All MFN blog – Page 105

Healthy Aging by the Decades: Your 50s

Nicholas Prukop/15 August 2017/ All MFN blog/

The primary question being asked in the majority of sessions for retirement planning is what you will need in terms of financial reserves to carry you through your later years. Unfortunately, this is the only model used in America and worldwide today. However, the question that you should really ponder is: “What will you do if your health fails, and how will your retirement life really be if you will no longer be able take care of myself?” An additional issue revolves around the date at which you start taking your social security benefits, but age is just a number! In reality, what if things don’t go according to plan and you don’t even make it to 70?

What healthy aging should be about

The concept of healthy aging is something that has appealed to me since I realised that at any point in time I was indeed training for the decades to come. When this dawned on me, I had to re-evaluate my own position on what aging healthfully encompasses. I am convinced that money is only part of the dilemma: if we reach our 50s and 60s with little of the health we desire, what are our realistic prospects? I have concluded that financial planning is not enough: it’s essential to be physically, emotionally, spiritually and professionally fit as well. Recently, I told a friend at the gym that I think that if people go by the common definition of retirement, namely “remaining in a state of leisure”, this will lead to an early death because people literally stop “living”.

The answer is to face the reality that we are all going to age and start preparing as carefully as we can NOW. It is much more appealing to get on with the business of training NOW rather than later when it may be too late. This thought reminds me of the oil filter ad that said: “Pay me now or pay me later” – meaning that you can replace your engine later (at a much higher cost) – or the oil filter today. Which choice would you prefer for your body? Train now or knee replacement later?

What I learned from my 50s

The decade of our 50s is when we start to “show our age”. This is the time when all our bad choices and lifestyle habits catch up with us. The truth is that playing catch up with our health is never a good option and if we prepare now rather than later we can be way ahead of the curve.

When I was in my early 50s, I realized my goal of running a combined 3000 plus miles (3675 to be exact in 1998 and 1999). That record stood until looking back on those two years I made the decision to break 4000 miles in a combined two year span so in 2011, at the age of almost 65, I started my “run” to a new two year record and finished 2011 with a total of 1955 miles. 2012 was in my sights now as a potential record breaker, so as I worked hard toward my new goal, I remained positive that I could make it past 2000 miles. I ended up with an all time record of 2145 miles and a grand total of 4150 miles. I was elated and found courage in setting a goal that had pushed me beyond previous boundaries and out of long held comfort zones.

This was possible because of my record keeping discipline over the years and the fact that I decided to break a record that had been set 12 years before. I share this example with you as a way of demonstrating that we are never old until we decide we are – and to illustrate how the succeeding decade can be influenced by something we did in the preceding one. I am planning for my 70s now based upon the foundation I laid in the previous decades of my life. I am approaching this new decade with the same thought and care that went into my 50s and 60s. Now, I feel a strong desire to maintain what I have achieved in terms of fitness, instead of going backwards and lose what I have gained.

Being driven to accomplish something meaningful is important to living a healthy and fit life. I found my work with my clients rewarding in my 50s. I believe I shared with them the best that was truly me. My 50s were a decade of growth for me. Some of my clients encouraged me to write about my training philosophy. They supported me because they believed in me and what I had been doing to serve and guide them to achieving their goals. They were responsive to my coaching and I in turn loved being with them and seeing them grow and evolve mentally and phsically. My view of life expanded greatly during my 50s. I found my stride – and witnessed becoming happier and more fulfilled than I had been in years.

In my 50s, my world was far from being perfect, but it was filled with love and support from those I cared about and served. My daughter and I grew closer during this decade while she was living a life of adventure and success. The foundation for who I wanted to be – and become – in my 50s had been laid in the previous two decades. I am grateful for my 50s because I fulfilled part of the promise I had shown as a child on Maui: I had become a good man with a kind heart and most importantly open minded. I loved learning and exploring again – just as I had done all those years before in Hawaii. This sense of progression and continuation at the same time, gave me a feeling I was being true to myself, which is the only key to happiness and wellbeing.

