It’s a Great Time to Think About Wellness & Balance

It’s a Great Time to Think About Wellness & Balance

Throughout your life, you’ve probably had period where you felt like everything was in balance. You were healthy. Your relationships were strong. Your career was going well…

And, if you’re like most people, you’ve also had those moments when you felt unbalanced – like something wasn’t right, and it was dragging you down in other aspects of life.

It’s true throughout life that if we have our health, we have our greatest wealth. And, more than ever as we mature, fitness plays an even greater role in our overall wellness or wellbeing – how we feel across the board.

Over the holidays, it’s a good time to review your balance (or wellness/wellbeing) and how to protect it.

What Is Wellness?

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) writes “People often think about wellness in terms of physical health — nutrition, exercise, weight management, etc., but it is so much more. Wellness is a holistic integration of physical, mental, and spiritual well-being, fueling the body, engaging the mind, and nurturing the spirit.”

The University of California says: “Wellness is an active process of becoming aware of and making choices toward a healthy and fulfilling life. Wellness is more than being free from illness, it is a dynamic process of change and growth.”

Most experts list six to eight categories of wellbeing. Here’s the breakdown provided by the

International Council on Active Aging:

  • Physical – Exercise and nutrition are essential to maintaining independence and health. And being strong helps us with LITERAL balance to prevent falls!
  • Emotional – “coping with challenges and behaving in trustworthy and respectful ways.”
  • Intellectual/Cognitive – “engaging in creative pursuits and intellectually stimulating activities.”
  • Professional/Vocational – using your “skills while providing personal satisfaction.”
  • Social – “interactions with family, friends, neighbors and chosen peer groups.”
  • Spiritual – “living with a meaning and purpose in life, guided by personal values.”
  • Environmental – promoting a healthy environment; understanding how different environments affect you.

Some Simple Tips

  1. Move More / Sit Less. Everything you do adds up.
  2. Volunteer online or over the phone. Call local charitable organizations, community centers, and your religious leaders.
  3. Express yourself. Write in a journal, paint, play music or sing. Talk about your feelings with family, friends, a therapist or a spiritual leader.
  4. Limit time watching the news or looking at social media.
  5. Meditate or pray each day. Schedule the time and treat it like an important appointment.
  6. Read books. Talk about them in an online book club or with family and friends.
  7. Research for your next trip, or plan something to look forward to.
  8. Try to be thankful, tolerant and patient with yourself and others.

Making positive changes and reinforcing good habits are super-important, says the NIH (and our experience). Things like scheduling, accountability, convenience, and HAVING FUN will help.

Being part of a gym or fitness community is an invaluable way to build the balance you need. We’re here for you now and in the future.

How to Keep Moving Over the Holidays

If you think there’s no point in even trying to exercise over the holidays, tweak your thinking just a bit.

Focus on getting in at least a little intentional movement every day, even when you can’t actually exercise.

In your efforts to be consistent, this is one of those “a little is better than nothing” instances. If you think about how you can move more, even in little doses, it all adds up before you realize it. So, don’t just shrug and sit there for yet another college football game!

If you’re with family, look for ways to incorporate them into your activity, too, so it becomes a social or bonding moment. Snowball fight with the kids? Flag football in the park? Heck, yeah!

Here are 10 easy ways to move it (so you don’t lose it) during the holidays or at any time.

  1. Stretch for a few minutes each morning.
  2. Walk to the mailbox every day.
  3. Park at the far end of lots so you’ll have to walk farther to the building entrance.
  4. Take the stairs instead of elevators or escalators.
  5. Invite someone on a walk to catch up, rather than meeting for lunch or coffee.
  6. Stand up when making phone calls or checking emails.
  7. Set a timer to get up and move around every 30 minutes.
  8. Dance during every commercial break when you’re watching TV.
  9. Wear a fitness tracker and set a goal for steps, calories or minutes spent in motion
  10. Walk to run errands or shop whenever possible.

What else can you think of?

Incorporate moves like this into your daily lifestyle – plus regular visits to exercise with us – and you’ll be on your way to a fitter, healthier and happier you before the new year starts.

 

 

Mobility Keeps This Champ Moving!

