FOUR CORNERS HEALTHY LIVING • SUMMER EDITION 2012
www.fourcornershealthyliving.com
Celebrity Health:
Olivia Newton-John
PLUS
Talks About Her Fight To End Cancer
Drop It Like It’s Fat
PLUS:
Why Losing Weight Is the Best Medicine
Get Moving With Richard Simmons 6 Exercises For a Stronger Back
Local Insite: Maintaining Healthy Brain Function
Why Caregivers Need Care, Too
The Time to Start is Now!
Does Less Meat = More Health?
Take Charge Good health is achievable at any age. Learn how to eat better, get stronger and feel happier today Brought to you by
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FEATURES Celebrity Health: Olivia Newton John
After overcoming a tumultuous cancer battle, the iconic music star has set her sights on creating a better, healthier world for all
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Maintaining healthy brain function You (and your brain) are what you eat! PAGE 3 Ask the Expert: Richard Simmons PAGE 4 Downsizing Is the New Up
When the nest is empty, adjusting portion sizes is key to keeping off the weight PAGE 6
Move It or Lose It?
A new study finds that exercise, at any age, may reduce the risk a person’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s PAGE 10
Should I Stay Or Should I Go?
A healthier lifestyle doesn’t always have to be doctorapproved. But some experts say: better safe than sorry PAGE 14
Eat Less Meat
Americans are consuming less meat without ‘Going Veg’ – should you join the healthy trend? PAGE 16
6 Exercises For a Stronger Back PAGE 18 Care and Care Alike
When a loved one is ill, taking care of the self is of equal importance PAGE 20
I'm Happy, You're Happy, We're Happy
‘Gray divorce’ is on the rise, but experts say the key to a healthy marriage once the nest is empty is to find purpose, happiness and stability PAGE 22
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Maintaining Healthy Brain Function - The Time to Start is Now! There is more and more research to suggest that maintaining optimal brain and mental function throughout a lifetime is within in control much more than we previously thought. As with anything, there are plenty of ways to approach this, and here are some helpful hints: By Nicola st. mary, nd PURA VIDA natural HEALTHCARE Durango, co
You (and your brain) are what you eat!
There is increasing evidence that supports many cognitive issues are a result of a deficiency of key nutrients. The brain is just like any other organ and will be much better supported if it has a constant supply of good vitamins, minerals and co-factors to help optimize its ability to do its job. On the flip side, certain foods (like refined sugar, trans-fats, caffeine, and alcohol) are not nutritious (we all know that, right?). However, what a lot of us don’t realize is that these foods actually rob the body of essential nutrients which can lead to a variety of health issues. Your best bet is to stick to whole foods (foods in their natural state that haven’t been refined or processed - think things that are not packaged). Eating a variety of grains and proteins over the course of a week will help ensure you get all of the nutrients you need. Trying to eat all colors of fruits and vegetables (natural, not dyed) each day will provide a variety of crucial anti-oxidants and amino acids. Finally, make sure you are getting a daily dose of healthy fats like olive oil, avocado, raw nuts and seeds, or coconut oil (at least 3 tablespoons a day).
Supplements
There is no shortage of research that supports a variety of natural supplements to help enhance brain function. Some of the most prominent in the literature include alpha-lipoic acid, phosphatidylserine (PS), gingko biloba, vitamin E, and B vitamins. PS seems to be the most effective at improving cognition because it helps keep cell membranes fluid and flexible. This has a positive effect on cell communication, allowing us to feel more
alert and improve memory. The hardest part is sorting through all of the ones that sound good and creating a plan that is best for you as an individual. Before you go out and spend a bunch of money, make sure you know the companies you are buying from are reputable and consider visiting with someone who has an expertise in supplements who can help you create an effective, affordable treatment plan.
Use it or lose it!
Your brain is a muscle and needs to be flexed! Exercising the brain is essential to maintaining function, and is best if done daily. Playing games like Scrabble or crossword puzzles where your brain has to focus for a period of time are some great examples. Some people have even gone back and learned things they didn’t learn (or couldn’t remember!) from grade school. Reading non-fiction, memorizing music/song lyrics, or learning a new skill are other ways to keep that brain from turning into a couch potato. Moving your body is the best way to improve overall circulation. This is important because good circulation (especially exercise-induced) brings oxygen all over, especially to the brain. Getting your heart rate up not only stimulates brain function, but is a great stress reliever and helps to prevent depression.
mation. Wild-caught salmon, turmeric, mushrooms, papaya, blueberries, extra virgin olive oil, broccoli and sweet potatoes are all particularly great foods at combating inflammation. We can also make sure that we are actively managing our daily stress by participating in activities that bring fun and joy to our lives.
Ensuring you have healthy bacteria in your gut can also enhance digestion. We can get out of balance when we are exposed to antibiotics, pesticides, chlorine (tap water) and general pollution. Without a robust population of “good bugs” we have a harder time breaking down and absorbing our food. Eating cultured foods like plain yogurt, kim-chi and sauHow’s your digestion? erkraut are great sources of probiotics. As we get older, our body produces less pancreatic enzymes - these enzymes Supplements are also available. help us digest and assimilate the nutrition Now that you have the basic knowledge you need to get started, try choosing one from our food. Having less enzymes available means we might not be getting activity from the suggestions above to get started. You don’t need to make an the most out of what we eat. A simple home remedy for this is to drink 1 table- entire overhaul of your life to start walking on a pathway to health today. One spoon of apple cider vinegar in a little small shift can be the catalyst for another water 20minutes before meals to help stimulate the digestive juices. There are down the line - and that is the change also a number of great enzymes available that will not only make a difference, but on the market. endure the test of time.
