| Healthy Living Through The Ages! | | | | muscle mass arestarting to decline. Muscle loos in |
| Like a good friend, a good attitude towards | | | | sedentaryindividuals can be as much as half a |
| fitness andnutrition doesn't abandon us as we age. | | | | pound a year. |
| It maturesright along with us, evolving as our lives | | | | Loss of muscle mass causes the body to burn |
| change. | | | | fewercalories daily, which can slow down |
| That means we don't have to give up the | | | | metabolism by asmuch as two percent per |
| activities orthe foods we love based on the | | | | decade, says Perrault. That,combined with lack of |
| number of birthdayswe've celebrated. | | | | exercise, child-bearing and abusy work schedule, |
| "Research suggests that half the drop in | | | | can have a nasty effect onweight. With women |
| functionassumed to be linked to aging is now | | | | trying to juggle family andworkaday demands, |
| thought to berelated to inactivity," says Elizabeth | | | | high levels of anxiety and stressare also a |
| Ready, anexercise physiologist and associate dean | | | | concern during this decade. |
| of educationand recreation at the University of | | | | Fitness Goals: |
| Manitoba in | | | | Motherhood and fitness can be uneasy |
| Winnipeg. So healthy, active women can continue | | | | partners,according to a 1999 study at the |
| topursue challenging physical activity even into | | | | University of |
| oldage. Still, a certain amount of common sense is | | | | Minnesota in Minneapolis which found that |
| inorder. What was demanding and fulfilling in our | | | | physicalactivity dropped 14 percent after women |
| 20s, for example may be too time-consuming in | | | | had children. |
| our 30s and | | | | With time at a premium, traditional exercise |
| 40s, too extreme in our 50s and just downright | | | | programsmay be too difficult to follow, says |
| foolishin our 60s. | | | | Robin Mech, afitness co-ordinator at the MacMab |
| Our nutritional needs also evolve as we age, says | | | | Street YWCA in |
| Rosie | | | | Hamilton. Mech recommends trying two |
| Schwartz, a registered dietician/nutritionist in | | | | 15-minuteworkouts instead of one 30-minute |
| Toronto. "What is considered a healthy diet for a | | | | workout. "You'llkeep your fitness level up, and it'll |
| 25-year-old woman in her peak reproductive | | | | be easier to fitthem into your schedule," she says. |
| years will bedifferent than that of a 60-year-old | | | | Mech alsorecommends being flexible and what |
| at increased riskof osteoporosis and heart | | | | kind of exercise youpursue. For example, take |
| disease." And women of allages need to ensure | | | | the stairs every chance youget and do bicep curls |
| that they're getting enough of thefemale-friendly | | | | with the milk/grocery bag whilewaiting in line at |
| nutrients -- calcium, folate, iron and zinc -- that are | | | | the grocery store. |
| essential for maintaining a woman'shealth | | | | Suggested Activities: |
| throughout her life. | | | | Try activities such as jogging, walking or |
| Read on to discover how tweaking your fitness | | | | cycling,which can be performed close to home |
| andnutritional goals can keep you looking good and | | | | and involve aminimum of scheduling. Bicycle, walk |
| feelinggreat at any age! | | | | or in-line skatewhen you're doing local errands or |
| Health Concerns: | | | | visiting friends inthe neighborhood. It may be |
| This is the time to establish healthy lifestyle | | | | easier to try to exerciseas a family, cycling or |
| habitsthat will help prevent heart disease, | | | | hiking together, than tosearch for those elusive 30 |
| osteoporosis,diabetes and other diseases later in | | | | minutes of private time. |
| life, says "Dr. | | | | Nutrition Goals: |
| Miriam Kaufman, a specialist in adolescent health | | | | These are the time-crunch years, says Schwartz, |
| atthe Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. | | | | andhealthy meals can fall by the wayside as |
| Propernutrition, exercise and sleep are also the | | | | workdeadlines and kids'after-school schedules get |
| first stepsin managing stress and anxiety. | | | | in theway. However, taking the time to eat |
