Category Archives: Healthy Aging

Becoming Ageless: The Four Secrets to Looking and Feeling Younger Than Ever

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Don’t try to overhaul your life overnight. Instead, focus on making one small change at a time. Over time, those small changes will add up to big transformation. Don’t give up!”

A reporter once asked Albert Einstein what’s man’s greatest invention was, and the scientist, after a long pause, simply replied: “Compound interest.”

Compounding—the idea of something gaining value exponentially into the future through better decisions made in the present—is one of the greatest lessons any human being can ever learn.

In Becoming Ageless, “it is never too late to reverse how you look and feel, and to develop the mindset of how you do it. Day in and day out, if you want to live longer and live better, you need a clear and basic understanding that the outcome of your journey is the sum of its steps.”

There are no guarantees with your physical or emotional health, just as there are no guarantees with your wealth. But, you can stack the odds in your favor by making sacrifices today that are worth the gains in the long term.

And with the principles explained in Becoming Ageless, you’ll be living longer—and with greater clarity of thought, mobility, and freedom from pain. Ultimately, you can take the tactical insights about daily living and the strategic insight into the larger quest to live longer and better. After all, you can be living proof that if you’re willing to consistently and incrementally implement small changes—while keeping your eye on the larger goal at all times—you’ll boost your chances of living longer and living happier than you ever imagined.

You can have the mind, body, and spirit of someone half your age, and add more years to your life. Or, you can have people stare in disbelief when they discover how old you really are. You can become…ageless?  You can. It’s possible.

Becoming Ageless: The Four Secrets to Looking and Feeling Younger Than Ever is the result of years of research into the science of longevity. It is about looking and feeling eternal. It has worked, and it will work for you. On this effective plan, you’ll:

  • Lose stubborn belly fat and watch the pounds melt away.
  • Enjoy amazing meals, workouts, and a sense of community.
  • Look and feel noticeabley younger—for life!
  • The strategies contained inside Becoming Ageless, you’ll discover:
    • An easy and effective program for everyone that will help you flatten your gut and become healthier than you ever thought possible.
    • Delicious, healthy, and easy-to-make recipes including hearty breakfasts, easy-to-make lunches, filling dinners, and even desserts.
    • A full workout plan that will sculpt your body and help you prevent back pain and sleep better.
    • A holistic mind/body approach that really works. Look and feel better than ever without deprivation dieting, counting calories—or ever feeling hungry!

    Becoming Ageless: The Four Secrets to Looking and Feeling Younger Than Ever, explains exactly what it takes to be fit and healthy at any age with all the research to support it.

    The three most interesting things Zelnick learned about keeping the mind and body young.

    1. Try the less-is-more approach.

    When it comes to staying youthful and increasing longevity, deliberately plodding along can actually be more effective than going all out. A 2015 study looked at more than 1,000 runners and found that those who jogged slowly had lower mortality rates than those who ran faster. “I was a terrible runner, so a few years ago I worked with a coach,” says Zelnick. Even though they suggested brisk, one-hour sessions, Zelnick insisted on 45-minute jogs. “That was just at the brink of what I could live with before saying, ‘I hate this so much, I’ll never do it again,’” he says. “Taking it slow and steady was my strategy.”

    2. Stay adventurous.

    Research from the University of Texas at Dallas found that trying new, cognitively demanding activities improves memory function in older adulthood. “It’s just not true that we lose the ability to learn or improve our performance after the age of 25,” says Zelnick. “I picked up skiing in my 30s, cycling in my 40s, boxing in my 50s, and I’m picking up gymnastics and squash now.” Not only is it possible to learn new skills as you age, but doing so can keep your body and brain young.

    3. Accept the learning process.

    Study upon study shows the importance of grit in predicting success, and Zelnick believes it also keeps you young. You probably won’t pull off a world-class performance the first, even the 10th time you try something. “Don’t be afraid of failure or slow progress,” he says. “There are days when I play squash and I do really badly. And yes, I might get frustrated with myself but then I realize, you know what? I showed up, I did the best I could, I’ll do better the next time—or I won’t. But I’m still going to keep going.”

    With Becoming Ageless, you’ll feel fitter, sharper, and more energized than ever before—with the body of someone half your age! Boost your metabolism and enjoy all-day energy. Feel younger for life. All you have to do is follow the four secrets in the book.

    – Ageless Secret #1 You’ll Indulge in Delicious Foods 
    It’s true: You can eat to be younger. Most people associate eating for health or weight loss with a “diet”—It’s important to break that association. Diets fail. Instead, focus on “Forever Fuel.” It doesn’t mean you can’t eat your favorite foods; you’re just getting the best versions of them. On the Becoming Ageless plan, enjoy the following and lose 20+ pounds:

    • Unlimited Foods—Lean Protein, Salads, and Vegetables—eat as much as you want. 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. Research has linked ultraprocessed foods to a higher risk for obesity, heart disease, and cancer. Intriguing new work even suggests that they may actually encourage overeating, possibly because their particular mashup of ingredients disrupts the hormones that control hunger, or it scrambles the gut-brain signals that tell us how much to eat.
    • Commit yourself to eating sensibly and eating yourself healthy.

