3 Surprising Ways to Improve Your Health After 60

We all know the importance of eating well and going to the doctor for our annual checkups, especially as we get older. However, that’s not all that’s required for optimal health in your 60s and beyond! Here are three other things you should be doing to stay healthy as you age.

Take the Right Supplements

The best way to give your body the nutrients it needs is by eating a varied diet and spending plenty of time outdoors. Of course, sometimes that’s not enough. Seniors with limited diets, who live far from the equator, or who don’t spend a lot of time outside may struggle to get the nutrients they need to maintain a strong body and mind.

Your health shouldn’t suffer because your lifestyle isn’t perfect. Supplements like these can fill in the gaps so you achieve your best health:

●     Omega-3 fatty acids: If you don’t eat much fatty fish, add omega-3 supplements with EPA and DHA to your diet. Usually sold as fish oil, omega-3 fatty acids improve heart health and moods and may reduce the risk of breast, prostate, and colon cancers.

●     SAMe: S-adenosylmethionine, or SAMe, may help with depression, osteoarthritis, and liver disease. SAMe supplements interfere with certain medications and health conditions, so talk to your doctor before taking any.

●     Vitamin D: Vitamin D from sunlight and fortified foods can strengthen your bones and immunity, but many seniors don’t get enough. The International Osteoporosis Foundation recommends 800-1000 IU of vitamin D per day, or more if you’re obese, housebound, or have osteoporosis.

●     B vitamins: Your body becomes less efficient at absorbing vitamin B12 as you age, especially if you take certain medications. A B-complex vitamin with B12, B6, and folate helps you prevent a dangerous nutritional deficiency.

●     CBD: If you have chronic pain, CBD oil could reduce inflammation so you live a more pain-free life. With less pain, it’s easier to find the motivation to exercise, cook healthy meals, and do all the other things you enjoy. There’s a lot of variability in CBD products, so research CBD and talk to your doctor before adding CBD oil to your regimen.

Have a Rainy-Day Workout Plan

A sedentary lifestyle has disastrous consequences for your health. However, as you age, getting out to exercise grows a little more difficult. Older bodies are more sensitive to temperature extremes, and you may not be able to exercise outdoors on especially hot, cold, or rainy days like you could when you were younger.

Luckily, heading outside isn't the only way to stay active. There are lots of exercises you can accomplish in the comfort of a temperature-controlled environment. You can head to the mall or museum for a long walk, or swim at an indoor pool for a low-impact, head-to-toe workout. Whatever type of exercise you choose, the most important thing is to keep moving.

With the latest fitness trackers, you can measure and track your movements as well, so you’ll know exactly how many steps you take and calories you burn. Many of these devices can measure your heart rate, as well as track how well you sleep. And some have safety features as well, including the Apple Watch Series 4 which has emergency SOS and fall detection, and it can notify you if your heart rate is too high or low. Or the Fitbit Blaze smartwatch has GPS, measures heart rate, and has a long battery life.

Keep Your Social Connections Strong

Your friendships have a surprisingly big impact on your health. We all know our friends affect the lifestyle choices we make — if your friends and family adopt healthy habits, you're more likely to do the same. There's another way that social connection affects your health: If you don't have a supportive community of people to call on in good times and bad, you're more likely to experience mental health issues and physical decline in your senior years.

Old age can be a socially trying time. People we love pass away and physical ailments make getting out of the house harder. However, it's never too late to forge new connections. When you join social groups in the community or connect with like-minded people online, you bolster your social health and your overall well-being.

Good health in your senior years is a blessing. When you feel physically and mentally strong, you’re able to enjoy your newfound free time to the fullest. But good health doesn’t come easy! If you’re not already doing these three things, make them a part of your healthy senior lifestyle.

How To Lighten Your Skin With Lemon - 15 Simple Face Packs

Summary: How to lighten your skin with lemon is a new article that will reveal some natural ways to use lemon for skin lightening. 

Each one of us wishes to have white, bright and even skin tone. However, we should not depend on skincare products containing chemicals and skin-lightening treatments because they may do more harm to both our health and skin. The solution for that is to use lemons. Actually, using lemon for skin lightening has been used for years.

List Of Simple Yet Effective Ways On How To Lighten Your Skin With Lemon:

Now, we will show you some natural ways to use lemon for lightening the skin that you can apply with ease at home. Keep reading to discover all knowledge that is probably good and necessary for you

I. Effects Of Lemon On Lightening Skin

Lemon can be used to lighten your skin naturally and effectively because:

·      It contains high content of vitamin C, which helps lighten dark patches and spots.

