Category Archives: Healthy Aging

Healthy Aging and Lifestyle: Avoid Muscle Loss as You Age

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Declining muscle mass is part of aging, but that does not mean you are helpless to stop it.

“Older men can indeed increase muscle mass lost as a consequence of aging,” says Dr. Thomas W. Storer, director of the exercise physiology and physical function lab at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “It takes work, dedication, and a plan, but it is never too late to rebuild muscle and maintain it.”

The best means to build muscle mass, no matter your age, is progressive resistance training (PRT), says Dr. Storer. With PRT, you gradually amp up your workout volume—weight, reps, and sets—as your strength and endurance improve.

This constant challenging builds muscle and keeps you away from plateaus where you stop making gains. (See “Working on a PRT program.”) In fact, a recent meta-analysis published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise reviewed 49 studies of men ages 50 to 83 who did PRT and found that subjects averaged a 2.4-pound increase in lean body mass.

if you want to burn more calories and lose weight, the answer is simple: build muscle, according to the Cleveland Clinic.  

Muscle burns more calories at rest than fat

Ten pounds of muscle burns 50 calories at rest, whereas 10 pounds of fat burns 20 calories. This means, long after you’ve stopped working out, your body is still burning over twice as many calories when you’re toned than when you’re not. 

Strength training

When you lift weights and build muscle, you’re actually creating tiny tears in the muscle fibers within your body. This is why you’re sore after a tough workout.

Strength training comes when your muscles build against those tears. athletic trainer Tom Iannetta, ATC, CSCS explains that strength training is beneficial at any age. “As we age, we lose muscle mass, which decreases metabolism, so establishing a strength program will not only increase muscles, it will boost metabolism,” he says. 

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

A general guideline for improving strength is to exercise each major muscle group at least twice a week. This could be performed as a full-body workout or by doing a split routine performing upper body exercises twice a week, then lower body exercises twice a week.”

Helpful strength training tips:

  • Warm up. Always begin with a light warm-up such as riding a stationary bike or an elliptical machine. Five to 10 minutes should be sufficient.
  • Sets are key. Three sets of an exercise with eight to 12 repetitions has been the gold standard for an effective strength program. However, finding time to exercise may be a challenge.  Recent research shows that many people see results with one or two sets of eight to 15 repetitions of a particular exercise.
  • Push it. Pushing the muscle to fatigue is a key factor. Choose a weight that is heavy enough to fatigue your muscles in eight to 15 repetitions. As exercise becomes easier, you can progressively increase the amount of resistance.
  • Variety is the spice of life … and muscle building. As you get stronger, try varying the exercises you perform. Different exercises or varying the weight training equipment in your routine should keep your program challenging.

The important thing is to find an activity that you enjoy. With consistency, you’ll shed that quarantine weight in no time. 

References:

  1. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/build-muscles-lose-weight-by-adding-strength-training-to-your-workout/?_ga=2.29316282.743021087.1601167027-783556893.1601167027
  2. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-can-you-avoid-muscle-loss-as-you-age/
  3. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/preserve-your-muscle-mass

Healthy Aging and Lifestyle: Whole Foods, Plant Based Diet | Consumers Report

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“It’s never too early or too late to embrace a healthier lifestyle.” Robert Ostfeld, M.D., director of Preventive Cardiology and founder and director of the Cardiac Wellness Program at Montefiore Medical Center in New York

A strong body of research supports the idea that a whole foods, plant-based diet can boost your health, decreasing the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers, and helping you stay at a healthy weight. It can even lengthen your life, according to a recent study in JAMA Internal Medicine that tracked more than 70,000 people.

Scientific research highlighted in the landmark book The China Study shows that a whole food, plant-based diet can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, certain types of cancer, and other major illnesses. Many people also reported bigger fitness payoffs, more energy, reduced inflammation, and better health outcomes after making the switch.

