Healthy Ways To Arrest Ageing

While ageing is a reality we cannot stop, there are ways to arrest the process and prevent its fallout with simple steps that ensure better health, greater energy and more vitality, says Dr Parul R. Sheth

Ageing is a continuous process. It does not stop at any point in time but you can make efforts to slow it down. Being a woman, you face unique health problems beginning at the age of around 50 or more. Some of you may face risks of developing one or more health problems. Your family history plays a major role here. There are many steps that you can take to help maintain your health and vitality to sail through old age. We list here 10 common illnesses that can afflict you as you age and give you tips to prevent them to make you live a long and fruitful life.

Arthritis

You can take precautions now to prevent creaky joints and arthritic pain that may affect you in old age. In addition to age-related osteoarthritis, women are prone to rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune condition and osteoporosis. Maintain your bone health to save yourself from
such problems.

Preventive measures

• Maintain a healthy weight. Your weight can put pressure on your joints and wear them out faster. If you are overweight or obese, you need to lose weight to lower the stress on your joints, especially your knees and hips. Make changes in your diet; reduce your fat and sugar intake.
• Avoid high impact exercises like long distance running. Biking, swimming, walking, etc. put less strain on your joints.
• While lifting heavy objects from the ground, bend from your knees and not your waist. Keeping your knees straight can put a strain on your back.
• Avoid falls and injuries. Both may increase your risk of developing arthritis.
• Take calcium supplements if you are not getting enough from your diet.
• Check your vitamin D levels. Lack of vitamin D can increase the risk of arthritis. Get vitamin D from sunlight, fish like mackerel and salmon, fortified milk, cereals, orange juice, etc.
• Wear high heels and stilettos only occasionally. Platforms and wedges are a better option.
• Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water.

Menopausal weight gain

Hormonal changes around menopause, your genes, lifestyle and ageing—all can make you gain weight around your abdomen, hips and thighs. But, the good news is that you can prevent weight gain by leading an active lifestyle and eating healthy.

Preventive measures

• You need fewer calories in your 50s than you did in your earlier years. Choose a healthy diet including fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fat-free foods. Consume proteins from beans, lentils, lean meat, eggs, etc. Snack on fruits instead of cookies.
• Include regular exercise in your daily routine. Maintain a healthy weight, Aerobic exercises such as brisk walking, swimming, walking on a treadmill and strength training, abdominal exercises, yoga, etc. help burn extra calories.
• Be social. Seek company. Enjoy with family and friends. Team up to indulge in healthy diet and exercise.

Ageing skin

Ageing brings with it skin changes. Your skin starts sagging, turns dry and wrinkled. Your hair too turns white or grey. The outer layer of the skin becomes thin and this makes you more prone to skin injury. The way your skin ages depends upon many factors such as your lifestyle, diet, your genes and personal habits. Harsh weather, pollution and the sun are the main culprits that damage your skin. But you can prevent your skin from ageing and keep it supple and fresh-looking by taking care.

Preventive measures

• Avoid the harsh sun. Protect yourself with sunscreen with an SPF factor of 30 and above.
• Stop smoking. Cigarette smoke ages the skin.
• Get enough quality sleep at night to preserve the elasticity of the skin.
• Wear sunglasses to protect the skin around your eyes.
  Avoid repetitive facial movements like squinting to prevent wrinkle formation.
• Consume omega-3 fatty acid-rich foods such as oily fish (salmon, mackerel), walnuts, etc. This will help in skin nourishment. Soya foods, fruits, vegetables and anti-oxidant-rich foods too can prevent photo-ageing.
• Use moisturisers to ease the creases and wrinkles. They also prevent drying of skin.
• Use a glycerine-based soap to wash your face if you have dry skin.
• Cleansers are good for make-up removal.

Cancer

Amongst the several types of cancers, the most common cancers that affect women in the ages between 50 and 74 are breast cancer, lung cancer, bowel or colorectal cancer, uterine cancer and ovarian cancer. It is best to detect the cancers early when they are small and easy to treat.

