Dr. Mauk\'s Boomer Blog

Each week, Dr. Mauk shares thoughts relevant to Baby Boomers that are aimed to educate and amuse.

Guest Blog: Age With Grace- The Proven Diets That Help Relieve Back Pain

Many foods in your diet have been shown to reduce or increase inflammation. Inflammation is the cause of the back pain you experience, typically as you age older. Inflammation can cause all kinds of problems, including low-back pain. Hence, creating a diet with foods rich in anti-inflammatory properties is how to keep a healthy back as you grow older and maintain good nutrition. For example, there are certain solutions that Talk Kratom can provide.

Some specific causes of back or knee pain can include injuries, incorrect posture, a sudden jerk, or lack of exercise. This can last you for up to a day or more extended periods. Although maintaining a proper fitness regime is an excellent idea to ensure your health, your diet is another way to enhance your body’s strength. This article will introduce diets that will help relieve and ultimately reduce back pain.

Extra virgin olive oil

Extra virgin olive oil is rich in properties that help reduce inflammation. It also contains oleocanthal which has a similar effect as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin and ibuprofen. However, avoid heating the olive oil to a temperature of about 410 degrees because it will kill some beneficial properties. At lower temperatures, it makes an excellent base for sautéing vegetables. You can even switch out unhealthy butter usage with extra virgin olive oil.

Calcium

Calcium is the most prominent known vitamin to improve bone strength and is essential for the health of your bones in general. Calcium helps maintain the required level of bone mass throughout the lifespan of a human being, especially older aged individuals. An adequate calcium intake will prevent the development of osteoporosis. This disorder is characterized by weak, brittle bones and can result in painful vertebral fractures in the spine. However, calcium alone will not do the job of ensuring your bones remain strong. It would be best if you balanced it with other synergistic nutrients. Calcium is found in foods like dairy products, dark green leafy vegetables such as kale, some types of fish, and many more.

Vegetables

Vegetables are rich in calcium, as stated above. They are also a good source of vitamins A, C, and K. This includes leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and spinach. They also offer a natural compound called sulforaphane, which is known to block the enzyme that causes joint pain and inflammation.

Green leafy vegetables are fibrous and should be incorporated into your daily diet plan to help your body maintain a healthy life. Other vegetables that come under root vegetables (beets, pumpkin, and carrots) have beta-carotene. It is a powerful antioxidant that significantly reduces knee and back pain.

Fruits

Another food rich in antioxidants and can help your back pain is fruits. Especially the juicy variants of fruits should be a part of your everyday diet. Fruits like oranges, apples, berries, pineapples, and grapes all contain flavonoids and antioxidants. They work in tandem to ease inflammation caused by back pain.

Regular consumption of tomatoes is highly recommended since it contains lycopene. It is an extremely potent antioxidant and prevents ligament cells from perennial damage. It also works towards repairing inflamed tissues in the body.

Magnesium

Magnesium is a mineral required for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body. When blood magnesium levels drop, magnesium is pulled from the bones. Magnesium deficiency is not uncommon as you may think, and supplements are needed to maintain your bone density to prevent further back problems. The nutrients help greatly relax and contract muscles to ensure that your muscles are strengthened enough to support the spine.

You can find magnesium in green leafy vegetables, beans, fish, nuts, seeds, whole grains, yogurt, bananas, avocados, and even dark chocolate with 70% or higher amounts of cocoa.

To sum up

Some specific diets and foods can help relieve back pain. Extra virgin olive oil contains oleocanthal which has a similar effect as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Therefore, use some in your salads and as a substitute for butter. Calcium is prominently known to increase bone strength, and you can find calcium in dairy products, dark leafy green vegetables, and some fish. Similarly, vegetables are versatile and contain vitamins C, E, or K. They offer a natural compound that blocks the enzyme that causes joint pain and inflammation. Another on the list of foods high in antioxidants is fruits. Magnesium consumption in the form of some foods is also necessary to maintain bone density to relieve and prevent any back problems in the future.

We hope this article has been informative and helps you discover a diet that aids you in relieving back pain. Thank you for reading!

By Jim|2023-02-21T12:34:50-05:00February 21st, 2023|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off

Guest Blog: 5 Aged Care Aids that Should Be Accessible to Health Workers

When you are involved in the healthcare sector in Australia, and dealing with aged caregiving, you need to know what you may need to take care of the elderly under your supervision. Aged care requires some equipment and aids to be accessible to healthcare workers in order for them to perform their duties responsibly.

After all, health care workers dealing with aged caregiving is more demanding than many other jobs. You have to be on call for tending to the needs of the elderly in your care. If the equipment you have is insufficient, there might be a drop in the level of service provided.

That reflects badly, not only on you but on the health care facility as a whole. If you are missing any of these 5 aged care aids at your facility, you need to get in touch with your supervisors to have access to them when you need them most.

1. Wheelchairs
This is an absolute essential and can be used with many of the other aids mentioned here. There are many elderly that face difficulty when walking and a wheelchair on hand ensures that they don’t have to wait and suffer in discomfort to get to where they want.
It’s really important to have wheelchairs available on the spot if there is an injury in the elderly as the statistics about hip injuries and lack of immediate care are not that bright.

2. Gel Cushions
There are times when the elderly patient complains of pain in their hip joints and that sends stress signals, as your mind starts to go haywire thinking of the implications. You don’t need to be worried. With gel cushions, you’ll be able to have support for the elderly when they sit down.
The gel cushions are especially formulated for multiple uses, and are recommended by physiotherapists for pressure problems that may lead to stress fractures down the road.

3. Arthritis Handles
If there are elderly in your aged care facility that you see, struggling to open doors due to arthritis, an arthritis handle can help them be more mobile with less effort. It can safely attach to doors and drawers to help open them easily.
There’s no need to twist any knobs, grip firmly or any of the hard stuff. The elderly can get a hold of the things most important for them with an arthritis handle installed on doors and cupboards.