You can eat to be younger

Whole Foods, plant-based diets are also full of phytochemicals, compounds that help keep many of your body’s systems running smoothly, Rachel Meltzer Warren, M.S., R.D., a frequent contributor to Consumers Report, wrote. For instance, the anthocyanins in berries help protect vision; carotenoids in carrots and cantaloupe, and the isothiocyanates in brussels sprouts neutralize the free radicals that cause cell damage; and flavonoids in apples help control inflammation.

A whole-food, plant-based diet is based on the following principles, according to ForksOverKnives:

  • Whole food describes natural foods that are not heavily processed. That means whole, unrefined, or minimally refined ingredients.
  • Plant-based means food that comes from plants and doesn’t include animal ingredients such as meat, milk, eggs, or honey.

A “less meat, more plants” style of eating can also help improve the quality of your life

Research shows in one recent preliminary study of more than 450,000 adults, those who followed a whole food, plant-based diet that was 70 percent plants had a 20 percent lower risk of dying from heart disease or stroke than those whose diets centered on meat and dairy. A Harvard study that tracked more than 120,000 people for 30 years found that those who ate the most red meat tended to die younger during the study period but that swapping just one daily serving of beef for nuts could cut the risk of dying early by as much as 19 percent.

One possible reason for those benefits is that a whole food, plant-based diet can improve blood lipid levels. Making the change from a standard American diet to a whole food, plant based (including some meat) or vegetarian one was associated with a 10 to 15 percent decrease in total and LDL “bad” cholesterol, according to a review of 27 studies in the American Journal of Cardiology. Shifting to a vegan diet led to even more dramatic change.

A “less meat, more plants” style of eating can also help improve the quality of your life. In addition, it’s associated with higher levels of short-chain fatty acids in the gut, and research suggests that it lowers the risk of heart disease, inflammatory diseases, and type 2 diabetes.

Wake up and go to work on yourself before you go to work for anyone else

Changing your diet after age 50 can make a difference, according to experts. “It’s never too early or too late to embrace a healthier lifestyle,” Robert Ostfeld, M.D., director of Preventive Cardiology and founder and director of the Cardiac Wellness Program at Montefiore Medical Center in New York says, which includes a healthy whole food, plant based diet, aerobic and resistance exercises and good nights sleep. “The benefits come quickly and continue to accrue with time.” In one study, women in that age group who ate a mostly plant diet were 34 percent more likely to be free of chronic diseases, like type 2 diabetes and heart disease, 15 years later than women whose diets included more meat.

Essentially, a whole-food, plant-based diet is good for your heart, your body, and it may even be good for your soul.

References:

  1. https://www.consumerreports.org/diet-plans/plant-based-diet/
  2. https://www.forksoverknives.com/how-tos/plant-based-primer-beginners-guide-starting-plant-based-diet/
  3. https://www.forksoverknives.com/wellness/patient-lost-75-pounds-reduced-nineteen-meds-three/

Healthy Plant Based Diet, Aerobic and Resistance Exercises and Restful Sleep

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

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“It is never too late to reverse how you look and feel, and 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.” Strauss Zelnick, Becoming Ageless

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.

A holistic mind/body approach that really works.

By following the four secrets of Becoming Ageless, you can boost your metabolism, enjoy all-day energy and feel younger for life.

Ageless Secret #1 Indulge in Delicious Foods 

You can eat to be younger. Most people associate eating for health or weight loss with a “diet”— 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: 

  • 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. Commit yourself to eating sensibly. 

Ageless Secret #2: Unlock Your Inner Strength

One of the things to realize is that fitness can be the foundation for so much of your success in life—it improves your mood, and shrink your belly, Just commit and be consistent. Get moving a little every day. 

It is recommended that you work out every day. 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
  • Follow an exercise plan for building muscle. Use it and you’ll avoid back pain and get injured less.

