7 Tips for Seniors to Maintain a Healthy Life

 

The older you get, the more likely you are to face some sort of health issue, whether it’s something mild, such as trouble sleeping or aches and pains, or something more serious, such as diabetes or arthritis. Regardless of your age, the best way to ensure your good health in the future is to maintain it through exercise and proper nutrition. Here are some tips courtesy of Mountaintop Faith Ministries.

1. Start Exercising

Exercising is one of the most important things you can do as you age. Not only does exercise keep you fit and active, but it also keeps your mind sharp. Seniors who exercise spend 25% less time disabled and enjoy enhanced flexibility, balance, and mobility. It’s recommended that seniors start slowly, but you can work your way up to more intense workouts over time. Choose an activity that interests you. If you have access to a rec-center with a pool, water aerobics and swimming are great forms of exercise, as there is very little pressure on joints and the water provides excellent resistance. And most centers have indoor walking tracks, so you never have to forgo a walk because of bad weather.

If you enjoy bodybuilding, pilates, or even martial arts, you may want to consider converting your garage or a spare room into a fitness center. It’s not as difficult – or as expensive – as it may seem. Simple additions like padded flooring and some basic equipment can make the space incredibly functional. But if you find that you have more stuff than space, you may want to look for self-storage in and around Las Vegas. You can rent a small 5×5 unit for under $40 per month, which is likely less than the cost of a gym or personal trainer. The unit can give you the luxury of time, so you can go through your belongings at your own pace, and decide what you can fit into your living space and what can be donated.

2. Join A Club

Joining a club, such as yoga or painting, allows you to mix with people of similar ages and interests. Get together once a week with friends who live in your community, and regularly work out at a nearby gym. If you’re not ready for a full workout session, join other seniors for afternoon chats at your local coffee shop, or head to local wineries or breweries for wine tastings where people are happy and naturally mingle.

3. Do Something You Love

It’s no secret that doing things you love can make you happier. If you haven’t picked up an instrument or taken up painting in years, take some time to rediscover your passion.

4. Eat Well

Not only is eating right essential for good health, but it also helps you shed pounds. Eating small portions of healthy foods throughout your day may be one of the best steps you can take toward weight loss. Plus, foods that are rich in nutrients can help strengthen your body and your brain!

5. Try Yoga

As you age, your bones become less dense, and maintaining proper posture becomes more difficult. Incorporating yoga into your routine can help support good posture, release muscle tension, and prevent injury. Start slowly. Choose an instructor who is proficient with teaching senior yoga so you won’t get frustrated at not being able to do it properly, or even worse, injure yourself while trying.

6. Volunteer

There’s a reason why volunteering is a great activity for seniors: it keeps you active and engaged. Many senior citizens become bored as they grow older. By volunteering at your local school, church, hospital, or animal shelter, you have an opportunity to meet new people and socialize with those who can appreciate your experience and knowledge. In addition, volunteering allows you to serve others.

If you are a spiritual person, a church like Mountaintop Faith Ministries may be a great place to begin volunteering. Becoming a greeter or working with kids can be great ways to feel needed and get social interaction.

7. Start a Business

Many seniors start business ventures to keep themselves happy and busy. Decide what kind of business you want to start. Many people who’ve retired find turning their hobbies into a side job allows them to feel fulfilled and useful, as well as bringing in extra income. Once you come up with a business idea, you’ll need to develop a business plan which outlines your funding needs, financial projections, business structure, and marketing and sales plan.

You might find that you need some help with some of the steps of business planning, like setting up your accounting or creating a website. Luckily, there are plenty of freelance employees who can help for far less than hiring a full time employee. Look online for a Nevada recruiting agency for Las Vegas and beyond to find the right people. These agencies screen their clients and highlight the best candidates, so you don’t have to do the hard process of recruiting and vetting. And there are flexible contracts from one to six months to fit your needs and your budget.

Ensure your health as a senior by exercising, eating nutritiously, spending time doing what you love, starting a business, and trying yoga. Consider finding a spiritual outlet or volunteering at a church or other nonprofit organization, too. The healthier you are, the more enjoyable life will be.

Image via Pexels

Healthy Tips to Help Prevent Diabetes
More than 1 in 3 Americans have prediabetes — and 90% of them don’t even know it.1 The good news is that most cases of type 2 diabetes are preventable — healthy lifestyle changes can help you avoid, control, or even reverse the disease.2
Keep your weight in check
Excess weight is the primary cause of type 2 diabetes. If you’re overweight, losing just 7 to 10% of your current weight can cut your risk in half.2 Maintaining a healthy weight can help prevent other health problems, too — including heart disease and certain types of cancer.
Be carb-smart
Limit sugar and refined carbohydrates like white bread, pasta, and rice. Focus on high-fiber, whole-grain complex carbohydrates — they’re digested more slowly, which helps keep your blood sugar steady.
Stay active to stay healthy
Inactivity promotes type 2 diabetes, so regular exercise is essential. You don’t have to spend hours sweating in the gym to get the benefits — just walking briskly for a half hour every day can reduce your risk by up to 30%.
Health Fair

Clean Hands

I’ve never met anyone who got sick from clean habits, but I have known a lot of people who have suffered the consequences of not practicing cleanliness. Two of the easiest and most important things you can do to stay healthy is handwashing, and, keeping your hands from away from (touching) your face.

Wash your hands frequently and dry them thoroughly. Keep your hands away from your eyes, nose, and mouth because that is the easiest way to transfer germs and viruses into your system, and get sick.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says, “Clean Hands Save Lives!”

Here is some handwashing information I found on the internet from various websites. It is very useful. I suggest you make a lifetime commitment to proper handwashing.

