Add a bounce to your life

The pandemic has driven many away from restricted gyms, and home-exercise is the order of the day.

You could  buy a small, portable trampoline for home use, and bounce about; the softer impact will contribute to improved fitness. 

Resistance training throughout life offers good insurance against premature death. Studies show that the more muscle mass older Americans have, the less likely they are to die early. While we’re well into the 2020 Corona year, some older truths tend to be eternal. One of them is that if you don’t take care of your body, where else are you going to live? All evidence shows that those who are physically active and discriminate about the foods they select as nutrients going into the body, will enhance the quality of their lives, feel more comfortable in stronger and more flexible bodies, and enjoy better health and wellness. To assist in keeping to those resolutions to take better care of ourselves, here are some of the recent findings by respectable researchers, concerning  issues that can effect and improve the quality of fitness and  life:

Controlled impact is beneficial. Bones should be jarred for their own good. To develop bone density, stronger hips and and lower limbs, they need to be stressed to prompt them to add mass, or, as we age, to reduce loss of mass associated with aging. So, sprinting or jumping will strengthen bone density. Simply, repetitively jumping off a 30 cm step, and back onto it,  or hopping on the spot regularly, will  help do the trick. Evidence continues to grow, showing that overall body composition, and not just the widely used, and not too accurate, body mass index (BMI) is a better predictor of all-cause mortality. In other words, “the greater your muscle mass, the lower your risk of death,”  says one study’s coordinator. “Thus, rather than worrying about weight or body mass index, we should be trying to maximize and maintain muscle mass.”

The positive effects of regular exercise continue to be recognised by the scientists. The growing risk of dementia,  as one ages, is a fear shared by many of us who witness the traumatic mental degeneration of people we know. A recent collaborative study from Finland, involving the follow-up of 3,359 adults for 30 years, has found that a simple question about self-rated physical fitness in midlife (how fit do you think you are?) may reveal individuals who are at increased risk of developing dementia. Those who reported poor self-rated physical fitness in midlife (mean age 50), were four times more likely to get dementia during the next three decades, compared to those with good self-rated physical fitness. So, back to the old rule: use it, or you lose more than just your body.

While the jury is still firmly out on the high, saturated fat diets being promoted by some, research certainly indicates the positive effects of vegetarian dietary practices. High polyphenols intake is associated with a 30% reduction in mortality in older adults.  Polyphenols are naturally occurring compounds found largely in fruits, vegetables coffee, tea, nuts, legumes and cereals.  Polyphenols have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic effects. Research shows that overall mortality was reduced by 30% in participants who had rich-polyphenol diets (>650 mg/day), in comparison with the participants who had low-polyphenol intakes (<500 mg/day). Results corroborate scientific evidence suggesting that people consuming diets overall rich in fruit and vegetables are at lower risk of severe chronic diseases and overall mortality. Eating a vegetarian-rich diet appears to be associated with lower blood pressure and can be used to lower blood pressure. Dietary modifications thus can be effective in managing hypertension.

Of related interest, are the findings that show the use of canned tomatoes should be eliminated from all diets, because of the studies showing how bad they are for one’s health. Canned tomatoes are partially cooked, and so already  lose some of the natural nutrients found in the raw form. However, it is the heavy presence of bisphenol-A (BPA), that can be found in most canned products, that is the problem. Because tomatoes are highly acidic,  this acidity effectively leeches out the BPA, leading to greatly increased levels of the chemical in canned tomatoes. Horror studies show that BPA presents individuals with multiple risks of increased breast cancer and prostate cancer; mental disabilities in babies, heightened miscarriage risk, reproductive problems, and organ malformation in infants. Sensibly, avoid canned tomatoes and use the fresh version in your cooking.

Another useful finding is that greater dietary fibre intake is associated with a lower risk of both cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease.  An additional 7 g of fibre can be achieved through one portion of whole grains (found in bread, cereal, rice, pasta), plus a portion of beans/lentils, or 2 to 4 servings of fruit and vegetables. High fibre diets reduce the risk of colon problems, and when fibre is lacking, niacin, or vitamin B3 may help to keep the colon healthy.

When so much of what impinges on our lives is out of our control (Eskom and load shedding, the weather, the world’s economy), what we choose to do with our bodies is mostly in our hands. Tend it, nurture it, feed it well, exercise it, and better health is achievable.

drphil