3 Balance Exercises for Elderly People

Here’s a trio of balance exercises for elderly people to adopt as part of a regular routine.

This article was originally published in 2016. It is regularly updated.

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Sarcopenia is the name for age-related loss of muscle mass and strength. It’s a consequence of aging, but a systematic program of physical activity can lessen the effects of sarcopenia. There is also compelling evidence that specific dietary measures, in addition to resistance exercises, can mitigate or inhibit loss of muscle mass. More on that in a minute; first, let’s consider exercise.

Functional Exercises to Prevent Sarcopenia

One of the most basic interventions to muscle deterioration is resistance exercise designed to rebuild mass, strength, and performance. Studies by The National Council on Aging show that physical activity will make you more independent, increase your strength and range of motion, and benefit your overall health.

And don’t let your age, whatever it is, discourage you. It’s easy to think to yourself, “I’m too old to exercise.” The fact is, as reported by National Institutes of Health studies, you’re never too old to start exercising. In fact, exercising not only preserves muscle mass and prevents sarcopenia, but it decreases the risk of multiple health problems, including high blood pressure, balance problems, difficulty walking, and falls.

Preserving muscle mass also improves mobility. A study published in The British Medical Journal found that strength and flexibility tasks embedded into routine activities improved balance, strength, function, and participation in daily life among people age 70 and over.

One muscle group to work out regularly is the quadriceps muscles, located on the front of your thighs. They’re particularly important for walking and for maintaining independence. They play an essential role in walking because they are responsible for swinging the leg forward as you take a step. (See also our post “The Benefits of Walking.”)

The quads also play a primary role in movements, such as getting up from a chair, getting out of the bathtub, and climbing stairs. Strong quadriceps also help with balance and stability. You’re less likely to stumble if your quadriceps are strong. Strong quads also protect your back when you bend down to pick up an object.

Originally published in 2016, this post is regularly updated.

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Balance and mobility, after all, are based on a certain degree of strength in both the upper and lower body. Difficulty in getting up, or pushing upward with your arms, from a chair or sofa might be an indication of upper body weakness. Lower-body weakness or unsteadiness is a warning sign for potential falls and decreased mobility.

Falling: How Does It Happen?

Falls can happen to anyone, but the common denominator in most falls is age. Many of the people at high risk for falls are the same ones who have lost some of their mobility. One in every three adults 65 years and older will fall this year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries.

An injury that begins with a fall can develop into restricted mobility that negatively affects the way you live. At first it’s a “hard to get around” situation, but it can end with a smaller world in which a person can’t walk very far, can’t drive, can’t travel, and can’t enjoy normal activities that once were taken for granted.

Balance Training Benefits

Researchers at the University of Sydney found that strength and flexibility tasks embedded in the daily activities of a group of men and women over the age of 70 reduced the rate of falls by 31 percent.

The participants assigned to a program consisting of walking, stepping over objects, and moving from a sitting to standing position reported significantly fewer falls than participants who engaged in a traditional lower-body exercise program and those who were assigned to a sham exercise group. They also displayed better balance, increased ankle strength, and improved function and participation in daily life.

Falling: Myths vs. Facts

There are as many myths about falls as there are about potential loss of mobility.

Myth #1: Falls happen to other people, not to me.
Fact: Remember that statistic about one out of three older adults falling each year? If you are 65 or older, you have a 33 percent chance of falling this year. If it doesn’t happen this year, you face increased odds next year and every year after that.

Myth #2: Taking medication doesn’t increase my risk of falling.
Fact: Medications may increase your risk of falling by making you sleepy or dizzy, says the National Council on Aging. Talk to your health care provider about potential side effects, and be especially careful when starting a new medication.

Myth #3: There is no need to get my vision checked every year.
Fact: Vision is a key risk factor for falls. People with vision problems are twice as likely to fall as those without an impairment. Get your eyes checked every year, and update your glasses if necessary.

Myth #4: Falls are not as serious as cancer or heart disease, so I don’t need to talk to family members or my doctor(s) if I’m concerned about my risk of falling.
Fact: Preventing falls is a team effort and something that should be discussed with your doctor, family, and others in a position to help.

Myth #5: I don’t need to talk to a parent, spouse, or other adult if I’m concerned about his or her risk of falling.
Fact: Yes, you do. Without being threatening, let the person know about your concerns and offer support to help him or her maintain the highest degree of independence possible.

