Jacqui's success story

Regular readers of my blog will know that I am very wary of the word "diet". I have seen too many people get into the yo-yo syndrome - losing weight then putting it on again - or, even worse, actually endangering their health by going on a restrictive diet.

However I am delighted to share Jacqui's success story. Not because she succeeded in losing nearly two stones, though that was a bonus for her, but because she made real changes to her health through the right food choices. Well done Jacqui! This is the happy ending to her story:

"Back in July Sue kindly included an entry from me about how I had significantly changed my food regime - I don’t like to use the word diet - in order to address a bad cholesterol problem. Read here: http://over60andoverhere.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/cutting-out-column-3-pounds-lost.html

"Up until that point I had never looked at the content of saturated fat in anything I ate and, although I knew my weight had steadily increased over the years, I never gave any thought to what it was doing to my health. I felt fit, I wasn’t breathless or struggling to do things, and so it was a big surprise to be told I had high cholesterol and needed to sort it out or they would put me on statins. Now, I know there is a field of thinking that everyone over the age of 50 should be on them as a norm, but I don’t agree with taking medication long term if not completely avoidable so I discussed other options with my doctor and basically, changing my diet and losing some weight could be enough.

"Originally I gave myself 3 months to make a significant improvement but events rather changed that timescale as further tests showed I had already got a heart condition that needed urgent attention and the month of September saw me in surgery having a heart pacemaker fitted to correct the condition. As you can probably guess, my focus wasn’t so much on my cholesterol for a few weeks while I recovered, but my lovely husband continued to prepare healthy meals for me and despite my lack of exercise for a few weeks I managed not to put any of the lost weight back on.

"I did have a blood test done before my operation but the results had been disappointing, as the bad cholesterol had only come down from +3 to +2.8 and I needed to get it below +2.3. What was more surprising was that my good cholesterol was too low and this wasn’t helping, as the good cholesterol binds with the bad to carry the bad cholesterol away. I needed to find a way to increase the good cholesterol while continuing to reduce the bad.

"Back on the internet (how did we ever research things before this wonderful invention?) and I found that food is not a good way for increasing levels of good cholesterol, that is done predominantly through weight loss and increased exercise, both of which would be difficult in the immediate weeks after my operation, but as soon as I was adequately recovered I would deal with it.

"And so at the end of October I booked my blood test for 4th December, I needed a focus to work towards. I started walking more and began using the Wii again. I continued with the foods I had become used to. Actually, during my weeks of recuperation, my husband treated me to a pizza. Previously, I loved pizza, I could eat it 2 or 3 times a week. It was to be a treat for going through my operation, which had not been as simple as expected. I was so looking forward to my treat. And I was so disappointed, I cannot tell you how uncomfortable that level of fat made me feel after I’d eaten it. It seems my stomach has become intolerant of high fat content foods and I have not had a pizza since, the very thought of it makes me feel ill. Wow, what a change.


"So, that brings us to today. I sit here the day after getting my latest cholesterol results, almost 2 stone lighter and 2 dress sizes smaller, never hungry and not bored with my food choice. And the results?


"All my cholesterol levels are normal. Overall is now 5.5, my triglycerides are 1.7, down from 2.8 and my good cholesterol has returned to normal levels. I am off the threat of statins and feel very pleased to have turned this around in 6 months.


"I only added one item to my changed food regime – the new magic food/drink.
I read an article on beetroot juice and now daily have a shot glass of the juice which is sweetened with Apple juice. Whether it really is as magic as it reads I’ll never know, but it will be on my shopping list for years to come.


"I can now relax a little and enjoy Christmas.  And although I think my eating habits are now changed permanently, I have booked a further blood test for March, just to make sure I keep it on track."

What an inspiring story! Enjoy your Christmas, Jacqui, and a happy, healthy New Year to you all!

A little knowledge.....!

I was inspired to write this post as a result of advice given to my friend Lesley.

Lesley has been in a lot of pain over the last six months, which may be caused by rheumatoid arthritis or polymyalgia rheumatica.  She had an appointment with a rheumatologist today, who has authorised several tests including x-rays and blood tests and who will see Lesley again in four weeks´time.  I am confident that he will find out what her specific problem is (he suspects polymyalgia) and help her deal with it in the most appropriate way.

