From Lnscommunityradio
The good news is that more and more of us have a chance of achieving a ripe old age. According to Statistics Canada, people over 79 are expected to be the fastest-growing population group in Canada over the next few decades. By 2051 the number of centenarians is expected to rise to 57,000.
The bad news? In old age, many of us are likely to deal with debilitating health problems such as heart disease, cancer and arthritis. But don’t get depressed. A growing body of research points out that it’s never too late to make lifestyle changes that increase your chances of living a long and healthy life. Here’s the latest on how to turn back the clock:
Heave ho. Scientists once believed that nothing could be done about the withering of muscles associated with aging. Although aerobics, running and other cardiovascular workouts are a boon for the heart and lungs, researchers discovered that such activities can’t prevent the loss of muscle strength and bone density that affects our mobility, flexibility and balance as we get older.
It’s never too late to butt out. If you stop smoking by age 30, your survival rate can rival that of lifelong nonsmokers, according to a report in the British Medical Journal. Quit by 50 and you have half the risk continuing smokers have of dying in the next 15 years. Even if you’ve already developed a smoking-related health condition, you’ll benefit. “People who quit smoking after having a heart attack reduce their chances of having another by about 30 percent,” says Dr. Neville Suskin, a cardiologist at the London Health Sciences Centre in Ontario.
Be a nutritional all-star. If you’re looking to turn back the clock on your body, Shanthi Johnson, associate professor of nutrition at Acadia University in Wolfville, N.S., advises eating a broadly based diet that packs a nutritional punch:
• Dark-green, leafy vegetables such as spinach, rapini and Swiss chard (calcium, iron, folate and beta-carotene).
• Sweet potatoes (folate, beta-carotene, vitamins A and C, and fibre).
• Blueberries and other dark berries (vitamin C, iron and fibre).
• Yogurt (calcium, protein and phosphorus).
• Beans (iron and a high-fibre form of protein).
• Whole grains (higher in fibre than white bread, with more B vitamins, vitamin E, selenium and zinc).
• Nuts, eating nuts more than five times a week could cut death rates from heart disease by 25 to 39 percent.
• Salmon, tuna and other cold-water fish (omega-3 fatty acids)
Pop a pill. A vitamin pill, that is. As we age, Johnson points out, our bodies become less efficient at absorbing nutrients. A multivitamin with minerals will help you get them, she says, though it’s no substitute for a healthy diet. “Foods contain important components like fibre that you won’t get from a pill.” On top of your multivitamin, Jeffrey Blumberg, associate director of the nutrition research centre at Tufts University, recommends: calcium to help build strong bones; vitamin D to aid in the absorption of calcium and the prevention of osteoarthritis; and vitamin E to boost your immune response and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s.
Pick a pet. Seniors who own pets are less likely to be depressed than those who don’t, according to a 1999 study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. Cindy Adams, a professor and specialist in the human-animal bond at the Ontario Veterinary College in Guelph, believes positive effects stem from the fact that pets force us to focus on something other than ourselves. “It takes our minds off our own aches and pains,” she says.
