Senior Health: Part Seven

GERD, Gastroesophageal Reflix Disease,  is apparently something I have or maybe had. I have been hospitalized three times in my whole life--once at age five for tonsils, and twice briefly last fall. The first time I was hospitalized in the fall for flu and vomiting.   Then I was put on Omeprazole for 30 days for GERD, a prescriptiion similar Prilosec that you can get over the counter. You need to not keeping taking this medicine as it can interfere with healthy bones, so 30 days did it for me. I took that pill very carefully in the morning and waited an hour in the morning before my coffee (they don't really want you to have coffee, but the Swede in me has to have it). Now I do try to do sensible eating like no spicy foods, no chocolate (gulp), not eat two hours before going to bed, and have a raised head when I do go to bed so I do not have those acid reflex problems when I am trying to sleep. It works.

I must admit that I am a serial dieter. Made "life time" at Weight Watchers some 40 years ago. I have lost weight in a healthy manner numerous times and then perhaps with emotional eating or busyness gained it back. The last weight gain was from being upset about my husband's Alzheimer's. In 2012 I lost over 25 pounds and feel so much healthier with energy to spare.  I can lose more, but in 2013 I also want to be careful about what I eat and what I feed my husband.

Hubby used to have a "ginormous" appetite--a real meat and potatoes guy. He is starting to change and eats less than he has before, so I need to plan nutrition in what he eats. I think with Alzheimer's his hunger neuons in his brain are disappearing, so I need to use my brain for him. He often wants me to finish his food for him, and this has perhaps resulted in a plateau in my losing weight.  I just need to say NO to finishing his food and track my food as well as his--the Weight Watcher system.

My husband gets Ribonucleic Acid (RNA). I buy it from our chiropractor and there is also a link here. MedicineNet.com has information here. I do think that RNA helps my husband's thinking, despite his dementia.

We both take CoQ10 as I read somewhere that one should take it with cholestrol inhibitors. Hubby takes Simvastatin and I take Atorvastatin at night and we both have those CoQ10 pills along with fish oil tablets. Are you concerned about my husband's cholestrol with the coconut oil my husband takes?  His blood work is always great and his doctor has no problem with his good and bad cholestrol.

CoQ10 is also in food:

This site here gave me CoQ10 levels in selected foods Food Coenzyme Q10 concentration [mg/kg]:

Beef

heart 113

liver 39–50

muscle 26–40
Pork

heart 11.8–128.2

liver 22.7–54.0

muscle 13.8–45.0

Chicken

heart 116.2–132.2

Fish

sardine 5–64

mackerel

red flesh 43–67

white flesh 11–16

salmon 4–8

tuna 5

Oils

soybean 54–280

olive 4–160

grapeseed 64–73

sunflower 4–15

rice bran /

coconut

Nuts

peanuts 27

walnuts 19

sesame seeds 18–23

pistachio nuts 20

hazelnuts 17

almond 5–14

Vegetables

parsley 8–26

broccoli 6–9

cauliflower 2–7

spinach up to 10

grape 6–7

Chinese cabbage 2–5

Fruit

avocado 10

blackcurrant 3

strawberry 1

orange 1–2

grapefruit 1

apple 1

The above list gave me an idea for a strawberry, avocado, spinach. almond (and coconut oil) salad and I am working on perfecting the recipe.

Speaking of strawberries, the annual Plant City Strawberry Festival is coming up! Workers in my rural neighborhood are busy picking.