Inflammation is not your friend
Inflammation has now been linked to most degenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s. Inflammation is caused by certain foods like corn, sugar, cottonseed or safflower oil, trans fats, feedlot-raised meat (grass fed is OK!), refined or white flour. It can also be caused by alcohol and nicotine. Stress has also been demonstrated to create more inflammation in the body. The good news is that we can decrease our overall inflammation by avoiding those inflammatory foods and focusing on foods that combat inflamfourcornershealthyliving.com ~ Sunday, July 8, 2012 • 3
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Ask the Expert: Richard Simmons By Lindsey Romain CTW FEATURES
Richard Simmons has been inspiring people to lose weight and feel great since the 1970s, when he opened his own exercise studio and created a fitness empire, complete with videos, radio shows and infomercials. At 64, Simmons has kept up his own 100-plus pound weight loss with the help of daily exercise, proper nutrition and a positive outlook on life. Here, Simmons speaks up on fitness over 50, and why it doesn’t have to mean accepting less than your best. 4 • fourcornershealthyliving.com ~ Sunday, July 8, 2012
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Q A
Growing older means you might start moving slower and having a harder time adjusting to strenuous physical activity. How does a person come to terms with that? You know, I don’t believe this is true. Why? Because I defy nature. At 64, I do not move slower and I exercise every single day for one hour and 15 minutes. You have to attack each day that God gives you and not complain and not think negative thoughts. Those kinds of thoughts make you grow older and sadder.
Q A
How have you personally pushed past the age barrier to achieve a maintainable physique? I never think about my age. Because I exercise every day, I look younger than the average 64-year-old. I only get one day at a time, and I fill it up. I think being silly and comical keeps you young at heart, too. I hope to have that philosophy when I live to be 100.
Q A
How should those 50 and older adjust their diet to keep their weight healthy? Should they eat more or less than younger active people? People over 50 lose weight just like everyone else. A calorie is a calorie. You either store it or burn it. God made six food groups, and you have to eat the right portions from all of them.
Q A
So in general, is losing weight harder at an older age than a younger one? Losing weight is just hard. Whether you’re young or old, a banana split still looks divine. No matter what your age, you will be faced with temptations. And it will never get easy. Even at my age, when I see a billboard with a new sandwich, I drool.
Q A
How does exercise change when you reach 50?
As you get older, you have to be more careful. You cannot over-exercise. You still need to warm up the body and give it daily toning and cardio. Remember how old your parts are, and remember that you don’t want to wear them out.
Q A
Why is being obese in your older years a serious problem?
As you grow older, and when you go from being overweight to obese, you lose mobility. That is the really sad part. You go from walking, to walking with a cane, to having a scooter or a wheelchair. Obesity robs you of what you used to do. And when you put too much weight on your body, it breaks down, which leads to taking way too much medication.
QA
What are some exercises that you would recommend for people over 50? Every day you get another day. Open your eyes and get yourself out of bed. Warm up your body, and then plan what body parts you will tone and what kind of cardio workout you will be doing. Will it be walking or swimming or using an elliptical? Or maybe it’s dancing to a fun DVD. At the end of the day, you need to cool your body down and stretch it before you go to bed. This is what I do. And I’m cute, if I have to say so myself! © CTW Features
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Downsizing Is the New Up
When the nest is empty, adjusting portion sizes is key to keeping off the weight By Bev Bennett CTW FEATURES
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ow that your kids are grown and you’re officially an empty nester, you’re thinking about your living space. Maybe you want to move to smaller quarters, or maybe you’re dreaming about putting those empty bedrooms to different uses. Don’t overlook your kitchen as you anticipate this new stage. Your cooking and shopping habits when children, and especially ravenous teens, were home may not be appropriate or even beneficial to your well-being now. Your cookware may need a post-kid overhaul, too. Do you still need a 10-quart stockpot? Imagine filling and lifting it. Are your muscles still up to the task? By adjusting your culinary techniques while streamlining your kitchen so it’s more convenient, you’ll enjoy cooking and eat healthfully, say nutrition educators. If you question whether it’s worth the time to cook when you’re an empty nester, think of preparing meals as an opportunity for culinary adventure or a new hobby, says Karen Buch, registered dietitian and director of lifestyle initiatives for Weis Markets, Inc. Sunbury, Pa. It also can bring you and your spouse closer. “Cooking for each other is an act of love and kindness,” she says. Here are tips to help you plan.
