AGEING is something we all do, right?
Now a top neurologist claims ageing is not in fact inevitable.
Dr Robert Friedland believes we can slow the ageing process with some easy lifestyle changesGetty – Contributor
Dr Robert Friedland says that making small, simple changes to our daily lifestyles could cut the risk of dementia and chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and stroke.
“The years of life after the sixth decade should be amongst the happiest of them all,” Dr Friedland tells Sun Health.
“This is the time when older people can enjoy retirement, spend time with family and devote themselves to special interests, without the need for work.
“Unfortunately, the quality of these years is often tragically damaged by the neurodegenerative diseases associated with ageing: Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease and stroke.
“The central focus of my efforts in patient care is to improve the health of older persons and to understand why people get these conditions and how they can be prevented.
“Although our knowledge has greatly improved over these five decades, we still don’t know why most people are affected.
“For many years it has been my mission to proclaim the truth that ageing is not inevitable – that what we do makes a difference.”
In his new book, Unaging: The Four Factors that Impact How You Age, Dr Friedland says he believes there are four factors that impact how we age: cognitive, physical, psychological and social.
By making small lifestyle changes in each of these areas we can call time on the ageing process and live long, healthy lives.
Here, he shares his top tips for fighting the ageing process…
1. COGNITIVE
The fitter our brain is, the more it can withstand impairment from ageing or disease.
Studies have shown that people who were more educated had a lower risk of getting Alzheimer’s and had onset at later ages than people with less education.
Mental activity enhances the production of new neurons in the brain and increases growth factors which may help delay the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
Here’s what you should do to keep your brain in shape:
Watch less TV – read instead
We all love television, maybe too much. But television viewing is a uniquely passive experience.
Most TV programmes don’t require much intellectual activity.
Think about what happens when you are reading a book: the pages do not turn if you fall asleep. To read a book you must participate.
And if you have a question about what’s happening in the book, you can go back and read a previous page.
Evidence shows that sedentary activities such as television viewing increase the risk of heart disease, cancer, and death.
On the other hand, studies report that reading can reduce your risk of cognitive decline in later life.
Take-up chess
A life filled with learning is advisable and there is absolutely no reason to believe that mental activities must be limited to the early years of life.
People are able to learn at all ages and participation in learning is valuable for the brain throughout life.
I have often been asked what form of mental activity is best and there is no definitive evidence to answer that question.
Playing chess involves anticipating future situations and analysing possible activities.
It also involves interactions with at least one other person, is inexpensive and can be played on the internet.
Musical activities are also valuable. Just choose something fun. If you don’t enjoy the activity, you won’t do it.
Prioritise sleep
Too many people take sleep for granted or think getting a restful sleep is a luxury, not a necessity.
As we age, sleeping problems often become more frequent and may impact quality of life.
Sleep disturbances are seen in several neurodegenerative diseases and are among the earliest symptoms of Alzheimer’s.
This is worrisome and potentially dangerous because sleep impairments can accelerate Alzheimer’s pathology in the brain and increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and stroke.
To have a better night’s sleep, go to sleep at the same time every night.
The bed and bedroom should be used only for sleep and amorous activity, not for other tasks such as watching television, texting friends, reading Facebook or paying bills.
Don’t sleep with your phone by your bed. Put it in another room and turn the ringer off. Watching the news before bed may also lead to anxiety and poor sleep.
2. PHYSICAL
Studies have shown that higher levels of physical activity throughout life have beneficial effects on the development of Alzheimer’s disease, as well as stroke, cardiovascular disease and depression.
Our dietary choices also affect our health and fitness in two ways.
What we eat has a direct influence on the brain and other body parts.
But diet also changes the nature of microbial populations in the gut.
Eat less meat
Beef has more than five times more fat than the meat eaten by our ancestors, which would have been from deer for example.
A lot of our beef comes from grain-fed, factory-farmed cattle, with a higher concentration of harmful saturated fatty acids.
Red meat also has more saturated fat than chicken, fish or vegetable protein sources such as beans.
It also contains more cancer-causing carcinogens produced in cooking.
One UK study showed that consumption of red meat was associated with an increased risk of coronary artery disease as well as pneumonia and diabetes.
Eating red and processed meat is also associated with a higher risk of colorectal or bowel cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
And more seafood
We also eat less seafood than our ancestors did. It’s estimated that in the early modern human diet, up to 50 per cent of energy consumption was from seafood.
This provided them with n-3 fatty acids, particularly docosa-hexaenoic acid.
This molecule is an important component of brain membranes and likely assisted in the evolution of our immune and nervous systems.
