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Mid-Life Memory Problems? Try Exercising!

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A friend commented that when she turned 40-years-old, her kids lovingly told her that she was beginning to get a little forgetful at times. She joked and said it was raising kids, which in part may have been true.

On April 25, 2017, I shared six main reasons for memory loss. They were: chronic stress, alcohol abuse, depression, health conditions, medications and physical exhaustion.

There is no doubt that raising kids these days can be stressful and physically exhausting at times and possibly times of depression, all of which can lead to some memory loss.

By the time a mom reaches 50-years of age, she is marrying off her kids. It’s not nearly as hard on her if she has boys, but marrying off a daughter or daughters, can take quite a toll on mom. It’s definitely a stressful time to make sure all of the arrangements are made. Leading up to and the day of the wedding is often very physically exhausting. After a daughter and her new husband drive away, it’s not uncommon for mom to experience some periods of depression, as well. Again, all of these can lead to memory loss.

In the post mentioned above, it was reported that researchers found a protein in umbilical cord blood that appeared to improve and even restore memory. However, this is still in the experimental stage and may be some time before it’s approved for use. So, what can you do now to help you keep from losing more memory and even help restore some of the memory issues you may be facing at this stage in life?

Would you believe that exercise may help? Yes, the dreaded ‘E’ word – exercise. I can hear you now – I don’t have time or I can’t afford to go to a gym, but if it’s important enough, you can find the time and you don’t need to go to a gym.

It’s not just any exercise, but a combination of exercises and they have to be done on a routine basis. Check this out:

“Can a new exercise regimen boost your brain health if you’re over 50?”

“Possibly, suggests a new research review that found middle-age folks can improve their thinking and memory skills by adopting regular moderate-to-vigorous routines involving aerobic and resistance exercise.”

“‘When we combined the available data from [39 previous] studies, we were able to show that undertaking physical exercise was able to improve the brain function of people aged 50 and over,’ said study lead author Joseph Northey. He’s a doctoral candidate and teaching fellow at the University of Canberra Research Institute for Sport and Exercise in Australia.”

In the studies, participants did their exercises under supervision. The type, duration of time and intensity of the exercises were noted and then compared. Afterwards, the participants took tests that measured brain function, also associated with memory.

Interestingly, tai chi and aerobic exercises seemed to enhance overall brain function. Resistance exercises seemed to improve memory. Northey commented:

“…being able to show that resistance training — such as lifting weights or using body weight — was similarly beneficial is a very novel and important finding.”

“Combining both aerobic and resistance training is ideal.”

“In addition to improving your brain function as our review shows, you should expect to see improvements in cardio-respiratory fitness and muscle strength, which are important for maintaining general health and being able to undertake day-to-day tasks.”

The researchers also said that the more physically active you are, the better the benefits for brain function. So, as you reach that 40-year mark and especially the 50-year mark, it’s important not only for your physical health to stay active or exercise regularly (aerobic and resistance), but it’s also important for maintaining brain function and reducing memory loss.

How Exercise Keeps Us Young

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Source:  well.blogs.nytimes.com

Active older people resemble much younger people physiologically, according to a new study of the effects of exercise on aging. The findings suggest that many of our expectations about the inevitability of physical decline with advancing years may be incorrect and that how we age is, to a large degree, up to us.

Aging remains a surprisingly mysterious process. A wealth of past scientific research has shown that many bodily and cellular processes change in undesirable ways as we grow older. But science has not been able to establish definitively whether such changes result primarily from the passage of time — in which case they are inevitable for anyone with birthdays — or result at least in part from lifestyle, meaning that they are mutable.

This conundrum is particularly true in terms of inactivity. Older people tend to be quite sedentary nowadays, and being sedentary affects health, making it difficult to separate the effects of not moving from those of getting older.

In the new study, which was published this week in The Journal of Physiology, scientists at King’s College London and the University of Birmingham in England decided to use a different approach.

They removed inactivity as a factor in their study of aging by looking at the health of older people who move quite a bit.

