Change, and ageing well

The change in seasons is powerful, isn’t it? Whether it’s the transition from summer to autumn here in the UK, or winter to spring in the southern hemisphere, we feel it dramatically. And, of course, we evolve, and age, as each season passes. Annabel and I started this blog more than 10 years ago now, with the aim of ageing well. In that time, we’ve seen so many changes in our own lives, and in those of our followers. Thank you for being here and sharing that process with us.

We tend to see that ageing process as linear: a gradual change with time. But research published last month revealed evidence that there are particular points in our lives when we age dramatically. The study, from Stanford University School of Medicine, found that we experience molecular change in massive bursts at the ages of 44 and 60.

The research team got granular, tracking more than 135,000 different molecules and gut microbes to create 250 million distinct data points. They found that at least 80% of those molecules and microbes changed the most when study participants were in their mid 40s and early sixties.

For people in their 40s, these changes were most significant in relation to the metabolism of alcohol, caffeine and fats, cardiovascular health, skin and muscle. As people hit 60, the biggest molecular changes related to the immune system, kidneys and carbohydrate metabolism – as well as another phase of change to the cardiovascular system, skin and muscle.

The aim with research like this is to target advice so we can all live long, healthy lives. The study team suggest a lifelong exercise habit, and, ‘in your 60s, drink plenty of water for keeping kidneys healthy, eat immune boosters, and antioxidants.’ I’ve listed some of our favourite immune boosting and antioxidant recipes from the archives at the end of this post.

Have you noticed particular health changes at 44 and 60? Let us know in the comments.

LIVING WELL

More precise knowledge of the mechanisms of ageing can only be a good thing. Other research reported this summer (from Harvard this time) revealed that only one in 10 of us live without disease – and in good physical, cognitive, and mental health – after 70.

Looking at data from over 100,000 people over 30 years, the study found that those who followed a healthy diet from midlife onwards were most likely to be functioning well when they hit 70. The lead researcher said, “This suggests that what you eat in midlife can play a big role in how well you age.” Something we’ve known for a while at the Age-Well Project! A higher intake of fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, unsaturated fats and legumes correlated with a higher chance of healthy ageing.

FLEXIBILITY SCORES

Flexibility also plays a role in long-term health. A Brazilian study published earlier this summer followed 3000 people for nearly 30 years, tracking their flexibility in 20 body joint movements. Higher flexibility scores correlated with greater longevity, and women tended to be more flexible than men. The research team suggest that flexibility is a marker doctors could review during health check-ups. Something to consider as the seasons change.

I’ve been working on somatic stretches this summer. The goal is to ease muscular tension through a series of gentle movements. I’m not sure I’ve experienced the big ‘release’ that’s said to come from the practice, but it’s certainly very relaxing.

CHANGES HERE

Some changes here at the Age-Well Project too. A couple of tweaks to our tech set up mean that we now (finally, after 10 years!) have a search function for the blog. Find it on our home page (agewellproject.com) in the top right corner. Type in whatever you’d like to search up – from heart disease to lentil recipes, walking pole recommendations to clean beauty products – and you’ll get a list of relevant blog posts.

And hopefully we now have better ‘deliverability’, so we’re less likely to end up in your spam filter. If you haven’t heard from us for the last six months, but we’ve suddenly popped up in your inbox today, that’s why. Do stick around.

STRESS RESET

One of the biggest changes we can make to our long-term health is managing stress. It’s almost impossible to avoid in our hectic world, but we can take steps to mitigate against its impact. Two things have really helped me with this: working on my mindset, and finding a regular stress management practice.

Join me for an online workshop, Stress Reset, where I’ll support you to manage your own stress for better brain health and reduced dementia risk. Yoga Nidra teacher Kanan Thakerar will also lead a Nidra practice to get you relaxed and restored in real time. If you haven’t done Nidra before, it’s the gentle, ‘lying-down bit’ of yoga, where you get warm and comfortable on a mat while listening to a guided meditation. It’s on Zoom on September 18th and there’s a recording if you can’t make it for the live event.

Click the link HERE to secure your spot