Most of us know that strength training (with free weights, weight machines, or resistance bands) can help build and maintain muscle mass and strength. What many of us don’t know is that strong muscles lead to strong bones. And strong bones can help minimize the risk of fracture due to osteoporosis.
A combination of age-related changes, inactivity, and poor nutrition conspire to steal bone mass at the rate of 1% per year after age 40. As bones grow more fragile and susceptible to fracture, they are more likely to break after even a minor fall or a far less obvious stress, such as bending over to tie a shoelace.
Osteoporosis should be a concern for all of us. Eight million women and two million men in the United States have osteoporosis. It is now responsible for more than two million fractures year, and experts expect that number will rise. Hip fractures are usually the most serious. Six out of 10 people who break a hip never fully regain their former level of independence. Even walking across a room without help may be impossible.
Numerous studies have shown that strength training can play a role in slowing bone loss, and several show it can even build bone. This is tremendously useful to help offset age-related decline in bone mass. Activities that put stress on bones stimulate extra deposits of calcium and nudge bone-forming cells into action. The tugging and pushing on bone that occur during strength training (and weight-bearing aerobic exercise like walking or running) provide the stress. The result is stronger, denser bones.
And strength training has bone benefits beyond those offered by aerobic weight-bearing exercise. It targets bones of the hips, spine, and wrists, which, along with the ribs, are the sites most likely to fracture. What’s more, resistance workouts — particularly those that include moves emphasizing power and balance — enhance strength and stability. That can boost confidence, encourage you to stay active, and reduce fractures by cutting down on falls.
If a study published in this month’s Journal of Nutrition is any indication, the caffeine in coffee might offer not just a momentary mental boost but also longer-term effects on thinking skills. Having an alcoholic drink a day might also benefit our mental performance, but the line between just right and too much is uncertain. An even better strategy for maintaining memory and thinking skills with age may be to eat a healthy diet.
In the study, researchers from the National Institute on Aging compared scores on various tests of thinking skills and memory with caffeine, alcohol, and nutrient intake in 727 men and women taking part in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Over all, participants who ranked high on the healthy diet scale did better on 10 tests of memory than those with lower diet scores. The same held true for those who took in more caffeine. The effects for moderate alcohol drinking were mixed.
The caffeine-brain connection
The reason you get a quick wakeup call after chugging a mug of coffee has to do with the way caffeine tricks your brain. Not only is caffeine a brain stimulant, but it also blocks receptors for a chemical called adenosine, which normally prevents the release of excitatory brain chemicals. With adenosine out of the way, these brain-sparking chemicals can flow more freely—giving you a surge of energy and potentially improving mental performance and slowing age-related mental decline.
The Journal of Nutrition study isn’t the last word on the subject of caffeine and memory. It showed that people—particularly those who were ages 70 and over—who took in more caffeine scored better on tests of mental function, but not on memory tests or other measures of mental ability.
Some previous studies have shown improved long-term memory performance and thinking ability in regular caffeine consumers; others haven’t shown any connection.
Drink to your cognitive health?
When it comes to alcohol, its effects on memory and thinking skills may depend on how they are measured and how much you’re drinking. In this study, moderate alcohol use appeared to improve working memory and attention—especially in women and in those ages 70 and over. But those benefits could come at the expense of declines in skills like executive function and global thinking.
Excessive drinking, defined as more than two drinks a day for men or more than one a day for women, is known to harm the brain. Over time, excessive drinking can cause everything from short-term memory lapses to more permanent problems. Any benefits from alcohol seen in the Journal of Nutrition study came from moderate drinking.
Better memory through diet
The study also looked at the connection between diet and mental performance. People who ate foods with plenty of healthful nutrients had better attention and memory than participant with poorer diets. A healthy diet was also linked to good thinking skills in women and participants under age 70. In particular, foods that are part of the Mediterranean diet—fruits, vegetables, nuts, fish, olive oil, and whole grains—show promise for preserving memory and preventing Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
A recipe for maintaining memory
This study is just one of many linking healthy eating habits with maintaining memory and thinking skills into old age. Continuing a healthy diet, or switching to one, makes sense on many levels. It probably is good for your brain, and it’s definitely good for your heart, bones, muscles, and overall health.
As for caffeine? There’s no evidence yet that you need to start drinking coffee or tea to protect your brain. If you like drinking caffeinated beverages, enjoy them. But keep in mind that adding lots of sugar or cream, or getting caffeine via sugar-sweetened soda, may counter any benefits.
What about alcohol? If you enjoy drinking alcohol, keep it moderate—or less. As the researchers write, “alcohol has potentially deleterious effects over time with lower intake being a better choice than moderate intake.”
Doctors are learning that one of the best ways to quell inflammation lies not in the medicine cabinet, but in the refrigerator.
Your immune system attacks anything in your body that it recognizes as foreign—such as an invading microbe, plant pollen, or chemical. The process is called inflammation. Intermittent bouts of inflammation directed at truly threatening invaders protect your health.