Lesley has been going to a massage therapist for a while and the massage has certainly helped relieve her symptoms short-term, which is good news.  However she has also been trying to lose weight and her massage therapist advised her to go on the Blood Group Diet.  This is what has caused me concern.

The advice for people with Lesley's blood group O is to eat a high-protein meat-based diet.  However I have read elsewhere on the internet (including an article written by a rheumatologist) that patients with polymyalgia rheumatica should be on a low fat/low red meat diet.    This contradicts the advice given to Lesley that she should be following the diet for blood group O.  I'm not saying that you should believe everything that you read on the internet, but who is more likely to know about the correct diet for someone with Lesley's symptoms? A massage therapist - who may or may not have nutritional  knowledge - or a medical specialist?

As a qualified complementary therapist, I was taught never to give advice outside my areas of expertise.  I wouldn't have advised someone like Lesley to follow a particular diet, apart from saying in general terms to avoid processed foods and to eat a healthy, natural, varied diet.  Obviously people with specific medical problems like diabetics and coeliacs need to avoid particular foods, but they should seek advice from suitably qualified people and not, say, a reflexologist whose only qualification is in reflexology.

I am not on a mission to knock fellow complementary therapists or this particular diet, even though my research has revealed that most medical and nutrition experts state that the theory behind it is nonsense.  It's not the only fashionable diet out there that isn't based on sound nutritional guidelines.

My point here is that a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing.  Most diets will help someone lose weight, if only because the individual is more aware of how much food they are eating.  Most diets won't harm a healthy person who follows the diet for a short period of time.    My concern is that so-called professionals may persuade someone to follow an eating regime that is unsuitable, in the misguided belief that they are helping them.  Of even more concern is the fact that sensible, intelligent people like my friend Lesley may be persuaded by an "expert" that their advice is good for them when it may in fact have the opposite effect.

My final point, aimed particularly at women of a "certain age" who have been brought up not to complain but just get on with it, is please go to see your doctor if you have symptoms that don't clear up quickly.  Pain isn't normal, so don't grin and bear it.  Pester your doctor until he or she sends you for whatever tests are necessary to get a diagnosis.  The rheumatologist was impressed by how brave Lesley had been, but amazed that her doctor had let her go for six months in pain without resolving her problems.  We all have the right to good health, or the best health possible for us as individuals, so let's fight for it!

Have you been inspired by the Olympics?

According to the organisers of the Active Ageing Congress, as reported on the BBC website, over 70s should be inspired by the Olympics to take up competitive sport.  I have long been an advocate of the importance of taking regular exercise for adults of all ages, but the prospect of hoards of over 70s signing up to play squash or even tennis does set a few alarm bells ringing.  If said over 70s have been sitting on their backsides for 50 years or more, a sudden burst of energy could do more harm than good.  Let's preach caution here please: anyone over 40, overweight and/or with health problems should seek advice from their doctor before undertaking any form of exercise.

However I would like to think that the Olympics has inspired a generation of young people to take up sport instead of playing the latest video games, and if it motivates older people to get fitter that is also a very good thing.  Our parents and our grandparents didn't have it as easy as we do, with all our labour-saving devices.  Housework and gardening alone were enough to maintain their fitness levels.  Many of us drive everywhere during the daytime and spend our evenings slumped in front of the TV - and with a remote control we don't even need to get up to change channels.

John and I are both over 60 and we have a dog to exercise, so going for several walks a day is a necessity rather than just choice.  Before moving to Spain however we ran several times a week as well as walking everywhere.  Many friends in the same age group as us who live over here drive everywhere and seldom walk.  They all suffer from a variety of health problems, many of which I am convinced would be helped by them exercising regularly.

The experts say that we should get 2.5 hours moderate exercise a week, which is less than half an hour a day.  Not an impossible target, and it doesn't require the hard work and sacrifice that Olympic athletes have undertaken over the last 4 years, so why not switch off your PC and go for a brisk walk now?

"Use it or lose it" - part 3

Your spirit or soul - what do those words mean to you?  If you are religious there will be obvious connotations and in the context of "Use it or lose it" no doubt you will be reflecting on the importance of faith in your life and especially as you get older.  Religion can be very comforting in your later years and with a strong faith you can overcome almost anything that life throws at you.

I confess to being not particularly religious, although I was brought up in a Church of England family and my grandfather was a priest.  I would like to believe that there is another life after this one, but I'm not totally convinced, so I believe in making the most of this life and living every day as if it might be your last one. I do have moral values though and try to behave in what I suppose many people would describe as a Christian way, no doubt as a result of my upbringing.

