The Key Role of Protein in Healthy Aging

Protein is very important for active healthy adults and elderly, for maintain overall body functioning,  muscle strength, and resilience. However, protein insufficiency is common in aging population. As many at middle-age or after modify their diet due to weight and cholesterol concerns, but neglected protein intake. Other reasons may include physiological aging changes, such as lack of appetite, inactivity, dental health, etc.

Aging is associated with a progressive decline in resting metabolic rate (RMR). Up to 50% of total body weight in young adults is lean muscle mass but this declines with aging to 25% when reaching an age of 75–80 years. As aging will lose muscle mass, protein needs of older adults increase for their muscle functioning and strength. The National Institute of Health recommends that 10-35% of calories should be from protein, regardless of total calorie intake.

To learn more, go to https://www.qualitylifeforum.net/the-key-role-of-protein-in-healthy-aging.html

Take home messages:

• Proteins are the main building blocks of the human body. Best protein source is from balanced diet.
• As aging will lose muscle mass, protein needs of older adults increase for maintain muscle functioning and strength, combined with exercise and resistant training.
• Animal-based (complete) protein include casein, whey, and collagen and plant-based (incomplete) protein include soy, pea, rice, and hemp.
• A variety of protein supplements are available and may be used for personal goals of muscle building, weight loss or nutritional needs.
• Whey protein powder is generally safe and well tolerated at recommended dosage 

Take Actions: 

1. Track daily food diary for a week for protein intake self-evaluation
2. Get start or continue exercise routine with resistant training
3. Reach out qualitylifeforum@outlook.com for help and personalized health coaching

Dealing with Difficult Emotions in the Holiday Season

The holiday season is family time of joy and love by tradition. The holidays are emotional times, a time in which we focus on family bounds and friends connections which means a lot to us. Holiday cheer can be overwhelming. The holidays can also trigger grief, family tensions, loneliness, and facing our own imperfections.

If you are dealing with challenging emotions and the holidays are difficult for you, understand that you're not alone. The holidays may not in a position to create “the wonderful time of the year” for you but likely to make you feeling sad. For too many people in late life, remembering lost loved ones and memories from past can be painful.

Resistance to pain directly affects suffering. The fact is, trying to repress your true feelings and appear cheery and grateful when you're actually suffering doesn't really work. Respect your own feeling and be able to say “no” is the first line of self-protection. Feel free to turn off the Christmas carols, decline holiday parties, or social events. Don’t feel guilty about skipping events if you’re experiencing holiday overload.

To read the full post, learn about healthy outlets for dealing with difficult feelings, and get help, go to https://www.qualitylifeforum.net/dealing-with-difficult-emo….

Osteoporosis in Women

Osteoporosis are far more common in women than men. Menopause is the most common cause of osteoporosis in women. Preventing bone loss is an important concern in the menopause and during post-menopausal stages. Osteoporosis is a disease that weakens bones to the point where they break easily—most often, bones in the hip, backbone (spine), and wrist. Osteoporosis is called a “silent disease” because there typically are no symptoms in the early stages of bone loss, until developing fractures or collapsed vertebra results in back pain. Medications are available for effective treatment.  Maintain adequate calcium and vitamin D levels are essential. Healthy and active life style benefits bone health for life time.

To read the full post for symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention in more detail, go to

 https://www.qualitylifeforum.net/osteoporosis-in-women.html

Action is what counts: Bridging the gap between health knowledge and behavior transformation

As health science develops globally and information technology become more efficient than ever today, new health information from all channels and connections (television and digital news, social media, emails and blogs, phone and texts, etc) come to us quickly. It can be a bit of overwhelming, but provided us great resources for health news update and opportunities for learning.

In general, the process from information receiving, knowledge building and transformation into practice for health benefits is in a three-step flow:

• Information validation and cognitive processing (scan commercials/scams and knowing it’s health value).
• Transform the learned knowledge into useful skills and apply them in real life.
• Practice, including be able to adjust new skills in variable conditions, for results and sustainable health benefits

Knowledge is power and enable us to make educated choices for healthy living. The behavior transformation is from knowledge. Behavior is the end result that is the only way knowledge can be beneficial. However, it doesn’t happen magically but requires significant time and effort. Bridging the gap between "knowing" and "doing" is a common struggle.

It is true, deep down in our heart, we know what is good things to eat or to do for a healthier and happier life. But despite knowing all of that, we may not ACT on it.  In reality, it’s very common in many people.

There is no simple answer. Humans have emotions, feelings and free wills. We try to reason or make excuses for anything we want or don’t want to do. We are knowledgeable but sometimes tend to overthink, which complicates life.  Furthermore, fundamentally driven towards pleasure and away from pain is human nature. We prefer short term gratification rather than delaying pleasure for long term gain. This explains why many people favor the ice cream rather than eating carrot sticks or do nothing rather than go to gym.  We know well that healthy food choice and fitness are important for well-being, but knowing and doing are in different domains.

