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Eight Simple Steps to Combat the Aging Process

The aging process is not only inevitable, it also is complex. However, there are a number of relatively simple steps we can take to combat the onset and effects of aging. It’s been said that life is a temporary victory over everything that can kill you. Why not take reasonable precautions to ward off the signs and effects of the aging process until there is nothing left to fight with?

The following article delves into eight steps you can begin to take immediately to prolong the temporary victory just mentioned.

Fight the Aging Process in 8 Simple Steps

Do you want the good news or the bad news? Well the bad news is that none of you are getting any younger, but the good news is that you can make changes at any age to minimise effects of the ageing process. Feeling youthful and healthy today? Don’t loose interest because I shall tell you how to stay that way. If you are feeling a little creaky and tired, find out you how you can feel better.

Firstly I want to put one point to bed: we all know someone who says - ‘my old grandpa smoked every day of his life and he lived until he was 95.’ Well this may be true; my grandfather smoked from the age of 12 and lived until he was 85. Unfortunately he spent the last 15 years of his life in the shadow of smoking-related disease, and the last 5 years of his life needing oxygen and confined to his home. I wish to make this unhappy point to distinguish between staying alive, and living a happy, independent, quality life. All of us have a longer life expectancy than ever before, but a longer life may not equal a quality life unless we look at the way we treat our bodies.
Secondly, anyone of any age initiating large lifestyle changes such as a change of diet or activity levels should talk to their doctor first.

Let’s look at some of the effects of the ageing process on our bodies, and find out how we can influence them through healthy living;

1. Slower Metabolism; as you get older, you need fewer calories at rest. Many people gain weight as they grow older. Counteract this by eating smaller portions, eating healthy food, and staying active. Your metabolism runs more efficiently on 5 small meals a day rather than 3 larger ones.

Step 1:Maintaining a healthy weight will allow your body to run efficiently and last longer.

2. Loss of muscle mass (including heart muscle); between the ages of 40-60 you may loose 30% of your muscle mass- ouch! A little is lost each year after age 30. As muscle consumes calories, less muscle means a lower metabolism (as above).

Step 2:It is important to maintain muscle mass through weight bearing activity; this will help preserve strength, tone and, healthy metabolism- avoiding weight gain. Lift weights, walk with a big bottle of water in a ruck-sack, and go to classes which use hand weights or body weight.

3. Hormonal changes, particularly in women, alter body composition (ratio of fat/bone/muscle) and body shape. Many women report damage to their self esteem as their body shape changes and they gain weight easily. Hormonal changes can lead to mood swings.

Step 3:Exercise releases feel-good hormones called endorphins which help balance mood swings. Eating carefully and performing aerobic and weight-bearing exercise will help lessen the effects of weight gain, and changes in body composition. A recent study showed that women who ran several times a week were more likely to maintain their body fat percentage as they aged (they did not gain weight).

4. Loss of bone density; bones become weaker and osteoporosis may develop. Usually seen as a women’s disease, men over the age of 65 are as susceptible as women. Women who have used extreme calorie-restricted diets in their youth may be more prone to developing this disease.

Step 4: Bone density can be improved at any age with weight-bearing activity such as walking, jogging, racket sports and aerobics. For people who cannot participate in these activities through injury, a brisk 1 mile walk has positive effects on bone density.

5. Reduced flexibility and range of movement; joints, tendons and ligaments stiffen and loose elasticity, leading to restricted movement at the joints. This may result in a loss of independence as people loose the ability to get into a car or bath easily, dress or get out of bed.

Step 5: Reduce the chances of this happening by stretching after exercise, taking yoga, Pilates or a Tai Chi class. As a studio teacher I see many people leaving before the stretch session, or stretching inefficiently. Please believe me that it is so important to stretch, and is never a waste of your time. Support your joints by having a diet rich in oily fish, or by taking a fish-oil supplement. Many people feel the benefits of supplementing with glucosamine which is believed to keep the joints healthy and youthful.

