Finding What You Need

Are You at Risk for Dementia?

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Lau) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 23:48:00 +0000

As you are getting older, you may become more forgetful; memory lapses are more common among the elderly. Although you have increasing risk of developing dementia due to aging, it does not necessarily mean that you are going to have dementia when you are getting old. As a matter of fact, less than 10 percent of the elderly at age 85 or beyond develop dementia, or actually experience severe intellectual impairment and memory loss, which are the characteristics of dementia.

Dementia is losing the mind: that is, the mind is slowly slipping away with memory loss that may adversely affect everyday normal physical and mental functioning.

Are you at risk for dementia?

You may be at risk for dementia if the following is applicable to you:

(1) If you have a family history of dementia, then you should take extra care of your brain. Genes do play a part in the development of dementia. Unfortunately, there is not much you can do about that, except keeping a healthy brain.

(2) If you have a dysfunctional thyroid, you may have the propensity to develop dementia. The good news is that this type of dementia is often treatable and even reversible. Eat a thyroid diet to optimize your thyroid health.

(3) If you have had a stroke, you may also develop vascular dementia, which is the 2nd most common type of dementia caused by the hardening of the arteries as a result of poor blood circulation and inadequate supply of oxygen and nutrients to the brain. Therefore, it is important to maintain heart health, and to carefully monitor your numbers related to your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and your body weight.

(4) If you have chronic depression, you may be more vulnerable to memory loss, confusion, and impaired mental function and coordination. However, scientists cannot determine whether depression causes dementia, or depression is the result of dementia, because their symptoms may be quite similar. Mind healing is as important as physical healing.

(5) If you have other health problems that adversely affect your brain health, such as excessive alcohol consumption, drug abuse, especially those anesthetic agents, narcotic analgesics, and benzodiazepines, and nicotine addiction, you inadvertently promote the development of dementia as you continue to age. A wayward lifestyle creates free radicals that damage the brain as well as the immune system, and thus not only contributing to but also accelerating the progress of dementia. Learn the art of living well.

(6) If you have had brain damage due to injury or dehydration, you may become more susceptible to dementia as you continue to age. Any brain injury, however minor, should be taken seriously.

If you are at high risk for developing dementia, you may like to watch out for the early signs of dementia. Be aware that symptoms of dementia may be slow but progressive. Some of the more common signs of dementia may include the following:

(1) You may become uncharacteristically negative and suspicious. However, sometimes it is difficult to tell if it is dementia or not, especially if you are also suffering from anxiety or depression.

(2) You may become negligent of your personal care and grooming, such as not bathing or shampooing. Again, if you have been suffering from severe depression, you may also neglect your personal hygiene during your depression episodes.

(3) You may have difficulty in conversation, such as repeating the same thing, or talking vaguely without any specifics.

(4) You may be losing your motor skills, such as writing illegibly, or being unable to type or use the computer.

(5) You may become unable to make a phone call, not to mention that you cannot remember the phone number.

(6) You may eat improperly, such as eating only sweets instead of a proper meal.

(7) You may keep the house uncharacteristically cluttered and disorganized.

(8) You may show poor judgment in spending, or go on spending sprees.

(9) You may also show other more dangerous signs of dementia, such as consistently forgetting to turn off the stove; wandering around outside the house at night; acting inappropriately in response to "paranoid" suspicions, such as calling the police based on your "paranoia."

The human brain is made up trillions of brain cells. Only 10 percent of these brains cells have been utilized over your lifetime, and there is still a great deal that you can tap into. Yes, you can even train your brain to become smarter at any age. Remember, use it or lose it. Do not lose your mind!

Visit my blog: Increase Mind Power.

Stephen Lau

What Is Happy Retirement?

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Lau) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 03:35:00 +0000

Retirement is upon you or creeping close if you are a baby boomer (born between 1947 and 1954), or maybe you have already retired.

Are you ready to retire? Do you want happy retirement?

According to studies, more than 70 percent of baby boomers are not financially feasible for retirement. Even if you are financially secure, happy retirement is more than just about financial security.

In addition to financial security, retirement may also generate the following concerns and issues:

physical and physiological changes due to aging
lifestyle adjustments
relationship issues
new challenges
loss of identity

Happy retirement is about the wisdom of coping with changes and challenges confronting retirees, and, more importantly, having the capability to bounce back from any negativity resulting from these changes and challenges.

Happy retirement means you have access to information and resources on managing different means to accomplish different kinds of retirement goals you may have for your happy retirement—in particular, the importance of your body, mind, and spirit in relation to every aspect of your retirement.

Retirement—whether you are preparing for it, or already in the throes of it—have interdependent factors that have to be appropriately addressed in order to attain ultimate happy retirement, and these factors are:

financial
physical and physiological
emotional
psychological
social

All these factors will have a bearing on how well and happy your retirement will turn out to be.

Happy retirement is about the art of living well. It is more than just extending the years of your life. Having worked hard all these years, you deserve to live well in retirement—and a happy retirement at that.

Retirement is not hitting the end of the road you have been traveling on for the past few decades: successful retirement is hitting another road, heading in a totally different direction for a different destination.

Remember, retirement is not old age, but a new stage, where you can still perform and even excel.

According to the Bible, the way to life is to fulfill God's purpose for you, and that purpose does not end with your retirement.

"For it is by grace you have been saved through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2: 8-10

If your purpose-driven life goes on, your retirement only points to a different direction with a different purpose for your life. Retirement simply offers you an opportunity to explore and to find God's purpose for you for the next chapter of your life.

Just enjoy your happy retirement—that gift from God!

For reference:

The Retired Millionaire: A package complete with hundreds of websites you can use, and products you can sell, and step-by-step guidelines on how to make a fortune when you retire!

Offshore Investment: To retire early, get everything you need to know about offshore banking and investment!

Financial Planning Manuals: Manuals to unlock the keys to successful financial planning for your happy retirement!

Feeling Internally with the Breath

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Lau) — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 12:04:00 +0000

Feeling Internally with the Breath
by Katie Keane

Many of us think of feeling internally as noticing a mood, an emotional state, usually when it's extreme - such as feeling heightened stress or euphoria - and we may also feel the physical effects of these states (faster heartbeat, sweating, tension, body "rushes", etc).

But can we feel the inside of our bodies when we are calm?

There is so much to feeling our internal landscape - tissues, organs, fluids, and the space in between - In LBY, learning to feel inside is foundational, and we start this process with the breath....

Breath is the most useful bridge to the inside of the body and the nervous system. Even though this is something we do every day, most of us don't use our breathing to its full potential. Chronic pain and emotional stress have a direct connection to the quality of our breathing - conversely, breathing is directly connected to physical ease and deep relaxation on an ongoing basis.

Here's a simple and interesting exercise you can use to begin exploring your breath. Sit comfortably someplace where you won't have distractions. See if you can pay attention to the physical feeling of your breath, without forcing it - in other words, let your breathing happen naturally, don't make it happen - and just observe.

How does it feel? Is it difficult/easy to "find" your breathing? Do you feel tension/relaxation in your breath? What parts of your body move when you breathe? Do you find that you get distracted from feeling the physical movement of your breath? How big does your breath feel? Is the inhale the same length as the exhale? Do you hold your breath in between inhaling and exhaling or vice-versa?

When doing this exercise it is common to feel any of the qualities mentioned above, as well as many other subtle or more pronounced sensations. When working with your breathing, it is extremely important to spend time with this exercise, really getting to know the quality of your particular breathing pattern.

View the Original article

Breathing is part and parcel of health and wellness. Do not take it for granted. Learn how to breathe right.

Retirement Transition

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Lau) — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 15:40:00 +0000

The retirement transition takes you from your productive working stage of life to the stage of doing what you want to do, when you want to do it, that is, to your new life stage of retirement.The type A personality that was successful during working years does not often fit the new stage of retirement life, if your plan is an inactive relaxed retirement.

Wikipedia explains that type A individuals can be described as impatient, excessively time-conscious, insecure about their status, highly competitive, hostile and aggressive, and incapable of relaxation. In contrast, type B individuals are described as patient, relaxed, and easy-going.

The transition to retirement begins with ending one phase of life (where our identity was our work life), followed by a neutral or unknown phase (in limbo), and finally the new beginning (where we develop our own identity). The transition to retirement can often take approximately five years.
This is very similar to the awkward stage of adolescence - leaving childhood behind and reaching adulthood. It is not an instant change.

You need to successfully let go of the previous phase of life before you can move forward into the next phase. . . .

View the Original article

Retirement is a new chapter in your life. Your happy retirement is contingent on whether you have the mindset to adapt to the new changes and challenges ahead of you. In reality, life is forever changing at any phase - not just the last chapters. Living is never plain sailing: the journey of life is bumpy and not for the faint heart. To make the most of it, you need to know the art of living well.

Seniors Health

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Lau) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 01:31:00 +0000

Seniors health and fitness is achievable with regular, daily effort. In many ways, our health really defines our effective age. We are currently experiencing increased life expectancy. Does that mean we can expect more years of ill health and disability, or an increased active life? It seems like, to some degree, we have an important say in which it will be, although some things are outside our control.

"To me, old age is always fifteen years older than I am." Bernard Baruch (1875-1965), US financier and presidential adviser.

"Forty is the old age of youth; fifty is the youth of old age." a French proverb

Read more. . . .

View the Original article

Get more information on Longevity and Anti-Aging.

The Importance of Savings in Retirement Planning

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Lau) — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 02:02:00 +0000

Retirement Planning Advice

Good retirement needs good planning. Your retirement life could well be longer than your working life.

Retirement should be looked at as a career change - or - a new beginning.

It's well worth some serious planning to make your retirement life the best it can be for you. You are responsible for making that happen.

The key retirement planning advice is to start your planning now. Whatever your age, it's never too soon to start planning. You will see why later on this page. One thing to remember is that you will only benefit from retirement planning tips when you implement them.

Importance of Savings

The sooner you start saving for retirement, the better off you will be. Consider this example.

If you are 25 years old now and start saving $25 per week for retirement, and you can get a 5% return on your money, and never take any money out, when you retire at 65 years old you will have about $165,000.

You will have saved $52,000 of your own hard earned money, but would have accumulated an additional $113,000 of interest. So, two-thirds of the $165,000 is not money out of your pocket.

If you wait until you are 35 years old before you start saving the $25 per week, and get a 5% return on your money, you will have about $91,000 when you retire at 65 years old.

You will have saved $39,000 of your own hard earned money, but would have accumulated an additional $52,000 of interest.

If you wait until you are 45 years old before you start saving, you will have about $45,000 at 65 years old.

You will have saved $26,000 of your own hard earned money, but would have accumulated an additional $19,000 of interest.

If you really procrastinate and don't start saving until your are 55 years old, you will have $17,000 in your retirement savings account.

You will have saved $13,000 of your own hard earned money, but would have accumulated an additional $4,000 of interest. Only one-fourth of the $17,000 is not money out of your pocket.

Here's another way to look at it. If your goal is to have $165,000 saved by the time you are 65 years old, and you get a 5% return on your money, you would need to save:

$25 per week starting at age 25 - or $52,000 of your own money
$48 per week starting at age 35 - or $75,000 of your own money
$96 per week starting at age 45 - or $100,000 of your own money
$252 per week starting at age 55 - or $131,000 of your own money

In the above example, you are seeing the impact of compound interest . . . . .

View the Original article

Learn how to save, and, more importantly, how to live on a dime. Do not buy things you do not need, with the money you do not have!

Early Retirement Planning Is A Must

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Lau) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 17:34:00 +0000

Early Retirement Planning Is A Must

You need to do early retirement planning to start your retirement phase of life. Even if you work to normal retirement age, it is wise to do planning for early retirement.

You may not want to retire early, but circumstance may suddenly force you to retire due to business restructuring or down-sizing, You do not want to find yourself in this situation without any preparation. Therefore, early retirement planning is a must.

It may seem obvious, but early retirement means you will have more years to live without the income from your weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly paycheck than if you would retire at normal retirement age.
So you will need to replace that income from other sources, such as, savings, investments, or a home business opportunity.

