Recommendations for the elderly on a healthy lifestyle. Healthy lifestyle for the elderly. Before eating food
The quality of life in adulthood depends on many factors, and heredity plays an important role among them. However, recent studies show that genes are only one third responsible for longevity, the remaining 2/3 to live long and disease-free is in our hands.
Science has collected a lot of data about what kind of human behavior can prolong and improve the quality of life. We have collected for you the most significant expert advice that will help you not only age beautifully, but also with style.
1. Eat more potassium.
Potassium keeps you strong, so eat potassium-rich vegetables (potatoes, leafy greens) and fruits (bananas, papaya). Over the age of 65, its presence in the diet preserves 3.6% more muscle mass than its absence. This is very important, since, starting from this age, a person loses about 2 kg of muscle mass every 10 years. This leads to weakness, falls, which can cause further complications. It is recommended to consume at least 4.7 g of potassium daily, this corresponds to 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables. To achieve this, make sure that 1-2 servings are included in each of your meals. In addition, carefully monitor the amount of salt in the diet. It reduces the level of potassium in the body.
2. Enjoy life.
An optimistic attitude increases life expectancy. Several dozens of scientific studies have confirmed that the feeling of happiness is the prevention of disease. And so effective that it can be compared with quitting smoking. Another scientific study found that people who usually describe themselves as happy and content with life were good health and very rarely suffered from serious illnesses. Of course, you can repeat like a parrot that you are happy, but not really feel it. And yet, optimism can be learned by using anti-stress techniques, meditation and surrounding yourself with cheerful people.
3. Wear sneakers.
If your sports shoes are gathering dust somewhere on the mezzanine, urgently get them out of there. Sports medicine experts assure that people who are in good physical shape push back biological aging by at least 10 years and remain independent and capable longer. Scientific studies conducted over 7 years with the same participants determined that sports activity is inversely proportional to the date of death, that is, the more you exercise, the longer you will live. At the same time, it is better to do a little, but every day, than to exhaustion every few days.
4. Get rich culturally.
Probiotics, which are human-friendly bacteria, help prevent a number of diseases. Their activity is associated with strengthening the immune system and reducing the risk of colon cancer. By some coincidence, in those places where he lives a large number of centenarians, the population eats a large amount of fermented (i.e. fermented) foods, which just contain probiotics. Supplement your diet with "live" yogurt, for example, or Korean kimchi. Consider supplementing with a probiotic supplement such as Lactobacillus GG or Bacillus Coagulans 30. Consult your physician and read dosage information carefully.
5. Take Vitamin B
The brain needs vitamin B12, which is found in seafood and poultry, to be healthy. In people with a low content of this vitamin in the blood, the process of extinction of mental functions proceeds much faster. And those who, on the contrary, use it in sufficient quantities, are 6 times less likely to experience age-related loss of brain volume. Most people can get enough vitamin B12 from their daily diet. Vegetarians who avoid animal foods need vitamin supplements. The same applies to people over 65 years of age, as age-related decrease in stomach acid reduces the absorption of this vitamin from food. In these cases, it is required to take B12 additionally in combination with other B vitamins or as a separate supplement.
6. Fish should become a familiar dish on your table.
Some varieties of oily fish are high in omega-3 acids - eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) - vital for maintaining health, especially in old age. Numerous studies have confirmed their ability to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and heart attacks. Eating fish rich in omega-3s three times a week reduces the risk of stroke and brain diseases, including senility, by 26%. These same acids have a beneficial effect on vision. Just one serving of oily fish a week can halve the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (damage to the central area of the retina), leading to blindness. The optimal amount is two servings of oily fish per week, experts advise. Load up on herring, salmon, tuna, and trout. Fresh sardines and other small fish are also good. There is practically no mercury in them, and besides, they are very tasty.
5. Don't forget your friends.
Don't put off communication until later. Loneliness raises blood pressure, increases the risk of depression, Alzheimer's disease and significantly reduces immunity. Social activity, on the contrary, improves health and increases life expectancy. And what about those who have friends and relatives living far away? Chat online. Social networks and communication on the Internet gives a similar effect.
6. Vitamin D
Vitamin D is one of the main defenders of the body against age-related diseases. People with low levels of vitamin D in the blood die faster from various diseases, this has been confirmed by numerous studies. The vitamin protects against cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, certain types of cancer, and autoimmune diseases. Found in fish, eggs and fortified milk. Our body produces vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. The problem is, we still miss it. Doctors recommend taking an additional D3 of about 1000 IU. daily.
7. Practice Tai Chi.
This ancient gymnastics is also called "meditation in motion." This is a set of exercises based on stretching and balancing, which helps to maintain health for many, many years. Studies have confirmed the effectiveness of tai chi in maintaining physical fitness, reducing high blood pressure, relieving chronic pain, reducing anxiety, and slowing bone loss after menopause. Gymnastics also solves the problem of insomnia, which older people often complain about. This has also been proven in studies conducted with people from 59 to 86 years old: those who practiced tai chi slept better and sounder than those who did not practice. This gymnastics is not at all difficult, the main thing is to learn how to perform it. So look for tai chi centers in your city or appropriate classes in sports clubs.
8. Give up red meat.
Allow yourself very rarely, no more than 1 time per week, experts advise. The saturated fats it contains can clog arteries and increase the risk of heart disease. And cancer. Scientists have estimated this risk at 20-60% in those who consume large amounts of red meat (approximately 100 g per day). Red meat contains too much iron, an excess of which leads to cardiovascular disorders, diabetes and Alzheimer's disease. Swap it out for fish, poultry, and whole organic soy products.
From this article you will learn:
What are the characteristics of older people
What are the indicators of the health of the elderly
What can affect the mental health of older people
What is the social and physiological health of older people
Is it possible to restore the health of the elderly
With age, people are increasingly aware that the most important thing in life is still health. When diseases creep closer and closer, they begin to remember about health more and more often. How to feel the best in spite of advancing years? How to stabilize your psychological state and not lose heart? Follow a certain algorithm, and you will feel much better.