Some suggestions for your 50s

Continue to refine your plan for fitness activities and stick to it. Make changes sparingly and take one step at a time.
Be patient and loving toward yourself.
Eat well, sleep well, manage your stress levels and meditate (think consciously) every day.
Make choices that FEEL right to you. Don’t live for others, but find your own “center”.
Be attached to learning about yourself and accepting yourself just as you are – and as you are not.
Practice being grateful and have an attitude of acceptance and forgiveness. These two traits will carry you far.
Make an effort to reach out for help.
Don’t rely on the internet for your answers.
Stay current on issues that are of importance to you and be willing to say to yourself “I don’t know but I am willing to learn.” No one is an expert on everything – especially when it comes to life. Don’t hold yourself to that standard. Become an authority on yourself and the rest will take care of itself.
Be a student of your own life and an expert on becoming who you want to be – and let the rest go!

I will cover the 60’s and beyond in the final part of this series being fully aware that I have only “scratched the surface” of this examination and exploration of “training for the decades ahead”!

Originally printed on HealthyNewAge.com. Reprinted with permission from Nicholas Prukop.

Nicholas Prukop is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer & a Health Coach, a fitness professional with over 25 years of experience whose passion for health and fitness comes from his boyhood in Hawaii where he grew up a swimmer on Maui. He found his calling in writing his first book “Healthy Aging & You: Your Journey to Becoming Happy, Healthy & Fit” and since then he has dedicated himself to empowering, inspiring and enabling people of all ages to reach for the best that is within them and become who they are meant to be – happy, healthy and fit – and be a part of a world where each person can contribute their own unique gifts to life.

Exercise for Osteoporosis

Jane Curth/14 August 2017/ All MFN blog/

There are many conditions for which exercise can help. Osteoporosis is one such condition, but due to its nature, there are some important factors to consider when putting together an exercise regimen.

Exercise to Decrease Inflammation and Risk of Basal Cell Carcinoma

Robyn Kade/11 August 2017/ All MFN blog/

Exercise is important in keeping the mind/body healthy for many reasons. Individuals, with Rosacea, however, must be careful not to cause permanent inflammation of the skin. Inflammation from this condition may be linked to Basal Cell Carcinoma.

Electronic bathroom scale and glucometer with result of measurem

Going Beyond Diabetes Treatment: Exercise!

Jeremy Kring/10 August 2017/ All MFN blog/

There are many treatments for Type II Diabetes (which will be referred to simply as diabetes in this article) but none come with the level of benefits seen by the implementation of a proper exercise program. This is a tall order but exercise is effective for the treatment of insulin resistance and diabetes in three areas. These areas are inflammation, the cell mitochondria (where the cell generates power), and hyperinsulinemia (high blood insulin).² Treating these areas with exercise goes beyond the benefits of treating just diabetes. In turn, you will be helping prevent other health issues associated with diabetes such as heart disease, stroke, and circulation issues. The questions is how does exercise do this and what kind of exercise is necessary?¹

To understand how exercise treats diabetes, it is important to understand that diabetes is the end result of insulin resistance. Insulin resistance can be illustrated in that: when we eat something with carbohydrates or sugar, our body breaks it down into blood sugar known as glucose. This glucose triggers a response from our pancreas to produce the hormone insulin. Insulin in turn shuttles the blood sugar into the cells to be used as energy. However, when someone becomes insulin resistant the cells do not respond to the insulin’s attempt to shuttle the blood sugar into the cell, so the pancreas produces more insulin to get the same job done. In essence, the cells are developing a tolerance to the insulin and in order to get the blood sugar absorbed the cells begin to require more and more insulin to do the same job. This leads to the blood retaining the blood sugar for prolonged periods of time as well as an elevated presence of insulin. When someone has prolonged high blood sugar, we call this hyperglycemia and the person is said to be diabetic. Having high blood sugar is dangerous due to the stress it places on cells. It can cause many problems up to and including death.

In the area of inflammation, it is known that not all inflammation is the same. Inflammation can be acute — meaning it is brought on for a short period of time — which happens with activities such as exercise or when tissue undergoes some sort of trauma. Inflammation can also be chronic, meaning it is persistent and recurrent.

Acute inflammation is necessary, and healthy, because it begins the healing and repair process by bringing in white blood cells, and ridding the tissue of damaged cells. Inflammation is required otherwise the body would be unable to heal.

