Seniors Given Tips on How to Add Years to their Lives and Life to their Years
The Seniors Ministry a.k.a. Sunrise Ministry, held its general assembly last November 24, a Saturday, at Matthew- Mark Rooms. Nearly a hundred senior citizens showed up, mostly from Barangay Libis.
The focus of the assembly was on ‘Keys to Healthy Aging’, which included talks by Dr. Willie and Mae Lagdameo, head couple of Health & Wellness Coaches Phils., on healthy eating, the value of supplements, the need for sound sleep, and several other topics on aging gracefully. The talk was subtitled: ‘Add Years to Your Life and Life to Your Years’.
‘Coach’ Willie Lagdameo is a pediatric surgeon with UST, Cardinal Santos and Medical City and a Dr. Sears certified health coach while ‘coach’ May Lagdameo is a certified integrative nutrition health coach as well as a holistic cancer wellness coach, and a stress management coach. Both Lagdameos have survived cancer and spent 2003 to 2013 in the US with the Institute for Health Nutrition and Dr. Sears Welness Institute. As health coaches, they help clients set goals, track and review progress, share knowledge and solutions, and motivate and inspire so clients can attain their goals. The couple does one-on-one coaching, group coaching, as well as give talks and workshops. Willie is also the author of a book, ‘Don’t Mess Up Like I Did: My Epiphany to Health Literacy.’
They began with some aging ‘truths’, such as the fact that neurons do not regenerate; that we lose a billion in our lifetime – but the loss is compensated by additional dendrites or neuron projections; that we age because of ‘rust’, production of aging proteins, weakened immune systems, telomeres getting shorter, and hormones becoming helpless. Physical issues manifest themselves in inflammation, which then results in cancer, gut problems, heart disease, stroke, alzheimer’s, diabetes, and arthritis. As we grow old and more aging proteins are produced due to excess blood sugar, sludge accumulates throughout our blood vessels resulting in hardening of the arteries, face and skin wrinkles.
They went into their four ‘pillars of health’, that is, living correctly, moving correctly, thinking correctly, and eating correctly, using the acronym LEAN, for lifestyle, exercise, attitude, and nutrition. For lifestyle, they advocated getting a good night’s sleep since it increases nitric oxide production which dilates arteries, delivers blood flow, and optimizes blood pressure. The lack of sleep, which increases tiredness, also increases appetite by 25%. For exercise, they asserted that the best exercise is the one you will do and keep doing. So the advice is – start low and go low; keep it safe; and make it fun. The Lagdameo’s argued that moving instead of sitting results in much less risk of Alzheimer’s, improved vision and gum health, healthier skin, stronger and healthier heart, as well as good joint and gut health. The exercise routine should include strength training, endurance or cardio, and flexibility or stretching. They then asked the senior audience to join them in doing cross-arms and side bends.
Regarding attitude, it’s all about not having negative thoughts. Their advice: begin each day with a grateful heart. They also argued that the company you keep has a lot to do with the state of your mind set. So the advice is – surround yourself with positive influences and enjoy life with them. On nutrition, the straight advice from Willie and May was – get off the sugar rollercoaster. Why? Because sugar highs are always followed by crashes which result in a craving once again for sugar, and the cycle goes on. The couple advocate for ‘traffic light’ eating, that is, classify food into green or ‘go’, yellow or ‘slow down’, and red or ‘stop and think’. Red light foods, or foods that speed up aging, are those that are high in man-made fat and hydrogenated oils, low in fiber, highly processed, and contains artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives. This includes packaged food and fast foods. As for food supplements, ordinarily, man should get by on regular food. But due to commercial farming practices wherein plants are treated with chemicals and raised in soil with depleted nutrients, we tend to lack nutrients that lead to illness. Hence the value of specific food supplements.
In addition, a talk on ‘Health Insurance for Seniors’ was given by a sales representative from Maxicare Prima. The one year Gold card, available for approximately P12,000 entitles senior holders to unlimited consultation at MyHealth Clinics with internal medicine, OB-GYN, ENT, derma and optha physicians; plus unlimited CBC, urinalysis, lipid studies, glucose, chest x- ray, and ultrasound lab procedures. Once a year, the card holder is also entitled to prophylaxis and panoramic full-mouth x- ray.
Making a return trip to the Seniors’ Assembly was Bon Intengan, who gave comic relief as well as physical activity with his Laughter Yoga routines. Bon had done a similar intermission number during the August 25 assembly.
Aside from serving a morning merienda, the Sunrise Ministry heads also served lunch. The participants all left with umbrellas for the rainy day as their ‘loot’ after the productive morning.
