Tag Archives: Healthy Aging

9 Physical and Mental Health Benefits of Yoga

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Practicing yoga regularly can help you feel better from head to toe, since yoga offers physical and mental health benefits for people of all ages. And, if you’re going through an illness, recovering from surgery or living with a chronic condition, yoga can become an integral part of your treatment and potentially hasten healing. 

Yoga can support the healing process and help the person experience symptoms with more centeredness and less distress.

1. Yoga improves strength, balance and flexibility.

Slow movements and deep breathing increase blood flow and warm up muscles, while holding a pose can build strength.

Try it: Tree Pose
Balance on one foot, while holding the other foot to your calf or above the knee (but never on the knee) at a right angle. Try to focus on one spot in front of you, while you balance for one minute. 

2. Yoga helps with back pain relief.

Yoga is as good as basic stretching for easing pain and improving mobility in people with lower back pain. The American College of Physicians recommends yoga as a first-line treatment for chronic low back pain.

Try it: Cat-Cow Pose
Get on all fours, placing your palms underneath your shoulders and your knees underneath your hips. First, inhale, as you let your stomach drop down toward the floor. Then, exhale, as you draw your navel toward your spine, arching your spine like a cat stretching.

3. Yoga can ease arthritis symptoms.

Gentle yoga has been shown to ease some of the discomfort of tender, swollen joints for people with arthritis, according to a Johns Hopkins review of 11 recent studies.

4. Yoga benefits heart health.

Regular yoga practice may reduce levels of stress and body-wide inflammation, contributing to healthier hearts. Several of the factors contributing to heart disease, including high blood pressure and excess weight, can also be addressed through yoga.

Try it: Downward Dog Pose
Get on all fours, then tuck your toes under and bring your sitting bones up, so that you make a triangle shape. Keep a slight bend in your knees, while lengthening your spine and tailbone.

5. Yoga relaxes you, to help you sleep better.

Research shows that a consistent bedtime yoga routine can help you get in the right mindset and prepare your body to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Try It: Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose
Sit with your left side against a wall, then gently turn right and lift your legs up to rest against the wall, keeping your back on the floor and your sitting bones close to the wall. You can remain in this position for 5 to 15 minutes. 

6. Yoga can mean more energy and brighter moods.

You may feel increased mental and physical energy, a boost in alertness and enthusiasm, and fewer negative feelings after getting into a routine of practicing yoga.

7. Yoga helps you manage stress.

According to the National Institutes of Health, scientific evidence shows that yoga supports stress management, mental health, mindfulness, healthy eating, weight loss and quality sleep.

Try It: Corpse Pose (Savasana) 
Lie down with your limbs gently stretched out, away from the body, with your palms facing up. Try to clear your mind while breathing deeply. You can hold this pose for 5 to 15 minutes.

8. Yoga connects you with a supportive community.

Participating in yoga classes can ease loneliness and provide an environment for group healing and support. Even during one-on-one sessions loneliness is reduced as one is acknowledged as a unique individual, being listened to and participating in the creation of a personalized yoga plan.

9. Yoga promotes better self-care.

Scientific Research on Yoga Benefits

The U.S. military, the National Institutes of Health and other large organizations are listening to — and incorporating — scientific validation of yoga’s value in health care.

Numerous studies show yoga’s benefits in arthritis, osteopenia, balance issues, oncology, women’s health, chronic pain and other specialties.

Source:  https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/9-benefits-of-yoga

Extend Lifespan and Health Span

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Lifespan is the total length of a person’s life. Health span is the period of a person’s life during which they are generally healthy and free of serious or chronic illness. 

Recent scientific research suggests that aging might not be as inevitable as we once thought.

The aim of aging research is to extend both lifespan and health span. Lifespan refers to the total number of years a person lives, while health span focuses on the number of those years spent in good health, free from chronic diseases and disabilities.

Studies in the fields of genetics, cellular biology, and biochemistry have shown that the aging process can be influenced and potentially slowed down.

For example, researchers have discovered that certain genes and cellular pathways, such as those involving telomeres and sirtuins, play crucial roles in the aging process.

Aging in people results from the gradual accumulation of defects and damage to the molecules and cells that make up our bodies. However, our bodies have built-in mechanisms for repairing this damage. But even these repair mechanisms wear out over time. Eventually, enough damage accumulates to affect the function of whole organs and systems.

