Winter 2002 , Vol 6 , Issue 1
The Key to Aging Well and Living Longer

Senior Care Management?s focus is on supporting older adults once cognitive or physical impairment has become an issue. Through our work it has become obvious that there are lifestyle habits that promote health & longevity. We want to dedicate this newsletter to healthy aging, which really means living optimally and independently.

Aging Well and Living Longer

Recent studies of centarians who are healthy and independent have revealed that it is possible not only to live long but well. This phenomenon is attributed to lifestyle habits that promote healthy aging, which include 1) a positive attitude, 2) staying socially connected, 3) being productive and maintaining control over one's life, 4) a healthy diet and exercise regime, and 5) maintaining memory. We will describe in this newsletter each lifestyle habit more fully. Unless healthy behaviors start becoming the norm for more Americans, too many baby boomers will suffer from premature disability, chronic illness and premature death.

Cultivating A Positive Attitude

Recent studies have indicated a correlation between having an optimistic attitude and living longer. Optimism was linked to longevity in a study conducted by the Mayo Clinic; they also found that pessimists had a risk of death that was 19% greater than that of a person with an "average? outlook.

One"s mental viewpoint of external events affects the way they interpret those events, and in turn affects the way they act upon them. In an AARP publication in which Sophia Loren was interviewed on the issue of successful aging, and her own positive out look, she stated: "Good thoughts should be your first approach to the facts. By thinking good you may have a better view of the problem, because thinking good activates your physical resources as well as your mental resources. It activates your lucidity, it helps you see things more clearly?.

It is true that we cannot avoid stressful events, but if we can examine the situation calmly, then we do have a better chance of identifying options and making sound decisions.

The Dalai Lama writes in his book (written with Michael Cutler) The Art of Happiness that the first step in seeking happiness is learning. We first have to learn how negative emotions and behaviors are harmful to us and how positive emotions are helpful. He also states that it is important to understand the causal relationships to the conditions of happiness and suffering and that we can create and or avoid the circumstances that lead to these conditions.

The Dali Lama describes how mental outlook affects the way one sees the world. For instance, hatred, jealousy and anger are harmful, negative states of mind which destroy mental happiness; once you harbor feelings of hatred or negative emotion towards someone or something then other people and events are seen through that hostile lens. This in turn results in fear, loneliness and more anger. On the other hand, mental states which include kindness and compassion tend to foster an environment of communicative openness in which warmth and understanding can develop.

The question for all of us is how to develop and maintain a positive outlook. We can try to stay aware of conditions that will tend to create suffering or those that will result in happiness and make our choices accordingly. Secondly , we can control the way we chose to interpret an event or experience a situation: have we examined different points of view; might there be another interpretation; and have we verified our assumptions?

Thirdly, do we allow ourselves to experience those events that help us to transcend the everyday, experiencing joy from nature, music, art or prayer. And lastly, do we experience and express gratitude and thankfulness for the life we have. By using this framework we can develop the habits that contribute to sustaining a positive attitude.

Staying Connected And Productive

Human beings are not meant to live solitary lives; studies have shown that people who age successfully sustain important bonds with family and friends and are active in their communities. Many have stated that friendship is a key factor in keeping them active and emotionally secure. These connections keep them feeling cared for, loved, understood and accepted as a member of a network of mutual obligations. The more often older people participate in social relationships, the better their overall health tends to be. This includes telephone conversations and visits with friends, relatives and neighbors, as well as participation in community or professional organizations. The two strongest predictors of well-being are frequency of visits with friends and frequency of attending organizational meetings. It is not surprising that the more meaningful the contribution, the greater the impact on health and well being.

Physical Fitness And Diet For Longevity

There has been so much written on this subject let us focus on the basic and most important aspects of fitness, because this is the key to living and functioning independently for as long as possible. As we all know, there is a ill-health epidemic in our country and it is obesity. Obesity is resulting in higher incidence of diabetes, heart attacks and strokes and other life-threatening illnesses. The most effective treatment for obesity is exercise and healthy eating habits.

