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Collagen The Age-Defying Secret Of The Stars + Popular Products in 2025

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Collagen: The Age-Defying Secret Of The Stars + Popular Products in 2025

Collagen has taken the beauty industry by storm, captivating celebrities and skincare enthusiasts alike. This essential structural protein, key to skin elasticity and firmness, has become a leading supplement in the battle against ageing.

As we age, natural collagen production declines, leading to thinner, looser skin. Collagen supplements offer an affordable solution for maintaining youthful, radiant skin. Recently, collagen was hailed as 'The Ultimate Anti-Aging Secret' on ITV’s "This Morning."

Celebrity Endorsements

Stars like Kourtney Kardashian and Jennifer Aniston swear by collagen for their age-defying looks. With countless positive testimonials and scientific studies backing its benefits, the hype around collagen has never been higher.

KEY BENEFITS OF COLLAGEN SUPPLEMENTATION*

Deep skin hydration
Visible reduction of fine lines and wrinkles
Strengthened joint health
Revitalised and stronger hair and nails

Integrating Collagen into Your Routine

Adding collagen to your daily regimen is super simple. Whether mixed into your morning coffee or a glass of water, quality collagen supplements fit seamlessly into your routine, offering countless benefits.

The Science Behind Collagen

Collagen isn't just a fad; it's science-backed. This crucial protein gives our skin resilience and suppleness. When combined with vitamin C, it accelerates collagen regeneration, leading to rejuvenated skin and revitalised hair. Incorporating hydrolysed collagen supplements into your diet could be the key to a glowing, healthy appearance.

Low Collagen Content: Avoid products with suboptimal collagen concentration.
Baseless Promises: Steer clear of products without scientific backing or credible testimonials.
Artificial Sweeteners and Added Sugars: These can harm your health and cause weight gain.
Natural Flavours: Often chemically manufactured and misleading.
Artificial Preservatives: Added for shelf life extension, these can be harmful.
Soy-Based Fillers: These can negatively affect vitamin and mineral balance.

Purity and Quality: Opt for collagen from pasture-raised, grass-fed cattle.
Transparency and Traceability: Verify product origin and certifications.
Hydrolysed Collagen Peptides: These have split amino acids for better metabolism.
Combination of Collagens (Types I & III): This blend represents 90% of your body’s total collagen.

Effectiveness: Ensure each serving contains 8g of pure collagen without additives.
Taste & Mixability: Choose a neutral-tasting collagen that mixes well.
Positive Reviews: Look for credible user feedback and testimonials.

Reference: Smarter Choice/Primal Harvest

Sarcopenia With Aging

Written by Super User | Print | Email

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Sarcopenia With Aging

What Is Sarcopenia?

From the time you are born to around the time you turn 30, your muscles grow larger and stronger. But at some point in your 30s, you start to lose muscle mass and strength. You keep losing muscle as you age. If you lose so much strength and muscle mass that you struggle with basic daily activities, you may be diagnosed with age-related sarcopenia or sarcopenia with aging.

Everyone loses muscle with age, typically about 3%-5% each decade after age 30. Inactive people lose the most. The loss can become more noticeable and start to speed up at around age 60. After age 80, studies suggest somewhere between 11% and 50% of people have sarcopenia.

One reason that the estimates vary so much is that different definitions and ways of diagnosing sarcopenia are used by doctors and researchers around the world.

Sarcopenia can be a serious problem. Once you've lost a lot of muscle and strength, you may struggle to do things such as getting out of chairs, opening jars, or carrying groceries. You also can become frail and have a higher risk of falls, broken bones, disability, and death.

Sarcopenia Causes

While not everyone who lives longs enough will develop sarcopenia, the major cause of sarcopenia is aging.

Here are some of the things happening in our bodies as we age that might contribute to sarcopenia:

Reduction in nerve cells responsible for sending signals from the brain to the muscles to start movement
Lower concentrations of some hormones, including growth hormone, testosterone, and insulin-like growth factor
A decrease in the ability to turn protein into energy
Increases in inflammation, partly due to disease

Sarcopenia Risk Factors

The reasons some people develop sarcopenia while others don't are complex, though age and inactivity are major risk factors. Here's a little more information about each risk factor.

