Category: Stand for Strength

October 1, 2020

Breakfast tips for Seniors to kick-start the day

Breakfast tips for Seniors to kick-start the day

‘Most important meal of the day’ is what Breakfast is called and there is actually a good reason behind it. It is because if you skip breakfast, any kind of meal really, hunger feels tenfold and you may overeat at the next meal time. Even if you are not on some weight loss plan, a healthy lifestyle includes breakfast. For seniors, who tend to eat less food for various reasons, adding breakfast helps with intake of adequate calories, nutrients and minerals for the day.¹

The “Why”

A good hearty breakfast helps you maintain energy levels and focus because if you didn’t have any, you would be spending that focus on satiating hunger and craving, resulting in overeating. Also, because your body has some rest at night, it needs something in the morning to fuel the metabolism to get going. Think of it as adding firewood to a train engine to keep it going, whereas letting it go cold takes longer to heat back up. Seniors already have a slowed metabolic system so not eating breakfast may affect their quality of health. Breakfast for seniors will help maintain weight, improve the heart, reduce cravings, and help maintain focus. And if you have to take morning medication as a senior, breakfast is helpful if such medications require a full stomach.¹

The “How & What”

For an estimated caloric amount of 400 to 500, an ideal meal for the morning that is balanced should include carbs, fruits, protein, and a dairy product or two. If a Western style breakfast is preferred, try low fat milk and rice crispies or multigrain cereal. If you don’t want to have milk, have a few apple slices and one serving of peanut butter as dip. Do you like toast? Then try some toasted bread with no butter, an organic fruit spread, and some fresh yogurt. If you want to have some eggs, you can, but have it with a bread roll and some oranges. No time? You can properly reheat takeaways from last night or prep ahead and have ready to eat cereals and meal supplements setup like juices and shakes. If you find it difficult to make choices or need additional help, consider adding Ensure Gold to your meal. Complete with Protein +HMB, 3x more Vitamin D, Omega-3, and 28 other Vitamins and Minerals, about 2 glasses of Ensure Gold a day or just one of them at breakfast, will help kickstart your day and optimize nutrition in the morning meal. ²^,³^,⁴

Sources & References:

https://www.shellpoint.org/blog/2013/09/26/breakfast-benefits/#:~:text=Older%20adults%20often%20consume%20less,even%20help%20regulate%20bowel%20function.
https://ensure.com/blog/nutrition-matters/start-strong-make-breakfast-work-for-you
https://ensure.ca/en/health-nutrition-tips/a-healthy-breakfast-is-a-start-to-a-healthy-day
https://abbottnutrition.com.my/products/ensure-gold

October 1, 2020

Top superfoods for building senior muscle strength

Top superfoods for building senior muscle strength

During morning news or filler programs between your favorite prime time drama, you will come across various media on health fixes and what foods to eat to make yourself live better. For people above the age of 40, and especially those who are in their 60s, body composition changes and loose lean muscle mass to body fat. Losing body strength is at risk for falls and injuries, so eating food like you want to live a long happy life is a good idea! With a combination of exercises as recommended by a medical expert, think about adding these superfoods to help maintain muscles for a senior.¹

Got some Goji?

Often seen floating around in popular Hot Pot soups that are often mistaken for those tiny chilies you see in Asian side dish condiments. Goji berries have been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for many centuries, but if you like eating tomatoes in food and enjoy dried grapes as a snack, think about adding Goji Berries to your diet. Packed rich in protein (for building muscles), which is rare for a berry, with a good collection of carbs, fat, fiber (for digestion), and antioxidant Vitamin C (for senior immunity) are things that help alleviate symptoms that lead to chronic diseases and keep the body energy up.²^,³

Don’t reject Kale & Mustard, the dark leafy greens!