Exercise is the single most important factor for preventing weight gain or losing weight. It is not only the initial calories you burn while exercising that are significant, but more importantly the alteration effected in your body's metabolism as fat becomes muscle. Muscle burns more calories than fat; exercise is the only way to change your metabolism so that your body converts fewer calories to fat.

It is important to have some measure for fitness and a sound guideline is the ratio of lean body mass to fat. Covert Bailey in his The Ultimate Fit or Fat suggests that an appropriate guideline is a 15 percent fat rate for men and a 22 percent fat rate for women?women who are post-menopausal should be slightly higher in body fat at 25-30 percent. The differences have to do with hormones and body function and type. While there are many ways to measure body fat, the method offered in this book is excellent because it can be done in the privacy of one"s home.

The formula is as follows:

Women Over Thirty
hips + thigh - (2xcalf) - wrist = % body fat
Example: hips = 39"; thigh = 23"; calf = 13 1/2"; wrist = 6"
39 + 23 - (2x13.5=27) - 6 = 29% body fat

Men Over Thirty
waist + (1/2 hips) - (3xforearm) - wrist = % body fat
Example: waist = 40"; hips = 40"; forearm = 10 3/4";wrist = 7"
40 + (1/2 x 40 = 20) - (2.7 x 10.75 = 29.0) 7 = 24% body fat

Many people who are not overweight may find with this formula that they are not fit and some people who may think that they are overweight will find that they are fit. Physical fitness, not weight, is the predictor for a long and healthy life.

A general rule of thumb is that to maintain fitness, it is important to do an aerobic exercise for 20 to 30 minutes 4 days a week. It is important to have at least two forms of aerobic exercise and to alternate to benefit all the muscle groups. Some exercise examples are bicycling, aerobic classes, swimming , cross country skiing, brisk walking and working on the various aerobic machines.

To reap the most benefit from aerobic exercise your heart rate should beat at least 65% but not more than 80% of the maximum for your age.

In addition to aerobic exercises, weight-bearing exercise is important for developing muscle mass, particularly for women, in order to avoid osteoporosis. Flexibility and balance are often overlooked but are essential in avoiding falls that lead to fractures. Stretching, yoga and Pilates exercises are excellent activities for developing balance and flexibility.

The subject of diet has been well-covered and resources are easily available. The most important advice to keep in mind is the reduction of fats and expansion of servings of vegetables and fruits. Again, a good rule of thumb is to consume seven servings of fruits and/or vegetables a day. A serving constitutes a half cup of cooked fruit or vegetables or a full cup of raw. It is also critical that there is variety in the different types of fruits and vegetables consumed. It is always desirable to eat what is in season because of freshness and nutrients. A good resource book on diet is What Color is Your Diet? by David Heber.

Maintaining Memory

Scientists have given us the good news that they have demonstrated that though brain activity typically slows with age, large numbers of nerve cells are not lost. With stimulation, at any age new nerve cells and the connections between them can form to improve brain function.

To maintain cognitive vitality we know that life-long learning which promotes intellectual stimulation is critical. This means participating in problem-solving activities; it could mean planning a trip or contributing to a community organization or charity. Sleep is an important element of mental fitness; especially the REM type of sleep. There are sleep clinics available at many hospitals to help diagnosis sleep disturbances. (You should be aware that alcohol is not an aid to sleep but actually disrupts sleep.) Emotional stability has an effect on memory, as well. Chronic stress can affect brain function, as does depression, and it is important to seek professional help to treat these conditions.

We know that those individuals who view aging as a positive experience live on average 7.5 years longer than their peers who with negative viewpoints. Older people with a negative view of aging show higher levels of stress, which has a highly negative impact on health. People who engage in healthy behaviors such as maintaining friendships and other social relations, who maintain their effectiveness in life organization and planning; maintain physical fitness through healthy eating and moderate exercise, get adequate sleep, and are involved in spiritually uplifting activities, enjoy a greater level of physical and emotional well-being.