Age

Sarcopenia is rare before age 60, though the process of losing muscle begins decades before that. In addition to the biological changes that are part of the aging process, older adults are likely to have additional risk factors, such as inactivity, a poor diet, and chronic disease, which contribute to loss of muscle and strength.

Sedentary lifestyle

Studies suggest that staying active as you age can cut your risk of sarcopenia significantly. The more time you spend sitting or lying down during the day, the more muscle mass and strength you are likely to lose. Spending a lot of time inactive may contribute to lost muscle and strength even if you exercise during other parts of the day.

Diet

A poor-quality diet appears to contribute to sarcopenia. Scientists are still sorting out the most important dietary factors, but low intake of protein is a suspected contributor because the body has increasing trouble turning protein into energy as we age. Some, but not all, studies show a link between eating too little protein and developing sarcopenia. Other dietary habits, including diets low in fruits and vegetables, may also play a role. Diets with a lot of ultra-processed foods — manufactured products with high levels of sugar, salt, additives, and unhealthy fats — also have been linked to low muscle mass.

In general, older adults who are malnourished, because they eat too little or eat a diet that doesn't provide adequate nutrients for their needs, are at higher risk for sarcopenia and decline more rapidly when they have it.

Obesity

Some of the same factors that raise the risk for sarcopenia, such as inactivity and a poor diet, can lead to obesity. When you have both conditions, doctors call it sarcopenic obesity. Obesity appears to worsen sarcopenia. High levels of body fat increase inflammation and change how your body responds to a hormone called insulin, both of which can speed up muscle loss. Obesity can also make it harder to stay active, leading to a cycle of muscle loss and fat accumulation.

Chronic illness

Having a chronic disease such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), kidney disease, diabetes, cancer, or HIV increases your risk of sarcopenia.

Sarcopenia Symptoms

These are some of the most common symptoms of sarcopenia:

Muscle weakness
Loss of stamina, or staying power, when you are active
Slow walking
Trouble performing daily activities
Trouble climbing stairs
Loss of balance
Falling
Noticeably shrinking muscles

What is the difference between sarcopenia and muscular atrophy?

Muscular atrophy means loss of muscle mass. When you have age-related sarcopenia, you have muscular atrophy. But muscular atrophy isn't always sarcopenia because it can have causes other than aging. For example, someone on bed rest or with a very inactive lifestyle can lose muscle mass at any age. Muscle loss also can be caused by medical conditions that affect movement, such as a stroke, and by conditions that damage nerves needed for muscle function, such as spinal cord injuries and multiple sclerosis.

Sarcopenia Diagnosis

To diagnose sarcopenia, your doctor will start by giving you a physical exam and taking your medical history.

You may also fill out a questionnaire that screens for sarcopenia — giving your doctor a good idea of whether further testing for the condition makes sense. A widely used questionnaire is called the SARC-F. SARC-F stands for:

S: Strength
A: Assistance with walking
R: Rising from a chair
C: Climbing stairs
F: Falls

So, you'll be asked how much trouble you have:

Lifting or carrying 10 pounds
Walking across a room without a cane, walker, or other assistance
Rising from a chair or bed
Climbing stairs

You'll also be asked if you've fallen in the past year and, if so, how often.

Based on your answers, you'll get a score of between 0 and 10, with 10 suggesting the highest chance that you have sarcopenia, and any score of 4 or more suggesting more follow-up is in order.

Follow-up tests fall into two broad categories: those that look at how strong and mobile you are and those that measure your muscle mass.

Tests that look at your strength and your ability to move as you perform everyday activities include:

Hand grip test. In this test, you'll be asked to squeeze a device called a hand dynamometer, as hard as you can, one hand at a time. The device will show how much force you can apply with your hands, which is considered a good marker for how strong you are overall.

Chair stand test. You'll be asked to sit and stand from a chair as many times as you can, without using your arms, in 30 seconds. This is a test of your leg strength.

Walking speed test. This test typically looks at how long it takes you to walk about 13 feet (4 meters) at your usual speed.

400-meter walk test. In this longer walking test, you'll be asked to complete 20 laps of 20 meters each as quickly as possible, with no more than 2 minutes rest between each lap.

