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Can you believe it’s almost Thanksgiving? As you are planning your menu, crafting and decorating to prepare for the big feast, we have Thanksgiving Food Art ideas for your consideration. These three Thanksgiving Food Art projects are easy and fun for young and old to prepare (and eat). Turkey Cheese Ball This Turkey Cheese Ball is so easy to make. Start with your favorite cheese ball recipe and add pretzels for feathers, jerky stick for the neck, candy corn and candy eyes. Surround your turkey with an assortment of crackers.  Via Pinterest Turkey Veggie Tray This Turkey Veggie Tray will be the hit of your Thanksgiving feast. It is healthy as well as adding a pop of color to the table. You will need the following veggies: cucumbers; celery; carrots; asparagus; green, red and yellow peppers; cherry tomatoes; a small yellow summer squash, and lettuce. Arrange according to the photo and serve with your favorite dip.  Via Pinterest Turkey Fruit Plate What a fun turkey fruit plate made with a pear, grapes, pineapple, blueberries, strawberries, kiwi and Clementines! Set a bowl of fruit dip (yogurt & whipped topping mixed together) nearby and you have a scrumptious appetizer or dinner side dish! 
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Addiction In The Elderly
It's not uncommon to develop an addiction later in life, but the health effects of substance abuse in those over the age of 65 can be even more dangerous than those in younger users. Substance abuse among the elderly (adults over the age of 60), particularly of alcohol and prescription drugs, is one of the fastest-growing health problems in the United States. Addiction among people 65 and up is often underestimated and under-diagnosed, which can prevent them from getting the help they need. Alcohol and prescription drug abuse affects up to 17% of adults over the age of 60 per the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Due to insufficient knowledge, limited research data, and hurried office visits, health care providers often overlook signs of substance abuse among the elderly. This is made worse by the fact that the elderly often have medical or behavioral disorders that mimic symptoms of substance abuse, such as depression, diabetes, or dementia. According to the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services, substance abuse among senior citizens can be classified into two general forms: the “hardy survivor,” or those who have been abusing substances for many years and have reached 65, and the “late onset” group, which is those who form addictions later in life. Regardless of how old you are or when your addiction started, there are treatment options available to help you get back on a healthy path. Causes Of Addiction In The Elderly There are several things that could contribute to someone turning to substance abuse later in life. These could be health-related issues or life-changing events that take an emotional toll. These events may provoke substance-abusing behavior that can result in a full-scale addiction. Potential triggers or causes for drug or alcohol addiction in the elderly include:
The Dangers Of Substance Abuse In The Elderly Drug or alcohol abuse among the elderly is particularly dangerous because senior citizens are more susceptible to the deteriorating effects of these substances. Individuals over 65 have a decreased ability to metabolize drugs or alcohol along with an increased brain sensitivity to them. This makes it dangerous for seniors to use drugs or alcohol at all, even if the person isn’t addicted. Benzodiazepines, which are used to treat anxiety, pain, or insomnia, are some of the most dangerous prescription drugs for seniors. These are generously prescribed and highly addictive. The rate of senior citizens addicted to Benzos has increased every year. Challenges In Identifying Addiction In The ElderlyAlcohol or drug abuse may actually mimic symptoms of other medical or mental health disorders. This makes it easy for doctors who encounter an older patient to chalk up declining mental or physical health to old age. Not long ago, a medical colleague referred a 67-year-old woman to me with mild depression, weakness, and complaints of short-term memory loss. Her physician told her there was no clear medical explanation for her symptoms, given that her physical exam, exhaustive lab tests, and brain M.R.I. were all normal… The problem, I soon discovered, was that her alcohol consumption had tripled since the death of her husband a year earlier. She did disclose to her internist that she drank but minimized the amount. She had turned to alcohol, self-medicating her grief, but it only worsened her mood and impaired her memory, typical of alcohol’s effects on the brain. - Richard A. Friedman, M.D., NYTimes.com Symptoms Of Addiction In Senior Citizens As people get older, their mental health, physical health, and personal relationships may start to deteriorate. Although addiction may be more difficult to recognize in this demographic, it’s important to pay attention to any unusual signs your elderly loved one displays. Some signs of drug abuse include:
Once an addiction is identified, it is critical to seek out a treatment center that has specific experience working with seniors facing addiction. You should look for programs that specialize in this type of addiction and also offer case management services, as individuals over 65 typically lack the social support required throughout recovery. These case management services will provide the elderly with access to medical, psychiatric, and social resources to allow for a healthy lifestyle to continue after treatment. Per the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) consensus panel, the following are recommended as effective treatment approaches for older adults in substance abuse treatment:
Get Help Today The alarming rate at which individuals 65 years of age and older are developing addictions to various substances is certainly reason for concern and something that should not be ignored by medical professionals, caretakers, or family members. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction issues later in life and needs help finding a treatment program, contact a treatment provider today.  It goes without saying that we need to sleep in order to function at optimal levels. Sleeping well improves your appearance, brainpower, memory and other vital body functions. It also reduces your risk of gaining weight, feeling fatigued or developing chronic health conditions. Both adults and children need 6 or more hours of sleep every night for optimal health. However, just because you’re getting the recommended hours of sleep each day does not mean that your body is getting the rest that it needs. A lot of people toss and turn all night, don’t feel like getting out of bed in the morning and drink plenty of coffee to avoid drowsiness during the day. If you’re suffering from such sleep problems, then you need to improve the quality of your sleep. Here are a few top tips on how to boost your sleep quality. 1 – Sleep in a Cool, Dark & Quiet Room Sleeping with the lights on is one of the major causes of sleep deprivation. When your eyes are exposed to light, neurons are aroused and this disrupts your sleep. Research has also shown that light exposure before sleep suppresses the production of melatonin – the hormone that controls your sleep and wake cycles. A reduction in this hormone at night normally leads to varying levels of sleeplessness. To avoid sleep disruption due to nighttime exposure to light, always sleep with all the lights off. This includes the light emitted from electronic devices, so make sure your computer, phone, tablet and other light producing equipment are either turned off or stored outside the bedroom. Too much heat can also disrupt your sleep quality. To keep cool while you sleep, make sure you keep the window open and ensure the room is well ventilated. If you still find that you’re too warm after doing this, go to bed wearing lighter clothing and consider investing in a lighter duvet or even sleeping on top of the covers. Noise is yet another thing that can have a detrimental impact on the quality of your sleep. To minimize the amount of noise in your room, make sure there’s nothing in the bedroom that could potentially make noises while you sleep. If it’s noisy outside your bedroom, try sleeping with earplugs. 2 – Avoid Caffeine In The Evening As you probably know, coffee is a rich source of caffeine. This chemical changes the brain’s chemistry by binding with sleep inducing receptors known as adenosine in order to keep you awake. The stimulating effects of caffeine can wreak havoc on your sleep because they take hours to wear off. Therefore, if you are an avid coffee drinker, you might want to avoid your favorite beverage a few hours before going to bed. 3 – Get Comfortable Before You Sleep There are many ways to get comfortable before going to bed and these can improve the quality of your sleep. For instance, taking a hot shower raises your core body temperature and this helps to improve sleep. Alternatively, having a hot bath can relax your muscles and help you have a soothing night of sleep. 4 – Try Essential Oils Essential oils such as cedar wood, roman chamomile, sandalwood, valerian or lavender oil are all natural relaxants and can help you have an amazing night’s sleep. If you’re having a bath before bed, try putting a few drops of your favorite essential oils from the above list into the bath and then allow the aromas to work their magic. Alternatively, you can add a few drops of these essential oils to a diffuser, place it in your bedroom and let the relaxing scents slowly spread around the room while you sleep. 5 – Unwind Before Bed One final way to maximize your sleep quality is to start unwinding and getting ready for bed a few hours before you sleep. You can do this by disconnecting from the Internet, switching off the TV and your other electronic devices and then spending the last few hour of the day doing a relaxing activity. Then for the last 30 minutes of the day, stop everything, empty your mind and focus fully on getting ready for sleep. The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) recently released the key indicators of good sleep quality, as established by a panel of experts. The key determinants of quality sleep are included in a report published in Sleep Health. They include:
Summary If you’ve been struggling to get a good night’s sleep, I hope the advice in this article helps to enhance your sleep quality. These 5 tips are very simple to implement but surprisingly effective. So give them a try today and start enjoying the best sleep of your life. Click here for 10 Tips for Better Sleep! Halloween is a fun-filled time of year and is enjoyed by people of all ages. Good news…these great Halloween decorating ideas are easy to assemble! BOO Pumpkin Give this pumpkin a ghostly message in a few minutes with some glue, a jar of black buttons, and an elegant bow.  Googly-Eye Wreath Hot glue googly eyes to ping pong balls, then hot glue to a foam or straw wreath.  A Halloween Skeleton at the Spa!! Halloween Party – fill the tub with bubbles, set a skeleton to relax. The spiders, eye mask & turban add the perfect touch!  We think you would like some healthy Halloween snacks ideas since Halloween is fast approaching. These can be made any time soon and especially for your Halloween party. These are all easy to make. They are fun food crafts for kids to make. The best part is that they are not as messy as some food crafts! This is actually a good way to get kids and adults alike to eat fun, healthy snacks any time of the year! Orange and Black Fruit Kabobs  Source… Make these delicious fruit kabobs with chunks of cantaloupe, black raspberries and blueberries. Put them on long skewers and you have an attractive snack or party food for Halloween. They are actually good anytime of the year! Ghosts and Pumpkins Fruit Snacks  Source… Make these fun Healthy Halloween Snacks with bananas and clementines. A little chocolate can be used for the eyes and nose on the bananas. A little slice of celery can be used for the stem of the clementine pumpkin. Be creative and use whatever comes to mind to produce the look of a ghost and a pumpkin! Halloween Witch’s Broomstick  Source…
