Ageing Internally

Are you older on the inside than you look on the outside?

From the foods you eat and how you exercise to your friendships and lifestyle goals — it all influences how fast or slowly your body ages.

Eat well

If you look at your eating habits, even just small changes can make a difference in the way your body ages. Bad habits need to go! 

Focus on eating mindfully and making healthier choices, the chances are you'll have more energy and you'll lose weight. Studies have shown that what we eat may be one of the most important lifestyle modifications each of us can make to significantly increase our HealthSpan and add quality years of enjoyable life as we age. It’s all about having a balance. Aim to fill up your plate with ‘the good stuff’. Good means a rainbow plate of many colours, to get the full spectrum you need.

Testosterone Replacement for Men

Reasons why you should consider Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT)

What happens to testosterone [T] with age?

First: available ie ‘free’ T declines with age.

Here is data from the European Male Aging Study.[1].

Dementia Prevention

You are aware of the curse of dementia [mainly as Alzheimer’s Disease – AD] either as a risk of ageing or more powerfully because of personal experience of a sufferer.

There IS an inherited ie genetic component related principally to the APOE e4 gene. But lots of people who have the gene don’t get AD. The important information is not whether you have the gene [so don’t rush to get a test] but whether the gene is switched on - this is called gene expression.

Dem Bones, Dem Bones – how to stop fractures

Osteoporosis means ‘bone with holes in it’ and is the cause of significant later life problems.

The figures are that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men suffer osteoporotic ‘fragility fractures ‘of the hip, spine ribs or limbs. The fractures usually occur over age 65 unless someone has additional risk factors such as taking corticosteroids, a history of anorexia [so bones thinned at an early stage of adulthood] or alcoholism.

Reducing Cardiovascular Risk – Statins

Maximum prevention of cardiovascular disease [CVD] – the safety and usefulness of statins

This matters because CVD is a major killer: both cardiovascular death or hospitalisation [Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events = MACE] are almost entirely preventable by lowering blood pressure <120/80, avoiding smoking, and reducing apolipoprotein B concentration [ApoB-‘bad cholesterol’ most of which is LDL-C – this being what is usually measured]. Few if any of you will be smokers in 2023, but many of you have non-optimal BP [see previous InfoSheet on this] and less than perfect cholesterol patterns.

Reducing Cardiovascular Risk – Blood pressure

Focus on… Self-Management

A normal blood pressure [BP] is 120/80 such as you would have in your 30’s.

This matters because …

BP is a silent killer; you can’t tell from how you feel whether your BP is normal or dangerously sky-high. Raised BP is part of the metabolic syndrome [insulin resistance + raised BP + abnormal cholesterol pattern + prediabetic change] associated with mid-abdominal weight gain and major cause of cardiovascular risk [heart attack and stroke].

Skin in the game

Focus on

Simple techniques to enhance immunity, improve metal state & reduce inflammaging.

Summary

Some simple habits to add to your shower and bathroom routine that have health benefits.

• Short term post shower cold water immersion stimulates blood flow and has benefits on immune function and brain activity.
• As we age we need adequate skin hydration daily moisturizing is valuable.
• Skin massage increases natural killer cell function and promotes oxytocin output and stress reduction.

Curcumin - The Mellow Yellow Health Tool

Focus on...

Some more detailed examination of the benefits of curcumin and the problems with formulation.

Why is this useful?

There are lots of necessary supplements for the over 50’s [protein, ‘Vitamin’ D, vitamins B12 and B9 [Folate], Magnesium, Zinc …] At this point if you have followed my recommendations, you are rattling and considering the expense.

So when it comes to other additional agents, they must be really beneficial.

Curcumin [one of the active ingredients in dietary turmeric -that golden spice that stains your kitchen yellow when you have a curry] should definitely be on your list.

But … eating more Curry is not the answer.

New thoughts on B12, omega 3 & Multivitamin replacement

Here are some thoughts on B12 0mega 3, zinc and a variety of other nutrients that are components of a multivitamin tablet.

