Category Archives: Healthy Aging

Exercises for People Over 50

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Physical activity is key to staying healthy as you age.

Regular physical activity is one of the most important things people can do to improve their health. Moving more and sitting less have tremendous benefits for everyone, regardless of age, sex, race, ethnicity, or current fitness level.

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity of exercise—like brisk walking or cycling —each week.

Adults also need resistance training, muscle-strengthening activity—like lifting weights or doing push-ups—at least 2 days each week.

Walking: You can walk virtually anywhere, anytime, and at any age. No matter where you are fitness-wise, you can almost always take a few steps. You can do it alone or with a friend, inside, outside, with music, to a video, in a park, or in your yard. The health benefits of walking are limitless.

Core: Your core muscles, or abdominals, are the muscles around your stomach. Strong abdominals play an important role in good posture, respiratory function, and low back health.

Yoga: If you prefer something more meditative, or you’d like to increase your flexibility, balance, and focus with yoga or tai chi.

Strengthening:  Done with fitness equipment, household items, or your body weight. It’s recommended that you perform strengthening exercises at least twice per week and that you target the large muscle groups each time. Always be careful when doing strengthening exercises and monitor your technique to prevent injury. You can also try wall push-ups, bodyweight squats, or hamstring curls with just your bodyweight to build strength.

Sports: Pick your favorite one to do alone or with your partner. Tennis, golf, cycling, running … you name it. Anything that uses your full body and gets your heart pumping will be beneficial.

References:

  1. https://www.myhealth.va.gov/ss20161101-five-exercises-for-people-over-50
  2. https://health.gov/sites/default/files/2019-09/Physical_Activity_Guidelines_2nd_edition.pdf

Do-It-Yourself Tests to Monitor Your Health

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Five Do-It-Yourself Tests to Monitor Your Health as You Get Older

There are several simple exercises you can do at home, like standing on one leg, measuring the distance you can walk and standing up from sitting, to monitor and assess your health and well-being, according to The Wall Street Journal. 

Here are five exercises you can do at home that doctors and experts on aging recommend for monitoring your health. But, it’s important to emphasize, none of the simple exercises are a substitute for regular medical care and professional health assessments.

One-legged standing test

The average person under the age of 70 should be able to stand on one leg for 10 seconds at a time, says Claudio Gil Soares de Araújo, a sports and exercise physician in Rio de Janeiro.

A recent study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, which found that the ability of middle-aged and older adults to stand barefoot on one leg for 10 seconds was associated with higher rates of survival years later. Researchers used an adjusted model that accounted for factors including age, sex, body-mass index and comorbidities. 

Try it at home while brushing your teeth, but make sure you have a nearby wall or person to hold on to if you start to wobble. Keep your arms and elbows extended naturally by your side, and place the front foot of the lifted leg on the back of your opposite calf. If you can’t maintain a static stance for 10 seconds, you should consider consulting a physical therapist or doctor about your fitness level.

Sit-to-stand test

The sit-to-stand test involves sitting in an armless chair and timing how long it takes you to stand up and sit back down.

Sit in a chair with your arms crossed over your chest, then stand up while keeping them crossed, and sit back down five times.

The average person in their 60s should be able to complete this sequence in 11.4 seconds, a person in their 70s should be able to complete it in 12.6 seconds and a person in their 80s should be able to complete it in 14.8 seconds, says Natasha Bhuyan, a Phoenix-based primary-care physician and regional medical director at membership-based primary-care practice One Medical. The times come from an analysis of studies that have looked at the sit-to-stand test, she says.

The sit-to-stand test measures balance, which is an important indicator of long-term health and a predictor of falls, says Dr. Bhuyan. The test also evaluates strength in the lower extremities. If you don’t perform well, talk with your primary-care doctor.

Push-up test

The number of push-ups you can do may provide useful feedback about your musculoskeletal health. A 2019 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that among men with an average age of 40, participants able to complete fewer than 10 push-ups (without long pauses) were at a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular disease than those on the upper end of the spectrum of endurance, who could do more than 40.

For men in their 50s and 60s who can’t do more than 10, he says, the results should be a red flag. “It’s probably confirmation of what you already believed, which is that you might be neglecting strength and resistance training,” says Nathan LeBrasseur, director of the Mayo Clinic’s Robert and Arlene Kogod Center on Aging.

Six-minute walk test

In this test, measure how far you can power walk (not run, not stroll) in six minutes. If you don’t get farther than 350 meters, or about 1,150 feet, that could indicate other health issues, according to physicians.