Originally published in 2016, this post is regularly updated.

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Research on more than 51 million people by the World Cancer Research Fund Network (WCRF) and the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) has resulted in a “blueprint” for cancer prevention. The 2018 prevention guidelines can be used across different cultures, the report states.

Modifiable Factors vs. Fixed

While family history is inescapable, there are many modifiable lifestyle factors that can aid in cancer prevention.

Chief among these is preventing obesity; being overweight is likely to overtake smoking as the Number One risk factor for cancer within a few years. Excess weight is believed to be the cause of at least 12 cancers, five more than when the last prevention recommendations were published. These cancers include cancers of the liver, ovaries, prostate, stomach, mouth, throat, bowel, breast, gallbladder, kidney, esophagus, pancreas and womb.

Commonsense Guidelines

Quantifiable evidence has solidified these guidelines for cancer prevention. Foremost among them, and key to maintaining a healthy weight, is to consume a diet rich in whole grains, vegetables, fruit, and legumes; aim for 30 or more grams of fiber daily, and focus on a plant-based diet. Other key preventions include:

• Do not smoke, or use any form of tobacco
• Limit or avoid consumption of soft or sugary-sweet drinks
• Reduce or eliminate fast food and foods high in fat, starches, and sugars
• Engage in physical activity—walk more,;sit less
• Minimize exposure to sun, tanning, and industrial chemicals
• Avoid bacon and alcohol: Even small amounts increase the risk of a number of cancers.

What This Means for You

The WCRF recognizes that factors, such as social, economic, and environmental factors, outside a person’s control may prevent free choice of lifestyle. But, given a choice, following the guidelines above may enhance your chances of living your life cancer-free.

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Both fat and sugar are known to play a role in boosting abnormal eating behaviors, but a high-fat diet might be a stronger factor than sugar in triggering reward and upsetting normal circadian eating rhythms.

Recently, researchers in Spain collaborated on a study to understand how these environments can lead to obesity, using a mouse model in a laboratory environment. Results were published in the journal Addiction Biology March 2018.

Meal Choice: Sugar or Fat

The research team fed the study subjects one of two options: high-carbohydrate, consisting of a normal balanced diet enhanced by chocolate pieces, or low-carbohydrate—a high-fat meal. When subjects were fed these meals, researchers noted an almost immediate increased food intake and eating rate, along with shorter meals and between-meal intervals, compared to the control group that ate only the standard fare.

Bingeing Mice

The mice began to eat as much chocolate in the one hour per day it was offered than they would have eaten over a whole day if it had been available. The mice started to eat randomly during the day in snack-like patterns instead of regular, more infrequent, but plentiful meals. Researchers noted that the mice began compulsive eating, behaving addictively (for example, gorging themselves on the sweet mix), and gaining weight almost immediately after exposure to the high-fat food and the chocolate mixture.

The caloric intake was higher in both groups than in the control group, confirming previous research showing that high-fat diets reduce response to satiation signals compared to a similar caloric-intake high-carbohydrate diet (the chocolate mix). Fat food delays the signal that says “I’m full,” which leads to overconsumption.

Bingeing Humans

Similarly, people who are overweight or obese fall into patterns of eating on demand, rather than at more regular and infrequent intervals. Researchers suggest that exposure to such eating and hypercaloric diets inhibits individuals’ ability to control eating behavior. They say that by understanding the behaviors that lead to obesity, and detecting symptoms early, interventions could be effected.

Researchers are now expanding their research to obese people to see if the lab results transfer to humans.

What This Means for You

Understanding and modifying behavior could be the key to preventing obesity.

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Traditional Treatment

The most common first-line treatment for glaucoma is prescription eye drops, which are highly effective if used correctly. But studies show that these medications are often not used as prescribed. People may not administer the drops correctly, may not take them consistently, or may not be able to afford them. Furthermore, preservatives used in the drops can damage the ocular surface.

Surgical intervention offers an effective alternative that can reduce or even eliminate the need for eye drops, but traditional surgeries, such as trabeculectomy, come with potential complications, such as postoperative infection, scarring, and hemorrhaging in the eye.

