“People who are physically active, eat a healthy diet, do not use tobacco, and practice other healthy behaviours reduce their risk for chronic diseases and have a much reduced rate of disability compared to others who don’t do this lifestyle.”
British Columbia Ministry of Health
I am enjoying my adulthood journey and wish I could say the same for many of our aging population. What I am observing as a RN, daughter and friend I must say it is a concern to me…why do many people of aging want to stay home in on talking about their illness (s) and making it their main topic of conversation? I can understand when a crisis happens, there is a new diagnosis that is heavy on their mind and that there stages they go through (shock, grieving, angry, bargaining, depression and acceptance) but I am not talking about this. I am talking more about the need to focus on the aging process where some look at it as a loss and a ‘giving up’ instead of looking at it for what it is… a time of a new stage in life from 40 where they challenge it or fight the struggles of health. The aging process of mind and physical body goes through changes that can offer freedom, curiousity, and enjoyment. Let me give you some examples.
A family member of mine is in the last stage (I know I am 30 years of caring geriatrics down to 18 year olds and I have an idea how many live, some healthy with going about each day with a form of a work out or others closed in a box in their own world and do nothing but sit home. There are conditions that slow us down but don’t cripple us and having a condition that isn’t curable many can be kept under control. Though many like my family member give in or give up to the conditions she has besides set in her ways, set to no change, not paying attention to what they ate or stop exercise and the amount they eat. By doing this behavior what develops is weight gain and the signs started showing up of further health conditions like obesity, adult diabetes II (occurs 45 and up roughly), cardiac disease that probably would have never developed if the individual balanced rest, a form of light exercise and good diet eating. On top of that, from the immobility of sitting in the house or wherever you may sit all day gives you also sedentary lifestyle=less tone to the muscles with less muscle and more fat and stiffening of the muscle and joints that increases the risk of pulling a muscle or back which did to my family member, at first. Now over 6 years uses a cane and can barely walk with sciatica damage and the MRI and CatScan recently done only supposedly shows arthritis.
Prevent this people and you can! How? Only just through a routine of balancing rest, exercise program (intense or slight work out = only 15 minutes a day), and good healthy dieting and high probability you will live longer with a better healthy tone body. The KEY to obtaining this is start YOUNG and you will get into this as a routine and it will feel like it’s a regular part of your life with you wanting to do it but if your elderly you can still do it. It will be harder getting older for some but go about it with your primrary MD’s approval with reviewing what is ok for a daily 15 minute exercise with proper dieting balancing this with rest. When he have a chance to correct obesity and prevent disease we should grab the opportunity before it is too late and unbearable to exercise, get out of the house, and now you sit in the house with few nearby friends or family to come by and visit. Like many other families in the world going through this that ill one limits the places they can go, limits their independence (they have to be driven to long distances 30 minutes away or further, have to do there shopping etc…). Where when they had there independence with having conversations with them other than there condition made you more out to look forward to visiting them or even staying on the phone longer. Another example could be having a long term friend or sister you hung with for decades parting and gossiping and eating out and shopping together now moves into adulthood married with children. Than this sister depends on you for babysitting frequently, driving or picking the kids up frequently from school events, gossips about how bad the marriage is for 8 years now. Like anything else negativism all the time seen and heard you don’t want to be around. It is unfortunate but true. You on the other side feel obligated to do so for all the years of good life you had with that person but life now could be better in the end if that family person doesn’t put themselves in that situation but it doesn’t always work that way. So make your life better and don’t but yourself in that situation. I know someone who very much tryied to do so but it got so unbearable they hadn’t talk for 3 yrs or so and now are but there is a distance between the sisters. One way of reaching a point in life to be able to handle raising children, work and be married is through good diet (treats now and than), good exercise a must, and balance with good rest; doesn’t always work that way with work but I try to make up for it.
My family member by diet and exercise could have helped the situation but now it is very unlikely to make a 180 to turn around and lives a hard life with getting around. To have prevented this possibly one-making good healthy diet decisions and don’t eat after 5pm or 6pm. Don’t have a dinner 9pm at night; or usually big meals after 6pm and make smaller meals.
