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CHRISTMAS STRESS – AND HOW TO BEAT IT

December 8, 2017 4 Comments

oranges-cropped copy

Right now I’m sitting at my laptop thinking I can’t possibly find time to write a blog post: I need to order the turkey, work out what to give my impossible-to-buy-for brother-in-law, get the dishwasher fixed, wrap presents, find the tree decorations, actually buy a tree….you get the picture. It’s Christmas stress time and we’ve all got it.

Three age-well reasons you don’t want to be stressed:

  1. Research undertaken in both San Francisco and Helsinki shows that chronic stress shortens our telomeres – the ‘shoe lace tip’-like caps to our DNA which indicate how our cells are ageing. The longer they are, the more protective they are: once they become too short the cells can start to die. Telomere shortening has been linked to Parkinson’s, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.
  1. It gets better – Swedish researchers found that elevated levels of stress steroids in the brain can inhibit general brain activity. This, in turn, was found to accelerate the development of Alzheimer’s in mice. Oh crikey – not what you want to hear at Christmas.
  1. To compound it all, stressed people don’t take care of themselves, which is obvious really. All those healthy habits we’ve cultivated go out the window in December when things are hectic and there are sausage rolls to eat. It’s a vicious cycle: we know that a healthy lifestyle is critical to ageing well, but just when we need it most our healthy habits fall by the wayside.

So here’s some good news: you can get to December 25th with your sanity intact. Here are our five top tips:

  • Exercise: however busy you are, make time to exercise outside. There’s so little daylight at the moment we need to get a burst of it when we can. Annabel’s playing table tennis for 10 minutes a day – that’s enough to make a difference, and I’m hauling the dog round any bit of woodland I can find. Japanese research shows that ‘forest bathing’ (great name, but – basically – a walk in the woods) – reduces stress levels.
  • Sleep : if you’re struggling to get the zzzz you need, have you tried the 4-7-8 breathing technique? It really has changed my life because it enables me to put myself to sleep! It’s extraordinary, and so simple. All you do, when you’re in bed, is get comfortable then breathe in for four, hold for seven and out for eight. Concentrate on the counting and it becomes a meditation, relaxation tool and breathing exercise all in one. The Harvard doctor behind it calls it ‘a natural tranquilizer for the nervous system’. The science behind it is fascinating. There’s more here https://www.drweil.com/videos-features/videos/the-4-7-8-breath-health-benefits-demonstration/
  • Give back: remember your mum telling you it’s better to give than receive? Well, it’s true. Research published in the journal, Science, showed that people’s sense of happiness is greater when they spend relatively more on others than on themselves. And it’s well documented that volunteering makes us feel better – so stock up on those presents, volunteer to help out at the Christmas Fair or take some mince pies to a neighbour. You’ll feel better for it.
  • Supplement: Now might be the time to take a Vitamin D tablet. With light levels so low (it barely seems to have got light some days!) it’s pretty much impossible to get enough daylight. Neither of us take a ton of supplements, but Vitamin D is one that we do take. Low levels of Vitamin D have been linked to increased risk of everything from osteoporosis to Alzheimer’s, so maintaining a good level is crucial.
  • Eat to beat stress: avocados are a great source of B Vitamins which we need for a healthy nervous system; almonds contain Vitamins B2 and E which help boost the immune system in times of stress; the Vitamin C in oranges helps to lower blood pressure and the stress hormone cortisol. And filling up on the good stuff should (in theory) reduce our need to reach for that tin of Christmas Quality Street!

Susan

 

  • Conditions: Ageing, Brain and Dementia, Cancer, general, Heart, Heart disease
  • Ingredients: Almonds
« HOW TO AVOID BOWEL CANCER & BEST EVER SQUASH SOUP
WHY YOU SHOULD BE DANCING (& CHRISTMAS NUTS) »

Comments

  1. Kath Lindann says

    December 8, 2017 at 9:57 pm

    I’ve been receiving your Kale and Cocoa blogs for a few years now, and love the information about life in general and your personal stories and achievements. I live in Perth, Western Australia, so sometimes the seasonal topics are slightly out of sync but there’s always something relevant, and I’ve acted upon many of the ‘good health’ ideas and suggestions that you offer, and had quite a few laughs as well!
    Thank you for your continued research, and all the effort and energy you put into your blogs. Wishing you and your families a very happy and peaceful Christmas, and all the very best for 2018.

