Senior eguide more than 50 tips for senior care at home or in carehomes and nursing homes

1. Senior Tips by Connie 408-854-1883 motherhealth@gmail.com
www.motherhealthcare.com
Motherhealth Inc non-profit at 1708 Hallmark Lane San Jose CA 95124
Seek your care providers or doctors first...The following are to be verified with
your doctors
Back Pain
Many disease conditions are associated with back pain. Always communicate to
your doctor. Maintain a correct posture with the abdomen drawn in and the back
and knees straight. Lifting heavy or awkward objects should be avoided. When
lifting, the objects must be held close to the body with the knees bent and the
back kept straight to put the strain on the thigh muscles and not those of the
back.
Pelvic rocks which combines hip movement and rocking the pelvis in back and
forward motion helps tone the muscles and improve circulation. Pelvic tilts are
also good for toning the muscles and ligaments that support the internal organs
and easing tensions.
Pelvic tilts are done by lying on your back with knees bent and feet flat. Tighten
the abdominals and buttocks and press the small of the back down or scoop the
sacrum into the floor repeatedly at least for 6 times or more and breathe. It can
be done by either sitting, standing or lying.
"If back pains increase or get worse, or you are experiencing kidney pain, check
with your health care providers. Sometimes folks have kidney stones or muscle
spasms. And of course, any sort of persistent or intermittent low back pain could
indicate an infection.”
Universal Herbs for Back Pain: Minerals such as Calcium (Chamomile, Fennel),
Cobalt (Dandelion, Red Clover), Iron (Yellow Dock, Rosemary, Ginseng, Burdock),
Magnesium (Alfalfa, Catnip, Red Clover, Valerian), Vitamin K (Rose hips,
Cayenne),
Zinc (Licorice, Sarsaparilla) and Vitamin C (Bee pollen, chickweed, echinacea,
garlic, juniper berries, peppermint, Saluyot in the Philippines and rose hips).
Food: Yellow colored fresh and whole foods
Nausea and Vomiting
Most neuromeds can cause nausea, dizziness and/or vomiting since most of the
meds depletes the body with nutrients such as Vit C and B vitamins. A light full
body massage oxygenates the body. Taking ginger capsule and eating crackers
early in the morning before getting up from my bed helped me. The combination
of walking, fresh air, avoiding greasy or highly seasoned foods, using the power of

2. the mind, and relaxing also helped in controlling nausea and vomiting. Eat small,
frequent meals and dry foods with fluids between meals.
Food/Supplementation: Vitamin B6 100 mg can be very helpful taken two or
three times a day. Eating nuts helps since they stay longer in the stomach
because of their high protein content.
In Europe, mothers apply ice cold washcloth to their eyes when nauseous.
Drinking lots of water and eating something (in small amounts) every two hours
also prevents nausea and vomiting. In China, acupuncture points on the wrists
(or sea bands) can help in nausea. If vomiting persists be sure you to call your
health care provider.
Universal Herbs for Nausea: Ginger and Vitamin B6 (Hawthorne, Licorice,
Papaya), peach leaf, blackberries, red raspberry, peppermint, wild yam, anise,
cinnamon, cloves, oregano. The lemon scent sometimes helps women get through
this difficult time.
Heartburn and Gas
In the morning, an enzyme supplement would help before the start of your meal
for the day. Eat small, more frequent meals. Lie down and do abdominal
breathing. Try some pelvic rocks. Pay attention to which foods and spices bring on
heartburn and gas. Check your food combination (fruit with heavy protein is not
good) and avoid overeating. Avoid offending foods such as fatty and friend foods,
beans, tofu, carbonation, etc. Eating papaya or pineapple helps break down the
fat in your food. If you get pain after eating spicy foods, perhaps your gallbladder
is acting up. Again, persistent pain of any type needs to be reported to your
health care provider.
Universal Herbs: Angelica, borage, cayenne, peppermint, valerian, wintergreen,
holy thistle, papaya
Constipation
Fiber of any form moves bowels. Constipation can be caused by decreased
motility of the digestive system, so drink lots of fluids and eat lots of fiber. Try
prunes or prune juice. Eat plenty of raw greens and bran which are high fiber
foods and any fresh and dried fruits. Eat banana in moderation. Drink a lot of
fluids especially water. Exercise daily. Squat on the toilet or use a box or stool for
elevating feet to facilitate bowel movements. Develop regular bowel habits.
Hemorrhoids