Features of the health of the elderly
Exists many criteria that affect the health of the elderly. Firstly, hereditary predisposition to certain diseases or, on the contrary, their immunity. Secondly, a person is significantly influenced by Lifestyle, which he led during his life, in what conditions he lived.
The reserves of the human body are much more than the average threshold of mortality. And at the same time, a reasonable attitude towards old age, psychological comfort and careful care for the elderly truly work wonders, reviving them to life.
In connection with the slowdown in the processes of recovery and metabolism in old age, the following occurs:
suffers from the gastrointestinal tract, musculoskeletal system, cardiovascular system, organs of vision, hearing, etc.;
immune status drops sharply;
a person becomes forgetful, thought processes slow down, relatives note changes in character.
If an elderly person falls ill, one must be extremely careful, since high risk of complications. And this will entail a long recovery period.
What are the indicators of the health of the elderly
From a socio-psychological point of view, there are 5 types of human adaptation:
Structural installation. The most favorable variant of an elderly person's adaptation is when he calmly perceives his situation and is benevolent towards his neighbors. He is aware of his position as a given, as a certain stage of his life, summing up, death does not frighten him, and the person retains enthusiasm and optimism. Feelings of trust towards loved ones.
Installing a dependency. Such people are comfortable only in the familiar family circle, they occupy a passive side, are dependent on others, do not finish what they have started, cause self-pity.
Protective installation. Excessive external activity is a characteristic feature for people of this type. It serves as a kind of protection for them against internal doubts and fears, including the fear of death. Such people know their own worth and are completely immersed in professional activities.
Set hostility. Older people of this type are characterized by increased grouchiness. They are very difficult to please, such old people are constantly dissatisfied with something. They have a short temper, tinged with rage and anger. They perceive the world in a "black light", they are also negative in relation to themselves, to their infirmities. Envy of the bygone youth haunts them at every step, they are afraid of death.
An attitude of hostility, but directed at oneself. This category easily falls into a deep depression, and the reason may be simply the lack of sympathy from close and dear people. They do not resist against their old age and inactively meet the trials of fate, causing pity for themselves. With death, in their opinion, relief will come, and suffering will remain in the past.
Only the life position of the person himself can affect the general condition of the body and its worldview.
What can affect the mental health of older people
Mental health in older people depends on:
social position;
psychological state;
biological features.
The psyche of elderly people is significantly affected by their limited ability to move freely, constant pain, dependence on outsiders caring for them.
Additional blows are the death of loved ones, a sharp change in socio-economic status during the transition to retirement or disability. All this is accompanied by a feeling of loneliness, a feeling of dependence on the immediate environment, isolation from the outside world.
Mental and physical health are closely linked and influence each other. Older people with medical conditions are more likely to depressive states. At the same time, if a person is not taken out of this state, the disease will begin to progress sharply.
Inadmissible appeal to the older generation of people today is quite common. And this seriously undermines their psychosomatic state. It can even lead to consequences such as depression and dementia.
Therefore, try to pay attention to your old people as often as possible. Your caring attitude can instill in them a spirit of confidence in the future, as well as a positive attitude for the future.
dementia- a syndrome accompanied by a sharp depression of the central nervous system. Mental functions are weakened, memory is reduced, a person's behavior changes, he is no longer able to fulfill his daily needs. Basically, this pathology occurs in elderly people.
According to statistical studies around the world 47.5 million people have dementia. In the near future, according to experts, the total number of people with dementia will rise to 75.6 million by 2030 and to 135.5 million by 2050. Territorially, people in low- and middle-income countries are more susceptible to dementia.
Within the framework of state support for people with such a pathology, it is necessary to remember those who care for older people with dementia. Since this is a serious work that requires a special approach, emotional endurance and resistance to stressful situations.
Economic problems stem from financial investments in the provision of medical care, social and actual.
Depression is a severe manifestation of psychological disorders in the elderly. Unipolar depression affects 7% of all the elderly, of which 5.7% of total disability among people over 60 years of age. Unfortunately, depression is not always diagnosed on time, and at present it is given insufficient attention from medicine due to the fact that it is usually accompanied by other pathological conditions of the body.
What influences the social health of the elderly
With age the circle of communication of an elderly person narrows significantly, and his social activity drops sharply. This happens due to:
Firstly, older people, finishing their professional activities, sharply narrow the circle of their communication. Only a small proportion of older people maintain contact with their work colleagues. And these are those self-sufficient people who know their worth and want to preserve independence in life as much as possible.
Secondly, over time, friends, colleagues and associates of the elderly pass away. There is also a process of relocation of old people to relatives, and communication at the proper level is already becoming impossible. elderly people more and more isolated from society as a whole. Elderly people are beginning to urgently need to communicate with their relatives. The most interesting thing is that many older people do not want to remember old age, and therefore avoid contact with their peers. Especially with those who like to complain about their sores and infirmities. This category of old people chooses the circle of the younger generation for communication. Along the way, they often discover a disrespectful attitude towards the elderly, their uselessness and lack of demand by society.
happening emotional shifts in elderly people against the backdrop of isolation from society. They are often haunted by a decline in vitality, a negative attitude, and uncertainty about the future. The thought of death does not leave the elderly, and the death of their friends and acquaintances only once again serves as a vivid reminder of this. It is not possible to make up for the loss of a relationship with this person. In Asian cultures, such as China or Japan, older people hold the titles of patriarchs, elders, and because of this, they participate in society for a longer time.
Thirdly, the elderly person gives preference for solitude, but not active communication. Since he is tired of stupid conversations, they seem empty to him, he independently protects himself from such conversations. Therefore, the social circle of an elderly person becomes very narrow. It can only include the closest relatives, acquaintances and a few friends.
Fourth, old age can not help but worry the elderly. There are many factors that affect the social circle of older people. Typically people over 60 begin to complain about health and age, while still looking strong enough. One of the key points is the marriage relationship. After all, the death of the closest and native person inexorably leaves deep wounds in the psyche of an elderly person. And it often happens that this person drops the lead household. He becomes dependent on his family and friends, his character and emotional background change.