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Shopping
Change your mindset. Forget the hungry hordes (aka, your kids); they’re feeding themselves. Instead of the “big trip” to the supermarket twice a month, shop two or three times a week for fresh fruits and vegetables, fish and lean meat, purchasing only what you’ll eat in a few days. Buying food in large quantities could cost you money now, according to Beth Kitchin, PhD, a registered dietitian and assistant professor of nutrition sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. “You may find that when you buy just what you need, while a little more expensive on the front end, you actually save money because you’re less likely to throw leftovers away,” writes Kitchin in an email response. Although having some food in the cupboard or freezer for emergencies is sensible, don’t overdo it, say the experts. “I give my husband a maximum of how many cans of corn he can buy,” says Mary Ann Johnson, Ph.D., the Bill and June Flatt professor in foods and nutrition at the University of Georgia in Athens. Her ultimatum is to buy no more than what they’ll eat within two months. If you discover that you’re stockpiling staples, go through your pantry and eliminate foods you won’t eat. Donate products still within “use by” dates to food pantries, says Buch. Johnson and her husband were surprised to see that their appreciation for soup resulted in having about 20 cans on hand. Many of those were donated.
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Cooking Think about your lifestyle as you plan menus.
Do you prefer having a few frozen entrees on hand, or would you rather cook more often? Cooking larger amounts of the main course, such as lasagna, and having leftovers for later meals makes sense to Buch. However, if you’re embracing your inner Top Chef, and are excited about trying new dishes every night, look for recipes that serve one or two. Consider your health goals, too. “As we age we don’t need as many calories, though we still may have a big appetite,” says Johnson, who is on the faculty of gerontology at the university. Satisfy your appetite and your nutritional needs with vegetables, fruits and whole grains as you cut back on meat and starches. Try new ingredients and flavors to make meals appetizing. Johnson, for example, loves bottled ginger-sesame sauce. “It adds flavor without a lot of fat. You can jazz up a meal that looks kind of bland,” she says. The nutrition professor also recommends spice blends in grinder bottles. “These are so much more flavorful [than ground seasonings]. Find the flavors you like.” You’ll also find smaller yield spice blends in supermarkets, allowing you to experiment without a large investment, says Buch, who offers nutrition and culinary advice to supermarket shoppers.
Cookware Pots, pans and bakeware in more sizes than your
collection of jeans are probably taking up valuable kitchen real estate. In addition, your cookware could be an accident waiting to happen. One false move and you’re hit with a cake-pan avalanche. “Ask yourself which pots and pans you use. When company comes what do you reach for? Get rid of what you don’t need,” Johnson says. Also weed out scratched nonstick cookware, plastic storage containers without proper-fitting lids, plastic containers that aren’t designed for food storage and oversized pots that are a strain to lift. You can let go of one of your four sets of dishes, says Buch. At the same time, invest in utensils and small appliances that make cooking easier and more enjoyable. A microwave oven, even in a smaller size, is an asset for good nutrition. “Use your microwave more – especially for vegetables,” writes Kitchin. “Two and a half minutes will do it for frozen corn or broccoli. The ice crystals add enough moisture for cooking. The less water, the more nutrients are preserved,” Kitchin writes. A slow cooker in a 2- or 3-quart size instead of the 5- or 6-quart version will be welcome for preparing smaller batches of soup, chili and stew. Johnson took stock of her canned soup habit and opted instead for a small slow cooker. “My husband and I like making soup in a slow cooker,” she says. An immersion blender that allows you to make velvety purees without adding high-fat cream is one of Buch’s favorite kitchen appliances. “Appliances have evolved and you can do most of your cooking with downsized equipment,” Buch says.
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New Kitchen and Cookware For Empty Nesters As an empty nester, you’ll be pleased to see more products designed for your streamlined kitchen. Here are a few helpful items, recently introduced at the International Home and Housewares Show in Chicago.
A casserole built for one. That’s the idea of the Microstoven ramekins, in 3-inch or 3.5inch sizes from Maxwell & Williams. You can use this cookware in a conventional or microwave oven. The ramekins also can go in the freezer, so you can prepare and freeze foods for baking later. Find this at general merchandise stores. Instead of a knife and big boxy grater for carving up a hunk of cheese, try the adjustable, dual-action Cheese Plane from Microplane. This slim handheld blade can slice cheese thin for salads or thick for grilled cheese sandwiches. The upper portion of the blade has a ribbon grater surface to grate small amounts of cheese. The plane is available in cookware and general department stores.
If you’re shrinking your countertop, choose multifunctional appliances. The Cuisinart Oven Central bakes, roasts, steams and toasts. The temperature reaches 450 degrees F, which means you can brown a steak. You’ll see this at specialty kitchen retailers and high-end department stores. fourcornershealthyliving.com ~ Sunday, July 8, 2012 • 9
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Move It or Lose It?
A new study finds that exercise, at any age, may reduce the risk a person’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s By Renee Lee CTW FEATURES
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hysical activity, even simply cooking or washing dishes, may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, even in people over the age of 80, according to a study by neurological researchers from Rush University Medical Center. The study recently was published in the online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Rush researchers had 716 older individuals without dementia wear an actigraph, a device that monitors activity, on their non-dominant wrist for 10 days. All exercise and non-exercise was recorded, and study participants also self-reported their physical and social activities.