To put things in perspective, decide at which age you want to retire. Then decide your life expectancy. That will tell you how many years of income for which you will need to plan.

If you want to retire at 50, you can generally expect to have around another 35+ years to live in retirement.

Next, calculate your annual basic living expenses you expect to have in retirement. Let's say it's $50,000 for example.

Now for the eye opener!

Multiply the $50,000 (your annual basic living expenses) by the 35 years you are expecting to live in retirement. You will need $1,750,000 when you retire in order to give you $50,000 per year for basic living expenses, without adjusting for inflation. So, after adjusting for inflation you will need much more.
That's a pretty big number!

You can see how critical it is to save for retirement.

If you assume an annual interest rate of 5% on your savings, and an annual inflation rate of 3.5% on your living expenses, you'll be able to live on the accumulated interest for 10 to 11 years before beginning to dip into the principal.

Experiences of life can tend to sabotage your savings plan. I know from experience that it's easy to borrow from your 401K in emergencies, but you lose in the long run by missing out on compounded interest on that money. So, if at all possible, don't borrow from your 401K. . . . .

In Summary

Early retirement requires planning. Know where you currently stand financially and where you need to be when you decide to retire.

Then you can do your early retirement planning on what needs to be done to accomplish your dream of early retirement and what options you have available. . . . .

View the Original article

Baby Boomers Retiring

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Lau) — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 21:37:00 +0000

What are the baby boomers retiring now looking for? To answer this question we need to take a look at history.The Time Magazine Man of the Year issue dated Jan 6, 1967 did not show a man - but a generation - the Baby Boomer generation. The Man of the Year was all people twenty five and under.

Baby boomers retiring now are part of the largest generation in history - those born from 1946 after World War II ended to 1964 before the American ground war in Vietnam.
Baby boomers feel in control of their destiny partially because they were reared in a prolonged period of world peace.

The baby boomer generation is a new kind of generation. They have been trend setters and baby boomers retiring now are not planning on a traditional retirement of leisure.

Baby boomers are healthier and will generally live longer than their parents. They will need more money than their parents needed to live their idea of a comfortable retirement lifestyle.
Baby boomers need an active lifestyle. Add to that the fact that they did not save a lot of money and love to spend money, you get the result that in retirement they will probably continue to work.

Baby boomers believe that it is not wise to repeat the life pattern of their parents. They feel they need to continue to improve their talent and to contribute to the world. . . .

View the Original article.

Insomnia and health insurance

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Lau) — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 15:35:00 +0000

As more people complain of insomnia and as the number of sleeping pill prescriptions rises, some large health insurance plans are covering a treatment called cognitive behavioral therapy. Of course, for readers of this blog and members of the Can’t Sleep Café, CBT is not new. I recommend that anyone with insomnia or anyone taking a sleeping pill take the online course at cbtforinsomnia.com. It is clear to some that CBT for insomnia can be a more effective treatment for insomnia than sleeping pills, as well as less expensive.

Cognitive behavioral therapy has a rich history and tradition. It is a type of psychotherapy developed by psychiatrists in the 1950 and 60’s, which continues to evolve today. The cognitive part of CBT refers to the beliefs and assumptions involved in the person’s problems. CBT attempts to change a person’s assumptions, say about sleep or lack of sleep, as a way for them to feel less anxious and to deal with the problem in a more thoughtful manner. For example, many people with insomnia can learn to think less about their sleep and to have more rational approaches to the problem. They might have to remind themselves that despite their insomnia that they will still be able to go to work tomorrow, or they might need to remind themselves that the problems they are thinking about will not seem as great in the morning. Cognitive therapy for depression was an early success in the evolution of CBT, and I was honored to meet Dr. Aaron Tim Beck when I was at Penn as a medical student.

The behavioral part of CBT has to do with actions of the individual as opposed to the thinking and reasoning of the individual. This part of the therapy has to do with setting a later bedtime and an earlier wake up time. The person must get out of bed if they are not able to sleep. They need to undertake some kind of relaxation training such as meditation so that they have something to do with their mind when they cannot sleep. Also, relaxation techniques practiced in the day actually help sleep at night.

The “T” of CBT is therapy. Therapy means that a healing or improving process is taking place because of the interaction. Now usually this means with another person, but that is not always possible. Nowadays, the T in CBT can occur on the internet—by taking a course or by interacting with others who have the same problem. Of course, the therapy of CBT is best with a one-on-one individual, but this is not always possible. AND, the online version is more consistent and stable.

It seems clear that the treatment of insomnia cannot reside solely with pills. Changes in cognition, thoughts, and attitudes are needed. If you try everything, you should be able to enjoy your sleep.

J. Steven Poceta MD is a licensed practitioner of neurology and sleep disorders who has been engaged by Revolution Health. No information in this blog is intended to diagnose or treat any condition. The opinions expressed here are Dr. Poceta’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of Revolution Health.

View the Original article

Taoism and Your Health

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Lau) — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:40:00 +0000

Taoism is a way of life – a way to health and wellness. Taoism has been practiced in China for thousands of years.

What is Taoism? How does it affect your physical health?

Lao Tzu, one of the greatest Chinese philosophers, was the founder of Taoism. According to Lao Tzu, Taoism is all about spontaneity.

What is spontaneity?

In the universe, there is an all-controlling force that monitors everything. You breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide. You eat and you eliminate. You grow, mature, and die. In nature, spontaneity is evident in the change of seasons. Spontaneity is the natural built-in mechanism in each living organism. Spontaneity creates balance and harmony, which is the essence of Chinese health and healing.

The concept and perception of health and fitness in China differ from those in the West. For example, nowadays, people in the Western world focus so much on physical fitness that the gym giants will do anything to keep you huffing, puffing, and paying. Unfortunately, there is also much pumping irony: too-strenuous and over-vigorous workouts may be harmful to your physical health. According to the American Journal of Cardiology, jogging is causing runners to drop dead from heart attacks, and many individuals have experienced heart attacks even after running on a treadmill.

Chinese health focuses much on spontaneity, and never on extremity.

Lao Tzu explained, "The softest things in the world overcome the hardest things in the world." You need not over-exert yourself in order to be physically fit.