The exercise helps measure endurance and fitness, which can provide clues to your cardiovascular and lung health. 

There is no perfect age to start this test, says Dr. Bhuyan. Doctors often perform it with patients as people transition to Medicare coverage at age 65, she says, if they have concerns about mobility issues. (In a clinical setting, the test is often performed in a long hallway.) 

You can try doing it yourself earlier. Some people may want to start in their 50s, Dr. Bhuyan notes, especially if they are experiencing shortness of breath while walking.  

Another version of the test is to visit a 400-meter track and time yourself to see how long it takes you to power walk one lap. A time longer than six minutes and 40 seconds would be “of significant concern” for a person in their 50s, says Dr. LeBrasseur.

If the distance is challenging to complete, or if you are seeing a significant increase in the time it takes you to complete the same distance year-over-year, consult your doctor.

Cognitive test

Cognitive health in midlife is an important predictor of health later on, neurologists say. It’s a good idea to get a baseline measurement around age 65 or earlier if you have a family history of cognitive decline or are noticing yourself forgetting something that used to be a no-brainer, such as paying bills.

The Self-Administered Gerocognitive Exam (SAGE) is an at-home, 10 minute to 15 minute screening test that can help detect early signs of cognitive, memory or thinking impairments, says neurologist Douglas Scharre, who developed the exam. It includes memory recall questions and simple math problems.

A digital version of the exam automatically calculates your score at the end. Users must pay for the digital version. For people who prefer the free, printable version, Dr. Scharre recommends taking the results to your primary-care doctor for scoring and interpretation.

If further evaluation is recommended, your doctor might suggest you take a test called the Mini-Cog. The test is administered by a professional, says Sonja Rosen, chief of geriatric medicine at Cedars-Sinai.

  1. Alex Janin, Five Do-It-Yourself Tests to Monitor Your Health as You Get Older, The Wall Street Journal, July 21, 2022. https://www.wsj.com/articles/five-do-it-yourself-tests-to-monitor-your-health-as-you-age-11658364889
  2. https://wexnermedical.osu.edu/brain-spine-neuro/memory-disorders/sage

Health is Real Wealth

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The real wealth are healthy habits such as a healthy diet, exercise, regular sleep.

Keeping your priorities straight is a challenge, but it’s essential to prioritize your health. Without a healthy body, everything you’re working for doesn’t mean much.

Finances and health are nearly impossible to separate. After all, health care costs money, and making money is a lot simpler when you’re healthy. You may be thinking you just don’t have time to focus on healthy habits like a balanced diet, exercise, or sleep.

One study showed that medical expenses and disabilities may account for two-thirds of bankruptcies in the U.S. Even if that stat is skewed, we all know that medical costs can be really tough for the average family to handle. Keeping yourself healthy can prevent a ton of extra costs. 

Many of the key steps to a healthy, happy and longer life are simple and within reach of almost all of us. Master these three science-based healthy habits and you’ll high-five your way to feeling great.

1. Exercise regularly

Exercise is the one thing in life you can do to live a longer, healthier life. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ranks exercise sky-high on its bucket list of activities.

“Only a few lifestyle choices have as large an impact on your health as physical activity,” says our nation’s top health organization.

The healthiest way to improve the quality of your sleep: exercise

“People who are physically active for about 150 minutes a week have a 33% lower risk of all-cause mortality than those who are physically inactive.”

If you get up and move at least 150 minutes each week, you cut your risk of dying by one-third.

In addition, exercise — even just walking at a moderate pace — has been shown to improve cognitive function, help you control your weight, reduce your risk for disease and, of course, strengthen your bones and muscles.

Some benefits are immediate: After finishing one 30-minute physical activity you’ll have less anxiety, lower blood pressure, more sensitivity to insulin and you’ll sleep better that night.

Get the recommended 150 to 300 minutes a week for adults of moderate-intensity exercise — such as brisk walking, dancing, bicycling, doubles tennis and water aerobics — as the benefits go up.

2. Eat a healthy plant-based diet

Keeping a healthy weight — defined by doctors as having a body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 24.9 — is another key way to stay healthy and reduce your risk of all manner of diseases and conditions.

There are lots of excellent diets out there to help you lose and keep your weight under control, which focuses on food to slow cognitive decline, and the Flexitarian Diet, which combines the words flexible and vegetarian.

Replace red meat with plant protein or dairy to live longer, two new studies suggests Science has shown that a plant-based, meaning you’ll eat a lot of fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds, can reduce the risk for diabetes, high cholesterol, stroke, dementia, memory loss, depression and breast cancer.

