Strong and Vital No 4

No. 4 Winter 2024 - online only www.strongandvital.com Strong & Vital THE LONGEVITY MAGAZINE FOR ACTIVE PEOPLE 60 PLUS 5.00 US$, EURO, CHF

BEATRIX KRUGER Yoga and Pilates Queen

Health Costs Explode How to Train People 90plus

What Has Marked Your Life?

A Useful DEATH EXPERIENCE

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Index of contents

Editorial

5

Supple Like a Young Cat... Yoga and Pilates Queen

6

Beatrix Kruger - page 6

Exercise - Best Medicine for Mental Health

8

Active Device-Support - Especially in Old Age

10

Sylvia Gattiker is Training People 90plus

14

Aktiv Physio - page 10

STRONG Longevity Self-Defence

15

Yvonne Keller - Weak Bladder

20

Emma Maria Mazzenga (91) World Champion

22

London Marathon 2024 - Oldest Participant ever (91)

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Dr Ingo Froböse - page 12

A Demographic Warning to Europe and the USA?

26

60 Year PaviGym

27

What Has Marked Your Life? A New Section

28

About Us

30

Charles - age 97 - page 14

Cancellation LONGEVITY Congress 6.11.24 in Locarno

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Death Experience - page 24

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STRONG and VITAL No. 4

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Edi torial

It's time for STRONG LONGEVITY SELF DEFENCE, see pages 15-17 in this issue. To * Those who KNOW that only through intensi ve muscle training (myokines - please google) can you live a reasonably healthy and independent life into very old age 100+, stay " everyday FIT" and preferably not burden the healthcare system. Anyone who is ill and has not taken care of their body all their life (alcohol, meat consumption, cigarettes, medication) should prove their health status by undergoing a test from the age of 70. In fact, in the future they could be forced to swallow the deadly pill (see science fiction film from 1979 refer ring to the year 2022, SOYLENT GREEN). The Longevity Lie

Have you noticed? The new term is everywhere: LONGEVITY. Who is really interested in longevity? The LONGEVITY events that I have attended or read about are designed to sell one thing under the pretext of longevity in good health: PILLS! No country is really interested in prolonging the lives of its citizens as they become an increasing financial burden with age. They have done their lifelong duty to pay taxes and contribute to the pensions of those alrea dy retired. From the state's point of view, the best time to So let's think further: if older people are simply seen as a burden on the community, pol itics could decide to set a ma ximum life expectancy beyond which only those who are in perfect health and therefore do not burden health insurance, or those who are ill but wealthy and can pay for their own treat ment, would be allowed to live. Does it sound like science fiction? That's why I'm convinced that there will soon be a witch hunt against older people. Pessimism or realism? Why should older people be allowed to live longer than 70 when care costs are continually rising and there is a lack of caring staff? Subsequent generations could resort to punitive actions on the street and carry out tar geted attacks against older people because they are no longer wanted. Organ donation: In various countries in Europe, organ donation is MANDATORY. In the event of death, organ removal is possible unless otherwise indicated during life. In other words, my body would become collective property. Only an explicit objection would prevent the removal of one's own organs. But in the event of an ac cident, when time is running out, would the medical staff have time to check my choice? Or should I have my decision tattooed on my forehead if I do NOT want my organs to be donated? By analogy, I consider the prede termined lifespan scenario to be possible. Suddenly my visions no longer seem so unrealistic. die is the first day of retirement. In matters of death, it should be noted that dying with dignity is a purely personal matter.

The biggest demographic ca tastrophe is not only the low birth rates in Europe, but also the low wages that young people are increasingly being paid. This means they can neither afford a family nor pay into a good old-age pension, let alone finance pensioners.

It was actually my intention to organise a LONGEVITY con gress in Locarno on 6 Novem ber 2024 to show the relevant authorities and the interested public an alternative and cur rently completely unconventio nal way to age well. But given the circumstances, if institutions do not Take the time to partici pate, it makes no sense to or ganise speakers who address an audience of people already

familiar * with the subject, namely the insiders. Such participants are already familiar with the subject. Yours Jean-Pierre

Jean-Pierre Leonhard Schupp Born 1954, Biological age "54", Health expert, book author, 5th Dan Black Belt Karate/kick-boxing, Curriculum vitae and contact; info@strongandvital.com

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Inter view

Supple Like a Young Cat... Jean-Pierre L. Schupp in Conversation with Beatrix Kruger

