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Continuing our theme of learning about our body as we age and what we can do to slow down the process, this week I am going to talk about our skin – what it is, what it does and what we can do to look after it and Mary is discussing our neck and shoulders.
Let’s start by recognising what role our skin plays. We tend to think of organs as parts of our body that are inside us – heart, liver, kidneys, and so on - but in fact our skin is our largest organ providing us with a water-proof outer covering full of nerve receptors which allow us to feel touch, pressure, pain and temperature. Our skin also acts as a barrier against physical injury and helps to protect us from harmful UV radiation and diseases, and helps us to regulate our temperature through sweating and blood flow. It even boosts our immune system by hosting immune cells. Quite a clever organ then!
Yet, as we get older, we become concerned with the obvious signs of ageing because of the inevitable arrival of wrinkles which sadly gives the game away! I look back to the time when I was just 50 and feel embarrassed at how concerned I was at parts of my skin transcending from smooth and youthful to positively crinkly! How ridiculous. Now that I am nearer 80 than 70, my attitude is totally different. I’m just glad I am still here, and thankfully, my wrinkles no longer worry me.
So, let’s talk about skin. Our skin has three layers – the epidermis which is the outer layer, providing a waterproof barrier and creating skin tone. The dermis which lies beneath the epidermis, containing tough connective tissue, hair follicles and sweat glands, and the hypodermis (or subcutaneous tissue) which is the deeper layer, made of fat and connective tissue that insulates us and helps to cushion the body.
So, what happens to our skin as we age?
Now I have to warn you, this next bit doesn’t make exciting reading but bear with me… there is better news later on!
There are a variety of intrinsic factors (genetics and natural ageing), and extrinsic factors (sun exposure, environment and lifestyle) that means that we all age differently. Here I am describing what happens to our skin as we grow older:
- Loss of collagen and elasticity
Collagen is a protein that gives skin its structure and firmness whilst elastin helps the skin to bounce back. As we age, the production of both decreases leading to thinner skin, loss of firmness and the appearance of sagging and wrinkles.
- Wrinkles and fine lines
Repeated facial expressions and decreased skin elasticity result in lines and wrinkles, particularly around areas like the eyes, mouth and forehead. However, we must remind ourselves that there is nothing more ageing than not smiling and looking miserable!
- Loss of fat and volume
Fat below the skin’s surface diminishes with age, causing sagging and hollowed areas, especially in the cheeks, under the eyes and around the temples.
- Slower skin cell renewal
The rate at which skin cells regenerate slows down, sadly, leading to duller, less radiant skin. It also affects the skin’s ability to heal wounds or recover from irritation - but our lifestyle has a lot to do with the rate at which we heal.
- Decreased blood flow
Blood circulation to the skin decreases with age, reducing the delivery of nutrients and oxygen. This can result in a more pallid or uneven skin tone but if we exercise regularly the blood happily circulates around our body which helps enormously, and if we eat healthy foods, those nutrients will help too.
- Fragility and bruising
Speaking from personal experience, my skin is very fragile due to my lifelong use of steroids including creams, and inhalers for my asthma. Consequently my skin is very thin and I bruise so easily. I also remember my mother-in-law having a fall in the house and her leg was black from her hip to her toes! Because of the fragility of our skin, we are likely to bruise more as we get older.
OK. All very depressing but we have the opportunity to try and curb some of those tendencies and try to prevent, or at least slow down, some of those issues so that we can stay fit and active and live very healthily into the future. Please read on…
How can we protect our skin from ageing prematurely?
- No smoking!
Apart from the obvious health risks, smoking accelerates skin ageing by reducing blood flow and damaging collagen and elastin. Collagen is a protein that gives skin its structure and firmness, while elastin helps our skin to bounce back.
- Limit alcohol!
Excessive alcohol dehydrates the skin and can worsen fine lines and facial sagging speeding up our appearance of ageing.
- Use sun protection!
The sun’s UV rays are a leading cause of premature ageing and skin cancer. Apply sunscreen factor 30+ and wear protective clothing such as hats, sunglasses and long sleeves to shield the skin.
So having reduced or eliminated the harmful stuff above, let’s look at the positive steps we can take:
- Moisturise regularly:
Most of us moisturise our face every day but what about the rest of our body? Perhaps that needs to be hydrated too, particularly if you have dry skin. Creams and body lotions applied daily will help to maintain skin hydration which will help with elasticity.
- Antioxidants:
Foods high in antioxidants such as any berries, bright coloured vegetables like peppers and fruit, leafy green vegetables, as well as nuts and seeds, are high in antioxidants which help protect the skin from damage.
- Hydration:
We can help our skin by drinking plenty of water to keep it hydrated from the inside out. I drink copious amounts of very weak tea, but for coffee lovers, it is important to remember that coffee is de-hydrating.
- Sleep:
Skin repairs itself while we are asleep so we should try to get between 7 - 9 hours every night. I love my sleep and am an early to bed, early to rise person.
