Do you know what surprises people the most when it comes to health in general and healthy aging, or a better menopause transition (and post menopause), which are the two areas I focus on in my work. That it’s the simple stuff done consistently that helps improve our overall health.
Yep, it’s the boring stuff (if you look at it that way)
In a world inundated by countless supplements that promise the world, making healthier nutrition choices, exercising regularly, ditto for sleeping and aiming to reduce stress… Case in point: a new study that looked at the impact of excess visceral fat (the deleterious kind) on the heart and blood vessels.
Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) is a metabolically active tissue, meaning it releases pro-inflammatory compounds that wreak havoc in the body and it is also associated with a risk of insulin resistance and impaired lipid metabolism. Because of that, excess VAT is linked to a higher risk of chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, different types of cancer and cardiovascular disease.
It’s somewhat invisible but decisively bad for you
The more VAT we have (and mind you, it can be less visible), the higher the risk of accelerated heart aging and blood vessels too, according to the study above. That’s right. When we have too much VAT in and around the organs in the abdomen, our hearts and blood vessels get stiffer and age faster.
This is the kind of research that has me even more convinced that we need to think about adopting a few non-negotiables as we age. Like aerobic/cardiovascular exercise. On the daily and to the point of huffing (provided that you have no restrictions in that regard from your doctor).
What I do (it’s never boring)
My non-negotiables include a morning mobility routine and the walk/hike with our dog. Every day, no matter what. The first can be 20 minutes if time allows, or five if that’s all I can get. The hike on the other hand, I would not shorten under 40 minutes no matter what, and one big reason is because I care about our dog’s aging process as much as I can. If that means waking up earlier to fit a good walk in, so be it. (Once you make something non-negotiable that’s how it goes, right?) When time allows, we go for an hour and a half (longer on weekends), which is a (health-promoting) luxury for both of us.
Evidence-based information is where it’s at
About that study. It analyzed over 21,000 people and looked at the effects of visceral fat (VAT) on the heart and circulatory system. As I mentioned before, visceral fat is different from subcutaneous type (under the skin, jiggly kind) and ideally, we want to have less of it. The study above showed that excess visceral fat accelerates the aging of the heart and blood vessels through an increase in stiffness and inflammation. Previous studies showed that obesity and excess VAT accelerate brain aging too and increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
This excess VAT does not occur overnight, and it becomes more evident as people age, given the concomitant muscle mass loss. It takes years of eating above one’s caloric needs and often consuming large amounts of certain ultra-processed foods high in sugar, fat and/or sugar. While women have, in general, half of the visceral fat men have, and yes, both men and women are at risk of accumulating VAT as we age, the increase is quite dramatic in women, especially in perimenopause and menopause.
Beware of the hormonal and metabolic changes during menopause transition
Estrogen has been shown to contribute to a slower rate of heart aging in women, and if you’re about to ask “but what about menopause?”… The answer is that the risk of heart disease increases in post-menopause (which starts after one full year with no menstrual cycles). Also, there is a higher risk of visceral fat accumulation in post-menopausal women, which is why adjusting exercise and diet as we age, as well as other lifestyle factors, makes a BIG difference in the risk of many chronic conditions.
The bottom line and some suggestions to consider
It’s never too late to help improve health and prevent accelerated aging. Our bodies are resilient and they respond well to the very things that many people doubt will (truly) make a difference. Healthy dietary choices, exercise and working to improve lifestyle habits such as sleep and stress management.
- Diet alone will not do it in the case of excess VAT. But it is an essential component: prioritize whole foods rich in fibre and polyphenols, limit ultra processed foods as much as you can, and eat according to your needs and levels of activity. Stay clear of sugar and saturated fat combos if you can (yep, ice cream…).
- A regular sleep routine and proper stress management help improve metabolic health too (good sleep and well-managed stress levels help us make better food choices too).
- Aerobic or cardiovascular exercise on the other hand, including walking, will help reduce the amount of visceral fat and thus the risk of many chronic diseases, including heart disease. A daily walk (aim for at least 20-30 minutes or longer when time allows, why not) at a brisk pace, or alternating fast with regular pace, can help reduce visceral fat, even when there is no visible weight loss. High intensity interval training (the intense express way of cardiovascular exercise) is highly effective in drastically reducing VAT but it’s a good idea to make sure you are cleared for this type of exercise by your doctor (especially when there are existing health issues, including high blood pressure, heart disease etc.).