·      It contains antioxidants that work as anti-aging properties

·      It is acidic in nature, so it can kill bacteria and reduce new pimples

·      It contains natural bleaching properties that can help reduce the production of melamine

·      It removes dead skin cells and stimulates the formation of new cells

·      It removes excess oil from the pores.

·      It tightens large skin pores, and deeply cleanse the skin pores

II. How To Lighten Your Skin With Lemon

There are some simple ways to use lemon for skin lightening. They use natural ingredients and are also easy to apply at home without causing any side effect. They include:

1. Lemon Juice

This should be the first one among natural ways on how to tighten your skin with lemon that we want to mention today.

Directions:

·      Slice a lemon and gently rub it over your skin.

·      Let it sit on for about 5 minutes before rinsing it off with water.

·      Alternatively, apply some fresh lemon juice over your skin.

·      Leave it on for about 5 minutes before rinsing it off.

·     Note: If you have sensitive skin, you should dilute lemon juice with some water. Also, you should avoid letting lemon juice enter in your eyes. After applying lemon juice, avoid direct sunlight for about 1-2 hours.

Read on Benefits Of Drinking Lemon Water – 19 Reasons To Drink It! to discover some of the benefits of lemon water for human health.

2. Lemon Juice And Honey

Honey can soothe the irritated skin caused due to bleaching properties of the lemon. Therefore, if you have sensitive skin, you can consider using this combination.

Directions:

·       Mix 2 tbsp. of lemon juice with 1 tbsp. of raw honey.

·      Then, apply this mixture over your skin

·      Gently massage it for a couple of minutes.

·      Leave it on until it dries and wash it off with clean.

·      Repeat this home remedy daily.

3. Lemon Juice And Potato

Like lemon, potato also contains natural bleaching properties. So, this combination will help whiten your skin more effectively.

Directions:

·       Grate and then take out the juice from a potato.

·       Mix equal proportions of lemon and potato juice.

·       Then, apply this solution over your skin

·       Leave it on for about 20 minutes

·       Finally, wash it off with water and pat it dry.

·       Repeat this process 2-3 times per week.

4. Lemon Juice And Turmeric

When it comes to learning how to tighten your skin with lemon, you should not skip this remedy. Turmeric helps to fade acne scars and reduce inflammation. The mixture of lemon juice and turmeric works well for oily skin.

Directions:

·         Mix 1 tsp. each of turmeric and lemon juice.

·         Stir it well and then apply it over your dark skin.

·         Leave it on for about 15-20 minutes

·         Finally, rinse it off with cold water.

·         Repeat this home remedy daily before going to bed.

5. Lemon Juice, Sugar And Egg White

Sugar removes dead skin cells while the astringent properties of egg white help reduce wrinkles.

Directions:

·         Mix 2 tbsp. of sugar, 1 tsp. of lemon juice with an egg white.

·         Then, stir it well to create a thick paste.

·         Apply this mixture over your skin

·         Gently massage it in circular motions for a couple of minutes.

·         Leave it on for about 10-15 minutes

·         Finally, rinse it off with warm water before applying a moisturizer.

·         Repeat this home remedy twice a week.

6. Lemon Juice, Oatmeal And Yogurt

The combination of lemon juice, oatmeal and yogurt can lighten the skin and simultaneously make it supple and moisturized.

Directions:

·         Mix 2 tbsp. of plain yogurt with 3 tbsp. of ground oatmeal.

·         Then, add 1 tsp. of lemon juice to this mixture and stir it well.

·         Apply the mixture over your skin

·         Leave it on for 10-15 minutes.

·         Finally, wash it off with clean water

·         Repeat this remedy 2- 3 times per week.

7. Lemon Juice And Papaya

Vitamin A found in papaya acts as an antioxidant agent that helps remove dead skin cells while papain enzyme gives a natural glow to your skin.

Directions:

·       Blend a small a papaya slice.

·       Then, apply it over your skin and gently massage for about 3- 5 minutes.

·       Leave it on for half an hour before rinsing it off with cold water.

·       Repeat this remedy once a week.

8. Lemon Juice And Ginger

This may sound strange when it comes to learning how to lighten your skin with lemon, but it actually does work. Ginger contains de-pigmenting properties. The combination of lemon juice and ginger juice works wonders to lighten your skin.

