Constipation and Fiber

Constipation means having a difficult time eliminating feces from the bowel. To prevent it, it is essential to consume fiber and water on a regular basis.  Excessive use of laxatives, deficiency of exercise and in diet can cause constipation. It is recommended for women to take 25 grams of fiber while men should take 38 grams of fiber every day. In addition, when people turn 50 it is suggested to take 21 grams for women and 30 grams for men each day. People should be more knowledgeable about the two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber consists of absorbing contents in one’s body; whereas insoluble fiber is the substance that makes up our stools, easing the process through the colon (Natural Fiber Foods & Constipation). I don’t think people take heed in observing their bowel movements, unless they find a problem to it. It can be difficult to take notice of one’s bowel movements because it is not aspect of a person’s health deemed as important or significant. People are concerned with other components of their health, so constipation and its effects in the later future are probably viewed later in life today because that is when the effects are going to be more visible.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/82403-natural-fiber-foods-constipation/

Voice Box: Keep it Safe

We learned about the respiratory system and there were a few key ideas that grasped my interest. The larynx is the voice box, which contains the glottis that is comprised of vocal cords. Vocal cords vibrate, and it enables the larynx to produce a pitch. As we age, our voice becomes hoarse, but I was interested to find out ways we can delay the process. There are a few techniques that stood out to me. For example, I discovered that consistently drinking fluid helps with maintain the vocal cords intact. Hydration of the body enables fluid to be lubricated by substances that are similar to saliva. Another way we can avoid having a greater damage in our voice as we age is to avoid shouting. Shouting makes the larynx work harder to produce speech due to its intensified tone of voice. Professionals, such as teachers, city traders, and telephone workers are more susceptible to exacerbating their voices (The Aging Voice). It is important to avoid raising one’s voice because it can agitate the vocal cords, causing the larynx to put more effort to work appropriately.

We take advantage of our voices many times. Although we are fortunate to have them, we must take heed of how do we apply our voices in our daily lives because, as many other bodily functions, our voices will deteriorate overtime. 

http://www.masterjules.net/agingvoice.htm

Alzheimer's Disease

Amongst the many topics we learned in class, Alzheimer’s disease is one in which that is prevalent in the aging population. We learned about the cell biology of the disease, which contributes to neurons dying due to the formation of neurotic plaques and neurofibrilliary tangles. The neurons that are affected are acetylcholine-releasing neurons.

Researchers have not found a cure for Alzheimer’s, but there are treatments involved with acetylcholinesterase, the enzyme that prevents the activation of ACh. These treatments lessen the symptoms of the disease. Inhibiting acetylcholinesterase hampers the breakdown of the enzyme, which compensates for the reduction of the enzyme in the disease (IA5. Clinical Application: Acetylcholine and Alzheimer's Disease).

I think Alzheimer’s disease is highly complex to muster up a method to terminate the disease. However, treatments that focus on reducing the enzyme that prevents the launching of ACh is a good step in lessening the symptoms. I think the disease might lessen if the enzyme is inhibited because it was one of the ways that causes the disease.

http://web.williams.edu/imput/synapse/pages/IA5.html

Hypertension and Eye

Last week in class I learned about hypertension, or high blood pressure.  High blood pressure is when it increases the work the heart has to do to pump blood to all areas of the human body. Due to the heart’s workload, it can cause heart attacks, strokes, kidney dysfunctions, and many other life-threatening circumstances. Amongst the many other unhealthy conditions, there is vision problems and blindness. Changes in vision can occur because pressure in the blood vessels can cause them to rupture or bleed. In addition, the optic nerve (the nerve that sends impulses to nerve tracts) may end up swelling. Hypertension can harm the retinal blood vessels that provide for the eye.  When this happens, it is called hypertensive retinopathy.  The blood vessels turn stiff due to the massive pressure, causing them rupture and overflow the retina with blood (Retinopathy - forms, symptoms and treatment). You may have symptoms of headaches, blurry vision, and a few others.  I found this interesting because I have always thought of high blood pressure only directing affecting the heart since the heart is major organ that is involved with hypertension. Reading more about this harmful condition helped me to remember that blood vessels encompass our entire body and we must take heed of what we do to one part of the body because more than likely it can affect another area of our bodies.