Microinvasive Options

To mitigate that risk, ophthalmologists are increasingly turning to microinvasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS). These procedures, which are commonly used in conjunction with cataract surgery, are quicker and safer than traditional surgery. That lower risk profile does come with reduced effectiveness for some patients, however, so these procedures are more appropriate for people with mild to moderate disease. There are several types of MIGS procedures that address different parts of the eye.

Creating a Canal

In a healthy eye, fluid called aqueous humor flows into and out of the eye in equal amounts. In glaucoma, that fluid builds up and increases intraocular pressure (IOP). There is no set target range for IOP, but 10 to 21 mmHg is generally considered normal. The main barrier to fluid drainage is believed to be the trabecular meshwork (TM).

In procedures like the Trabectome (NeoMedix), a surgeon removes tissue from the TM, creating a “canal” to allow fluid drainage. Studies have found that this procedure generally causes IOP levels to drop into the mid‑teens.

Patients who need to further lower their IOP may be better served by a gonioscopy-assisted transluminal trabeculotomy (GATT) procedure, which removes tissue more completely and can lower pressure even more.

Creating a Rain Spout

Devices like the iStent Trabecular Micro-Bypass Stent (Glaukos) work differently. With this procedure, a tiny stent is placed in the eye to redirect the flow of aqueous. The iStent diverts aqueous into the Schlemm canal—bypassing the TM—while the CyPass Micro-Stent (Alcon) diverts aqueous into the suprachoroidal space. Yet another device, the Xen Glaucoma Treatment System (Allergan), uses a stent to drain into the subconjunctival space.

Limitations

A growing number of studies show that MIGS is a safe and effective approach for many patients, but it’s not for everyone. MIGS may eliminate the need for further intervention or medication in patients with mild disease, or only reduce the need for medication in more challenging cases. And patients with severe disease are not candidates for these procedures. One significant benefit is that they do no harm: If MIGS doesn’t work for a patient, he or she can still pursue more traditional treatment options.

What This Means for You

If you have mild to moderate glaucoma, you may be able to better control your disease by undergoing a safe and quick, minimally invasive surgical procedure.

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Sodium Is Everywhere

Sodium is the primary ingredient in table salt. The average American consumes 3,400 milligrams (mg) of sodium a day—about 50 percent more than the recommended upper limit of 2,300 mg. Excess sodium is a known contributor to high blood pressure (hypertension), which greatly increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Lowering blood pressure can reduce this risk. For many people, this requires cutting back on sodium by restricting the amount of salt they consume.

The Insidious Role of Sodium

Despite Americans’ love affair with their saltshaker, up to three-fourths of sodium is consumed through commercially prepared foods. In fact, sodium is so widely used that it’s almost impossible to avoid. Lunchmeats, cured meats (bacon, for example), breads and crackers, bottled salad dressings, canned soups, processed cheeses, soy sauce, and flavor enhancers such as MSG are almost always high in sodium.

Help from the Food Industry

To lower the average amount of sodium consumed per day, the FDA felt it would be necessary for the manufacturers of these foods to participate in the process. To this end, the FDA developed voluntary reformulation targets designed to reduce sodium levels in 155 food categories.

An analysis of various levels of compliance with this program on the potential number of cardiovascular disease (CVD) cases and deaths that would be prevented or postponed, adjusted life years, and cost effectiveness of the program was published April 10, 2018, in PLoS One. It reveals just how effective sodium reduction could be.

Study Method

To gauge the effects of voluntary sodium reformulation on the U.S. population, researchers turned to a food policy model that simulates the lives of individuals based on population projections, large disease databases and clinical studies. (For detailed information on this fascinating, but complicated model, see the free PLoS One article).

First, the researchers analyzed the lives of these hypothetical individuals when no adjustments are made to their sodium consumption. They tracked their systolic blood pressure, first heart attack or stroke, quality of life over time, costs and death from cardiovascular disease or other cause.

Then they calculated the life courses of the same individuals under three scenarios: 100 percent compliance with 10-year FDA targets (“optimal” scenario), 50 percent compliance with 10-year targets (“modest” scenario) and 100 percent compliance with 2-year FDA targets, but no further progress (“pessimistic” scenario).

Gains in Longevity and Quality of Life

The model projected average daily sodium levels in the no-intervention, optimal, modest, and pessimistic groups to drop from 3,159 mg to 2,974 mg, 2,224 mg, 2524 mg and 2,789 mg, respectively.