Timed up and go test. This test times you as you rise from a chair, walk about 10 feet (3 meters) away, return, and then sit back down.

Short physical performance battery. This combines three timed tests: standing from a chair, standing balance, and walking speed.

A variety of imaging tests can be used to measure muscle mass and confirm sarcopenia. These can include:

Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA or DXA). This test, also commonly used to measure bone density, uses low-dose X-rays to measure your muscle and fat masses as well.

Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). This widely available and inexpensive test can measure body composition, including muscle and fat, using a mild electrical current.

MRI or CT scans. While these can produce highly accurate measurements of total body muscle mass, they are less widely used for confirming sarcopenia because of their limited availability and high cost.

Sarcopenia Treatment

The primary treatments for sarcopenia are lifestyle changes, especially increases in physical activity.

Sarcopenia exercise plan

Strength training, which is also called resistance training, can help you regain strength and mobility. Your doctor may refer you to a physical therapist or suggest working with a trainer or taking a class to get started.

A typical strength training program might include working with free weights or weight machines and stretchy resistance bands. It also might include so-called bodyweight exercises, such as push-ups, lunges, and leg raises. You should do a combination of exercises that work your arms, legs, abdominal muscles, back, and chest.

You might start with just one or two strength training sessions a week. The goal is to work up to higher weights and more repetitions as you get stronger.

As you work on strength, it's also a good idea to include aerobic exercise, such as walking, to build your endurance and improve overall health, and balance exercises, to reduce your risk of falling.

Medications for sarcopenia

No medications are approved to treat sarcopenia. Some are under study but have shown no success in meaningfully improving physical functioning, even when they improve muscle mass or strength. They include:

Testosterone
Growth hormones
Medication for the treatment of metabolic syndrome (including, insulin-resistance, obesity, and hypertension)

Other drugs that target factors that play a role in muscle loss, such as inflammation, are under study.

Living With Sarcopenia

Sarcopenia can have a big effect on your quality of life, making it harder for you to do things you want to do and get around your home and community. Overall, people with sarcopenia are at higher risk for illness, injury, and death. However, the outlook varies from person to person based on age, other medical conditions, and any previous falls or broken bones.

Also, a lot can depend on how you respond to a sarcopenia diagnosis. If you start a strength-training program and make other lifestyle changes, you can regain some strength and mobility. If you do nothing, you'll get weaker and lose more muscle and may eventually need full-time care.

If you have sarcopenia, it's important to go to your regular medical appointments so that your doctor can keep track of your condition and suggest ways for you to stay as strong and healthy as possible.

Sarcopenia diet

Many older adults with sarcopenia consume less protein and fewer calories than recommended. So adding calories, if needed, and adding foods with more nutrients, especially protein, may help. Experts around the world disagree on the right protein intake for older adults, but a common recommendation is to get 20-35 grams of protein at each meal. That's about the amount in 4 ounces of meat or fish, a cup of cottage cheese, or 1.5 cups of lentils.

You're likely to get the best results when you combine a protein-rich diet with strength training.

If you have other nutritional deficiencies, such as low vitamin D levels, additional dietary changes or supplements might make sense for you.

How to Prevent Sarcopenia With Aging

You can't prevent all the losses of muscle and strength that come with age. But you can slow them down with:

A high-quality diet with plenty of protein, including protein from plant foods such as beans and nuts
An active lifestyle that includes strength training
Seeing your doctor for regular check-ups so that you spot and respond to any decline before it gets severe

Takeaways

We all lose muscle and strength as we age. But when you lose so much muscle and strength that you have trouble getting through daily routines, you may be diagnosed with sarcopenia. While sarcopenia can have serious consequences, you can regain some of your strength with exercise and a good diet.

Sarcopenia FAQs

Can you reverse sarcopenia?

You can regain lost strength and even rebuild some muscle, though your age and other health conditions can affect your progress. The key is to start a strength-training program and keep it up. You'll see improvements in strength, followed by bigger muscles if you stick to an effective workout for several months. You won't have the body of a young adult, but strength training can, for example, give an 85-year-old the muscles and strength expected in a typical 65-year-old.

Can a 70-year-old regain muscle mass?

Yes, you can regain some of your muscle mass at any age, with strength training and a diet that includes adequate protein.

