10 Benefits of Walking

Our bodies are designed for walking. It’s easy to do and offers many benefits, especially for people who suffer from arthritis. Walking is not only part of being a human, it is practical for many reasons. In this day and age, modern human beings seem to be to walk as little as possible. Not many people are willing to commute to work with a 7 mile walk, but even fewer are willing to walk less than 1 mile to a local store.

Hundreds of medical studies have showed that regular exercise is good for your health. The University College of London ran a study published in peer reviewed journals on walking. The data used was collected from 1970 to 2007.

The nearly 40 years of data had over 459,000 participants in 7 countries, who were free of cardiovascular disease when the study began. The average participant was tracked for 11 years during the study, which recorded cardiovascular events such as stroke, chest pains (angina), heart attacks etc. The data showed a strong correlation between participants who walked and the reduced risk of heart problems.

In my opinion, people don’t give walking enough credit. What’s so great about it? For starters it’s free, easy to do and it’s easy on the body. There’s no doubt that walking is good for you. It’s an anaerobic exercise that offers a myriad of benefits.

Walking Improves Circulation

Fend off heart disease with a daily walk. Walking raises your heart rate, lowers blood pressure and strengthens the heart. Studies conducted at the University of Colorado and the University of Tennessee indicated that post-menopausal women that walked just 1 to 2 miles each day lowered their blood pressure by close to 11 points in 6 months. Women who walked a minimum of 30 minutes a day were able to reduce their risk for stroke by 20%. 

Walking Strengthens Bones

Loss of bone density is a major concern among older people. Regular walks can stop the loss of bone mass for those with osteoporosis. Activities like walking aren’t perfect bone builders, but they do offer health benefits. Dr. Vonda Wright, an orthopedic surgeon at the University of Pittsburgh studied 3,000 athletic seniors. Her studies have shown that people in their 70s and 80s who walked regularly were able to maintain above average bone densities in comparison with the general population.

Walking Lifts Mood

The California State University of Long Beach indicated that the more steps participants took during the day, the brighter their moods. Why does this occur? Walking releases endorphins, a natural pain killer produced by the body which is also one of the chemicals responsible for happiness. Long walks were also shown to improve memory and the ability to cope with stress.

Walking Can Help You Lose Weight

A 30 minute walk at a brisk pace can burn up to 200 calories. As we all know, the more calories we burn, the more weight you can lose. 

Walking Builds Strength

Walking may be a much more subtle way to build muscle strength than resistance training, but it definitely does the trick. It tones your legs, core and even the upper body.

Walking Improves Sleep

Many people who have insomnia have discovered that walking is a natural remedy for sleep. Many studies have shown that moderate exercise like walking can reduce the time it takes to fall asleep and increase the length of sleep. A study ran by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research center shows that women from ages 50 to 75 who walked for one hour each morning were less likely to suffer insomnia than women who didn’t.

Walking Improves Breathing

Breathing exercises can help you expel waste products like carbon dioxide and raise your energy level. When you walk your breathing rate increases, allowing oxygen to move through your bloodstream faster and more efficiently. 

Walking Slows Mental Decline

A study of over 6,000 women over the age of 65 carried out by a research team at the University of California found that those who walked more often had a lower risk of age related mental memory decline. Women who walked a minimum of 2 miles a day were 8% less likely to suffer from age related memory loss.

Walking Can Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease

Exercise and other kinds of physical activity have many health benefits. Epidemiological studies suggest that activities like walking may play a significant role in reducing the risk for Alzheimer’s disease along with other age-related cognitive decline.

Walking Increases Stamina

People 65 and can benefit from walking and resistance exercise programs designed to prevent disabilities. If you have a low fitness level, try walking for 2 to 5 minutes of continuous walking. Slowly build up to 30 minutes 3 to 5 times a week.

Your health care provider will work with you to determine a healthy exercise routine. Total Home Health can connect you with experienced health care experts who are ready to help you live a long, healthy and fulfilling life. Join today to jumpstart your plans for healthy living.

6 Ways to Improve Mental Health

Stress and anxiety are part of the human condition and can be problems for people of any age. By paying attention and being proactive, it’s possible to manage these problems and bring positive results. There are many warning signs you can identify and perhaps more importantly, there are lots of proven methods to deal with stress.

Stress can have a strong negative impact on your well-being. Ignoring it or avoiding stressful activities can often make matters worse – this can lead to depression, insomnia and worsen chronic health conditions.

