk to falls which could give you broken bones. To prevent this, make sure you have a nutritious diet and a good calcium intake as well as a decent supply of vitamin D.

A healthy diet and regular exercise could lower your heart rate, but to look after yourself properly, you need to cut out bad habits too. Everyone knows that smoking is bad for you and is linked to a whole range of different health problems, including heart disease, lung cancer, and bronchitis. No matter what age you are now if you stop smoking, your circulation, your lung capacity, and your energy levels will improve.

Also, don’t forget to top-up with lots of water to avoid dehydration. Tea, coffee and fruit juice will help you to stay, but you should avoid sugary fizzy drinks. If you do drink alcohol, make sure you have some days in the week where you don’t drink to give your liver time to recover.

Make the most of expert help, particularly your doctor. Don’t be afraid to get routine tests to check your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. While high readings increase your risk factor for stroke and heart disease, any problems are reversible with medication. Many people have a vitamin D deficiency and aren’t even aware of it, but vitamin D is essential and being deficient in this vitamin has been linked to health issues such as cognitive impairment, bone problems and cardiovascular disease.

Try to get outside in the fresh air for at least 15-20 minutes a day for a boost of vitamin D boost and increase your intake of eggs and oily fish or have a word with your doctor about a vitamin D supplement.

While you’re getting tests and help from the doctor, you may as well get the full MOT from the GP but also make time to go to specialist doctors such as a testosterone doctor or an ear specialist for hearing tests and get your eyes checked too to make sure your vision and hearing are up to scratch.

As well as sight and sound, your other senses could be affected by ageing, as you may start to lose your sense of taste meaning that flavors may not seem as distinct to you. Your senses of smell and touch may also weaken as your body takes longer to react and needs more to stimulate it.

Getting older can also cause changes in your reflexes. While dementia is not inevitable in old age, it is common for people to experience some forgetfulness as they get older as cells in the brain and nerves become damaged over time.

How to Help Your Aging Parents Stay Healthy

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Keeping fit and healthy can become a challenge as you age. When getting out of the house takes a lot longer than it used to and you simply can’t carry as much shopping or spend as much time in the kitchen, making healthy choices gets harder.

However, there are things you can do to help your parents continue to live a healthy lifestyle without having to spend a lot of time each week. Indeed, with just a few tweaks to your own lifestyle, you can keep everyone happy and healthy for years to come.

Home Care and Help

As we age, we all slow down a bit and things like caring for the household can fall by the wayside. Hiring a cleaner is a good way to ensure that the house stays relatively clean and tidy but you might also consider how you can help too.

FreedomCare could be something for you and your family to consider. Instead of paying someone else to go into your parent’s home to offer care and support, this company will pay you. This means that your parents will still get the help they need and you won’t have to sacrifice your job or spare time to help them.

Homemade Ready Meals

Home cooking is always the healthiest option as it rarely involves lots of additives to extend shelf life and is likely to include a lot more veg! Batch cooking is always the best way to make healthy meals and 2 extra portions is hardly going to add to your stress. All you need to do is cook as you would and then freeze the extras to take over at the weekend. Simple.

When you are cooking, you should consider foods that keep the joints strong as well as ensuring a varied diet to get all the vitamins and minerals. Encourage your parents to add their own veggies to different meals so that they can stay involved in choosing what to eat. Labeling each tupperware with clear reheating instructions will also really help.

Get Active Together

Staying active can be tough for elderly people, especially if they have trouble with mobility. However, with your help, you can get them out and about. Going for a walk on a nice day is a good place to start – just make sure that you go at their pace and you choose a nice flat route. Similarly, planning a day out is a nice idea. You can take a wheelchair so that they can sit down when they need a break and use the chair as a support while they walk.

Doing activities together will take a lot more time just because they tend to go slowly so don’t try to rush things. Make sure that you only need to do one or two things, or just go out for fun. Remember, the main point here is to spend quality time together. Enjoy talking and reminiscing with them and try to slow down too. It’ll probably do you some good!

Keto Diet 101 for Vegans Food You Can Eat

There is something powerful about low carb diet, and many people take it on every month. You might think that every food that is allowed in the ketogenic diet is meat, but there are plenty of vegan alternatives.

Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are certainly a better option than processed grains or white rice. While they are not free from carbs, they have much less than rice or pasta. If you use them to make yourself a keto snack or a dessert, you will be able to mix them with coconut flour and oil to get the right texture for your cake or biscuit. If you would like to make savory snacks, you might want to add nut and seed butter, instead.

Tomato Sauce

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If you are adding tomato sauce to your keto meals, it is important that you check the packaging and opt for one that has no added sugar. Even if it is fully natural, fruit sugar will add up your carbs, so you will need to be careful how much tomato sauce you are using. It might be a good idea to make your own sauce with natural passata and seasoning, so you know exactly what is going into your condiments.

Salad Dressing

If you consume a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables and experiment regularly with creating a new recipe, you might find that salad dressing is a creative and delicious ways to enjoy Beta Hydroxybutyrate. You will, however, need to limit your consumption, so you can make the most out of your  diet. If you are taking away certain foods from your body, it might start craving the flavor, and that is why you will need to learn the art of seasoning instead of reaching for the jar in the cupboard.

Pumpkin Seeds

Seeds are supposed to be good for you, and pumpkin seeds are loaded with Magnesium and Zinc, hard to come by of you are on a vegan diet. It is also full of good fat and protein, so you will get the Omega 2 and antioxidants into your diet. If you are using ground pumpkin seeds to make your own keto bread, you might want to add other ingredients that will improve the texture and taste of your bread..

Nuts

Any type of nut will be good for you and contain Omega 3 fatty acids and antioxidants. You should, however, enjoy them in moderation. You will not only get the good bits, but also quite a few calories. If you are using almond milk, ground nuts for cakes and bread, you have to work out exactly how much you will need to make the most out of your cooking. There is not much of a difference between different types of nuts, but you should always go for the unsalted, roasted, and unseasoned version.

Berries

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You can eat any type of berries in moderation, and they are both vegan and keto. You will be able to replace your high carb snacks with these, but be careful with the sugar, as the carb content can add up. Always consume fruit in its most natural form, instead of going for preserves and jam, unless you prepared them yourself. Some people can only consume berries with moderation, especially if they have hay fever. If you notice that you are getting an allergic reaction or a rash after eating berries, you might want to opt for a safer option, such as apples and pears. Eat loads of cranberry and blackcurrant to add iron to your vegan diet.

Almond Yoghurt

Traditional yogurt is supposed to have loads of protein and healthy bacteria. Not many people know that you can actually make yogurt out of vegan ingredients. You can use cashew nuts, almond milk, or coconut milk, depending on what taste you prefer. A coconut yogurt will be much sweeter than another variety, while    If you choose a low fat one with fruit in, you might end up consuming more. You should stick to the full fat a cultured soy yogurt will have a plainer taste. Use these alternatives if you would like to make the most out of your meat free keto diet and still get the nutrients and protein you need.

Staying within the guidelines of your keto diet can be challenging. If you would like to significantly reduce your carbohydrate intake, you might want to create a list of your favorite food and choose the makes and types that have the most essential nutrients.