JPS: I’m probably not the only person who doesn’t buy your age of almost 65? BK: Yes, you’re right, there are even people who ask me if I’ve had a facelift. I take it as a compliment... JPS: What keeps you so young? BK: I train a lot and always eat fresh ingredients, but what also keeps me young is the joy of my work, my projects and my creativity. JPS: Where does your enthusiasm for movement come from and what motivated you to become a Pilates instructor? BK: I owe my passion for movement to my father, because he was not only a music teacher, but also trained with one of the first Yoga teachers in Switzerland: Selvarajan Yesudian. So Yoga, stretching and breathing exercises were part of my childhood. Later I trained as a massage therapist. JPS: You spent 18 years in Australia?

to 80 percent with the meridians of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine). This also happens in Pilates or other sports, but not as intensively as in Yoga. Furthermore, long-lasting stretches such as in Yin Yoga can realign the collagen fibres in the connective tissue; it becomes more lubricating and better moisturized. At the same time, the fibroblasts multiply. These cells produce collagen and are involved in wound healing. Today I combine Pilates and Yoga together, because in the traditional Pilates Workout you can quickly end up with «concrete» muscles and stability is often neglected in the yoga flow. Pilates & Yoga therefore complement each other in a wonderful way! Even the energy level can be influenced with Yoga: Whether you want to activate your system or relax; there is the perfect Yoga exercise for every occasion.

JPS: What I like about you is your attitude to life. The joy of your work in your Pilates studio in Zurich and the human warmth you radiate to help your clients. How do you manage to motivate yourself positively over the decades? BK: My profession as a therapist is my vocation and I am passionate about teaching! Above all, my work with older customers is close to my heart. I have been accompanying many of my clients for 20 years and I am happy that many of them are still able to perform demanding exercises. Fitness in old age protects against discrimination, gives power and self determination. But I also train athletes and enjoy the challenge of teaching at a high level. JPS: How many times a week do you train?

BK: Exactly. In my mid-twenties, I set off on a great adventure and first settled in Melbourne. There I discovered Pilates and was fascinated after the first lesson. New facets of movement therapy revealed themselves to me and that ’ s why I decided to train as a Pilates instructor at that time. Later, I moved to Sydney, where I ran my own Pilates studio. JPS: What is the key difference between Pilates and Yoga? BK: What I appreciate about Pilates is the stabilizing effect on the pelvis and the activation of the deep muscles. A stable pelvis is important for good posture and a pain-free back. In addition, the abdominal exercises, especially in modern Pilates, are very demanding and efficient.

BK: I train for at least an hour every day. In the morning I do energy exercises, a few stretches and a 15 minute meditation. In the afternoon, I train intensively. I love to practice in nature and like to balance on stones or logs, even in bad weather. A bit wild and sometimes uncomfortable - then you feel better than in the studio on the Yoga mat. On weekends I’m out and about by bike...

In Yoga, it is not for nothing that they say that it is a «work-in and not a work out». After a Yoga session, you feel energetic and supple, as if liquid honey is flowing through your body. Compared to normal sports, where you are tired and hungry afterwards. According to the latest findings in fascia research, stretches in Yoga address tension lines in the connective tissue, which coincide

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JPS: You lived in Australia for 18 years and trained as a Pilates instructor there. How do you feel about your work as a therapist today compared to when you ran your Pilates studio in Sydney? BK: Well, at that time I was of course younger and trained exclusively Pilates with my clients. But I was surprised that I had back pain all the time, even though I was training my abdominal muscles intensively. It was only later, when I integrated more Yoga exercises again, that the perfect balance in my musculoskeletal system was established. Today I am as supple as a young cat and completely pain-free... JPS: Your older clientele surely appreciates the one-to one training in your studio? BK: In fact, personal training is ideal for older people because you can work more subtly and respond entirely to their needs. I then round off the treatment with a back massage, which feels especially good after the workout. I also teach a chair Pilates class, which brings a completely different and more playful dynamic. JPS: I noticed that you have a very upright posture. Does that come from your previous ballet training? BK: My intensive ballet training has certainly helped me to maintain a more beautiful posture. You seem more open and self-confident than if you constantly hide behind your shoulders! In addition, an upright spine protects against back and neck pain. JPS: What is your focus in training with older people? BK: In addition to good abdominal training, I pay a lot of attention to posture, because older people often collapse and become smaller and smaller. I try to build up strength in their legs and do many balance exercises to reduce the risk of falling. At the same time, I try to train a better gait, because older people easily fall into tripping. JPS: Emigrated from Switzerland to Australia, lived there for 18 years and back home. Was Australia not your country of emigration after all? BK: Australia was an impressive experience and a fantastic adventure, but at some point I got homesick and returned. It was the best decision of my life: I’m happy here! JPS: Thank you Beatrix for this insightful interview. More information about Beatrix Kruger at: Pilates Studio Core Impulse, Dufourstr. 116, 8008 Zurich - Switzerland www.core-impulse.ch «Fitness in old age protects against discrimination, gives power and self-determination»

