Sunny Health

The study was done on men aged 45-82 however, and one might argue that the subjects are skewed. Nevertheless, while more research needs to be done to establish a direct link between breakfast and heart attacks, it has certainly been proven that breakfast does a lot of good for males and females across various age groups.

The million dollar question however, is making time for a well-balanced healthy breakfast. Easier said than done, said  a friend of mine recently with regards to finding time during the morning rush hour. He had lamented that rising at 7 in the morning left barely sufficient time for morning exercise, shower, shaving, and putting together his outfit before going off to work. He drives to work and starts work at 9pm.

Rightly, aside from outfit planning (which can be done the night before to save time), the morning before work or school is a hectic period made worst by the fervent desire that you were still lying in bed. Getting up earlier is not a solution for everyone as some people feel queasy if they were to eat early in the morning.

A good solution is an almost instantaneous breakfast that is light and healthy.

Here are some ideas that require usually less than fifteen minutes to prepare. Just make sure you have the ingredients the night before and know where you keep them so you don’t waste time scrambling around for them.

(Image from livelighter.org)

Cheesy Fruit Breakfast Bowl

You don’t even have to cook this!

You will need –
- One serving of your favourite fruit, cut up or cubed. Apples, bananas, blue berries, grapes, pears are healthy and tasty options
- ½ cup of low-fat Cottage cheese
- ½ table spoon of cinnamon sauce, or natural honey for diabetics and those who should be watching their sugar levels.
Quantities can be adjusted according to personal preference.

Place cottage cheese in a bowl. Mix in half of the cinnamon sauce / honey until the mixture is well blended.

Add your cut or cubed fruit, stir, and then top with the remaining cinnamon sauce / honey.

That’s all! You can vary the types of fruits each day for more variety.


Oatmeal with fruits

Oatmeal is one of the healthiest choices for breakfast. Steel-cut oats are the healthiest, but they also take a rather long time to cook, so if you don’t have the luxury, you can still go with instant oats. Instants do not contain much fibre, and that’s where fruits and nuts make up for it. In particular, blueberries go well with oats. Flaxseed and almonds stimulate the meal with a crunchy texture while contributing additional essential nutrients, including fibre, unsaturated fats, vitamins and minerals.


Egg in a mug

Most of us wouldn’t think of putting eggs in our mugs unless we’re making milo with egg, but when you’re in a rush, it sure is easier to multi-task by eating from a mug than a plate or bowl! Why else did the concept of cup noodles come about?

You will need:

A microwave oven.
½ serving of apples or pears, chopped or cubed. Other fruits will do too, but this dish will be served warm, so you would probably not want to add fruits that will taste weird when warm. Alternatively, you can also use broccoli instead of fruits.
½ an egg, raw. Keep the other half refrigerated for the next day.
¼ cup of cottage cheese. Cheddar cheese slices will do too, but they should be chopped up for easier blending.
Seasoning: salt, pepper, garlic powder (optional)

Quantities can be adjusted according to personal preference.

Add the chopped fruits in a mug, and put the mug in the microwave oven to microwave for about one minute. This serves to soften and warm the fruits.

Pour the egg in and microwave for about another 2 minutes.

Add cheese and stir, then microwave for about 1 minute.

Mix and scramble. When the egg is set, you can add some seasoning.

Enjoy!

For an additional treat, you can add other ingredients like shredded mushrooms, ham bits and even some minced meat for a more filling breakfast. Make sure meat is already cooked as you can’t count on a microwave oven to cook your raw meat in such a short time frame! Look into your fridge and see what you got. Leftovers from dinner the night before could inspire some creative new recipes!

Caution: Eggs are high in protein, so refrain from eating this every morning.


Bananas

Bananas are nutritious, tasty, filling and really easy to eat on the go. You don’t even need to add additional seasoning as they are naturally sweet. What’s not to like about them? Of course, it can be tiresome to eat them every morning. You can create variety by adding them to a bowl of cereal and milk, or having them with sour fruits. From personal experience, they taste best when consumed with cubed strawberries and blueberries.

If all else fails, head to 7-11 or your nearest bread store the night before and stock up on ready-made sandwiches! They’re still healthier than chemically processed instants.

Back in 2001 when the concept of NEWater was made known to the public, there was much skepticism about it. Cynics referred to drinking NEWater as drinking sewerage, for that was indeed the main source of NEWater, never mind that detailed descriptions have been provided about the water treatment process. Some have even reportedly complained that bottled NEWater had a strange smell, though that is more likely a psychological effect.

The news that UNICEF is distributing water generated from sweat for drinking is likely to raise some eyebrows, and perhaps some bile. But as with NEWater, the sources go through a strict treatment regimen to generate clean water that is perfectly safe to drink. According to BBC News, Engineer Andreas Hammar, who designed and built the sweat-extraction machine, a technique called membrane distillation is used, which only lets steam through, but keeps bacteria, salts and other irrelevant substances out. It works on a similar concept to what is being used on the International Space Station to treat astronaut’s urine for drinking (cue gasps, but drinking water’s got to come from somewhere!)
 
The machine is more a publicity stunt to promote awareness about the shortage of clean water than an actual solution to the problem. Perspiration is difficult to obtain, especially when the weather isn't sufficiently hot, and water purifying pills are much easier to utilize.

Nevertheless, this is a solemn reminder on how we should appreciate the clean water and advanced technology that we get ready access to. Many of us are accustomed to boiling water from the tap before drinking it, but in fact, under regular circumstances, boiling water is insufficient in getting rid of impurities that have a higher boiling point than water. Only the rigorous treatments that our reservoir waters are subjected to are capable of truly ridding the water of all undrinkable substances.