Telomeres, which are protective caps at the ends of chromosomes, tend to shorten as cells divide, leading to aging and cell death. However, some studies have shown that it might be possible to extend telomere length and improve cell longevity.

Additionally, lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, and stress management have been shown to significantly impact the aging process.

Practices like calorie restriction and intermittent fasting have been linked to increased lifespan in various organisms.

Source:  https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/research-context-can-we-slow-aging

Zinc Deficiency

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Zinc deficiency is a common problem throughout the world that contributes to many unwanted health problems.

Zinc is a foundational mineral that is essential to growth patterns and has an essential role in the development of hormones and immune molecules.

Zinc is one of the best mineral supplements to boost and balance out a tired and over stimulated immune system.

About 75% of people in the world are zinc deficient and being deficient in zinc is very common throughout the world.

The 5 warning signs you’re zinc deficient:

1.) If you get sick a lot or have immune system issues

2.) Have leaky gut

3.) If you struggle with diarrhea or IBS

4.) Thinning hair

5.) Inflammatory skin issues like acne, eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis.

One of the biggest factors in causing zinc deficiency is high levels of emotional stress. The second most common cause of zinc deficiency is over-exercise.

Lastly, if you’re older, you may tend to have malabsorption, which causes a zinc deficiency.

In order to get more zinc in your diet, you need to consume more zinc-rich foods.

The top 5 zinc-rich foods are pumpkin seeds, oysters, grass-fed meat, sprouted nuts and seeds, and peas.

Additionally, probiotics are a key supplement to take when zinc deficient because it can help your overall absorption of nutrients.

Increasing Your Health Span

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“While aging is inevitable, how you age is something you can control.” ~ Lieutenant Colonel Nick Barringer, USA, Program Director, U.S. Military-Baylor University Graduate Program in Nutrition

Health span is vital as you age and involves being healthy to continue doing what you enjoy as you live longer.

Exercise and eating healthy (nutrition) are essential in increasing and maintaining your health span. Frailty is the state between a healthy and disease state. The longer you can fight it and keep it away, the healthier and more robust you can be.

Lt. Col. Nick Barringer, USA, Program Director, U.S. Military-Baylor University Graduate Program in Nutrition, suggest three foods to include in your diet that help you live long and healthy life.

Fish:  Fish is an excellent source of protein to preserve muscle mass; and it us also a source of healthy fats like eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) that can help lower triglycerides and assist with cognitive functions.

A study of more the 4,000 Norwegians found regular fish intake, two to three servings per week, resulted in an average of 30% lower odds of frailty.

Nuts:  Nuts are full of protein and also fight frailty.  A study of more than 10,000 participants found nut intake of just 1.02 ounces, or 23 almonds, daily was the significant threshold to reduce the odds of frailty.

Carrots and Orange Peppers:  Beta-carotene has been shown to fight aging. Part of the aging process is oxidative damage to telomeres in your body. In essence, the shorter your telomeres, the older your biological age. High levels of beta-carotene in the blood have been shown to protect telomeres and brain.

Thus, nutrition, healthy diet, adequate sleep and regular exercise are essential to maximize your health span.

Source:  Nick Barringer, 3 Foods to Increase Your Health Span, Military Officer Magazine volume 21, issue 12, December 2023, pg 30.

Secret to a Long and Happy Life

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On CNBC’s Make It, 107-year-old Shirley Hodes shares her secret to a long and happy life: Don’t wait for your dreams to come true.

Shirley Hodes, who celebrated her 107th birthday earlier this month in North Carolina, says, “Not everyone has their dreams come true.” If you want to be happy in life, especially as you age, “you must look at other things besides dreams.”

That philosophy means reorienting yourself towards finding joy in small things, in what you can control, and in wanting what you already have. It is about being grateful.

“You must be content with who you are and what you can expect of yourself. Find things that are satisfying,” Hodes says.

Cultivating this kind of happiness mindset requires effort. But the work can pay off: Positivity is linked to a longer and healthier life.

Here are top tips for staying happy as you get older.

  • Think of yourself as fortunate and blessed. Be thankful for all the things and people currently in your life.
  • Believe that tomorrow will be better than today.
  • Focus less on what others have and more on the aspects of life you can feel grateful for.  Don’t get swept up in jealousy or resentment,
  • Find delight daily in the small things. I listened to books on tape, took walks, watched old movies on TV, and had a scoop of ice cream after dinner. Most importantly, family and friends.

