Kick Leg Cramps

En español | It’s happened to practically everyone: A sudden, painful cramp in your leg or foot startles you awake in the middle of the night. Studies suggest that one-third to one-half of people over 60 get these involuntary muscle contractions on a regular basis, and their frequency may increase with age. Lasting anywhere from a few seconds to several excruciating minutes, cramps occur when irritated nerves send muscles a signal to repeatedly contract.

If a leg cramp strikes, stretching may provide some much needed relief. — Photo by Image Source/Getty Images

No one knows for sure exactly what causes cramps in otherwise healthy adults, but a number of risk factors may make older people more susceptible, says Basil Eldadah, M.D., program officer at the National Institute on Aging. These include deficiencies in key minerals, not getting enough to drink, poor muscle conditioning and certain medications. Though leg cramps aren’t typically life-threatening, he says, it’s a good idea to consult with your doctor to be sure they aren’t related to an underlying condition.

So how can you keep muscle spasms from interrupting your sleep and generally interfering with your quality of life? Don’t reach for quinine, a drug prescribed for leg cramps since the 1940s. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration now warns against its use because of potentially serious side effects. Instead, try these tips.
Stretch
If you’re in the throes of a cramp, stretching can provide relief. For a foot or calf cramp, sit or lie down and flex the toes of the affected leg or foot upward toward your nose, says Eldadah. This action works by pulling the calf and foot muscles in the opposite direction of the contracted muscles. Massaging the area could minimize discomfort too.
Studies looking at whether stretching can prevent nighttime cramps yield mixed results. Still, some experts recommend loosening muscles that are prone to cramping by doing stretches before bed. “Stretching may help and it has minimal risk,” says Eldadah.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website includes additional stretches, tailored for older adults, that concentrate on the calf muscles, the quadriceps muscles in the front of the leg and the hamstring muscles in the back.
Check your meds
A recent study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that several diuretics (used to treat hypertension), statins (used to treat high blood cholesterol) and long-acting beta agonists (used to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among other conditions) may worsen nocturnal cramps. If cramps become a problem after you’ve started taking one of these types of medications, talk to your doctor about your symptoms

Stay Healthy on a Plane

It’s not like you don’t already have a lot to deal with when you fly: delays, overbooked flights, TSA rules, snakes in the cabin — well, maybe not the last one. But flying is filled with inconveniences, expected and not. And, enclosed in a capsule at 35,000 feet, health concerns abound. With adequate knowledge and preparation, though, you can stay healthy on a plane.

Stay healthy on a plane by stretching, even if you're seated. — Photo by Lluís Real/Age Fotostock

First, know your limits: if you have a critical illness, are suffering from an active infection or have had recent surgery, you shouldn’t fly. Second, know that the crew is trained in basic emergency measures, such as CPR, and that most commercial planes have a well-stocked medical kit that can be used by trained medical personnel who happen to be aboard. (I have assisted medically on many flights and have used this kit’s advanced medications and IVs to stabilize critically ill passengers.)
Third, know how to avoid getting sick. Here are a few air-travel conditions that you can alleviate or prevent.

1. Deep venous thrombosis
We’ve all heard about these deadly blood clots, but what are they? Related primarily to immobility for a prolonged period of time, DVTs occur when blood pools and then clots in deep veins of the legs. The real danger is these clots breaking off and traveling to the lungs. Certain things increase your risk of DVT, among them chronic medical conditions, previous blood clots, cancer and obesity.
So what to do? Stay as active as possible. Even while sitting in your cramped seat, there are leg exercises you can do to increase circulation. When the captain says it’s safe to move around the cabin, then, do! If you’re on a very long flight, do so more often. Compression stockings or socks can also help prevent clots, as can staying hydrated and avoiding alcohol and caffeine.

6 Ways to Save Your Eyesight

Age-related vision changes are common. — Photo by Gallery Stock

Here's a list of the most common symptoms that affect your eyesight as you get older, why they happen, what to do about them — and when to see your eye doctor immediately.

1. Fuzzier small print

Why it happens: As you age, your eye's lens becomes less flexible, which means it has a harder time changing its focal point from far to near. That makes it difficult to focus on close-up objects.
How to Fix it: You know you can get reading glasses or bifocals, but sexier options include bifocal contacts, multifocal contacts, or monovision, where one eye is fitted with a contact lens to see distance and the other eye is fitted with a lens to see close up.

"Monovision is a great option for many, but not everyone's brain accepts it," says Nancy A. Tanchel, M.D., an ophthalmologist and owner of Liberty Laser Eye Center in Tysons Corner, Virginia. You're a good candidate for bifocal, multifocal, or monovision contacts if you're willing to trade off supersharp vision at a distance for better close-up vision.
Red Flag: An abrupt decline in vision could be associated with several conditions, including macular degeneration, a disorder in which central vision is damaged; a vitreous hemorrhage, sometimes from an aneurysm in the eye, often associated with diabetes; or a retinal detachment. "Any abrupt change warrants an immediate evaluation," Tanchel says.