Preventive measures

• Get a mammogram done every year, if you are 40 or older. Get a clinical breast exam done each year. Starting in your 20s, do breast self-exam (BSE) to notice any lump or changes in the breast.
• Early detection of a polyp, a small growth on the colon or rectum can help save lives. Precancerous polyps can be removed before they turn cancerous. Conduct a sigmoidoscopy every five years or a colonoscopy every 10 years. These are diagnostic tests to detect bowel or colorectal cancer. Go on a low-fat diet rich in fruits and vegetables.
• Stop smoking to prevent lung cancer. If you are a smoker, ask your doctor for ways to quit. Avoid passive smoking, i.e. breathing in another person’s smoke.
• Go for regular Pap tests, especially if you are a young, sexually active woman. It can prevent cervical cancer. You can do the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) test between 30 and 65 years of age in addition to a Pap test. You also have the option to get vaccinated against HPV.
• Stay out of the midday sun for long periods of time to prevent skin cancer. Wear a cap or a hat, long-sleeved dresses and sunglasses, and use a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher on exposed skin. Look out for moles or unusual spots.
• Talk to your doctor before starting hormone replacement therapy (HRT), especially oestrogen therapy as a treatment for menopausal symptoms as it may probably cause ovarian cancer. Get a pelvic exam if you have an abdominal or pelvic swelling, and back or leg pain, etc.
• Adopt a healthy lifestyle, good eating habits, and regular exercise to lower your cancer risk.

Weak immune system

You have an immune system in the body, which protects you from germs and diseases. But when it becomes weak, it fails and allows the germs to invade your body and make you sick. There are ways to intervene to strengthen and renew your immune responses. A number of nutrients have the potential of boosting your immune system. Lifestyle modifications and good healthy habits can help keep your immune system healthy.

Preventive measures

• Get 7-8 hours of quality sleep each night. When you do not get enough sleep, your body’s resistance becomes low and you are more likely to catch a common cold or any other infection easily.
• Regular exercise can help build your immune system. A daily 30-minute walk is good for your health. Physical activity in any form helps raise your body’s feel-good chemicals in the brain and makes you sleep better, both of which are good for your immune system.
• Too much sugar in your diet affects your immune system. Eat more fruits and vegetables, and foods rich in anti-oxidants, vitamin C and E, beta-carotene and zinc. Coloured vegetables and fruits such as berries, orange, sweet lime, kiwi, apple, red grapes, kale, spinach, onion, sweet potato, beet, carrot, etc. Experts suggest eating fresh garlic as it helps fight viruses and bacteria. The old-fashioned chicken soup or broth works well when you have a cold or flu. Mushrooms too are known to help your immune system work well.
• Chronic stress raises stress hormone levels in your body thus suppressing your immune system. Manage your stress well by slowing down, doing meditation and yoga, socialising, working out, indulging in hobbies like music, dance, reading, travelling, and taking a break from work. If nothing works, you may need counselling. Laughing is good for stress. It can have a positive effect on your immune system. A sense of humour can curb the levels of stress hormones and boost a type of white blood cells, which fight infection.
• Cigarette smoke weakens your defence system. So, quit smoking.
• Excessive alcohol consumption impairs the immune system. Drink in moderation.

Energy drain

You work throughout the day, tire yourself out and go to bed. Your alarm rings, and it’s time to wake up; you feel like you have hardly slept. It’s a terrible task to complete your routine chores and rush off to work. The all-out energy drain is back. Even cups of coffee are not turning on the magic. You drag yourself home and on to the couch you slouch. The exhaustion may merely be a low-energy drain, which accumulates and causes an overall tired feeling, achy muscles, body ache and lack of energy. Chronic fatigue sets in. If you are constantly low on energy, you need to get a blood test done for a complete blood cell count and check for thyroid function and anaemia. The good news is that there are ways to zap fatigue. Nutrients such as iron, zinc, magnesium, vitamin D, B vitamins, and omega-3 fatty acids help restore energy.