http://www.beltina.org/health-dictionary/retinopathy-forms-diabetes-symptoms-treatment.html

The Sweet Tooth

Senses are vital components of human beings that can affect their quality of life. One of the senses that we took a closer look at is the sense of taste. We have countless taste buds that decrease and become less active as we age. Food begins to lose its taste, and the elderly do not have a motivation to eat as much as they regularly did before. However, I discovered that many older people, especially people over 70 years old, have an excessive longing for sweets (“The Senior Sweet Tooth: Why Do So Many Seniors Crave Sweets?”). “Sweet” is the first taste bud humans are exposed to as newborns, so caregivers believe that the elderly’s excessive longing for sweets is plausible. In addition, “sweet” is the taste bud that the elderly have enjoyed for the longest time. I think this piece of information is intriguing, on account that I have witnessed elderly prefer sweets over other variety of foods. I have visited and interned at the nursing home from back home, and many times, patients and clients would want dessert or sugar with their meals. It is probable that their “sweet” taste bud is the one that is most active, but I am not sure if that is the case. Also, I am skeptical if the level of activity in the taste buds are affected by excessive exposure to foods that tap into those taste buds. In other words, as a 20 year-old who usually consumes sweets, would my “sweet” taste bud decrease, while the other taste buds I don’t use often would increase with age?

Hope you liked this food for thought!

http://www.eldercareteam.com/public/397.cfm

What You Didn't Know About Muscle Cramps...

I learned about muscle cramps. Muscle cramps occur often, especially to the elderly population. The elderly are more vulnerable to muscle cramps because of atrophy (OrthoInfo). Muscle loses its strength, so it is more difficult for people to be as active as they were before. A few factors can cause cramps, such as insufficient circulation of blood, inadequate blood levels of sugar, sodium, and calcium, and a few other factors. Exercising in sweltering weather can contribute to muscle cramps because sweat uses up bodily essentials, as mentioned above. Muscle cramps are benign, but if occurred frequently, it might be due to metabolism, nutrition, and a variety of other reasons. Above all, you should always consider consulting a doctor. People can alleviate muscle cramps by resting and stretching muscles before they use their muscles for action. Several people suggest stretching three times a day while others recommend stretching before heading to bed (Muscle Cramps). In addition, placing a pillow to have the foot raised while sleeping is recommendable for people who have muscle cramps.

I never thought that exercising in hot weather plays as an important factor in getting cramps. Learning this helps me to be aware of the amount of water I drink and the length of time I would be outside jogging. All of us need to take heed of our own actions because they can determine our health state later that day. Although it is tempting to jog everyday when the sun is at its highest, it is crucial to maintain your health and avoid getting cramps. It is unlikely to live life without muscle cramps, but you can minimize the frequency of them.

http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00200

http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/Muscle-Cramps.htm

PET Scans and Increasing Dopamine

In class, I learned that Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder that leads to tremors, difficulty in movement, coordination, and numerous other affects in bodily functions. Dopamine, a neurotransmitter, becomes less active. Dopamine is involved with muscle control. Due to this, Parkinson’s disease is likely to occur because there is loss of neurons that produce dopamine.  I was wondering if increasing dopamine in the nervous system can prevent the disease, but it was difficult to find information on this matter. However, I did find that there is no scientific advancement at this moment to avert Parkinson’s disease. Researchers are currently examining any common abnormality that all diagnosed people have to determine people who are apt in obtaining Parkinson’s disease. In the meantime, there are technological advances that have an impact on the understanding of the disease. For example, Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans the brain to identify visuals of chemical changes as they take place (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke). The PET provides a way to examine dopamine receptors to observe if the failure of dopamine activity comes before or after the deterioration of neurons that create dopamine.
 I think this scrutiny is very much needed because it sounds more like “chicken or egg” situation. Do the neurons that produce dopamine causes loss of dopamine or does dopamine level drop before the neurons fail? For this reason, I was interested to explore the significance of dopamine and its effect, in terms of Parkinson’s disease.