Use all kinds and colors of veggies to get the broadest range of nutrients, phytochemicals and fiber. Cook, roast or garnish them with herbs and a bit of extra virgin olive oil.

Add whole grains and fruit to every meal, but use nuts and seeds as a garnish or small snack due to their high calorie and fat content.

You’ll also eat less red meat, sugar, processed foods, and saturated fat and more omega-3-rich fish (twice a week) and olive oil. Think of chicken, beef and pork as a “seasoning” to a dish, instead of the main course.

Eat less meat and more plants

The real secret to the success of a plant base diet — it’s not dieting at all. It’s a lifestyle, with the greatest emphasis placed on exercise, mindfully eating with friends and family and socializing over meals.

3. Get good-quality sleep

You may choose to exercise or eat healthy, but your body is going to demand sleep. The quantity and quality of it, however, is essential and under your control. Sleep is as important for good health as diet and exercise. Good sleep improves your brain performance, mood, and health.

Not getting enough quality sleep regularly raises the risk of many diseases and disorders. These range from heart disease and stroke to obesity and dementia

If you’re not sticking to a regular sleep schedule, you’re hurting your health since experts recommend that school-age children get at least nine hours a night and teens get between eight and 10. Most adults need at least seven hours or more of sleep each night.

Getting less has been linked in studies to high blood pressure, a weakened immune system, weight gain, a lack of libido, mood swings, paranoia, depression and a higher risk of diabetes, stroke, cardiovascular disease, dementia and some cancers.

Sleeping less than the recommended amount each night on a regular basis may double your risk of dying. In a longitudinal study, researchers found that those who reduced their sleep from seven to five hours or fewer a night were almost twice as likely to die from all causes, especially cardiovascular disease.

Additionally, your chances of developing a major disease or medical condition skyrocket if you don’t get enough sleep. That’s because during sleep, your body is literally repairing and restoring itself on a cellular level.

One sleep myth is that you can “catch up” on your days off. Researchers are finding that this largely isn’t the case. “If you have one bad night’s sleep and take a nap, or sleep longer the next night, that can benefit you,” says Wright. “But if you have a week’s worth of getting too little sleep, the weekend isn’t sufficient for you to catch up. That’s not a healthy behavior.”

Takeaway…there are actions you can take to help reduce your stress, improve your mood and to be well on your way to a happier, healthier life.

When you adopt healthy habits in one area of your life, those habits tend to have a ripple effect on other areas. For example, when you’re exercising regularly, you’re also more likely to eat healthy foods and get regular sleep. 

These reasons should be adequate for you to prioritize your health and to convince you to live healthier, even if health itself isn’t enough of a reward. 

References:

  1. https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/07/health/exercise-sleep-prevent-disease-wellness/index.html
  2. https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2021/04/good-sleep-good-health
  3. https://due.com/blog/financial-reasons-to-prioritize-your-health/

Gratitude Rewires Your Brain

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Gratitude is good for your mind and body. A healthy mind = a healthy body.

Research shows that gratitude and kindness not only lifts your spirits and warms your hearts, but, it can also aid in fighting off, healing and sometimes even curing illnesses.

Acts of kindness and feelings of gratitude flood your brains with a chemical called dopamine.

When you are truly grateful for something (or someone) your brains reward you by giving you a natural high. Because this feeling (or natural high) is so good, you are motivated to feel it again and become more inclined to give thanks, to show appreciation and to do good for others.

Research on gratitude benefits shows that these neurological effects open the doors to many health and emotional well-being benefits.

Additionally, in the hypothalamus, which is the part of your brain that regulates a number of your bodily functions including your appetites, sleep, temperature, metabolism and growth, a 2009 National Institutes of Health (NIH) study showed that your hypothalamus is activated when you feel gratitude, or display acts of kindness.

This research on gratitude means that your existential bodily functions operate better with grace. That is a powerful thought.

References:

  1. https://www.consciouslifestylemag.com/benefits-of-gratitude-research/

Better Workouts Include the Brain and Body

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Movement is Medicine: ‘We can use our bodies as a tool to affect the way we think and feel, like a hotline to the mind.” Caroline Williams, researcher and author of ‘Move: How the New Science of Body Movement Can Set Your Mind Free’

“Movement affects your brain; but your brain also affects movement.”

Regular physical activity is an important part of a healthy mind, body and lifestyle. Not only is exercise good for your muscles and bones, but it is also an important part of keeping your brain healthy too. Exercise doesn’t only mean working out or playing sports, it just means moving your body and being active. A few other examples of exercise are: dancing, walking, biking, swimming, or throwing a Frisbee.

