Curious about Projecting Longevity? Try This

People used to say you could learn about someone’s character by the firmness of a handshake.

Now, research tells us that grip strength can also be an indicator of how long you might live.

And it’s not the only everyday way to get a glimpse into longevity. Studies also say we can learn about our future health by measuring:

  • Pushups
  • Standing up from sitting on the floor
  • Walking speed

It’s fun to test yourself and think about it like this. It’s also a great reminder of how absolutely crucial it is to have strength, endurance, and agility to maintain quality of life and independence.

First, Grip Strength

Grip strength is a “reliable measurement of overall health,” says WebMD, “even as an indicator of the potential health of you heart and blood vessels.”

It can tell doctors about muscular endurance, power and bone health, and about all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality. “As surprising as it may be, research shows a link between grip strength and how well and long you may live.”

Weak hands can mean weakness throughout the body, which indicates poor cardiovascular health – which are all major reasons why you should be exercising regularly.

A separate review of studies showed that for people over 60, grip strength can predict “decline in cognition, mobility, functional status and mortality.”

How Many Push-ups Can You Do?

The answer could be helpful to keeping your heart healthy, according to a study by Harvard and other institutions published by the American Medical Association.

Cardiovascular disease remains the No. 1 killer worldwide. Contributing factors include diet, smoking, drink – and exercise. But predicting an individual’s likelihood to develop heart disease has been problematic. This survey seems to say that a quick test can act as a simple, no-cost and generally effective crystal ball.

The researchers studied the health of hundreds of men over several years. They didn’t set out to examine push-ups. But the data revealed that men who could complete 11 or more went on to have lower risk of heart attack and other cardiovascular problems later in life.

Men who could do 40 push-ups were 96 percent less likely to develop problems than those who couldn’t manage more than 10.

Other Measures, Too

Now, before we put too much weight behind any single study or specific point, it’s worth noting other predictors of longevity – especially now, when the topic is so hot. Everyone wants to not only live longer, but also better.

Another study found predictive value in measuring how easily someone over 50 can stand from a seated position on the floor.

And researchers have used walking speed as another way to analyze how long an older person might live.

These all come together to make an undeniable case: If you’re physically capable of performing common tasks as you age, then you’re likely to enjoy a longer, better life.

You can’t argue with that! So, come see us today and let’s get moving in the right direction.

 

Type 2 Diabetes Linked to Ultra-processed Foods

You already know that a diet heavy in ultra-processed food is bad for you.

Now, here’s one more reason to avoid these junk foods — like packaged desserts, snacks, meats and more that often come jacked up with sugar, preservatives, corn syrup and chemical additives.

They are linked to an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Scientists report a 17% higher risk of developing the disease for every 10% increase in the amount of someone’s diet made up of ultra-processed foods. That’s from a study published in September in The Lancet Regional Health – Europe.

Eating fewer such foods lowers the risk, too, they reported.

These products often have long lists of ingredients that are impossible to pronounce. They sometimes have colorful branding, with claims of being healthy or nutritious, like “low in fat.”

They tend to be high in calories, too, which could lead to greater body fat, which increases the risk of type 2 diabetes.

You can lower your risk by avoiding too many sugary drinks, processed animal-based foods, and savory snacks like potato chips.

A previous study in JAMA Neurology linked too much junk food to declining brain health.

It’s probably too much to ask most of us to completely avoid ultra-processed food these days. But let’s try to cut back and eat mindfully, favoring a diet rich in whole, natural foods as much as possible.

Fitness Keeps You Strong for Serious Challenges

 

Fitness Keeps You Strong for Serious Challenges

Ricky Banks is a walking advertisement for fitness over 50 – which makes sense, since he owns two gyms in his late 50s.

But it became more important than ever after a near-fatal medical emergency a couple of years ago. Doctors and Ricky believe his healthy lifestyle helped him survive the loss of blood, the surgery, and the medically induced coma of his ordeal.

“The doctor said my health level, my fitness level, had a lot to do with my survival and recovery – my heart rate, my blood pressure, not being obese,” Ricky recalls.

