VIENNA, VA.: I've been very overweight for eight years; before that, I was a normal size. Is it possible at 60 to get back to my old self--or is that a dream?
DR. HOWARD LEWINE:
No, it is not a dream to get fit and trim at 60. But it probably won't be easy to get there. Assuming that you are otherwise quite healthy, I recommend exercise as your first priority. If you have been very sedentary, then you want to check with your doctor before starting a physically vigorous program. Once you are medically clear, start with about 10 minutes to 15 minutes of slow-paced exercise, like walking or water aerobics, once or twice daily. Work up to a faster heart rate. As exercise becomes a regular part of your daily routine, start cutting calories. This is not a diet--it is eating less each day until your caloric intake becomes less than your daily energy expenditure. Weight loss will follow.
| | | | | | From Newsweek | | | | | | |  Health for Life: Newsweek explores how diet and genes interact to affect aging, diseases and health.
• Diet and Genes
It isn't just what you eat that can kill you, and it isn't just your DNA that can save you--it's how they interact.
• A Wrinkle in Time
Do you have to age? How science is finding ways to help your cells say no.
• Less is Really More
Tips from a plastic suregeon on how to avoid an overdose.
• A Script For Better Aging
A Q & A with Howard Lewine, M.D on how diet, exercise and a happy marriage can add years to your life.
• Artful Aging
Don't ever assume your best work is behind you.Creativitiy often peaks in our later years.
• A Neglected Nutrient
Are Americans dying from lack of vitamin D?
• Heart Disease
Another Culprit to Watch: Insights from Harvard Medical School.
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LOUISVILLE, KY.: Is there any way to avoid having your voice age? Even on the telephone, the voice is a dead giveaway that a person is old. Why?
As we age, the cartilage support for the vocal cords becomes stiffer, decreasing mobility of the cords. The vocal cords and the muscles of the larynx also lose tone, causing a gap between the vocal cords when they try to close completely. The age at which this can occur varies. Although you can't slow down these changes, you can help your voice stay strong by exercising regularly and avoiding smoking. If you are persistently hoarse, you might also consider whether stomach-acid reflux is irritating the vocal cords.
SANDY, UTAH: What is your opinion on the severe calorie-restriction diet being promoted by some people to slow the aging process?
We don't have the evidence yet that significant calorie restriction in humans will extend life or slow aging, but the studies in animals are quite compelling. Mice that are allowed to eat as much as they want die much sooner than mice fed a diet with 35 percent fewer calories daily. Preliminary studies in primates also suggest healthier aging by eating a calorie-restricted diet. I personally believe that future research will prove calorie-restriction benefits independent of weight loss for humans. But those restricting calories need to make sure that they are getting enough protein and micronutrients.
CORAL SPRINGS, FLA.: My father passed away last year at 70 from multiple myeloma, and my mom had breast cancer about 15 years ago. I watch my diet, take vitamins and walk about 30 minutes daily. Is there anything else I can do to prevent myself from getting cancer?
Medical science still has a lot to learn about the best ways to prevent cancer. But the best-known measures include avoiding tobacco products, limiting alcohol to one to two drinks per day, eating a diet full of fruits and vegetables, maintaining a healthy body weight and exercising regularly. Still, even these five healthy steps do not appear to decrease risk for some types of cancers. For example, there are no proven strategies to prevent cancers that arise in the bone marrow, such as multiple myeloma and leukemia. Despite all the hype, the scientific studies on supplemental vitamins and antioxidants as cancer preventives have shown disappointing results. If you have any concern about minor deficiencies of dietary micronutrients, though, taking a multivitamin with minerals each day is cheap insurance.
BERGHOLZ, OHIO: I am 68 and active. I ride horses and four-wheelers, fox-hunt, lift hay and clean horse stalls. I don't feel old, but some people say I do too much. I say it keeps me young at heart. Should I keep doing what I love until I die?
A definite yes! People who continue to perform physical and mental tasks that they enjoy throughout life are much more likely to remain independent and very functional as they age, even into the very late years of life. Not only does regular exercise improve balance, decrease the risk of falls and increase stamina, it is also associated with a slower decline in cognitive function as we age. As long as you are not exerting yourself to the point of exhaustion and you listen to your body when it tells you to take short rests, keep enjoying your very active life.