What happens in the body and brain during exercise: As your heart rate increases during exercise, blood flow to the brain increases. As blood flow increases, your brain is exposed to more oxygen and nutrients. Exercise also induces the release of beneficial proteins in the brain. These nourishing proteins keep brain cells (also known as neurons) healthy, and promote the growth of new neurons. Neurons are the working building blocks of the brain. As a result, individual neuron health is important to overall brain health.

Studies have shown that the connection between your brain and your body is a “two-way street” and that means physical movement can effectively change your brain for the better, explains Srini Pillay, M.D., Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.

Your brain plays a major role in your physical and emotional well-being, and it directly affects your ability to exercise. Your brain was designed for survival and avoiding danger (fight, flight or freeze). Regular aerobic exercise can reduce anxiety by making your brain’s “fight, flight or freeze” system less reactive.

One way to trick your brain is doing a Gatorade swish, which misleads your brain into thinking your body is getting a jolt of energy from a sugary beverage, even if it isn’t. The act triggers the brain, which naturally wants to preserve energy for survival, into releasing dopamine to help jump start exercise based on the false promise is sugar, Dr. Jennifer Heisz, explains in Move Your Body; Heal Your Mind.

Movement can improve your cognitive functions and mental health. Regular physical activity and movement benefit more than just the body. They actually augment brain function. Movement supplies brain cells with oxygen, promotes the production of new brain cells, and aids in creating new synapses.

Regular exercise such as aerobic, resistance, flexibility, and balance exercises can reduce depressive symptoms. Exercise can be as effective as medication and psychotherapies.

Regular exercise may boost mood by increasing a brain protein called BDNF that helps nerve fibers grow.

Mindfulness during exercises and workout.

“A 12 minute walk alters metabolites in our blood, molecules that affect the beating of our heart, the breath in our lungs, the neurons in our brain.” explains Annabel Streets, “52,ways to Walk: The Surprising Science of Walking for Wellness and Joy, One Week at a Time.

Physical activity is ignored by experts who are too focused on addressing mental health issues from the neck up. “It’s low hanging fruit,” she says, “brain chemist, thought, behaviors might take years to address on the couch.” Dr. Ellen Vora, a New York psychiatrist.

“The brain is always working against you to not expend energy, but we can override it,” says Dr. Heisz.

Exercise can be turned into a powerful meditation practice states Anita Sweeney, author of “Make Every Move a Meditation: Mindful Movement for Mental Health, Well-Being, and Insight”. Exercise can be turned into a powerful meditative practice by focusing the mind on a single thought, object or sensation during exercise can help bring clarity and peace of mind. For example, focusing on your left foot hitting the pavement can help you focus.

Exercise is essential for those seeking better emotional well-being and better mental health. Both physical exercise and meditative movement are activities that you can do to improve the way you feel.

Studies have found that people who exercise daily are at greatly reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Rudolph Tanzi, Kennedy professor of neurology and cofounder of the McCance Center for Brain Health at MGH, states, “It’s hard to imagine anything better for brain health than daily exercise, and our findings shed new light on the mechanism involved: protecting against neuroinflammation, perhaps the biggest killer of brain neurons as we age.”

References:

  1. https://www.wsj.com/articles/best-books-2022-workout-fitness-11641905831
  2. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/how-simply-moving-benefits-your-mental-health-201603289350
  3. https://www.dana.org/article/how-does-exercise-affect-the-brain/
  4. https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2022/01/right-now-brain-on-exercise
  5. https://www.discoverhealthfmc.com/blogs/understanding-how-your-brain-affects-your-movement

Sugar – Detrimental to Your Immune System Health

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The ‘worst food ingredient for your immune system’— sugar. Most Americans consume between 19 and 25 teaspoons of added sugars daily.

Metabolic disorders, like obesity and diabetes, have surged in the U.S. over the past several decades. Experts believe that sugar consumption is the major cause of obesity and chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes.

According to many immunologist, having diabetes means your body is in a chronic low-grade inflammatory state, which stresses the body’s innate immune system and makes it slower to jump on pathogens, like COVID19, when they enter the body. Chronic inflammation is an unhealthy and abnormal immune reaction in the body and added sugars are a key diet component known to exacerbate this type of inflammation.

When it comes to your immune system, it important that you understand that what you eat does matter a lot. And no ingredient is more detrimental to your immune system and physical health than added sugar.