What is the difference between sarcopenia and dynapenia?

Dynapenia means a loss of strength due to aging and can be diagnosed with tests of muscle strength alone. Sarcopenia involves a loss of muscle tissue and is confirmed with tests that look at how much muscle mass you have. Under most current definitions, sarcopenia also includes loss of strength, so the two conditions can exist together and have a significant impact on your quality of life.

Medically Reviewed by Zilpah Sheikh, MD on July 09, 2024

Written by Mary Anne Dunkin, Kim Painter

How to Travel as a Senior (20 Simple Tips)

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How to Travel as a Senior (20 Simple Tips)

If you’re wondering whether to start or continue traveling in old age (depending on when you were bitten by the travel bug), the simple answer is yes. Exploring the world and meeting new people can keep you looking young and energetic longer. Also, there are more seniors interested in traveling nowadays.

How to travel as a senior depends on your interests, budget, personality, among other factors. With a few simple tips, senior travelers can figure out how to best explore the world. These include ways to cut costs, how to travel solo as a senior, and tips to ensure your safety while on vacation.

This article covers our detailed list of senior travel tips for saving, traveling solo, and ensuring your safety when on holiday. Read on.

Saving Tips for Senior Travelers

Your budget is a key factor to consider when planning any trip. Even though seniors probably have more disposable income hence a more flexible budget, that doesn’t mean you want to spend all your money on making bookings or paying for travel arrangements.

You can strategically save on cash when traveling then put the extra amount to some other use like buying souvenirs for yourself and loved ones. Here are some easy saving tips you can implement.

Inquire About Discounts

Being a senior has its perks. There are a number of hotels and airlines that offer senior travel discounts. But most of the time, these won’t be overly advertised. That’s why you should take the initiative and ask about such offers.

Before making a booking, compare the discounts available in various hotels. Then once you find the one that has both a high discount and offering great services, close the deal.

But apart from senior discounts, you can also look for other special offers that you qualify for. Find out about these opportunities for cutting costs. In the end, you’ll definitely choose the offer that allows you to save the most money in the long run.

Travel Out of Season

I know it can be quite tempting to succumb to the excitement of traveling when everyone else is traveling, too, i.e., during high travel seasons. But this is most often going to cost you more than you would want to spend. Hotel prices and airfares skyrocket during high-peak seasons. That’s why it’s better to plan your vacation during the off-peak seasons when price tags are much lower.

If you travel during shoulder seasons (just before or just after the high season months), you can easily save on your vacation costs. From discounted airfares to cheaper hotel prices and affordable entrance fees to attractions. This is just what you need if you want to travel within a budget.

What is more, why not take advantage of the fact that you no longer have strict work schedules that limit your flexibility. So it’s entirely up to you to choose when to go on holiday.

Join Organizations That Offer Senior Travel Discounts

There are different organizations in various countries that entirely focus on retired people. Such organizations may have offers for senior travelers to encourage them to travel. Take, for example, AARP in America.

This America’s Association of Retired Persons has a number of discounts for mature travelers. You can get hotel discounts, cruises with reduced price tags for seniors, and discounts on car rental services.

There are also activity and restaurant discounts. All this information can be accessed on their website. Make sure to check frequently because some offers are available for just a limited period of time.

Use Cheaper Modes of Transport

Traveling by air is often more expensive than other forms of transport. So if you want to pay less, you should definitely try out different means of traveling, for example, using the train. You may find yourself saving up to a few hundreds of dollars in the long run.

You can also opt to rent a car to travel to your destination or just get one on arrival at your vacation spot.

Traveling by train or car is obviously not as fast as taking a flight. But once again, that may not always be a big issue for seniors because of your flexible schedule.

Book Connecting Flights

If you still want to travel by air, then scout for ways of getting cheaper ticket prices. One solution is in connecting flights.

Direct flights are faster and generally cost more. On the other hand, booking connecting flights will take more time because of the long waiting hours at airports. But this is well worth it if you will end up paying less. Just carry a book to read when waiting.

Travel With a Group

Traveling with a group can allow you to take advantage of group discounts offered by different hotels or attractions.

