In the Great Cold, the temperature is gradually getting colder. How can the elderly with reduced physical functions maintain their health during the Great Cold? Let me introduce it to you below. I hope it will be useful to you!

Health-preserving foods for the elderly in the Great Cold

1: Warm foods

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that foods such as mutton, dog meat, longan, leeks, walnuts, millet, etc. have the effect of warming yang and replenishing qi. Appropriate amounts are Eating it can improve your ability to withstand the cold. On the contrary, it is best to eat less cool or cold foods such as duck meat, crab, bananas, cucumbers, pears, mung beans, watermelon, and rock sugar.

2: Foods containing methionine

Low temperature increases the excretion of creatine in human urine and accelerates fat metabolism. The synthesis of creatine and fat metabolism require methyl groups, and these methyl groups can be provided by methionine. Methionine is one of the eight essential amino acids for the human body, and foods rich in amino acids include sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, leafy vegetables, etc. For the elderly, you might as well eat more pig blood. The amino acid ratio in pig blood is very close to that of the human body and is easy to absorb. It is suitable for the elderly with reduced digestive function.

3: Calcium-containing foods

Medical research has proven that cold sensitivity is related to a lack of minerals in the diet, especially calcium deficiency, which will affect the flexibility and excitability of the heart muscle, blood vessels and muscles. sex. Therefore, you might as well eat more calcium-rich foods such as milk, soy products, and dried shrimps in winter. In addition, root vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, lotus roots, green onions, and potatoes contain a large amount of minerals, and regular consumption can also enhance the body's cold resistance.

4: Vitamin-containing foods

Low temperature will accelerate the metabolism of vitamins in the body, and the diet should be supplemented in time. For example, vitamin A can enhance the body's ability to withstand cold; vitamin C can improve the body's ability to adapt to cold. Therefore, the intake of vitamin A-rich foods such as animal liver, carrots, and pumpkins, and vitamin C-rich foods such as fresh vegetables and fruits should be appropriately increased in winter.

5: Foods containing iodine

The human thyroid gland can secrete a hormone called thyroxine, which has a thermogenic effect. Thyroxine is composed of iodine and tyrosine. Tyrosine can be synthesized in the body, but iodine must rely on "foreign aid." Therefore, you should eat more iodine-rich foods such as kelp, seaweed, and shellfish in winter.

6: Iron-containing foods

Research shows that many women’s fear of cold in winter is related to iron deficiency in the body. Therefore, women who are afraid of cold can consume more iron-rich foods, such as animal blood and liver. The iron in animal foods is heme iron, which has a high absorption rate after being ingested by the human body. Especially animal blood, the iron absorption rate can be as high as 22 or more. Plant foods such as fungus, kelp, sesame, etc., although they also contain high iron, their absorption rate is low, mostly around 10.

The elderly need to prevent "five diseases" during the severe cold

Prevent stroke

According to data reports, about 70% of stroke patients mostly develop symptoms in winter, so experts say for “Winter Neurology Epidemic.” Why do strokes tend to occur in winter? This is because the temperature is low in winter. After the human body is exposed to cold, the capillaries throughout the body shrink, the peripheral resistance of the blood circulation increases, and the load on the left ventricle and brain increases, causing an increase in blood pressure and promoting thrombosis. , leading to stroke. Stroke has an acute onset, rapid progression, and high mortality rate. Therefore, it is necessary to effectively prevent stroke during the cold winter season. To prevent stroke, we must first treat primary diseases such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, and diabetes. Secondly, we must pay attention to timely detection of aura symptoms, such as sudden dizziness, severe headache, blurred vision, numbness of limbs, etc. If such symptoms occur, we must respond immediately. Send to hospital for treatment.

Preventing Myocardial Infarction

Cold winter is the peak incidence of myocardial infarction. This is because after the human body is exposed to cold, the blood vessels contract, the fibrinogen in the blood increases, and the blood viscosity increases. When the blood pressure increases, it is easy to form thrombus, which can lead to myocardial ischemia and hypoxia, induce angina pectoris, and in severe cases, myocardial infarction. Therefore, the elderly should strengthen outdoor physical exercise during the cold winter season and pay attention to cold protection and warmth. It is best to control the room temperature at 15°C to 18°C ??to prevent cold evil from invading and inducing new diseases. Drugs that dissolve thrombolysis, lower lipids, dilate blood vessels, and prevent and treat myocardial ischemia and hypoxia can also be used under the guidance of a doctor.

