40 and up only!

The body is an outstanding machine; though we may act invincible from our teens to our thirties, life starts at 40. Life begins catching up with our bodies, and the extensive damage we may have done to it over the years.

Rather than focus on what CAN’T be changed; let’s move on to habits that may prove beneficial for us in our 50s, 60s, 70s … up to hundred! These are little things you may do or change about yourself in order to brace yourself for the rest of your life. Time to get tough; this is for people who are 40-and-Up only, not for the weak of heart!

Train the Mind

Right now you may be split in a decision over what to have for lunch; but the untrained mind may spend his older years deciding on whether going to the bathroom is necessary … sometimes without knowing it.

The mind can only work to its peak performance when it is used extensively --- watch the Discovery channel, solve a crossword, or do some meditation; by your later years, its going to be useful.

Train the Stomach

Your metabolism will have changed by the time you get to your 40s. It won’t be the same eat-what-you-want-and-not-gain-weight anymore. By eating meals that are varied, and have the right vitamins and minerals, it will ensure you that you’d have less of a problem dealing with what you ate 20 years ago.

A dietary supplement may be in order too --- multivitamins, minerals and fish liver oil are just some of the bigger, important ones.

Train the Heart

Literally and figuratively --- you’d have to be accepting of how old you are in the present --- be grateful. You’re a champ because you’ve made it this far, and that also means that muscle in your chest has made it too!

Consult a trainer to know what kind of exercise is right for you. Mix up your routine from day-to-day, so that the body doesn’t become complacent, and will learn how to be adaptable.

Put all these three combined and you’re pretty much on the way to polishing the great machine that is the body.

40 and up only!

The body is an outstanding machine; though we may act invincible from our teens to our thirties, life starts at 40. Life begins catching up with our bodies, and the extensive damage we may have done to it over the years.

Rather than focus on what CAN’T be changed; let’s move on to habits that may prove beneficial for us in our 50s, 60s, 70s … up to hundred! These are little things you may do or change about yourself in order to brace yourself for the rest of your life. Time to get tough; this is for people who are 40-and-Up only, not for the weak of heart!

Train the Mind

Right now you may be split in a decision over what to have for lunch; but the untrained mind may spend his older years deciding on whether going to the bathroom is necessary … sometimes without knowing it.

The mind can only work to its peak performance when it is used extensively --- watch the Discovery channel, solve a crossword, or do some meditation; by your later years, its going to be useful.

Train the Stomach

Your metabolism will have changed by the time you get to your 40s. It won’t be the same eat-what-you-want-and-not-gain-weight anymore. By eating meals that are varied, and have the right vitamins and minerals, it will ensure you that you’d have less of a problem dealing with what you ate 20 years ago.

A dietary supplement may be in order too --- multivitamins, minerals and fish liver oil are just some of the bigger, important ones.

Train the Heart

Literally and figuratively --- you’d have to be accepting of how old you are in the present --- be grateful. You’re a champ because you’ve made it this far, and that also means that muscle in your chest has made it too!

Consult a trainer to know what kind of exercise is right for you. Mix up your routine from day-to-day, so that the body doesn’t become complacent, and will learn how to be adaptable.

Put all these three combined and you’re pretty much on the way to polishing the great machine that is the body.

An Ounce Of Prevention is Worth A Poind of Cure

Let’s not sugarcoat things: after you hit the big 4-0, life only gets a lot more complicated. Alzheimer’s, Macular Degeneration and Heart Diseases start sounding like everyday concerns, on top of thinking about the bills, the kids or the PTA meeting.

All three of the diseases mentioned above are going to be your biggest concerns when you are over 40, for the reason that, there is no widely-available cure for any of them. Should there be, then by the time you are reading this, it will still be in the experimental stages, or its price range is going to be out-of-reach for people like us.

Here are a couple of tips to fortify your defenses against those diseases with.

Alzheimer’s – Alzheimer’s is a form of dementia, which is, in essence, permanent damage to the brain. To date, there is still no known cure for this disease and the number of factors for contracting this disease simply hits most of us like a random flash-flood. We’ll never know. The best ways for staving off Alzheimer’s disease is by mental and physical activity. This strikes people who don’t undergo physical or mental challenges on a daily basis. Sociable interaction is also a plus. Foods that carry antioxidants, and vitamins C and E are also linked to lesser known cases of Alzheimer’s.

Heart Disease – There are several forms of heart diseases --- but most of them can be stopped by restraint. Restraint from living a relatively physically inactive life, restraint from cholesterol and restraint in front of alcohol or tobacco is all that is needed to lower the risks of getting heart disease. Love your heart and it will love you back.

Macular Degeneration – Unfortunately, there are still not enough studies to completely fight off macular degeneration. However, in the few guaranteed controlled observations concerning macular degeneration, a smoke-free and a fruits-and-vegetable-rich lifestyle has been shown to be less likely to develop the severe effects of macular degeneration.

It’s especially frightening to know that there are diseases that we are completely vulnerable to after 40, but the knowledge of lessening risks is key to living a disease-free life that doesn’t need cures --- for there will be no sickness.