Chinese exercises, such as Tai Chi and Qi Gong, are never vigorous. Once your breathing becomes abnormal or irregular over a long period, you lose the spontaneity of the exercise, and hence its health benefits.

Tai Chi is a self-relaxing exercise with slow and even movements coordinated with breathing and directed by a peaceful mind. Therefore, it is beneficial to both mental and physical health. Tai Chi can rid all parts of your body of spiritual and physical ailments, clear your mind and strengthen your brain, and promote good digestion and healthy kidneys. Most importantly, Tai Ci exercises can help lower your blood pressure, soften your blood vessels, and regular the flow of qi (the internal vital energy) in your entire body.

Qi is internal vital energy, which is always in motion in the form of ascending, descending, entering and leaving your body's organs and systems. It nourishes not only your body by transforming food energy into blood, but also your blood by keeping it flowing. In addition, it helps maintain your body's temperature. Qi plays a vital role in Chinese health and healing.

Lao Tzu said, "Qi is elusive and evasive, and yet it manifests itself."

Tai Chi exercises focus on correct posture, slow and spontaneous movements, and natural healthy breathing to enhance and promote the free flow of qi.

Your central nervous system is the most important system in your body: it receives vital information from outside and inside your body; it directs your movements. Your central nervous is healthy only if you keep your spinal column erect because vitality and blood circulation are transmitted efficiently from your lower body to your brain only when your spine is kept erect. Tai Chi exercises focus on a natural posture (children have naturally erect spinal columns; only adults, especially older people, have bent spinal columns) with an erect spine.

Your digestive system is also important to your overall health as it stores and supplies all nourishments for your body. Some of the characteristic movements of Tai Chi reinforce the expansion and contraction of your body in an opening and closing motion, thereby instrumental in vibrating and stimulating your stomach and intestines for a better and healthier digestive system.

Your respiratory system is also critical to your long-term health. In Tai Chi, breathing is valued more than physical power because it uses breathing, not muscular strength, to propel the movements of your body. Western physical exercises, on the other hand, emphasize muscular strength instead of the spontaneity of breathing and natural body movements. In Tai Chi, your mind directs the qi, letting it sink down into your abdomen, where natural breathing takes place. According to Taoism, you breathe through your abdomen (like babies and young children), not through your lungs. This explains why people in the West limit their breathing to the lungs; as a result, their lungs tend to enlarge as they grow older, crowding their hearts, leading to heart disease.

Your circulatory system is connected to your respiratory system. Tai Chi enhances your deep breathing, which guides your qi to move your blood (which cannot move itself) to different parts of your body for transporting oxygen and nutrients. By regulating the circulation, Tai Chi exercises through natural movements and deep breathing provide a healthy heart.

Hormones in your thyroid gland are responsible for physical growth of your body. In Tai Chi, you keep your neck erect without pressure, centered without inclining to the left or to the right; you integrate the slow and smooth movements of your head and neck. These movements not only enhance the activity of your thyroid gland but also act upon your kidneys to remove wastes.

In summary, you need the spontaneity of Taoism in physical movements as well as in natural breathing to reap physical health benefits from exercise.

Authenic Tai Chi - A Video Ebook: Discover the ancient Chinese exercise that improves your health, enhances your energy, and makes you young and fit.

For more information on Chinese health, visit my web page: Chinese Health and Healing.

Stephen Lau

Your Mind Should Be Where Your Body Is

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Lau) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 02:14:00 +0000

Your mind ages as much and as fast as your body does. The good news is that you can use your mind to stop the aging of both your mind and body: just put your mind where your body is!

Your body is now here. But your mind may be elsewhere: your mind may be preoccupied with thoughts of the past, the present, or the future. In other words, your mind is rambling and disconnected, although you may be unaware of it. A chaotic mind produces adverse and detrimental biological and chemical changes, such as the production of stress hormones, and the reduction of human growth hormone (HGH), among others, that bring about the aging process in both the body and mind.

To remedy the situation, put your mind where your body is.

(1) Sit comfortably. Place the back of one hand in the palm of the other, allowing your thumb tips to touch lightly. Rest your hands on your body in line with your lower abdomen.

(2) Breathe mindfully for a minute or two. Be aware of your breaths.

(3) Gently close your eyes. Focus your attention on the flow of your bodily sensations within your awareness, such as the beating of your heart, the tingling and twitching of your muscles, as well as your sense experiences, such as the sounds, smells, and tastes surrounding you.

(4) Meanwhile, thoughts may arise. Release them without any effort or struggle: just let them drift away. If needs be, direct your attention back to your breathing, and again notice your awareness of your physical sensations and experiences.

(5) Continue this process for as long as you like. You will feel the interconnection between your body and mind; it is your conscious awareness of your body that connects your body and mind in a unique way. Essentially, you are putting your mind where your body is in the present moment.

Becoming mindful of your body in the present moment is putting your mind where your body is. This is deep relaxation for both body and mind -- the best antidote to the aging of body and mind.

For more information, visit my web page: Meditation Techniques.

Stephen Lau

Doctors May Be Dangerous

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Lau) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:12:00 +0000

It is estimated that approximately 100 million Americans are chronically ill. In other words, they are most probably on some drugs prescribed by their doctors. To be on the safe side, doctors often over-prescribe their patients. But drugs are dangerous, and doctors may be dangerous in that respect.

There is a common misconception that as you grow older, you naturally take more prescription drugs. The average senior citizen could be taking an average of fifteen different prescription drugs.

We live in a overly medicated society. But pharmaceutical drugs are dangerous:

(1) Many have contra-indications to each other, resulting in drug toxicity.

(2) The third leading cause of death in the United States is abuse and misuse of prescription drugs.

(3) Western doctors are trained to prescribe antibiotics for almost every physical ailment. The patients are partly to blame: they expect, if not demand, some sort of prescription when they see their doctors; they feel short-changed if they are not given any medication.

