The amount of sodium that one consumes each day can have an effect on blood pressure. Seniors who are battling high blood pressure should try to reduce their daily sodium intake. This is one of the best ways to lower blood pressure. Below is a list of facts and useful tips about sodium that Home Care Phoenix thinks all seniors should know in order to reduce their intake.

1. The government passed regulation to label products differently. Anything with more than 480 mg will be labeled as high in sodium.

2. When you reduce sodium intake, you will notice foods taste differently. Do not give up. In a short time, your taste buds will adjust!

3. Do not cut out sodium completely. The body does require some intake. For adults, the minimum amount is 200-500mg/day. Those with high blood pressure should not exceed 1500mg/day.

4. Lower intake by reading food labels and being aware of sodium contents, make records of daily sodium intake, change some eating habits and find low-sodium alternatives to what you normally eat.

5. When dining out, eat from the salad bar and avoid soups and sauces. Also ask for a low-sodium menu.

6. Read labels. Manufacturers are required to tell you how much sodium is in a product based on a serving size. Look at the serving size and then at how much sodium is in each size.

7. Keep in mind that many of your medications may contain sodium. Check with your doctor for tips on how to lower sodium intake. Also remember that tap water contains sodium as well, so try to drink bottled or filtered water.

Source: hearthealthyonline.com

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Home Care Central Phoenix and Home Care Greater Phoenix provides elder care and senior care in Phoenix. Call us today at 623-583-5868, 602-265-8228 or 480-991-3959.

Each year millions of people are affected with high blood pressure. This ailment mainly affects the senior population. Due to the other health risk associated with high blood pressure, many seniors are taking steps at home to lower their blood pressure and achieve a healthy lifestyle.

Home Care Phoenix wants to remind all seniors that they should consult their doctor before making any  drastic changes to their diet and exercise. The following tips however are a good starting place for anyone looking to naturally lower their blood pressure.

1. Reduce sodium intake. Daily intake for seniors or anyone over 50 should be less than 2,300 mg per day. Take the saltshaker off the table and try to eat foods that are low in sodium.

2. Change cooking habits and do not use salt. There are other ways to get great flavor when cooking. Use herbs and spices and avoid using bullion and prepared sauces. They contain high amounts of sodium. When dining out, ask for food to be prepared without salt or request a low sodium menu.

3. Check the medications you are currently taking. Many of them do contain sodium. Talk to your doctor about adding an aspirin to your daily regime. This can reduce chances of stroke and heart attack.

4. Reduce stress, add some exercise and quit smoking. All of these will lower your blood pressure. Losing a few pounds will also be beneficial.

5. If you can, monitor your blood pressure at home. If these changes do not work, you may have to ask for a prescription medication. Doctors will also suggest increasing your potassium intake.

Source: hearthealthyonline.com

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Home Care Central Phoenix and Home Care Greater Phoenix provides elder care and senior care in Phoenix. Call us today at 623-583-5868, 602-265-8228 or 480-991-3959.

Exercise is one of the best ways to lower the risk of developing heart disease. There are many benefits to an exercise program. No matter how old you are, you will find that there are many positive sides to implementing exercise into your daily life. Seniors are trying to make minor changes to their lives that will provide them with health benefits. The following list provides useful tips and facts about exercise.

Before making changes to a diet or adding exercise, Home Care Phoenix wants to remind all seniors that they should always talk to their doctors first. Be sure to ask about medications, the ability to lift heavy objects and what exercises are safe for you.

1. Exercise can help circulation and strengthen the heart and cardiovascular system. It also lowers blood pressure, improves muscle tone and strength, boosts self-esteem and improves sleep.

2. Stretching exercises lengthen the muscles, preparing them for activity. It will reduce the chance of injury and muscle strain.

3. Aerobic or cardiovascular exercise strengthens the heart and lungs and will greatly improve the use of oxygen in the body.

4. Try to implement a walking program to start. Then you can move to jogging, biking or water aerobics.

5. An exercise session should last between 20 and 30 minutes to provide the best benefits for the body and over-all health. Exercise every day or every other day for the best results.

Source: webmd.com

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Home Care Central Phoenix and Home Care Greater Phoenix provides elder care and senior care in Phoenix. Call us today at 623-583-5868, 602-265-8228 or 480-991-3959.

Home Care Phoenix wants all seniors to know that they should always talk to their doctor before starting a new exercise or diet program.