However, sometimes inflammation persists, day in and day out, even when you are not threatened by a foreign invader. That's when inflammation can become your enemy. Many major diseases that plague us—including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, depression, and Alzheimer's—have been linked to chronic inflammation.
One of the most powerful tools to combat inflammation comes not from the pharmacy, but from the grocery store. "Many experimental studies have shown that components of foods or beverages may have anti-inflammatory effects," says Dr. Frank Hu, professor of nutrition and epidemiology in the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health.
Choose the right foods, and you may be able to reduce your risk of illness. Consistently pick the wrong ones, and you could accelerate the inflammatory disease process
Foods that combat inflammation
Include plenty of these anti-inflammatory foods in your diet:
tomatoes
olive oil
green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale, and collards
nuts like almonds and walnuts
fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines
fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, cherries, and oranges
Anti-inflammation foods
On the flip side are foods and beverages that have been found to reduce the risk of inflammation, and with it, chronic disease, says Dr. Hu. He notes in particular fruits and vegetables such as blueberries, apples, and leafy greens that are high in natural antioxidants and polyphenols—protective compounds found in plants.
Studies have also associated nuts with reduced markers of inflammation and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Coffee, which contains polyphenols and other anti-inflammatory compounds, may protect against inflammation, as well.
Anti-inflammatory eating
To reduce levels of inflammation, aim for an overall healthy diet. If you're looking for an eating plan that closely follows the tenets of anti-inflammatory eating, consider the Mediterranean diet, which is high in fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, fish, and healthy oils.
In addition to lowering inflammation, a more natural, less processed diet can have noticeable effects on your physical and emotional health. "A healthy diet is beneficial not only for reducing the risk of chronic diseases, but also for improving mood and overall quality of life," Dr. Hu says.
Sit-ups once ruled as the way to tighter abs and a slimmer waistline, while “planks” were merely flooring. Now planks — exercises in which you assume a position and hold it — are the gold standard for working your core, while classic sit-ups and crunches have fallen out of favor. Why the shift?
One reason is that sit-ups are hard on your back — by pushing your curved spine against the floor and by working your hip flexors, the muscles that run from the thighs to the lumbar vertebrae in the lower back. When hip flexors are too strong or too tight, they tug on the lower spine which can be a source of lower back discomfort.
Second, planks recruit a better balance of muscles on the front, sides, and back of the body during exercise than sit-ups, which target just a few muscles. Remember, your core goes far beyond your abdominal muscles.
Finally, activities of daily living, as well as sports and recreational activities, call on your muscles to work together, not in isolation. Sit-ups or crunches strengthen just a few muscle groups. Through dynamic patterns of movement, a good core workout helps strengthen the entire set of core muscles — the muscles you rely on for daily activities as well as sports and recreational activities.
Calluses and corns are areas of hardened, sometimes yellowish skin on the foot. They form on pressure points or around bony areas. Calluses usually appear on the bottom of the feet and corns on the top, usually around the toes.
Although they aren't necessarily welcome, calluses and corns develop to protect the foot from further damage. The cause is often poorly fitting shoes, but how you walk (your gait) or the bone structure of your feet may make you more prone to these foot issues.
If you develop corns or calluses, cushion the affected area with moleskin, cotton, or lambswool to relieve pressure. Many pharmacies sell over-the-counter products to cushion corns and calluses, which you may find helpful. Custom shoe inserts that redistribute your weight and take pressure off the affected areas are another option.
Better-fitting shoes will reduce the irritation that caused the problem in the first place, and over time, the corns or calluses will shrink on their own. But don’t expect overnight results; the process can take weeks or even months.
To get rid of corns and calluses faster, you can use a pumice stone, which will gently remove the top layers of skin. Soak your feet in warm water first, to softeirst place, and over time, the corns or calluses will shrink on their own. But don’t expect overnight results; the process can take weeks or even months.
To get rid of corns and calluses faster, you can use a pumice stone, which will gently remove the top layers of skin. Soak your feet in warm water first, to soften the corn or callus. Dry your feet, then rub the pumice stone gently over the corn or callus. Afterward, moisturize the area with skin lotion. The key word is gentle. Don’t overdo it, or you could hurt your skin. Pharmacies sell various chemical peels and acid disks, but use such products with caution. Most of them contain salicylic acid, which can damage healthy tissue unless you follow the instructions exactly. Some foot care specialists advise against using these products at all.
For larger corns and calluses, consult a foot care specialist. Although some pedicurists may offer to remove corns and calluses, it’s safer to seek help from a trained medical specialist, like a podiatrist.
A healthy, balanced diet plays a major role in blood pressure control. And you should consume some specific minerals on a regular basis for good blood pressure management: calcium, magnesium, and potassium. But do most of us get enough of these? "If you're eating a healthy diet, you probably have nothing to worry about. But people eating a diet of processed and canned foods might need to be concerned, as well as people taking certain medications," says Dr. Randall Zusman, director of the Division of Hypertension at the Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center.
1 Potassium
Normal body levels of potassium are important for muscle function, including relaxing the walls of the blood vessels. This lowers blood pressure and protects against muscle cramping. Normal potassium levels also are important for the conduction of electrical signals in the nervous system and in the heart. This protects against an irregular heartbeat.