Anti-itching

The elderly have degenerative facial atrophy and hypofunction of sebaceous glands. They are prone to facial itching in cold and dry climates. The disease often worsens at night and often makes it difficult to sleep. Therefore, the elderly should pay attention to their diet during the cold winter, eat more fresh vegetables, fruits and soy products, and avoid spicy foods such as peppers and garlic. They can also use traditional Chinese medicine to nourish blood, replenish qi, moisturize skin and relieve itching, such as Black sesame, Liuwei Rehmannia Wan and Wolfberry Rehmannia Wan etc.

Prevent stomach diseases

In the mid-winter season, after the human body is exposed to cold, the histamine in the blood increases, gastric acid secretion is strong, gastrointestinal spasmodic contractions occur, and the body's disease resistance and adaptation Sex also decreases, so elderly people with stomach problems are prone to relapse in winter, and even cause serious complications such as gastric bleeding and gastric perforation. Therefore, the elderly should pay special attention to keeping their stomach warm in winter. They should choose warm, soft, light and easy-to-digest foods. They should eat small meals frequently, avoid raw and cold foods, quit smoking and alcohol, and actively participate in physical exercise to improve their stomach health. Intestinal blood circulation reduces the chance of gastric disease.

Prevent colds

Colds in the elderly are common and frequently-occurring diseases in the cold winter. It is not a serious problem, but if it is not treated in time, it can easily lead to various dangers. Life complications such as pneumonia, cor pulmonale, asthma and chronic bronchitis. According to reports, the mortality rate from lung infection in the elderly is as high as 36%. Therefore, in the cold winter season, the elderly should pay attention to strengthening cold-resistant exercises and adjusting their diet. It is best to wash their faces with cold water and feet with hot water every day to improve immunity, enhance disease resistance, and prevent the occurrence of colds.

Knowledge on health and wellness for the elderly

1. Eat with caution:

The Encyclopedia of Health Preservation for the Elderly says well, “If you eat too much, you will get sick, so be careful when you eat. Eating can avoid disaster." This means that as the elderly grow older, their spleen and stomach will become weaker, and their digestive function will not be as good as before. If you eat too much, your stomach will become full and it is easy for stagnation to occur. If accumulated for a long time, it will turn into heat, which will inevitably consume body fluids and damage yin. Health experts suggest that middle-aged and elderly people must know the time to eat. They should eat when they are slightly hungry. It is best to eat at a fixed time for each meal. In addition, you should not eat too fast, chew slowly and take at least 20 minutes for each meal. Some data show that men who eat too fast are prone to cancer. It is best for the elderly to eat more cold vegetables and whole grains.

2. Medication with caution:

Be careful when using medication for the elderly. As age increases, the liver detoxification function and kidney detoxification function of the elderly are relatively weak. If it is not due to physical illness, Unless you need medicine urgently, you should take as little medicine as possible, and you should not mix multiple medicines together. Experts remind the elderly not to abuse antibiotics as soon as they catch a cold, and not to go to the hospital for intravenous drips as soon as they catch a cold. Because if you take too many medicines and inject them too often, your body will develop drug resistance. Many elderly people think that taking traditional Chinese medicine has few side effects on the body. In fact, this is not the case. Everyone should know that medicine is divided into three parts toxins. Therefore, try not to use too much Western medicine or Chinese medicine. In addition, taking too many supplements not only fails to provide health care, but is also detrimental to physical health. For example, if you eat too much velvet antler, ginseng, cordyceps, etc., you will have symptoms such as nose bleeding, dry mouth and throat. If you want to take supplements, you must take them under the guidance of a doctor.

3. Be careful with excitement:

Many elderly people cannot adjust their mentality well as they get older. They are often mentally unbalanced and very easy to get angry. Experts remind that excessive emotion has always been the natural enemy of the health of the elderly. Especially people suffering from heart disease and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases should control their emotions. I believe everyone knows that impulse is the devil. Because being too excited will increase blood pressure and speed up the heartbeat, causing the already hardened cardiovascular and cerebrovascular vessels to rupture and bleed, thus inducing myocardial infarction, stroke and other diseases.