beatrix_kruger@hotmail.com Copyright Fotos: Filipa Peixero

STRONG and VITAL No. 4 - 2024

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Repor tage

Exercise Is the Best Medicine for Mental Health

We all know that an amount of exercise and a balanced diet are the key to a healthy lifestyle - AT ANY AGE. However, it may surprise you to learn that physical activity also has positive effects on mental health. In fact, exercise and muscle streng thening bring many benefits, not only in the preven tion and the fight against cardiovascular disease. Researchers at the University of South Australia have conducted a study in this area, which inclu ded 97 reviews with 128,119 participants and was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine (2023). The results are unequivocal. Physical exercise alone can have an ext remely positive effect on the symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress and is 1.5 times more effective than psychothe rapy or the use of psychotropic drugs, which are in any case associated with risks and side effects. In particular, analyses showed that physical activity in daily life lasting 12 weeks or even less was most effec tive in reducing the symptoms of a mental disorder, demonstrating how quickly physical activity can bring about favourable change in the treatment of such con ditions in all adult populations. The greatest benefits were seen in people with depression, pregnant and postpartum women, and people with an HIV diagnosis or kidney disease. According to the Word Health Organisation (WHO), one in every eight people worldwide suffered from a mental disorder in 2019, which equates to 970 million people. Poor mental health cost the global economy around USD 2.5 trillion in 2019, an amount that has been growing steadily since then and is expected to rise to USD 6 trillion by 2030.

Symptoms of depression generally include sad ness, irritability, emptiness, loss of pleasure or interest in activities, lack of concentration, lack of energy and permanent tiredness, loss of appe tite, sleep disorders, unfounded feelings of guilt, low self-esteem, hopelessness about the future, thoughts of dying or suicide. While persistent anxi ety states are characterised by excessive fear and worry and even panic attacks. Lead researcher of the study, Dr Ben Singh, belie ves that physical activity must be prioritised in order to better manage the growing cases of men tal health conditions. «Physical activity is known to help improve mental health. Yet despite the evi dence, it has not been widely adopted as a first choice treatment,» Dr Singh says. «Our review shows that physical activity can significantly reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety in all clinical populations. Higher intensity exercise showed greater improvements for depression and anxiety, while longer durations had smaller effects when compared to short and mid-duration bursts.» It has also been found that all types of physical activity are beneficial, including walking, resistance training, Pilates and yoga. In fact, it does not take much to positively influence mental well-being through exercise. The researchers now hope that this review will underscore the need for physical activity

as a mainstay approach for managing depression and anxiety .

Dr. Ben Singh

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STRONG and VITAL No. 4 - 2024

    € ‚ ƒ „ ‚ ‚

Life time

Active Device-Supported Physiotherapy - Especially in Old Age – Is a Successful Model

Why «Aktiv Physio»? We run two physiotherapy practices in Switzerland, Hinwil and Pfäffikon (canton Zurich), with a total of 26 employees. Our approach to therapy is - as the name «Aktiv Physio» sug gests - an active one whenever possible. The aim is to get pati ents’ problems under control in the long term, which in many cases means «helping them to help themselves». This requires a suitable training infrastruc ture. While in Pfäffikon we are in the same premises as the region’s leading fitness cen tre and use its infrastructure, in Hinwil we run our own small but excellent gym. The Right Infrastructure It has state of the art equip ment from the industry leader Technogym. The basis consists of strength and endurance

exercisers, which in turn has a positive effect on motivation and training success. Strength measurements can also be taken at any time on any device, making training progress visible and tangible. Therapy and training are adap ted accordingly based on the development of this measure ment data. Scepticism towards Gyms In the rural area in which we operate, we have found that many older people are very sceptical about equipment based training. There is some thing strange about a fitness centre (gyms) and sometimes it almost seems a little suspi cious. When the therapist then takes clients to the training area, they often think that the «stuff» there is superfluous.