Clothing That Improves Posture and Eases Shoulder, Neck and Back Pain

For years, Joan Weissman played tennis competitively, racking up a shelf full of trophies — until she was sidelined by chronic rotator cuff and biceps pain last year. “I thought I’d never play tennis again,” says Weissman, 71, of Columbus, Ohio. Then a tennis pro at her club suggested something that sounded crazy at first — a shirt designed to ease her shoulder, arm and back pain.

Joan Weissman, 71, credits the posture shirt with allowing her to continue playing tennis. — Photo by Andrew Spear/Novus Select

“I was extremely skeptical,” she remembers. “I mean, cortisone shots hadn’t helped me. What was a shirt going to do?” When her physical therapist told her it might be worth a try, Weissman decided to order one.

The custom-fitted “posture” shirt she tried, manufactured by Southern California-based Alignmed Evidence Based Apparel, is made of cotton and spandex, with polyester bands strategically placed to gently pull the shoulders back and align the spine to a normal posture.

“Within a few weeks of wearing one I was feeling better than I had in months,” says Weissman. “Before, I was barely able to lift anything with my one arm. Now I’m lifting 10-pound weights and exercising again. I’m back to playing tennis.”
Weismann’s physical therapist, Erica Mullins, who works at Mount Carmel New Albany Hospital, was equally impressed. “Like a lot of people as they get older, Joanie walked with her head forward and her shoulders rounded,” says Mullins, and that kind of posture can cause inflammation of the shoulder or rotator cuff problems. “She’d gotten some relief with rehabilitation. But whenever she tried playing tennis again, the pain came back. The posture shirt really made it possible for her to play again.”
Mullins now recommends the shirt to some of her clients. “I’ll have younger people wear the shirt during rehab to correct their posture. Once their symptoms resolve, they usually don’t need it any longer. For the older population, I recommend wearing it most of the time, especially when they’re doing a sport or activity.”

Remember These Instructions To Struck Your Current Fitness Goals

Some people know that they have to exercise and eat right, but what else do they know about fitness? Fitness is an entire lifestyle and in some instances, it is a major lifestyle change. Here are several fantastic tactics that will assist you acquire and turn into in shape, so that you are in the very best shape of your life.
If you are looking to make your exercise time more efficient and to save time that you could use getting big, then make sure that you buy work out clothes that are only white, black and gray. These sorts of clothes match with anything, ensuring that you no longer waste time.
In order to avoid injury any time training, you need to extend after you’ve enough heated parts of your muscles. Do some cardiovascular exercises (jogging, running, bicycling, etc.) first and then stretch your muscles. If you stretch too early, you can leave yourself vulnerable to pulled or torn muscles. Stretching after cardiovascular exercise, also helps to improve flexibility.

When training with weights, it is very important to keep your workouts under one hour in length. After strength training pertaining to 60 minutes, one’s body starts off making the surplus amount of the load bodily hormone cortisol. Cortisol has a testosterone-blocking effect and can cause you to lose muscle. If you want to increase muscle size and strength, keep your workouts short and intense.

If you are new to fitness, start slowly. It may be tempting to push yourself beyond your limits, especially with the enthusiasm that comes with beginning a new fitness regime. Pushing your self too soon is the most effective way of getting yourself harmed, as the person is not necessarily prepared to deal with the additional strains you add onto it. Injuries can sideline you from your workout for weeks, so start with small and realistic goals and work up to more demanding workouts.
It’s important to change up your fitness routine. You don’t want to invest a long time performing exactly the same workout as your body could possibly get way too accustomed to it which will limit the result. Vary your workouts with different types of cardio exercises and mix in activities like yoga, strength training and martial arts.
Run at least four times per week. A consistent running routine increases endurance because your muscles train themselves to perform repetitive motions more efficiently. Running every other day is adequate to build this muscle memory. A run can be of any length, and beginners should start with runs no longer than 10-15 minutes.
A healthy diet is a fine addition to any fitness program. When you combine exercise and diet, you essentially are working your body in just the right way. Your diet will help you lose fat; while your work outs will help you gain muscle, which will in turn incinerate fat.
Exercise Bike
Use the start of the fall TV season as a chance to get in shape. We tend to spend a lot of time in front of the TV, especially during the premiere season. Make a resolution to keep yourself active while watching TV. Lift weights, walk in place, or use an exercise bike while your show is on, during the commercial break drop and do 20 pushups or sit ups.
Home gyms may seem expensive, but you can create a small gym in your house for less than you may think. A treadmill, exercise bike and a set of weights will only cost a couple hundred dollars. While your local gym may offer a lot more, most people don’t have time to go to a gym every day.
If you’re looking for a healthy and natural way to relieve pain, try exercising. Studies show that exercises that increase your heart rate to at least 50% of its maximum are effective in reducing pain perception, even for those with chronic lower back pain. However, it is very important go with a workout routine that won’t worsen the actual hurt or perhaps painful region. One suggestion that is safe for most people is to use an exercise bike.
Getting in shape is an ongoing process that lasts as long as you are committed to it. You can always learn new methods and techniques to keep you fit. Let these tips help you on that journey, and use them to provide ideas that you can use to make fitness a permanent part of your life.