I was very patient when I learned about the family member making life changes 6 years ago which was no progress in increasing activity and eating healthy. Where my family member couldn’t even perform a lot of activities of daily living on her own and realizing that family member accepted to living that way and her being drawn in to live that way where it’s like a addition now to me (a lot of responsibility but over yrs it does play a lot of responsibility and stress to the me and my brothers). This can definitely end your life sooner so it is up to you to change your eating habits and doing some exercise routinely. As a daughter and a friend, it was my job to help that loved individual go through this transition and give the needed support to ease all the changes that the family member would have to go through.
So, here’s his story now. That member is less than 84 years old and has had this condition for several years, continues to make this health issue the topic of conversation to me, family members, and friends even when things are going really well. The fact is, this condition for getting close to 10 years, my family member, has chosen to play the ‘poor me scenario’ at times it appears to come across as. The doctor and myself as a RN 30 years has provided excellent information and several resources to help with coping. In only took me 6 years with some family siblings to help have her agree it’s time to move out of the house I grew up in since 1967. No one else lives in that house.
It is taking a toll on my psychic energy. In other words, it sucks the life right out of me and, after visiting, I am tired after 14 hours working and so ready to take a nap.
I see this with other friends going through a similar situation with some family members also. They talk about their arthritic aches and pains plus stiffness in their joints as much as they do about the changes in the weather. These are chronic conditions, meaning they will experience this from time to time, and talking about it obsessively won’t change a thing.
At what point do people decide that the aging process means they need to constantly talk about their health issues? At what point do they stop engaging in healthier topics of conversation? What are the reasons for this shift in how they converse with people and, more importantly, do they even realize how depressing this whole routine is?
Again being a RN around geriatrics I understand. One reason may actually be major depression (also known as clinical depression) , which is a medical illness. It is a chemical imbalance in the brain and can appear in people regardless of age, race or economic status. The illness can appear after a triggering event or for no apparent reason at all or simple normal with being alone by yourself (possible spouse deceased, friends moving if not dying off as age progresses) but when will this stop? At this point I highly doubt it and for me writing with some exercise keeping you busy in work and a good diet and even a love life all help out.
TO HELP YOU DETECT THIS EARLY OR EVEN POSSIBLY STOP IT,
Look for signs of:
I, too, have minor health issues, however I chose to acknowledge that ‘it is what it is’. I have been dealt this hand and therefore I will do what I can to not let it slow me down. I look at the other side of the coin or at that ½ glass of water where it could be a lot worse. It can be looked at I have the worst condition and play “feel sorry for me scenario” not even realizing it since it is talked about all the time or like I look at life there are so many worse of then me with disease, no home, no family, no friends and just surviving possibly getting a meal each day, if that. Than the other side of looking at it positive is it could be worse and do the best you can. As I said, I am an observer of people partly because I am an RN and it’s part of my job. I have made note that some of those individuals who are really struggling with major health issues overall hardly complain at all. They keep a positive attitude and in doing so they don’t let their condition stop them from enjoying life. They don’t start a negative domino effect that just keeps dropping on top of another till it crashes them and unfortunately when this continues to have a life spreading to others with that effect you turn them away.
Like everyone else we all have our headaches and on high probability in adulthood health issues with losses and aches & pains. You have to deal with them in a positive note. Meaning don’t blame the world or someone else for your health situation unless its real and lack of moving around (going out) even 10 minutes exercise a day or 2 to 3 times a week one hour exercise for elderly (just simply walking) with good dieting and rest will take you along way. Going the opposite way, being negative and complaining of every ache with staying in the house only, gives you a shorter life and high odds a unhappy and lonely life. Keeping a positive attitude, you may also find things that attract you which will keep you busier in life and people benefit from being around a cheerful positive person that attracts them in wanting to see you more.
I personally am not to far away from being elderly in about 20 years, I hope to stir the Pagan (polytheistic or open minded) community to take notice of how they choose to age. Are we aging with grace or are we just aging? Talk to the God and Goddess for help in modifying your way of thinking so you can handle life’s little ups and down. If you have family and / or friends who are displaying this type of behavior, show empathy and love by helping them comprehend the negative effects that persist when they chose to concentrate on their health issues in a pessimistic way. Sometimes it becomes a habit and they don’t even realize how often they even talk about it.
Behaviors can be changed, so make up your mind to age with GRACE and not just age.
“3 Reasons support why eating more fruits&vegetables matters:
1-They are major contributors of a number of nutrients that are under consumed in the U.S.-Vitamin A,C, K, Potassium, Fiber and Magnesium.