You can either choose to form a traveling group with some of your senior friends or just travel with your family, including your kids and grandkids. This will give you time to also bond as a family.

If, by any chance, you aren’t a fan of huge traveling groups and just want a solo vacation, then read on for some more tips to help you out with that as well.

Tips for Solo Senior Travelers

For those who’ve never traveled solo, the idea of going to a new place alone may make you a bit anxious. But if you just look past your fears and plan well in advance, you’ll realize how interesting it is to travel alone.

For one, you get to do what you want, when you want. Being alone means you are also likely to meet and interact with more people. In the process, spending time alone on vacation can offer a great opportunity to discover new things about yourself.

All the same, we can’t overlook the few challenges that come with solo-traveling and especially for seniors. Here are some practical tips to help you travel solo like a pro and enjoy the experience.

Travel Light

Traveling alone means you won’t have someone to hold your bags as you dash to the washrooms or grab a snack. This is one of the reasons you should travel light.

Carry only what you need and nothing more so as to keep your luggage at a minimum. If all your belongings can fit into just one bag, the better. So, I guess you might want to check out this video that shows how to pack items for three weeks into just one backpack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eqc4A3J5rWg

Whenever possible, carry items that can multitask or be compressed and fit in small spaces. For example, get a travel scarf with hidden pockets. A great example is the Elzama Infinity Loop Scarf with Hidden Zipper Pocket. It has hidden pockets where you can keep your passport, credit cards, hotel room keys, or even money. And the scarf itself will also keep you warm during flights.

For clothes, bring those that are easy to mix and match. Carry shoes that are comfortable to walk in so you won’t need to keep changing from one pair to another.

But more than just packing light, you’ll need to pack smart. Since seniors are easy targets of theft, ensure as much security of your luggage as possible, e.g., an anti-theft bag like Oscaurt Anti-theft Travel Backpack can keep your things safe when walking around. This backpack has hidden zippers, secret pockets, and is made of anti-cut fabric.

Volunteer on Vacation

Travelers can create unique itineraries that include offering some form of service to the communities in their destination. The idea of volunteering doesn’t mean your whole vacation has to be about helping others. You can set aside one day or even just a few hours and enjoy the rest of your vacation in leisure activities.

Volunteering on vacation is especially a great idea for solo senior travelers because of the opportunity to mingle with others. What is more, serving the local community will result in such a unique intimacy with a destination. You are not likely to enjoy such a close interaction if all you do is go sightseeing, hiking, and dining (not that there’s any problem doing any of these things).

In your retirement, you can offer the life skills you sharpened all through your working years—just partner with an organization that needs the specific skills that you have. You’ll be amazed at how fulfilling it is to offer your service for free and especially to people that are in dire need for them.

Get a Travel Roommate

This is a great strategy for socializing while traveling solo and, at the same time, cutting on costs. You may have noticed some hotels that charge more for solo travelers. To avoid this extra cost, organize to have a roommate for the time you’ll be staying at the said hotel.

Check out different tour operators that offer this option. If not, look into online forums that offer solo travelers the chance to pair up with other solo travelers who want to share a room.

Now, just so you know, having a total stranger for a roommate while on vacation can backfire on you if you get a not-so-easy-to-live-with kind of person. But on the flip side, you may match up with a really interesting individual who may end up being an amazing tour mate for the rest of your vacation.

So, take some time to weigh all your options before making this decision.

Go for a Special Interest Holiday

Special interest holidays are vacations designed around a particular interest, e.g., art, culinary, culture, etc. The point is to bring together people with the same interest for the sake of either learning a new skill or just enjoying their passion.

Solo trips are ideal for this kind of holiday. You may have put off learning a particular skill all your life due to your busy work and family life. Now that you have all this free time during your retirement, you might as well pursue that interest through a special interest holiday.

It’s never too late to learn a new skill if you just put your mind to it. For example, you can start salsa lessons, take a music course, or learn a new language in the country of origin.

The best thing about this type of holiday is getting to interact with people of similar interests. That means mingling with travelers of all age groups and cultures. It can be quite refreshing and enlightening.

Document Your Experiences

Even with the excitement of visiting new places, seeing amazing attractions, and experiencing diverse cultures, sometimes solo trips may actually get drab and lonely.