Top Line recommendations

1. Magnesium Taurate 300 mg at bedtime [1 capsule]
2. Zinc citrate 30 mg at bedtime [Pure brand = 1 capsule]
3. B12 oral spray 2000 mcg daily.[Better You B12 boost]
4. Centrum Silver Adult Over 50: 1 daily.
5. Vegan Omega 3 4G daily [Nutravita brand = 2 capsules]

Gastric Reflux: Critical Stuff & Common-sense Advice

Focus on … 

Three things you need to know:  

Associated problems
Investigations 
Treatments that work

Especially, what are practical measures to help symptoms and what unhelpful dietary or drug advice should I avoid?

More microbiome news … Urinary Tract Infection

Focus on:

The causes of UTI, why it matters and looking especially at recurrent UTI in postmenopausal women and in men with poor urine flow due to benign prostatic hyperplasia [BPH]. All these lessons are equally applicable to your daughters.

This matters, because…

Urinary infection is dangerous: either in your parents, or if you are 65+ for you, too.

If there is a UTI and delay in diagnosis; or antibiotics are either not prescribed or deferred, then 25-30% [ 5-6 in 200] end up in hospital, about 1 in every 200 have septicaemia and overall 2% [4 in 200] die, but that rises to 5.4% [11 in 200] of the untreated who may not get even get to hospital i. The authors say…

Not just bad breath! Your Oral Microbiome is HEALTH-CRITICAL

Focus on…

How the bugs in your mouth affect your health [and what to do about it]

This matters, because…

Bad mouth bugs [oral dysbiosis] can cause major problems: and it is a ‘fixable’ issue.

Yes, if you have this your breath may be bad and you may be un-kissable but there are more serious issues at stake!

It’s a Bug’s Life: offer love and take care of your microbiome

You have more bacteria about you - on your skin, in your gut and all the other nooks and crannies – than there are actual human cells in your body. More importantly they do stuff that matters. Whether that is for good, or evil depends on which bacteria are in your particular crowd. This matters for the critical aims we have in respect of longevity. The goal in its simplest terms is reduce inflammaging and prevent dementia, mainly Alzheimer’s Disease [AD]. But apart from the relationship between the mouth microbiome and AD the inflammation associated with a bad microbiome in the gut triggers AD, heart disease, atopic conditions such as asthma, eczema and rhinitis, irritable bowel, inflammatory bowel disease and is a contributing cause for obesity.

Ultra-Processed Foods

All Ultra-processed foods are problematic, even plant-based options

It seems so easy, so modern-day! After a busy workday, your ready meal is in and out of the microwave in 7 minutes. Well - that really helps! Unfortunately, speedy food is not always healthy food.

Supernutrition #6: Anti-inflammaging Supplements

The story of super-supplements – truth or fiction?

Although my usual nutritional message is “optimum diet, no need for additives or multivitamin preparations” and nobody needs extra vitamin C if they eat fruit and vegetables… as far as anti-ageing is concerned, to get potent anti inflammaging activity you need a supplement.

For example, to reach the recommended daily intake of 800-1000mg of quercetin takes more onions, coffee, dill etc than any of us want to consume. Similarly, curcumin (the potent anti-inflammatory agent in turmeric) is very poorly absorbed from food and only a supplement will make any impact [and avoid a very yellow mess in your kitchen].

Supernutrition #5: Hormones, Diet & Body Composition

Hormones diet and body composition

The three principal sex hormones, Oestradiol (E), Testosterone (T) and Progesterone (P) all interact with diet, metabolism and body composition. Ghrelin and Leptin moderate intake and insulin determines fat storage. Thyroid function regulates energy metabolism. Anyone with weight problems (too much or too little) may need hormone evaluation and/or treatment. Reduction in output of E & T post menopause or in 60+ men has adverse consequences that you may wish to counter.

Supernutrution #4: Eight easy ways to lose central fat

Eight genuinely easy ways to shift dangerous central fat and prolong HealthSpan

The following 8 strategies have scientific evidence to support them and obvious logic. Critically none of them require you to go hungry.

I don’t deal here with hormone issues but will do so next week.

Supernutrition #3: The dangers of central fat

How do I lose my dangerous central fat?