Source: 107-year-old shares her secret to a long and happy life: Don’t wait for your dreams to come true  https://www.cnbc.com/2023/09/21/107-year-old-shares-her-secrets-to-happiness-as-you-age.html

Vitamin K2

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Healthy levels of vitamin K2 support your heart, blood circulation, and bones.

Vitamin K2 is getting a lot of attention for its many health benefits. Vitamin K2 plays a role in regulating your blood pressure. It helps keep your bones strong. And it contributes to minimizing your risk of heart disease.

Vitamin K2 is also a powerful nutrient that is essential to many aspects of your health.  It is a fat-soluble vitamin that must be consumed in dietary or supplement form since our bodies can’t produce sufficient amounts on their own. Maintaining healthy levels of vitamin K2 supports your heart, blood circulation, and bones. Some think vitamin K2 may be the missing link between diet and several chronic diseases.

Vitamin K2 (MK-7)

Vitamin K2 can be divided into several different subtypes. The most important ones are MK-4 and MK-7. Research has shown that the long-chain form of vitamin K2 called menaquinone-7 (MK-7) offers more advanced benefits than its short-chain form, menaquinone-4 (MK-4).

Unlike MK-4, MK-7 allows for smaller, more convenient doses because it accumulates in the bloodstream. MK-7 beats out MK-4 with better accumulation and absorption rates in the bloodstream. MK-7 also aids in bone mineral density, helping with bone quality and strength – making it the superior form of K2.

Vitamins K2 and D3 are powerful for teeth and bone health. D3 helps your body metabolize calcium by directing it to your teeth and bones, but this job isn’t complete without K2. Vitamin K2 activates the proteins needed to deposit calcium in the correct spots.

Combat Common Deficiencies

In a survey from the National Health and Nutrition Examination, 25% of Americans were found to be at risk of a vitamin D deficiency. In comparison, 8% were vitamin D deficient – an increase from the previous 20 years. This research shows how widespread low vitamin D levels can be, and when left untreated, vitamin D deficiency can impact bone health, mood, and energy levels.

Healthy Blood Flow

Some of the calcium we consume can end up being stored in blood vessels and soft tissues, constricting blood flow to your heart. Vitamin K2 draws this excess calcium away from the soft tissue, aiding blood circulation.

Chronic Diseases Greatest Threat to Life Expectancy

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Chronic diseases are the greatest threat to life expectancy and public health, killing far more Americans between 35 and 64 every year.  ~ Washington Post

While opioids and gun violence in the U.S. have rightly seized the media and public’s attention, heart disease and cancer remained, even at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the leading causes of death for people 35 to 64, according to a Washington Post analysis of mortality data.

And many other conditions  have become more common, including diabetes and liver disease. These chronic ailments are the primary reason American life expectancy has been poor compared with other Westen nations.

The pandemic amplified a racial gap in life expectancy that had been narrowing in recent decades. In 2021, life expectancy for Native Americans was 65 years; for Black Americans, 71; for White Americans, 76; for Hispanic Americans, 78; and for Asian Americans 84.

Life expectancy is a wide-angle snapshot of average death rates for people in different places or age groups. The life expectancy metric is a reasonably good measure of a nation’s overall health. And America’s is not very good.

In essence, the U.S. healthcare system geared toward disease and illness treatment rather than prevention. Health care is “the only business that doesn’t reward for quality care. All we reward for is volume. Do more, and you’re going to get more money,” Michael Imburgia, a Louisville cardiologist said.

The rate of obesity deaths for adults 35 to 64 doubled from 1979 to 2000, then doubled again from 2000 to 2019. In 2005, a special reportin the New England Journal of Medicine warned that the rise of obesity would eventually halt and reverse historical trends in life expectancy. That warning generated little reaction.

Obesity is one reason progress against heart disease, after accelerating between 1980 and 2000, has slowed, experts say. Obesity is poised to overtake tobacco as the No. 1 preventable cause of cancer, according to Otis Brawley, an oncologist and epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins University.

References:

  1. https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/interactive/2023/american-life-expectancy-dropping/

Nitric Oxide Sources

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Nitric oxide is a molecule that is very important to the way the body works, including how the blood flows, how the immune system works, and how the brain works.

Adding nitric oxide to your diet may help your health in a number of ways, such as lowering your blood pressure, improving your blood flow and exercise performance, and reducing inflammation.