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f O U R C O R N E R S H E A L T H Y L IVI N G Issue N o . 3 2 012 “These are low-cost, easily accessible and sideeffect free activities people can do at any age, including very old age, to possibly prevent Alzheimer’s.” “This is the first study to use an objective measurement of physical activity in addition to self-reporting,” says Dr. Aron S. Buchman, lead author of the study and associate professor of neurological sciences at Rush. “This is important because people may not be able to remember the details correctly.” Over a mean of 3.5 years of follow up, 71 of the participants developed Alzheimer’s disease. The study showed that people in the bottom 10 percent of daily activity levels were more than twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease as people in the top 10 percent of daily activity. Those individuals in the bottom 10 percent of intensity of the physical activities were almost three times as likely to develop Alzheimer’s as the people in the top 10 percent of intensity. “Since the actigraph was attached to the wrist, activities like cooking, washing the dishes, playing cards and even moving a wheelchair with a person’s arms were beneficial,” Buchman says. “These are low-cost, easily accessible and side-effect free activities people can do at any age, including very old age, to possibly prevent Alzheimer’s.” © CTW Features
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F O U R C O R N E R S H E A L T H Y l i v i n g Issue N o . 3 2 012 After overcoming a tumultuous cancer battle, the iconic music star has set her sights on helping women live healthier lives and creating a better, healthier world for all
celebrity health:
Olivia Newton-John 12 • fourcornershealthyliving.com ~ Sunday, July 8, 2012
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he’s sold more than 100 million albums and had ten number one hits, but mega superstar Olivia Newton-John is probably best known for her co-starring role as Sandy in the classic 1978 film “Grease.” Back in the 70s and 80s, women wanted to be her and men wanted to date her. With her girlnext-door looks that came with a side dish of sex appeal, NewtonJohn became an icon. More than 30 years later, she is still performing and is still stunningly beautiful. Today, she is busier than this article even has room to discuss and, you could say, is hopelessly devoted to helping the environment and ultimately wiping cancer off the planet. When asked about how she came to love environmental causes or even how she stays so beautiful, she quickly credits her mother, Irene Born, for both. “I didn’t understand it at the time, but people who lived through a war were very careful,” she says. “She would reuse paper bags and always made me turn off the lights. She also wrote to the government to ask them not to chop down the trees.” She also credits her German mom for her healthy eating habits and her flawless skin. “She was raised on fresh vegetables, but when I was young, I resented it,” she says. “After school there was fruit, but no cakes and candies like the other kids would have. I remember being jealous of my friends who got junk, but now I'm really grateful for those early years of training with healthy foods, because that's what I reverted to and that's what I did with my daughter Chloe was born.” Married to Amazon Herb Company owner and founder, John Easterling, Newton-John also swears by their Amazon Rain skin care line. “There's no preservatives in it and a lot of the ingredients are from the rainforest. The base of some [products] is from the Camu's root, which has the highest vitamin C of any fruit in the world,” she says. “I use that, eat well, exercise pretty regularly and
take care of myself the best I can.” Unfortunately, even the healthiest regimen couldn’t stop Newton-John from receiving the worst possible news in 1992, on the same day her father passed away from cancer. She was diagnosed with breast cancer. “I did all the things that were supposed to be right – hardly drank, didn’t smoke and I exercised -- so sometimes these things are random,” she says. Forced to go public when a tabloid was going to print an article claiming the superstar was dying, NewtonJohn has no regrets. “Looking back, I realized that it was very healthy to talk about it, because keeping those things to myself would have been much more stressful than just being open about it.” Newton-John held off becoming an advocate for breast cancer issues until more than five years later. “They say that a five-year period is when most recurrences can happen, so I was a little nervous to be too much of an advocate for anything before that,” she says. Her positive mentality and energy is contagious. She says that she never once asked herself the fatalistic question, “Why me?” even while penning a song by that name on the album “Gaia: One Woman’s Journey” (1994). Instead, she asks, “Why not me?... I see it now that maybe there was a reason it’s me so I could now be helping others. That’s my journey.” Now, she is extremely involved in raising cancer awareness. She served as Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations Environment Programme in 1991, and she served as the national spokesperson for the Colette Chuda Environmental Fund/ Children’s Health Environmental Coalition, founded after the tragic death of her daughter Chloe’s best friend from a rare childhood cancer. She partnered with Austin Health to create the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre (ONJCWC) in Melbourne, Australia, and in April 2008, led a team of fellow cancer survivors, celebrities and Olympians on a trek along the Great Wall of China to raise more than $2 million to build the ONJCWC. She also launched Liv Aid®, a
RESOURCES Gaia Retreat and Spa www.gaiaretreat.com.au/about-gaia Children’s Health Environmental Coalition HealthyChild.org Amazon Herb Company www.AmazonHerb.com Facebook www.facebook.com/olivianewtonjohn Twitter twitter.com/olivianj breast self-examination aid that assists women to conduct breast self-exams correctly (www.liv.com). She’s now been cancer-free for two decades and wants to make sure that other women take a more active role in their breast health. “Everyone has different breasts, and we shouldn’t leave it up to our doctor once a year to recognize something is wrong,” she says. “You should be aware if there's anything that doesn't feel right to you.” For those still in the midst of treatment, Newton-John says to keep a positive spirit. “I send my love. They have to believe they are going to be okay,” she says. “They should do everything they can for themselves, because as women, we tend to always put everybody before ourselves. They need to find time in every day that's just for them, whether it's taking a walk, reading a book or going to the gym, whatever it is that gives them joy and pleasure.”