“We wanted to understand what happens to the functioning of our bodies as we get older if we take the best-case scenario,” said Stephen Harridge, senior author of the study and director of the Centre of Human and Aerospace Physiological Sciences at King’s College London.

To accomplish that goal, the scientists recruited 85 men and 41 women aged between 55 and 79 who bicycle regularly. The volunteers were all serious recreational riders but not competitive athletes. The men had to be able to ride at least 62 miles in six and a half hours and the women 37 miles in five and a half hours, benchmarks typical of a high degree of fitness in older people.

The scientists then ran each volunteer through a large array of physical and cognitive tests. The scientists determined each cyclist’s endurance capacity, muscular mass and strength, pedaling power, metabolic health, balance, memory function, bone density and reflexes. They also had the volunteers complete the so-called Timed Up and Go test, during which someone stands up from a chair without using his or her arms, briskly walks about 10 feet, turns, walks back and sits down again.

The researchers compared the results of cyclists in the study against each other and also against standard benchmarks of supposedly normal aging. If a particular test’s numbers were similar among the cyclists of all ages, the researchers considered, then that measure would seem to be more dependent on activity than on age.

As it turned out, the cyclists did not show their age. On almost all measures, their physical functioning remained fairly stable across the decades and was much closer to that of young adults than of people their age. As a group, even the oldest cyclists had younger people’s levels of balance, reflexes, metabolic health and memory ability.

And their Timed Up and Go results were exemplary. Many older people require at least 7 seconds to complete the task, with those requiring 9 or 10 seconds considered to be on the cusp of frailty, Dr. Harridge said. But even the oldest cyclists in this study averaged barely 5 seconds for the walk, which is “well within the norm reported for healthy young adults,” the study authors write.

Some aspects of aging did, however, prove to be ineluctable. The oldest cyclists had less muscular power and mass than those in their 50s and early 60s and considerably lower overall aerobic capacities. Age does seem to reduce our endurance and strength to some extent, Dr. Harridge said, even if we exercise.

But even so, both of those measures were higher among the oldest cyclists than would be considered average among people aged 70 or above.

All in all, the numbers suggest that aging is simply different in the active.

“If you gave this dataset to a clinician and asked him to predict the age” of one of the cyclists based on his or her test results, Dr. Harridge said, “it would be impossible.” On paper, they all look young.

Of course, this study is based on a single snapshot of an unusual group of older adults, Dr. Harridge said. He and his colleagues plan to retest their volunteers in five and 10 years, which will provide better information about the ongoing effects of exercise on aging.

But even in advance of those results, said Dr. Harridge, himself almost 50 and an avid cyclist, this study shows that “being physically active makes your body function on the inside more like a young person’s.”

Key to Post-Stroke Recovery

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If you think strokes only happen to elderly people, think again. Strokes can hit anyone at any age, but the older one gets, the more susceptible one becomes for having a stroke.

About 15-years ago, my daughter worked as a certified-nursing-assistant at a senior daycare center. Although most of the patients or clients were elderly, 60 and over, she also had several that were younger. She had one male patient who had a debilitating stroke around the age of 30. When I was in college, I worked as a night orderly in a nursing home and we had several patients, mostly female who were between 40 and 50 years of age.

Not the long ago on our local news, they featured a woman who, at the age of about 40, was recovering from a stroke. She was married and had a handful of kids. I remember thinking how tragic at this stage of her and her family’s life.

According to Stroke.org:

  • Each year nearly 800,000 people experience a new or recurrent stroke.
  • A stroke happens every 40 seconds.
  • Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the U.S.
  • Every 4 minutes someone dies from stroke.
  • Up to 80 percent of strokes can be prevented.
  • Stroke is the leading cause of adult disability in the U.S.

First of all, what is a stroke?

A heart attack is generally caused by the blockage of blood flow to an area of the heart, resulting in the heart muscle tissue dying for lack of oxygen. Likewise, a stroke is a ‘brain attack’ caused when the blood supply to an area of the brain is blocked and brain cells begin to die.

There are two main types of stroke – hemorrhagic and ischemic.

