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Seniors most often suffer from cardiovascular diseases, diseases of the musculoskeletal system, neoplastic diseases as well as diseases of the respiratory system and diseases of the digestive system. – People do not start getting sick only in old age, diseases of the senior age begin 20-30 years earlier, they can be prevented early enough – says Dr. Małgorzata Chojnicka-Puławska, a neurologist from Warsaw.
- Diseases that we see in the older period begin much earlier, so we also have to take care of it in advance – says Dr. Małgorzata Chojnicka-Puławska
- The neurologist emphasizes that memory and condition must be taken care of all the time
- An hour of sport a day excretes the amount of serotonin provided by one tablet of an antidepressant, he argues
- More information can be found on the Onet homepage
What we see in the older period starts much earlier
During the press conference “Neurology 2022”, the specialist spoke about how to maintain the well-being of the elderly. She emphasized that seniors most often suffer from cardiovascular diseases (75% of elderly people), diseases of the musculoskeletal system (68%), cancer (60%) and respiratory diseases (46%) and diseases digestive system (34 percent). A separate group are diseases of the nervous system, such as Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia, as well as Parkinson’s disease and depression.
– People do not get sick only in old age, diseases of senior age begin 20-30 years earlyj – noted Dr. Małgorzata Chojnicka-Puławska, Alcor Medical Center in Warsaw. She reminded that many diseases occur at all ages, only in the elderly period they accumulate and intensify. – What we see in the older period begins much earlier, so we also have to take care of it in advance – she added.
The specialist believes that this can be counteracted with an appropriate lifestyle and early therapy, when it is necessary. Thanks to this, the diseases will appear later and may be less severe, seniors can be independent longer and enjoy a better quality of life. – First one knee hurts, then two knees. It is similar with memory, it worsens gradually and the disorders become more severe – argued Dr. Małgorzata Chojnicka-Puławska.
You need to take care of your memory and condition
An example is dementia with a gradual deterioration in memory. It is counteracted by any intellectual activity, it allows to delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease symptoms, mainly those related to memory. – You have to take care of memory, while intellectual activity usually decreases with age, and the brain needs to be exercised all your life – she explained.
She added that the brain is aging a little slower than our entire body. However, mental disorders, mainly depression and anxiety, which accompany us throughout our lives, are a common problem in old age. According to the specialist, these disorders occur in 12-50 percent. seniors. Depression has worsened recently, and is at least twice as likely to occur among the elderly as it was before the pandemic. The loneliness of seniors is a serious problem, which promotes depression, but also worsens overall health.
The specialist argued that in order to maintain the well-being of the elderly, it is necessary to take care of their physical condition. Seniors should be physically active for as long and as much as possible. Exercise also has the advantage of making you feel better. – An hour of sport a day gives off the amount of serotonin provided by one tablet of an antidepressant, she emphasized.
She admitted that more and more seniors are exercising, but still not as much as they should. She cited the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) that seniors should exercise for at least 30 minutes every day. This effort should be moderate, i.e. energy expenditure of 3,5-7 kcal / min. – In practice, it is a walk, climbing stairs, cycling, dancing or working in the garden – she explained.
Adequate diet and hydration
The specialist referred to the American gerontologist Henry Lodge, who recommends seniors to play sports six times a week. Four days should be devoted to strenuous aerobic exercise, and twice a week to exercise with weights. She also recalled the recommendations of prof. Ewa Kozdroń from the Warsaw Academy of Physical Education. This specialist convinces us to do gymnastics every day (5-10 minutes), strength exercises for 20 minutes twice a week, and endurance exercises for 30 minutes twice a week.
– Dehydration of the organism in the elderly is a serious problem, as the activity of the thirst center decreases with age. Older people stop taking care of drinking enough fluids, preferably 8 glasses of non-carbonated fluids a day. Man is like a flower, if it is not watered, it will waste away – warned Dr. Małgorzata Chojnicka-Puławska.
Memory and concentration can also be supported with appropriate supplements. In Medonet Market you will find the Do! Focus Kit, which supports the work of the brain and speeds up the processes of remembering.
She noted that a separate older one should eat 4-5 regular meals a day with a smaller volume. Increased consumption of dairy products made from skimmed milk, whole grain bread, fish and coarse groats. – The daily menu should also include three portions of vegetables and two portions of fruit – she added.
She argued that it is better to limit the consumption of fried foods, and instead it is advisable to cook, stew and bake without the addition of fat. Seniors can also drink coffee. – Coffee is not a bad thing, everything we enjoy allows us to be independent longer. And everything that pushes our dark thoughts away will be very positive for seniors and their relatives – argued Dr. Małgorzata Chojnicka-Puławska.
Author: Zbigniew Wojtasiński.
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