Gym & Health

Ask if the government insurer offers supplemental insurance policies. If your parents are using Medicare or another government-funded health insurance plan, different plan options may be available to offer additional coverage or to fill gaps left by the basic plan.

Review supplemental policies from private insurers. In the United States, many private health insurers offer “Medigap” coverage that is tailored to fill in gaps in Medicare coverage.

• These often offer pharmaceutical benefits and reduced co-pays or coinsurance requirements for medical care.

Ask about eligibility requirements. Some supplemental policies require that your parents already hold a primary policy with the company, while others will have health or coinsurance requirements.

• If your parents are eligible based on initial requirements, ask what paperwork or documentation will be required to complete the enrollment process.

Use a specialty supplemental health plan website. Some websites are specifically designed to search and locate supplemental health insurance plans.

Search Medigap Insurance websites. Many websites that track insurance plan options have entire sections that detail the types of supplemental insurance plans that are available for aging adults who receive Medicare benefits and wish to purchase prescription drug coverage or other benefits.

Search senior club websites. Organizations such as AARP and AMAC offer supplemental insurance plans as well as a host of information on benefits for seniors. These sites are useful for learning objectively about available supplemental health insurance plans for aging individuals.

Consider a nursing home or extended care supplemental health plan. Nursing homes and long-term care facilities can cost thousands of dollars every month.

• If your aging parents need to spend time in a nursing or skilled care facility, nursing home insurance can cover the bills without the need for your parents to “spend down” until they are eligible for Medicaid to cover nursing care costs.

Do a personal inventory.

1. Do an honest self-assessment. Weigh yourself, and determine how much weight you need to lose. Based on a 2,000 calorie daily intake, you will need to burn more calories than you take in.
2. Once you find this magic number, design your healthy eating plan for this daily caloric intake. Think about exercise. Decide what type of exercise you will be doing, and for what amount of time.
3. Start small and work your way up.

Clean house. Take a walk through your kitchen, pantry, and look through the fridge and freezer.

1. Take out and get rid of every type of food or beverage that doesn’t fit into your healthy eating plan. A great way to do this is to have some friends over and let them take home everything that doesn’t fit into your healthy eating plan.
2. Don’t cheat. Get rid of it all. It’s a lot easier to stick with your healthy eating plan if you know there are no goodies within easy reach.

Get Help. See your physician, medical professional or dietary counselor.

1. Inform them that you want to start a healthy eating plan and have them assist you in recommending a diet for you to follow.
2. Have your doctor advise you on how much exercise you can safely manage, and any health risks you may have.
3. Remember that following your healthy eating plan will help to reduce your current risk of many health conditions.

Know that physical exercise can boost emotional moods. Becoming active helps rev up the pleasure producing hormones in the brain. That will elevate the mood of anyone. For those dealing with cancer treatment, mental mood can be a real problem. Depression and anxiety are major problems for anyone handling a regimen of cancer treatments. Even getting outside for five minutes at a time can make a significant difference in how a patient feels.

Keep in mind that exercise helps keep weight gain away. Some people gain weight during cancer treatments. Becoming inactive allows calories to add up. Some cancer treatments can cause nausea. However, for the most part, the inactivity can make a difference in the weight. Exercising helps to keep the weight off. For those dealing with weight loss due to nausea, moderate exercise can help soothe the stomach and allow food to become palatable again.

Remember that aerobic exercise can help keep your heart and circulation healthy. Some dealing with cancer go from being active to becoming sedentary. That can cause circulation issues. This is especially true for those who sit or lay in one position for too long. Getting up and taking a short walk can help keep the circulation healthy in the extremities. A short five minute walk a few times a day may not sound like a lot. Nevertheless, you will feel better in the interim.

Know that strength exercises can help maintain and build muscle mass. An extended regimen of cancer treatments can leave a patient with poor muscle tone. That can actually make recovery longer. Doing simple strength building exercises can keep muscle tone. For those in recovery, building muscle mass can help accelerate recovery. It will give a person more energy and that will boost overall health.

