This article is reprinted by permission from NextAvenue.org. After age 50, your physical wellness will be challenged: lower metabolism that can cause weight fluctuations, less bone density and strength that impairs balance and increases bone fractures from falls, as well as hormonal changes such as menopause for women and andropause for men.
Every decade brings new health issues. Everything from diabesity (obesity+diabetes), high blood pressure, and even loss of taste and smell can become obstacles in achieving life satisfaction and a sense of emotional well-being. As the baby boom generation is living longer, only some of those bonus years are lived in good health. But, unfortunately, our health spans and well spans are not matching our lifespans.
““By engaging multisensory dining in any environment – hospital, memory care or at home – we bring both nutrition and pleasure back to one of our most basic activities: the joy of eating.””
— Charles Spence, head of the Crossmodal Research Laboratory at the University of Oxford, London
Can music be the new healthy aging diet plan? Renowned gastrophysicist Charles Spence, head of the Crossmodal Research Laboratory at the University of Oxford in London, may have the answer. His innovative research is the basis for three bestselling books, “Gastrophysics — The New Science In Eating,” “The Perfect Meal” and “Sense-Hacking” demonstrating how our five senses can train our brains to eat more wisely. Or what Spence calls “multisensory dining.” For instance, for diabetics, a low-sugar meal paired with certain high-pitch music, such as songs by Taylor Swift or Mariah Carey, can trick the brain into thinking the meal is 10% sweeter. For those with hypertension needing a low-sodium diet, lower-pitch music with more bass, such as jazz and blues or pop icon Frank Sinatra and country legend Johnny Cash, can make the meal taste more savory without adding salt. “As we age, our senses decline, but in the case of hearing or eyesight, we have solutions such as hearing aids or eyeglasses to maintain the optimal level of these senses,” said Spence. “When taste and smell go, we don’t have any solutions for that.” See: Is salt really that bad for you? Here’s the skinny on sodium and your health. According to an American Hospital Association report, by 2030, 25% of the boomer generation will have diabetes. Six in 10 will have at least one chronic condition due to obes …