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HOW VALENTINE’S DAY CAN HELP YOU AGE WELL

February 14, 2020 3 Comments

Yes, yes, I know it’s a schmaltz fest designed to keep card manufacturers and red rose sellers in business. But bear with me because many of the less tacky elements of Valentine’s Day help us live longer, healthier, happier lives – exactly what The Age-Well Project is all about.

Love, hugs and the corona virus

If ever there’s a day for hugs, it’s Valentine’s.  A German study, published last year, found that any form of human touch reduces levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. Physical touch stimulates the release of oxytocin from your brain’s pituitary gland, which in turn lowers inflammation (the root of so many ageing processes). Oxytocin, known as the “love hormone”, is triggered when we fall in love, hug, kiss, cuddle and, yes, have sex. In fact, February 14th should be renamed ‘Oxytocin Day’.

It works like this: the vagus nerve (also known as the ‘love nerve’, I wrote about it last week) is connected to receptors of oxytocin, so when this hormone is released the vagus is stimulated and it, in turn, stimulates the brain-body connection to lower stress levels.

Having said that, we are in the midst of a global corona virus outbreak, and health experts are advising us to avoid human contact, which is rather sad. Professor John Oxford from Queen Mary University, speaking on Radio 4 yesterday explained that corona virus, ‘is a social virus….what we need to do is less of the handshaking, hugging, kissing, that sort of thing because this virus looks like its spread by ordinary tidal breathing, not necessarily colds and coughing.’ So maybe, this Valentine’s Day, be a little more economical with the hugs…..

Empathy

The best type of love comes with, and grows from, empathy. Empathy helps us to imagine why someone might feel a certain way, and to be concerned for their welfare. Research shows that the type of empathy we feel alters as we get older: our cognitive empathy (the ability to perceive the emotions of another person) declines, but our emotional empathy – our ability to share the experience – may increase.

Developing empathy is one of the best ways of enhancing our longevity: research shows that empathetic people really do live longer. The kindest people are the ones who are toning their vagus nerves, reducing stress and lowering inflammation. The mind-body connection is that powerful. Looking at things from another person’s point of view is the biggest step towards this. Seek opportunities to be kind every day, read books and watch films to understand the perspective of others, look at art to experience not just the piece itself but the artist’s creative process.

(There’s a fantastic book, Growing Young, all about how our human interactions impact ageing, out in the Spring. I’ve interviewed the author so I’ll be able to share that with you soon. It’s fascinating).

Marriage

In our book, The Age-Well Project, we discuss the longevity advantage that marriage seems to confer, particularly for men. ‘Steadily married’ women do well too, but divorced and single women don’t lag far behind. For the steadily married of both sexes, putting a ring on it brings both physical benefits – an increase in oxytocin and reduced stress response – and emotional ones, such as more social interaction and greater attention to health.

Research published this week focusses in on these benefits. A team at Michigan State University found that happy partners create healthier futures together. Having an optimistic other half helps keep people healthy, staving off the risk factors leading to Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and cognitive decline. The study’s co-author said that partners, ‘might encourage us to exercise, eat healthier or remind us to take our medicine. When your partner is optimistic and healthy, it can translate to similar outcomes in your own life. You actually do experience a rosier future by living longer and staving off cognitive illnesses.’

Chocolate

If all else fails, there’s always chocolate. Read Annabel’s blog post about the Age-Well benefits of chocolate, with the most delicious recipe for Chocolate, Chestnut and Orange Cake. Do give it a try.

Here are a few more of our favourite chocolate recipes from the blog:

Dark chocolate salted-peanut flapjacks – delicious energy treats when you’re on the go

Chocolate peanut squares – my all-time favourite and a huge hit with my family

Chocolate pancakes – like eating Black Forest Gateau for breakfast, but healthy

Coffee and chocolate brainies – packed with brain-boosting ingredients

Despite writing all this, I won’t get to spend Valentine’s Day with my love. I’ll be holed up in remote Norfolk working on The Age-Well Plan: Your Six-Week Workbook for a Longer, Healthier, Happier Life. The deadline looms and I’ve got a lot to do. I hope your Valentine’s Day is more fun!

Susan

 

photo: Marcelo Terrazo 

  • Conditions: Ageing
  • Ingredients: Chocolate
« WANT TO AGE WELL? HUM AND SING!
EAT MORE GARLIC AND KEEP MAP-READING »

Comments

  1. Dawn & Nick Hitchen says

    February 14, 2020 at 5:27 pm

    Hi Susan
    I absolutely adore your posts on your ‘Age-Well Project’. They always resonate with me and my husband and we try to follow your advice …and enjoy your recipe suggestions.

    We’re simply wanting to wish you a Happy Valentine’s Day …and feel very sad that you are not able to spend this special day with YOUR loved one.

    Very best wishes to you for meeting your publishing deadline with ‘The Age-Well Plan’ six week workbook and we look forward to optimistically reading your future gens of advice on how to aim for a longer, healthier and happier life.

    Reply
    • Susan Saunders says

      February 14, 2020 at 5:44 pm

      Oh Dawn that’s made my (Valentine’s) day! What a lovely message to receive while I’m grappling with the latest research and pounding away on my laptop! A very happy V Day to you both. Susan x

      Reply
      • Dawn Hitchen says

        February 14, 2020 at 6:34 pm

        🥰💗
        Dawn x

        Reply

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Welcome to The Age-Well Project

Welcome to The Age-Well Project!
Here you’ll find easy changes for a longer, happier life. We’ve immersed ourselves in the science of longevity and distilled the research to make it work in our everyday lives. You can change the way you age: here’s how.

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WHY I’VE THROWN OUT ALL MY BEAUTY PRODUCTS (nearly…)

Why Alzheimer’s Is A Women’s Issue

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GREEN SPACE IS GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH

SUGAR, CHOCOLATE, SADNESS AND BRAIN-BOOSTING BISCUITS

WHY ‘INFLAMM-AGEING’ COULD START IN THE GUT AND HARISSA-ROASTED VEGETABLE SALAD

POLYAMINES – THE NEW SECRET WEAPON FOR AGEING WELL & MOROCCAN SPINACH AND CHICKPEAS.

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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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