| Do you want the good news or the bad news? | | | | eccelent for most people), keep your salt intake |
| Well the bad news is that none of you are getting | | | | low guarding against high blood pressure, and cut |
| any younger, but the good news is that you can | | | | down on animal fats, keeping arteries clear. |
| make changes at any age to minimise effects of | | | | 7. Less efficient digestive system; it becomes |
| the ageing process. Feeling youthful and healthy | | | | more difficult to extract the goodness from food. |
| today? Don't loose interest because I shall tell you | | | | Because we need to eat less food, it is vital that |
| how to stay that way. If you are feeling a little | | | | what we consume is fresh and nutrient-rich. It is a |
| creaky and tired, find out you how you can feel | | | | terrible thing that many elderly people cannot |
| better. | | | | afford a good diet, and others are provided with |
| Firstly I want to put one point to bed: we all know | | | | low-quality, low-nutrition food at a time when they |
| someone who says - 'my old grandpa smoked | | | | need good food most. |
| every day of his life and he lived until he was 95.' | | | | Step 7: Make sure that your digestive system is |
| Well this may be true; my grandfather smoked | | | | supported by a diet rich in water and fibre. Eat |
| from the age of 12 and lived until he was 85. | | | | some raw fruit and veg as these foods contain |
| Unfortunately he spent the last 15 years of his life | | | | enzymes which help you digest them. Eat |
| in the shadow of smoking-related disease, and the | | | | nutrient-rich foods, including complex |
| last 5 years of his life needing oxygen and | | | | carbohydrates, oily fish, and a wide variety of |
| confined to his home. I wish to make this | | | | lightly cooked fresh vegetables and fruit. Spurn |
| unhappy point to distinguish between staying alive, | | | | convenience foods which are high in fat, salt, and |
| and living a happy, independent, quality life. All of | | | | sugar and low in nutrition. |
| us have a longer life expectancy than ever | | | | 8. Reduced balance and co-ordination; changes in |
| before, but a longer life may not equal a quality | | | | the muscles, brain and nervous system together |
| life unless we look at the way we treat our | | | | with loss of flexibility and range of movement will |
| bodies. | | | | lead to decreased balance and co-ordination. Team |
| Secondly, anyone of any age initiating large | | | | this with weaker bones, and elderly people are |
| lifestyle changes such as a change of diet or | | | | vulnerable to falls which may be the first step to |
| activity levels should talk to their doctor first. | | | | a loss of independence. People often tell me that |
| Let's look at some of the effects of the ageing | | | | they aren't co-ordinated or have no sense of |
| process on our bodies, and find out how we can | | | | balance, but this is not true; balance and |
| influence them through healthy living; | | | | coordination are skills that can be developed at |
| 1. Slower Metabolism; as you get older, you need | | | | any age, and are important at all ages. I watch |
| fewer calories at rest. Many people gain weight as | | | | people of all ages and abilities in class improving |
| they grow older. Counteract this by eating smaller | | | | their balance and coordination over the weeks. |
| portions, eating healthy food, and staying active. | | | | Step 8: Take part in an activity that promotes |
| Your metabolism runs more efficiently on 5 small | | | | balance and coordination. People who practice Tai |
| meals a day rather than 3 larger ones. Step | | | | Chi are proven to suffer less falls, and yoga, |
| 1:Maintaining a healthy weight will allow your body | | | | cycling and racket sports are also good for |
| to run efficiently and last longer. | | | | balance and coordination. Taking a dance or |
| 2. Loss of muscle mass (including heart muscle); | | | | aerobics class is a great way to improve |
| between the ages of 40-60 you may loose 30% | | | | coordination, and keep your mind challenged. |
| of your muscle mass- ouch! A little is lost each | | | | When you are younger it is difficult to accept that |
| year after age 30. As muscle consumes calories, | | | | you will one day be an elderly person, but all |
| less muscle means a lower metabolism (as | | | | elderly people out there were once the same age |
| above). Step 2:It is important to maintain muscle | | | | as you. Many of you have a pension plans, or |
| mass through weight bearing activity; this will help | | | | save for the future, and I am asking you to |
| preserve strength, tone and, healthy metabolism- | | | | invest in your body so that you can get good |
| avoiding weight gain. Lift weights, walk with a big | | | | mileage from it. Each time you take a positive |
| bottle of water in a ruck-sack, and go to classes | | | | step towards living a healthier lifestyle you are |
| which use hand weights or body weight. | | | | buying time for yourself, and improving your |
| 3. Hormonal changes, particularly in women, alter | | | | future quality of life. We all wish that we had done |
| body composition (ratio of fat/bone/muscle) and | | | | things differently in the past, but now is your |
| body shape. Many women report damage to their | | | | chance to make a change for the better and |