She also advises women to allow someone else to update everyone on any changes in condition. “A lot of your energy is expended on people asking, ‘How are you?’ and then you're always talking about illness rather than focusing on your recovery and being positive.” Newton-John is also a firm believer in having fun and treating yourself, which is why she opened Australia’s Gaia Retreat and Spa approximately six years ago. Her book, “Livwise: Easy Recipes for a Healthy, Happy Life” (Lyons Press, 2012) was just released. She’s accomplished so much in her personal life and career, it’s hard to imagine that she still has something unchecked on her to-do list. “I’ve walked the China Wall, but I've always wanted to do a walking tour across Italy,” she says. “I think we’re going to do that soon.” © CTW Features
“They should do everything they can for themselves, because as women, we tend to always put everybody before ourselves. They need to find time in every day that's just for them, whether it's taking a walk, reading a book or going to the gym, whatever it is that gives them joy and pleasure.” fourcornershealthyliving.com ~ Sunday, July 8, 2012 • 13
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Should I
Stay Or Should I Go? A healthier lifestyle doesn’t always have to be doctor-approved. But some experts say: better safe than sorry. have at least one chronic health condition by the time they’re 65, veryone’s heard it: It’s impor- but many of those conditions are tant to consult with a doctor improved with exercise,” says Milner. before trying a new diet or According to the 2008 Physical exercise regimen. It’s in the footActivity Guidelines for Americans, notes of every infomercial, maga“the health benefits of physical zine article, diet handout or meal activity far outweigh the risks.” plan. It’s the go-to mission stateSo when is it important to get a ment for any lifestyle change. But consultation? how important is it, really? According to Barbara Bushman, That depends, according to proPh. D., a Department of fessionals. Kinesiology professor at Missouri “Unless you have some type of State University, the ACSM guidepre-existing health condition that lines suggest older adults do not requires you to check in with your require an exercise test prior to physician, you really don’t need initiating a moderate physical to,” says Colin Milner, CEO of the activity program. But if an older International Council on Active adult wants to begin a vigorous Aging. intensity program and has risk facBut it isn’t just Milner’s opinion that counts. The American College tors – like a family history of heart disease, cigarette smoking, obesiof Sports Medicine released an official statement last year declar- ty, hypertension or prediabetes – ing that consultations with a med- then they are at moderate risk for cardiovascular disease and should ical professional when beginning have a medical exam first. As a new exercise regimen are “usesuch, anyone will a full-on cardiac, ful when clinically indicated, but pulmonary or metabolic disease, are not recommended with uniasthma, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, versal screening.” Experts can almost unanimously thyroid disorder, renal or liver disease should also see a doctor. agree that exercise is important Even if you don’t fall into one for people of all ages, especially of the above categories, Bushman those middle aged and older. An says it’s never a bad idea to speak active lifestyle manages weight with a doctor anyway. “I personaland decreases the likelihood of ly feel keeping open lines of comchronic illness, and is also munication with one’s health care extremely beneficial to cognitive provider is a good thing,” she function, according to a 2007 says. report from the ACSM. Best of all, Milner also advises a mindful it’s mostly risk-free. approach to the mixture of certain “Eight-five percent of people medications, as that can play a By Lindsey Romain CTW FEATURES
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role in exercise performance. “As we get older, so many of us are taking more than one medication, and the interaction between the two is having an effect,” he says. He advises being open with doctors so they’re aware of what’s going on and can prescribe according to a specific lifestyle. For any older individual looking to start a new exercise program, Milner suggests taking it slow and starting with a solid comfort
Percentage decline in number of U.S. adults with high total cholesterol. Source: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
level. “A lot of people throw themselves into it,” he says. “They go too hard, too fast. Just start off at a place that feels comfortable, and grow from there.” © CTW Features
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Where's the Beef?