Potassium is found naturally in many foods, such as prunes, apricots, sweet potatoes, and lima beans. But food may not be enough to keep up your potassium levels if you take a diuretic for high blood pressure such as hydrochlorothiazide (Esidrix, HydroDiuril). These drugs cause potassium to leave your body in the urine, thereby lowering your body's potassium levels. "I'd say at least a third of patients on diuretics for heart failure or high blood pressure or edema don't get enough potassium from their diets. In those cases, we do use supplements," says Dr. Zusman. Don't try a supplement on your own. Too much potassium, like too little, can lead to dangerous irregular heart rhythms.
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of potassium is 4.7 grams per day for both men and women ages 51 and older.
2 Magnesium
Magnesium helps regulate hundreds of body systems, including blood pressure, blood sugar, and muscle and nerve function. We need magnesium to help blood vessels relax, and for energy production, bone development, and transporting calcium and potassium. Just like potassium, too much magnesium can be lost in urine due to diuretic use, leading to low magnesium levels.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports that most older adults in the U.S. don't get the proper amount of magnesium in their diets, although extreme magnesium deficiency is very rare. It's best to get the mineral from food, especially dark, leafy green vegetables, unrefined grains, and legumes. The RDA of magnesium is 420 milligrams (mg) per day for men ages 50 and older; 320 mg/day for women ages 50 and older.
Too much magnesium from a supplement or from magnesium-containing drugs such as laxatives may cause diarrhea. There are no known adverse affects of magnesium intake from food.
3 Calcium
Calcium is important for healthy blood pressure because it helps blood vessels tighten and relax when they need to. It's also crucial for healthy bones and the release of hormones and enzymes we need for most body functions. We consume it naturally in dairy products, fish with bones (such as canned salmon and sardines), and dark, leafy greens.
The RDA of calcium for men ages 51 and older is between 1,000 and 1,200 mg per day. For women ages 51 and older it's 1,200 mg per day. Unfortunately, most people get about 700 mg of calcium in their daily diet. So should you take a supplement to make up the difference?
That's tricky business. As we reported in June 2013, some evidence shows calcium supplements increase the risk of death from heart disease. "It's been controversial, so most of us advise our patients to get their calcium from food rather than from supplement pills," says Dr. Zusman. If it's not possible to get enough calcium from food, you can use a low-dose calcium supplement to reach your daily RDA.?
A new study in the British Journal of Nutrition (2013; 109 [11], 2015–23) has found that eating either peanuts or peanut butter as part of your breakfast can control blood sugar throughout most of the day, even following a high-carb lunch.
In addition to what the researchers called “second meal effect,” peanuts and peanut butter caused a significant reduction in the desire to eat for up to 12 hours and a significant increase in secretion of the hormone peptide YY, which promotes satiety and feelings of fullness. The article suggests that it is the synergy of high protein, high fiber and healthy oils found in peanuts that helps maintain bloodsugar control, while contributing to feelings of fullness.
New research from the University of Navarra in Spain shows that exercise can have a significant positive impact on older seniors.
Scientists recruited 24 adults aged 91–96 and divided them into a non-exercise control group and a “multi-component” exercise group. The primary focus was to learn how exercise would impact “muscle power output, muscle mass, and muscle tissue attenuation; the risk of falls; and functional outcomes in frail nonagenarians.”
At baseline, subjects completed several tests to measure their strength, power, balance and gait. Sit-to-stand ability and injury rates were observed, as were lower-extremity muscle mass and muscle fat infiltration.
The exercise group met twice weekly for 12 weeks. Training sessions consisted of “muscle power training”— participants performed 8–10 repetitions at 40%–60% of 1-repetition maximum—along with balance and gait retraining.
By the end of the study, the exercise group participants had improved on all counts.
“The intervention group showed significantly improved [time-up-and-go] with single and dual tasks, rise from a chair and balance performance, and a reduced incidence of falls,” the authors explained. “In addition, the intervention group showed enhanced muscle power and strength. Moreover, there were significant increases in the total and high-density muscle cross-sectional area in the intervention group.”
The authors concluded that strength, power, balance and gait training should be recommended to older seniors as a means of improving health and reducing injury risk. The study was published in Age (2013; doi: 10.1007/s11357- 013-9586-z).
1. Apple Cider Vinegar is High in Acetic Acid, Which Has Potent Biological Effects
Vinegar is made in a two-step process, related to how alcohol is made (1).
The first step exposes crushed apples (or apple cider) to yeast, which ferment the sugars and turn them into alcohol.
In the second step, bacteria are added to the alcohol solution, which further ferment the alcohol and turn it into acetic acid… the main active compound in vinegar.
In French, the word “vinegar” actually means “sour wine.”
Organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar (like Bragg’s) also contains “mother,” strands of proteins, enzymes and friendly bacteria that give the product a murky, cobweb-like appearance.
This is what it looks like:
Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar With Mother
Some people believe that the “mother” is responsible for most of the health benefits, although there are currently no studies to support this.