- Exercise:
Exercise is a win:win. Regular physical activity boosts blood circulation, delivering nutrients to the skin. Facial exercise is very effective in toning and strengthening the muscles, particularly improving the appearance of sagging around the jawline. Facial Flex is a facial exerciser that I have been using for 25+ years and it really works.
- Eat healthily:
If you want your skin to look healthy, eat a healthy diet. Eating healthy foods and avoiding the high-sugar, high-fat processed foods, will keep your skin looking fresh and vibrant.
- Stress:
High levels of stress can accelerate ageing so try to find ways to relax. Exercise is one of the best ways to relieve anxiety and our videos of Pilates and Ballet and Stretching may help calm you down.
By consistently applying these lifestyle habits, we can slow down the visible signs of ageing and benefit from a healthier, younger-looking skin. However, the most important thing is that we are happy in our own skin and then we will appear younger. Let’s try it.
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Butternut Squash and Thyme Soup
Serves 4
Per serving: 129 calories, 1g fat
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
1kg (2lb) butternut squash
3 celery sticks, sliced
2 medium onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed or ½ teaspoon Easy Garlic
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme (Remove the small leaves from the stalks of the thyme with a knife or by hand. Lemon thyme works really well with this recipe)
1 litre (2 pints) vegetable stock or use a vegetable stock pot
2 bay leaves
Rapeseed oil Frylight spray
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons live natural yogurt and a sprig of thyme to garnish
- Cut the squash in half lengthways. Remove the seeds and discard. Peel away the thick skin using a peeler or small knife.
- Chop the flesh into small pieces. Place in a large pan sprayed with rapeseed oil (Frylight) with the celery, onions and garlic and dry-fry on a low heat for 2 – 3 minutes.
- Add the thyme, stock and bay leaves and simmer gently until the vegetables are soft.
- Remove the bay leaves. Place the soup in a blender and liquidise until smooth.
- Return the soup to the pan and adjust the consistency with a little extra stock if required and reheat. Season with freshly ground black pepper.
- Just before serving, remove from the heat and stir in the plain yogurt, reserving a little for the garnish.
- Pour into individual warm serving bowls and garnish with yogurt and a sprig of thyme.
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Don't forget, you can download and print a copy of all our recipes if you click on the image to go to the recipe's page on the website.
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Fun, Facts & Fitness from Mary Morris MSc.
I am a great believer in acceptance. Acceptance that the body does age with all of us and we cannot stop that, but we can make a significant difference to the rate at which we age and help ourselves in so many ways. And that is what this Newsletter is about, hopefully guiding you through all aspects of ageing that affects all of us, and helping us to be the very best we can be no matter what age we are!
So for this week I am going to focus on those joint areas that are of most concern for so many of us. The shoulders and the neck.
I am giving you just a couple of exercises for each, which done regularly, will hopefully ease discomfort and reduce the rate of degeneration around those joints.
Of course, if any pain in any of those joints persists, and seriously affects your ability to live your life normally, then do make sure you have a full assessment from a health professional who can give you a full diagnosis and recommend the best way forward. The chances are a level of arthritis will be the diagnosis and you will be given a series of exercises to do, and I do urge you to do as you are told! Without doubt, exercise done consistently and gently will always help an arthritic joint. You may also be offered an X-ray which will help to identify the cause of the problem.
The Shoulder Joint
What I love about this joint is just how mobile it is, with an amazing range, allowing us such a variety of complex movements. But that is also its downfall. It is a very shallow joint and therefore quite unstable, making it at high risk of injury. Combine that with the fact that as we age all the surrounding soft tissue degenerates, causing friction and therefore pain and this can lead to an end result of us slowly losing mobility and full use of the joint.
Arthritis is not as common in the shoulder as it is in the hips and knees as it does not take the same level of load that those lower joints do. However, it is still estimated that one in three of us over 60 will have some level of arthritis in our shoulder. Even if we are not feeling pain we may feel a grinding in the joint or maybe a 'pinching' when in certain positions.
How to look after our shoulders
Among those I work with in my classes and on my group walks every week, there are a good many with shoulder issues, and that is because I am primarily working with an older age group. Of course, we all (yes all of us) will get some level of arthritis in our major joints at some point in our lives, and the shoulder is no exception. Sadly, arthritis is a chronic disease and there is no cure, but after saying that, there are many ways to ease the pain by preserving our mobility and by staying active. Hot and cold therapy often works well too and it is no surprise to hear that strength and stretch exercises are a must.
More recently the opportunity to have a full shoulder replacement is now becoming more common and I know of three ladies that have had their lives improved by having one. The wonder of modern surgery!
There are two types of arthritis in the shoulder:
- Primary Osteoarthritis
With this there is no specific cause, but it is believed it is linked to your family history and therefore genetic. Also your age is a major factor, so the older you are the more likely you are to have it, and also your gender - sadly, women are more likely than men.
- Secondary Osteoarthritis
With this we are much more likely to know why we have a problem. We may have had previous dislocations of the joint, or we have played a lot of racket sports, or engaged in a heavy-duty job that involved a lot of heavy lifting.