Americans are consuming less meat without ‘Going Veg’ — should you join the healthy trend? very well be thinking of cutting back on your meat consumption. n a country known for its love of But just because you have decided to eat less meat – be it for health, the fast-food hamburger and a environmental, cosmetic or other thick, juicy steak, something strange has been happening of late: reasons – doesn’t mean you must become all-out vegetarian. In fact, People are eating less meat. these eat-less-meaters have even By all statistical accounts, earned their very own term: flexitarAmericans have been cutting cut ian. back on their meat consumption – “To be strictly vegetarian or though not necessarily by going vegan, in my view, is not 100 pervegetarian. USDA projections for cent necessary for health,” says Dr. 2012 show a notable decline in Donald Hensrud, editor of The meat and poultry use, just as they did in 2011, while a 2010 American Mayo Clinic Diet. “And what I mean by that is it’s what you eat 90 perMeat Institute study found that 18 cent of the time, or 95 percent of percent of Americans regularly eat the time, that makes the most meatless meals for health reasons. impact.” There is plenty of medical eviSo how can you join the “Eat less dence in the case for consuming less meat” movement? Well, one easy meat. Studies have demonstrated that eating meat can help cause car- way would be by participating in diovascular disease, Type II diabetes what is perhaps its most recognizable offshoots: Meatless Monday. and certain cancers – including The initiative began in 2003, when those of the colon and prostate. founder Sid Lerner – a 72-year-old Processed meat is even worse. former ad man– worked with Johns The latest bad news for meat comes in the form a new study from Hopkins University to begin a public the Harvard School of Public Health, health awareness campaign regarding excessive meat consumption by which shows that eating even a small amount of red meat every day encouraging people to give up meat at their Monday meals. “The raises mortality risk by 13 percent, goal,” says Tami O’Neill, project while a daily serving of processed associate for The Monday meat every day comes with a 20 Campaigns, “is for people to use the percent increased risk of mortality. start of their week to contemplate In light of such news, you may 16 • fourcornershealthyliving.com ~ Sunday, July 8, 2012
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healthier eating.” But O’Neill is also quick to mention that the Meatless Monday campaign is not recruiting people to vegetarian or vegan lifestyles. (“We’re completely for people eating meat or wanting to eat meat,” O’Neill says.) The idea is more for people to take the start of the week as an opportunity to think about what they eat, and to explore the evergrowing world of plant-based meals. While the notion of giving up daily meat may seem daunting at first, it’s often just a matter of mindset. “Instead of focusing on what you can’t eat, focus on what you can,” Hensrud says. “And come up with different meals that are tasty, healthy, practical, but don’t involve meat. Whether that’s including fish more often, or just starting out going plant-based instead of meat one day a week or something.” Plus, thanks to the Internet, it’s pretty easy to find quick-’n’-easy meatless recipes, some of which may even introduce your taste buds to some new
foods and flavors. One such food is quinoa, the so-called “miracle grain” that eats like rice or couscous while also packing a great deal of protein. Who knows? Maybe you’ll like it so much you’ll try it again with chicken or fish. “A lot of it is not necessarily time, it’s planning,” Hensrud says. “And what could be a better return on investment than spending some time to improve your health?” With so many “new” elements to the eat-less-meat movement, it may at first feel like nothing more than a trend. But in some ways, the move away from meat is actually a return to the days of the past. “We’re eating double the amount of meat that we were eating in the 1960s,” O’Neill says. “Our diet has rapidly changed,” she says, from sit-down meals with healthy sides into “…a fast food culture and a take-out culture, and we’re seeing that on our waist lines.” Health is a significant factor to wanting to cut down on meat, but there are
f O U R C O R N E R S H E A L T H Y L IVI N G Issue N o . 3 2 012 plenty of other reasons to change your eating habits. Industrial farming takes a major toll on the environment, while some folks have trouble just getting past the idea of eating Wilbur. And then, of course, there is simple truth that cutting back on meat often means cutting back on calories, making it a great help if you are looking to cut a leaner figure. Such was initially the case for Carole Carson, author of “From Fat to Fit: Turn Yourself into a Weapon of Mass Reduction” (Hound Press, 2007), a book in which she chronicles her efforts to shed pounds and get in shape just before turning 60 – efforts that included eating less meat.
“We’re eating double the amount of meat that we were eating in the 1960s. Our diet has rapidly changed, from sit-down meals into a fast food culture and we’re seeing that on our waist lines.”
— Tami O’Neill, project associate for The Monday Campaigns Carson says when she lost weight, her family members started losing weight, too: “And I wasn’t proselytizing!” Having the fellow motivators made all the difference. “I don’t think anybody can do this alone,” Carson says. “Changing you habits has to be done as a family or a community. You really need people around you to help you make a change.” © CTW Features
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F O U R C O R N E R S H E A L T H Y l i v i n g Issue N o . 3 2 012
Exercises For a Stronger Back Back pain is one of the biggest concerns and problems for boomers. These six moves from the new book “The New Rules of Lifting For Life: An All-New Muscle-Building, Fat-Blasting Plan for Men and Women Who Want to Ace Their Midlife Exams”(Avery, 2012; TheNewRulesOfLifting.com), will help keep you pain-free and active longer.
The Six Moves
This routine takes about a half-hour, and you want to do it three times a week.
Plank:
1-2 holds of 30-60 seconds Get into plank position, which is also called a modified push-up position: You’re facedown, with your weight resting on your forearms and toes, forearms aligned with your torso, elbows directly beneath your shoulders, and your body in a straight line from neck to ankles. By Anna Sachse CTW FEATURES
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he first of four books in the “The New Rules of Lifting” series came out at the end of 2005. A few years later, the authors Lou Schuler and Alwyn Cosgrove found that readers were asking for something more specific: a book for middle-aged and older people who want to continue lifting weights but know they can’t do it the same way they did when they were younger. The fitness gurus resisted at first, mostly because they didn’t want anyone to think in terms of their limitations. Schuler says, “Much better, I thought, to focus on what you can
do, rather than what you can’t.” What changed? Schuler got older himself. He’s 55-years-old now, and in the past five years he’s dealt with shoulder, knee, calf and hip injuries, and a hernia surgery. So, he and Cosgrove put their heads together and created a boomer-friendly book – “The New Rules of Lifting For Life: An All-New Muscle-Building, FatBlasting Plan for Men and Women Who Want to Ace Their Midlife Exams”(Avery, 2012; TheNewRulesOfLifting.com) – with a unique format: each type of exercise has a menu, with versions ranked from Level 1 to Level 5 (plus modifications that are even more basic or more
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advanced), and readers can choose the moves they want accordingly. The whole point of the book is that everyone has different problems and needs, but among midlifers, back pain tends to be a front and center concern. Here, Schuler outlines six basic, triedand-true moves to help you strengthen this fundamental structure of muscles, ligaments, tendons, nerves and bones that allows you to walk, lean over and pick up your grandchildren. The first two exercises, the plank and side plank, develop stability in your core, the muscles responsible for keeping your lower back and pelvis in a safe,
neutral position. The hip raise teaches you to engage your gluteal and hamstring muscles in order to straighten your body when it’s bent at the hips. The squat engages your supportive butt and thigh muscles as a unit, and the standing cable row and elevated push-up engage your core while working your biggest, strongest upper-body muscles. Notice that there aren’t any sitting exercises in this workout? That’s by design. “You sit all day at work,” Schuler says. “Why would you want to go to the gym and sit some more? If you want a strong, healthy back, you need to sit less, and move more.” © CTW Features
f O U R C O R N E R S H E A L T H Y L IVI N G Issue N o . 3 2 012 Side plank: 1-2 holds of 20-40 seconds (each side)
Lie on your left side with your legs straight and your right leg on top of your left. Position yourself so your weight rests on your left forearm and the outside edge of your left foot. Your left elbow should be directly beneath your shoulder, with your upper arm perpendicular to the floor. Lift your hips until your body is in a straight line from neck to ankles. You want your shoulders square and on a plane that’s perpendicular to the floor, as if your back was supported by a wall. You can place your right hand on your right hip or left shoulder.