    Reply
    • Susan Saunders says

      December 9, 2017 at 7:41 pm

      Thank you so much Kath, what a lovely comment! A very happy Christmas and New Year to you and yours too.

      Reply
  2. Kim says

    December 16, 2017 at 6:05 pm

    Great tips ????‍♀️especially the exercise one ☝️

    Reply
    • Annabel Abbs says

      December 17, 2017 at 12:26 pm

      Thanks, Kim. We think so too…

      Reply

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Welcome to The Age-Well Project

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Everything we’ve learnt about ageing well points Everything we’ve learnt about ageing well points to a time (for women at least) in their mid-60s when the chronic conditions of ageing, like diabetes, heart disease and dementia, are - statistically - more likely to kick in. 

And we know that our reproductive hormones do so much more than prepare us to have periods and babies, we have receptors for them throughout our bodies and brains. 

Oestrogen, in particular, helps keep bones strong, blood vessels flexible, brains firing and inflammation levels low. Essentially, it wraps us up in a cosy protective cloak to keep us safe and healthy while we're able to reproduce, but once the eggs have run out - we're on our own! 

Between the average age of menopause at 51, and that time in our 60s when the chronic conditions of ageing are more likely to kick in, we have a decade or so in which it’s vital to focus on our health.

And how to do that? It’s on the blog - link in bio

#longevity #womenover50 #agewell #ageingwell #agingwell #longevityblog #healthblog #agewellblog #over50bloggers #womenover50 #healthspan #womenover60 #menopause #menopausehealth #postmenopause #postmenopausefitness #postmenopausal #oestrogen #hormonalhealth
If you’re lucky enough to have good metabolic he If you’re lucky enough to have good metabolic health you might want to thank your Mum today. Recent studies have found that women who move around during their reproductive years and during pregnancy and then breastfeed for a bit pass on a compound in their milk called 3SL which provides lifelong protection against poor metabolic health. The offspring of moving, breastfeeding Mums appear to have a lower lifetime risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and other chronic metabolic disease. Even gentle strolling during pregnancy and while nursing can produce this compound. So today we thank our Mums for that - as well as everything else.  Susan’s mum in the hat. Annabel’s mum in the pony tail. 

#mothersday #mothers #move #agewell #goodhealth #longevitylifestyle #longevity #walk
There’s been lots of good news for walkers recen There’s been lots of good news for walkers recently. A study published last month found that over-60s who walked between 6000 and 9000 steps a day cut their risk of heart disease (including strokes and heart attacks) by 40-50 percent, when compared to a more typical 2000 steps a day. In fact this study found that for every additional 1000 steps walked, the risk fell still further. 

How far are you walking to age well? Let us know in the comments and there’s more on the power of walking on the blog - link in bio

#longevity #womenover50 #agewell #ageingwell #agingwell #longevityblog #healthblog #agewellblog #over50bloggers #womenover50 #healthspan #womenover60 #walking #womenwhowalk #womenwhohike #reversewalking #backwardswalking #walkingbackwards
A big hug from us to you to mark International Wom A big hug from us to you to mark International Women’s Day! 

The campaign this year reminds us to embrace equity as a way to recognise that each of us has different circumstances, and we need different resources and opportunities to reach an equal outcome. Of course, this is as vital in ageing and health outcomes as in every other field.  

So we’re embracing our age and hoping to grow older in a more equitable society ❤️

#internationalwomensday #embraceequity #embracequity2023 ##longevity #womenover50 #agewell #ageingwell #agingwell #longevityblog #healthblog #agewellblog #over50bloggers #womenover50 #healthspan #womenover60 #iwd2023 #madformidlife
We’ve learned to love walking backwards! So many We’ve learned to love walking backwards! So many benefits when it comes to ageing well. 

If you’re not sure how to start or are worried about looking silly (we were) - there are lots of tips on the blog, link in bio. 

If you’re a backwards walker, let us know in comments below! 

If you’re planning to start, save this post for when you’re ready for some reverse walking 

#longevity #womenover50 #agewell #ageingwell #agingwell #longevityblog #healthblog #agewellblog #over50bloggers #womenover50 #healthspan #womenover60 #walking #womenwhowalk #womenwhohike #reversewalking #backwardswalking #walkingbackwards
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