2=Fruits and Veggies are associated with reduce risk of many associated chronic diseases.
3-Fruits and Veggies are relatively low in calories which can replace high caloric foods that aid in weight gain.”
“An immune-mediated disease, multiple sclerosis is a progressive disorder characterized by a wide assortment of unpredictable symptoms that vary in intensity.”
MuscularDytrophyFoundation.org
“Muscular dystrophy is a group of diseases that cause progressive weakness and loss of muscle mass.”
MAYO CLINIC
“Anabolic steroids—sometimes referred to as “juice” or “roids”—are actually synthetic forms of the male hormone, testosterone. It may be used legitimately to induce puberty or to help those suffering from wasting diseases like AIDS or cancers. Technically, this group of substances is called anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS).”
DrugAbuse.com
Anabolic steroids are synthetic variations of the male sex hormone testosterone. The proper term for these compounds is anabolic-androgenic steroids. “Anabolic” refers to muscle building, and “androgenic” refers to increased male sex characteristics. Some common names for anabolic steroids are Gear, Juice, Roids, and Stackers.
Photo by John Voo/CC Health care providers can prescribe steroids to treat hormonal issues, such as delayed puberty. Steroids can also treat diseases that cause muscle loss, such as cancer and AIDS. But some athletes and bodybuilders abuse these drugs to boost performance or improve their physical appearance.
People who abuse anabolic steroids usually take them orally or inject them into the muscles. These doses may be 10 to 100 times higher than doses prescribed to treat medical conditions. Steroids are also applied to the skin as a cream, gel, or patch.
Some athletes and others who abuse steroids believe that they can avoid unwanted side effects or maximize the drugs’ effects by taking them in ways that include:
There is no scientific evidence that any of these practices reduce the harmful medical consequences of these drugs.
Anabolic steroids work differently from other drugs of abuse; they do not have the same short-term effects on the brain. The most important difference is that steroids do not trigger rapid increases in the brain chemical dopamine, which causes the “high” that drives people to abuse other substances. However, long-term steroid abuse can act on some of the same brain pathways and chemicals—including dopamine, serotonin, and opioid systems—that are affected by other drugs. This may result in a significant effect on mood and behavior.
Abuse of anabolic steroids may lead to mental problems, such as:
Extreme mood swings can also occur, including “roid rage”—angry feelings and behavior that may lead to violence.
Aside from mental problems, steroid use commonly causes severe acne. It also causes the body to swell, especially in the hands and feet.
Anabolic steroid abuse may lead to serious, even permanent, health problems such as:
Several other effects are gender- and age-specific:
Some of these physical changes, such as shrinking sex organs in men, can add to mental side effects such as mood disorders.
People who inject steroids increase their risk of contracting or transmitting HIV/AIDS or hepatitis.
Even though anabolic steroids do not cause the same high as other drugs, they can lead to addiction. Studies have shown that animals will self-administer steroids when they have the chance, just as they do with other addictive drugs. People may continue to abuse steroids despite physical problems, high costs to buy the drugs, and negative effects on their relationships. These behaviors reflect steroids’ addictive potential. Research has further found that some steroid users turn to other drugs, such as opioids, to reduce sleep problems and irritability caused by steroids.
People who abuse steroids may experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop use, including:
One of the more serious withdrawal symptoms is depression, which can sometimes lead to suicide attempts.
Some people seeking treatment for anabolic steroid addiction have found behavioral therapy to be helpful. More research is needed to identify the most effective treatment options.
In certain cases of severe addiction, patients have taken medicines to help treat symptoms of withdrawal. For example, health care providers have prescribed anti-depressants to treat depression and pain medicines for headaches and muscle and joint pain. Other medicines have been used to help restore the patient’s hormonal system.
“Because uric acid level is dynamic, like blood pressure, many factors can move it up or down.” So decreasing the uric acid level helps decrease the Gout symptoms.
Rheumatologist Puja Khanna, MD, MPH ( assistant professor of medicine at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor).
“Gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis that develops in some people who have high levels of uric acid in the blood. It occurs in about 4 percent of American adults, but is more likely to affect men than women.”
ArthritisFoundation.org
“The September 11 terrorist attacks affected millions and caused physical and mental health conditions for thousands of people most directly exposed to the disaster.”
NYC.gov