What to do

Aim to limit trans fats to no more than 1 or 2 grams a day — and preferably none. Avoid fast-food French fries and other fried menu items and study packaged food labels closely. Even better, bake your own cookies, cakes, and other snacks. When you can’t, search out “health-food” alternative snacks, such as Terra brand potato chips and traditional whole grain crackers such as those made by Finn, Wasa, AkMak, Ryvita, and Lavasch.

2. Smoked and processed meats
Whether your weakness is pastrami, sausage, hot dogs, bacon, or a smoked turkey sandwich, the word from the experts is: Watch out.

What to do

If a smoked turkey or ham sandwich is your lunch of choice, try to vary your diet, switching to tuna, peanut butter, or other choices several days a week. Or cook turkey and chicken yourself and slice it thin for sandwiches

3. Diet soda
Although replacing sugary drinks with diet soda seems like a smart solution for keeping weight down — a heart-healthy goal — it turns out diet soda is likely a major bad guy when it comes to stroke.
What to do

Substitute more water for soda in your daily diet. It’s the healthiest thirst-quencher by far, researchers say. If you don’t like water, try lemonade, iced tea, or juice.

4. Red meat
This winter, when the respected journal Stroke published a study showing that women who consumed a large portion of red meat each day had a 42-percent higher incidence of stroke, it got nutrition experts talking. The information that red meat, with its high saturated fat content, isn’t healthy for those looking to prevent heart disease and stroke wasn’t exactly news. But the percentage increase (almost 50 percent!) was both startling and solid; the researchers arrived at their finding after following 35,000 Swedish women for ten years.

What to do

Aim to substitute more poultry — particularly white meat — and fish, which are low in heme iron, for red meat. Also, choose the heart-healthiest sources of protein whenever you can, especially beans, legumes, nuts, tofu, and nonfat dairy.

5. Canned soup and prepared foods
Whether it’s canned soup, canned spaghetti, or healthy-sounding frozen dinners, prepared foods and mixes rely on sodium to increase flavor and make processed foods taste fresher. Canned soup is cited by nutritionists as the worst offender; one can of canned chicken noodle soup contains more than 1,100 mg of sodium, while many other varieties, from clam chowder to simple tomato, have between 450 and 800 mg per serving. Compare that to the American Heart and Stroke Association’s recommendation of less than1,500 mg of sodium daily and you’ll see the problem. In fact, a nutritionist-led campaign, the National Salt Reduction Initiative, calls on food companies to reduce the salt content in canned soup and other products by 20 percent in the next two years. . Some common, safe-sounding ingredients that really mean salt:
• Baking soda
• Baking powder
• MSG (monosodium glutamate)
• Disodium phosphate
• Sodium alginate

What to do

Make your own homemade soups and entrees, then freeze individual serving-sized portions. Buy low-sodium varieties, but read labels carefully, since not all products marked “low sodium” live up to that promise.

By Melanie Haiken, Caring.com senior editor

That may be especially true for seniors. Cooking for one person can be harder because they have to scale down recipes, and it’s also not as much fun. Instead of stimulating dinner conversation, the television becomes the other person at the table.

“Unfortunately a lot of meal choices turn out to be what’s quick and easy to obtain,” explains Anne Linge, a dietician at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle.

While many seniors are very active, others don’t have the energy or ability to prepare meals for themselves. Some may have never set foot in the kitchen, or they’re no longer physically able to prepare complex meals.

Inadequate nutrition can lead to a weakening of the immune system, increasing the risk of illness or infections, or contributing to mental confusion. And continued malnutrition could lead to depression, which in turn could lead to a loss of appetite—a vicious cycle.

For the elderly, other factors can contribute to malnutrition, including lack of transportation to the grocery store.

Linge had a client who lived directly across the street from a grocery store—but on the third floor. “She was trapped in her building because of her physical abilities and she couldn’t get what she needed,” Linge says. “So, when you think about your parents and their needs, think, is shopping something they are able to do?”

Ask your loved one if they would prefer that you bring in groceries for them to cook, or that you cook for them. Be sure to ask them if they are having difficulty with chewing or swallowing, if food tastes too bland, or if they’ve lost their appetite (it could be because of medications they may be taking, or possibly depression, which can have serious consequences). Also, check their refrigerator and see what kinds of food are in there, and whether any have passed the expiration date.

SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITIES

Getting together with other people—whether seniors or not—can make eating more fun..