equipment, which can be individually programmed to the needs of the customer. All equipment settings such as sitting and support positions as well as the range of motion are precisely matched to the phy siological characteristics of the patient, programmed and saved by the physiotherapist. These parameters are then reliably and precisely adjusted individually and automatically for each training session using controlled electric motors. In this way, we ensure that one works optimally and safely during every training session on every Biocircuit device. It is particularly important for older people to be able to exercise safely, in a controlled manner and as intended at all times. This minimises the risk of injury and at the same time reduces uncertainty among

This is especially true as they get enough exercise every day and also work in the garden, clean and do the housework. To make things a little easier for this group of peo ple in particular, we deliberately avoid loud or even aggressive music, only have as much mirrored space in the training rooms as is necessary for physiothe rapy and no customers in muscle shirts with gold chains and baseball caps worn back to front. We focus on a family atmosphere and try to impress with our calm expertise, but this does not mean that we are always deadly serious.

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STRONG and VITAL No. 4 - 2024

dination skills, are able to get a lasting grip on musculoskeletal health problems, thereby signi ficantly improving their quality of life and maintaining their inde pendence. From Sceptic to Ambassador One of the best things for us is when we succeed in overco ming reservations and barriers to equipment-based training in old age. When patients see what they are still capable of with the right guidance and inf rastructure, it also has a strong, positive effect on their psyche. Many patients in this category buy a subscription after physio therapy and then at some point bring their neighbours or fellow poker players with them to train. This shows us that our work not only has positive physical, but also social and psychological effects. Conclusion Don’t let technology put you off - your health and quality of life are worth breaking new ground and staying active! Markus A. Angst

Patient Education «If you want performance, you have to provide meaning» - this means that patient education plays a decisive role in these phases of therapy. The aim is to explain the connection bet ween the problem, its causes and the therapeutic measu res in a patient and motivating way, and getting the sceptics among the patients to accept something new and unfami liar, i.e. device-based training. If this is successful - which is usually the case - time works in our favour, because in the vast majority of cases, targeted training leads to a rapid initial sense of achievement. Success as a Motor Once these first, important successes have been achie ved, the training usually beco mes a self-runner. We work consistently with specific and measurable therapy and trai ning goals and corresponding objective (i.e. measurable) pro gress parameters. This allows progress to be quantified. The successes achieved thus trig ger a strong intrinsic motiva tion and also ignite the flame of ambition in some «older peo ple». We see time and again how patients over the age of 80 also make great progress with their training and, thanks to gains in strength, endurance and coor-

COPYRIGHT Photos and info:

www.aktivphyio.ch

STRONG and VITAL No. 4 - 2024

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Repor tage

Health Costs Explode

Prof Ingo Froböse Takes a Position on a Statement by Dr Karl Lauterbach

«The only thing that is EXPLODING are healthcare costs », said Dr Karl Lauterbach, Germany’s Minister of Health (disease expert * ) at the end of May 2024. Prof. Ingo Froböse, sports scientist and health expert, responds with the following wise sentences. This message was posted on Linkedin by Prof Froböse at the beginning of June. It actually concerns all health ministers in Europe * :

«Is it really that surprising? I don ’ t think so, because the data is known to all experts. We have known for 60 years that the babyboomer genera tion would be age 60+ now! We also see from the statistics that people in Germany (and throughout Europe * ) are becoming chronically ill at an ever earlier age and are therefore losing their mobility and independence far too early (they are no longer FIT* for everyday life ).

Dear Mr Lauterbach, this has nothing to do with an explosion, but is a development that was entirely foreseeable. However, you and politicians (throughout Europe * ) have been turning a blind eye to the solution for many years. We must prevent people from falling ill too early due to their lifestyle. In other words, we urgently need compre hensive and sustainable prevention (i.e. staying FIT* for everyday life ). In addition, we need modern, genuine rehabilitative care to enable people who are already dependent on short-term care to become independent again. ( FIT* for everyday life ). Incidentally, this is all in the law: prevention before rehabilitation and rehabilitation before care! Strange, isn ’ t it? Why don ’ t you act accordingly?»

* Comments from the Strong and Vital editorial team

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STRONG and VITAL No. 4 - 2024

Woldt News

Myokines – the Molecules of Happiness Myokines: If you are familiar with the term, you will mainly find it in a func tion-orientated context. In sport, for example. Myokines are endogenous substances that the muscle releases into the body when it moves. I have always been a fan of the functional view of exercise. For over 25 years, I ran a sports centre with 65 classes per week, a strength training and en durance area as well as a meditation and relaxation programme. Strength training in particular has always been such an important contribution to kee ping people healthy.