6. Less efficient cardiovascular system; circulation is impaired through clogging of blood vessels, the heart muscle may weaken becoming less efficient at pumping blood around the body or the vessels supplying it with blood may become clogged. Blood pressure rises and the ability of the blood and muscles to take up oxygen decreases. All of these things will have a negative effect upon quality of life, and life expectancy, many are exacerbated by inactivity and poor nutrition, all of these can be improved at any age through improvements to diet and activity levels.

Step 6: take aerobic ecercise regularly (walking is eccelent for most people), keep your salt intake low guarding against high blood pressure, and cut down on animal fats, keeping arteries clear.

7. Less efficient digestive system; it becomes more difficult to extract the goodness from food. Because we need to eat less food, it is vital that what we consume is fresh and nutrient-rich. It is a terrible thing that many elderly people cannot afford a good diet, and others are provided with low-quality, low-nutrition food at a time when they need good food most.

Step 7: Make sure that your digestive system is supported by a diet rich in water and fibre. Eat some raw fruit and veg as these foods contain enzymes which help you digest them. Eat nutrient-rich foods, including complex carbohydrates, oily fish, and a wide variety of lightly cooked fresh vegetables and fruit. Spurn convenience foods which are high in fat, salt, and sugar and low in nutrition.

8. Reduced balance and co-ordination; changes in the muscles, brain and nervous system together with loss of flexibility and range of movement will lead to decreased balance and co-ordination. Team this with weaker bones, and elderly people are vulnerable to falls which may be the first step to a loss of independence. People often tell me that they aren’t co-ordinated or have no sense of balance, but this is not true; balance and coordination are skills that can be developed at any age, and are important at all ages. I watch people of all ages and abilities in class improving their balance and coordination over the weeks.

Step 8: Take part in an activity that promotes balance and coordination. People who practice Tai Chi are proven to suffer less falls, and yoga, cycling and racket sports are also good for balance and coordination. Taking a dance or aerobics class is a great way to improve coordination, and keep your mind challenged.

When you are younger it is difficult to accept that you will one day be an elderly person, but all elderly people out there were once the same age as you. Many of you have a pension plans, or save for the future, and I am asking you to invest in your body so that you can get good mileage from it. Each time you take a positive step towards living a healthier lifestyle you are buying time for yourself, and improving your future quality of life. We all wish that we had done things differently in the past, but now is your chance to make a change for the better and ensure that you never look back and wish that you had taken more care of your younger body.

In order to keep your body youthful at any age you must:
Cut down on red meat, salt and animal fats, eat complex carbohydrates (whole grains and brown breads) and eat as many different coloured fruit and vegetables as possible. To optimise your nutrition choose organic, local or seasonal vegetables- the fresher the more nutritious. Make sure that you drink plenty of water, only small amounts of alcohol, and participate in aerobic, weight bearing and stretching activities on a regular basis.

• Regular aerobic exercise (cycling, swimming, running, brisk walking) can add 7 years to your life span. This may not seem so important if you are 30, but may seem extremely important if you are 90!
• In the US out of the 2.2 million who die each year, 1.8 million die of diet-related disease. Eat well and slip through the net!
• Children who take part in intensive frequent exercise grow into healthier adults, with lower resting heart rates (a good thing), lower blood pressure and strong cardiovascular systems, meaning that they are more resistant to heart problems, hypertension (high blood pressure) and less likely to suffer a heart attack; so protect your family by nurturing an interest in Tennis, basketball, netball, football, racket sports, martial arts, athletics and dancing- they will derive a lifetime’s benefit from this.

For more comprehensive information on ageing and exercise visit www.acsm.org

GOOD LUCK and STAY HEALTHY!

Do you have any friends and family who could benefit from getting fitter and feeling better? If you do, then treat them to free copy of this newsletter, forward it to them, and get them to e-mail me with a request. E-mail getfitter@yahoo.co.uk subject: newsletter request. Would you like to bring health into the workplace? Get fitter now offers a corporate package, including yoga classes/courses, Nutrition seminars, conference breaks, Company Wellness days and Healthy Friday a monthly wellness event. Please visit www.corporatechill.com

The information contained in the Get fitter Newsletter is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice of or treatment that may be prescribed by your physician. Before adhering to any recommendations or undertaking any exercise program or diet regimen, you should consult your physician.

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