INSPO Fitness Journal March 2019

strength and fitness.
Other evidence comparing
master’s athletes in both power
(carrying stuff) and endurance
sports, showed no significant differences
between the groups in
dynamic balance, walking speed
or handgrip strength, suggesting
that you can just walk, run or
cycle and still maintain strength
and fitness into your old age
this way.
There is agreement however
that nearly all types and levels
of exercise enhance or maintain
cognitive function which is a
highly desired utility into old age.
Telomeres. Heard of them?
Telomeres are the specialised
structures at the ends of chromosomes
which protect the end
of the chromosome to maintain
genomic stability, avoiding degradation.
Shortened telomeres have
been associated with a large
number of age-related disorders,
such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension,
Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
disease, and even cancer.
Furthermore, the practise of
life-long exercise has been shown
to reduce factors related to telomere
attrition, such as oxidative
stress and chronic inflammation,
while there are several studies
pointing to sedentary behaviour
being associated with shorter
telomeres.
Adding to the telomere-exercise-cancer
hypothesis is that
elite athletes, and master athletes
have longer telomeres than their
non-athlete counterparts.
Sleep plays a major part in
the way our body functions
and ages. There is little to no evidence
that getting less than seven
hours a night is healthy, with
most human beings needing
between seven and nine hours,
and some athletes or highly
active people requiring more to
fully recover each night.
Acute or short-term sleep restriction
is consistently reported
in association with an increase
in food intake, calorie consumption,
poor dietary quality, and
also alcohol consumption.
Additionally, a UK study of
more than 50,000 people also
showed the odds of reporting
high TV viewing (three hours
a day) was one and a half times
greater in the overweight and
two times greater in obese
adults.
Poor sleep duration (less than
seven hours a night), was almost
two times higher in overweight
and obese, compared with the
‘normal weight’ group. The
overweight and obese groups
also reported low levels of physical
activity.
Research suggests that these
behaviours seem to cluster and
so collectively expose individuals
to greater risk of obesity.
And why is obesity a risk to
a long life and quality ageing?
A pooled analysis of studies
shows obesity is associated with
substantially elevated rates of
total mortality, with most of
the excess deaths due to heart
disease, cancer, and diabetes,
with major reductions in life
expectancy when compared with
normal weight participants.
So while the billionaires work
to enhance advanced technologies
to harness life extension,
there are four clear strategies
that can be followed without
those advances, and they have
been true since the dawn of
civilisation;
• Eat moderately and
nutritiously
• Exercise daily
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Get adequate sleep.
All research points to these
basic laws working cumulatively
to extend the quality of life and
help us to age well, which is
surely everyone’s wish.
And then there’s the argument
that if we actually figure
out how to extend life or reverse
ageing that it would reduce the
evolutionary rate of humans,
increasing our susceptibility to
extinction, adversely affecting
practises that promote welbeing,
and impede our moral progress.
Nothing is ever straightforward
is it?
Time to Regain Control!
Are your most intimate body functions letting you down?
Do you have a deep dark secret, something that prevents you
from joining the gym, running on the beach, joining zumba, starting
a new sexual relationship (or revisiting your current one), picking
up the grandchildren, or going on bus trips or anywhere far from a
toilet?
You are not alone and these are very real problems.
As we age our bodies are no longer as responsive and our intimate
body functions start to let us down. Some muscles show obvious
signs of neglect, but what about the personal ones – hidden away
‘down there’ out of sight.
Often the reason our pelvic floor muscles are neglected is embarrassment.
We feel uncomfortable sharing stories of our bladder,
bowel, prolapse or sexual problems with others. We assume every
other woman has it under control.
Because of the gradual onset of problems we often adapt, compromise
and accept them as normal.
BUT it is not ok to wet your pants, no matter how much you drink
or what you do. It is not ok to be constantly looking for toilets and
have interrupted sleep caused by your bossy bladder. Neither are
bowel function problems ok. Vaginal heaviness, drag, protrusion or
prolapse are not ok. Pain during intercourse and inability to wear
tampons are not normal. You should not accept any of these.
These issues will progressively get worse unless addressed. It is
time to take action and regain control!
Seek help today.
Attention all women...
Do you have a wetting problem?
When you cough, sneeze, laugh,
run, jump, dance...
• Do YOU plan outings around toilet stops?
• Do YOU need spare underwear “just in case”?
• Do YOU go to the toilet twice or more a night?
• Do YOU have problems with bowel function?
• Do YOU have decreased sexual sensation?
You do not need to put up with this problem!
ALISON STOREY is a personal trainer who has represented
New Zealand in three different sports (beach volleyball,
rowing and rhythmic gymnastics). She has been awarded
New Zealand Personal Trainer of the Year twice and runs
Storey Sport, a mobile personal and sports training business
which provides a range of services that optimise the
fitness and wellbeing of its clients. storeysport.co.nz
Women’s Health Centre
83B Tristram St, Hamilton
ph (07) 838-3400
brenda@brendaholloway.co.nz
www.brendaholloway.co.nz
Brenda Holloway MNZSP
Dip. Physiotherapy (Otago), Dip. Post-Grad
Uro-Gynaecology, Women’s Physiotherapist
INSPO – FITNESS JOURNAL MARCH 2019
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