According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2030, the last baby boomers will turn 65.1. By this time, adults 65 and older will comprise about 20% of the U.S. population. The current growth of the population ages 65 and older, driven by the large baby boom generation born between 1946 and 1964, is unprecedented in U.S. history.
While aging is inevitable, many healthy aging aspects result from our lifestyle choices. September is “Healthy Aging Month,” an annual health observance created to highlight the positive aspects of aging. Below are the top tips and suggestions for healthy aging and living your best life through supplements, diet, exercise, and emotional connection:
Optimize Your Diet for a Buffet of Benefits!
Eating a whole-food, nutritious, balanced diet is one of the most important things you can do for healthy aging. Focus on:
- Consuming plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats
- Make meals meaningful even if you’re alone. Sit at the table, eat slowly, and savor your favorite foods
- Limiting processed foods, refined carbohydrates, and added sugars
- Staying hydrated by drinking water throughout the day
- Practicing mindful eating to tune into your body’s hunger and fullness cues is a key aspect of healthy aging
- Emphasize the Benefits of a Mediterranean-style Diet for Healthy Aging A Mediterranean-style diet, rich in plant foods, fish, and olive oil, has been linked to lower rates of chronic diseases and improved cognitive function as we age
- This dietary approach can be a powerful tool in your healthy aging journey
Incorporate Regular Exercise- Move it or Lose it!
Physical activity is crucial for maintaining strength, flexibility, balance, and overall health as you age. Weight lifting and stretching are helpful at any age, but there are specific benefits for older adults. Decreased flexibility and declining muscle mass make building and maintaining muscle strength imperative for healthy and pain-free aging. Aim for:
- At least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week
- Strength training exercises 2-3 times per week to preserve muscle mass
- Balance and flexibility exercises like yoga or tai chi
- Swimming and water aerobics are a low-stress, high-return exercise to build muscle while being gentle on the joints
- Make it fun by walking the mall and window shopping or hiking a nature trail while bird-watching
- When playing golf, skip the cart and walk instead
Find activities you enjoy, whether walking, swimming, dancing, or playing sports with friends. The key is staying consistently active while having fun!
Consider Targeted Supplements for Vitality!
While it’s best to get nutrients from food, certain supplements may help fill nutritional gaps:
- Vitamin D and calcium for bone health
- Omega-3 fatty acids for heart and brain health
- B vitamins for energy and cognitive function
- Probiotics for gut health and immunity
- Glutathione to detoxify and protect your cells
- High-quality protein powder to help maintain muscle and bone mass
Always consult your healthcare provider before starting any new supplements, as they can interact with medications.
Nurture Emotional Connections!
Social relationships and emotional well-being play a vital role in healthy aging:
- Stay socially active by spending time with family and friends
- Join clubs, volunteer, or take classes to meet new people
- Practice stress-reduction techniques like meditation or deep breathing
- Engage in activities that bring you joy and purpose
- Call up and catch up with old friends
- Utilize technology to stay connected via video calls or zoom
- Enjoy a pet for love and companionship
Strong social connections can boost mental health, cognitive function, and immune system strength.
Rejuvenate your body and mind with Quality Sleep & Make Your Zzzzzz’s Count!
Getting enough restful sleep is essential for physical and mental restoration:
- Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night
- Keep your bedroom comfortably cool with no drafts
- Try not to exercise or eat a heavy meal within 3 hours of bedtime
- Establish a consistent sleep schedule and try to go to bed at the same time every night
- Create a relaxing bedtime routine: low lights, soft music, reading a ‘not too riveting’ book
- Avoid screens and caffeine close to bedtime
- Monitor your fluid intake 2 hours before bedtime to avoid frequent trips to the bathroom
Good sleep habits can improve mood, cognitive function, and overall health.
Challenge Your Brain and Monitor Your Mental Health!
