Body and More 50+ edition

October Edition 2013

Living

Mind Over

Matter

actress and health advocate, Marilu Henner, believes in the healing power of the mind. Find out how she uses her superior memory to live a better, healthier life.

MOve it Or lOse it

exercise is vital to longevity and health. Here’s what you should be doing to stay fit.

FisH, Fats & tHe Miracle diet

the Mediterranean diet is being touted as the best lifestyle for disease prevention. is it for real or just another fad diet?

Page 1 – Body & More - October 2013

tips for Healthier Hips & Knees Make up the difference

Page 2 – Body & More - October 2013

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FEATURES

MARILU HENNER “Taxi’’ star and “Celebrity Apprentice’’ champion Marilu Henner uses her Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory to live a better life.

MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE As women age, a change in cosmetics is vital to looking as young as you feel.

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Page 4 – Body & More - October 2013

Over the age of 50, people may not be inclined or even able to do the types of exercise they did at 30.

But exercise is a must to maintain a healthy weight, body and mind.

MEDITERRANEAN MIRACLE A recent sutdy found that nearly 30 percent of heart attacks and strokes could be prevented it people switched to a Mediterranean diet, not to mention the already established benefits the diet provides for Alzheimer’s and cancer prevention.

BONE UP ON KNEE & JOINT HEALTH More than a million people undergo a hip or knee replacement surgery every year. What are the best, most effective ways for the 50-plus set to keep their knees and hips in good shspe?

as women age, a change in cosmetics is vital to looking as young as you feel.

By dawn KlingensMitH ctw Features

O

ftentimes, makeup that looks good on a gal in her 20s or 30s does her no favors once she hits 40 or 50.

Switching makeup may be necessary as she ages in order to play up certain features and to minimize signs of aging.

For example, mineral-based makeup that “buffs on” as a powder can make younger skin look flawless, but on a mature face, it tends to settle into fine lines and wrinkles, accentuating their appearance, says celebrity makeup artist Kerry Herta, founder of Colour Box Makeup Studios in Los Angeles.

“At a certain age, women just need to not wear powder,” she says, since the goal shifts from minimizing shine to creating a “dewy, youthful appearance.” if oily skin persists past age 40, use blotting sheets throughout the day instead of pressed or loose powder, Herta advises. if a foundation primer hasn’t been part of your regimen, add it to even out the skin and fill in large pores and fine lines, recommends makeup artist and hair stylist Ashley Riddle of Up Do’s for i Do’s in Baltimore.

Look for a light-reflective liquid foundation and a cream blush for a softer look, as contouring with powdered rouge

MaKeup the Difference

Body & More – October 2013 – Page 5

or bronzer can give cheeks a sunken appearance.

Likewise, penciled brows can look severe, so switch to a brow powder and if necessary “create a little arch to open up the eye,” Herta says.

Though a youthful glow is the aim, stick with neutral matte eye shadows because glitter or sheen calls attention to sagging or crepey eyelids. “it’s OK to add a little bit of shine just to the middle part of the lid,” Herta says.

Riddle recommends a light color on the lid blended with a slightly deeper color in the crease for added dimension. “Don’t go all the way up to the brow,” she says.

Liquid eyeliner is harder to apply to crepey skin, so use eye shadow applied with a damp angled brush instead. Line just the upper lid, from the outside of the eye to just beyond the halfway point. Extending the liner all the way to the inner eye creates a semicircle that “closes the eye and makes you look tired,” Riddle says.

Crimped or curled eyelashes “make the eye look more open,” Herta says. But because eyelashes can become more brittle with age, one firm squeeze with the curler will suffice.

“You just want to bend them,” Herta says, “and always before you put on mascara, never after.”

Opt for lighter, softer colors overall, such as peaches, corals and pinks, instead of reds and browns – especially on the lips. Just as black pants have a

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slimming effect, “darker colors make your lips look thinner,” Riddle says.

When lines develop around the lips, lipstick tends to bleed more.

However, “if you outline the lip with a lip pencil, it almost acts as a guard rail,” Herta says.

She cautions against glossy lipsticks because they may breach the guard rail, but Riddle says a non-sticky gloss in a light color can make your pout look

Page 6 – Body & More - October 2013

plumper.

Although dark circles and age spots seem to cry out for extra coverage, women should ease up on makeup as they age. The appearance of wrinkles means it’s time “to back off on the amount of makeup you use” regardless of type or brand, Herta says. “Less is more.

