Live Better, Longer | Health + Wellness

An Energetic Physique

Train occurs to be among the finest defenses in opposition to 
ageing. Bodily exercise preserves coronary heart well being, prevents cognitive 
decline, strengthens bones and muscle mass, and reduces the chance of illness. Listed below are 5 exercises to remain more healthy for longer.

TRY HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING (HIIT)

Excessive-intensity interval coaching shouldn’t be a lot of a time dedication, however for that brief time, you’ll give all of it you’ve acquired. A HIIT exercise is 
repeated, all-out bouts of workouts with durations of restoration. This vigorous exercise helps stimulate elevated cell progress and works to stop cell loss of life, which is what can result in wrinkles, grey hair, illness, and cognitive decline.

To combine HIIT into your routine, go to some native studios. Pleasanton’s HIIT Manufacturing unit has group lessons incorporating each cardio and weights. For a distinct sort of HIIT exercise, 
attempt kickboxing at KickHouse in Walnut Creek. 
hittitnow.com, thekickhouse.com.

GET AEROBIC EXERCISE

Cardio train is all about endurance. By means of fixed motion, the guts, 
cardiovascular system, muscle mass, and bones are strengthened. Examples of cardio actions 
embrace swimming, biking, or operating.

Within the East Bay, get exterior to take pleasure in these exercises. Swim some laps at Clarke 
Memorial Swim Middle in Walnut Creek, or jog or bike alongside the Iron Horse Regional 
Path, which spans 32 miles from Harmony to Pleasanton. walnut-creek.org, ebparks.org.

DO STRENGTH TRAINING

Energy coaching additionally has antiaging results on the physique. Lifting weights or doing push-ups helps cut back muscle loss. By means of sustaining muscle power, your metabolism might be quicker and your thoughts will profit.

Discover a fitness center with loads of weight choices. Forma Fitness center in Walnut Creek offers an array of kit. Or, go together with a private coach in order for you steering. Lafayette’s
Gillham Health offers each in-person and digital 
one-on-one classes. formagym.com, gillhamfitness.com.

INCLUDE REACTION TRAINING

Train may maintain the thoughts nimble. One of the best exercises for this are reaction-based, like paddle sports activities and dance, which have an effect on the area of the mind that controls reminiscence, studying, and stability.

E-book a tennis court docket at Lifetime Actions in Walnut 
Creek. Or attempt dancing on the new Vibe Dance Studio in Martinez, which provides a wide range of lessons—together with 
hip-hop and jazz classes, ballroom dancing, and extra. lifetimeactivities.com, vibe-dance.com.

PRACTICE YOGA

A frequent yoga follow can cut back anxiousness, enhance power, heal accidents, stop osteoporosis and muscle degeneration, and ease arthritis signs. Additionally, yoga may also help maintain your physique from shrinking by correcting imbalances within the backbone and selling good posture.

Head to one of many two places of Left Coast Energy Yoga in Oakland. They’ve all of it: vinyasa, Ashtanga, and even HIIT yoga. If you happen to want to remain in your mat at dwelling, take a look at Hella Yoga Berkeley, a digital health neighborhood providing Bikram, yin, and extra. leftcoastpoweryoga
.com, hellayogaberkeley.com. —Gabby Vanacore

A Wholesome Food regimen

There could also be no extra highly effective weapon
 than good diet in our efforts to 
reside higher, longer. Following a wise 
weight-reduction plan, creating good consuming habits, and 
taking pleasure in sharing meals are 
important elements of lifelong well being.

EAT SMART

As we age, we frequently have to make modifications to our diets to take care of optimum well being and to stop situations from 
creating or worsening. Whether or not you wish to lower ldl cholesterol, management hypertension, enhance mind well being, or stop coronary heart illness, there’s a weight-reduction plan for you, with the TLC, DASH, MIND, and Mediterranean diets
among the many greatest recognized. Whereas every of those packages was developed to deal with a specific challenge, they share the identical primary pointers: Keep away from added sugar, refined oils, refined grains, and extremely processed meals, and eat pink meat solely sometimes. Embody a wide range of greens, fruits, entire grains, and legumes, in addition to 
reasonable quantities of dairy, poultry, fish, and eggs. And get your “good” fat from olive oil, nuts, and seeds. The USDA provides dietary suggestions for ageing people. 
nutrition.gov.