Juaquita Gray is a 59-year-old champion athlete who can’t even imagine slowing down.

“I think, ‘I cannot get slower and jump less far if I maintain my body,’” says Juanita, an Air Force veteran, Defense Department contractor, and leading masters track competitor.

Part of her secret comes from strength training and dynamic mobility exercises. And even if you never want to compete in track and field, you need to focus on strength and mobility, too – just to enjoy your health, quality of life, and activities of your choice.

Dynamic mobility exercises are designed to increase the range of motion of a joint, but Juaquita puts them to work mentally, too.

“It conditions the body and the mind,” she says, boosting her determination and success.

First, the dynamic mobility exercises give her the flexibility in joints and muscles to run the 50, 100, 200 meters and do the long jump and triple jump. She is No. 2 in the U.S. in the triple jump for women 55-59, fourth in the 50, and sixth in the 100, according to mastersrankings.com.

Three days a week, Juaquita performs walking lunges, jumping jacks, squats, leg swings, arm swings, side lunges, and many others.

She lives on the third floor of her building and avoids the elevator. She works on the eighth floor of another building and chooses stairs.

“These dynamic moves also enhance the connection between the brain and muscle functioning,” Juaquita said. “I believe it has a positive effect on my fast twitch muscles,” which help with sudden bursts of energy involved in activities like sprinting and jumping.

Mobility and Active Adults

Mobility goes beyond flexibility, and it’s important to all of us as we age.

“Flexibility is what someone can do to you – it’s passive,” trainer Ryan Carver says. “Like when a physical therapist bends your leg into a certain position. But mobility is in another camp. Mobility is doing the work.”

And it’s key for everyday tasks like putting on a coat or getting out of bed without stiffness.

Mobility exercises usually involve bodyweight and other strength training moves, like squats and deadlifts. They give us long-lasting ability to move joints properly and avoid pain, more than mere stretching, which can bring temporary relief.

Moving with stability and control (another phrase for “mobility”) can become more challenging as we age. With poor mobility, we can lose the ability to do things we enjoy; have a higher risk of falling; and can experience social isolation.

By working out to increase our mobility, we help avoid injury; protect and support joints; and maintain a fuller range of motion.

“I’ve never really been a big competitor,” Juaquita says. “I just go out there and do it. Of course, I want to win, that’s wonderful, but I don’t mind if other people win. The opportunity to race, especially at this age, is great because not a whole lot of people are out there at our age doing this.”

 

In the Headlines: Obesity at 75% of US Adults

Did you see the recent news reports about a study that found almost 75 percent of American adults are overweight or obese? The study was published in The Lancet and then reported in The New York Times, CNN and other broad outlets.

That figure is up from about 50 percent in 1990, the study reported.

Experts says the hike is because we eat so many ultra-processed foods, don’t get enough fresh produce, and are too sedentary these days.

“The study’s authors documented increases in the rates of overweight and obesity across ages,” The Times wrote. The study “shows how more people are becoming overweight or obese at younger ages than in the past. Both conditions can raise the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease, and shorten life expectancy.”

The study defined “overweight” adults as those with a body mass index of 25 or higher and “obese” at over 30. BMI is an imperfect measure of whether an individual has too much body fat. But “from a scientific perspective, experts said, BMI is correlated with other measures of body fat and is a practical tool for studying it at a population level,” The Times wrote.

Let’s not quibble. We clearly have an obesity problem in this country.

Can you commit to living at a healthy weight and helping loved ones do the same? Eating right and exercising regularly remain the keys to success. We are here to help, so call or come visit today.

Some Like It Hot!!! – Healthy Recipe, Hot Haitian Shrimp

Healthy Recipe, Hot Haitian Shrimp

 

Ti-Malice is a character in Haitian folklore who tries to make a sauce hot enough to scare off a greedy uninvited visitor. But the plan backfires when the visitor deems the sauce delicious and tells everyone. This is how “Sos Ti Malice,” a Haitian condiment, got its name. Lesley Enston prefers it as a sauce for seafood, and shows how  in “Belly Full: Exploring Caribbean Cuisine Through 11 Fundamental Ingredients.”