From marinara sauce to peanut butter, added sugar can be found in even the most unexpected products. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), added sugars include sugars that are added during the processing of foods (such as sucrose or dextrose), foods packaged as sweeteners (such as table sugar), sugars from syrups and honey, and sugars from concentrated fruit or vegetable juices. They do not include naturally occurring sugars that are found in milk, fruits, and vegetables. The Daily Value for added sugars is 50 grams per day based on a 2,000 calorie daily diet. For most Americans, the main sources of added sugars are sugar-sweetened beverages, baked goods, desserts, and sweets.

The American Heart Association (AHA) states individuals should limit their sugar intake to six to nine teaspoons each day, which is roughly the same amount of sugar in a single can of sugary soda: eight teaspoons.

Sugar is not just bad for your teeth. Too much sugar can contribute to chronic diseases, can affect the pH levels within the body, and can impact heart health and brain health. Basically, sugar can affect the health of both your mind and body.

In the US, added sugars account for up to 17% of the total calorie intake of adults and up to 14% for children, according to AHA. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that you limit your added sugars consumption to 10% of total calories, making the current average consumption by Americans significantly higher than recommended.

Eliminating excess added sugar from your diet can not only help end this cycle of increasing metabolic disorders, but it can reverse it completely. Dialing back your sugar consumption is one of the most effective ways to improve your immune system and your overall health.

Preventative care, especially when it comes to an insidious disease like diabetes, it is recommended that the first step you take in your nutrition journey is to ask your health care provider to perform a fasting hemogoblin A1c test, even if your fasting blood glucose is normal.

Hemogoblin A1c tests measure average blood sugar over the previous three months, so even if your blood sugar is normal the day you see your doctor, the test can catch underlying issues.

According to Dr. Heather Moday, a board-certified allergist, immunologist and functional medicine physician, once you have an idea of where you stand on the blood sugar spectrum, you can take the steps below for better health:

  1. Cut back on added sugars. – This means eliminating candy, soda, cake and those seasonal flavored lattes from your diet. These foods and drinks don’t provide any nutritional value, and they contain massive amounts of sugar.
  2. Read the labels. – It is essential to check the amount of added sugar in every item in your pantry. The average American takes in about 17 teaspoons (71 grams) of added sugar a day, but the American Heart Association recommends no more than six teaspoons (25 grams) of added sugar a day for women, and nine teaspoons (36 grams) for men.
  3. Eat more fiber. – If sugar is bad, then fiber is the good. Fiber not only keeps your digestion regular, it also helps slow the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream, which protects you from sugar spikes. Lack of fiber is another reason why sodas, fruit juices and sugared coffee drinks are so detrimental to your health. They contain a ton of sugar and none of the blood-sugar-protecting fiber that fresh whole plant-based foods have. The best high-fiber foods are black beans and lentils, steel-cut oats, avocados, buckwheat, pears, raspberries, barley and flaxseeds.
  4. Chose nutrients over calories. – Instead of worrying about cutting calories, focus on adding more nutrient-dense foods to your diet, with lots of proteins and healthy fats. You don’t need to go low-carb, just choose the “right” carbs. In fact, eating carbs in the form of vegetables, beans, whole fruits, and nuts and seeds — all mineral- and vitamin-rich foods — is a great way to keep those hunger pangs at bay.

Sugar does occur naturally in all foods that contain carbohydrates, such as fruits and vegetables, grains, and dairy. Consuming whole foods that contain natural sugar is okay, according to Harvard Medical School. Plant foods also have high amounts of fiber, essential minerals, and antioxidants, and dairy foods contain protein and calcium. Since your body digests these foods slowly, the sugar in them offers a steady supply of energy to your cells.

However, problems do occur when you consume too much added sugar — the sugar that food manufacturers add to products to increase flavor or extend shelf life. “Excess sugar’s impact on obesity and diabetes is well documented, but one area that may surprise many men is how their taste for sugar can have a serious impact on their heart health,” says Dr. Frank Hu, professor of nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Bottomline is that too much added sugar can be one of the greatest threats to cardiovascular disease and metabolic health. And, your consumption of added sugar must be drastically reduced or eliminated from your diet to improve both your cardiovascular and metabolic health.

The goal isn’t to completely eliminate dessert or sweets from your life, but to bring your added sugar intake into a healthier range.

