Melanie Cole, MS (Host): We hear a lot about how to treat illness, but not as much about how to prevent and reverse chronic disease through lifestyle management and behaviors that we all have today. We're learning about lifestyle tips to help us all live longer. Welcome to It's Your Health Radio with Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital.

I'm Melanie Cole, and joining me today is fan favorite, Dr. Roo Rai. He's a primary care physician on the medical staff at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital. Dr. Rai, it's a pleasure as always. I'm so glad to have you with us. This is a great topic and there are so many things that we can do, so let's jump right in with screening as we age.

There are certain things that become more important, so I'd like you to touch on some of the important screening recommendations as we get, let's say over 50.

Anirudh Rai, MD: Yeah, absolutely. So as we do get older, screening is a great tool technically that we have this day and age to help with, essentially increasing, longevity to help you live longer and healthy. Thankfully this day and age actually, we've even put a lot of the emphasis on preventative care.

And with that we found out that if people engage in those sort of activities of preventative care, talking to your doctor, going to your yearly appointments, that will improve your longevity, let you live healthier as well. When it comes to screening tests, that's something we also put a great emphasis on.

Typically after 50, that is when we start, talking about screening for colon cancer, and there's a lot of ways we could screen for that. Thankfully, there's a lot of tools in our arsenal to help get the right diagnosis for that. After 50, we also talk about vaccinations. It's important to kind of prevent your body from getting sick as well, especially with shingles.

That's another good sort, a good, vaccine that we will talk about once you get above 50 as well. Of course the flu shots. Good way to kind of make sure you're staying healthy. And at that point we also talk about doing blood work to kind of make sure there's nothing that, that we can't see, that we can't treat ahead of time, like diabetes, cholesterol, making sure kidney and liver doing okay.

These are good preventive care that we as a primary care doctor would want you to, be aware of and we would test for it as well. So there's a lot of things we would talk about when it comes to preventative care. And after 50, there's a bunch to actually go over more in depth as well.

Melanie Cole, MS (Host): Well, certainly, you know, getting old is not for sissies. It's not that easy. But there are things we can do, as you say, and I just as the host here, wanna mention mammograms. You mentioned colonoscopies and our dermatologist. To our dentists. So, listeners, these are all things that are so important, as Dr. Rice said, to make sure that we visit our primary care and check in on some of these things, because catching things early is really the best way to treat them better.

So now, what about movement? You know, you and I have talked about exercise a lot. What type of movement has the biggest impact, do you think, on longevity?

Anirudh Rai, MD: That's a good question. So, thankfully there have been studies on this specifically when it comes to longevity and, physical fitness. and as you pointed out, pretty well is essentially is prevention is better than cure because if you prevent stuff from happening, you don't have to go for a cure because it never happened in the first place.

So prevention is ideal when it comes to making sure you're living long and living healthy. When it comes to activity is we found out a couple of things. Cardio is a great way to kind of make sure your whole body is working at a pristine state. So not only does it prevent or decrease high blood pressure if you're to do more cardiac exercises and also weightlifting.

So these are both in tandem. They work well in not only decreasing high blood pressure, but also keeps your muscle in tone and in check, because as we get older. And muscles do tend to lose a little bit of their mass. a term we like to use a sarcopenia, meaning as you get older, the muscles themselves, you're not using 'em as of as often will get smaller and smaller.

And that could lead to other problems like falls, balance issues, and the overall decreased quality of life. So we know for a fact that at least 30 to 45 minutes a day of, high intensity or moderate intensity exercises of either cardio or weightlifting is a great way to make sure your bones are healthy and your muscles are healthy, especially for women as they get older.

There is a high chance the bones do get weaker, especially since the estrogen goes away and menopause hits. So these kind of exercises, I would be more inclined to tell my female patients just because they would benefit a large amount compared to our male patients, which also I would recommend to have these exercises in check to help not only promote good activity, to keep yourself moving, but also improve your longevity as well.

Melanie Cole, MS (Host): Don't I know it 'cause I'm right in that age group, Dr. Rai. And I wanna also point out here for people that say, but I don't have time for 45 minutes a day. You can break it up. And the studies have shown that if you do that 45 minutes in broke.

Up 10, 15 minute increments, it still has a really great effect for your body. So that's just something to know if you don't have that 45 minute span. Okay, now food, Dr. Rai, I'm sure everybody asks you all the time about nutrition and what's the best way to eat.

I get the questions. Every day and all the time as well. So what is the simplest way for us to look at what we eat? To look at the nutrition that we're taking in so that we know we're getting the nutrients that we need, which if we're not, then maybe we might have to supplement with.

Anirudh Rai, MD: That's a good question. Nutrition is a big topic in itself. ideally I always tell my patients, you know, having a balanced diet is important. Avoiding these processed foods is always a good place to start. It's easier said than done just because this day and age, that's, the easiest thing people grab onto.

Time is a, factor as well, but it's important to have healthy foods, natural foods. Fruits vegetables have a good balanced diet in general just to how, just to have a good function, of your body. but another interesting thing just to kind of a part of that topic is food is important, ingestion is important, but also the amount you eat is important.