Preventive measures

• Do not skip breakfast. Breakfast supplies you with fuel that lasts all through the day. Do not skip any meal; missing a meal can result in fatigue at the end of the day. Good options include brown bread, whole grain cereal, eggs, nuts and fruits.
• Eat a well-balanced diet including vitamins and minerals. Include natural, oestrogen-filled foods such as soya products. A slight magnesium deficiency may be the cause of your energy drain. The recommended daily intake is 300 mg each day. Include almonds, hazelnuts or cashews, and whole grains, especially bran cereal and fish, in your diet. Eat fruits and vegetables.
• Eat mini frequent meals throughout the day to keep blood sugar levels and your energy on the rise.
• Power snacking in between meals can keep your energy up through the day. A handful of nuts, yoghurt, wholewheat crackers, a fruit, etc. are good.
• A low-fat latte can help you feel rejuvenated.
• Remain hydrated. Drink plenty of water. Dehydration can result in fatigue and lethargy.
• Avoid alcohol and, if you drink, do it in moderation. Alcohol makes you sleepy at first but may interfere with deep sleep and you get up feeling groggy and drained.
• You are exhausted and you feel like resting but the best way to increase your energy levels is by increasing physical activity, especially walking. Go for daily 10-minute walks to elevate your mood. Step outside because vitamin D from sunlight raises endorphins, the feel-good chemicals.
• Include physical activity in your daily routine. Exercise makes your heart pump more oxygen and nutrients into your bloodstream, lungs and cardiovascular system, making you more energetic. Build your immunity.
• Studies suggest that a 10-20 minute power nap can reverse the energy drain.
• Get 7-8 hours of sleep every night.
• Reduce stress because it leaves you exhausted physically and mentally. Include relaxation activities and exercise in your daily routine.
• Deal with your anger.

Dementia

The chances of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease increase as you age. The risk can go up because of high blood pressure in mid-life, heart disease, stroke, weakening and changes in the immune system or changes in nerve cells, DNA and cell structure. Dementia is not a disease but is a collection of symptoms such as short-term memory loss like remembering names, routes, forgetting messages, asking questions again and again, difficulty in organisation and planning, problems in thinking and communicating. There are things that you can do to keep dementia at bay.

Preventive measures

• A healthy diet is a must, with plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, unsaturated fat, oily fish, nuts, seeds, olive oil, etc.
• Be physically active and exercise for 30 minutes every day. Opt for brisk walking, cycling, gym workouts, sports, dancing, yoga, t’ai chi, Pilates, etc.—whichever helps you release the feel-good chemicals—endorphins—in the brain, and reduce your risk of developing dementia.
• Stop smoking.
• Drink in moderation.
• Studies suggest that social people have a lesser risk of dementia than loners.
• Exercise your brain. Try solving crosswords, puzzles, read, learn a language, etc. Mental activities keep your brain fit.

Depression

You have your good times and your bad times. You feel sad but these feelings go away as time passes by. However, there are times when your sadness lasts for weeks together and you feel there is no way out. Women are more prone to depression than men. Doctors prescribe anti-depressants as treatment. With good healthy habits, you may be able to prevent depression.

Preventive measures

• Lack of sleep in the night can make you irritable and grouchy all through the day. Research suggests that your body’s circadian or 24-hour rhythm is linked with depression. Sleep in a favourable environment at the same time, each day, for 7-8 hours.
• Exercise has mood-boosting effects. Be physically active and incorporate exercise in your
  daily routine.
• There is a correlation between depression and sugar intake. Whenever you feel low, eating sugar—for instance, chocolates, etc.—makes you feel better. However, balancing sugar is very important. Consuming less sugar is the key to good health.
• Eat regular, healthy meals and snacks. Omega-3 fatty acid-rich foods such as walnuts, flaxseeds and oily fish (salmon, trout, sardine) can ease depression.
• Look out for activities that interest you; develop hobbies and keep yourself mentally and physically busy. Socialise, and have fun with friends, family and colleagues.
• Manage your stress well.
• Get proper treatment if you have depression to prevent further damage.

Dental problems

With age comes the likelihood of losing your teeth because of tooth decay and infection. Lack of dental hygiene through childhood or youth can cause several problems in old age. Bad gum hygiene is known to cause heart disease. Also, you can become undernourished in old age if you are unable to chew your food. The good news is that you can take precautions now to make your teeth last long even until the age of 85 years.

Preventive measures

• Good oral hygiene is important. Brushing and flossing your teeth after every meal to remove plaque and tartar can keep your teeth free of infection and prevent tooth decay and development of dental carries or tooth cavities.
• Sugar can give cavities. Rinse your mouth or brush your teeth after you eat a sugary sweet snack or drink soft drinks, colas, sugary tea or coffee.
• A healthy diet that includes calcium and vitamin D can prevent tooth loss. You can take calcium and vitamin D supplements if you are not getting enough calcium from your diet.
• Fluoride in water and toothpaste can help prevent cavities.
• Do not use your teeth for opening bottle caps or rip open packages; you may chip or break your teeth.
• Go for regular check-ups to your dentist.