What doesn't help my religious beliefs are the wars that are fought in the name of religion: surely this goes against everything you are supposed to believe in? Religion shouldn't be about hatred, it should be about love. However I also acknowledge the good that many people do in the name of religion, the most powerful example in my opinion being Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

Whatever your beliefs, I think the more positive you are the better it is for you.  There are countless stories of people beating serious illnesses through their positive attitude, one of them being my lovely friend Callie who thankfully has survived breast cancer.

On the other hand I had an uncle who always seemed to look on the black side of life and who had a very negative outlook.  Ask him about his latest holiday and he would say "It was all right, apart from the bad weather most days, and the car breaking down.  Our hotel room was too small and the food was dreadful."  My mother, who was his sister and his complete opposite, would say "We had a wonderful holiday.  The sun shone a lot and the people who ran the hotel were really kind and helpful.  It was good to eat out and not have to do any cooking." One of the best holidays of my life was when we took Mum to New England for her 80th birthday, as she so obviously had a great time and her enjoyment was contagious.

Did you hear the joke about the two knitters?  It had me in stitches!

We talk about people being in good spirits and I think that as we get older we should do more things that we really enjoy to raise our spirits.  Things that I find particularly uplifting are listening to a beautiful piece of music, reading a good book, watching a glorious sunset, travelling to foreign countries and spending time with my family.  All of these are good for my soul, as the more I do them the happier I feel. If I feel happy, then I am sure my happiness rubs off on other people.  When I see someone smiling, it usually makes me feel like smiling too.

Do you have anything in particular that you feel is good for your spirits and that would benefit other people? If so, please share it with the rest of us.



 

Use it or lose it - part 2

Today's  "Use it or lose it" is about your body and the importance of keeping fit as you get older.  My mother was my inspiration, as she was still going for long walks and playing badminton in her eighties.

When we were living in London John and I belonged to Serpentine Running Club, so we were both running on a regular basis even in our sixties.  Living in Spain we find it too hot to go running in the summer months, but we go out walking several times a day with our dog, as well as walking into the town centre for shopping or to meet friends.  What I have noticed though amongst friends of a similar age is that, because they have a car and live in the countryside, their walking is limited to a gentle stroll from their car to the shops or restaurant.  This means that  they don't have the stamina that John and I have.

Don't forget that your heart is a muscle and still needs regular exercise to keep it in good shape: you don't have to run marathons, but regular walking will help to keep you fit and help to keep your heart healthy.

Weight-bearing exercise is especially important for women after the menopause to help them avoid osteoporosis.  Walking is one of the best forms of exercise in this respect and has the advantages of being easy to do and cheap, but dancing and low-impact aerobics are also good.

Strength training is another important element in building bone density, but don't panic as I'm not talking about using heavy weights and building up huge muscles.  You don't even have to use weights for this as you can use resistance bands or just your own body weight as in push-ups.  If you do want to use free weights, I would recommend going to a gym in the first instance to learn good technique, but then you can continue using them at home.

This discussion is about keeping your body in good condition, which includes suppleness as well as stamina and strength.  When I was living in London I regularly went to Pilates and yoga classes in my local gym.  I now use fitness videos at home, though once my Spanish has improved I will look for a Pilates class locally as I enjoy exercising in a group. Again, I would recommend doing some Pilates classes in a gym if you are a novice before trying to do it at home, to ensure that you are doing the exercises correctly.  Even doing simple stretches on a daily basis will help to keep your body flexible - I like to boast that I can still touch my toes!

Remember that exercise doesn't have to be boring: I have some Zumba videos and have great fun trying to dance along to them, though our dog Lisa gives me some funny looks!  The important things to remember are to include Stamina, Strength and Suppleness in your exercise programme for overall fitness, to build up your fitness slowly, to consult with your doctor if you have any medical problems and/or if you are over 40 and to learn the correct techniques if you are a beginner before exercising at home.

Are you over 60?  What exercises do you enjoy doing to keep your body in good condition?

Use it or lose it - part 1

"Use it or lose it" is of particular significance to those of us who are over 60 - or are heading there rapidly.  I have already worked out what I will say in "Use it or lose it" parts 1 and 2, which will be about mind and body.  I am hoping that some other blogger will offer to guest blog for me and write about spirit or soul.  (Please, pretty please!) Alternatively, can anyone point me to an appropriate blog for part 3?

