A NEW YEAR, A NEW ME?

It's the first day of a brand new year. That means time to start working on your resolutions for 2013 if you haven't done so yet. For many of us this has become an annual ritual of reflecting on how successful or not we have been with the previous year's resolutions. The more cynical among us will say why bother? I say why not? We need goals to aim for, to challenge us so that we can do better.

Looking back on the 365 days that have passed, most of us can give thanks for all the good things that have happened to us, and for the lessons we have learned from the not-so-good experiences. One thing we can all be grateful for is the world didn't end on 21 December 2012, not that we believe in Doomsday.

This can easily be me or you, if we don't watch
what we eat, and don't exercise enough.

I have made only one personal resolution for 2013, and that is to take better care of my health. My top priority is to lose some weight. The mere thought of tipping the scales at 60kg (132 pounds) horrifies me. No, I am not obese or even fat. I would love to say I am far from it, but why wait till I am on the threshold of obesity? More pounds means more effort needed to get back in shape.

Being obese regardless of our age puts us at risk of multiple health problems as the diagram below shows.

Some may find this image offensive, but when it's a matter of life or death, it's better to be shocked into action than lulled into complacency.

We are all aware of the health risks when we allow ourselves to accumulate fat. Being aware is one thing, understanding the message is another. But as long as we don't lift a finger or a muscle to do anything about it, we will continue to remain as we are - overweight. Chubby is not cuddly, unless you are a baby. Neither is plump cute, unless you are a rubber doll.

And while we are on the subject of health, it's time for that annual blood test, and other medical check ups that are recommended for older adults. I recently had my blood tested, went for a gastroscopy and colonoscopy, CT-scan, ultra-sound, ECG, mammogram and a dental check-up.

I still need to go for a pap smear. I have been given a clean bill of health by the doctors. That's reassuring news. But that doesn't mean I can take it easy. Having been under the knife twice, I need to be vigilant about my health. So should everyone. We owe it to our children and grandchildren to live long and in good health.

Source: WebMD. Click on the link to calculate your BMI

A one-stop website for health and wellness that I would recommend is Dr Oz's 10-step Ultimate Health Checklist. Check it out. :-)

SITTING TOO MUCH PUTS US AT RISK OF HEART DISEASE

The cover feature of The Straits Times supplement 'Mind Your Body' (Nov 15) is a timely reminder for all of us to get off our butt every couple of hours or so. Now that we know sitting too much can kill us, we have no excuse not to do something about it. And I am the first to admit guilt. There are days when I walk, and walk and walk, because I don't drive anymore. But there are also days when I sit, and sit AND sit.

We spend most of our waking hours sitting - at work, in front of the TV or computer, in the car/train/bus, at the dinner table, and chatting with friends. We sit for hours at meetings, seminars, and in waiting rooms. At shopping malls or waiting for someone, we look for a place to sit.

Children these days are becoming obese and at risk of the same health problems that we adults face. They sit just as much as we do. They sit in school, at tuition classes, and when they come home, they sit at the table for meals and later to do their homework. On weekends, they are glued to their digital gadgets which means more hours of sitting, Changes in lifestyle and the preference for sedentary hobbies have drastically reduced the time adults and children spend on physical activities. 

November issue of Diabetologia

Data from a recent study published in Diabetologia, the journal of the European Association of the Study of Diabetes showed that people who scored highest on sedentary time were found to be more prone to diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The study involved 800,000 people, so the findings cannot be dismissed so easily.

Sitting for hours on end every day can also lead to deep vein thrombosis and a predisposition to blood clots. This makes sense as inactive muscles prevent smooth blood circulation to the legs and more seriously, to the heart. From my own observation, inactivity among older people often leads to stiff joints, and increases lower back pain.

While I don't profess to be an exercise addict, I do try to put in some physical activity on a daily basis. Not having a car helps as I have no choice but to walk whenever I can. Living in a walk-up apartment means I have to take the stairs every day. Exercise is forced upon me, whether I like it or not. A good thing I like it.

Note 'even with exercise'! Time to step up or suffer the consequences.  

Here's how I keep on the move:

• I walk to the neighborhood mall 12 minutes away to run errands and buy provisions. 
• I walk home carrying bags of groceries to strengthen my arm muscles.
• I walk to the bus stop to catch the bus downtown, and repeat the process in reverse when I come home.
• I walk up three flights of stairs at least twice a day.
• I walk up the escalator rather than stand still on it.
• I walk at least 8000 steps a day according to my pedometer, sometimes more than 10,000 steps.

BUT I can be a couch potato when there are good programs back to back on the telly. AND I can easily chalk up 4-5 hours of sitting when I am at the computer. That's really bad, so now my hourl timer buzzer alerts me to get up and move about.

My work desk at home. Photo taken in February this year. I have since added a timer with
the buzzer set to go off hourly to remind me to get off my butt and move around.

The study warns that even with exercise, people who sit for hours at a stretch can still be at risk of all the health problems mentioned above. I take it as a warning that I should double or triple my standing and moving hours.

Here's a video with a call to action. EXERCISE! It's not that we don't know the benefits of exercising. It's the lack of discipline, the will power to sustain an exercise regime. The video was first posted on this blog in February with the article "Walking to Better Health and Longevity".

Happy exercising!