The good news is there are many proven methods to help you manage stress and get positive results. Many people find that learning how to deal with their stress in a positive is liberating. It can give you a sense of empowerment. Small changes in attitude and your habits can have a large impact on stress management. Following are 6 ways to improve your mental health and deal with stress.

Love Yourself

Having self-esteem and a positive view of yourself is an important part of feeling good every day and lowering your feelings of stress. Taking time out of the day to focus on yourself is key to improving your mental health.

This may sound contrived and silly but it rings true. Many times people don’t realize that their inner dialogue isn’t quite as supportive and loving as it should be. If you say things to yourself like, “Why are you so stupid!” you probably need to change your attitude.

Focus on your strengths and give yourself plenty of positive affirmations. Another good way to raise your self-worth is to find a hobby. Gaining control or mastery of a something can give you a feeling of accomplishment.

Feel good about what you do and give yourself time to do it. Gardening, painting, woodworking or any other hobby that helps you to create something can be very helpful. It gives you something to look forward to each day, while boredom can often lead to feelings of anxiousness.

Take Care of Yourself

Taking care of your body is an essential part of good mental health. A good diet and healthy routine is a great way to make things easier. Eating healthy supports vital brain and body functions.

Many people don’t realize the impact that diet has on a person. Processed foods and excess sugars can lead to mood swings and crashes. This makes it more difficult to keep a stable outlook, especially if you are trying to overcome feelings of depression or anxiety. Also, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can prevent age-related mental decline, which is often the cause of depression in older people. A well-balanced diet is a great way to maintain emotional stability and age gracefully.

Get Regular Exercise

Regular physical exercise is key to keep your body healthy, energy levels up and manage stress. It releases endorphins, which is the chemical produced by the brain to naturally relieve pain and lift mood. Regular exercise is a great way to get your blood pumping and overcome depression as well. If you join an exercise group or a team sport you also get the added benefit of socializing with your peers. This kind of comradery can help you feel better as well.

Find Ways to Deal With Stress

Developing the coping skills to overcome negative feelings is necessary to avoid becoming overwhelmed. Anybody at any age can develop skills to deal with anger and sadness. There are endless activities you can try including journaling, talking to a trusted friend or even just realizing that the feelings may only be temporary and will pass.

It’s true that anger or anxiety can be mitigated through physical exercise, but sometimes it may be hard to find time to go for a swim or get to the gym. If you aren’t able to take part in your usual activities, there are other many other ways to alleviate stress.

Coping skills can be applied whether your stress is temporary or chronic. Finding ways to bring balance and calmness to your life with help you battle negative feelings. Processing your feelings in a positive way is essential to good mental health.

Be Mindful

Being aware may be one of your biggest assets. Meditating, praying or any other mindful activity forces you to focus. This can bring clarity and tranquility to your life and help you come to terms with your anxiety. This is also part of determining the best strategy to deal with certain forms of stress.

Educate Yourself

Learning what causes anxiety, stress or depression can go a long way. This will help you understand your condition and give you better insight into ways you can deal with it. Reading up on unrelated topics you are interested in, like a hobby or interest, can also be a fun way to enjoy your time.

Ignoring your mental health can have an impact on your overall health. Don’t wait to get information or treatment to protect your health.

Your health care provider will work with you to determine which course of treatments suits you best. Total Home Health can connect you with experienced health care experts who are ready to help you live a long, healthy and fulfilling life. Join today to get the benefits of access to our extensive resources.

6 of the Best Balance Exercises

Balance training is fun and easy for people of all ages. Don’t be afraid to incorporate balancing exercises in your workout routine. It can be good for your coordination and fine motor skills. By isolating specific muscles used to help you maintain stabilization, you will be forced to develop muscle groups without “cheating.” The body will be challenged to work much harder than it normally does during balance training. This can help you burn more calories.

These exercises are designed to help stabilize the hips. Exercises that require you to balance on one leg engage your glute medius. It also helps with core stabilization. Strengthening your core is key to balance, coordination and mobility. When trying these exercises keep your breath under control and focus on keeping good posture.

Single Limb Stance

A good place to start is a simple standing balancing exercise. Brace yourself with the back of a chair with both hands and hold on to one leg. This is a good opportunity to get a feel for your center of gravity. The goal is to evenly carry your weight over your ankles.