    The book is packed with a ton of easy-to-make recipes that will help you get your best body ever. It’s true—even with a busy schedule, you can cook, because they’re that simple. And if you cook just three meals a week, you’ll live a decade longer, studies show.

    – Ageless Secret #2: You’ll Unlock Your Inner Strength
    Fitness is the foundation for so much success in many individuals lives—it improved their moods, shrunk their belly, got them out with colleagues (which led to promotions) and you don’t have to run an ultra-marathon or climb Mt. Everest. Just commit and be consistent. Get moving a little every day.

    Work out every morning and some evenings. Some moves take just minutes to do. Here’s a few ways to do it right:

    • Start slow—incorporate regular walks or body weight exercises to feel the burn.
    • Workout when you’re working—like with a stressball or a hand grip strengthener
    • Incorporate a complete exercise plan for building muscle. Use it and you’ll avoid back pain and get injured less.

    – Ageless Secret #3: You’ll Bulletproof Your Body
    You can’t feel younger if you’re sick all the time.  You want to turn your body into a disease-fighting machine. That’s why you should include:

    • Preventative measures—a complete checklist of all the tests you need, and when you should have them.
    • A guide to better sleep, so you can have a more peaceful rest.
    • Cover mental health too…favorite tip to boost confidence is to ditch the scale. Measure success by what you see in the mirror and how you look and feel. If you like what you see, what the scale reads isn’t important. That was a game-changer. Little changes mean big results.

    – Ageless Secret #4: You’ll Discover a Deeper Connection
    People who focus solely on the body and not the mind are shortchanging themselves. For lasting success, it’s essential to construct a support system that will hold you accountable—and provide incentives for you to succeed. Consider texting a friend after every workout, and revel in the virtual high-five; better yet, join a workout class. You’ll strengthen bonds with friends and loved ones and elevate your mood and productivity.

    It’s a benefit in embracing my spiritual side. For quiet reflection, personally integrate morning prayer. It’s life-changing, and feeds into personal success on every level. To help you focus, meditate, do yoga, and find a community that supports your new lifestyle.

    By following the pillars in Becoming Ageless, you’ll be happier and healthier; stave off disease; enhance your spiritual connections; and lose fat from where it matters most. That’s something you want at any age. It works.

    Start by asking yourself an important question: “What do I want?” That answer will drive every decision you make. It will also make the how easier to pinpoint and, eventually, accomplish. Here are a few answers to that question: You May want to . . .

    • Live as long and healthily as possible while being cogent and mobile.
    • Be fit and strong.
    • Perform my job at my highest level.
    • Have warm and meaningful relationships with my family and friends.
    • Push my limits both mentally and physically.
    • Look good in and out of clothes.
    • Feel youthful, happy, satisfied, and as stress-free as possible.
    • Be spiritually connected.
    • Help others achieve their goals.

    You don’t want is to be limited or defined by your age. Yet sometimes, we forget that, while there’s no stopping the passage of time, we can control how well we age. Because the notion that you’ll get too old to run marathons, too weak for century rides, too fragile to ski or snowboard, or too fatigued to keep up with your grandchildren at a park is just plain wrong.

    It doesn’t matter if you’re a millennial or a centenarian: Right now, you have all the resources you need to make changes to obtain or reclaim the life you want. That’s if you know what you want. So think about what you want. Be honest and don’t edit your thoughts. Contemplate it for a week if you need to. Then write down five to 10 goals. Write them right now.

    About the Author

    Strauss Zelnick is founder of the private equity firm Zelnick Media Capital and president and CEO of Take-Two Interactive, the company behind blockbuster video games such as Grand Theft Auto and NBA2K.

    “Live your truth!”

    Vitamin D: Powerful Protection vs. Viruses

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    A new study from Spain looked at 216 hospital patients with COVID-19 and found that 80 percent didn’t have adequate levels of vitamin D in their blood, according to Healthline.com.

    Recent research discovered a correlation between vitamin D deficiency and a higher risk of COVID-19. Now, another new study has found the same — noting that more than 80 percent of people with COVID-19 didn’t have adequate levels of the “sunshine vitamin” in their blood.  “It looks like patients with a poor vitamin D status may have more severe COVID-19,” said Dr. Hans Konrad Biesalski, a professor at the University of Hohenheim who has evaluated vitamin D and COVID-19..

    Vitamin D is a potent weapon against viruses and crucial for immune health — make sure you’re getting enough

    There appears to be strong evidence that Vitamin D plays a critical role for your body’s immune system and can ward off respiratory infections. Vitamin D does not effect the viruses, but effects the way our immune system handles infections including viruses.

    Boosting your immune system is one of the best things you can do because it is your body’s key defense when it comes to fighting a virus. Even if you are exposed to a virus and if your immune system is strong, you have a better chance of not getting sick.

    A major 2017 study published in the British Medical Journal looked at vitamin D’s effectiveness against viral infections. Researchers analyzed 25 clinical trials that included 11,321 people. The data came from 14 countries, including the U.S., England, Japan, Australia, Canada, and Italy.

    The study found that taking vitamin D supplements cuts in half the risk of respiratory infections caused by viruses.[1]

    Many people recommend that people at high risk for COVID-19 — older adults, those with underlying conditions, and people in nursing homes — can be treated with vitamin D.  “Vitamin D treatment should be recommended in COVID-19 patients with low levels of vitamin D circulating in the blood since this approach might have beneficial effects in both the musculoskeletal and the immune system,” Hernández said in a statement.

