Month: November 2017

While you can’t stop aging, you can slow it down in a way. The first step toward good health in your senior years is to eat right.

You have to feed your body good nutrition for it to run like it’s supposed to run. You have to have good maintenance. You have to start treating your body like you do your cars and your home. “Sometimes, you forget that your body is a well-oiled machine.”

Eating for Adults: As we age, our bodies change — not just in how they look, but also in how they work. It may take longer for you to digest meals. You may not drink enough water because you don’t feel as thirsty as you used to. Food may lose some of its taste, so you simply might not be interested in eating.

You might have a hard time chewing, you might just not feel like cooking, or you might be tired of eating by yourself. When these things keep you from eating well, your once well-oiled machine starts to sputter.

Talk with your doctor about any trouble you have as you try to eat a healthy diet. You may want to meet with a nutritionist, too. With a good health team, you can come up with a plan that helps get you back into eating well.

Keys to a Healthy Diet: You probably know the basics of a healthy diet — lots of fruits and vegetables, healthy proteins, whole grains, some low-fat dairy and healthy fats, and less salt. Some foods are especially helpful for older adults who want to eat healthier: Water: Not a food, you say? Think of it as one. As you get older, you may not drink enough water because you don’t feel as thirsty as you used to.

Water is so underappreciated. Our bodies are mostly water. If you’re chronically dehydrated, just think of what your cells look like, You can’t think as clearly, you get fatigued more easily, you don’t tolerate heat as well. People who complain of things like fatigue and mild headaches and constipation, most often they’re just dehydrated.

Berries: Always delicious, and packed with various antioxidants.” Antioxidants — things like vitamin C and vitamin E — can help keep your cells healthy. You can’t go wrong with any of the berries, usually, but blueberries really come packed with nutrients that are beneficial for the body.

Fiber: Dietary fiber — from things like vegetables, whole grains, fruits, and legumes — plays a key role in your digestive system. It can help prevent or ease constipation, as well as lower your cholesterol, blood pressure, and inflammation. That can lead to a healthier heart. Fiber also can help control blood sugar levels and lower your chances of diabetes.

Fatty fish: Heart-healthy all-stars like salmon, mackerel, and sardines are high in omega-3 fatty acids. They help prevent heart disease and stroke. Aim for at least two servings a week.

Olive oil: Cooking with this can help lower your “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and may even boost your good cholesterol (HDL).

Yogurt: Bone loss gets worse as you get older. Calcium helps keep it at bay, and yogurt is a good source of that. Get yogurt fortified with vitamin D, which helps you take in and use that key mineral. Yogurt also helps you digest your food, and it has protein, too. And it pairs really well with fruit.

Tomatoes: These and other foods high in lycopene, a natural chemical, can help protect you against prostate cancer and may help prevent lung cancer, too. Cooked or processed tomatoes (in juice, paste, and sauce) may be better at that than raw ones. Researchers believe that heating or mashing tomatoes releases more lycopene.

Red wine: Alcohol may help lower “bad” cholesterol, prevent blood clots, and ease your blood pressure. Go easy, of course. That usually means no more than one drink a day for women and two a day for men. If you don’t drink alcohol, though, don’t start.

Broccoli: Filled with all sorts of vitamins and antioxidants, broccoli is high in fiber, too. Nuts: Full of omega-3s, unsaturated fats (the good kind), fiber, and protein,

Nuts are heart-healthy nutrition in the palm of your hand. Shoot for five, 1-ounce servings per week. The following examples equal 1 ounce: 24 almonds 18 medium cashews 12 hazelnuts or filberts 8 medium Brazil nuts 12 macadamia nuts 35 peanuts 15 pecan halves 14 English walnut halves

Dry Skin Woes

Is your skin feeling dry and tight — even itchy or flaky? Any number of things can strip your skin of its protective oils. The result: Everything from chapped lips and itchy skin to cracked heels. Relief is in your grasp. Use this pictorial guide to see top cold-weather threats to your skin and what you can do about them.

Give Dry Hands Extra Care

The cold winter air may hard hit your hands. Washing your hands frequently helps eliminate cold and flu germs, but it also increases dryness. And unless you wear gloves every time you go out, hands may be more exposed to cold than other parts of your body. Give dry hands some extra TLC by using a glycerin-based moisturizer when you wake up, before you go to bed, and any time your hands feel dry throughout the day. Use Exquis Ultra Moisturizer with SPF 15 available on line at http://www.ExquisSkincare.com

SOS for Chapped Lips

No one is immune from dry lips in winter! Here’s how to cope: Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and use a humidifier at home. Liberally apply beeswax or petroleum jelly to your lips. Put on lip balm or lipstick with sunscreen every time you go outside. Avoid being in the sun and wind too much. Don’t lick your lips — it may feel better briefly, but it only makes chapped lips worse.