Know the stages of menopause, so you know what to expect:^[1]

• Pre-menopause. Periods just start to get irregular, usually mid-to-late 40s. There are usually no classic menopausal symptoms but menopause-like symptoms may start to appear during this stage.
• Perimenopause. Erratic cycles, hot flashes, vaginal dryness. On average, begins at age 47. Other symptoms that you may begin to see:
  • Mood swings
  • Decreased sex drive
  • Sweating
  • Racing heart (palpitations)
  • Headaches
  • Trouble sleeping
• Menopause. The first year that you haven't had any periods. You won't know you're in this phase until you've completed it (when you have a year without periods behind you).
• Postmenopausal. After the first period-free year (menopause) and for the rest of your life. If you have any vaginal bleeding in this phase, it's considered abnormal and should be discussed with a doctor.

Learn how to cope with hot flashes. Hot flashes are the body's response to lowered estrogen levels. It's a temporary dysfunction in the temperature regulating portion of the brain until the body gets used to the missed estrogen. A typical hot flash lasts about 2 - 3 minutes. During a hot flash, your face and upper body feel extremely hot. Your face reddens and you sweat heavily as your skin temperature suddenly rises 7-8 degrees. It usually returns to normal within 30 minutes.

• Dress lightly and in layers. Wear natural fibres. Synthetic fibres trap heat and perspiration during a hot flash, making this symptom even more uncomfortable. Natural fibres such as cotton or wool will give your body more ventilation, and keep it cooler by wicking moisture away from your body and cooling you naturally. Another option is to wear one layer of a thick sweater that permits air flow yet keeps heat after the body temperature has gone back down. Try standing up, fluffing the bottom of the shirt discretely, or going for a slow gentle walk to circulate air around the body. Perhaps consider V- or scoop-neck tops which can be conducive to a chimney effect if you hold out the bottom of the shirt. Heat rises, bringing cool air up.
• If you are having hot flashes, keep a diary to track when they happen. You may be able to use this information to help find out what triggers them.
• Avoid triggers like caffeine, alcohol and spicy foods (excessive alcohol will also hasten bone loss^[2]). For some women, emotional upset is a trigger; others may find a hot meal, a warm room, or a warm bed will trigger a flush.
• Try slow, deep breathing to combat hot flashes (six breaths per minute)^[3]

Take steps to combat osteoporosis. There will be a rapid loss of bone in first 3-5 years after menopause. If you don't take enough calcium through life, by midlife your bone store is already partly empty and much closer to osteoporosis.^[2]

• You need 1,200 to 1,500 milligrams of calcium daily if you're over age 50.
  • Dietary sources of calcium: low-fat and nonfat milk and yogurt, hard cheeses, collard greens, tofu, calcium-fortified orange juice and breakfast cereals, sardines, canned salmon with bones.
  • Supplemental calcium: calcium carbonate (e.g. Tums), least expensive; calcium citrate (e.g. Citracal with D), best absorbed and less constipating.
• For vitamin D, you need 400 international units daily until age 70; 600 to 800 afterward.
  • Dietary sources: fortified milk and cereals, eggs, fish oil, salmon, herring, liver.
  • Your best source of vitamin D is the sun. Whenever possible, expose some skin (without sunscreen) to sunlight for 15 minutes a day.
• Protein. Get 15-20% of your daily calories in animal protein sources (meat, poultry, eggs, and cheese) to foster bone mineral density - vegetable protein sources are not protective.^[2]

Maintain vaginal health. With less estrogen in your system, you may find that the walls of your vagina become more dry and less elastic, which can make you feel sore and uncomfortable.

• Be or remain sexually active. This may help to keep the vaginal walls from thinning^[1] and preserve elasticity of vagina.^[3]
• For vaginal dryness, use moisturizers and non-estrogen, water-based lubricants.
• Perform kegel exercises to strengthen muscles of vagina and pelvis.^[3]

Maintain a healthy lifestyle overall. If there was ever a reason to finally get into shape, kick unhealthy habits, and clean up your diet, the symptoms of menopause might be it.

• Stop smoking, it can cause early menopause^[3] and hasten bone loss^[2]
• Control risk factors for heart disease - blood pressure, cholesterol
• Eat a low-fat diet
• Exercise regularly, especially resistance exercise to strengthen bones

Weigh the benefits and risks of prescription treatment.