4. Hip Protection Pants
Safety+Mobility Aged Care Suppliers also have unisex protection pants with padded pressure guards, especially near the hip, for the elderly. It can be worn over undergarments as well, if they feel uncomfortable wearing it without underpants.
It’s not embarrassing as it is barely visible to anyone and protects the most precious areas of the elderly’s lower torso when they sit and walk. It’s a necessary aged care aid for those prone to hip problems.

5. Back Support
Lastly, back support is also very important because as we age, our bones also start to weaken without the proper diet and exercise. It means that you need to have our most important body areas safeguarded as we approach our golden years. A cushion provides the back and head support to help the elderly with posture problems.

By Jim|2023-01-30T17:06:43-05:00February 19th, 2023|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off

Guest Blog: Cognitive Issues in Seniors: Everything You Need To Know

In essence, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a condition in which an individual experiences a slight decline in mental abilities. While minor, the decline can be easily noticed by the person concerned or the people they interact with. The changes, however, are not severe enough to interfere with their routine activities and daily life.

Decline Due to Normal Aging vs. Mild Cognitive Impairment: What the Difference?

Gradual cognitive decline is sometimes evident with healthy aging. For instance, the mental processing slows down, the ability to learn new information is reduced, and the likelihood of getting distracted increases.

However, decline brought about by normal aging will not affect overall functioning or the ability to perform routine activities. Normal aging will also not affect intelligence, recognition, or long-term memory.

In normal aging, older people may forget names (and words) and misplace things occasionally. However, with mild cognitive impairment, the person forgets information and conversations one would usually remember, such as planned events and other appointments.

Does MCI Always Lead to Dementia?

Dementia is the general term used to describe the severe decline in mental function that interferes with daily living. There are instances, where a treatable disease or illness causes MCI.

However, researchers also discovered that for most patients with MCI, it is considered the point along the pathway to dementia. MCI can be secondary to various illnesses, including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, and frontotemporal dementia.

Is MCI Common?

According to the American Academy of Neurology, MCI is present in about 8 percent of people aged 65 to 69, in 15 percent of people aged 75 to 79, in 25 percent of those aged 80 to 84, and in about 37 percent of people aged 85 years or older.

Conclusion

If you suspect you have MCI, it is recommended that you see your doctor right away. While there is no specific test that can confirm a diagnosis, your doctor can tell if you have MCI based on the symptoms that manifest and the information you will provide.

About the Author

Melissa Andrews is the Content Marketing Strategist for Paradise Living Centers, an assisted living center for seniors with locations in Paradise Valley and Phoenix, Arizona. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking and going on hiking trips with her siblings and cousins.

By Jim|2023-01-30T17:06:25-05:00February 17th, 2023|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off

Guest Blog: Hearing Loss and Dementia

Age related hearing loss is the most common form of hearing loss especially in the over 65s. While deteriorating hearing due to an aging system is an (unfortunate) natural process, factors such as family history of hearing loss, smoking, and certain medication, prolonged exposure to loud noise will have an impact on its rate of deterioration and resultant severity.

The human inner ear contains hair cells that help pick up information contained within sound waves. This information is then transmitted by way of the hearing nerve to the brain for further processing. As the body matures (or due to exposure to loud noise), hair cells can become damaged and/or die. The process can start as early as in a person’s 40s, but presents far more commonly in the over 65s and the over 70s. The body is unable to regenerate new hair cells, so there will eventually come a point when the person senses that their hearing isn’t what it used to be. (Although it is often friends and family members that notice the deterioration in hearing ability and alert the individual.)

There are common problems that the hard of hearing report; but how significant their impact on the person’s daily life will vary considerably across individuals.

Common symptoms include:

• Difficulty hearing people around you
• Frequently asking people to repeat themselves
• Frustration at not being able to hear
• Certain sounds seeming overly loud
• Problems hearing in noisy areas
• Problems telling apart certain sounds such as “s” or “th”
• More difficulty understanding people with higher-pitched voices
• Ringing in the ears

Loss of hearing and its likely cause can be established after attending a hearing test. The hearing exam or hearing test will cover a review of your medical history and a physical ear exam. If the hearing loss is age-related in nature, it is often managed through the use of hearing aids. There is no cure to undo the natural aging process that results in hair cell decline, so treatment should be viewed as a means to improve quality of life by managing the condition rather than curing it.

Those that willingly or unwillingly leave hearing loss unmanaged may face further longer term health complications, including depression, and perhaps surprisingly, cognitive and mental health decline.

There is a worrying link between hearing loss and dementia currently being explored. Recent research suggests that there is a connection between hearing loss and dementia. The hard of hearing are at a high risk of experiencing social isolation due to reduced communication with their immediate surroundings; and perhaps as a result of this, they are reportedly more likely to develop dementia.

An individual with hearing loss must concentrate harder to hear and often has to use lip reading and facial expressions to fill in the gaps as to what was said. After a while, this level of concentration can lead to fatigue and symptoms that mimic physical exhaustion. Some individuals may choose to simply avoid conversation, as it is too exhausting, thereby opening the door to social isolation.

If you have concerns about your hearing or the hearing of someone you care for, do arrange a simple and quick hearing test.

Information written by Joan McKechnie BSc Hons Audiology & Speech Pathology. Joan works for UK based Hearing Direct. In addition to her role as one of the company’s audiologists, Joan helps maintain an information blog on hearing loss.

By Jim|2023-01-30T17:06:10-05:00February 15th, 2023|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off

An asprin a day, no more?

By Jim|2023-01-30T17:05:38-05:00February 11th, 2023|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off

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