Having your own Community Center for a hangout with your new friends, is also a good idea. “There are Activity Rooms in addition to a Dining Room in an Assisted or Independent Living community where seniors tend to gather and socialize. Living in a Senior community also helps seniors eat better.

“It makes a huge difference when you get residents sitting at a table together,” explains gerontologist Ashley Kraft, the “Life’s Neighborhood” Director at Aegis at Northgate in Seattle, an assisted living facility. “It brings back the memories of eating with your family. What happens, especially with dementia, is they forget about the things we take for granted, knowing that we’re hungry, knowing that we’re thirsty, or they don’t know how to explain that feeling.”

While many people may not eat as well when eating alone as they would sitting down at a family meal, there are many options to ensure adequate nutrition. Whether by finding friends to eat with, using easy-to-prepare recipes, or making a change in the living situation, your loved one can still stay healthy with your help and encouragement.

Check the website for a copy of the Parkwood Heights Spring Newsletter to read about “Choosing an Assisted or Independent Residence.

Eating healthy, quit smoking, regular medical checkups, and my favorite, exercise. No that doesn’t mean you have to get on the tread mill (but you can because we have 3 in the exercise room). Start slowly, the first step truly is the hardest. Join our exercise classes or our Zumba Gold for Seniors class, take a walk with a friend, lift some weights, variety is the key.

Now that we have that healthy body, don’t forget to challenge your mind at some of the many programs we provide here a Parkwood Heights. You might surprise yourself at how well you do and how much fun you have. Whether it is learning a new game, participating in one of our intergenerational programs, outings to museums or historical sites, sharing your life experiences or adding to them, remember that a challenged mind is a healthy mind.

So what are you waiting for, join in the fun!

Kandy Liguori, Life Enrichment Director
At Parkwood Heights Senior Campus

One of the most important things you can do for yourself to maintain and/or improve your health is simply daily movement. Not only can movement cure chronic conditions, but research also suggests that it can slow or even reverse the aging process! Think of movement as medicine –free medicine with almost zero side effects that offers the following benefits:
• Lowers blood pressure
• Controls blood sugar
• Helps control weight
• Good for the heart
• Lowers cholesterol
• Relieves pain
• Improves sex
• Reduces falls
• Improves memory
• Enhances your immune system
• Improves bone strength
• Helps improve sleep
• Reduces stress
• Relieves constipation
• Good for most medical conditions
• Slows the aging process
• Makes you look better

Common Misconceptions. With all the evidence to support the benefits of daily movement, why don’t more people do it?
• Pain – While it may seem counterintuitive, exercise is a good way to treat many painful conditions. Arthritis is a good example. The pain of arthritis is actually made worse by not moving. Pain in the joint may cause inactivity which leads to stiffness, which leads to increased pain, which leads to inactivity and so on. This cycle is broken through gentle exercise that increases circulation and strengthens the muscles surrounding an arthritic joint.
• Fear of making a condition worse – In the past, it was a commonly held belief that people with certain conditions should not exercise. However, research has now confirmed the benefits of daily activity for most common medical conditions. It is important to check with your health care provider, and in some cases have supervised exercise sessions. But rarely is it better to be inactive.
• Fatigue – Fatigue is another problem that is overcome by moving. In most cases it is the result of being out of shape. Build in frequent rest periods and start slowly. Over time you will begin to feel more energetic.
• No time – You can break the 30 minute recommendation into 10 minute increments throughout the day if necessary. Increments smaller than 10 minutes will not be as beneficial.
• Shortness of breath – Check with your health care provider if you have shortness of breath. While it can be a symptom of heart or lung problems, in many cases shortness of breath with activity is related to being de-conditioned. Take your time and work up slowly, adding in frequent rest periods.

Making Positive Change

Finding the energy to get moving can be the biggest battle. It may take the encouragement of a friend, the advice of a health care provider or the prospect of improving a condition with which you are dealing. But keep in mind that if you believe you can achieve something that has positive results, then you are more likely to do it. Getting encouragement from someone who you trust will help your motivation.

Making Movement Fun!

While going to the gym or fitness center is certainly one way to achieve your 30 minutes per day of movement, there are many other less “conventional” ways to meet the guidelines.
• Wii Fit or Wii Sports games – These interactive video games simulate bowling, tennis, golf and other sports in which you actually perform the movements of the sport with a hand held controller. Some senior living communities are starting virtual bowling leagues. The games give a surprisingly real sense of actually being there and can help you work up a sweat.
• Move to the Music – Research suggests that ballroom dancing is one of the best leisure activities to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Combining music with activity can bring a new energy and interest to the most common movements. The right music almost demands that you move, and activity can take on a life of its own. Try playing some music with a good beat as you do chores at home; and put some dance moves in to your stride as you go about your daily routine.