The movement of the muscle is smooth if it has an organised state of oscilla tion (oscillation process). Often, how ever, a "chaotic" jerky movement can be perceived. Every physical reaction, including the jerky movement impulse, is an attempt by your organism to make contact with you and to compensate for an imbalance that has arisen and to return to a gliding oscillation. The power of soft knees So if you get the well-known "weak knees" when you hear bad news, the muscle gives up its driving force at this moment in order to better serve the problem situation that has arisen. During this regulatory process, the muscle jerks and sends myokines to our brain in the prefrontal cortex. Feeling weak knees in a challenging situation is therefore a great thing. This process is nothing other than the restoration of self-regulatory balance, which not only brings back functional muscular imba lances, but also opens up emotional and mental room for manoeuvre. Basically better on reception In my decades of research on this topic, I was able to develop a method that not only accelerates such regulatory pro cesses in a wide variety of difficult life situations, but also fundamentally puts the organism in a more favourable dis position for dealing with challenges. What's more, access to deeply felt hap piness and fulfilment is also increased enormously.

Muscles: more than just a driving force

But what I already felt intuitively back then was that the muscles are not just a functional driving force, but are also responsible for many other processes in the body. They can even contribute to the organisation of life, to con sciousness, they can answer the ques tion of who you are, how you want to live, where or with whom. Muscles and happiness are also closely linked. Self determination, self-efficacy and self healing powers can also be strengthe ned with the help of the muscles. A very specific training concept However, supporting happiness and self-efficacy through the muscles requires a different training concept than functional training in the gym. This concept exists. I developed it during my many years of research. My name is Jürgen Woldt, I am a health resear

cher and owner of the doit Academy in Herne (Germany). In this article, I would like to draw your attention once again to the content that I have published in many specialised jour nals since 2007 on how we can use the specific concept in our training facilities. They were about the central role of myokines for training as well as many other areas of life. Myokines and oscillation processes The hypothesis on fascinating muscle competence arose from my observations more than 35 years ago on the be haviour of muscles during movement acceleration. Of course, I did not realise at the time that myokines could be behind this. At that time, there were also no findings on myokine production in the muscles. I carried out research with over 30,000 people at the time and came to the following conclusion: firstly, the activity and strain on the muscles were naturally correlated with muscle movement behaviour and the acceleration of move ment. You can easily imagine the acceleration. When you move a muscle, you can feel that its movement path is not necessarily smooth.

Many trainers, physiotherapists, sports scientists, doctors and coaches who work with the methodology of my unique health concept are constantly surprised by the powerful regulatory mechanisms of the muscles. We can tangibly test and measure them, which we pass on in certified training courses at our academy.

More Information: Jürgen Woldt, doit Akademie, Westring 303, 44629 Herne, www.bodysense.de , info@doit-akademie.de

Jürgen Woldt Born 1948 Curriculum vitae and contact see www.strongandvital.com

STRONG and VITAL No. 4 - 2024

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How Do I Actively and Intensively Train People 90plus?

A Report from Sylvia Gattiker, Expert in Senior Training

Those who work in the prevention field believe they provide enough training for the older generation. Right, because muscles can be trained at any age and therefore the laws and methods of muscle training are appli cable - provided you master them. Wrong, because there are aspects that need to be considered.

Training programmes and updating in this area are ridi culous if not inexistent. When I approached various insti tutions, the only answer I got was that this business was not lucrative enough, the demand was scarce and they were already offereing good training programmes. To put it provocatively, you do not earn any money with «healthy old people». Keeping the «sick elderly» alive for as long as possible is a way to make money for institu tions and pharmaceutical companies. Poor humanity, if people no longer count for anything. Our healthcare systems face new challenges, which make health promotion even more important, provided the concept is clear. Here are three changes that have taken place: • New living conditions and lifestyles have led to a change in diseases: more chronic diseases (chronic inflammation and degenerative diseases) as opposed to infectious diseases. • A changed understanding of health: health cannot be achieved with medical care, instead nutrition and exer cise, especially muscle training have a key role. • Direct participation and shared responsibility of each individual are required: people should have a greater degree of self-determination over their health . To do so however, competence and a basic know ledge are needed, the awareness that the matter is serious and the will to really change something. To explain why I believe that knowledge is totally inad equate, I cite the experience of Charles Eugster (1919 2017): «Nothing but silence around me, I stand in my starting row, my eyes fixed on my star ting blocks and the 200 metre oval in front of me. Every muscle in me is tense and my heart is pounding. Then the magic words «On your marks». I position myself in the starting blocks and my adrenalin level rises. I am 95 years old (2014) and running in an indoor athletics stadium for the first time.