You are more likely to feel this weird emptiness during idle evenings with no activities planned. Or take, for example, the end of an exciting day when you sit at a table for one and realize there’s no one there to share stories of the amazing adventures you’ve had. But guess what, it doesn’t have to be that dull. These quiet moments are actually the essence of solo trips. Take such times to meditate and unwind.

You can also document your activities. Write in your journal the experiences you’ve had and maybe even include life lessons you’ve gained from your travels. It’s priceless to be able to refer to such documentations much later and reminisce about the wonderful time you had.

Stay Safe

Whenever you travel alone, it’s important to be conscious of your surroundings and always think of your safety. This begins right from planning your vacation. For example, it wouldn’t be the best idea to travel to a destination whose security is questionable. Pick and choose your travel destinations wisely.

If you feel insecure about a place or a person while traveling, trust your gut, and distance yourself. Sometimes, in extreme situations, you may even need to raise an alarm so that other people can come to your rescue.

But it doesn’t have to get to that. There are ways seniors can keep safe while traveling or when on holiday. Let’s look at some of those tips.

Safety Tips for Senior Travelers

Get Travel Insurance

It’s better to be safe than sorry. Even though you are extra cautious during your vacation, having travel insurance will come in handy in case something does happen.

As an older traveler, you are actually more vulnerable than your younger counterparts. Thieves see you as easy prey. So, your security measures need to be above that of the average traveler. Travel insurance is important for travelers of any age, but more so seniors.

You can get covered for medical issues. For example, the insurance can cover you if you get hurt while on vacation, or maybe you suddenly need extra medication due to unexpected situations like travel delays. If any of these things happen while in a foreign country, it may be harder or more expensive to get the necessary help. That’s when you’ll be glad you got insured.

You can also get insurance for your belongings. Reimbursement for lost luggage and replacement of stolen valuables are some of the benefits you’ll enjoy with such a cover. So you can at least be less anxious while walking around with, say an expensive camera.

All in all, look at the types of insurances available and identify the one that offers coverage that you need. Also, compare different insurance providers in order to get the best deal available.

And once you’ve got your travel insurance, remember to carry the details with you on vacation in case you need to make a claim.

Avoid Flashing Your Valuables

Now that you’re older, you probably own more items of high value than when you were younger. That’s great. But these valuables shouldn’t be carried around on each and every trip. If they are not very necessary during your holiday, it’s better to leave them at home where they are safe. That way, you don’t have to worry about losing the items to thieves and pickpockets.

Even so, there may be some valuables you want to carry with you on holiday. A good example is your camera for when you want to take some picture memories. Your wedding band may also be something you wouldn’t want to leave behind.

You’ll, therefore, need to be extra vigilant when moving around with such valuables. Don’t flash these items unnecessarily. If, for example, you are not using the camera, keep it inside your backpack.

The more people see your expensive stuff, the higher the chances of being a thief’s target. So investing in an anti-theft backpack, for example, is a great idea. Also, keep an eye on all your belongings at all times. This is especially necessary when in crowded places like airports and bus stations.

And in case you leave some valuables inside your hotel room, lock them up in the safe. You can’t trust anyone, not even the hotel staff.

Lock Up Important Documents

Apart from jewelry and expensive watches, your important documents are also very valuable and should be handled with great care.

To begin with, only carry the essential or necessary documents when traveling. Anything that you won’t need should be left back home. If you have several credit cards, you can consider just carrying two of them and leaving the rest behind.

Once booked into a hotel, lock up these documents in a safe. Only take them out with you on the days you truly need to use them. And even then, keep them as close as possible to you, e.g., use a belt pocket to carry IDs, cards, and money.

Keep a List of Emergency Contacts

One of the things that can really spoil an amazing holiday trip is getting scammed or having your belongings stolen. Any disaster, in general, is such a dampener of the excitement of traveling. What is more, it can throw you into a panic mode where you can’t even think straight.

Finding the phone number for an ambulance, the local police, or the embassy at such a time can be very hard. That’s why you need to prepare for such situations. Have a list of people you may need to call in case of an emergency—for example, your doctor, family, insurance, or your country’s embassy.

Save these contacts, preferably both in soft copy (in your phone) and hard copy (on a small card that can fit in your wallet or purse).