Other fun ways to get moving:
• Gardening
• Join a walking group
• Yoga
• Pool aerobics or swimming
• Find an exercise class
• Walk around your chair during every TV commercial
• Take a longer route to the dining room
It does not matter how old you are or what shape you are in now –you can benefit from simply increasing your level of activity. Research shows that your cells will age more slowly when you are active and that even those who are very frail can gain strength from exercise.

In the end, you should take the advice of the Nike folks and “Just do it.” Do whatever it takes to get started and have fun moving! You won’t be sorry.

But don’t give up using cosmetics. They will be helped to dispose select properly unpleasant appearance of (signs of) irritations, they will correct appearance and condition of skin. So, end with election of these products only, that has murderous advertising, they look pretty or they smell sensational.

Body and face clean only without soap confection – special emulsion, milk or gels. Soaps in liquid plague become, it is in spite of other consistency still a soap. They include cheap washing components, a lot dyes and aromatic substances, which has irritating operation and which is often the reason of allergy. You can rub your face with delicate (non-alcoholic) tonic after washing. Don’t forget about cream and body balsam it has to moisturize and oil your often dried skin and help to rebuild protective coat. You should look for those cosmetics which are special for hypoallergic skin. Then you will be sure, that they contain minimal amount of substance irritating or they do not include it at all. It is good, if it enters in their compositions additional termal water.

Both responsive and over sensitive skin does not like changes. Best, if you will cherish it with cosmetics of one firm, because otherwise, risk of irritation grows. Trust especially those, which are bought in pharmacy, because they were processed with thought about people with specially requiring skin. If necessary ask pharmacist (in case of doubt or for advice). It is impossible to cure sensitivity neither over sensitivity, skin will be open for whole life for irritations, however, due to systematic, proper taking care of you will be able to escape recurrences of unpleasant symptoms.

Popcorn Is Packed with Antioxidants
Don’t discount the health benefits of popcorn — it’s full of fiber and, according to a new analysis, antioxidants too.

By Alice Park | @aliceparkny | March 26, 2012 | 6
inShare43

Not quite, but according to a new analysis, you shouldn’t be so quick to dismiss its nutritional benefits. Presenting research at the American Chemical Society meeting on Sunday, Joe Vinson, a professor of chemistry at University of Scranton, reported that popcorn may contain just as many healthful antioxidants — or even more, depending on how you measure them — as fruits and vegetables.

Antioxidant compounds called polyphenols, which have been associated with combating cancer, are commonly found in produce. Vinson and his colleagues also found it in popcorn, by grinding up the popped kernels, including the waxy hulls, and simulating the digestion process that would normally occur in the stomach. About 1.5% by weight of air-popped popcorn is made up of polyphenols, the researchers found (the good-for-you compounds are also present in red wine and chocolate)

As snack foods go, popcorn isn’t a bad choice: about two tablespoons of kernels, or 33 g of popped corn, would give you about 500 mg of polyphenols, which is about half of what the average American consumes in polyphenols each day — primarily from fruit juice, wine, tea, coffee and chocolate. Per unit weight, Vinson’s team found, popcorn contained more polyphenols than fruits like pears and apples, with most of the health benefits packed into the hulls, not the fluffy white part.

Since popcorn is 100% whole grain, it’s also a good source of fiber, and as long as you air-pop it and don’t douse it in butter, oil or salt, it won’t add much artery-clogging fat to your diet.

But the findings aren’t license to substitute popcorn in your diet for fruits and vegetables, says Vinson. For one thing, comparing the foods’ concentrations of polyphenols by weight is a little misleading, since fruits and vegetables are made up primarily of water, while corn kernels have very little water — that might account for the discrepancy. Further, produce has a lot of other nutritious vitamins and minerals that you don’t get from popcorn. Plus, the way many people consume popcorn — think butter-laden, salted movie popcorn — isn’t exactly healthy.

Still, Vinson says, the results show that when prepared right, air-popped and undressed, snacking on popcorn isn’t such a bad idea.

Getting started with a walking program. Just about anyone can start a walking program, but it’s a good idea to check with your doctor before you take that first step. Here’s what to do once you’ve gotten the all-clear:

• Buy the right pair of shoes. Choose supportive, comfortable shoes that are designed for walking. Grab the shoe at the front and back and bend it; the shoe should bend right near the ball of the foot, your foot’s natural hinge point, and the heel should be stiff. For the best fit, you should be able to wiggle your toes without experiencing slippage in the heel, and the sides should be snug but not tight.