(4) Pharmaceutical drugs only mask the symptoms. That is to say, the medical conditions are still there, although the symptoms may seem to have gone. Because of the adverse side effects created by these drugs, other medical conditions may develop, leading to more medications down the road. To illustrate, taking beta blockers, channel blockers, or calcium blockers may lead to male impotence; in order to have an erection, people take Viagra in order to fill their penises with blood. But these sex-enhancing drugs also have their undesirable side effects, which may require other medications to deal with them. Hence, there is a vicious cycle of getting more side effects and requiring more drugs.

(5) The safety of drugs is questionable. Research findings on drug safety are based on a purely mathematical theoretical model, which may not be true in real life. There is never a model that is built on all other drugs a given individual may be taking simultaneously. The safety and side effects of a drug are founded on pure hypotheses.

(6) The pharmaceutical industry generates billions of dollars. There are many instances of pharmaceutical companies rigging and tampering with the research findings in order to get their drugs approved by the FDA.

This is not to suggest that pharmaceutical drugs do not have their role in lifesaving, as well as in health and healing. Just beware: doctors may be dangerous, and so are the drugs they prescribe. As a patient, you have to know what medications you are taking, why you are taking them, how long you will be taking them, what side effects they may give you, and what to do when you have these side effects. You have to be knowledgeable.

Take control of your health, and escape the sickness industry: The Dangers of Pharmaceutical Drugs.

For more information on drug free, go to my web page: Drug Free.

Stephen Lau

Are You Healthy?

Finding Resources for Depression

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Lau) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 13:09:00 +0000

Depression is common among the elderly for the following reasons:

(1) Seniors may have more physical disability from muscle pain, joint and ligament stiffness.

(2) Seniors may have a more frail memory that causes frustration when they cannot remember what they want to remember.

(3) Senior may have more health problems and issues as they advance in age.

(4) Seniors may become acutely aware of their mortality as they continue to age, although many still refuse to accept or think about death.

Depression should be appropriately treated, and it is not part of growing old. It is important for seniors and retirees to educate themselves on depression, and thus know how to deal with the symptoms and the disease.

Pendulum provides a wealth of information on bipolar disorder, including the control and prevention of maniac episodes. It is the web's premier resource for bipolar information.

http://www.pendulum.org/

The Bipolar Planet explores the different varieties of bipolar disorder with useful links to other relevant sites.

http://www.bipolarplanet.com/

National Alliance on Mental Illness offers educational programs and services on mental health. It is America's largest grassroots mental health organization.

http://www.nami.org/

Behavior Online is the gathering place for mental health and applied behavioral science professionals. Find out more about behavioral patterns of patients with mental disorders.

http://www.behavior.net/

National Mental Health Information Center provides information on managing anxiety, and useful mental health links.

http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/

Dr. Ivan's Depression Central is a comprehensive site on depression and other mood disorders with guidelines and useful links.

http://www.psycom.net/depression.central.html

Anxiety Disorders Association of American promotes the prevention and cure of anxiety disorders. It provides good resources and useful information on managing anxiety.

http://www.adaa.org/

Depression may come in different forms with different symptoms. Accurate diagnosis and early treatment are critical to its effective management and ultimate cure.

Visit my websites: Rethink Your Depression, Overcoming Eating Disorders, and The Art of Living Well.

Stephen Lau

You Don't Need A Calorie Restriction Diet To Live Longer

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Lau) — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 02:51:00 +0000

There has been a great deal of controversy over calorie restriction. Some wholeheartedly believe that calorie restriction will make you live longer; others vehemently challenge that conviction.

The belief that calorie restriction will lead to a long life probably came from an ancient sage, Luigi Cornaro, a Venetian nobleman, who lived to the age of one-hundred-and-two. Luigi was famous for his extreme calorie restriction diet -- which consisted of twelve ounces of food and fourteen ounces of grape juice -- that he had adopted for many decades. Having been plagued by ill health for many years, due to his dissipation and wantonness in his early years, Luigi reversed his health by restricting his intake of calories. Luigi, one of the most famous centenarians in history, battled against ill health through a calorie-restriction diet.

Research in animals also indicated that a calorie restriction diet prolonged the life in rodents.

Do calories matter in one's longevity?

First of all, calorie restriction may be effective in controlling body weight (Get a FREE copy of my 145-page e-book All-Round Weight Loss). You do not find centenarians who are overweight or obese. In this respect, calorie restriction may play a part in longevity.

However, obsession with calorie restriction may lead to the development of eating disorders, such as anorexia. In addition, too drastic calorie restriction may adversely affect the body's metabolism, as well as its normal functioning.

You don't need a calorie restriction diet to live long. You need to eat a normal diet, which includes the following:

(1) You need sufficient calories (no less than 2,000 calories a day) to give you the nutrients you need to keep you healthier for longer. Any diet with only 1,200 - 1,600 calories is potentially dangerous for one's health.

(2) You need not follow the habit of eating three times a day. Eat only when you are hungry, and not because it is meal time. Eating smaller meals and more frequently is less straining on your digestive and metabolic systems. Having good eating habits, not calorie restriction, makes you live longer.

(3) Avoid all empty-calorie foods -- which give you the calories but without the nutrients, such as white flour and white sugar.

(4) You do not need to count calories if you eat right. Eating right means eating super foods, living foods, not processed or dead foods. Remember, anything that comes in a box, a can, or a carton is probably not living food.

Calorie restriction does not make you live longer. As long as you eat right, and you do not overeat, you will live longer. Calorie restriction is not a magic wand. If you eat right, you don't even have to count calories. Your ancestors did not count calories, so why should you?

Stephen Lau

The Art of Living Well

Finding Online Resources for Disease Management

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Lau) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:26:00 +0000

In this day and age, you cannot completely rely on your doctors when you are diagnosed with a medical condition that is life-threatening, or chronic and life-changing. You need to know more. The more you know, the better is your disease management. The Internet is the source for online information on disease management. But you need to know where to look for those tools to help you find what you need.

(1) First of all, you need to get the basics on a disease. In other words, you need a medical encyclopedia, and a medical dictionary.

Medical Encyclopedia at MEDLINEPlus (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/encyclopedia.html) provides online disease information from A to Z, including: definition of a disease, its causes, its incidence, and its risk factors; the symptoms, treatment, and prevention of a disease.