Helpful Suggestions On Choosing The Right Fitness Trainer

A fitness trainer can help you achieve your exercise and weight loss goals, but it is important to find the appropriate person. You do not have to have a personal trainer to workout or get fit, but hiring one can help to motivate you and keep you on track. The majority of health clubs have trainers available, or you can find one that advertises or who was recommended to you.
You may possibly not need to actually hire a personal trainer to get the benefits if there are good ones at the fitness center you belong to. In fact, it’s normally cheaper to join a gym which has trainers on hand than to hire somebody that works independently. A lot of gyms give you one or more complimentary times with a trainer, and even for those who have to pay for sessions, they are generally reasonable. If you’re seeking a fitness trainer who has a certain sort of approach or expertise, you may want to shop around for one instead of use one from a gym. If, however, you have a limited budget and just want to make certain you’re doing the physical exercises correctly, you can often rely on the trainers from your gym.

Fitness trainers could have specific certificates or experience, but this isn’t typically necessary for them to promote their services. For this reason, you should explore their practical experience and qualifications. You may want to begin out by asking folks you know if they are able to recommend a personal trainer, as this can be the most effective method to find a good one. If you’re searching for trainers on the web or looking at a flier or ad, it’s best to choose someone who provides some valid references which can be checked. Another thing to consider is whether the trainer is going to be compatible with your objectives as well as your personality. For instance, if you want advice on diet and nutrition in addition to exercise, make certain you choose somebody who’s knowledgeable about this.

One of a health and fitness trainer’s main jobs is to keep you inspired. You need a specific amount of self motivation, but a trainer can really help by encouraging you and keeping you accountable. It’s therefore essential that you choose somebody that you enjoy working together with. If you don’t like the person, or these people make you uncomfortable in any way, it’s going to have the opposite effect, as you will not look forward to your exercise times. The way you are able to judge how well your training sessions are going is whether you feel more motivated than you did before you started working with the trainer. If that is so, then you’ve found the proper individual.

Finding the correct fitness trainer entails a number of elements. The trainer needs to have the type of experience to make your workouts more efficient, along with a personality you gel with. You might wish to work with a fitness trainer short term or for many years. Several sessions with the correct trainer may be all you need, as you’ll then be equipped with the information to carry on by yourself.

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You May Get In Shape, The Following Is Some Tips

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Learning how to best suit the beholder is often in a person’s best interest. Health and fitness will help cause this specific path through making it possible to change your physical create, self-assurance, and also last but not least system composition for you to very best please whomever your beholder could be.
Make a schedule for your workouts. If you set a time to start working out, you will be more inclined to do it. This will keep you motivated to exercise at a certain time. Try to stick with the same time every day so you can begin to make a habit out of it.

Cut down on your workout serious amounts of focus on your current flaws using the same bodyweight to your total exercise. To determine what that weight should be, try focusing on your weakest exercise and then pick a weight that you can lift between 6 and 8 times in a single circuit.

Consistency is important to for good fitness performance at both the small and large scales. Individual workouts are more effective when they focus on smooth exertion over time, rather than little fits and starts of effort. In the same way, an overall exercise schedule is more effective when it includes regular, sustainable workouts instead of massive, exhausting ones.
Walking is a convenient and inexpensive way to get fit. All you need is a pair of comfortable shoes and a place to walk! You can listen to music or talk to a friend while you walk.Actually tucking away half an hour each day simply to walk will assist you to lose weight along with feel good.

Always use proper form. For a good workout, it is important that you maintain the proper form for whatever exercise you are doing. Make sure your own position is actually correct, and you are employing the proper muscles. Not only will this make your workout more effective, but it can help prevent injury.

A good way to make sure that you stay motivated is to have your goals written down. This should help you have a robust a feeling of course together with your work out plan. This way you know where you are and where you are going. Follow this advice if you want your fitness step plan to succeed.
Keep in mind that exercising all of your muscle groups is important for a balanced workout. A variety of exercises like running, stair climbing, lifting weights and jumping rope are excellent exercises that will improve the different muscle groups of the body. Factor in that exercising all the muscle groups is better for the cardiovascular system of the body.
Although small setbacks can often feel very sad, try not to be frustrated by these experiences. You do not lose weight in one day so just one bad day will not break your diet. It is possible to study a good deal readily available moments and so they may be general achievements in your own life.

The concept of beauty is composed of many parts, personality, body and permanent attributes. This article should reveal to you how to best maximize your potential in at least one of these areas. Working on the things that a person can change is probably the most important step into becoming a new, healthier individual.

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