    Many Americans have a vitamin D deficiency

    Vitamin D supplements should be considered one of the many tools that might help when conventional therapies are not enough. Research has found that vitamin D improves viral immunity by strengthening your mucus membranes.

    Vitamin D is a key nutrient for your immune system. Once thought as the vitamin for strong bones, vitamin D actually does a lot more for your body — including support your immune system.

    The coronavirus and other viruses get into your body through entry points that are covered with mucus membranes. They include your nose, mouth, eyelids, lungs, trachea (windpipe).

    A lab study at the University of Illinois found that vitamin D helps mucus membranes provide a stronger barrier to viruses by increasing the antimicrobial compounds in them.

    With coronavirus pandemic, researchers have not yet had time to fully test vitamin D directly against it. But they say there’s no reason to think that it would not work just as well against coronavirus as it does against the flu, colds, and other upper respiratory viruses.  “Very low vitamin D status has lots of negative consequences and this could be the case for COVID-19, but that’s not the same as saying that routine vitamin D supplementation will prevent severe infection,” he told Healthline.

    1. https://www.healthline.com/health-news/new-study-found-80-percent-of-covid-19-patients-were-vitamin-d-deficient
    2. https://www.bmj.com/content/356/bmj.i6583
    3. https://www.institutefornaturalhealing.com/2020/03/coronavirus-one-vitamin-may-be-the-key-to-stopping-it/
    4. https://www.bing.com/amp/s/www.cnet.com/google-amp/news/the-surprising-role-vitamin-d-plays-in-your-immune-health/

    Benefits of Regular Exercise for the Brain

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    There are many long-term benefits of regular exercise for your brain.

    Studies have shown how essential and significant exercise or physical activities can be for keeping your brain fit and healthy. And, you can actually build a stronger brain through exercise.

    Regular exercise improves mood

    Regular exercise has a significant positive influence on mental well-being and can boost the mental health. Thus, if you need an emotional lift or a need to relieve the stress of a trying day? Exercise or moderate physical activity, like a brisk walk, is the solution.

    Physical activity stimulates various brain chemicals that may leave you feeling happier, more relaxed and less anxious.

    Endorphins

    The body’s feel-good chemical, known as endorphins, are released during exercise. Endorphins help focus your mind, reduce the impact of pain on your body, and improve your mood. In fact, some reports indicate the endorphins released during exercise have much of the same effect as traditional anxiety medication, and the results can last for hours afterward. There is ample evidence pointing towards endorphins’ positive effects.

    Take your brain to the gym to maximize mental and whole-body health

    Evidence does suggest that resistance training and aerobic exercise — walking, running, biking, swimming — will help your brain. In one study, older adults with mild cognitive impairment who lifted weights two to three times a week improved muscle tone and cognitive function, according to the Mayo Clinic.

  • Moreover, walking and other moderate aerobic exercise has been shown to help stabilize your mood and help with depressive symptoms. Studies have also found that regular exercise helps people better control their stress and regulate their emotions.
  • Physical activity contributes to learning. In one study, when teachers added exercise routines to math lessons — called motor-enriched learning — math scores improved faster for the exercisers than for the kids who didn’t exercise during the lesson. Other studies have found that exercise helps improve reading comprehension, too.

    • A few of the brain enhancing findings to motivate you to get started today.

    1. Feel better.
    2. Enhance learning. While scientists don’t fully understand how
    3. Sharpen memory.
    4. Improve vision.

    Your brain is amazing. Billions of nerve cells work together in harmony to coordinate every second of your life: your movements, behavior, thoughts, memories and emotions. So take your brain to the gym to maximize whole-body health.

    References:

    1. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/want-a-strong-brain-exercise/art-20390074
    2. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20048389

    The Gift of Exercise and Health

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    Make exercise a lifelong habit

    Exercise and physical activity are great ways to feel better, boost your health and improve your life. The health benefits of regular exercise and physical activity are significant and hard to ignore. And, everyone would benefit from exercise, regardless of age, gender or physical ability.

    Research demonstrates that lifestyle changes, like making exercise a lifelong habit, will have a strong influence on your heath. Thus, you must make healthy habits such as exercising or being physically active daily a lifelong goal and a lifestyle. 

    Physical Activity is important

    Exercise and physical activity are good for just about everyone. No matter your health and physical abilities, you can gain a lot by staying active. In fact, studies show that “taking it easy” is risky. Often, inactivity is more to blame than age when older people lose the ability to do things on their own.

    Lack of exercise or physical activity also can lead to more visits to the doctor, more hospitalizations, and more use of medicines for a variety of illnesses. Research has shown also that it’s important to get all four types of exercise: endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility.

    Physical activity predicts better health. 

    People who rarely get off the couch are more than twice as likely to die prematurely as people who exercise moderately, whether they are normal weigh, overweight or obese.  In contrast, people who are obese and fit have only slight more risk than normal-weight, fit people, according to Dr. Sandra Aamodt, author of Why Diets Make Us Fat:  The Unintended Consequences of Our Obsession with Weight Loss (Penguin Random House, 2016).

    The research indicates that exercise habits are much more important than weight in determining the risk of early death.  Bottom line is that “exercise improves health even if no weight is lost.” 

