If 2015 was the year that the notion that
sitting too much can kill you slowly came to the forefront, 2016 may be the
year we realize that since we are about to have a huge boost in those aged 65
and older, we need to examine what it takes to age well. Between 2000 & 2010, the total population
increased by 9.7%. For those over 65
years old, the growth rate was 15.1%. It is estimated that by 2050, the population
of those over age 65, will total 83.7 million, doubling the projected
population of 43.1 million in 2012.
These will be the surviving baby boomers, who will then be aged 85. Reference
TIME magazine recently explored the current
state of aging in the Longevity issue which came out February
22 – 29, 2016. I highly recommend you try to obtain a copy. Several articles examine what can
enhance the lives of those who may live
to a hundred and what aspects of healthful living, financial security and social
engagement will be important. There is
also an update on the state of Alzheimer’s research, a discussion on the little
daily changes that can enhance longevity, and how do we pay for all of what will be needed. Baby Boomers are notoriously independent and
refuse to retire to the rocking chair, so new models of aging will need to be
developed. Most Baby Boomers don’t want
more years if they can’t be spent comfortably in reasonably good health. They want to maintain the ability have active
lives.
Coming at it from another perspective, Eric
Cressy, an exercise physiologist and athletic trainer gives tips on how to remain
“athletic” as you age. I’m not talking
about the former high school or college athlete or amateur competitive athlete
here. Here’s how I would interpret his
advice for the rest of us, as athletes in the competition called life. If you consider yourself even moderately
active, read on. Link
1. Maintain your flexibility – while yoga
is popular in our area, keep in mind it’s not all you can do to maintain
flexibility. In some cases yoga can be
damaging to the body (those with osteoporosis, scoliosis or soft tissue/muscle
imbalances for example). Besides static
stretching, add soft tissue work such as foam rolling, massage balls &
sticks, and mobility drills (functional exercises), are also important. It’s easier to maintain what you’ve got, than
to lose it, and then have to work to get back to where you were. Going on vacation is great, but remember
that muscle strength & fitness starts to decline after 2-3 weeks away.
2. Do functional warm ups – these are
actually low level plyometrics and help protect against tweaking a hamstring,
Achilles tendon or such. Even seniors,
excuse me, older adults, need a bit of power to burst out of a chair in case of
emergency. Some examples – side
shuffles, skipping, grapevines, backpedaling.
Knees hurt? Change to a smaller
range of motion, improve your core strength, and move those legs!
3. Full body exercises work to transfer
energy from the lower body to the upper body.
Instead of isolated muscle group strength training (leg presses), do
such things as sit to stand squats, cable lifts, push presses, rotational rows,
lunge rotations. Use good form &
posture!
4. Practice ground to standing transitions
– many seniors hate to get down on the ground due to creaky knees &
joints. However, what if you land there
by accident? What if you get down, for
whatever reason, and need to get up? How
do you do it? Hopefully, not like a
toddler by sticking your bottom up in the air.
Learn how to curl up, tuck, kneel and press up. If you’re around the Club, ask me to demo
this for you. Exercises for this can include Kneel to Stand, & Turkish
Get Ups. Here’s a website that takes the
process step by step. And here’s a video.
5. Do single leg exercises – step ups, lunges,
single leg deadlifts, split squats, TRX SL squats. These can all be modified for your ability
& range of motion. Remember when
you’re walking, you’re on a single leg 50% of the time.
6. We aren’t one dimensional. Remember the body works in more than a
forward & back direction. Side to
side & rotational exercises are important also.
7. Strength training? Change up your rhythm. Life doesn’t move at a 4/4 beat all the
time. Try pressing out quickly, and
returning to start slowly. For example
in the chest press, press the weights out quickly, and return them to the start
in a slow controlled movement. This
helps build strength & control, as well as speed of movement.
DIETS & SUPPLEMENTS –
Purges & cleanses seem to be popular lately. I don’t have room to cover
these in depth this month, but the bottom line is, depriving yourself of key
nutrient groups (fats & protein are usually shorted in these diets), is not
healthy in the long run. And continuing
to consume products that cause essentially a diarrhea or diuresis is going to
upset your body chemistry in a harmful way.
Vitamin D supplements –
thinking on Vitamin D has gone from “we get enough from the sun”, to “we need
more” to “more is better”. The latest
research, however, showed some surprising results. Link
In 200
men & women over the age of 70, who had at least one fall, high level
vitamin D doses were compared to standard doses. To the surprise of the researchers, the group
taking the lower doses had the fewest number of falls, and those at the highest
levels, had 5.5 fold higher odds of falling.
This is an initial study, so the mechanism of this detrimental effect is
unclear and needs to be studied more.
Bottom line: Use standard doses of vitamin D until more studies are done, and try to achieve recommended intakes from dietary foods. As with all supplements, do check with your physician.
Here's a healthy take on Deviled Eggs that you may want to try for Easter.
Greek Yogurt Deviled Eggs
- 12 hard-cooked large
eggs, peeled*
- About 2 tbsp. finely
chopped spring onion*
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp.
low-fat Greek yogurt
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon country
Dijon mustard
- About 1 tbsp. finely
chopped chives
- About 2 tbsp. finely
chopped spring onion
Preparation
1. Cut eggs in
half lengthwise and pop yolks into a food processor; reserve whites. Add yogurt
and salt to food processor and whirl until smooth, scraping down bowl as
needed.2. Transfer yolk mixture to a medium bowl and stir in mustard, 1 tbsp. chives, and 2 tbsp. onion to blend. Set egg whites on a platter, hollow side up. Scoop yolk mixture into a piping bag fitted with a star tip and pipe mixture into hollows. Sprinkle with more chives and onion if you like.
*For perfect hard-cooked eggs, cover them in cold water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let stand 12 minutes. Plunge cooked eggs into ice water, crack all over, and let sit in the water for a few minutes before peeling. Look for spring onions (regular onions picked young) at farmers' markets in spring and at Latino markets year-round. They have a fatter bulb than green onions--which have less crunch but make a good substitute.
Try these variations on the above eggs; just sub in for the Dijon, chives, and spring onion.
PESTO: Substitute 3 to 5 tbsp. pesto. Garnish with tiny basil leaves.
HONEY-MUSTARD: Substitute 2 tbsp. honey mustard, 2 tbsp. chopped fresh dill, and 1 tsp. lemon juice. Garnish with rosemary blossoms.
CAPER-HOT PAPRIKA: Substitute 2 tbsp. chopped capers, 1/2 tsp. hot paprika, and 2 tbsp. chopped parsley. Garnish with parsley leaves, whole capers, and a dusting of hot paprika.
Nutritional Information
Amount per
serving: Calories
88; Calories from fat 57 % Protein 7.5 g Fat 5.5 g
Satfat 1.8 g Carbohydrate 1.4 g Fiber 0.0 g
Sodium 189 mg Cholesterol 21 mg
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