The optimal scenario was gauged to potentially prevent or postpone up to 830,000 cases of cardiovascular disease and as many as 86,000 deaths from heart attack and stroke over a 20-year period.

The modest scenario was predicted to prevent or postpone up to 420,000 cases of cardiovascular disease and up to 59,000 CVD deaths in the same time period.

The pessimistic scenario was predicted to prevent or postpone up to 240,000 cases of cardiovascular disease and up to 52,000 CVD deaths. While this is significantly less than the optimal scenario, it would still result in substantial improvement in the health of the U.S. population.

Moreover, all scenarios would result in a dramatic increase in years of life and quality of life, as well as billions of dollars in savings to the U.S. health-care system.

What This Means for You

Besides longer life and increased quality of life, getting companies to voluntarily lower sodium levels in prepared and processed foods could prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths from heart attack and stroke caused by high blood pressure, add millions of healthy years to people’s lives and save the government (and our economy) billions of dollars over the next 20 years.

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Some people maintain full cognitive performance well into their 80s, and they may have their genes to thank for it, according to a study published in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, May 29, 2018. Researchers investigated the genomes of 56 “SuperAgers”—people ages 80 or older, who scored as well as, or better than, average adults ages 50 to 65 in episodic memory tests and at least average in other cognitive tests. Compared with a group of people from the general population and a group of 22 people with average episodic memory and cognition, the SuperAgers were “enriched for genetic changes in the MAP2K3gene,” the researchers discovered. While not everyone can hit that genetic jackpot, researchers now have a genetic target for therapy development.

Memory Loss Reversed in Mice

For the first time, researchers have successfully used a drug to reverse tau-induced memory deficits in mice. Tau is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers administered zileuton, a drug that inhibits leukotriene formation, to mice that had been engineered to develop tau pathology. After 16 weeks, those mice performed significantly better on tests of working memory and spatial learning memory than untreated animals. The drug slashed their leukotriene levels by 90 percent, levels of phosphorylated and insoluble tau by 50 percent, and eliminated inflammation in the brain—ultimately reversing memory loss. Zileuton is currently FDA-approved to treat asthma.

Optimal Sleep Linked to Lower Dementia Risk

Japanese researchers suggest that the optimal amount of sleep to reduce the risk of dementia and premature death is between five and 6.9 hours. People who sleep for less than five hours or more than 10 are both at higher risk. A high level of physical activity seems to offset the risk for short sleepers, but the use of hypnotics does not. At any sleep duration, people who used hypnotics had a risk of dementia that was 1.66 times higher and a risk of death that was 1.83 times higher than those who slept without hypnotics for five to 6.9 hours. The study was published in the Journal of theAmerican Geriatrics Society on June 6, 2018.

Blood Pressure-Dementia Link

A University College of London study of 8,639 people found that 50-year-olds with systolic blood pressure at or above 130 mmHg had a 45 percent higher risk of developing dementia than people with normal blood pressure—but this association was not seen in people age 60 or 70. The lead researcher, professor Archana Singh-Manoux, explained, “We see an increased risk for people with raised blood pressure at age 50, but not 60 or 70, because those with hypertension at age 50 are likely to be ‘exposed’ to this risk for a longer. period of time.” The average age of dementia diagnosis was 75; people who were diagnosed with hypertension at 50 had the condition longer than those who weren’t diagnosed until they were 60 or 70.

Better Bypass Graft Confirmed

In coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), the internal thoracic artery is the first choice of conduit. But when multiple bypasses are required, a second conduit is often needed. A vein from a leg is traditionally chosen for this purpose. A study in the April 30, 2018 New England Journal of Medicine found that patients whose surgeons use a radial artery from the arm are more likely to be free of major cardiac events five years later than those whose bypass is done with a leg vein. In this study, patients who received a radial artery graft had a 33 percent lower incidence of death, heart attack, or repeat revascularization at five years, mainly due to fewer heart attacks and revascularizations. The radial artery is currently used in only 4 to 5 percent of CABG operations, primarily because its advantages have not been well documented.

