Sick and tired
The older I get, the more tired I get -- and a lot of my patients say the same thing. But there comes a point when your fatigue is more than a byproduct of age. It can mean illness, and, in some cases -- especially among the elderly -- it can mean anemia.
Anemia occurs when your body doesn't have enough healthy red blood cells, which are the main carriers of oxygen to your organs. This condition is pretty common, and most people don't think it's all that serious. But the fact is, it can prove fatal if untreated.
A recent study found that older anemia patients have a doubled risk of physical decline, eventually leading to death.
Symptoms of anemia include extreme fatigue, weakness and frequent breathlessness after just a little exertion, lightheadedness, a rapid heartbeat, dizziness, leg cramps, and insomnia. There are many kinds of anemia, but the most common is iron-deficiency anemia. It can also be caused by other things like blood loss, a vitamin B12 and folate deficiency, and red blood cell destruction, to name a few. Most kinds of anemia are very treatable -- and there are natural remedies for it.
To determine what kind of anemia you have, your doctor will probably examine your medical history and run a series of lab tests. Once he figures that out, it'll be time for treatment.
At that point, one of the most important things you can do is make sure you're getting enough of whatever nutrient your blood is deficient in. This could mean changing your diet or taking supplements.
For instance, if your anemia is the result of an iron-deficiency, you need to up your intake of iron-rich foods like liver, green leafy vegetable, beets, dried fruits, bran, oysters, brown rice, lentils, molasses, raisins, prunes, or breads and pastas made from whole grain flour.
Your doctor may also recommend iron supplements, but be careful. Too much iron can be dangerous too, resulting in problems like fatigue, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, irritability, and joint problems. It can also set you up for diabetes and heart disease (increasing your iron too much can result in too many of the free radicals that cause inflammation throughout the body).
Because of this, you need to be sure that you're getting enough vitamin C if you're taking iron supplements. Vitamin C helps your body to absorb the iron better, and also helps you to rebuild red blood cells (as I said earlier, red blood cell destruction can trigger an iron-deficiency anemia). Ideally, you'll need to supplement with 250 mg daily, in addition to healthy portions of fruits and vegetables.
As far as iron supplements go, I recommend the product from Solgar called Gentle Iron. You should be able to find it at your local vitamin store. If not, try www.solgar.com. I recommend taking two to three capsules a day. Swallow it down with some orange juice, which helps out with absorption.
A brisk walk predicts more than how far you'll go
A quarter mile doesn't sound like a very hard walk. But for some people it's a long, long way to go -- and those people have a bigger problem than how quickly they can get where they're going. A recent study showed that people in their 70s who can walk a quarter of a mile have a better chance of living longer and not developing a disability any time soon. Those people who can't -- well, they might be in trouble.
In the study, researchers studied 2,680 people ages 70 to 79 and their abilities to complete a quarter mile walk as quickly as possible, keeping a steady pace, without running. Thirteen percent of the participants couldn't do it.
Five years later, many of the people who couldn't finish the walk had died, were diagnosed with heart disease, or developed mobility problems that left them disabled.
What's so good about this test is that it could be a great alternative to the faster-paced treadmill test used by so many doctors during routine physicals. A lot of people just can't keep up with the quicker pace of a treadmill. With the quarter-mile walking test -- which can be performed just by walking down the nearest hallway or sidewalk -- all that matters is that you can finish it. Also, this is a test you can give yourself. It's pretty easy: map out a quarter mile and then try to walk it.
If you can't do it, it's time to go see your doctor. There could be a problem that you don't know about.