Now this is a fun way to incorporate healthy Halloween snacks into your diet with a little protein! These are made with pretzels and string cheese. How easy is that? You might want to decorate the plate with a craft witch or two to make it even more attractive. Healthy Halloween Snacks – Have a fun and safe Halloween! An old adage states that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but now a study is saying watching a grandchild one day a week may keep the dementia away! The study done by the Journal of the North American Menopause Society reports that grandparents who babysit their grandkids at least once a week were less likely to develop Alzheimers. On the other hand, watching grandkids 5 or more days a week was detrimental to their cognitive ability. Researchers found that Grandmothers (aged 57 – 68) who watched their grandchildren an average of one day a week scored significantly higher on a cognitive ability test than those that watched their grandchildren 5 or more days a week. Apparently, it’s all about balance!  Another study reported by the Cleveland Clinic found that seniors who provided some care, whether for their grandchildren or for other children, had a lower risk of death over a 20 year period than those who did not care for children. Researchers believe the social interaction with children keeps grandparents alert and stimulates the brain better than any other activity. Also, there is a link between providing care and reducing stress. Reducing stress helps people live longer! Thus, providing care to children is one way that older folks can actually reduce stress in their lives. According to Dr. Ronan Factora, care giving can also be physically demanding which helps keep the body young. Another benefit for grandparents babysitting is the social interaction that it provides. You may be playing games, doing crafts or rocking them to sleep, but it is fun and interactive! Do you spend time with your grand kids on a regular basis? (If the answer is no, you might want to reconsider!) Grandparents who babysit can live a longer, healthier life!
Related Healthy Living Post: Jigsaw Puzzles Autumn Leaves Changing Colors As summer ends and autumn comes Days get shorter, misty and cold And in this spectacular season Nature’s beauty graciously unfold Trees get ready to slow down And in autumn take some rest And show amazing colors of love That are all at their best  Green fades away quickly And yellow and orange appear To show off their vibrant hues And warmup their surrounding dear Sunlight and cool nights of autumn Help leaves to turn orangish red And combine all things smoothly To add magic in season’s lovely bed And all this shedding and replacement Of leaves continue throughout the year And trees only shed leaves in autumn To prepare for another winter dear This is God’s spectacular display Of beautiful colors of the fall During which many changes occur Including yellow, orange and red of all. ***Inspired by the changing colors of Autumn in Canada. Enjoy Autumn with these Pumpkin Dessert Recipes - Click Here So, what is your coffee preference? How do you like your coffee? With cream and sugar, flavored, a complicated mixture of things, or straight-up black? These coffee preferences may best describe your personality. Whether you have a cup of coffee in your hand all day or just need a little boost in the morning, how you drink your coffee and what kind of coffee you drink says a lot about your personality. 1) Those people who take cream and sugar with their coffee are good at being pleasant and small talk. If you don’t have anything nice to say, you can just sit back and sip your coffee. 2) Then there are the folks who need flavored coffee. Sure, a peppermint flavor or a little hazelnut can have its place once in a while, but it’s not an everyday flavor. You’re the kind of person who needs to mix it up all the time and always have a surprise in store! 3) If your coffee type is a complicated one that’s ordered in a coffee shop where you need to say several words to describe it, my guess is that you’re the type of person who showers and puts on makeup before heading to the gym. Well, maybe that’s not all bad!! 4) For those of you who drink straight-up black coffee, I’m assuming you’re a get-it-done person. No muss, no fuss. You take your coffee straight up, and you dish it out straight, too. Chances are I’d have a coffee with you.  