As well as, nutritionists advise in search of natural, 
seasonal, and domestically sourced meals, that are simply 
accessible immediately by way of the world’s many farmers 
markets. Berkeley’s personal Michael Pollan, who’s extensively 
recognized for writing about our relationship with what 
we eat, has coined what often is the most succinct dietary recommendation for wholesome ageing: “Eat meals, not an excessive amount of, largely vegetation.”

UNDERSTAND SUPERFOODS AND 
SUPPLEMENTS

So-called superfoods are filled with very important vitamins, making them a favourite of dietitians and nutritionists. Berries fall below this “nutrient-dense” label, particularly
acai fruit, which is even richer in antioxidants than cranberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, and
 blueberries. Fish like salmon and mackerel are thought of
“tremendous” due to their excessive focus of omega 3 fatty acids. Verify the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention’s web site for an inventory of “powerhouse fruit and veggies.” cdc.gov.

Specialists agree that we should always get our nutritional vitamins and 
minerals from meals sources first. Nevertheless, the absorption 
of some vitamins, just like the calcium current in leafy greens, wants vitamin D’s assist. The Nationwide Institutes of Well being additionally recommends that these over 50 take a B12 complement. Seek the advice of the Workplace of Dietary Dietary supplements 
web site to ensure that the complement you select is suitable with any drugs you’re 
taking. ods.od.nih.gov.

‌DEVELOP GOOD HABITS

Analysis bears out the advantages of the recommendation all of us discovered as youngsters: Have a hearty breakfast, cease consuming earlier than you’re feeling full, and skip junk meals. Nutritionists additionally suggest taking note of your circadian rhythms (the bodily, psychological, and behavioral adjustments you undergo in a 24-hour cycle). Going to mattress and having meals on the identical time from day after day helps the physique’s immune system, is useful for 
digestion, and helps regulate blood sugar.

SHARE AND ENJOY

An necessary facet of consuming healthfully is cooking and having fun with meals with others. One exceptional instance of this may be present in Hong Kong, which has the world’s highest life expectancy: 82.9 years for males, 88 for ladies. Folks there are likely to eat a stability of high-fiber carbs, greens, and proteins, however additionally they share meals family-style and make meals a social focus. Taking pleasure in meals and good firm fosters wholesome 
social connections—one other key element of longevity. —Jennie Orvino

A Sharp Mind

In the case of ageing, your thoughts issues. The thoughts and physique are inextricably linked, so discover methods to maintain your mind sharp, your stress low, and your sense of pleasure intact.


TRAIN YOUR BRAIN

To maintain your thoughts sharp, specialists advise doing advanced psychological duties. Enjoyable, brain-boosting challenges are at your fingertips with an app referred to as BrainHQ, developed by a group of neuroscientists within the Bay Space. As you full on-screen challenges—recognizing one distinctive hen inside a flock, say, or monitoring transferring 
autos—you’ll be rewiring your mind and sharpening cognitive power. brainhq.com.

One other technique to maintain your grey matter in prime situation: new skill-building actions. Be taught to color or create mixed-media artwork, play a musical instrument, or restore a bicycle. For a
 number of lessons, take a look at Richmond Artwork Middle, Insurgent Artwork Faculty in Walnut Creek, or the Crucible in Oakland. richmondartcenter.org, rebelartschool.com, thecrucible.org.

OM YOUR WAY TO VIBRANCY

Analysis reveals that meditation can calm your thoughts and cut back melancholy—however may it additionally sluggish bodily ageing? It seems that meditation truly prompts constructive adjustments in our cells.

As our physique cells divide and replenish themselves, the telomeres—protecting caps on the ends of our chromosomes—get frayed. It is a key reason behind ageing, making us weak to ailments, wrinkling, and our hair turning white.

