Embracing the Unpredictable: Navigating Health Scares and Prioritizing Wellness in Midlife

By the time we've reached midlife, we've most likely experienced a health crisis, either ours or someone’s very close to us, and lost people we’ve known well and loved.

Yet, no matter where we are on the health continuum, a crisis is always a shock, especially if it’s our own

The reality is modifiable risk factors are largely responsible for the leading causes of death. And many of the risk factors are preventable years and even decades before a diagnosis. There is a LOT of research (and a lot of speculation) about how to delay the onset of disease by engaging in healthy habits. However, many people feel their risk is more due to aging than how they choose to live.

The common perception of an inevitable decline and marginal health towards the end of life is evolving and, in our opinion, is outdated! We talk about the 'how tos' for living longer and better as we age at Rumblings.  

As a registered and licensed dietitian and an exercise physiologist, we practice what we recommend to others. We're on this aging journey too. Our aim has always been to distill the science into understandable and actionable recommendations to help you improve your aging journey. We want to help women differentiate between personal health recommendations (e.g., I lost weight; therefore, I am an expert), beliefs of self-professed wellness experts (e.g., I took a 30-hour class to get a coaching certificate), and true research-based recommendations to cut through the confusion, improve health, and prevent risk factors for disease.

We're not perfect. I (Karyn) secretly love salty chips and crackers and love cheese. But I enjoy them in moderation. We're focused on creating a strategy and plan for our health and prioritizing behaviors necessary to increase our health span. 

Our intent is not only to delay death but to push off disease from the so-called four Horsemen (cancer, cardiovascular disease, metabolic dysfunction, neurodegenerative declines) and improve the quality of our lives as we age. Who doesn’t want to feel great, move pain-free, and engage fully in life until we die?

I was recently reminded, however, that all the awareness, diligence, and healthy habits in the world don't make us immune to experiencing health scares. A few months ago, I was flagged for having an abnormality in my blood via a screening done to donate plasma. It was a fluke because this serum protein electrophoresis (SPEP) is not typically done as part of a routine exam in the United States.

I felt great, and all my typical wellness checks – and a few additional tests I requested – had been at optimal levels for health. Although I'm not thin, I require no regular medications. After completing several other tests, including a CT scan and bone marrow biopsy (sedation during the procedure made it pain-free), I was determined to have monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS for short), a precursor for multiple myeloma. 

Multiple myeloma is terminal cancer with no treatment, and the standard treatment is to treat the effects of cancer. These effects are often the first indication an individual might have this type of cancer. Multiple myeloma is one of the rarer cancers, with no modifiable risk factors other than possibly obesity, but the number of individuals with the diagnosis is increasing worldwide.

As someone who is a “worried well” individual, there is a processing and reckoning required to accept that, occasionally, our health is out of our control. There is no lifestyle behavior to be modified, no treatment or pharmacological intervention to improve the situation, and nothing that could have prevented this from happening to me. It wasn't easy to grapple with.  

Confirmation that I have MGUS, a precursor, and not cancer, was a huge relief. I may never progress into multiple myeloma, but thankfully, I now have the baseline of all of my measures from my test results and can monitor any progression along the continuum of conditions that are precursors to multiple myeloma.

It was also a good reminder that as pristine as we may be with our health, there are some things over which we have no control. Rather than let it all go and live la vida loca, I have re-evaluated my approach to my health and wellness. I want to share it; in case it might be helpful for anyone else who finds themselves in a similar situation.

I have changed my mindset to think about my lifestyle behaviors as self-care. Good health is not only the absence and prevention of disease but also about building a 'reserve' of good health in case I get sick. 

Here is what that means for me and links to previous blog posts if you want to understand a topic further.

- I engage in exercise and physical fitness that feels like play, but I also choose activities that allow me to spend time in nature. I've always found joy in moving my body because I can – no matter what that looks like at any given moment. 

- I eat healthfully, including choosing plants, hitting protein targets, monitoring calorie intake, and focusing on whole foods.

- I limit alcohol consumption. Research suggests there may be no healthy intake levels for some individuals, and consuming too much may increase cancer risk.

- I am  extra vigilant with scheduling and staying current with my preventive exams and screenings

- I'm encouraging all my midlife friends (especially all of you) to ask their providers to include a SPEP or CBC test as part of their routine blood work at their next preventive exam.

- I got a bone density exam. The results provide information beyond just understanding the risk for osteoporosis. One of the initial signs of multiple myeloma for many people is vertebral compression fractures. This situation is exacerbated if your bone density is less than optimal.

This is my list based on my current health status. I encourage you to renew your focus on joy and vitality, whatever that looks like for you. Health is more than your test results and screening numbers. It's about creating memories with those you love and experiencing the joy of being healthy to live it as fully as possible.

Too often, as we age, we look to the past without recognizing that the best way to stay young is to look toward the future. 

A wise friend once told me that time is short and the world is big. There are dreams I've yet to finish, and many I still need to start living. My spirit is young, and I want to put in the effort to make sure my body stays young, even as I age.

Here's to life! Such a gift I will not waste.

You can find out more about multiple myeloma and its precursors here.

Eat More Fruits and Vegetables: It’s Not as Difficult as You Think

You know fruits and vegetables are essential for good health and longevity. You've heard this message since you were a youngster and adults encouraged you to eat your green beans. 

Yet only one in 10 adults eat the minimum 5-A-Day recommended amounts of fruits (1.5 to 2 cups) and vegetables (2 to 3 cups) on any given day. 

