I enjoyed talking to an engaged and inquisitive audience of about 100 older adults in Asheville, North Carolina on my favorite topic, Food & Fitness After 50. There were so many good questions that Dr. Bob and I will answer a few of them in this post. For some of the questions, we will refer you to some older posts that covered the topic in greater depth.

Question: What is the best oil to use…I am confused about so many choices?

The cooking oil aisle has become as crowded as the yogurt dairy case! With so many choices, brands, and health claims it is a challenge to sort it all out. In my opinion (based the nutritional properties of the oils) and the oils I use in my kitchen I recommend extra virgin olive oil for sautéing, salad dressings, and drizzling over roasted veggies and pasta. I like some flavored olive oils, too, like lemon, Tuscan herb, and garlic. For everyday cooking, I use a neutral-tasting canola oil. Both have a high percentage of monounsaturated fats with low levels of saturated fats. I also use peanut oil for stir-frying because it has a high smoke point, meaning that it can be heated to a high temperature without setting off the smoke detector. In addition, I use a dash of sesame oil at the end of stir-frying to give the meal a distinct flavor. The other factor in recommending these oils is economic. They are affordable compared to some of the new kids on the shelf.

Here’s a chart of the various oils; choose the oils with the yellow and blue bars and limit the ones with red bars.

Question: What is the difference between extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and light extra virgin olive oil?

Light extra virgin olive oil is more refined than regular EVOO, making it lighter in color, giving it a neutral taste and a higher smoke point. It is not lighter in calories or fat.

Question: Is vitamin K good for bone health and what foods is it found in?

The fat-soluble vitamin K works as a co-factor for making proteins important in blood clotting and bone metabolism. Deficiency of vitamin K is rare in the U.S. and it is unclear if supplementation will reduce the risk of osteoporosis, but this is a robust area of research, so stay tuned for more information as it becomes available. For now, your best bet is to eat plenty of leafy green veggies, one of the richest food sources of vitamin K. Collard and turnip greens, spinach, kale, and broccoli are all excellent sources. Also, canola and soybean oils contribute to our vitamin K status. You will probably find vitamin K in your multi-vitamin supplement as well as some calcium supplements touting bone health.

Contrary to popular belief, people on warfarin (Coumadin®) don’t need to eliminate vitamin K, but they do need to maintain a consistent intake of the vitamin so as not to interfere with the drug’s action. For more information of vitamin K, check out this fact sheet from the Office of Dietary Supplements.

Question: Is Tai Chi helpful for arthritis?

I asked Tai Chi expert, Chris Cinnamon, founder of Tai Chi Chicago, and he gives Tai Chi an enthusiastic “yes” as a good exercise for those with arthritis. A recent review of research on the health benefits of Tai Chi reveals that the strongest evidence is for reducing fall risk and reducing pain from knee osteoarthritis. To learn more about the benefits of Tai Chi check out this interview with Chris from our blog.

Question: I love to swim and is swimming the only exercise I need, or do I also need to some strength training?

Swimming is a fantastic whole-body exercise that can help build and maintain muscle strength, improve stamina, and spark weight loss.  As with all types of exercise, we get out of it what we put into it.  In other words, we can’t expect great benefits if we constantly swim at a casual pace.  We need to push ourselves in the water so that our lungs and our muscles are frequently taken out of their comfort zones.  Isolating the legs with kicking exercises and doing the same with the arms by using a pull buoy can add variety and challenge to your swimming.  Out of the water, if you can make time for additional exercise—even if that’s only an extra 5 minutes a day—then briskly walking stairs or jogging or weight lifting or calisthenics are good ways to place stress and strain on your bones to help keep them strong, something that swimming does not do.

Question: Can you recommend specific exercises for fall prevention?

Falls can have devastating health consequences, especially in older adults.  We are all going to fall from time to time, so our goal should be to minimize the number of times we fall, along with the damage that occur when we do fall.  Improving our balance is just one aspect of fall prevention because on those occasions when we find ourselves off balance, we need the leg and core strength, along with quick reactions, to prevent ourselves from toppling over. Happily, there is good scientific evidence—coupled with common sense—to indicate that staying fit through a variety of different activities is a great way to reduce the risk of falling. Balance exercises such as standing on one leg for at least 20 seconds can help improve balance, but that shouldn’t be surprising.  More useful are exercises that require stepping over obstacles to mimic walking through a crowded attic or tiptoeing through a garden.  Exercises that increase leg and core strength are helpful, as are activities that improve agility—our ability to change directions quickly and accurately.  Dancing of all sorts, tennis, team sports, pickle ball, and handball all fit that bill.

Question: Can I get enough quality protein on a plant-based diet?

Absolutely. According to the Plant-Powered Dietitian, Sharon Palmer. “There are many examples of high-quality plant protein foods—similar to the quality of animal protein. The star plant protein is soy—it is similar in quality to animal protein. In addition, pulses (beans, peas, and lentils) are high in quality, too. The important point is that if someone consumes a balanced plant-based diet, with adequate sources of a variety of plants—pulses, soy foods, whole grains, vegetables, nuts, seeds—they can get the all of the amino acids needed by the body from those foods. It’s not necessary to “combine” or “complement” proteins at each meal. However, it is important to make sure you are selecting a variety of protein-rich foods at each meal to ensure adequate protein intake. One note: vegans may need slightly more protein daily to accommodate for digestibility—the high fiber nature of many plant foods means that the proteins are not quite as digestible. So, it’s a good idea to get servings of protein-rich foods at each meal and snack. And don’t forego soy needlessly—this is a really important plant protein source for vegans.”

For more on plant proteins, here is an interview with Sharon and be sure to check out her website for terrific tips, recipes, and lots of other great stuff.

Question: Can you recommend some online sites or videos for exercises designed for older adults?

There are plenty of websites and YouTube videos that focus on exercises for older adults.  Here are four examples:

1) National Institute on Aging has educational materials and videos targeted at getting older adults more active through basic exercises that can be done at home.

2) Fitness Blender offers a wide variety of at-home workouts of varying durations and difficulty.

3) For those interested in yoga, Yoga with Adriene is a good place to start.

4) For older adults who desire challenging strength training, along with an understanding of the science behind it, take a look at videos from Athlean-X.

All of these resources provide great ways to get started with new activities, all of which can be modified to suit individual needs and interests.

To learn more about foods and physical activity for those in the 50s, 60s, 70s, and beyond, check out, Food & Fitness After 50 , available at Amazon (both as a soft-back or an E-book) or other booksellers.

Copyright © 2019 [Christine Rosenbloom]. All Rights Reserved.