My Battle Against Alzheimer's!

Imagine that you have a favorite book; when it was new, the edges were still sharp, the pages, crisp from the publisher --- imagine that you read that book at least once a year. Over the next few years, the once-crisp pages become crumpled, some get soaked, some get torn --- now how would you like to know the ending, not knowing how you got there?

That’s what Alzheimer’s is like --- you get to miss some of the best parts of the book --- you miss part of the story because the page just wasn’t there.

Now imagine that you give the book a plastic cover. Picture yourself carefully opening the pages, gently enough to not leave a bend in the spine. Would all those pages still be missing if you did?

Now that I’m older (I’m in my 40’s) my daily battle revolves around staving off serious diseases, (and Alzheimer’s is just what I’m most petrified of) while everyone says that life starts at 40. Not that it doesn’t, it’s just that its both for enjoying myself and a time to help myself.

Here are my battle plans; my strategies on fighting Alzheimer’s … and winning.

Communication – Let your family know that you’re concerned about your personal health. Talk to your family --- this will help you realize who you’re really doing all this for. Leave notes to remind them to remind you to take your medicine/supplements.

Exercise, but do only what you can – So you think that getting into exercise is what’ll make you healthy? Yes and no. If you’re just beginning, you should start off small and not hit the big heavy weights when you can’t. Do stretches before you exercise. Have someone close by should anything happen to you. Over-exerting yourself would only lead to more muscle wear-and-tear, plus it burns off liquids that your body might need during the day.

Eat right – By that I mean going after what you love eating the best. Of course, you’d still have to look at your blood pressure. Before taking that first, big,<p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><img style="width: 459px; height: 359px;" alt="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y34/barnabebarbaracon/1066730_40980898.jpg" src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y34/barnabebarbaracon/1066730_40980898.jpg" /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Imagine that you have a favorite book; when it was new, the edges were still sharp, the pages, crisp from the publisher --- imagine that you read that book at least once a year.<span style=""> </span>Over the next few years, the once-crisp pages become crumpled, some get soaked, some get torn --- now how would you like to know the ending, not knowing how you got there?</p> <p class="MsoNormal">That’s what Alzheimer’s is like --- you get to miss some of the best parts of the book --- you miss part of the story because the page just wasn’t there.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Now imagine that you give the book a plastic cover.<span style=""> </span>Picture yourself carefully opening the pages, gently enough to not leave a bend in the spine.<span style=""> </span>Would all those pages still be missing if you did?</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Now that I’m older (I’m in my 40’s) my daily battle revolves around staving off serious diseases, (and Alzheimer’s is just what I’m most petrified of) while everyone says that life starts at 40.<span style=""> </span>Not that it doesn’t, it’s just that its both for enjoying myself and a time to help myself.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Here are my battle plans; my strategies on fighting Alzheimer’s … and winning.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Communication – Let your family know that you’re concerned about your personal health.<span style=""> </span>Talk to your family --- this will help you realize who you’re really doing all this for.<span style=""> </span>Leave notes to remind them to remind you to take your medicine/supplements.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Exercise, but do only what you can – So you think that getting into exercise is what’ll make you healthy?<span style=""> </span>Yes and no.<span style=""> </span>If you’re just beginning, you should start off small and not hit the big heavy weights when you can’t.<span style=""> </span>Do stretches before you exercise.<span style=""> </span>Have someone close by should anything happen to you.<span style=""> </span>Over-exerting yourself would only lead to more muscle wear-and-tear, plus it burns off liquids that your body might need during the day.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Eat right – By that I mean going after what you love eating the best.<span style=""> </span>Of course, you’d still have to look at your blood pressure.<span style=""> </span>Before taking that first, big, juicy bite off that quad-stacker burger, ask yourself, “will this be bad for my blood pressure?”<span style=""> </span>Also, eat some of them fruits and vegetables a little more.<span style=""> </span>They aren’t that bad, plus, food with Vitamin C and E can boost brainpower.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Tease your brain everyday – Solve a crossword puzzle, solve a riddle, read a book, watch a subtitled movie, listen to music or writing are good brain exercises.<span style=""> </span>These mediums are therapeutic, and helps you get more sleep, relieve tension and erase uneasiness within yourself.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://over40andfighting.com/illnessesalzheimer.asp">Take this test to know if you have Alzheimer's. My top score is 14!</a><br /></p>

How Do I Find Out If I Have A Disease?

There are dozens of serious diseases that often go unnoticed, even by the people who are closest to us. But what if we, ourselves start doubting our own well-being?

The phrase “better safe than sorry” comes to mind --- would you, dart off to the nearest hospital and get yourself checked up over nothing, or would you rather wait it out and have potential serious diseases do more damage in time?

Now that we’re over our 40s, something as minor as a discoloration, a headache or a sensation of sharp, sudden, immediately-disappearing pain could be indicators for serious diseases. But what could you do? Wait it out to get either better, or worse, or take up somebody’s time?

