Looking stylish, wonderfully fit, vigorous and very expensive, Madonna, the Material Girl, hit the half-century mark in August. A flurry of magazine and newspaper articles resulted as well as TV and radio commentaries.

Not your mother’s 50’s but the New 50’s! new 60′s! and new 70′s!

Madonna is a great example of what 50 can look like these days. I don’t personally go for the surgical work she probably had done to enhance her appearance, but then I’m not a celebrity so surgery isn’t required. I do, however, love her attitude, her discipline for exercise and good nutrition, and her continuing ambition and desire to excel and do well.

This lady is not a wall flower at 50 and neither is that script written for us- men or women. There are other famous names who are reaching 50 in 2008: Ellen DeGeneres, Sharon Stone, Alec Baldwin, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Bacon and Prince Albert of Monaco.

Obviously, aging isn’t what we may have assumed. Even if you take away the nips and tucks and fillers, I think it’s the attitude plus exercise, better skin care, sun protection, less smoking, better concepts of good nutrition and a different standard of what is healthy.

Madonna is a reflection of how the perception of aging has changes in our society. Men and women in their 50s and 60s do look 10 to 15 years younger than the last generation. True, age is something that’s still easier to accept for men. That’s beginning to change also when considering the film, “Sex and the City.” I for one am enjoying the perception change. Can’t wait to see what happens when Madonna turns 60!

When it comes to nutrition, the research is loaded with information on malnutrition and its impact as you age. Malnutrition remains a health issue for the elderly but usually not for the folds aged 60 to 80 or even 85. Times have changed!. The other reason that not much has been studies is because the experts have not figured out how to deal with loss of muscle mass and bone mineral density that takes place naturally as you age and diet. In fact, weight loss is usually not recommended because it may mean even less muscle mass and bone density.

I for one do not see the problem. The complication only means that the nutrition program for someone 60 or older who is obese has to be very carefully outlined so that there are enough nutrients that bone density and muscle mass loss are not increased. The nutrition plan, the lifestyle plan, if you will, requires steps that we probably all should be taking: a low calorie diet with physical activity and social support.

Of course there will be some exceptions depending upon the individual. Older people, for example, need to be careful that they take in enough vitamin D, vitamin B-12, fiber and that they hydrate. Someone else may need more omega 3. Most health experts recommend a minimum of 30 minutes of aerobic exercise for those who do not have physical problems. I personally think that number should be at least 45 minutes or an hour 6 or 7 days a week especially if all your joints and pieces and parts work.

A healthier lifestyle is available to you no matter your age. And some kind of a healthier lifestyle is also available to you even with some physical limitations. Start with small steps and move ahead.

The noise about osteopenia and osteoporosis is that with either you increase your risk of breaking a bone without being physically fit and having a healthy lifestyle.  The weaker your bones are the less stability and balance you have and you are more likely to fall. Breaking a hip bone, for example, is well documented as the beginning of the end for 25 percent of the people who do break their hip bone. The goal, then, is not to put yourself at risk by making sure your bones have some density and mass. This is anti aging medicine at its finest.

Osteopenia is treated by taking steps to keep it from progressing to osteoporosis. Most people can achieve this by changing their lifestyle. This includes changing their diet to include sources of calcium such as dairy and green vegetables. Taking a calcium and vitamin D supplement are also part of the solutions.

Exercise is also important in maintaining strong bones. Weight bearing exercises such as walking or biking and dancing are good choices. Add to that light weights or elastic bands to help the upper body.

There are also medicines to treat bone thinning but these are more commonly used when you have passed osteopenia and are in osteoporosis. Some of the medicines used for osteopenia are bisphosphonates, raloxifene and hormone replacement. The problem is the drugs carry risks so many experts say the diagnosis and drug treatment does more harm than good.

I am not sure you can prevent osteopenia, at least not completely. It all depends on your family history, if you are thin, how much calcium and vitamin D you received when you were a child and as a young adult raising children. The trick is to increase your bone density before you are 30 when the density peaks. If you are over 30 it is not too late to make lifestyle changes.