Ageless Secret #3: Bulletproof Your Body

You can’t feel younger if you’re sick all the time.  It is important to turn your body into a disease-fighting machine. That’s why:

  • 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.
  • Mental health is important. To boost your confidence, it is recommended 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. Little changes mean big results. 

Ageless Secret #4: 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 cheer you on. 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. 

There is a benefit in embracing your spiritual side. For quiet reflection, you can integrate morning prayer into your routine. 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; you’ll stave off disease; you’ll enhance your spiritual connections; and you’ll lose fat from where it matters most. That’s something you want at any age.

88% of Americans Adults in Poor Metabolic Health

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Only 1 in 8 Americans are metabolically healthy

88 percent of Americans adults are in poor metabolic health, according to survey by Cleveland Clinic and Parade Magazine. American adults suffer from high blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride. And, a metabolically unhealthy lifestyle puts you at elevated risk of COVID-19 related complications.

Metabolic syndrome is the name for a group of risk factors that raises your risk for heart disease and other health problems, such as diabetes and stroke, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). The term “metabolic” refers to the biochemical processes involved in the body’s normal functioning. Risk factors are traits, conditions, or habits that increase your chance of developing a disease.

These conditions include increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels. Metabolic syndrome is closely linked to overweight or obesity and inactivity. Insulin resistance also may increase your risk for metabolic syndrome. Insulin resistance is a condition in which the body can’t use its insulin properly. Insulin is a hormone that helps move blood sugar into cells where it’s used for energy, according to NHLBI.

Metabolic Risk Factors

The five conditions described below are metabolic risk factors. You can have any one of these risk factors by itself, but they tend to occur together.

  • A large waistline (e.g., abdominal obesity). Excess fat in the stomach area is a greater risk factor for heart disease than excess fat in other parts of the body, such as on the hips.
  • A high triglyceride level (or you’re on medicine to treat high triglycerides). Triglycerides are a type of fat found in the blood.
  • A low HDL cholesterol level (or you’re on medicine to treat low HDL cholesterol). HDL sometimes is called “good” cholesterol. This is because it helps remove cholesterol from your arteries. A low HDL cholesterol level raises your risk for heart disease.
  • High blood pressure (or you’re on medicine to treat high blood pressure). Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps blood. If this pressure rises and stays high over time, it can damage your heart and lead to plaque buildup.
  • High fasting blood sugar (or you’re on medicine to treat high blood sugar). Mildly high blood sugar may be an early sign of diabetes.

A person has metabolic syndrome when they have too high or too low levels of three of the five factors, meaning that someone who has high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high triglycerides would be considered unhealthy, metabolically speaking. The three risk factors combined put a person at much greater risk for diseases like type 2 diabetes, stroke, and heart disease, according to the Mayo Clinic

In order to have perfect metabolic health, according to a study published in the journal Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders, you need:

  • a waist circumference below 40 inches for men and below 34.6 inches for women,
  • blood sugar below 100 mg/dL,
  • blood pressure below 120/80,
  • triglycerides below 150 mg/dL, and
  • high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (also known as “good” cholesterol) greater than or equal to 40 mg/dL for men and 50 mg/dL for women.

According to this study, only about 12% ( or one in every eight) of adults based on these guidelines in the U.S. have perfect levels of all five risk factors without having to take medication, researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Gillings School of Global Public Health found in their study. The scientists examined National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from 8,721 people in the U.S. between 2009 and 2016. And they’re calling their findings “alarmingly low.”

“Based on the data, few Americans are achieving metabolic health, which is quite alarming and should spur renewed attention to population-based interventions,” Joana Araujo, PhD, a postdoctoral research associate in nutrition, said.

Even small steps add up.

Doctors generally agree on when it comes to a person’s health that blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides (a type of fat found in blood), blood sugar, and waist circumference are all often used to measure what’s called “metabolic health.”

Now is a great time to focus on eating unprocessed food and eliminating process food from your diet, exercising, getting adequate sleep, managing stress and anxiety, and maintaining social connections.