Apple cider vinegar only contains about 3 calories per tablespoon, which is very low.
There are not many vitamins or minerals in it, but it does contain a tiny amount of potassium. Quality apple cider vinegar also contains some amino acids and antioxidants.
Bottom Line: Apple cider vinegar is made by fermenting the sugars from apples. This turns them into acetic acid, the active ingredient in vinegar.
2. Acetic Acid is a Potent Antimicrobial and Can Kill Some Types of Bacteria
Glass Bottle With Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar
Vinegar can help kill pathogens, including bacteria (2).
It has traditionally been used for cleaning and disinfecting, treating nail fungus, lice, warts and ear infections.
However, many of these applications have currently not been confirmed by research.
Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, used vinegar for wound cleaning over two thousand years ago.
Vinegar has been used as a food preservative, and studies show that it inhibits bacteria (like E. coli) from growing in the food and spoiling it (3, 4, 5, 6).
If you’re looking for a natural way to preserve your food… then apple cider vinegar could be highly useful.
There have also been anecdotal reports of diluted apple cider vinegar helping with acne when applied on the skin, but I didn’t find any research to confirm this so take it with a grain of salt.
Bottom Line: The main substance in vinegar, acetic acid, can kill bacteria and/or prevent them from multiplying and reaching harmful levels. It has a history of use as a disinfectant and natural preservative.
3. Apple Cider Vinegar May Lower Blood Sugar Levels, Which is Very Useful For Diabetics
By far the most successful application of vinegar to date, is in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Apples and Vinegar
Type 2 diabetes is characterized by elevated blood sugars, either in the context of insulin resistance or an inability to produce insulin.
However, elevated blood sugar can also be a problem in people who don’t have diabetes… it is believed to be a major cause of ageing and various chronic diseases.
So, pretty much everyone should benefit from keeping their blood sugar levels stable.
The most effective (and healthiest) way to do that is to avoid refined carbs and sugar, but apple cider vinegar may also have a powerful effect.
Vinegar has been shown to have numerous benefits for insulin function and blood sugar levels:
Improves insulin sensitivity during a high-carb meal by 19-34% and significantly lowers blood glucose and insulin responses (7).
Reduces blood sugar by 34% when eating 50 grams of white bread (8).
2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar before bedtime can reduce fasting blood sugars by 4% (9).
Numerous other studies, in both rats and humans, show that vinegar can increase insulin sensitivity and significantly lower blood sugar responses during meals (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15).
For these reasons, vinegar can be useful for people with diabetes, pre-diabetes, or those who want to keep their blood sugar levels low to normal for other reasons.
If you’re currently taking blood sugar lowering medications, then check with your doctor before increasing your intake of apple cider vinegar.
Bottom Line: Apple cider vinegar has shown great promise in improving insulin sensitivity and helping to lower blood sugar responses after meals.
4. There Are Some Studies Showing That Apple Cider Vinegar Can Help With Weight Loss
Overweight Woman Holding a Scale With Thumbs up
Given that vinegar lowers blood sugar and insulin levels, it makes sense that it could help you lose weight.
Several human studies suggest that vinegar can increase satiety, help you eat fewer calories and even lead to actual pounds lost on the scale.
Vinegar along with high-carb meals can increase feelings of fullness and make people eat 200-275 fewer calories for the rest of the day (16, 17).
By reducing calorie intake, this should translate to reduced weight over time.
A study in obese individuals showed that daily vinegar consumption led to reduced belly fat, waist circumference, lower blood triglycerides and weight loss (18):
15mL (1 tablespoon): Lost 2.6 pounds, or 1.2 kilograms.
30mL (2 tablespoons): Lost 3.7 pounds, or 1.7 kilograms.
However… keep in mind that this study went on for 12 weeks, so the true effects on body weight seem to be rather modest.
That being said, just adding/subtracting single foods or ingredients rarely has a noticeable effect on weight.
It’s the entire diet/lifestyle that counts… you need to combine several effective methods to see results.
Overall, it seems like apple cider vinegar may be useful as a weight loss aid, mainly by promoting satiety and lowering glucose and insulin levels.
But it won’t work any miracles on its own.
Bottom Line: Studies suggest that vinegar can increase feelings of fullness and help people eat fewer calories, which can lead to weight loss.
5. Apple Cider Vinegar May Have Some Benefits For Heart Health
Cardiovascular disease (heart disease and stroke) is currently the world’s biggest cause of death (19).
It is known that several measurable biological factors are linked to either a decreased or increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Several of these “risk factors” have been shown to be improved by vinegar consumption… but all of the studies were done in rats.
These rat studies showed that apple cider vinegar can lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels (20, 21).
Apple cider vinegar may also contain the antioxidant chlorogenic acid, which has been shown to protect LDL cholesterol particles from becoming oxidized, a crucial step in the heart disease process (22, 23).
There are also some studies showing that vinegar reduces blood pressure (a major risk factor) in rats (24, 25).
Unfortunately, what works in animals doesn’t always work in humans.
The only human evidence is an observational study from Harvard showing that women who ate salad dressings with vinegar had a reduced risk of heart disease (26).