A hemorrhagic stroke is caused by the hemorrhaging of blood vessels in the brain. In most cases, it’s associated with a ruptured aneurysm – a swelling of a blood vessel that weakens the vessel wall and then bursts open.

An ischemic stroke is caused by a blood clot the cuts off the blood flow to part of the brain.

There is a third, generally less severe form of stroke known as a TIA or transient ischemic attack. They are defined as a temporary, generally less than 24 hours, where there is a blockage of blood flow due to a clot that in a short time releases and allows blood flow to resume.

The severity of a stroke depends a lot on the location and how soon treatment can be started. Knowing how to recognize a stroke is important for you and your family or those around you. Here are ten general symptoms of a stroke:

  1. Trouble seeing – sudden blurred or dimming vision.
  2. Loss of balance – having trouble walking or sitting without falling. Generally caused by one side of the body being affected by the stroke.
  3. Difficulty speaking – speech becomes slurred, words hard to recall.
  4. Weakness – A very common symptom when the arm and/or leg on one side of the body become weak and possible unable to move.
  5. Facial paralysis – not always, but one side of the face can become paralyzed, often accompanied by slight pain in the face, dizziness, difficulty speaking, drooling out of one side of the mouth, tearing of eye and inability to smile or frown.
  6. Pain – while most people don’t associate pain with a stroke, it can range from a dull ache to a constant or sudden sharp pain.
  7. Loss of understanding – a stroke victim sometimes is mentally confused and bewildered, unable to put a thought together.
  8. Severe headache – many illnesses can be accompanied by severe headaches, but coupled with many of the other symptoms, a severe headache can be a sign of a stroke.
  9. Loss of senses – could include vision, smell, hearing, tough and taste.
  10. Fatigue – by itself, fatigue may be a sign of many other things, including fevers or just staying up too late the night before. However, when fatigue is accompanied with many of the other symptoms, it’s nothing to just sleep on.

We hear all the time that high blood pressure and stress are some of the leading causes of strokes. That’s why so many doctors are concerned about their patients’ health as they want to take measures to help reduce the possibility of having a stroke.

Another key to reducing the risk of having a stroke or increasing the chance or recovery is you have a stroke, is watching your weight and regular exercise. Pamela Rist, of Harvard University just authored a study and reported:

“The new study involved more than 18,000 people with no history of stroke who were followed for an average of 12 years. During that time, nearly 1,400 of the participants suffered a stroke but survived.”

‘Three years after their stroke, those who had exercised regularly before their stroke were 18 percent more likely to be able to perform basic tasks — such as bathing on their own, the researchers found.”

“The fitter individuals were also 16 percent more likely to be able to perform more complex tasks, such as managing money on their own, compared to those who did not exercise before their stroke, the findings showed.”

“‘We also found that a person’s body mass index was not a factor in predicting their level of disability after stroke,’ Rist said in a journal news release. Body mass index is an estimate of body fat based on weight and height.”

“Two experts in stroke care who reviewed the findings said the study highlights the importance of exercise.”

That’s one of the reasons my wife and I are buying a treadmill. We have found that our life has become more sedentary than it used to be. With the crazy weather where we live, it’s not always possible to get out and walk or jog, so we decided to invest in a good quality treadmill that has adjustable speed, incline and a shock absorbing system to take some of the impact off of our knees.

With the treadmill, we can take turns getting our cardio exercise while watching some of our favorite television programs – sewing and quilting for her, sports for me and many shows we both like. We have also invested in some exercise strength bands and inexpensive equipment that will help make it easier for us to do strength building exercises which is vital for bones and the prevention of osteoporosis.

It’s important to do something to reduce the weight and fat and get some exercise, depending on your abilities or limitations.

Why The Pushup Is The World’s Greatest Exercise

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Source: huffingtonpost.com

If I could only do one exercise for the rest of my life, it would be the pushup.

Maybe you hate them or you think you can’t complete a single rep or you think being a runner (or a cyclist or a walker) means you only need to focus on your lower body. But it’s time to stop considering the pushup an arm workout and start accepting it for the body-altering, core-strengthening move it truly is.