What is the physical health of the elderly
The aging process takes place throughout life. In the hands of each person is his own health. The physical state of his body in old age depends on how healthy a person’s lifestyle was in his youth. All bad habits, such as smoking, drinking alcohol, inadequate and unbalanced nutrition, physical inactivity, lead to premature aging of the body, and in extreme cases, to death.
A person against such a detrimental background develops many chronic diseases. Diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic upper respiratory diseases and mental disorders account for approximately 77% of all pathological conditions and 86% of deaths in the European Region. The situation in the socially disadvantaged strata of society is aggravated.
It must be remembered that It's never too late to start thinking about a healthy lifestyle and eliminate the most bad habits. This will significantly reduce the possibility of premature death (up to 50%) and improve the quality of life in general. According to studies, older people who regularly engage in feasible physical exercises are much less likely to suffer from somatic diseases. Such pathological conditions most often lead to early death: coronary heart disease, hypertension, stroke, type 2 diabetes, colon cancer, breast cancer.
People who take an active life position, pay attention to their physical body, have an optimal level of cardiorespiratory and muscle conditions, correct weight and body structure. And the structure of biomarkers becomes favorable for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes and strengthening of bone tissues.
Generally, a healthy lifestyle can eliminate or, at least, delay the development of type 2 diabetes.
The health problems of the elderly that every second person faces
balance disorders
Most older people have movement coordination disorders and problems associated with dizziness ( vertigo). At the first symptoms of these pathological conditions, you should immediately seek help from professionals. A complication of discoordination can be injuries due to a fall. According to statistics, every year more than a third of older people over the age of 65 lose their balance and fall.
Memory problems
The causes of this condition in the elderly can be a lack of water in the body, malnutrition, sleep problems, as well as other diseases, for example, Alzheimer's disease. However, such a process in the elderly is not a variant of the norm. Therefore, it is important to seek medical help in time.
Malnutrition
Necessarily in the diet elderly person should include the optimal amount of fiber contained in raw vegetables, fruits, cereals. This helps to prevent congestion in the intestines, improving peristalsis. Also, a person in old age should drink a sufficient amount of fluid, since salivation decreases with age. To maintain a normal life, an elderly person must follow the principles of proper, nutritious and balanced nutrition.
Lack of exercise
Physical exercise is essential people in old age. They are a means of preventing many senile-related health problems. Physical education has a positive effect on the psychology of a person, he has a life-affirming view of the world and a cheerful state of mind, positively affects the functioning of the brain, increases the endurance of the body.
Sleep problems
In the elderly sleep pattern is disturbed for several reasons. There may be frequent urination at night, which interrupts a person's sleep.
Such a phenomenon greatly undermines a good sleep. Due to this experts recommend the following:
sleep in a well-ventilated room, darkened, in a calm environment;
adhere to a certain mode of sleep and wakefulness, if you are tired, you should take a break, listen to yourself;
do not watch television at least an hour before bedtime;
with increased excitability of an elderly person, it is worth reassuring him, helping him take a bath or turning on a soothing melody.
All this contributes to the absent-mindedness of an elderly person, which can be aggravated by a loss of vision. That's why check regularly with an ophthalmologist. This should be done especially if symptoms such as defocusing of nearby objects appear. Visit an optometrist at least once every six months. In order not to complicate the life of your elderly, it is advisable not to rearrange the furniture in the room where the elderly spend most of their time. Also make sure it is well lit. In this case, an elderly person will easily move around in a familiar environment.
Hearing loss
Elderly people have a hard time with hearing loss. They are become irritable and irritable because they feel helpless. Hearing aids are of great help in this matter. Get it for your elderly relative and do not forget to check it for serviceability in a timely manner. When communicating with such a person, always speak clearly, slowly and in low tones. Let the elderly person visually observe your face, as they often read information from the lips and facial expressions of the speaker.
Loss of smell
To replenish olfactory functions, use enough spices during cooking. For safety reasons, install smoke detectors and a stove with a blocking system in the house. It will cut off the gas supply to the burner. After all, an elderly person with a weak sense of smell may not smell the gas.
Change in tactile sensations and loss of fine motor skills
nice hugs able to give an elderly person a feeling of need, love and your care for him. To make him feel more confident, purchase dishes with comfortable handles. Indeed, in old age it is more difficult to perform some kind of delicate work, and they can injure themselves inadvertently.
Health promotion for the elderly. Longevity Recipes
For the full life of an elderly person, there are a number of measures to improve health. This includes and morning cold and hot shower , And daily walks outside, preferably in park areas, and regular exercise.
Always remember that your body needs a complete, balanced and varied diet. If necessary, you can include biologically active supplements based on herbal preparations in the diet.
Here are some examples of natural healing recipes:
Infusion of rye stalks and stellate grass will give your body a charge of vivacity and give strength. Pour two tablespoons of herbal collection with one liter of boiling water. Infuse the herbs for forty minutes, and then strain. It is enough to drink half a liter of this infusion per day to obtain the desired effect.
Decoction of sunflower roots. Take one glass of roots, after crushing them, and fill it with three liters of water. Bring the mixture to a boil and then strain. This decoction is drunk for two days. Used roots can be reused to prepare this decoction by boiling for 5 minutes. For the third and last time, you need to boil for 15 minutes.
Drinking this decoction is supposed to be no more than two months, and the break is six months. For the best result from the use of decoction, it is recommended to avoid spicy, sour and fatty foods.
Bran play a very important role in the diet of the elderly. It is enough to take one tablespoon of bran and pour it with water (500 ml). Boil for 35 minutes, stirring the mixture regularly. Put a few tablespoons of honey into the prepared product. Eat ready-made bran four times a day for 50 grams.
Oat drink- a wonderful tool with a general strengthening property. Rinse the oats in cool water and cover with five glasses of water. Next, you need to put the mixture on a small fire and boil until half of the original volume of liquid has evaporated. Strain the decoction of oats. You can add some milk and boil again.
sea kale- a very useful product, rich in trace elements, minerals and iodine. In addition to its qualities that have a beneficial effect on the general condition of the body, seaweed has excellent cleansing properties. It will help to get rid of wastes and toxins in your body. After some time after drinking, you can already feel a surge of vitality, positive emotions and energy in your body. It is served to the table both in dry and canned form.
horsetail is also a powerful detoxifier. It is consumed mainly in the form of a tea drink. It is brewed in the traditional way, like a simple tea, after cutting and drying the horsetail. Add honey to taste to the finished drink and enjoy the tea ceremony.