Directions:

·       Mix equal amounts of ginger juice and lemon juice

·       Stir it well and then apply it over your skin

·       Leave it on for several minutes before rinsing it off with water.

·       Repeat this remedy 3 times a week.

9. Lemon Juice And Rice Flour

This is actually a natural way on how to lighten your skin with lemon that you should not look down, yet try to apply for good. Rice flour can help treat blemishes and hyper-pigmentation, and stimulate the growth of new cells.

Directions:

·       Mix 4 tbsp. of rice powder with 3 tbsp. of lemon juice.

·       Stir it well to create a fine paste.

·       Then, apply this mixture over your dark skin

·       Let it sit on for about 20 minutes.

·       Finally, rinse it off with water by massaging in circular motions.

·       Repeat this remedy 3 times per week.

10. Lemon Juice And Baking Soda

Baking soda removes damaged skin cells, prevents the pores from clogging and stimulates the production of new cells. The combination of lemon juice and baking soda is ideal for those with oily skin.

Directions:

·       Mix some fresh lemon juice with 1/2 cup of baking soda.

·       Mix it well and apply this mixture over your skin

·       Leave it on for several minutes before rinsing it off with clean water

·       Repeat this process 3 times a week.

11. Lemon Juice, Vitamin E Oil And Carrot

This combination can lighten your skin and simultaneously remove dry patches. This remedy is ideal for those with dry skin.

Directions:

·       Mash a cooked carrot with a fork or spoon.

·       Then, add 1 tsp. of milk cream, some lemon juice and 2 drops of vitamin E oil.

·       Stir it well before applying this mixture to your skin.

·       Leave it on for 15 minutes before rinsing it off with warm water.

·       Repeat this remedy 2-3 times per week.

12. Lemon Juice And Tomato

Lemon contains bleaching property while tomato contains glowing properties. So, this combination can lighten and give a natural glow to your skin.

Directions:

·       Mix 1 tsp. of lemon juice with 2 tbsp. of tomato juice.

·       Then, apply this mixture over your skin

·       Leave it on for about 10 minutes.

·       Finally, rinse it off with clean water

·       Repeat this process regularly.

13. Lemon Juice And Coconut Water

Coconut will hydrate and moisturize your skin while lemon juice will lighten your skin. Therefore, if you are looking for a natural way on how to lighten your skin with lemon, you should not forget this remedy.

Directions:

·       Combine few drops each of coconut water and lemon water.

·       Then, apply this mixture over your skin.

·       Leave it on for 15 minutes before rinsing it off with clean water

·       Repeat this remedy twice per week.

14. Lemon Juice, Orange, Neem And Pomegranate

This is another natural way on how to lighten your skin with lemon that you should try at the comfort of your own home.

Directions:

·       Firstly, peel and dry the skins of pomegranate and orange

·       Dry the neem leaves under the sun

·       Then, blend pomegranate peels, orange peels and neem leaves.

·       Mix this mixture with some lemon juice

·       Apply this mixture over your skin

·       Next, leave it on for several minutes before rinsing it off with water

·       Repeat this remedy regularly.

15. Lemon Juice And Apple

The combination of lemon juice and apple is an amazing skin-lightening face pack for those with oily skin.

Directions:

·       Blend an apple slice to make a paste.

·       Then, add 2 tsp. of lemon juice to the paste.

·       Mix it well before applying it over your skin

·       Leave it on for half an hour and then rinse it off.

·       Repeat this remedy 3 times per week.

Apart from applying above face packs, having a proper diet and doing regular exercise also help in improving the skin complexion. Also, you do not expect results overnight, you need to apply regularly to surely achieve results. If you know other ways on how to lighten your skin with lemon, share them with other readers by leaving your comments below. If you want to know other simple yet effective tips for health and beauty, remember to visit our Healthy Guide regularly.

Author Bio Lucy Alvet – Writer and Blogger, who has more than 6 years of experience in the industry of Health and Skincare. I work for Healthy Guide - reliable resources that help readers solve all their health, beauty concerning, and many other issues in life. I also focus on nutrition, relationship, fitness, lifestyle, men and women’s issues. Find more of my articles on Facebook.

Getting Rid of Fat Face

While you may have worked really hard to lose weight, it is still a challenge to look slim without knowing how to reduce fat from face. If your face is slim, you can work on just the dressing to appear slim, but however slim you may be, if your face is fat, it does give an impression of fatness. Here are some tried and tested diet suggestions and face workouts on how to lose face fat and make all that dieting count.