At first glance, dark leafy greens look like they would be hard to chew and hard to cook to make it taste good because of the often associated distinct green and bitter taste. But through trial and error and taste palette, kale and mustard leaves have a great dose of Vitamin K, which will help blood clot better in healing wounds (great for muscle repairs) and also strengthen bones. This is an important feature for senior skeletal muscles. Stir fry, steam, or use it as a paste in foods, you can have it any way you want it.⁴

Yeasts & nuts, why not?

The muscles closest to the bones in a senior’s body are the ones that need protein the most. In the late 70s to early 80s, most of the muscles are lost in the legs so most seniors avoid walking and when they do, they get pained or tired easily. The body needs to break down protein into amino acids and uses that to build, repair, and maintain. One of these repairing chemicals is called HMB (Hydroxymethylbutyrate), which occurs when leucine, an amino acid, is broken down. Essential amino acids need to be from food. And an unlikely source that provides protein, fiber, and vitamin B12 is Nutritional yeast. Made from sugarcane, it is found in powder form in most of the best nutritional supplements. Nutritional supplements like Ensure Gold have 1.5g of HMB for every two glasses, it is great as a meal replacement or as an addition to a diet plan for seniors to live a healthy life with balance.²^,⁵

Sign for a free Ensure Trial

Sources & References:

https://blog.silvercuisine.com/10-foods-to-help-seniors-build-strong-muscles/
https://ensure.com/blog/nutrition-matters/five-secret-superfoods
https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/10-amazing-disease-fighting-foods?print=true
https://www.caringseniorservice.com/blog/super-foods-for-seniors
https://abbottnutrition.com.my/products/ensure-gold

October 1, 2020

Essential stretching exercises for senior strength

Essential stretching exercises for senior strength

Preserving and building muscle strength is one of the things we should prepare for as we age. You either use your muscles or lose it. In fact, by the age 40, adults naturally lose 8% of their muscles every decade. By 70, the rate of muscle loss increases to about 15% which means 24% of your muscles could be gone by 70. It is therefore important to keep making your muscles work because they respond to it by getting stronger.^1,2

Strong muscles help seniors maintain their independence, perform everyday tasks such as lifting grocery bags or reaching into a higher cupboard; reduce risk of falling, and improve overall balance, coordination and mobility.²

The best way to battle natural muscle decline as we age (also called sarcopenia) is by getting the right nutrition and enhancing one’s strength and flexibility. The latter can be achieved by doing regular simple stretching exercises.^1,3

Seniors should try to stretch major muscles groups for at least 10 minutes, two days a week.

Moreover, they should perform flexibility exercises on all days that cardiovascular or resistance training exercise occurs, if possible. The National Institutes of Health recommend including some of these stretches in your fitness routine.³

Neck Stretch
- Stretch the neck by slowly bringing your chin toward your chest and turning your head side to side.
- Hold each position for 15 seconds.
Shoulder and Upper Arm Stretch
- Stretch your shoulders and arms by holding a towel in one hand over your head and letting it drape down behind your head and back.
- Grab the other end of the towel with your other hand and gently pull down until you feel a stretch.
Lower Back Stretch
- Stretch your lower back by lying on your back, knees bent and feet together. Keep feet flat on the floor.
- Keeping knees together, lower your legs to one side, twisting your torso until you feel a stretch. Hold and repeat on the other side.
Hip Stretch
- Stretch your hips by lying on your back, bringing one knee out to the side of your body.
- Rest your foot against your opposite leg and gently push down on the bent knee until you feel a stretch.
Ankle Stretch
- Stretch your ankles by sitting in a chair and slowly moving your foot up and down and side to side.
- Hold each position 30 seconds and repeat on the other foot.

In conclusion, muscle loss can be slowed down by keeping an active lifestyle and consuming a well-balanced, nutrient-packed diet. It is recommended to take 3 servings of protein-rich foods found in poultry, egg, fish, milk, tofu, and nutritional supplements such as Ensure.^1,2

Ensure contains high-quality protein along with nutrients and HMB, also called beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate, a muscle-preserving ingredient that works with protein to help preserve muscles.

