| Just For Women |
Although it is 2008, sometimes it feels as though
we are still back in the stone ages. Men and
women are attracted to each other the same way,
our genes
dictate who we will be attracted to, but how and
why? Can we change it? Do we want to?
Men are attracted to women by the hip to waist
ratio, whether it is conscious or not. Then they
look at a woman's smile, shape, size, hair, eyes,
teeth, legs, thighs, buttocks, breasts, face, hair,
arms, hands, waist, neck, abs, and feet, but not in
that order. We, of course, do the same thing (not
the hip to waist ratio), we subconsciously seek a
mate that will be a 'good father' for our children.
People are also attracted to each other by
pheromones, habits, hobbies, sports, income
(money), position or occupation, and power. With
so much going on subconsciously how can one
change how to pick the right mate or friends? A
difficult task for some and easy for others.
Think ageism, sexism, racism, or just plain
discrimination is a problem. Guess what? We all
use discrimination every day to make decisions
about what we like and don't like. That's right,
discrimination. It enables us to weed out things or
people we don't think fit neatly into what we
believe we want. Does that shock you? It did the
first time I read it, and then I realized we all do it
consciously and unconsciously. Feel slighted
when someone you like won't talk to or even look
at you? He may be doing you a favor. While you
may be physically attracted to his looks or his
scent (pheromones), his body is telling him you
are not suited for him. It's nothing personal. And
forcing a relationship would probably just mean
ultimate divorce. And who wants that! Being
yourself is the most important key to finding
someone who wants you for you, but how do you
do that when you don't know who your are? It
starts with the mirror!
Not happy with what you see in the mirror? It's
what we feel about what we see and what we
believe others see when they look at us. Watching
too much television and seeing too many ads will
do that! It has been proven that in areas of the
world that do not have television or advertising,
that men and women do not feel insecure about
their bodies. In fact, things we find unappealing
(even disgusting) are symbols of pride, such as
signs of aging, stretch marks, scars, and
excessive weight. Sounds outrageous, I know, but
also true.
In more civilized cultures, we appreciate the
aesthetics of the human form, but forget that the
scars, wrinkles, weight, and stretch marks are
hallmark signs of achievement (childbirth and
wisdom of aging). Scars tell a story all their own:
injuries, surgeries, and life's little mishaps.
Wrinkles are not always caused by aging,
sometimes they are caused by smiling or
laughing too much. Weight and stretch marks
often appear during puberty and are difficult if not
impossible to get off. But they are no longer
impossible to remove.
I know, you've heard it all before. You may have
even heard this, but maybe you didn't read
enough to understand that healing the body,
mind, and spirit (soul) are what's needed to be
whole. You can use all the makeup in the world,
but if you feel ugly inside, everyone senses it! Yes!
They can sense it! Your body betrays you! It allows
others to sense what you feel inside! Enhancing
our bodies with jewelry, perfume, makeup, lotions
and creams, fancy or popular clothing, shoes, hair
products, contact lenses, tooth whiteners, do just
that, enhance! They do not change your chemical
makeup or your genes!
What appeals to us is partially encoded in the
genes (hip-to-waist ratio and pheromones), while
the rest is behavioral, environmental, aesthetics,
and cultural.
Seeking someone that does not fit into your own
bodies requirements (because their's may be
different from your) can make you miserable.
Figure out what you find attractive. Make a list of
physical attributes and psychological attributes.
Determine which are most important and why!
That's what you really want. Aesthetically
speaking, we don't all want to have the great
looking guy with the great body. Some of us are
not attracted to looks. Some of us are attracted to
intelligence, you know, what everyone calls
GEEKS. Every now and then you can find both in
the same package. Some of us are attracted to
money and power, while others are attracted to
sports and athletics. Ever wonder why they have
groupies? I've seen groupies hang onto Artists
arms just like movie stars. Even stranger, women
and men met and marry mates that are and will
be in prison for life. Why? Again, make a list of
physical attributes and psychological attributes.
Determine which are most important and why!
The attributes you find most appealing may even
be monetary. Why? Maybe a great need for
security, financial security. Security is #1 in the
hierarchy of needs (not wants).
Did you know that the majority of female college
students, when they first enter college seeks love
(and an aesthetically pleasing partner) but if their
first relationship goes bust (during the survey) by
the time they finish college, they are seeking
security. This is the norm females about
40-years-old, not 24 or 25. So why is it
happening? Females have determined if they
cannot have love, then they will take security
instead. But are they happy? No! So don't envy
them. You may be poorer, but you are happier!
Figured out what floats your boat yet? Know what
doesn't? It may help you find out what you do like.
Here are some attributes, just pick the qualities
you find attractive in a mate or focus on the ones
you don't like. What you find appealing actually
tells you a lot about who you are. There are
about 200 emotions. Even more physical
attributes. Not all of them are listed but you get the
picture.
Notice that your needs are fewer than your
desires or wants?
we are still back in the stone ages. Men and
women are attracted to each other the same way,
our genes
dictate who we will be attracted to, but how and
why? Can we change it? Do we want to?
Men are attracted to women by the hip to waist
ratio, whether it is conscious or not. Then they
look at a woman's smile, shape, size, hair, eyes,
teeth, legs, thighs, buttocks, breasts, face, hair,
arms, hands, waist, neck, abs, and feet, but not in
that order. We, of course, do the same thing (not
the hip to waist ratio), we subconsciously seek a
mate that will be a 'good father' for our children.
People are also attracted to each other by
pheromones, habits, hobbies, sports, income
(money), position or occupation, and power. With
so much going on subconsciously how can one
change how to pick the right mate or friends? A
difficult task for some and easy for others.
Think ageism, sexism, racism, or just plain
discrimination is a problem. Guess what? We all
use discrimination every day to make decisions
about what we like and don't like. That's right,
discrimination. It enables us to weed out things or
people we don't think fit neatly into what we
believe we want. Does that shock you? It did the
first time I read it, and then I realized we all do it
consciously and unconsciously. Feel slighted
when someone you like won't talk to or even look
at you? He may be doing you a favor. While you
may be physically attracted to his looks or his
scent (pheromones), his body is telling him you
are not suited for him. It's nothing personal. And
forcing a relationship would probably just mean
ultimate divorce. And who wants that! Being
yourself is the most important key to finding
someone who wants you for you, but how do you
do that when you don't know who your are? It
starts with the mirror!
Not happy with what you see in the mirror? It's
what we feel about what we see and what we
believe others see when they look at us. Watching
too much television and seeing too many ads will
do that! It has been proven that in areas of the
world that do not have television or advertising,
that men and women do not feel insecure about
their bodies. In fact, things we find unappealing
(even disgusting) are symbols of pride, such as
signs of aging, stretch marks, scars, and
excessive weight. Sounds outrageous, I know, but
also true.
In more civilized cultures, we appreciate the
aesthetics of the human form, but forget that the
scars, wrinkles, weight, and stretch marks are
hallmark signs of achievement (childbirth and
wisdom of aging). Scars tell a story all their own:
injuries, surgeries, and life's little mishaps.