Put on too much, and it ends up accentuating what you’re trying to hide.” © ctw Features

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Move it or

lOse it

Over the age of 50, people may not be inclined or even able to do the types of exercise they did at 30. But exercise is a must to maintain a healthy weight, body and mind. so … now what?

By Bev Bennett ctw Features

y

ou feel muscle strain when you hoist a gallon container of milk from the refrigerated case at the supermarket. no wonder it’s disheartening to watch someone effortlessly run across the street before the light changes or gracefully lift a child.

Although you may think a loss of stamina and strength naturally occurs during your mature years, that doesn’t have to be the case. You can slow or even reverse the decline, health researchers say.

The problem may not be your age, but your lack of challenging exercise.

“A lot of physical changes we associate with aging are due to inactivity,” says Stephen D. Ball, Ph.D., University of Missouri Extension exercise physiologist, Columbia, Mo. You need physical activity both for your continued good health and your “healthspan” – the number of years you’re functioning at a high level, according to Marcas Bamman, Ph.D., University of Alabama at Birmingham.

However, experts differ on how strenuous your physical activity should be.

Walking, for example, is healthful.

“Just walking more leads to life benefits,” says Andrew Duxbury, M.D., geriatrician, University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Body & More – October 2013 – Page 7

it’s also practical, especially if you don’t enjoy going to the gym and prefer to use the home treadmill as a towel rack.

But if you want the strength to keep up your daily chores such as grocery shopping and the vigor to enjoy what you love, you need to do more, according to Bamman. “i advocate strongly for vigorous, highintensity exercise,” says Bamman, an exercise physiologist and researcher who studies strength training and mobility.

His recommendation includes both aerobic (cardiovascular) fitness and strength training.

Bamman makes a distinction between a body-conditioning regimen and everyday activities, such as walking the dog. (See sidebar on fun activities that may be good for you.)

Low-intensity work, such as walking, has a health benefit, but “not the fitness benefit of a higher intensity workout,” Bamman says.

You’ll want an actual heart-beating-faster and my-muscles-can’t-take-another-rep regimen if you want to improve your fitness.

And your goal should be a level of fitness that allows you the lifestyle you want.

Your revitalization starts with strength training. You can halt the frailty that comes with aging, Ball says. if you’re not sure how to start strength building, consider working with a personal trainer.

As you build strength in your legs and other parts of your body, you may reduce your risk of falling. You may also reduce bone loss, according to Ball, who is part of a program offered through the University of Missouri extension to help older adults become comfortable with strength training.

Your mindset may improve as well. You’ll have a sense of independence and satisfaction, according to Bamman.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends you do musclestrengthening activities that include your body’s major muscle groups at least twice a week. in his research, Bamman worked with 65to 75-year-olds in a program of highintensity strength training.

“They established fitness and physical capacity that matched people who are 35 years younger. This is not a situation where a person has to throw up [his] hands and say it’s too late,” Bamman says. The best news is that strength gains come early in a fitness program.

As you incorporate strength training into your routine, don’t overlook aerobic exercise,

Page 8 – Body & More - October 2013

which improves your stamina and may reduce your risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes and depression.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise each week.

As you’re counting repetitions or laps, know that there’s a payoff for pushing yourself.

You may have stopped doing things that give you pleasure, such as playing tennis or gardening, because your knees are bad or your hips bother you.

Then, as you develop muscles, you’re less likely to experience pain in your hips or knees.

“All the lifestyle things you enjoy doing will be easier to do,” Bamman says. © ctw Features

resOurces For senior exercise recommendations, visit the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/guidelines/olderadults.html For tips on safe strength training at any age, including log sheets to keep you motivated, visit the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/growingstronger/index.html For suggestions on everything from what to wear to how to move for fitness, visit the University of Missouri extension website page on Exercise for the Older Adult: extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=GG3

celebrity Health

Marilu

Henner

“taxi” star and “celebrity apprentice” champion Marilu Henner users her Highly superior autobiographical Memory to live a better life. Find out how you can, too.