There have been some studies, particularly I believe, the Calor calorie trial. You actually noted that if you were to decrease your calorie intake by at least 25%. You could actually find out you're aging less, a little bit slower, your, body as actually functioning at a more prime, functionality. So it's important to understand that eating the right amount of food is important, and also reading the amount, uh, quality of food is important.

So both are important when it comes to longevity and honestly to make you look a bit younger as well.

Melanie Cole, MS (Host): Wow, that is really great advice. Just about, what did you say, 25%.

Anirudh Rai, MD: Yeah, there was a study, the calorie trial, anyone could research it as well. They showed that if you were to decrease the calorie intake by 25%, not saying complete stop any calorie intake, which is intermittent fasting, but just by reducing your calorie by 25%, you could actually slow the aging process, keep your body functioning more at its prime state a bit longer as well.

And, it has shown, at least for the most part in those studies, that people age slower in those kind of states.

Melanie Cole, MS (Host): Wow. That is cool. That's really great information and we can all do that. I mean, 25% doesn't sound like that much. So we look at what we eat, we shop the perimeter of the grocery store. all of those little tips that you can get are what can help you to decrease that 25% and wow, that really is good advice.

Now, one of the things that we run into, especially as we get older, I know that it's big for me too, is sleep. Our teenagers, our 20 somethings certainly don't get enough sleep. Probably because the blue light and they're on their phones and all this stuff, but then the people in my age group have trouble staying asleep all night sometimes, and we're not getting what we used to get when we didn't have all the worries and the turning off our mind all the time.

What's your best advice for sleep, Dr. Rai and getting that good night's sleep because that is elusive for some of us.

Anirudh Rai, MD: Absolutely. Sleep is vital for everyone in general. And we found out, at least when you get older, actually our sleep cycle does get a bit, uh, I wouldn't say malfunction, but it does lose its quality and that. Some people say as a natural progression, as we get older, our mind tends to be more primed to work better at sometimes even lower amounts of sleep.

Sleep nonetheless is important because it refreshes the mind. It keeps the body a bit refreshed as well. It's important when you do go to sleep. I always talk to all my patients about sleep hygiene. Making sure you avoid, tv if you can. When you go to sleep, use the bed only specifically for sleep, not for eating, not to use your phone when you sleep.

These are all important things that your body will eventually, understand. And we don't want your body to have that habit where when you go to bed, your body says, Hey, let me get on the phone. Let me get on, the laptop or the television that will actually desensitize your body to say it shouldn't go to sleep.

So sleep is vital when it comes to making sure you're. Body's energized properly, and also it does improve longevity and overall quality of health. So that is another topic that I always tell my patients, sleep hygiene is vital when it comes to it.

Melanie Cole, MS (Host): It is. So you mean I shouldn't be laying on my side looking at TikTok for like what sometimes goes two, three hours. We're not supposed to do that, right? We're supposed to cut off all those kind of lights. For that sleep hygiene.

Anirudh Rai, MD: Yes, absolutely. So the, blue screen, like you mentioned, the blue light is very invigorating to certain parts of your mind. and when your body or your eyes see a certain wavelength of light it programmed, it's programmed to think that you should wake up. So that is something we wanna kind of avoid as much as possible.

Sometimes I know that some, uh, screens like the phones do have a special option for like, sleep mode where it turns off that specific wavelength. But nonetheless, I would say use the bed only for sleep. Avoid using that too. Scroll through tiktoks or on the laptop or on the TV because the bed is supposed to be used only for sleep, and that is what can not only promote good daytime awareness, but it could also increase your longevity as well.

Melanie Cole, MS (Host): Okay, I will now. Speaking of things that we do to make ourselves feel better. Stress. Stress, we've learned over the years and you know, I've been in this field a very long time and we learned about cortisol, gosh, back in graduate school so long ago, and now we're learning more and more, Dr. Rai about the inflammatory processes involved in stress and stress management and the importance of really.

Teaching ourselves not to react and respond to every little stressor. And we know that what's going on in the world today can take its toll on any one of us. What is your best advice? And you and I have talked about stress a lot, but some management techniques for any of us because it really is pervasive and intrusive and it can be detrimental to our health in so many ways.

Anirudh Rai, MD: Absolutely. Stress is a very hard, topic to even discuss sometimes because not. There's not this like guideline saying, Hey, if this happens, do X, Y, and Z. Like in medicine, I can't give you a pill for stress unfortunately. But thankfully as human beings we've been through quite a bit historically speaking.

So we do have the capability to, to adhere and not only adhere, but overcome large amounts of stress. The best thing that I could do to tell all my patients about stress is first I would ask them, is it that you like to do? What are things that. That can help you.

That used to do that helps de-stress you in certain ways. It could be working out, reading, walking, something to kind of help keep you motivated is important. And that's where social context also come in And, In the picture, having friends, family members, talking to 'em, conversing with them, that's a good way to not only relieve your stress, but it's also a good social, social form of exercise because every human being does need that form of exercise.