    Low fitness is estimated to be responsible for 16 to 17 percent of deaths in the U.S.  While, obesity accounts for only 2 to 3 percent once the effects of fitness are factored out.

    Exercising 30 minutes a day is more effective than dieting 24 hours a day.  That’s the deal of a lifetime–a longer, healthier lifetime. Thus, one of life’s best gifts is exercise.

    Healthy habits for the heart. 

    Regular exercise protects your heart and provides many heart-healthy benefits

    Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the U.S.  according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Your risk of many chronic diseases drops when you partake in regular exercise or physical activities. 

    The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate exercise every week; just 30 minutes of activity, such as walking, on five out of the seven days. 

    Bottomline, exercise and physical activity across a lifetime can substantially reduce your risk of heart disease.

    Seven benefits of exercise

    There are seven ways exercise can lead to a happier, healthier you, according to the Mayo Clinic. The benefits of exercise are:

    1. Exercise controls weight
    2. Exercise combats health conditions and diseases
    3. Exercise improves mood
    4. Exercise boosts energy
    5. Exercise promotes better sleep
    6. Exercise puts the spark back into your sex life
    7. Exercise can be fun … and social!

    As you can see, exercise is good for the body or mind. According to the Mayo Clinic, walking or moderate physical activity can improve heart health, lower blood pressure, strengthen bones and muscles, help maintain a healthy weight, and improve mood.

    References:

    1. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20048389
    2. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/four-types-exercise-can-improve-your-health-and-physical-ability#
    3. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/real-life-benefits-exercise-and-physical-activity

    Turmeric Natural Anti-Inflammatory Properties

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    Turmeric is derived from a plant similar to ginger and has long been used for medicinal purposes. “Turmeric has natural anti-inflammatory compounds called curcuminoids, and these curcuminoids have been associated with a positive effect on various diseases,” says Anya Guy, a Mayo Clinic dietitian. Those diseases include Type 2 diabetes, obesity, inflammatory bowel disease and cancer.

    Curcumin anti-inflammatory properties make it a potential treatment for a number of health conditions, including reduced pain and increased ease of movement in people with osteoarthritis. One study found that taking turmeric extract three times daily was comparable to taking a 1,200-milligram dose of ibuprofen daily for arthritis pain. However, more research is necessary to confirm these effects.

    In addition to its anti-inflammatory properties, research suggests that curcumin has many other health benefits. Among them are antioxidant, metabolic-regulating, antimicrobial, immune-modulating, mood-enhancing, neuroprotective and anti-cancer effects.

    A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows curcumin, an active ingredient in turmeric, effectively kills certain cancer cells. While research continues on the role turmeric plays in treating cancer, preclinical studies demonstrate curcumin stops the growth of breast cancer cells in the laboratory, but it’s not known if this happens in humans since the body quickly breaks down curcumin, making it difficult to study. High-quality human studies are needed to confirm these findings, and guide effective and safe use of turmeric as a supplement.

    Other research suggests that curcumin may reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels. In addition, it may lessen some of the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, such as joint swelling and morning stiffness. Other areas of investigation include curcumin’s effect on Crohn’s disease, certain cancers, depression, diabetes, joint pain and irritable bowel syndrome.

    When taken by mouth or applied to the skin, turmeric — and the curcumin it contains — appears to be generally safe when limited to less than 8 grams a day. That said, different amounts often are recommended depending on the health condition being addressed, and higher doses have been used for limited periods of time. High doses or long-term use may cause gastrointestinal upset for some people.

    When ingested as a superfood or when turmeric is used as a spice in culinary cuisine, the curcumin it contains appears to be generally safe among cancer patients. But dietary food sources are different than turmeric supplements or when it is taken as a pill. There is little research to ensure turmeric supplements are safe when used in combination with cancer treatments, including surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.

    The use of supplements, like turmeric, among cancer patients undergoing cancer treatment can be a concern. Supplements are not standardized like prescription medications, meaning the dose is not regulated and purity cannot be guaranteed. What you get may differ from bottle to bottle and among brands, and there can be variables depending on what specific part of the plant is used. Many supplements that have powerful anti-inflammatory effects, like turmeric, have blood-thinning properties, which can increase the risk of bleeding and cause complications around the time of surgery.

    References:

    1. https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/home-remedies-are-there-health-benefits-of-turmeric/?mc_id=us&utm_source=newsnetwork&utm_medium=l&utm_content=content&utm_campaign=mayoclinic&geo=national&placementsite=enterprise&cauid=100721
    2. https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-q-and-a-turmeric-use-in-breast-cancer-treatment/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=sm&utm_content=post&utm_campaign=mayoclinic&geo=national&placementsite=enterprise&mc_id=us&cauid=100502&linkId=104085792&fbclid=IwAR3un2cLDzM1wrCo8KHjh7MBqDg28JMQa5xLWtBuUZdRL3cHSWyKLlTGwOo
    3. https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-q-and-a-turmerics-anti-inflammatory-properties-may-relieve-arthritis-pain/?mc_id=us&utm_source=newsnetwork&utm_medium=l&utm_content=content&utm_campaign=mayoclinic&geo=national&placementsite=enterprise&cauid=100721

    Fitness Program: Five Steps to a Healthy Lifestyle | Mayo Clinic

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    Any amount of physical activity or exercise is better than none at all.