You don’t have to drop and give me 50; simply incorporating more pushups into your regular routine can help you reach all sorts of fitness goals, by helping you improve everything from your posture on your bike to your balance to your arm swing.

The Perfect Pushup So how do you do the move of all moves correctly?

  • Start on your hands and toes, in full plank position, with your hands slightly to the sides of your shoulders.
  • Engage your core muscles by trying to bring your belly button toward your spine, then slowly lower your body toward the ground while keeping your neck and spine aligned — no drooping allowed.
  • When your chest is about the size of a fist away from the ground, slowly press back up to full plank position.
  • Repeat! Try for 10 if you’re just starting out — or challenge yourself and see how many you can do before your form starts to falter.

If you’re not quite ready for a pushup, there’s no shame in taking a step back. In fact, I wish more people would give the modified pushup the attention it deserves.

Pushups are hard. That’s why they’re so awesome. But, like any challenging exercise, that means form is paramount. You’re better off doing 10 modified pushups with perfect form than five full pushups with hunched shoulders or a drooping neck or hips. You’ll work the same core, chest and arm muscles while relieving a bit of the pressure, allowing you to train safely. The same rules apply as above; instead, start on hands and knees (and don’t cross the ankles).

In both a modified or full pushup, the wider you place your hands, the more you work your chest.

The closer to your body you place your hands, the more you work your triceps.

Once you’ve mastered the pushup, you can experiment with a whole bunch of variations to not only mix up a tired routine but also to work different muscles in different ways. Here are three of my favorites:

Pushup Variation #1: BOSU Ball Pushups
Originally an acronym for “both sides up”, this versatile gym gadget requires extra core work if you’re going to stay balanced during your pushups.

  • Start by gripping the sides of the ball’s platform, with the round side down.
  • Perform your pushups as usual, trying to wobble as little as possible.

Pushup Variation #2: Renegade Row Pushup
Adding a row to your pushup makes this variation a two-for-one deal: You’ll be working your back muscles to complement all that chest work.

  • Hold the handles of two dumbbells.
  • Complete one pushup, and when you get back to starting position, lift your right arm until the upper arm is about level with your back.
  • Pause, then lower the weight back down and repeat with your left arm before completing your next pushup.
  • Focus on pinching your shoulder blades together with each row, with as little sideways movement as possible.

Pushup Variation #3: T Pushups
Work your obliques by incorporating a mini side plank into your pushups. If When this gets too easy, try it while holding a pair of dumbbells.

  • Complete a pushup as usual, and when you get back to starting position, rotate your body to one side into a side plank position with your arm extended (your body will form a T).
  • Pause, then return to pushup position.
  • Complete another pushup, then rotate to the other side.

Why Isn’t My Belly Fat Going Away?

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Source: health.com

Lose the pudge

A little bit of belly fat is actually good for you: it protects your stomach, intestines, and other delicate organs. But too much fat is anything but healthy. Extra fat cells deep in your abdomen (aka visceral fat) generate adipose hormones and adipokines—chemical troublemakers that travel to your blood vessels and organs, where they cause inflammation that can contribute to problems like heart disease and diabetes.

The good news? Every pound you shed can help reduce your girth. “Once women start losing weight, they typically lose 30% more abdominal fat compared with total fat,” says Rasa Kazlauskaite, MD, an endocrinologist at the Rush University Prevention Center in Chicago. Even better, the choices you make every day can supercharge your ability to burn belly fat. Here are 10 common pitfalls—and ways to undo each one.

You’re on a low-fat diet

To shed belly fat, it’s good to eat fat—specifically monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). When researchers in one study asked women to switch to a 1,600-calorie, high-MUFA diet, they lost a third of their belly fat in a month. “MUFAs are satiating, so they help you eat fewer poor-quality foods,” says David Katz, MD, director of the Yale Prevention Research Center.

