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It used to be that our life expectancy was ‘three score years and ten!’ In other words, 70 years. Thankfully, we are living longer now and the latest average life expectancy exceeds 80 years. Great news indeed.
However, our biggest goal is not so much how many years we might survive but how many years we are able to live a real quality life with good health, energy and purpose.
Last week I mentioned that over the next few weeks and months we are going to look in greater detail into the subjects that concern us as we grow older. Whilst living a life of vitality and independence is obviously the most important, I also believe most of us aim to make the most of our appearance so that we feel more confident in ourselves. So, this week we are concentrating on our head! I am discussing the changes to our crowning glory - our hair, and Mary is educating us with fascinating information relating to our brain. Here we go…
HAIR
As we age, the texture and density of our hair can change quite dramatically, as well as the colour and volume. When we understand why things change, it helps us to manage it in a way that suits us as an individual.
Thinning and Hair Loss
Most of us will experience hair thinning as we age. Women may well be affected after the menopause because of the reduction in oestrogen levels. However, for those on HRT, they may not see hair loss to the same degree. Hair may also become finer and our number of active hair follicles may decrease resulting in more noticeable thinning. As if that wasn’t enough, our growth rate often slows down with age which means that it may not grow as long as once it did.
A few years ago I was offered the chance to have hair extensions to thicken the appearance of my hair. Whilst it certainly did the job for a few weeks, as my hair grew, the extensions which were glued to my hair, had to be removed. What I hadn’t anticipated was that when they were taken out, I would lose so much of my own hair! Because the extensions were glued to my existing hair, some of my hair stayed attached and I ended up having thinner hair than when I started! Never again for me! Obviously, if you have lots of hair and you would like to go from a shorter style to long hair, wonderful, but I really would not recommend it to anyone with thinning hair.
Hair Texture
The texture of our hair can also change with age, often becoming coarser, drier or even more brittle which is caused by the reduction of sebum in the hair follicles in our scalp. This is a result of the reduction of natural oils produced by the scalp which work to keep our hair hydrated and smooth.
Colour Change
Hair can turn grey at any age on men and women, mostly determined by genetics, but usually from midlife onwards. My hubby Mike’s hair went grey in his 30s, as did his mother’s when she was young, but for most people it happens over a period of later years and it is a matter of personal choice as to whether we colour it or let it grow naturally. My hair is a darkish blonde naturally but I have always lightened it because I felt it suited me better. I still have my roots lightened which are now showing as grey.
Having hair brightly coloured is very popular these days – pink, blue, you name it! They can be just washed in so they fade after a few washes or applied as a permanent colour.
What can we do to help?
Of course, we can help our hair by choosing appropriate haircare products. I have always had fine hair so a volumizing shampoo and conditioner is a must for me. Your hairdresser will advise you on what you need.
The hair product manufacturers would love us to wash our hair every day but we really don’t need to, particularly as we grow a little older. Because of the reduced oil production in our hair follicles, our hair can stay clean and glossy for several days and that can be helpful to the condition of our hair.
When it comes to volume, some of us find the hair at the top of our head becomes thinner and it takes some skill to fashion our hair in an attempt to disguise it. In the case of severe hair loss, it is possible to have hair transplanted. I have no experience of this but my hairdresser told me of a client who had decided to have hair implanted to her receding hairline very successfully. The other alternative is to have a hair-piece or a wig. A friend of mine lost her hair to cancer and visited me donning a fabulous wig that had been supplied by the hospital. She looked amazing!
The whole subject of hair is a real puzzle and I have to admit that sometimes I smile at the ironies of ageing. Whilst the hair on our head is growing thinner, suddenly it appears to relocate itself onto our face!
Everyone, even a baby, has a very delicate covering of fine down over their face but it seems that when we hit our mid-70s, suddenly our facial hair begins a whole new life of its own. Eyebrows start growing madly, reminiscent of Willie Whitelaw. He, you may remember was the Home Secretary in Margaret Thatcher’s government, and was so easily recognised by his bushy eyebrows! Our fine downy hairs, instead of giving an almost invisible facial covering in our youth, suddenly spring into life with great enthusiasm in an attempt to grow into side-burns! Not a good look on women. Then, to add insult to injury, long hairs can even poke their unwelcome heads onto chins, lips and even breasts for women, and in ears and noses for men! Now, at least with unwanted hair we can manage it reasonably well. A good pair of tweezers and a magnifying mirror works wonders. Just remember to pluck out the hairs in the direction of growth to make removal less painful.