By lisa iannucci ctw Features

w

hile many of us struggle (or even joke about not being able) to remember what we ate for breakfast yesterday, actress Marilu Henner can remember so much more. She’s one of only 12 documented cases of Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory (HSAM), a rare ability to recall every detail of her life since childhood. in her most recent book, “Total Memory Makeover” (gallery Books, 2012), she documents her journey to discovering her special ability and finding out that she wasn’t alone. She also teaches readers to use their own memories of the past to take charge of their futures. no, Henner’s amazing memory isn’t a parlor trick, and there’s no formula to it. She can remember all vivid details of every day since age 12, and she recalls many details as far back as when she was seven years old. in 2009, on the set of “60 Minutes,” she had the opportunity to meet Dr. James Mcgaugh, research professor of neurobiology and behavior at University of California-irvine, who famously studied Jill Price and her unbelievable autobiographical memory. it was then that Henner realized she was just like Price. Three years later, “60 Minutes” co-host Lesley Stahl called Henner to return to the show and have her abilities tested on camera. “it was like having the stamp of approval; it was life-changing for me,” says the actress, a five-time golden globe nominee most noted for her television roles on “Taxi” and “Evening Shade.” She’s also an author of nine books and has starred in 30 films, six Broadway shows and has competed on “The Celebrity Apprentice.”

Henner describes that, when given a specific year, she can line it up chronologically on a timeline in her mind, noting the easy dates to remember such as birthdays and anniversaries. She then hones in on a particular day and its experiences. She recalls all of the day’s details, including smells, tastes, touches and more. “it’s like the pilot light is always on, but i can turn it up to full flame,” she says. “i don’t freak out because every song reminds me of something. Sometimes it comes flooding in because i want it to, but it doesn’t distract me, paralyze me or take over. it’s never a burden and i don’t feel any dysfunction from it.” She says her ability is a part of her, just like the color of her eyes.

Henner also offers insight into people’s ability to tap into their own memories. She explains why it’s just as important for us to remember the bad memories, such as a breakup or embarrassing moment, as it is the good.

“Dr. Mcgaugh says that memory is tied to adrenaline, and those things are always going to be a part of you whether or not you’re going to acknowledge them or try to deny that they are there,” Henner says. “You’re not going to be able to extract them from your psyche, so play them out often. [negative events] happened to us, and now it’s in our power to use the information to better our lives.”

Continued on page 10

Body & More – October 2013 – Page 9

Continued from page 9 For example, if you are remembering a heartbreaking romance, it might teach you how not to choose the same kind of person the next time. “it’s not so horrible to recreate it,” she says. “if you’re not ready to explore it, go somewhere else.”

How people react to these negative memories depends on their personality. “You can beat yourself up and not move forward, or you can say, ‘How do i make sure i’m making a better choice next time?’” she says. going forward, Henner says it’s important to take time to remember each day and its details. She gives tips on how to do that: “Maybe you’re a visual person, you can take a snapshot of where you are and what you are doing,” she says. “A week later, close your eyes, scroll through and take in the sounds and smells.”

Henner’s 17-year-old son already shows signs of having HSAM and will be tested when he’s 18. “My boys have incredible memories,” she says. “i took them on the road with me, and to this day, they can still name things we did on the road. Their attention units have always been out there.”

She says that she and her sons will discuss the sights, smells and textures of things together, which encourages them to pay more attention to each passing moment.

Henner says that developing a good autobiographical memory is by far the strongest line of defense against the sense of meaningless that people can develop. “Otherwise,

we’re just occupying time,” she says. “instead, we should be thinking, this person is a red flag for me or i acted like this last time.”

Age doesn’t matter when it comes to improving memory.

“As people get older, they become more conscious about how they are living. [They] take a lot more in and pay attention,” Henner says.

Tapping into your memory might sound difficult when so many new memories are added on a daily basis, but Henner says, “it’s so much easier than you think... The journey is a blast and is so much more fun than you realize. Pandora’s box is filled with stuff that’s more interesting than just the bad.”

What if you’re stuck and can’t remember? “it’s not a linear thing,” she says. “So you’re stuck, go somewhere else. Maybe you’re trying to get a horizontal linear memory, or a chronological version of a vacation. Skip to Friday or something else. This is your journey, it’s not up to me how you do it, but take the ride.”

On this season’s “All-Star Celebrity Apprentice,” Henner played for her charity, the Alzheimer’s Association. Alzheimer’s is a form of dementia that gets worse over time and affects thinking, behavior and memory. © ctw Features

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a recent study found that nearly 30 percent of heart attacks and strokes could be prevented if people switched to a Mediterranean diet, not to mention the already established benefits the diet provides for alzheimer’s and cancer prevention. sound too good to be true? it’s not.

By lindsey rOMain ctw Features

O

Mediterranean

Miracle

Page 12 – Body & More - October 2013

lives and fruit and wine by the riverside – the Mediterranean diet is, by nature, a cultural celebration of food as a delicacy and as the means by which we communicate with friends and family.

