People often live with the mistaken idea that cancer is hereditary and there isn’t much you can do to avoid it. While it’s true that family history is linked to some types of cancer, such as cancer of the colon, ovarian, and breast, other types are related to lifestyle.

Living a healthy lifestyle may prevent some types of cancer, including skin, lung, and esophageal, from developing.

Lifestyle Choices That Impact Cancer Risk

1. Stop tobacco use and exposure

Most people know the connection between smoking and lung cancer, but the link between tobacco use and cancer is much broader. Almost 1 out of every 5 deaths in this country can be attributed to tobacco. Any kind of tobacco use increases your risk for throat, kidney, stomach, liver, and mouth cancer.

If you are a tobacco user, the best thing you can do to lower your cancer risk is to stop. This is true for whatever type you use—cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, chewing tobacco, and vape pens.

Those who live or work with smokers should require them to smoke outdoors or in an area where ventilation won’t allow smoke to filter into the office or home.

2. Stick to a healthy diet

Research shows a link exists between cancer and diet. Limit or eliminate processed foods and red meat from your daily diet. That means avoiding ready-to-eat soups, frozen dinners, processed meats, and foods that contain a high concentration of preservatives and additives.

Strive for a diet that is largely plant based. Nutritionists say eating all of the colors of the rainbow each day should be your goal. Green vegetables, colorful fruits, whole grains, legumes, and walnuts are believed to help ward off cancer.

3. Engage in physical activity

People who live a sedentary lifestyle with little-to-no daily physical activity are at greater risk for cancer, such as prostate and pancreatic cancers. Researchers believe this type of lifestyle often leads to weight gain and obesity which are linked to cancer.

You can lower your risk of cancer by exercising for at least thirty minutes, five or six times a week. It also helps to avoid sitting for long periods of time and to control your weight.

4. Consume alcohol in moderation

People who are heavy drinkers also experience higher incidences of cancer. Researchers think it isn’t only the alcohol that is the problem, but also the behaviors associated with it. Because consuming too much alcohol can leave you feeling tired and sick, heavy drinkers are more likely to eat unhealthy foods and avoid exercising.

Additional research seems to indicate that people who are heavy drinkers are more likely to smoke, further compounding their risk for cancer.

Making these lifestyle changes may help you enjoy a longer and healthier life.

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At the start of a new year, people often resolve to eat healthier. For older adults, what constitutes a well-balanced meal is different than in younger days. In fact, it’s normal for nutritional needs change as we age. And while seniors typically need fewer calories, they do require more vitamins and minerals than they used to.

If you are over the age of sixty and wondering what some healthy food choices are, we have a few tips to keep in mind as you plan meals.

Eating Well during Retirement

1. Protein for healthy muscles and core strength

The body needs protein for building muscle mass. It is essential for maintaining the core strength that prevents falls. You’ll find protein in lean meats, eggs, tofu, almonds, peanuts, chickpeas, and quinoa.

Talk with your primary care physician if you aren’t sure what your daily protein intake should be.

2. Healthy fats to lower inflammation

Foods such as olive oil, nuts, and oily fish contain powerful anti-inflammatory ingredients. Because inflammation is linked to diseases ranging from Alzheimer’s to heart disease, these types of foods should be staples in a senior’s diet. They’re so powerful researchers say they may actually be more effective than statin drugs in reducing deaths from cardiovascular diseases.

3. A rainbow of fruits and vegetables

Diet can play an important role in preventing some forms of cancer, such as stomach, bowel, breast, and prostate. Incorporating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables is best. As a guideline, your meal plan should include at least three vegetables and two fruits each day. Try pomegranates, they’re packed with nutrients!

While nutritionists often say raw vegetables offer the most benefits, some methods of cooking are better than others. Steaming and roasting are two healthy options.

4. Foods rich in fiber

Fiber is important at every age, but especially as we grow older. It helps prevent constipation and other digestive-related health problems. Experts say women should eat at least 21 to 25 grams of fiber a day, while men should aim for 30 to 38 grams.

Foods that contain a substantial amount of fiber include berries, pears, brussels sprouts, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, and corn.

5. Bone-building calcium and vitamin D

Calcium and vitamin D work hand-in-hand to keep bones healthy and strong. As we age, our bodies don’t absorb it as easily as in younger days. Increasing your intake as you grow older is essential. Foods like milk, ice cream, yogurt, and cheese are good choices.