References:

https://abbottfamily.com.sg/articles/active-aging/preserve-your-strength-now#
https://ensure.com/blog/expert-advice/muscle-story
https://www.healthline.com/health/senior-health/stretching-exercises#1

October 1, 2020

Zinc’s role in aging

Keeping a healthy diet among seniors, especially observing good eating habits, can strengthen the immune system and improve their ability to recover from illness and prevent chronic disease. Providing the aging body with the key nutrients is therefore important for immune health support.^1,2

The importance of micronutrients in health is unquestionable and among them, zinc, plays an essential role in the efficiency of the immune system. Zinc is needed for cellular reproduction, which is important in the synthesis of new immune system cells. ^2,3

Zinc deficiency is common among elderly since they often avoid meats and other foods that contain it to avoid the risk of high cholesterol levels. Other causes of deficiency of this micronutrient include inadequate chewing, intestinal malabsorption, psychosocial factors such as depression and prescribed medication for health maintenance.³

Low zinc can threaten the immune system. As we age, our immune system becomes more susceptible to weakening, making us vulnerable to health problems such as pneumonia and influenza, in addition to increasing the risk for developing autoimmune diseases and cancers.

Maintaining healthy zinc levels is key to living a long, healthier life by optimizing the function of the immune system. ^{3, 4}

Supporting the immune system as we age is important. One way to do this is to observe good nutrition with the help of Ensure to meet recommended intake levels. Ensure is a good source of Protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Zinc, not to mention HMB or beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate, a muscle-preserving ingredient that works with protein to fight sarcopenia or muscle loss among seniors.²

References:

October 1, 2020

Why you should eat well to age well

With more diet styles and plans trending at any given time, like the Raw Food Diet, Juice Diet, Keto, or Paleo, it all can be confusing to what is appropriate for a regular adult, let alone a Senior. But one thing in common in all of their intentions is for you to be happy and healthy in your golden years too. With the right eating habits, seniors can live a better life with lessening or slowing down problems such as being prone to illnesses, life expectancy, and other conditions resulting from muscle loss.¹

What happens when a senior doesn’t eat Well?

When you age, you often attach problems in the heart, joints, appetite, and muscle weakness to it. And if you are not getting enough nutrition, the degradation of muscles in your body becomes faster, thus decreasing appetite (your stomach is a muscle too) again and worsening the conditions. It also weakens the immune system, wounds don’t repair well, vertigo-like symptoms and falls, extended hospitalization, and the worst of them all is a shorter life span or lesser quality of life. The way the muscle dynamic in your body works is the body first breaks down leucine (amino acid building block of protein), synthesized, and is built up again. All is happening throughout the day without you even noticing. If you see the mention of protein, what comes to mind? It is food of course!²

If you eat well, you will…

Have a better heart – Your heart is what keeps the blood flowing through you and that too is a muscle. You will easily notice that an extended round of guilty pleasure foods has you long winded or inflammations and joint pains. Because more than a third of seniors 65 and above are found to be overweight, starting early on as you hit 40 with good food is the way to go. Being overweight as a senior is just as bad for your skeletal muscle as being underweight. Both affect mobility and overall body composition. To improve the heart, have an eating plan with plenty of fruits, veggies, low fat dairy, skin off chicken, fish, nuts and legumes, and olive oil in moderation.³
Help with Memory – Technically your brain isn’t a muscle, though it may have some features of muscles, supporting its health will improve a senior’s cognitive ability further down the line. In talking about memory, seniors often worry about having Alzheimer’s as they get older and wonder what they can do to stop or slow it down. Not only does this disease affect memory, it affects cognitive functions. This can be early onset if the aging adult does not get enough Vitamin B12 and often eats oily foods, bleach white bread, sugary sodas, and margarine in excess. Eat plenty of fruits rich in antioxidants like tomatoes, blueberries, leafy veggies, turmeric, enriched milk, fresh fish, and a few select servings of meat.⁴
Of-course it will help with your muscles! – HMB (Hydroxymethylbutyrate) is naturally produced in small amounts when your body breaks down an essential amino acid called leucine, which you can get by eating protein foods like milk, yogurt, some fruits, beans, and supplements when needed. It is what a person needs to build muscle or upkeep it. HMB also helps perceive muscle mass and slows their breakdown, which is extremely important for seniors to maintain their mobility. But just like you who finds it hard to get a balanced diet, it is even harder for seniors when they lose their ability to chew as they age. For this it is a good suggestion to add a supplement with complete nutrition to the diet plan. Ensure Gold, available in powder form to make a customized serving or in ready made drink servings, seniors can get their daily recommended amount of the muscle repairing Protein +HMB. Enriched with 3x More Vitamin D, Omega 3 essential fatty acid, and a collection of 28 additional Vitamins and Minerals, a senior can live life strong and continue to do what they love. ³^,⁴^,⁵