The fact is doctors do not agree on the treatment for osteopenia and for osteoporosis as well. Much of the controversy revolves around when to take the medications and where. I am very skeptical about taking medicine for osteopenia because I see it not as a disease but as a marker for the risk of osteoporosis.

Complicating the issue even more is how do you determine the degree of risk in the early stages of bone loss? I truly believe that overly enthusiastic marketing may have resulted in too aggressive treatment of younger women who probably were at relatively low risk of fracture.

Let me know what you think about this issue of bone mass and treatment and meds. Personal stories of experiences with the meds would be wonderful.

To your successful health.
Ruthan

Ruthan Brodsky
Copywriter and Content Creator
Business Writer
Health Writer

I described the basic FDA (Food and Drug Administration) regulations regarding cosmetics in the previous post. Moving right along with a slight variation of the theme, if we’re going to be smart consumers, it’s important to understand how cosmetics that make therapeutic claims are treated.

If you’re past 40 you’ve probably purchased a product that makes a therapeutic claim and there’s nothing on the box or bottle to show that it’s gone through  these regulations. The conclusions you may want to consider are either the product is absolutely worthless because there’s no proof it does what it claims to do or the product could be very dangerous because it’s untested.

Cosmetics are defined by the government as products to be applied to the human body for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness or altering appearance without affecting the body’s structure or functions. This definition includes skin-care creams, lotions, powders and sprays, perfumes, lipsticks, fingernail polishes, eye and facial makeup, permanent waves, hair colors, deodorants, baby products, bath oils, bubble baths and mouthwashes and any material that’s a component of a cosmetic product.

Products that intend to treat or prevent disease or affect structure or function of the human body are considered drugs.

Cosmetics that make therapeutic claims are regulated as drugs and cosmetics and must meet the label requirements for both. One way to tell if you’re buying a cosmetic that’s also regulated as a drug is to check the label and see if the first ingredient is listed as an ‘active ingredient’. It’s this ‘active ingredient’ that makes the product effective and the manufacturer must have proof that it’s safe for its intended use.

Products that are listed as both cosmetics and drugs are required to list the active ingredients first followed by the list of cosmetic ingredients in order of volume.

This products I mention next may surprise most all of you. They are examples of products that are both cosmetics and drugs and include dandruff shampoos, fluoride toothpastes, antiperspirant deodorants, and foundations and tanning preparations that contain sunscreen. Before any of these can be marketed, they must be scientifically proven safe and they must work – at least to some extent. If not, they’re taken off the market.

Some of these combination products come with warnings. For example, the many alpha hydroxyl acids (AHAs) and beta hydroxyl acids (BHAs) which claim to reduce wrinkles and age spots and help sun-damaged skin, usually have a warning printed on the box or a paper listing the warnings inside the box such as:
avoid the sun, use sunscreen, and don’t exceed recommended applications.

One more small surprise.

The rules for listing cosmetic ingredients apply only to retail products intended for home use. Cosmetic samples and products used exclusively by beauticians in salons are not required to include the list of ingredients. They are required, however, to list the distributor, the quantity, and include all necessary warning statements.

Suggestions: The next time you get that facial or body massage, you may want to ask if the aesthetician is using the same product she’s selling, just to make sure you’re not getting any surprises!

Keep these terms in mind when you purchase your next cosmetic product.
Not that long ago, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tried to establish official definitions for specific terms used to describe cosmetics such as ‘natural’ and hypoallergenic’. However, the regulations were overturned in court so companies can  now use these words on labels to mean just about whatever they want. The terms have a lot of marketing value but provide no medical information.