    By Mayo Clinic Staff

    Starting a fitness program may be one of the best things you can do for your health. Physical activity can reduce your risk of chronic disease, improve your balance and coordination, help you lose weight, improve your metabolic health and reduce your metabolic age — and even improve your sleep habits and self-esteem.

    There are three kinds of fitness:

    • Aerobic fitness. Aerobic activities condition your heart and lungs. Aerobic means “with oxygen.” The purpose of aerobic conditioning is to increase the amount of oxygen that is delivered to your muscles, which allows them to work longer. Any activity that raises your heart rate and keeps it up for an extended period of time will improve your aerobic conditioning.

    • Muscle strengthening. Stronger muscles can mean either more powerful muscles that can do bigger jobs (such as lifting heavier weights) or muscles that will work longer before becoming exhausted (endurance). Weight training (resistance training) or simple exercises such as push-ups are two examples of ways to focus on muscle strengthening.

    • Flexibility. Like aerobic fitness and muscle strengthening, flexibility is a result of physical activity. Flexibility comes from stretching. Your muscles are repeatedly shortened when they are used, especially when exercising. They need to be slowly and regularly stretched to counteract the repeated shortening that happens through other activities.

    You can start your personal fitness program with simple steps.

    1. Assess your fitness level

    You probably have some idea of how fit you are. But assessing and recording baseline fitness scores can give you benchmarks against which to measure your progress. To assess your aerobic and muscular fitness, flexibility, and body composition, consider recording:

    • Your pulse rate before and immediately after walking 1 mile (1.6 kilometers)
    • How long it takes to walk 1 mile, or how long it takes to run 1.5 miles (2.41 kilometers)
    • How many standard or modified pushups you can do at a time
    • How far you can reach forward while seated on the floor with your legs in front of you
    • Your waist circumference, just above your hipbones
    • Your body mass index

    2. Design your fitness program

    It’s easy to say that you’ll exercise every day. But you’ll need a plan. As you design your fitness program, keep these points in mind:

    • Consider your fitness goals. Are you starting a fitness program to help lose weight? Or do you have another motivation, such as preparing for a marathon? Having clear goals can help you gauge your progress and stay motivated.
    • Create a balanced routine. For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends getting at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week, or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity. The guidelines suggest that you spread out this exercise during the course of a week. Greater amounts of exercise will provide even greater health benefits.

    But even small amounts of physical activity are helpful. Being active for short periods of time throughout the day can add up to provide health benefits.
    Do strength training exercises for all major muscle groups at least two times a week. Aim to do a single set of each exercise, using a weight or resistance level heavy enough to tire your muscles after about 12 to 15 repetitions.

    • Start low, develop exercise habit and progress slowly. If you’re just beginning to exercise, start cautiously and progress slowly. If you have an injury or a medical condition, consult your doctor or an exercise therapist for help designing a fitness program that gradually improves your range of motion, strength and endurance.
    • Build activity into your daily routine. Finding time to exercise can be a challenge. To make it easier, schedule time to exercise as you would any other appointment. Plan to watch your favorite show while walking on the treadmill, read while riding a stationary bike, or take a break to go on a walk at work.
    • Plan to include different activities. Different activities (cross-training) can keep exercise boredom at bay. Cross-training using low-impact forms of activity, such as biking or water exercise, also reduces your chances of injuring or overusing one specific muscle or joint. Plan to alternate among activities that emphasize different parts of your body, such as walking, swimming and strength training.
    • Try high-interval intensity training. In high-interval intensity training, you perform short bursts of high-intensity activity separated by recovery periods of low-intensity activity.
    • Allow time for recovery. Many people start exercising with frenzied zeal — working out too long or too intensely — and give up when their muscles and joints become sore or injured. Plan time between sessions for your body to rest and recover.
    • Put it on paper. A written plan may encourage you to stay on track.

    3. Assemble your equipment

    • You’ll probably start with athletic shoes. Be sure to pick shoes designed for the activity you have in mind. For example, running shoes are lighter in weight than cross-training shoes, which are more supportive.
    • If you’re planning to invest in exercise equipment, choose something that’s practical, enjoyable and easy to use. You may want to try out certain types of equipment at a fitness center before investing in your own equipment.
    • You might consider using fitness apps for smart devices or other activity tracking devices, such as ones that can track your distance, track calories burned or monitor your heart rate.

    4. Get started…get moving

    Begin your fitness program and keep these tips in mind:

    • Start slowly and build up gradually. Give yourself plenty of time to warm up and cool down with easy walking or gentle stretching. Then speed up to a pace you can continue for five to 10 minutes without getting overly tired. As your stamina improves, gradually increase the amount of time you exercise. Work your way up to 30 to 60 minutes of exercise most days of the week.
    • Break things up if you have to. You don’t have to do all your exercise at one time, so you can weave in activity throughout your day. Shorter but more-frequent sessions have aerobic benefits, too. Exercising in short sessions a few times a day may fit into your schedule better than a single 30-minute session. Any amount of activity is better than none at all.
    • Be creative. Maybe your workout routine includes various activities, such as walking, bicycling or rowing. But don’t stop there. Take a weekend hike with your family or spend an evening ballroom dancing. Find activities you enjoy to add to your fitness routine.
    • Listen to your body. If you feel pain, shortness of breath, dizziness or nausea, take a break. You may be pushing yourself too hard. Remember to drink plenty of water.
    • Be flexible. If you’re not feeling good, give yourself permission to take a day or two off.