When it comes to eyebrows, just be mindful of plucking out all the grey ones as over time you may be left with none. Pluck carefully is my message. I remember when I was on Dancing on Ice in 2012, the make-up artist asked if he could trim my eyebrows which he promptly did to keep them in shape.
Approximately £1.4 billion was spent on hair products in 2003 – a staggering amount that rather indicates that we really do care about our hair! Here are some golden tips:
- Avoid washing hair too often.
- Avoid having a permanent colour or a perm too regularly as it may damage your hair.
- If you have curly hair, or you back-comb hair, use a special brush called a ‘Tangle Teezer’ which works brilliantly to avoid pulling on tangled hair.
- Experiment with shampoos and conditioners and find the perfect one for you. TV ads can be misleading and remember, they use specialist ‘hair’ models!
- Protect your hair from direct sunlight as it will bleach it, particularly if you have it coloured..
- Having a regular trim can encourage growth
- A healthy diet will help toward healthier hair.
- Listen to your hair-stylist – they are the experts.
- If your hairdresser offers a free head massage, take it. Massaging our head is good for our blood flow and sinuses.
- I always wear a hat when I go out in the rain. It is a leather fedora-type style and I sweep my hair up and put the hat on. It works a treat.
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 In the Ageing Well section of the website Rosemary takes a light-hearted look at at the joys of facial hair and how to manage it. |
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Southern Fried Chicken
Serves 2
Per serving: 394 calories, 6.8g fat (excl. accompaniments)
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 40 mins
2 chicken breasts (no skin)
1 egg, beaten
4 tbsps granary breadcrumbs
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp jerk seasoning
freshly ground black pepper
- Preheat the oven to 200°C, 400°F, Gas Mark 6.
- Mix together the breadcrumbs, garlic and seasonings and transfer to a non-stick baking tray. Place in the oven for 10 minutes until the breadcrumbs are lightly toasted.
- Dip the chicken breasts in the beaten egg, and then the breadcrumbs, and place on a non-stick baking tray. Bake in the oven for 25 – 30 minutes until cooked through.
- Serve hot with fresh vegetables or salad.
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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 starting this series at the very top of the body, with our head, and more precisely, our brain.
Now clearly, I am not a brain surgeon, so I have no intention of blinding you with all the amazing anatomy of how the brain works, but I have always been fascinated by the fact that 'we are what we think' and that our everyday actions are governed by how we talk to ourselves... constantly!
So, this first part of my section of this Newsletter this week explores the notion that we can change any bad habits we may have into good ones, simply by how we think. Then for something completely different, as I explore the most up-to-date research around preventing us getting dementia. As we get older it becomes uppermost in our minds and we all need to do everything we can to reduce our risk.
Making Changes for Better Health
When we are trying to change an old bad habit into a new and healthier one, our chance of success is almost entirely down to what is going on in our head. How often have we heard people say 'my head is not in the right place...' 'I really want to lose weight/do more exercise/stop drinking so much, but my mind keeps sabotaging my intentions and I go back to doing what I always do.'
When I first started working with Rosemary's students, who would ultimately run a Diet and Fitness Club, I focussed almost entirely on the nutrients that make up a good diet and encouraged them to get their clients to eat healthily, and to combine it with plenty of regular exercise. If people did as they were taught, then surely, they would automatically lose weight wouldn't they? How naïve was I!
It didn’t take long before I began to realise that most people who attend a slimming club are actually pretty clued up on what they should and should not eat, and also know that burning calories with exercise is the best way forward. What I had not allowed for was what people were actually, realistically, prepared to do, day to day, week by week to achieve that much desired goal. Were they prepared to change their behaviour forever?
It was then that I realised that the training needed to change. The course then ended up with half the study time being spent on the psychology of weight loss. How people's brains work and how to change their deep-rooted habits that were causing them to be overweight and often obese.