Chronic inflammation can be found in many conditions, such as autoimmune diseases, prolonged injury/infection, obesity, diabetes and other chronic diseases. When inflammation remains present, even at a low level, it begins to damage the body’s cells. Science now knows that:²

Obesity creates a level of chronic inflammation.
Inflammation is the precursor to every chronic disease including heart disease, arthritis, and cancer.
Inflammation suppresses the insulin signaling pathway (how insulin and your cells communicate) which is believed to be related to a reduction of a heat shock protein, this protein however, can be increased through exercise.
- Increases of the protein begin after the first session of exercise.³

You may remember from science class the power generator of the cell is the mitochondria. This is where the energy is created from fatty acids and glucose. It is now believed that when the mitochondria of the cell becomes dysfunctional, less fatty acids are taken in, elevating fat (lipids) in the blood, and increasing fat storage. It is also believed that the cell becomes dysfunctional as a result of insulin resistance. This relationship may then further feed into the increased body fat and increased inflammation. Further scientific studies in this area have determined that:

Proper exercise increases mitochondrial efficiency, proper exercise being summarized as:
- No less than 150 minutes of moderate activity per week but ideally more than 250 (start light and increase intensity).
- Incorporate a combination of resistance exercise (i.e. calisthenics and weights) and cardiovascular exercise.
- Supervision by a registered clinical exercise physiologist if two or more chronic conditions are present is recommended.⁴
- Exercising following an interval training protocol ranging from 70-90% of maximal heart rate may provide superior results if tolerable by participant.⁵
It is well known that aerobic training increases the number of mitochondria in muscle fibers in order to increase the delivery of oxygen to the muscle. More mitochondria means more energy that can be generated within the cell.

Hyperinsulinemia is best described as an elevated level of insulin relative to the amount of glucose (blood sugar) present in the blood. This may be the truest indicator of someone who is insulin resistant and about to become diabetic.⁶ In the beginning, it was illustrated how insulin resistance develops, and it being characterized as requiring more insulin to do the same job. This additional insulin is the definition of hyperinsulinemia. When someone has hyperinsulinemia it can be expected that in a matter of time, even higher levels of insulin will be required as the cell increases its tolerance to the insulin. Eventually the pancreas will not be able to produce the level of insulin required to lower blood sugar and the person will be said to have hyperglycemia, and will be classified as diabetic. When someone is experiencing hyperinsulinemia, they are already experiencing inflammation, and a weakening of the insulin signaling pathway (ways the cells communication for glucose uptake), and likely a dysfunction of the mitochondria, which in turn may magnify the issue further.

What is known is:

Exercise lowers glucose in the presence of insulin, and thus exercise will lower both glucose and insulin levels.
If you’re currently diabetic and taking insulin, the amount may likely need reduced prior to exercise.
Consistent proper exercise may lead to the need to have a physician re-evaluate dosage or usage of insulin and/or pills (i.e. metformin). Never discontinue use of a medicine without consulting with your physician.

Proper exercise not only goes beyond the treatment of diabetes to the treatment of the cause (insulin resistance), it helps prevent other health issues that stem from diabetes. Health issues such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, and issues with circulation dramatically decrease with exercise. Also, remember diabetes aside exercise reduces risk of nearly every chronic disease.¹

Jeremy Kring holds a Master’s degree in Exercise Science from the California University of Pennsylvania, and a Bachelor’s degree from Duquesne University. He is a college instructor where he teaches the science of exercise and personal training. He is a certified and practicing personal/fitness trainer, and got his start in the field of fitness training in the United States Marine Corps in 1998. You can visit his website at jumping-jacs.com

References

Booth, F. W., Roberts, C. K., & Laye, M. J. (2012). Lack of exercise is a major cause of chronic diseases. Comprehensive Physiology, 2(2), 1143–1211. http://doi.org/10.1002/cphy.c110025
Ye, J. (2013). Mechanisms of insulin resistance in obesity. Frontiers of Medicine, 7(1), 14–24. http://doi.org/10.1007/s11684-013-0262-6
Matos, M. A. de, Ottone, V. de O., Duarte, T. C., Sampaio, P. F. da M., Costa, K. B., Fonseca, C. A., … Amorim, F. T. (2014). Exercise reduces cellular stress related to skeletal muscle insulin resistance. Cell Stress & Chaperones, 19(2), 263–270. http://doi.org/10.1007/s12192-013-0453-8
Moore, G. E., Durstine, J.L., & Painter, P. (2016). ACSM’s exercise management for personals with chronic diseases and disabilities. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Roberts, C. K., Hevener, A. L., & Barnard, R. J. (2013). Metabolic Syndrome and Insulin Resistance: Underlying Causes and Modification by Exercise Training. Comprehensive Physiology, 3(1), 1–58. http://doi.org/10.1002/cphy.c110062
Paniagua, J. A. (2016). Nutrition, insulin resistance and dysfunctional adipose tissue determine the different components of metabolic syndrome. World Journal of Diabetes, 7(19), 483–514. http://doi.org/10.4239/wjd.v7.i19.483

Pregnant woman using exercise bike at the gym

Benefits of Low Impact Exercise During and After Pregnancy

Richa Jauhari/9 August 2017/ All MFN blog/

Pregnancy can be a joyous time for women and it is also a period where the body experiences many significant changes. Since exercise can be beneficial to the mother in managing stress and staying healthy, it is important to for every pregnant woman to get clearance from their physician for both starting a new exercise program and/or maintaining her existing one.

Before becoming pregnant, I led a healthy and active lifestyle and continued to teach classes until I was ready to deliver. During the first trimester I had to change all strenuous workouts to low-impact workouts with lots of self-care such as taking frequent breaks to hydrate. This article can help women in all stages of pregnancy assess value of low-impact exercise during pregnancy and postpartum.

What is low impact exercise? Low impact (LI) basically means maintaining movement with one foot always on the floor. We do this when we are walking, doing yoga, dancing and strength training.¹ Low impact exercises have several benefits such as maintaining healthier joints, weight and heart.

Benefits of Exercise During Pregnancy

A combination of low impact dance classes, strength training and stretching during pregnancy helped me maintain my sense of self and self-esteem as my body changed drastically both anatomically and physiologically. There are several documented benefits of exercise during pregnancy including: improved circulation, sleep, digestion, as well as muscle tone to support joints, increased energy and endurance; improved body image and self-esteem.²

ACOG recommends that pregnant women get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity weekly. Moderate intensity means that you are moving enough to raise your heart rate and sweat and you can talk normally, but you cannot sing.³ If you are new to exercise it might seem daunting to get a 20 minute work out every day, but you can start out slowly and gradually increase your activity. For example, you can start with 5 minutes a day and add 5 minutes each week until you can stay active for 20-30 minutes a day. If you were very active before pregnancy, you can continue doing the same workouts until the third trimester, when a logical reduction in activity is recommended.²

Regardless of fitness level, one commonality between pregnant women is the release of Relaxin, the hormone that is responsible for softening the ligaments and joints during pregnancy and childbirth. Having relaxin in the joints can lead to wobbly, unstable joints and a loose pelvis so women should take extra precaution while choosing or continuing a fitness regimen.⁴

Examples of some exercises that you can do safely while you are pregnant are walking, water workouts, stationary bicycling, yoga and Pilates. Walking is a good option for many pregnant women because it is easy on the joints and muscles and it also gives a total body workout. If however you have low back pain you might consider wearing a pregnancy support belt and/or water workouts to reduce stress on the back. The water supports your weight so you avoid injury and muscle strain. For those who like bicycling and want to continue, stationary bicycling is a great alternative to avoid falls. Modified yoga and Pilates are great for reducing stress, improving flexibility, and focused breathing. Keep in mind that balance poses/exercises can be challenging due to a shift in the center of gravity caused by a growing belly, so it is okay to modify to accommodate this change. Pregnant women should also avoid poses that require them to be still or lie on their back for long periods.³

Benefits of Exercise After Pregnancy

The postpartum experience is different for every woman both emotionally and physically. My postpartum experience brought a mild-depression and weight-gain due to nursing (yes, many women gain weight during early nursing). Like many women, I waited 8 weeks before starting an exercise routine (most women are given a time period of 6-8 weeks for healing). Getting back to exercise helped me gain a sense of control over my body and helped cope with depressive episodes. According to ACOG, exercising after your baby is born may help improve mood and can help you lose the extra pounds that you may have gained during pregnancy.³ Additional benefits of exercise for postpartum women are that it helps strengthen abdominal muscles, can regulate energy level, can promote better sleep and relieve stress.³

Like the exercise guidelines during pregnancy, ACOG suggests that the duration of exercise for postpartum women, after physician approval, is at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity. Working out after having a baby is different for every woman and it is a good idea to go at your own pace, listen to your body and gradually increase intensity. A key point to remember is that since relaxin can stay in the body for up to six months postpartum,⁴ it’s a good idea to choose a workout that is not too jerky in movement and stretching is controlled. Doing a good warm up prior to the workout and a good cool down after the workout are essential. ACOG suggests aiming to stay active for 20–30 minutes a day and trying simple postpartum exercises that help strengthen major muscle groups, including abdominal and back muscles. It is also a good idea to prepare for your workout by wearing clothing that will keep you cool and wear a high-support bra. Hydration is key, and it is okay to take water breaks as you need during your workout. For those mothers who are breastfeeding, it will be important for you to either nurse your baby or express your milk prior to working out to avoid the discomfort of engorged breasts.

Although the pregnancy and postpartum experience is different for every woman, and each stage of pregnancy brings unique challenges, maintaining a low-impact exercise program can be very helpful to the mother in managing stress and staying healthy.

Richa Jauhari is a fitness instructor, personal trainer and proud new mother based in Los Angeles. She has a passion for seeing individuals strive for their best and achieve their goals. Her personal weight loss experiences, pregnancy journey and working with senior populations have helped her understand the value of believing in oneself, balance, healthy eating and regular exercise. Visit her website at richajfit.wixsite.com/richaj

References

Schwecherl, Laura. “21 Low-Impact Workouts That Are More Effective Than You Think.” Greatist. Greatist, 27 Mar. 2017. Web. 15 June 2017. <https://greatist.com/fitness/take-it-easy-21-unexpected-low-impact-workouts>.
Yoke, Mary M., and Laura A. Gladwin. “Special Populations.” Personal Fitness Training: Theory & Practice. Sherman Oaks, CA: Aerobics and Fitness Association of America, 2010. 320. Print.
“Women’s Health Care Physicians.” Exercise During Pregnancy – ACOG. The American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists, May 2016. Web. 2 July 2017. <https://www.acog.org/Patients/FAQs/Exercise-During-Pregnancy>.
Flashenberg, Debra. “8 Steps to Easing Back into a Fitness Routine After Birth.” Fit Pregnancy and Baby. Fit Pregnancy and Baby, 03 Apr. 2017. Web. 10 May 2017. <https://www.fitpregnancy.com/exercise/postnatal-workouts/8-steps-easing-back-fitness-routine-after-birth>.

Personal Trainer, Gym, Pull Down Machine, Exercising, Assistance

Training the Older Adult Client – Part IV: Key Corrective Exercise Patterns for the Shoulders

Dr. Evan Osar/8 August 2017/ All MFN blog/

Welcome to the 4th installment of this edition of Integrative Movement Insider™ (IMI) where we’ve been discussing a few of the key concepts and corrective exercise patterns we use when training our older clients.

In the previous video we discussed how to implement the foundational concepts of the Integrative Movement System Corrective Exercise Strategy™ – improve our clients’ awareness, pay attention to the small details, and help your clients earn-the-right – to help our older clients successfully work towards achieving their health and fitness goals.

In Video 1, we discussed one of our go-to corrective exercise patterns for improving glute function and hip mobility. In Video 2 of the series, I shared with you one of the key corrective exercise patterns we use to improve scapular stability and overall head and thorax alignment.

If you missed either video you can access those videos here: Video 1 and Video 2

In the third video of the series, I’ll share another one of our go-to corrective exercise patterns for improving overhead shoulder range of motion.

You can be the specialist your current – as well as potential – clients need, want, and will seek out to help them safely and effectively work towards accomplishing their health and fitness goals.

By helping our older clients become aware of the factors that are within their control and helping them become more aware of their posture and movement we empower them for success.

By paying attention to the simple things like alignment, breathing, and control we can help our older clients address many of the underlying issues that are leading to chronic tension, discomfort, and/or the loss of performance.

By helping our clients ‘earn-the-right’ by appropriately progressing their patterns we empower them to safely and effectively work towards achieving their health and fitness goals.

If you like this information and want to learn more about how to develop your confidence and expertise in working with older clients that have Chronic back tightness, Degenerative joint disease, or Spinal stenosis and other issues related to the trunk and spine, then consider joining us for our one-day events. We share these concepts in our one-day, intensive training – Corrective and Progressive Exercise for the Older Client: The Trunk and Spine-Level I.

