Tag Archives: supplements

Senior Couple Enjoying Snack At Outdoor Cafe

THE IMPORTANCE OF VITAMINS IN SPRING

Spring is the most magical time in the life of nature. When everything around wakes up and life, as if reborn, begins to open up in a whole new way: it gives us the sun, the warmth, the chirping of birds. At this beautiful time, everyone more than ever wants to enjoy life, dance, meet guests and find pleasure in a special, inspirational mood.

But unfortunately spring also brings one negative attribute – in spring usually our organism is weakened and needs vitamins replenishment.
That is why let’s talk about vitamins for the elderly, both men and women.

Aging is a natural process of the body development. With age metabolic processes are slowed down, protein biosynthesis is disrupted, the work of endocrine glands is weakened, the work of the body’s immune defense is disrupted, and atherosclerosis develops. The decrease in height, muscle atrophy, the appearance of wrinkles, changes in the vascular walls, heart muscle, bone tissue, changes in the digestive tract are all the result of the aging of cells.

Taking into consideration all these changes in the body of the elderly, special attention should be paid to nutrition, which must meet the following requirements: moderation, variety in food, using of foods and dishes that have easy digestibility, antisclerotic orientation of the diet, the food should be sufficient and relevant to the needs of the body, the content in it of Vitamins and minerals.

Vitamins are the same necessary for people of all ages. But as you know, aging slows down the oxidation-reduction processes, metabolism, and associated with this weakening of the functional capacity of organs and systems happens. Vitamins can accelerate the reactions taking place in the body, restrain the development of the processes observed with aging in elderly men and women. Their important role in preventing atherosclerosis and delaying its progression has been revealed.

What vitamins are elderly people lacking?

Constant fatigue, problems with skin and hair, frequent headaches and colds … Most likely, your already aged organism simply does not have enough vitamins.
Malnutrition for older men and women is much more dangerous for health than it seems at first glance. If the body loses certain vitamins, it begins to malfunction. At the first alarming symptoms, revise your menu and include in the diet foods that are rich in vitamins you need.

Vitamin A

Symptoms of vitamin A deficiency: increased fatigue, poor appetite, dull and brittle hair, seborrhea, dryness of skin and mucosae, poor eyesight, frequent colds and ARVI.

Include in the menu: red, yellow and orange fruits and vegetables, cabbage, greens, egg yolks, fatty fish, liver, butter, milk.
Vitamin A is fat-soluble, so vegetables should be eaten with sour cream or oil.

B vitamins

Symptoms: depression, irritability, insomnia, fatigue, headaches, constipation, upset stomach, poor appetite, rashes on the skin, dull complexion, hair loss and frayed ends, brittle and cracked nails, cracks in the corners of the mouth.

Meals: dairy products (cottage cheese, cheese, kefir, sour cream), meat, fatty fish, eggs, green vegetables (broccoli, celery, spinach), nuts and seeds, vegetable oil (olive, linseed, sunflower), dry brewer’s yeast.

Reduce (and better eliminate!) The consumption of alcohol, cigarettes, coffee and tea – they remove the B vitamins from the body.

Vitamin C

Symptoms of vitamin C deficiency: anemia, frequent colds, nosebleeds, weakening of tooth enamel, bleeding gums, dry and brittle hair, constant weakness and fatigue, depression, body aches, muscle pains, apnea.

Include in the diet: vegetables (leafy greens, broccoli, cabbage, bell peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, zucchini, green onions, carrots, radishes, radishes), fruits (citrus fruits, apples, apricots, persimmons, bananas, grapes), berries (rosehips, cranberries, raspberries, currants, blueberries, strawberries, watermelon), milk.

Vitamin D

Symptoms of vitamin deficiency: irritability, pressure surges, clotting disorders, muscle weakness, convulsions, sweating, pains in the lower limbs and joints, caries.