Try to balance on each foot for a few seconds. Slowly work your way up to a full minute. After that try hold on with just one hand, then one finger, then let go completely.

1.     Stand with your feet together and your arms at your sides.

2.     Use one arm to brace yourself on the chair.

3.     Lift one leg up and balance on the other.

4.     Hold the position for 10-15 seconds.

Eye Tracking

Your sight has a large impact on your balance, providing valuable feedback to the brain about spatial positioning. This exercise will focus on your vision and vestibular system.

Some people experience dizziness when trying this exercise. If this happens, stop immediately. You can try again with smaller head movements later on. There are many variations of this exercise, below is one.

1.     Hold your thumb in front of your face with your elbow bent slightly.

2.     Move your thumb to the right and follow it with your eyes without moving your head.

3.     Slowly move it as far as you can without straining your eyes. ‘

4.     Repeat this process but move your thumb in different directions.

5.     Try doing this for a few minutes a day.

 

Clock Reach

Make sure to hold on to a chair when performing this exercise to prevent falling. If you have shoulder pain, don’t force yourself to reach any further than feels comfortable.

1.     Stand and hold your chair with your left hand.

2.     Imaging a clock parallel with the floor that has the 12 in front of your chest and a 6 behind your back.

3.     Lift your right leg so you are balancing on your left leg.

4.     Reach from 3 to six o’clock.

5.     Repeat on the other side.

6.     If you cannot reach all the way back to 6 o’clock only go as far as you are comfortable.

Staggered Stance

If you want you can use a chair to hold on to for this exercise if you are having trouble balancing. Let go of the chair for a few seconds at a time when you feel comfortable.

1.     Stand with your feet together and your hands at your sides.

2.     Put your right foot directly in front of your left foot.

3.     Hold this position for 10-15 seconds.

Balancing Wand

This one is fun and easy. Use a golf club, cane, back scratcher, stick or anything else you have laying around that resembles a wand. If you have a wand, even better. Try to look forward when balancing.

1.     Hold your “wand” in your dominant hand. Place the bottom of the wand on your palm with your other hand.

2.     Let go with your other hand and focus on the top of the wand with your eyes while it is balancing. Don’t lean too far out of your chair.

3.     Practice a little each day.

Single Limb With Arm

Pick a spot in front of you that is eye level to help improve balance. Lift your chest and bring stand with good posture.

1.     Stand with your arms to your sides and your feet together.

2.     Hold on to your chair with right hand support if he necessary.

3.     Keep your arm raised over your head.

4.     Then raise your left leg off the floor.

5.     Hold this for 10-15 seconds.

6.     Repeat on the other side. 

If and when these exercises become too easy, you can make them more challenging. Try adding ankle or hand weights, increasing the amount of repetitions, or focusing on your posture. A qualified health care provider can work with you to determine which course of treatments suits you best if you are looking for help finding the right exercise routine, join Total Home Health today. Total Home Health can connect you with experienced health care experts who are ready to help you live a long, healthy and fulfilling life.

5 Ways To Prevent Stroke

May is national stroke awareness month in the United States. According to the national Stroke Association, approximately 800,000 adults in the US suffer from a stroke every year. Strokes are also potentially lethal and can also lead to a number of problems associated with mobility and speech.

A stroke is caused by a blockage to the brain. They often occur as a result of unhealthy habits including poor diets and lack of exercise. Many lifestyle choices that contribute to an increased risk for heart disease also put people at risk for having a stroke. For the elderly, these problems are only compounded.

Certain risk factors can increase your chances of suffering from a stroke. Working with a qualified healthcare professional to identify your personal risks is the best way to ensure that you are taking the right steps for prevention. Follow these tips to prevent strokes from you or others.

Identify Risk Factors

The US National Stroke Association stated that one of the most important things older Americans can do to reduce their risk of stroke is to pinpoint any hazards that contribute to a higher chance of developing a dreaded brain clot. There are lots of factors that can make people more vulnerable to the threat of strokes.

Some of the risk factors are simply out of our control. This includes possible genetic and environmental variables. But understanding these risks are still an integral part of determining prognosis. Additionally, chronic health conditions like arrhythmia or heart disease can increase risk factors.

Many lifestyle factors are also major concerns when it comes to calculating the probability of a stroke. Once you have identified the inherent factors relating to your medical history and genetics, you can start take preventative measures accordingly.