Birch buds, young leaves and juice of this tree have been used since ancient times as a strong body cleanser that removes toxins from the body and has a tonic property.
May nettle tincture(300 g of raw materials per 0.5 l of vodka) tones all body systems. Withstand tincture first one day on the window, then eight days in a dark place. Dishes must be sealed. Next, the tincture is filtered and squeezed. Take it as a medicine, one teaspoon in the morning or at night.
mistletoe normalizes metabolic processes in the body. Preparation: pour one tablespoon of dry mistletoe with boiling water (0.5 liters) and insist in a water bath for twenty minutes.
Decoction of hawthorn fruit(0.5 kg) and chokeberry(0.3 kg) is able to strengthen the myocardium. To prepare a decoction, the fruits are ground, a small amount of water must be added to the resulting mass. Put on a slow fire and heat up to 40 ° C. Next, squeeze the juice from the mixture, in which one tablespoon of the golden mustache is stirred. It is recommended to use for medicinal purposes three times a day, one tablespoon.
Keep your mind young
Therefore, studying something new, reading cognitive literature, getting up-to-date information, painting wonderful pictures with paints, thinking on interesting topics, You not only improve in your intellectual abilities, but also maintain your body in a strong and healthy state.
Think Positive
Conscious behavior and thoughts can work wonders. Do not focus your attention on the negative phenomena in your life, but on the contrary, think positively. This way you attract more happy moments into your life. A positive attitude in life will help to cope with senile ailments and feel in harmony with the outside world.
Contact your doctor promptly
At the first signs of diseases characteristic of old age, immediately contact a medical institution. And you will be helped to cope with the disease in the early stages of development.
Control your illnesses
If you keep the whole process of therapeutic measures under control, success from them will definitely come. Most importantly, do not make your own adjustments, do not cancel unnecessary, in your opinion, medications. Take them right on schedule. Always keep your blood pressure under control. The outcome of the disease depends only on your trust in the doctor, on the prescribed course of therapeutic measures and constant monitoring on your part.
Follow the routine of the day
In a dream, a person restores his physical and mental strength. Therefore, the rest regime should not be violated in any case.
Take vitamins
Currently, the market has a wide range of dietary supplements based on herbal preparations, as well as vitamin complexes created specifically for the elderly, which allow you to replenish the missing trace elements and vitamins.
Why all of a sudden the elderly have attracted such close attention of health care professionals by a respected organization? The answer is simple. The population of the planet is steadily aging, and we must prepare in advance for such a turn of events. There are a lot of questions to be answered. How to ensure that people maintain active longevity, so that the elderly are not a burden on the family and society? Finally, how to treat them? The authors of the report did a great job - they studied hundreds of studies of doctors, sociologists, demographers, volunteer organizations helping the elderly from all over the world to find out.
The planet is getting older
Demographers predict that children born, for example, in Brazil or Myanmar in 2015, will live 20 years longer than their compatriots born some 50 years before them. And if in Iran people over 60 years old made up only 10% of the population in 2015, then in just 35 years they will be up to 33%.
Today, the proportion of people over 60 exceeds 30% of the population in Japan alone. However, according to demographic forecasts, by the middle of the 21st century, people over 60 years old will make up a third of the population not only in European countries, the USA and Canada, but also in Vietnam, China, South Korea, Chile, Thailand, and also in our country.
Medical advances have unprecedentedly affected the growth of life expectancy. In low- and middle-income countries, this was mainly due to improved obstetric care, reduction in infant mortality and mortality from infectious diseases, in rich countries - mainly due to a decrease in the death rate of older people. In addition, as the authors of the report note, the decline in the birth rate, which is observed in almost all countries of the world, has a noticeable effect on the change in the structure of the population.
Such a global change in the demographic situation cannot but affect the economies of countries. It will require significant changes in the work of health systems, social services, and preparations for this must begin today.
While transforming health systems will require action on several fronts, health care providers prioritize three of them:
- reorientation of clinical practice towards maintaining individual viability;
- restructuring health systems to provide comprehensive care for older people;
- retraining of medical personnel to improve the quality of care provided in accordance with the requirements of new systems.
Don't be a burden
“Older people contribute to society the most different ways- be it in your family, in the local community or in society at large. However, such human and social resources, and the opportunities available to each of us as we age, depend to a large extent on one key characteristic - our health,” the report emphasizes.
To live long, to feel young in your declining years and to die healthy, not to be a burden to your loved ones is everyone's dream. However, for many it remains unattainable. Not all centenarians can boast of an excellent supply of health and vitality.
According to some long-term studies, the prevalence of severe disability in wealthy countries may have generally declined over the past decades, but this trend has not affected the prevalence of milder disability: it has not yet been reduced. In low- and middle-income countries, the situation is even worse.
The body becomes decrepit, the muscles weaken, the bones lose their density, the joints are degrading. Of course, the years take their toll. Irreversible changes occur not only at the physical level. In the elderly, the speed of information processing decreases, the ability to work associated with solving several problems at once is gradually lost. But, as it turns out, this does not always negatively affect labor productivity and even to a certain extent can be compensated by their experience. Research shows that where it is necessary to find a way out of difficult situations and then concentrate on other urgent tasks, older workers perform better than younger colleagues. In addition, it was noted that a team of employees of different ages can be a determining factor for increasing labor productivity, especially when solving creative problems. In a word, even in old age a person can bring a lot of benefits to society.
“If people live these extra years of life in good health, their ability to realize what they consider valuable will be practically unlimited,” the authors of the report say. “If these additional years are accompanied by a decline in physical and mental abilities, then the consequences for the elderly themselves and for society will be much more negative.”
However, experts conclude that ill health need not be the predominant and limiting factor in the elderly population.
