Healthy Aging Made Simple in Five Easy Steps

Searching the Internet trying to figure out the secret to Healthy Aging? Spoiler Alert: you’re probably looking too hard.

If there is one thing we can’t avoid, it’s aging. Every day, every minute, every second…you, me and everyone around us is getting older. Whether you’re 30, 50 or 85, the decisions we make every day contribute to the trajectory of our aging process. While we’re all guilty of trying to find the easy answer, the bad news is that Healthy Aging is a lifestyle, not a magic pill. The good news is that solution is actually pretty simple, and truth be told, you probably already know the answer. And if you don’t…don’t worry, I got you covered:)

Step One: Get Better Sleep.

If you’ve ever tried to get through the day after a bad night’s sleep, you know this one is a no-brainer. Sleep is the time our bodies use to repair, restore and refresh for the next day. Besides the obvious effect your energy levels, if we routinely function on reduced sleep quantity or quality, we increase our overall stress and systemic inflammation levels. Systemic inflammation predisposes us not only to short-term illnesses like colds and the flu, but to bigger issues like Covid-19 and chronic diseases like Diabetes, Heart Disease and Cancer. Sleep is also highly correlated to the experience of pain. Experiencing chronic back or joint pain? Look at your sleep habits first. Sometimes, simply getting better quality rest can help our bodies heal without unnecessary trips to the doctor, without taking extra pills or other visiting other healthcare practitioners. Want to get a better night’s sleep? Try these helpful hints:

1. Create a Sleep Routine: We sleep better when our body knows it is time to sleep and when it is time to wake. Try to go to bed at the same time each night, and wake at the same time each day. Keep your bed a sleep-only zone: plug your phone elsewhere, avoid watching TV in bed, keep it dark and keep temperatures comfortably cool. When it’s time to get up, open the shades, turn on the lights and get up like you mean it.

2. Exercise More: I’m jumping ahead, but among the many benefits of regular exercise is improved sleep. If you struggle to sleep at night, exercise earlier in the day than later. Endorphin release can ramp you up and keep you from falling asleep easily.

3. Avoid Sleep-Disruptors: Avoid late-in-the day caffeine, alcohol and tobacco. These substances can mess with your sleep cycle and add to overnight restlessness.

Step Two: Eat Quality Food, Hydrate Often, Avoid the Toxins and Get Outside

Eat more plants, make high-quality proteins part of every meal, choose healthy whole-grain carbohydrates and minimize added sugars. That’s it. Done. Literally, like you don’t need to read any further. It’s that simple. You don’t have to research the perfect diet for arthritis, or heart disease or to lose weight. While certain conditions require more specific modifications to your diet, ie. if you are Diabetic or on a blood thinner, generally speaking, this type of diet will cover your bases. Put simply, if it comes from the ground, eat it. If it’s made in a plant, avoid it. Try to make most meals at home from foods you can find in the periphery at the grocery store or your local farmer’s market. Simply making an effort to eat less processed food can considerably improve your diet. Being mindful to choose fruits and veggies of all different colors (Eat the Rainbow) will virtually guarantee you get the minerals and nutrients you need to support your overall health without further supplementation.

Drink water, all day long. We are made up of 70% water. If we are dehydrated, our body will find ways to find balance. We’ll retain water, get bloated, stop urinating regularly and overall, we wind up feeling like crap. Do yourself a favor and drink a full glass of water when you first wake up and try to get at least 6-8 more in through out the day.

Get outside! Getting 15-20 minutes outdoors each day can help you absorb the Vitamin D that helps support Calcium absorption for strong bones. In general, the more extreme the diet, the less likely we are to be able to maintain it - so choose a lifestyle that supports quality, unprocessed food choices most of the time, but allows you the flexibility to enjoy the foods that bring you joy a few times a week.

Step Three: Move Your Body Every Day

Our bodies are not created to sit still. We come from hunters and gatherers and we are made to move throughout the day. Sedentary lifestyles contribute to all TEN of the most common diseases associated with aging, and making regular exercise a part of your every day life can decrease your chances of early death by up to 35%. Imagine if you went to your doctor and they said, ''Hey, good news: There is this new pill. There are no side effects, it’s free and it will decrease your chance of dying by 35%.’ Would you take it? OF COURSE. Well guess what, that magic pill is exercise. And just like the nutrition advice above, you don’t have to be perfect, and you don’t have to spend any more time researching the best workout for A, B or Z. You just need to move. Every day. Want more specifics? Aim to meet the American College of Sports Medicine Guidelines for American Adults:

• Aerobic Exercise: 150 to 300 Minutes of Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity each week.