    5. Monitor and track your progress

    Retake your personal fitness assessment six weeks after you start your program and then again every few months. You may notice that you need to increase the amount of time you exercise in order to continue improving. Or you may be pleasantly surprised to find that you’re exercising just the right amount to meet your fitness goals.

    If you lose motivation, set new goals or try a new activity. Exercising with a friend or taking a class at a fitness center may help, too.

    Starting an exercise program equates to healthy habits that last a lifetime

    Health, not gold or silver, is the greatest wealth! Billy Graham

    Starting an exercise program is an important decision for your health and well-being. But it doesn’t have to be an overwhelming or strenuous or anxiety producing one. By planning carefully, starting slowing and pacing yourself, you can establish a healthy habit that lasts a lifetime

    Reference:

    1. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/fitness/art-20048269/?_ga=2.141564786.1134128569.1602276705-291377975.1601941478
    2. https://wa.kaiserpermanente.org/kbase/topic.jhtml?docId=ta3112

     
    Learning, Growing and Getting Better and Better Everyday!!!

    Psychosocial Health

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    It’s important that you choose to be happy, healthy and at peace!

    Health is defined as the overall mental, emotional and physical state of a person; the absence of disease and ailment. On the other hand, wellness or well-being refers to the state of being in optimal mental and physical health.

    But wellness is more than optimal mental, emotional and physical health. It’s about living a life in harmony, full of personal responsibility and taking proactive steps for one’s entire well-being. Thus, a person living life very well controls risk factors that can harm them. Risk factors are different types of actions or conditions that increase a person’s chances for illness or injury.

    Psychosocial (mental, emotional, social, and spiritual) health and wellness

    “The secret of a better and more successful life is to cast out those old dead unhealthy thoughts.” Dr. Norman Vincent Peale

    Psychosocial health includes four important components of well-being. It means being mentally, emotionally, socially, and spiritually sound which fortunately is no longer lost on traditional modern medicine. There’s plenty of proof that a healthy mind, content heart and grateful attitude are just as important for the prevention of diseases and therapeutic treatment. Therefore, this concept of psychosocial health, a state of mental, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being, deserves much attention and additional research.

    Basic Traits of Psychosocial Health

    “The greatest revolution of our generation is the discovery that human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives.” William James

    Individuals who are deemed to be psychosocially healthy aren’t completely devoid of problems. Actually, it’s not the quantity or quality of a problem, which makes someone sound in this respect. It’s the way people view themselves and how they view and response to stressful situations that sets psychosocially healthy people apart from those who are not. Here are just a few traits shared by these robust individuals. They:

    • Like themselves
    • Accept their mistakes
    • Take care of themselves
    • Have empathy for others
    • Control their anger, hate, tension, and anxiety
    • Are optimistic
    • Can work alone and with others equally well

    Mental Health

    “To make your mind healthy, you must feed it nourishing, wholesome thoughts.” Dr. Norman Vincent Peale

    The thinking portion of psychosocial health is known as mental health. Your beliefs and values in life, as well as how you relate to others and respond to situations in your life, are a reflection of mental health, which overlaps with the other aspect of health.

    When something happens to you that you don’t like and you respond in a positive manner by accepting your mistake and looking forward to its correction, then that’s good. But if you show up late for work regularly, get fired, and then blame anyone but yourself, then that may be an indicator of less than ideal mental and emotional health.

    Emotional Health

    The feeling part of psychosocial health is called emotional health. This includes things like anger, love, hate, and happiness. Oftentimes, emotional and mental health overlap a great deal in some situations. Going back to our example of getting fired from work because you came in late multiple time, if you feel a bit down, but still have high hopes for the future, that’s a positive thing. But if you lash out in a blinding rage against your boss, sulk when you go home, and avoid everyone thereafter, then that may point to improper emotional health.

    Furthermore, it’s not unexpected even for an emotionally healthy person to experience some sadness and grief after getting fired; that by itself isn’t conclusive of poor emotional health. Everyone, even the most optimistic people, have their ups and downs. But an emotionally healthy person is one that responds to a situation in a manner that is controllable, in proportion, and with understanding.

    Emotional intelligence is an ability to understand and manage your emotions and those of others. It can be broken up into five main parts:

    • Know your emotions: Are you able to quickly recognize your feelings?
    • Manage your emotions: Can you express those feelings appropriately? Are you able to cope with them well?
    • Motivate yourself: The more you can do this independently in order to achieve more in your life, the higher your emotional intelligence.
    • Recognize the emotions of others: The more you can empathize with others, the better.
    • Handle your relationships: The better you are at navigating conflict in life and building a good social network, the higher your emotional intelligence.

    Social Health

    Having healthy relationships is a good way to also introduce social health, the ability to create and maintain healthy relationships with others. I’m sure you can already appreciate how much this is related to the concepts we went over in emotional health. Everything here is related because they are all part of the one overarching concept – psychosocial health.