Belly blaster: Have a serving of MUFAs—like a handful of nuts, a tablespoon of olive oil, or a quarter of an avocado—with every meal and snack.

You’ve been feeling blue for a while

Women with depressive symptoms were far more likely to have extra belly fat, found a recent Rush University Medical Center study. That may be because depression is linked to reduced physical activity and poor eating habits.

Belly blaster: Exercise! “It improves levels of brain chemicals that regulate metabolism of fat, as well as your mood,” Dr. Kazlauskaite says. This enhances your motivation to do other things that help ward off depression, like seeing friends. But if you’re so bummed out that you don’t want to do things you used to enjoy, it’s time to seek the help of a therapist.

Your food comes from a box

Simple carbs (like chips) and added sugar (in items like sweetened drinks) cause your blood sugar to spike, which triggers a flood of insulin—a hormone that encourages your liver to store fat in your middle.

Belly blaster: Instead of focusing on cutting out junk, center your efforts on adding in healthy fare (think extra servings of vegetables at each meal). As Dr. Katz says, “Filling your tank with high-quality fuel thwarts hunger.”

You’re skimping on the miracle mineral

Magnesium regulates more than 300 functions in the body. No surprise, then, that a 2013 study found that people who consumed more of it had lower blood sugar and insulin levels.

Belly blaster: At least twice a day, reach for magnesium-rich foods such as dark leafy greens, bananas, and soybeans.

You’re hooked on diet soda

A study in Obesity found that diet soda drinkers were more likely to have a high percentage of fat in their bellies. The researchers think that diet drinkers may overestimate the calories they’re “saving,” and then overeat.

Belly blaster: If you’re not ready to kick your habit, the researchers suggest reducing the number of food calories in your diet.

You love burgers

When Swedish researchers gave one group of adults 750 extra daily calories, mainly from saturated fat, and another group the same amount of calories but mostly from polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) for seven weeks, the saturated fat group accumulated two times as much visceral fat.

Belly blaster: Dine on fatty fish like salmon or trout once a week to get a good dose of PUFAs. The rest of the time, reduce your intake of red meat and opt instead for protein low in saturated fat, such as legumes and chicken.

You think girls don’t get beer guts

According to a 2013 Danish study, beer may indeed be linked with abdominal obesity. And though beer appears to have the greatest impact, wine won’t save you from a spare tire: One study found that the amount of alcohol of any type that women drank contributed to weight gain.

Belly blaster: Stick with seven or fewer alcoholic beverages a week. Light to moderate drinkers are the least likely to carry excess weight anywhere, shows a recent Archives of Internal Medicine study.

You can’t recall when you last said “om”

Menopause-related hormonal changes (which typically begin in your 40s) make it harder to shed stomach pudge—but vigorous yoga can help offset the effects. A 2012 study found that postmenopausal women who did an hour-long yoga session three times a week for 16 weeks lost more than 1/2 inch around their waists.

Belly blaster: Not a fan of Sun Salutations? “Take an hour to do something nice for yourself,” which could help control your stress hormones, advises Sheila Dugan, MD, a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist in Chicago.

Your meals are beige

Brightly colored fruits and veggies are loaded with vitamin C, which reduces cortisol. What’s more, a recent study in The Journal of Nutrition showed that people who ate more of the nutrients in red, orange, and yellow produce had smaller waists as a result.

Belly blaster: Add color to your plate by topping fish with a mango salsa, or throw diced red pepper into your turkey meatballs.

Your sweat sessions don’t involve sweat

Research has shown that high-intensity interval training, or HIIT—bursts of vigorous activity followed by short periods of gentle activity or rest—boasts belly-shrinking benefits. “High-intensity exercise seems to be more effective at reducing insulin, triglycerides, and cortisol, and it burns more calories in less time, too,” notes Shawn Talbot, PhD, a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine.

Belly blaster: If you enjoy biking or running, for example, accelerate to a pace that makes it hard to talk for two minutes; then slow down for a minute, and repeat until you’re done. Like resistance training? Try a series of moves like squats or push-ups for two minutes each with a 60-second break between them.

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