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Exercise and the Aging Population
The best and most important time to exercise is in our later years. Although you may not have the same amount of energy as you did when you were 25, beginning a regular exercise program can have you feeling younger, healthier, and happier.
Unfortunately, we undergo many physiological changes as a result of aging. These changes include increases in fat mass, decreases in muscle mass, weaker cardiac output (reduced blood flow, stiffening of blood vessels, slower heart rate), lower bone density, and slower reflexes. Although these occurrences are inevitable, a combination of cardiovascular, balance, flexibility and resistance training can slow down these adverse processes.
The first and most important type of training that can improve many of these aspects, as well as, lower our overall chances of mortality is cardiovascular (endurance) training. Cardio training can be performed on various modalities, which include bike riding, rowing, walking, jogging, elliptical, arm ergometer, and other activities such as recreational sports and dancing. Endurance training on a regular basis has been found to improve our overall cardiac output, lower our LDL cholesterol and blood-glucose levels, reduce fat mass, and improve lung function among many other aspects of our health.
Evidence backing improved cardiac output can be observed in a research study performed at the gerontological research institute. This study was conducted to find the effects of a 4-month endurance training program on older adults. The results of this experiment illustrate the significant benefits of exercise training on the overall cardiac output of a group of older adults. Exercisers trained three times weekly for 40 minutes on a cycle ergometer (5-minute warm up, 30 minutes at training heart rate (THR), 5-minute cool down). Target heart rate was set at 70% of peak heart rate attained on a maximal exercise test. At the end of the experiment, the exercise group improved their aerobic capacity by 8.5% compared to the control group (no exercise) whose aerobic performance decreased (Posner).
Resistance training, otherwise known as strength training, has been found to improve bone density at any age and increase muscle mass. Combining a strength training program with a balance training program has been found to prevent falls in the elderly. According to a study done in New Zealand, a six month strength and balance program showed a significant change in the number of falls among two groups of senior citizens. This is an important finding, because in many cases falls lead to long-term inactivity, which in turn increases the rate of mortality (Campbell).
By Anthony Locast
Sources
Campbell, A. John, et al. “Randomised controlled trial of a general practice programme of home based exercise to prevent falls in elderly women.” Bmj 315.7115 (1997): 1065-1069.
Posner, Joel D., et al. “Low to moderate intensity endurance training in healthy older adults: physiological responses after four months.” Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 40.1 (1992): 1-7.
Recipe of the Week: Seedy Cherry-Quinoa Bars
Serves: 12
Ingredients:
- Nonstick vegetable oil spray
- 1 cup chopped almonds
- ½ cup raw quinoa, rinsed
- ¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds
- ¼ cup raw sunflower seeds
- 1 cup dried tart cherries
- 2 tablespoons brown rice syrup
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°. Coat 8×8” baking pan with nonstick vegetable oil spray; line with parchment, leaving overhang on all sides.
- Toast almonds, quinoa, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds on a rimmed baking sheet, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 10–12 minutes. Let cool.
- Reduce oven temperature to 200°. Process cherries, brown rice syrup, salt, and 2 Tbsp. water in a food processor until smooth.
- Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in toasted almond mixture.
- Press firmly into prepared pan and bake until no longer sticky, 20–25 minutes. Let cool, then cut into bars.
*Bars can be made 2 weeks ahead. Store airtight at room temperature
Nutrition Information:
Calories 150
Fat 7g, Carbohydrates 19g, Fiber 5g, Sugars 7g, Protein 4g
Original recipe can be found here!
Fall Prevention in Autumn
As the leaves begin to change, Team Peak dedicates its time and resources to Fall Prevention Awareness month. There are a number of Fall Prevention Programs available, including the ones here at Peak Fitness and Physical Therapy! Before you ask about or programs, here are some helpful tips to get you started.
- Research shows that fall risk is increased by things such as age, weakness, confusion and unsteady movement. Luckily, that same research also shows that if we pay particular attention to these risk factors, our fall risk decreases. A consistent exercise program will not only help keep you on your feet, it will help keep you healthy and strong (Rubenstein, 2006).
- Wear the appropriate footwear. Consider the changing weather as a cue to ditch the unstable sandals and opt for some better fitting sneakers. This is especially important if you are going to be doing activities like raking leaves, picking pumpkins, etc.
- Get a balance assessment. Ideally, we can start an intervention before a fall incident Get your eyes, ears, strength, mobility and gait assessed by a qualified professional to help set you up for success (Moylan, Binder, 2007).
By Matt Rhodes
References:
Moylan and Binder, 2007. Falls in older adults: risk assessment, management and prevention. American Journal of Medicine 120(6).
Rubenstein, EF, 2006. Falls in older people: epidemiology, risk factors and strategies for prevention. Journal of Aging 35.
