World Smiling Day

Today, October 2cnd, is World Smile Day! Every day is a good day to smile, but especially today! There is a strong connection between smiling, your health, happiness, and well-being.

What smiling does to your body: When you smile, there is a little ‘feel good’ party happening in your brain! Smiling activates the release of neuropeptides that work toward fighting off stress. Neuropeptides are tiny molecules that allow neurons (brain cells) to communicate. They facilitate messaging to the whole body when we are happy, sad, angry, depressed, or excited. As we know with the brain, the more you exercise something, the stronger it is. That means that the more you smile, the easier it is and the more frequently you will do it. The feel-good neurotransmitters—dopamine, endorphins and serotonin—are all released when a smile flashes across your face as well. This not only relaxes your body, but it can also lower your heart rate and blood pressure.

The endorphins also act as a natural pain reliever – many studies have shown that patients have reported lowered levels of pain while watching a funny video. The same goes for medical research trials where they gave the subject pain medicine or a placebo, but if the subject was smiling, the placebo in some cases would be just as effective as the real medication. Finally, the serotonin release brought on by your smile serves as an antidepressant/mood lifter. Many of today’s pharmaceutical antidepressants also influence the levels of serotonin in your brain, but with a smile, you again don’t have to worry about negative side effects—and you don’t need a prescription from your doctor.

In addition, for stroke victims, smiling is an easier feat. This is because smiling only requires 17 muscles to smile, but frowning requires 43.Smiling can actually add years to your life! People who smile tend to have a more positive and optimistic outlook on life, and are more likely to engage in healthy behaviors and naturally have a stronger immune system than pessimists.

Smile wholeheartedly – smiling and laughter also have positive effects on the cardiovascular system! This is because when we smile and laugh, it increases blood flow and blood vessel function, which can prevent heart attacks and other heart-related diseases. . Also, smiling reduces stress, which can be a factor or trigger for heart attacks or stroke.

World Heart Day

World Heart Day takes place every year on September 29th. This international health holiday raises awareness of heart health, including cardiovascular disease and prevention.

The World Health Organization (WHO) cites heart disease is the leading cause of death in the world, with nearly 18 million people dying each year from heart-related issues like heart attacks and strokes, which accounts for over 30% of global deaths. Heart attacks and strokes are caused by blockage preventing blood from flowing to the brain or heart. One of the most common types of obstruction is fatty deposits in the blood vessels. Many lifestyle choices trigger these diseases, which can result in heart attacks and strokes. These include: tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, stress, and harmful amounts of alcohol. This manifests as raised blood pressure, elevated blood glucose, overweight and obesity, diabetes, and other risks detrimental to good heart health. These is definitely a genetic component for heart health and risk for heart disease, however diet and lifestyle has a tremendous impact on that.

Show your heart some love!

Private Home Care is passionate about nutrition and following the Mediterranean diet, which is considered one of the best diets for heart health! A study found that the Mediterranean diet is such a powerful heart protector that it reduced the risk for heart disease, strokes, and deaths from heart disease 30% compared with a regular low-fat diet, and by more than 50% compared with a standard American diet. A key component to this cardioprotection is replacing saturated and trans fats—which can lead to clogged arteries and heart disease—with mono- and polyunsaturated fats, which can help lower cholesterol levels.

The foundation of the Mediterranean diet is vegetables, fruits, herbs, nuts, beans and whole grains. Meals are built around these plant-based foods. Moderate amounts of dairy, poultry and eggs are also central to the Mediterranean Diet, as is seafood. In contrast, red meat is eaten only occasionally. Following The Mediterranean Diet means no processed foods, which tend to be high in saturated and trans fats, as well as sodium – all of which are not heart healthy.

Exercise is also an important part of heart health. The American Heart Association recommended that healthy adults get 150 minutes of aerobic activity per week for optimal heart health. This can be walking, biking, hiking, dancing, running – anything that gets your heart pumping and your limbs moving! Although 150 minutes may sound like a lot, it is just about 20 minutes a day, which is totally do-able. Wearing a step monitor makes it much easier to get those 10k steps a day and incorporate movement into your daily lifestyle! Your heart will thank you!

Coffee For Your Health

Coffee – a daily morning ritual for millions of Americans. At first glance it may not seem like it, but thanks to its high levels of antioxidants and beneficial nutrients, it can be quite healthy. In fact, studies show that coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of several serious diseases.