To read the full text, go to https://www.qualitylifeforum.net/action-is-what-counts.html 

The key take away messages:

• You know it well. Do it now. Don’t wait. Action is what it counts.
• Take breaks while on vacations and set an allowance for comfort food pleasure are acceptable. Too strict diet may be hard to follow and self-discipline is essential to prevent cheating. The best eating pattern is what works for you and you can stick with. Combine healthy eating with exercise routine is most effective for wellness maintenance.
• The weight has up and down days, don’t see it as a failure. Don’t give up. Be confident that results will sustain with continued efforts. The great feeling after workout is your reward for short term effort and quality of life improvement is your reward in the long run.

Action call: 

Take action today; don’t put it off. You are not alone; we may have different situations but also share something basic in common. Contact QualityLifeForum@outlook.com for a free call. An individualized coaching program can help you achieving your personal health goals.

Time for Change

At certain age, we have used to our own way of doing things and rarely think it twice. However, human body shift gradually from growing to aging stage unnoticed.  Something may go wrong when our body changes but we don’t. When my mom was in her 90’s, once she fell while standing on one leg to put her pants on. I suggested her sitting down to get dressed to be safe, but she was surprised and said she always done it this way. Situations like this happens very often. It’s time to consider change the way that we are using, feeding, and take care of our bodies, adapt to body changes, and reduce safety risks as time goes on.

Human body is changing quietly every day and this process is part of natural aging.  We may not aware of these subtle changes and habitually doing what we use to do. Or, some refuse facing degenerative health conditions by denying it. Our way of thinking may become less flexible and don’t see the negative side of stubbornness creates barriers at every turn at great costs. It’s very sad to see the casualties as the result. We are in charge to initiate TLC transformation to enhance wellness. We are the mastermind to make healthy choices and taking actions for self-care. The therapeutic lifestyle change (TLC)  transformation is an important “DIY” (do it yourself) project of life, instructed by health care professionals and supported by social resources. Be flexible and adaptable; it’s never too old to change for better and enjoy the new experiences with rewarding health benefits.

To learn more, go to www.qualitylifeforum.net to read the full post and other healthy aging topics.

Downsizing in the Golden Years

Downsizing in the Golden Years

Downsizing is a personal choice. Moving to a smaller home with less maintenance and/or a place where your retirement life is more relaxing with lowing cost of living can free up your physical and financial resources for happy golden years ahead. Your will need time think through for making this important decision. Downsizing and moving during retirement is a massive undertaking but with the proper planning can turn out to be a productive, life enhancing adventure. The process of sorting through possessions and making conscious choices to decide how much and what you want to carry on will redefine purpose of life. Downsizing space can relieve financial worries and maintenance burdens, enhance quality of life in the golden years.

Go to QualityLifeForum,net to read the full post and to learn more practical details.

GERD Management with Life Style Modifications

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is the most common upper gastrointestinal disorder seen in the elderly. The most common cause of reflux episodes is transient LES relaxations, the drop in the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure not accompanied by swallowing. Incompetence of the LES was shown to be more prevalent in the elderly. The most common symptoms of GERD are heartburn and acid regurgitation. Other common symptoms may include water brash, belching, chest pain, nausea, chronic sore throat and cough, hoarseness (scratchy-sounding voice), bitter taste in mouth. In addition to medical treatment (i.e., antacids, H2 receptor blockers, proton pump inhibitors), diet and life style modifications are important preventive measures. Go to www.QualityLifeForum.net July 2019 health coaching session to learn more and/or contact QualityLifeForum@outlook.com for your health coaching needs.

Dietary Supplements Are Not Drugs

I received a call in a late evening few days ago from an elderly family friend. She told me that she just got a bottle of “colon health” from pharmacy for prolonged constipation and asking if this drug would work well? After I said that this product is a supplement, not a drug, and she may not expect a quick resolution for her current situation, she was in a disbelieve. Then, she asked “what is a supplement?” Dietary supplements include vitamins, minerals, herbs, botanicals, enzymes, amino acids, or other dietary ingredients. You take these products by mouth in pill, capsule, tablet, or liquid form to supplement your diet. Most people don't need to take vitamin supplements and are able to get all the vitamins and minerals they need by eating a healthy, balanced diet. Dietary supplements are not drugs. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Dietary supplements are intended to supplement the diets of special needs or deficits, but not to replace the balance of the variety of foods important to a healthy diet. Quality food intake is the best source for nutrition and well-being. Go to qualitylifeforum.net to learn more about regulatory background, differences between OTC drugs and supplements, and considerations for supplement use. Feel free to contact RN@QualityLifeForum.net for your health coaching needs.

Cognitive Health

Cognitive health is the ability to clearly think, learn, and remember.   Cognitive change as a normal process of aging has been well documented in the scientific literature. Some cognitive abilities, such as vocabulary, are resilient to brain aging and may even improve with age. Other abilities, such as conceptual reasoning, memory, and processing speed, decline gradually over time.