I think we all expect and accept that we will have a few problems with our short-term memory as we get older.  I remember sitting with a group of running friends when we were all in our forties and fifties, talking about "what's her name?".  We all knew whom we were talking about, but what was her name?   "I think it begins with M" was my contribution.  "Yes! Mary?  Marie?" was one response.  "Marianne?" " Melissa?"  We eventually agreed that it was Maureen and sighed with relief that our memories weren't too bad.

But is it inevitable?  Is there anything we can do to improve things?

6 down - 5 letters beginning with B

My mother always enjoyed doing crosswords and would sit with her "elevenses" of a cup of coffee and a biscuit every morning while trying to complete the crossword in her daily newspaper.  She could also beat everyone at Scrabble and - though sometimes we accused her of making up words - they were always in her dictionary.  Going into her eighties, Mum was still very sharp and aware  and it was only when I noticed that she was no longer doing the crossword at the age of 84 that I realised she was starting to age.  Sadly she died in her 85th year, but even at the end she didn't lose her sense of humour and love of life.

John and I didn't know much Spanish when we decided to move to a small Spanish town where hardly anybody speaks English.  We go to Spanish lessons twice a week with four British friends who are all over the age of 60.  We don't find it easy, and it is made more challenging by the fact that our Spanish teacher doesn't speak any English, but we agree that it is good to learn another language even at our advanced age.

So is it important to exercise your mind?  I think it is just as important as exercising your body and it helps to stave off boredom when you are no longer working.  Learn a new language.  Do a crossword or other puzzle. If you want to watch TV then watch quiz shows and see if you can beat them.  University Challenge anyone?

Little and large

When I was a young women I didn't mind being petite, as I was petite in every direction.  However now that I'm older I am becoming petite and podgy, which is not a great look.  I blame my hormones: my Mum told me I was petite and podgy in my early teens when my hormones first started playing up.  I have been battling with middle age spread for several years, starting with the menopause, and I think I'm definitely on the losing side. 


Part of the reason why I would like to be slim again is that when you are just over 5' tall every extra pound around your middle shows.  My next post will look at ways of disguising this. 


The main reason though is that abdominal fat isn't good for your health, especially as you become older, so I am going to try out a new diet.  I know!  I have already blogged about not following fad diets, but this one sounds healthy to me.   


Here is a summary of foods to eat:


2 servings of cruciferous vegetables a day, which includes broccoli, asparagus, spinach, beetroot and radishes.


1 piece of citrus fruit plus at least one other piece of fruit a day.

2 servings of insoluble fibre a day, which includes wholemeal bread, barley, couscous, brown rice, whole-grain cereal and wheat bran, seeds, carrots, cucumbers, courgettes, celery and tomatoes.   That's ok for me, apart from the tomatoes!

Add a portion of protein to every meal, plus keep up your intake of calcium-rich foods such as cheese, yoghurt, almonds and skimmed milk.

Use olive oil or rapeseed oil for cooking and salad dressings.

Add 2-3 tablespoons a day of ground flaxseed or sesame seeds to smoothies, yoghurt or salads, or stir into cottage cheese or sprinkle over steamed vegetables.

Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.

These are the foods to avoid: 

Foods high in saturated fats.

Refined or processed foods.

Caffeine - I already drink decaffeinated coffee, which tastes quite good here in Spain .

Soya products.  Spanish supermarkets aren't exactly overflowing with vegetarian food so this one is easy.

Alcohol.  Oh dear!  I live in Jumilla, which is the "city of wine".  The information I was reading did talk about the effect on the liver after two drinks a day, so maybe I will allow myself one glass of wine a day.  After all, there is a school of thought that says wine in moderation is good for your health!

I won't be eating less food over the next few weeks, but I will be following these guidelines.  I will measure my waist and stand on the scales today (the result will be a secret between me and my scales!) and check them in a few weeks' time.  The verdict will be published on this blog with one of the following titles:

My middle-age spread has miraculously disappeared; OR

Still little and still large!

I'm a doctor - trust me!

First of all, I want to make it clear that I don't want to knock the medical profession.  After all, my uncle was a doctor, my cousin is a doctor and many of my friends have been doctors.  However they are very busy people, and they can't possibly know everything there is to know about maintaining good health when their chief priority is dealing with bad health. At times they must be tempted to just scribble out a prescription and buzz the next patient in, especially when they know that the medication works.

