Vitality and energy into older age
You are in your prime, but you’re increasingly concerned about getting older and your overall wellbeing. Life expectancy has risen substantially in Canada over the past century to 83.9 years for women and 79.8 years for men. That is why it is important to take care of yourself throughout your life.
At the same time, there are changes that happen with the natural aging process, including weakened bones, reduced flexibility, urinary problems, sexual dysfunction, memory problems and lack of focus. However, healthy habits can slow the aging process. Follow a more wholesome diet and get regular exercise to prevent health problems. As a result, you can control your weight, improve your mood, combat disease and live a long, joyous life full of energy!
In old age we need less energy than before. At the same time, the demand for nutrients, vitamins and minerals remains high. Which foods and eating habits help prevent weight gain or a nutrient deficiency?
Nutrients that are crucial for your body as you age include calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12, folate (folic acid) and zinc. It is important to understand how each nutrient interacts with one another. For instance, a vitamin B12 deficiency may prevent the body from processing folate. Stress can also slow down the absorption of nutrients. A balanced, harmonious lifestyle can therefore play an important role when it comes to your nutrition plan.
Not getting enough fluids has major effects on your body and mind. You will experience headaches, low blood pressure, and urinary tract infections, as well as typical signs of old age such as forgetfulness and a tendency to fall. This is because too little fluid intake worsens short-term memory and the way you process information.
Your Metabolic Balance meal plan calculates the exact amount of water for you.
You have menopause, but you don’t have to experience symptoms. There are many positive ways to deal with hormonal changes and relieving your menopausal symptoms. Some of them include exercise and a natural diet with plenty of high-fiber fruits and vegetables and free from processed and refined foods.
Most women transition through menopause for five to 10 years. For some women the symptoms start at 35, while it may begin around age 50 for others. In any case, it is helpful to recognize that menopause is a critical stage in your life. What’s the secret to get through this stage? Menopause can be a confusing time and that is why you need to face this new challenge with self-confidence!
Often, physical changes that are the first signs of reaching “middle age.” As a result of the hormonal changes, the ovaries gradually cease their activity and the production of the female sex hormones estrogen and progestin decreases. Menstruation becomes more irregular and eventually stops altogether. Many women complain of hot flashes and sleep disorders. The muscle mass decreases and so does your daily energy requirement. Ladies who do not change their diet will quickly gain weight. In turn, this increases the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, lipometabolic disorders, and cardiovascular diseases. The ups and downs of hormonal changes also affect the mental health of many women and as a result they may experience mood swings, such as anxiety, depression and irritability. Your lust for life is also gone and you feel hopeless and empty inside.
Nevertheless, we encourage you to consider a better approach for your menopause. The following are a few tips to help you get through menopause naturally.
Men also enter menopause - also called andropause and have to deal with physical and mental changes after a certain age on. What’s important? Do yourself and your body a lot of good – and start new projects.
In comparison to female menopause, men have significantly fewer symptoms since male menopause are rather gradual. However, men may still experience typical menopausal symptoms. The psychological challenges of this phase of life should not be underestimated.
Typical symptoms for the altered hormonal balance in men include:
Regardless of the physical changes, many men find it difficult to realize that they have male menopause and many even experience a mid-life or identity crisis. If you identify strongly with your career and identity, you will probably have feelings of loss and the fear of not being able to keep up or do the work you once did.
Nutrition plays a key role in hypertension. Naturally lower your blood pressure by following a few rules while eating.
High blood pressure (hypertension) affects about 5.3 million Canadians, according to Statistics Canada. Hypertension also affects 2.6 million adults aged 65 and over. Normal blood pressure will have a systolic of 120 to 129 mm Hg and a diastolic reading between 80 to 85 mm Hg. When does blood pressure become too high? A high blood pressure diagnosis has a reading with a systolic (upper) number of 130 mm Hg (millimetres of mercury) and higher and a diastolic (lower) number of 80 mm Hg and higher.
However, the good news is, hypertension can be treated. Professional medical treatment and taking the right medication are crucial. Regular exercise and relaxation are just as important. Numerous studies have now proven that you can also significantly lower your blood pressure with certain foods.
Those who exercise regularly not only reduce their risk of chronic illnesses, but also keep fit mentally and physically. But how active are you each day? What can you do to establish new healthy habits?
The lack of exercise is a real health risk. This applies to children and young people as well as for young and older adults. Regular exercise strengthens the immune system and is therefore the best protection against diseases such as diabetes, osteoporosis, depression and high blood pressure. Exercise also helps us to maintain a healthy body weight.
Physically-active people can remain fit and healthy into old age. However, the older you get, the harder it can be to start new, healthy activities, especially if you’ve never been keen on sports or exercise. With a change in diet, enzymes such as Foxa-2 increase, and this activates your need to move.
Our bodies love sport and exercise right into old age. Depending on your health, level of training and personal preferences, certain sports or exercises are more appropriate suitable for you. Try several sports and activities and discover which ones you enjoy the most!
Each type of movement demands the four levels of endurance, mobility, muscle strength and balance to varying degrees of intensity. A sport or exercise is the right one for you if it suits your needs, you are physically able to perform it, and you enjoy it! However, in those with osteoporosis and overweight individuals, only certain types of exercise are best for you. It is also a good idea to work with a personal trainer who will tailor an individualized workout plan based on your specific conditions and goals.
The following are specific workouts for endurance, mobility, balance and building muscle.
In endurance exercises, the body is in motion over a longer period of time. Typical endurance exercises include walking, hiking, jogging, speed walking, Nordic walking, cycling and swimming.
The big advantage of endurance sports/exercises is that:
From climbing stairs to carrying shopping bags, we need strength for many everyday activities. Those who have firm muscles also have stable bones, healthy joints and an upright posture.
You can increase your physical strength through strength training, such as lifting weights or using the special exercise equipment at the gym.
Elasticity and flexibility are crucial for your quality of life and they help you avoid damage to your posture.
Exercises that promote mobility include:
These gentle movement exercises benefit the mind and body. Although you can perform these exercises at home with video guidance, you can also learn from personal trainer or professional yoga, tai chi or qigong instructors.
Balance has a positive effect on both your body and mind. Luckily, you can improve balance with a little bit of training. How do you improve your balance? As a basic principle, bring your body into an unstable position and remain upright and straight. Another typical balance exercise is standing on one leg. The benefit of these balance exercises is that they can be done at home.