Necessary food products: mushrooms (chanterelles, porcini mushrooms, champignons), pork and beef liver, fish (mackerel, herring, flounder), cod liver, fish oil, fatty dairy products, egg yolks.
Try to walk more: vitamin D is synthesized in the body under the influence of sunlight.

Vitamin E

Symptoms: impaired vision, muscle weakness, a constant sense of fatigue, sudden mood swings, dark circles under the eyes, bleeding gums, pigment spots on the skin.

To include in the menu: nuts, seeds, vegetable oil (corn, sunflower, soy, olive), cereals, vegetables (carrots, cucumbers, potatoes, radish, onions, broccoli, spinach), fresh peas, dry beans, beef, liver, egg yolks, milk.

Vitamin K

Symptoms of deficiency: nosebleeds, bleeding gums, bruises, fatigue and weakness, constipation, prolonged and painful menstruation, anemia.

Include in the menu: vegetables (spinach, broccoli, green leaf, purple cabbage and cauliflower, cabbage lettuce and watercress, cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes), beans, soybeans, cereals (wheat, rye, oats), eggs, meat, pork liver, chicken, cod.

Vitamin PP

Symptoms: poor appetite, dizziness, nausea, diarrhea, bad breath, soreness of the gums, insomnia, headaches, redness of the skin, its dryness and dullness.

Diet: citrus fruits, berries (raspberries, blueberries, cherries, black currants), grapes, apricots, cabbage, tomatoes, pod-pepper, green salad, greens, buckwheat, dark chocolate.

Essential vitamins necessary for the elderly

It is established that in the elderly the need for vitamins is increased. First of all, this refers to water-soluble vitamins (C, P and the whole group B). These vitamins should be included in the diet of the elderly in full, because they have vascular-strengthening and antisclerotic properties.
Postponement of senility and prolongation of life are primarily associated with maintaining the normal state of the cardiovascular system.

Thus, nutrition of elderly people should be full and balanced. Particular attention should be paid to vitamin supply. It should be borne in mind that in elderly people, hidden forms of vitamin deficiency can also develop, associated not only with their small intake into food, but also with the development of any disease process, atherosclerosis and hypertension.
But even an ideal diet can not completely cover the physiological needs of the elderly person in vitamins and minerals. The only true solution is the regular intake of multivitamin complexes or vitamin-mineral complexes, as well as the inclusion in the diet of specialized vitamin-enriched products. It is considered appropriate to take such complexes throughout the year, regardless of the season.

The hair aging or secrets of hair care for seniors

hair-aging

With age, not only our skin changes, but also our hair. Gray hair is not the only sign of hair aging. If with age the skin becomes prone to wrinkles, sagging, the signs of aging hair are brittleness, weakness and dull color. Hair loses its elasticity, becomes thinner. Naturally, the structure of your hair when you are 20 and 50 years old is quite different, that is why the hair care should also vary with the age. To maintain the beauty of your hair as long as possible, it’s helpful to listen to the advice of experts and follow some rules.

The impact of hormones on our hair

After 40, even long before menopause, female body begins to produce less estrogen – a hormone that has a positive impact, including on the life cycle of hair. The hair growth slows down and thus the physiological hair loss is not balanced out by sufficient growth of new hair. Gradually, hair gets thinner, its brittleness increases, and the appearance gets worse. Supplementation, which contain cysteine and tyrosine – substances that limit the negative impact on the hair and strengthens their capillary fiber can extend the natural balance and protect hair from age-related changes.

If the loss is focal in nature, you will not be able to deal with it without the help of a dermatologist and a specialist treatment.

The hair becomes porous

The next type of hair age-related changes is very similar to the processes occurring in the skin. With age, the number of substances that are gluing, “cementing” the flakes of hair is significantly reducing, and the pores between them become bigger and bigger. The reduction of keratin and collagen amount leads to the fact that hair becomes less protected from the aggressive influence of external environment, especially ultraviolet rays.

