Aging Fabulous » nutrition

How to avoid the aches and pains of getting older

admin — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 17:36:33 +0000

Sore shoulders. Achy hips. Throbbing knees. Lower back pain. Creaky bones. Regardless of how many birthday candles we have blown out in our lifetime, the mind will continue to tell us we are still 30 years old, that we can bounce out of bed and move throughout the day without limitation. Our physical body does not always agree, and the little aches and pains seem a reminder that the year of 30 candles, or 40 candles, has come and gone. But, are the aches and pains of aging a way of life we need to accept as we get older?

Not necessarily. With a few changes in routine, we can keep the spring in our step and maintain a pain-free vitality we have come to expect and enjoy. UCLA physical therapist Ziya Altug offers an anti-aging program designed to turn back the hands of time. In The Anti-Aging Fitness Prescription, Altug outlines an exercise and stress reduction program in maintaining flexibility and strength of both body and mind; simple skin and hair tips to regain a youthful look; recipes, meal plans and nutrition diary to make the most of our efforts.

While no one is telling us we will eliminate all the aches and pains of aging, there are proactive steps we can take to greatly minimize the annoying pain that creeps into our muscles and joints when we were not paying attention to the calendar. Foremost, is managing weight gain. Carrying around extra weight is hard on the joints. Basically, losing weight results from portion control in eating less — and in eating the right foods.

The more our body hurts, the less we move — the less we move, the more our body hurts. The less we move the more weight we are likely to gain.

Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, walking, swimming, biking, dancing, low-impact sports and exercising with weights are some of the ways to incorporate the kind of exercise that will make a difference as the candles on the cake continue to increase in number.

Stretching exercises add flexibility, weight-bearing exercise add strength. After that, Altug recommends chondroitin and glucosamine supplements, aspirin and/or ibuprofen to manage and control the aches and pains of aging.

Bottom line though, we should not accept the pain that slows us down as a fact of life as we age.

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Time for a Winter Salad

SP Bragg — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 14:57:45 +0000

I am getting a little tired of heavier meals and thought that I would see what is out there in the way of winter salads. This is what I found this morning and it looks rather easy to throw together. Cooking and I don’t get along for the most part. Anyway, here are the ingredients, you can go here for the directions on how to put it all together!!

1 tart sweet apple, 6 ounces (180 g), with peel, cored and chopped
3 ribs of celery, thinly sliced, about 1 1/2 cups (180 g)
1 tablespoon (15 ml) chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons (30 ml) fat-free mayonnaise
2 tablespoons (30 ml) nonfat plain yogurt
1 teaspoon (5 ml) grated orange zest
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh orange juice
6 cups (336 g) mixed salad greens

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Secrets of the Mediterranean Diet – January 13th

SP Bragg — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 21:29:33 +0000

“A recent study has once again confirmed that people who closely follow ‘the Mediterranean Diet’ live longer than other Europeans (1). So what exactly is the Mediterranean diet and how does it exert this spectacular effect.

The Mediterranean diet is not a specific diet plan or diet program but a collection of eating habits that are traditionally followed by the people of the Mediterranean region. There are at least 16 countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea and food habits vary between these countries according to culture, ethnic background and religion. But there are a number of characteristics common to them all…”

Well, I’m not doing too badly, but I need to increase my veggie intake (knew that) and eat more oily fish. I really don’t like fish! But it looks as if I had better get used to it if I want to live to at least one hundred!

Source

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It’s all about portion control

SP Bragg — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 16:28:13 +0000

There was a time when we could eat anything we wanted and not gain an ounce. And then it got a little harder, but bringing up kids burned calories pretty quickly. Well, now we don’t have little kids to run after anylonger and our metabolism is slowing down. One of the best ways to keep our weight in check is to practice portion control and adding exercise to our day. It’s really not that big a deal if you are serious about it. And there is no excuse about having no time. I just left the computer, made the bed and did fifty sit-ups. Lunch which is a half hour away will be a sandwich with lots of veggies on the side and a yogurt. It’s all about filling up with things that are good for you, so when you want to sneak in something decadent, you can!

At the moment, we have a lemon meringue pie sitting in the fridge and I plan to have some! It’s all about portion control.

