Monday, October 13, 2008

The Aspects of Aging and Staying Healthy

Money is the root of evil, and as we age, our money becomes less and less. You still need to keep in mind that you have to stay healthy. Staying healthy is the key to a long and better life.

The older we get the more we think we know what is going on when we’re sick and not feeling well. It is very important to know when it is time to make that visit to your doctor’s office. It is good to know how to take care of yourself but there is some things that if let go to long it could be too late. Over the counter drugs may not be the right decision. Recently, studies showed that some over-the-counter drugs are causing serious side effects. Your doctor can help you to find which over-the-counter, or medications to help you stay well.

When you do break down and make that appointment or go to the emergency room for care you need to be able to work with the doctor. Your doctor needs to know what you’ve already taken at home for the problem so he doesn’t give something that will counteract to your home remedy.

Tell your doctor about all your past history of illness. He needs to know what immunization shots you have had and what treatments you’ve had in the past. If you can’t remember, keep records and dates handy. Knowing about your family health is important as well. Some illness run in the family and the doctor needs to have an idea what to look for when he makes his diagnosis. Always keep a list of current medications your taking including the over the counter drugs.

When you go to see your doctor write down questions you may have. Ask him to explain. Always ask questions if he says or does things and your not sure, what they are for. Remember a question not asked is a stupid one. Tell him if you are already taking a drug and you don’t feel like it is helping. If you don’t agree with what your doctor is saying always feel free to get a second opinion.

Routine check ups are very important to a healthy you. Having routine checks may not seem important but there could be something going on and maybe your doctor can catch it in time before it progresses too far. Make sure you get your flu and pneumonia shots every year as recommended. The shots may not stop you from getting the flu but it can lessen it so you won’t be so sick. Get out to help that depression, which sets in on older people faster than others do. Maybe take some classes on diet and exercise. There you will learn and meet new people. The activities will be good for all. If you don’t want to take, classes try a support group to meet people.

Most importantly, don’t take your health into your own hands. I know with the high cost of medications and healthcare it prevents us from receiving the care we need. Still, you will find resources available to help you get that care.



One little thing like a sore throat that won’t go away could be a serious problem and it is very risky in the end. So, don’t just keep trying to treat it yourself. This is what doctors are all about.

See your doctor especially if you’re experiencing a squeezing in the chest, having severe pain, your vision is blurred. Trouble talking and swallowing, feeling weak on one side or the other, dizzy or confused, your doctor may find something more serious than you think it is. In addition, if you notice blood in your urine or stool, depression set in for any length of time and a fever lasts longer than it should, you should see your doctor. Remember taking your health into your own hands increases your risk of uncommon aging.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

The Aging Body in Healthy Living

The body goes through many changes starting at adolescence. As a person ages the brain, eyes, ears, mouth, smell, heart, liver, lungs, kidneys, bladder, colon, metabolism, and so on starts to change. The body functions start declining which affects reproductive organs, blood, cells, tissues and so on. To slow aging one must exercise, eat right and continue visiting their doctors. Doctors are essential, since these caring souls take time to monitor your bodily functions. Doctors will consider environment, overall health, hereditary factors and more to maintain your health.

Who studies aging?
Geriatrics are the men and women in the branches of medicine that study seniors or aging. The experts often focus on aging or the aged since the majority of disease all start in later years. In view of the fact, geriatrics study the syndromes and disease simply because one disease that affects the young will effect the elders in a different light. For instance, if a younger person has a thyroidal problem, it may cause them to feel cranky, gain weight and so on. However, if an older person has a thyroidal problem, they may sink in and reduce themselves into depression.

Compare the diseases:
If an older person has a thyroidal condition, they may feel depressed, confused, withdrawn, fatigue, confused, and will lose memory. If common doctors noted these changes they may deduce dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, since the symptoms are in like. Therefore, someone has to focus their attention on aging only to understand the changes that older persons go through.

Older people are subjects to Alzheimer’s disease, which is a progressive brain dysfunction. The disease causes massive memory loss, which the person will shrink back to infancy in time and finally die. Older people are subject to Aortic aneurysm, which is a disease of the aorta where the walls start dilating, rupturing the main functions and gradually causes death. Older people are subjects to atrophic arthritis, which is in harmony with vaginitis. This condition causes the urethra, as well as the vagina to shrink. As the organs thin the tissues, various symptoms emerge, including burning sensations. The person may feel pain during sexual intercourse. With the burning sensations during urine release, a typical doctor could confuse this disorder as some sort of infection, or sexual transmitted disease. (STD)

Of course, the average doctors receive valuable information from the study groups of senior citizens. For this reason, the doctors stand alert to challenge aging symptoms, rather than confusing the symptoms with other disease.

Elderly people are subject to bedsores. Due to prolonged force, this condition causes the skin to breakdown. In addition, elderly people are subject to cataracts, which the lens are clouded causing impairment of vision. Diseases such as benign prostate hyperplasia often develops in the older generation of men. This condition causes the prostate glands to expend large then normal. Urine is blocked when this condition emerges.

Understanding what you are potentially, facing as an elder person, or youthful person can help you get ahead of the aging game. While we have no control over aging, we do have the ability to slow aging. To slow aging you will need to learn preventive tactics and so on. Ask your doctor to provide you pamphlets that help you understand common aging disease.

Elderly people face ongoing declinations of the body changes and can lead to chronic lymphocytic leukemia. This disease progresses in a later stage and grows. The condition can grow into malignant leukemia, which is cancerous. Finally, elderly people are potential victims to diabetes type two, glaucoma, hypothyroidism, arthritis, Parkinson’s disease and so on. Don’t be the next victim take action today!