Foods that are naturally high in nitric oxide or help the body produce more nitric oxide include:

  • Beets: Beets are a rich source of nitrates, which the body converts into nitric oxide. They also contain antioxidants and other nutrients that can support overall health.
  • Spinach: Spinach is another excellent source of nitrates and contains various other nutrients, including vitamins and minerals.
  • Berries: Many berries, including blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries, contain antioxidants and other compounds that may support nitric oxide production.
  • Pomegranate: Pomegranate is high in antioxidants and has been shown to support nitric oxide production in the body.

Nitric Oxide

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Many people think that taking nitric oxide supplements will enhance blood flow in the body to improve performance in sports, promote healing, enhance heart health, and provide many other potential benefits.

To reduce inflammation or improve your digestion, sleep quality, immunity, memory, and behavior, you need to know about nitric oxide.

Nitric oxide is an essential molecule required for overall health. As a vasodilator, nitric oxide signals the blood vessels to relax, allowing them to expand.

Nitric oxide is most known for its role in heart health as it is a potent vasodilator and regulator of blood pressure, making your blood vessels supple and flexible, which allows them to withstand pressure changes.

What is Nitric Oxide?

Nitric oxide is a gaseous molecule synthesized from the amino acid L-arginine with molecular oxygen by synthases, neuronal (nNOS), endothelial (eNOS), and inducible (iNOS).

Nitric oxide performs crucial roles in vascular and neuronal signal transduction, smooth muscle contractility, bioenergetics, platelet adhesion and aggregation, immunity, and cell death regulation.

Benefits of Nitric Oxide:

Research shows that Nitric oxide has blood-flow-enhancing effects and supports healthy delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the muscles during exercise.

There may be benefits of Nitric oxide supplements for sexual enhancement and erectile dysfunction. Studies imply that some men can use Nitric oxide as a natural way to aid with erectile issues and maintain a healthy sexual experience.

Nitric oxide is produced by the endothelial cells lining the arteries; however, Nitric Oxide levels can naturally decrease as you age.

As you age, your body slows down and produces less of almost everything than it did in your younger years.

Additionally, many unknowingly use antibacterial mouthwash or acid blockers to cut down the acid in their stomach. Both of these products destroy the good bacteria in your mouth and your gut. You need these bacteria to convert certain nutrients in your body into Nitric Oxide.

Regular physical exercise is a great way to enable and empower our body’s function. It helps distribute much-needed life-giving oxygen and healthy nutrients to the rest of the body. However, exercising 24/7 isn’t reasonably achievable for the everyday person.

You can boost naturally Nitric oxide levels in your body. A diet of foods such as spinach, beets, celery, arugula lettuce, iceberg lettuce, carrots, parsley, cabbage, radishes, collard greens, etc., have small amounts of nitric oxide. Changes in diet can improve Nitric oxide levels.

VO2 Max

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VO2 max is the single best indicator of cardiorespiratory fitness.

When it comes to measuring fitness and longevity, there is one number cardiovascular experts believe rule them all: VO2 max. VO2 max — or your oxygen uptake — shows how much oxygen your body absorbs and uses while working out. V is for volume, O2 is for oxygen and max is for maximum. Many health experts consider it the single best indicator of cardiorespiratory fitness, and research has found it correlates to longevity as well.

A person’s maximal oxygen consumption, also known as VO2 max—a measurement of how well the body takes in and uses oxygen while exercising at a high intensity—is a useful statistic to gauge fitness and cardiovascular health. A higher VO2 max score means the heart and lungs are transporting more oxygen-rich blood to the muscles, increasing energy production and maximizing athletic performance.

The most accurate VO2 max tests are done in a laboratory where you are hooked up to a mask that measures oxygen consumption as you exercise. VO2 max is measured in milliliters of oxygen a minute per kilogram of body weight. The more oxygen you burn, the fitter you are.

Activity level Average VO2 max
Sedentary 27-30 mL/kg/min
Active 33.0-36.9 mL/kg/min
Very active ≤ 77 mL/kg/min

Source:  Cleveland Clinic.

If you are on a treadmill, you are told to walk or run faster and faster until your oxygen consumption stops rising. If you go beyond this point, you will increasingly be using anaerobic energy—which doesn’t burn oxygen—and you will have trouble sustaining it for long periods.

References:

  1. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-is-vo2-max-and-how-to-calculate-it/
  2. https://www.barrons.com/articles/vo2-max-test-increase-fitness-age-128c53cd