Wrinkles are not always caused by aging,
sometimes they are caused by smiling or
laughing too much. Weight and stretch marks
often appear during puberty and are difficult if not
impossible to get off. But they are no longer
impossible to remove.
I know, you've heard it all before. You may have
even heard this, but maybe you didn't read
enough to understand that healing the body,
mind, and spirit (soul) are what's needed to be
whole. You can use all the makeup in the world,
but if you feel ugly inside, everyone senses it! Yes!
They can sense it! Your body betrays you! It allows
others to sense what you feel inside! Enhancing
our bodies with jewelry, perfume, makeup, lotions
and creams, fancy or popular clothing, shoes, hair
products, contact lenses, tooth whiteners, do just
that, enhance! They do not change your chemical
makeup or your genes!
What appeals to us is partially encoded in the
genes (hip-to-waist ratio and pheromones), while
the rest is behavioral, environmental, aesthetics,
and cultural.
Seeking someone that does not fit into your own
bodies requirements (because their's may be
different from your) can make you miserable.
Figure out what you find attractive. Make a list of
physical attributes and psychological attributes.
Determine which are most important and why!
That's what you really want. Aesthetically
speaking, we don't all want to have the great
looking guy with the great body. Some of us are
not attracted to looks. Some of us are attracted to
intelligence, you know, what everyone calls
GEEKS. Every now and then you can find both in
the same package. Some of us are attracted to
money and power, while others are attracted to
sports and athletics. Ever wonder why they have
groupies? I've seen groupies hang onto Artists
arms just like movie stars. Even stranger, women
and men met and marry mates that are and will
be in prison for life. Why? Again, make a list of
physical attributes and psychological attributes.
Determine which are most important and why!
The attributes you find most appealing may even
be monetary. Why? Maybe a great need for
security, financial security. Security is #1 in the
hierarchy of needs (not wants).
Did you know that the majority of female college
students, when they first enter college seeks love
(and an aesthetically pleasing partner) but if their
first relationship goes bust (during the survey) by
the time they finish college, they are seeking
security. This is the norm females about
40-years-old, not 24 or 25. So why is it
happening? Females have determined if they
cannot have love, then they will take security
instead. But are they happy? No! So don't envy
them. You may be poorer, but you are happier!
Figured out what floats your boat yet? Know what
doesn't? It may help you find out what you do like.
Here are some attributes, just pick the qualities
you find attractive in a mate or focus on the ones
you don't like. What you find appealing actually
tells you a lot about who you are. There are
about 200 emotions. Even more physical
attributes. Not all of them are listed but you get the
picture.
Notice that your needs are fewer than your
desires or wants?
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Bone is made up of calcium and protein. When we need calcium, it is
taken away from the bone, Calcium on the bone is then replenished if
we consume enough, if not.....This is why you see individuals as young
as 35 with bone loss. A severe loss of bone is called osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis as we age occurs after many years of calcium depletion,
where the outer bone thins and the inner bone becomes spongy. As we
age, individuals with osteoporosis will become shorter in stature (lose
height), have back pain, and develop a curvature of the spine, like a
hump back (dowagers hump). This curvature can cause the bones to
fracture under the pressure. While getting enough calcium at the right
time (between birth and age 30) is extremely important, once
osteoporosis occurs, there are prescriptions (including HRT, which
most doctors will not prescribe if you've had a heart attack or stroke)
and new medical procedures that may help. Another bone problem is
arthritis. It is a chronic degenerative joint disease that is the number
one cause of disability in the elderly. It affects more than 1/3 of men
and 1/2 of women over the age of 65.The causes of arthritis are
overuse (like repetitive and assembly line work), viral infections,
bacterial infections, and injury (sports and accidents). Arthritis causes
pain, swelling, and sometime deformity of the joints, from a loss of
cartilage which protects the bones from rubbing against each other.
Over the counter anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen or aleve
can reduce swelling and pain, but as the conditions worsens,
prescriptions may be required. Symptoms of Rheumatoid arthritis are
more severe. It is caused by the immune system attacking synovial
membranes that line the joint and cartilage. Rheumatoid arthritis can
cause scarring, deformity of joints, chronic severe pain in the afflicted
joint, usually hands, fingers, feet, and hips. It affects more women than
men and can occur at any age (it affected my sister-in-law at age 22).
Many with rheumatoid arthritis become wheelchair bound or have
mobility problems as well as require prosthetics or orthopedic braces.
Artificial joint replacement can last as long as 15 years, then they must
be replaced again.
Muscles in the human body respond to voluntary movements (human
control) or involuntary. Muscles and bones work together to produce
movement. The muscular system's longevity depends on how long we
stay actively engaged, but in general begins to decline around age 30,
but not noticeably until age 50. Individuals may lose up to 30% of their
muscle mass between ages 30 to 80. Any physical injury which reduces
physical activity (causing muscle atrophy), including stroke, can reduce
muscle mass up to 40 to 60% of their muscle mass and would require
extensive physical therapy. The elderly and injured are more likely to
restrict exercise and movement because of pain from the injury or
arthritis, which is one reason physicians recommend you exercise even
if you develop arthritis.
Climacteric changes are the changes in the human reproductive
system and includes both physical and behavioral, and begins around
middle age. Men and women experience different aspects in this
particular area because their bodies are different. While it is definite
that women will begin to experience perimenopause, then menopause
(complete cessation of the menstrual cycle around age 50 in the U.S.),
men may experience erectile dysfunction (difficulty getting or
maintaining an erection long enough to complete the sexual act) as a
result of declining hormones.
Several things can occur to the cardiovascular system as we age.
Changes in blood vessels, hypertension, hypertensive cardiovascular
disease, and angina are the most common. The cardiovascular system
consists of the heart and blood vessels. Consider it your fuel line, water
line, or power line for the human body. It pumps the necessary fuel to
the body, including oxygen and nutrients, and removes wastes. As we
age, a diet rich in fatty foods or sugars clog up the vessels. Clogged
arteries, high stress, inactivity, in conjunction with normal aspects of
aging, increase of nonconducting cells and weakened muscles can
cause an irregular heart beat and eventually lead to a bypass or
pacemaker. As we get older, we also tend to lose skin elasticity, the
same occurs inside our bodies to our blood vessels, which in turn,
increases blood pressure. Hypertension or high blood pressure, has
few symptoms but can overwork the heart. This can result in a heart
attack, stroke, or ruptured blood vessel. As we age, plaque (fatty
deposits) can form in the narrow arteries that carry blood away from the
heart. Again, this can cause a heart attack. Hypertension that causes a
heart attack is called hypertensive cardiovascular disease. While it
has genetic predisposition, there are other factors that can be
prevented. Angina, a severe chest pain, can precede a heart attach.
Angina has more psychological factors than genetic or medical.
Prevention of Age Related Damage:
Prevention is all about protecting your body before damage occurs.
Eating a well-balanced diet, taking vitamin supplements, drinking plenty
of fluids, getting enough sleep, and getting regular (medical or
physical) check ups is a great beginning. Protect your body from injury
or damage, especially from the sun. Use sun screen, sun glasses, an
umbrella, or proper clothing. While most of us try to protect our health,
sometimes damage occurs for other reasons, including aging.
