by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Nutrition, Seniors
Eating right and staying fit are important no matter what your age. As we get older our bodies have different needs, so certain nutrients become especially important for good health.
Calcium and Vitamin D
Older adults need more calcium and vitamin D to help maintain bone health. Have three servings of vitamin D-fortified low-fat or fat-free milk or yogurt each day. Other calcium-rich foods include fortified cereals and fruit juices, dark green leafy vegetables and canned fish with soft bones. If you take a calcium supplement or multivitamin, choose one that contains vitamin D.
Vitamin B12
Many people older than 50 do not get enough vitamin B12. Fortified cereal, lean meat and some fish and seafood are sources of vitamin B12. Ask your doctor or a registered dietitian nutritionist if you need a vitamin B12 supplement.
Fiber
Eat more fiber-rich foods to stay regular. Fiber also can help lower your risk for heart disease, control your weight and prevent Type 2 diabetes. Eat whole-grain breads and cereals, and more beans and peas � along with fruits and vegetables which also provide fiber.
Potassium
Increasing potassium along with reducing sodium (salt) may lower your risk of high blood pressure. Fruits, vegetables and low-fat or fat-free milk and yogurt are good sources of potassium. Also, select and prepare foods with little or no added salt.
Know Your Fats
Foods that are low in saturated fats and trans fat help reduce your risk of heart disease. Most of the fats you eat should be polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Check the Nutrition Facts panel on food labels for total fat and saturated fat.
Sourced through Scoop.it from: www.eatright.org
Maintaining a proper nutrition throughout our lives is absolutely essential towards overall health, and many might find this difficult to follow, especially since our dietary needs change as we age. Due to natural wear and tear alterations of the tissues in our body, what we needed mostly as children may not be necessarily beneficial to us as adults. The above list covers several nutritional needs for seniors.
For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .�
by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Nutrition, Seniors, Supplements
Fish oil is one of the most popular dietary supplements in the U.S. because of the perceived cardiovascular benefits of the omega-3 it contains. However, scientific findings on its effectiveness have been conflicting.
New research in Physiological Reports supports the claims for seniors, reporting that taking omega-3 fish oil supplements every day can improve the cardiovascular health of healthy seniors after 12 weeks of use.
Risk of cardiovascular disease increases with age because the arteries become stiffer. Arterial stiffness affects how blood travels through them and ultimately how strongly the heart needs to pump. The most commonly used measures of arterial stiffness are pulse wave velocity (PWV) and augmentation index. When the heart ejects blood into the blood vessels, pressure increases, creating a bulge in the vessel. PWV is the speed at which the bulge ripples through the arteries. When the pressure pulse hits a fork in the arteries, part of the pressure pulse bounces back towards the heart and combines with the new pulse coming out of the heart. How much the reflected pulse enhances the new one is called augmentation index. High PWV and high augmentation index values reflect stiffer arteries.
Reported cardiovascular benefits of omega-3 include reduced arterial stiffness seen through improved PWV and augmentation index. In this new study, researchers at Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine examined whether omega-3 supplements could reverse the effects of aging on the blood vessels in healthy older adults and reduce PWV and augmentation index.
Healthy subjects ages 60 to 80 took two omega-3 capsules twice daily for 12 weeks. Each capsule contained 1000 mg of omega-3 (465 mg eicosapentaenoic acid and 375 mg docosahexanoic acid). The researchers measured PWV, augmentation index and blood pressure before and after the 12-week regimen. The results were compared to young healthy subjects, ages 21 to 35, who also followed the same omega-3 supplement schedule.
The researchers found that 12 weeks of supplementation significantly decreased PWV in the older subjects, supporting improvement in vascular health, although PWV was still higher than in young subjects. While PWV improved, augmentation index and blood pressure did not. The omega-3 supplements also did not improve either index of arterial stiffness in the young subjects.
According to the researchers, “These findings provide support for the concept that increased omega-3 intake may be an efficacious therapy in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in aging humans through effects on central arterial stiffness.” They also noted that “these effects occurred over a relatively short period of time.”
Sourced through Scoop.it from: www.news-medical.net
With age, the body can become more vulnerable to developing certain conditions or even injuries related with aging. Cardiovascular disease is among the most common complication reported among the elderly, due to changes in the arteries. Fortunately, research has determined that omega-3 fish oil supplements can have tremendous benefits for seniors.
For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .�
by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Nutrition, Seniors
As people age, their diets may need to change, especially if their diets are not well-balanced. Generally, doctors will recommend a well-balanced diet for older adults, meaning that they should eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, proteins and whole grains to maintain and improve overall health. According to Ruth Frechman, registered dietitian and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, in addition to eating a healthful variety of foods, there are specific things a caregiver can incorporate into their their loved one’s diet to boost his or her health.
Prepare Meals Rich in These Nutrients
- Omega 3 Fatty Acids
The acids have been proven to reduce inflammation, which can cause heart disease, cancer and arthritis. They can be found in flaxseeds and flaxseed oil, walnuts, canola oil, and different types of fish. Your older relative should have foods rich in this nutrient twice per week. If this is impossible, check with their doctor to see if an Omega 3 supplement would be beneficial.