Some other terms you should know about include:
Natural. This word implies the ingredients are extracted directly from plant or animal products and not produced synthetically. Counterpoint: There’s no scientific legitimacy that products containing natural ingredients are good for the skin. Some ‘natural’ products may even be bad for your skin or not work altogether.
Hypoallergenic. Products that make this claim are less likely to cause an allergic reaction. Counterpoint: No scientific studies are required to substantiate this claim. Moreover, the terms ‘allergy tested’ and dermatologist-tested’ don’t guarantee they won’t cause skin reactions.
Fragrance free: The implication is that products described by this word have no odor. Counterpoint: Fragrance ingredients may be added to a ‘fragrance-free’ cosmetic to mask any offensive odor from the raw materials used, but in a small amount so it has no odor.
Alcohol Free: This term implies that there’s no alcohol, including grain alcohol, in the cosmetic product. Cosmetic products may contain, however, other alcohols such as cetyl, stearyl, ceteryl, or lanolin.
Noncomodogenic: This term means that products do not contain pore-clogging ingredients that could lead to acne. Again, there’s no way to test this.
Shelf Life (Expiration Date): The length of time the product sits on the shelf and is highlighted or exhibit. Counterpoint: Expiration dates are for practical purposes when in reality a product could lose its activity level long before the expiration date.
Cruelty Free: This term implies that products have not been tested on animals.
There’s more and I bet you didn’t know this!
Almost all brands have cosmetic products that they market as being wonderful because they contain vitamins.  There’s a big debate about the value of vitamins in skin-care products. It’s true that vitamins A,D, E, K and some B complex group are essential to maintaining healthy hair and skin. Manufacturers now add these vitamins to their cosmetics.  The problem is there’s no clinical proof that your skin will be nourished by the vitamins when they’ve been added to a product and then applied to the skin. For that reason a vitamin added to a cosmetic product must be listed in the ingredient label by its chemical name.

What’s listed on the label is a good source for comparing different products. Since the cosmetic industry often produces new, reworked versions of old ingredients, it’s always a good idea to check out the differences. There are probably less differences than you think, even comparing the expensive product to one that costs a lot less.

The rules and regs keep changing so keep in touch with what you purchase.
Source: www.fda.gov

The lifestyle changes you need to make to help prevent disease haven’t changed much from those suggested a decade or so ago: proper nutrition, enough exercise, and maintaining a positive mental  outlook.

For me one of the major keys for physical health is good bone strength as you age. That means weight bearing exercise accompanied by routines that help your joints maintain their flexibility. That means keeping up the aerobic activity such as walking, jogging or dancing. It also may mean taking yoga or Pilate’s classes. The point is to build your strength to a point where you are able to lift weights and have the flexibility to get you there.

Keeping in mind that emotional and mental vitality are closely related to physical vitality, social contact with others can make a big difference in how you feel. I found that replacing a lost activity with another activity that keeps me active works very well. For example, I had to give up jogging so I took up walking. Today I jog in very short spurts while I’m walking. During a 2 mile walk, for instance, I may jog three times for a distance of one quarter or one third of a mile.

If one of my lost physical activities also involved being social, such as playing doubles  tennis, I make it a point to keep in personal contact with some folks and replace the social activity with another social activity such as learning to play bridge. The point is that replacing lost activities helps me keep a positive attitude even if family circumstances and my changing health means I can’t do all the things I used to do.

Of course, the signs of aging include not only wrinkles but can also some degree of memory loss and decreased brain function. Knowing this motivates me to protect and even improve my memory and mental sharpness by challenging my intellect on a daily basis. Writing this post, for example, is a challenge. Learning to play bridge is a challenge.

I am convinced, however, that figuring out the software programs it takes to manage my online and offline business is the ultimate challenge. I suspect the software replaces any of the cross word puzzle activity recommended to keep mentally agile. For me computer frustration has replaced any chance for depression as I get older. In fact, getting to the point where I finally understand how to work a particular program is an absolute high for me.

What has worked for me the most, however, and throughout my life is my commitment to positive thinking. Even though I am an optimist, as I get older it sometimes takes an extra effort to frame my life positively. Humor, friendship and love work for me. Spiritual wellness also works.

There is no magic bullet to aging gracefully no matter the anti-aging hype on a TV infomercial. My goal is to look and be my best without going under the knife. I feel fairly certain that my success to that commitment lies somewhere between my ears and at the grocery store.