Keeping your mind active and engaged can help maintain cognitive function:
- Learn new skills or hobbies
- Manage high blood pressure
- Eat healthy whole foods and take an Omega-3 supplement
- Play brain-training games or do puzzles
- Read regularly and engage in stimulating conversations
- Take up a musical instrument or learn a new language
- Stay connected with social activities
- Talk to a doctor or therapist about any mental health concerns such as depression, anxiety, or hopelessness.
Lifelong learning and mental stimulation may help reduce the risk of cognitive decline.
Reducing stress can improve overall well-being and slow the aging process.
By incorporating these tips into your lifestyle, you can support healthy aging and live your best life. Remember, there is always time to start making positive changes. Small, consistent steps can significantly improve your health and well-being over time. Always consult healthcare professionals for personalized advice, especially when making significant lifestyle changes or starting new supplement regimens.
Healthy Aging Requires a Greater Need for
Postbiotic Metabolites
Postbiotic metabolites are increasingly recognized as compounds that play essential roles in regulating many aspects of health, especially the immune system. It is well documented that as people age, there is an age-related decline in immune function. Aging doesn’t just happen to the body; it also affects the microbiome. Aging is associated with striking changes in the gut microbiome, resulting in constipation, increased inflammation, and a decline in immune function.i
One of the primary causes of age-associated changes in the microbiome’s composition and function is a decrease in the production of postbiotic metabolites. In a healthy microbiome, probiotic bacteria abundantly produce Postbiotics that provide many benefits, such as suppressing pathogens’ growth and enhancing immune function.ii
What’s Better, Probiotics or Postbiotic Metabolites?
Probiotic bacteria are largely ineffective if the individual is not also consuming adequate dietary fiber. Fiber is the “food” for probiotic bacteria. When probiotic bacteria ferment indigestible nutritional fibers in the colon, they produce postbiotic metabolites.
Taking a fermented food probiotic is a newer and more effective method of improving the gut microbiome’s composition and function. During fermentation, probiotic bacteria break down dietary fibers and convert them into a wide range of postbiotic metabolites. The world’s premier fermented food probiotic is Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics. After a multi-year fermentation production process, each dose of Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics directly delivers over 500 different postbiotic metabolites.
Direct ingestion of postbiotic metabolites eliminates the time it takes ingested probiotic bacteria to locate dietary fibers in the intestinal tract. It then begins fermenting the fibers to create postbiotic metabolites. However, it has been reported that 90% of children and adults in America DO NOT consume the recommended amount of daily dietary fiber.iii Hence, millions of people who purchase commercial probiotic products get minimal benefits because their diets are severely fiber deficient.
When an individual directly ingests postbiotic metabolites, they immediately begin to create positive changes in the intestinal tract, such as reducing symptoms of gas, bloating, and diarrhea, reducing the inflammatory response, and enhancing immune function.
As mentioned above, numerous age-related diet and lifestyle changes contribute to unfavorable gut microbiome composition and function changes and weaken the immune system.
Two of the most important proactive steps people can take to improve the function of their microbiome and their immune system are:
- Take Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics daily. Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics contain over 500 postbiotic metabolites. Direct ingestion of postbiotic metabolites quickly begins to initiate improvements in the gut microbiome and the immune system. This is the Dr. Ohhira’s Advantage.
- Increase the daily consumption of fiber-rich foods, supporting the growth of an individual’s innate probiotic bacteria. In addition to increasing the amount of dietary fiber, emphasis should also be placed on improving dietary fiber diversity.
While these suggestions are essential for everyone, they are critical steps elderly individuals can take to improve their microbiome and immune system health.
i Magrone T and Jirillo E. The interaction between gut microbiota and age-related immune function and inflammation. Immunity & Aging. Aug 5, 2013;10:31.
ii Belkaid Y and Hand T. Role of the Microbiota in Immunity and Inflammation. Cell. 2014 Mar 27;157(1):121-141.
iii Clemens R. et al. Filling America’s Fiber Intake Gap: Summary of a Roundtable to Probe Realistic Solutions with a Focus on Grain-Based Foods. Journal of Nutrition. 2012 July; 142(7): 1390S-1401S.