Lose Weight

Excess weight loss leads to many adverse health problems that increase your risk for stroke. This includes diabetes and high blood pressure. According to Harvard Medical School, “losing just ten pounds can have a significant impact on reducing your risk for stroke.” For average person, it is recommended that they limit their caloric intake between 1,500 and 2,000 calories per day. A good rule of thumb is to maintain a body mass index near 25. If you follow both of these guidelines you are well on your way to weight loss and better health.

Get Lots of Exercise

Regular physical activity is especially important for older people. The benefits are undeniable. You can lower your blood pressure, maintain your physical health and most importantly reduce your chances of having a stroke. Activities can include anything from walking and swimming to dancing and tennis.

The most important thing is to be consistent. Keeping a regular exercise routine is integral to get all the benefits exercise has to offer. Harvard Medical School’s Journal of Medicine recommends that exercising for 30 minutes a day 5 to 6 times a week is the best way to reduce your risk of suffering from a stroke. Exercise is also an important factor controlling your weight. 

Drink Red Wine

Remember, excessive drinking can be very detrimental to your health, so drink in moderation. That being said, having a glass of red wine can be beneficial to your heart.

When it’s time to relax and enjoy a drink, red wine beats the other choices. It contains plenty of antioxidants to maintain healthy HDL cholesterol levels, the good kind of cholesterol. It is also rich in resveratrol, which is known to aid healthy heart and brain function.

Don’t Smoke

Cigarettes and cigars on a rare occasion may not be harmful, but having a smoking habit can be deadly. The number of health risks you face increase dramatically when you smoke. Although quitting can be very hard, it’s crucial for seniors to do so.

Despite the fact that smoking increases your risk of stroke, it also makes it harder to exercise. There are many free programs and resources available to help you stop smoking. It’s never too late to make a healthy change in your habits.

Taking the first step is the most important part of quitting. Speak with your doctor, a friend or caregiver to come up with a plan. Total Home Health can connect you with experienced health care experts who are ready to help you live a long, healthy and fulfilling life. Breaking the habit can be a long process, but having support and guidance is a priceless resource.

5 Easy Exercises You Can Do Anywhere

As we get older it becomes harder to get around. Things like bending over, climbing stairs and standing from a seated position isn’t as easy as it was when we were younger. It becomes difficult to balance and getting around suddenly puts us at risk for injury from a fall.

With the proper exercises, you can’t protect your body and increase mobility. The following exercises don’t require special equipment and can be done at home.

Many older people have limited mobility, the way they are used to moving around just doesn’t agree with their bodies anymore. They need to learn new ways to handle everyday demands like getting up off the floor when you are playing with your grandchildren, or picking up something that fell on the ground. Some people had problems with arthritis in the shoulders and knees.

The exercises in this article are designed to emulate the movements of a dancer. Dancing is one of the best ways to get a workout. The moves are gentle on the body and they offer many benefits. You can build balance, strength, improve coordination and increase flexibility.

Below are a few moves you can use to get in shape. Every exercise is designed for alignment, coordination, strength and balance. If you are worried that you may fall, use a chair or countertop to support yourself when you are performing the standing exercises.

Stepping Over the Suitcase

This exercise focuses on building good balance and coordination. Repeat this exercise for 10 repetitions, switch sides and do another 10 reps. Make sure to bring your knees up high. Always speak with your physician before starting any new exercise routine.

1.     Stand up with your feet together and your hands on your hips.

2.     Lift your left foot up, to the side, then down.

3.     Imagine that you are stepping over a large suitcase. Move as slow as you can to work on your balance.

The Windshield Wiper

This is a seated exercise to build up the muscles in your legs. Repeat each repetition 10 times.

1.     Sit up straight with good posture, with your buttocks near the edge of the chair.

2.     Keep your legs together and your hands on the outsides of the knees.

3.     Pull your belly toward the spine to engage in the muscles in your abdomen.

4.     Open your knees and legs up by spreading them to the sides. Use your hands to add resistance.

5.     Now move your hands to the outside of your knees and squeeze your legs back to their original position while adding resistance with your hands.

Reach Low and Reach High

This exercise will improve your balance when standing. It works by strengthening the ankles to givge you a stronger center of gravity.

