Eating healthy is good for your heart and brain. Choose foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains foe a well-balanced diet.

A nutritious diet and regular exercise are key components to your well-being no matter your stage in life. But what else do you need as you age?

Dr. Aubrey Knight, rated by nurses as the area’s top gerontologist in The Roanoker’s most-recent Top Docs polling, says maintaining a healthy lifestyle becomes an even more crucial routine in post-retirement years. Bones can weaken the risk of falling increases and brain function can begin to diminish. But there are steps you can take to help prolong your life and physical fitness. Dr. Knight’s key advice:

Eat Smart

As you age, a healthy diet is beneficial for heart and vascular health, as well as the brain, says Dr. Knight, of Carilion Clinic’s Center for Healthy Aging. “We see evidence that the same diet that we’ve been touting for heart health is beneficial for brain health as well,” he says. This includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains and, in general, foods lower in fat.

Dr. Audrey Knight says seniors should maintain a regular exercise routine, especially one that focuses on balance.

Stay Active

The more regular the routine, the more likely you will persist in exercise, says Dr. Knight. As the body becomes less robust, the type of physical activity may need to be modified. “Our ability to do aerobic and high impact exercise declines as we age,” Dr. Knight adds, “but great benefits come from exercises for balance, such as tai chi or yoga.” It is important to exercise at least five times a week.

No Smoking Allowed

Simply put, it does not matter how old you are when you quit, your body will still benefit from cessation of smoking, Dr. Knight says.

Take Supplements

Dr. Knight recommends several supplements to his patients, including calcium, fish oil and vitamin D. “I also tend to suggest a multi-vitamin for senior men and women, particularly those who describe their diet in a way that sounds as though they don’t eat a well-balanced amount of fruits and vegetables,” he says.

See Your Doctor

Maintain regular visits with your physician, and keep up-to date on preventive strategies, such as the influenza and pneumococcal vaccines, and tetanus and booster shots. Screenings for visual and hearing impairment, depression and risk of falling continue to be important as well. For mammograms, prostate exams and colonoscopies, among other screenings, Dr. Knight says the number of years to continue these exams depend on a person’s life expectancy. “This requires a long conversation between a patient and physician to determine whether they want to continue screenings (late in life), or – if something abnormal is found – does the patient want it treated,” he adds.

Coleman and Nancy Brittle moved to Blacksburg to be near their alma mater, Virginia Tech.

The words “slow down” do not exist in Coleman and Nancy Brittle’s vocabulary. And that’s the way they like it.

The couple became friends in college at Virginia Tech. Twenty-five years later – both single again – they reunited and began dating; they have now been married for 12 years.

“He called to see if I knew of anyone to set him up with,” Nancy recalls. But after seeing each other again, there was no need to call on anyone else.

Living in Virginia Beach, Nancy worked for IBM, Coleman for a construction company before opening his own kitchen-and bath remodeling business. They enjoyed their stint at the beach, but it was becoming too crowded, Nancy says. The logical choice to relocate: Blacksburg, home of their alma mater.

Nancy continued to work for IBM from home in Blacksburg before retiring three years ago. “I knew when we moved that I would soon be planning my retirement,” she says. “Traveling (for work) was getting old; it was time.”

The Brittles have taken on a number of activities to fi ll their free time post-retirement. Coleman is part of a woodworking group that meets once a month to exchange ideas, and he has built items such as cabinets, end tables and a mule chest. Nancy is on the board and is a member of the women’s golf and tennis associations at Blacksburg Country Club. Weekly gatherings with friends, many of whom infl uenced them to relocate, are a must.

“On Saturdays, we have breakfast with former classmates that retired here too,” Coleman says. “We have group dinners, group golf outings and Sunday breakfasts.”

“We don’t have the stress of trying to get ahead anymore,” adds Nancy. “We can just relax and enjoy being with people.”

And, of course, the Brittles are involved in all things Hokie. Nancy works two days a week for the Alumni Career Resources program, which provides advice and other resources for Virginia Tech alumni. She also started Virginia Tech Experts in Action, a group of retired people who share their real world experiences with students through presentations at Virginia Tech.

