- Medications, inactivity, poor diet may all play role

SThe “tummy aches” you may have had as a child can evolve into a long list of digestive problems as you age. They’re annoying, but the good news is that things like acid reflux and constipation are irritations that you can treat. Often, simple lifestyle changes will do the trick.

“Many older adults fixate on their gastrointestinal problems,” says gastroenterologist Maged Rizk, MD. “The gastrointestinal tract ages with the rest of us. I tell patients not to get too upset by it.”

Medicine, inactivity and even gravity all can take their toll and contribute to digestive troubles as you get older, Dr. Rizk says.

Here, according to Dr. Rizk, are the main culprits and the symptoms they cause:

Multiple medications - These may cause a variety of gastrointestinal issues, including constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea and bleeding ulcers.

Inactivity and dehydration - These issues are more common as you age and they can make constipation worse.

Gravity - Over time the diaphragm can sink, causing decreased support where the esophagus joins the stomach (a hiatal hernia). And it typically causes heartburn and reflux. Medication often helps, but surgery is sometimes needed.

A weakened sphincter muscle, sedentary lifestyle and chronic constipation - These all may contribute to cause hemorrhoids, which are swollen veins in the lower everal million Nigerians suffer from high blood pressure. Experts have said that adding certain foods to one’s diet could help lower blood pressure. Below are some foods experts and medical studies have identified could help keep your blood pressure under control: Mangoes Studies in Hypertension Research showed that adding mangoes which are a great source of fiber and beta-carotene is an effective way to lower blood pressure. gastrointestinal tract. Hemorrhoids are common in older adults.

Your eating habits also likely change as you age.

You may no longer have the interest or energy to prepare a wellbalanced, high-fiber meal or to cut up fresh fruits and vegetables, especially if you eat your meals alone. And food may no longer be as pleasurable and tasty as it once was.

“When we are infants, we have the most taste buds, and they gradually reduce in number as we get older,” Dr. Rizk says.

An unbalanced diet can cause iron, B-12 and other vitamin deficiencies, which in turn result in digestive problems. Aging may spur digestive issues,

Apples contains fiber and quercetin which is seen as an effective antihypertensive. According to a study by the Complutense University of Madrid’s School of Medicine eating an apple a day help people struggling with high blood pressure to keep the doctor away

Carrots contain beta-carotene and vitamin C, and helps put your blood pressure in a healthy range, say experts.

Recent research suggests that eggs help improve your blood pressure According to the American Journal of Hypertension, a high-protein diet, like one rich in eggs, can help lower blood pressure naturally while promoting weight loss, as well.

Making spinach a part of your blood pressurelowering routine is important as it has healthy helpings of fiber, beta-carotene and vitamin C. but Dr. Rizk says there are steps you can take to counteract those challenges. His five best tips: Add fiber to meals by including raw vegetables, fruits and whole grains.

Avoid “white foods” such as bread, rice and potatoes.

Drink water or other noncaffeinated, non-alcoholic beverages throughout the day so your urine is almost clear.

Try an elimination diet if you are uncertain about which foods cause issues for you. “It’s different for everyone,” Dr. Rizk says.

Probiotic supplements, which contain helpful “good” bacteria, sometimes can aid people with chronic constipation. However, Dr. Rizk does not recommend taking them for diarrhea unless it is after specific types of infections.

Over-the-counter and prescription drugs can cause digestive problems. Talk to your doctor about possible side effects. And ask for a substitute if a medicine is causing nausea, diarrhea, constipation or other concerns.

Exercise and physical activity offer lots of health benefits, including preventing constipation. Aging may throw you some annoying curve balls. Following these tips will go a long way toward improving your digestion and limiting your tummy troubles as you age. Source:

Adding tomatoe to your diet helps keep your blood pressure healthier. It contains a lot of vitamin C and quercetin. Researchers at Ben-Gurion University in Israel say tomatoes are a great source of lycopene, which has been linked to significant reductions in blood pressure..

Onions are a great source of quercetin, which researchers at Germany’s University of Bonn have found effective at lowering blood pressure in overweight and obese study subjects suffering from hypertension and pre-hypertension.

Watermelon is a good source of blood pressurelowering vitamin C and lycopene., A study published in the American Journal of Hypertension reveals that patients with prehypertension who added watermelon to their diet significantly reduced their blood pressure.

Sweet potatoes are a good source of hypertensionfighting resistant starch and vitamin C. They are also loaded with blood pressure-lowering beta-carotene.