6. Iron for energy

Iron-rich foods also help you stay healthier during retirement. Lean red meat, legumes, leafy green vegetables, eggs, and sardines are all high in iron.

While experts say men over 51 should eat 2 ½ servings and women over 51 should eat 2 servings of protein a day, it’s another issue to discuss with your primary care physician.

Five Star Culinary

Five Star Senior Living has been setting the standard for excellence in dining for decades. Contact us to learn more about the dining and nutrition options at a Five Star Senior Living community near you.

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<!–[CDATA[Tis the season of comfort and joy!  It is important to savor the holiday season and encourage meaningful memories – both old and new.  Partaking in holiday traditions this season is an excellent way to fulfill Lifestyle360’s social dimension which encourages positive interactions with others to increase awareness of one’s impact on the community and the natural environment.  

Test your stroke IQ with this quick quiz. Then put your knowledge in action to help reduce the chance of a stroke.

Test Your Stroke IQ

1. The following conditions are risk factors for a stroke:

A. Heart disease
B. High blood pressure
C. High cholesterol
D. All of the above.

Answer: D, all of the above.

Diabetes and sickle cell disease are also conditions that can contribute to the odds of having a stroke. Closely monitoring the conditions listed above and keeping them in check by exercising regularly, eating healthy, and taking medications as prescribed can reduce your risk of stroke.

2. True or False: If you’ve already had one stroke, or even a mini-stroke, your odds of having a second stroke increase.

Answer: True.

The chances of having a stroke increase after a first stroke. It’s important to follow your doctor’s orders and take any necessary medications to reduce the risk. You may also reduce the chance of a second stroke by eliminating some of the risk factors that caused the stroke.

3. True or False: Family history is the single most important risk factor for stroke.

Answer: False

Age is the number one uncontrollable risk factor for stroke. The odds of having a stroke double with each decade after the age of 55. Additionally, high blood pressure is the single most important controllable risk factor, according to CDC statistics.

4. The following activities can help reduce the risk of a stroke:

A. Eating foods high in fat and cholesterol
B. Never drinking alcohol
C. Quitting smoking
D. All of the above

Answer: C

Smokers may increase their odds of having a stroke to six times that of non-smokers, making smoking one of the highest risk factors for a stroke. Even if you’ve always smoked, you can reduce your risk of a stroke by quitting today. 

A healthy diet, which limits foods high in fat and cholesterol, may also reduce the risk of stroke.

5. The following are stroke symptoms:

A. Difficulty speaking
B. Drooping face
C. Numbness or loss of strength in one arm
D. All of the above.

Answer: D.

These are all symptoms of stroke, sometimes remembered by the acronym FAST: Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty. The final “T” stands for “Time to call 9-1-1,” which is the best action to take if you believe a loved one is having a stroke.

Get Help After a Stroke at Five Star Senior Living

If you need rehab support following a stroke, you may be interested in a short term stay at a Five Star Senior Living community near you. We offer Ageility Physical Therapy Solutions for everything from physical and occupational therapy to speech therapy.

Additionally, Five Star Senior Living’s Lifestyle360 program combined with our healthy meals make it easier for residents to reduce stroke risk factors and enjoy the best possible quality of life. Contact us to learn more.

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture has shared healthy eating guidelines for older adults. Here’s what should you know about eating well as a senior.

Aim to Eat Three Cups of Vegetables Each Day

As we age, our appetite and sense of taste diminish. It’s important that we choose healthy foods to ensure we’re getting enough calories and the right nutrients. To make sure you’re on the right path, eat three cups of vegetables per day.

Important tip: Two cups of leafy greens equals one cup of a chopped vegetable, such as broccoli or string beans.

To make sure you’re getting proper nutrition, aim for a variety of vegetables in different colors. Think: Red peppers, green spinach, and orange carrots. Some nutritionists recommend thinking of it as eating a rainbow of colors!

Used Canned Veggies for Convenience

Here’s some good news: The right canned vegetables have just as many nutritional benefits as fresh or frozen. If you’re concerned about food spoiling or can’t afford fresh produce all the time, you don’t have to miss out on the health benefits of vegetables.

Read the labels carefully to avoid choices with added salt, which can make them higher in sodium. Too much sodium can exacerbate high blood pressure.

Season with Fresh Spices Instead of Salt.