The medical dctionary at Medicine Net (http://medterms.com/) can familiarize you with the medicat terms associated with a disease. This knowledge is especially useful at your doctors' apppointments.

(2) You may want to know the full treatment of a disease, including its diagnosis, tests, and medications.

Health Screening at MEDLINEPlus (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/healthscreening.html) provides information on tests to find a medical condition before symptoms develop.

At Test Country, you can get all types of tests done at home, including tests for cancers, cholesterol, drugs, etc.

CBSNEWS Health (http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/health/main204.shtml), and Drug Directory (http://www.drugdirectory.com/) provide useful resources on how to take medications, their common side effects, drug interactions, what if you miss a done, and how to store your medications.

(3) If surgery is required of a disease, go to Surgery at MEDLINEPlus (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/surgery.html), where you may get experts' opinions on surgery options.

(4) You may wish to look at alternative medicine for disease management and disease treatment. The Alternative Medicine (http://www.pitt.edu/~cbw/altm.html) provides sources on unconventional, unorthodox, alternative, complementary, innovative, and integrative therapies.

Acupuncture is another alternative medicine to treat many diseases and disorders.

Knowledge is empowering. Knowing your heath is good health and disease management.

Stephen Lau

Finding Online Health Information

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Lau) — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 12:22:00 +0000

If you wish to remain healthy for as long as you possibly can, you need tools to help you find what you need regarding health information to keep you healthy for longer.

Finding online health information can be overwhelming: you may not know where to begin and how to go about it.

The best medical megasites at your fingertips

These medical megasites provide a wealth of information, including medical encyclopedias and dictionaries; links to other useful health sites, as well as doctors and hospitals.

Health Central

http:www.healthcentral.com

This site has special reports on common health issues and conditions. You can check your medications, including their side effects, and get relevant information on herbs and their health benefits. It provides health education: webcasts and videos on allergies, hair loss, breast cancers, children's health, and sexual health, etc.

Web MD

http://www.webmd.com/

This site provides useful health information on how to stay healthy, how to live with illness. You can also ask an expert if you have medical questions. Its medical library provides access to Yale University School of Medicine Patient's Guide to Medical Tests, and ADAM Medical Encyclopedia.

Mayo Clinic

http://www.mayoclinic.com/

This site provides easy-to-understand medical information and medical advice on all major health issues. You can get answers from Mayo specialists. You can also take charge of your health with personal planners on smoking cessation, weight loss, and stress reduction.

Knowledge is empowering. Get all the right tools and resources you need to enhance your health. The short sessions with your doctors and therapists do not provide all the information you may need to bring your health back on track. After all, it is your health, and you should do everything you possibly can!

Vist my webstores for men's health and health for women.

Stephen Lau

Going Bald?

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Lau) — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 09:36:00 +0000

The average adult loses as many as 100 strands of hair per day. This is true whether you are a man or a woman.

What you need to know is that the amount of hair lost per unit time can vary significantly due to diet, illness, stress, as well as other physiological and mental factors. What it means is that the food you eat, the stress you experience, and the emotional trauma you undergo may contribute to your hair loss.

The good news is that the hair replacement rate may even exceed the rate of hair loss. So, don't be over-concerned when you find strands of hair on your comb, or in the bathtub after your shampoo. You are not going bald anytime soon!

The bad news is that the replacement process declines as the aging process proceeds. In the aging process, hair loss does occur in both men and women.

The aging process affects groups of cells within your hair follicles. These cells are responsible for producing hair-shaft proteins that give your hair the color and the texture of normal human hair. Hair loss occurs when these protein-manufacturing cells are destroyed or deactivated.

The male-patterned baldness, however, is a totally different type of baldness: it is a genetic problem, which is not age-related. The genes tell the hair follicles to make delicate hair, instead of normal coarse hair. That is to say, the hair has become so delicate that it is almost invisible to the human eye, and hence the perception of baldness. If you have this type genetic problem, going bald seems inevitable, and there is not much you can do about it, except hair transplant.

Interestingly, as we age, we may grow hair -- maybe in the wrong places. For example, men may have coarser and longer eyebrows, or in the inner surface of their outer ears; women, on the other hand, may develop facial hair, especially on their chins, due to hormonal changes that come with age.

Other than the genetic male-patterned baldness, you can reduce the rate of hair loss due to aging through your diet. The typical Standard American Diet (SAD), loaded with high fat, high animal protein, and high salt, creates too much acidic blood, which is not conducive to hair growth. Watch what you eat, if you think you are going bald.

Stephen Lau
The Art of Living Well

The Gender Difference in Aging

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Lau) — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 22:52:00 +0000

In the aging process, men and women are different:

(1) Bone strength: With respect to total skeletal mass, men lose approximately 3 percent of their skeletal mass per decade, while women lose as much as 8 percent. This explains why women are more prone to osteoporosis.

(2) Mineral density: Men lose about 15 percent of mineral density, while women undergo twice the total reduction.

It should be noted that bone loss begins as early as late thirties, then begins accelerating, and eventually slows down in the seventies. above The scientific findings demonstrate:

(i) Osteoporosis may be a natural process of aging, rather than a disease.

(ii) Severe bone loss may not be indicated by clinical symptoms. In other words, one may have severe bone loss without being aware of it, until something happenes.

Scientific studies have indicated that nutrient uptake and mineral levels may adversely affect the degeneration of skeletal tissues, resulting in osteoporosis.

Learn the Seven Secrets to Reverse Osteoporosis.

(3) Disease advantage: Women have "female disease advantage" which protects them from certain diseases, such as heart disease and kidney disease, to which men are more vulnerable. This special immunity may be due to the presence of estrogen (female sex hormones). Because of this disease advantage, their aging process may be slower than that of men prior to menopause. However, according to a study at Georgetown University's Center for the Study of Sex Differences in Health, Aging and Disease. women lose such "advantage" if they are diabetic. and they lose this disease immunity when they reach menopause. Accordingly, their aging process may accelerate due to the presence of health problems.

How To Conquer Menopause is a comprehensive guideline on woman's health menopause with alternative natural therapies to overcome the conventional hormone replacement therapy.