Sources & References:

https://abbottfamily.com.sg/articles/active-aging/eat-well#
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/caregivers/in-depth/senior-health/art-20044699
https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/features/longevity-foods?print=true
https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/longevity-diet?print=true
https://www.ensure.abbott/za/nutrition/why-hmb-is-important-for-aging-muscles/

October 1, 2020

Common nutrient deficiencies that affect seniors

Common nutrient deficiencies that affect seniors

Getting sufficient nutrition becomes a challenge as we age. As the aging body’s calorie requirement begins to decline, every calorie consumed must be packed with nutrition in order to make the most of every meal. Unfortunately, not all adults hit their nutrient requirements due to declining food taste, blunting appetites, and difficulty in chewing or digesting. With their bodies becoming less efficient at absorbing nutrients, seniors fall short of the vitamins and minerals they should be getting.¹

Here are key vitamins and nutrients the elderly should look out for and where to get the best sources.

Calcium

Among the roles that calcium plays in nutrition, it’s most important function is building muscle and maintaining strong bones. Unfortunately, studies show that the elderly consume less calcium in their diets which increases their risk for osteoporosis or brittle bones and fractures. According to the WHO, women’s lifetime risk for osteoporosis fractures is closer to 40%. In contrast it is only 13% among men. Women are at greater risk because their bone loss accelerates after menopause. Prevention is possible with adequate calcium intake through good dietary sources of calcium like kale and broccoli, as well as juices fortified with calcium.^{1, 2}

Vitamin D

Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium, maintain bone density, and prevent osteoporosis. In older people, Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to increased risk of falling. Many foods are fortified with vitamin D, including cereals, milk, some yogurts, and juices. Few foods naturally contain vitamin D. However, vitamin D is found in salmon, tuna, and eggs.¹

Vitamin B12

B12 is essential for creating red blood cells and DNA, and for maintaining healthy nerve function. Older people do not absorb B12 from food as well as younger people. Even if their diet contains enough, they may be falling short of it. Foods rich in B12 include fish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk, and milk products. Talking to your doctor about whether you should take a B12 supplement is recommended.¹

Protein

More than 40% of adults over age 50 don’t consume the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for protein from food alone. An adequate amount of protein intake with each meal—25 to 30 grams of high-quality protein—is important to help build protein and necessary for optimal muscle protein synthesis. Protein intakes at this level are particularly beneficial for older adults as a strategy to prevent muscle loss or sarcopenia, a natural process of progressive muscle loss that may begin after age 40. ^3,4

Along with a balanced diet and regular exercise, nutrient deficiencies can be prevented. Ensure has a mix of what matters: high quality protein, nutrients including B vitamins, Vitamin D, calcium, and HMB or beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate, a muscle-preserving ingredient that works with protein to help preserve muscles.