The years take their toll
Older people are more susceptible to hypo- and hyperthermia, more often suffer from dehydration than young people. There is a high prevalence among them of chronic diseases and multimorbidity, that is, the presence of several chronic diseases interconnected by a single pathogenetic mechanism. At the same time, it is precisely the tasks of treating chronic diseases that public health services pay offensively little attention to.
Another problem is that with age, the activity of T-lymphocytes that form the immune response decreases. And this means that the older the person, the weaker the protective functions of his body. The worse it copes with new infections. By the way, the elderly and vaccines are much weaker due to a decrease in immune function. In addition, serum levels of inflammatory cytokines increase with age. This phenomenon is known as chronic sluggish inflammatory process in old age. It leads to a number of consequences - senile decrepitude, atherosclerosis and sarcopenia (loss of mass and strength of skeletal muscles).
How to slow down aging
“Most of the health problems in old age are the result of chronic diseases,” experts say. - Many of them can be prevented or delayed through a healthy lifestyle. Even at a very advanced age, physical activity and good nutrition can bring tangible benefits to health and well-being. Other health problems can be dealt with effectively, especially if they are detected early enough.”
To meet the needs of an aging population, it is necessary to make significant changes in the structure of health systems and procedures for the provision of medical care, and create a favorable environment for their life, the report says. After all, “even if people experience a decline in vitality, a supportive environment can encourage them to continue to move wherever they want and do what they need to do. Long-term care and support can provide them with a decent life full of opportunities for continued personal growth.” However, health care systems are still poorly adapted to the needs of the elderly.
Medicines for the elderly
The older a person is, the more dependent they become on drugs and health care. The absence of both can put him in a very difficult position and even have life-threatening consequences. However, for the elderly, the use of drugs is associated with higher risks and a higher prevalence of adverse reactions. And yet without drugs - nowhere. Often, people in their declining years suffer from several chronic diseases at once, and they have to take pills on an ongoing basis, drinking literally handfuls.
“Medicines for the elderly need to be safe and well-chosen, available and accessible,” the WHO report says. However, for most health systems, addressing these challenges is difficult to achieve.
In general, the aging body reacts completely differently to pharmaceuticals. This is due to deep changes in the viability and functions of the body, which are accompanied in many cases by comorbidity. And this is another big problem. After all, older people are usually excluded from clinical trials of drugs, and if their medical history indicates not one, but several chronic diseases, then even more such candidates are eliminated from the list of volunteers on whom drugs are tested. This means that the results of most clinical studies are very conditional (the WHO report says even more categorically - “impossible” to apply directly to older groups of people).
“In order to more accurately determine the response of older people to various drugs and their combinations, it is necessary to review the design of clinical trials,” WHO experts say. For example, this concerns the further study of the impact on people with multimorbidity of the most commonly prescribed drugs. Indeed, when treating a patient with more than one health problem, a combination of different types medical interventions. At the same time, the report emphasizes that the results of studies should be considered taking into account not only disease markers, but also individual viability. Until new approaches to clinical trials that better meet the needs of older people are developed, experts suggest more thorough post-market drug testing to study their effects on older people, especially those who have multiple diseases at once.
Additional studies, according to WHO experts, also require drugs for the prevention and treatment of such frequent senile ailments as dementia and sarcopenia, since "convincing evidence has not yet been accumulated in relation to them, substantiating the need for drug treatment." Only after that they can be included in the relevant lists.
As for the lists of essential medicines for the elderly, experts believe that they should be revised taking into account the dynamics of changes in their health status. For example, these lists usually do not include nutritional supplements, vitamins and trace elements. But they, as practice shows, have a positive effect on the elderly, improving the functional state of their body.
With an eye on age
Another topic raised in the report is that with age, the likelihood of misuse of medicines also increases. Therefore, it is important to ensure the appropriate use of medicines by older people, including through the correct prescription of medicines. This task requires urgent attention.
Thus, it may be necessary to develop guidelines for physicians on the proper prescribing of medicines for elderly patients.
In addition, over the years, a person often becomes helpless in solving the simplest tasks. This often applies to the implementation of medical prescriptions regarding medication. And in this they need help.
For example, in Australia, a special pharmaceutical service, Home Medicines Review, has been organized to care for older people who are at increased risk of drug-related problems. The service staff works closely with the general practitioner. They take elderly people under their patronage, advise them at home about the effective and safe use of medicines. Due to this optimization of the procedure for prescribing medications, the development of excessive side effects during drug therapy is prevented.
However, these drugs still need to be available. And they are not available to everyone. The authors of the report believe that efforts should be made to ensure that older people have free access to at least basic medicines. And they cite the positive experience of Brazil. There, for older people receiving treatment within the national health system, access to medicines has been expanded through the provision of five essential medicines free of charge. Older people get them through the health care service.
More attention to the older generation
The authors of the report note that in order to develop measures to slow down the decline in the viability of older people, it is necessary that translational studies of aging and life expectancy take into account social aspects to a greater extent.
For example, it is important to understand the reasons why many older people violate their doctor's prescription by not taking their medication. This can help improve the effectiveness of therapy.
Today, funding for research related to the elderly is relatively small. It is necessary to revise the budgets allocated for these purposes, experts state.
In addition, it is necessary to consider what messages and strategies that encourage healthy lifestyles may be required for older people. age groups.
Finally, for health systems to remain sustainable, it is important to develop cost-effective health care strategies for the elderly in advance. For example, to determine which screening programs will bring the greatest impact, and which diseases should be given priority for prevention and treatment.
Of course, the analysis of the economic efficiency of medical care is necessarily carried out in all countries of the world - without this, nowhere. But, as a rule, they contain data on the prevention and treatment of patients of younger and middle age groups, which cannot be extrapolated to the elderly. They are characterized by very different levels of risk and a higher prevalence of adverse effects. According to the authors of the report, health policy makers and sociologists “need not only to focus more and more specifically on the study of trajectories of change in individual vitality and functional ability, but also to overcome discriminatory perceptions of older people and rethink policies and procedures to include older people in research design. ".
I can help you. Protective book for the elderly. Tips for all occasions Alexander Petrovich Aksenov
How to eat for the elderly?
How to eat for the elderly?
