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The 4 pillars of happy and healthy ageing

<p><em><strong>Dr Kate Gregorevic is a geriatrician with a research interest in health and lifestyle factors that are associated with healthy ageing and recovery from illness.</strong></em></p> <p>For all of us, life is finite. In my work as a geriatrician, I have the privilege of looking after many people at the end of their time. This is a constant reminder to me to make every day meaningful. It is never too soon to start living the best life you can today to get the most out of the years ahead. Most people value health, but focus on denial as the way to stay healthy. The positive health movement looks at individual and community resources that promote health and wellbeing. Living well today and living to age well are one and the same. Successful ageing doesn't just mean living as long as possible, but living as well as possible. The pillars of successful ageing are social engagement, nutrition, physical activity and cognitive challenges. By finding meaning and enjoyment in every day, we can lead the longest, healthiest life possible.</p> <p><strong>Social engagement</strong></p> <p>“What's critical is allowing yourself to love others, and being able to <em>take people in – </em>as in, I've got you under my skin.<em>”</em> – George Vaillant</p> <p>People with higher levels of social engagement have decreased mortality and maintain their higher health status for longer. It is not just about the number of friends someone has, it is the quality of these relationships. Supportive and rewarding relationships must be cultivated. A higher level of social engagement can even help recovery from illness and can even decrease the chance of leaving hospital with a new disability. Social engagement can only happen if you are an active and giving participant in your relationships with friends and family.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Life lesson</span>: Finding ways to spend time with close family and friends everyday is joyful and good for your health.</p> <p><strong>Nutrition</strong></p> <p>Food is one of the central pleasures of life. As people age nutritional needs change. Most people spend their entire lives trying to lose weight. In old age, priorities need to change. Losing weight usually means losing precious muscle mass. Unless weight loss is accompanied by an exercise program and adequate protein intake, there is a risk of muscle loss leading to a decrease in strength. Unlike younger people, older adults do not easily regain muscle when it is lost. Unfortunately, even in this age group obesity is still associated with increased disability and dementia.</p> <p>So what does this all mean? To maintain muscle mass to maintain the ability to be independent, it is really important to ensure that all meals have protein and a variety of fruit and vegetables to provide all the required nutrition.</p> <p>Some older people are at particular risk of malnutrition, especially if they have a small appetite. In this group frequent small meals and snacks can help to stave off weight loss.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Life lesson</span>: Focus on preparing delicious meals with as much nutritional goodness as you can fit on your plate.  </p> <p><strong>Physical activity</strong></p> <p>Almost everyone can find a form of physical activity that is fun. It is not really clear how much physical activity is the optimal amount. The best form of physical activity is the one that you enjoy and that you can fit in. As people age, there is a loss of muscle mass. If this reaches a critical level, it can stop people doing their activities of day-to-day living, like hanging out washing. It can also contribute to a loss of balance. Ideally physical activity should be something that also promotes balance and strength. Activities like Tai Chi and yoga can improve balance and decrease the risk of falls.</p> <p>The other great benefit of physical activity is that healthy body promotes healthy mind. Exercise at age 60 is associated with a decreased risk of dementia at age 90. So a brisk walk today, may help your brain stay healthy for many years to come.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Life lesson:</span> Find an activity you enjoy, so it can be something you look forward to every day.</p> <p><strong>Cognitive challenges</strong></p> <p>The old adage of “use it or lose it” is very true for our brains. Our brains retain the ability to learn and change well into old age. It is not enough to keep doing the same routine, to protect our brains against decline, we need to keep challenging ourselves. In a study of older adults who were given brain training in memory, reasoning and speed of processing, this actually improved their level of functioning in activities of daily living. Like physical activity, the right cognitive activity is one that you are interested in.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Life lesson:</span> Learning anything new can improve memory, reasoning and speed of processing, so the right activity is anything you want it to be!</p> <p><strong>Living well</strong></p> <p>It is rare that someone can live their life making everyday decisions based on future health. It is hard to say no to the piece of cake in your hand, because of how your health might be in ten years. The live well-age well philosophy is about making positive changes to make today a better day. The pillars of successful ageing work best when they are combined. Starting a yoga class will challenge you physically and mentally as you learn new ways to move your body. Ask a friend to teach you something new on the computer. Cook a meal with a grandchild because eating a nutritious meal always tastes better with loved ones. The choices are only limited to your imagination!</p> <p>What does living well mean to you? Tell us in the comments below.</p> <p><strong>Related links: </strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/health/mind/2016/04/how-to-become-the-happiest-person-you-know/"><em>How to become the happiest person you know</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/health/body/2016/03/waking-yourself-up/"><em>8 tips for waking yourself up</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/health/mind/2016/03/simple-ways-to-remain-positive/"><em>8 simple ways to remain positive</em></a></strong></span></p>

