Healthy Aging: Body, Mind & Spirit

A new concern for those over 50

While there are no definitive figures available, there is no question that sexual activity among older Americans has risen dramatically over the past decade, and with it, a rise in STDs.

The combination of Viagra and internet dating, which both came into vogue around 1998, gave seniors two necessary ingredients for continuing their sex lives: ability and opportunity.

Check out this video called: Sex, Seniors and STD’s.

I know you are not a “senior” but watch it anyway!

Dr. Henry Lodge teaches us how to be “Younger Next Year”

I happened to see a talk by Dr. Henry Lodge on PBS the other day.

Here’s a few fun facts I picked up on:

• WE are ALL either growing or decaying at all times
• Motion controls growth.  Absence of motion equals decay
• WE are all changing at a cellular level every single day
• 1% of all body cells are replaced every day
• 70% of aging related illnesses are diseases of decay
• Daily exercise is essential to brain plasticity

As many of you know, I’ve been busy losing 20 pounds while dramatically increasing my exercise level in the past two months.   Dr. Lodge would call this taking charge of my body at a cellular level, because daily motion is staving off the decay of my brain, muscles and all other cells in my body.   If we do not exercise, our body begins to melt, but just one hour of exercise leads to 8-12 hours of increased metabolism.

Keep in mind that our brains actually grow with exercise.   Our memories and our abilities to do all tasks improves.   By staying fit we decrease our chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease by 40% and greatly decrease our chances of developing depression.   Exercise literally makes you younger.

According to Dr. Lodge and recent research, the ideal amount of exercise for the best overall benefit is one hour six times per week.  Be sure to include four hours of aerobic exercise and two of strength training.

As far as dieting goes, he makes two main recommendations: Quit eating junk food and get serious about portion control.   Learn to eat less and less as you age.

To learn more, check out his books Younger Next Year: Live Strong, Fit, and Sexy—Until You’re 80 and Beyond and  Younger Next Year for Women. Lodge is a board-certified internist on the faculty of Columbia Medical School and the former head of New York Clinical Society, a multi-specialty group practice.

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A Breakthrough in Schizophrenia Research!

US scientists say they have “fundamentally transformed” the understanding of the genetics of schizophrenia.

A report in the journal Nature Genetics showed that “fresh mutations” in DNA are involved in at least half of schizophrenia cases, when there is no family history of the illness.   Researchers found mutations in 40 different genes.

They say their findings explain the high number of cases around the world.   Schizophrenia is quite common, affecting one in every 100 people during their lifetime.  Genes do play a part in the illness, however only one tenth of people with schizophrenia  have a parent with the condition.

Learn more here.

Morning smoking increases cancer risk

People who smoke soon after getting up in the morning are more likely to develop cancer than those who light up later in the day, say US researchers.

A study of 7,610 smokers, published in the journal Cancer, said the effect was independent of other smoking habits.   Smoking in the first 30 minutes after waking nearly doubled the, already high, risk of lung cancer.

Cancer Research UK suggested people who were quick to smoke may inhale more smoke into the lungs.

Learn more here!

Should cutting salt intake be a global priority?

In an interesting twist, some UK scientists say the United Nations should make reducing salt intake a global health priority.   Writing in the British Medical Journal, scientists say a 15% cut in salt consumption could save 8.5 million lives around the world over the next decade.

Learn more here.

I have learned so much about sodium intake from my recent dieting experiences.   It’s everywhere and not good for most of us!

Want to learn more about positive midlife transition?

I just started a literature review for an idea I have for a new book on midlife psychology, and I have found three GREAT resources I want to share with you.

First of all, What’s NEXT?  Women Redefining Their Dreams in the Prime of Life is excellent as a place to start when midlife crisis hits.   Rena Pederson is an exceptionally good writer.   Here she shares many important truths about how we react to difficult times in our lives.   Here’s an example of her wise words from this book:

“Who has not been disappointed in some way —whether marriage, money, status, work, people.   Make peace with your past and your problems…Even if you have to fake it for a while, start taking positive steps and saying positive things to yourself.   Over time, either you will start to believe in yourself or good things will come along to change your outlook.   Most often those good things will come from reaching out to other people.”

If you would like to know more about the unique Baby Boomer cohort and what we have in common as an age group, you cannot beat the book:  The Baby Boomers Grow Up: Contemporary Perspectives on Midlife.   This is thought provoking stuff, all meticulously researched.   I’ll be sharing more of what I have learned from this statistics-packed textbook in the near future.

Also, don’t miss out on:  The CREATIVE AGE: Awakening Human Potential in the Second Half of Live. Here the author, Psychiatrist Gene D. Cohen teaches us about the unique creative power generated by age and experience, and then shows us how to tap into this inner source of enrichment to transform our lives in midlife and beyond.

Help with delayed asthma symptoms

Scientists have stumbled on a potential new treatment for delayed asthma attacks which can occur several hours after exposure to allergens, a study shows.

Writing in the journal Thorax, researchers say the late asthmatic response happens because the allergen triggers sensory nerves in the airways.   These nerves then set off a chain reaction which causes the release of neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which causes the airways to narrow.

If these findings from research on mice, translate to humans, it will mean that drugs called anticholinergics – which block acetylcholine – could be used to treat asthma patients who suffer from delayed attacks.

Learn more here.

Women, depression and stroke risk

Women who suffer from depression and use antidepressants may face an increased risk of having a stroke, new research suggests.

The study, led by researchers at the Harvard School for Public Health and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, followed more than 80,000 women aged 54-79 for a period of six years.

Telomere research finds link between poverty and early aging

Scientists measured the length of telomeres, the tails on the ends of chromosomes, in sample groups in the Glasgow area.   Telomeres tend to become shorter over a person’s lifetime, indicating the speed of the aging process.

The researchers found that, over a 10-year period, telomeres shortened by an average of 7.7% in people whose household income was below £25,000, compared to those with higher incomes, whose shortened on average 0.6%.

Learn more about this telomere research project.