On top of everything a senior can do towards staying healthy, being aware of your heart health may be one of the most important aspects to remaining healthy. Seniors looking to decrease their chances of heart disease can stick to these dietary heart healthy guidelines.

• Saturated Fats—To follow the Heart Healthy Diet, only 8% to 10% of a senior’s total daily calories should come from saturated fats. This percentage is based upon the percentage of calories you actually eat. In other words, the amount will vary depending on how many calories you consume.

• Fats—A senior’s total daily calories from fat should be 30% or less. Once again, this percentage is based on the percentage of calories you eat.

• Dietary Cholesterol—Seniors should keep their daily dietary cholesterol intake under 300 milligrams if they want to stick with the heart healthy diet.

• Sodium—Sodium consumption should be limited to 2400 milligrams a day.

• Eating Habits —Seniors should not deprive themselves of calories or over eat. It is important to always eat enough calories towards maintaining or achieving a healthy weight. Also, a healthy calorie intake should help reduce blood cholesterol levels.

Source: nhlbisupport.com

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Home Care Central Phoenix and Home Care Greater Phoenix provides elder care and senior care in Phoenix. Call us today at 623-583-5868, 602-265-8228 or 480-991-3959.

Once January is behind us, sometimes it can be a challenge to keep up those promised goals for 2010. Hear at Home Care Phoenix, we know that senior citizens especially can lose the energy and willpower to keep up on resolutions. Getting over that January hump can be much easier when some simple tips are kept in mind.

• Keep Your Resolutions To A Minimum—If you have a laundry list of resolutions staring you in the face, discouragement will eventually follow when all goals are not met. Try to only make one or two resolutions for the New Year.

• Goals Should be Realistic - Weight loss or spending resolutions with large goals tend to fly out the window past January. Start small with any resolution. Losing a small amount of weight a week in comparison to setting a 20-pound goal for the month will be much easier to keep going.

• Be patient and don’t get discouraged—The saying “old habits die hard” could not be truer when it comes to New Years resolutions. Correcting old habits will take a while to change. Setbacks may present themselves, so do not get discouraged and punish yourself for falling back on an old habit.

• Give Yourself a Pat on the Back—When you accomplish a goal, reward yourself. Being proud of your accomplishments will give that additional incentive to keep up your resolutions just for how good it makes you feel.

Source:  ehow.com

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Home Care Central Phoenix and Home Care Greater Phoenix provides elder care and senior care in Phoenix. Call us today at 623-583-5868, 602-265-8228 or 480-991-3959.

At Home Care Phoenix we know that as you grow older, if you’re fortunate enough to still have a spouse by your side, it’s a time for bonding and coming together in older adulthood. When setting your goals for the year, set them together. They’ll bring you closer and you’ll motivate each other, and here are some things you can do together to make this year better than last.

1. Improve your health together – you’ll be better motivated if the person that you live with and spend most of your time with has the same goals. When you go out to eat, make healthier choices together and find exercise activities you enjoy doing together

2. Eat at home – it’s easier to make healthy choices when you eat at home. Vow to dine in more often, and try to incorporate unique recipes you enjoy eating out into a healthy home diet

3. Get out and explore – many seniors have lived in their city for decades and have come to take it for granted. Each week, get out there with your spouse and explore a museum and a local park. You’ll appreciate the local culture and get moving at the same time

4. Eliminate bad habits – spouses may not have the same bad habit, though they can encourage one another to eliminate theirs. Quit smoking while your loved one cuts back on drinking

Via: Suite101

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Home Care Central Phoenix and Home Care Greater Phoenix provides elder care and senior care in Phoenix. Call us today at 623-583-5868, 602-265-8228 or 480-991-3959.

With a growing senior population, home care Phoenix knows many aging adults are searching for ways to reinvent themselves and reach new life goals. Some of these goals may be quite simple, yet others can be difficult to achieve. The list below contains some useful tips that can be used by seniors when trying to attain new goals this year.

1. Try to be more conscious of what you eat. While sweets are hard to resist, try eating a piece of fruit instead of candy. It will satisfy your craving for sugar and is much healthier.

2. Buy a scale for the bathroom. This will help monitor your weight. You can even use a journal to keep track of any changes. A good scale will help you through your weight-loss journey.

3. Increase physical activity. Seniors do not need to join a gym. A simple short walk each day will help burn extra calories. In addition, that walk can help keep your heart healthy.  Exercise also increases your mood, so not only will it have physical benefits, but your mental health will improve as well.