 

This slight adaptation allows more leeway for reducing the heat level of the fiery Scotch bonnet pepper the traditional recipe calls for. If you can’t find them, habaneros are a close substitute; a few shots of hot sauce would also work.  This dish’s complex flavors are reminiscent of a lighter, brighter Creole gumbo, with only a few tablespoons of added fat. Serves 4-6. – Susan Puckett

 

Sauce:

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup diced yellow onion
  • 2 tablespoons diced shallots
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • ½ cup diced green bell pepper
  • ¼ cup diced red bell pepper
  • ½ to 2 Scotch bonnet or habanero peppers, minced (seeds & ribs removed for less heat)
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or ½ teaspoon dried)
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 cup water
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

 

Shrimp:

  • 1 pound peeled medium to large shrimp
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • White rice for serving

 

  1. Make the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, shallots, and garlic and sauté until they begin to soften, 3 or 4 minutes.
  2. Add the green and red bell peppers, Scotch bonnet, tomato paste, and thyme, and cook for 3 minutes, until the tomato paste is dark and fragrant.
  3. Add the vinegar, lime juice, water, salt, and several grindings of black pepper. Reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes, until the mixture has thickened and the flavors have melded. Remove from the heat.
  4. Prepare the shrimp: While the sauce simmers, place the shrimp in a bowl, sprinkle with lime juice, and season them lightly with salt and black pepper. Set aside.
  5. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat until the butter has melted. Add the seasoned shrimp and cook until mostly pink, about 2 minutes per side. Add 3/4 to 1 cup of the sauce, stir to coat, and cook until the shrimp is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately over rice.

 

Susan Puckett is an Atlanta-based food writer and cookbook author.

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.

For Mature Athletes, Determination Doesn’t Fade with Age

Madonna Hanna does not know how to stop.

She overcome institutionalized racism as a child in Boston’s schools in the 1960s. She bounced back from a near-fatal car crash as an adult. And she persevered after an injury that could have ended her track and field aspirations later in life.

Now, Madonna is 67 and has just competed in the state senior games on her way to the 2020 National Senior Games.

“It’s never too late,” she says about pursuing physical fitness.

The Running Bug Came Later in Life

Madonna, who had a career in fashion marketing, was 57 when she suddenly got the urge to run competitively. Her husband was a high school teacher and track coach. He piled bricks into her backpack, bought her ankle weights, and provided guidance on the track.

In 2014, her Achilles heel popped during a race, and her doctor didn’t give her much hope for competing again. She tuned him out.

Stephen Hanna died of cancer in late 2018. He made her promise she would continue to train and run and “wear the red, white, and blue.”

Now, she needed a coach. In 2019, she met trainer Marcus Chambers, a 26-year-old track champion with his eyes on this summer’s Olympics. She was soon doing the same drills that helped Marcus claim a spot on Team USA for international events.

“He took me seriously as an athlete, which surprised me,” Madonna says.

In the two years they have been training together, Madonna says Marcus has helped her shave significant time off her best marks. He has worked with her on form and efficiency, as well as speed and strength. If Madonna needs a rest, she knows to speak up.

“He had me doing all sorts of little drills and I’m going, ‘What am I doing?’ All sorts of exercises, running short distances and running long distance,” Madonna says. “When he gave me a drill to do, I was confused at first trying to measure distances on the track, how far to sprint, how far to jog. I didn’t keep up right away.”

‘Very Determined and Super-Committed’

Marcus says older athletes have the urge to show off for their coach, to push through fire in their hamstrings or an achy shoulder, just as they did when they were 18. Marcus, an All-American in track & field at the University of Oregon and part-time coach, says the temptation is for the mature runner to show their coach how tough they are.

Honest communication is key. He and Madonna have an understanding about soreness and injury.

“If one hip is too tight, if hamstrings are on fire already because of lactic acid, as a coach, I need to know it,” Marcus says.

Marcus has learned that mature athletes have as much drive as younger people.

“Any mature athlete I have worked with is very determined and super-committed,” Marcus says. “If I work with them, I need to be super-committed. I have to be organized. They are going to expect you to get it right.

“They want your best, and I was going to give her my best.”

Diet Is More Than What You Eat

When someone asks about your diet, you naturally think about food, right?