Stephen Lau

Pain Management Resources

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Lau) — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 02:26:00 +0000

Pain is not a disease. Pain is a subjective experience. Pain can be slight, acute, or chronic.

Pain tolerance naturally decreases with age. The reasons are:

(1) As you grow older, you suffer more from arthritis pain and other conditions that are related to old age.

(2) Your health begins to deteriorate, resulting in poor health and depression, which often accentuate your perceptions of pain.

(3) Your body's competing sensory input (distracting you from pain) diminishes with age.

Here are some pain management resources to help you deal with pain:

Acupuncture

Acupuncture has been used in China for thousands of years to control and manage pain.

Acupuncture Atlanta

Get everything you need to know about Chinese healing and pain management at Acupuncture Atlanta

Why Do I hurt?

http://www.melchiorre.com/acup/info1.html

Understand the causes of pain from the Chinese perspective, and learn how the Chinese deal with pain.

Therapy Magnets

http://www.therapy-magnets.com/

Magnetic therapy is an alternative treatment in pain management.

The American Pain Society

http://www.ampainsoc.org/

It provides information on pain-related suffering.

The American Chronic Pain Association

http://www.theacpa.org/

Get support and useful information on managing chronic pain.

The Chronic Pain Foundation

http://www.chronicpainfoundation.com/

Find useful information on depression, which causes mental pain.

NINDS

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/health_and_medical/disorders/chronic_pain.htm

NINDS Chronic Pain Information Page provides useful information on pain control.

Ask NOAH About Pain

http://www.noah-health.org/en/bns/disorders/pain/

It provides detailed information and great links on pain, in particular pain in seniors.

American Headache Society

http://www.achenet.org/

Migraine Frequently Asked Questions

http://www.meldrum.demon.co.uk/migraine/

It may answer all the questions you have on migraine.

Understanding Back Pain

http://www.understanding-backpain.com/

Understand your back pain, and its treatment options.

Non-Surgical Orthopedics

http://www.lowbackpain.com/

It provides useful information on spine care and pain management.

Main Management

For more information about pain control, visit my web page: Pain Management.

Stephen Lau

The Importance of Medical Tests

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Lau) — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 12:05:00 +0000

Prevention is better than cure, and early diagnosis is preventive care. Medical tests are an important component of preventive medicine. However, many seniors have an aversion to taking medical tests for the following reasons:

1. Lack of knowledge about the tests and the reasons for taking those tests

2. Fear of the outcome of the tests (many simply wanting to hear no evil and see no evil)

3. Exorbitant costs incurred by some medical tests

4. Uncomfortable feeling experienced when taking some of these medical tests, e.g. pap smears and mammograms

All in all, being in a doctor's office or in a medical setting is enough to unnerve many seniors and deter them from getting the medical tests they need. However, not taking these medical tests may be too hefty a price to pay, because taking certain medical tests on a regular basis is a health necessity in preventive medicine. Nowadays, with the advancement in innovative technology, such as the state-of-the-art ultrasound and magnet resonance, these medical tests are quite accurate in identifying underlying health problems, and therefore can effectively save lives.

Bone density tests

Bone density tests are getting easier and cheaper these days. There is no reason why you should not take your bone density tests to help diagnose thin bones to avoid the devastating effects of osteoporosis. Do not let your bones become dangerously thin.

Colon screening

Colon cancer is the No.3 most prevalent cancer among women. Regular colon tests can detect the presence of polyps, which may be a precusor of colon cancer. After age 50, a woman's risk of colon cancer doubles.

Taking colon screening is particularly important under the following conditions:

1. You are over 50, especially if you are a woman.

2. You have a family history of colon cancer.

3. You have been eating a high-fat and low-fiber diet.

4. You have been having constipation problems. "Regular" means you have a bowel movement at least once a day, not once every other day. Ideally, you should have two bowel movements, if not three, per day. Inefficient elimination is the major cause of colon cancer. Colon cleansing is an important part of colon health. Visit my web page: Digestive Health.

5. You do not exercise regularly. According to Ira Drefuss of Associated Press, walking at a normal or brisk pace one hour a day can reduce your risk of colon cancer by more than 40 percent. Regular exercise may prevent colon cancer. Get Fit While You Sit, by a professional trainer, shows you how to exercise almost anywhere and anytime without exerting too much effort.

Digital rectal examination (DRE)

You should have an annual checkup for prostate and rectal cancers.

Electrocardiogram (EKG)

Take an annual electrocardiogram (EKG) to diagnose heart disease, which is the No.1 killer in the United States. An early diagnosis may help you change your diet and lifestyle to prevent heart disease from worsening. Visit my web page: Heart Health.

Glaucoma tests

An annual glaucoma test may save your vision. Glaucoma hardens your eye's lens, thereby restricting vision. If untreated, glaucome may lead to blindness. For more information, visit my web page: Vision Health.

Mammograms

Despite the controversy, women over fifty should have annual mammograms.

Ulcer tests

According to researchers at Mayo Clinic, ulcer tests may reduce the incidence of getting antibiotics, as well as avoid exorbitant endoscopy costs, (endoscopy is an expensive invasive procedure involving swallowing a tube to detect ulcers).
Urinalysis tests

Urinalysis tests to screen for diabetes, gallbladder, hormones, and urinary tract infections should be taken every year after age 50.

X-ray for tuberculosis

You should have your chest x-rayed once every five years.

In addition to the above, regular checkup on cholesterol and blood pressure is mandatory for longevity health.

Preventive screening is part and parcel of modern preventive medicine. The time taken and the money spent pay off in the end.

For more products on Men's Health and Health for Women, visit my website: Living Well Web Stores.

Stephen Lau

Alternative Medicine Resources

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Lau) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:46:00 +0000

Alternative medicine is non-orthodox therapeutic practices that do not follow conventional biomedical explanations. These therapeutic systems often have their own explanatory systems.

Alternative therapies include: acupuncture, chiropractic, faith healing, folk medicine, herbal medicine, homeopathy, naturopathy, massage therapy, and music therapy, among others.