Here are a couple of ways to find out if you have a serious disease. The big three for people who are in their 40s:

Alzheimer’s Disease

A form of dementia, this serious illness starts off as absent-mindedness. This happens because of the natural aging process --- it also changes a person’s mental functions. Do you notice yourself forgetting more and more things frequently? Have you suddenly become moody? Couple that with light disorientation and feeling generally irritable, and you might have Alzheimer’s.

Heart Disease

This is in general --- the symptoms that are common in a number of serious diseases that are classified as heart disease. Do you feel extraordinarily fatigued, even if you haven’t done much during the day? Do you feel a sudden tightness in your chest? Do you sometimes have trouble breathing? Are you a smoker/drinker/unhealthy eater? If you answered “yes” in 4 of the last questions, then you may have heart disease. If you answered “yes” to 2-3 symptoms, then it’s time to let go of some bad habits, and actively seek out a healthier change.

Macular Degeneration

This affects the eyes. Along with the heart, the eyes are affected by the aging process. When you squint as hard as you can and is still unable to read the fine-print on anything, or, when you have blood-shot eyes even after a full night’s rest --- it’d be time to see a specialist --- one of a number of serious diseases could make your eyes permanently blurry, or damaged.

Bottom line is --- it shouldn’t matter if you prefer to go to the hospital if you’ve got even the faintest suspicion that you have one of the serious diseases --- doctors and nurses and hospitals are employed to look after the welfare of their patients, and should there be a consultation/check-up fee, it’d be a small price to pay for what might go wrong down the road.

Absent-Mindedness: A Random Occurence or a Curse?

Do you occasionally need a jumpstart? Have you been frequently daydreaming? Not as active as you’re used to? You’re not alone.

Are you absent-minded? Here’s an example: you’re taking notes with a pen then the phone rings --- you answer the phone, and you spend time, energy and aggravation trying to look for the pen afterwards, only to find it neatly tucked up your ear.

Some people dismiss events like these as just being “not their day.” But it happens to the best and the rest of us. Most especially at times when we try to juggle a job, an active home life and an extra-curricular activity --- there’s only so much things you could hold in your mind at a time!

“Mind wandering” --- it’s a phenomenon that’s apparently not getting enough attention from the big brains of the scientists that are studying it. It’s inexplicable why on average, a person will daydream 30% of the time, and spend 60% sleeping or working. If you think about it long and hard enough, those figures add up to an incredible amount of time and energy wasted doing nothing.

While it happens to the rest of us, we wonder --- how come so-and-so’s so active and alert most of the time? Is there something going on in their brain of theirs that’s not happening in yours? Did they get an upgrade, or a patch, that you didn’t download?

It’s not that they’re cheating --- it’s just that they’re more alert than we are! While absent minds can usually waste time, think of the consequences --- the inconvenience an absent mind may bring to a community. What if a member of the demolition crew forgot which direction he was swinging a wrecking ball? What if that same person drove the ball right up your wall? Not too small an inconvenience, eh?

Mental alertness is the key in combating the effects of absent-mindedness. Simple mental queues while doing an action can help. Tell yourself, “I’m clipping the pen above my ear / I’m swinging the wrecking ball to the left / Insert-action here” while doing the action to help anchor in what you’re currently doing before a state-breaking interruption.

There are other, ways in which you could invoke your inner alert tiger --- such as the right amount of caffeine, guarana, gingko biloba, gotu kola and fish oils can help heighten your mental alertness state.

Don’t sweat it if you forget things from time to time --- it happens. Now what was I talking about?

FREE - Alzheimer's Disease Test

How Would I Know If I Have Alzheimer's?

Do I have Alzheimer’s? How would I know? What if I knew I did, but forgot about it?

Alzheimer’s is form of dementia that is a progressive, degenerative brain disease that destroys brain cells, causing memory loss, thinking/behavior problems and may become severe enough to affect speech, memory and a social life. Today, there is still no known cure for it.

There are three stages and should you even feel like you’re suffering the mild stage, you should immediately get yourself checked-up.

Mild – This is the stage that is most usually missed by the patient’s family. You start misplacing things and you forget some minor detail from earlier on in the day. You also tend to be less energetic. There’s a diagnosis for Mild Cognitive Impairment if your forgetfulness starts to alarm you.

Moderate – You may forget several important details, but should at least still be able to care for yourself. Simple tasks are still doable, but for the more complicated ones, like driving or cooking, you may need assistance. It is crucial at this point to start seeing a doctor about it.

Severe – This article stops making sense to you. Fact is you might not have been able to read it all that well --- it’s either you have read it and have forgotten about it, or your brain simply can’t access the part of your brain that knows how to read. The progression of the disease at this point is drastic, control of bodily functions go out the window and you may start forgetting who your loved ones are, or why they’re there in the first place.

While it’s silly to assume that we can all just go out every afternoon to get a cognitive impairment test, it’s even sillier to think that Alzheimer’s won’t affect you. As clichés go about prevention and cure --- there are several, more accessible means of decreasing the likelihood of Alzheimer’s, only if you don’t forget to remember.

Take this test to see if you have Alzheimer's!