Your Health

Good Information To Know

Risks of falling

  • Medication use
  • Illness
  • Improper Footwear
  • Inattention or Preoccupation
  • Cluttered Walkways
  • Small Pet Underfoot
  • Inadequate Lighting
  • Lack of Handrails
  • Raised Thresholds
  • Moving Too Fast
  • Carrying Too Many Items While Walking

All the information on these pages are just ideas & information we’ve shared and are not meant to guide or influence you in anyway.

Six Heart-Healthy Foods for Seniors
The National Institute on aging reports that individuals who are 65 or older are more likely than younger people to have cardiovascular-related issues like heart disease, high blood pressure, strokes, heart attacks, or heart failure. The American Heart Association states that eating a heart-healthy diet is one of the best ways (along with exercise) to help reduce the risk of heart disease and promote heart health. However, although you may know the right foods to eat, its often hard to change long-term eating habits.
Fortunately, there are many healthy and tasty foods that can be easily worked into your diet. Here are six healthy foods for older adults that can help reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, as well as sharing ways you can easily incorporate them into your daily diet for a healthier heart.

EAT MORE OF THESE

  1. Leafy green vegetables
    Leafy green vegetables like chard, kale, spinach, romaine lettuce, and Bok choy are packed with vitamins and minerals and are low in calories. Get more high fiber green in your diet by tossing a handful into your morning smoothie, adding a side salad to a sandwich at lunch, sautéing for a side dish, or adding into homemade soups.
  2. Fat-free or low-fat dairy products.
    The vitamin D and calcium found in dairy products helps improve mood, strengthen bones, and preserve muscle strength. An easy way to add more dairy is to use Greet yogurt in place of mayonnaise or cream in dishes.
  3. Fresh fruits (especially berries)
    Many fresh fruits are filled with vitamins and fiber. Berries are chockfull of heart healthy antioxidants, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and fiber. Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries are all little bursts of superfood that are low in sugar and calories. Add a handful to salads, throw them in smoothies, or use them to create a heart-healthy dessert.
  4. Whole grains.
    Three daily servings of whole grains like oats, brown rice, wild rice, quinoa, and popcorn can keep your heart healthy and your cholesterol managed. It’s easy to replace refined grain options (like bread) with whole grain options without sacrificing taste. Whole grain side dishes are a great way to jazz up your mealtime routine.
  5. Healthy fats
    Omega-3s are a type of good fat that can help keep arteries from hardening, lower triglycerides, and help regulate heartbeat. They also are good for your skin. Fish like salmon, tuna, and sardines are full of omega-3s, making them an excellent protein option. Healthy fats can also be found nuts like almonds and walnuts and fruits like avocados. Swapping canola oil for olive oil whenever possible is a great way to get more healthy fat in your diet.
  6. Nuts and seeds.
    We already mentioned that almonds and walnuts have value for their healthy fats. They’re also loaded with protein and fiber, making them the perfect snack, salad topping, or ingredient for just about anything. They’ll help keep you fuller longer, which means you’ll east less while remaining satisfied. Branch out and choose options like cashews, Macadamia nuts, Brazil nuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, and even coconuts to tantalize your palate while getting a healthy-heart boost.

OTHER HEART-HEALTHY TIPS
While eating the right types of food will help you age well, feel good and stay healthy, there are other easy ways to keep your heart in tip-top shape, including:
• Stay physically active – shoot for approximately 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week. Even a brisk walk around the neighborhood after dinner will improve cardiovascular health, reduce stress, and boost mood. Talk to your doctor before starting any new exercise routine,
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Limit food such as saturated fats, high-fat foods, fried food, refined sugars, and alcohol.
• If you smoke, quit smoking.
• Manage any medical conditions by regularly visiting your doctor and staying on top of prescribed medication.

WHAT ARE SOME TIPS FOR SENIOR CITIZENS LIVING ON THEIR OWN TO STAY HAPPY AND HEALTHY?

There are many things you can do to stay happy and healthy as senior citizen living alone. First, try to make friends wherever you go. Socializing with other people can help you feel less lonely and can also give you the chance to meet new people.

Another thing you can do is volunteer at a local organization or community center. This can give you a sense of purpose and give you something to look forward to each day. Additionally, volunteering can help you make new friends and connections in your community.

Another tip for staying healthy as a senior is to eat a well-balanced diet rich in fruit and vegetables. It is also important to get plenty of exercise each day. If you find an exercise routine that you enjoy, try to keep it up as much as possible.

Finally, try not to let your health problems become too overwhelming or take over your life. Have a positive attitude and maintain a sense of humor throughout the process so that you do not feel alone or depressed.

WHAT ARE THE STUPIDEST THINGS PEOPLE OVERSPEND ON IN THE U.S.?

The average American overpays for things constantly.

Here are the 5 worst culprits.

  1. Online shopping
    You might be surprised how often you’re overpaying on Amazon and elsewhere.
    Big stores like Amazon know that no one has time to price shop through dozens of sites, so there’s often no incentive for them to offer bargain prices.