This is important for your HealthSpan- This is not ‘fat-shaming’ just the truth that accumulating central fat increases your risk of fatal and life-diminishing diseases, shortens your life, and reduces the quality of your life. But you probably know that, deep down.

Clearly, keeping slim is difficult for many: so what do we know that is useful if you need some help, what are the myths?

Supernutrition #2: Must haves & Best nots

As well as your rainbow plate there are some other nutrients that are essential.

Ideally, a significant proportion of your energy comes from the fat content of your diet rather than from high glycaemic carbs [refined wheat, potatoes, white rice etc] because these cause high sugar peaks after consumption. The best oil and fat choices are healthy and good for you. The demonisation of fat in the last century is now recognized to be completely misleading and one of the causes of our current obesity epidemic. I will use ‘fat’ to mean oil or solid foods.

Supernutrition #1: Use a Rainbow Plate to turbocharge your anti-ageing strategy

Supernutrition to lower your biological age doesn’t come from a single faddish ‘superfood’, but from a diet packed with the multiple beneficial nutrients that reduce inflamm-aging, promote immunity and reduce dementia and cancer risk.

YES! you can influence these outcomes by your food choices: in fact, it is absolutely the best way [alongside daily exercise]. The key dietary components to achieve this are adequate protein intake, lots of polyphenols and flavonoids, an appropriate choice of oils and fats and attention to trace element and vitamin content. Polyphenols and flavonoids are the chemicals in food that do the anticancer/ anti-inflammatory work.

Exercise - The New You

Yes you have ‘January Good Intentions’ to do more exercise! But how do you put this into the overall context of keeping your biological age well below your actual years?

Well the simple answer is ‘just get moving’ but it needs to be well thought out to get the maximum benefit for the time and effort involved. Here are 5 things to think about.

1. Prioritise consistency and being energetic

The trouble with exercise is that it has to be a regular thing to be beneficial. So first, be consistent -  move in some way, every day of the week. Moving can be anything you like eg walking, swimming, cycling, roller skating, dancing, playing tennis, doing a yoga sequence or a quick body weight workout just to name a few options.

Blow me down with a feather- where did all that muscle go?

You know the story: “Mum’s got a bit frail… Dad has difficulty getting up the stairs, now … my folks don’t seem to be able to do much for themselves these days, it’s very sad to see”

This is frailty – a combination of loss of muscle [sarcopaenia] and loss of strength [dynopaenia] that causes adverse outcomes, eg difficulties in all activities of daily living, likelihood of osteoporosis and falls, also meaning higher risk of hospitalisation, a longer hospital length of stay and risk of re-admission if there is an illness. The final consequences are loss of independence and death sooner than might be expected. The good news is you can prevent it or recover from it.

Body Composition, not Body Weight

You may think being on top of age means being weight obsessed. But in reality, it is the quality of what your body consists of that is important in terms of limiting ageing.

The key is having a sense of how much muscle [positive] you have and how much central fat [potentially damaging] you have gained.

So the number on the scale is less important  as long as you are travelling in the right direction.

Sleep Basics: New ideas on treatment for insomnia

The definition of 'Chronic' Insomnia is 3 nights poor sleep per week persisting for 3 months. It means problems in initiating sleep, or staying asleep, or returning to sleep after waking early in the morning. 

This effects 10-15% of men and women over 50, affects most women at menopause and continues after that if they are not on HRT. It affects some individuals chronically for many years, with severe health consequences.

Inflammation and CVD

Everyone understands that there is a  connection between ‘cholesterol’ and cardiovascular disease (CVD) and that it is the pattern of all the blood ‘lipoproteins’ not just the total cholesterol that determines the risk. 

Some of us have been mislead into thinking that dietary fat intake increases cholesterol. In fact most of our cholesterol is manufactured in the liver not eaten and eating good fats is beneficial. Abnormal blood lipids are a sign, mainly, of disordered carbohydrate metabolism and the dietary requirement is limiting sugar and refined carbohydrate intake. 

How old do you feel, Box-fresh or Antique Roadshow?

My message is simple

You can slow the negative aspects of ageing and have a good quality of life right up until you die – if you do what has to be done! So where are you on the slippery slope, now?

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