Hip raise:
Standing cable row:
1-2 sets of up to 15 reps Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor, arms out to your sides. Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from knees to shoulders.
Elevated push-up: 1-2 sets of 12-15 reps
Cosgove is no fan of the “girl” push-up, with knees on the floor. One of the main benefits of the push-up is the way it uses the core muscles to stabilize the spine and pelvis, and most of that benefit is lost when you cut your own body off at the knees. Instead, do push-ups with your hands elevated as high as they need to go. If you’re an absolute beginner, or recovering from something no one should ever have to recover from, you can even do wall push-ups: stand a few feet from a wall, lean forward, rest your hands on the wall, come up on your toes so your body forms a straight line, and do the exercise with whatever range of motion you can. The point is, always do the hardest push-up variation you can manage for the required repetitions.
1-2 sets of 12-15 reps (each arm) Set the pulley of a cable machine to waist height, and attach a stirrup handle. Grab the handle in your nondominant hand (your left if you’re righthanded) and step back from the machine until you have tension in the cable with your arm fully extended in front of you. Stand facing the machine with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointed forward, knees and hips bent slightly, chest up, shoulders back, and your working arm extended out in front of you. (You can rest your nonworking hand on your thigh or hip, or hold it behind your back, whichever you prefer.) Tighten your hip and torso muscles to brace your core. Pull the handle to the side of your torso, keeping your shoulders forward and minimizing rotation. Return to the starting position, do all your reps, switch arms, and repeat the set with your other arm.
Goblet squat: 1-2 sets of 12-15 reps Grab a dumbbell or weight plate and hold it with both hands against your chest, just below your chin. (It’s called a goblet squat because if the weight were a cup, you could drink out of it.) Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, push your hips back, and squat as described above. Keep your eyes focused forward and your torso as upright as possible.
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F O U R C O R N E R S H E A L T H Y l i v i n g Issue N o . 3 2 012
Care and Care Alike When a loved one is ill, taking care of the self is of equal importance
Q
How can one use the experience of watching a parent age to make better decisions about their own health future? Well, I don’t want to blame the victim – our parents grew up in a different environment than we live in now. I never saw my mother riding a bicycle or even wearing sneakers, and her worst problems initially were mobility issues. Had she exercised and not been overweight, it probably would have changed her particular trajectory. No matter what you do, you are still going to age, but watching someone fall apart and knowing how they ate, didn’t exercise or smoked certainly ought to give you pause.
JG
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You must have had many realizations during your mother’s decline. What stands out? Caretakers get a lot of advice about being healthy, but this can be difficult and becomes just another burden. That said, I started doing yoga when my mother was sick, and it was an enormous help. I got more massages and became a mani-pedi junkie because, at the nail salon, I didn’t know anyone, there were no questions, I was in suspended animation. These things were helpful, but more important was making adjustments inside my head. If I had to do it over, I would have done quite well to think about the process differently. My brother and I were running ourselves ragged, almost as if we thought, “If we just do everything on our to-do list, everything will get better and we can get back to our lives.” That doesn’t happen. It’s preordained. The end point is that
JG By Anna Sachse CTW FEATURES
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n “A Bittersweet Season: Caring for Our Aging Parents – and Ourselves” (Vintage, 2012), newly out in paperback, author Jane Gross chronicles the difficult final years of her mother’s life, weaving together intimate experience and practical advice. Here, the founder of The New York Times blog, The New Old Age, talks about the hard-earned lessons she’s learned along the way. What consequences can caring for an ailing loved one have on the health of the caregiver? There’s a mess of research on this. The issues are pri-
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marily stress-related, actual diseases, depression and not caring for oneself physically, but there is wide variation. In general, the health of the caregiver correlates to whether they are responsible full or part time, the ill person’s condition, if you have help or if they are at home or at an assistedliving facility. But even if they are at a nursing home, you’re not off the hook – you’re still visiting, advocating and on-call mentally. If you tend to get colds, you will probably get a lot of colds. If you tend to get migraines, then you will likely get a lot of migraines. If stress typically makes you over-eat or under-eat, then it will likely be a problem.