But what if we expand our ideas about the word “diet” to include everything we consume in other aspects of healthy living? What would your exercise “diet” be? Your emotional diet, your spiritual diet, etc.?

It’s more than just an interesting way to look at things. This can be a helpful tool in assessing the various categories of your wellness – which, in turn, can help you see how to improve something here, tweak something there, and even applaud yourself for something else.

“Diet” is really just another word for choices we make habitually. So, let’s consider what we consume across the spectrum. What are some good, healthy choices, and how can we look out for pitfalls that can throw of four diets as surely as a giant slab of birthday cake with ice cream.

Physical. Exercise and nutrition are essential to maintaining health and independence. You know this. So – move your body and eat right!

Do This More: Resistance training. Stay strong so you maintain muscle mass, balance, and everyday functional performance.

Do This Less: Sitting. Go for a walk, take dance breaks during TV commercials, and stand during part of your computer time.

Emotional. How well do you cope with challenges of life? Are you trustworthy and respectful?

Do This More: Meditate. Pause throughout the day to focus solely on your breathing, even if it’s just for a few minutes.

Do This Less: Consume news and social media. It can be so overwhelming and depressing. Limit yourself so that you stay informed and in touch, without going down any dark rabbit holes.

Intellectual. Engage in creative pursuits and things that stimulate your brain.

Do This More: Read and write. That means read good books, not snippets off screens, and write in longhand, not on the computer – poetry, fiction, or letters to loved ones.

Do This Less: Consume sugary drinks. You already know they contribute to physical problems like obesity and diabetes. But consuming too much sugar also raises your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

Professional/Vocational. Even if retired, you still gain satisfaction using your skills as a mentor, volunteer or caregiver.

Do This More: Volunteer with a community organization that needs help in your area of expertise.

Do This Less: Complain about how things aren’t as good as they used to be when you were in charge or coming up.

Social. Our interactions with family and friends keep us connected, lowering stress and depression.

Do This More: Call someone you’re thinking about. Go back to your house of worship, recovery program, or community center. Start dating again, if it’s time.

Do This Less: Complain.

Spiritual. Let your personal values guide you to a life of meaning and purpose.

Do This More: Say “Thank you” to whomever or whatever you believe in. Make a gratitude list.

Do This Less: Live in the past. Memories are nice, but we only have right now, so enjoy your blessings and spread the bounty today.

Environmental. Be aware of how different environments affect you, and of your effect on the environment.

Do This More: Plan your next trip to somewhere that makes you happy or fires your imagination.

Do This Less: Put yourself in settings that cause you stress. Seriously. You can just say no to all kinds of things.

Keep it simple. Remember, you are what you eat. But you’re also what you read, believe, tell yourself, do with other people, and put into the world.

Living well is a banquet. Enjoy!

Are You Ready for the Summer?

Peter likes to run the trails in his neighborhood and work out on equipment in the park.

Maria is crazy about hiking with her weighted backpack.

And Joe rides his bike as often as possible, even to the grocery store and his favorite watering hole.

These are just three of the responses we received recently when we started asking people what kinds of activities they enjoy outside of the gym.

We believe working out with us is important and can improve your life in countless ways.

And one of them is being able to get outside and enjoy yourself more, with the confidence that comes from the strength, agility, and endurance we help you develop.

Time Outside Is Healthy

Living the way you want is one of the main values of functional fitness, and everybody has their own individual goals. But time spent outdoors is good for us and might even help us live longer, according to research in the Lancet Planetary Health.

It says that being around greenery improves longevity for folks who live in cities.

  • Parks, for instance, give us space to move our bodies and play, which is good for us in countless ways – from lower blood pressure to calmer moods.
  • Trees reduce noise and improve air quality.
  • Another study reported that women near green spaces had lower rates of death from kidney disease, respiratory disease, and cancer.

New York and Paris are among the globe’s top metropolises adding greenery, at least partly to add years to residents’ lives. The French capital even wants to make a third of its public green spaces into sustainable farms, complete with chickens and beehives.

Many in cities everywhere can enjoy the benefits of grass and trees in parks or back yards. Some trails have activity stations that encourage calisthenics and stretching along the way, like the ones Peter enjoys.