To protect your hair, use a special shampoo to wash your hair with high UV – filters. Once a week, make it a rule to apply a nourishing mask, restoring the structure of your hair. Thus, the hair will be protected from the negative effects of the sun, wind and pollution.

Dull hair color

With the age, indeed, hair becomes less shiny, loses its bright color. The outer shell of the hair consists of many overlapping small flakes. The hair shine and its beautiful color are provided by the reflection of the light by the outer shell of the hair. When the capillary fiber lacks internal moisture, these flakes rise and reflect the light in a lesser degree or irregularly.

Beautiful color and luster of the hair begins with the proper and adequate nutrition. Sufficient presence of essential vitamins, minerals and amino acids in the diet is very important. Such substances increase capillary hair fiber, as well as its growth. Regarding cosmetic products based on silicone, they, of course, provide the softness and shine of hair, but at the same time affect only the outer shell of hair, without solving the root cause of the problem. Furthermore, the prolonged regular use of such means can cause the hair to become even duller.

Increased hair brittleness

The weakening and increase of hair brittleness is connected with its dehydration, lack of moisture. In this case, well help preparations for hair washing with pro-vitamin B5, which stimulates the oxygen saturation and microcirculation in the tissues, and hence, improves the nutrition of hair follicles. To restore extremely dry, almost dehydrated hair, you can use something as simple as olive oil. Once a week you need to rub olive oil in the hair and massage the scalp. This will significantly improve the condition of your hair; saturate it with moisture and nutrients.

Electrostatic voltage

With the age also the fact that the hair is susceptible to a greater degree of electrostatic voltage becomes more noticeable. This happens because after 50 years milestone the chemical composition of hair is changing. To avoid electrostatic voltage of your hair and a little bit funny phenomenon of “standing up” hair, try to use a hair dryer as seldom as possible. For the “taming” of hair you can use hair spray, but it is useful once a week to apply a hair mask with collagen. Thus, you will not only take perfect care of your hair, but you’ll practically solve the problem of electrostatic voltage of your hair.

Stay healthy and beautiful!

Nutritional Warning Signs

nutritional-warning-signs
Taking care of an aging parent or your loved ones requires great attention, not only personal, but attention to the things they do, to the stuff they prefer, or to the things they forget…

With age, certain things that seem usual to us can become really difficult for them: personal care, driving, shopping, cooking and eating. Malnutrition has become a serious problem among seniors that cause a variety of health problems.

It is very significant to look for the signs of malnutrition, so you can help you loved ones before serious problems can happen. In many cases malnutrition is a result of difficulties with cooking process, shopping or a matter of forgetfulness.

If you’ve noticed the warning signs, you need to consult a doctor and make a special correction plan for food intake.

Below is the list of signs that will indicate the problem of poor nutrition.

1.    Weight Loss

Weight loss is the biggest and the most obvious sign. If you notice that your aging parent or loved one has lost weight, it’s time to check with a doctor, especially if you are not sure, what is the main reason for the weight loss.

2.    Empty refrigerator of a great number of spoiled products

It is very important during your visits to your loved ones, to check the content of the fridge and the pantry. If you notice that there are not so many products left or there are spoiled items, this might indicate that they do not shop or eat properly. Ask your parent or loved ones about their mobility, about the desire to cook and eat, about their memory.

3.    Depression and social isolation

Very often the roots of the problem do not lie on the surface; most often they are hidden inside the person. Malnutrition can be caused by depression and social isolation. The person does not feel needed and important things become insignificant to them.

4.    Fatigue

Fatigue is also one of the main signs of improper nutrition. When seniors do not get enough food, their bodies stop functioning normally, these seniors will have dental problems, can bruise easily, etc.

At Day View Adult Family Home we understand and try to meet the needs of seniors. If you have questions about our adult family home or about the topic we’ve discussed, please free to contact us. We are here to help you and your loved ones!