Thursday, June 6, 2019

BE CAREFUL NOT TO FALL

There is some good news . . . and there is some bad news . . .  for we Seniors!

 

 We all know that exercise is good for us. It helps to improve our mental outlook and helps us to live longer/ 

Here is the good news . . . 

 

Taking more steps each day can help to extend your life! 

 

Simple walking with no special equipment required (other than your brain, which might give you a thousand-and-one reasons NOT to take that walk) is a way for all of us to maintain some beneficial level of fitness. Studies show that active people have lower incidences of heart disease, obesity and Type 2 diabetes and usually live longer than people who are sedentary.

The official exercise guidelines in the United States and many other nations recommend that adults complete at least 150 minutes a week of moderate exercise, such as walking. But some scientists have begun to wonder whether monitoring our exercise in terms of active minutes might not be ideal.Step counts are a simpler, more concrete and convenient measure of physical activity.

Activity monitors are often set to a goal of 10,000 steps per day. But, there is no scientific basis for this number. In a very large study of older women, data showed that about 4,500 steps per day was effective for reducing the risk of premature death. A woman who reached that threshold was about 40 percent less likely to have died during the follow-up period than someone taking only about 2,700 steps each day.

It is impossible to know if the findings apply likewise to men or younger people or to risks for diseases and other outcomes. The researchers tried to but could not completely control for the possibility that women who were weak or ill walked less and died early, with little or no relationship between their steps and their life spans.

The message is clear though that taking more steps is better than fewer, and counting your steps is a useful way to monitor your exercise.

The bad news is ... 

 

With all this walking and other activity, your risk of dying from a fall increases!

The rate of deaths from falls by Americans over 75 years of age is increasing. There are ways to minimize the risk.

The most likely reason is that people are living longer with conditions that in the past they might have died from. In addition, older adults are on medications that increase their risk of falling. Women are slightly more likely to fall than men, but men are slightly more likely to die as a result of a fall.

Here are some ways to decrease your risk of falling, or of dying from a fall.

 

 Exercise!  
One suggestion is that we exercise 20 min per day, mixing aerbic with anaerobic exercises. This might sound counter intuitive, but through exercise you will  strengthen your legs and improve your balance, thereby reducing the chance that you will fall. Tai Chi has been found to be very effective in improving both balance and strength. A study published last year found that among adults over 70 who practiced tai chi twice a week for an hour, the incidence of falls was reduced by 58 percent. 


 Do you really need that sleep aid?
Benzodiazepines such as Valium and Xanax are especially bad at compromising balance.The same goes for non-benzodiazepines such as Ambien. Sedating antihistamines such as Benadryl and Advil PM are also bad for balance.Some doctors recommend melatonin to their patients as an  effective sleep aid.

Think about your accessories when walking outside!
Avoid bifocal or progressive lenses when walking outside because they can change your depth perception when stepping off a curb. Although this article recommends single focal length lenses, I have never had a problem with my TRIFOCALS, so will not be following this recommendation.

Wear shoes with flat soles that grip the ground and that fit you well. Your feet should not slip around inside your shoes and think twice about making a fashion statement with 4-inch-heels!

Eliminate tripping hazards!
Throw rugs are dangerous, not only because they might slip around, but also the slight rise from the surface of the floor can cause us to trip, especially if we are suffering from neuropathy that reduces the feeling in our feet. 

Pets can also cause us to fall when they twine in and out of our feet --- for some reason especially in the kitchen, at least for my cats.  You probably cannot eliminate your pets -- I certainly couldn't -- but we have learned the 'kitty shuffle' in our kitchen. To do the kitty shuffle, slide your feet rather than raising them when  you know a pet is nearby.

Hydrate . . . . and pee! Often!
Inadequate hydration can lead to dizziness. We are supposed to drink a lot of water before we become thirsty. I am not a drinker, so this  takes a conscious but worthwhile effort.

Drinking a lot can lead to the need for frequent visits to the bathroom. What you do not want to do is have to RUSH to the BR and risk tripping over something. An added advantage of frequent sitting on the toilet is the leg exercise gained in gettintg up again -- and, men, you can do this too (and your partner who cleans the BR might thank you)!


 


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