Give foods more flavor with fresh herbs and spices rather than salt to avoid too much sodium intake. Salt and sodium can contribute to hypertension and water retention.

Get the Calcium You Need for Healthy Bones

As we age, our bones may become more brittle. To prevent osteoporosis, make sure you’re getting all the calcium and vitamin D your body needs.

The U.S. government recommends three cups of fat-free or low-fat dairy. This can come in the form of milk, yogurt or cheese. About two ounces of cheese equals one cup of most other dairy products. Half a cup of cottage cheese equals one cup of milk.
If you need to avoid dairy, talk with your primary care physician about supplements.

Get Protein from Lean Meats and Legumes

Beans, chicken, fish, and lean beef provide the body with the protein it needs to stay strong. One serving of protein, such as beef, is about the size of a deck of cards.

Get Plenty of Fiber

Fiber—found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans—helps prevent constipation and can aid in stabilizing blood sugar.

To sneak more fiber into your diet without a supplement:

• Choose crackers, breads and cereals where whole grain is listed as the first ingredient.
• Eat whole fruits instead of drinking fruit juice to get more fiber and nutrients.
• Leave the skins on fruits and vegetables.

Avoid Sugar as Much as Possible

To avoid empty calories and prevent unhealthy spikes in blood sugar, avoid refined sugar as much as you can. When you’re in the mood for something sweet, grab a piece of fruit instead of a sugary treat.
The USDA recommends two to three cups per day. Or use a natural sweetener that won’t cause blood sugar spikes, such as raw honey, agave syrup, or Stevia.

The Five Star Dining Experience

The gourmet chefs at Five Star Senior Living cook up healthy, delicious meals every day. To get a taste of what you could be enjoying, visit our Signature Dining page. 

New York Times wrote, “The smallest room in the house can be a dangerous place.”

Bathroom Injuries by the Numbers

Each year, approximately 235,000 people over the age of 15 visit the emergency room for injuries caused by bathroom mishaps. As people age, they are more likely to suffer an injury in the bathroom. More than 81 percent of these injuries are caused by falls.

And for seniors, the most likely place to fall is near the toilet.
 
According to the report, 19.3 percent of injuries amongst people aged 65 to 74 took place on or near the toilet, rising to 36.9 percent over the age of 85.

How can you reduce the odds of a bathroom injury for yourself or a loved one?
 
Fall risk in the bathroom improves if you implement a few prevention tips.

1. Install grab bars

Prevent injuries where they are most likely to occur by installing grab bars near the toilet, as well as inside and outside of the tub.

2. Make the shower and tub safer

Install non-skid mats on the shower or tub floor.

You might also consider a shower stall that eliminates the lip at the edge of the shower and uses a shower seat to lower the risk of a fall.

3. Make sure the floor is slip-proof

Carpeting the bathroom floor could be the safest option for seniors, but wall-to-wall carpeting in the bathroom can also harbor dangerous mold and mildew.

Compromise by using non-skid area rugs and ensuring the edges are not frayed or damaged. Wipe up any spills on hard surfaces immediately to prevent slipping.

4. Install a raised toilet seat

A raised toilet seat, like the kind you may find in handicapped bathrooms, can make it easier for seniors to get up and down. Installing one in your senior loved one’s home reduces the chance of a fall in this high-risk area.

5. Make sure the bathroom has adequate lighting

Falls often occur when we can’t see properly. This problem can be compounded in seniors with glaucoma or cataracts, both of which can make a space look darker than it really is.

Ensure the bathroom has adequate lighting. Consider installing an illuminated light switch that makes it easy to turn on overhead lights, even in the middle of the night. Or place bathroom lights on motion sensors so they turn on the second someone enters the room.

6. Use contrasting colors

While stark white fixtures on white tiles walls may look pristine and beautiful, contrasting colors make it easier to avoid accidents. Choose a brightly colored shower curtain that is different from the walls and easy to spot. Use different color tiles for the shower threshold than the floor.

Stay Safe at Five Star Senior Living

From the ground up, Five Star Senior Living communities are designed with safety and comfort features for seniors. The environment helps to prevent falls in the bathroom and all throughout the community.

Schedule a private tour of one of our communities to learn more today!

Fortunately, doctors and researchers have discovered natural ways to alleviate arthritis pain and other symptoms associated with the disease.  One such method is the ancient martial arts form of Tai Chi.  