Incorrect Prescriptions Are Common

. More than 11 million Americans may have incorrect prescriptions for aspirin, statins, and blood pressure medications because the calculations physicians use to assess a patient’s risk of cardiovascular disease—pooled cohort equations (PCEs)—are outdated, researchers at Stanford Medicine report. Physicians may use a smartphone app or a PCE calculator to determine the risk score, or their electronic health record may automatically pull this data from the patient’s records. These equations, however, are based on outdated data from the 1940s that is no longer representative of the population. As a result, current PCEs are overestimating some people’s risk by up to 20 percent, while also underestimating the risk for African American patients. Researchers at Stanford are updating the PCEs with new data and applying new statistical models to improve their accuracy to ensure patients will receive correct prescriptions (Annals of Internal Medicine, Jun. 5, 2018).

Hopefully, the Final Word on the Safety of Smoking-Cessation Drugs

Many people are able to quit smoking, thanks to nicotine replacement patches and drugs that lower the desire for cigarettes. Although none of these products have been associated with cardiovascular events in users, ongoing concern about their safety prompted the FDA and its European counterpart to request a multinational trial to collect additional safety data on buproprion (Wellbutrin, Zyban) and varenicline (Champix, Chantix). Their study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine online April 9, 2018, randomized 8,000 smokers to these products or placebo for eight weeks. All were followed for 12 weeks, and 4,500 for 28 weeks. At 52 weeks, no differences in cardiovascular death, non-fatal heart attack or non-fatal stroke were seen between the treatment and placebo groups.

New Device May Halt Heart Damage

After a heart attack, patients are at increased risk of progressing to heart failure, but there may be a solution. Therepi is a small device that features a port placed under a patient’s skin, a refill line, and a reservoir attached to the heart. The device allows a patient or physician to deliver drugs, proteins, and stem cells directly to the damaged part of the heart instead of using systemic drugs or repeated injections. This could allow for more efficient medication delivery and fewer side effects. It’s expected to be ready for human use in a few years.

Obesity a Risk Factor Even When Metabolically Healthy

Up to one-third of people with obesity are considered to be metabolically healthy, meaning they do not have high blood pressure, poor blood sugar control, diabetes, or abnormal blood fats. A new study shows that women in this group still have a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease than women who are at a normal weight. But even women who maintain a normal weight are at risk. The researchers, who studied data from more than 90,000 women in the Nurses’ Health Study, found that “most healthy women are likely to develop type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol over time, irrespective of their BMI.” They recommend careful attention to diet and exercise to prevent disease development (Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, May 30, 2018).

Lentils Slash Blood Glucose Levels

University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada, researchers have found that using lentils to replace half of a portion of rice lowers blood glucose up to 20 percent. Swap them out for potatoes for a 35-percent decrease.

Genetic Markers Found for Prostate Cancer

University of Southern California researchers have found 63 new DNA variants associated with prostate cancer risk, bringing the total number of identified risk regions to 170. The new findings suggest that genetic errors in immune pathways may affect prostate cancer risk, which could lead to future immunotherapy treatments. In the meantime, the information can be used to predict which men are at high risk of developing the disease.

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In 1995 the BIOCARD study (Biomarkers of Cognitive Decline among Normal Individuals) was developed to identify people who could be participants in AD clinical trials, as well as to identify people at risk of mild cognitive impairment so that early interventions could be realized. Researchers say interventions may have a greater chance of success if people can be identified and treated in the earliest phases of the disease.

Family History

By intent, about 75 percent of the study participants had a family history of AD. The mean age of participants was 57, and they were followed for up to 18 years (mean follow-up was 12.1 years).

The current study draws on data from the parent BIOCARD study, which was initiated at the National Institutes of Health and ended in 2005; it resumed at Johns Hopkins University in 2009. Of 224 participants, 178 remain cognitively normal, (including 22 diagnosed as “Impaired Not MCI”), and 46 have been diagnosed with MCI or dementia due to AD.

Biomarkers of AD

Participants were evaluated using a variety of biomarkers, including cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) amyloid-β and phosphorylated-tau, MRI measures (hippocampal and entorhinal cortex volume), cognitive test scores and APOE genotype.