• Strength: Incorporate regular strengthening to maintain your bone density, to regulate your blood sugar and prevent falls and fragility. Try to perform Functional Strengthening activities 2-3x/week for 20-30 minutes each session. Work hard! Make sure you feel challenged. Lifting something you can lift easily will not make you stronger. Working to 5-8/10 on a Rate of Perceived Exertion is the key to increasing your muscle strength.

• Balance and Flexibility: Choose activities to promote better balance and flexibility. Classes like Tai-Chi, Yoga and Balance Classes are a great option for this.

• Also, keep getting on and off the floor. Trust me on this one. Your future-self will thank me.

Step Four: Be Proactive, not Reactive, to your Health

I’ve been working with older adults for the majority of my career as a Physical Therapist. To say I’m surprised when one of my patients is only on one medication or a multivitamin is an understatement. The vast majority of patients I see are on at least 5-10 daily medications. Polypharmacy contributes to an increased fall risk, and while medications are necessary for many people to manage their chronic medical conditions, if we were more PROACTIVE about managing our risk factors for chronic diseases than REACTIVE once we are diagnosed with them, we would be a much healthier community. Listen to your doctors; if they suggest lifestyle changes that could lower your risk of getting chronic diseases, do it! If they suggest changes that seem overwhelming or impossible, tell them. Push them to help you find solutions. There are so many wonderful resources out there to support Healthy Aging, but we, as a profession, need to to better to connect our aging adults to these interventions. Physical Therapists of often seen as the Healers or Fixers. But guess what? I’d MUCH rather be a Preventer. Might kill my job security, but I’d much rather see someone BEFORE the problem arises than AFTER.

Step Five: Keep it Simple and Keep it Consistent.

This one’s for you, Google-Internet-Searcher. Put the mouse down and listen to me loud and clear: You do not have to be perfect. You do not have to change your entire life. You do not have to be the Best all of the time. But you do have to take Action. If nothing changes, nothing changes. It’s so simple, but so true. And you’ll be far more successful if you focus on one thing at a time - something you know you are able and ready to change. One of my favorite sayings is to focus on the step ahead, not the entire staircase. Write it down and make a plan. Simply taking five minutes over your morning coffee to identify your goal or your focus for the week, and identifying a few actionable steps you can follow to reach it, can make all the difference in the world. It doesn’t have to be fancy and you don’t need to labor over it. Pick one of these steps, think about two to three things you can do to work towards it and take ACTION!

Optimal Aging - and my Dad.

“Optimal Aging is the capacity to function across many domains - physical, functional, cognitive, emotional, social and spiritual - to one’s satisfaction and IN SPITE of one’s medical conditions.”

While there are a few different interpretations of healthy aging out there, I find the definition of Optimal Aging to align best with my own interpretation. Two little words - in spite - make all the difference in separating this concept of healthy aging from the rest. My whole professional career involves helping people live their lives to the fullest, IN SPITE of whatever medical conditions they may be experiencing. 

My dad, William Levine, is an incredible example of Optimal Aging. This guy worked incredibly hard as a lawyer throughout my entire childhood to support our family, put my sister and I through college, and myself through graduate school, and as you can imagine, his health often came last. However, with an empty nest and more time on his hands after he left his busy divorce practice to start a private mediation practice, he started working out more. He lost weight, started spinning, and doing strength training regularly. He got more fit and as a result, more healthy.

However, fast forward a few years and I got a phone call that he was in an ICU in California, having had a stroke, on an airplane, on December 18th, 2018. He told me later he was in the bathroom, noticed half his vision was gone, and by the time he got back to his seat, was slumped over on my step mom, hemiplegic and unable to communicate. 

He spent less than a week at that hospital, and thank god, was discharged with a near full recovery of strength and function. He was, however, eventually diagnosed with a Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO), which was likely the cause of the emboli that travelled into his brain and caused the stroke. He was put on a statin and blood thinners, until he was able to have heart surgery, in 2019, to patch the hole. If you’re from New England and this sounds like a familiar story, you may be thinking back to Tedy Bruschi, who experienced the same type of stroke, at the age of 31, back in 2005.

But back to Optimal Aging. Despite this setback, my dad got back to his workout routine as quick as he could. Currently, he rides 60-80 miles a week on his bike, does regular strengthening exercises - and now that he is finally retired, fills his days working for Habitat for Humanity building houses. Like legit, actually building the houses. The pics above were snapped this weekend, during a 22 mile bike ride we went on together as we trained for the upcoming Best Buddy Challenge. Though most of the day I spent looking at his back as I worked to keep up with him, he was kind enough to slow his pace to let his thirty-something year old daughter keep up. 

If you’re interested in donating to our upcoming ride, click here:

Best Buddy Challenge Donation Page

If you’re interested in aging Optimally, put your fitness first. Find a way to make regular physical activity not only part of your routine, but a daily priority. Don’t let your medical conditions, fears of movement, pain or disability prevent you from living the best life you can.

