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[babyjane]

Did anyone else watch this programme last night with Chris Van Tulleken and Angela Rippon?

Not sure what I think/how I feel about it just yet.  Some good points and good results for the guinea pigs but sometimes I think these sorts of programmes can cause more health anxiety and are then counter productive.  Education and common sense are needed but as my DH said, not everyone had access to education or the funds for expensive fresh mediterranean style diets.

I did wonder if the woman who had a total hysterectomy and consequently suffered insomnia was given hormone replacement or not but she had good results anyway.

The section on mindfullness and the results for the particiapant I found interesting but pounding in a gym isn't for me even if I was able to.  I will stick to my walking.

[peri]

I watched it babyjane.  I wondered about the lady who couldn't sleep after hysterectomy too.  It's really hard to do everything correctly isn't it, I'm currently not doing bad on the diet front but failing on consistent exercise.  And then I think about my FIL who has smoked heavily all his life and drinks whiskey every night and is still going strong at 82! Wonder what his body age is?!?x

[babyjane]

Hubby and I were commenting at breakfast on our grandparents' generation.  they were just glad to get enough to eat without worrying whether it was the 'right' food or not.  Hubby's opinion is that all this 'health guru' stuff means well, but it is a sad indictment of our modern world with its over abundance of junk and fast foods and vast choices, that we need initiatives such as this.  Our grandparents had to cook fresh food from scratch.

That said my childhood diet was post war and my mother was a trained cook.  There was a lot of dripping toast! And Sunday roasts with gravy made from the meat juices, full cream milk and suet puddings, pies and pastries. My father died aged 68 from a heart attack!  My mother's diabetes did her a favour as she radically reformed her own diet as a result and took up cycling and walking.  She lived to 82.

[Hurdity]

Yes I saw it too - fascinating really.  I think all of this sort of thing is excellent - (but yes it is dreadful that it is needed - that we are surrounded by junk food so that people have to think about what to buy or not to buy). Any initiative or programme (like the Active 10 that was mentioned) that shocks people into doing something about their excess fat and/or diet and taking more exercise to improve their health has to be a good thing - so a bit of directed health anxiety cannot go amiss I would say.

I hope it spurs lots of people into looking at their diet and lifestyle and making changes. Although all the techno gismos and whirring machines and lights were all very gimmicky - nevertheless to represent someone's health in terms of their biological age ( can't remember the actual term used) compared to their chronological age - was a good move I thought. It's all very well telling people they need to change their diet or take more exercise but presented with something that says to a 49 year old ( she had quite a lot of excess fat) that you have a body of a 72 year old - may have more of a desired effect due to the shock factor.

Yes I wondered instantly about whether this woman was taking oestrogen and if not - well no wonder she couldn't sleep! I presume they deliberately didn't mention that as it was mainly about diet and exercise. She was amazing though - took to exercise like a duck to water and just shows what effect these changes can have in such a short time - 12 weeks.

What I also found interesting was the guy who was very slim but had a dreadful diet ( worked for the NHS  ) and consumed a huge amount of calories mainly saturated fat and too much sugar. It would not be obvious from looking at him that he was damaging his body  and he probably thought himself that it was fine as he wasn't fat.

Changing your diet does not have to be expensive. Basic foods are relatively cheap! Oats, spuds, pulses & beans  (dried and tinned), veg in season, eggs, cheese, natural yogurt, pasta, rice, swedes, sardines, frozen white fish, chicken, tin toms,  - it doesn't have to be avocados and olive oil, and ready-made hummus.  A few herbs and spcies can make something delicious - plenty of ideas online. The discounters sell very cheap good quality fruit and veg - like Lidl ( and?Aldi - never been there) - and all foods so I defy anyone not to be able to change their diet from an unhealthy one to a healthy one at no extra cost and maybe even make savings as meat is quite expensive.

Yes the stressed woman - amazing results just from mindfulness - and it looked very straightforward - perhaps lots more menopausal women  should practice this ( using Youtube, Apps or books - not expensive consultations I would hope!).

I had a health check recently - which didn't cover what the participants for the programme did ( ie the cycling!) but turned out I have a metabolic age of 49 and I'm 64 so was quite pleased about this. Probably only a crude measure but still

Ditto me peri- I do take quite a bit of exercise - go to 2 classes per week, gardening and walking - but feel I need to do more and especially as the weight creeps up when I don't overeat and eat all the right food! I think once you reach your 80's it's irrelevant - if you've got there - well done and have a ball!

Oops got carried away there 

Hurdity x

[groundhog]

I watched it and thought yes great if yiu are in a position to do all they suggest, as in exercise or diet.  But if like me you've had a hammering health wise,  it made me more anxious about my poor health.
They mentioned one of the lady's crp blood test was elevated at 5 - and all the reoercusssions of that -  mine is 49 - made me feel really depressed.

[babyjane]

groundhog you can only do what you can with what you have.  Your poor body has been through the mill over and over again.  A programme like this is aimed at the general population, there will always be exceptions (I think of my wheelchair bound transgender disabled friend).  Just do what you can with what you have.  How's London?

[Hurdity]

Yes I agree - there are so many who can do something about their health and you musn't worry. You are doing the best you can for yourself given very difficult circumstances. Perhaps don't watch the next two programmes so that you can stay positive if you can? Look forward to hearing how your visit went on the other threads.

 

Hurdity x