But it’s also the latest fad, thanks to recent news stories and books about its benefits. in addition to weight loss, a study from the new England Journal of Medicine showed that Mediterranean diet participants enjoyed another significant health boost: the reduction of heart disease. According to Marissa Cloutier, a registered dietitian and co-author of “The Mediterranean Diet” (Harper, 2006) a diet rich in the healthy oils and seasonal produce of the Mediterranean can also prevent a risk of cancer, stroke, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, even depression. “it just comes down to having the right chemical balance,” she says.

So what exactly is the Mediterranean diet? Probably not what you think. it’s not just surviving on lentil soup and tabouleh to drop a few pounds. it’s about embracing the lifestyle of the groups of people who live in the countries that border the Mediterranean Sea – countries like greece, italy, Egypt, Turkey, Monaco and Croatia – a region with some of the healthiest humans on earth. “if you look at the lifestyle of the true Mediterranean culture, it’s going to consist of many factors that are based on social activities,” says Stella Metsovas, a certified clinical nutritionist and a greek American who was raised on a traditional Mediterranean diet. “Food is a big part of the Mediterranean culture, and food cooked at home is one of the best ways to show love or admiration or any positive feeling towards anyone.”

When food is looked at with love, the selection of quality ingredients becomes key. “if you take a traditional Mediterranean dinner, you would have so many nutrients bursting out that you could apply to cognitive health and an anti-inflammatory diet,”

Metsovas says.

Aside from the more stereotypical foods like olive oil and hummus, what are traditional Mediterranean ingredients that should be integrated into a Mediterraneanfriendly diet?

While foods vary from country to country, the main focus is on plant foods: fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, herbs and spices, and oils made from nuts and seeds.

“The diet uses animal foods as a part of a meal, not as the center of the plate,” says Connie Diekman, director of university n u t r i t i o n , Washington University in St. Louis. “The focus is more on fish than other animal foods.” Beef is only eaten in limited quantities, as is chicken.

Dairy is OK when integrated into the meal; yogurt can be used to accent a stew, and feta cheese can bring out the flavor of veggies, notes Diekman, “so the balance of foods remains higher in plant foods.” When dairy is used, it’s typically from a goat.

Metsovas also stresses the importance of seasonal food. She uses an example of this with fruit: “When you’re in a village, you’re not going to have papayas coming in from Chile. You’re going to have fruit based on what’s in season.”

“What unifies these countries is what can be grown there,” Cloutier. says “The basis of the diet is that it’s the same foods used in different ways.”

So what is it about these foods that make them so good for the body?

“the healthier lifestyle of people in the Mediterranean region is associated with all aspects of the lifestyle - activity, socialization and food.” — Connie Diekman

The lack of processed food is a key factor, as is the quality of nutrients in the typical foods consumed. Cloutier notes that human beings are built to sustain natural ingredients, and that when we stray from a plant-based diet, we disrupt our body’s natural balance. “The balance of nutrients is conducive to heart health,” Cloutier says.

“When that balance is disrupted, your system can’t handle the load. Fat gets deposited in the wrong places – it collects and has nowhere to go, so it’s deposited in the arteries or blood vessels.” Those blockages can lead to a heart attack, or even a stroke.

Plant food also has fiber, which is necessary for healthy digestion, and fish and nuts have Omega 3 fatty acids, which aid heart health. Both also are filling, which makes it easier to eat less and maintain weight.

But weight loss ssould be secondary to the ovrall health of this lifestyle, according to Metsovas, “From the overall health of this lifestyle, according to Metsovas. “From inflammatory to stress reduction to not being outdoors and getting that sunlight – all of these things are directly related to weight gain,” she says.

When it comes to overall health and weight loss as associated with the Mediterranean diet, Metsovas has gone a step beyond – she’s combined the Mediterranean lifestyle with Paleo, and created a more low-carb diet based on evolutionary principles. it’s different from a typical Paleo diet in that it’s less meat-heavy. “i’m not so much for that,” she says, “especially when it comes to women – women have a harder time breaking down a high-fat diet.”

The Mediterranean-Paleo diet restricts carbs and gluten, which Metsovas believes is destructive to the small intestine. it’s important to remember that this isn’t just a lose-weight-quick solution. “One

major misconception is that the diet alone will duplicate the health of people who live in the Mediterranean,” Diekman says. “But the healthier lifestyle of people in the Mediterranean region is associated with all aspects of the lifestyle -–activity, socialization and food.”

The good news? Anyone can adopt Mediterranean eating principles and reap the benefits. “The current 2010 Dietary guidelines for Americans are very similar to the Mediterranean diet in that they focus on half of your plate as fruits and vegetables, a bit more than one-fourth grains and a bit less than one-fourth protein,” Diekman says.