I have a friend - let's call him Ian.  Ian has been a diabetic for 20 years and when he was first diagnosed he ventured to ask his doctor about the Low GI Diet.  His doctor dismissed this by saying it was far too complicated, so Ian has been insulin-dependent ever since.  Until recently, when his wife discovered a book about the Low GI Diet that wasn't complicated, and since then Ian's health has improved and he has been able to reduce the insulin.  It is still early days, but Ian is hopeful that this is working - if only he had been given this help 20 years ago!

As we get older, the chances of developing age-related medical conditions such as arthritis, high blood pressure, cardiac disease, joint pains, cancer - and of course diabetes - start to increase. Your doctor is there to help you when such problems arise, however who is there to help prevent such conditions occurring in the first place?  Only one person can do that - you.

My father had high blood pressure and was on medication until the day he died prematurely at the age of 47.  When my doctor told me that my blood pressure was a bit too high, I decided to lower it the natural way rather than relying on medication - after all, at the end of the day it hadn't prevented my father's death.  I use natural supplements, relaxation techniques, regular exercise, a healthy diet and sensible weight control amongst other methods.  Obviously I check my blood pressure on a regular basis, as if it does get too high I will need to go back to my doctor, but I see that as a last resort.

Of course we all need to use our common sense here: if you discover your blood pressure is dangerously high, please see your doctor immediately and don't try to self-medicate! Be wary of self-diagnosis too - in particular don't use the internet to replace your highly qualified doctor.  I am talking mainly of preventing these so-called age-related conditions in the first place, as well as using natural methods to improve your health if problems occur, hopefully allowing your doctor to either reduce or even stop your drugs.

When I worked as a complementary therapist, I always advised my clients to tell their doctor about their treatment and never to reduce their medication without their doctor's consent. After all, I  am not medically qualified and the key word here is "complementary" - I see natural medicine as working alongside conventional medicine rather than replacing it.

However I am a great believer in preventative methods such as regular exercise, a healthy and varied diet, and relaxation techniques.  Surely it is better to prevent, or at least delay, age-related health problems in the first place?  The internet is an excellent source of information, though please don't take everything that you read on a website as gospel (even this one!).  Research widely, and remember that some websites exist mainly to sell their own products, even though their general advice may still be very good.

If in doubt, do talk to your doctor.  You may need to be persistent if you want to use natural remedies, but emphasise that you aren't talking about replacing conventional medicine, just reinforcing it the natural way. He or she may not know everything, and if you have an old-school doctor they may be sceptical about complementary medicine, however doctors are one of the few professionals that most people still trust!

The usual aches and pains

I remember my friend Sandra saying, when we were both in our early fifties, "I've got the usual aches and pains, that's all.  It's to be expected at our age".  I was a year older than her and my immediate response was "No!  It's not normal to be suffering from aches and pains, even if you are over 50.  See your doctor and sort it out!"

Now that I am over 60, I can state categorically that I still don't suffer from the "usual aches and pains", and certainly not on a daily basis.  The last time we visited our local castle, which involved going up and down a lot of steep steps, I didn't have any problems coping with them.  The following day though my legs felt a bit stiff, but there was a good reason for that and I was back to normal two days later.

John and I walk a lot every day, partly because we live on the edge of town and it's a ten minute walk to the nearest shop and partly because we have a dog to exercise.  When we lived in the UK we both did a lot of running, however it's too hot at the moment for running to be enjoyable so we now prefer to go out for a walk.  I think the fact that we have taken regular exercise over the years has helped to keep us fit and warded off potential aches and pains.  I also think that regular exercise has stopped us getting overweight, which is another factor in many age-related problems.  That was certainly the case for my friend Sandra, who never walked if a car was available, and unfortunately had the extra weight to prove it!

Running the Race for Life 3km, at the age of 63

Do you agree that regular walking helps to delay the onset of age-related health problems?  My mother walked everywhere, and she also played badminton every week, even in her eighties. She was a great role model for anyone wanting to be healthy in their later years. Should we all expect to be pain-free in our sixties and later, and not just accept it as part of ageing?  My mother hardly ever had to visit her doctor, and certainly didn't complain of any aches and pains, but as well as taking regular exercise she was always very slim.

Do you have any other tips for staying fit and healthy in your sixties? If so, please share them with us.