References:

  1. https://www.cnbc.com/2022/01/15/this-is-the-worst-ingredient-for-your-immune-system-says-immunologist-and-health-expert.html
  2. https://www.fda.gov/food/new-nutrition-facts-label/added-sugars-new-nutrition-facts-label
  3. https://www.eatingwell.com/article/7869775/what-happens-to-your-body-when-you-cut-out-sugar/
  4. https://www.sugar.org/diet/diet-sugar-in-moderation/
  5. https://www.cnbc.com/2022/01/15/this-is-the-worst-ingredient-for-your-immune-system-says-immunologist-and-health-expert.html
  6. https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/the-sweet-danger-of-sugar
  7. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diagnostic-tests/a1c-test

Brain-Changing Benefits of Exercise

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“The key to a happy life . . . is a healthy brain.” Wendy Suzuki

Exercise is the most transformative thing that you can do for your brain, says neuroscientist Dr. Wendy Suzuki, professor of Neural Science and Psychology at New York University.

Dr. Suzuki discovered through research and self examination that there is a biological connection between exercise, mindfulness, and action. With exercise, she believes that your body feels more alive and your brain actually performs better.  And, Dr. Suzuki states that “you can make yourself smarter. Exercising is one of the most transformative things you can do to improve cognitive abilities, such as learning, thinking, memory, focus and reasoning — all of which can help you become smarter and live longer.”

The way exercise boosts your brain health includes:

  1. It decreases feelings of anxiety – Studies have shown that every time your move your body, a number of beneficial neurotransmitters, including dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin and acetylcholine, gets released into your brain. These substances can decrease feelings of anxiety and depression. And, It only takes between 10 and 30 minutes of daily physical activity to instantly lift your mood.
  2. It improves your focus and concentration – A single workout can help improve your ability to shift and focus attention. This is an immediate benefit that can last for at least two hours after 30 minutes of exercise. Activities that increase your heart rate, such as brisk walking, running, swimming, cycling, playing tennis or jumping rope are recommended.
  3. It promotes the growth of new brain cells – One of the most significant benefits of exercise, scientists have found, is that it promotes neurogenesis, or the birth of new brain cells. This is essential to improving cognitive function. Exercise also can improve the health and function of the synapses between neurons in this region, allowing brain cells to better communicate.
  4. It protects your brain from aging and neurodegenerative diseases – Imagine your brain as a muscle: the more workout you put into it, the stronger and bigger it gets. Longitudinal studies in humans suggest that regular exercise can increase the size of the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, both of which are susceptible to neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s. So while exercising won’t completely prevent or cure normal cognitive decline in aging, doing it consistently can help reduce or delay the onset of it.

So, get up and start your brain transformation journey.

Dr. Suzuki encourages people to get active and go to the gym since the science clearly demonstrates how working out boosts your mood and memory — and protects your brain against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.

To get the brain-changing benefits of exercise, you should do at least three to four 30-minute workout sessions a week, explains Dr. Suzuki. You’ll also get the most benefits out of aerobic exercise, which increases the heart rate and pumps more oxygen into the brain.

Essentially, exercise can improve your brain functions today and protect your brain from neurodegenerative diseases as you age.

References:

  1. https://www.wendysuzuki.com
  2. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/prime-your-gray-cells/201108/happy-brain-happy-life
  3. https://www.amazon.com/Healthy-Brain-Happy-Life-Everything/dp/B01LTHXL7Q/ref=nodl_

Positive and Optimistic Mindset for Healthy Aging

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It’s essential to look ahead with optimism and a positive outlook as you age.

With advance aging, you should adopt an optimistic and positive mind-set and focus on new discoveries and experiences. It’s more important than ever as you age to follow a healthy lifestyle, remain positive and passionate about life, stay connected with family and friends, and look forward to better days ahead.

You must consistently attempt to find things that continue to be meaningful and engaging. These meaningful activities can include traveling around the world, spiritual pursuits, hobbies such as reading or painting, lifelong learning, or spending more time with loved ones. Experts suggest planning for purposeful activities before transitioning to retirement, and to embrace this change and follow where their passions lie.

Try to keep the mind active by challenging yourself to learn something new every week or month, or try something you’ve always wanted to.

Embrace thoughts such as, “As I age, I’ll keep learning,” says Vonetta Dotson, an associate professor of psychology and gerontology at Georgia State University. Feeding yourself a rich diet of positive messages can in itself brighten your outlook.

“Anytime we do something and try new things, it helps to reinforce this feeling of positivity,” Dotson said. “And keep those social connections. When you socialize, your focus is diverted. When you’re by yourself, you may ruminate” about your current and future physical and mental deterioration.”

Better yet, learning something new enables your brain to form new pathways. This helps you stave off gloomy thoughts about the aging process.

