The Sugar-Age Connection

So skip the wrinkle cream.  Forgo the crossword puzzles.  Take another tip from Joel Fuhrman, MD and understand that high blood sugar damages the body in a way similar to an accelerated aging process. 

Elevated insulin levels happen as a result of consuming excess fat, sugar, protein and refined or processed foods.  Over time, this over consumption leads to over weight and all over weight people (diabetic or not) have high levels of insulin.  Insulin, that hormone secreted by the pancreas in response to sugar in the blood stream, can be secreted at 4-5x the normal level as a result of being over weight.  And while I bet I have you all thinking diabetes, abnormally high levels of insulin (again diabetes or not) is "an independent risk factor for early cardiac death".

The high levels of insulin found in diabetics promotes hardening of the arteries (which contributes to age related diseases of Alzheimer's, Peripheral Artery Disease, Coronary Artery Disease, etc.), blocks cholesterol removal, damages smooth muscle and collagen and elastin fibers.  In fact, it's certainly not just the diabetic people who see the skin consequences of sugar ingestion.  After about the age of 35, skin can become wrinkled and saggy because the sugar attaches to proteins and breaks them down.  These once resilient skin building blocks don't bounce back once this damage has occurred.  

Should you go sugar-free?  Probably not.  The sugar free options out there are usually highly processed and refined with chemical substitutes that provide sweetness.  Little by little, you should aim to curb your sweet tooth, choose raw fruit for satisfying your want for something sweet, and  make sure you have had your serum insulin level checked.  Not only is it your best predictor for heart attack, it can be a strong reminder of how fast you are allowing your body to age.  

Family Matters

Thrive! by Dan Buettner is another great read.  This is the author who traveled the world inspired by "longevity cultures" and wrote Blue Zones.  Thrive! is also a collection of stories from around the globe - but with a focus on happiness.  A natural sequel to the first book as Buettner found one of the keys to longevity being happiness.

In the discussion of Singapore, one of the happiest nations on earth, Buettner discusses the concept of family.  This is one that is near and dear to my heart as I am from a large family genetically (a true blessing!) and  a large "family" locally (another blessing).  In Singapore, "the term family includes not only those genetically related to each other but also friends and neighbors.  This extended support system allows Singaporeans to thrive and care for one another in unique, encouraging ways."  Yes!  Here is a culture that embraces that idea.  And look - they turn out to rank in the top 5 happiness centers of the world!

This is just what we need.  The world around us shares natural disasters, pollution, diseases, escalating health care costs, a ridiculous dependency on oil, and expanding waist lines.  I don't need to tell you the stressful, frustrating feelings that accompany this reality.  I will tell you that research supports a sound support system among the top coping mechanisms for stressful times.  Reach out to your family.  Maybe yours doesn't include a spouse and children, several brothers (and brother-in-law) a sister (and sisters-in-law), parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and nieces and nephews (whew!) like mine does.  But I'm sure, like mine, it includes close friends, co-workers, "almost" brothers, "should've been" cousins, wise elderly companions and sage advisors.  In a world of "what-next?", a robust circle of friends may be our best strategy.  I'd be willing to bet that the people of Haiti and the people of Japan have turned to their friends a few times here and there...

Why wait for a crisis to find your "family" when your family will bring you happiness?  Support others, be supported - and we, too, can Thrive!

Mind-Body Connection

Oh, yea, I'm a firm believer in the mind-body connection.  And, in the context of healthy aging, this is undeniable.  I have blogged about this a little before.  Referencing the generation that lived through the holocaust and great depression, they have seen and intimately felt the power of the mind to overcome what their body wanted.  After all, survival was at stake.  Think of this..

"It is your brain that decides to get you out of bed in the morning to exercise, to give you a stronger body,. or to cause you to hit the snooze button and procrastinate your work out.... It is your brain that pushes you away from the table telling you that you have had enough, or that gives you permission to have the second helping of Rocky Road ice cream, making you look and feel like a blob.  It is your brain that manages the stress in your life and relaxes you..." (D.Amen, MD)

Now, my take...It is your brain that decides you need to be angry -  that entices you to hold a grudge.  It's your brain that allows you to feel frustrated and keeps you from feeling connected to people around you.  It is your brain that allows you to stop, take a deep breath, and be thankful for the day ahead of you  and not dread it.  You are in charge here - take this bull by the horns!

Exercise is the single most important thing we can do to enhance brain function and keep your body looking and feeling young.  When you are physically active, you know your heart pumps blood throughout the body.  Benefits include improved oxygen, glucose and nutrient supply to the brain.  Dr. Amen reports that aerobic exercise that raises your heart rate for a prolonged period of time encourages the growth of new brain cells (enter endurance sports!).  In Naperville, IL, a school PE program was celebrated for its profound effect on academic success.  Once implemented, this program which ditched traditional sports and games in favor of high intensity aerobic activity (warm up followed by 1 mile run with heart rate 185 or higher followed by cool-down), was deemed the reason for 8th graders unprecedented success on the TIMSS test.  They ranked 1st in the world in math and 6th in science  (US students' national ranking was 18th in science and 19th in math).

If you apply this to the many reasons you need to be in charge of your body, you will see the value of this mind-body connection.  Maybe Alzheimers or dementia or heart disease run in your family.  Maybe you are studying for for SATs or just learning a ton of new information at work.  Maybe you're not happy with the current state of your health, or you just want to age well.  Engage your brain through exercise and watch how the loop of brain to body to brain feeds you.  Make a decision - get active, get happy, and stay young.  You won't regret it.  Less regret, less stress, better brain response.  Get it?

Pain limited exercise?

That's it, I'm on a mission.  How many times do we have to look at the faces of our neighbors and lament about how they should be exercising more?  Or, how they should be eating better?  Or - if they just lost some weight - how much better they'd feel!  Here's a different twist to consider.

What if... they really would love to exercise, but pain is stopping them.  "When I walk too far, my back hurts".  "When I try to play basketball, my shoulder hurts".  It seems, that what starts as pain limited exercise quickly spirals down to weight gain, cardiovascular problems like high blood pressure or high cholesterol (among many, many others), and then the feeling of "I don't even know where to begin".  So, get smart and stop putting off today what you think you can do tomorrow.  Before you know it, 4 years of hobbling have gone by and you have more than a bad knee to deal with!

A study in Japan found that from the age of 30, your chance of sustaining a rotator cuff injury increases exponentially with each decade.  Why?  Well, the longer you live the more times you lift your hand above your head.  And, between the ages of 40 and 50, tissues like tendons, ligaments and connective tissue become degenerated and fibrotic.  And if basketball is your exercise choice, hand above the head.

If this applies to you, you are the perfect candidate for Physical Therapy.  Get in for a consult, let the therapist assess the mechanics of your back (or shoulder or knee or whatever limits you) in the activity that you want to do.  Tell them that your goal is to get back to your "sport".  It may only take a few visits to gain valuable information that will keep you in the game for years to come.  Even if you have a $40 copay... prioritize your health.  Once you're sidelined, it's the snowball effect of inactivity.

From my perspective - there are very few cases where musculoskeletal pain should limit your exercise.