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Adding Inches to the Waistline

SP Bragg — Thu, 05 Oct 2006 16:20:18 +0000

With all the situps that I’m doing, I think that I have it under control, but this little chopping board should make it that much easier. I had no idea that this even existed!!

Now is this cool or what. Slide your food into the circle and it actually weighs your food for you!

Did you know…

“Carrots are one of the best sources of carotene which is a strong antioxidant. But carrots also contain other phenolic compounds that are antioxidants. Many people do not realize that numerous phenolic compounds are located in the skin of fruit and vegetables, many of which are removed by peeling prior to processing.

Is it worth the effort to try to get your kids, or yourself for that matter, to eat spinach? Absolutely. Eating spinach will help you meet your daily need for a number of nutrients, including calcium, iron, folate and vitamin A… And that’s just for starters. And just in case you can’t stand it cooked (like me) it makes a kick ass salad! Who needs lettuce??

And then there is broccolli. It’s not as bad as I expected. And then when I saw what it could do for you, I was convinced. This is right up there with miracle foods.

Note to self… eat more veggies even if you are sick to death of them! You will grow to be a very old lady with gorgeous skin!

Source

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*Something Scary

SP Bragg — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 16:32:32 +0000

Just in case you thought that it didn’t matter, by the time you hit 50, you can either look 40 or 60… take you pick. And it’s completely up to you!

That’s probably why I keep telling you to exercise, eat your veggies and drink more water. I’m trying to follow my own advice.

*The Sexy Years: Discover the Hormone Connection–The Secret to Fabulous Sex, Great Health, and Vitality, for Women and Men

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Antioxidents 101

SP Bragg — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 20:44:25 +0000

When I was growing up, I don’t think the word anitoxidents even existed. Well, I’m sure it did, but it wasn’t as well understood as it is now. At least I think I understand it. But it seems that I need to add a few new food items to my weekly list if I want to grow old gracefully!

Here it is in a nutshell…

“Antioxidants are substances or nutrients in our foods which can prevent or slow the oxidative damage to our body. When our body cells use oxygen, they naturally produce free radicals (by-products) which can cause damage. Antioxidants act as “free radical scavengers” and hence prevent and repair damage done by these free radicals.”

So, when your kids tell you to eat your veggies… you really should listen to them!

Source

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Nutrition Myths

SP Bragg — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 14:06:03 +0000

It’s funny the kinds of things we are told as kids and how they seem to stick with us as we get older. One of the myths that comes to mind involves brown sugar and although I can’t remember who it was that firmly believed this myth… I know that someone in my extended family or circle of friends believed that it was much healthier than white sugar.

You know that remembering who it was is going to drive me crazy now.

Now organic is another thing entirely until data comes out some time in the future to prove that theory wrong too!

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5 Things You Can Do Right Now

SP Bragg — Sat, 12 Aug 2006 14:41:21 +0000

If you are serious about slowing down the aging process, you should consume less sugar, drink less coffee, exercise more, eat less meat and consume more fruits and veggies.

While that might sound like a lot of changes, it really isn’t once you start. Presently, I am trying the less sugar thing, but simply choosing a piece of fruit instead. I have just killed two birds with one stone… a horrible comparison now that I think about it, but you know what I mean. The exercise is thanks to a pedometer I wear daily. I have to at least match the steps accumulated the day before. Drinking less coffee wasn’t that hard either. I’m down to 1/2 cup in the morning and that’s it. Occasionally on the weekend, I will have a second 1/2 cup during the afternoon. But no more!

*Update on the Coffee
I haven’t had a drop in over a week!

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What 9 a Day Looks Like

SP Bragg — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 14:50:18 +0000

We are of course talking about fruits and vegetables in our diet. I have to watch what I eat on a constant basis, so this site definitely helps. While I could live on fruit, unfortunately that would spike my blood sugar, so I have to rely on more veggies. And if they aren’t raw… just yuk. How anyone can eat cooked vegetables is beyond me. Like cooked spinach… there really can’t be anything worse than that! Now a raw spinach salad is a completely different story. I could eat one of those every day!

Here’s to a healthy summer and killer waistline!

9 A Day

Post from: Aging Fabulous