February 4

How I’m Taking Care of My Mind and Body in my 40s So I Can Fully Relish Each Passing Year

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“Thereโ€™s no way Iโ€™m middle-agedโ€”not me.โ€ I firmly told my 15-year-old daughter as she was grouping me with the more mature set. Then, as teenagers often do, she bluntly pointed out that 41 years was indeed more than half the average life expectancy of women in the U.S. Let me tell you, that hit harder than turning 40.

Yep, Iโ€™m middle-aged. And you know what, Iโ€™ve decided to embrace it. My body isnโ€™t the same as it was when I was in my twenties or early thirties. I did extreme workouts, tipped back a few too many mixed drinks, and racked up sleepless nightsโ€”with little to no consequence.


Experts In This Article


But now that the wrong pillow or a hard sneeze can sometimes leave me feeling injured, I need to modify things a bit.

Thankfully, for me, with age comes wisdom. Iโ€™ve learned that hard doesnโ€™t equal better. Here, Iโ€™m sharing my healthy aging advice and how Iโ€™m gently and reasonably caring for my body at this point in my life.

Gentle and functional movement

I know Iโ€™ve got to stay physically active because a sedentary lifestyle can accelerate aging1 even further. However, this year, I dealt with some pain issues and needed to better prevent injury. Rather than push through the discomfort, I tried a new approach with the help of a functional movement specialist.

Focusing on functional movements, i.e. exercises that mimic the way you move in everyday life like squats, for example, shouldn’t be relegated to injury recovery, though. โ€œEveryone should be utilizing a functional movement screening, much like seeing their primary care physician for a yearly physical,” says Kevin Noel, DC, CSCS, owner of LeverEdge Chiropractic. “Movement screening is the only way we can find less than perfect movement before it ultimately becomes a problem or leads to injury.โ€

While itโ€™s best to see a pro in this area, Dr. Noel says there are movements you should be able to do, pain-free:

  • Touch your toes
  • Squat down and get your butt lower than your knees
  • Stand facing away from a mirror and twist/rotate to see your reflection head-on
  • Get from lying on the ground, up to your feet, without using your hands
  • Stand on one foot, eyes open and closed, for more than 10 seconds

Whatโ€™s the best exercise for those in their prime (yes, I said prime)? โ€œI am an advocate for exploring any and all ranges of motions, to their fullest degrees. So finding a routine or program that encourages movement variety, and limits similar or repetitive movements is ideal,โ€ says Dr. Noel.

The way you move matters. He explains, โ€œWe have to first learn how to move well and competently before we move often. Doing it the other way around would be like โ€˜shooting a canon ball out of a canoeโ€™. We have to have a strong movement base before increasing our tolerance to fitness.โ€

Now that Iโ€™m moving with proper form, I want to strike the balance between going hard and preventing future injuries. Dr. Noel says, โ€œThere are appropriate times to โ€˜push the envelopeโ€™ when it comes to exercise, but I ALWAYS tell people pain is not normal with movement.โ€

Nourishing foods

In my twenties, I was restrictively eating for a smaller body. Now, Iโ€™m fueling my body with what it needs to age well and navigate perimenopause. Not to mention itโ€™s much more enjoyable to add things to the diet, rather than take away (intuitive eating for the win).

Julie Pace, RDN, a registered dietitian specializing in functional nutrition for women, shares what foods are best to support hormonal changes that occur with age: โ€œFocus on nutrient-rich, plant-based foods. Balance hormones naturally with edamame, sesame seeds, and flaxseeds that are rich in plant-based estrogens.โ€

As you age, you may notice your body responds differently to certain foods. Itโ€™s common to gain weight during menopause, and you may be tempted to cut out carbs. However, according to Bess Berger, RDN, CDN, a registered dietitian specializing in PCOS and menopause, you may just need to prioritize high-quality carbs.

โ€œLeaning on sweet potatoes, beans, chickpeas, and fruit becomes more and more important for health, restful sleep, and keeping up energy levels,โ€ she says.

Additionally, bone strength and heart health are essential as you age. Pace recommends foods for that too. โ€œBoost bone health with calcium-packed dark leafy greens, fortified plant milk (like soy), and tofu with calcium sulfate,” she says. “To support heart health and overall well-being, add in colorful fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants, and avocados, nuts, and seeds, which are rich in heart-healthy fats.

Prioritize sleep

Another thing Iโ€™m focusing on is adequate sleep. My babies are now in the double digits and never wake me up at night. The irony is that some nights, my body just wonโ€™t let me sleep.

Su-Nui Escobar, DCN, RDN, FAND, registered dietitian and menopause expert, suggests it may be related to hormones, โ€œAs we start the transition to menopause, sleep is the key to managing symptoms and feeling our best. Unfortunately, for many women, sleep becomes more difficult as night sweats appear and the hormone imbalance begins.โ€

The transition to menopause is linked2 to sleep disturbances, most often insomnia. There are things you can do to support a better night’s sleep, though, according to Escobar.

“Two tips I often share with my clients are to get pajamas made of a cooling material and to lower the room temperature right before going to bed. Both are simple but helpful.โ€

Supplements

Lastly, Iโ€™m enlisting some help in supplement form. One that has been a staple for me is an omega-3 supplement. Omega-3 fatty acids are linked3 with better cognition and a reduced risk of dementia.

As for other supplements, Berger says, โ€œMany women can benefit from a high-quality vitamin D and calcium supplement. I also usually recommend a high-quality vitamin B as well.โ€

Vitamin D supplementation has been found4 to slow aging on a DNA level. Likewise, B vitamins slow5 the rate of cognitive decline.

Optimal brain function and slower aging for me equates to a better quality of life. I want to view my middle-aged years as vibrant and fulfilling. My goal on this beautiful aging journey is to take care of both my mind and body so I can fully relish each passing year.


Well+Good articles reference scientific, reliable, recent, robust studies to back up the information we share. You can trust us along your wellness journey.

  1. Raffin, Jรฉrรฉmy et al. โ€œSedentary behavior and the biological hallmarks of aging.โ€ย Ageing research reviewsย vol. 83 (2023): 101807. doi:10.1016/j.arr.2022.101807
  2. Proserpio, P et al. โ€œInsomnia and menopause: a narrative review on mechanisms and treatments.โ€ย Climacteric : the journal of the International Menopause Societyย vol. 23,6 (2020): 539-549. doi:10.1080/13697137.2020.1799973
  3. Mora, Ignasi et al. โ€œStructured Long-Chain Omega-3 Fatty Acids for Improvement of Cognitive Function during Aging.โ€ย International journal of molecular sciencesย vol. 23,7 3472. 23 Mar. 2022, doi:10.3390/ijms23073472
  4. Vetter, Valentin Max et al. โ€œVitamin D supplementation is associated with slower epigenetic aging.โ€ย GeroScienceย vol. 44,3 (2022): 1847-1859. doi:10.1007/s11357-022-00581-9
  5. Wang, Zhibin et al. โ€œB vitamins and prevention of cognitive decline and incident dementia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.โ€ย Nutrition reviewsย vol. 80,4 (2022): 931-949. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuab057


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