CHIROPRACTIC
AND SENIOR HEALTH
For many people, as they approach their Golden Years they start falling
apart; figuratively, of course. Advanced age is often associated with
Alzheimer’s, arthritis, incontinence, and a list of other health
problems that can range from merely annoying to extremely painful.
Over time, the gradual, natural process of stiffening of the muscles
and joints can cause pain and limited movement. Chiropractors use
gentle joint and soft tissue manipulation as part of their treatment,
and it can help provide long term pain relief, not just temporary
pain suppression like the pain medications prescribed by the medical
doctors provide. Certain medications may clash with each other, causing
more damage than what they intend to fix, and sometimes causing a
whole new problem altogether. There are no side effects with chiropractic,
and no adjustments will “clash” with each other causing
new problems or exacerbating existing conditions. The list of health
conditions associated with advanced age is long, so we’ll look
at certain parts of the body and what you can do to keep them in shape
and up to speed. Remember as you read these “systems reviews”
that everything is controlled and coordinated by the nervous system.
And your Doctor of Chiropractic is a nervous system specialist. (Look
for the research near the end that tells you how to stay out of the
nursing home as you age.)
First,
we’ll look at the cardiovascular system, or simply put, your
heart and arteries:
Your cardiovascular system becomes less efficient
over time. Your heart muscles become weaker, and your blood vessels
become less flexible, in most people due to plaque build up. This
can lead to high blood pressure, or hypertension, and other, more
serious, heart conditions. Certain popular factors can help you reduce
your chances of having heart problems, such as including physical
exercise in your daily routine and eating more fruits, vegetables,
and whole grains. If you smoke, ask your doctor for help quitting.
Your risk of heart disease will fall almost immediately. And remember,
just because you feel healthy, doesn’t exactly mean you are
healthy: for people who have suffered a heart attack, 40% of them
experience death as their first symptom.
Your bones, joints, and muscles will also be affected. With
age, bones start to shrink in density and size, weakening and becoming
fractured more easily. You might even become shorter because of this.
Muscles tend to lose strength and flexibility, causing you to become
less coordinated and start to lose your balance. This will become
very annoying and frustrating as it gets worse, but there is a way
you can fight it. As far as bones and joints go, include plenty of
Vitamin D and calcium in your diet. Bones absorb calcium and vitamin
D helps with the immune system, so you can focus your energy on building
bone and not having to keep your immune system healthy. Also, weight
bearing activities, such as walking, help put stress on the bones
and can cause you to increase your bone density. Also, try to weight
train at least twice a week. This puts stress on the bones, as well
as building muscle to help protect joints and increase balance and
flexibility.
Your digestive system starts to slow down and, as
a result, constipation may be a problem in old age. To fight this
annoying, and sometimes painful, problem, make sure to eat plenty
of fiber (top fiber food is 100% bran cereal, but popcorn is a tasty
alternative!), not drinking enough fluids, and lack of exercise. These
are three very simple things to incorporate into your daily routine,
and if you’ve ever been constipated, you’ll know they
are worth it. Also, some medications (usually pain medications) have
side effects that contribute to constipation. Ask your medical doctor
if they can switch you to another medication that doesn’t make
you constipated until chiropractic can take care of your pain so you
don’t need to use pain meds anymore.
Your urinary tract can be one of the most annoying,
not to mention embarrassing, problems that comes with age. There are
several contributing factors to incontinence, but obesity, frequent
constipation, and chronic cough can be a few factors, as well as menopause
for women and an enlarged prostate in men. The underlying factor here
is the fact that the muscles in charge of controlling the “urge”
have become weakened. Ask your chiropractic doctor about how you can
strengthen these muscles so you can gain back control of when you
want to “go.”
Your memory tends to become less efficient with age.
The brain doesn’t make any new cells after a certain point in
your infancy, and the ones it doesn’t use die off, basically
the definition of “if you don’t use it you lose it.”
To keep your brain sharp, make sure to include physical activity in
your daily routine. The amount of coordination and neural activity
it takes to do many simple activities is actually an understatement
once you learn how much subconscious effort goes into a simple walk
around the block. Also, mental and social activity is important, keeping
the thinking and feeling parts of your brain “in shape.”
Your eyes and ears get used all of the time, whether
you like it or not. They are bound to wear out, although in some people
they may wear out faster than others. As you age, your eyes are less
able to produce tears, your retinas get thinner, and your lenses become
less clear. Focusing on objects that are near may become more difficult
than it used to be, and you may become more sensitive to glare. Your
hearing will become less efficient as well. You may not be able to
hear certain frequencies, or may need people to talk louder around
you. These are some of the more annoying problems that come with age,
but you’re not helpless. Wear sunglasses whenever you are in
any bright light, and wear earplugs when around loud noises. Get regular
eye exams, as well as ear exams, and follow your doctor’s advice.
Glasses and hearing aids may be prescribed, but it’s worth it
to be able to hear your granddaughter’s piano recital, and see
your grandson’s card he made for you for your birthday.
Your teeth are also going to be used. The condition
they will be in depends greatly on how you took care of them in the
years before. Your mouth may also become drier and your gums may start
to recede, leaving more teeth to look at. The lack of saliva causes
your teeth and gums to become more vulnerable to infection and decay.
Your teeth may also darken a little and become more brittle and easy
to break. Make sure you brush your teeth at least twice a day, and
use dental floss routinely. Also, make sure to go to all of your dental
check ups and ask your dentist any questions you may have.
Your skin will likely be one of the most noticeable changes that come
with age. It’s more fragile, becoming thinner and less elastic.
A decrease in production of natural oils causes your skin to become
drier and more wrinkled. Age spots can occur as well as skin tags.
To take care of your skin, bathe in warm – not hot – water,
and use mild soaps along with moisturizers to keep the skin from getting
dry. When outdoors, use sunscreen and cover up more. If you smoke,
ask for help quitting. Smoking damages your skin and contributes to
wrinkling.
Your weight will become harder to control. With age
comes a decrease in muscle mass, which is replaced by fat. Fat burns
fewer calories than muscle, so you may need to cut calories from your
diet and step up physical activity just to maintain the weight you
are at. To combat this problem, step up your physical activity. It
can be as simple as walking an extra lap around the block, or whatever
you do for physical activity. Also, you may be able to cut down some
portion sizes in your meals, you may not need to eat as much as you
used to.
Let’s finish by reviewing a study on aging and chiropractic.
In this study performed by the the Canadian Chiropractic College in
Toronto, scientists compared people who used chiropractic as part
of their health care to those who did not. Of those who did, only
5% had been put in a nursing home. Of those who did not, over 48%
had been hospitalized!! This alone should convince anyone who is concerned
about their aging health or the health of their parents to commit
to regular chiropractic care.