To maintain health and prolong life, complete and simple food is necessary. “Getting fat means getting old,” says the proverb.
Human aging is a natural biological process, but it can be delayed and slowed down with the help of a healthy lifestyle, feasible work, a rational regimen, giving up bad habits and, of course, proper nutrition.
Unfortunately, older people are often careless about their diet: they abuse sugar, bread and flour products, sometimes they switch to strict vegetarianism, they cook food for several days in advance, so they take stale food. They should take into account that there are no forbidden foods, only more or less preferred ones.
What will benefit the elderly?
First of all, it is moderation and mode.
The main principles of the diet of the elderly should be balanced diet and exclusion of overeating.
In essence, a rational or healthy diet is the observance of three basic principles: the balance between the energy supplied with food and the energy expended by a person, that is, the balance of energy; maintaining a balance of nutrients (15% protein, 30% fat, 55% carbohydrates), vitamins and minerals; compliance with the diet (it is advisable to eat at least 4-5 times a day at the same time, without overeating before bedtime; the optimal interval between dinner and breakfast is no more than 10 hours).
The food of the elderly should be varied, easily digestible, biologically valuable, but, in comparison with the food of young people, less energetically saturated. It should contain a sufficient amount of proteins, vitamins and salts, especially calcium, potassium and iron, trace elements, as well as liquid.
In old age, the intensity of protein self-renewal decreases, which determines a decrease in the need for them (primarily in meat and meat products). For older people, it is advisable to reduce the protein rate to 1 g per 1 kg of body weight. After 60 years, you should eat more dairy products, fish and seafood.
It is advisable for older people to have fast days 1-2 times a week, and the rest of the time to limit themselves to a single use of a meat dish in the diet (100 g in finished form).
The number of fish should be up to 75 g per day.
Up to 30% of protein should be introduced into the diet, primarily due to fat-free cottage cheese (100 g per day).
20-30 g of cheese should be consumed daily - the main supplier of calcium (it is better to choose mild and unsalted varieties of cheese).
To prevent bone fractures, you need to drink milk - 300 g per day. Especially useful dairy products- kefir, yogurt, acidophilus. It is recommended to consume 200 g of kefir daily in the evening or before going to bed.
In old age, you should limit the consumption of egg yolk to 2-3 times a week, while egg white can be eaten in any amount.
Half of the protein portion of the diet should be vegetable proteins: cereals and legumes. Green peas or green beans are added to the diet - as a side dish, in small portions. Of the grains, buckwheat and oatmeal are considered the most useful. Rye bread is full of amino acids, it is also a source of B vitamins, minerals and fiber.
Fats should be limited, especially refractory ones, in particular, fatty meats and sausages of fatty varieties. Dairy fats are easily digested, they should be at least 30% of all fats. The same proportion belongs to vegetable fats: 30–40 g per day. Consumption butter it is advisable to reduce to 10-15 g per day.
It is necessary to reduce to a minimum the use of products containing a lot of cholesterol (liver, brains, kidneys).
It is reasonable to limit carbohydrates, primarily due to sugar and sweets. As sources of carbohydrates, foods rich in starch and dietary fiber are preferred: wholemeal and bran bread, whole grain cereals, vegetables, fruits and berries.
An excess amount of sugar in the elderly and senile age is dangerous for the development of atherosclerosis, excessive accumulation of fat mass. The body reacts to the intake of sugar in large volumes by releasing an increased amount of insulin into the blood, and excessive consumption of sugar contributes to the development of diabetes.
It is important to increase the intake of complex carbohydrates containing fiber, pectin. For the elderly, the total amount of fiber consumed should be 25–30 g per day.
A special place in the diet should be given to vitamins and minerals. Vitamins C, P, A, E, group B are stimulants and regulators of oxidative processes. In addition, vitamins C and P have a positive effect on cholesterol metabolism. Vitamin A affects the condition of the skin, mucous membranes and organs of vision.
Experts advise taking multivitamin preparations at least twice a year (in winter and spring).
The need of older people for minerals is great. With age, there is an accumulation in the body of some and a decrease in others. For example, the content of potassium, copper, chromium, iodine, iron falls, and zinc, lead, sodium increases. One of the causes of senile osteoporosis is calcium deficiency. A good preventive effect is given by taking complex preparations of vitamin D and calcium in courses 2-3 times a year.
It is necessary to choose the right products. They should be rich in minerals deficient for the body. So, in fruits and vegetables, a low sodium content is combined with a high potassium content. Dried fruits, prunes, apricots, raisins, dried apricots are saturated with potassium. The introduction of seaweed and seafood into the diet eliminates the lack of iodine.
Every day, the body loses about 2.4 liters of fluid, while only 1 liter comes from food. To ensure the necessary balance, you need to drink 1.2-1.6 liters of drinks. It can be juices, compotes, rosehip broth, weak tea with milk or lemon. It is not advisable to drink strong tea or coffee.
The main task of nutrition in old age is aging prevention and disease prevention. That is why when compiling diet adopt a few simple rules:
Meat and fish are best boiled and eaten with a side dish of vegetables.
Cook the first courses in meat and fish broth 2-3 times a week, as the broth contains substances that contribute to the development of gout.
If possible, try to include seafood dishes - squid, seaweed, shrimp, krill paste, as they have an anti-sclerotic effect.
Limit the amount of animal fats and products containing saturated fats (lard, loin, ham) and cholesterol (kidneys, brains, udders).
Eat no more than 4 teaspoons of sugar a day.
Bread eat rye, yesterday's baking, or bran, but not more than 200 g per day.
Cook more dishes from various cereals, beans, green peas.
On your table, there must be onions and green onions, garlic, fresh herbs and all vegetables and fruits.
Include in your diet no more than 20-30 grams of butter and 25-30 grams of unrefined vegetable oil per day.
I really hope that these simple, long-known truths and correct, healthy diet will help you maintain health and longevity!
Folk omens
In order for you to have a good cucumber ambassador, you need to pickle them on the day of the week on which day it was Christmas.
If a woman bakes bread during her period, the bread will mold.
You can’t ferment cabbage if there is a dead person in the village - it will be tasteless and bitter.