And I’m not alone with this kind of thinking. For instance, most of us think of retirement as a great idea. Our vision is of not being on a schedule, time to do what we want to do, time to do those things we always wanted and never did, and eliminating all the stresses of a job. The problem is that after retiring many people find that they miss the social connections they had when they were working. They also report that even with a pension they miss the financial security of their check. Many, much to their surprise, also miss the schedule that gave their life purpose and organization.

Working out of my home these many years has motivated me to consider all the issues I mentioned above plus the myriad of issues that arise from operating your own business. After all, I can get up at 3:30 in the morning and go to my office so that I can put in an 18 hour day or I have time to play golf in the afternoon. This isn’t so easy to do if you work at an office or even if you sometimes work at home because you need to confer with the other people in your company who don’t get to the office until 8 or 9 am.

I’ve learned a few new habits that have helped me to balance my work at home lifestyle that I believe will also be a huge help to you when you retire or if you are retired.

First I do my best to have a daily divergence from work and from my daily routine. For example, long outdoor walks with a friend, a spouse, or by myself are a must in the summer and warmer months. Joining some type of aerobics class is my alternative for the winter months. Both are things that I can do and be frugal about doing them. Moreover, I don’t have to push myself to do them and none involve any competition. If you don’t think you can fit these activities in your schedule, then cross something else off – like TV.

Secondly I make it a point to appreciate the people I know – family and friends – and maintain a connection with them. We all need other people. Without some kind of love or bond or fulfilling friendship it is hard to be happy without someone you can talk to rather than letting whatever it is fester inside. It is your friends and sometimes even your family that can help you from being depressed which can add healthy years to your life. You must know by now that laughing lowers your blood pressure. I don’t deny that a safe monogamous sexual relationship is important but strong social ties, good friends- good buddies, are also great for your health. Keep working at them.

For some keeping up these friendship connections is natural. For others, you are going to need to schedule them in your daily activities. It is worth the effort and the time.

To your success at healthy aging.
Ruthan

Ruthan Brodsky
Copywriter & Content Creator
Business Writer
Health Writer
Memory and Mind

We are bombarded by ads to stop aging, erase wrinkles, look younger and be able to run around like a kid. The emotional appeal is that if we use such and such  product others will adore us. The others are that gorgeous man or woman or those two loving grandchildren who never say anything but look at the TV  commercial consumer with adoration.

I don’t know about you, but I can buy into that marketing very easily. And so we do… we purchase the products.

For the last couple of years I’ve worked hard to be an informed consumer when it comes to cosmetics rather than make purchases based on emotions. In this and my next  post I’ll give you information that I use when thinking about purchasing shampoo, after shave lotion, body lotions, anti-wrinkle cream,  or anti-aging anything.

Upfront, however, I admit to occasionally succumbing to my emotions – like I bought a jar of La Mer because that’s the only product my most favorite aunt in California uses and I just finished talking to her. Mia culpa!

Most of us expect a product to prevent or inhibit wrinkles if the claim is made on the package. After all (we think), they can’t print that statement if it’s not true. We also believe that if a product claims to be ‘natural’, then all the ingredients in that product will be natural.

I’m not going to apologize for challenging your beliefs but neither of these claims from cosmetic products is necessarily true. The cosmetic industry is selling an image and the claims are part of marketing that image. What’s more the claims aren’t illegal.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) set the guidelines, the standards, for the cosmetic industry – the ingredients, what they can say about the ingredients, what they can say about the product. If you’re like me, you want something that works. If the jar says this cream will keep my hands from drying out in the winter, that’s what I expect it to do.

If I’m going to figure out whether or not this cream is likely to work for me, then first I’m going to need to ‘interpret’ (can’t think of any other word that makes sense) what the FDA says about this hand cream’s claims. (If this doesn’t make sense to you,E-mail me at ruthanb@balanceyourhealth.com and I’ll get into more detail.)