Browser extensions that pop up are very annoying. One tip, if you don’t already have it, install Capital One Shopping. It will a) Auto-apply coupon codes for you to save you money and b) It will compare prices from other sellers to make sure you’re not missing out on a better deal.

  1. Not using an ad blocker?
    If you aren’t using an ad blocker yet, you are encouraged to try one. A good ad blocker will eliminate virtually all the ads you’d see on the internet. There are lots of options, but one to consider is called Total AdBlock. There is a monthly fee, but there are other options.

Ads also typically take a while to load, so using an ad blocker reduces loading times (typically by 50% or more). They also block ad tracking pixels to protect your privacy.

  1. Auto insurance.
    Believe it or not, the average American family still overspends by $417/year on car insurance.

Here’s how to quickly see how much you’re being overcharged.
• Pull up “Coverage.org” – it’s a free site that will compare prices for you.
• Answer the questions on the page.
• It’ll split out a bunch of insurance quotes for you.
That’s it! You’ll likely save yourself a bunch of money.

  1. Not paying off credit card debt.
    Debt can make you feel hopeless – even if you’re responsible about making payments on time, the interest sometimes prevents you from paying off the debt.

There are several companies such as, National Debt Relief, for example that are willing to help you pay off your debt.

This is how it typically works:
• You typically need $10k+ in overall debt (credit cards, medical debt, etc. combined).
• A company like National Debt Relief (there are other companies too) negotiates with your credit card companies, banks, etc. to try and reduce your debt.
• If possible, they’ll consolidate all your different sources of debt, so you only must make one monthly payment to one place. A lot of times you’ll end up paying significantly less than you owe.

  1. Not getting a financial advisor
    99% of people don’t have one, and it’s typically a huge mistake.

You can manage things on our own if you want to, but most people don’t have the time to do things right. There are huge benefits to having somebody pay attention to your money all the time.
• People with financial advisors tend to beat the market by 3%/year.
• A good advisor will handle ALL the annoying retirement stuff and tax implications you would have never thought of.

If you don’t know a financial advisor personally, use a comparison site like WiseAdvisor and find somebody near you that has good reviews.

HERE ARE OTHER HELPFUL TIPS

  1. Home repair bills
    If your furnace, air conditioner or any other home large appliances needs repair. If you had a home warranty, you could be covered the next time something breaks down. It’s like having a safety net for your home (plumbing, electrical, appliances, etc.)

If you don’t have one yet, you can use a free resource like AmericanHomeWarranty.org to find a good warranty provider in your area and check their reviews.

  1. Savings accounts
    Most savings accounts pay you low interest. Maybe zero to under 0.3%. Plenty of banks are willing to offer you 10x that rate. Barclays, for example, has an account that pays 4% a year. (as of this writing). You are encouraged to check out other banks with better interest rates.
  2. Not securing your passwords
    If you’re not worried about your passwords being hacked, you probably should be. Approximately 110 million Americans are hacked each year (and over 600k Facebook accounts are hacked daily). Hackers have published a whopping 555 million stolen passwords on the dark web since 2017. Odds are, you will have an account hacked at some point in the next few years.

You probably already know how to defend yourself; by using long, ultra-strong passwords, and using a different one for each website. But the issue is that nobody can remember 10+ strong passwords (especially if they’re made up of random letters and numbers).

The fix: experts recommend using a password manager.

Think of it like a lockbox, but for your passwords. A password manager is a service that securely stores all your log ins in one app (so you don’t have to remember a gazillion different passwords). They’re ultra-secure, and crazily helpful. Total Password is one site (there are other providers too). Expect to pay $2-4/month for a service like this, but it’s well work it (the average identity theft will cost you $3,500+).

  1. Not getting paid for your opinions.
    As a rule, most people ignore any site that says they’ll pay you to fill out surveys, but there are a few that are legitimate (and pay well).

Check out Survey Junkie. You basically just get paid to give your opinions on different products/services. It’s perfect for when you’re watching TV. It does not take long to fill out their form, however they don’t accept everyone, but if you get in it’s worth it.

  1. Not investing in real estate (start with as little as $20).
    It’s no secret that millionaire and billionaires love investing in real estate, but for the rest of us, buying property has been prohibitively expensive if not impossible.

Times have changed. There are a few amazing real estate startups that allow you to buy shares of rental homes for as little at $20/share. One site you can check out is Ark7.

They take care of the property management and collect rent checks for you. Then, on the 3rd of the following month, your share of the property’s profits is distributed to your account. It’s an interesting way to build yourself a little rental home empire without spending big bucks.

  1. Not investing your spare change.
    If you’re the average American, most or all your income goes directly into your checking account, and for the most part, it stays there.

The problem: when your money sits in your savings/checking account, it’s slowly depreciating, thanks to inflation. Over the past 40 years, inflation has averaged a whopping 3.8% a year. The solution? Invest your money. Check out the app Acorns. They round up your spare change to the nearest dollar and then auto invest it. Example: you buy a coffee for $4.25; they’ll round the purchase up to $5 and invest the $0.75 for you.