When and How to Wash Your Hands
Keeping your hands clean is one of the most important steps to avoid getting sick and spreading germs. Many diseases and conditions are spread by not washing hands with soap and clean, running water. If clean, running water is not accessible, use soap and available water. If soap and water are unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol to clean hands. Note: Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of germs on hands in some situations, but sanitizers do not eliminate all types of germs and might not remove harmful chemicals. Hand sanitizers are not as effective (as soap and water) when hands are visibly dirty or greasy.

Rinsing your hands before you wash them may get rid of topical germs. After adding soap, lather up the soap by rubbing your hands together. Be sure to get the webs (between your fingers, including the web between your pointer finger and thumb). Continue rubbing for 15 -20 seconds. It is recommended that you wash your hands with a song. Singing your ABC’s, or Row, Row, Row Your Boat, or the Happy Birthday song, two or three times, ensures that you are spending adequate time washing your hands.

How to Use Hand Sanitizers
• Apply the product to the palm of one hand (read the label for the correct amount)
• Rub your hands together
• Rub the product over all surfaces of your hands and fingers until your hands are dry

When should you wash your hands?
• Before, during and after preparing food
• Before eating food
• Before and after caring for someone who is sick
• Before and after treating a cut or wound
• After using the toilet
• After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
• After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
• After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste
• After handling pet food or pet treats
• After touching garbage

O’ Give Thanks

Every year during the month of November (Monday, November 12th at midnight — Friday, November 16th at 4:00 pm), Mountaintop Faith Ministries (MFM) embarks upon a week of ‘O Give Thanks, a week of consecration; reflecting on God’s goodness, His mercy and His grace towards us. It is during this time that we empty out or vacate our “house” and allow Jesus to take over and occupy our life in every aspect (mental, physical, financial, social and most of all spiritual). We exchange what we need to survive for what we need to live and that is Christ.

Fasting is a faith-move. We believe that because we are empty and ready to receive from God that the Holy Spirit will speak to us more clearly, filling us with His wisdom, knowledge and understanding.

From a physical aspect, fasting helps to detox our bodies, especially, if we replace food with fresh water.  Fasting helps reduce clogged arteries and lowers heart disease. So as we go through the week of ‘O Give Thanks, let us fast, pray, mediate and praise God for this is truly the embodiment of health and wellness.

Someone once said, “Fasting without prayer is just dieting.”  When you are doing a spiritual fast, it automatically comes by “prayer and fasting.” (Matthew 17:21). And so in health and wellness we do not “diet;” but rather, we ‘cleanse’ and focus on the entire body, mind and soul.

Prayer – taking time out to communicate with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ through word or thought.

Fasting- a willing abstinence or reduction from some or all food, drink, or both, for a period of time.

Healthy Eating – eating a variety of foods that give you nutrients such as: protein, carbohydrates, fat, water, vitamins, and minerals you need to maintain your health, feel good, and have energy.

Wellness – the state of being in good health, especially as an actively pursued goal.

Once you complete the MFM week of ‘O Give Thanks, make sure you keep it going.  Take time out weekly to fast & pray.  MFM has established every Wednesday from 12 midnight to 4 pm as their Corporate Day of fasting.  Join us, simply “Get in where you fit in.”

Note: Please consult your doctor / health professional before beginning any fast.

By Tracy Byrd, Fitness Instructor

Pink & Purple Sunday

On October 23rd, Mountaintop Faith Ministries First Aid Ministry in conjunction with CHR, Inc., (Caring, Helping and Restoring Lives) hosted their annual Pink & Purple Sunday.  The church arrayed itself in pink and/or purple to bring awareness to breast cancer and domestic violence.

First Lady Dr. Mary L. House, who is also the CEO/President of CHR, Inc. has a passion for domestic violence awareness.  She has shared her testimony of being a witness to domestic violence in her parents home; thus, bringing together the Pink & Purple Sunday to the church. During both the 8:00 am and 10:45 am services, she shared the startling statistics of both issues.

Breast Cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women in the United States, other than skin cancer.  It is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, after lung cancer.  There are over 3.1 million breast cancer survivors in the United States. Nevada Statistics show that breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in Nevada and is the 2nd leading cancer killer among women in the State.  It is estimated that 2,000 women in Nevada will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016 and 380 women in Nevada will die of the disease.

What can you do? Get screened and talk to your doctor about which screening test are right for you if you are at a higher risk. Have a mammogram every year starting at age 40 if you are at average risk. Have a clinical breast exam at least every 3 years starting at age 20, and every year starting at age 40. You can sign up for your screening reminder at www.komen.org/reminder.

Domestic violence is a pattern of violent and coercive behavior used by one partner in a relationship to control another. Every 9 seconds in the USA a woman is assaulted or beaten. Studies suggest that up to 10 million children witness some form of domestic violence annually. An estimated 29% of African American females are victimized by intimate partner violence in their lifetime. Women in Nevada are 65% more likely to be shot and killed by intimate partners than women nationwide. Nevada has the 5th highest rate of domestic violence gun murder of any state in the country. Statistics show that Black women typically comprise about 70% of black congregations. Religious convictions and a fear of shame or rejection from the church may contribute to their remaining in abusive relationships.

Dr. House also thanked her husband, Pastor Clinton House, for allowing her the platform to bring both issues to the forefront of the church.  It is their desire that the Pink & Purple Sunday will be echoed throughout churches across the country. If you would like to become a volunteer, attend the domestic violence workshops or make a contribution, go to www.chrinc.net.

Statistics provided by: www.doj.state.or.us; www.huffingtonpost.com; www.ncadv.org; www.safenest.org; www.komennevada.org