Fatty fish have omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids that are beneficial for health and memory.
They are anti-inflammatory and may also relieve depression. The unsaturated fats found in fish are beneficial and fish are low in saturated fat and high in protein – they are also good sources of vitamins and minerals.
Salmon, herring, lake trout and freshwater white fish are all rich in omega-3.
Try fasting
Research has shown that periods of not eating, either during the day or on alternate days, have beneficial effects on metabolism and disease.
Diversity of gut bacteria may also be enhanced with fasting.
Fasting lowers stores of fat in the body, improves blood lipids, lowers blood pressure, improves DNA repair, and may have beneficial effects on cancer, mental health, and the regulation of blood sugar.
There may also be good effects of fasting on body weight, inflammation, neurodegeneration, heart disease and stroke.
The easiest approach is intermittent fasting where there is a period of about 16 hours a day where there is no calorific intake.
Speak to a GP first as fasting may not be good for people with diabetes, kidney or liver problems or eating disorders.
Ditch diet drinks
Consumption of sugary drinks has been shown to impair blood flow to the kidneys and is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and obesity.
You may think, ‘What if I just switch to diet pop?’ – I wouldn’t.
Artificial sweeteners should also be avoided because of their effect on bacterial populations in the gut, which may change blood insulin levels and impair the control of blood glucose levels.
Your microbiome may also be altered by artificial sweeteners to increase the risk of diabetes and weight gain.
Artificial sweeteners have also been associated with a risk of heart disease.
Exercise
Most people are capable of some level of exercise. Those who can’t run should walk.
Those who cannot walk should consider aquatherapy as they may be able to walk comfortably in a pool.
Physical activity should not be dependent on the weather. Many people go for a walk when the weather is beautiful but if it’s raining or cold, they stay home.
Use home exercise equipment, join a gym, or go to a shopping centre to walk indoors instead.
Diversity is also key. Aerobic exercise is valuable for the heart, lungs and circulation but strength training can increase muscle mass and fortifies joints and bones.
Simple stretching may also be helpful.
3. PSYCHOLOGICAL
Psychological reserve includes resilience from depression and stress and effective responses to conflicts and grief.
People who are emotionally more stable and have more resilience have an increased resistance to cognitive impairment.
Let go of anger
If anger, resentment, regret and disappointment is carried over from month to year, the negative influence on quality of life can be substantial.
As Guatama Buddha said: ‘Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intention of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.’
Healthy ageing involves understanding that there are things that can’t be changed and must be accepted.
This does not mean stressful life events must be forgotten but hopefully they can be remembered with progressively less pain.
The best way to avoid negative emotions is to be actively involved in the present moment and planning for the future.
Give life meaning
Meaning is often lost as friends and family members die, jobs disappear and activity is impaired by illness, disability and lack of money.
It is critical that we hold on to our uniqueness and pursue meaning through work, hobbies, relationships and activities.
Don’t wait until retirement. At all stages of life, we should explore what are our unique interests and abilities and pursue them.
Silence is golden
Many people have busy lives and are rarely exposed to silence.
Clearly the brain needs time to adapt to changing situations and to regulate itself.
Some time every day devoted to silence and meditation may be of enormous value.
Silence can be practised while walking, gardening, or during many other activities such as meditation.
Meditation can be of great value in dealing with stress, anxiety and depression.
A recent study from Norway showed that mindfulness practice helps counter negative views of oneself and enhances self-reassurance.
Negative thoughts may not be eliminated but meditation may give you some distance from those thoughts.
4. SOCIAL
Humans are social beings and relationships with family, friends and colleagues are critical for health at all stages of life.
Studies have shown a higher risk of dementia in individuals with poor social interactions.
Give hugs
Even in the 21st century, we need close contact with others. We need to care for others and we need to be cared for.
Physical contact, like giving hugs, has important benefits on our feeling state as well as on our endocrine system, stress responses and blood pressure.
People in long-term relationships are at lower risk of getting dementia.
Play sports with friends
Social contacts increase physical activity which may help stress and boost heart health.
You may plan to go for a run on a certain day but then feel too tired and stay home.
But if you have booked to play tennis with a friend, you are more likely to go as you love to play and you know they are unable to play without you.
Get a pet
Pets can help expand social interactions for people of all ages.
Dog ownership is associated with lower blood pressure, better lipid profiles and improved responses to stress.
A systemic review of studies from 1950 to 2019 shows that owning a dog was accompanied by a 25 per cent reduction in mortality and a 30 per cent reduction in death from heart disease.