Eating a diet abundant in plants can help reduce the risk of many leading causes of illnesses and deaths, like cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, and obesity. 

No matter what eating pattern you follow—keto, paleo, vegan, Mediterranean, or plant-forward—fruits and vegetables are at the foundation of the recommendations. Eating more produce is a great place to start when trying to improve your eating habits for aging well. 

Consider what you ate yesterday. How many servings of fruits and vegetables did you eat? For most of us, we could eat more. The 5-A-Day recommendation for good health is a baseline. Research continues to suggest that eating additional servings is even better for health. 

We realize this may be old news for some, but living well and flourishing after 50 requires going back to the basics, assessing where we're at, and modifying our lifestyles to align with the recommendations for healthful eating. This is especially important as our nutrition needs change as we age.

Behavior change can be hard, especially when it comes to what we eat. We understand. We live the challenges too. Eating patterns become habits. Habits can be difficult to recognize and modify. And, even if we make changes, we often find ourselves slipping back into our old ways. 

Instead of focusing on the statistics of why you should increase fruits and vegetables in your diet, let’s focus on how to do it so you can create healthier habits for good.  

Because no matter where you're at on your fruit and vegetable consumption journey, it's not too late to look for ways to add more servings into your day to reap health and well-being benefits. 

Let's get started. 

First, assess what is getting in your way of eating more fruits and vegetables.

It's difficult to make sustained changes without identifying what is actually getting in your way. Think about what is stopping you from eating fruits and vegetables. For many people, it's the taste. Growing up, you may have been served overcooked or canned vegetables that tasted bland. Or maybe you have a habit of reaching for convenience foods for meals and snacks. Depending on your climate or location, you may even lack access to fresh produce. Whatever your barriers, write them down. Think deeply about how they impact your food choices on a day-to-day basis. The good news is that it is always easier to add something health-promoting to your lifestyle than it is to take something away. 

Next, set a goal. 

Start small and be realistic. Trying to make too big of a change at one time can set you up to fail. If you're eating three servings of fruits and vegetables a day right now, can you add one more serving every day this week? If you're doing well on eating enough fruit but not veggies, set a goal to substitute a veggie for a snack each day. Write your plan down and post it somewhere you can see it every day. Use your goal to make a plan for the week. For example, you may have to modify your grocery list or adjust your weekly meal plan. 

Be adventurous.

Take a look at your plate. Are you eating a variety of fruits and vegetables every day or unintentionally limiting yourself to just a few? Different fruits and vegetables deliver specific nutrients and therefore promote various health benefits. Aim to choose a variety of dark leafy greens, red and orange veggies, cruciferous veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, or cabbage), berries, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, and garlic daily.

If you're looking for additional ideas for adding fruits and vegetables to your day, join us for Rumblings' Fruit & Veggie Challenge. Together we're committing to increasing our intake, enhancing the variety of choices we make every day, being more adventurous in trying new types of fruits and vegetables, experimenting in how we prepare them, and supporting each other along the way. You can download tips to get started and follow Rumblings Media on Facebook and Instagram to be inspired. 

Track your progress.

Writing down your goals and progress helps you focus on overcoming your barriers, prioritize your intentions, stay motivated, and celebrate your successes. Putting specific goals in writing and then visualizing successfully achieving them is associated with a greater likelihood of reaching them. Plus, it helps you be consistent, stay on track, and recognize your progress. Writing down your goals and checking your progress is worth the effort. 

Be aware of how you feel.

It's essential to recognize how you feel when you eat more fruits and vegetables and how you feel when achieving your daily goals. Recognizing positive progress impacts your confidence in your ability to make a lasting change. How we feel often dictates what we do more than knowing something is healthy for us, so make sure you're intentionally focusing on how you feel. Write down how you feel physically from eating healthfully, and how you feel about achieving your goals and making progress. 

See yourself as a role model. 

It's not what we say, but most often what we do that influences the behaviors of others. Think of yourself as a plant-eating role model to your kids, nieces, nephews, grandkids, neighbors, girlfriends, or partner. Not only will this positively influence others' behaviors, but it will also make it easier for you to be consistent and sustain your fruit and vegetable eating patterns. For example, talking about the great taste of vegetables helps you motivate others to give them a try.

Believe in yourself!

Self-efficacy is your belief or confidence in your ability to succeed in a particular situation. It plays a role in how you feel about yourself and how you think and act. Believing in yourself will help you achieve your goals. Believe that you have the knowledge, skills, motivation, and willpower to overcome your barriers, be consistent, and sustain your new fruit and vegetable eating behaviors for the long term. Tracking your progress can provide an external motivator until you have established a solid internal sense of self-efficacy of changing your behaviors.

Celebrate your success. 

Changing behaviors is challenging, especially when adding additional fruits and vegetables to your eating plan. When you reach your goals, celebrate! Tell others about your achievements. You did the hard work and deserve the accolades. Your success will motivate others to join you in your new healthy habits!

Living well as you age will take work. It's worth it. Commit to eating more fruits and vegetables to flourish after 50. 

Join us in celebrating National Nutrition Month as we challenge ourselves to eat more fruits and vegetables, support one another, and get healthier as a community. Download our free Fruit & Veggie Challenge Tips and follow Rumblings Media on Facebook and Instagram for support, sharing successes, and discussing challenges. 

Together we RUMBLE!