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For Your Health
Don't let four-legged friends trip you up
We all know that falling is a serious health risk among older adults, but did you know that our four-legged friends Fluffy and Fido are often the culprit?
According to a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 87,000 people are injured each year because of pet-related falls -- that's about 30 out of every 100,000 people.
The study also found that the injury ratio increases significantly with age. For example, among people age 65-74 the injury rate is 47 out of every 100,000 people; for 75-84 year-olds it's nearly 69 per 100,000; and for people age 85 and older it's 70.6 per 100,000.
Just as older adult are more likely to fall because of pets, they are also more likely to be seriously injured. The CDC's data show that people age 75 and older have the highest fracture rates due to pet-related falls.
This doesn't mean older adults should give up their four-legged friends. There are things you can do to prevent pet-related falls, including: improve the lighting in your home, particularly around stairs and in areas where pets sleep; pick up pet-related clutter such as toys and food dishes when not in use; and use obedience training for dogs.
Visit these resources for more information about fall prevention among older adults:
Hamilton County Fall Prevention Task Force
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Read complete results from the CDC study
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Heart Smart Nutrition
John Pantel, Dietetic Intern
The foods you eat can play a big part in the control and prevention of heart related illnesses such as hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Diet and lifestyle changes can often reduce or eliminate the need for medications and all the side effects that may accompany them.
Eating a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products can help protect your heart. Building meals around colorful fruits and vegetables can help make it easy to get the recommended five to ten servings of a day. Nuts, seeds and legumes, such as beans, lentils and peas, can be good sources of protein, magnesium and potassium as well as other plant compounds that may benefit the heart. Low-fat sources of protein such as lean meats, poultry and fish are high in B-vitamins, zinc and iron, but need to be eaten in moderation because they contain fat and cholesterol.
Certain kinds of fish such as salmon and mackerel are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids which have been shown to lower the risk of heart attack, protect against irregular heartbeats and lower blood pressure. Choosing whole grain breads, rice and pasta can help add fiber to meals and are higher in nutrients than refined grains.
Maintaining a healthy body weight, getting regular exercise, a low sodium diet and eating foods rich in calcium, potassium and magnesium are all part of a heart healthy lifestyle.
Need more information? The American Heart Association's Healthy Lifestyle Web page is a good place to start.
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