Anyone over 50 should take this as another reason to stay in good physical condition by exercising and eating right.

Being fit improves your chances of surviving common health scares and complications. If you want to bounce back from surgery, your chances go up exponentially if you stay at a healthy weight, keep your blood pressure where it should be, eat right, and exercise.

 

A Simple Way of Putting It

You don’t have to be as muscular as Ricky for these benefits to help you before, during and after surgery or other medical challenge. The same is true for more common over-50 procedures like joint replacements.

“Better fitness levels reduce complications when having an operation,” says the National Health Service of Scotland. “This is because your body can cope better with the stress of the operation. In turn, this improves your chances of avoiding complications; allowing you to leave hospital and return to your normal quality of life more quickly.

“Keeping an active lifestyle is good for your general health and if you are normally an active person, it is important to keep that up before your operation. People who have low activity levels can improve their fitness within as little as four weeks by taking regular exercise.”

Mature adults who exercise regularly are less likely to suffer a disability and more likely to recover faster, according to a study in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

And the National Institutes for Health concludes that exercise before and after surgery is important for ensuring its success in older people.

 

Ricky’s amazing story

Ricky woke up distressed about 2 a.m., passed blood in his urine, and was rushed to a hospital, passing out before he arrived.

His old problem of bleeding ulcers had returned with a vengeance. Doctors used more than 2 dozen pints of blood and put him into a coma to find the source of the bleeding and stop it.

They gave Ricky 50-50 odds of surviving. But because of Ricky’s heart health, his weight, and his fitness level, he pulled through.

“People say, ‘Ricky, you look like you haven’t been through anything,’” he says. “This has made me appreciate my body and how I take care of it. I tell people, ‘I understand, you’ve got to live your life. But be responsible.’”

 

 

Success Story: She Found the Sweetest Motivation

Renee Rose knows precisely why and when she decided to start exercising regularly.

And telling the story brings a tear to her eye.

Last Thanksgiving her family rented a bounce house for the grandkids. Renee had looked forward to playing in it with the little ones, but she quickly lost her breath and had to leave.

“I was really upset,” recalls Renee, a nurse who’s now 59 and had gained weight over the last year or two. “I couldn’t do the things that I wanted to do. It was at that moment I decided I’ve got to change.”

She started working out after the holidays and hasn’t looked back.

“The best thing I ever did was walk through those doors,” says Renee, a veteran nurse.

Previously, everyday chores had been growing more difficult. She got winded walking up the stairs. Most importantly, she couldn’t play with her grandkids on the floor like she longed to do.

She’s working out three times a week in small group personal training.

And in just a few months, Renee’s doctor has taken her off one medication and hopes to drop another soon. Her stamina is up. Her clothes are too big.

She’s even doing burpees and squats.

 

Big Plans for a Big Birthday

And for her 60th birthday, Renee is planning “something physical” like rock climbing, ziplining, or white-water rafting.

It could be a celebration to match the family’s Fourth of July. They rented a tall water slide for the kids, and Renee put memories of the bounce house behind her. She went up and down the slide with her granddaughter tirelessly, over and over.

“She came up to me with her little arms up and said, ‘Again, Nana.’ It was the best. I want to cry just talking about it.

“It was so much fun and made me feel good having that time with her. You want to be there for them. You don’t want to be the Nana in the rocking chair. Not at 60.”

 

A Powerful Motivation for Many

What type of grandparent do you want to be?

The strong and healthy kind that plays with the grandkids — or the frail, retreating kind that sits and watches, instead?

Studies show that being an active, involved grandparent is one of the most common and powerful motivations for millions of people to exercise regularly.

  • Today’s grandparents want to share experiences with the grandkids, not just buy them things.
  • Almost 70% live within 50 miles.
  • And polls show that grandparenting stands out as one of the most positive aspects of later life.

Strength makes all the difference as we age. Humans lose muscle as we age unless we practice resistance training to maintain muscle. Without it, we get to the point where we simply can’t do much of anything.