    Social health goes beyond having appropriate emotional health and intelligence. A person with good social health:

    • Recognizes the importance of social engagement. We’re pack animals after all! We’re not supposed to live alone!
    • A person with good social health is able to support their friends in a time of need and ask for their help when they need it themselves.
    • They aren’t biased, prejudiced, racist, or sexist.
    • Listens to others well, expresses their feelings just as well, and acts in a responsible manner around others.

    An example of a person with good social health is someone who has close friends. They enjoy listening to and feels close enough to share important feelings with. The contrast is a curmudgeon who is bad-tempered and discourages close personal relationships.

    Spiritual Health

    When you enhance your spirituality, you form a relationship built on inner peace, love, faith and security.

    Spiritual health is about having “something more” in your life. In practical terms, we’re talking about getting to know yourself—getting to know what you’re feeling, what you’re thinking, what you’re intending, what your fears are, and what your loves are, according to Gary Zukav author of Seat of the Soul.

    Relationships can transform into a spiritual connection and partnership. If we use our relationships with ourselves, others and God (or an entity that is transcendent) to make us wiser, kinder, peaceful, grateful and more compassionate, we can actually change how the relationships work for us. We can have and enjoy the relationships and lives we’ve always dreamed of.

    Higher levels of spirituality have also been linked to increased compassion, strengthened relationships, and improved self-esteem. “Our findings show that spirituality is significantly associated with better mental health and well-being and may add to an individual’s overall wisdom,” explains Dilip Jeste, senior associate dean for the Center of Healthy Aging and a professor of psychiatry and neuroscience at the UC San Diego School of Medicine. “Spirituality does not require religious faith but is characterized by humility and ever-present connectedness to oneself or to others or to an entity that is transcendent, such as Mother Nature or God or the soul. It helps reduce stress in many people and allows them to be more at peace, happier, and healthier.”

    References:

    1. https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-psychosocial-health-definition-components-traits.html
    2. https://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/forging-a-spiritual-relationship/all
    3. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/202010/how-spirituality-wisdom-and-mental-health-are-intertwined
    4. https://www.forbes.com/sites/amymorin/2016/06/15/this-is-how-your-thoughts-become-your-reality/?sh=1dd1728528a0

    Background:

    Physical wellness: This means we exercise, eat well, practice safe sex, don’t do any dangerous activities like jumping off of buildings, and so on. Physical fitness increases physical wellness. By being physically fit and well, you are better able to take care of yourself and others, especially in a time of need. You are also better able to prevent illness and disease.

    Intellectual wellness: Critical thinking, being curious, and always learning new things. Developing intellectual wellness is critical not only to help a person grow in school and do better at work, but it actually prevents the onset of disease. It’s been shown that people who regularly learn new things and challenge their mind can stave off many mental health problems.

    Emotional wellness: Being confident, having a solid self-esteem, building trust, and being able to understand another’s feelings. A person who is emotionally well is aware of their feelings and is able to properly cope with them. Emotional wellness also implies a person can deal well with stressful situations.

    Social wellness: Having good communication skills, the ability to establish good and healthy long-term relationships, and having good relationships with family and friends. Interpersonal relationships are very important in order to maintain a good emotional and physical state of being. We are, of course, ‘pack animals,’ so to speak, that depend on one another to survive and live well.

    Spiritual wellness: The path to a spiritual wellness and relationship depends upon you because how you relate to yourself determines how spiritual you are toward others, according to Deepak Chopra. Developing compassion, forgiveness, being caring, having a sense of purpose and meaning in life. Spiritual wellness doesn’t automatically imply the need for religion in a person’s life. But, it does imply a personal relationship with God or committing to something higher. This personal relationship or commitment to something higher can be developed and found through things like nature, meditation, volunteer work, and family.

    Mahatma Gandhi:

    1. You must be the change you wish to see in the world.
    2. Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.
    3. Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.
    4. Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive because your words become your behavior. Keep your behavior positive because your behavior becomes your habits. Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive because your values become your destiny.

    References:

    1. https://www.chopra.com/articles/how-to-have-a-true-spiritual-relationship

    Simple Living and Eating for Longevity

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    Living simply including how you eat is one secret to healthy living, aging and longevity

    To live a long and healthy life, you should follow the eating regimen and lifestyle of people indigenous to the Blue Zone. Blue Zones are areas where people regularly live to be over 100 years young and the populations are in good health and they live simply.

    Blue Zones five areas are: Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Ikaria, Greece, and Loma Linda, California. It was found that they had nine things in common, including how they eat, despite being in completely different geographical locations and cultures.

    Simply eating

    Something people in the various Blue Zones around the world have in common is that their meals consist of whole foods and primarily plant-based ingredients, as longevity expert and Blue Zones founder Dan Buettner often says. Beans, whole grains, and lots of vegetables are all cornerstones of Blue Zone philosophy of simple eating.

    “We believe 90 percent of Alzheimer’s can be prevented through a healthy lifestyle,” Dean Sherzai, MD, and Ayesha Sherzai, MD, a husband and wife team and directors of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Program at Loma Linda University Medical Center explain. “Data from many studies have repeatedly supported a whole-food, plant-based diet as being protective for brain health in general, and Alzheimer’s and stroke in particular.”