 I also found that increasing antioxidant intake can be a safeguard for neurons that produce dopamine, so they are less prone to be affected by free radicals. On the other hand, foods that are high in fat and cholesterol can cause dopamine level to be low (Integrative Psychiatry). I think maintaining a good amount of dopamine as we age might avert the likelihood of Parkinson’s disease. Given that dopamine levels are reduced by stress, some antidepressants, bad nutrition, and a few other factors, it might be highly necessary to maintain a feasible amount of dopamine to age well.

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/parkinsons_disease/detail_parkinsons_disease.htm
http://www.integrativepsychiatry.net/dopamine.html

Asians and Osteoporosis

Amongst the numerous diseases that the aging population has, osteoporosis is a common one. Osteoporosis brings about low bone density. Osteoclast cells, cells that destroy bones, become more active than osteoblast cells, cells that support bone formation. I discovered that Asians are less likely to have calcium in their diet, and it is mostly because the majority of Asians are lactose intolerant (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases). As a result, Asians are less prone to eat dairy products, so calcium is not a fundamental component of their diet. In addition, Asians are commonly slender, so they have a higher risk of bone fractures. I think it is plausible that Hispanics and African Americans have a lesser risk of obtaining osteoporosis because they typically consume calcium often, and they usually do not have the small frame-figure that Asians have.  






http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bone/Osteoporosis/Background/asian_american_women.asp#c

Mohs Micrographic Surgery

In class, I learned about the two most common skin cancers: Basal Cell Carcinoma and Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Basal Cell Carcinoma occurs in the basal layer of the skin and it is caused by exposure to sunlight. It creates reddish bumps on the skin. Squamous cell carcinoma is occurred from the squamous epithelial cells. It is also caused from exposure to sun and they look like abnormal warts. As time progresses, new treatments for different kinds of skin cancer are emerging. One treatment that has proven its effectiveness for the two most common skin cancers is called Mohs Micrographic Surgery. It enables surgeons to eliminate cancer cells while saving as much normal tissue as probable (Mohs Micrographic Surgery: An Overview). Mohs Micrographic Surgery consists of consecutively eliminating a single thin layer. Each layer is scrutinized under a microscope to see if there any cancer cells present. I think overtime the prevalence of skin cancer will reduce due to the rising medical technologies. More people are seeking new methods and techniques to improve one’s health and remove any hindrances to have a good health status. Within a matter of time, I think skin cancer should be less prevalent in the world, or at least in the U.S.

http://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/mohs-surgery/mohs-overview

Nails and What Should You Do To Take Care of Them

This past week I obtained knowledge about the hair, nails, and skin from the aging perspective. However, today I will focus on the nails. To start off, I learned that the nails are comprised of keratinized cells and the capillaries are beneath the nail body, so that is the reason your nails have a pink pigment. Nails indicate your general state of health, so if they are discolored or are abnormal, then I suggest it is time to pay a dermatologist a visit. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, problems with the nails typically increase as someone ages and senior citizens are the ones most affected by them. Amongst the many signals of nail problems, changes in the shape or color and pain on the nails can indicate something is wrong (American Academy of Dermatology). Some tips to prevent any abnormalities from occurring on the nails are to maintain your nails clean, so no bacteria would be accumulated under your nails and to fight the urge from biting your fingernails. Biting your fingernails does not only harm the skin under your nails, but it can also make an entrance for infections. I think this is valuable information that is highly uncommon to a person’s typical knowledge of nails. Actually, the topic of nail care health is hardly ever a topic that people are concerned with. Growing up, my mom might have scolded me to stop biting my nails, but I have never been given a scientific reason for it. The human body I comprised of a myriad of compartments that it is difficult to dedicate time on improving each particular part of our bodies. However, I am glad I took the time to search more information on nails to inform myself more about the importance of preventing ourselves from damaging our nails. I cannot make time to research every single part of our bodies, but I think I am learning little by little how to physically age well. Nails might be perceived as trivial to learn about, but as I mentioned before, it can indicate your general state of health. Make sure you maintain your nails healthy and clean, everyone!

http://www.aad.org/media-resources/stats-and-facts/prevention-and-care/nails/nails

Premature Skin Aging

   Take a look at how smooth your skin is. Looking at my skin, it is difficult to believe that I, Alexandra Henry, will have saggy, wrinkly, and dry skin in years to come. Reading about the skin changes as people, women in particular, age made me understand the way skin deteriorates.