 

We love Renee’s example!

 

What will be your motivation to change your life? Call today and start learning how we can help you.

 

Healthy Aging Month Chips Away at Stereotypes

In the 32 years since September was designated Healthy Aging Month, organizers say negative stereotypes about getting older are diminishing.

“Of course, there are still stereotypes about older adults,” said Carolyn Worthington, president of Healthy Aging, the multimedia platform promoting the month. “Perhaps the baby boomers embracing aging like no other generation started turning the tide. It is not unusual to see people in their 80s and 90s doing spectacular things today.”

We regularly feature news and information about older adults and fitness. Some of them perform amazing athletic feats. More are just devoted to living healthier, happier lives for as long as possible, and they know that regular exercise is a key part of that.

What else can you do to support healthy aging? Organizers suggest:

  • Moving more and sitting less
  • Aiming for 150 minutes a week of moderate intensity activity and two sessions of strength training each week
  • Cutting back on salt, which is linked to high blood pressure, stroke and heart attack
  • Volunteering
  • Maintaining an active social life
  • Pursuing something you love
  • Owning a pet
  • Manage stress with these tips from Mental Health America

If you’ve been waiting for a sign that you need to step up your healthy habits, here it is! Come see us today, and let’s get you moving – the key to healthy aging in every month.

Why Exercise Boosts Your Creativity

Exercise boosts creative thinking of all kinds.

Want proof?

  • Michael, a corporate attorney, solves his complicated work problems while swimming.
  • Todd, who manages PR for a large communications firm, likes to have one-on-one meetings with his direct reports at the company gym.
  • And Lyndsey, a photographer, cleared her head to open her own business while lifting weights and sparring in the gym.

There’s also a growing body of scientific studies that make the connection between exercise and creative thinking. Walking is a good starting point, as great thinkers like Aristotle, Nietzsche and Thoreau observed. But strength training and balance work are essential, particularly after 50.

‘Walking Opens Up the Free Flow of Ideas’

For example, in one study experts found participants who walked more saw an 81 percent rise in creative thinking on a key scale to measure divergent and convergent thinking, the two main components of creative thinking. One refers to our ability to think of multiple solutions to a problem, the other to thinking of just one.

“Moreover, when seated after walking, participants exhibited a residual creative boost,” wrote Marily Oppezzo and Daniel Schwartz of Stanford. The benefits come whether you’re walking indoors or outside, they said. “Walking opens up the free flow of ideas, and it is a simple and robust solution to the goals of increasing creativity and increasing physical activity.”

Beyond walking, our brains get juiced by bicycling, yoga, weightlifting – whatever exercise we choose. And people who are in good shape get even more benefits, research shows.

“Those who exercise regularly are better at creative thinking… Regular exercisers fared better on creativity tests than did non-exercisers,” wrote cognitive psychologist Lorenza Colzato.

Exercise increases the size of the hippocampus, which plays a major role in learning, and improves memory.

Healthy Habits Are Good for Everyone

“Creativity” doesn’t apply just to artists or other “creative” types. It refers to thinking freely – “outside the box,” as the saying goes – to find solutions to problems.

When we were younger, maybe it was easier to pull an all-nighter, or dredge up creative bursts by sheer will when forced under a deadline.

But that only works for so long. And as we age, we need more reliable ways to keep our creativity flowing. That means more than just exercise. We need to eat right and get plenty of rest, and replenish our mind and spirit with friends, family, art, community and spiritual pursuits.

Creativity is key to success in any kind of endeavor. And exercise can help you — any kind of it.

Try it out. Next time you’re turning over something in your mind, go for a walk and see if your mind doesn’t start generating some new ideas.

Starting with a walk is fine. But come let us show you the power of more kinds of movement for people over 50. Some people find yoga unleashes their subconscious problem-solving abilities. For others, lifting heavy weight gets the mental juices flowing.

Free your body, and the rest will follow.

 

 

 

 

Questions? We’ve Got Answers!

Keep Smiling and Stay Strong

Need a reason to smile? Here’s one.

