Firstly a heartfelt thank you for all the messages of support I received following last week’s email. So many people have been in touch, many of whom have their own stories of experiences with dementia. When you think there are estimated to be 1 million people in the UK affected, that is no wonder. I’m sorry I have not responded to everyone, there were simply too many, but I have read them all and they are very much appreciated.
Last weekend did indeed earn the unfortunate moniker of being the hardest one of my life, but on reflection, went about as well as could be expected. As I led my Mum around the garden she has tended lovingly to for 40 years for the last time, and it was clear she had no clue that it was, in fact, her own garden, it was certainly clear to me now is the right time. What made it easier was the compassion of the staff at the care home. What a hard job that is! I know she is in good hands. I’ve had my Dad down to visit this weekend, and whilst recent events have obviously been wrenching, he is in a much better place mentally. Now is the start of a new chapter of his life, and something we’ve discussed a lot today.
My Dad has never been into sport, or exercise in general to be honest. Neither has my Mum for that matter, so where I got my passion from I’m not sure! Now in his mid-70s, I worry a lifetime of inactivity may start catching up with him if he’s not careful. We’ve been on a few walks this weekend, and he struggled a bit. However I’ve written before about the studies of people even in to their 90s who benefit from the introduction of an exercise programme. It really is never too late.
For people reading this who are younger than 90, there is a different message which is also really important. Physical decline is inevitable with age, but the rate of change can be massively influenced. It also has a degree of predictability. Let’s look at two aspects of this. The first is what is called ‘peak VO2’, or VO2 max. This is a measurement of how much oxygen your body uses at peak exercise, typically measured during either a bike or treadmill exercise test (there is information on this on my website). The fitter you are, the higher the number. From your late 20s, this number decreases typically at 10% per decade. If I want to be able to for example cycle up a moderately steep hill when I’m my Dad’s age, and that effort takes a certain VO2, I can work out the number I need at my current age of 46 to achieve that in 30-odd years. I can also train my body to improve my VO2 max.
Another reason why VO2 max is important is that is directly correlated with how long we live. In fact, people who are in the top 2.5% of the population for VO2 max have a 5x reduction in all cause mortality compared to the bottom 25%! The top third have a 3x reduction! Given how inactive much of the population is, that is not a high bar to achieve. Imaging if I could prescribe you a tablet that would reduce your risk of dying by that amount? It would be a worldwide best-seller.
If you would like to check your VO2 max, I am about to partner with a team offering this at a huge discount compared to what was available previously. I’ll confirm details in the coming weeks, but if you’re interested hit reply and I can add your name to my list.
The second aspect of future proofing your body is strength. I simply cannot overstate how important it is for humans to be as strong as possible within their circumstances. This will look very different for different people, but the principles are the same. I actually personally think this is more important than pure aerobic exercise. The principals of strength reducing at a predictable rate are also the same as for VO2 max. Typically the loss is between 3-8% per decade, but this accelerates after age 60.
If I want to lift a 10kg suitcase into an overhead locker in an airplane when I’m in my 70s (hopefully on the way to some far-away interesting place!), or pull a 20 kg suitcase off a luggage belt, I need to be able to shoulder press 15kg minimum, and deadlift 26kg now. It sounds nerdy, but these are exactly the sorts of things I factor into my own training each week. I’m training to stand the best chance possible of being in great health later on. These are also the sorts of things I’ve been speaking with my Dad about. Now he suddenly has the time, it’s something he has decided to prioritise.
In this week’s video, I discuss a trial looking into ectopic heart beats – something I have suffered from myself, so I was keen to read about it! Have a great week.