However Nobel Prize–successful UC Berkeley biologists Elizabeth Blackburn and Carol Greider found an enzyme that renews telomeres, which they named telomerase, a breakthrough in our understanding of ageing. Then Blackburn and Elissa Epel (codirector of UCSF’s Growing older, 
Metabolism, and Emotion Middle) discovered 
that telomerase responds to our ideas and feelings. Research have now proven that stress-busting strategies like mindfulness meditation enhance telomerase exercise, serving to to sluggish ageing.

To follow meditation, go to the East Bay Meditation Middle in Oakland, which provides each in-person and 
on-line classes. Simply Be Yoga in Danville has livestream 
meditation, and Claudia Florian-McCaffrey in Walnut Creek teaches meditation lessons. eastbaymeditation.org, 
myjustbeyoga.com, claudiadanceyoga.com.

DON’T ACT YOUR AGE

Science means that there could be fact to the adage “You’re solely as previous as you’re feeling.”

In a 1979 examine, Harvard psychologist Ellen J. Langer took eight aged males to a retreat designed to duplicate the yr 1959. They lived as they’d 20 years earlier—watching Ed Sullivan, listening to Perry Como on the 
radio, and speaking about Castro’s advance in Cuba in 
the current tense. After one week, the boys had measured 
enhancements of their reminiscence, power, joint flexibility, 
dexterity, and cognitive skills. Their arthritis diminished, their imaginative and prescient improved, and even their look grew to become younger, as measured by earlier than and after pictures. Since this landmark “counterclockwise” examine, the findings have been replicated by different researchers.

So, join together with your internal child. Head to a trampoline park like Rockin’ Leap in Dublin. Relive your curler disco days at Paradise Skate in Antioch. Deal with your self to some comedian books on the Escapist in Berkeley. rockinjump.com, paradiseskate.com, escapistcomics.com. —Kimberly Olson

An Emotional Help System

Offering a way of belonging and 
assist, friendships of all types enrich our lives. They could additionally lengthen them.

Research have proven that being socially
 related can enhance cognitive and 
cardiovascular well being, relieve stress, and enhance longevity. Socializing additionally helps fend off loneliness, which is related to a number of illnesses together with poor psychological well being, dementia, and early loss of life.

Listed below are methods to interact with our 
East Bay neighborhood—throughout the road, throughout an web connection, throughout generations, and throughout species.

BRIDGE GENERATIONS

Partaking in actions with people of all ages helps broaden your social networks and sense of perspective. Take into account taking part in often scheduled parks cleanups at Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline in Oakland and Robert W. Crown Memorial State Seaside in Alameda. ebparks.org.

Strike up telephone friendships with seniors by way of Pleasant Caller packages provided by Meals on Wheels Diablo 
Area and Meals on Wheels West Contra Costa County. mowdiabloregion.org, wccmow.com.

Volunteering on the native library is one other technique to forge new connections whereas additionally giving again. Volunteers at Berkeley Public Library present literacy tutoring to adults, by way of Zoom; Contra Costa County Library has comparable alternatives. berkeleypubliclibrary.org, ccclib.org/volunteer.

BOND OVER COMMON INTERESTS

Discover the pure world with others by way of the Livermore
 Space Recreation and Park District’s weekend nature 
packages, which embrace nature walks, wildlife talks, and extra. Or be a part of the California Native Plant Society East Bay on a neighborhood discipline journey or volunteer on the group’s nursery 
at Tilden Park. larpd.org, ebcnps.org.

Share your curiosity in artistic pursuits with like-minded 
individuals by studying and writing in neighborhood. Be part of an 
on-line meetup hosted by the San Francisco– and Berkeley-
primarily based Writing Salon, or participate in silent studying and discussions (on-line and in particular person) with the Silent E-book Membership’s Oakland chapters. writingsalons.com, facebook
.com/groups/SilentBookClubOakland.

If the visible arts are extra your fashion, be a part of a plein air portray group hosted by Walnut Creek–primarily based California Watercolor Affiliation, the El Cerrito Artwork Affiliation, 
or Contra Costa Plein Air. californiawatercolor.org, 
elcerritoart.org.

