Lean in for healthy 40s

Even before the candles on your birthday cake remind you your body starts giving you signals that yoursquove hit your 40s Signs of ageing like the skin losing its elasticity weight gain graying of hair and excessive fatigue are all signals that you need to take more care now Most of these changes are natural but their effects increase largely due to our unmethodical lifestyle that comprises smoking alcohol consumption skipping meals and lack of a proper exercise routineActress Cameron Diaz 41 recently said that she feels better in her 40s than she did when she was 25 The actress stated that regular Pilates sessions have helped her stay healthy and fit PicAFPWhile some realise the perils of living an unsystematic life early and adopt healthy lifestyles to lead a better life read Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Aniston majority of us succumb to the pressure of ageing In the last two editions of Fit at 40 we talked about how to prepare our body for some of the macro changesthat take place when you enter the 40s In this final part of the series we will take a look at how to protect your skin and hair the risks that may affect the vital organs like heart kidney lungs and liver and how to overcome loss in muscle mass and strengthgtgt Decreased muscle mass and strengthDr Amrapali Patil weight management expert and founder Trim n Tone says that our body starts losing muscle mass and strength from the age of 30 35 years and fast tracks from thereThe decrease is due to reduced growth hormone and testosterone in men levels It makes it more important to adapt your lifestyle in such a way that the loss in muscle mass and strength doesnrsquot affect your healthTo make up for lost muscle mass during each day of physical inactivity such as bed rest one might need to exercise for at least two weeksldquoMusclestrengthening exercises such as resistance training weight lifting yoga pushups and situps etc enable overcoming this effect to a reasonable extent Such exercises tend to strengthen the muscles by making them work against gravityrdquo she says Besides overall strong muscles play an important role in your sex life as wellDr Patil also adds that a lack of physical activity hastens the wasting and loss of muscles ldquoFor instance to make up for lost muscle mass during each day of physical inactivity such as bed rest one might need to exercise for at least two weeks Become more physically active go for brisk walks jog or join a dance class to keep fit This will also help you to keep a check on your weightrdquo she statesgtgtStressDr Patil says that effective stress management is essential as it can affect an individual in multiple ways irrespective of age including heart diseases and weight gain ldquoAnd instead of pulling your hair socialise make friends travel learn a new language or a suitable skill If possible take a pause but donrsquot let stress bring you or your body downrdquo she addsDr Pillai agrees ldquoEffective stress management is important as itrsquos directly linked to several lifestyle diseasesrdquogtgt Heart and kidneyChange in the organs is a continuous process throughout onersquos life but a sedentary lifestyle consumption of alcohol and nicotine can speed up the process Dr Sudhir Pillai cardiologist PD Hinduja Hospital groups changes in the 40s into two categories mdashdegenerative changes and atherosclerotic changes ldquoDegenerative changes like thickening of the kidney tubule reduction in elasticity of heart muscles and also some calcium deposition on the valves are commonSmoking and alcohol can speed up the natural ageing processThis can evolve rapidly in some individuals depending on genetic factors and external influences like smoking or alcohol The atherosclerotic changes are basically a mix of genetics cholesterol inflammation smoking and stress which lead to deposition of cholesterol loaded plaques in the arteries supplying blood to these organs In due process they can lead to heart attack or even kidney failurerdquo says Dr PillaiA timely alteration in lifestyle could lessen the risk of diseases such as diabetes mellitus hypertension obesity coronary artery disease and cancers ldquoThough everyone should follow a healthy lifestyle people in their 40s should go for a diet focussed on reducing processed food and increasing fibre intake daily exercise or at least workout for 45 minutes five days a week and avoid external insults like nicotine and alcoholrdquo he addsu Hair and skinAs we age the skin becomes dry and thin and less elastic due to which it starts wrinkling Research shows that overexposure to the sun hastens the process of skin aging and wrinkling Advancing age robs the skin of the skin firming substance called collagen and elastin which yield the skin its elasticity As we age the layer of fat beneath the skin becomes thin causing wrinkles and sagging of skin Also aging reduces the blood flow to the skin which retards skin healingThough there are expensive treatments like hair implants transplants are available therersquos no cure for balding that is geneticDr Patil suggests that a proteinrich diet always helps Also regular usage of skin emollients keeps the skin moisturised ldquoInclude adequate calcium and vitamin D in diet or through supplements Avoid excessive exposure to sunlight Use sunscreen daily Keep the body adequately hydrated One may also include omega 3 acids found in fatty fish flax seeds and walnuts and collagen in the diet Besides drinking adequate amount of water every day prevents wrinkling in the long run and aids flushing the skin of toxinsrdquo she addsOver the years hair tends to gray become brittle and scanty The hair growth retards and there is a tendency to go bald But hair loss can also be hereditary in nature and not much can be done in those cases However if caused by ageing a proteinrich wellbalanced diet can help ldquoAlso certain yogic postures such as Sarvangasan Ushtarasan and Matsyasan can help increase the blood supply to the scalprdquo says Dr Patil