1.     Place one foot behind the other, reach down to pick something up from the floor.

2.     Placing your feet this way provides a strong stance.

3.     Hold the position for 10-15 seconds

Pump the Gas

You can do this exercise any time after you have been sitting for long period of time, or you happen to wake up during the night. This movement can prevent fainting and falling from dizziness.

1.     With good posture, sit up tall on the edge of the bed or char.

2.     To get the blood flow back into your feet, point and flex your feet up to 10 times to get the blood moving.

Stop Now

By using mental imagery, we can help train ourselves to prevent future falls. Imaging something like a large red sign with “STOP” written on in large white letters. Each time you lunge forward say “STOP” out loud. This reminds your muscles and mind to catch up.

1.     Hold on to a solid surface to support one of your hands.

2.     Lean forward with a foot and arms extended in front of you.

3.     Switch legs and do the same thing.

Your health care provider will work with you to determine which kind of exercise program you best. Total Home Health can connect you with experienced health care experts who are ready to help you live a long, healthy and fulfilling life. Join today to jumpstart your health care plans.

Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths for both men and women alike.  It most commonly affects those between the ages of 45 and 70.  The unfortunate thing is…lung cancer generally has a poor prognosis because often it is diagnosed in an advanced stage, long after it has also spread.  If you or your loved one is suffering from a form of lung cancer, let the professionals at Total Home Health help to increase the quality of your life.

There are factors that place you at an increased risk for developing lung cancer including:

·      Cigarette smoking or being exposed to secondhand smoke

·      Exposure to radiation

·      Long-term exposure to inhaled environmental irritants such as pollution

·      Impaired lung function, for example due to normal lung changes with age

If you smoke, now would be a great time to work on quitting…and if you’re around someone who smokes, keep your distance from them when they do smoke in order to avoid their secondhand smoke.  In addition, if you spend a great deal of time in an environment with irritants you should wear a mask for your own protection to decrease your risk of triggering lung cancer.  Although lung cancer and its clinical signs usually aren’t discovered until its later stages, there are signs and symptoms that you should be aware of that should not be ignored, including:

·      Difficulty breathing when lying flat

·      Having a chronic cough or shortness of breath

·      Chest discomfort

·      Becoming tired easily, losing weight and/or losing your appetite

·      Hoarseness

·      Abnormal breath sounds such as wheezing or diminished sounds

·      Muffled heart sounds

·      Increased work of breathing such as using your stomach muscles to breathe

If any of the above symptoms sound familiar to you or your loved one, it may be a good idea to bring them to the attention of your doctor.  To diagnose you, your provider may perform a lung biopsy, x-rays, and/or CT scans to visualize what is going on in your lungs and test your tissue for abnormalities that could point to cancer.  Your provider will discuss the procedures in greater detail with you according to which one will be recommended for you. 

If indeed you are diagnosed with lung cancer, chemotherapy is most often the treatment of choice.  Also, chemotherapy may be used in combination with radiation and/or surgery depending upon the extent to which you are affected.  There are other medications that may also be prescribed to you with the goals of decreasing any inflammation and to help dry up your secretions to promote breathing.

Total Home Health has a program for you.  Our nursing staff will assume care for you in the comforts of your own home and will be attentive to even the slightest changes in your condition.  We will work closely with all the members of your healthcare team so that every aspect of your care is consistent and the best it can possibly be to maintain your level of functioning and promote your independence.  A few things our nursing staff will do may include:

·      If you’re a smoker, we will determine how much you smoke and work on ways to help you and encourage you to gradually kick the habit.

·      Inquire about how much you are exposed to secondhand smoke and any other irritants.

·      Monitor your nutritional status, take note of any weight loss and/or changes in appetite.

·      Promote adequate nutrition to provide you with the increased amount of calories you may need if your work of breathing is increased due to shortness of breath.

·      Prevent infections by promotion of hand-washing, avoiding crowds, etc.

·      Encourage fluids to promote adequate hydration and help to loosen any mucus.

·      Maintain an open airway and a position that allows you to breathe at your best.

·      Encourage you to take rest periods as needed and schedule your daily routine activities when your energy level is at its highest.

Ultimately, diagnosis of lung cancer can be very devastating news for all involved just because of the simple fact that the prognosis generally is not the best.  Join the Total Home Health team today and we’ll help you promote your health, manage your symptoms, and prevent any complications.  You’re not in this alone, because with us there will always be someone who cares and puts your care at the top of their list.  What are you waiting for?  Enroll today!