Strong, Steady and Independent: A Simple Guide to Healthy Ageing
Lets talk healthy again….and of course you can’t discuss ageing without osteoporosis coming up!
Dietary guidelines recommend eating whole foods, consuming adequate proteins and dark green leafy vegetables. Of course vitamin D and Calcium are always at the front of everyone’s mind for bone health but our bones are more complex and actually need Vitamin C, Vitamin K, B6, B9, B12, Magnesium and collagen. Even melatonin plays a role in bone health. A research review found that prunes or dried plums were excellent sources for most of the things we need for bone health. They even coined the phrase “prunes everyday keep the fractures away”.
When it comes to bone health which exercise is right? You need to do something that safely increases your bone mass while your body adapts to the exercise so you can better handle any loading on your bones & muscles to help protect against any future injury!! So if you’re above 60yrs research found that volleyball, weight training and dancing were helpful for bone formation. Movement focused exercises like yoga, tai chi, and walking were less beneficial for bone density than impact exercise but they did show significant value for overall health, balance and fracture reduction. At the end of the day improved strength and fitness will reduce your risks of falls and improve your mobility. Having overall improved fitness will improve your ability to recover from any falls or injuries you may have.
As we age there is a natural and progressive loss of our muscle mass which means a reduction in strength and physical function. Unfortunately this can actually start in our 30’s but tends to speed up in out 60’s and 70’s. We also tend to get more of a stooped posture with our head in front of our bodies. Research has shown that this forward head carriage is an indicator of cognitive decline in community dwelling older people! Using a posture pole regularly can help stretch out the muscles of your chest area and may help prevent this forward head posture.
With all that said, where does Chiropractic fit in?
Chiropractic adjustments change the way your brain processes what’s happening in your body. This means your brain can process all the sensory information from throughout the body better so you can control your body in a better way. This may help with balance and coordination which is important in falls prevention. A study showed that joint position sense (your brain knowing where your joints are at any one time) improved in older adults receiving 12 weeks of chiropractic care! This is definitely a plus in minimizing falls! Interestingly chiropractic adjustments also appear to prevent fatigue in muscles during maximal contraction which is almost identical to 3 weeks of strength training a plus when we want to improve our strength and fitness as we age. In individuals with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s there was increased brain activity in all frequency bands after chiropractic adjustments which made researchers think that adjustments might stimulate brain activity. There was also improved brain connectivity which means there was better communication between different brain regions particularly in DMN (default mode network). Our DMN is active when we perform tasks involving memory or when invoking mental constructs (ideas created by our minds to help us organise and understand our experiences). Chiropractic intervention can also have a positive effect on mild cognitive impairment disease which begs the question could chiropractic adjustments slow down the progression of mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer’s disease??? The research is still ongoing but these are positive steps forward so far for our ageing population!
So, where do you start?
Healthy ageing isn't one big thing. It's lots of small things, done consistently. And none of them need to be complicated.
It can be as simple as:
Adding a few prunes and a serve of dark leafy greens to your day
Lifting weights (safely) two or three times a week
Putting the music on and dancing in the kitchen (yes, it counts)
Walking, yoga or tai chi for balance and confidence on your feet
A few minutes on a posture pole to open up your chest and bring your head back over your shoulders
Keeping your body and nervous system communicating well with regular chiropractic care
You don't need an overhaul. You just need to start.
Because what you do in your 30s, 40s and 50s shapes how strong, steady and independent you'll be in your 70s and 80s.
That's what ageing well really looks like. Not just adding years. Staying capable of the things you love, for as long as you can.
The research into chiropractic and brain health is still young, but it's an exciting space to watch. In the meantime, the basics of strength, movement, nutrition and a well-functioning nervous system are things you can put in place right now.
If you're not sure where to begin, book in to see us at Bespoke Chiropractic Manning and we'll look at where you're at and build a plan that fits your real life.