“By engaging in rewarding and meaningful activities and staying mentally active, we can retrain our brains,” said Kevin Manning, a neuropsychologist and associate professor of psychiatry at UConn Health. “These activities can enhance our self-efficacy, lessen fears of decline and sharpen our cognitive functioning.”

Ideally, passion drives you to take action. Why sign up for a course on current events or foreign affairs if you find the state of the world dispiriting and you dread consuming the news?

To channel your activity in a more uplifting direction, set short-term goals. If you’re learning a musical instrument, aim to perform a simple piece in one month.

When you embrace a purpose that gives you something to do that’s meaningful,” it focuses your efforts and displaces fears of aging. It’s one of several keys to healthy aging.

The key to healthy aging is a physically, socially, mentally and spiritually active lifestyle and mindset.

References:

  1. https://www.barrons.com/articles/depression-aging-retirement-51640306803
  2. https://vailhealthfoundation.org/news/10-tips-for-healthy-aging-month-2021/
  3. https://healthprep.com/aging/secrets-to-aging-gracefully/

Healthy Aging and Eating

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“Making a plan to eat healthy can keep you healthy and active for longer.” National Institute on Health

“Aging—not cancer or heart disease—is the world’s leading cause of death and suffering. In spite of this, we accept the aging process as inevitable”, writes Dr. Andrew Steel, longevity expert and author of “Ageless: The new science of getting older without getting old“.

Dr. Steel suggest a list of proven life-extenders, such as don’t smoke, exercise, get vaccinated, take care of your teeth.

Strauss Zelnick, author of Becoming Ageless, and who successfully rejuvenated his metabolic health believes that, “You can eat to be younger.” He implores his readers to focus on what He calls “Forever Fuel.” He suggests that you do not have to forego eating your favorite foods; you’re just getting the best versions of them.

  • Unlimited Foods—Lean Protein, Salads, and Vegetables—eat as much as you want. I love bison, light tuna, chicken, eggs, grass-fed beef.
  • Limited Foods—Some fruits and dried fruits, nuts, and cheese—in moderation.
  • Highly restricted foods—no processed foods, fried foods, or added sugars. Processed foods account for 70% of the calories that Americans take in. They don’t just make you fat; they age you.

While humans wither and become frail after a mere seven or so decades, capturing the trait known as ‘negligible senescence ‘ has become the holy grail of aging research. A 2015 study, published by the Mayo Clinic, found that using a combination of existing drugs reversed a number of signs of aging, including improving heart function”, according to the Guardian.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Chief Medical Correspondent for CNN, adds that, “During medical school we were taught that aging is a natural process and that people can simply die of old age. The thinking was that age wasn’t just a turning of the clock but an accumulation of mutations, cancer, arthritis, heart disease and dementia. Have you ever wondered, however, if it was possible to address those diseases not just individually, but collectively, by addressing the underlying process of aging itself.”

The role of carbs and added sugars

When you have sugar molecules in your system, they bombard the body’s cells like a meteor ­shower—glomming onto fats and proteins in a process known as glycation. This forms advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which cause protein fibers to become stiff and malformed. The connective-tissue damage and chronic inflammation resulting from sustained high blood sugar can lead to debilitating conditions, such as cataracts, Alzheimer’s, vascular tightening, and diseases of the pancreas and liver.

From a dietary standpoint, forswearing white sugar, high-fructose corn syrup—which studies have shown increases the rate of glycation by 10 times, compared with glucose—and simple carbs is a no-brainer. “Even though all carbs get converted into sugar, when you eat the good ones, like brown rice and whole-grain bread, you get less glucose, and you get it more slowly,” Karcher says.

Carbohydrates (Carbs) — like fiber, starches, and sugars — are important for your health. They are your body’s main source of energy and are a basic nutrient your body turns into glucose, or blood sugar, to make energy for your body to work. But eating too many carbs can cause your body to store the excess as fat.

The fruit, vegetables, dairy, and grain food groups all contain carbohydrates. Sweeteners like sugar, honey, and syrup and foods with added sugars like candy, soft drinks, and cookies also contain carbohydrates.

You should try to get most of your carbohydrates from fruits, vegetables, dairy, and whole grains rather than added sugars or refined grains.

Nutrients like protein, carbohydrates, and fats can help you stay healthy as you age.

Many foods with carbohydrates also supply fiber. Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that your body cannot digest. It is found in many foods that come from plants, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, and whole grains. Eating food with fiber can help prevent stomach or intestinal problems, such as constipation. It might also help lower cholesterol and blood sugar.