You can go a step further and create an “emergency plan.” Think out and note down the steps to take in case of an emergency. Have this information close to you in your wallet or purse.

Inform Friends and/or Family About Your Itinerary

According to AARP recommendations, you should inform others (family or friends) about your daily plans and whereabouts. This is especially necessary, but not restricted to when traveling solo.

For a thorough approach, send your itinerary to your family or friends back home. Ensure you clearly outline where you’re going, what you will be doing, and for how long.

Include emergency contacts, e.g., phone numbers of the embassy and the doctor.

Having all this information will be useful to your family if, for example, you cannot be reached for a long period of time or delay to get back home from a trip when you said you’ll be back.

Watch What You Eat and Drink

Most seniors don’t really have the luxury of eating anything they want because their stomachs have grown a bit sensitive. Some travelers also have multiple allergies. The best way to deal with this is to be very careful about what you eat or drink.

If you are looking for a place to eat, opt for a popular spot with many customers and try and observe how your food is being prepared. This way, you can be almost sure the food is going to be safe for your consumption.

We all know that with old age comes illnesses here and there. So, if you’re on any form of medication, stick to the doctor’s prescriptions even while away on vacation.

Carry all your meds in a carry-on bag where you can easily access them. Another important thing to remember is to carry extra meds just in case you get stuck during your travels and end up going back home on a later date than you had expected.

But apart from carrying extra meds, have a written list of all the medications you take, both their brand and generic names, their dosages, and information on where to buy them in your destination in case you will need to.

Exercise Hotel Safety

Most people tend to really trust hotels and feel safe there. But the truth is, you still need to be vigilant at the hotel in order to ensure your safety.

First up, before booking a room, inquire if it has a safety box where you can keep your valuables. As we’ve already mentioned, it’s crucial that you keep your valuable items locked in the safety box whenever you’re not in the room. This is whether there’s a hotel staff in there or not.

Secondly, request for a room that’s close to the elevator. The proximity to human traffic will deter thieves from trying to target your room.

Another tip is carrying a doorstop. This may come in handy in case your hotel room door lock is not so reliable.

Lastly, avoid announcing your absence. For example, if you’re leaving your hotel room and want to inform the staff to clean it, do not leave the door sign that requests for room cleaning. This sign will notify any passerby that you aren’t in and so you can easily attract thieves. Instead, inform the receptionist personally as you head out.

Final Thoughts

As you settle into your retirement years, take the opportunity to travel and see the world or visit your loved ones. You totally deserve it after the many years of work that you’ve gone through.

But before you set out, make sure you arm yourself with the right information on how to travel as a senior. Learn the tricks of cutting on costs, including traveling during shoulder seasons, asking for discounts, and traveling with a group.

If you are one to go for it solo, then it will serve you well if you learn how to travel light to avoid too much luggage. You may also want to include a volunteer project during your vacation just to interact more with the locals and get that sense of fulfillment.

Lastly, your safety should be your number one priority as you roam the world. Get travel insurance and always be aware of your surroundings. Being older, thieves already think you’re an easy target, so don’t make yourself even more prone to theft by carelessly flashing your valuables. All in all, keep your family and close friends informed of your whereabouts. Travel safe.

Everything you need to know about mangosteen

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Everything you need to know about mangosteen

Mangosteen is a small purple fruit that grows in Southeast Asia. Mangosteen is a good source of nutrients. However, more research into the health benefits of mangosteen is necessary.

This article will outline what a mangosteen is, look at the science behind the health benefit claims, and explain how to eat mangosteen.

What Is A Mangosteen?

Mangosteen is a small, purple fruit from Southeast Asia. It has a hard outer skin and sweet, white, juicy flesh. People have described its taste as a mix of lychee, peach, strawberry, and pineapple.

Farmers tend to grow mangosteen in Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, and Thailand. In these countries, people consume it as:

fruit
juice
traditional medicine

Fresh mangosteen is hard to find in the United States for two reasons.

First, mangosteen trees need a fully tropical climate and lots of time to grow. Small farms in Hawaii and Puerto Rico, started in the 1990s, are only now starting to bear fruit.