Everybody wants a miracle cure for everything that ails them. And no less than the New York Times proclaimed in a headline, “Closest Thing to a Wonder Drug? Try Exercise.”

We agree!

“Of all the things we as physicians can recommend for health, few provide as much benefit as physical activity,” as Dr. Aaron Carroll of the Indiana University School of Medicine wrote in the nation’s paper of record.

And this view is widely upheld by others in medicine, geriatrics and fitness.

Making the Smartest Investment

It’s like investing in your future, but with your health rather than money (although healthy habits do save you money, too).
Fitness can help you prevent illness and manage symptoms of a range of ailments. Being fit also helps people recover better after common surgeries or illnesses. Regular gym workouts:

  • Add years to life
  • Support heart health
  • Strengthen bones
  • Improve balance and blood pressure
  • Lower body fat
  • Prevent falls
  • Improve sleep
  • Treat cancer, Parkinson’s, Type 2 diabetes and more

The U.S. government suggests people get at least 150 minutes every week of moderate intensity exercise.

A Harvard study says that just 15 minutes of physical activity a day can add three years to your life.

And the Journal of the American Medical Association said that not exercising puts individuals at greater risk than smoking and diabetes.

Research proves that exercise is good for our health at any age. Experts say it also helps prevent cancer and lower its risk of recurring. And regular exercise benefits cancer survivors the same way it helps the general population – by reducing obesity and blood pressure, lowering risk of heart attack, stroke, and diabetes, and more.

2 Recent Studies at to the Evidence

Being inactive throughout life contributes to the likelihood of falls, at least in women, according to a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

The study involved more than 11,700 participants, with an average age of 54. Those who had not been very physically active over the years were 40 percent more likely to fall in their 70s. There was a greater risk for women who had been physically active around age 49 but then stopped from around age 55.

So, the researchers determined that exercise must be ongoing to protect from falls.

Reporting on a separate study touting resistance training, CNN wrote, “Retirement should be filled with time with loved ones, relaxation and — according to new research — heavy lifting.”

Participants who practiced resistance training with heavy loads had the best long-lasting benefit in leg strength, the researchers wrote in the journal BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine. Their length strength was just as good even four years later.

Resistance training includes weightlifting and body-weight exercises – anything that uses your muscles to work against a force. It’s essential for older adults to preserve muscle mass and bone density and to lower the risk of falls, among other benefits.

Let us show you how exercise at any age will provide powerful returns throughout life. We are here to help!

Success Story: From Professional Foodie to Powerlifter

Imagine if your job was devoted to food.

  • You ate out at restaurants several nights a week.
  • You tested all kinds of recipes.
  • You hobnobbed with the foodiest of foodies.

Sounds like a dream job, right? And in many ways, it was for Jill Silva, (right, above) the award-winning former Food editor of the Kansas City Star who now has a public relations firm representing restaurants, chefs, and others in the industry.

But it came at a cost she’s now excited to be correcting: Silva, 60, gained weight over the years in restaurants and test kitchens, during which she was a busy mom of two and never made time for consistent exercise.

But now, thanks to a newfound passion for powerlifting and working out with a trainer, she’s healthy, fit and energetic.

“I might never be that skinny young thing again, but that’s OK,” says Silva. “I’m strong, I feel great, and I won’t need to use a walker when I’m 80.”

An ‘Accidental’ Start

The turnaround began “accidentally” a couple of years ago when a friend invited her to use a guest pass at a recreation center. To her surprise, Silva started working out for the first time in ages and felt better almost immediately.

She connected with a female powerlifting coach and has been working out at least twice a week, losing fat and gaining muscle along the way – and reversing worries from her doctor.

She’s reassessing aspects of her relationship with food, although she loves her work and all the countless ways food enriches our lives.

“I’m trying to let the excuses go that I’m a food person and I test recipes and eat out in restaurants, so that’s just the way it is for me,” she says. “I had to stop eating what I want whenever I want it.”

At 5 feet 7, she’s down to 210, near her goal weight of 200.