    Food for longevity

    Garlic has proven to be one key food for longevity because it’s linked to lowering inflammation and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. It’s also full of vitamins including vitamin B6, manganese, selenium, vitamin c, iron, potassium, and copper, which support cognitive health, boost the immune system, and work to keep blood sugar levels steady.

    References :

    1. https://www.wellandgood.com/simple-salad-dressing/
    2. https://www.wellandgood.com/longevity-nutrition-tips/

    Healthy Diet for a Healthy Life | Consumers Reports

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    Eating a healthy diet can fix several common health concerns as you age like energy level, mood and balance.

    A healthy diet is key to the healthy aging of your body and mind, according to Consumer Reports on Health. Additionally, it can help you ward off chronic diseases such as hearth disease, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.

    Improving energy levels and mood

    A healthy diet can help remedy numerous conditions (many of which become more common with age)—such as your balance and mood.

    When the weather turns cold and days get shorter, we often turn to comfort foods which tend to be made mostly of refined carbohydrates, sugar, and fat. That combination may leave us feeling physically tired and emotionally cranky.

    “When you eat simple, refined carbs, you get a quick increase of energy for about 20 or 30 minutes, and then a quick decrease,” says Lauri Wright, PhD, associate professor of nutrition at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. “Those spikes and dips in energy are also bad for your mood because when your energy comes crashing down, your mood can crash too.”

    Whole grains, such as brown rice and quinoa, work in the opposite way. “They release energy gradually and then gradually decrease over the course of 3 to 4 hours,” Wright says.

    Getting adequate vitamin D may also be helpful for boosting your mood. Older adults may be prone to a defi­ciency, in part because the ability to produce D from sunlight declines with age. A 2018 study of almost 4,000 adults 50 and older in Ireland found that those with vitamin D deficiency (defined in this study as blood levels lower than 30 nanomoles per liter) were more likely to develop depression.

    Improving balance

    Your balance tends to get worse as you age, but one common cause is sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss). You can help your muscles stay strong by getting enough protein.

    “The proteins in your muscles are constantly being broken down,” says Roger Fielding, PhD, associate director of the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston. “If you aren’t consuming enough protein in your diet, the breakdown exceeds synthesis and you have a loss of muscle mass.” And without strong muscles to support your joints, your balance may suffer, leaving you at greater risk of falling.

    On average, older adults should aim for at least 0.6 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day—about 90 grams for someone who weighs 150 pounds. Make sure to spread it evenly among meals. “It’s important to deliver protein to your muscles throughout the day,” Fielding says. And be sure to get a mix of animal (lean meats, fish, dairy) and plant (beans, nuts, soy) sources.

    Plant foods also contain antioxidants and polyphenols that can help reduce inflammation. “Increases in inflammatory compounds can have potent effects on muscle loss,” Fielding says. In one study in The Journal of Nutrition, older men and women with adequate blood levels of antioxidant vitamin C had an average of 1.6 percent and 3.4 percent greater muscle mass, respectively, than those with lower levels.

    Healthy eating

    Eating lots of high-quality plant foods and eating low amounts of animal-based foods, refined grains, added sugars, processed foods and ­unhealthy fats is good for your heart health. A plant-based diet can improve cholesterol and lower blood pressure. It also helps to protect against oxidative damage and to reduce inflammation.

    Research has linked ultra processed foods to a higher risk for obesity, heart disease, and cancer. Some processing is relatively benign and even enhances healthy properties. But generally speaking, the farther your food gets from its original “whole” version, the more process and less good it becomes for you.

    Healthy eating plan

    What matters most is following a healthy eating plan. In one 2018 study involv­ing more than 81,000 women, those whose diets most closely matched one of three heart-healthy eating patterns—alternate Mediterranean, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), and 2010 Alter­native Healthy Eating Index—had a lower risk of developing chronic diseases over the 22-year study period.

    To make it simple, at each meal fill half your plate with fruits and veggies (but limit starchy ones, such as potatoes). The other half should be made up of whole grains and plant-based protein, such as tofu, lentils, or nuts, most days, with modest amounts of fish, lean meat, and poultry less often.

    References:

    1. https://www.consumerreports.org/healthy-eating/anti-aging-diet-moves/?EXTKEY=YSOCIAL_FB&fbclid=IwAR0LIDLQ73gonTqiiBcqMigeysuA1otE9VwXMvvrysCDHoJuIyelJuky0e4
    2. https://www.consumerreports.org/nutrition-healthy-eating/what-is-a-processed-food/
    3. https://www.consumerreports.org/packaged-processed-foods/processed-foods-are-bad-for-weight-loss/
    4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29071481/

    Healthy Aging and Lifestyle: Achieving Happiness and Purpose

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    “If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my years on this planet, it’s that the happiest and most fulfilled people are those who devoted themselves to something bigger and more profound than merely their own self-interest.” John Glenn

    Healthy Aging with purpose is about embracing opportunities to reshape your lives, connect with and help one another, and change the world for the better —all while learning, growing, getting better and having fun!

    Work at your relationships all the time. Take care of friendships, hold people you love close to you, take advantage of birthdays and celebrate fiercely.
    Patti LaBelle

    References:

    1. https://seniorplanet.org/14-of-the-best-quotes-about-aging/
    2. https://www.zyto.com/5-inspirational-quotes-for-healthy-aging