The FDA’s requirements for selling cosmetics are a lot less rigorous than for pharmaceuticals. In fact they usually don’t start to regulate a cosmetic product until after it’s been introduced to the public. The problem is most of us believe that once a product is on the market it is most likely safe and performs well.

The label is your best friend when it comes to purchasing cosmetics. Every cosmetic product offered to the public is supposed to include an ingredient list. Like pharmaceuticals, the ingredients are to be listed in descending order of quantity which is why WATER is so often listed first because it accounts for the bulk of most skin-care products.

Here’s another piece to the puzzle about rules and regulations for the cosmetic industry that’s given me a better understanding about how this all works.

Visualize this. You walk into Macy’s, Nordstrom, Target, JC Penny or Lord & Taylor, Parisian. or Neiman Marcus and Saks – any large department store – and there are rows of cosmetic counters, each representing a different brand of cosmetic products. The air smells of cologne. High stools are positioned at several counters for customers so that sales reps can stand up, move around and grab different products, while applying different foundations, powders or moisturizers and eye shadows on the customer for immediate results.

The customers make their selections based on  the sales rep’s opinion and what they see in the mirror. If the sales rep is really good, she’s figured out the customer’s hot button – which is usually to look younger. All the sales rep has to say about a product for a sure sale is ‘that it gives you a more youthful appearance.’ What a great backdrop for appealing to our emotions. Ca-Ching!

Cosmetic companies aren’t required to substantiate performance claims or conduct safety testing. As consumers, however, most of us believe that if it’s on the market it can’t hurt me. That may not be true. For instance, almost all cosmetics can cause allergic reactions in certain individuals.

The FDA is not proactive when it comes to cosmetics. The occasions when the agency can challenge a product is when it receives complaints (from you and me) about the product being labeled improperly or we’ve had bad results or no results when using the product.

Since there’s no list of ingredients that can be guaranteed not to cause allergic reactions, if you’re prone to allergies, you need to pay close attention to what you use on your skin. It’s almost impossible to detect how your skin is going to react to some creams which are combinations in all sorts of mixtures and formulations.

There’s no getting away from it. When you buy cosmetics, buy with a healthy dose of skepticism.

Let me know if you think this is helpful.

Warm regards, Ruthan

Source: www.fda.gov

Ruthan Brodsky

Copywriter & Content Creator

Business Writer

It is true that making lifestyle changes does reduce the blood pressure of many. Losing weight, exercising, eating a healthy diet and cutting back on salt may reduce your numbers.  However, there are times when medications, such as beta blockers, diuretics or ACE inhibitors are needed. The fact is most patients do require more than one medication and the majority of people will need these meds for the rest of their life.

Both hypertension and isolated systolic hypertension are treated the same way. However for people with heart disease and isolated systolic hypertension, health care providers take extra caution not to lower diastolic pressure below 70 mm Hg, because lower could lead to a heart attack.

Your doctor may recommend home monitoring in between office visits. This can help your doctor get a more accurate picture of your blood pressure over time. This requires that you be able to measure your blood pressure at home.

Your best bet is to purchase a digital blood pressure monitor at your local drugstore.  This is an easy-to-use device that includes an arm cuff, a system that registers pressure, displays your blood pressure on a digital screen, and sometimes includes a stethoscope. There are different types of blood pressure monitoring devices and they all have their pros and cons. All types work well only if you are using a cuff of the correct size and you may want to ask you doctor. Automatic digital kits make measuring your blood pressure even easier by automatically inflating the arm cuff.

I agree with those who report that home blood pressure monitoring is a safe and effective way for most people to keep track of their blood pressure between visits to your doctor. Home monitoring may be especially beneficial if you:

• Are taking a medication to manage your hypertension and you want to see how well it’s working;
• You have coronary heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease or another condition that requires frequent blood pressure monitoring;
• You’re pregnant;
• You’re elderly and want to watch your blood pressure;

Keep in mind that if you do monitor your blood pressure you should track it and maintain a record of your blood pressure reading. It is a good idea to talk to your doctor about the advantages and disadvantages of monitoring your own blood pressure. Your doctor can tell you what blood pressure level range is normal for you and work with you to make sure your device is accurate.