“I am very solid muscle. I am extremely strong,” she says proudly.

She eats at events about three times a week, and often what she eats there is beyond her control.

“So, I’m trying to remember quantity, to just take a taste,” she says. “A lot goes home in boxes. You don’t want to hurt the chef’s feelings.”

The ‘Misconception’ about Bulking Up

When she was growing up, Silva says, schools didn’t teach the health benefits of lifting weights, so it came as news to her.

“There was nothing in gym class ever that taught me about weights,” she says. “I had the misconception that you would bulk up.”

Squats, deadlifts, rows and more resistance exercises have built a new appreciation of her body – what it can do, how it can improve her health, and how it looks.

“I spent so much time in my life thinking I was not quite adequate, that I could have thinner legs or be more like someone else,” she recalls. “And that’s just such a waste.”

How Exercise Can Fight Neuropathy

Karen Joseph had no idea what was happening years ago when the first symptoms on neuropathy began.

She assumed the pain and numbness in her legs were from a spinal injury she suffered in a car crash.

But after her diagnosis in 2014, Karen learned how debilitating neuropathy can be. And she had to make changes to her workouts.

“I could have gone on disability back then, but I knew I needed to move,” she says now at 65. She lost speed and agility, and worried about falling. Running turned her legs to concrete, and power-walking didn’t get her heartrate up enough.

Karen is a retired Army officer and former bodybuilding champion, as well as a longtime personal trainer. After neuropathy hit, she had to find new ways to keep herself in top condition. Most of her clients are over 50, and some have neuropathy themselves — weakness and numbness due to nerve damage.

“I downscaled it a bit, but I still do it,” Karen says. She also found help in a new high-tech tool using virtual reality.

What Is Neuropathy?

About 30 million Americans have “peripheral neuropathy,” according to the Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy.  Men get it a bit more than women, and the risk is higher for mature adults.

Neuropathy refers to disorders due to damage to the nervous system. Numbness and pain can occur, particularly in feet and hands.

It has a range of causes, such as diabetes, traumatic injury, inflammatory infections, protein abnormalities, poor nutrition, and exposure to toxic chemicals.

“The best way to prevent peripheral neuropathy is to manage medical conditions that put you at risk, such as diabetes, alcoholism or rheumatoid arthritis,” says the Mayo Clinic.

Regular exercise and proper diet also help prevent it. After diagnosis, exercise can reduce the pain and fight symptoms.

See your doctor if you experience numbness or tingling in feet and hands; extreme sensitivity to touch; lack of coordination and falling; and muscle weakness.

How Fitness Helped

For Karen, exercise has been a part of her life forever, and she can’t imagine stopping because of her age or condition.

In addition to working out with weights, Karen has found great cardio exercise using the Supernatural app on her Oculus virtual reality system.

“I can get my heartrate up to 160, 170 beats per minute, and I can work out for two hours,” she says. Participants practice boxing moves or strike moving virtual targets with virtual bats, set to popular music and in immersive environments like mountaintops and desserts. The choreography also helps cognitively.

“I’m soaked when I’m finished. My heart rate is up. It’s a workout,” Karen says. “Anything I can do that makes me feel like me and makes me feel functional, I love that.”

When to Pause on the Path and Look Back

Here’s a “hot take” on a common bit of advice that tells us to “Never look back – you’re not going that way.”

Yeah, sure. But here’s the deal.

If you don’t look back sometimes, then how can you review where you’ve been – and feel great about how far you’ve come?

If you’re always looking ahead to a goal off on the horizon, then you’re always going to be unsatisfied – because that goal, and the horizon, will constantly move farther away from your grasp.

It flies in the face of so much of our “goal-driven” culture, but it makes sense to focus on our gains instead of the gap between where we are and where we want to be.

That’s the premise of a book called “The Gap and the Gain” that offers a more constructive way of looking at yourself on your journey, whatever journey it might be.

The authors suggest that you’ll feel more inspired when you look back at how much you’ve gained, which is a defined point from THERE to HERE, rather than always reaching for some impossible “out there” that you can never, ever reach.