The kind of coffee – Dark Roast, French Vanilla, Dark Roast Decaf and everything in between will be left for another time. Frankly, for me it depends on my mood and the time of day as to the kind of coffee I prefer…although, I don’t like it too strong! What about your coffee preferences and the pandemic? A majority of respondents (59%) said the pandemic disrupted their coffee habits in a way they weren't expecting! Nearly half (46%) of American coffee drinkers have tried different types of coffee at home since they weren't able to visit their favorite coffee shop. Some individuals (42%) even tried to recreate their favorite go-to coffee orders at home...including latte art! While the pandemic kept most people at home, cold coffee drinkers were more likely to experience cabin fever than their hot coffee counterparts. Pre-pandemic cold coffee drinkers said they would travel three times per year, versus two times a year for their hot coffee peers. Cold coffee drinkers are more inclined to spend their time browsing Instagram (27%) while hot coffee drinkers spend more time on Facebook (35%). The study also revealed that having a preferred temperature of coffee can even affect one's taste buds. Eight in 10 cold coffee drinkers prefer sweeter, fancier drinks featuring flavored syrups. Twp-thirds (67%) of hot coffee drinkers, however, would rather have a simple cup with cream, sugar or both. Source... So…What about you? How do you like your coffee…what is your coffee preference? Leave a ‘Comment’ below! What is Your Coffee Preference? Cool weather is around the corner, and nothing beats sitting down to a hot bowl of soup on a Fall day! We’ve gathered some delicious hearty fall soup recipes that will tickle your taste buds and warm your soul. According to Fiona Kirk, in her bestseller “Soup Can Make You Thin” “The wealth of ingredients in a bowl of soup provides a good balance of carbohydrates, protein and fats as well as the vitamins and minerals required to create energy and keep us firing on all cylinders.” Just click on the links for the full recipes! Enjoy! 1. Creamy Chicken and Dumpling Soup        What are the top reasons that you should eat soup? Well, here we go: Soup is delicious. It can be a comfort food and is easy to make. With only a few ingredients, you can make a bowl of hearty soup for a cool evening. Soup is good for your health. Soup is an easy way to add vegetables to your daily meals. Healthy veggie soups are highly recommended. Soup can help you lose weight. Soups can be slimming. Depending on the type of soup, it can contain minimal, nutritious calories. Soup makes you feel full. Since soup fills you up, it’s ideal to eat at the beginning of every meal. Soup is affordable to make. Making soup doesn’t require a lot of money. Buy vegetables, fruits, and broth. For a small cost, you can make a lot of people feel full and healthy. Soup can make you feel better. Ever wondered by chicken soup is always given to the sick? It is because soup is great for people who are sick. It is easily digested and is filled with health benefits. These delicious fall soup recipes are sure to please! Related Fall Weather Recipe: Crock Pot Recipes  Dog & Camp Gear It would be nice to go leave the busy city life every once in a while and go on a camping trip, to breathe in fresh air, enjoy nature's surroundings and go back to the basics.
When campers take their dog along on the trip, they will be able to loosen up and enjoy each other's company with no distractions, making it a fun way to make their bond stronger. In case they happen to find themselves in the middle of nowhere as they head out with their tent to camp out underneath the stars, at least they will have peace of mind knowing that their dog is tucked up beside them. Actually, there are health benefits when camping with a pet dog. Fresh, natural air increases serotonin levels. Spending some time outdoors like near the seaside or trees lets the body breathe in more oxygen, giving a camper and his pet a big break from the pollution and other chemicals experienced daily in the city. Also, this makes the camper feel happy since this releases serotonin inside the brain. The serotonin hormone has an effect on different things in our body, including a person's mood, behavior, digestion and sleep, to name a few. Sunshine boosts melatonin When people are camping out in a place that is warm and sunny, they can benefit from the abundance of sunshine received. It helps even out the body's melatonin. This chemical affects the mood and sleeping patterns in a positive way when people have the right levels. Melatonin can also restore the dog's body rhythms, reproductive cycles and sleep patterns plus it can be given to help dogs that suffer from anxiety and phobias. Reduce stress in a person and his dog Camping is an effective way to de-stress humans and dogs. During camping trips, people can turn off their phone and other gadgets to relax, exercise, explore, read a book and do all sorts of things that they don't have time for when attending to their daily routine. Stress has a negative effect on the minds and bodies. Being more relaxed with their dogs will make their furry friends more relaxed as well. More exercise When they bring along their dog on a camping trip, the more exercise they get since their pet will motivate them to get up and about, whether they are making fire to roast marshmallows or heading out to explore the sights with their best friend. Camping involves more exercises outdoors than spending the day in an office so it will benefit a camper and his dog alike. Sleep well Since the camping site is located outdoors, where there is fresh air and trees or water, campers can definitely get a good night sleep with all the relaxation experienced. It can make anyone fall into a deep slumber, which incidentally also offers a load of health benefits. Interested in purchasing a quality outdoor dog tent? Come and visit our online store today! That's where you can also find awesome store display tents for sale! For info on RVing in Colorado, Click Here Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Karina_Popa/1432444 Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10391591 |
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