Mark Hyman, M.D., head of strategy and innovation for Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Functional medicine, “Poor metabolic health can be reversed in a couple of weeks, simply by dietary change.”

References:

  1. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/metabolic-syndrome
  2. Pajer, Nicole, Parade, September 27, 2020, pg. 11
  3. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/metabolic-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20351916
  4. https://www.health.com/condition/heart-disease/metabolic-health

Healthy Aging: Resistance (Weight) Training

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One form of exercise, weight or resistance training, proves to be most effective for long-term weight loss

Weight lifting, also known as resistance training, helps us build strength, and also improves muscle size and can help counteract age-related muscle loss.

Recently weight lifting has become popular among those looking to lose weight.

Endurance exercises such as running and walking are indeed effective for reducing body fat. However, these exercises can simultaneously decrease muscle size, leading to weaker muscles and greater perceived weight loss, as muscle is more dense than fat.

But unlike endurance exercises, evidence shows resistance training not only has beneficial effects on reducing body fat, but it also increases muscle size and strength.

THE “AFTER-BURN EFFECT”

When you exercise, your muscles need more energy than they do when resting. This energy comes from your muscles’ ability to break down fat and carbohydrate (stored within the muscle, liver, and fat tissue) with the help of oxygen. So during exercise, you breathe faster and our heart works harder to pump more oxygen, fat, and carbohydrates to your exercising muscles.

Resistance training exercises should engage the largest muscle groups, use whole body exercises performed standing, and should involve two or more joints. All of these make the bodywork harder, thereby increasing the amount of muscle and therefore RMR. An effective resistance training program should combine intensity, volume (number of exercises and sets), and progression (increasing both as you get stronger). The intensity should be high enough that you feel challenged during your workout.

The most effective way of doing this is by using the repetition maximum method. For the purpose of fat loss, this should be performing between six and ten repetitions of an exercise with a resistance that results in fatigue, so that you cannot comfortably do another full repetition after the last one. Three to four sets, two or three times a week for each muscle group is recommended.

References:

  1. https://www.inverse.com/mind-body/resistance-training-heres-why-its-so-effective-for-weight-loss

Healthy Aging: Vitamin K may offer protective health benefits

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Vitamin K is an often ignored nutrient, but new research has found that low levels among older adults may increase their risk of early death. The findings were published in the June 2020 issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Vitamin K benefits. It is an essential micronutrient that has been shown to improve bone strength, protect against heart disease, enhance blood sugar control, fight cancer, boost brain function and ensure healthy blood clot formation.

Researchers looked at about 4,000 adults ages 54 to 76 who were involved in three studies. Everyone was free of heart disease at the start of the analysis. The researchers categorized the people according to their blood levels of vitamin K, and compared that information with rates of heart disease and death over 13 years. The results showed no definite link between vitamin K levels and heart disease. However, people with the lowest vitamin K levels were 19% more likely to die during the study period than those whose K levels were adequate.

The exact reason for the link between low vitamin K and a higher death rate is unclear. But scientists know that vitamin K helps prevent calcium buildup in arteries, which is associated with decreased blood flow throughout the body. Other studies have shown a link between low levels of vitamin K and a higher risk of osteoarthritis; that condition can affect mobility and increase falls, which can also contribute to earlier death.

Guidelines suggest men get 120 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin K per day, but more than 60% of men ages 70 and older do not consume the suggested daily quantities, according to a survey conducted by the study’s researchers.

Leafy greens and vegetables like broccoli and cabbage are loaded with vitamin K, an important nutrient that’s been associated with improved insulin levels, a reduced risk of cancer and protection against heart disease. Vitamin K is also found in vegetable oils like soybean and canola. A cup of leafy green vegetables has more than 120 mcg, and a tablespoon of soybean oil offers 25 mcg.