Coffee go-go time: The reason you get a quick wakeup call after chugging a mug of coffee has to do with the way caffeine tricks your brain. Not only is caffeine a brain stimulant, but it also blocks receptors for a chemical called adenosine, which normally prevents the release of excitatory brain chemicals. With adenosine out of the way, these brain-sparking chemicals can flow more freely. Caffeine also stimulates the central nervous system by promoting the release of other neurotransmitters, including noradrenaline, dopamine and serotonin. All of this combined gives you a surge of energy, helping improve memory, mood, vigilance, energy levels, reaction times and general mental function. As we know, bolstered mental performance helps slow age-related mental decline.

It showed that people—particularly those who were ages 70 and over—who took in more caffeine scored better on tests of mental function. Also, some studies have shown improved long-term memory performance and thinking ability in regular caffeine consumers.

New research reveals what gives coffee its protective properties for brain health, and why it can help keep Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease at bay. There are some correlations that correspond to a decreased risk of developing cognitive impairments and disease. For Alzheimer’s, results from studies suggest that coffee compounds could provide a neuroprotective effect by inhibiting these proteins from forming the terminally disruptive clumps and plaque tangles found in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.

There is a set of compounds known as phenylindanes that form during the roasting process and give coffee its paradoxically enjoyable bitterness. More than any other compound of those examined in this study, the research team found that phenylindanes inhibit both amyloid beta and tau, which are toxic proteins. The excessive buildup of amyloid beta and tau in the brain is a key factor in neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. In laboratory tests, it appears that a longer roasting time causes the coffee beans to produce more phenylindanes. This suggests that dark roasted coffee — whether regular or decaf — has the strongest protective effect on the brain.

Coffee is also associated with many health benefits. It contains hundreds of bioactive compounds that contribute to its powerful health benefits. Many of these compounds are antioxidants, which fight the damage caused by free radicals in your cells.

-Drink coffee to get fit! Coffee can help burn fat because caffeine can boost your metabolic rate by 3–11%. This aids in weight loss and fat reduction. Caffeine also increases epinephrine (adrenaline) levels in your blood, which is the fight-or-flight hormone, which prepares your body for intense physical exertion. As the caffeine breaks down body fat it makes free fatty acids available as fuel, which can improve physical performance by 11–12%, on average. Therefore, it makes sense to have a strong cup of coffee about half an hour before you head to the gym.

These essential nutrients in coffee inform of more health benefits:

Chlorogenic acids (CGAs): These polyphenol antioxidants may benefit some biological pathways, such as blood sugar metabolism and high blood pressure, both of which are related to the risk of age-related mental decline.

Cafestol and kahweol: Present in coffee’s natural oil, high amounts of these compounds are found in unfiltered coffee. They may be good for the liver and protect against cancer, but a high intake may raise LDL cholesterol

Trigonelline: This alkaloid compound is unstable at high heat and during roasting forms nicotinic acid, also known as niacin (vitamin B3). Trigonelline may also help prevent dental cavities by inhibiting bacterial growth.

September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month

September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month! Libraries are invaluable centers for the community, and National Library Card Sign-Up Month was created to encourage people to sign up and join their local library! Reading enriches your life, and being part of a library community can be invaluable. This is especially true for seniors, who are some of the most frequent visitors to libraries. In fact, social sciences studies have shown that public libraries are  essential resources for seniors. Your local library is not just a place to read books but has become a place to explore, discover, and connect with a vast world of library programs for seniors, activities, public library services for seniors, and information.

Signing up for a library card is worth it –  the Institute of Museum and Library Services states that 38% of older adults visit their local libraries 1-3 times a month, 42% at least once a week, and 8% visit every day or most days! Men tend to be more frequent visitors than women, but both men and women alike are taking advantage of the great benefits and programs offered at libraries.

Not only can seniors use libraries as a source of vital information, but libraries are also a great place for seniors to interact with their peers and other members of their community. Libraries provide a safe, comfortable, and inviting setting at which older members of the community can socialize and connect with like minded others. In fact, many public libraries have senior reading rooms. Libraries may also have a cafe, which is another great spot to have a snack and sip coffee while you read or meet others!  

From interacting with their peers or becoming involved in volunteer reading programs, libraries are more than just a source of reading materials, they help provide a sense of purpose and belonging. This is crucial to overcoming loneliness and isolation that many seniors struggle with. What is more, libraries also offer opportunities for intergenerational activity that engages the whole community. And all of this is made possible with a simple library card! 

Seniors may have trouble keeping up with ever-changing new technologies. Many libraries have incorporated technology to further appeal to their senior audience. Libraries are an important source of access to computers and digital literacy training helping seniors to connect with family, friends, health information and government services.