Diet tips: how to reduce Face Fat

While there are so many diet plans available, and looking at it logically, anything that helps loose fat from the body will help loose fat from the face too. However its not always in proportion. With some diet plans, the face starts to appear weak and dull, and the body does not seem to change, and with some others, you need to tell people that you have lost weight, while your face tells a different tale. Here are some diet tips that are sure to reduce facial fat.

1. Drinking a lot of water

This is probably the rule number one of every diet in the world. Water flushes away the toxins, which are little molecules surrounded and supported by fat. As water washes them out, the fat cells attached to them become free to be eliminated from the body. Maintaining a water intake of 10 glasses a day will keep those toxins away and thus the fat.

2. Reduced salt and sugar

Both salt and sugar are destructive when it comes to face fat. While salt makes your muscles retain water, sugar stores fat. So whatever diet plan you follow, limit the intake of salt to only what is necessary for the electrolyte balance of the boy, and reduce the sugar as much as possible.

3. Include fruits and vegetables rich in fiber

Fruits and vegetables rich in fiber, promote faster metabolism, which in turn burns fat faster and helps chisel those chubby cheeks. Include mid meal snacks in the form of fruits and salads, to cut the face fat while adding glow to the skin.

4. Right Kind of Oils

Including a spoonful pure coconut/sesame/olive cold pressed oil or desi ghee in your diet, has a fat burning effect on your body. It is so effective that even massaging the face with a few drops of these oils daily before bedtime helps to lose face fat.

5. Portion Control

Needless to mention for the dieters, you have to limit your calorie intake from 1000-1500 calories per day depending on your weight. Choose food that is low in calories and rich in nutrients that will help burn that stored fat below those cheeks and chin, and provide nourishment to skin and body.

Face Workout: How to lose face fat

Nothing can be toned without working out the muscles, especially the face. The face muscles loosen with age and leads to sagging skin. Loosing weight adds on to the sagging, and it is an irreversible change, unless you opt for surgery. Facial workouts are therefore very important as you start dieting. Here are some essential workouts that will tone your facial muscles and help reduce the fat from face.

1.Chin Raises

Tilt your head towards the ceiling, the maximum that you can and keep looking at it. Now make a pout as it trying to kiss, and feel the stretch in your neck and chin muscles. Hold this for 15 seconds and repeat 10 times every day. The biggest facial problem area in most men and women is the double chin, and this is sure to reduce it.

2. Cheek Twist

Breathe in from your mouth and trap that air within your cheeks. Now try to push the air to one cheek and then another. Repeat this passing 20 times and then hold the air in each cheek for 15 seconds. Release and repeat 10 times. The best part of this workout is that it can be done while driving or watching television or working on your laptop. This helps chisel the cheek bones and reduce fat below them.

3. Fish Face

It is another super exercise to reduce fat from face, especially below the cheek. Suck your cheeks in, and hold for 20 seconds. Resist the urge to give in to the resistance by your cheeks and repeat 10 times.

4. Pronouncing “A” “O”

Pronounce a long “A” with the widest smile and then an elongated “O” while bringing the lips as forward as possible. Hold the position for 3 seconds each time and repeat 50 times.

5. Lower Jaw Movement

Close your mouth, while in a sitting position, and bring your lower jaw forward without opening the mouth. This will burn the fat from your jawline right off.

Apart from all this, you can get a lifting facial massage done by a trained therapist once a month, which will help to tone all the facial muscles and improve blood circulation in the face. You can use some contour and highlight makeup to make your face look slimmer till you actually achieve it with proper diet and exercise. Eat well, stay healthy and think thin!

Terrifying reason you should never wear contact lenses in the shower - and definitely not while swimming

If you've been wearing contact lenses for a while, you might find yourself becoming a bit more relaxed with the rules your eye doctor told you to stick to.

But there's a reason they give you this advice - and you might end up seriously regretting your life choices if you don't follow them.

One of the rules is to take your contact lenses out when you shower or swim.

You might think this one is unnecessarily cautious, but flouting it could result in vision loss caused by an infection known as Acanthamoeba Keratitis - basically, a microscopic organism invading the cornea in your eye.



As explained on the Moorfield Eye Hospital NHS website, this infection affects the clear 'window' at the front of the eye and can be incredibly painful.

It's caused by a microscopic organism, called Acanthamoeba, which is common in nature and is usually found in bodies of water (lakes, oceans and rivers) as well as domestic tap water, swimming pools, hot tubs, soil and air.

