Two for One! How often does THAT happen?

 

We've been talking about sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss) and ways to slow your biological (vs chronological) aging for the last couple of posts. A friend of mine mentioned how he cycles almost everywhere he goes and it turns out that he is really onto something.

A little research shows that one of the best ways for us older folks to stay active is by riding a bike. So why is cycling so good for you, especially if you’re creeping into old(er) age? Well, there are a number of reasons why cycling is a healthy activity.

It boosts your immune system, lowers stress levels, helps keep the weight off, leaves you feeling more energized (not tired) and supports your heart health. It also helps build muscle and improve cognitive health. And if you need any more motivation, studies show it also boosts your, let us say, libido.

So cycling combats both sarcopenia and biological aging. Read more here. How often do you get two for one?

The Amazing Miracle Anti-aging Regimen

 

People across the country (USA) are taking a host of prescription pills, seeking out treatments like peptide injections, and implementing a range of behavioral practices in the hopes of reversing - or at least slowing down - the aging process. Its not just for Silicon Valley billionaires any more. By 2028, the global longevity market is expected to reach close to $183 billion annually.

It is important first to distinguish between chronological age and biological age. Chronological age is simply how many years you have been around and there is nothing you can do about it. In contrast, Biological age is a measurement that, instead of tracking years, looks at chemical markers on DNA that show how our biological systems are actually aging. For an individual in their 30s, a biological age of 50 means their biology more closely resembles someone 20 years their senior. Similarly, that spry old 75 year old down the block that you see jogging every morning may be biologically many years younger.

There are a lot of things that you can do to impact your biological age and you can start doing them at any time. For the most part they are all the usual suspects: diet, exercise, sleep quality, not smoking, minimizing alcohol and reducing your exposure to environmental toxins. These will all have a positive impact. But one thing has been shown to have an outsized effect on your biological age. It isn't a miracle and, actually, it isn't really all that amazing. In fact it is something you are most likely already doing, just not doing enough. But it does really work. It's not a supplement or special diet or regular hyperbaric chamber visits.

Just 10 minutes of brisk walking every day can lop off more than 15 years from your biological age. How fast is "brisk"? If you can talk comfortably with some breathlessness, you’re probably walking at a moderate but brisk pace. Read more about the positive effects of regular brisk walking here.

Curious about your own biological age? Use this calculator to get an estimate.

For me? My chronological age is 72, my biological age is 63 and my life expectancy is 94. Not bad but I think I can do better.

Sarcopenia and Why You Should Care

 

Sarcopenia is the age-related, progressive loss of muscle mass and strength. The main symptom of sarcopenia is muscle weakness. Sarcopenia is a type of muscle atrophy primarily caused by the natural aging process. Scientists believe being physically inactive and eating an unbalanced diet can contribute to the disease.

How bad is it? 

It is a common condition in people over 50 years old, although less active people begin to lose up to 3% muscle mass per year after the age of 30. This doesn't sound like a lot but it continues year after year. And it happens even faster after age 50, increasing to as much as 8%. This not only limits the ability to perform many routine activities but also shortens life expectancy in those it affects, compared to individuals with normal muscle strength. It also greatly increases the chance of losing your balance and taking a fall, a major health risk for the elderly.

Although aging is the most common cause of sarcopenia, other factors can also trigger increasing muscle atrophy. The most common of these are:

 

1. Inactivity

Disuse of muscle is one of the strongest triggers of sarcopenia, leading to faster muscle loss and increasing weakness, and it can happen rapidly. Bed rest or immobilization after an injury or illness leads to rapid loss of muscle and as little as two to three weeks of decreased walking and other regular activity is also enough to decrease muscle mass and strength.

Periods of decreased activity can become a vicious cycle. Muscle strength decreases, resulting in greater fatigue and making it more difficult to return to normal activity.

2. Low Protein Intake

A diet providing insufficient calories from protein results in weight loss and diminished muscle mass. Unfortunately, low-calorie and low-protein diets become more common with aging, due to changes in sense of taste, problems with the teeth, gums and swallowing, or increased difficulty shopping and cooking.

To help prevent sarcopenia, scientists recommend consuming 25–30 grams of protein at each meal.

3. Inflammation

After an injury or illness, or in the case of certain chronic conditions such as arthritis, inflammation sends signals to the body to tear down and then rebuild the damaged groups of cells. Chronic or long-term diseases can also result in inflammation that disrupts the normal balance of teardown and healing, resulting in muscle loss.

Examples of diseases that cause long-term inflammation include rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn's Diosease or ulcerative colitis, lupus, vasculitis, severe burns and chronic infections like tuberculosis.

4. Stress

Sarcopenia is also more common in a number of other health conditions that increase stress on the body. For example, people with chronic liver disease, and up to 20% of people with chronic heart failure, experience sarcopenia. In chronic kidney disease, stress on the body and decreased activity lead to muscle loss and cancer and cancer treatments also place great stress on the body, resulting in sarcopenia.

 

There is some good news though, and that is that aging, per se, does not make sarcopenia inevitable. In fact there is a great deal that we can do to prevent or even reverse it. Men and women can regain some of that lost muscle mass and, importantly, stay strong enough to enjoy youthful activities well into their winter years, experts say. You are never too old to take action. Read more about how  here.