The point is, fitness in the gym helps you enjoy fitness outdoors for all kinds of activities.

And that sunshine on your shoulder makes everything just a little bit easier.

A Big Bike Trip

What are you most excited about as we head to summer?

  • Maybe it’s just being outside in the sunshine, walking the dog and working the yard.
  • Being able to travel to see friends and family who live far away?
  • Maybe you’re itching to spend more time on the golf course or pickleball courts.

Chris is one man with big outdoor fitness plans for the summer.

After working out at a gym for years, he has taken up biking, with a group and on his own, three or four times a week. This followed time spent running, hiking, climbing, and paddling at a local park that has a range of activity options.

Now he’s ready:

“I’ll turn 63 on a big ride out West, somewhere in the backwoods of Montana,” he says proudly, part of a 2,400-mile, off-road ride down the Continental Divide.

Chris knows: When you’re fit, you’re ready for anything.

How Old Am I? That Depends!

They say age ain’t nothing but a number.
​
OK, fine.
​
But which number?
​
When someone asks, “How old are you?” do they mean your chronological age – which is how many years you’ve been on the earth?
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Do they mean your biological age, which is how old you are in terms of your physical health, aging cells, biomarkers, etc.
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Or do they mean your subjective age, or how old you feel in your mind – your self-image?
​
It’s interesting to think about. On the one hand, you can’t do anything to change your chronological age. You are 52 or 79 or whatever, and the number reliably changes once a year (until it doesn’t).
​
Of course, we can change our biological age by practicing healthy habits, like exercising regularly, eating well, and avoiding cigarettes, alcohol and drug abuse.
​
What about that last one – subjective age? Well, now, that one’s much more a mind game.
​
​Minus 20 percent​
​
A Pulitzer Prize-winning writer in an Atlantic essay said people seem to have an “intuitive grasp of this highly abstract concept – ‘subjective age.’”
​
The BBC wrote about the idea, too.
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And the American Psychological Association even investigated whether our feelings about our “subjective age” can affect health and longevity.
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Studies show that teenagers and young adults tend to think of themselves as older – maybe because they’re eager to start living their adult lives and being perceived as legitimate.
​
But after 40 or so, people begin thinking of themselves as being 20 percent younger. So, if you’re 60, you might think of yourself as being 48.
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It’s why we are sometimes startled by looking in the mirror. Or by seeing current pictures of childhood friends on Facebook and wondering why they look so old.
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​Neither good nor bad​
​
Here’s the thing. Subjective age isn’t good or bad, just like chronological age on its own. If you’re 72, then you’re 72. If you instinctively feel 58 or so, that’s fine, too.
​
What’s NOT fine is being biologically older because you’re not exercising, eating right, and taking care of yourself. You can change that one!
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There might be some scientific reasons for feeling like we’re a little younger than we are – or even a little older, since that happens, too.
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It doesn’t mean we’re delusional. It doesn’t mean we’re desperately trying to be young again.
​
But it might mean that we still feel like we have a lot of life ahead of us, that we have things to do and place to go and people to meet.
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That we’re not ready to give up on life, or ourselves, just yet.
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And that’s where fitness comes into play. When you have the strength, agility and endurance of health and vigor, guess what? You have a higher quality of life, more independence, and greater ability to do what you want to do.
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We’re here to help show you how. Come see us today.

Want Longevity? ‘Keep Moving’

Do you want to live to be 100?

More people are reaching that mark nowadays than ever before, and the trend will skyrocket in the coming decades.

The topic of longevity is having a moment, darn near approaching a cultural obsession. What can we do to live NOT JUST LONGER but also BETTER. What role does exercise play in all of this?

Here’s just one example.

Toni Stahl, at left in the photo above, lived an amazing life. As a young Navy wife, she was at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. She survived cancer. She farmed, enjoyed waterskiing, and worked into her 90s part-time at a hospital.

She also worked out three times a week at a gym past her 100th birthday. She liked balance and strength conditioning, and the friendships she made.

“I do as I feel, and I like to stay active and be around people,” she said. “I still want to keep moving. If I sat down, I think I’d just give up.”

Mrs. Stahl died in March just a few days after she turned 105, a short death to close a long, healthy life.

More Centenarians Coming

Reaching 100 is more common but remains rare. Just a 0.03% of the population in the United States and the United Kingdom is 100 or older today, according to statistics.

That’s double the number of 100-year-old Americans 20 years ago – and a lot less than the 589,000 expected by the year 2060.

We’re living longer because of a range of reasons – like better medicine and less smoking. An individual’s life expectancy depends on factors like genetics, location, gender and lifestyle, including exercise

A study published in the journal of the American Medical Association found that the spectacular benefits of exercise have no age limit.

“Whether you’re in your 40s or your 80s, you will benefit in the same way,” said the study’s senior author, Dr. Wael Jaber, a cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic.

Sedentary people are almost four times as likely to die early as those who exercise regularly, says the study. It looked at 122,000 people who were tested on treadmills over 13 years.

“There actually is no ceiling for the benefit of exercise,” he said. “There’s no age limit that doesn’t benefit from being physically fit.”

‘You Gotta Keep Moving’

Mrs. Stahl wasn’t alone among 100-year-olds who believed in exercising.

One of them, known as “Mr. Bruno,” was working out three times a week when he hit 100.

He had simple advice for anyone hoping to follow in his footsteps, which he shared on a video posted on Facebook.

“Get off you’re a** and go to the gym,” he said. “You gotta keep moving. If you’re not exercising, you’re gonna go down, down, down.”

Let’s keep you moving for as long as possible. Call us today.

Healthy Recipe, Shrimp Bowls

Try this this health-packed, one-bowl meal adapted from a recipe in Michelle Braxton’s “Supper with Love.” No fancy ingredients needed. The trick is to cook the vegetables and shrimp separately, but in a pan that’s just hot enough to turn the surface of a nice shade of golden. A dab of butter is added in the last minute when the shrimp are almost done, along with the garlic and tamari, bringing out the garlic’s aroma without burning it.  Squeeze citrus over the shrimp and you’re ready to assemble your bowl with the cooked veggies and grain of choice. Serves 3-4. Ingredients3 or 4 tablespoons Spicy Mayo Sauce (recipe below)Shrimp and Vegetables: 

  • 1-pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined (thawed if frozen)
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 6 or 7 grindings freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon canola or other neutral oil (plus more as needed)
  • 1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
  • 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper, cored and cut into strips or bite-size pieces
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
  • ½ lemon or lime

For assembly: 

  • 2 cups cooked brown rice, quinoa, or other grains
  • ¼ cup sliced green onions
  • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

  1. Make the Spicy Mayo Sauce as directed below; refrigerate until serving.
  2. Place the shrimp in a bowl and season lightly with salt and pepper; set aside.
  3. In a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini slices, onions, and bell pepper and cook, undisturbed, on one side about 3 minutes, or until vegetables begin to turn caramelize. Give it a stir and sauté until the onions and peppers are softened and the zucchini is cooked through but still a bit firm, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl and set aside.
  4. Add a little more oil to the skillet if needed and set on medium heat. Add the shrimp and cook on one side until pink and slightly caramelized, about 2 minutes. Flip the shrimp and cook on the other side a minute or two longer, just until pink and opaque, taking care not to overcook. Add the butter and once melted, add the garlic and tamari and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  5. Squeeze the lemon or lime juice over the shrimp and season with a little salt and pepper if desired. Remove from the heat.
  6. Assemble the bowls: Add a scoop of rice or grain of choice to each bowl. Top with shrimp and vegetables. Drizzle with some of the Spicy Mayo Sauce, sprinkle with scallions and sesame seeds, and eat.

Spicy Mayo Sauce Makes about 2/3 cup Ingredients

  • ½ cup mayonnaise (vegan is fine)
  • 1 tablespoon Sriracha or other hot chili sauce, or to taste
  • 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon water, plus more, as needed

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Sriracha, tamari or soy sauce, sesame oil, and 1 tablespoon of water, or enough to achieve desired consistency.
  2. Transfer to a small airtight container and refrigerate until ready to serve, or up to a week.

—  Susan Puckett is an Atlanta-based food writer and cookbook author.