You will leave this training with the tools and strategies you need to successfully work with and attract older clients. You won’t think the same about training this population after attending this workshop!

Dr. Evan Osar is the developer of the Integrative Movement Specialist™ certification designed specifically to aid the fitness professional establish themselves as an invaluable part of their client’s health care team. In addition to his chiropractic degree, Dr. Osar has earned national certifications through the American Council on Exercise (ACE), National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), and The Soma Institute – National School for Clinical Massage Therapy. He is the founder of Fitness Education Seminars, an education company with the mission of helping trainers and therapist recognize their role as a part of the solution to the health care crisis.

Health-Related Fitness and Parkinson’s Disease

Carisa Campanella/7 August 2017/ All MFN blog/

When people hear the words “Parkinson’s disease”, they don’t often think of health-related fitness as a simultaneous condition. However, many people with Parkinson’s are in fact very physically fit! As a Care Advisor for Neuro Challenge Foundation for Parkinson’s, I have met Parkinson’s sufferers and Parkinson’s fighters. The fighters know very well the benefits of exercise and strive to maintain their health and fitness to the best of their ability despite the challenges they face.

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease that is marked by tremors, slowness of movement, stiffness of muscles, and unsteady balance. Dr. Dean Sutherland, Director of the Southeastern Center for Parkinson Disease states that “exercise is as important as anything you can do for Parkinson’s.” How can you become a Parkinson’s fighter? The first step is to understand the five components of health-related fitness and how they affect functionality.

The first component is maintaining a healthy body composition. What does this mean? Your weight should be appropriate to your height and you should strive to have more lean muscle mass than fat mass in your body. You can find out your body mass index by going to the Center for Disease Control’s website and accessing their BMI calculator. Excessive fat in the body can result in loss of muscle mass, and muscle is something people with Parkinson’s should strive to maintain.

The second aspect of health-related fitness is muscular strength. Having strong muscles improves posture, decreases the risk of musculoskeletal injuries, improves balance and decreases the risk of osteoporosis. Muscular strength helps people with Parkinson’s maintain independence.

The third component important for health-related fitness is muscular endurance; or the ability of a muscle or group of muscles to work repeatedly over a period of time. An example of muscular endurance would be the ability of the leg muscles to ride a stationary bike for 30 minutes. People with Parkinson’s will experience better posture and stability if they are able to sustain muscular endurance. They will also be able to have more fun doing recreational activities!

Fourth, health-related fitness is greatly enhanced by good cardiorespiratory functioning. This is the ability of the heart, blood vessels and the lungs to work effectively together to deliver oxygen to all the cells and muscles in the human body. Activities of daily living are more easily performed with strong cardiorespiratory fitness, and cognitive functioning is enhanced as well.

Finally, the fifth component of health related fitness is flexibility, or the ability of joints to move through a full range of motion. People with Parkinson’s who maintain good flexibility experience enhanced postural stability and balance, and are less like to fall. Being flexible also makes it much easier to perform simple tasks like bending over to tie your shoes, pull a shirt on over your head, or swing a golf club.

It’s never too late to begin a program towards improving your health-related fitness. Your body is designed to last a lifetime, and you can help influence how well it performs for you. Always get a physician’s clearance before beginning an exercise program and if you are new to exercise, enlist the supervision of a certified fitness professional.

Carisa Campanella, BA, AS, is an ACE Health Coach and ACSM Personal Trainer. She is the Program Manager at the Neuro Challenge Foundation for Parkinson’s. Neuro Challenge provides ongoing monthly support groups and educational programs, individualized care advising and community resource referrals to help empower people with Parkinson’s and their caregivers.

Success in Life & Business… It’s a Matter of Touch

Dr. Steve Feyrer-Melk/3 August 2017/ All MFN blog/

I am sure you would agree that effective communication plays a significant role in relationships with clients, customers, patients, partners, family members, colleagues, friends, etc. But what about when those individuals are away from you? Do you fill that void effectively and systematically or do you leave it to chance?

Maximizing success in life and in business is dependent upon a complete relationship. To optimize your success you must see your time away from others just as important as the time you spend with them.