| self esteem as their body shape changes and | | | | ensure that you never look back and wish that |
| they gain weight easily. Hormonal changes can | | | | you had taken more care of your younger body. |
| lead to mood swings. | | | | In order to keep your body youthful at any age |
| Step 3:Exercise releases feel-good hormones | | | | you must: |
| called endorphins which help balance mood swings. | | | | Cut down on red meat, salt and animal fats, eat |
| Eating carefully and performing aerobic and | | | | complex carbohydrates (whole grains and brown |
| weight-bearing exercise will help lessen the effects | | | | breads) and eat as many different coloured fruit |
| of weight gain, and changes in body composition. | | | | and vegetables as possible. To optimise your |
| A recent study showed that women who ran | | | | nutrition choose organic, local or seasonal |
| several times a week were more likely to | | | | vegetables- the fresher the more nutritious. Make |
| maintain their body fat percentage as they aged | | | | sure that you drink plenty of water, only small |
| (they did not gain weight). | | | | amounts of alcohol, and participate in aerobic, |
| 4. Loss of bone density; bones become weaker | | | | weight bearing and stretching activities on a |
| and osteoporosis may develop. Usually seen as a | | | | regular basis.o Regular aerobic exercise (cycling, |
| women's disease, men over the age of 65 are as | | | | swimming, running, brisk walking) can add 7 years |
| susceptible as women. Women who have used | | | | to your life span. This may not seem so |
| extreme calorie-restricted diets in their youth may | | | | important if you are 30, but may seem |
| be more prone to developing this disease. | | | | extremely important if you are 90!o In the US |
| Step 4: Bone density can be improved at any age | | | | out of the 2.2 million who die each year, 1.8 million |
| with weight-bearing activity such as walking, | | | | die of diet-related disease. Eat well and slip |
| jogging, racket sports and aerobics. For people | | | | through the net!o Children who take part in |
| who cannot participate in these activities through | | | | intensive frequent exercise grow into healthier |
| injury, a brisk 1 mile walk has positive effects on | | | | adults, with lower resting heart rates (a good |
| bone density. | | | | thing), lower blood pressure and strong |
| 5. Reduced flexibility and range of movement; | | | | cardiovascular systems, meaning that they are |
| joints, tendons and ligaments stiffen and loose | | | | more resistant to heart problems, hypertension |
| elasticity, leading to restricted movement at the | | | | (high blood pressure) and less likely to suffer a |
| joints. This may result in a loss of independence | | | | heart attack; so protect your family by nurturing |
| as people loose the ability to get into a car or | | | | an interest in Tennis, basketball, netball, football, |
| bath easily, dress or get out of bed. | | | | racket sports, martial arts, athletics and dancing- |
| Step 5: Reduce the chances of this happening by | | | | they will derive a lifetime's benefit from this. |
| stretching after exercise, taking yoga, Pilates or a | | | | For more comprehensive information on ageing |
| Tai Chi class. As a studio teacher I see many | | | | and exercise visit |
| people leaving before the stretch session, or | | | | GOOD LUCK and STAY HEALTHY! |
| stretching inefficiently. Please believe me that it is | | | | Do you have any friends and family who could |
| so important to stretch, and is never a waste of | | | | benefit from getting fitter and feeling better? If |
| your time. Support your joints by having a diet | | | | you do, then treat them to free copy of this |
| rich in oily fish, or by taking a fish-oil supplement. | | | | newsletter, forward it to them, and get them to |
| Many people feel the benefits of supplementing | | | | e-mail me with a request. E-mail |
| with glucosamine which is believed to keep the | | | | getfitter@yahoo.co.uk subject: newsletter request. |
| joints healthy and youthful. | | | | Would you like to bring health into the workplace? |
| 6. Less efficient cardiovascular system; circulation | | | | Get fitter now offers a corporate package, |
| is impaired through clogging of blood vessels, the | | | | including yoga classes/courses, Nutrition seminars, |
| heart muscle may weaken becoming less efficient | | | | conference breaks, Company Wellness days and |
| at pumping blood around the body or the vessels | | | | Healthy Friday a monthly wellness event. Please |
| supplying it with blood may become clogged. Blood | | | | visit |
| pressure rises and the ability of the blood and | | | | The information contained in the Get fitter |
| muscles to take up oxygen decreases. All of | | | | Newsletter is provided for informational purposes |
| these things will have a negative effect upon | | | | only and is not intended as a substitute for the |
| quality of life, and life expectancy, many are | | | | advice of or treatment that may be prescribed |
| exacerbated by inactivity and poor nutrition, all of | | | | by your physician. Before adhering to any |
| these can be improved at any age through | | | | recommendations or undertaking any exercise |
| improvements to diet and activity levels. | | | | program or diet regimen, you should consult your |
| Step 6: take aerobic ecercise regularly (walking is | | | | physician. |