Acupuncture

http://www.acupuncture.com/index.html

Useful information on acupuncture, Qi Gong, Chinese herbal medicine

Alternative Medicine

http://www.pitt.edu/~cbw/altm.html

Sources on unconventional, unorthodox, alternative, complementary, innovative and integrative therapies

http://www.healingpeople.com/

A source on alternative practices, including Chinese medicine, and homeopathy

Aromatherapy

http://www.healthy.net/aromatherapy

Guidelines for using essential oils and herbs for therapeutic uses

Ayurveda

http://www.ayur.com/

Detailed information on Ayurvedic healing system with tapes and workshops

http://www.ayurvedic.com/

Introduction to Ayurvedic medicine and its principles of healing

Chiropractic

http://www.chiropractic.org/

Information on using spinal manipulation to restore normal function

Herbal Medicine

http://www.botanical.com/

Facts on herbs and plants, including their medicinal and culinary uses

http://www.gardenguides.com/herbs/herb.htm

Information on the growth and uses of herbs and vegetables

Holistic Medicine

http://www.holisticmed.com/

Information on holistic health and healing

Homeopathy

http://www.healthy.net/clinic/therapy/homeopat/index.html

Introduction to homeopathy, homeopathic remedies and treatments

Hypnosis

http://www.hypnosis.org/

Information on using self-hypnosis consciously to overcome anxiety, pain, and overweight

http://www.hypnosis.com/

Information on hypnosis, and hypnosis therapy

Massage Therapy

http://www.alexandertechnique.com/

A complete guide to the Alexander Technique - using movement to ease tension and stress

Meditation

http://www.meditationsociety.com/

Information on meditation techniques

Music Therapy

http://www.soundhealthresources.com/

Information healing through music and low frequency sounds

Naturopathy

http://www.ncnm.edu/

Natural College of Naturopathic Medicine

http://www.naturopathy.com/

Introduction to naturopathic medicine: using natural approach to healing through diet, herbal remedies, exercise, spinal and tissue manipulation, and light therapy

Western medicine is a medical system that focuses on treating symptoms, often using pharmaceutical drugs and invasive procedures, while alternative medicine uses a more naturalstic approach to health and healing.

Natural Herbal Cures and Remedies

Home-Made Medicine for Better Health

For more resources on healthy living and happy retiring, read my e-book Finding What You Need - A Handbook for Seniors and Retirees.

Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau

Senior Moments - How to Deal with them

noreply@blogger.com (Stephen Lau) — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 08:13:00 +0000

What are senior moments?

Senior moments are instances of forgetfulness or normal age-related memory loss, which is characteristic of a senior. Essentially, senior moments are temporary lapses, which are subtle, frustrating, but significant in the process of growing old.

Typical examples of senior moments are: "tip-of-the-tongue" problem in remembering a common word, or even a family name; unconscious interchanging of words with a similar sound (e.g. saying "a cup of silk" instead of "a cup of milk"). Difficulty with words occurs when your mind becomes a blank, or a word is at the tip of your tongue; you substitute the word with another less-specific word, such as "thing" in "the thing has expired" when you cannot remember the word "warranty."

Senior moments can be embarrassing and frustrating.

What causes senior moments?

Your brain is like a recorder, recording all kinds of information on a tape (your neurons). Good memory means your brain knows when to turn on and turn off the recorder. Impaired memory, on the other hand, means you have too many tapes, and when you want to look for a certain tape, you simply can't find it right away - which is reflected in your forgetfulness, or inability to retrieve the desired information when needed.

Senior moments are caused by:

1. A natural decrease in neurotrasmitters (brain chemicals responsible for communication between brain cells).

2. A reduction in brain size (yes, unfortunately, your brain shrinks as you age!)

3. A gradual rise in blood sugar levels around 40s (the body becoming less adept at metabolizing glucose in the bloodstream).

4. A general decline in brain health

How to maintain a healthy brain at any age

1. Lower your blood pressure, and optimize your cholesterol levels (preferably without the use of drugs). Unclog your brain's blood vessels to bring more oxygen and nutrients to your brain cells.

2. Maintain sufficient natural sleep without drugs.

3. Relieve your daily mental stress through meditation (a non-thinking process to relax the mind), and physical exercise.

4. Eat a heart-healthy diet: what is good for the heart is also good for the brain.

5. Overcome sugar cravings. Research studies have indicated that elevated levels of blood glucose may be responsible for impairing the brain’s capability of retaining new information.

6. Avoid all pharmaceutical drugs as much as possible (potentially toxic chemicals). Brain cells, unlike other body cells, do not regenerate, although you have trillions of them. For most common ailments and disorders, use herbal remedies and home-made medicine.

Coping with senior moments

1. Do one thing at a time. Doing too many things not only creates stress but also disorients the mind.

2. Give yourself more time to perform any task. Reduce the time stress factor to a minimum.

3. Train yourself to pay attention to sensory details, such as the look, the smell, the feel, and the touch in order to remember things in multiple ways. Sharpen your senses to sharpen your mind. Protect and preserve your senses, such as hearing, and take good care of your vision health (visit my web page: Vision Health).

4. Reduce unnecessary mental clutters.

5. Master your basic memory skills, and work on strategies to remembers names and words.

Senior moments and dementia

Senior moments can be early warning signs of dementia or Alzheimer's disease. Unless senior moments interfere with your day-to-day activities, there is no reason for concern. Senior moments are benign forgetfulness that comes naturally with age.

If you cannot find your way home from work, then you may have a serious problem with forgetfulness, which may be beyond benign.

If you repeatedly show poor or lack of judgment in daily things, such as putting on heavy winter clothing on a sweltering summer day, this may be dementia rather than a senior moment.

If you are unable to do simple abstract thinking, such as simple addition or subtraction, you problem may be more than just normal forgetfulness.

A few lifestyle changes should help you turn your senior moments into just occasional annoyances.

Awaken Your Photographic Memory:

Unleash the full potential of your mind naturally through subliminal, hypnosis, I.Q. and brain wave technology for a better senior life in every respect!

Awaken Your Photographic Memory provides you with lifestyle strategies to help you live your life the way it should, as well as life-changing techniques to help you in your personal and professional life.

Stephen Lau

For more information on healthy aging, read my book: Younger and Healthier for Longer - A Handbook for Both Men and Women.