FIND A FOUR-LEGGED FRIEND

Many organizations present pet adoption and fostering companies, together with the East Bay SPCA (Oakland and Dublin), the Berkeley 
Humane Society, Tony La Russa’s Animal 
Rescue Basis (Walnut Creek), and 
Valley Humane Society (Pleasanton). east
bayspca.org. berkeleyhumane.org, arflife
.org, valleyhumane.org.

Give your pup a playdate, and meet
fellow animal lovers whilst you’re at it.
Common parks with off-leash areas embrace Level Isabel Regional Shoreline (Richmond) and Paso Nogal Park (Nice Hill).

NETWORK WITH FELLOW PROS

Be part of knowledgeable or alumni affiliation, a lot of which supply social occasions. The American Affiliation of College Ladies has a neighborhood department, the Contra Costa County
 Bar Affiliation hosts hikes and bike rides,
 and the United Nations Affiliation of the 
United States of America East Bay Chapter 
helps the work of the United Nations. westcontracosta-ca.aauw.net, cccba.org, unausaeastbay.org. —Melanie Anderson

A Radiant Look

The search to take care of a youthful
 look is one among our most primal needs. Ladies 
(specifically) have all the time sought out merchandise to scale back the indicators of ageing, however immediately the choices for age-defying magnificence remedies are dizzying. Listed below are a couple of of probably the most in-demand choices obtainable in our area.

START WITH SKINCARE

Earlier than speeding down the trail of injectables—or beauty surgical procedure—dermatologists suggest reviewing your skincare. The 4 must-haves? A retinoid, vitamin C serum, moisturizer, 
and sunscreen. Look to native corporations for eco-friendly choices. Harmony’s Earth Tu Face has a Glow Tonic that brightens pores and skin with 
vitamin C and geranium. Berkeley’s Biossance provides sustainably sourced squalane, a robust moisturizer and antioxidant, and Berkeley’s 
Marie Veronique sells a superior On a regular basis 
Protection Tinted Sunscreen. earthtuface.com,
 biossance.com, marieveronique.com.

INJECTABLES AND MORE

What’s higher than Botox? Revance’s DAXI 
(daxibotulinumtoxinA for injection) could be the ticket. A brand-new injectable for smoother 
pores and skin, DAXI (which continues to be awaiting FDA 
approval) guarantees to final six months, in contrast 
to Botox’s three to 4.

Hyaluronic acid–primarily based dermal fillers, which
 add fullness to the face, have been round for 
years; the model leaders are Juvéderm and 
Restylane. Newer to the market is RHA (resilient hyaluronic acid), which creates quantity and lasts as much as 18 months.

For rebuilding collagen, microneedling is a well-liked therapy. Tremendous needles puncture the
pores and skin, sending radio frequency power into 
the microwounds and inflicting the pores and skin to 
thicken and tighten because it repairs itself.

East Bay suppliers providing a variety of injectables and microneedling remedies embrace Attract Rejuvenation Middle and Encore Medspa. allurerejuvenationcenter.com,
 encoremdspa.com.

LASERS AND LIFTS TO GO

Conventional laser remedies are ablative—which means 
that they rejuvenate the pores and skin by eradicating its outer layers—however prolonged restoration occasions will be off-putting. Some newer lasers are reaching nice outcomes with much less downtime. The Halo laser combines ablative and nonablative wavelengths to stimulate collagen manufacturing whereas additionally bettering the looks of the pores and skin’s floor. Tetra Cool Peel CO2 is a fractional ablative laser that tightens the pores and skin, treating wrinkles and age spots with minimal downtime. Clear and Sensible and MOXI are two gentler lasers that deal with early indicators of ageing and solar harm.

If you happen to’re in search of a full face-lift however aren’t prepared for surgical procedure, a PDO (polydioxanone) thread face-lift could be the reply. Biodegradable threads are inserted below the pores and skin after which pulled to carry the face. This process is accomplished in lower than an hour; outcomes can final 18 months. For a much less invasive carry, Ultherapy makes use of ultrasound to stimulate collagen, tightening pores and skin on the face and neck with zero downtime; outcomes final one or two years on common.

Native laser specialists embrace Alamo’s Superior 
Laser and Pores and skin Care Middle and San Ramon’s LaserAway. 
alamoderm.com, laseraway.com. —Hannah Craddick