• Cognitive assessments included memory, executive function, language, visuospatial ability, attention, speed of processing and psychomotor speed.
• CSF assessments detected the presence of beta-amyloid and tau.
• MRI measurements: In the very early stages of AD, the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex are smaller than normal. MRI also can detect thinning in the brain’s cerebral cortex, the thin layer of tissue that covers the cerebrum. The cerebrum has an important role in memory, attention, thought, and language. Thinning indicates a risk for developing AD.
• APOE: Apolipoprotein E is a gene that in certain forms is associated with increased risk for AD. Individuals with at least one APOE e4 allele are at increased risk for AD; those with two e4 alleles are at the greatest risk.

Measuring Progression

A combination of the biomarkers predicted progression to MCI better than any single biomarker alone. The combination that best predicted progression to MCI included age, years of education, APOE, cognitive scores, MRI results, and CSF results.

What This Means for You. The study findings show that it’s possible to predict which cognitively normal persons are likely to progress to MCI at 5, 7, and 10 years post-baseline. Identifying these individuals would enable developing a plan for intervention aimed at the preclinical phase of AD, when treatments would be more effective.

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A. Interestingly, 26 million Americans have kidney disease, many of whom are unaware of it, and 76 million more are at high risk of developing it. The disease kills 90,000 people a year, more than breast or prostate cancers. If caught in the early stages by a simiple urine test, it can be treated to slow or halt progression. The urine test checks for abnormal levels of protein. Normally, protein is supposed to stay in the body, while the kidneys filter out creatinine, a waste product.

Changes in lifestyle factors can help prevent or inhibit kidney disease. Those at risk are smokers, obese, have a diet high in red and processed meats, drink sugar-sweetened drinks, and use sodium. Their diets are generally low in vegetables, fruit, legumes, nuts, whole grains and low-fat dairy.

Other high risk factors include obesity; smoking; long-term use of aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, or similar over-the-counter drugs; repeated dehydration; and excess alcohol consumption. These are modifiable lifestyle factors that people can control.

Besides people with a family history of kidney disease, certain ethnic groups, such as African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, and Native Americans are likelier than white Americans to develop kidney disease. Since your uncle has kidney disease, consider having your urine tested to determine if you have normal levels of protein.

Q. Why is yoga supposed to be good for you?

A. Yoga is a mind-body practice that combines physical movement with mindfulness—using your senses and focusing on the moment. Yoga can help control pain via stress reduction; practicing yoga reduces levels of cortisol, blood pressure, and heart rate. (Cortisol is a hormone released in response to stress (“fight or flight”) that produces negative health effects if it is experienced over too long a time.)

When the stress response is lowered, the muscles and the nerves relax, and you feel calm. To feel the full benefits of yoga, ideally it should be practiced daily. But start with a single class and work from there. You also can start with “breath breaks” —focus on your breathing once or twice a day to make sure you’re breathing in fresh oxygen.

Q. The medications I’m taking for atrial fibrillation don’t work for me. What about catheter ablation as an alternative treatment?

A. Medications for atrial fibrillation (Afib) sometimes have side effects—including life-threatening arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death—that can make them a less-than-desirable treatment. In catheter ablation the physician inserts a catheter into the femoral vein and leads it to the heart. The doctor then burns or freezes the tissue around the pulmonary vein, where the electrical impulses that trigger Afib often originate. This creates scar tissue that stops the electrical impulses, thus “short-circuiting” Afib. A single procedure is generally about 60 to 85 percent effective, and the patient will require no medication to maintain a proper sinus rhythm. Sometimes a second procedure is necessary. It’s also possible there will be some complications, but these are rare. Of course, discuss with your cardiologist whether this procedure is for you.

Q. I have read that I should get most of my calcium from food, not from supplements. How can I get enough daily calcium, and what is the optimum amount?

A. Calcium is the workhorse of the body, needed to help prevent osteoporosis (bone-thinning) and fractures. It also helps blood circulate and clot, regulates heartbeat, sends and receives nerve signals, and aids muscle movement, and helps release hormones and other chemicals. The Institute of Medicine recommends that women over age 50 and men over age 70 should try to get 1,200 milligrams (mg) of calcium daily. To absorb calcium, you also need an adequate amount of vitamin D; the recommended daily dose for adults is 800 international units (IU) daily for men and women over age 70. You can get calcium from dairy products, such as milk, yogurt, and cheese, from fortified foods such as orange juice and cereal, green, leafy vegetables, legumes, salmon, and sardines. 

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