You can’t rub beets on the third lunar quarter if there is a dead person in the house, and for a woman who is menstruating, beet kvass will be bitter.
October 6 - John the Baptist, on this day nothing can be prepared for the winter - it will turn black and rot.
In winter, try to eat more, but drink less.
In January, try to eat more honey with water.
In winter, try to drink less milk.
In the spring, eat less bread, eliminate meat and fried foods from your diet. Milk is the best food at this time.
Do not eat bread hot and soft - it contributes to serious illnesses. Especially harmful to the gastrointestinal tract.
First you need to eat light food (for example, salads, vegetables, fruits, herbs), and then heavy. If you take it the other way around, you'll get heartburn.
When frying meat, it should not be covered, it needs to breathe. If you close it, then the meat becomes poison.
Do not eat more than three meals during lunch.
The stomach cools the body when empty and warms when full.
When you are full, then after a short time drink, but refrain from heavy drinking - the stomach suffers, legs hurt in the heels, heavy dreams.
Eat less in the evening and at night, otherwise your eyes, chest will hurt and you will acquire a lot of all sorts of diseases.
Do not eat together chicken and beef, pork and corned beef.
You should not eat milk with sour food, as well as sour milk with poultry meat.
Milk and fish, wine and milk should not be consumed together.
Do not drink milk with fruit, do not drink pea soup with sugar, do not drink goat's milk with ghee.
Do not keep long-cooked meat with swirling steam in a closed vessel.
When putting the dough or kneading it, make sure that no one around you shouts or swears at this time.
Do not let strangers look at your dough.
If your dough does not fit, do not make pies or other pastries out of it. It will go to your detriment.
Pickles will keep better in a barrel if they are shaken several times on the day of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord.
A piece of aspen, placed in a container with sauerkraut, does not allow it to peroxide.
Even in ancient times, Hippocrates said: "Your food should be medicine, and your medicine should be food." People have long understood that the cause of many diseases lies in malnutrition.
The Bible talks about what can and cannot be eaten, citing clean and unclean food for a person as an example. “Don’t eat any abomination. Here are the livestock you may eat: oxen, sheep, goats, deer, and chamois, and buffalo, and fallow deer, and aurochs, and oryx, and camelopard.
Every livestock that has cloven hooves and a deep slash on both hooves, and that the livestock chews the cud, you shall eat; only do not eat of those who chew the cud and have cloven hooves with a deep cut: a camel, a hare and a jerboa, because although they chew the cud, their hooves are not cloven: they are unclean for you; and pigs, because her hooves are cloven, but she does not chew the cud: she is unclean to you; do not eat their flesh, and do not touch their corpses. Of all animals that are in the water, eat all that have feathers and scales; but all those who have no feathers and scales, do not eat: it is unclean for you. Eat every clean bird; but these you must not eat of them: the eagle, the vulture, and the sea eagle, and the kite, and the falcon, and the gyrfalcon with its kind, and every raven with its kind, and the ostrich, and the owl, and the gull, and the hawk with its kind, and an owl, and an ibis, and a swan, and a pelican, and a vulture, and a fisherman, and a heron, and a puffin with its breed, and a hoopoe, and a bat. All winged reptiles are unclean for you, do not eat them. Eat every clean bird” (Deuteronomy 14:3-20). Especially in the Bible it is said about the blood of animals: “Only strictly observe that you do not eat blood, because blood is the soul: do not eat souls with meat” (Deuteronomy, 12:23), “... do not eat blood from any body, therefore that the soul of every body is its blood; whoever eats it will be cut off” (Leviticus 17:14).
Repeatedly in the Bible it is said that people should eat unleavened bread, and not yeast bread, as it is more beneficial for the body. “Eat nothing leavened; eat unleavened bread in every place where you live” (Exodus 12:20).
When the Most Holy Trinity visited Abraham, one of the treats was unleavened bread. “And Abraham hurried to the tent to Sarah and said: quickly knead three sats of the best flour and make unleavened bread” (Genesis 18:6).
This suggests that our ancestors knew that bread baked from yeast dough causes fermentation in the intestines, which, under unfavorable circumstances for humans, causes a tumor to appear. For example, it is undesirable for oncological diseases to eat peas, beans and beans, since these foods cause fermentation in the stomach and intestines.
Our ancestors were deeply religious people, kept fasts, ate very little meat. The diet, especially of ordinary people, was dominated by various kvass, herbal teas, and vegetable salads. They ate especially a lot during the fasts of onions, garlic, horseradish, radishes, carrots, beets, cabbage, red peppers, and spinach. Such nutrition led to the fact that the body cleansed itself, as the digestive and excretory systems worked normally. Slags in the body did not linger.
Fasting has a great influence on human health. Not only physical health depends on it, but also the inner life of a person. Wednesday and Friday throughout the year, except for Christmas time and continuous weeks, must be strictly fast days (unless there is special permission to ease the fast). There are also four major fasts in the year.
great post or Holy Lent - before Easter. It lasts seven weeks: six weeks of fasting itself and the seventh week of Passion - in remembrance of the suffering of Christ the Savior.
Christmas post before the feast of the Nativity of Christ. Starts November 27th, St. Apostle Philip, otherwise - "Philip's post." Fasting 40 days.
Assumption post- before the feast of the Assumption of the Mother of God. It lasts two weeks, from 14 to 27 August inclusive.
Apostolic or Peter's post- before the feast of St. apostles Peter and Paul. It starts a week after the Holy Trinity Day and lasts until July 12th. Its duration depends on whether Easter is earlier or later. Its longest duration is six weeks, the shortest is a week with one day.
One day posts:
On Christmas Eve - the day before Christmas (January 6). Particularly strict fasting among the days of Advent (the custom is not to eat before the appearance of the first star).
On the day of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, in remembrance of the sufferings of Jesus Christ on the Cross (September 27).
Wednesday and Friday of every week. Wednesday - in remembrance of the Savior's betrayal by Judas. Friday - in remembrance of the suffering on the cross and the death of the Savior for us.
