Want to know what changes and behaviors will have the greatest impact on your health? Ask the experts! One of the eight schools that makes up Tufts University is the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, the only graduate school of nutrition in the U.S. The University is also home to the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Center on Aging (HNRCA), one of the largest research centers in the world studying nutrition and its relationship to healthy aging and physical activity. Add the medical personnel and professors at the School of Medicine and Tufts Medical Center and you’ve got a huge collection of experts, including many world-renowned researchers and educators. These are the people who guide and approve the content of Tufts Health & Nutrition Letter.
Our Editorial Advisory Board is made up of authorities in the fields of nutrition, aging, cardiology, diabetes, gastroenterology, ophthalmology, bone health, genetics, environmental issues, and more. We asked these experts a simple question: If you could offer readers one tip that would have the greatest impact on their health and quality of life, what would it be? Here are some of their answers:
Vary Your Diet
Alice H. Lichtenstein, DSc, is a Tufts University distinguished professor, the Stanley N. Gershoff Professor of Nutrition Science and Policy at the Friedman School, senior scientist and director of the Cardiovascular Nutrition Team at the HNRCA, and editor-in-chief of this newsletter.
Focus on the big picture, use common sense, and keep in mind what you have been reading in this newsletter! A varied diet makes it more likely you will get adequate amounts of essential nutrients (vitamins and minerals) and balanced proportions of fat, carbohydrate, and protein (macronutrients). The best way to achieve this is to avoid fad diets relying on single “superfoods,” emphasizing the nutrient du jour at the expense of others, or looking for the “perfect” choice within each food group to the exclusion of others. Try to make better choices within the macronutrient categories most of the time (such as plant-based proteins over red meat, fat-free or low-fat dairy products instead of full-fat) and minimize intake of things you know you should limit, including added sugar, salt, and refined carbohydrates. Taking this approach is likely to ensure you fulfill the basic tenants of a healthy dietary pattern, while also allowing you to eat foods you enjoy. Of course, it is always important to keep frequency and portion size in mind, particularly to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight. Within that context, it is important to remember food is something to be enjoyed and not something to elicit guilt.
Take Baby Steps
Diane L. McKay, PhD, is an assistant professor at both the Friedman School and Tufts University School of Medicine. She is also the director of Tufts University’s Friedman Online Graduate Certificate Programs.
Keep in mind that even small changes can have a big impact, especially over time. Baby steps—like swapping out your daily bowl of sugary breakfast cereal for one that is primarily made of whole grains, incorporating a serving of seafood (not fried!) into a at least one meal each week in place of beef or pork, or reaching for just a small handful of any tree nuts instead of chips—can, over time, have a significant effect on several risk factors for chronic disease.
Assess Your Lifestyle Habits
Richard Siegel, MD, is an endocrinologist who serves as co-director of the Diabetes and Lipid Center at Tufts Medical Center. He is also an associate professor at Tufts University School of Medicine.
Do a preventive health self-assessment. Periodically compare your lifestyle habits to the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 (available online at https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-lifestyle/lifes-essential-8). All of the items on the list—eat better, be more active, quit tobacco, get healthy sleep, manage weight, control cholesterol, mange blood sugar, and manage blood pressure—can play a role in the prevention of cardiovascular disease (the number one cause of death in the U.S.) and reduce risk for type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases. The website also offers plenty of tips and ideas for making positive lifestyle changes!
Get Your Vision Checked
Sheldon Rowan, PhD, is an assistant professor of nutrition at the Friedman School and of ophthalmology at the School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences.
Please visit an ophthalmologist and get a dilated eye exam. Do not be afraid to complain about any visual problems you are having, even if they seem minor and you think they might just be due to aging. A recent Lancet commission identified untreated vision loss as a significant risk factor for dementia. Untreated vision loss can lead to accidents, social isolation, and depression. Right now, approximately one in eight adults over the age of 50 is living with untreated vision loss. Treatments might include prescription glasses, cataract surgery, or medications. About 90 percent of vision loss can be treated in a cost-effective way and there are options for untreatable vision loss that can improve the quality of life. If you are worried about future vision loss, regular checkups with an ophthalmologist might identify problems earlier and in a more treatable window of time. Finally, you should know that following a healthy dietary pattern (like the Mediterranean Diet) and getting regular exercise and sleep are associated with lower incidence of age-related eye disease like macular degeneration.
Raise Your Knees
Joel B. Mason, MD, is a professor at Tufts University School of Medicine, a staff physician in the divisions of gastroenterology and clinical nutrition at Tufts Medical Center, and senior scientist and leader of the Vitamins and Carcinogenesis Team at the HNRCA.
For those with chronic constipation, a sense of incomplete evacuation, or an excessive need to strain while having a bowel movement, consider placing a seven- to nine-inch footstool under your feet while you sit on the toilet. Raising your knees like this helps straighten out a sharp angle in your large intestine, making it easier for the stool to pass. And don’t forget to eat several servings of fruits and vegetables on a daily basis, and consider including dried prunes, peaches, and apricots in your daily routine as well.
Take a Walk
Roger A. Fielding, PhD, is senior scientist of the Nutrition, Exercise Physiology, and Sarcopenia Team at the HNRCA, professor of biochemical and molecular nutrition at the Friedman School, and professor of medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine.
Go out and take a nice walk! Ideally, we would all get at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity (or 75 minutes of vigorous activity) a week, but it’s important to realize every little bit of activity counts. Aerobic activity (which gets your heartrate up), strength training, and balance exercises all help to maintain muscle and strength as we age. A brisk walk does all three!
Remember that “exercise” does not have to be a strenuous “boot camp,” running a marathon, or becoming a bodybuilder. Finding something you enjoy doing increases the odds you’ll keep at it. Any physical activity is better than no physical activity, and anything that gets your body moving counts. Start where you are and build up slowly over time!
➧ Take Baby Steps. Simple food swaps and small steps toward goals are the best ways to effect permanent behavior change.
➧ Check In. Periodically assess how your diet and lifestyle choices line up with recommendations, such as the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8.
➧ Check Your Vision. Many vision changes are easily treated, improved, or reversed. Get regular vision checks, including dilation.
➧ Raise Your Feet. Putting your feet on a low stool when sitting on the toilet reduces straining and can help control constipation.
➧ Keep Moving. Move as much as you can, as often as you can. Any physical activity is better than no physical activity. Everyday activities like vacuuming and food shopping in a supermarket count.