July Health newsletter

Hope you had a celebratory Independence Day.  Here are some patriotic thoughts to ponder:

Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.  ~Thomas Paine

Freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned and refreshed – else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die.  ~Dwight D. Eisenhower

In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved.  ~Franklin D. Roosevelt

This, then, is the state of the union:  free and restless, growing and full of hope.  So it was in the beginning.  So it shall always be, while God is willing, and we are strong enough to keep the faith.  ~Lyndon B. Johnson

Those who won our independence believed liberty to be the secret of happiness and courage to be the secret of liberty.  ~Louis D. Brandeis

THE UPS AND DOWNS OF STAIRS          

According to research, around 33% of Americans aged 65 or older will fall this year, sending 1.6 million to the emergency room and killing around 12,800.  There is a misconception that falling is an inevitable result of aging, but once again, it’s not the years, it’s the mileage.  Falling may be associated with stroke, dementia or vision problems, but it is also connected with poor balance, muscle strength and the side effects from certain drugs.

Climbing stairs is really a good thing to do, as it helps to strengthen your heart, lungs, circulation and muscles.  What you can do to help improve your stair climbing is undergo some balance training.  This is when you deliberately challenge yourself to move out of balance so that your body can re-learn how to respond and improve your sense of balance.  This is done with a trainer or therapist.  One way you can improve your balance on your own is with Tai Chi.  This is a meditative martial art that combines gentle, flowing movements with breathing, allowing you to improve your balance and physical awareness.  Another way you can proactively balance train is with dance.  Any kind of dancing will do, including ballroom, salsa, swing or square dancing.

One of the exercises I have taught many of you to do regularly is the one-legged knee bend.  This is where you stand on one leg and bend the standing leg slightly, then straighten it again.  Do this slowly and easily as many times as you can, then switch to the other leg.  Do this at least once a day.  You can hold onto a desk or counter until you are able to stand and balance on the one leg without help.  You can also strengthen your legs by stepping up and down on one step, with or without holding on to something.

A number of widely prescribed drugs have shown to increase the risk of falling, such as Lunesta and Ambien (sleep aids), Cymbalta and Elavil (antidepressants), Xanax (anti-anxiety), Lyrica (anticonvulsants), and Lasix and Procardia (blood pressure).  If you are taking any of these medications and are experiencing unsteadiness and difficulty balancing, consult your M.D. about switching or reducing your medication.

Additionally, if you have low blood pressure due because you’re taking drugs for Parkinson’s disease or heart disease, you may be creating something called postural hypotension.  This happens when your blood pressure drops quickly when you stand up from sitting or lying down, making you dizzy or causing you to faint.  One of my patients happen to faint recently, and woke up just as her face hit the ground (and breaking a tooth).  If this happens more than once, I recommend you get tested for postural hypotension.  Also, you must make sure you are drinking enough water, as dehydration can be a cause for dizziness and fainting.

Finally, you can “fall-proof” your house by making sure you have bright lighting throughout the house, eliminate throw rugs that could cause you to trip, put handrails on both sides of your stairs, and put contrasting tape or paint on the bottom stair (light vs. dark) in order to better see the different level.  So the next time you tell me about your trip, I want it to be about you visiting someplace nice, and not the emergency room.

The Best Stress-fighting Foods

Dietician Susan Mitchell, PhD, RD, recently wrote an article on the foods she considers the best for combating stress.  As we have mentioned in the past, eating a variety of foods helps you ingest all the basic nutrients necessary for maintaining optimal health.  Here are her suggestions, which I totally subscribe to:

1. Folate, a B vitamin, helps in fighting stress, and is found in black-eyed peas, chickpeas, red beans, black beans, lentils, sunflower seeds and broccoli.
2.  Antioxidants, like Vitamin C, help repair cellular damage caused by stress.  Foods high in Vitamin C are mangoes, kiwi, cranberries, oranges, blueberries, grape juice and pomegranate juice.
3. Vitamin E, another antioxidant, can be found in almonds, pistachios, walnuts and avocadoes.  Eat them raw or roasted, but preferably unsalted and only a handful each day.
4. Carotenoids, such as beta-carotene, are another type of antioxidant found in the yellow and orange colored foods.  Sweet potatoes are particularly powerful, since they also contain a good amount of fiber.  You will also find beta-carotene in carrots, cantaloupe, apricots and acorn squash.
5. Stress can cause increased levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, which can often deplete your immune system.  Eating a cup of yogurt can help maintain a healthy digestive system, which will help boost your immune system.  If you have trouble with dairy, start with small amounts of yogurt and slowly increase the amount.  You can also help your digestion by eating sauerkraut.

Having a healthy diet is just one of the many ways you can reduce the effects of stress in your life.  Eating the right foods is just a tasty way to fight it.

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