Cholesterol: The Good & The Bad
Increased exercise and a healthy diet can create positive changes within your body other than just losing weight. Cholesterol levels are just one of many indicators for cardiovascular disease. While those who are overweight have a higher risk for developing cardiovascular disease, those people are not the only ones at risk. Nutrition and exercise play a large part in one’s cholesterol levels.High cholesterol means that there is an imbalance of fats circulating in the blood stream. Cholesterol is a fatty substance that your body uses to make hormones and metabolize food. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is referred to as the “bad cholesterol.” A high LDL level may put you at risk for cardiovascular disease. This type of cholesterol is linked to a buildup of plaque within the arteries, which can eventually obstruct proper blood flow to the heart and other organs. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is the “good cholesterol” which carries cholesterol from other parts of your body back to your liver and it will remove the bad cholesterol from your body. Higher HDL levels have proven to protect against heart disease. Triglycerides refer to fat content in the blood. This is the kind of fat that people eat, which found mostly in vegetable oil and animal fats.
High cholesterol, however, is not always associated with your weight. Several factors play a role in your cholesterol levels including exercise, nutrition, and genetics. These factors combine to form a baseline for one’s risk of developing high cholesterol. Consuming a diet that is high in fat, such as high-fat meats, fried foods and high-fat cheeses, will increase your risk of developing both high cholesterol and obesity.
Making small changes to your nutritional habits and exercise routine may help to reduce your cholesterol. Instead of focusing on changing your caloric intake, be mindful about the types of foods you eat which will help contribute to healthier cholesterol levels. Regular exercise may also contribute to increasing your good cholesterol levels. However, if weight loss is also a concern, research studies suggest that weight loss may help reduce your LDL and triglyceride levels, while increasing HDL.
By Louise Mills-Strasser
Weight Loss and Joint Health
The joints of the body are junctions that connect bones. Their main functions allow us to bear weight, and give us the ability to move. Because of these functions, joints are constantly under stress and eventually begin to deteriorate; and for those who are obese or even slightly overweight, the stress on joints is even greater which can accelerate joint deterioration.
The joints that take the brunt of the effects are the weight-bearing joints, like our hips and our knees. The more weight we carry, the more stress that goes through these joints, therefore incurring more damage. For each pound of excess weight, there is about 4 pounds of pressure exerted on the knees. So an individual who is 20 pounds overweight, has about 80 pounds of extra pressure going through their knees! If you then factor in all the steps you take, and stairs you climb etc., you can imagine the amount of stress those weight-bearing joints are receiving.
If you are already suffering from severe joint damage (osteoarthritis), and are at the point where you need or recently had joint replacement surgery, it is still important to monitor your body weight! Losing weight before surgery can lessen the chance of complications during the operation, as well as help cut down recovery time after the surgery is complete. Losing weight after the operation can also aid in a quicker recovery and also reduce the risk of damage to the artificial joint.
So how do we save our joints?
Start today by making healthy choices to reduce body weight. Proper nutrition in conjunction with exercise can aid in weight loss and reduce stress on joints. Weight training will strengthen the muscles and bones around those weight- bearing joints. The better the ability of our muscles to control our weight through movement, the less stress our joints will have to endure.
By David McCalla
Recipe of the Week: Mediterranean Pizza *GF
Makes: 4 servings
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 10 min
Ingredients:
- 1 medium head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), trimmed and broken into small florets
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 large regular lemon
- 6 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
- ? cup green or black olives, pitted and sliced
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- ¼ cup slivered fresh basil
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a pizza pan or rimless baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place cauliflower in a food processor and pulse until reduced to rice-size crumbles. Transfer to a large nonstick skillet and add 1 tablespoon oil and salt. Heat over medium-high, stirring frequently, until the cauliflower begins to soften slightly (but don’t let it brown), 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl to cool for at least 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, with a sharp knife, remove the skin and white pith from the lemon and discard. Working over a small bowl, cut the segments from the membranes, letting the segments drop into the bowl (remove seeds). Drain the juice from the segments (save for another use). Add tomatoes and olives to the lemon segments; toss to combine.
- Add egg, cheese and oregano to the cooled cauliflower; stir to combine. Spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, shaping into an even 10-inch round. Drizzle the remaining 1 teaspoon oil over the top.
- Bake the pizza until the top begins to brown, 10 to 14 minutes. Scatter the lemon- olive mixture over the top, season with pepper, and continue to bake until nicely browned all over, 8 to 14 minutes more. Scatter basil over the top. Cut into wedges and serve.
Original recipe from Eating Well. You can find it here along with a quick how-to video of this recipe!
Recipe of the Week: Coconut Lime Tilapia
This delicious recipe was quick and easy to make! Try serving it with a whole grain side to make it a well rounded meal for your family.
Ingredients
- 3 limes, zested
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 7 tsp of coconut oil, melted
- 4 (4oz) tilapia fillets
- 8 cups fresh spinach
- ¼ c + 1 tbs of lime juice
Directions
1) Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. In a small bowl, combine lime zest, garlic, pepper, and 4 teaspoons of coconut oil.
2) Coat tilapia fillets with the oil mixture on both sides. Place fillets, two at a time, in the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until golden and crisp.
3) In a large bowl, toss spinach with the remaining 3 teaspoons of coconut oil and 1 tablespoon of lime juice. Divide among four serving plates with a fillet and drizzle with lime juice.
**You can sauté the spinach leaves also!
Nutrition
- Calories: 196
- Carbohydrates: 3g
- Fat: 10g
- Protein: 23g