5 Tips for Preventing Dehydration and Low Blood Pressure in the Summer:

Summer is here…

Summer came in with a bang this year - a hot bang - and Boston made records for the warmest June on record.

And while summer comes with it’s shares of highs, it also comes with it’s share of lows - Low Blood Pressure, that is!

Here are a couple tips for keeping your blood pressure regulated in the heat:

How do I know if my blood pressure is too low?

1. Know the Signs: Be familiar with signs of hypotension (low blood pressure). Feeling dizzy or woozy, having tingling in your lips, blurred vision or nausea can all be signs of dropping blood pressure. When blood pressure drops too low, especially when you stand up, can cause you to pass out - or experience Syncope. If you feel any of these symptoms, stop what you are doing and GET LOW. This may mean sitting back down if you have just stood up, or finding a way to lower down to the ground safely.

   What do I do if my blood pressure is too low?

2. Have a Plan: The first thing to do if you feel the signs of low blood pressure is to quickly drink 16 ounces of water. This can help improve your blood pressure by improving your blood volume. The second thing to do is squeeze your muscles. When you do things like ankle pumps, calf raises or squeezing a ball between your thighs, the muscles in your legs put pressure on the veins and help to push the blood back up to your heart. Taking deep, diaphragmatic breaths, also helps to improve blood pressure, so try to take a few of these nice and slow belly-breaths before you stand back up.

   How do I keep my blood pressure from getting too low?

3. Stay Hydrated: Ideally, we should all be drinking about about 3-4 Liters - or about 12-16 cups of water, each day. Our bodies are made up of 70% water and every single system we have relies on water to function properly. Without enough water, we can’t think clearly, may experience muscle cramping and joint pain, and hypotension. Try to drink 1 cup of water when you first wake up, then make sure you have a bottle to sip on throughout the day. Make sure to add extra if you do things that make you sweat, or urinate more (coffee, alcohol, exercise). Don’t be afraid to change it up - if water doesn’t appeal to you, add fruit or other low-sugar flavoring, or try to add more fluid-filled foods like fruit or soups.

4. Stay Cool: Make sure your home is well-ventilated, using fans or air conditioning as needed. When you go outside, wear loose, breathable clothing, wide-brimmed hats and choose shady, cool spots to spend time in , when you can. Avoid being outdoors in extreme temperatures. Bring water! Sweating can alter your electrolyte balance (sodium and potassium) so make sure to drink even more water if you find yourself sweating outdoors. Wearing things like ice necklaces and personal fans can further help you stay cool in the summer.

5. Eat Smart: When you eat, your body shunts blood away from your extremities and into your stomach to aid in digestion. The larger the meal, the more blood gets sent that direction. Try to eat smaller, more frequent meals in the summer, focused on proteins, vegetables and fruits when you can. Make sure you get plenty of B-12 rich foods (meats, eggs, fish) which can help improve your iron levels, prevent anemia and keep your blood pressure regulated.

About the Author:

Dr. Katie Wadland, PT, DPT is a Board-Certified Geriatric Clinical Specialist and the Owner and Primary Physical Therapist at Healthy Aging Physical Therapy. Healthy Aging Physical Therapy offers in-home Physical Therapy for older adults living in Melrose, Medford, Arlington, Stoneham, Winchester, Reading, Wakefield and Lynnfield, Massachusetts. She is licensed to practice Physical Therapy in the State of Massachusetts (License #18193). She has over fourteen years of experience working with older adults with musculoskeletal and neurological impairments and advanced training in the care of people with Parkinson’s Disease, Spinal Cord Injury and Stroke.

Click here to learn more about Dr. Katie Wadland, PT, DPT or here to request an evaluation.

How Can Physical Therapy and Regular Exercise Help Older Adults?

People often think of physical therapists as the go-to people to treat musculoskeletal pain, but physical therapy has much to offer beyond pain management, especially when it comes to the older adult. Read on for 5 Ways Physical Therapy can help you live your best life as you age.

Why is exercise important for older adults?

Inactivity is associated with most of the diseases we commonly associated with getting older. Inactivity increases your risk of diseases like heart disease, stroke and dementia. It also increases your risk of fall and resulting hip fracture - a major concern for many older adults! However, only 20% of older adults participate in adequate amounts of regular exercise. A Physical Therapist who specializes in Geriatrics can help you learn how to exercise safely - and use exercise to stay healthy and active as you age. Regular, moderately-intense exercise can reduce your chance of a premature death by up to 30%! Exercise is safe and beneficial for adults of all ages and in all conditions.

How does exercise reduce the risk of falls in the elderly?

Regular exercise can reduce the risk of falls in older adults by up to 20%. Participation in Evidenced-based balance programs (like the Otago Program offered by Healthy Aging Physical Therapy) can bring that risk down even more to 30-40%.