References:

October 1, 2020

Ways to combat age-related muscle loss

Many would wish for a long life, but wouldn’t you think it is better to wish for a healthy life? A healthy life where muscle strength is kept consistent or the loss slowed down keeps you strong to keep doing what you love!²

Turn that 52 into 25 Again! 3 Select Ways to Combat Age Related Muscle Loss

The word retirement sometimes makes everything sound old, but it is all in what meaning you attach to it. That goes the same for taking care of yourself and your muscles. Because physical aging is just not based on one thing, you might wonder as a senior if starting a certain regime of diet and exercise would be more of a challenge for muscle health.⁴ Technically your body’s muscle mass and strength peaks at age 25 and fluctuates downwards very gradually.

Routine & Regular Exercise
Seniors who have had an active lifestyle in their younger years or at least up towards transitioning into the senior years, are least susceptible to inflammatory damages. Push as you might when you were younger, you recovered well, but as you age you even begin to contemplate the choice between the stairs or the elevator. Do not be discouraged because some activity is better than none at all. For seniors, unless experienced, resistance type exercises are recommended. It will improve their muscle functions and slow down the loss.
Less Hungry? Eat Well to Age Well
Buffets, hotpots, and snackings in between, if it is food, you would eat it as a young adult, but when you are in your 40s and 70s, you feel like only eating if you really have to. This is because adults between that age eat around 25% less and that in turn lessen the protein intake. Protein is required for muscle strength because when they are broken down, they provide the certain types of amino acids for synthesis of muscle proteins that are important for staying strong and living well. With the help of dietary protein supplements, a suggested servings of 20 grams of it per meal. If solid foods are difficult to consume, seniors can take oral nutritional supplements as meal replacements.¹^,³
Consulting a Medical Professional
There is a natural protein compound that you often see mentioned in supplements called HMB (beta hydroxy beta methylbutyrate). Technically it does naturally exist and It is a chemical that is produced when your body breaks down amino acid (Leucine), which is an essential building block of protein for muscle health. It signals the processing of muscle proteins to slow breakdown. For this, you can ask your Medical Professional if Ensure Gold is right for you. With a daily serving of two glasses, you Calcium HMB, along with a high percentage of triple protein complex, to help maintain muscle health. Combined with physical activity Ensure Gold has seen to improve strength in 8 weeks.⁵

Sources & References:

https://abbottfamily.com.sg/articles/ensure/nutriv-tips
https://abbottfamily.com.sg/articles/active-aging/preserve-your-strength-now#
https://sschc.org/5-ways-can-combat-age-related-muscle-loss/
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/04/well/move/exercise-aging-inflammation-muscles-age-seniors-elderly-older.html
https://abbottnutrition.com.my/products/ensure-gold

September 30, 2020

Benefits of yoga among seniors

Muscles play a role in your body’s movement, balance and posture, as well as your metabolism and even facial structure. While maintaining your muscles can be more challenging as you get older, science has shown that we can all be strong no matter what age.¹

Muscle loss, also called sarcopenia, is a common reality as one ages. Did you know that one loses 8% of muscles every decade the moment one turns 40? In fact, we lose about half a

pound of muscle per year for each year we do not regularly engage in resistance training. Strength training is one way to heep the muscles healthy and the bones strong^1,4

Yoga is a great exercise option for adults. It does not require special equipment, it can be done anywhere, and it’s perfect for any age, including seniors. It’s just a matter of choosing a type of yoga to do and working within one’s capacity.⁴

Practicing yoga comes with great benefits, especially for seniors.³

Muscle Strengthening

Lifting weights is not the only way to build muscle. Yoga practice is full of exercises that help build muscles, thereby making daily activities easier. During practice, you’re strengthening your core muscles, legs, hips, abdominals, pectorals, shoulders,  spine and neck—which help keep you active for a long period of time.³

Improves Balance

Balance is one of the things we lose as we age. The great thing about yoga is that most poses improve balance, leading to less falls, and increase focus and stability.³

Increases flexibility

Among yoga’s health benefits is improving flexibility through its knee and joints-friendly, low-impact poses. Achieving flexibility is something that needs to be practiced and worked on in time, whatever age you are. Yoga increases flexibility through stretching. When stretching, it’s important to listen to the body to know if you have any pain or discomfort. Find the modifications that work for you. Know that it could take weeks or months to touch your toes, and that the key to stretching is patience and perseverance.³

