Looking Ahead to Ageing Healthily Forward – by Dr Harold Gunatillake
Looking ahead to ageing healthily, we can embrace the opportunities and challenges that come with growing older. Let’s focus on staying active, eating well, and nurturing our mental well-being to make the most of every stage of life.
Prioritising “Ageing Healthily Forward” can be an excellent way to maintain a healthy, vibrant life as you grow older. Imagine getting expert advice that helps you stay free from chronic illnesses, making each year more fulfilling.
Are you ready to take this positive step? Let’s explore the fascinating science of ageing together, discovering the challenges, lessons, and opportunities that can help create a joyful and enriching future.
Curated by Dr. Harold Gunatillake, this aims to bring benefits to Sri Lankans all over the globe.
Staying Slim and Active
People who keep their shape, stay at a healthy weight, and remain active often find they are happier and more successful overall. Maintaining fitness and mobility can contribute to a stronger sense of confidence and well-being throughout life.
Eating Restaurant Food
It is always a positive step to eat at home more often, although enjoying meals at social events can still be a wonderful way to connect with others. Trying to avoid, or at least reduce, restaurant food can be beneficial for your health.
Because many restaurants focus on quick service, affordability, and strong flavours, they often rely on cooking methods such as deep-frying and the use of large amounts of fat, refined sugars, high sodium, and processed ingredients. These are not always the best choices for long-term well-being.
What Are the Issues with Deep-Fried Foods and Unhealthy Oils?
Many restaurants tend to use inexpensive, refined vegetable or seed oils such as soybean, canola, and corn oil, which do not offer the best nutritional benefits. These oils are often reused, leading to oxidation and the formation of free radicals. Choosing healthier options can make a meaningful difference.
Inflammation and disease: Consuming oxidised fats is linked to inflammation, tissue damage, heart disease, metabolic dysfunction, and diabetes.
Trans fats: When oils are heated to extremely high temperatures in a deep fryer, their trans fat content increases. This lowers “good” (HDL) cholesterol and raises “bad” (LDL) cholesterol.
Acrylamide: Deep-frying starchy foods such as fries and breaded items at high temperatures produces acrylamide, a toxic compound linked to cancer.
Being aware of the health risks linked to restaurant food helps us make smarter and more confident choices. When we know what to look out for, we can still enjoy dining out while taking simple steps to keep ourselves safe and healthy. Staying informed is one of the best ways to enjoy favourite meals responsibly.
Obesity can sometimes result from restaurant meals that are high in calories and do not keep you full for very long, which can lead to eating more than your body truly needs.
Research indicates that regularly eating processed and fast foods can increase the chances of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and stroke. Being mindful of what we eat can make a big difference to our health.
Consistently eating ultra-processed food and processed meats can also increase the chances of developing colorectal, pancreatic, and prostate cancer. It is good to be mindful of these dietary choices to help reduce risk.
A Healthy, Brisk Daily Walk
Try to make walking a daily routine, whether alone or with your partner. If the weather or environment is not ideal for a walk outside, walking indoors can be just as effective and offers many benefits.
People who enjoy long walks outdoors often notice knee discomfort on uneven surfaces. However, walking indoors on a smooth cement floor can be easier on the knees and therefore more sustainable.
Feel free to relax whenever you like in your own space, while still enjoying peaceful walks with family whenever possible.
In Sophia Antipolis, France, research involving over 36,000 individuals with high blood pressure revealed that increasing your steps, even if it is less than the usual recommendation of 10,000 steps a day, and walking at a quicker pace, can greatly lower the chances of serious heart and blood vessel issues.
This study, published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, showed that increasing daily steps can make a real difference. Specifically, for every extra 1,000 steps beyond 2,300, up to 10,000, there is a 17% lower chance of experiencing a major heart-related event. Going beyond 10,000 steps may even help lower the risk of stroke.
Taking a daily walk is a simple and effective way to boost health and add more years to life. Just 30 minutes each day can significantly lower the chances of heart problems by up to 30%. It also helps clear the mind and strengthen the bones. Making time for a walk every day is a friendly step toward a healthier and happier life.
Many Sri Lankans often say they do not have time for a daily walk. I remember someone saying the same, but later I happily saw him walking regularly along Marine Drive in Colombo.
I met him in person and asked, “How come you have time now for a walk?” He smiled and explained, “I had a heart attack, and my doctor told me I should start walking more,” he said.
Individuals who neglect to allocate time for physical activity may ultimately be compelled to dedicate time to addressing health issues.
Regular daily walking is a wonderfully effective, science-backed way to help manage type 2 diabetes. It can often help reduce insulin resistance and, in some cases, even lower or eliminate the need for anti-diabetic medications.
Walking helps the muscles become more responsive to insulin, making it easier for them to absorb glucose from the blood. This not only reduces immediate post-meal blood sugar spikes but also helps improve HbA1c levels over time, supporting overall health.
Happy Marriages
Research shows that parents who feel deeply satisfied and have strong bonds within a happy family often enjoy longer and healthier lives. A combination of social, psychological, and lifestyle factors usually influences this connection.
Happy people tend to be healthier, handle stress better, and live longer. Parents often find more meaning and purpose in life, which may also help them live longer.
A happy family creates a loving social circle, which plays a vital role in living a longer and healthier life. Sharing regular, cheerful moments with family members can boost the immune system and help keep stress at bay.