It’s a little like the “all or nothing” excuse that we often hear. People tell us they would love to get in shape, but they just don’t have time to dedicate their lives to it.

But guess what? You don’t have to dedicate endless hours and become obsessed with the gym. Any exercise is better than nothing. Any healthy meal is better than a drive-through. Any activity is better than none.

And it all adds up to impressive GAINS that will motivate you even further.

Seriously, think about this.

Do you feel frustrated because you haven’t reached your goal weight?

OK. Now remember what you weighed when you started. Compare it to your current weight. Applaud that gain! It’s fantastic!

If you can’t go to the gym five days a week, no worries. Go two days a week. That’s better than none.

It’s all in how you look at it, but in a practical sense that pays off in real dividends.

Specifically regarding “The Gap and the Gain,” here’s what co-author Benjamin Hardy says:
“[T]his one simple concept is a masterclass on positive psychology, healthy relationships, mental well-being, and high-performance. Everything that psychologists know about how to create a high-functioning and successful person can be achieved using The GAP and the GAIN.”

It makes perfect sense once you think about it.

If you’re always trying to be somewhere you LITERALLY CANNOT BE, then you’ll always feel like a failure.

But if you’re reviewing your achievements and saying, “Hey, I accomplished that much,” then you’re more likely to keep going – and to feel happy and successful.

Try it next time you find yourself saying something like, “I’m just not getting anywhere.”

Turn around, take a look… and SEE.

We want to be beside you on your journey, wherever you need us. Call or come see us today, and let’s get you moving.

That’s an easy GAIN you can make right now!

Eye of the Tiger: Keep Your Drive at Any Age

Studies show that having a purpose is key to overall optimal aging and to success in fitness at any age.

Once you meet 80-year-old track-and-field champion Howard Booth, you won’t doubt that again.

It’s Howard’s commitment that keeps him going in life and in sports.

“So much of it is the psychology,” says Howard, a retired professor. “I know that deep down, doing this stuff is good for me. There is a little bit of self-brainwashing involved,” he says, describing what others might call motivation.

He worked out in gyms before the pandemic and then built a home gym with a stair stepper, treadmills, chin bars, free weights – and a pole-vaulting pit in the back yard. He likes to lift weights, perform bodyweight exercises like pushups, and practice dynamic balance moves.

Howard has won three gold medals in pole vaulting in World Masters Athletics championships. He’ll compete in Sweden this summer in pole vault, hurdles, and a relay team.

His speed and strength training make him a competitor. Vaulting alone requires you to race down the track and hoist yourself over a bar 7 feet high.

“Drive is why I got a PhD. That’s why I had a great career as a professor,” said Howard. “It is paying attention to details of what you’re doing at that time.”

Determination Is Key

You don’t have to be a retired professor, a pole vaulter, or as dedicated as Howard is. You just need a purpose to keep you moving. Experts say we need at least 150 minutes a week of moderate intensity cardio exercise, plus two strength training sessions a week, to stay healthy.

Many active agers benefit from focusing on a main “why.” They can return to it like a mantra for ongoing inspiration… Maybe they want to walk a granddaughter down the aisle, enjoy a summer working the back yard, or follow doctor’s orders to treat symptoms of chronic health conditions.

It doesn’t matter “what” your “why” is. Just that you have one.

Optimal aging requires the strength, stamina and agility to live life on your terms for as long as possible. It takes effort and determination, but you’re no stranger to putting in work to enjoy rewards later.

Plus, as Howard shows daily, it’s fun to move your body and to challenge and reward yourself.

He enjoys hiking with his wife, a painter, and they visit museums together when traveling for his track meets. Howard has a mountain bike and likes to paddleboard.

For anyone not quite as advanced – or, well, determined – as he is, Howard has some simple advice.

“Start simple and easy,” he says. “You get better and you learn to do new things, which is better than sitting there watching some stupid TV program that has no merit. When you’re done, give yourself kudos: You did it.”

Let us show you how to get that sparkle of drive back in your eye. Call or come see us today.