- Calcium
The need for calcium increases as people age. This is primarily to preserve bone health. One added benefit of calcium is that it helps to lower blood pressure. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults over the age of 50 get at least 1200 milligrams per day of calcium � equal to about four cups of fortified orange juice, dairy milk, or fortified non-dairy milks such as almond or soy. Leafy greens like kale and turnip greens are also great sources of absorbable calcium. Many people find it challenging to consume this much calcium per day by eating and drinking, so check with your loved one’s doctor to see if he or she should take a calcium supplement.
Hydrate
As people age, they do not get thirsty very often, even though their bodies still need the same amount of liquids. If you notice that your loved one is not drinking liquids very often, make sure that you provide them with it. If they do not feel thirsty, chances are they may not think about drinking a glass of water.
If you are concerned that your loved one may not be properly hydrated, check his or her urine. Urine is the surest sign of hydration or lack of it. If their urine is clear and light, then they are most likely properly hydrated. If, however, their urine is dark and/or cloudy, they will need to start drinking more liquids.
Limit Sodium Content
For those with hypertension,�one of the most important things caregivers can do to help reduce a loved one’s hypertension is to prepare foods that are low in sodium. Most people are surprised to find out that added table salt accounts for only a small percent of sodium content in food. Frozen, processed and restaurant foods are typically extremely high in sodium, and should be avoided or only be a very small part of the diet. Fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, dry beans, unsalted nuts and nut butters, and grains like brown rice and oats are all foods that are naturally low in sodium, so try and incorporate them as much as possible in their diet.
Incorporate Changes Gradually
Making dietary changes can be difficult for anybody. It can be especially difficult for older adults, though, because people get stuck in habits. If your loved one needs to make dietary changes to increase their health and well-being, there are specific things that you, the caregiver, can do to help with the change.
Sourced through Scoop.it from: www.agingcare.com
Following a balanced nutrition is essential to achieve an individual’s overall health and wellness, especially for seniors. Because the body begins to adapt to aging alterations, older adults may have different nutritional requirements than most people. By following the above mentions tips, seniors can also achieve overall well being to maintain a quality lifestyle as they age.
For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .�
by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Chiropractic, Conditions Treated, Fibromyalgia, Scoop.it, Treatments
Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a common clinical syndrome of unknown cause characterized by widespread pain and muscle tenderness often accompanied by chronic fatigue, sleep disturbance, and depressed mood.
There are many theories regarding possible causes of FMS, but no universally accepted explanation, making a rational approach to therapy difficult. It is conventionally treated by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents and�tricyclic�antidepressant medications. Many patients prefer natural treatments, of which there are many, including aromatherapy, acupuncture, spiritual practices, oral supplementation and dietary modifications. Among these, a particular emphasis is placed on nutritional approaches, including both whole diet therapies and treatments based on isolated nutrients or supplements. This article will discuss nutritional treatments for fibromyalgia, with special attention to an intravenous vitamin-mineral mixture that is currently under investigation.
According to the National Fibromyalgia Research Association, symptoms of fibromyalgia tend to be alleviated when refined sugar, caffeine, alcohol, fried foods, red meat, and highly processed foods are eliminated or kept to a minimum, due to the potential these foods have to irritate muscles and stress the immune system. Many people reportedly benefit from eliminating all sugar in their diets for a month. This can appreciably reduce the craving for sweets, and allows the body to better manage its sugar intake when sugar is added back into the diet. Similarly, reducing caffeine and fried and processed fatty foods can improve cravings for these items in the same way. Eliminating certain food items like these not only contributes to a healthier overall diet and lifestyle, but also allows patients to see if the foods are contributing to their fibromyalgia symptoms.
To evaluate systematically which foods are problematic for fibromyalgia patients, the “Elimination Diet” can be used. Elimination diets focus on the foods most commonly implicated in allergy and other adverse reactions (wheat and other glutinous grains, dairy products, eggs, corn, soy and tofu, peanuts, citrus fruits, yeast and refined sugars, as well as highly processed foods, chemical additives, preservatives, artificial colorings, flavorings, caffeine, and alcohol), removing them singly or in groups. If symptoms improve with elimination of a food, its role in the condition is suggested. The food is then added back to see if symptoms recur. Several such cycles may be required to establish with certainty that a food is implicated in symptom severity, although sometimes it�s obvious right from the start.
In addition to eliminating some potentially troublesome foods, it is important also to supplement the diet with more raw or lightly cooked fruits and vegetables, and use less meat that is high in fat, and more fish or lean poultry. Vegan diets may also help relieve pain, improve quality of sleep, and enhance overall health in fibromyalgia patients. These dietary changes may lead to such positive results because they reduce the inflammatory/oxidative effects of diet, and enhance the anti-inflammatory/anti-oxidant effects.