Let me explain. Your spheres of relationships are continually changing from both your perspective and from the perspective of others. As a result of these shifting viewpoints, the strengths or weaknesses of these bonds fluctuate and unless you systematically inject yourself into the relationship, you leave success and happiness to chance.

So how do you step-up and make sure you are not rolling the dice when it comes to your success? Simply put, by implementing real, honest, and effective “touches” you can maintain your presence the way that you want it to be. These “touches” are small, short, targeted, and balanced communications that fill the relationship gap that will maintain and even grow trust, loyalty and commitment. Found in various forms, these individualized gems can be phone calls, text messages, video calls, written letters, cards, etc. And the frequency? This depends on each situation but I recommend 14 to 21 days as the sweet spot to offer the best balance.

Remember, to maximize your success, “touch” everyone regularly in a way that will positively inject your influence and not allow chance to control of the outcome.

Reprinted with permission from Dr. Steve Feyrer-Melk.

Steve Feyrer-Melk, MEd, PhD, is a powerful, passionate, and trusted authority in Lifestyle Medicine who is bringing an innovative, refreshing, and successful approach to proactive health care. Dr. Steve co-founded the Optimal Heart Attack & Stroke Prevention Center where he crafts and hones real-world programs for immediate impact. Dr. Steve also serves as the Chief Science Officer of Nudge, LLC, a lifestyle medical technology company.

The Objectification of Our Aging Population

Adrienne Ione/1 August 2017/ All MFN blog/

Some nonagenarians compete in triathlons while other ninety-year-olds face jail time. Some octogenarians study the game of Chess on the streets of New Orleans and others in their eighties travel across the country headed for baseball diamonds. Some septuagenarians are affected by dementia, live in memory care centers and receive aid with their daily activities; meanwhile, others in their seventies can be found in University lecture halls, sitting on faculty council, and contributing original research. This might read as part of scripted entertainment, however, it’s not. Rather, these images are even funnier when we see them floating in a sea among the tide of what we think of as “the elderly.” Why so funny?

I am not concerned with entering into the conversation about who is elderly, or these new hip ideas about saying 100 years young (this expression can be equally oppressive as the objectification of “the elderly”).

If we travel back to Britain in 1875, we can read in the Friendly Societies Act, where old age is defined as “any age after 50.” We can also turn to our nation’s leader in aging research and health promotion, The National Institutes of Health and Aging, where many topics are geared toward those of us ages 50 and greater. And so, it’s not a matter of age classification that concerns me, rather it is the objectification of a marginalized group that is of far greater importance. I’m also not particularly interested in developing a categorical understanding of the precise age of the person we are referring to when we say, “The elderly.” Rather, I’m fascinated by some peoples’ use of “the” when referring to a single person and then also ascribing a set of assumptions based on a singular experience or interaction. Yesterday, while standing in line at a local print shop, I heard one person remark to another, “You know how the elderly are…slow and crochety.”

Slow and crochety are common adjectives used to describe people who are elderly. In the Oxford English Dictionary you will find worse-for-wear, moth-eaten, and long in tooth as synonyms for elderly. What happened to using respectful, kind and caring words to define someone who is your elder? We needn’t live in extremes where we ascribe words such as venerable, esteemed, wise, grand or dignified. Although this might apply to some people who are our elders, using these words without license can be just as damaging as the objectification of “the elderly.”

Although common place in the body of literature on aging; the terms “the elderly”, “the old” and “the aged” are frequently used synonymously. What is it about the use of the word ‘the’ that rolls off our tongue so easily when referring to some groups, yet is incredibly offensive when used with other groups? ‘The’ creates a rigid and inflexible view of lives that are dynamic, complex, multidimensional and ordinary. ‘The’ presents a watered-down version of people based on caricatured qualities. ‘The’ creates an assumption of similarity among members. Also, the last of these, “the aged” suggests a past tense, a process having been previously completed. A life already lived. As far as I know, we are continually aging unless we are dead and in which case our subject of interest becomes “the dead”. ‘The’ is embedded in an otherness, a separation, no longer living. And since I’m living, then “the elderly” must be the other.