References:

  1. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/vitamin-k-may-offer-protective-health-benefits-in-older-age
  2. https://draxe.com/nutrition/vitamin-k-foods/

Healthy Aging: Exercise lowers risk for serious health problems

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Being Physically Active…move your body more…pursue a well-rounded exercise plan that fits your lifestyle

Hundreds of studies have shown that exercise lowers your risk for serious health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, and certain forms of cancer. What’s more, physical exercise eases arthritis and preserves independence while trimming your waistline. Put simply, exercise helps you feel better, look great, and live a longer, more joyful and satisfying life.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines recommend exercising moderately for 150 to 300 minutes or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous activity — and that the higher number should be the target. Exercise strengthens your heart muscle, lowers your blood pressure and cholesterol, and burns calories. It can also enhance your mood.

Aerobic exercise can improve the way your heart and other muscles use oxygen. The right blend of exercises for you incorporates aerobic workouts (including walking), as well as stretching and strength-building / resistance exercises.

Exercise is the best investment you can make for your health.

“It is never too late to reverse how you look and feel, and 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.” Strauss Zelnick, Becoming Ageless

Researchers are learning just how exercise fights cardiovascular disease. What they know is that exercise improves the efficiency of the muscles that it puts to work, including the heart. It improves blood flow to the heart muscle and reduces the risk of abnormal pumping rhythms.

Studies have evaluated exercise and health in men and women of diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Although the details vary, the vast majority agree that regular exercise is associated with a sharp reduction in heart attacks and cardiac deaths; most cite protection in the range of 35% to 55%.

Furthermore, studies show that modest exercise, such as walking about two miles a day or burning about 1,000 calories a week, can provide enormous protection against heart disease. And exercise helps even people who don’t start exercising until later in life, as well as patients who don’t start until they suffer a heart attack. In fact, a meta-analysis of 48 trials involving nearly 9,000 cardiac patients found that exercise-based rehabilitation reduced the patients’ risk of dying from heart disease by 26%.

Aerobic exercise helps your heart and other muscles better use oxygen.

In addition, exercise lowers LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and triglyceride levels while boosting HDL (“good”) cholesterol. It also reduces body fat, insulin levels, and the risk of diabetes — all cardiac risk factors. Regular exercise improves the body’s defenses against artery-blocking blood clots and quiets the vascular inflammation that fuels the fire of atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis is the accumulation of pockets of cholesterol-rich gunk inside the arteries, according to Harvard Health. These pockets, called plaque, can limit blood flow through arteries that nourish the heart — the coronary arteries — and other arteries throughout the body. When a plaque breaks apart, it can cause a heart attack or stroke.

A healthy lifestyle which includes exercise goes a long way to preventing cardiovascular disease. Aerobic and resistance exercise can prevent heart-harming trends, like high blood pressure or high cholesterol, before they can cause damage.

“A man is as old as his arteries.” Thomas Sydenham, English physician

A regular exercise program has a major effect on the health of your arteries. Every artery has three layers in its wall. The endothelium is the innermost of the artery’s three layers and is composed of a thin layer of endothelial cells that are in direct contact with the bloodstream. It produces nitric oxide, which helps keep the artery open and healthy. Plaques have the opposite effect.

Endothelial cells have a crucial role in vascular health, and exercise has an important effect on endothelial cells. Among other things, endothelial cells produce nitric oxide. Tiny amounts of nitric oxide produced by your endothelial cells are a boon to your circulation.

This nitric oxide has two crucial functions. It keeps the arterial lining smooth and slippery, preventing white blood cells and platelets from latching on and causing damaging inflammation and artery-blocking blood clots. In addition, it relaxes the smooth muscle cells of the artery wall’s middle layer, preventing spasms and keeping arteries open.

Invest in yourself!  Exercise is the best investment you can make for your health

Cardiovascular and chronic diseases are not inevitable as we get older. Although, more research is needed, the evidence suggests that regular exercise can reduce the risk of heart disease and other common chronic health problems as you age.