Physical Therapy can help you improve your strength, your endurance, help you mange pain, and improve your balance. We can help you if you’re dizzy or experiencing vertigo (Vestibular Rehabilitation). We can help you make your house a safer place to live and teach you ways to modify your movement and mobility to make moving around your home and community safer and easier.

However, falls are an unfortunate reality for many older adults, so it’s also important to be PREPARED for falls. Around 36 Million adults fall in the US each year. Learning to fall safely, what to do after you fall and how to get back up is just as important as working to prevent them.

How can Physical Therapy help me stay Independent?

By helping you manage all areas of your health and wellness, we can help you stay strong and fit so you can stay living in your home and be as independent as possible. Physical Therapy and exercise improves your cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological, metabolic, musculoskeletal and psychological health. The stronger and fitter you are, the better your resilience to disease, decline and disability. If you do need help, we can help you find it, or teach your loved ones how to care for you - while making sure they also take care of themselves. This balance of keeping you as independent as you can, with guiding you towards the support you need is how physical therapy can help you age in place and remain active as you can within your home and your community.

How can Physical Therapy and Exercise help me Walk and Move better?

Physical Therapists are Movement Experts and as you age, it can be harder to get up and down from chairs or the toilet, to walk around the house, access your community or use the stairs. Through movement and mobility assessment, we can identify limitations in your range of motion, strength or muscle balance that may be making these tasks more difficult for you. We help you develop the strength and skills you need to make tasks like walking, using the stairs and getting off low surfaces like the toilet easier - and safer.

Can Physical Therapy and Exercise improve my Quality of Life?

Getting older doesn’t have to be painful, exhausting or depressing. Learning to care for your body better as you age and use Movement as Medicine can help you feel your best, move your best and live your best life. Regular exercise improves your sleep, reduces depression and anxiety and can help you be strong enough to continue living a life full of family, fun and purpose. To quote George Burns, “you can’t help getting older, but you don’t have to be old.“

A Physical Therapist who specializes in working with older adults has the skills necessary to help you live your Best Life, no matter what diseases or disabilities you may be living with - and no matter how old you may be.

Click Here to Request a Physical Therapy Evaluation

About the Author:

Dr. Katie Wadland, PT, DPT is the Owner and Primary Physical Therapist at Healthy Aging Physical Therapy. Healthy Aging Physical Therapy offers in-home Physical Therapy for older adults living in Melrose, Medford, Arlington, Stoneham, Winchester, Reading, Woburn, Wakefield and Lynnfield, Massachusetts. She is licensed to practice Physical Therapy in the State of Massachusetts (License #18193). She has over fourteen years of experience working with older adults with musculoskeletal and neurological impairments and advanced training in the care of people with Parkinson’s Disease, Spinal Cord Injury and Stroke.

Click here to learn more about Dr. Katie Wadland, PT, DPT or here to request an evaluation.

Walking Speed - the Sixth Vital Sign

😳Did you know that simply being the SPEED that you walk can predict whether you still stay ACTIVE and INDEPENDENT - or whether you will be at increased risk for FRAILTY and FALLS? In fact, walking speed has been referred to as the ‘6th vital sign’ because it so highly correlated with over function. 🚶‍♀️🚶‍♀️🚶‍♀️

➡️ Here are some general guidelines what you can learn about what your walking speed might tell you:

🌟.4-.8 miles per hour: Walking at this speed should enable you to walk comfortably within your home setting. It will likely also mean you may struggle to walk outdoors or walk safely or easily in your community. Unfortunately, gait speeds under 1 mile an hour are also predictive of falls, so while walking this speed may enable you to move around at home, this can lead to isolation, decreased overall activity and a progression to frailty.

🌟Faster than 1.4 miles per hour: This is the cut-off for being able to care for yourself and do all the activities required on an average day to clean, bathe, toilet and dress. It will also likely mean you can get around your house safely and likely move around your community in a limited way.

🌟Faster than 2 miles per hour: If you are able to walk slightly faster, you can also likely continue to take care of your home, cook for yourself and complete other activities of daily living. People who walk at this speed can also usually get around their communities with relative ease, helping them to stay independent and active.

✳️Fast walking is healthy walking! Your brain has a special place designated just to control walking and it works best when walking speed is fast! When you walk slower, or outside of your normal pattern (limping, using a cane, crutch, walker etc), your body can no longer rely on automatic reflexes and brain patterns to control your movement. Instead it requires MORE brain power, MORE energy and is LESS efficient. Choosing a PT who is an expert in gait training and mobility can help you improve your walking speed - and your shot of staying active, independent and ON YOUR FEET as you age. #HealthyAgingPhysicalTherapy #Stronger #Fitter #FASTER # #Balance #Neuro #Geriatrics #PhysicalTherapist #PT