Sourced through Scoop.it from: www.fmcpaware.org
Many researchers have studied a variety of treatments which could benefit and improve the symptoms of this painful condition, particularly, the benefits of a proper nutrition on individuals with fibromyalgia. For years, researchers have found a connection between nutritional deficiencies and the development of the condition, where certain eating habits may improve the symptoms.
For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Chiropractic
Fibromyalgia, a chronic disease that causes pain and swelling in more than a dozen points all over the body, affects as many as 5 million people. Because doctors are still unsure of the cause of fibromyalgia, treatment can be frustrating (and often a process of trial and error).
�Fibromyalgia symptoms are only about 30% amenable to current pharmaceutical strategies on the market,� says Kathleen Holton, PhD, MPH, lead author of Potential Dietary Links in Central Sensitization in Fibromyalgia.
That�s why many patients are taking matters into their own hands and experimenting with alternative treatments, including dietary changes. Forty-two percent of fibro patients reported that symptoms worsened after eating certain foods, and though much of the research is in its preliminary phases, there�s some evidence that simple diet tweaks may ease fibro pain.
Read on to get 5 food rules for fibromyalgia patients (just be sure to consult your doctor before drastically changing your diet).
Load up on vitamin D
Many adults are deficient in vitamin D�to begin with, but this sunshine vitamin can be vital to fibro patients. “Vitamin D deficiency can mimic some of the symptoms of fibromyalgia. All patients should be screened for deficiency,” says Holton. Studies show that vitamin D deficiencies can cause bone and muscle pain, and upping levels of this hard-to-get vitamin may help. A 2008 study found that pain patients with low levels ofvitamin D required almost double the dose of painkillers as those with adequate levels. Holton recommends taking a supplement, especially during the wintertime.
Avoid additives
Common food additives, like monosodium glutamate (MSG) and aspartame, can act as excitotoxin molecules, a chemical group that has the ability to activate neurons that increase sensitivity to pain. Anecdotally, easing off these additives can help, and one very small study of four patients found that eliminating MSG and aspartame resulted in a reduction of fibromyalgia symptoms. The research is far from definitive, but it may be worth trying if you notice your symptoms worsen after Chinese takeout or too many diet drinks.
Say yes to fish
Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fatty fish, like salmon, walnuts, and flaxseed, are known to reduce inflammation and help prevent cardiovascular diseases. However, their soreness-reducing traits may also help pain patients. A 2007 study found that after just 3 months of supplementing omega-3 fatty acids, symptoms such as morning stiffness and painful, tender joints decreased. Though this study did not include fibromyalgia patients (it included rheumatoid arthritis (RA), irritable bowel syndrome (IBD), and dysmenorrheal patients), the results show promise. Fibro patients often have co-morbidities such as IBD and RA, so omega-3s may benefit them as well. Try adding salmon or walnuts to your diet, or, if you don�t like those foods, try adding flaxseeds to your cereal or oatmeal.
Nix the caffeine
Because sleeplessness is commonly associated with fibro, it may be tempting to fuel up on coffee to get through the day. This, however, may be a mistake. “Some patients use caffeine to compensate for not sleeping well, which can lead to a circular problem where the �solution� of taking caffeine to stay awake is actually causing the problem of not sleeping at night,” says Holton. Caffeine can set you up for a crash and, if sipped later in the day, may disrupt sleep schedules. Holton recommends antioxidant-packed decaffeinated green tea as a healthier alternative.
Veg out
Some researchers speculate that oxidative stress may be a cause of fibro symptoms. Oxidative stress occurs when the body doesn�t produce enough antioxidants to battle cell-damaging free radicals in the body. Most fruits and veggies are packed with important antioxidants, like vitamins A, C, and E, which fight free radicals to keep your body normalized. Certain studies also show a raw, vegan diet can improve symptoms, but that�s difficult for most people to follow. If you do choose to eat meat, though, opt for a small portion of grass-fed beef. “It is an excellent source of iron and vitamin B12, both nutrients which are extremely important in keeping your pain-processing nervous system healthy,” says Holton.
Sourced through Scoop.it from: www.prevention.com
Fibromyalgia can cause symptoms of pain and discomfort along with fatigue and concentration issues. Living with the condition can be difficult, however, there are many alternative treatment options, such as chiropractic, which can help people with the condition, find relief from their symptoms. In addition, following a balanced diet and the proper nutrition can help speed up the process of relief.
For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .�
by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Chiropractic
Benefits of Early Morning�Hydration
Water is an essential element in the human body and keeping hydrated is crucial towards ensuring all of the systems in our body are functioning properly. While it�s importance is commonly known among the general population, drinking water early in the morning can significantly improve the quality of your day.
Drinking water early in the morning can help hydrate the cells. By hydrating the body,�
View On WordPress
by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Chiropractic
Best Snacks During�Workouts
A balanced, healthy nutrition consisting of carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fats before any exercise or physical activity can provide the body with the essential energy it needs to perform to its fullest capacity. While many athletes already follow a nutritious pre-workout diet to properly fuel their bodies at the start of their sport, many of these same individuals often struggle to�
View On WordPress