Exterior Body
Prevention of age related damage (other than injury or genetic issues)
to the skin can be as easy as taking vitamin supplements and using a
moisturizer daily. Experimenting with the different brands will allow you
to find the one most likely to help or maintain your skins glow and
youthful appearance. Using an exfoliant once a month to remove, dry
dead skin works best. If your skin already has that aged look, tiny lines,
wrinkles, and sagging, then other methods like the infrared light
therapy and vitamin supplements will rebuild collagen and gradually
diminish wrinkles, stretch marks, scars, and cellulite.
Brain Function
One of the easiest ways to protect the brain is to keep the brain active
for as long as possible. Take courses at your local college (beyond
retirement age most colleges offer courses free to senior citizens). Or
work puzzles, play word games, anything that requires thought. Many
companies produce and sell supplements engineered toward protecting
and promoting better brain function.
Sensory Organs
The sensory organs, eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin require the
proper care to ensure they last a lifetime. Regular eye exams should
catch any eye problems, but allergies, dry eye, and lack of vitamins can
cause serious (and blinding) results. Your ears can be protected in
several ways. First, extremely loud music can eventually cause
deafness and is not age related. In fact, this type of deafness is found
in younger people. Wearing ear plugs at work where the noise levels
are beyond 70 to 85 decibels will help you retain your hearing longer.
Using ear plugs while swimming will reduce the amount of ear infections
which can result in permanent hearing loss. Also, protecting them from
the wind and cold. While losing the sense of smell is generally age
related, several things effect the nose and sinuses. Nose picking,
putting the fingers in the nose can cause infections. Infections can a
reduced sense of smell and effect the ears. Allergies, prolonged
exposure to allergens can also reduce the sense of smell. Our sense of
taste can be severely effected at young ages. Repeated burns in short
periods of time can kill taste buds and sense of taste. Thrush, Candida
in the mouth and on the tongue can reduce sense of taste as well. Our
skin is the easiest to take care and yet the most neglected. Skin cannot
repair itself from damage if it is dry. Moisturize daily.
Skeletal System
One of the best ways to prevent damage to the skeletal system is to
make sure that you get enough calcium between birth and age 30. If
you didn't then you are no longer doing preventative health. Another is
to avoid repetitive occupations or activities. Also, avoiding injury as
much as possible will help prevent getting arthritis in areas whereas
others' have had broken bones. As you get older, calcium and
vitamin supplements are a necessity, not simply a fad or something
you should do if you can 'afford' them at the time. Not taking
supplements when they are needed have long-term and quite often
painful consequences. Cut corners somewhere else if you must, but not
on your vitamins.
Muscular System
As in any other system in the body, avoiding injury is key to maintaining
the longevity of the muscular system. Regular exercise, regardless of
mobility, can help maintain muscle. Not only is a sedentary lifestyle bad
for the heart, it is also bad for the muscular system. For the proper type
and amount of exercise seek medical advice or advice from a physical
therapist or physical trainer.
Reproductive System
Climacteric changes in men and women can be treated differently but
there is no preventative health care to ward of the effects of aging on
the reproductive system. First, hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
can help the symptoms of menopause in women such as irritability, hot
flashes, vaginal dryness, fatigue, anxiety, weight gain, volatile mood
swings. Unfortunately, HRT can increase the risk of breast cancer,
especially in women who smoke. And in most cases, unless the
symptoms are the worst of the worst, women who have experienced a
stroke cannot get HRT and will have to resort to OTC's for relief of it's
symptoms. Again, in men, the effects of aging on the reproductive
system are not preventative. Viagra and many other prescriptive
medications have been found very effective on erectile dysfunction.
Cardiovascular System
Most cardiovascular problems can be avoided by eating a good diet
(avoid fats, read meats, whole milk, cheese, ice cream), getting enough
exercise (at least 3 days a week), not smoking, learning good ways of
coping with stress (conflict resolution), earning enough money
(associated with higher education), seeing a physician regularly (yearly
physical), having friends and family to talk to and enjoy their company,
good living conditions, and most of all, a companion of your own.
Social and Psychological Aspects of Aging
How do you envision your golden years? Most of us would like to think
we will be surrounded by our loving children and grandchildren, good
friends, a comfortable, and safe home, the yearly vacation, adequate
income to pay the bills, buy groceries, and whatever else we need, and
reasonably good health. Unfortunately, more than a 1/3 of U.S.
residents will live in poverty and suffer very poor health in their golden
years.
As we age, our ability to get out and move about decline, as well as our
income and our ability to socialize with family and friends.
We experience decreases in virtually every aspect of our lives:
economic, social, physical, and psychological.
Who will suffer the worst? Single low income females, with little or no
family, poor health, and with less than a high school education.
And a final note: Did you know that modern medicine was based on
case by case studies and research on male physiology and anatomy,
not women's, then applied to both! Think about it!
taken away from the bone, Calcium on the bone is then replenished if
we consume enough, if not.....This is why you see individuals as young
as 35 with bone loss. A severe loss of bone is called osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis as we age occurs after many years of calcium depletion,
where the outer bone thins and the inner bone becomes spongy. As we
age, individuals with osteoporosis will become shorter in stature (lose
height), have back pain, and develop a curvature of the spine, like a
hump back (dowagers hump). This curvature can cause the bones to
fracture under the pressure. While getting enough calcium at the right
time (between birth and age 30) is extremely important, once
osteoporosis occurs, there are prescriptions (including HRT, which
most doctors will not prescribe if you've had a heart attack or stroke)
and new medical procedures that may help. Another bone problem is
arthritis. It is a chronic degenerative joint disease that is the number
one cause of disability in the elderly. It affects more than 1/3 of men
and 1/2 of women over the age of 65.The causes of arthritis are
overuse (like repetitive and assembly line work), viral infections,
bacterial infections, and injury (sports and accidents). Arthritis causes
pain, swelling, and sometime deformity of the joints, from a loss of
cartilage which protects the bones from rubbing against each other.
Over the counter anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen or aleve
can reduce swelling and pain, but as the conditions worsens,
prescriptions may be required. Symptoms of Rheumatoid arthritis are
more severe. It is caused by the immune system attacking synovial
membranes that line the joint and cartilage. Rheumatoid arthritis can
cause scarring, deformity of joints, chronic severe pain in the afflicted
joint, usually hands, fingers, feet, and hips. It affects more women than
men and can occur at any age (it affected my sister-in-law at age 22).
Many with rheumatoid arthritis become wheelchair bound or have
mobility problems as well as require prosthetics or orthopedic braces.
Artificial joint replacement can last as long as 15 years, then they must
be replaced again.
Muscles in the human body respond to voluntary movements (human
control) or involuntary. Muscles and bones work together to produce
movement. The muscular system's longevity depends on how long we
stay actively engaged, but in general begins to decline around age 30,
but not noticeably until age 50. Individuals may lose up to 30% of their
muscle mass between ages 30 to 80. Any physical injury which reduces
physical activity (causing muscle atrophy), including stroke, can reduce
muscle mass up to 40 to 60% of their muscle mass and would require
extensive physical therapy. The elderly and injured are more likely to
restrict exercise and movement because of pain from the injury or
arthritis, which is one reason physicians recommend you exercise even
if you develop arthritis.
