The Age-Well Project

Change the way you age

Get our posts direct to your inbox

  • About The Age-Well Project
  • Books
    • Our Books
    • Reviews
    • References
  • Blog
  • Recipes
    • Recipes By Ingredient
    • Breakfast
    • Dessert
    • Dinner
    • Drinks
    • Family
    • On The Go
    • Soups and Salads
    • Treats and Snacks
  • Contact
  • Events
  • Press

WHY WE SHOULD SIT LESS AND FIDGET MORE – WARM SQUASH SALAD

October 2, 2015 4 Comments

squash salad

If you sit for more than six hours a day, you need to get up – yes, right now!  And yes – that’s six hours in total. And if you think you’re off the hook because you’ve spent an hour in the gym, you need to think again.  New research shows our sedentary lifestyles are slowly killing us.  It seems our bodies weren’t designed for long periods of sitting, even if our days are book-ended with furious spates of exercise.  Study after study now links a sedentary lifestyle with an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, depression/anxiety, gut problems, liver disease, back problems (unsurprisingly), and (surprisingly), cancer. But read on … there is some good news, I promise!

A recent study from the American Cancer Society found women who sat for six or more hours a day had a ten % higher risk of any cancer than those who sat for three hours a day (is there anyone out there who only sits for three hours a day?). The risks of ovarian and bone marrow cancer rose by a whopping 43% and 65%. No one seems quite sure why this is, but experts think that when we sit for extended periods, our bodies shut down, sending a message to our brains to effectively prepare for THE END.  This might also explain the findings of another recent study that found people with very sedentary lifestyles had a 49% increase in premature death over those with the least sedentary lifestyles.  According to cancer epidemiologist, Dr Lynch, recently quoted in You magazine, being up-and-about means having engaged muscles – this triggers the body to produce anti-inflammatory proteins and peptides.  Using our muscles (even the teeny weeny ones) raises our metabolic rate which reduces body fat.  Blood glucose and lipid levels are also better regulated when we’re active – hence the link between long periods of sitting and diabetes and heart disease.

Recent back pain has forced me to visit an osteopath, splash out on a very expensive chair and, most importantly, rethink how I work.  While I’m fairly active for six hours a day, I’m virtually immobile in front of my computer for at least seven hours a day. But not any more!  I’m lucky enough to have a chiropractor as my sister-in-law and she’s given me some great tips. Now I’m trying to do some of my work standing up (Barbara Taylor Bradford writes her novels on a walking machine – and she’s still going strong at 82), I’m having a quick stretch every 30 minutes (my chiropractor sister-in-law advises setting a kitchen timer and doing some mock conducting to loosen the shoulders) and I’m attempting to do pelvic tilts and ankle exercises as I sit.  I’m also trying to walk or cycle wherever possible, standing on buses and tubes, taking stairs not lifts and so on. Oh – and I’m fidgeting like crazy!  Why?  Because a survey published last week from the University of Leeds and University College London found that women who had very sedentary lives but fidgeted a lot actually had no greater risk of premature mortality than a very active woman.  The study is sufficiently large and long (12,778 women, aged 37-78, over 12 years) to warrant attention.    Fidgeting, it appears, can help counter the effects of sitting for long periods. Catch up here http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/sep/23/always-fidgeting-well-you-just-might-be-doing-yourself-a-world-of-good

There are good tips and further info at http://www.nhs.uk/livewell/fitness/pages/sitting-and-sedentary-behaviour-are-bad-for-your-health.aspx

And, as I write, the Daily Express’s front page story is the enormous rise in back pain due to our increasingly sedentary life styles. Read more at http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/608831/back-pain-tips-advice-cure-chiropractor

Alternatively get up and cook this delicious roast squash and apple salad which gets you five portions of fruit and veg in one go and is full of cancer-busting sage to mark the beginning of Cancer Awareness Month.

ROASTED APPLE AND SQUASH SALAD (serves 4)

  • 4 apples, quartered (keep the peel on – that’s where the nutrients are)
  • 4 red onions, quartered
  • 1 large squash, peeled and chopped into large chunks
  • 4 cloves garlic, whole and unpeeled (or as many as you like)
  • 1 pack sage, leaves chopped (roughly 20 leaves)
  • 1-2 bags (250g) pre-cooked puy lentils
  • 1 bag spinach or salad greens of your choice
  • Optional: Feta cheese and toasted walnuts or sunflower seeds to scatter over.

Roast the apples, onions, squash, garlic and sage in 3-4 tbsp olive oil for an hour at C 200, or until soft and the apples are nicely browned. Season to taste.

Empty 1-2 bags ready-cooked lentils (or cook your own – nicer and cheaper if you have the time), according to how hungry you are.

Arrange the lentils on top of the spinach/salad greens.  Make a dressing (3 tbsp olive or walnut oil, 1 tbsp cider vinegar, 1 tsp mustard and 1 tsp maple syrup)  and pour it over the lentils and spinach.  Top with the roasted  veg, then scatter over some crumbled feta cheese and a handful of toasted walnuts or seeds.

Annabel

 

  • Meal Types: Dinner, Soups and Salads
  • Conditions: Ageing, Bones, Cancer, Depression, Diabetes, Heart disease, Liver disease
  • Ingredients: Apples, Butternut squash, Lentils, pumpkin
« FEWER WRINKLES? YES PLEASE! AND CHIA SEED PARFAIT
REDUCE HYPERTENSION TODAY AND A RECIPE FOR QUINOA CAKES »

Comments

  1. Carole says

    October 5, 2015 at 8:40 pm

    Are the apples eating (dessert) apples or cooking apples?

