by Alvin Ho, myofunctional therapist, Leeming clinic
In today’s world, improvements in healthcare and medical technology are allowing us to live longer and longer. However, we are in a crisis of battling against chronic diseases – cardiovascular disease (e.g., strokes), degenerative brain conditions (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease, Dementia), and loss of mobility from joint and muscular conditions. It is paramount we work on preserving our health span early on so that we can preserve quality of life in the last 20-30 years of our lives.
Below are six vital aspects to maintaining health in the long term: ABCDES.
1. Airways
We breathe from the moment we break past the uterine wall into this world. Oxygen is essential for the healthy functioning of every cell in our bodies. How much air we draw through our air passageways determines how efficiently we get air into our lungs, and subsequently the rest of our bodies.
Below are a few areas I look out for when assessing for airway space and patency:
The palate determines the space for our nasal cavity – a narrow palate also means less space for air to get through the nose
Are there any nasal blockages?
- Any past trauma (common with history of contact sports)
Are there any throat blockages?
- Enlarged tonsils also cause obstructions – they should be inexistent past puberty
Jaw position
- A recessed jaw (or chin) “squashes” the airway
Size of palate
- The palate determines the space for our nasal cavity – a narrow palate also means less space for air to get through the nose
2. Breathing Mechanics
Distinct from airways, breathing mechanics involve how our bodies organise joint and muscular movement during each breath.
As we breathe in, the diaphragm lowers to create a pressure difference so that air can flow through our lungs. Coupled with the diaphragm movement, our ribcage also expands in all directions.
Many people, especially people who work in desk jobs or are more sedentary, develop postures with rounded shoulders and have “weak” hips. If this becomes the default posture, the ribcage cannot expand properly. The body then compensates by developing an “upper chest” breathing pattern which puts more stress on the neck muscles. This contributes to the common pattern of chronic neck and lower back pain in people who visit the clinic.
If the body has to work harder to breathe, then the heart also has to work harder to pump blood through the body. Therefore improving our breathing mechanics can play a role in reducing the risk of developing chronic conditions.
3. Circulation
Breathing determines how we get air and oxygen into our body. After this, our circulatory system helps to transport the oxygen and key chemicals throughout our body. If the circulatory system is dysfunctional, areas in our body can become deficient from key nutrients, or waste material can struggle to get out.
Key aspects of the circulatory system include:
- Cardiovascular (heart) health:
- The heart is the main pump that circulate blood and oxygen throughout the cells of our body
- Blood vessels:
- It is important to keep our blood vessels healthy; key risk factors for poor vascular health includes smoking, sedentary lifestyle and poor dietary choices
- Physiological factors:
- Some conditions can affect red blood cell production e.g., iron deficiency, vitamin b-12 deficiency
- Diabetes reduces the capacity for red blood cells to carry oxygen which subsequently reduces the efficiency of the circulatory system.
4. Dental Health
Here I am not just talking about oral hygiene, but the structural integrity of our jaw and teeth, as these also play a role in long term health.
I see many patients with a history of tooth loss from either disease or extractions (not including wisdom teeth). If the missing teeth are not replaced, it can gradually lead to loss of bone tissue in the jaw and palate, which may cause airway narrowing and contribute to an acceleration of ageing.
I also see many patients who have a habit of breathing through their mouth (while awake or asleep). This pattern allows for excessive exposure to allergens and can lead to development of dental cavities, gum disease, as well as chronic enlargement and inflammation of the tonsils.
5. Environment
This relates to our lifestyle and habits. Researchers have studied places where people live longer lives with lower incidence of chronic disease. Known as “blue zones”, these are typically environments where the terrain requires people to be more physically active, such as hilly regions where climbing stairs and slopes is every day practice, or places where low furniture requires people to frequently get up from the floor.
In most developed societies, our environment has almost become too convenient. We walk on flat ground requiring little balancing, we rarely climb steps and almost never have to jump – all functions our bodies were designed to perform. Instead, many people work jobs requiring long hours of sitting at a desk which compresses the spine and affects posture, which, as I mentioned earlier, can affect breathing mechanics.
Exercise is a great proxy for supplementing the movement we have lost through the environment. I am a huge advocate for strength training, which offers multiple benefits for our bones and our brain. In addition, we can (and should!) also modify our daily environment with strategies like parking further away or intentionally taking steps instead of the lift. Small tweaks add up over time.
6. Sleep
We are designed to spend a third of our lives sleeping. Sleep is a crucial function where our bodies recover from the physical exertion and mental stress of the day. While both sleep quantity and quality matter, sleep quality is a much better predictor of long-term health and brain function.
In the big picture, sleep is essential for:
- Cardiovascular (heart) health
- Chronic lack of sleep is associated with high blood pressure, inflammation and increased risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease
- Metabolic health
- Poor sleep can alter the hormones which control our hunger, which can lead to habitual uncontrolled binge eating
- Brain health
- Our brain clears out waste chemicals in our sleep, and chronic insufficiency is associated with dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease
- Immune function
- Our immune system is most active during a phase known as “deep sleep”; people with poor sleep quality can have their immune system compromised
How Can I Work On So Many Areas At Once?
Trying to optimise every aspect of our health at once can be overwhelming. It helps to remember that we can work on these areas slowly over a long period of time. Personally, I find it beneficial to just choose one or two areas to focus on for a particular year when I set out my goals for the year. Things then become easier as our positive habits start stacking and compounding.
If you have any questions, feel free to visit me in our Leeming clinic. You can book online or by calling (08) 9313 7433.