Experts in Action “complements academic learning with real world learning,” Nancy says. “It’s very rewarding for our team.”

Both are members of the Blacksburg Sports Club, a group that supports Virginia Tech and Blacksburg High School athletic programs, and the Blacksburg Hokie Club. Coleman is the vice president of university relations for the German Club.

“I just like being part of a lot of different activities,” Nancy says. “When I retired, I realized giving back is what life should be about.”

Further expressing their Hokie pride, the two deem themselves “football junkies,” attending every home and away game. They often tailgate with friends and family (four of their fi ve children – Nancy has two sons, Coleman has two sons and a daughter – are Tech graduates).

“Blacksburg is a very special place, and we enjoy being part of it,” Nancy says. “Once a Hokie, always a Hokie.”

Rehabilitation services can help you return to normal activity.

As you age, the risk of injury, stroke or other ailments elevates. Rehabilitation services in the region (see a list on pages 24-27) can often help you return to normal activity. Here’s an overview of the types of services provided:

Physical Therapy – Helps increase range of motion, build strength in muscles and improve physical function following an injury or surgery. Also assists with balance, coordination and exercise.

Occupational Therapy – Training or aiding in the performance of daily tasks, such as dressing, housekeeping, eating or cooking. Can help people who have experienced a heart attack, stroke or brain injury, and those with arthritis, multiple sclerosis or other impairments.

Speech Therapy – Used to help stroke victims relearn language skills or regain swallowing abilities. Also provides assistance with those suffering hearing impairment, dementia and Parkinson’s disease, among other conditions.

Enjoy a healthy, active retirement.

Mental And Emotional Health: Top Tips To Keep In Tip Top Shape During Retirement

1. Exercise. 30 minutes of daily exercise can improve your mood and relieve anxiety and depression. It also increases brain function since oxygen consumption is increased by aerobic exercise, which is good for brain function, according to the Mayo Clinic.
2. Socialize. Join a walking group, try a water aerobics class or simply schedule more outings with friends to the museum or a new restaurant.
3. Continue to learn. Trying different activities and learning new skills can also keep you mentally young.

“People who do the same things day in and day out seem not to age well in terms of brain health,” says Dr. David Trinkle, medical director of Carilion’s Center for Healthy Aging.

Learn to cook a new ethnic cuisine. For example, if you love sushi, buy a book or go to a class and find out how to make it yourself.

4. Stress less. Be careful not to overload yourself with too many activities all at once. While it is not good to sit at home and stare at the TV for hours on end, it isn’t advantageous to mental health to stress yourself by packing every second with appointments and classes. Stress is mentally taxing and aging. Meditation, yoga, massage and listening to soothing music are just a few ways to un-kink bunched up nerves when you’ve taken on too much. —Andrea Clark

Keeping Fit After 50: The Lateral Lunge

Retirement. A chance to tap into those aspirations you had when you were in your twenties or thirties but never got around to. Finally, time to pick up a hobby, like hiking or cycling, but suddenly your body is too stiff or your muscles move too slowly to do the activities you’ve been planning for the past 25 or more years.

Enter Krista Kurvits

As trainer/owner of Xcelerated Performance, Kurvits has made a career out of helping people get in shape. Her clientele ranges from age nine to 95, and having worked with older clients, Kurvits says one of the major setbacks she encounters in people over 50 is the fear of falling. Most injuries happen when a person moves to the side or their body does a rotational movement, and Kurvits says this is because people do everything in the forward motion. They walk and run forward, they move their legs forward when they bike, and they even lean down to pick things up in a frontward motion. So, when people’s bodies make sudden movements in directions other than forward, it often results in a fall or an injury. That means it is very important, especially in the older years of life, to train and strengthen your body to move in other directions. This will not only prevent falling and injuries, but will also improve overall fitness. Kurvits recommends the exercise below to jump-start your fitness routine.