4. Discuss weight loss plans with a doctor. You want to make sure your diet is providing you with the intake you need to stay healthy yet at the same time will help you lose weight.

Source: aarp.org

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Home Care Central Phoenix and Home Care Greater Phoenix provides elder care and senior care in Phoenix. Call us today at 623-583-5868, 602-265-8228 or 480-991-3959.

Seniors often make resolutions for the New Year. Losing weight is a common resolution made. While weight loss can be difficult for many seniors, there are some small changes that can be made in daily life that will help. Below is a list that contains some helpful tips for any senior looking to lose a few of their extra pounds.

1. Try to be more conscious of what you eat. While sweets are hard to resist, try eating a piece of fruit instead of candy. It will satisfy your craving for sugar and is much healthier.

2. Buy a scale for the bathroom. This will help monitor your weight. You can even use a journal to keep track of any changes. A good scale will help you through your weight-loss journey.

3. Increase physical activity. Seniors do not need to join a gym. A simple short walk each day will help burn extra calories. In addition, that walk can help keep your heart healthy.  Exercise also increases your mood, so not only will it have physical benefits, but your mental health will improve as well.

4. Discuss weight loss plans with a doctor. You want to make sure your diet is providing you with the intake you need to stay healthy yet at the same time will help you lose weight.

Source: aarp.org

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Home Care Central Phoenix and Home Care Greater Phoenix provides elder care and senior care in Phoenix. Call us today at 623-583-5868, 602-265-8228 or 480-991-3959.

Seniors can benefit physically and mentally in 2010 by setting New Year’s resolutions that they stick to. Goals should focus on improving their lives, but they’re only effective if they’re followed through on. So follow these steps to stick to your goals:

1. Focus on fun – particularly when it comes to losing weight or starting an exercise program, the resolution can become a burden rather than something you desire to achieve. Find exercise activities you enjoy, and if your resolutions have nothing to do with weight loss or exercise; ensure you go about attaining your goals in a way that’s focused on fun!

2. Think about your future today – if you have goals for the future, there’s no better time than now to start working towards achieving them. You might have excuses, whether it’s related to your age, your health, the logistics of getting around or something else; but those are aspects unlikely to change so take the bull by the horns and work towards the goals you set

3. Talk to others – if you tell others about your goals, you’ll be more likely to stick to them. It almost creates a challenge, since you’ll be encouraged to tell your friends and family that you’re successful rather than failing at your New Year’s resolutions. This also gives you a support network for encouragement

Via: AARP

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Home Care Central Phoenix and Home Care Greater Phoenix provides elder care and senior care in Phoenix. Call us today at 623-583-5868, 602-265-8228 or 480-991-3959.

New Year’s resolutions are often about improving health, but they’re rarely focused upon improving quality of life with fun activities. This year, seniors can focus on both with these top 10 resolutions for senior life and health.

1. Be social – attend parties, classes, and social groups. Seniors who are socially active have better physical and mental health than those who are isolated. It’s not uncommon for seniors to withdraw, but avoid it in 2010

2. Try healthy indulgences – controlled amounts of red wine and dark chocolate are enjoyable and can improve health by preventing diabetes, lower blood pressure and more

3. Laugh a lot – you’ve heard laughter is the best medicine. It’s true. Laughter is about the only thing you shouldn’t do in moderation. People should get in a good laugh a couple of times a week to improve the health of their blood vessels

4. Take a snooze – heart related death has been proven to be reduced in seniors who nap for 30 minutes at least 30 times per week. It can also help seniors feel refreshed and improve their immune systems

5. Dance for health – dancing can help to prevent dementia, and is a great form of exercise. Get out those dancing shoes in 2010!

6. Eat some fat – linoleic acid and safflower oil can actually help seniors with a few pounds to shed lose weight, so incorporate them into your diet

7. Get some sun – don’t forget the sunscreen, but vitamin D can lift spirits and reduce the risk of heart disease

8. Try tai chi or yoga – these activities can improve mental health through meditation and help with balance, strength and flexibility

9. Have sex – many seniors give up sex, but it can help you to sleep better, reduce pain, blood pressure and stress

10. Spend time in nature – anxiety and depression are greatly reduced in those who appreciate green space!

Via: AARP

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Home Care Central Phoenix and Home Care Greater Phoenix provides elder care and senior care in Phoenix. Call us today at 623-583-5868, 602-265-8228 or 480-991-3959.