But this type of study can only show an association, it can not prove that the vinegar caused anything.
Bottom Line: Several animal studies have shown that vinegar can reduce blood triglycerides, cholesterol and blood pressure, but this needs to be confirmed in human studies.
6. Vinegar May be Protective Against Cancer
Cancer is a terrible disease, characterized by uncontrolled growth of cells.
There is a lot of hype online about the anti-cancer effects of apple cider vinegar.
Some studies have shown that vinegar can kill cancer cells and shrink tumors (27, 28, 29, 30)
However, all of the studies on this were done in isolated cells in test tubes, or rats, which proves nothing about what happens in a living, breathing human.
Additionally, most of the studies were done on rice vinegar, not apple cider vinegar.
That being said, some observational studies (which don’t prove anything) have shown that vinegar ingestion is linked to decreased esophageal cancer in China, but increased bladder cancer in Serbia (31, 32).
Overall… it is possible that apple cider vinegar may help to prevent cancer, but it is definitely premature to make any recommendations based on the current research.
Bottom Line: Some studies in test tubes and rats have shown that rice vinegar can slow the growth of cancer cells and shrink tumors.
The right kind of workout can keep you torching calories long after you leave the gym. Here’s the real secret to melting maximum fat.
Science proves that high intensity interval training burns more fat in less time than a steady-state approach. When done strategically, HIIT can also trigger afterburn, in which your body uses calories at an increased rate for up to 24 hours post-workout. Interval training isn’t new, but exercise physiologists at Orangetheory Fitness (OTF), a hot workout studio with more than 110 locations nationwide, have packaged the concept into metabolically charged routines that guarantee you’ll stay in the zone all day.
The Science of Afterburn
Workouts that rev your metabolism long after you leave the gym may sound too good to be true, but the science is solid. “It takes oxygen and energy (calories) for your body to return to resting after exercise—that’s excess postexercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), or the afterburn,” says Christopher Scott, Ph.D., an exercise physiologist and associate professor at the University of Southern Maine. “The more time you spend at a high intensity, the greater the effect.” That’s because using more energy during your workout means more effort is required to return your body to resting levels. More effort means more calories gone.
A review in the Journal of Sport Sciences finds that intervals that take you to at least 85 percent of your maximum heart rate are optimal for hitting the EPOC sweet spot. That can translate to up to 15 extra calories torched for every 100 used during exercise.
OTF puts this science into practice. The studio’s precision routines maximize fat melting during class and keep your metabolism high after. According to Ellen Latham, M.S., cofounder of OTF and an exercise physiologist, you can burn more than 500 calories per class—and up to 15 percent extra in the 24 hours after you leave the studio.
The Orangetheory Experience
OTF’s goal is always a big afterburn, but the workouts themselves change daily. Here’s an example of a typical class: You strap on a heart-rate monitor (it syncs with screens in the studio that display everyone’s heart rate [HR] and tracks your time in various HR zones). The goal is to rack up a total of 12 to 20 minutes in the optimal-for-afterburn “orange” zone of about 84 to 100 percent of your maximum heart rate (MHR)—long enough to trigger fat burning during and after but not so long that you can’t sustain the workout, Latham says.
You start on a treadmill with a 27-minute routine—your coach guides you between base pace (an easy 71 to 83 percent of your MHR), push pace (an uncomfortable 84 to 91 percent of MHR) and all-out pace (a sprint at 84 to 100 percent of MHR).
Next, you switch to a rowing machine for a 12-minute routine, then finish with circuits of tone-up moves using various equipment. You may hit the orange zone during the rowing and strength segments, but that’s icing on the afterburn. Research suggests high intensity resistance training likewise contributes to EPOC. In general, however, Latham says this portion of the workout complements the cardio intervals by building power and strength, giving you a well-rounded, total-body workout that hits all the factors involved in jump-starting your metabolism.
Your Science-Backed Workout
Experience OTF’s afterburn at your own gym with this routine Latham created for SELF. You’ll need a HR monitor, treadmill, rower, bench and set of 8- to 15-pound weights.
- See more at: http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/2014/10/a-fat-melting-hiit-workout-plan-that-works/?utm_source=mfp&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=workouts_20141020&mkt_tok=3RkMMJWWfF9wsRonvajKZKXonjHpfsX54uUrX662h4kz2EFye%2BLIHETpodcMTcVmNq%2BTFAwTG5toziV8R7DBLM153N8QXRTg#sthash.Y7R1wHBE.dpuf
About 68% of U.S. households have a pet, a survey shows.
Nancy Westphal, 65, of Rockford, Ill., loves coming home to her 55-pound female dog Charlie, who greets her enthusiastically at the door.
"It's unconditional love she gives me," says Westphal, who is single. "She is somebody to talk to. You can have a connection with a pet."
Charlie takes naps with her and sits next to her on the sofa. "There's a calming aspect to having a dog," she says.
Plus, Westphal says she gets out for fresh air more often because Charlie needs to go out. "I have some disabilities, so I ride the scooter, and she runs beside me. It's amazing how many people will talk to you when you have a dog. It's a conversation starter."