Around 85% of cases of the infection have been caused by contact lens wear.

Taking a five-minute shower after your gym class or jumping in the pool on holiday without taking out your lenses could mean that this organism finds its way into your eye.

Failure to disinfect your lenses properly can increase your risk of contracting the disease, which is still very rare.

And if you think UK water is clean enough that you won't get infected by it, think again.



Moorfields' leaflet on the infection states: "Due to the way that UK domestic water is stored and supplied, incidence of the disease is generally higher in the UK than in other parts of the world."

If you do start to experience blurred vision or are worried about your contact lenses, do consult an eye doctor immediately.

Treatment is usually with anti-septic drops administered every few hours (including through the night) as well as anti-inflammatories and painkillers in particularly bad cases.
Vision loss

"In later stages of the disease, scarring on the front of the cornea, resulting from long-term inflammation, is usually the reason for vision loss," the NHS explains.

"In some patients, scarring can be quite extensive and may need further therapy (e.g. a cornea transplant) to rehabilitate vision once the infection is over.



"A degree of permanent vision loss occurs in around a quarter of cases.

"Around 25% of cases of AK seen at Moorfields result in a corneal transplant."

So don't wear contact lenses in the shower, or the bath, or while at a swimming pool and definitely don't wear them swimming in lakes or natural water sources.

More information on Acanthamoeba Keratitis is available on the Moorfields Eye Hospital website .

Five things you can learn about health just by looking at your fingernails.

White spots on finger nails. Image source: Getty.It’s a little-known fact the state of our fingernails can be an indication of something not-quite-right internally.

While chewed nails are harmless, other visual signs can act as red flags.

Here are five things to keep an eye out for when it comes to fingernails, and exactly what each on might be signifying:

1. Vertical ridges.

So, the good news is, vertical ridges are mostly harmless.

According to Dr Jessica Krant, a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology and assistant clinical professor of dermatology at SUNY Downstate Medical Centre, “Lengthwise ridges, if they are evenly spaced over the whole nail, are common and harmless, and generally associated with normal ageing and the nail’s increasing inability to retain moisture.”

Like wrinkles. But for your nails.

While ageing is the most common cause of ridges, they can also signify a vitamin and mineral deficiency, or in some cases, rheumatoid arthritis. If this is a concern, consult your healthcare professional.

While some people might not like the way they look, it's better not to buff off the ridges. The ridge is the thinnest spot on the nail and can split when buffed. Instead, try moisturising throughout the day with a thick lotion (Vitamin E or petroleum jelly are great), paying particular attention to the cuticle.

2. Horizontal ridges.

Also known as Beau's lines, horizontal ridges are more likely to signify a deeper issue.

The Mayo Clinic explains, “Conditions associated with Beau’s lines include uncontrolled diabetes and peripheral vascular disease, as well as illnesses associated with a high fever, such as scarlet fever, measles, mumps and pneumonia."

Horizontal ridges can also be a sign of zinc deficiency.

If the ridges occur on an ongoing basis, it’s a sign of a problem existing outside of the nail itself and can point to bigger problems like kidney, lung, or liver disease.

3. White marks.

These are super common. And good news: they're absolutely nothing to worry about.

Scientific name punctate leukonychia, these little white marks stem from some kind of trauma to the nail. This could be anything from slamming your nail in the boot of the car to flicking a pen - or even chewing them when you're nervous.

The white marks usually form at the base of your nail bed and over time, grow out. By the time you notice them, you've usually forgotten what caused them in the first place. Hence, the stress about what they are.

According to The Mirror, in very rare cases, if the white mark stretches across your entire nail, it could mean you've been poisoned.

But don't worry, "if you can see them...you can't have been because if you had, you'd almost certainly already be dead."

No dramas.

4. Yellow nails.

Yellow nails are most likely no big deal.

A normal sign of ageing according to Health.com, yellow nails can also result from an extensive use of nail polish or acrylic nails. Smoking may also be to blame.

If yellow nails happen to also be thicker than usual, and crumbly, it may signify a fungal infection. In that case, it's best to consult your doctor.

5. Cracking and extreme dryness.

Issues with cracking? It probably means there's not enough moisture on your nail plate.

"This could be from swimming, overuse of nail polish remover, frequent dishwashing without gloves, or just from living in a low-humidity environment," Dr. Debra Jaliman, a New York City-based dermatologist, told Health.com.