The bad news? You actually do have to take action.

2024 Wellness Resoutions You Can Keep

 

The Holidays are behind us and now we face the reality that those well intentioned resolutions we made in the excitement of a new unspoiled year ahead of us are going to take some real effort and require us to make some actual changes in how we operate. Its only 15% of the way through January and already we are having second thoughts. 

By far, the most common resolution people carry with them into January is to be healthier, typically by "exercising more" and "losing weight". By the end of February about 80% of people will have abandoned the effort. By the end of the year only 8% of them will have succeeded.

As we discussed in a previous post, this is partly due to setting "results goals" rather than "activity goals". A results goal might be "I will lose 30 pounds by the end of March". You actually have no direct control over how many pounds you lose by the end of March. What you do have control over are the actions you take (or don't take) to lose weight. Your chances of losing 30 pounds are much better if the resolutions you make are to do things that will cause you to lose weight. "I will take the dog for two thirty minute walks every day." Or, "I will make dinner from fresh ingredients two nights a week."

Another reason for such high failure rates is unrealistic expectations. If it took you 10 years to gain 30 pounds, why would you expect to lose it all in three months? If you really love pizza, do you really thing giving it up entirely is going to work for you for very long?

And finally, we all know that people love change - as long as nothing is any different. If you simply set a results goal and then fail to make any changes to your habits and routines than it isn't likely that you will be successful. 

If you are among the "be healthier" crowd, here are nine ways to get healthier without trying very hard from NPR. You don't have to do them all. In fact, don't even try. Choose three that seem especially appealing to you and do them, starting right now. You most likely won't lose 30 pounds by March. But you will see some results. Small ones maybe but real ones. 

That really is the secret. Make some small changes for the better in the way you are living your life. Enjoy the feeling of succeeding. Celebrate it. Then make some more. You will astonish yourself with the progress you will have made by the time your 2025 resolutions are due.

Do You Need Cleanses and Body Detox Regimens?

 

“Detoxes” or “cleanses” refer to various diets, programs, regimens, or therapies that claim to remove toxins from the body, aid in weight loss, or promote health. Globally, the market for detoxing products was estimated to be $48.22 billion in 2020. It is is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 7.65% reaching $75.06 billion by 2026. That's a lot of green smoothies and a lot of unproven marketing claims.

Just by living their lives people are exposed to chemicals, pollutants, heavy metals in food, and other environmental toxins every day. So a concern with getting these things out of our bodies is certainly reasonable. However, there's little actual research that proves prepackaged detox regimes, products, and programs are effective or even necessary. 

Detox and cleansing regimens fall into four broad categories:

• Fasting, such as calorie restriction or intermittent fasting.
  
• Restrictive diets that include only eating certain foods or eliminating certain foods or drinks.
• Liquid-only diets involve drinking only juices or similar beverages.
• Dietary supplements like additional minerals, vitamins, diuretics, laxatives, herbs, or other products are sometimes used to detox the body.

There is very little long-term research on the safety of cleanse diets and kits. Some studies suggest possible adverse effects of cleanses or detox diets. In addition, there are several factors that the National Institute of Health suggests you take into account before you begin a detox program, including:

• Some juices may not be pasteurized to kill harmful bacteria and other pathogens. This can cause serious illness, especially in children, older adults, or those with a weakened immune system.
• Some juices contain foods naturally high in oxalate, a naturally occurring substance. Drinking large amounts of high-oxalate juice can increase the risk of kidney problems.
• Very low-calorie or restrictive diets may result in short-term weight loss but do not provide all the nutrition you need and are usually not sustainable.
  
• Colon cleansing products may have side effects that are potentially serious and dangerous for people with a history of gastrointestinal diseases, colon surgery, hemorrhoids, kidney disease, or heart disease.
• Some detox programs, including laxatives, can cause severe diarrhea, leading to dehydration and electrolyte imbalance.

No regulatory body reviews the efficacy and safety of detox and cleansing products. Some have even been found to contain illegal and potentially harmful ingredients. As can be problematic with the dietary supplement and weight loss industries more broadly, detox programs or supplements can be unsafe and promote false claims.

None of this is to suggest that removing toxic substances from the body is a bad, or unnecessary, idea. Of course it is. In fact, you body has evolved ways of doing so that naturally flush toxins from the body. Various organs and organ systems help the body eliminate toxins from chemicals you may be exposed to at work, at home, through personal care products, or your food. These include your liver, kidneys, digestive system, lungs and even your skin. These serve as your body's natural detoxification systems and help expel or convert toxins into harmless compounds.

You can support your body's detoxification process and limit exposure to potentially harmful toxins in your everyday life. Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, antioxidants, and fiber and limiting or eliminating smoking, vaping, alcohol, or drug use will help a lot. So will washing your fresh produce thoroughly and using green cleaning products like vinegar in your home.

It is understandable to want quick results when it comes to our health but not usually very realistic. If you really want to use a detox program it is unlikely to do you any harm. Just don't expect it to really do much good either. As is so often the case in matters of our long-term health and wellness, diet an lifestyle choices are more likely to produce the results you want.