4 steps to increased health in middle age

Are you middle-aged (45 - 64 years old according to a recent study)? If so, you're probably concerned about your health, both current health and future health risks. 4 simple changes can improve your health, according to a study published in the July issue of The American Journal of Medicine.

Decrease risk of death by 40%? Count me in. Decrease risk of having a heart attack or stroke in the next 4 years by 35%? I'm there.

I bet you can even guess the four changes that improve health for us middle-aged folks:
1. ≥ 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily;
2. regular exercise (at least walking for at least 2.5 hours per week);
3. body mass index [BMI] of 18.5 - 29.9;
4. no current smoking or stop smoking

The easiest change to implement is to increase the amount of fruit and vegetables we eat. After that, increasing activity is doable for most people.

But stopping smoking and losing weight are the most difficult changes to make - and to stick with.

The good news is that making even one or two of these changes will improve your overall health. You'll probably also feel better on a daily basis and have more energy as well.

Evaluate your current status in regard to these four areas, and then set a specific goal to improve in at least one area. I'm off for a bike ride!

Lynn

July challenge

My challenge for July was to run a 5K trail race in Georgettii Park, Rutland, VT. It was a blast!

Running on trails is a LOT different than running on the road. Mud, rocks, streams, and foot bridges over streams are part of the fun of running on trails. Plus, the race was at 6:30 pm, and I'm typically an early morning runner. Add in hot temperatures and high humidit, and I was sweating while sitting in the shade waiting for the race to start!

The race was well-organized, the course extremely well marked (I never even made a wrong turn!), all the runners were friendly, and they had Tootsie-rolls at the end. The best part was that my husband, Mike, ran the race as well. It's always more fun to travel to a race, hang out before and after the run, and then stop for something to eat when he's with me.

Running this trail race reminded me how much fun it is to run on trails periodically. I guess I'll add that to the training mix!

Next up for August: an Olympic distance triathlon at Lake Dunmore, VT. See you at the pool!

The weather didn't cooperate with my workout plans today.

The forecast was for thunderstorms and rain. Not good when MY plans were to swim 1 mile in the outdoor pool at the Rec Center, followed by a 45-60 minute bike ride. "Brick" training, where you do two different workouts one right after the other, is a mainstay of training for a triathlon, where you do three different activities one right after the other.

The weather held for the swim. Well, most of it. I was 3 lengths shy of a mile when the lifeguard heard thunder and got everyone out of the pool. 10 minutes later after I showered and changed, the downpour started in earnest. No bike riding today.

Instead of heading home and catching up on work and laundry, I went to Triad, the local gym, and rode the stationary bike. Definitely not as much fun as riding outside, and I only rode for 40 minutes due to the time it took to drive there, but something is better than nothing.

I actually had a great swim today, and when I bike inside I can read at the same time. So all was not lost, I finished my brick workout, and feel good about winning over the weather.

Soup's On!

I love soup, and recent research shows that we can eat fewer calories at meals that begin with soup. That's great news!

Barbara Rolls, a nutrition researcher famous for the book "Volumetrics" and her sensible approach toward weight loss by choosing foods with more volume and less calories, led this study. 60 men and women came to her lab for lunch and were served soup. After eating the soup, they were allowed to choose from a buffet lunch and eat as much as they wanted.

Eating soup first reduced calorie intake at lunch by 20%! All the soups were vegetable-based, which of course increases the nutritional value of the meal as well as reducing the calories. Eating high-calorie soups won't have the same effect, so stay away from creamy soups, soups made with cheese, or soups that are basically meat. The more veggies, the better!

If you want to eat fewer calories at lunch, or even at dinner, try serving vegetable-based soup first. Since it's summer, I'm mixing up a big batch of gazpacho!

Eat your calcium!

Boy, am I glad I grew up in a home where milk was our beverage of choice with meals!

A new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that women who get the majority of their calcium intake from dairy products - plus taking supplements - have higher bone mineral density. Higher bone mineral density equals stronger bones, and decreased risk of osteoporosis. The researchers looked at the diets of 183 postmenopausal women for one week, adding up calcium intake from foods and supplements.

The researchers aren't sure if the calcium in dairy products is responsible for the increased bone density. Other nutrients, perhaps something that improves estrogen metabolism which can also increase bone strength, may also be involved.

Based on this study and previous research, here's my recommendation for women looking to build strong bones and prevent osteoporosis:

1. Drink 2-3 cups of skim milk per day. That could include some milk on high-fiber cereal, milk in a smoothie, milk in hot chocolate, or a cold glass of milk with your lunch.
2. Use 1 cup of fat-free yogurt per day. Plain yogurt has the most calcium and the least amount of calories. Zip up the flavor by adding it to a smoothie or making a parfait with fruit and high-fiber cereal.
3. Aim for a total of 1500-2000 mg of calcium per day from foods and supplements. A cup of milk has about 300 mg of calcium; plain fat-free yogurt has about 400 mg.
4. Do some form of weight-bearing activity for at least 30 minutes every day. Walking and running are weight bearing; swimming and biking are not.