Aging gracefully takes effort, but making the conscious choice to do what’s healthy and right is key. The good news is that there are plenty of ways to maintain strength and energy at any age, and that includes the practice of yoga.^1,4

Exercise aside, nourishing muscles is key. A balanced diet of vitamins, minerals and macronutrients like protein will benefit overall health. HMB, or beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate, is a muscle-preserving ingredient that works with protein to help preserve muscles. Ensure contains HMB and protein to help rebuild muscle and strength to keep you aging strong and healthy.¹

References:

https://abbottfamily.com.sg/articles/active-aging/5-things-you-need-to-know#
https://ensure.com/health-articles-tips/fitness/morning-exercise
https://www.thehealthjournals.com/yoga-for-seniors/
https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/features/yoga-for-seniors#1

September 30, 2020

Changing nutritional needs of seniors

A person’s nutritional requirements change as one ages. What nutrients you needed 20, 10 or 5 years ago might be different from what you need today. This is the reason why adapting your lifestyle, counting fitness and nutrition, to your age is the most important choice to make to keep the body in top shape.¹

A few factors that one should consider as one ages are:

Fluid

Fluid intake is important as one ages, but many older adults neglect meeting their liquid needs in a day. Dehydration has in fact shown to have negative consequences on the elderly’s health including constipation, impaired cognitive function, falling, poor hyperglycaemia in diabetes or hyperthermia. It is thus key to including many sources of fluids everyday into your diet depending on your fluid requirements.^1-2

Metabolism

Our metabolism naturally slows down with age hence we burn fewer calories. This also points to the need to decrease one’s caloric intake and keep a regular physical activity. Making smart nutritious choices is essential.¹According to the National Institute for Aging, people over age 50 should include key vitamins and minerals like Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, Calcium, Magnesium, and Potassium in their diets.⁴

Muscle Maintenance

Did you know that you lose 8% of your muscle mass every 10 years? Age-related muscle loss, also known as sarcopenia, affects adults age 50 and older. This decline in muscle health can contribute to fatigue, losses in strength and energy as well as poor mobility. In fact, a study shows that people can lose a lot of muscle in a short amount of time causing delayed recovery from illness, slow wound healing and reduced quality of life. The catch is to get ahead of muscle loss before it accelerates.^1,3

HMB or beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate, helps in keeping your muscles in balance by slowing down muscle breakdown. In fact, HMB has been shown to help preserve muscle mass in healthy older adults. HMB, along with maintaining a well-balanced diet rich in protein and exercising regularly, supports the natural balance. Ensure has HMB and protein to help rebuild muscle and strength.^1,3

In conclusion, staying active, packing your diet with a variety of nutrients each day, and consciously making the right choices is the key to staying fit and healthy as one ages.

References:

https://ensure.com/health-articles-tips/nutrition/changing-nutrition-needs
https://www.hydrationforhealth.com/en/hydration-science/hydration-lab/hydration-aging/#consequences
https://www.nutritionnews.abbott/healthy-living/aging-well/why-hmb-is-important-for-aging-muscles/
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/vitamins-and-minerals

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Breakfast tips for Seniors to kick-start the day

Breakfast tips for Seniors to kick-start the day

Top superfoods for building senior muscle strength

Top superfoods for building senior muscle strength

Essential stretching exercises for senior strength

Essential stretching exercises for senior strength

Zinc’s role in aging

Zinc’s role in aging

Why you should eat well to age well

Why you should eat well to age well

Common nutrient deficiencies that affect seniors

Common nutrient deficiencies that affect seniors

Ways to combat age-related muscle loss

Ways to combat age-related muscle loss

Benefits of yoga among seniors

Benefits of yoga among seniors

Changing nutritional needs of seniors

Changing nutritional needs of seniors

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