   In class, I was stunned when I learned that the skin is the largest organ of the human body. I guess, it is because when I think of organs I think of kidneys and all the complexity of the insides of the body. I gained a greater understanding of the layers of the skin: epidermis, and dermis. Each of these layers has a unique job that plays key roles in our biological lives. The epidermis is the outer-most layer, and it contains corneum (dead cells), lucidum (clear layer), granulosum (small particles), spinosum (spines), and basale (contains stem cells, melanocytes, langerhan cells, and merkel cells). The dermis, located underneath the epidermis, is comprised of blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, nerves, sweat glands, and sebaceous glands (maintains the epidermis’ flexibility). Receptors are situated on the dermis, so we are able to respond to environmental stimuli.

   Premature skin aging can be the outcome of an extensive amount of physical and psychological stress, unhealthy nutrition, alcohol consumption, overindulging, pollution from the environment, and exposure to UV rays (Skin Aging). To my surprise, hormones are also a contributing factor to skin aging. Sex hormones function in maintaining the skin the way it is. Is that the reason as people go through puberty, it is likely to see pimples scattered all over a pre-teen? Yes, it is. Raging hormones entail skin acne, so low levels of hormones result in the skin aging and losing its intactness. Women are faced with the hormonal change of estrogen in menopause, and, believe it or not, it’s a factor in the wrinkles and other aspects of aging skin. Epidermal and dermal layers of the skin become thin; therefore it deteriorates and becomes saggy.

                                                                                                                             

http://www.lef.org/protocols/skin_nails_hair/skin_aging_01.htm

Free Radicals and Antioxidants

Free radicals are difficult to understand, but oddly enough, they amaze me. Sure, it took me hours to comprehend the whole mechanics of it, but after an excrutiating long time of trying to understand free radicals, I finally understood the logistics of them (thanks to my very good friend).

When it comes to biology, I have to break things down small enough to visualize it and make a connection to it. I want to know the "who, what, when, where, why, and how" questions. You can call me curious with an unending ardor for knowledge..or you can call me whatever you want to call me. Either way, I'll always go with the first one since it makes me feel good about myself. But, anyways back to free radicals. From reading and being tutored, I learned that human beings naturally contain electrons (no, I never knew this...). Oxidation removes electrons, causing an instability and malfunction of cells. With this in mind, the free radical theory comes into play for the aging population.

How can free radicals appear? In class, I learned that stress, ultraviolet rays, pollution, and poor nutrition are key causes of free radicals. Free radicals are side effects of producing energy (Antioxidants Against Aging). Believe it or not, our cells use electrons to create energy (Heal Yourself At Home). If there are not enough electrons, then we are doomed to face the consequences of aging prematurely and many other possible outcomes. Everyday we are facing conditions that can alter our human bodies, and it is our responsibility to prevent the accumulation of the free radicals as we enter our later stages of life, so thank God for antioxidants. Antioxidants, from what I learned, add electrons to the unpaired ones; therefore, stabilizing the human body to its healthy state. Antioxidants can rage from vitamins A, C, and E, and a few other random sources.

Now that are more knowledgeable about the popular theory of free radicals, it is highly essential for, not only the aging population, but for all people, to be mindful of their environment and lifestyle. The more you supply your body with antioxidants, the less likely it is for you to be a victim of the free radical theory as you grow older.

It's been fun, but I have written more than I intended. However, I do hope antioxidants become your friends after reading my blog!

http://www.blogger.com/goog_470300590
http://healyourselfathomefl.health.officelive.com/NEWSTART_NUTRITION_FOOD_Electronfoods.aspx