“The Mediterranean diet is actually one of the most basic, healthful programs you can do,” Metsovas says. “Aside from the weight loss, you have so many other benefits to your health that will stay with you forever.” © ctw Features

Body & More – October 2013 – Page 13

Bone Up On Knee & Joint Health

More than a million people undergo a hip or knee replacement surgery every year. What are the best, most effective ways for the 50-plus set to keep their knees and hips in good shape?

Page 14 – Body & More - October 2013

By JeFF scHnauFer ctw Features

H

ere’s a little-known fact: For some people, with every pound they gain, it can feel like 5 to 7 extra pounds for their knees. So if you gain 10 pounds by the time you are 50, your knees may feel like they are lugging around at least 50 more pounds.

With the current obesity epidemic, some

knees may feel like they’re lugging around 100 or more extra pounds.

What’s this have to do with knee replacement surgery, you may ask?

“Obesity has become an epidemic in the U.S. and that’s led to an increase in osteoarthritis, particularly in the knees and hips,” says Dr. Rajiv Rajani, assistant professor at the department of orthopaedic surgery at the Health Sciences Center at

“To lessen the impact of exercise, we recommend aerobic, muscle-strengthening and water-based exercises: cycling, walking and swimming.”

— Dr. Rajiv Rajani

“If you you want to get your mother or grandmother a birthday gift, get them hula lessons or tai chi lessons. It gets them to move and is very gentle on the joints.”

— Dr. Robert Klapper

the University of Texas, San Antonio.

Osteoarthritis is the leading culprit behind hip and knee replacements, which have skyrocketed among the 50-plus population. From 1996 to 2006, the number of total hip replacements among adults ages 55 to 64 nearly doubled, while the number of total knee replacements among the same group more than doubled. In 2009, according to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, there were more than 1 million total knee and hip replacement procedures performed in the U.S. So what can a person older than 50 do to prevent having knee or hip surgery? There are plenty of options, experts say.

Start with keeping yourself in good shape. That means shedding the extra weight or keeping it from accumulating.

“Of course, when you talk about that, it’s hard to get to the appropriate weight when your knees and hips hurt,” Rajani says. “To lessen the impact of exercise, we

recommend aerobic, muscle-strengthening and water-based exercises: cycling, walking and swimming. Obviously, exercises such as basketball, tennis and golf can be difficult on knees that are already arthritic.”

Dr. Robert Klapper, an orthopaedic surgeon at Cedars Sinai in Los Angeles and a popular radio talk show host for ESPN, points to two exercises to prevent arthritis and prevent low bone density.

“If you want to get your mother or grandmother a birthday gift, get them hula lessons or tai chi lessons,” Klapper says. “It gets them to move and is very gentle on the joints.”

“You have to be smart with your design, and hopefully your doctor can help you,” says Dr. Nicholas DiNubile, Havertown, Pa.-based orthopaedic surgeon and author of “FrameWork Your Seven Step Program For Healthy

Muscles, Bones and Joints” (Rodale, 2005). “After the age of 40, you have to train smarter, you have to train differently.”

DiNubile suggests a Mediterranean and anti-inflammatory type diet to promote better joint health.

“Eat plenty of omega 3s and olive oils and stay away from the sugary types of foods that promote inflammation,” DiNubile says.

Another thing you can do is to protect yourself from falls, experts say. Be careful how and where you get around.

Certain people are at greater risk for hip fractures, Rajani says, particularly petite Caucasian and Asian people.

“Those that haven’t had bone mineral density checked should have their bone density checked,” Rajani says. Basic labwork can be done to check calcium and phosphate levels.

He says, “We also recommend getting an appropriate dosage of calcium and vitamin D and some sun exposure.”

“Supplements are a good option,” DiNubile says of glucosamine.

Finally, people need to have the right attitude toward knee and hip replacements.

“I know most patients think it’s like going in and getting new brakes for your car,” DiNubile says. “A lot of the Baby Boomers in their 40s and 50s are back on the basketball court because they got their knees replaced. And that’s misleading. They may be doing it for the wrong reasons and the wrong expectations.”

So what can you expect from a knee or hip replacement surgery?

“Hip and knee replacements have been shown to be more successful for pain relief,” Rajani says. “A knee replacement is very effective in terms of pain relief for osteoarthritis, but it is not a great operation for returning range of motion.” © ctw Features

Body & More – October 2013 – Page 15

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