References:

  1. https://www.harvardhealthonlinelearning.com/courses/starting-to-exercise
  2. https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/supplements-vs-exercise-for-heart-disease-and-cancer
  3. https://www.veteranshealthlibrary.va.gov/HealthyLiving/Active/Benefits/142,82041_VA

Age-related muscle loss | Harvard Men’s Health Watch

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After age 30, men begin to lose as much as 3% to 5% of muscle mass per decade, according to WebMD.com. Most men will lose about 30% of their muscle mass during their lifetimes. Less muscle means greater weakness and less mobility, both of which may increase your risk of falls and fractures.

A 2015 report from the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research found that people with sarcopenia, age-related muscle loss, had 2.3 times the risk of having a low-trauma fracture from a fall, such as a broken hip, collarbone, leg, arm, or wrist.

“Older men can increase muscle mass lost as a consequence of aging,” says Dr. Thomas W. Storer, director of the exercise physiology and physical function lab at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “It takes work, dedication, and a plan, but it is never too late to rebuild muscle and maintain it.”

Increasing strength and endurance

One possible contributor to sarcopenia, age-related muscle loss, is the natural decline of testosterone, the hormone that stimulates protein synthesis and muscle growth. Think of testosterone as the fuel for your muscle-building fire.

The FDA has not approved taking testosterone supplements to build muscle mass in men due to their side effects.

The best means to build muscle mass, no matter your age, is progressive resistance training (PRT), says Dr. Storer. With PRT, you gradually amp up your workout volume—weight, reps, and sets—as your strength and endurance improve. This constant challenging builds muscle and keeps you away from plateaus where you stop making gains. To gain more muscle mass, older men need a structured and detailed PRT program, says Dr. Storer.

Set up a detailed progressive resistance strength training workouts

You should do strength-training that works all major muscle groups—legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms—at least two days a week.  Strength training can involve lifting weights, using resistance bands, or exercises like push-ups and sit-ups, in which your body weight furnishes the resistance.

A typical training program might include

  • 8 to 10 exercises that target all the major muscle groups
  • sets of 12 to 15 reps, performed at an effort of about 5 to 7 on a 10-point scale
  • two or three workouts per week.

After you have established a routine, the way to progress is to add a second and then a third set of the exercises. Another way is to decrease the number of reps per set and increase the weight or resistance to the point where you are able to complete at least eight reps, but no more than 12.

Increasing muscle power

Building muscle is not all about strength, says Dr. Storer. You also need power. “Muscle power, how fast and efficiently you move, is more connected to the activities of daily living and physical function than muscular strength,” he says.

A good way to improve overall muscle power is with your legs, since they are most responsible for mobility. “Doing quicker movements against resistance, like one’s own body weight, can be an effective means of developing power,” says Dr. Storer.

For instance, when rising from a seated position, try to do it quickly. When climbing stairs, hold the handrail and push off a step as fast as possible. “It does not have to be every step—begin with one to three steps—but this teaches your muscles to use strength in a more effective way.”

References:

  1. https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/guide/sarcopenia-with-aging
  2. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/preserve-your-muscle-mass

All About Fats | VAntage Point

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Fat is one of our macronutrients (along with protein and carbohydrates), and it is an essential part of our intake. It has many functions within the body, including organ protection, providing fuel, coating nerve cells, making up organs (our brains are roughly 60% fat), making up cells (lipid bilayer), nutrient and phytochemical absorption, skin/hair/nail health, and hormone balance.

As with anything diet related, the first step is to evaluate the source of your food. Are you eating mostly real, whole foods from nature, or processed, refined foods from the grocery store shelf.

Good sources of fat are going to come from those whole food options.