3. Closely related to constipation is hemorrhoids. Some of the same suggestions
apply: Rub Vitamin E oil directly on the anus. Eat lots of fruits. A mother in the
Far East spicy foods, intoxicating liquors, white bread, sugar, fried foods and all
acid-forming foods which cause fermentation. Drink at least a pint of fresh fruit or
vegetable juice each day.
Avoid taking ordinary purgatives that are on the market as they irritate the
membranous lining of the bowels and intestines. Drink more fluids. Put feet on a
small stool while sitting on the toilet for bowel movement. Do pelvic rocks and
lots of pelvic floor exercises. Take sitz baths (shallow and hot for the parts of you
where you sits).
Apply witch hazel or a commercial preparation and rectal poultice of chamomile
leaves and white oak bark powder. Try to lie down or at least get off your feet
part of the day.
Gently tuck the hemorrhoid back up into the rectum with a lubricated finger for
instant relief.
Herbs: ginger, witch hazel (external), burdock, plaintain, yarrow For external
suppository, mix the following with glycerine, stiff enough to form suppository and
insert it into the rectum at night and leaving it: 2 oz of powdered Hemlock Bark,
1 oz of Golden Seal, 1 oz of powdered wheat flour, 1 oz of Boric acid, 1 oz of
Bayberry bark
Bleeding Gums
Be certain you are not anemic, and be very gentle on your gums during
pregnancy. Use a soft toothbrush. Increase your intake of Vitamin C and calcium.
Floss regularly and see your dentist. Try applying white oak bark powder to your
gums or use white oak bark tea for swishing around on the inside of the mouth.
Brush with equal parts of golden seal and myrrh three times a day.
Herbs: Shepherd’s purse and wild alum root
Edema
Lying on your side or elevating your feet can help relieve swelling and edema.
Sitting or standing for long periods of time can promote edema. Drink lots of
fluids to promote good tissue balance. Soaking in the bathtub with Epsom salts
can help relive the edema too. Putting your feet up, high fluid intake. Eating
plenty of protein rich food are important. Consult your health care provider if you
have sudden edema, blinding headaches or there is protein in the urine coupled
with a high blood pressure and swelling. Check your excess weight and fatty diet,
eat more fiber and check your meds and call your doctor for it might involve
kidney and heart functions.

4. Insomia
Choose your bed and mattress well. Check your meds combo. Do a facial (around
the eyes, the jaw and the top of the neck beneath the occiput), head and neck
massage before going to bed. Drink chamomile tea and use lots of pillows. Eat
some protein and avoid sugary foods at bedtime. Some women find a cup of hot
chocolate milk helps them sleep. Keep food at the side of your bed should you be
hungry in the middle of the night.
Leg Cramps
Press the point in the center of the calf for relief. Also, flex the foot towards you
with hard pressure or dorsiflex foot to stretch affected muscle. Eat calcium rich
foods and take a calcium/magnesium supplement before going to bed. Sleeping
on the right or left side helps (with lots of pillows for support) prevent leg cramps
and doesn't impede the blood vessels. In the afternoon, don't forget to take your
calcium, magnesium, Vit C and D supplements.
Massage
Our bodies need massage as my mom would massage her self when she feels
that her body is stuck and needing a boost of energy and be replenished.
Massage restores energy from a depleted state by stimulating circulation and
bringing tension to rest. Massage can ease the stress on weight bearing joints
and help release postural strains. It is not indicated when someone has a fever or
infection, swollen vein, inflamed joint, vomiting or diarrhea or if the care giver
advised against it. Do keep your movements smooth and rhythmic, paying
attention to our bodies’ nonverbal cues.
You can apply light oil of her choice and keep your fingers together when you
knead and stroke. Massage scalp, around eyes, and around legs and buttocks to
release exhaustion and help keep your bottom loose. For back pain, apply
pressure on the lower back to relieve a low back pain. Press hands (or arm or
feet) in a V shape on the sacrum (lower back). Press outward from sacrum into
buttocks.
A warm water bottle covered with cloth can also be pressed on the lower back.
The following massage strokes can be effectively applied to many areas of the
body:
• Effleurage is long, full handed strokes that apply broad, firm pressure in one
direction and a softer resting pull back to the beginning of the stroke. Begin and
end with an Effleurage.
• Petrissage is a kneading stroke using the following techniques: hands kneading