Climacteric changes are the changes in the human reproductive
system and includes both physical and behavioral, and begins around
middle age. Men and women experience different aspects in this
particular area because their bodies are different. While it is definite
that women will begin to experience perimenopause, then menopause
(complete cessation of the menstrual cycle around age 50 in the U.S.),
men may experience erectile dysfunction (difficulty getting or
maintaining an erection long enough to complete the sexual act) as a
result of declining hormones.
Several things can occur to the cardiovascular system as we age.
Changes in blood vessels, hypertension, hypertensive cardiovascular
disease, and angina are the most common. The cardiovascular system
consists of the heart and blood vessels. Consider it your fuel line, water
line, or power line for the human body. It pumps the necessary fuel to
the body, including oxygen and nutrients, and removes wastes. As we
age, a diet rich in fatty foods or sugars clog up the vessels. Clogged
arteries, high stress, inactivity, in conjunction with normal aspects of
aging, increase of nonconducting cells and weakened muscles can
cause an irregular heart beat and eventually lead to a bypass or
pacemaker. As we get older, we also tend to lose skin elasticity, the
same occurs inside our bodies to our blood vessels, which in turn,
increases blood pressure. Hypertension or high blood pressure, has
few symptoms but can overwork the heart. This can result in a heart
attack, stroke, or ruptured blood vessel. As we age, plaque (fatty
deposits) can form in the narrow arteries that carry blood away from the
heart. Again, this can cause a heart attack. Hypertension that causes a
heart attack is called hypertensive cardiovascular disease. While it
has genetic predisposition, there are other factors that can be
prevented. Angina, a severe chest pain, can precede a heart attach.
Angina has more psychological factors than genetic or medical.
Prevention of Age Related Damage:
Prevention is all about protecting your body before damage occurs.
Eating a well-balanced diet, taking vitamin supplements, drinking plenty
of fluids, getting enough sleep, and getting regular (medical or
physical) check ups is a great beginning. Protect your body from injury
or damage, especially from the sun. Use sun screen, sun glasses, an
umbrella, or proper clothing. While most of us try to protect our health,
sometimes damage occurs for other reasons, including aging.
Exterior Body
Prevention of age related damage (other than injury or genetic issues)
to the skin can be as easy as taking vitamin supplements and using a
moisturizer daily. Experimenting with the different brands will allow you
to find the one most likely to help or maintain your skins glow and
youthful appearance. Using an exfoliant once a month to remove, dry
dead skin works best. If your skin already has that aged look, tiny lines,
wrinkles, and sagging, then other methods like the infrared light
therapy and vitamin supplements will rebuild collagen and gradually
diminish wrinkles, stretch marks, scars, and cellulite.
Brain Function
One of the easiest ways to protect the brain is to keep the brain active
for as long as possible. Take courses at your local college (beyond
retirement age most colleges offer courses free to senior citizens). Or
work puzzles, play word games, anything that requires thought. Many
companies produce and sell supplements engineered toward protecting
and promoting better brain function.
Sensory Organs
The sensory organs, eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin require the
proper care to ensure they last a lifetime. Regular eye exams should
catch any eye problems, but allergies, dry eye, and lack of vitamins can
cause serious (and blinding) results. Your ears can be protected in
several ways. First, extremely loud music can eventually cause
deafness and is not age related. In fact, this type of deafness is found
in younger people. Wearing ear plugs at work where the noise levels
are beyond 70 to 85 decibels will help you retain your hearing longer.
Using ear plugs while swimming will reduce the amount of ear infections
which can result in permanent hearing loss. Also, protecting them from
the wind and cold. While losing the sense of smell is generally age
related, several things effect the nose and sinuses. Nose picking,
putting the fingers in the nose can cause infections. Infections can a
reduced sense of smell and effect the ears. Allergies, prolonged
exposure to allergens can also reduce the sense of smell. Our sense of
taste can be severely effected at young ages. Repeated burns in short
periods of time can kill taste buds and sense of taste. Thrush, Candida
in the mouth and on the tongue can reduce sense of taste as well. Our
skin is the easiest to take care and yet the most neglected. Skin cannot
repair itself from damage if it is dry. Moisturize daily.
Skeletal System
One of the best ways to prevent damage to the skeletal system is to
make sure that you get enough calcium between birth and age 30. If
you didn't then you are no longer doing preventative health. Another is
to avoid repetitive occupations or activities. Also, avoiding injury as
much as possible will help prevent getting arthritis in areas whereas
others' have had broken bones. As you get older, calcium and
vitamin supplements are a necessity, not simply a fad or something
you should do if you can 'afford' them at the time. Not taking
supplements when they are needed have long-term and quite often
painful consequences. Cut corners somewhere else if you must, but not
on your vitamins.
Muscular System
As in any other system in the body, avoiding injury is key to maintaining
the longevity of the muscular system. Regular exercise, regardless of
mobility, can help maintain muscle. Not only is a sedentary lifestyle bad
for the heart, it is also bad for the muscular system. For the proper type
and amount of exercise seek medical advice or advice from a physical
therapist or physical trainer.
Reproductive System
Climacteric changes in men and women can be treated differently but
there is no preventative health care to ward of the effects of aging on
the reproductive system. First, hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
can help the symptoms of menopause in women such as irritability, hot
flashes, vaginal dryness, fatigue, anxiety, weight gain, volatile mood
swings. Unfortunately, HRT can increase the risk of breast cancer,
especially in women who smoke. And in most cases, unless the
symptoms are the worst of the worst, women who have experienced a
stroke cannot get HRT and will have to resort to OTC's for relief of it's
symptoms. Again, in men, the effects of aging on the reproductive
system are not preventative. Viagra and many other prescriptive
medications have been found very effective on erectile dysfunction.
Cardiovascular System
Most cardiovascular problems can be avoided by eating a good diet
(avoid fats, read meats, whole milk, cheese, ice cream), getting enough
exercise (at least 3 days a week), not smoking, learning good ways of
coping with stress (conflict resolution), earning enough money
(associated with higher education), seeing a physician regularly (yearly
physical), having friends and family to talk to and enjoy their company,
good living conditions, and most of all, a companion of your own.
Social and Psychological Aspects of Aging
How do you envision your golden years? Most of us would like to think
we will be surrounded by our loving children and grandchildren, good
friends, a comfortable, and safe home, the yearly vacation, adequate
income to pay the bills, buy groceries, and whatever else we need, and
reasonably good health. Unfortunately, more than a 1/3 of U.S.
residents will live in poverty and suffer very poor health in their golden
years.
As we age, our ability to get out and move about decline, as well as our
income and our ability to socialize with family and friends.
We experience decreases in virtually every aspect of our lives:
economic, social, physical, and psychological.
Who will suffer the worst? Single low income females, with little or no
family, poor health, and with less than a high school education.
