In my last post, I wrote about big tobacco companies buying big food companies, making food addictive, and targeting your children. They have been wildly successful as evidenced by ever increasing rates of obesity and related chronic diseases. “In 22 states, 35% or more of adults have obesity, compared to 19 states in 2021, according to new CDC population data. Just a decade ago, no state had an adult obesity prevalence at or above 35%.”
This is such important information. I think of passengers on the two cruises, I was on recently. There were so many fat and obese people, needing wheelchairs to get around, and filling their plates with mounds of food. It was disheartening to observe. These were not necessarily older adults but a cross section of ages.
I watched a PBS program recently about the school busing crisis in Boston in the 70’s. A sad commentary on the moment. The old videos showed thousands of young people, parents, and even police in the streets at one time. I saw hardly any overweight people among all those groups. Very, very few. Kids milling around outside the schools were all trim. Not at all like I see kids out around today. My own grandkid at 17 is overweight, along with most of our family. My siblings are mostly normalish weight but our kids are not. My daughter started putting on pounds in the 90’s when junk food exploded along with the low-fat craze that just added more sugar and additives to a fast corrupted food supply. She’s now had gastric sleeve operation and has lost 111 pounds. Her health markers are better but at what future cost. Just a mothers worry. I have given her a heads up on the blockage issue you discussed a while back. Thanks for your posts.
Thank you so much for this note. The key realization is that we must shift to real food. Big food makes us fat and sick. Big medicine rescues us late in the disease process at very high cost. Real whole food and optimal medical therapy are keys to a longer healthier life. They are critical to continuing our abilities.
So agree. I’ve been low carb paleo or keto and IF for years with mostly real food. Im in good condition but I am transitioning out of keto and very low carb because I’m just not eating enough. Nor enough calcium. I’m 75 and need muscle and steady energy going forward. I’ve had 2 falls within the last 3 years requiring surgery so I’m focusing on muscle and bone strength—without the horrible drugs out there. Boniva damaged my sisters jawbone. A friend is on Prolia but horrendous side effects are heading toward a class action suit with that one. Her doc told her nothing about what I am seeing. I researched because i may have a doc recommend that for me. I take K and my Vit D level is quite high. I walk and hike a lot. Get in the sun. I see so much ill health around me in my age group. One of my good friends at 82 wanted to lose belly fat and the first thing her doc gave her was that Ozempic. Isn’t that the one they give only diabetics? She’s not diabetic and I thought there was another formulation for only weight loss. Wegovey or something like that. Im adding good carbs slowly. I have even started making one broth again. Living in a rural area surrounded by farms, good meat, eggs and veg all around us has helped.
The falls are very dangerous as you know. Many seniors don't get enough protein. The best thing to hold off weakness is progressive resistance exercise. Do leg presses, extensions, and curls with as much weight as you can use for twenty repetitions three times a week. I restarted this program recently and I am already climbing stairs more recently. I started with two sets of 20 leg extensions six weeks ago and I am already up to 80 pounds. You can increase your strength and endurance pretty rapidly and that makes falls less likely. I use a cane everywhere I go.
Yes. I’ve upped my protein levels as well. I use an app that I can track my macros each day. Started back at the gym. I’d like to learn to “lift”. But need proper guidance that doesn’t seem available at my local 24 hr gym. I can’t do lunges or squats as my knees won’t handle it. I’m glad I quit jogging back in my 40’s. The only bike work I can do is on the stationary recumbent bike so I do gentler intermittent sequences with rest and add a couple of resistance points for faster intervals. I live in northern Illinois so I can’t get out walking as much in winter. If I do it’s with ice cleats and poles. I use a walking stick sometimes otherwise. I’m actually stronger than when I was 60.
This is such important information. I think of passengers on the two cruises, I was on recently. There were so many fat and obese people, needing wheelchairs to get around, and filling their plates with mounds of food. It was disheartening to observe. These were not necessarily older adults but a cross section of ages.
There are easy ways to combat this and I think your story is a good example.
I watched a PBS program recently about the school busing crisis in Boston in the 70’s. A sad commentary on the moment. The old videos showed thousands of young people, parents, and even police in the streets at one time. I saw hardly any overweight people among all those groups. Very, very few. Kids milling around outside the schools were all trim. Not at all like I see kids out around today. My own grandkid at 17 is overweight, along with most of our family. My siblings are mostly normalish weight but our kids are not. My daughter started putting on pounds in the 90’s when junk food exploded along with the low-fat craze that just added more sugar and additives to a fast corrupted food supply. She’s now had gastric sleeve operation and has lost 111 pounds. Her health markers are better but at what future cost. Just a mothers worry. I have given her a heads up on the blockage issue you discussed a while back. Thanks for your posts.
Thank you so much for this note. The key realization is that we must shift to real food. Big food makes us fat and sick. Big medicine rescues us late in the disease process at very high cost. Real whole food and optimal medical therapy are keys to a longer healthier life. They are critical to continuing our abilities.
So agree. I’ve been low carb paleo or keto and IF for years with mostly real food. Im in good condition but I am transitioning out of keto and very low carb because I’m just not eating enough. Nor enough calcium. I’m 75 and need muscle and steady energy going forward. I’ve had 2 falls within the last 3 years requiring surgery so I’m focusing on muscle and bone strength—without the horrible drugs out there. Boniva damaged my sisters jawbone. A friend is on Prolia but horrendous side effects are heading toward a class action suit with that one. Her doc told her nothing about what I am seeing. I researched because i may have a doc recommend that for me. I take K and my Vit D level is quite high. I walk and hike a lot. Get in the sun. I see so much ill health around me in my age group. One of my good friends at 82 wanted to lose belly fat and the first thing her doc gave her was that Ozempic. Isn’t that the one they give only diabetics? She’s not diabetic and I thought there was another formulation for only weight loss. Wegovey or something like that. Im adding good carbs slowly. I have even started making one broth again. Living in a rural area surrounded by farms, good meat, eggs and veg all around us has helped.
The falls are very dangerous as you know. Many seniors don't get enough protein. The best thing to hold off weakness is progressive resistance exercise. Do leg presses, extensions, and curls with as much weight as you can use for twenty repetitions three times a week. I restarted this program recently and I am already climbing stairs more recently. I started with two sets of 20 leg extensions six weeks ago and I am already up to 80 pounds. You can increase your strength and endurance pretty rapidly and that makes falls less likely. I use a cane everywhere I go.
Yes. I’ve upped my protein levels as well. I use an app that I can track my macros each day. Started back at the gym. I’d like to learn to “lift”. But need proper guidance that doesn’t seem available at my local 24 hr gym. I can’t do lunges or squats as my knees won’t handle it. I’m glad I quit jogging back in my 40’s. The only bike work I can do is on the stationary recumbent bike so I do gentler intermittent sequences with rest and add a couple of resistance points for faster intervals. I live in northern Illinois so I can’t get out walking as much in winter. If I do it’s with ice cleats and poles. I use a walking stick sometimes otherwise. I’m actually stronger than when I was 60.
that all souunds good. Here is a video on leg extensions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyvSfVjQeL0