What Are My Incontinence Options?

It is not just the elderly that need to deal with incontinence. Mothers after giving birth, men with prostate surgery, pre-adolescents with bed wetting issues, and the disabled, all can at some time or another have to deal with the issues of incontinence.

There are many different types of incontinence supplies. First, and probably most well known is the adult diaper. Adult diapers are pretty self explanatory. They are adult sized diapers with different leakage control surfaces depending on your gender and type of incontinence. Adult diapers can be worn by anyone with incontinence, and remain one of the more popular methods.

Another type of incontinence product is the fitted brief. Fitted briefs are worn by the more mobile of the groups and are generally worn closer to the body, and are thinner. Although more movable and discreet then the adult diaper, fitted briefs usually run about 50% more expensive then their adult diaper counterparts.

For others with less severe incontinence issues, and with their accidents happening primarily at night, the bed pad offers the greatest protection, and are among the best sellers of incontinence products. Bed pads are placed underneath a person while they sleep. On one side they have a super-absorbent layer and on the other side a waterproof barrier to protect the mattress. For mild incontinence bed pads are a durable alternative to wearing a sometimes-uncomfortable diaper.

Bed pads also come in different absorbent capabilities. Sometimes the measurements can be a little tricky, so a good way to remember is that CCs are how many ounces too 100. (800cc = 8oz, 900cc = 9oz, etc)

Of course, the higher the absorbency capabilities, the higher the price, however, it can be argued that using bed pads retains a certain level of dignity.

Mark Twain's view on Aging

"Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter."
~Mark Twain

I couldn't help but chuckle when I saw this. but really, it is true. A very central theme of this blog was not just healthy bodies, but healthy minds. I think if we convince ourselves that age doesn't matter, then we will not be preoccupied with its effects. Perhaps, then, if we 'ignore' in a sense, our aging effects, then do they really exist? If they don't matter to us and if they are completely ignored, then we can eventually convince ourselves that we are not as old as we really are. Age is a state of mind.

If we don't mind, it doesn't matter. Well done Mr. Twain.

You Need Strength As You Grow Older

A common misconception is that as we get older it is normal to 'slow down' reduce physical activity and to 'take it easy'. But this has now been proven to be the absolute worst thing we can do. If you want to remain physically and mentally strong for however long your life is you have to 'work' at it. It is not something that just happens on its own.

After our mid 20's unless we keep our muscles strong with strength training exercise we lose muscle tissue at the rate of one half pound per year until age 50, then this rate doubles. As the muscles weaken the bones they are attached to weaken as well. Movement becomes more difficult so people don't, hastening the downward spiral and accelerating the decline of overall health.

Many people have lost as much as half of the muscle tissue that they had at age 30 by the time they are 70 years old. This loss of muscle tissue is so critical to daily living it can mean a person becomes more and more disabled until they eventually cannot manage the tasks of daily living. No wonder they cannot even get up from a chair unassisted.

The loss of muscle tissue leads to a drop in metabolism (the body's engine) which can mean an increase in body fat as calories previously necessary to perform the activities of daily living now end up as stored fat. This explain the so called 'middle aged spread' and the reason why people often become heavier and larger as they get older.

The average person over 30 years adds about 10 -15 pounds of weight in fat each decade. Combined with the loss of muscle tissue people enter their senior year with too little muscle and too much body fat. The 'composition' of their body has changed to unfavorable proportions which leads to an increased disease risk along with even less desire and ability to remain physically active.

Most adults are aware of the body fat gain but unaware of the muscle tissue loss. They then 'diet' to lose weight which further reduces their muscle tissue because at least 30 percent of the weight lost through dieting is muscle tissue. Losing further muscle tissue leads to an even lower metabolic rate (the rate the body burns fuel) so even more excess calories are stored as fat which further accelerates this negative cycle.

Rather than trying to 'diet' off this body fat consider the opposite - burn it off with proper exercise. This also has the benefits of making you stronger so you can better perform everyday tasks and activities. By starting a strength training program you will rebuild lost muscle and boost your body's engine so you can get a whole lot more out of life and living.

Do not be misled into believing that any old type of activity will give you these benefits. Low intensity activities like walking or gardening are great as part of an active lifestyle but can never ever replace a proper exercise program if your goal is a strong, lean, healthy body.

If you get a fitness professional to help you get started you will receive the benefits of your exercise program quickly and in just a few short months you will see how your life can be transformed. You will not be afraid of growing older as you know your strength and fitness will make this process much more enjoyable.

Do you want to discover the secret to rejuvenating your body, regaining lost vitality and improving the quality of your life? Download my free ebook "I've Found the Fountain of Youth - Let Me Show You Too!" Fountain of Youth

If you are looking to lose weight permanently go to Fitness Weight Loss for the solution and a free ebook.