And a final note: Did you know that modern medicine was based on
case by case studies and research on male physiology and anatomy,
not women's, then applied to both! Think about it!
Healthy Diet, Exercise, and
Supplements
A healthy diet is necessary for
proper body and brain
functions. What is a healthy
diet? How much exercise do we
have to have? Do I need
supplements?The FDA's food
guide pyramid suggests
percentages of each food
group (below) that constitute
not only a healthy, but
recommended daily diet. Or do
they? What about vegetarians
and vegans? In 1992 that
pyramid was replaced with a
newer version. Read more...
Supplements
A healthy diet is necessary for
proper body and brain
functions. What is a healthy
diet? How much exercise do we
have to have? Do I need
supplements?The FDA's food
guide pyramid suggests
percentages of each food
group (below) that constitute
not only a healthy, but
recommended daily diet. Or do
they? What about vegetarians
and vegans? In 1992 that
pyramid was replaced with a
newer version. Read more...
Be The Woman Men
Adore...and Never Want To
Leave. How To Captivate A
Man, Make Him Fall In Love
With You And Give You The
World!
Adore...and Never Want To
Leave. How To Captivate A
Man, Make Him Fall In Love
With You And Give You The
World!
Manifest A Miracle. A
Complete Resource On How To
Use The Power Of The Law Of
Attraction And Reality Creation!
Be The Woman Men
Adore...and Never Want To
Leave. How To Captivate A
Man, Make Him Fall In Love
With You And Give You The
World!
Anxiety And Panic Attacks.
Learn how to reduce or
eliminate anxiety and panic
attacks.
Totally Tranquil Stress Relief
Program.
Personal Path To Pregnancy.
Powerhouse Strategies And
Tips To Increase Your Odds Of
Getting Pregnant.
12 Hour Cure For Yeast
Infection. The Best Selling
Yeast Infection Book On The
Internet.
Natural Ovarian Cysts Relief
Secrets.
Bacterial Vaginosis Gone
Forever. Herbal Home
Remedy For Bacterial
Vaginosis. An Infection Similar
To A Yeast Infection That
Affects Only Women. The
Original And Best Bacterial
Vaginosis Book.
Stop Fibroids. For Female,
Pregnancy, Infertility,
Endometriosis, Pcos, Ovarian
Cysts, Women And Alternative
Health.
Natural Cancer Treatments.
Over 350 Treatments & 2,000
Testimonials That No-one Else
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UTI-Be-Gone - 100% Natural
Urinary Tract Infection Cure -
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Gallstone Remedy Report -
The *Best* And Most Popular
Gallstone Removal Report.
(Natural Health Remedy
Reports) -
Gout Natural Remedy Report
- Natural Remedy Reports.
The Diabetes Miracle
Breakthrough. Diabetes Cure
EBook.
Flat To Fem Breast
Enlargement Program. The
Complete Guide To Natural
Male Breast Enlargement.
Top Secret Fat Loss Secret.
Fit Over 40. Amazing
Inspirational Anti-aging, Health
And Weight Loss E-book For
The Over 40 Crowd.
Women's Lower Body
Makeover. Ultimate Leg Butt
Hip & Thigh Makeover Home
Exercise Program.
Complete Resource On How To
Use The Power Of The Law Of
Attraction And Reality Creation!
Be The Woman Men
Adore...and Never Want To
Leave. How To Captivate A
Man, Make Him Fall In Love
With You And Give You The
World!
Anxiety And Panic Attacks.
Learn how to reduce or
eliminate anxiety and panic
attacks.
Totally Tranquil Stress Relief
Program.
Personal Path To Pregnancy.
Powerhouse Strategies And
Tips To Increase Your Odds Of
Getting Pregnant.
12 Hour Cure For Yeast
Infection. The Best Selling
Yeast Infection Book On The
Internet.
Natural Ovarian Cysts Relief
Secrets.
Bacterial Vaginosis Gone
Forever. Herbal Home
Remedy For Bacterial
Vaginosis. An Infection Similar
To A Yeast Infection That
Affects Only Women. The
Original And Best Bacterial
Vaginosis Book.
Stop Fibroids. For Female,
Pregnancy, Infertility,
Endometriosis, Pcos, Ovarian
Cysts, Women And Alternative
Health.
Natural Cancer Treatments.
Over 350 Treatments & 2,000
Testimonials That No-one Else
Will Tell You About.
UTI-Be-Gone - 100% Natural
Urinary Tract Infection Cure -
High Conv. %. Urinary Tract
Infection Patients Are Often In
Extremely Pain, And This
Product Targets These
Desperate Buyers. It Will Teach
Them How To Beat Urinary
Tract Infections Without
Resorting To Antibiotics, And Its
Guaranteed To Work Within 48
Hours.
Gallstone Remedy Report -
The *Best* And Most Popular
Gallstone Removal Report.
(Natural Health Remedy
Reports) -
Gout Natural Remedy Report
- Natural Remedy Reports.
The Diabetes Miracle
Breakthrough. Diabetes Cure
EBook.
Flat To Fem Breast
Enlargement Program. The
Complete Guide To Natural
Male Breast Enlargement.
Top Secret Fat Loss Secret.
Fit Over 40. Amazing
Inspirational Anti-aging, Health
And Weight Loss E-book For
The Over 40 Crowd.
Women's Lower Body
Makeover. Ultimate Leg Butt
Hip & Thigh Makeover Home
Exercise Program.
Just Exactly What Can You
Expect As You Age?
Aging doesn't have to mean bifocals and canes, or wrinkles and arthritis
pain. Society today imposes negative stereotypes and attitudes on the
aging and the elderly. While we all age differently, here is some
statistics and information that may interest you and may help you avoid
those negative stereotypes and attitudes. For more detailed information
on any specific disorder or disease found within, click on the Medifocus.
com link below:
The field of aging is defined as social gerontology or gerontology.
While many of you think, "Who cares?", the fact is that the major
proportion of our population will soon be over the age of 50, Baby
Boomers, and they do care and so should you. They are the largest
generation, some 75 million people born between 1946 and 1964. They
are the generation that brought most of you, the Eco Boomers at 72
million, into the world today.
Some of the Baby Boomers have been fortunate enough to retire early,
but the rest will be retiring in a few years, increasing jobs in a vast
majority of fields. By the year 2030, one out of every five Americans will
be over the age of 65.
Leading Causes of Death In the U.S. for
people over the age of 65 (census 1977)
What effects aging and life expectancy? Several factors effect
aging and life expectancy including:
Life expectancy: Married people vs. divorced or single people live
longer. Women tend to live longer than men, about 6 years longer.
Economics play a factor in life expectancy as well. Those who have even
their basic needs taken care of live longer, while those in impoverished
conditions die sooner. People with higher educations have a tendency
to live longer than those with a high school education or below. This
may have a lot to do with income levels of those with higher education.
People who are able to stay in their own homes, those who do not have
to be moved to a long-term care facility fare better and live longer.
Having close family and friends, ties to the community, etc., will also
prolong both health and life. The disabled generally decline more
rapidly than healthier individuals, decreasing their life expectancy as
well. Actively engaged (up and moving around) simply means the longer
you stay active, the longer you will live.