Concepts of crystallized and fluid intelligence are used to describe patterns of cognitive change over the lifespan. Crystallized intelligence refers to skills, ability, and knowledge that is overlearned, well-practiced, and familiar. Vocabulary and general knowledge are examples of crystallized abilities. Crystallized abilities remain stable or gradually improve through the sixth and seventh decades of life. Because crystallized intelligence is due to accumulation of information based on one’s life experiences, older adults tend to perform better at tasks requiring this type of intelligence when compared to younger adults. In contrast, fluid intelligence refers to abilities involving problem-solving and reasoning about things that are less familiar and are independent of what one has learned. Fluid cognition includes a person’s innate ability to process and learn new information, solve problems, and attend to and manipulate one’s environment. Executive function, processing speed, memory, and psychomotor ability are considered fluid cognitive domains. Many fluid cognitive abilities, especially psychomotor ability and processing speed, peak in the third decade of life and then decline per year.

Certain activities may prevent age-associated cognitive decline is the theory of cognitive reserve. Passive reserve refers to genetically determined characteristics such as brain volume and the number of neurons and synapses present. Active reserve refers to the brain’s potential for plasticity and reorganization in neural processing, allowing it to compensate for neuropathologic changes. 

​The good news is that a meta-analysis of speed of processing training studies supports the idea that cognitive training can have real effects on cognitively normal subjects’ ability to perform activities of daily living. These promising findings suggest that it may be possible to use cognitive training to minimize functional decline with advancing age.


Your brain has the ability to learn and grow as you age — a process called brain plasticity — but for it to do so, you have to train it on a regular basis. Practicing a new and challenging activity in daily life is a good bet for building and maintaining cognitive skills.   

Normal age-related cognitive change does not impair a person’s ability to perform daily activities. It will become increasingly important to understand the cognitive changes that accompany aging, both normal and pathologic. Dementia and mild cognitive impairment are common. There is significant variability in age-related cognitive changes from person to person. The good news is that your brain has the ability to learn and grow as you age under active training on a regular basis. Practicing a new and challenging activity in daily life is a good bet for building and maintaining cognitive skills.   

Visit www.qualitylifeforum.net to read more and learn what can you do for your cognitive health. Contact RN@qualitylifeforum.net for your health coaching needs.

Exercise is Medicine

Rx from your doctor is - “ Exercise!”  The concept that exercise is medicine is based on its science evident role in both prevention and treatment of various illness conditions. Physical inactivity is a risk factor for many major chronic illnesses, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, certain cancers (colon, breast and prostate), also affect brain functions, bone health and aging. Exercise is an effective prevention and treatment works better and cost less than drugs. Moderate aerobic activities, strength and balance training are providing great health benefits. It is never too late to start. Even if you are sedentary when young but started a regular exercise program later in life, the mortality rates reduction may drop as much as 50%. So, what are you waiting for? Get started now - it will not cost you an arm or leg, but a call for action to move more of your arm and legs. The spring is in the air. Fill up your body with energy and enjoy the active life.

Go to www.qualitylifeforum.net for the April, 2019 health coaching session and learn more. 

Body Image and Self-Care After Mid-Life

Body image is the perception that a person has of their physical self and the thoughts and feelings that result from that perception. Your appearance and body shape changes naturally with age. Practice self-care means managing your health, your diet, and thinking about what your body and mind needs. Self-care consists of intentional measures that you take to care for your physical, mental and emotional health. It’s a collection of choices, habits and actions that you are responsible to make and that impact your health, preventing or caring for illnesses. Body image is an important indicator of self-care.

Go to www.qualitylifeforum.net March 2019 post to learn more.

Food Safety and H. pylori Infection

Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori) is a gram-negative bacterium that has infected human gastrointestinal (GI) system in more than half of the world's population. 

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is more common in the older population and may cause significant complications with severe morbidity and mortality. It is an important cause of peptic ulcers, chronic gastritis and stomach cancer. Among the risk factors for acquisition of H. pylori infection, poor socioeconomic status, poor sanitization and hygiene practices, and contaminated food and water, are the most significant ones. 

To learn more about H. pylori, go to www.qualitylifeforum.net  coaching February, 2019 for details in epidemiology, symptoms, risk factors, treatment, prevention, food safety and awareness of elderly self-neglect.

H. pylori infection is prevalent in aging population. The majority of infected individuals remain asymptomatic throughout the life but 10%-20% develops peptic ulcer disease and 1% gastric malignancies. It is treatable with antibiotics. Food safety, water sanitation, and personal hygiene are important for prevention.

Empty Nest

The holidays are over; the Christmas tree is taken down and the New Year’s party is cleaned up. It’s mid-winter. It’s cold. It’s quiet at home with some emptiness feelings. You feel the pain; letting go can be painful. 

Since there is nowhere to go, let’s sit down and stay warm for a little casual chat -  I love wild lives, from big cats to small birds. On a spring day a couple of years ago, I noticed a Dove’s nest on the cypress tree outside of my window. I was delighted. A bird nest is a symbol of home, which represents love, commitment and efforts for raising a family. Since, a lot had happened there in the past breeding seasons -  lost egg and un-hatched egg, nest attacks by predator, nest re-built, successful broods, full nesting cycle parenting, the growth of the young chicks, their brave moments leaving the nest, fledgling, and gone into the nature . I want to share the stories with you, of the same dove couple who had two broods last year.

To read the full story and watch my authentic photo documentary on the doves' nest life, go to  qualitylifeforum.net. 

Best Wishes for the New Year.