Nordic walking and MS

An article about the benefits of Nordic walking for people with MS made this point: "...we don’t want to just tell people with neurological deficits to ‘take a random walk’ if they walk poorly and slowly. Nordic walking is more efficient, requiring less energy, while encouraging straightness and balance.”

Key points:

• "Poles provide two additional points of contact with the ground, and for people with MS who may have gait problems."
• "Gentle increases in range of motion from pole movement can help reduce pain in the back, neck and shoulders."
• “...conditions muscles of the upper body, abdominals, back and legs."
• "Elevated mood and well-being."
• "...helps neuroplasticity."
• "...actively stretches the heel cord."

Will you still need me, will you still feed me when I'm 64 and 74 and 84 and 94...?

I came across an interesting sponsored blog post from a financial institution that had some useful facts about aging.

Best factoid: "...there are more centenarians, or people living above the age of 100, than at any point in history."

Key points:

• "Breakthroughs in healthcare, sanitation and nutrition; mass urbanization; and the introduction of social security systems to supplement old-age income have all helped elongate the human lifespan."
• "More than 80 countries worldwide already have fertility rates lower than replacement levels, and by 2050, the share of the global population above 65 is expected to rise to 16%, up from 8% today and 5% in 1950."
• "While emerging markets are younger relative to developed economies, they are following a similar trend, often aging more quickly than historical precedents."

Implications for the aging phenomenon:

• Study, work, retire is an obsolete model.
• Older people will have greater spending power.
• Economic sectors relevant to longevity are: pharmaceuticals, medical devices, healthcare providers, assisted care and senior living facilities.

Apparently, no one really knows what to expect as populations age.

Grow new brain cells. Wait, what?

It looks like you can grow new brain cells even into late old age. A recent study said that neurogenesis (growth of new brain cells), while happening mostly in embryos, can still happen even into your 80s.

Couple that with the concept called neuroplasticity (the brain's ability to adapt and change), and you have a nice recipe for maintaining higher levels of cognitive ability than you might have realized.

Nordic walkers will be interested in learning that researchers want to deepen their understanding of how exercise facilitates neurogenesis and neuroplasticity.

The best may be yet to come, but exercising can give us a glimpse of what's possible.