How do other countries fare compared to the U.S.? The chart shows the
active life expectancy of men and women for:
Today, in America, the average woman lives to 80.1 years and the
average man to 74.8 years. While statistics may vary, the gap between
men and women has gradually narrowed.
In 1820, the median age of Americans was 16.7 years, in 1900, it
increased to 22.9. By 1995, the median age was 34.3 years old. What
that means is that the death rate vs birth rate has improved because of
advances in economic prosperity, science, medicine, and general living
conditions.
What are the Effects on the Human Body as we Age?
Aging and Exterior Body
No matter where you go in this world, you will always see someone with
wrinkles and/or sagging skin. Wrinkles and sagging skin appear for
other reasons other than aging and the time they appear varies from
person to person between the ages of 35 to 60. The skin is the largest
organ in the human body. It protects us against water loss, allows us to
feel pleasure or pain, heat or cold and protects our organs within. Aging
skin, wrinkles, is the first sign of aging. We see it as crow's feet around
the corners of the eyes, lines on the forehead, and around the lips and
chin. While it is a natural process, cosmetics and plastic surgery have
managed to stave off the appearance of being old. Maintaining good
skin elasticity will prolong a more youthful appearance. A loss of skin
elasticity can cause premature wrinkles and changes in skin texture.
Consequences of damaging the skin by allowing it to become to dry,
getting even a minor sunburn, or other damage include skin cancer and
skin discoloration.
Skin discoloration called Lentigo can appear on the face, back of
hands and forearms of people over the age of 50. They are also known
as liver spots. Lentigo is caused by an accumulation of skin pigment
melanin. Another skin discoloration is called senile purpura because it
occurs in the elderly, appearing as purple bruises. It also can be found
on the back of hands but is harmless and is caused by ruptured fragile
blood vessels.
Skin cancer is common in the aging population that have been
exposed to the sun without sunscreens. As we age, skin damage
accumulates. Basal cell carcinoma is the most common skin cancer. It
rarely spreads but must be removed before it destroys surrounding
tissue. Malignant melanoma is more serious, they can metastasize. It
can spread to other parts of the body, including bones, your brain, and
internal organs. My mother died of bone cancer about 12 years ago.
You do not want to die like that! In essence, the best protection against
skin cancer is sunscreen.
Rough dry skin can be the result of many things, but not usually just
aging. In most cases, a good moisturizer used daily will get rid of rough,
dry skin, but it helps to ex-foliate dead dry skin first.
Are we all destined to lose our hair and have paper thin fingernails?
While all of us will turn gray-headed or white-headed eventually, we will
not all have thinning hair (balding) or suffer from thin, fragile fingernails.
My father is 80 years old. He has thick white hair and thick fingernails.
Graying of hair is caused by a decrease in the number of active pigment
producing cells called melanocytes. When the melanocytes cease to
function completely, your hair will turn white (like my dad's). People have
a tendency to gray or turn white headed at different rates, between the
ages of 40 to 70.
Thin, brittle, or splitting fingernails known as Onychoschizia is not
necessarily a sign of aging. Onychosichizia can be caused by an iron
deficiency or by repeatedly wetting and drying the fingernails (hands),
like nurses or physicians do, or housewives that wash dishes without
gloves. The key is to use gloves.
Thinning (balding) or brittle hair can be a sign of aging or a medical
problem. Hair loss due to aging is more often in men due to interactions
between testosterone and genetics. Male pattern baldness may appear
in men as young as 20. Women may experience thinning hair like men
but more often than not, they experience hair growth in the wrong
places like the upper lip and long wiry strays on the arms and face
caused by menopause. Electrolysis or cream hair removers can easily
resolve these problems (or a good pair of tweezers).
Aging and Changing Brain Function
How does aging effect brain function? Aging causes changes in the
Central Nervous System (CNS), Peripheral Nervous System (PNS), can
be responsible for many balance and fall (a leading cause of hip
fractures in the elderly) problems in the elderly, and changes in sleep
patterns that may be keeping you up at night. While looking young
depends on good skin care and genetics, everything has an impact on
brain function. And brain function has an impact on memory, mood,
intelligence, sleep patterns, bodily functions and sensory organs
(everything).
What is the Central Nervous System? The CNS includes the brain and
spinal cord. The brain is divided into areas specific in function such as
vision, hearing, smell, speech, interpretation, comprehension, touch,
taste, intelligence, personality, and mood. What is the Peripheral
Nervous System? The PNS includes all other parts of the nervous
system including the spinal nerves or peripheral nerves from every part
of the body. As we grow older, neurons in the brain die and are not
replaced by new ones. The cell loss is not uniform nor the same from
individual to individual. Some parts of the brain will experience neuron
loss sufficient to cause up 30 to 40 percent loss of voluntary movement:
slowed movements, decreased flexibility and gait seen in the elderly.
Verbal and performance levels begin to decline in people age 60 and
older.
What causes balance problems and falls in the elderly? A structure
called the cerebellum in the back of the brain is responsible for bodily
movements and movement (to some degree). Damage to this area of
the brain ultimately causes disruptions in balance and fine voluntary and
involuntary movement. As we age, we lose up to 25% of cells in this
area of the brain, causing us to have balance and coordination
problems. Falls occur in as many as 35% of people age 65 and older
and is the leading cause of hip fracture. Between 40 and 45 percent of
people over the age of 80 fall at least once a year and incidences
increase with age. Falling is a major problem that reduces active
lifestyles and thus reducing life expectancy.
Changes in sleep patterns can be a serious problem. Genetics and the
nervous system regulates sleep patterns or circadian rhythms. Newborn
babies require 16 to 18 hours of sleep, by the time they reach a year
old, the only require 13 to 14 hours and this slowly decreases until they
reach adolescence. Teenagers only need about 8 1/2 to 9 hours sleep.
Most adults need about 8 hours of sleep per day to function well, and
contrary to popular belief, the need for sleep does not decrease. Plus
up to 10% of people require more or less than 8 hours. Menopause
cause significant changes in women's sleep patterns. It significantly
decreases the amount and quality of sleep and can lead to chronic
insomnia, snoring and sleep apnea. As we age, our need for sleep
remains the same. but the number of time we awaken during the night
increases, which is why the elderly take naps often. Nocturnal
awakenings tend to increase around age 40 and can cause insomnia.
Insomnia can lead to irritability and weight gain. Overall, getting the
proper amount of undisrupted sleep is important at any age.