| This is a time of life, too, when mental health can | | | | properly canhelp counteract the effects of stress. |
| beat risk -- major depression, bipolar | | | | That means getting enough zinc and B vitamins |
| disorder,schizophrenia and substance-abuse | | | | tobolster your over-challenged immune system. |
| disorders havetheir onset at this age. Kaufman | | | | Schwartzrecommends choosing whole-grain foods |
| recommends that eventhe healthiest young | | | | over refinedone, and incorporating lots of legumes |
| person visit a family doctor oncea year. | | | | such as kidneybeans and chickpeas into your diet. |
| Fitness Goals: | | | | And don't forgetto feed your bones with |
| Our bodies are in peak form in our 20s, so now is | | | | calcium-rich foods. |
| thetime to expand aerobic capacity and sample | | | | Studies have shown that calcium may also help |
| some newsports. Since you're less likely to have | | | | easesome of the symptoms of premenstrual |
| financialconstraints, children and a mortgage in | | | | syndrome, helpcontrol blood pressure and protect |
| your 20s, youmay want to indulge in active | | | | against coloncancer. Women age 19 to 50 should |
| vacations and invest ingood-quality sports | | | | consume 1,000milligrams of calcium per day. If |
| equipment. | | | | you rely on asupplement to meet your calcium |
| Suggested Activities: | | | | needs, choose one with |
| Team sports or rugged individual pursuits such as | | | | Vitamin D and Magnesium. These nutrients work |
| rockclimbing and mountain biking, as well as | | | | intandem with calcium to protect optimal bone |
| high-impactactivities such as jogging and aerobics, | | | | health. |
| will helpbuild strong bones for the future. | | | | Vitamin D, for example, increases calcium |
| Nutritional Goals: | | | | absorption byas much as 30 to 80 percent. |
| No matter how energetic you are, late nights | | | | Read more in the next newsletter will be |
| andskipped meals can take their toll and | | | | centered on |
| nutritionalshortfalls each up with you, says | | | | "Healthy Living Through the Ages for in your 40s |
| Schwartz. Make sureyou're getting enough iron - | | | | and 50s." |
| 18 milligrams per day --since too little can lead to | | | | ===================== |
| iron deficiency anemia,the most common | | | | FREEBIES |
| nutritional deficiency in Canadianwomen. | | | | ===================== |
| As well, health experts recommend that all | | | | Health Concerns at The Adolescent Years! exts |
| women ofchild-bearing age take 0.4 milligrams of | | | | guide oc oc07.html |
| folic acid | | | | Eat For Your Future! |
| (folate) daily at least three months before | | | | Take time out to enjoy healthy food, and we |
| conceptionto help reduce the chances of birth | | | | don'tmean half-eaten burgers. Your body will thank |
| defects such asspina bifida. Studies have shown | | | | youfor it later |
| that folate may alsohelp reduce the risk of heart | | | | Free public health book online! |
| disease and cervicalcancer. | | | | Be Breast Aware! |
| Maintaining a healthy weight also safeguards | | | | Breast cancer isthe most common cancer among |
| yourability to conceive, since being too heavy or | | | | women. |
| too thininterferes with ovulation. And a health | | | | But checking yourself out once a month will help |
| weight ha amajor impact on your health later in | | | | yourecognize what's normal and what isn't. |
| life, helping toprevent diseases such as | | | | Cool Test Quiz from Nutrition to Illnesses! opic |
| osteoporosis, diabetes andhigh blood pressure. | | | | quizarchive |
| Healthy Living Through The Ages in the 30s! | | | | What Your Period Says About Your Health at 20, |
| Health Concerns: | | | | 30, 40! |
| After the age of 35, your body begins to exhibit | | | | What You Need To Know In Your 20s! |
| thefirst stage of aging, says Helen Perrault, an | | | | What You Need To Know In Your 30s! |
| exercisephysiologist and chair of McGill University | | | | National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey |
| physicaleducation department in Montreal. Bone | | | | (6/2002)! |
| mass hasreached it's peak, and endurance and | | | | |