    Reply
    • Annabel Abbs says

      October 5, 2015 at 9:08 pm

      Hi Carole – i have used both and like the tartness of a cooker but slightly prefer a well-flavoured eater. So the answer is to use whatever you’ve got! This is also great for using up apples that might be a little past their best and have lost some of their crunch … you know… the ones that have sat in the fruit bowl for a little too long! It also works with sweet potatoes and regular potatoes although squash is my personal favorite. And you can replace the sage for rosemary too. It’s a very flexible dish! Good luck!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. REDUCE HYPERTENSION TODAY AND A RECIPE FOR QUINOA CAKES - Kale & Cocoa says:
    October 9, 2015 at 9:16 am

    […] us, he’s pretty desk-bound (read Annabel’s post on beating the effects of a sedentary lifestyle here) and does a lot of entertaining for work which means drinking… So what can I do to help him get his […]

    Reply
  2. Age-Well lessons from 2021 we're taking into 2022 - The Age-Well Project says:
    January 1, 2022 at 9:04 am

    […] Warm squash salad […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

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.

Favourite Posts

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

Why Alzheimer’s Is A Women’s Issue

HOW HAVING A DOG CHANGED MY LIFE

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.

THINNING AGEING HAIR – WARM CHICKEN LIVER SALAD

About The Age Well Project

This site is for anyone who wants to make the second half of their life as healthy, happy and disease-free as possible. Sign up to get the latest research on ageing – and delicious recipes to match – direct to your inbox.

agewellproject

⭐️Change the way you age
📚The Age-Well Project + Age-Well Plan ⭐️Get tips & recipes on our blog - sign up ⬇️

The Age-Well Project blog
Make the most of the light summer evenings (in the Make the most of the light summer evenings (in the northern hemisphere at least) by going on a scented walk!

Our olfactory bulb (the cluster of smell cells at the top of our nostrils) more receptive in spring and summer, and not only are plants more likely to be in full perfumed bloom, but the warmer air also traps these molecules for longer. 

Now, here’s the interesting bit. Loss of smell has been linked to neurodegenerative disease, with some researchers suggesting that smell tests should be routinely offered by doctors. A 2022 study found that loss of smell (known as anosmia) was an important early sign of Alzheimer’s-related cognitive impairment.

But there’s no need to panic, because studies also show that our olfactory system is much like a muscle – use it or lose it. So get out there and sniff the air! There’s more on the blog - link in bio 

#longevity #womenover50 #agewell #ageingwell #agingwell #longevityblog #healthblog #agewellblog #over50bloggers #womenover50 #healthspan #womenover60 #postmenopause #postmenopausalhealth #alzheimers #preventalzheimers
What do you want to achieve for your bones?’ T What do you want to achieve for your bones?’ 

This interesting question came from Rebekah Rotstein, who has worked with the Royal Osteoporosis Society and is founder of movement system Buff Bones @gotbuffbones when Susan interviewed her for The Power Decade. 

We thought the answer was that we wanted them to be dense, because that would protect them in the years ahead. Rebekah invited us to view this another way, ‘Your goal is not just to have high bone density,’ she explained. ‘Your goal is to not fracture and to live a full, independent life. You do this by strengthening your bones and body. But you also need to maintain and improve your balance and responsiveness to avoid falls because falls lead to fractures.’

We’re big fans of the ‘brushing your teeth standing on one leg’ trick to add extra age-well benefits to this most regular of tasks by improving balance. When we do it, we can feel movement – and a bit of a wobble – in our feet. Rebekah explains that this movement is also a form of calibration, helping us maintain balance. She urges us to try this barefoot because, as we age, we lose dexterity in our feet: we want to be able to feel the messages they’re sending us.

There’s more on better bone health on the blog - link in bio

#longevity #womenover50 #agewell #ageingwell #agingwell #longevityblog #healthblog #agewellblog #over50bloggers #womenover50 #healthspan #womenover60 #postmenopause #postmenopausalhealth #bonehealth #osteoporosis #osteopenia #balance #buffbones
Beans for breakfast?! Yes please. On a recent trip Beans for breakfast?! Yes please. On a recent trip to Jordan, Annabel started her day with foul, made from fava beans. 

The Jordanians mash the cooked beans and serve them warm from a swan-necked vessel using a Harry Potter-ish long-handled ladle.  The beans are then drizzled and scattered with various spices, sauces and olive oil. 

Full of protein and fibre, it’s a great way to start the day. The (super-simple) recipe is on the blog, link in bio 

#longevity #womenover50 #agewell #ageingwell #agingwell #longevityblog #healthblog #agewellblog #over50bloggers #womenover50 #healthspan #womenover60 #postmenopause #postmenopausalhealth #breakfast #breakfastrecipes #favabeans
Grab some GABA! This neurotransmitter is linked to Grab some GABA! This neurotransmitter is linked to better sleep and mood - but needs progesterone to produce it. This is why post-menopausal women are more likely to experience insomnia and anxiety. 

But there are actions we can take to produce more GABA naturally. Save this post for future reference and check out our GABA blog post - link in bio

And save this for future reference 😊

#longevity #womenover50 #agewell #ageingwell #agingwell #longevityblog #healthblog #agewellblog #over50bloggers #womenover50 #healthspan #womenover60 #postmenopause #postmenopausalhealth #GABA #neurotransmitter
A three-page interview of Annabel in today’s @ob A three-page interview of Annabel in today’s @obsmagazine extolling the benefits of walking, and of being outdoors. Just in case you’ve had your fill of the coronation… ´Walking is freedom, an escape for the mind and the body.’ 

Hear hear!
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Contact Us

For any enquiries please email theagewellproject@gmail.com.

Copyright © 2023 The Age-Well Project