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“The kindest thing you can do is just be present. Focus on quality of life, talk about your memories and ask stories about their lives.” — Jane Gross
f O U R C O R N E R S H E A L T H Y L IVI N G Issue N o . 3 2 012 the person is going to die, whether it’s five years or a week from now. You have to think of it like a marathon, not a sprint – maybe then you won’t rush at the beginning, when you tend to make mistakes. There’s a whole school of geriatric medicine called slow medicine: Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Mother didn’t want a lot of stupid things done, and said no after a certain point. In my experience, it’s not the old people who want to keep going, but rather the children or medical professionals who ram it down your
throat or don’t explain alternatives. Rather than viewing death as a medical problem with a solution, you can see it as a natural part of life. The kindest thing you can do is just be present. Focus on quality of life, talk about your memories and ask stories about their lives. For me, that was the epiphany: “I can’t make her well or young, but I can make the time very rich for both of us.” It’s a very different kind of caring for yourself that really can take the stress away. © CTW Features
1,000,000
Number of people in the U.S., 65 and older, that received home health care in 2007
Source: 2007 National Home and Hospice Care Survey, conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics
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F O U R C O R N E R S H E A L T H Y l i v i n g Issue N o . 3 2 012
I'm Happy, You're Happy, We're Happy ‘Gray divorce’ is on the rise, but experts say the key to a healthy marriage once the nest is empty is to find purpose, happiness and stability tal roles, they also lose the structure of work – it drastically changes the amount of time they have together, and highlights the lack of connection between them.” She notes a common reason people over 50 cite for divorcing is a lack of connection. A wife may not feel her husband listens to her anymore, a husband might not think his wife cares about him, or both may feel bored with their relationship, she points out. But all is not lost. Happiness may be the key to staying together. But spouses shouldn’t just be happy with By Darci Swisher their marriage, Tessina says, they 10 people who divorced were over CTW FEATURES also should be happy with them50. Interestingly, the study notes selves. that divorce rates, in general, stayed ith divorce rates for cou“All three work together,” she steady during that time period. ples over 50 at record levexplains. “A happy wife or husband But it’s empty-nest syndrome – the els, couples need to work has more to contribute to the partterm commonly used for when chilharder than ever to keep their marnership, and more to give the partdren move out and leave their parriage – and themselves – happy as ner. If both parties sincerely desire a ents at home, alone, for the first they enter their senior years. happy, committed relationship, it time in many years – that is often “Fifty is like a watershed moment isn't difficult to figure out what they attributed to post-50 relationship in a lot of people’s lives,” says Gina need to do to be happy, to make issues. Ogden, Ph.D., author of “The Return each other happy and reap the ben“Couples who are doing the of Desire: A Guide to Rediscovering efits of a happy relationship.” demanding, stressful job of raising Your Sexual Passion” (Trumpeter, Ogden agrees, pointing out the children have a tendency to stop 2008). importance of people determining focusing on their personal relationAt a half-century, changes what makes them happy, and how ship and instead see each other only abound: Children begin leaving they bring self-esteem to themas co-parents,” Tina B. Tessina, Ph.D., home. The body’s aging process is in selves. Perhaps it’s shopping, garpsychotherapist and author of full swing. Careers can be at a dening or making money, she says; “Money, Sex and Kids: Stop Fighting demanding level. regardless, knowing how selfabout the Three Things That Can And all of these changes have the potential to affect a marriage – even Ruin Your Marriage” (Adams, 2008). esteem is achieved and whether the “When the kids leave the house, the method is healthy and nurturing is long-term relationships. A recent essential to achieving happiness. couples are faced with a moribund study from Bowling Green State Thankfully, there’s good news couple relationship.” University found that a quarter of ahead for 50-somethings in the hapThe next major life event for the couples who divorced in 2009 piness department: A May 2011 many, retirement, may only comwere over the age of 50. That numstudy for the Gallup-Healthways pound issues, Tessina adds. “Not ber is double what it was just two decades ago, when less than one in only do the couple lose their paren- Well-Being Index found that
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Americans over age 65 have the highest overall well-being and are less sad and depressed than other age groups. To find happiness as a couple, spouses need to realize that they may be entering into a new relationship with each other, because the person they fell in love with may have morphed over the years, according to Ogden. But change doesn’t have to mean all is lost. “There’s growth possible through every age and stage of our lives,” she explains. “At 50, we need to understand that we can change, and we can keep reinventing ourselves, in terms of self esteem, in terms of noticing our partner, and update what we want now.” The key is for spouses to identify who they are and what they want, both together as a couple and separately, Ogden notes. They should do so with an awareness of balancing their bodies, minds, hearts and spirits, she stresses. Those who find themselves dissatisfied with their partner should try to create a new partner before looking outside the marriage to fill that need, adds Ogden. For example, those dissatisfied with their love life might consider writing an ad for an ideal partner – together, or alone, and then sharing it – and then owning all those qualities for themselves. Or someone looking for a partner who is more sensitive should try to be more sensitive. “Become the partner you want to be,” she says. © CTW Features
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