About 68% of U.S. households have a pet, according to a recent survey from the American Pet Products Association.
Research shows there are physical and emotional benefits to owning a pet, especially for older people, says Alan Beck, 72, director of the Center for the Human-Animal Bond at Purdue University's College of Veterinary Medicine and co-author of Between Pets and People: The Importance of Animal Companionship. He owns two rescue dogs, Lili and Lucie.
For one thing, pets provide companionship so people feel less lonely. "People feel a lot of stress when they are alone," Beck says. "Animals can be the focus of attention and keep you in the present. You have to feed them, walk them, find their toys under the bed. Even focusing on fish in a fish tank keeps your mind on the present. And any time you can keep your mind on the present, there is less stress and less anxiety because stress is caused by worrying about the past and the future."
Pets provide companionship, affection, entertainment and purpose, says psychologist Teri Wright of Santa Ana, Calif., who has three small dogs and two cats at home. She also has a bird and a hamster in her office to serve as conversation ice breakers with her patients.
Pets accept you as you are, she says. "They don't care how much money you have, how much you have achieved or how attractive you are, but they probably do care about how much time you have because they want to spend time with you," she says.
Beck also says pets:
• Are something to touch. "Most people get great comfort from touch," Beck says. If you are alone, it feels comforting to have the dog or cat on your lap or next to you, and you feel less lonely.
• Require nurturing. Some retirees may not have the opportunity to give or receive a lot of nurturing, he says. Just having a small pet or even feeding the fish in the fish tank is a reminder of caregiving, which brings a certain amount of psychological and physical relaxation.
• Encourage more exercise. Many dogs need to be walked, so they get you out to exercise, which may help with weight management, Beck says.
• May help lower blood pressure. Research shows that stroking an animal lowers blood pressure, which is part of the relaxation response, he says. "We're not proposing this as a management of hypertension, but the research shows there is a true physiological response to animals."
• Help orient your day. Gerontologists have shown that one of the roles that animals play with someone who lives alone is they help orient the person's day. "You might forget to feed yourself, but you are not going to forget to feed the dog or cat who is nudging you when it's meal time."
• Focus your attention. "Our research showed that having fish tanks in nursing homes with Alzheimer's patients helped hold the patients' interest while they were eating, and as a result, they ate better and gained weight," Beck says. "This is important because one of the biggest problems for these patients is weight loss."
• Provide humor. "We find humor in animal behavior. We can find joy and laughter in the way the cat sleeps, the way it tries to get our attention or the way it bats around a toy. We can find a certain amount of humor in them without hurting anyone's feelings. They are our court jesters. That's why animal videos are so popular on the Web."
• Are social facilitators. Studies show that you are more likely to engage in conversation with others if you are out walking the dog. One of the roles of dog parks is that you have social interaction while the dog plays. When animals are brought to nursing homes, it's so the volunteers interact with the patient by talking about the animal. It gives people something to talk about.
There are also downsides to owning a pet. One major drawback is the pain of losing an animal companion, Beck says. "The reality is the pets we keep have much shorter lifespans than we do, so you have to deal with that. It's one of the consequences of pet ownership."
Many people may not be able to have a pet where they live, including in some retirement communities and nursing homes, he says. Some retirees have other things they want to do, such as travel and see their kids and grandchildren, and they don't want the responsibility of a pet. Plus, there's the cost of ownership, which varies widely, he says.
Wright says whether you want to own a pet during your retirement is a very personal decision and depends on what you're planning to do and where you live. Some people are concerned about not being able to take care of their pets in the future or they worry about their pets outliving them so they make plans for that possibility, she says.
Pet care can be a lot of work — walking them, feeding them, cleaning up after them, dealing with them chewing on things and other "naughty" behavior, she says.
Still, for many people, they're an essential part of the family.
Beck says if you ask people what role animals play in their lives, the most common answer is they are a member of the family. He says when he shows people photos of his grandchildren and their dogs, he says those are "my grandkids and my granddogs."
It’s hard to overstate the importance of a strong core. Whether it’s keeping you upright while reading this article or powering you through tough, explosive workouts, the body’s core supports and enables nearly every move you make.
“The foundation of movement and physical fitness is posture—the ability to maintain joint alignment whether you are moving, sitting, or standing,” explains Mark Lauren, U.S. Special Operations trainer and author of You Are Your Own Gym. “Having good posture is largely dependent on your body being able to maintain a strong midsection.”
Because they require spinal and pelvic stabilization, body-weight exercises are particularly good for developing core strength. Lauren designed this body-weight routine, which is best done three to five times a week, to target the core from all angles.
Perform each exercise in this circuit for 40 seconds, resting for 20 seconds between exercises. Complete the circuit three times.
Move #1: The Bodyrock
Start in a plank position with your feet at hip width, forearms on the floor, and shoulders directly above your elbows. Push your heels back as far as possible to lengthen your legs. The balls of your feet should rest on the floor.
Keeping your back flat and abs engaged, rock from the balls of your feet to your toes to shift your body forward. When you’re in the forward “toe” position, you want to avoid going too far and having the tops of your feet touch the floor. Your shoulders will move beyond your elbows.