What Is Tai Chi?

Tai Chi is an ancient form of non-competitive Chinese martial arts focused on gentle, graceful movements and the flow of energy through the body. Tai Chi has a strong mind-body component, where the practitioner focuses on coordinating movements and clarity of mind during the session.

The mind-body element of Tai Chi promotes relaxation and a positive mindset, which has also been shown to help alleviate pain in those with arthritis.

How Does Tai Chi Help Arthritis?

Tai Chi helps enhance flexibility, strength and balance. These are all important elements for easing arthritis pain. It can also reduce the risk of falls or injuries caused by arthritis symptoms.

Tai Chi helps treat arthritis in several important ways:

Improved flexibility – Stiffness causes pain. Arthritic joints that are more flexible and mobile will hurt less. The gentle, stretching movements in Tai Chi move joints, muscles, and tendons to increase flexibility.
Improved muscle strength – Strong muscles help keep joints stable, reducing pain and the risk of injury.
Improved overall fitness – Tai Chi has been shown to improve cardiorespiratory fitness, leading to reduced arthritis pain and overall better health. Tai Chi helps the energy, along with blood, oxygen, and fluids, to circulate through the body, allowing arthritic joints to stay strong.

Tai Chi for Nearly Any Form of Arthritis

In a number of studies Tai Chi has been shown to help alleviate pain, as well as improve balance and flexibility in adults afflicted with several different forms of arthritis, including:

• Osteoarthritis
• Psoriatic arthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis

Tai Chi Shown to Help Osteoarthritis

Most recently, a team of researchers in Boston completed a study of 200 adults with painful osteoarthritis in the knees. Half the participants underwent standard physical therapy, while the other half participated in a 12-week Tai Chi program.

Both groups reported feeling less pain than before the treatment. Both groups reported a similar degree of improvement, and the improvement lasted a full year for participants in both groups.

The group who practiced Tai Chi noted less depression and an improved quality of life to a greater degree than the physical therapy group.

Should You Try Tai Chi to Treat Your Arthritis?

Because Tai Chi is a no-impact, easy-to-perform exercise, practitioners gradually improve their fitness levels. They find it easier to engage in other physical activities, further improving their health and reducing the pain of arthritis.

Used in conjunction with physical therapy and other treatments, or by itself, Tai Chi is unlikely to cause further injury and very likely to improve arthritis symptoms.

Five Star Senior Living communities offer Tai Chi classes, along with a number of other mind-body wellness programs for residents. Call the community nearest your senior loved one to learn more about out Lifestyle360 wellness program!

<!–[CDATA[The National Safety Council estimates that 245 people die of unintentional injuries at or near their homes every day. That is a very sobering statistic. Older adults make up a large number of those injuries, especially when it comes to falls.

The week of August 26 – 30 is designated as National Safe at Home Week. The goal of this campaign is to shine a spotlight on common household hazards and the steps families can take to stay safe.

Leading Causes of Injuries at Home

If you are an older adult or the caregiver for one, here are a few of the leading home hazards you should become familiar with:

1. Poisoning: Experts say deaths caused by poisoning have reached epidemic levels. In fact, they have exceeded the number of fatalities related to motor vehicle accidents. Prescription overdose is the leading cause of home poisoning deaths. You can keep a senior loved one safe by learning more about medication risks common among older adults.
2. Falls: An older adult is treated in a hospital emergency room every eleven seconds for a fall-related injury. Falls cause 27,000 seniors to lose their life every year. Taking steps to protect your aging loved one from an in-home fall is vital.
3. Home Fire: For a variety of reasons ranging from hearing loss to non-working smoke detectors, older adults are at increased risk for injury or loss of life in a fire. You can lower the risk by conducting a fire safety assessment of their home or hiring a fire prevention professional to do a detailed inspection.
4. Heat-related illness: Summer is a time of year people often look forward to. But the warm temperatures can also increase the chances for heat-related illnesses. Make sure you know the symptoms that indicate a senior is at risk and take steps to minimize them.

Senior Safety at Home: Help Spread the Word

In addition to conducting a safety audit of your older family member’s home, you can help raise awareness of in-home hazards and the risks seniors face in several ways:

• Share this article on your social media channels.
• Email information to the assignment editor at your local television station.
• Write a letter to the editor of your community’s paper.
• Talk about the issue with friends and colleagues who are family caregivers for a senior loved one.

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