5. alternately, hand over hand as in pulling up through the sides of the receiver's
torso, hands flat and pulling opposite to cause light friction and hands stroking
apart like breaking bread is useful on the feet, hands and limbs.
• Friction is moving in circles with one or two thumbs.
Fish: Eating fish oil at least once a week is linked to a reduced risk for
neurovascular age-related Macular degeneration
AMD is the major cause of adult blindness in developed countries and the third
cause of global blindness. The 2 main types of AMD are NV-AMD and geographic
atrophy. Despite recent advances in the treatment of NV-AMD, it still remains a
major cause of significant visual morbidity. Fish intake, the major source of DHA
and EPA, may reduce the risk for AMD. Specifically, the main dietary source is oily
fish such as mackerel, tuna, salmon, sardines, and herring.
The main dietary source of DHA and EPA is oily fish such as mackerel, tuna,
salmon, sardines, and herring.
Good Energy Foods to Calm You Down
But true comfort foods do exist:
• Berries, any berries. Eat them one by one instead of M&Ms when the
pressure's on. For those tough times when tension tightens your jaw, try
rolling a frozen berry around in your mouth. And then another, and another.
Since the carbs in berries turn to sugar very slowly, you won't have a blood-
sugar crash. The bonus: They're a good source of vitamin C (and other stuff
for balancing your hormones), which helps fight a jump in cortisol, a stress
hormone.
• Guacamole. Good fat that helps in losing weight. If you're craving
something creamy, look no further. Avocados are loaded with B vitamins
(and other aphrodisiacs), which stress quickly depletes and which your body
needs in order to maintain nerves and brain cells.
• Mixed nuts. Just an ounce will do. Walnuts help replace those stress-
depleted B vitamins, Brazil nuts give you a whopping amount of zinc (which
is also drained by high anxiety), and almonds boost your E (brain food),
which helps fight cellular damage linked to chronic stress. Buy nuts in the
shell and think of it as multitasking: With every squeeze of the nutcracker,
you're releasing a little tension.
• Oranges. People who take 1,000 milligrams of C before giving a speech
have lower levels of cortisol and lower blood pressures than those who
don't. So lean back, take a deep breath, and concentrate on peeling a large
orange. The 5-minute mindfulness break will ease your mind, and you'll get

6. a bunch of C (and Calcium too) as well.
• Asparagus. Each tender stalk is a source of folic acid (oxygenate your
cells), a natural mood lightener. Dip the spears in fat-free yogurt or sour
cream for a hit of calcium with each bite.
• hai tea. A warm drink is a supersoother, and curling up with a cup of
aromatic decaf chai tea (Tazo makes ready-to-brew bags) can make the
whole evil day go away.
• Dark chocolate. Okay, there's nothing in it that relieves stress, but when
only chocolate will do, reach for the dark (rich in Magnesium which relaxes
your nerves), sultry kind that's at least 70% cocoa. You figure if the
antioxidant flavanoids in it are potent enough to fight cancer and heart
disease, they've got to be able to temper tension's effects.
• Apples. For fiber, for anti-bronchitis, for rich Vitamin and Minerals and
more..
Senior Supplementation
Sarah Cook, ND 408-395-1231 www.pharmaca.com
Start with the “Take 5 to Thrive!” This is a basic supplementation plan that
includes:
• High Quality Multivitamin/mineral
This will provide a balanced array of B vitamins for heart and brain health,
vitamins A, C and E for antioxidant support, and minerals to keep all of our body
processes functioning well. Some multivitamins are formulated specifically for
seniors to contain higher amounts of vitamin D and B vitamins.
• Fish Oil
Fish oil provides omega-3 fatty acids including EPA and DHA. EPA supports
cardiovascular health and minimizes inflammation. DHA supports the brain, eyes,
and mood.
• Probiotics
Probiotics provide beneficial bacteria that colonize all of our mucous membranes.
Probiotics support healthy digestion and a balanced immune response.
• Fiber
With age, all digestive processes slow down. Fiber helps promote daily
detoxification and healthy bowel movements.
• Antioxidant Supplement
Oxidative damage contributes to the process of aging including skin aging and
increased susceptibility to diseases such as cancer and heart disease.
Antioxidants counteract oxidative damage to protect against the effects of aging.

7. For some seniors, it may be helpful to include additional supplementation such
as:
• Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)
CoQ10 is a powerful antioxidant. It also helps to protect healthy heart function.
CoQ10 is especially important for any senior at high risk for cardiovascular
disease or who is taking a statin medication for cholesterol.
• Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 becomes more difficult to digest and absorb as we age. B12 is
important for the health of the brain and nervous system. It can be taken as a
sublingual tablet or drops to improve absorbability.
• Vitamin D
If your multivitamin contains less than 1,000 iu of vitamin D, consider additional
supplementation. Vitamin D supports the health of bones and the immune
system.
Seniors should take 1,000 – 2,000 iu per day.
Because every individual is unique, there may be other supplements that could be
added for your needs. Pharmaca offers free nutritional advice from our team of
healthcare practitioners. Stop in so we canl help you FEEL BETTER!