Two Simple Exercises for the Shoulder:
- First and foremost, try not to sit over a computer or any other work activity that makes you 'hunch' the shoulders forward for too long. Sit up straight and simply roll the shoulders through their full range. Forward – Up – Back – and Down 10 times every hour.
- Now simply take your hands behind your back and clasp your hands. Feel that you are pulling your shoulders back and down away from your ears.
The Neck
The neck area is known anatomically as the cervical vertebrae of your spine and consists of seven smaller vertebrae that, without doubt, are likely to give us a problem at some point in older age. As the discs age they lose height and begin to bulge, then the cartilage that has previously cushioned and protected the joint begins to wear away. The good news is that quite often neck pain tends to come and go, and can be managed well simply by staying active. However, when arthritis truly sets in it is known as Cervical Spondylosis and ageing is the most common cause.
As with the shoulder, the cause is the slow degeneration of both the discs and the joints leading to pain and stiffness, making any movement of the neck acutely painful.
Muscles on the neck can be affected by:
- Sitting for too long with the head in a static position.
This leads to tight muscles that then restricts the movement of our neck (see Forward Head Position (FHP) below.)
- Stress, creating tension in the muscles.
Massage and relaxation techniques are known to be a great help.
- Lack of sleep and/or too many pillows.
One thin pillow should be enough to support the head during sleep.
How to look after our neck
Keep it moving! The cervical spine can move in multiple directions so we need to regularly gently move and stretch it. It also needs to sit on top of the shoulders in a good position. The vertebrae in the neck are a lot smaller and finer than the rest of the spine and the head is heavy! If left in the wrong position it will 'set' in a forward position and all the muscle structure around the neck is not strong enough to hold it there, hence neck pain is the result.
Improve your FHP!
I regularly see older ladies walking outside with eyes firmly glued to the ground, forcing the head into a forward head position. Of course, we all know why - they are afraid of falling! Being conscious of where our head sits on our shoulders is important if we are to avoid neck problems.
We can measure our FHP by simply standing with our back to a wall with feet two inches away from the edge. Make sure your buttocks and shoulder blades are connected to the wall and place one finger on your chin and push the back of your head towards the wall. Get somebody to measure how far your head is from touching the wall. (If it is easy to do then you don't have a problem!) If it is around one or two inches from the wall that is a good result for an older person – any more than that, try the exercises below to improve it.
Two Simple Exercises for the Neck
- Begin by placing a finger on the chin and gently push the chin further back. Now slowly look to your right as far as you can, come back to the centre position and then turn the head slowly to the left as far as you can and return. Now turn to your right and drop the right ear towards the right shoulder, back to centre and then turn to the left and drop your left ear toward your left shoulder. Keep the shoulders down and relaxed.
- Now nod the head forward to feel a stretch at the back of the neck and then slowly lift the head to look up at the ceiling.
By repeating these two sets of exercises regularly you will be able to keep your shoulders and neck more mobile.
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 Why Medically Posture is so ImportantNeuro-physiotherapist JD Hylton demonstrates what happens to our spine when our posture deteriorates with age – and why it is vital that we make the effort toward correcting it!
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This Week's Fitness Challenge
- When out for your daily 30+minute walk this week be aware of the position of your head. You should be looking at the ground about 6 - 8 feet ahead of you so you’re keeping your head sitting on top of your shoulders and in a good posture.
- With your strength training this week focus on your shoulder area either using a band or hand weights. Pick out some good exercises and repeat them 3 times this week.
- Try a Pilates or Ballet session as one of your strength workouts if you wish. Either of these will help your neck and shoulders as posture is paramount.
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Did you know... 
Among living animals, adult bull giraffes have the longest necks, capable of reaching about 8 feet. No other living creature exceeds half this length. With the aid of its long neck, a giraffe is able to reach leaves, fruit and flowers high up in the trees. Giraffes are thus equipped to exploit a band of foliage beyond the reach of all other terrestrial browsers, except for elephants who can pull at it with their trunks.
 Giraffes and humans have at least two things in common, they both have 7 bones (vertebrae) in their neck, and they can both get neck pain, commonly for the same reasons of poor posture or ergonomics.
There was an incident reported recently in the Journal of Zoological and Wildlife Medicine that documented the case of a 2 year old male giraffe who presented with severe neck pain and stiffness upon his arrival on an incoming shipment. He had been cramped in a transport container for several hours being moved from one location to another and suffered exactly the same issues that afflict humans who have been sitting in front of a computer, driving a truck or sitting on an aeroplane for many hours. Fortunately, a trained Veterinary Chiropractor was able to manipulate the poor animal's neck and he soon regained his full range of movement. A lesson for us all!
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And finally...
I hope that many of you who have read the above will be feeling thankful that you have escaped some of the areas we have highlighted and if that is you, really enjoy the fact that you don’t have a sagging jaw line or a creaky shoulder or neck ache! We are all so different and some of you will drift into older age without such pains so do enjoy it and live an active life to the full.
With love and best wishes,
Rosemary Conley CBE DL
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LIVE LONGER | LIVE HEALTHIER | LIVE HAPPIER
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