Dementia is a devastating disease that only gets worse over time. While there is little research on the impact of using alternative therapies for seniors struggling with dementia, many options help with relaxation and enjoyment in the moment, and that’s always beneficial. Researchers are examining alternative therapies to see if they have any effects on seniors. Without the research to back up beneficial claims, it’s best to use therapies of your choice to give seniors with dementia a pleasant experience and harness other benefits, such as the improved mobility or increased energy that acupuncture or chiropractic can offer.
Community News
Physio for Hip Pain
Hip pain can have various causes, including arthritis in older people and repetitive movements in younger, athletic people. Many parts of the body impact the hips and all must be considered when designing a physio program to help reduce and even eliminate hip pain in some cases. Your physio program will depend on the source of your hip pain and will ultimately focus on relieving pain and improving functionality, balance, and range of motion. Exercise is extremely beneficial for anyone who is suffering from hip. Gently opening up the hips helps strengthen muscles and improve range of motion so be sure to stick to your exercise program between physio treatments.
Spring Into Love
Spring is a season of clichés — birds singing, bees buzzing and people falling madly in love. The love sickness can be blamed on one very real thing. Dopamine! Dopamine is a naturally occurring chemical your brain uses to make you want things. There are other systems involved in love, but when it comes to new love, dopamine is the main culprit. The newness of spring provides an ideal context for starting a new relationship. The changing weather and sunshine energize us — especially after hibernating all winter. We’ve survived winter and now it’s time to start your search for love with the help of an experienced matchmaker.
Product Review: Women’s Sage Blend
Are you menopausal and experiencing hot flashes, hormone unbalance, mood unbalance, irritation, and low energy? Beneficial for unwanted menopausal symptoms, the Women’s Sage Blend contains the essential oils of clary sage, lemon, geranium, cypress, peppermint and chamomile. Add 4-5 drops of Women’s Sage blend to your diffuser at night or 4 drops to 1oz of coconut oil and massage on your neck, chest and feet both morning and night. During the day, apply 1 drop to your Aromatherapy Necklace or Lava Bead Bracelet. Essential oils are one way to manage symptoms and as a bonus: you’ll smell great!
Seniors’ Nutrition
As people age, proper nutrition can become a challenge. For example, seniors may have smaller appetites, making it difficult to eat enough to ensure good nutrition. They may also have health conditions that change their sense of taste or smell, making some foods unappealing. In addition, seniors who once cooked big, healthy meals for family can find themselves uninspired by the thought of cooking for one or two. But good nutrition is important at every stage of life. Seniors should focus on eating a variety of foods, particularly fruits and vegetables, with some whole grains and protein to help ensure they are getting the nutrients they need.
How Old Are Your Arteries?
Your arteries carry oxygen-rich blood from your heart to your entire body. When you’re young and healthy, they’re wide enough to allow the blood to flow through easily, and their walls are elastic, so they can expand and contract as needed. But as you age, your artery walls might harden, as plaque — made up of cholesterol and fat — builds up within them, narrowing the vessels. This process, called atherosclerosis, puts you at risk for heart attacks and stroke. The Meridian Digital Pulsewave Analyzer is an FDA approved cardio wave analyzer that measures arterial stress by tracking the way blood moves through the arteries. It’s non-invasive and takes only minutes to analyze.
Allergy Season Is Back
Many people suffering from head pressure, itchy eyes, and a runny or stuffy nose this allergy season will find only temporary relief, or no relief at all, from over-the-counter remedies. Alternative approaches, such as nutritional supplementation and Biofeedback focus on more than just symptomatic relief. They enable the body’s ability to remove existing allergens imbedded in the sinus tissues, thereby minimizing the histamine and inflammatory reactions. This stops the over-production of mucus that the body makes to try and push the allergens out. Take a different approach this allergy season – treat the cause, not just the symptoms.
Pets and Bee Stings
Warmer weather, blooming plants and buzzing insects can all spell trouble for your pets. If your curious pooch or pouncing feline gets stung by a bee, here’s what you can do: Scrape away the stinger if you can find it. Pulling the stinger with fingers or tweezers could rupture the poison sac allowing toxin to enter the bloodstream. If no medical history or treatments contraindicate, administer 1 mg Benadryl® per pound of your pet’s body weight and apply a cold pack for short periods at a time. If swelling is severe or if ANY breathing difficulties develop, do not delay—seek veterinary attention immediately.
Not All Water Is Created Equal
Water is essential for your health. It is also very important to consume the right KIND of water. Drink ‘GOOD WATER’ such as mineral water or hard water, which has lots of calcium and magnesium. Find water with a strong reduction power that has not been polluted with chemical substances. This can help keep your body at an optimal alkaline pH levels. Some say that alkaline water can help prevent disease, such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, and also aid with digesting acidic foods. Besides the possible health benefits, it can also be used for cooking, beauty, and cleaning.
Amazing Modern Prostheses
Do you know anyone with an artificial limb? If you said no, you’re probably wrong! Modern prostheses (proper name of an artificial limb) work so effectively and can look so convincing that you might not even know someone was using one. People with prosthetic legs can often climb stairs, walk, and run as well as those using natural limbs, while prosthetic hands have advanced to the point of individual control of all five fingers. You might think prostheses look boring, but they are among the world’s truly great inventions. By creating independence, they boost optimism and dramatically improve people’s lives.
Learning-Related Vision Disorders Editorial
While 20/20 vision is a great start, our vision is also related to how well our eyes work together with our brain to process visual information. Many children who suffer with vision problems can go undiagnosed since learning-related vision disorders may not be revealed through a regular eye exam. Lack of eye movement control, focusing difficulties, poor visual memory, and much more can make learning seem overwhelming. Without fundamental visual skills, children may have more difficulty with reading, writing, and comprehension at school. A developmental optometrist diagnoses and provides treatment options for learning-related vision disorders.
