Ron’s Wanderings

Our society has a big job to do if older people are going to feel good — and feel young — into their elder years. At present, we’re doing a terrible job of encouraging healthy lifestyles for seniors.

There are two “fountains of youth” — and they can’t be denied. They are diet and exercise.

It doesn’t matter how many pills you take — or how much you want to blame your genes on your excess weight or your unhealthy lifestyle habits — if you want to live long and well you have to eat right and you have to exercise. Yes, of course, I know there are no guarantees when it comes to life. But adopting these two “fountains of youth” in your lifestyle can certainly do wonders.

As an older person myself, I can see how society has worked against us. The streets aren’t built for walkers — they’re built for drivers. In a recent article I mentioned something about “fast” food and was wishing for the return of more “slow” food restaurants which would provide healthier choices.

It’s truly a wonder why our society hasn’t moved to make good diet and exercise habits more convenient for those who are aging. There are over 35 million Americans who are 65 or older. You’d think that potential profitability from this block of seniors alone would be a catalyst for improvement. And, let’s face it, we seniors are a big part of the blame — we haven’t pushed for it hard enough. We need to get the message ourselves before we can be convincing to others.

People who get regular exercise, eat healthfully and avoid caffeine and tobacco, have a lower risk of chronic diseases that lead to premature death, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and certain cancers. They also have reduced rates of disability, better mental health and cognitive function, and lower health costs.

On the other side of that coin, people who are physically inactive, and who eat diets consisting of high fat and sugar are almost twice as likely to develop heart disease as people who don’t. The poor habits of those same people are more likely to lead to diabetes and colon cancer. They may also lose muscle strength and mass, which will make them more frail and subject to falls.

I read a study today which stated that approximately one-third of persons age 65 or older have not engaged in any leisure-time physical activity within the past month, including the majority of those over the age of 75.

You know what’s really sad? Seniors don’t have to devote a big chunk of their lives to living healthy. In terms of exercise all that’s needed to make a huge difference is about 30 minutes of activity five days a week. The idea is to get your heart rate up for at least 20 minutes, and participate in activities that build balance, strength and flexibility. Recommended exercises include walking, swimming and bicycling. Doctors also endorse strength training two days per week. The right kind of activity, coupled with a diet rich with fruits and vegetables and light on refined and processed foods, can lead to a longer, healthier and happier life.

The same study mentioned that only about one-quarter of U.S. adults eat the recommended five or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day. It also showed that older people consume inadequate amounts of key nutrients such as calcium, vitamin D, magnesium and phosphorus, which play a key role in maintaining muscle and bone health.

So, here’s my advice .. grab an apple rather than the potato chips or a cookie. Stay away from fatty foods and sugar. Avoid caffeine and tobacco. If you can’t do 30 minutes of exercise at a time, try it in 10-minute spurts. Do some stretches while you’re washing the dishes. Take the stairs rather than the elevator, and walk across the parking lot rather than fight for the spot closest to the door. Better still, walk to your destination if it’s less than a mile away.

Make these things a habit. Think and act like you’re young and fit and there’s a great chance that you’ll feel the same way.
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Got questions?

Contact me at: http://www.ronrink.com

My email and phone number are at that site. Feel free to contact me. I’m here to help you with your health, nutrition and fitness goals.

Have a healthy and nutritious day!

Shanti,

Ron

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This entry was posted on Friday, December 8th, 2006 at 7:39 am and is filed under Nutrition and Weight Loss. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.