A very low-carb diet, like keto, triggers your body into nutritional ketosis. This stored energy is released in the form of chemicals called ketones. Your liver starts to make ketones — a fuel that kicks in when your body uses up glucose and glycogen, and doesn’t have enough sugar to run on. It does this by breaking down the energy reserves stored in fat. 

These chemicals, ketones, help cells—especially brain cells—keep working at full capacity. Some researchers think that because ketones are a more efficient energy source than glucose, they may protect against aging-related decline in the central nervous system that might cause dementia and other disorders.

Ketones also may inhibit the development of cancer because malignant cells cannot effectively obtain energy from ketones. In addition, studies show that ketones may help protect against inflammatory diseases such as arthritis. Ketones also reduce the level of insulin in the blood, which could protect against type 2 diabetes.

But too many ketones in the blood can have harmful health effects.

While there’s insufficient evidence to recommend any type of calorie-restriction or fasting diet. A lot more needs to be learned about their effectiveness and safety, especially in older adults. In the meanwhile, there’s plenty of evidence for other actions you can take to stay healthy as you age:

  • Eat a balanced diet with nutritious food in moderate amounts. Avoid or limit consuming refined sugars and carbs, and processed foods.
  • Engage in regular physical exercise (150 minutes per week).
  • Drink alcohol in moderation or not at all.
  • Don’t smoke or take illegal drugs.
  • Maintain an active social lifestyle and build close relationships.
  • Get a good night’s sleep.

Finally, older adults may have different vitamin and mineral needs than younger adults. Find recommended amounts and information on calcium, sodium, vitamin D, and more.

“People are living longer, staying healthier longer and accomplishing things late in life that once seemed possible only at younger ages.” –David Brooks, The New York Times

The American Heart Association recommends no more than six teaspoons of added sugar a day. The sugar found in whole foods like fruits and veggies, says Kimber Stanhope, PhD, a nutritional biologist at the University of California, Davis. “These naturally occurring sugars come packaged with good-for-you vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other nutrients.” Eliminating or reducing your intake of added sugar and carbs can result in you gaining some significant healthy aging benefits, according to the American Heart Association.

References:

  1. https://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-what-happens-when-you-stop-eating-carbs
  2. https://andrewsteele.co.uk/ageless/
  3. https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Ageless-Secrets-Looking-Feeling/dp/1940358175/ref=nodl_
  4. https://www.dexafit.com/blog2/10-ways-to-improve-your-metabolic-health
  5. https://www.elle.com/beauty/makeup-skin-care/tips/a2471/sugar-aging-how-to-fight-glycation-614621/
  6. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/calorie-restriction-and-fasting-diets-what-do-we-know
  7. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/important-nutrients-know-proteins-carbohydrates-and-fats
  8. https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/nutrition/scientist-reveals-tips-for-slowing-down-the-aging-process/ar-BB1fWqe4
  9. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/jan/03/observer-magazine-do-we-have-to-age-biologist-andrew-steele
  10. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/carbohydrates

Staying Active Gives You a Longer, Healthier Life

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“Exercise is the most important activity we can do to keep our brains healthy, it’s important to simply move, whether that be casual walking or a workout.” Sanjay Gumpta

It important to understand that you can proactively take steps to avoid, delay, and mitigate dementia and mental decline as you age. Just thirty minutes daily of moderate physical activity, such as walking around the block, can make a significant difference in improving your brain health.

In the process of neurogenesis, creating brain cells does not stop when you age and get older. Neuroscientific research shows that the brain can make new brain cells, and forge new neural connections, at any age.

Additionally, adequate sleep also has a major effect on brain health. Recent research has shown that your brain remains very active while you sleep, because it can make full use of the energy that is diverted elsewhere when you are awake.

When you sleep, the brain turns information into knowledge, consolidates your memories, and cleans itself. This is why everyone needs at least eight hours of sleep, states Gumpta and you shouldn’t convince yourself that you don’t.

“There is a rinse cycle that happens in your brain when you sleep,” says Gumpta. “You are basically clearing out metabolic waste. That happens when you are awake, but the process is close to 60 per cent more efficient when you are asleep.

Key takeaway is that staying physically active, proper diet. adequate sleep and social interaction are all key to longer life.

And you’re never too old to start exercising.

References:

  1. https://amp.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3129163/brain-health-and-how-avoid-dementia-eat-and-sleep-well-be
  2. https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3089731/ageing-well-why-staying-active-key-longer-life-youre