National Good Neighbor Day

“Good neighbors make great neighborhoods”

National Neighbor Day celebrates the importance of being a good neighbor while contributing to one’s community and each other. We all want to live in a happy community and good neighborhood. It is proven that when we are content about the place where we live, our health and overall wellbeing is improved! 

Nowadays community is more important than ever. Even the simple act of waving ‘hi’ to your neighbors is a positive action and it helps when being a good neighbor. This is beneficial for everyone, and especially so for elderly folks living in a neighborhood. Isolation and loneliness is a serious issue for seniors. It is very important for seniors to have neighbors that check in on them to make sure that they are ok healthwise or just to say hello and remind them that they are connected and valued in society. 

Being a good neighbor starts with the good neighbor mindset. When you establish the mindset of a good neighbor mindset, you create a better neighborhood, community, and society. 

-Connection: Introduce yourself and connect with others in your neighborhood. It simply starts by saying ‘hello’! A good way to start doing this is to smile and wave hi when going for walks in your neighborhood.

-Invitation: Invite neighbors to join you for something fun. Having a neighbor over for a meal is a wonderful way to get to know your neighbors. However, during COVID this can be a challenge. Instead, you could invite a neighbor to join you at a local outdoor sports game (like a high school baseball game) or at a local farmers market. Also, if you are a more private person, that way you can still connect and build up a relationship at the pace that is most comfortable. 

-Celebration: When it comes to holidays, birthdays, or milestone moments in the lives of others, cheer them on and don’t miss out on congratulating them. Holidays are always a great opportunity to spread a little cheer by leaving cookies or a festive note in their mailbox with best wishes. It is also a neighborly act to place a considerate note on the door of an elderly person’s house to let them know that you are thinking of them. 

-Awareness: Keep your eyes and ears open. Stay attentive to the safety and security of the people and homes nearby. We are safer and stronger together. For instance, texting or calling a neighbor and letting them know that they forgot to close their garage door is very appreciated. Another way to be a good neighbor is to help take care of senior neighbors by helping salt or shovel their walkway to prevent falls during the snowy season.

-Availability: Availability is the highest benefit of good neighbors who truly care and look out for one another. When needed, show up to help and support others living around you. 

National Indoor Plant Week

National Indoor Plant Week was established to increase public awareness of the importance of indoor plants and their many attributes. Private Home Care knows that the benefits of houseplants in indoor spaces are many. Simply, the more alive the world seems, and the more you can interact with it, the more content you’ll be. For most of human history, we’ve spent our time in close communion with nature, and so it is only logical that supplementing our safe, warm homes with plants and animals would make us feel more comfortable. Seniors who may not be able to get out much may especially enjoy greenery in their living space. People can learn a lot from the slow, deliberate pace of a plant’s life, and supporting their growth with regular water provides a pleasurable routine of daily living that keeps you connected to your environment.

Oxygen & Cancer Prevention – A now legendary study by NASA found that plants not only purify the air by converting carbon dioxide into oxygen, they also scrub the air of volatile, cancer-causing agents. You’ll breathe easier knowing that nature’s stewards are hard at work keeping the air fresh!

Reduced lung sensitivity – when you have plants that clean the air by consuming CO2 in the area, it is easier to breathe. That is great for people who may have lung conditions or are prone to asthma.

Better sleep – Some plants can improve sleep by drawing in carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. When it is easier to breathe, it is easier to sleep, and the quality of your sleep is better!

Peace and quiet – some plants may help reduce noise, especially when they are placed in certain locations. When we feel calm, it can help with blood pressure and overall health.

Stress relief – Nature is very grounding, and having indoor plants in your surroundings can be soothing and help you to be focused and present in the moment. Having indoor plants are is also associated with better memory!

Improves Your Mood – Placing plants throughout a living area will improve the atmosphere and boost everyone’s mood. Most folks associate flowers with a positive event like graduation or an anniversary, so keeping fresh cut tulips or daisies around will unconsciously stimulate a celebratory mood. Touching smooth plants and flowers is great sensory therapy, and the dark green of most houseplants is an extremely soothing color. Succulents and air plants are also a treat for the eyes and thrive with barely any water.

Something to look forward to – it is exciting to measure how much your plant has grown or seeing the first flowering bud! Indoor plants also give a sense of purpose and pride when they grow and flourish.

If you have a loved one or there is an individual who is unable to care for a plant, fake plants will provide many benefits listed above! Fake plants can still liven up a room, making is more peaceful, calming, and homey.