• Combination hormone therapy (HT) or hormone replacement therapy (HRT) (or estrogen alone if you no longer have a uterus) can reduce symptoms of menopause and help prevent osteoporosis, but long term HT may increase the risk of heart disease, breast cancer, blood clots, and stroke; estrogen-only therapy might increase the risk of blood clots and stroke.^[1]
• Antidepressants can be prescribed for mood swings and difficulty sleeping.
• Clonidine and gabapentin may be prescribed to reduce hot flashes.

Consider alternative treatments.

• acupuncture
• relaxation techniques
• herbal remedies (Remifemin [black cohosh], dong quai, chasteberry, flaxseed, vitamin E and ginseng)^[1]
• Soy protein found in soy-based food and soy milk can help reduce hot flashes.
• meditation

Herbs for menopausal syndrome: Herbs are potent sources of phytoestrogens and can replenish the deficiency of estrogen especially in menopausal women. Research on these herbs also supports their beneficial effect in many menopausal symptoms like Hot flashes, Irritability, Osteoporosis etc.

• Shatavari ^[4][5]
• Tribulus terrestris ^[6]
• Tinospora cordifolia ^[7],

Get to know your breathing. Breath awareness awareness By focusing on your breathing, you encourage your body to relax as to promote a feeling of well-being. Breathing awareness can also help lower your blood pressure and your pulse.

• Start by sitting comfortably, either in a chair or cross legged on the floor. Close your eyes. Feel the rise and fall of your chest and the openness of your belly.Allow the belly to feel full and round and soft. As you breathe deeper, allow your shoulders and face to soften. Look for areas within the body that seem tense or fatigued and soften them with every exhale.
• Deep breathing may help your body continue producing oxytocin, which helps your labor progress.^[1]

Practice a few poses. Choose poses that stretch and strengthen your legs, your hips and your side body. Do not twist or put weight on your abdomen. Yoga's use in childbirth is about body-awareness. If you can find a class to attend, you should. Not only will you find some relief physically, but you may also make some friends along the way. If there is no class available, try some simple stretches that you can learn from a prenatal yoga book, or do an internet search. Find ways to move that feel good to you.squats Side stretches should feel wonderful. Roll your shoulders back and forth and do some neck stretches to each side. Do some standing forward bends with wide legs: keep your knees soft and hang forward from the hips, rolling up to standing when finished.

• For some women, lying flat on your back puts pressure on your inferior vena cava, the vein that returns blood from the legs to the heart, causing dizziness, shortness of breath, and nausea. If you find this happening to you, avoid any position that involves lying flat on your back.^[1]
• As you get bigger, your sense of balance will be affected. Don't try to hold poses for too long and use support.^[1]

Don't strain. In childbirth, it is important to learn how to relax as much as possible. Straining, even in exercise, is not helpful. Learn to relax with your breathing awareness and your poses in order to remain relaxed during childbirth.

End with a 20 minute relaxation. This is the most important thing you can practice for optimal mind/body health. This practice helps lower blood pressure and pulse, and is beneficial for swollen legs and reducing stress. Lie down on your side, close your eyes and practice your breathing awareness. If you fall asleep, that's okay! The key is to relax as much as possible and to get good at it so that you can stay relaxed during contractions. If you notice yourself becoming distracted by thoughts or noise, draw your awareness back to the breath. Stay here for 20 minutes or more.

Practice every day, even if you can only get in 5 minutes of quiet breathing awareness at a time. Remember that a contraction only lasts a few minutes.

Stay positive. Women have been giving birth for thousands of years. They did it and so can you!

Visit your doctor to determine your estrogen levels. Before you start an estrogen treatment program, ask your doctor about the effects of estrogen on your body. While estrogen insufficiency can result in problems, too much estrogen (called estrogen dominance) has been linked to menstrual disturbances, ovarian cysts, and breast cancer.^[1]

• If you are experiencing hormonal imbalances, a doctor can prescribe blood tests to determine if low levels of estrogen is the problem. Normal estrogen levels in women prior to menopause range from 50 pg/mL to 400 pg/mL. If your estrogen levels are below 100 pg/mL, you might experience symptoms of menopause like hot flashes.