Lateral Lunge

Stand with feet hip width apart and hands placed just behind the ears or place a wooden dowel across the shoulders onto the trapezins, the thick muscle where the neck enters the body. Step to the side going as deep as you can with control. Move back to center and go in the opposite direction. It is important to maintain good posture with your rib cage elevated and with your eyes looking straight out to the horizon. To start out, try doing five on each side. Once that becomes too easy, advance to ten on each side.

–Lauren Eubank

Fit After 50

So now that you’ve made sure you’re healthy, you think you’re done? Not so. Let’s talk quality of that healthy life. If you’re having a hard time getting out of a chair or walking up the stairs, living longer isn’t that much fun.Loss of mobility is most likely due to inflexibility and muscle atrophy. Basically, the old adage proves true here – if you don’t use it, you lose it.Krista Kurvits, trainer/owner of Xcelerated Performance, believes the biggest physical grief for people over 50 is
shoulder pain caused by upper cross syndrome. UCS can happen for a variety of reasons: sitting in one position for too long, too much forward movement and an imbalance in the muscles are common causes of this hunchbackmaking condition. If left uncorrected, problems can occur. “As a result of UCS, there’s shoulder impingement, bursitis, which can lead to rotator tendonitis and muscle tears,” says Kurvits. So what can a person do to avoid physical pain – not to mention the embarrassment of looking like the Hunchback of Notre Dame? Kurvits recommends the exercise below (for a start).

Upright Row with Free Weights

With feet shoulder width apart and knees soft (not locked in place), hold free weights naturally by your side with palms
facing you. Pull in the bellybutton and tighten the pelvic floor (tighten your gluteals). Bring the chest up and engage the scapula (tighten shoulder blades a little). Squeeze the shoulder
blades together as you lift. Lift your elbows until the elbow is level with the shoulder. At the end of the movement the hands will be at the lower chest area. Slowly lower the weights (a 4-
6 count). Repeat for a total of 8 repetitions. Every week add 2 reps until you reach 14. Use enough weight to be able to complete the repetitions with good form. When it becomes too easy, go up 2-4 pounds.—Andrea Clark

Eat Well, Live Well: Valley Dieticians Offer Nutrition Tips (from ’03 Retirement Guide)

“People eat with their eyes,” says Don Menkie, a registered dietitian at Lewis-Gale Medical Center. A colorful meal assures a good variety of vitamins and minerals.

For example, yellow and orange vegetables are rich in nutrients, says Tammy Morton, a registered dietitian at the Salem V.A. Medical Center.

For seniors, nutrition is a crucial factor in staying healthy and happy. There are a few easy ways to help balance daily nutrients and calories:

• According to Morton, seniors often overcook food, losing water-soluble nutrients and enzymes.
• Morton suggests washing food under running water.” She also recommends steaming or stir-frying meats and vegetables.
• Fruits are also an important part of a nutritional diet. Jeanie Redick, a certified nutritionist suggests an automatic juicer for oranges and grapefruits and using appliances that make raw applesauce from fresh apples.
• Restaurant foods have an unusually high amount of salt,” says Martha Anderson, director of the Carilion Center for Healthy Aging. Restaurant portions are also usually too large. Anderson and Menkie suggest splitting a meal with a friend or family member.

Since joint pain is a common problem with aging adults, it’s important to take certain precautions to prevent the wear and tear on cartilage, and that includes nutritional precautions: Morton says every extra pound of body weight adds three to four pounds of pressure on the knees.

Vitamin C may help prevent cartilage loss and slow the progression of joint pain and arthritis. And, Menkie says, drink lots of water and stay active: “Staying still will only compound the problems.”

—KS

Vitamins Can Round Out a Balanced Diet…But Beware Interactions (from ’03 Retirement Guide)

Supplements are a good way to help balance the nutrients needed in a daily diet, especially for aging adults, but supplements should not be a complete substitute.

A multivitamin is a good idea for most senior citizens, says Tammy Morton, a registered dietitian at the V.A. Medical Center. It provides a “little kick” that can balance a small loss of nutrients from day to day.

Vitamin B12 is also easier to absorb in a supplement than it is in real food since B12 in food is bound to protein, which is harder to digest, Morton says.
“Both Vitamin D and B12 have absorption problems when they’re from regular food,” says Don Menkie, registered dietitian at Lewis-Gale Medical Center.