If you don’t like a regular digital blood pressure monitor or standard blood pressure kits, you may want to try a digital wrist blood pressure monitor which measures blood pressure but is travel size.

I’m a firm believe that everyone over age 60 ought to be monitoring their blood pressure on some type of regular basis.  Your bp can tell you a lot about how well your body is performing. Using a bp monitor is another way of listening to your body. I’m one of those people who feels it’s important to listen to your body before it starts shouting at you.

To your success at controlling your blood pressure.

Ruthan

Ruthan Brodsky

Copywriter & Content Creator

Business Writer

Your blood pressure is one of those things that physicians look at regardless your age and regardless your health condition. It gives signs that either something is very wrong or your health hasn’t changed.

Checking your blood pressure regularly is probably not on your list of things to do.   After all, you’re either too busy trying to earn some extra money or figuring out how to spend less.  Then there’s your daughter’s kids; she’s a single mom and putting more work hours in so she can make ends meet and you’re helping out by baby sitting.

Who’d have thought you would become a taxi for kids? Robert, a long time friend of ours, has even learned to cook because he prepares dinner for his grandchildren three times a week.  Robert has been hypertensive since his late twenties. He told me he’s so busy when school starts he seldom checks his blood pressure – but he should.

Having your blood pressure checked or doing it yourself is a simple test. Unchecked, high blood pressure can have devastating effects on your health. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, can lead to stroke, heart disease, chronic kidney disease, even dementia. The condition usually develops slowly and has no symptoms.

That cuff around your arm provides information about what’s going on in your heart and inside your arteries. Specific medical conditions can elevate your blood pressure or high blood pressure can be a symptom of coronary artery disease. You’re also more likely to have high numbers if you’re overweight, inactive or stressed, if you smoke or don’t eat right.

The Systolic pressure, the top number, records the pressure in the arteries when you heart beats.

The Diastolic pressure, the bottom number, is the pressure when your heart is at rest.

A normal reading less than 120/80 mm Hg.  High blood pressure is a reading of 140/90 mm Hg or higher. If your numbers are between 120 and 129 over 80 to 89 you have prehypertension and may end up with chronic hypertension.

If you’re getting your blood pressure checked at the doctor’s office and your numbers are very high you may have what is known as ‘white coat’ syndrome: your pressure spikes when you’re with a doctor.

You can still be diagnosed with high blood pressure if one number is normal and other number is high. For instance, if you have a consistently high top number and normal bottom number you have isolated systolic hypertension, the most common type for those of 50.  That’s because systolic blood pressure rises as a result of stiff arteries and heart disease. Diastolic pressure, on the other hand, tends to rise until age 50 and then levels off. .

More on home testing your blood pressure and tips for controlling blood pressure in my next post.

To your success at controlling your blood pressure.

Ruthan

Ruthan Brodsky
Health Writer
Copywriter and Content Creator
Business Writer

As you get older you are more likely to fall because your body’s natural ability to balance and deal with uneven and unstable surfaces decreases. This is due to both neurological and physical changes as you age plus your senses aren’t as good as they were 20 years ago. You don’t hear as well, you probably don’t see as well especially at night, and you may have less sensation in your feet due to diabetes or a neurological disorder.  Then there’s the fact that you may be hurting more because of arthritis

The good news is that balance is part of fitness and you can train your body for better balance. Your balance won’t be as it was 20 years ago or even 10 but it can be a lot better than it is now. However, you have to spend the time and work at it.

Take a test – nothing dramatic or clinical. Try standing on one leg. Let’s say you can stay balanced on your right leg for 10 seconds. And your left leg for 5 seconds. Practice standing on that leg – near a wall or chair so you have something to grab onto just incase you lose your balance – at least 3 times a day until you can balance on each leg for 15 seconds and then 30 seconds. Now try balancing on one leg with your eyes closed.  This is very challenging so begin by holding on to a secure surface and letting go for a few seconds.  I practice this with a wall on the side of the leg that’s not touching the ground.

Your major risk for falls is poor balance. The last thing you need in your life is a fracture or a broken bone. Improving your balance decreases your risk of this happening.

Your muscles are also an important part of your ability to balance. Did you know that the major low back muscles have an important role in controlling your balance. In fact, if there is a weakness in any of these muscles your balance will decrease. That’s why if you have lower back pain you probably feel wobbly much of the time.

Keep in mind that underneath those major low back muscles are minor groups of intrinsic muscles that also provide support to the spine. Frequently these muscles are weakened because of spinal misalignment or spinal stenosis. A misalignment can also impact the nerves emanating from the spinal cord. They can become irritated or pinched resulting in more pain, resulting in less exercise, and resulting in decrease of muscle mass and more imbalance.

The problem is that after the age of 50 many of these conditions, which have gradually declined throughout the years, reach the point where they are painful and or causing balancing problems.  By the time you’re 65 or 70 your balance and coordination have declined by about 20 percent or more for some people and it will continue to decline.

Here’s another way to improve your balance.
Toe Walking. Find a wall or a counter that you can use for support if needed and walk up one end and down the other on your toes. If you need to touch the counter or wall for balance or come down off your toes, top

Heel Walking. Do the same thing only walk on your heels so your toes don’t touch the floor. See how far you get and try to increase the amount you cover over a period of time.

Check with your doctor and discuss other exercises you can do to improve your balance.

To your success at improving your balance.

Ruthan

Ruthan Brodsky
Copywriter & Content Creator
Business Writer
Health Writer

I know several women who have fallen because they have problems with balance. According to the National Institutes of Health, close to one in three Americans age 65 and older, falls each year.  Then there are the more than 1.6 million older adults who are treated in emergency departments across the country for fall related injuries. Some of those injuries can result in permanent disability, liability or even death.

Feeling unbalanced doesn’t have to be a normal part of getting older. It is a problem that can often be treated.

Your balance can be thrown off by a number of things. These include vision problems, knee or hip problems, arthritis, vitamin deficiency, nerve damage from diabetes, posture problems, early Parkinson’s disease and anemia.

There are also common conditions that affect balance which are often  rooted in the inner ear.  These include:

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo or BPPV. With this condition you feel like everything around you is spinning usually brought on by a change in head position or positioning of the body.

Meniere’s disease. With this condition you feel like you’re spinning and have hearing loss in one ear and feel full and ringing in the same ear.

Vestibular neuritis or labyrinthitis. With this condition you may experience vertigo, problems focusing eyes, hearing loss in one ear, nausea and vomiting, and ringing or other noises in the ear.

Finally post-traumatic dizziness. This usually7 takes place after trauma to the head or neck and you feel dizzy.

Taking certain medications, such as those used to lower your blood pressure or treat depression can also make you feel dizzy and increase your risk for falling.
Arriving at the reason why someone has balance problems can be difficult sometimes. The problem is lack of balance can stem from just about any part of your body. To find out you generally have a complete medical exam including specialized testing. These tests may include Dix-Hallpike maneuvers that involve going from sitting to lying positions to test your reaction and a electronystagmoprahy (ENG) which can detect abnormal eye movements related to inner ear problems. Some times it may involve a brain scan or to an ENT  (ear, nose, throat physician) for possible inner ear conditions.

You can reduce your risk of falls by getting help as soon as you realize you have lost some balance.  You don’t want to be one of those who have balance and fall issues for months or years before seeking treatment because they attribute their lack of balance to aging.

Treatment for balance conditions varies depending on the problem. There are medications for some balance problems and recommended lifestyle changes such as reducing stress to help other balance problems. Treating underlying health problems such as vascular disease may also help .

Moore on maintaining your balance on my next post.  If you have any questions let me know and I’ll either answer them in my next post or respond to your personally.

To your better balance.

Ruthan

Ruthan Brodsky
Copywriter & Content Creator
Business Writer
Upsideofaging.com