Rock forward and backward slowly and steadily. Remember to keep your back flat and abs engaged throughout the movement.
Move #2: Birddogs
Start on your hands and knees with core engaged.
Maintaining a tight core, extend your right leg behind you and your left arm in front of you, keeping your toes and fingers on the floor.
From this position, simultaneously raise your right leg (by contracting your right glute) and left arm until they are parallel to the floor. Focus on not arching your back and keeping hips level. Hold for three seconds and then return to the start position.
Repeat with the opposite arm and opposite leg. Remember to keep your core tight and your hips level throughout the movement.
Move #3: Tripod Scissor Kicks
Start in a plank position on your hands with your feet in a wide stance (the wider, the more challenging). Place your weight on the thumb-sides of your palms, with fingertips pressed into the floor.
Keeping your head, neck, and shoulders aligned and your bellybutton drawn in toward your spine, extend your right hip to lift your right foot. Then move your right leg (still elevated) inward to hip width. Move your leg back outward, then return your foot to the floor.
Repeat on the left side. Continue alternating sides. Remember to keep your head, neck, and shoulders aligned throughout the movement.
Move #4: Y-Squat
Stand with your feet at hip width and toes facing forward; if it feels more natural to have your toes slightly turned out, that’s fine. Raise your arms overhead in a Y position with your palms facing forward.
Bend your knees as you push your hips backward to lower into a squat. Go as low as you can while keeping your lower back flat and knees in line with your feet. Maintain the Y position with your arms and keep your elbows aligned with the sides of your head.
Drive your weight through your heels as you engage your glutes and straighten your legs to rise to a standing position.
Move #5: Dead bug
Lie on your back with your arms straight up (fingers pointing toward the ceiling and palms facing forward), both legs in a tabletop position, with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle and directly over your hips. You should feel a small space between your lower back and the floor. Draw your navel toward your rib cage, tilting your pelvis back, to close this space.
Exhale as you slowly extend your right leg so that it hovers about 6 inches above the floor. As you do this, extend your left arm back behind your head. Hold this position for up to three seconds, or for as long as you are able, while maintaining a flat back. Inhale as you return your arm and leg to the starting position. Your lower back should remain pressed against the floor the entire time.
Perform the movement with your left leg and right arm. Continue alternating sides
n fact, studies show kids are more likely to be active and measure in at a healthy weight when their parents encourage fitness and demonstrate healthy habits themselves. Ready to get the entire family off the couch? Here are 5 ways to sweat (and smile!) with your kids.
1. Go for a run/walk Jogging strollers are better than ever these days, and some styles can fit up to three kids weighing 190 pounds. (Just make sure your baby isn’t too little—jostling around can cause head and neck injuries in infants younger than six months.) Kids that are too big to be strapped in can ride their bikes or scooters next to you.
2. Encourage active video gaming Sometimes pulling older ones away from the screen creates more drama than it’s worth. It’s OK to go the no-tears route and let them keep their eyes glued, just change the game. Wii Fit, Xbox 360, and other platforms offer games that require physical movement, and research shows these types of games can combat childhood obesity.
3. Hike up a hill Being in nature can be rejuvenating—for you and the entire family. “I love bringing my three kids—aged 6, 8, and 11, along when I go for a hike,” says Helen Olsson, author of The Down and Dirty Guide To Camping With Kids. “I’m not able to move as quickly with the little ones as I do on my own, and my backpack is heavier thanks to the extra water and snacks I’m carrying for them, but I gain so much family bonding time.”
4. Hang in the driveway Remember 4 Square? (The game, not the app!) All you need is a ball, a stick of sidewalk chalk, and four eager participants to have a rousing tournament. Other great tools for driveway games: hula-hoops, jump ropes for double-dutch, a basketball net, and the list goes on!
5. Find out what they enjoy—then do it together! Does your daughter love kicking a ball? Is your son more into hitting them? Find a family soccer or softball league in your area. You’ll be able to pass on the lessons of good sportsmanship and it’s a great way to meet other active families! (If you can’t find a league for kids and adults, just sign up the little ones. You can always walk or run laps around the field during practices and games to stay active yourself.)
Fruits and vegetables contain vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that are essential for good health. That’s one reason why a plant-based diet that includes lots of fruits and vegetables can lower your risk of developing life-threatening diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers. And when you pile on the produce, there’s less room for the unhealthy foods.
Dinner is typically the largest (and latest) meal of the day, and it’s a good opportunity to make sure that you meet your daily quota for fruits and vegetables. Here are five easy ways to work more produce into dinner.
Roast vegetables. Roasting is a great way to let the deep, rich flavors of vegetables shine through. Bake cut vegetables at 375° F for 20 to 25 minutes or until they’re lightly browned. You can roast any vegetable — from mushrooms, onions, eggplant, and zucchini to tomatoes, broccoli, and carrots — so don’t limit yourself. Enjoy roasted veggies as a side dish or toss them into pasta dishes and other recipes.
