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Want more ‘energy’ to age well? Here’s how

June 24, 2022 6 Comments

I was asked to write an article for Healthy Magazine recently about how we improve our energy levels. My first job was to define energy! We all want plenty of ‘energy’ but what does that mean?

In scientific terms, energy production in our bodies is fired up by our mitochondria: the miniscule ‘batteries’ found in every cell. These cellular power plants convert energy from the food we eat into energy to fuel our cells. We should have between 500 and 2000 of them in every cell, but as we age we lose some and others function less efficiently. Typically, we lose up to 75% of our mitochondrial output by the time we reach the age of 70. Mitochondrial energy production can also be impacted by poor lifestyle choices. So if we want a good supply of energy, we need to look after our mitochondria.

Feeding our mitochondria

The energy that fuels our mitochondria comes from the foods and drinks we consume. So good choices are critical. They thrive on good clean sources of protein: think organic meat and wild fish, eggs, pulses and nuts (see below for some of our favourite protein-rich recipes from the archive). Many of the women I talk to in my coaching practice aren’t eating enough protein. We need around 0.8g of protein per kilo of body weight per day up to the age of 65, and a little more after that.

Healthy fats also play a pivotal role in keeping our mitochondria in working order – extra virgin olive oil, avocado, nuts (again!) and coconut oil are all great fuel to keep us energised. Antioxidant phytonutrients, found in vegetables and fruit, are vital for good health at a cellular level. Refined carbohydrates, processed seed oils and sugar have the opposite effect, sending us on a blood sugar rollercoaster and creating inflammation in the body which makes us feel sluggish and tired.

Working hard for energy

As well as being well-fed, our mitochondria enjoy hard work, which helps them grow and strengthen. This hard work puts them into a temporary state called hormesis, a form of stress. They like stress! But they like the good kind: short-term acute stress which forces our cells to make more antioxidants. This positive, hormetic stress can come from activities we know help us age well, exercise, intermittent fasting, cold (a cold swim or plunge) and heat (a sauna, for example).

It seems that our mitochondria respond particularly well to practices which involve breath holds, like pranayama (breath regulation) in yoga or Wim Hof breathing, also a form of hormetic stress. Known as hypoxic training, breath-hold work induces low levels of oxygen in the blood. This forces mitochondria to work harder to extract the oxygen they need, making them stronger in the process. Any that aren’t up to the job get killed off and replaced with fresh new ones. I regularly use a simple (and free) video from Wim ‘The Iceman’ Hof which is about 10 minutes long and goes through a series of breath holds. It’s on his app or you can find versions of it, like this one, on YouTube. I always keep listening until the very end when he signs off with ‘all the love, all the power’. That’s a great message to start the day with!

The importance of rest

However, all work and no rest makes for low energy. I think of rest as the missing piece of the puzzle when it comes to good health. We are so conditioned to be ‘on’ all the time: there’s always another thing to do, a box set to watch, a chore to finish, work to complete. We don’t allow ourselves to rest and replenish our energy levels. If we want energy, we need to recharge. This doesn’t have mean going to bed or staring out of the window. Using our downtime wisely can mean walking in nature, reading a book, meditation or a mindfulness practice: whatever feels right. And do catch up on Annabel’s recent post on the importance of ‘wakeful rest’ to help us sleep better and retain memories.

And one final thought on energy: have you tried an energy audit? Can you focus your attention on what boosts you, and what drains you? Track how you feel for a week or two, write it down in a diary or journal and see what patterns emerge. Do you feel low energy after seeing particular people? Does a certain activity boost your energy? Let us know in the comments below what works best for you.

PROTEIN-PACKED RECIPES

Kale and salmon frittata

Lentil Bolognese

Perfect lentil salad

Steak and roast veg salad

Easter lamb

Sushi bowls

Spiced kidney bean dip

 

Susan

 

Photo: Karsten Wurth @Unsplash

« WHY YOU NEED TO ROCK AND REST
HOW TO AGE WELL ON YOUR SUMMER HOLIDAY »

Comments

  1. Anton says

    June 24, 2022 at 5:17 pm

    Excellent article Thank you

    Reply
    • Susan Saunders says

      June 24, 2022 at 5:38 pm

      Thanks so much!

      Reply
  2. Glynis says

    June 25, 2022 at 11:02 am

    Re the amount of protein we should be eating -0.8 g per kg of body weight –

    I found this confusing at first, till I found out that the 0.8g refers to the pure protein in any protein rich food not the total weight of the food. Eg 100gm of lean chicken apparently contains 28gm of pure protein, so my total daily amount of protein would be more like 180g, not 48g – which was previous, worrying low calculation!!

    Maybe others are similarly confused?

    Reply
    • Susan Saunders says

      June 25, 2022 at 1:34 pm

      Yes exactly Glynis, it’s the total amount of protein within the food, rather than the amount of food, we need to consider. So we categorise chicken for example as a protein food, but it’s not 100% pure protein. Even ‘protein powder’ is only about 80% actual protein!

      Reply
  3. Jonathan says

    June 25, 2022 at 12:01 pm

    Many thanks. Short (and I think I enjoy the shorter post) but much to take away.

    Reply
    • Susan Saunders says

      June 25, 2022 at 1:29 pm

      Thanks so much Jonathan, much appreciated!

      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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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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