Physical Healing - Keys to Life-long Health 

Aging Well: How the Body Changes from 65 to 90, and What You Can Do About It​

 

Introduction

This section leans toward older believers, discussing how they differ from younger believers. Aging is not a single event but a slow shift in how the body operates and repairs itself. Ask yourself one very simple question: Have you ever known any person, anywhere in the world, who was "healthier" when they died than when they were born? 

    After 65, and particularly after 75, muscle mass declines faster, bones lose density, the heart and lungs lose some reserve capacity, the body changes its metabolism, and the immune system responds more slowly. Cell repair and cleansing become less efficient, and these small deficiencies add up and become a negative feedback cycle.

    Remaining healthy and minimizing disease requires some specific lifestyle changes - and the message is: either change or, if not, suffer a more rapid decline and reduced quality of life that will come from not changing.

    Also, I believe personally that God is less willing to heal someone physically whose lifestyle is destroying their body and who is unwilling to change that lifestyle.

    Yet some in their 80s and 90s are mentally sharp, still walking, exercising, walking up stairs, mobile without walkers or wheelchairs, and riding bikes each day. In comparison, many others in their late 60s and 70s require walkers or canes to ambulate, take elevators rather than stairs, are obese and show mental decline. In this section, we will touch on some of the things that can make the difference between those two situations.
    Physical and mental decline are not fixed by the calendar (elapsed time) or inevitable. Independence in elder years depends upon daily habits, nutrition, interventions and purpose (a sense of having divine work to do); all make a huge difference, strongly shaping how quickly these changes happen. Read More:

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The Impact of Poor Nutrition

Older adults tend to eat less because appetite fades, taste and smell weaken, they become more sedentary, and cooking for one feels like a chore. Does what you eat include more sugars or artificial sweeteners, unhealthy seed oils and more processed foods? If so, you are creating inflammatory reactions throughout your body, accelerating visceral fat creation, muscle loss, and inviting heart problems and cancers into your life. 

    The body's nutrient, vitamin and other needs don't shrink along with appetite, though. The body needs supplementation of substances it previously produced at higher levels, like coenzymeQ12, Glutathione, NAD+, Collagen, Melatonin, DHEA, Creatine for muscles, and various digestive enzymes, since as we age, our bodies don't produce these as easily. As we age, reliable nutritional information becomes more important. Yet, how many of us consult with a nutritional specialist? Where are we getting this information? From social media, YouTube or some other sketchy source.

    It needs more Vit B12, protein (9 amino acids), Omega-3 fats (EPA and DHA), Folate (Vit B9), Vit C, Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc, fiber, selenium, iodine, Vit E, and iron - that come primarily from food eaten. Yet many seniors don't eat foods that contain these. This is particularly true if they have become heavier and insulin resistant.

    Thirst also weakens, so mild dehydration is quite common, and they drink sodas containing artificial sweeteners, like Aspartame, Erythritol (Truvia), Acesulfame Potassium (Ace-K), Sucralose (Splenda), Saccharin (Sweet-n-Low), Sugar alcohols (xylitol, sorbitol, maltitol) used in sugar-free gum, candy, and "diabetic" sweets, and others.

    The World Health Organization's (WHO) cancer agency classified Aspartame as "possibly carcinogenic" in 2023. Large French studies have linked high intake to modestly higher cancer and heart disease rates. People with the genetic condition PKU, however, must avoid it completely. Read food labels: what replaces "sugar" in those products that claim they are "sugar free"? Are the replacements safe?
    Research at the Cleveland Clinic found that high blood levels of Erythritol were linked to heart attack and stroke, and that it made blood platelets clot more easily. That makes it a particular concern for anyone with heart disease or clotting risk, or who is stroke-prone.

    Sucralose (Splenda) can alter gut bacteria and blood sugar responses. In lab tests, a byproduct called sucralose-6-acetate damaged DNA, and baking with it at high heat may create unwanted chemical compounds.
    Sugar alcohols' main problems are gas, bloating, and diarrhea. Maltitol raises blood sugar more than people expect. Xylitol showed a similar clotting signal to erythritol, though with less research. Xylitol is also deadly to dogs, even in small amounts.