Carolyn Hansen is a certified fitness expert and fitness center owner who coaches clients to look and feel younger. In her nearly 30 years of fitness and bodybuilding competition experience she has helped thousands of people start their journey towards being strong, fit and youthful at any age.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carolyn_Hansen

Are You Doing Enough Activity to Keep Your Health?

Are You Doing Enough Activity to Keep Your Health?
By Carolyn Hansen

When people grow older and if they have been inactive or sedentary over the year's five serious things happen to them. Their muscles shrivel and become weaker, bone mass dwindles, oxygen capacity declines (transfer of oxygen to the bodies cells) and the fat on their body increases (even if the scales stay the same).

These changes nibble away at their quality of life and get worse creating more negative changes that add on as each year passes. Health is pushed into a downward spiral and it becomes harder just to do the everyday tasks and activities. Ones energy level is siphoned away as well leaving lack of motivation and desire to remain active so ones world becomes much smaller.

One of the biggest changes along with the loss of muscle mass and strength the entire body and its systems become weaker including the immune system. This is mainly because of the protein that keeps this system strong is stored in the muscles. When muscle tissue is lost these stores dwindle as well.

If the immune system becomes weakened the likelihood of disease increases which could put ones life at risk. We used to think our disease risk increased because of the aging process but now we know it is not because of that but simply the lack of proper exercise. Nasty diseases are epidemic in our world and include the 'big three' heart disease, cancer and diabetes which are expected to kill 88 million people in the next decade.

These killers are called 'lifestyle' diseases as they are caused by how you live. For example living a life without enough muscle building and toning exercise to get and remain healthy. These awful diseases are preventable; you do not need to get them.

You cannot stop the ticking clock as we all grow older each day but you can fight back and slow to a very large extent the undesirable changes in your body. The loss of muscle tissue at the rate of one half pound every year can be halted with a proper exercise program mostly made up of strength training exercise.

Just 2-3 sessions per week are all that is needed but it is important that your program is set up correctly by a fitness professional and you perform it correctly. Strength training can reverse or prevent the five fundamental changes that happen if we are not doing what we need to keep our muscles and bones strong and resilient.

We seem to have forgotten our human bodies are meant to be active - very active. This movement stimulates the hormones that tell our body to repair, replace and renew our cells as they wear out. Without the stimulation of muscle movement the body is set into 'shutdown' mode and on a path of decay.

Strength training exercise is necessary for everyone as there is no longer enough physical 'work' in our daily lives to keep us healthy and strong. It will help you keep your oxygen capacity, keep away surplus body fat and keep your muscles and bones in good health.

Do you want to discover the secret to rejuvenating your body, regaining lost vitality and improving the quality of your life? Download my free ebook "I've Found the Fountain of Youth - Let Me Show You Too!" Health Related Exercise

If you are looking to lose weight permanently go to Fitness Weight Loss for the solution and a free ebook.

Carolyn Hansen is a certified fitness expert and fitness center owner who coaches clients to look and feel younger. In her nearly 30 years of fitness and bodybuilding competition experience she has helped thousands of people start their journey towards being strong, fit and youthful at any age.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carolyn_Hansen

Whoah! What did they say?!

Recently on Fox News, on talking on health reform, it was described as 'a subtle form of euthanasia'. What do you think? Did Barack Obama really say that health reform will kill you? It is important to voice the concerns of the elderly, to make our voice heard. If you were to ask me, I would NEVER want to wait weeks, or MONTHS for health care. Once the government takes over the health care system, lines will be miles long, health care quality will go down, and elderly care especially will hurt. Many times, when the elderly need to have medical procedures done, they are more immediate than, say, something more benign. Medical care for the elderly is more than just taking a pain killer. Geriatrics is a form of care that needs to have more focus than a lot of the health care that is readily available to others. This blog has viewers from all around the world. Some, with nationalized health care. Why is it that many patients from those countries come to the United States for health care? It is simply because it is the best in the world. Don't fix what isn't broken. We do not need the quality of our elderly health to go down because a minority thinks so. I once had a medical procedure done in the country of Cyprus. It was a disaster. I was in a wreck and split my leg open pretty badly. When I went to the hospital, the doctor told me I couldn't have any anesthesia. She told me it would 'ruin my liver.' Needless to say I had a gaping 2 inch deep wound that was scrubbed by steel wool without any pain killer. She stitched me up, gave me no painkillers, and sent me away. No instruction on care, nothing. They wouldn't take my stitches out so I went to another doctor that yanked them all out. (I came home bleeding). I remember thinking, "I miss my American hospitals." In other countries, hospitals are places people go to die, not to get treatment. Hello America, we're on our way.