Tips

  1. Continue to eat real, whole foods, and follow a system (such as the healthy plate) to guide you to a balanced intake.
  2. Include good fats, such as from olives and olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds, fatty fish, coconut oil, eggs, dairy, minimally processed meat, and even butter (especially if it’s grass fed and organic). Remember that, although we shouldn’t fear fat from animals, we should still get plenty of it from antioxidant-rich plant-based foods. Balance is important.
  3. Avoid the following: fast food, fried foods, heavily processed meats, processed/packaged foods – like TV dinners and box meals – refined sugars and sweets (including sugar from fluids); highly processed vegetables oils, such as soy, corn, safflower, as well as Crisco and other hydrogenated oils.

The fat sources we choose, as well as the overall quality of our diet and lifestyle, will make a huge difference on whether that fat will be helpful or harmful.

Eat well!

Source: Sieger Giroux MS, RD, LDN is a registered dietitian at the Marion VA. In this episode of Fresh Focus, MOVE! Dietitian Sieger Giroux provides insight on saturated and unsaturated fats and how listeners can incorporate those into the healthy plate method.

References:

  1. https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/77632/fresh-focus-4-healthy-plate-method-about-fats/

Your Weight, BMI and Health Risk

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Over the past several months, our daily lives have radically changed in ways both large and small. From how we go about our weekly errands, to how we seek healthcare, to how we socialize with our wider communities. Social physical distancing has quickly brought to the forefront just how intrinsic human interaction is to our physical, mental and emotional well-being.

As is always the case in times of crises, we can find hope in the examples of mindfulness, resilience and adaptability shown by people across the country. Regarding our physical health, times of crises reveal the importance of healthy living and habits that promote health and well-being.  Subsequently, it is equally important to conduct a self-assessment of weight and health risk using three key measures:

  • Body mass index (BMI)
  • Waist circumference
  • Risk factors for diseases and conditions associated with obesity

Body Mass Index (BMI)

BMI is a useful measure of overweight and obesity. It is calculated from your height and weight. BMI is an estimate of body fat and a good gauge of your risk for diseases that can occur with more body fat. The higher your BMI, the higher your risk for certain diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, gallstones, breathing problems, and certain cancers.

Although BMI can be used for most men and women, it does have some limits:

  • It may overestimate body fat in athletes and others who have a muscular build.
  • It may underestimate body fat in older persons and others who have lost muscle.

Use the BMI Calculator or BMI Tables to estimate your body fat. The BMI score means the following:

BMI

  • Underweight — Below 18.5
  • Normal — 18.5–24.9
  • Overweight — 25.0–29.9
  • Obesity — 30.0 and Above

Waist Circumference

Measuring waist circumference helps screen for possible health risks that come with overweight and obesity. If most of your fat is around your waist rather than at your hips, you’re at a higher risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. This risk goes up with a waist size that is greater than 35 inches for women or greater than 40 inches for men. To correctly measure your waist, stand and place a tape measure around your middle, just above your hipbones. Measure your waist just after you breathe out.

Along with being overweight or obese, the following conditions will put you at greater risk for heart disease and other conditions:

Risk Factors

  • High blood pressure (hypertension)
  • High LDL cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol)
  • Low HDL cholesterol (“good” cholesterol)
  • High triglycerides
  • High blood glucose (sugar)
  • Family history of premature heart disease
  • Physical inactivity
  • Cigarette smoking

For people who are considered obese (BMI greater than or equal to 30) or those who are overweight (BMI of 25 to 29.9) and have two or more risk factors, it is recommended that you lose weight. Even a small weight loss (between 5 and 10 percent of your current weight) will help lower your risk of developing diseases associated with obesity. People who are overweight, do not have a high waist measurement, and have fewer than two risk factors may need to prevent further weight gain rather than lose weight.

Talk to your doctor to see whether you are at an increased risk and whether you should lose weight. Your doctor will evaluate your BMI, waist measurement, and other risk factors for heart disease.

The good news is even a small weight loss (between 5 and 10 percent of your current weight) will help lower your risk of developing those diseases.

References:

  1. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/risk.htm#limitations