And not only that, socializing to other people is a great waiting. Not only increase your quality of health, but to increase your longevity. People who have these good social contacts, strong social contacts, not only decrease their stress. But also increase their longevity. They live healthier, they live happier as well.

Stress is something that is a hot topic these days just because people tend to be more stressed nowadays, but thankfully as your primary care doctor or any physician, you talk to them, they could help you and to get to the right folks. Therapists are a great way to kind of help get the stress out, to get things off your chest, and it's important nonetheless to have someone that you feel comfortable talking to because it is.

A very touchy subject is something that makes people feel vulnerable, but nonetheless, it is a human emotion. It's something that we are aware of and it's something that everyone should be more open to discuss as well.

Melanie Cole, MS (Host): I agree, and I know so many people. I think I'm married to one who doesn't love the idea of talking and getting professional help, but it's. So important these days, and there are so many ways to seek out counseling and get psychological help should you need it in these unprecedented times.

But you mentioned social and having friends and besides that, Dr. Rai, we're learning more and more right about, and I'm not necessarily gonna be corny and say it won't spiritual. Gratitude and giving back to feed our souls. I'm an aging hippie, so I've always kind of thought about it like that, but having friendships and even in this day and age and since COVID, right, we, none of us wanted to go out and I know some people that kind of just stuck along that whole way of thinking, I'm not interested in going out anymore.

But having friendships, feeding our souls, getting back to nature, gratitude, all of these kinds of things can really help us to calm and center right.

Anirudh Rai, MD: Absolutely. And what we did find out about these social distancing during COVID is people's stress level went through the roof because they didn't have the social contacts, the family. To engage with, the friends to discuss with. it's very important to have, the social contact physically as in they should be in front of you.

I mean, it's good that we have virtual ways to connect to everyone, but the social contact of, shaking someone's hand and seeing them face to face has a completely different impact versus something that's virtual. So it's always important to have these social connections. Even though they can be tough at times and it can be a bit hard, but nonetheless, it is something that our body does need and we are social creatures by nature, and it's always important that in this journey in life, it's important to have someone with you to kind of.

Go through this process, say a, rope with multiple strands is not easily broken. And that's the same thing with life. It is something that we as human beings are always aware of. And even in our situation in our clinic, we have a team with it. So we are some, we are a team driven, humanity in that sense.

So it's important to have these social contacts always adhere to them and reach for new ones because these social contacts is what makes us all human.

Melanie Cole, MS (Host): I love that. I love the way you said that whole thing, so. I'd like you to wrap it up with your best advice. As I always ask you what your best advice is, Dr. Ryan, you just come on here and you give us so much good information and really you just, you're so generous with your time for us because people can't always ask a doctor all of these questions and you're such an expert and you're such a nice man with a lot of compassion for your patients.

If there was one habit. Dr. Rai that you would say, Hey guys, I really want you to look at trying not to do this anymore, and one habit that you could say, I really want you to do this. Give us your best advice with a don't, but then end it with a do.

Anirudh Rai, MD: Absolutely. so just a quick summary. It's important to always talk to your doctor, have these yearly exams, just to make sure your body's doing well. Talk about preventative care. That's always important when it comes to every stage in life because there's, prevention is better than cured by definition, and the best thing to do is eat healthy, have a well-balanced diet.

Exercise and also have these social contacts and support to always stay engaged with your community, with your family, because all these put together are not in a vacuum. They have to be adhered to together to live a long, healthy, strong life. If I were to give some advice about what to avoid, definitely avoid any bad habits.

Smoking, decreasing alcohol intake, these kind of bad habits can linger on quite a bit and, can be quite detrimental. At the same time, I would want people to be more social, engaged with others around them and, and be a bit more thoughtful. Because it is important to have these social contacts talk to your doctor.

That's a social engagement in itself, and it is important to always be mindful of, those around you, because these social contacts, these social interactions, they're hard for everyone at times. But we are all human beings that learn from each other, that, that go through these trials together and these sort of obstacles.

We've overcome so much in the past, and there's so much more we can do. So as human beings, always stay in touch with everyone. Always encourage everyone when you can. At the same time, don't be afraid of the obstacles in front of you.

Melanie Cole, MS (Host): You're such a lovely man. Thank you so much for joining us today and sharing your expertise yet again for being our own best health advocate, because I think, as you said, talk to your doctor. That's so important that we advocate for ourselves and we set. Goals and we try and reach those goals because each new milestone helps us to feel better about ourselves and helps us to generate that positive motivation and enthusiasm.

Thank you so much Dr. Rai, for joining us as always. And you can request an appointment with Dr. Rai by visiting Henry Mayo primary care.com. You can also visit the free Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital online health information library@library.henrymayo.com. That concludes this episode of It's Your Health Radio with Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital.

Please always remember to subscribe, rate, and review. It's your health radio. On Apple Podcast, Spotify, iHeart and Pandora. I'm Melanie Cole. Thanks so much for joining us today. I.