According to Martha Anderson, director of the Carilion Center for Healthy Aging, certain combinations of supplements may interact with each other or with other medications. Morton says that supplements can have side effects and toxicities just like medications.

Since patients often see different doctors that are specialized for different problems, it’s important that they have one primary doctor that knows what each medication is and can help with choosing the right supplement.

Anderson’s advice is to take in every bottle of medication in a ziplock bag.
“This way,” Anderson says, “the doctor will know what prescription drugs are already being taken and what doctor prescribed them.”

Anderson and Morton agree that all senior citizens should talk with their doctors about taking a multi-vitamin or calcium supplement.

—KS

HELPING HANDS

Aging is not always easy. Everyday tasks often become difficult in the latter years of life. But you don’t have to lose your independence. Assisted living facilities and nursing homes certainly are options, but with assistance provided by home health providers, you can remain in the comforts of your own home.

Generally, notes the Carilion Clinic website, home health care is provided to patients that have become disabled, or are recovering from an illness, undergoing treatment, chronically ill or terminally ill. Home health providers offer a wide range of services, which include bathing and dressing, serving home-cooked meals according to dietary needs, reminding clients about medicine and transporting to a doctor’s appointment.

Caregivers vary from physicians and nurses to volunteers and companion providers. Michelle Belton, owner of Companion Home Care, Inc., says her business offers non-medical and homemaking services, such as cleaning house and doing laundry, accompanying clients to social functions, and serving as a companion for leisure activities such as gardening, playing cards or taking a stroll through the park.

LASTING BENEFITS

According to State Farm Insurance’s website, there is a one in two chance that when you reach 65, you will need extra care down the road, so it’s best to prepare for that possibility. You can avoid leaning on family members or using your retirement savings to help cover the costs of home care by purchasing a long-term care insurance policy.

The product helps you pay the expenses of an in-home caregiver, private duty nurse or therapist (as well as nursing homes, assisted living facilities and adult day cares). Such services commonly are not covered by health insurance, Medicare or Medicaid.

If you’re considering a long-term care policy, keep in mind that the earlier you buy, the better. The cost of premiums, according to State Farm, depends on your age when you purchase the policy. And if you wait too long, you’ll face a higher premium or become ineligible due to changes in your health.

Currently, the average cost of home health providers in Roanoke is $19/hour, but health care costs are on the rise. Remember to weigh all of your options, and consider inflation and the possible amount of time you’ll need long-term care.

From hospital care to prescriptions, Medicare offers four parts that help cover various medical services, with the key word being “help.” There are certain limitations. According to the Charles Schwab website, you should “get up-to-date quotes for health insurance and find out how your insurance works with Medicare, including prescription drug coverage.”

It's important to remain active, helping both mind and body stay in top-top shape.

1. WHAT’S UP DOC? Doctors recommend annual physicals in order to monitor your health and keep you aware of any changes. Talk to your doctor about a diet and exercise regimen that works for your body type.

2. KEEP IT INTERESTING. The same old exercise routine can become boring. Change up your workout from time to time with activities such as walking, swimming, aerobics or bicycling. Lifting light to moderate weights to tone muscles is also important.

3. FOOD FOR THOUGHT. A well-balanced diet consisting primarily of whole grains, fruits, vegetables and proteins will help you stay energized and fit. Research has found certain foods are good for your mind, such as fish, blueberries, almonds and even dark chocolate.

4. YOU’VE GOT A FRIEND. Stay sociable in your retirement years by keeping in touch with friends, attending local events or joining a volunteer group. Also find a workout partner; you can motivate each other to stay fit.

5. MIND GAMES. Find ways to keep your mind engaged: work crossword puzzles; take on a hobby such as painting, knitting or woodwork; or sign up for a class on a subject that interests you.

6. STEP IT UP. The recommendation for 10,000 steps per day doesn’t go down as age goes up. Look everywhere for opportunities to run your total up…walk to the post office, park at the far edge of the mall lot, walk the dog until the dog is tired. And consider a pedometer, which is proven to increase steps taken by those who use one.