Second, fresh mangosteen can harbor quarantine pests or non-U.S. native bugs that could threaten the ecosystem. It means mangosteen importers must sterilize the fruit before it enters the country. This sometimes affects the quality, taste, or shelf life.

Benefits Of Mangosteen

Mangosteen has many benefits. It contains a range of compounds and substances that are good for human health.

The benefits of mangosteen include:

Highly Nutritious

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, all fruits provide nutrients that are vital for good health.

One cup of drained, canned mangosteen contains:

143 kcal
35.1g of carbohydrate
3.53g of dietary fiber
23.5mg of calcium
94.1mg of potassium
5.68mg of vitamin C

Most fruits, including mangosteen, are low in fat, sodium, and calories, helping people maintain a moderate weight. They are also free from cholesterol, which can contribute to chronic conditions such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Fruit is also a good source of nutrients that people in the U.S. often lack, such as:

potassium, a mineral needed to help maintain healthy blood pressure
dietary fiber, which helps people maintain a healthy gut
vitamin C, which helps the body to heal cuts and wounds and to keep teeth and gums healthy

Contains Antioxidants

Antioxidants fight free radicals or harmful substances that can build up inside the body. Free radicals can contribute to health problems including:

heart disease
cataracts
cancer

Studies have suggested that mangosteen contains antioxidants. One study from 2015 asked 30 people to drink a mangosteen-based beverage every day for 30 days. Researchers compared their blood to that of 30 people who had consumed a non-mangosteen-based drink or placebo.

At the end of the 30 days, the mangosteen group had 15% more antioxidants in their bloodstream than the placebo group.

Anti-inflammatory

Inflammation is a normal part of the immune system. It is the body’s way of removing foreign substances, like bacteria, viruses, or chemicals.

Sometimes, inflammation happens unnecessarily. Other times, it continues after the body has removed the threat. Doctors call this chronic inflammation. It can contribute to health problems including:

cancer
heart disease
diabetes
arthritis
depression
Alzheimer’s disease

In the 2015 study outlined above, scientists found that mangosteen may also act as an anti-inflammatory. They concluded this by measuring the C-reactive protein, a substance that signals inflammation levels. Over the 30 days of the study, levels of this protein in the mangosteen group reduced by an average of 46%.

Medicinal Properties

Some medicines include mangosteen as an ingredient, including:

metratrim, a medicine that also contains Sphaeranthus indicus and may help people who have obesity or overweight lose weight
a gel with 4% mangosteen can help with loose teeth and bleeding in people with serious gum disease, or periodontitis
some moisturizers for oily skin

Potential Drawbacks

It is important to note that studies on the health benefits of mangosteen have been small so far. Scientists need more research before they can be sure.

The National Library of Medicine says that there is not enough evidence to say that mangosteen can help with:

diarrhea
dysentery
eczema
gonorrhea
menstrual disorders
thrush
tuberculosis
urinary tract infections

It also advises against using mangosteen medicines in the following situations:

when pregnant or breastfeeding, as there is not enough evidence to say it is safe
if the person has a bleeding disorder, as mangosteen may slow blood clotting
for two weeks before surgery, as it may increase the risk of bleeding during or after an operation

Mangosteen and other herbal supplements may also interact with some medications, such as liraglutide (Saxenda).

How To Eat Mangosteen

People can peel the outer skin of the mangosteen and eat the wedges of fruit inside raw.

However, fresh mangosteen is hard to find in the U.S. Lots of mangosteen-based products, including supplements and juices, are available for people who would like to gain the health benefits of mangosteen but have difficulty finding fresh fruit.

Things to bear in mind with these products include the following:

Some mangosteen juices contain only small amounts of fruit.
Fruit juices do not contain the same dietary fiber as fresh fruits.
Mangosteen may lose some of the substances that give it potential health benefits when manufacturers make the fruit into juices or supplements.

Summary

Mangosteen is a small purple fruit that grows in Southeast Asia. It is difficult to grow and import into the U.S.

Studies have suggested that the fruit has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, there is not yet enough evidence to conclusively prove this.

Some medicines include mangosteen as an ingredient. These include drugs for obesity and gum disease. People who are pregnant, nursing, have a blood disorder, or are about to have an operation should avoid mangosteen-based medicines.