This week, Bobbi Conner talks with Dr. Josh Mixson about lifestyle strategies for healthy aging. Dr. Mixson is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and an internist and geriatrician at MUSC.
TRANSCRIPT:
Conner: I'm Bobbi Conner for South Carolina Public Radio with Health Focus here at the radio studio for the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. Healthy aging is the process of maintaining good physical, mental, and social health as we grow older. Doctor Josh Mixson is here to talk about putting this concept into action in our everyday lives. Doctor Mixson is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and he's an internist and geriatrician at MUSC. Doctor Mixson, from your perspective as a geriatrician, what's our foundation for healthy aging?
Dr. Mixson: I think there are several different essential things that can be helpful. One being regular exercise. Another healthy diet. Sleep is very important. And then social activity, engaging with friends and family and staying social.
Conner: Tell us more about good nutrition, especially in the older adult years.
Dr. Mixson: So, as we age, we do lose muscle mass naturally and tend to retain fat. So, you can develop something called sarcopenia where you've lost muscle mass. So, exercise is a big piece of that. But so is nutrition. And the way nutrition is important is working in plenty of protein in your diet. And then the adding of fruits and vegetables. Whole grains can be very important. And if you have a particular chronic disease that you deal with, like diabetes or kidney disease, just checking with your provider on, are there particular things you should avoid.
Conner: And how much exercise, what kinds of exercises are especially impactful in the older adult years?
Dr. Mixson: The good news about that is that any form of exercise, any amount of exercise is helpful. It helps with heart health, with lung health, with cognition, maintaining functional status, and avoiding frailty, so, maintaining your independence, Ideally shooting for about 30 minutes a day most days of the week is a goal. One thing to consider as well is that resistance training with any form of weights can be very helpful to help maintain muscle mass as we age and combat that development of sarcopenia or muscle loss.
Conner: And when it comes to sleep, what is our goal in the older adult years?
Dr. Mixson: I think the biggest goal is feeling rested when you wake up. It is a natural part of aging that our circadian rhythm changes. We tend to wake up earlier as we age and often require less sleep. And if you're not feeling rested, then working with your primary care provider to figure out what may be impacting your sleep and how to get a more restful sleep at night.
Conner: And when it comes to the importance of social interactions in the older adult years, how does someone fix that problem, if they feel pretty isolated?
Dr. Mixson: Social interaction is highly important to maintain mental health. It helps with longevity and helps with mood, helps people maintain independence. And the fix for that can be found in different ways. Even if you have mobility limitations of leaving the home, communicating with others through the phone or online with friends and family. If you're able to leave the home, considering visiting friends and family in the community, as well as exploring some of the resources within the community. One of the resources you can consider is the senior center within your community. They often have social events for people who are older adults.
Conner: Doctor Mixson, thanks for talking with us about healthy aging.
Dr. Mixson: Thank you.
Conner: From the radio studio for the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, I'm Bobbi Conner for South Carolina Public Radio.
Health Focus transcripts are intended to accurately represent the original audio version of the program; however, some discrepancies or inaccuracies may exist. The audio format serves as the official record of Health Focus programming.