By saying “the elderly”, we are reducing defining features and valuable contributions of members of our community to singular stereotyped anecdotal evidence. ‘The’ suggests a devaluing of humanness or a perception of less than. Use of the word “the” is paramount to maintaining the age binary: young-old. Yet, this concept of binary is ill-informed. We have coupled two parts of the lifespan that are not guaranteed. Just because you are young, this does not suggest you will be old. It is only when you are old that you can say, “When I was young…”

Age categorization can create a space, a chasm, a divide between us and them. We are gripped by fear of them because we fear we too will become like them, when in fact, becoming elderly is a gift. Not everyone alive now, reading these words, will be so privileged to receive this gift of age. One of the greatest accomplishments in the past 150 years, according to University of California, Berkeley and Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Human Mortality Database, is an increase in life expectancy from birth. If more of us are becoming them, then why does a looming fear lurk in the air? Is it because there are more of us alive now than ever before who are adding to the collective fear? Plausible. Is it as Zygmunt Bauman articulates on fear, that aging is a process that happens and so we desperately grasp at the air for psychological consolations? Perhaps.

It’s purely a matter of shifting times that allows us, as a nation, to acknowledge the disrespect in using people as instruments for, in the case of “the elderly”, a continued glamorization of youth. It was not long ago when the proverb “children should be seen and not heard” was quite popular indeed. Dating back to the 15^th century, children, and particularly young women, were understood to stay silent unless spoken to or asked to speak. First appearing in Mirk’s Festial , published by a clergyman about 1450, “A maid [young woman] should be seen, but not heard”. In present day U.S. culture, we can see a similar treatment being delivered to our elders to an even greater extent. People who are elderly are not seen and not heard. We don’t want to see them for fear of becoming them, because we have learned to equate aging with death.

All living matter experiences aging from the moment of entering this earth. Just as surely as we age, we too experience death. The two are not correlated, birth and death, yes but age and death, no. Yet, in a culture that denies death, age masquerades as death. Age and death are two distinct processes that are both gifts bestowed upon anyone who is born. In order to untangle these webs of death and aging, fear and loss – we must extract ourselves from an obsession with youth.

By maintaining such strict adherence to youth standards, we further objectify people who age and who are unable to perform youthfully. Conversely, when we are ridiculed, or do the ridiculing, for “acting old”, there are many damaging effects this can create, one of which is internalized ageism. The idea that the only interesting elderly people are either “dazzling or drooling” further reinforces this age binary and a fetishizing of youth. Tina Turner sings, “we don’t need another hero”, but what we need is a recognition of the diversity among people who are elderly. Old comes in many forms.

As well-intentioned measures are created to protect people who are elderly from abuse, flu and fraud, sometimes these very policies further objectify the people they are intending to help. Headlines read: “How to care for the elderly” Really? There’s a one-size-fits-all approach for caring? I didn’t realize all members of the elderly needed caring for. According to Education First, world leaders in International Education since 1965,“Use the [emphasis in original] with adjectives to refer to a whole group of people.” One of three examples given on their website is: “The elderly require special attention”. How would our world be if we offered special attention to everyone?

On a broad scale, we have witnessed a linguistic shift when referencing minority groups, by many people dropping the definite article ‘the’. Further, some find offense to hearing references like: ‘the blacks’, ‘the gays’, ‘the whites’, ‘the Muslims’, etc. Let us continue with our inclusive practices and start referring to people who are elderly as the individuals they are. If you have the privilege to be compassionate, then please adjust your word order the next time you refer to a vital member of our community and emphasize the person rather than a group to which we assume they belong. If you are involved with policy development, consider suggesting a rewording using more inclusive language. Encourage your local transportation company to entertain ideas of changing stickers on mass transit to read “please reserve the seats for anyone who looks like they need a seat” instead of “for the elderly and the disabled.” And please, omit from your language the phrase: “Wow, you look good for your age.” We all age differently. And some, don’t age at all. They die.

And so, in this massive sea of wonder, awe and possibility, some stay ashore, some wade into the water clinging to their raft of thanatology, while others playfully splash about with exuberance and glee. Come splash with me and people who are elderly. Soon you will see there are differences and similarities between you and people who are elderly.

Adrienne Ione is a cognitive behavioral therapist and personal trainer who integrates these fields in support of people thriving across the lifespan. As a pro-aging advocate, she specializes in the self-compassion of dementia.

Website: yes2aging.com
Guided Meditations: insighttimer.com/adrienneIone
Facebook: silverliningsintegrativehealth