According to UNICEF, 780 million people lack access to clean drinking water. Thousands of children die everyday, killed by water-bourne diseases carried by contagious water, or due to contamination and poor sanitation.

Many of us are rightly concerned about the danger of unclean water to our health. It is therefore encouraged that when traveling, one should always do research on the safety of the water available in the country, and avoid drinking from the tap, even if you have habitually done so in Singapore. That is not to suggest that only Singapore has adequate water treatment technologies, but in some cases, travelers fall sick because the pathogens in the water, which locals have already adapted to, are foreign to their immune systems. In a personal example, a friend of mine from a developing country had insisted on drinking water from the tap in the US, proudly proclaiming that her immune system has been toughened by the sanitation conditions in her homeland, only to develop a diarrhea the very next day from drinking it. Even developed countries are not always risk-free as they have on occasion reported cases of water-bourne disease outbreaks from contaminated water.

In general, when traveling, stick with bottled water from sealed, tamper-proof containers. If you must drink from the tap, boil your water, as exposure to high temperatures can help to kill parasites. Tea, coffee, juice, wine and other beverages that have been processed are generally safe. Watch out for the ice as well, as freezing water does not kill bacteria. Make your own ice by boiling water before freezing it.

Aside from drinking water, you should also consider that water that you use for other vital sanitation purposes that if done poorly, can lead to serious contamination problems. Examples include brushing teeth, washing of contact lenses, dentures, vegetables and fruits. Do use bottled, boiled or purified water for these, especially if you are traveling in a country with poor reputation for water hygiene. It may be troublesome and more expensive, but it certainly beats spending your holiday at the doctor's. Water purification pills can be a real life-saver.

Here is yet another reason to stay fit and slim.

In May this year, the UK Health Forum presented their research at the European Congress on Obesity in Liverpool, indicating that the risk of contracting dementia almost doubles with midlife obesity.

While no direct reason can be pinpointed for this link between obesity and dementia, it has been established by the French medical institute Inserm that obesity has a negative impact on memory and reasoning. Another theory suggests that proteins released by the fatty issue go into the bloodstream, and this affects cells in the brain.

Regardless, it is absolute that obesity takes a toll on health especially in old age. A healthy body means a healthy mind, and that is critical in the prevention of dementia. As Dr James Pickett, head of research at the Alzheimer's Society says, "The best way to reduce your risk of developing dementia is to eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly and maintain a healthy weight."

Losing weight and staying active get increasingly difficult as one gets older, but that should not deter senior citizens. It is never too late to start getting fit and healthy, and it doesn’t have to take a lot of perspiration and strain!

Manage Emotions

One tends to get sentimental and easily emotional when you get older. And often times, negative emotions may cause one to turn to comfort food. Binging is a common problem for people who are stressed and unhappy.

Make sure you get sufficient sleep, as one is more vulnerable to stress and unhappy emotions when tired. Even if it is difficult to fall asleep immediately, go to bed at an early hour (preferably by 11pm). Try relaxation techniques to help you eliminate your mind from worries and fall asleep, such as deep breathing, listening to soft music, or putting calming fragrances in your room. Get your eight glasses of water early in the day and refrain from drinking and eating after 8pm. This reduces the frequency that you’d need to empty your bladder at night.

Boredom breeds loneliness and depression, and eating ends up as a common past time to fill the gap. Find other healthier diversions that make you happy, such as going for a walk, reading a funny book or even taking a shower. Consider taking classes at the community centre or going on day trips organised by your Residential Committee. These are often affordably priced, and you get to make new friends while learning something new.

Always think moderation, not complete elimination, in consideration of your favourite food, and you’ll feel more positive about cutting back.

Appropriate Physical Activity

It is most effective to combine three types of exercises – aerobic exercise for strength and endurance (e.g. walking, aerobics), calisthenics (e.g. stretching, bending) for flexibility and weight training (e.g. lifting dumb bells) to boost strength.

Walking is one of the best exercises for senior citizens, as it is not too strenuous but is effective at strengthening your heart, lungs, vascular system, bones and muscles. Three days a week, walk for about 30 minutes to 1 hour each day, at a pace that is comfortable but brisk enough to make you breathe a little harder than usual and perspire.

Alternatively, 10,000 steps a day (about 8 kilometres) is quite sufficient to keep you fit.

Swimming is a great option for those who suffer from painful joints from arthritis. The water keeps you buoyant, lifting stress off your joints. Its only shortcoming is that it does not help you strengthen your bones.

Lifting weights (dumb bells or even bottles of water) builds muscles, and muscle tissue burns more calories than fat tissue does even in state of non-activity. As you get older, you lose muscle mass and the need for calories, so calorie intake for a young person will be in excess for an older person, and this means you put on weight more easily.

In addition, lifting weights help to build strength in muscles, allowing you to perform more strenuous tasks on your own. Nevertheless, weight lifting is tricky if you have not been doing it regularly. The key is to start off slow, at a lower frequency and low weight. Be sure to consult a professional trainer for guidance, especially if you have existing ailments.

As with any age group, have a balanced diet and vice-free lifestyle. Consult the doctor before attempting any weight loss medication or diet plan. Stay active and keep your mind and body well-occupied with meaningful activities. Dementia is never part and parcel of the ageing process even if age is indeed a risk factor. Don’t let it deprive you of the joy you deserve in your golden years.


Sources:
http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/aging/senior-health-lifestyle/lose-weight-senior1.htm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/may/12/obesity-dementia-alzheimers-disease
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-23159127