• Scope out the scene. Parkwood Heights Campus has many outdoor options for walking. If walking outdoors at another location is you choice, try to walk on solid, even surfaces. It’s also important to avoid busy roads, because in addition to the dangers of traffic, polluted air decreases the amount of oxygen that reaches your heart.

• You don’t have to be derailed by bad weather. Parkwood Heights has treadmills or hallways for you convenience. If you move to Parkwood Heights is in the future, many malls have indoor walking clubs, or you might consider investing in a treadmill or joining a gym with treadmills or an indoor track. And try to find a friend or two to keep you company. Walking with someone will keep you safer and more motivated.

• Setting realistic walking goals. The American Heart Association recommends that adults engage in 30 minutes or more of moderate- intensity physical activity at least five days a week. You can do the 30 minutes all at once or break it up into two or three shorter walks a day.
Of course, everyone’s fitness level is different. Initially, many older people may be unable to walk for 30 minutes five days a week. If necessary, start with as little as five to 10 minutes of walking three days a week. Every week or so, add another three to five minutes to your walk, and when you’re ready increase to four days and then five. As your fitness level improves, also try to walk faster, so that you’re covering more distance in the same amount of time. But always remember that some exercise is better than none.

During the senior years, there are many transitions to manage. With decades of experience, we are providing our knowledge and expertise, free of charge, to help you make informed decisions on senior care, with which you are comfortable.

Our Executive Director, Sharon Weinel, is a seasoned Case Manager who will meet with you to answer yours and your family’s questions and provide information. During this conversation, together we will begin identifying the next steps to take access services and resources necessary to address your needs and desires.

Our ultimate goal is to make this transitional period as simple and stress-free as possible. Regardless of whether you chose Parkwood Heights as your future residence, we will always be available as a resource and support system for every stage of this process.

Lifestyle choices at Parkwood Heights are; own your Patio Home. Lease a Villa, Independent or Assisted Living Apartment

Call for your consultation at 585.223.7595 or 315.986.9100 or visit our website at www.parkwoodheights.com

by: Carole Fleck | from: AARP Bulletin |

With the 2012 tax filing season underway, Americans are scrambling to find every deduction or credit available to them. Here are time-tested but little-known steps that older taxpayers may be able to use to slash the bottom line of their return.

Some of these steps are complex and require that you itemize your return, rather than take the standard deduction. And some types of deductions are claimable only in the amount that exceeds 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income. Other restrictions may apply as well.

So consult with a tax adviser or with tax preparation software about whether they can be put to work for you. Be sure you understand how they work. And always save the documentation of the expenses in case the IRS ever wants to see it.

1. Claim a portion of long-term care insurance premiums — the older you are, the higher the claimable ceiling. Here’s the scale for the current filing year: Age 40 or under — the maximum claimable amount is $340; 41 to 50 — $640; 51 to 60 — $1,270; 61 to 70 — $3,390; 71 or over — $4,240.
Small business adviser Barbara Weltman, who hosts a weekly radio show and publishes a newsletter, notes that some states including New York also give tax breaks for these premiums.

2. Deduct the room and board costs of an assisted living facility if the resident is there mainly for medical purposes and is getting staff assistance to perform normal activities of daily living, such as bathing and dressing, or has cognitive impairment to the point of requiring supervision. The services are deductable too. They must be part of a plan of care prescribed by a licensed health care provider for a chronically ill person.

3. Deduct legal fees for retirement tax planning and medical expenses for things such as hearing aids and batteries, artificial teeth and prescription drugs, says Mark Steber, chief tax officer for Jackson Hewitt. Other claimable medical expenses: fertility treatments, oxygen, vasectomies and wheelchairs.

More Tax Tips

4. Do you work while paying a home health aide to take care of your spouse or dependent? You may be able to claim a credit of up to $3,000 in dependant (or spouse) care expenses. That credit is shaved directly off your bottom-line tax bill; it is not a deduction from your taxable income.

5. If you contributed after-tax income to your retirement account, a percentage of your annual distribution may be tax-free. The logic for this is that if you already paid taxes on money before you put it into the account, it shouldn’t be taxed again when it comes out. But tax rules are never simple: You will have to pay taxes on any earnings that those after-tax contributions generated while in the account.