Poach veggies in low-sodium chicken broth and white wine. To poach, boil enough liquid to cover the vegetables. When it boils, add the vegetables. Turn down the heat to just below boiling and cook the vegetables for about five to seven minutes, until they’re brightly colored and tender-crisp. Add garlic, basil, or tarragon for a flavor bonus. To retain nutrients, keep a watchful eye on the pot, or set a timer so you don’t overcook.
Smuggle fresh cut vegetables into main dishes. Try adding mushrooms, peppers, zucchini, onions, or carrots into pasta sauce, casseroles, soup, stews, scrambled eggs, and chili.
Have a salad with dinner most days. Stock your salad with dark green leafy lettuce and toss in petite peas, tomatoes, onions, celery, carrots, and peppers. As an added benefit, starting meals with a salad can help you consume fewer calories at the meal, as long as the salad is no more than 100 calories. A healthful salad consists of about 3 cups of dark green lettuce, 1⁄2 cup carrots, a tomato, 1⁄4 cucumber, and 1 1⁄2 tablespoons of low-calorie dressing.
Choose fruit — fresh or frozen, stewed or baked — for dessert. It all counts toward your daily produce quota. Dried fruits are healthy but high in calories, so eat them sparingly.
Over the course of 32 years, researchers from University College London monitored the television-viewing habits of 9,842 people born in 1970 in England, Scotland and Wales, from when they were 10 years old until they were 42.
At the start of the study, parents reported whether their 10-year-olds watched TV never, sometimes, or often.
Of the 1,546 participants who reported watching more than three hours of TV a day at age 42, nearly 83 percent had watched television often at age 10, the researchers report in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.
The study also found that people who watched more than three hours a day of television in middle age were more likely to be in fair or poor health and to have had a father in a lower occupational class.
The study examined the habits of children who were 10 years old in 1980 – before smartphones, tablets, computers and videogames had begun to infiltrate kids’ lives, noted Christina Calamaro. She has studied the effect of technology on children at the Nemours Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Delaware but was not involved in the current research.
“Once more, this affirms the importance of parental healthy behaviors, and it really does point to the need for early intervention, particularly in families with lower socioeconomic status that may not have access to safe playgrounds, a safe environment where children can go out and play and even healthy supermarkets,” she told Reuters Health.
“It’s really important to teach healthy lifestyles early on, from preschool to programs in the schools to every time that child walks into the healthcare office. Sometimes that message does turn that light bulb on for a father or mother or child to say, let’s talk about healthy living,” she said.
Study leader Lee Smith told Reuters Health by email that his findings support the case for early life interventions to prevent sedentary behavior, which can result from television viewing, in later life.
Prior research has shown that how parents monitor their children’s screen time is tied to the kids’ academic performance, their relationships with peers and their weight
Earlier studies have also shown that children who spend much of their time staring at screens - especially televisions, which require no hands to operate – tend to gain more weight as they age
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children above age two be exposed to no more than two hours of television and computer screens a day. Researchers have found children frequently exceed the recommendation.
Studies have tied increased screen time to a number of problems in children, including excessive weight gain as well as poor sleep and school performance.
A growing body of research shows that prolonged sedentary behavior is detrimental to the health of adults, even physically active adults, the authors write. Earlier studies have associated TV viewing with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and death from all causes, the study says.
The current study shows that adults tend to mirror their childhood activities, Calamaro said. But, she said, the patterns can be broken.
“It’s important to know that family and where we grow up will affect our life later on,” she said. “But you can turn off the television and go outside and be active, and that’s what people need to choose.”
According to the federal government's Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, adults need at least two and a half hours (150 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, along with muscle-strengthening activity that works all major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week. In recent years, physical activity research has evolved to reflect compelling evidence that physical activity accumulated in brief bouts spread over the course of a day is "powerful medicine" and provides many of the benefits recognized from longer daily bouts.
The A-B-E for FitnessTM program was designed specifically to help adults meet those recommendations for daily physical activity by offering a library of more than 50 videos offering guided physical activity routines, each of which can be done in 3 to 5 minutes. A-B-E for FitnessTM offers a variety of options based on users' time, interests, needs, and fitness levels, in different settings – the home, office and waiting area.
We teamed up with Dr. Stephan Esser, a Clinical Fellow and specialist in Physical Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and his wife, Tiffany, a personal trainer, to develop the program. They bring their passion for exercise and explain the exercises clearly and provide options to perform each activity in a basic or more advanced manner.
The benefits of daily physical activity include improved health status and well-being, increased energy levels, reduced risk for heart disease and cancer, reduced stress, improved mood, and improved productivity at work and school. Since the A-B-E for FitnessTM program is short, doable, and fun, it can help people change their perception of physical activity so that being more physically active becomes part of their normal lives
The A-B-E for Fitness program offers a free video library of 3 to 8 minute activity bursts that will allow you, your colleagues and your family to move and exercise everywhere, everyday!
The exercise videos are organized by the setting (office, home, waiting area, etc), the body region involved, and whether the exercise is performed seated or standing.
Depending on your fitness level, you can start doing one burst per day and then build up gradually