    Consuming non-processed or non-GMO foods is a useful intervention. But eating less while needing more nutrients leaves many seniors quietly undernourished and prone to muscle and calcium loss. This is not part of "normal aging"; rather, it's a major cause of disease, particularly when we start eating it at a young age. Read More:

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The Impact of Limited Exercise

Muscle is use-it-or-lose-it tissue. Without regular activity, older adults lose strength and balance, and that loss leads to falls, frailty, and loss of independence. But it must be the right mix of exercises to be effective, coupled with the right protein intake and autophagy.
     Inactivity also raises blood sugar, weakens the heart, stiffens joints, and lowers mood. Muscle is also the body's largest site for using blood sugar, so weaker muscles mean poorer metabolic health. Muscles run well on ketones and, with the right nutrients, can be built rather than lost during aging. Too little movement speeds muscle loss, raises fall risk, and harms blood sugar control. Read More:

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Reduced Autophagy

Autophagy, meaning "self-eating," is the cellular recycling program. Recycling breaks down worn-out parts, damaged proteins and mitochondria, reusing the raw materials to build new ones. With age, this cleanup slows down. Cellular debris then builds up, which is linked to inflammation, weaker muscles, and age-related diseases of the brain and heart. When cellular housekeeping slows, damaged material accumulates and triggers continuous inflammation that accelerates disease processes. Read More:

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Lymphatic System Blockages

The lymphatic system carries excess fluid, waste, and old immune cells from the tissues back out of the body. Unlike blood, lymph has no heart to pump it. It depends on muscle movement, breathing, and the vessels' gentle contractions, which weaken with age as mobility declines. When lymph flow slows, fluid can pool in the body, weaken immune defenses, and cause low-level inflammation. Lymph needs movement to flow, and sluggish drainage causes swelling. Read More:

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Visceral Fat Around the Liver and Intestines

Not all body fat is equal. Visceral fat wraps around internal organs, dumping directly into the liver and intestines, releasing waste that overwhelms the liver. This contributes to fatty liver disease, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. It often increases with age, even when body weight stays the same. Hidden fat around the organs drives inflammation, fatty liver, and blood sugar problems. 

 

Read More - A Word of Encouragement

If you do nothing, you have sentenced your earthly body to live at levels far below what it was designed for, and to cause your soul pain and suffering. Why would you do that to yourself?\

    Growing older does not have to mean steady decline. The body keeps its remarkable ability to respond, rebuild, and heal through our 70s, 80s, and beyond.

    Every walk and isometric exercise, every nourishing meal, every glass of liquid without artificial sweeteners or sugar, and every good night's sleep is an investment in the years ahead. Small, steady steps, taken with your doctor's guidance, can add not only years to your life but life to your years. It is never too late to start to slow down or reverse bodily decline. Undernutrition can hide in plain sight, even in people who are overweight.

    Spread good-quality protein across the day, including vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats; drink water regularly; and ask a doctor to help you determine, through lab tests, simple steps with real benefits that could reduce the number of prescribed drugs that deal with the symptoms but don't reduce or reverse the disease. When most doctors see you are serious, they will help you move toward your goal. No single intervention will change, slow or reverse your decline; it will take several interventions that become a new Lifestyle Pattern.

    Studies have shown that people in their 80s and 90s can build meaningful strength with supervised resistance training. Walking, light weights, resistance bands, chair exercises, and balance practice all help. Even short daily sessions count, and it is never too late to begin; we will share some thoughts to discuss with your medical practitioners. 

   Much autophagy research points to intermittent fasting with at least 12-15 hours between your last evening meal and your first meal the next day. Finish dinner by 6 PM, and have your first meal no earlier than 9 AM the next day. Many push autophagy further, fasting 16-18 hours and eating first at 10 AM or not before noon. After waking, people do light stretches and limited exercise so their muscles are primed to take up protein when the body is fed. The first meal should be rich in protein, crossing a 25-30 gram threshold, which will signal muscles to start rebuilding. Adequate sleep supports autophagy and healthy cellular cleanup. Anyone considering fasting should first talk with their doctor, especially if they take medications for blood sugar control (have type 1 or 2 diabetes) or blood pressure issues.

    Walking, calf exercises, deep belly breathing, and heel drops all move lymph and prime muscle rebuilding. Sleep matters because autophagy occurs during sleep, particularly during deep dreaming, when the brain clears waste. Pay attention to your body: persistent swelling on one side should always be checked by a doctor, since it can signal heart, kidney, or vein problems.

    Waist size isn't a reliable warning sign, nor does a reduction in waist size mean you're burning visceral fat; it may mean you are burning muscle tissue rather than building it. The good news is that visceral fat is often the first fat lost when lifestyle habits and meal timing improve. Cut out refined carbohydrates, sugary drinks, and creamers in morning coffee or tea (which stop autophagy), and eat more protein, leafy greens, fermented foods, and healthy fats. You can lose weight at about 1 pound per week, which is really encouraging. 
   Researchers distinguish chronological age (years lived) from biological age (how well the body functions). Two people of 80 can differ by decades in strength, balance, and metabolic health. The encouraging finding is that muscles, blood vessels, and even the brain remain responsive to good nutrition and activity well into the 90s IF you are willing to make meaningful lifestyle and food choices. 

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This article is for general education and is not medical advice. Please consult your physician before changing your diet, exercise, or fasting routine.

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