Quit smoking. Smoking may have negative effects on the endocrine system, limiting the body's ability to produce estrogen effectively.^[2] Smoking in pre-menopausal women has been linked with menstrual dysfunction, infertility, and earlier menopause.^[2]

Start exercising moderately. Exercise has been linked to a drop in estrogen levels. Avoid excessive exercising, but get regular exercise in. Not only is moderate exercise healthy, it may also decrease the risk of breast cancer in women and increase overall longevity.^[3][3] and overall longevity^[4]

• Athletes may experience a drop in estrogen levels. This is because women with low levels of body fat have more trouble producing estrogen. If you are an athlete or have low body fat levels, see your doctor for an good way to replenish your estrogen.^[5]

Maintain a healthy diet. Your endocrine system needs a healthy body in order to work properly and produce normal levels of estrogen. Eat a wide variety of fresh, organic foods to give your system the best chance to naturally produce estrogen.

• Eating additional lean protein, and foods low in fat and high in fiber, can increase your estrogen levels

Eat soy and drink soy milk. Soybean products, especially tofu, have been shown to increase estrogen levels. Soy can balance hormone levels, which means increasing estrogen in men or women with low levels. Soy milk and foods made from soybeans are located in the dairy section at most grocery stores. Other soy products you might incorporate into your diet include^[6]:

• Edamame
• Miso, in small amounts
• Soy nuts
• Tempeh
• Textured Soy Product (TSP), or foods made from textured soy flour.

Eat nutrient-rich foods. There are several fruits and vegetables that can help raise your estrogen levels. While most of these aren't as effective as eating soy or flax, it should be easy to fit several into your diet on a daily basis. Start eating:^[7]

• broccoli
• winter squash
• garlic
• green beans
• cassava root
• yams and sweet potatoes
• dried apricots
• raspberries
• strawberries
• peaches

Reduce your sugar intake. Sugar can lead to a hormone imbalance in the body.^[8] When you eat simple carbohydrates, your body converts it into sugar. Switch to a low-carb, whole-grain diet.

• For example, instead of white flour, opt for whole grain flour. Use whole grain pasta or brown rice.

Drink coffee. Women who drink more than two cups of coffee (200 mg of caffeine) per day may have higher estrogen levels than women who don't. While caffeine may increase estrogen levels, it does not seem to increase fertility. If you're trying to increase estrogen in order to ovulate, coffee and caffeine may not help much.^[9]

• Use organic coffee. Most coffee is a heavily sprayed crop, so drinking organic coffee should reduce your exposure to herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers. Use unbleached filters. Many white coffee filters contain bleach that can leach out into the final product, so try to find unbleached coffee filters for a safer brew.

Take chasteberry supplements. This herb can be found in pill form in most health stores. Follow the package instructions for the specific dosage. Chasteberry is used and shown to reduce symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, including severe premenstrual disorder. Understand that chasteberry has not been proven to reduce menopausal symptoms, increase lactation, or increase fertility.^[10]

• Avoid taking chasteberry if you are using: birth control pills, antipsychotic drugs, medications used to treat Parkinson's disease, or Metoclopramide, a dopamine-affecting drug.

Choose foods that are high in phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens act like an estrogen substitute in the body and occur naturally in several plants and herbs. Consider using phytoestrogens if you're trying to alleviate symptoms of low estrogen levels, or menopause. Take phytoestrogens in moderation. You may actually want to avoid phytoestrogens if you're trying to conceive. Phytoestrogens have been linked to infertility and developmental problems. ^[11] Foods and herbs that contain phytoestrogens include:^[12][13]

• legumes: soybeans, peas, pinto and lima beans
• fruits: cranberries, prunes, apricots
• herbs: oregano, black cohosh, sage, licorice,
• whole grains
• vegetables: broccoli and cauliflower^[14]

Make an herbal tea. Several herbal teas or tisanes can increase your estrogen levels. Steep the herbs in a cup of hot water for five minutes. These herbs can increase your estrogen levels:^[15]

• spearmint
• kelp
• agnus castus
• arame
• wakame
• sea palm
• alaria
• agar agar
• dulse
• carrageenan