Thursday, August 23, 2012

YOUR CHILDREN ARE WATCHING HOW YOU TREAT YOUR ELDERS

GRANDPA"s Bowl

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four- year old grandson. The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered. The family ate together at the table. But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped, the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth. The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. "We must do something about Grandfather,"said the son. "I've had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor."

So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner. Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in awooden bowl. When the family glanced in Grandfather's direction, sometimes he had a tear in hiseye as he sat alone.

Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food. The four-year-old watched it all in silence. One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, "What are you making?" Just as sweetly, the boy responded, "Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your food in when I grow up." The four-year-old smiled and went back to work. The words so struck the parents that they were speechless.Then tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done. That evening the husband took Grand- father's hand and gently led him back to the family table. For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.

Children are remarkably perceptive. Their eyes ever observe, their ears ever listen, and their minds ever process the messages they absorb. If they see us patiently provide a happy homeatmosphere for family members, they will imitate that attitude for the rest of their lives. The wiseparent realizes that every day the building blocks are being laid for the child's future. Let's be wise builders and role models.

"Life is about people connecting with people, and making a positive difference"

"Take care of yourself and those you love, today and everyday!"
Love & light..............dhruv.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Old age and Bone mineral density

Bone Density and Exercise

Weight Bearing Exercise Increases Bone Density and Reduces Osteoporosis Risk

By Elizabeth Quinn, About.com Guide

Updated August 10, 2011

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board

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Exercise and Bone Density

In 2009, researchers from the Bone & Joint Injury Prevention & Rehabilitation Center at the University of Michigan reviewed research as far back as 1961 to determine the impact exercise has on bone density and bone health.They found three characteristics of exercise have the largest impact on increased bone density. They are:

Strain magnitude of the exercise (This is higher in exercise such as gymnastics and weightlifting where the force or impact of the exercise is greatest).
Strain rate of the exercise (This is higher in exercise such as jumping or plyometrics where the rate at which the impact is felt is high).
Strain frequency of the exercise (This is higher in exercise such as running, where the impact to the bones occurs frequently during the exercise session).

The magnitude, rate and frequency of the strain during exercise all play a role in developing greater bone density, but the researchers didn't determine which is the most important of the three. They did say that increases in bone density can be had in as little as 12 to 20 minutes of weight-bearing exercise, three days a week.
Evidence also shows that exercise may help build and maintain bone density at any age. Studies have seen bone density increase by doing regular resistance exercises, such as lifting weights, two or three times a week. This type of weight-bearing exercise appears to stimulate bone formation and retain calcium in the bones that are bearing the load. The force of muscles pulling against bones stimulates this bone-building process. So any exercise that places force on a bone will strengthen that bone.

The Best Exercises for Increasing Bone Density

Experts recommend the following forms of exercise for all athletes in order to increase bone density and prevent bone loss:

Weight Training, especially the Squat Exercise
Plyometrics
Jump Training
Stair Running
Body Weight Exercises
Jump Roping
Running
Hiking
Backpacking

Cycling, Swimming May Decrease Bone Density

Swimming and bicycling are not considered weight-bearing exercises and aren't usually listed on the list of exercise that increases bone density. In fact, there is some evidence that elite level cyclists actually lose bone density during high intensity training and racing.Several studies, including one in 2008, found lower bone density in elite level cyclists who train for hours on the bicycle.
Researchers are not entirely sure the cause of the bone loss in cyclists, but the current theories include:

The non weight-bearing nature of cycling put little strain magnitude (see above) on the bones.
Minerals, including calcium, are lost at an enormous rate during hours of sweating.
The possible energy imbalance (more calories are used than consumed) during hours of intense exercise.

Preventing Osteopenia and Osteoporosis

Low bone density, referred to as osteopenia, can lead to osteoporosis and a significant risk of bone injury, including stress fractures, and other fractures.

Other Risk Factors for Low Bone Density

Amenorrhea
Eating Disorders
Low body weight (<132 li="li" pounds="pounds">
A diet low in calcium or vitamin D.
The current recommended intake of calcium for adults is 1,000 milligrams per day, and the recommendations for vitamin D are from 200 to 600 international units per day. Search Calorie Count to find foods rich in
- Calcium
- Vitamin D

Nutrition and Exercise Best for Building Strong Bones

Building and maintaining bone mass requires more than weight-bearing exercise alone. A combination of good nutrition and weight-bearing exercise is the ideal way to build bone mass. Once we reach about age 30, we don't build bone as readily so building adequate bone density early in life is the best way to prevent osteoporosis later. As an adult, the best way to maintain the bone mass is the same way you build it -- getting adequate calcium in your diet and doing weight-bearing exercise.