Heal Cracked Heels

Painful, cracked heels are a common skin condition, especially in winter. They are often caused by dry skin. Having calluses around the rim of the heel can complicate the problem. In some cases, dry cracked feet can lead to infection or make walking painful. Keep feet healthy by marinating cracked heels in petroleum jelly, covering them with plastic wrap, and putting on a pair of socks overnight. You should see improvement in a few days. Exquis Anti-Aging Moisturizer is very effective for healing cracked heals.

Use Super-Fatted Soap

The same products that keep your face looking fresh in the spring and summer may cause skin problems during winter. Choose a gentle, super-fatted, fragrance-free soap — bar or liquid — for cleansing. Super-fatted means the soap is loaded with oils. Use a non-astringent toner, or just skip it altogether. If skin is dry, moisturizers that contain urea, dimethicone, glycerin, lanolin, or mineral oil can be good bets. Exquis Deep Cleansing Wash is very gentle and effective soap for winter use.

Choose a Winter Moisturizer

Should you change your moisturizer? Maybe. If you usually use a light lotion, try a heavier cream, at least on dry skin patches. Ointments — like petroleum jelly — have more oil than creams or lotions. That makes them more greasy, too, so they may be best for feet and body. Minimize the greasy feeling by using a very small amount and gently but thoroughly rubbing it into skin. Apply after a warm. Exquis Anti-Aging Moisturizer is best choice.

Decode Moisturizer Choices

Humectants — like urea, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, propylene glycol — absorb water from the air. They are oil-free. Emollients — like baby or mineral oil, plant oils (like jojoba oil), petroleum jelly, lanolin, stearic acid — help replace oils in the skin. Many moisturizers contain a combination. You may want to skip some anti-aging moisturizers in winter. Those that contain retinoids can further irritate and dry, sensitive skin. Use Exquis Ultra Rich Moisturizer.

Clear Away Dead Skin First

To get the most out of your moisturizer, exfoliate. Clearing away dead skin cells lets a moisturizer better penetrate dry skin. Exfoliate gently with a moisturizer that contains lactic acid or salicylic acid. Some exfoliants can be irritating — especially in winter — so try them on a small patch of skin first. If your skin is really dry or irritated, ask your doctor before starting a new skin care product or regimen.

Winter Showers

A shower can add water to your skin — as long as you keep it short and sweet. Long, hot showers can actually draw water from your skin. Appealing as a hot shower on a cold morning may be, lukewarm water is a better choice. It won’t strip away skin’s natural oils.

Lock in Moisture After Your Bath

Right after you step out of the tub, pat skin dry and apply moisturizer to retain the water your skin just absorbed. A glycerin- or hyaluronic acid-based moisturizer can increase the amount of water that’s drawn into your skin. Baby oil (mineral oil) is also a good choice, because it prevents water from evaporating from your skin. Don’t stop there: Liberally re-apply moisturizer throughout the day, especially to troublesome dry skin patches. Exquis Ultra Rich Moisturizer is most effective product to lock in moisture after bath.

Plug in a Humidifier

It’s cold outside! So you’re staying inside, with the heat on. That warm, dry air can mean parched, dry skin. Use a humidifier to restore moisture to the air. You can find inexpensive models at most drug stores. Put one in your bedroom; better yet, invest in two or three and place them strategically around your home to stave off irritated, itchy skin this winter.

Lube Your Locks

Protect your hair this winter by shampooing every other day instead of daily. Shampoos and excess shampooing can strip hair of moisture. Use warm water and a mild shampoo with sunscreen. Apply extra conditioner to keep your hair hydrated, shiny, and soft. Don’t overstyle with the blow dryer or flat iron. Bundle Up Against

Frostnip

Frostnip — a mild form of frostbite — tends to affect the earlobes, cheeks, nose, fingers, and toes. Signs of frostnip include pale skin, numbness, or tingling in the affected area. Avoid frostnip by dressing warmly — including hat, earmuffs, and gloves. The best treatment is to re-warm the affected areas; although frostnip is uncomfortable, it doesn’t cause any damage to skin.

Psoriasis is more than dry skin.

It’s caused when the immune system misfires and speeds up the growth cycle of skin cells. Dry air, lack of sunlight, and colder temperatures can make psoriasis worse. Follow tips for dry skin: short, lukewarm showers, lots of moisturizer, and humidifiers throughout the house. Ask your dermatologist about phototherapy, which uses ultraviolet light B (UVB) rays to slow the growth of skin cells.

Exquis Natural Skincare products are available online at http://www.ExquisSkincare.com