Avoiding Pain and Discomfort
Our brains are hard-wired to avoid pain and when we first start to make changes it is painfully uncomfortable. If you are trying to eat less/smoke less/drink less, we find that it's all we can think about. When we feel uncomfortable, we get the urge to do something that makes us feel better and often that 'thing' is something developed a long time ago in childhood. We fell over and really hurt ourselves at the age of five and we were comforted with something sweet maybe. Then forever more, all the way into adulthood, we comfort ourselves in times of stress with something sweet. Our brain has learned to see it as a solution whenever any feelings of discomfort arise. The behaviour becomes a habit.
The good news is all habits can be changed. We just need to change the conversation in our head. I am not saying it is easy and yes, there will be times of discomfort, but what we have to focus on and think about is not what we are denying ourself but the benefits of what that regular ‘change’ will lead to... weight loss (a new you!), more exercise (a fabulous heart and strong muscles!), drinking less (an improved liver!), not smoking (lungs that will keep you alive longer and that work better!). I am not dictating that we have to change or even should change. All I am saying is we can change!
Our Brain and Dementia
So now I want to shift to a subject that concerns so many of us we get older and that is the risk of a neurodegenerative disease. How at risk are we of losing our mind, of not thinking straight any more, of not recognising our own loved ones? We all forget why we have gone up the stairs or opened the fridge door, but how can we seriously reduce our risk?
Well, it will be no surprise to learn that the very latest scientific research confirms that a diet rich in nutrients and fibre, a good night’s sleep and plenty of exercise is the only way forward. Music to my ears as you can imagine!
You have heard previously through this Newsletter, and The 28-Day Immunity Plan book, of the importance of our lymphatic system - that vital part of our body that processes and drains the excess fluid from the body and carries those crucial bug-fighting white blood cells around the body. This critical role in our immune system, helps us fight infection.
Interestingly, scientists are only now beginning to discover what is called the glymphatic system which is designed to remove waste products from the brain and the spinal cord. If this system is efficiently working it is found to be crucial in helping us to maintain good cognition (our ability to remember information, learn new things, pay attention and process information).
How to Develop an Efficient Glymphatic System
- Develop a regular routine for a good night’s sleep. This system is found to be twice as active during sleep than during waking hours! Sleeping for 6 - 8 hours will do the job nicely!
- Ensure an adequate intake of Omega 3 fatty acids and wholegrain foods, mentioned in a recent Newsletter on fibre.
- Get your heart pumping! The glymphatic system is more efficient and robust when our heart is pumping plenty of blood to the brain. Our daily walk does the job perfectly, adding as much pace as we can to increase our heart rate.
- Stay well hydrated. Blood has to pump from the heart to the brain against gravity. Blood flows more easily when we take in plenty of fluids.
- Any movement helps. Fascinatingly, standing instead of sitting removes cerebral spinal fluid. Let’s make sure we move every hour!
All these actions are certainly not new to you as they are the cornerstone of our message to you every single week, but it just confirms that strong message, and gives you an added reason to 'just do it'!
If you wish to revisit the subjects mentioned we looked at the purpose of the lymphatic system in Newsletter 95. In Newsletter 115 we talked about how bad habits can be broken and new ones created and in Newsletter 178 we covered the importance of fibre and eating wholegrain foods.
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This Week's Fitness Challenge
- Your 30+ minute daily walk has once again been given added purpose. Try to increase the blood flow to the brain with a few spurts of extra speed every 3 minutes or so this week.
- Make it a rule to not sit for more than an hour at a time this week. Set a timer if you have to!
- Strong muscles are what slows our ageing. Do the Advanced Whole Body Strength Programme 3 - 4 times this week.
- Do one session of Pilates or Ballet this week.
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And finally...
One of the most common phrases said to me is ‘I’m really frustrated that I can’t do the things that I used to do’. It is a totally reasonable remark but be assured, we all feel the same sometimes. Whilst talking about ageing might be perceived as potentially depressing, it is in fact very motivational. If we have the skills to manage our body as we live life to the full, we are far more likely to live longer, healthier and happier. Looking after ourselves comes down to the one very consistent message – eat healthily, maintain a healthy weight and stay active. Let’s do it!
Have a good week.
With love and best wishes,
Rosemary Conley CBE DL
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LIVE LONGER | LIVE HEALTHIER | LIVE HAPPIER
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