How does aging effect our sensory organs? First, the sensory organs
include eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin and what is effected is the
vision, hearing, smell, taste, and touch, respectively. As we grow older,
we experience some loss in each area, but that also depends on the
individual and the area as to how much. Would it surprise you to find out
you begin to lose some of your senses as early as your 20's. Well,
between the ages of 25 and 50. In your mid twenties, the losses are so
minute that you don't notice them, then gradually the losses increase
until your 50's when they become more obvious. One of the most
apparent loses, presbyopia, requires bifocals. Other vision loss can
usually and easily be corrected with glasses, contacts, or some new
form of corrective surgery. Presbyopia cannot be corrected by surgery
but bifocals do help. Glaucoma and cataracts are other eye problems
which require a physician. Hearing loss associated with aging is called
presbycusis, can usually be corrected with hearing aids. It becomes
noticeable when people can no longer hear high-pitched sounds, like
women's voices. What of taste, smell, and touch? Taste and smell are
connected, the loss of one affects the other. As we age, we gradually
lose the sense of smell, and it directly affects how we eat. If you can't
smell food, it becomes unappealing. To make matters worse, as we grow
older, we burn off taste buds on our tongues. Taste buds do not
regenerate, so over time (or more rapidly is you continually burn your
tongue on hot foods or drinks) we lose the sense of taste. Another
cause is degeneration of taste buds and/or how the brain perceives
information from taste buds. Between the combination of loss of taste
buds and smell, the elderly can suffer from malnutrition. Touch, the final
sense, is regulated by sensors under the skin. It regulates temperature
and our ability to 'feel' things that are too hot or too cold. It also controls
pain, itching responses, and pleasure. Loss of the layer of fatty tissue
beneath the skin and poor circulation can cause the elderly have
difficulty staying warm enough. Another problem is that when we age,
the sweat glands can cease to function, making it impossible to cool off,
putting the elderly at risk for heat exhaustion or heat stroke. This is very
important is there is a heat wave because many elderly die every year
from a lack of air conditioning or fans.
"Oh, my aching bones! It's going to rain today." We've all heard either
our parents or grandparents say this. Aging can have a severe impact
on the skeletal system. The skeletal system effects the bones,
cartilage, and connective tissue. Those actively engaged in sports can
testify to how painful the damage in one or all of the areas can be (my
son, the football player). Repetitive type work or assembly line work can
be especially bad on the skeletal system over time. In fact, most
individuals who work under those conditions can expect to fare much
worse as they age than other individuals. People who did not get
enough calcium during infancy, early childhood, young adulthood, up to
their thirties will develop bone problems as they age. Why?
Expect As You Age?
Aging doesn't have to mean bifocals and canes, or wrinkles and arthritis
pain. Society today imposes negative stereotypes and attitudes on the
aging and the elderly. While we all age differently, here is some
statistics and information that may interest you and may help you avoid
those negative stereotypes and attitudes. For more detailed information
on any specific disorder or disease found within, click on the Medifocus.
com link below:
- Definitions and Perspectives on Aging
- Physical and Social Aspects of Aging
- Care of the Aging
- Aging and Society
- Staving off the effects of Aging
The field of aging is defined as social gerontology or gerontology.
While many of you think, "Who cares?", the fact is that the major
proportion of our population will soon be over the age of 50, Baby
Boomers, and they do care and so should you. They are the largest
generation, some 75 million people born between 1946 and 1964. They
are the generation that brought most of you, the Eco Boomers at 72
million, into the world today.
Some of the Baby Boomers have been fortunate enough to retire early,
but the rest will be retiring in a few years, increasing jobs in a vast
majority of fields. By the year 2030, one out of every five Americans will
be over the age of 65.
Leading Causes of Death In the U.S. for
people over the age of 65 (census 1977)
- Heart Disease
- Cancer
- Stroke
- Lung Disease
- Pneumonia & Influenza
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Accidents
- Alzheimer's Disease
What effects aging and life expectancy? Several factors effect
aging and life expectancy including:
- Marital Status
- Sex or Gender
- Income & Poverty
- Education
- Geography
- Socialization, Friends & Family
- Actively Engaged
Life expectancy: Married people vs. divorced or single people live
longer. Women tend to live longer than men, about 6 years longer.
Economics play a factor in life expectancy as well. Those who have even
their basic needs taken care of live longer, while those in impoverished
conditions die sooner. People with higher educations have a tendency
to live longer than those with a high school education or below. This
may have a lot to do with income levels of those with higher education.
People who are able to stay in their own homes, those who do not have
to be moved to a long-term care facility fare better and live longer.
Having close family and friends, ties to the community, etc., will also
prolong both health and life. The disabled generally decline more
rapidly than healthier individuals, decreasing their life expectancy as
well. Actively engaged (up and moving around) simply means the longer
you stay active, the longer you will live.
How do other countries fare compared to the U.S.? The chart shows the
active life expectancy of men and women for:
Today, in America, the average woman lives to 80.1 years and the
average man to 74.8 years. While statistics may vary, the gap between
men and women has gradually narrowed.
In 1820, the median age of Americans was 16.7 years, in 1900, it
increased to 22.9. By 1995, the median age was 34.3 years old. What
that means is that the death rate vs birth rate has improved because of
advances in economic prosperity, science, medicine, and general living
conditions.
What are the Effects on the Human Body as we Age?
- Aging and Exterior Body
- Aging and Changing Brain Function
- Aging and Sensory Organs
- Aging and Skeletal System
- Aging and Muscular System
- Aging and Reproductive System
- Aging and Cardiovascular System
- Social and Psychological Aspects of Aging
- Prevention
Aging and Exterior Body
No matter where you go in this world, you will always see someone with
wrinkles and/or sagging skin. Wrinkles and sagging skin appear for
other reasons other than aging and the time they appear varies from
person to person between the ages of 35 to 60. The skin is the largest
organ in the human body. It protects us against water loss, allows us to
feel pleasure or pain, heat or cold and protects our organs within. Aging
skin, wrinkles, is the first sign of aging. We see it as crow's feet around
the corners of the eyes, lines on the forehead, and around the lips and
chin. While it is a natural process, cosmetics and plastic surgery have
managed to stave off the appearance of being old. Maintaining good
skin elasticity will prolong a more youthful appearance. A loss of skin
elasticity can cause premature wrinkles and changes in skin texture.
Consequences of damaging the skin by allowing it to become to dry,
getting even a minor sunburn, or other damage include skin cancer and
skin discoloration.
Skin discoloration called Lentigo can appear on the face, back of
hands and forearms of people over the age of 50. They are also known
as liver spots. Lentigo is caused by an accumulation of skin pigment
melanin. Another skin discoloration is called senile purpura because it
occurs in the elderly, appearing as purple bruises. It also can be found
on the back of hands but is harmless and is caused by ruptured fragile
blood vessels.
Skin cancer is common in the aging population that have been
exposed to the sun without sunscreens. As we age, skin damage
accumulates. Basal cell carcinoma is the most common skin cancer. It
rarely spreads but must be removed before it destroys surrounding
tissue. Malignant melanoma is more serious, they can metastasize. It
can spread to other parts of the body, including bones, your brain, and
internal organs. My mother died of bone cancer about 12 years ago.
You do not want to die like that! In essence, the best protection against
skin cancer is sunscreen.
Rough dry skin can be the result of many things, but not usually just
aging. In most cases, a good moisturizer used daily will get rid of rough,
dry skin, but it helps to ex-foliate dead dry skin first.
Are we all destined to lose our hair and have paper thin fingernails?
While all of us will turn gray-headed or white-headed eventually, we will
not all have thinning hair (balding) or suffer from thin, fragile fingernails.
My father is 80 years old. He has thick white hair and thick fingernails.