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The 4 biggest lies you’ve been told about food

<p>With so much (mis)information out there about nutrition and food it can be difficult to separate fact from fiction. Here are four outdated myths about nutrition that have been debunked.</p><p><strong>1. Saturated fats are bad for your heart</strong></p><p>For decades, saturated fats were the enemy to health. Found in dairy, meat, butter, cheese, as well as the more commonly known cakes and deep-fried food, we were told that saturated fats would lead to heart disease. But numerous studies have questioned this fact, finding no evidence of a link between saturated fats and heart disease. Don’t take it as a green light to load up on saturated fats. There’s a difference between saturated fats from animal-based sources (dairy foods, meat) and the many manufactured and packaged foods (like cakes, biscuits, pastries, deep fried foods and so on). You can probably guess which group you still shouldn’t binge on.</p><p class="node"><strong>2.Carbs are harmful in any amount</strong></p><p class="node">The reputation of carbs has taken a beating in the past few years with many fad diets claiming unequivocally they’re harmful and fattening. While overindulging in “bad carbs” all the time – those refined-carbohydrate rich foods such as white bread, pasta and donuts – can increase risk of developing health problems like heart disease and diabetes, there is nothing inherently fattening or harmful about carbs. In fact, you should be eating “good carb” foods such as whole grains, beans, fruits and veggies, which are an important source of fuel for body as well as providing vital nutrients and fibre.</p><p><a href="http://oversixty.com.au/health/wellbeing/2014/12/is-gluten-healthy/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Related link: Is going gluten-free a healthy choice?&nbsp;</strong></em></span></a></p><p class="node"><strong>3. There’s a cholesterol risk when eating eggs (especially the yolks)</strong></p><p class="node">How did the simple egg get so demonised? Well, the yolk of egg is high in cholesterol and high blood cholesterol can lead to an increased risk of heart and cardiovascular disease. However, there is no scientific evidence that the dietary cholesterol in eggs translates to high blood cholesterol. In fact, eggs are one of the most nutrient-dense foods around, a great source of protein, fats and other nutrients.</p><p><strong>4. Organic produce is more nutritious than non-organic kinds</strong></p><p>Although there are many reasons to buy organic, there is no clear scientific evidence that organic product has a nutritional advantage over conventional grown counterparts. And while conventional growers used pesticides that many who buy organic want to avoid, no studies have definitively proven that the amount of chemicals ingested from the food causes any harm. The previous research linking pesticides with disease studied farmers who had exposed to large quantities rather than regular consumers.</p><p class="node"><strong>Related links:</strong></p><p><a href="http://oversixty.com.au/finance/insurance/2015/02/eat-healthier-without-counting-calories/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>5 ways to eat healthier without counting calories</strong></em></span></a></p><p><a href="http://oversixty.com.au/finance/insurance/2015/01/the-truth-about-dieting/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Making sense of the diet mumbo jumbo</strong></em></span></a></p><p><a href="http://oversixty.com.au/health/wellbeing/2015/01/ways-to-avoid-food-temptations/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>4 easy ways to avoid food temptations</strong></em></span></a></p>

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