Fasting on Wednesday and Friday does not happen only in the following weeks: on Easter week, on Christmas time (from the day of the Nativity of Christ to Epiphany), on Trinity week (from the feast of the Holy Trinity to the beginning of Peter's fast), on the week of the publican and the Pharisee (before the Great Lent) and the cheese or butter week just before Lent, when only milk and eggs are allowed.
During fasting, one must especially resolutely give up all bad habits and passions: anger, hatred, enmity; it is necessary to move away from a distracted, cheerful life, from games, dances; no need to read books that arouse impure thoughts and desires in the soul; you should not eat meat, milk, eggs, but you should limit yourself to lean food (i.e., plant foods, and when allowed - fish), using this food in moderation. During a multi-day fast, one must confess and partake of the Holy Mysteries.
The fourth commandment is violated both by those who are lazy and do not work on weekdays for six days, and those who work on a holiday.
It is no less violated by those who, although they stop their worldly activities and work these days, spend them only in amusements, games and indulge in revelry and drunkenness, not thinking about serving God. It is especially sinful to indulge in entertainment before the feast, when we have to be at the Vespers, and in the morning at the Liturgy.
Before eating food
Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come: Thy will be done, as in heaven, and on earth. Give us our daily bread today; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
Understanding an active lifestyle in our modern time is a little narrowed down. Many only say that they walked, or did exercises in front of the TV on a rug with an open window and, it is not necessary to go out on Fresh air today. Or cooked dinner and did a lot of household chores and walked a lot. It's a pity they don't count how long they spent on the couch. Would be horrified! Is this called an active lifestyle? This is called an excuse for an active lifestyle.
Doing favorite things
At the age of 58, I consider myself leading an active lifestyle. And, I understand it in such a way that when I have time or mood, I can sew a thing for myself or knit it. Let it take more than one week, in view of the fact that I am still working. But these are the things from which I get great pleasure and satisfaction. This is one of my favorite activities. I have more than one such occupation and I will not describe them so that you do not get bored reading. I do them when and for what mood and desire. I don’t do it to finish one thing and start another, otherwise it will be violence against myself, not pleasure.
And, after this pleasure from my favorite pastime, my brain, yes, that brain, all of me is experiencing a flow of new energy. She probably recovered to new activities. Right now, for example, I am doing another one of my favorite things, writing an article for you. And I imagine how many of you will read and then write messages to me on social networks. And I already feel the warmth of your letters and rejoice in them in advance. This is the joy of life! How much of it is in the little things.
Movement is life!
Walking for me is another of my favorite activities and even turned into a principle of life. It's okay and fun! And for long distances too. I avoid public transport at every opportunity. I do gymnastics every day or march in a room with an open window for 25 minutes so that cholesterol does not deposit on my blood vessels. So that the area of the shoulder blades and shoulder joints are in motion and congestion in the muscles and joints does not begin. I also choose this when I want one or the other.
It's important to do what you want! But moving in old age is necessary and intensive enough every day! We must understand that human joints are restored during a fairly intense movement. In this state, metabolic processes are accelerated, and more nutrition is supplied to our joints. And there is food and the recovery process will be.
- You need to walk at an accelerated pace for at least 25 minutes. Such walks during the week will strengthen the heart muscle, and even contribute to weight loss. But overdo it in the intensity and high pace of classes or walking! Duration is much healthier and safer for people who are over 50 years old.
- Be sure to do stretching exercises at least once a week.
- Swimming in the pool will also bring great benefits.
Add to your diet "Glucosamine and chondroitin" - the building material of articular cartilage. Older people produce little growth hormone - this must be taken into account. Drink a glass of Instant Creatine - Siberian Super Natural Sport before strenuous outdoor walking or gymnastics. The production of growth hormone will begin, namely, it is involved in the restoration of cartilage tissue.
Pay more attention to the liver. She also takes active steps to restore the joints. Clean it and restore it with our products - "Synchrovital IV"; EPAM 4; Tea "Grass of Life"; "The Origins of Purity". Take Trimegavital "Siberian flax and Omega - 3" or "Northern Omega - 3" and your microtraumas in the cartilage tissue will heal more intensively. It is also the best remedy for cleaning and strengthening blood vessels.
Positive emotions
Sigmund Freud said: “Each time we wake up in the morning, we seem to be reborn.” So, let's be born every day happy people! It is important to go to bed with positive thoughts so that you can start the day the same way again. That's what I try to do. And, waking up, I definitely think that everything is fine, everyone is healthy and happy, what else do you need? If the sun shines outside the window, then it is added Have a good mood. I always try to pay attention to my appearance so that when I look in the mirror, I get a charge of good mood. We must create the mood ourselves, living on the positive.
If thoughts are bad for a long time, then this will affect the mood, and eventually the psyche, and, undoubtedly, will lead to physical illness. The body loses its vitality and diseases appear. Tibetan doctors claim that protective emotions, such as anger, greed, fear, hostility, and many others, can be the source of any, even infectious diseases. I rarely or don't watch negative TV shows related to disasters, murders, violence, the end of the world, etc.
They cause strong emotions and negatively affect my health. Heart palpitations, anxiety, fear begin, and, finally, a feeling of anxiety arises, from which it is difficult to get rid of. Then I accept EPAM 1000 and EPAM 44, switch the TV to another channel. Strong emotions tire the body and introduce it into a stressful state - this has long been proven by science. And, after all, malignant tumors also arise, often after a shock.
My job is to communicate with people
And yet, I am a networker, the owner of the store - office of "Siberian Health" and am at the stage of early development. I work as a manager in my store. This is both a burden for my age and a joy at the same time. I communicate a lot with good people And I also enjoy it a lot! I take courses "Trimegavital DHA superconcentrate", "Synchrovital II" - they help the brain to work fully. There are negative people too, but that's their problem and I don't dwell on their behavior.
I also try to eat right, I have been taking dietary supplements for many years and this is also one of my constant habits. Give the body what modern food cannot give now, since it is very depleted in its composition in relation to bioactive substances. We do not receive substances for vital activity - biologically active substances, necessary for the normal or proper functioning of our cells. Here is the active life of a man for 50 years. I never get bored! But I don't consider myself old.