Graying of hair is caused by a decrease in the number of active pigment
producing cells called melanocytes. When the melanocytes cease to
function completely, your hair will turn white (like my dad's). People have
a tendency to gray or turn white headed at different rates, between the
ages of 40 to 70.
Thin, brittle, or splitting fingernails known as Onychoschizia is not
necessarily a sign of aging. Onychosichizia can be caused by an iron
deficiency or by repeatedly wetting and drying the fingernails (hands),
like nurses or physicians do, or housewives that wash dishes without
gloves. The key is to use gloves.
Thinning (balding) or brittle hair can be a sign of aging or a medical
problem. Hair loss due to aging is more often in men due to interactions
between testosterone and genetics. Male pattern baldness may appear
in men as young as 20. Women may experience thinning hair like men
but more often than not, they experience hair growth in the wrong
places like the upper lip and long wiry strays on the arms and face
caused by menopause. Electrolysis or cream hair removers can easily
resolve these problems (or a good pair of tweezers).
Aging and Changing Brain Function
How does aging effect brain function? Aging causes changes in the
Central Nervous System (CNS), Peripheral Nervous System (PNS), can
be responsible for many balance and fall (a leading cause of hip
fractures in the elderly) problems in the elderly, and changes in sleep
patterns that may be keeping you up at night. While looking young
depends on good skin care and genetics, everything has an impact on
brain function. And brain function has an impact on memory, mood,
intelligence, sleep patterns, bodily functions and sensory organs
(everything).
What is the Central Nervous System? The CNS includes the brain and
spinal cord. The brain is divided into areas specific in function such as
vision, hearing, smell, speech, interpretation, comprehension, touch,
taste, intelligence, personality, and mood. What is the Peripheral
Nervous System? The PNS includes all other parts of the nervous
system including the spinal nerves or peripheral nerves from every part
of the body. As we grow older, neurons in the brain die and are not
replaced by new ones. The cell loss is not uniform nor the same from
individual to individual. Some parts of the brain will experience neuron
loss sufficient to cause up 30 to 40 percent loss of voluntary movement:
slowed movements, decreased flexibility and gait seen in the elderly.
Verbal and performance levels begin to decline in people age 60 and
older.
What causes balance problems and falls in the elderly? A structure
called the cerebellum in the back of the brain is responsible for bodily
movements and movement (to some degree). Damage to this area of
the brain ultimately causes disruptions in balance and fine voluntary and
involuntary movement. As we age, we lose up to 25% of cells in this
area of the brain, causing us to have balance and coordination
problems. Falls occur in as many as 35% of people age 65 and older
and is the leading cause of hip fracture. Between 40 and 45 percent of
people over the age of 80 fall at least once a year and incidences
increase with age. Falling is a major problem that reduces active
lifestyles and thus reducing life expectancy.
Changes in sleep patterns can be a serious problem. Genetics and the
nervous system regulates sleep patterns or circadian rhythms. Newborn
babies require 16 to 18 hours of sleep, by the time they reach a year
old, the only require 13 to 14 hours and this slowly decreases until they
reach adolescence. Teenagers only need about 8 1/2 to 9 hours sleep.
Most adults need about 8 hours of sleep per day to function well, and
contrary to popular belief, the need for sleep does not decrease. Plus
up to 10% of people require more or less than 8 hours. Menopause
cause significant changes in women's sleep patterns. It significantly
decreases the amount and quality of sleep and can lead to chronic
insomnia, snoring and sleep apnea. As we age, our need for sleep
remains the same. but the number of time we awaken during the night
increases, which is why the elderly take naps often. Nocturnal
awakenings tend to increase around age 40 and can cause insomnia.
Insomnia can lead to irritability and weight gain. Overall, getting the
proper amount of undisrupted sleep is important at any age.
How does aging effect our sensory organs? First, the sensory organs
include eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin and what is effected is the
vision, hearing, smell, taste, and touch, respectively. As we grow older,
we experience some loss in each area, but that also depends on the
individual and the area as to how much. Would it surprise you to find out
you begin to lose some of your senses as early as your 20's. Well,
between the ages of 25 and 50. In your mid twenties, the losses are so
minute that you don't notice them, then gradually the losses increase
until your 50's when they become more obvious. One of the most
apparent loses, presbyopia, requires bifocals. Other vision loss can
usually and easily be corrected with glasses, contacts, or some new
form of corrective surgery. Presbyopia cannot be corrected by surgery
but bifocals do help. Glaucoma and cataracts are other eye problems
which require a physician. Hearing loss associated with aging is called
presbycusis, can usually be corrected with hearing aids. It becomes
noticeable when people can no longer hear high-pitched sounds, like
women's voices. What of taste, smell, and touch? Taste and smell are
connected, the loss of one affects the other. As we age, we gradually
lose the sense of smell, and it directly affects how we eat. If you can't
smell food, it becomes unappealing. To make matters worse, as we grow
older, we burn off taste buds on our tongues. Taste buds do not
regenerate, so over time (or more rapidly is you continually burn your
tongue on hot foods or drinks) we lose the sense of taste. Another
cause is degeneration of taste buds and/or how the brain perceives
information from taste buds. Between the combination of loss of taste
buds and smell, the elderly can suffer from malnutrition. Touch, the final
sense, is regulated by sensors under the skin. It regulates temperature
and our ability to 'feel' things that are too hot or too cold. It also controls
pain, itching responses, and pleasure. Loss of the layer of fatty tissue
beneath the skin and poor circulation can cause the elderly have
difficulty staying warm enough. Another problem is that when we age,
the sweat glands can cease to function, making it impossible to cool off,
putting the elderly at risk for heat exhaustion or heat stroke. This is very
important is there is a heat wave because many elderly die every year
from a lack of air conditioning or fans.
"Oh, my aching bones! It's going to rain today." We've all heard either
our parents or grandparents say this. Aging can have a severe impact
on the skeletal system. The skeletal system effects the bones,
cartilage, and connective tissue. Those actively engaged in sports can
testify to how painful the damage in one or all of the areas can be (my
son, the football player). Repetitive type work or assembly line work can
be especially bad on the skeletal system over time. In fact, most
individuals who work under those conditions can expect to fare much
worse as they age than other individuals. People who did not get
enough calcium during infancy, early childhood, young adulthood, up to
their thirties will develop bone problems as they age. Why?
Oxmoor Chiropractic
Dr. Taylor Flannagan, DC
1021 Oxmoor Rd.
Homewood, AL
35209-5317
USA
drflann009@aol.com
(205) 870-3911
Say hello to one of Birmingham's finest
Chiropractor's: Dr. Taylor Flannagan, DC.
We have been patient's of Dr. Flannagan's
for about 2 years and would recommend his
service to everyone!
Dr. Taylor Flannagan, DC
1021 Oxmoor Rd.
Homewood, AL
35209-5317
USA
drflann009@aol.com
(205) 870-3911
Say hello to one of Birmingham's finest
Chiropractor's: Dr. Taylor Flannagan, DC.
We have been patient's of Dr. Flannagan's
for about 2 years and would recommend his
service to everyone!
