Challenges seem to creep up on us, as we age. One change is losing your balance and suddenly finding yourself on the ground. Recently, I had an unexpected fall when I was at a camp in the mountains as I came down a short flight of steps, I think I must have missed a step because I suddenly found myself splat on the ground! I looked around and was pleased to see no one had witnessed this event. Next, I took stock of my extremities and found that nothing was hurt so I gathered myself and got up. I realized that I was stunned and shaky as I stood there reassessing what just happened. I am fortunate to have the strength and ability to rise up by myself. As we age the strength changes in our muscles and bones and falls can be devastating.

Statistics show that one-third of the population over 65 will fall each year. The statistics increase dramatically once a person reaches the age of 85 and above. Why do people fall? There is a long list of reasons. Some major factors are environmental trip hazards such as uneven surfaces or wet surfaces, throw rugs or poor footwear. A rapid change in blood pressure, ear problems causing balance issues, and heart problems are a few physiological reasons a person could suddenly fall. Certain medications can cause you to be light headed or dizzy. Taking medications improperly can lead to trouble. Work with your doctor to change medications to something that do not give you these side effects.

Fortunately, for me, I had the strength to get up on my own. Many people over the age of 65 cannot rise up from the floor on their own. Leg strength is an important part of healthy aging. Exercising regularly builds leg strength and helps the body maintain balance. If you suspect you have muscle weakness and are afraid you might fall, schedule an appointment to see your doctor. He/she can prescribe some physical therapy for you to help you build up your muscles and maintain balance. If you do fall and are unable to get up you could be on the floor indefinitely, especially if nobody regularly checks up on you. At Sierra View Homes, we have pull cords in each Independent Living apartment and Assisted Living bedrooms and the bathrooms to call for assistance when you are in trouble. Some folks have chosen to have an “alert pendant or bracelet” on them so all they need to do is push a button and help is on its way. Some of these folks have made Sierra View Homes the first person to call on their system.

Many times doctors will prescribe a walking aid if they feel you are at risk of falling. There are many types of aides such as various styles of canes, front-wheel walkers, three-wheel walkers and four-wheel walkers. All have their advantages, but they are not without risk. The aid can become a trip hazard. If you are using a walking aid, please pay attention to where your feet are in relation to the walking aid. It is easy to do the exact thing you were trying not to.

I was happy to say the only thing that was hurt in my fall was my pride. I was able to stand up and get on with the events of the day. Many people are not so lucky. If you are over 65 and have had a fall, do not ignore it. It could be a symptom of a treatable condition. Work with your doctor on what may be the cause. He/she may prescribe a strength and balance program to increase your odds of catching yourself if you trip. You should check your medications for possible side effects of dizziness and finally, yet importantly, be sure to wear sturdy shoes that offer good support. We are living longer and it is important to keep the risk of falling to a minimum to have the best quality of life possible.

As summer looms ever closer, we think of the American outdoor cuisine, the hot dog. Whether at a baseball game or just outside grilling, the hot dog with toppings seems delightful. I thought that maybe it is time for a closer look at the old favorite.

All of us have enjoyed a good hot dog. There are all sorts of hot dogs on the market these days. In the food committee at Sierra View Homes, we often hear we need to put hot dogs on the menu. Indeed, in a quick survey, it became apparent that hot dogs are a staple for many seniors living alone. It is so easy to pop one or two from the freezer into the microwave for an easy meal.

Hot Dog History

I wanted to know the history of the hot dog. What I found out is what we call a hot dog has been in existence for a very long time and there are several stories about its origin. One story said the frankfurter was developed in 1487. That was five years before Columbus set sail for the new world. Frankfurt, Germany, claims to have created the first Frankfurter. The people of Vienna, Austria, want to claim the birthplace of the wiener. The hot dog sold during the 1800s in the United States was probably a mixture of widespread common European sausage recipes.

Hot Dog Ingredients

The next step was to understand what ingredients went into a hotdog. A typical hot dog usually has highly processed low-quality meats with lots and lots of preservatives. Common ingredients include meat trimmings, usually pork or beef trimmings, but chicken and turkey are also popular, fat, and flavorings such as salt, garlic, and paprika. Sodium erythorbate and sodium nitrites are also added preservatives that cure the meat. Nitrates enhance color and increase shelf life. Hot dogs are amazingly high in fat and sodium content. One dog can have 14 grams of total fat, 5 grams of saturated fat and 400-500 milligrams of sodium. All this totals up to nearly 20 percent of the daily recommendation.

Are Hot Dogs Nutritious?

The all-important question is whether hot dogs are good for you. The answer is a resounding, No! They are not nutritious. Huge amounts of sodium and nitrates should make us pause before we consume that dog. We all have heard about nitrites in hotdogs. During the cooking process, nitrites combine with amines, naturally present in meat, to form cancer causing compounds. These compounds have been associated with cancer of the oral cavity, bladder, esophagus, stomach and brain. Nitrites occur naturally in many vegetables, like spinach, celery, green lettuce, and root vegetables; but the vegetables appear to be effective in reducing the risk of cancer. When eating food like hot dogs it is important to eat antioxidant rich food such as tomatoes or vitamin C packed orange juice to counter the risk.

There are healthier hot dogs on the market these days. Hot dog producers are now making dogs processed without nitrites. Nitrite free hot dogs taste the same as the nitrite dogs but the color is browner instead of red. Supermarkets are now stocking Nitrate/nitrite free or uncured hot dogs. These dogs rely on natural sources of nitrate such as celery juice, extract or powder. There are also hot dogs made with organic turkey or chicken. It is important to read the package carefully because there still could be high sodium, saturated fat content.

Hot Dog Choking Risk

In our campus food committee meeting, we also needed to discuss the possibility of people choking on hot dogs. In the 65 and older population, chewing and swallowing may be lessened due to illness or other health issues so the possibility of choking is a real issue.

Choking is the third leading cause of death for all ages. Common culprits are nuts, popcorn, grapes, carrots and, yes, hot dogs. Hot dogs are dense and have small diameters that fit easily into the windpipe creating a plug that blocks airflow. Good advice is to chew carefully and not swallow in big gulps and have something to drink on hand so you can swallow and move things along.

Alas, we had all better think twice before we reach for that not so healthy, not so safe frank. Frankly, you would be better to skip it. In my report to the food committee, it became apparent hot dogs do not belong on the menu. We will enjoy other healthier summer food!

Burn That Toast?

Practically every week our fire alarm goes off because of someone burning their toast. Sierra View Homes Retirement’s independent senior apartments are equipped with super sensitive smoke alarms. So we know there are some individuals that like that dark, tasty bread! Most of us have burnt toast or other foods at one time or another. Indeed, some like to eat foods that are nearly charred. But, did you know that burning your toast may increase your health risk? Researchers are looking at people who eat a lot of burned toast to see if they have increased cancer risk.

We have been warned, for years, about burning certain foods because when they are cooked at a high temperature they form compounds that can cause cancer. Starchy foods, especially potatoes, can produce high levels of the compound acrylamide when cooked at high temperatures for too long. Laboratory mice studies have shown high levels of acrylamide created a higher risk of cancer.

Acrylamide is what makes bread and potatoes turn a golden color when they are fried, baked, toasted or roasted. Cooking food until it turns yellow restricts the formation of acrylamide. The problem with this is that cooking at lower temperature may cause bad bacteria to thrive and thus there is an increased risk of food poisoning. Researchers are encouraging people to reduce the risk by following a normal healthy diet and generally limiting the foods that are major sources of acrylamide.

The Food Standards Agency of the UK has launched a campaign to warn about cancer risk of eating burnt toast, over-roasted potatoes and other starchy food cooked at high temperatures even though the risk of caner has not been proven in humans.

There has been no study of people who eat burnt toast to see if they have higher cancer rates. But there are chemicals in burnt toast that have been liked with cancers in both animals and humans. Burnt toast contains less acrylamide than potato chips and fries but it still has enough acrylamide to be of concern because we are likely to eat bread more often.

Since the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization are calling for a reduction of acrylamide levels in food, the food industry is exploring ways to cook foods using lower temperatures and using enzymes to reduce acrylamide levels. They are working hard to do this without losing desirability and taste. Many people I’ve talked to here at Sierra View want that golden brown for the taste– “Give me that warm dark toasted bread with butter and jam!”

Seniors love their toast. We suggest caution when dealing with toast. Toast your bread to the lowest level acceptable to you, or try toasting dark bread instead of white bread. You can decrease the amount of acrylamide you take in if you cut off the crust. If for some reason you do burn the toast, throw it away. Don’t try to salvage it even though it might look tempting or feel wasteful.