No surgery required
(BPT) – The spirited group of 40-plus is redefining their age, staying active by working, traveling and enjoying the great outdoors.
They know that in order to live life to the fullest, they must make their health a priority, and many are dramatically affecting their personal well-being with a few key activities that take 10 minutes or less a day to complete.
Tavis Piattoly is a sports dietitian, expert nutritionist and co-founder of My Sports Dietitian. He stresses small daily activities can have a cumulative effect on health, and therefore encourages consistently staying active and eating well.
He suggests three ways the age group can keep their health on track in 10 minutes each day:
1. Quick exercises
“Exercise should be enjoyable, so whether it is a brisk walk, strength training or participating in a sport, enjoying what you do will increase your chance of sticking with that activity,” Piattoly said.
He recommends incorporating strength training into their workout routine to prevent loss of muscle tissues – a concern that increases with aging. Here are three simple exercises:
Chair squats – Use any chair and perform 10 to 12 repetitions standing up and sitting down. To increase difficulty, hold a light dumbbell to add resistance.
Wall push-ups – Place arms against a wall and perform 10 to 12 push-ups. If this is too easy, get into the push-up position on the floor, using your knees for support.
Dumbbell curls or soup-can bicep curls – Use a light to moderate weight dumbbell (2 to 10 pounds) and perform 10 to 12 bicep curls.
Don’t have dumbbells? Substitute soup cans.
2. Nutrient-dense foods
It takes only minutes to eat a snack or a meal, and what’s on your plate fuels your overall health. Piattoly recommends starting with an emphasis on fresh fruits and vegetables.
“As we age, our immune system is not as strong as it once was to fight off infections and illnesses, and fruits and veggies could play a big role in fighting off heart disease, cancer and age-related diseases,” he said.
Next, Piattoly recommends eating lean protein like farm-raised eggs, extra lean beef or omega-3-rich salmon at every meal. “Since we lose muscle mass at a rate of around 1 percent per year starting at age 35, a diet rich in protein may minimize the rate at which we lose muscle,” he said.
Piattoly also suggests a balance of healthy fats. “Focus on a mix of healthy fats from sources like olive oil, avocados, almonds, sunflower seeds, pistachios and natural peanut butter.”
3. Select supplements
“Omega-3 fatty acids, especially from fish oil, are beneficial for both brain and cardiovascular health,” Piattoly said, noting that multiple research studies have demonstrated that fish oil supplementation is linked with lower levels of beta-amyloid protein, which may lower your risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