Next to me are the runners with spiked shoes and great outfits. I’m an amateur, running in a pair of old, comfortable snea kers, but I have the ambition to win!» These were the thoughts of Dr Charles Eugster before his dream run over 200 metres indoors. On that occa sion, he broke the old world record and set a new mark. I met Charles Eugster when he was 89. He wanted to take part in a fitness competition and called me. Howe ver, his physical condition was a disaster. Due to incor rect training and excessive ambition, he had a ruptured biceps tendon, balky and inflamed shoulder joints and a spine out of place. He trusted me, put himself in my hands and under my coaching. The result were nine wonderful, successful and instructive years for both of us. He improved phy sically, mentally and his ability to react. At the age of 97, we took up the long jump, which brought him another world championship title and the British record. I there fore had a person on which I could test and implement my concept, which is based on holistic and personalised muscle training. I found the basis for this in the Fiatarone study on the one hand and in the Japanese experience on the other. The Japanes Example Years ago, the company Proxomed successfully con ducted a study in Japan with 90-year-old residents in retirement homes. The result was that the state set up and subsidised training centres for the over-70s and thus actively did something to combat rising health and care costs. While western countries discuss the overcrow ding of nursing homes, a chronic shortage of staff and the outsourcing of our elderly people in need of care to Thailand, in Japan people who want to live in a public retirement home are obliged to do muscle training.

Sylvia Gattiker, Born 1956 MA Prevention and Health Manage ment, specialising in BGM (occupa tional health management) and health promotion in old age. Specialist thera pist for modern orthomolecular medi cine and medical wellness SFGU.

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Angemessene Bewegung Adequate Exercise

Angemessene Ernährung Adequate Nutrition

Ausgewogener Lebensstil Balanced Life

Illness is not disregarded, but is used as a resource for regaining health. We recognise the so-called «diseases of old age» and use our concept to help our customers regain their quality of life and zest for life. Nowadays everything can be recycled - we make the «Recycled Teenager»: AGE IS JUST A NUMBER! Training the Elderly The training offer for the older generation today is sim ply ridiculous. A few Thera-Band exercises, a bit of chair gymnastics, some fall prevention, just not too much exertion - our seniors are being spared to death . I use this phrase again and again, it is still valid. The important thing is to encourage and challenge each person within the scope of their resources! I have taken on clients who used to attend a «chair lesson» at an organisation for the elderly. The first few times they really moaned about how strenuous the les son was, they usually did not move much and then took a break again. My aim with this type of training is also to achieve physical adaptation: that can only happen if you leave your comfort zone. My clients had made tangible and visible progress and therefore came to every training session with a high level of motivation and great pleasure. Chronological Age versus Biological Age Now knowledge about ageing, chronological and bio logical age, comes into play. While chronological ageing is a purely numerical factor, with each year adding up to one, biological age is based on our biological-genetic balance. Biological are the cellular dimension, the mus cles, our body. Genetic is the individual, the person, the experience. «Biological youth» is primarily based on our cells, on our cell metabolism. Do we actually realise that our body is made up of trilli ons of cells? If we look at cells as mini-humans, we can see their complexity and how impressive and powerful they are. We should therefore take care of our cells and understand the importance of these particles. Cell Metabolism The most important task of cells is their self-regulation. Civilisation is the biggest disruptive factor of our cel lular system which results in the loss of its ability to self-regulate. If the supply of nutrients is insufficient, the cells cannot produce enough energy to fulfil the required performance, the intestine cannot process or release the nutrients, the cell membrane is not perme able enough for the nutrients, too much lactate is pro duced. Lack of exercise and industrially processed foods are the biggest disruptive factors here. The senescent or ageing cells also determine our bio logical age. After a certain number of cell divisions in the cell culture, the cells stop growing, i.e. they stop dividing. However, not all cells undergo death, known as apoptosis.

Darmgesundheit Gut Health

Entspannung Relaxation

Atmung Breathing

Erfüllende Tätigkeit Fulfilling Activities

GEHIRN – Ernährung und Training Brain - Nutrition and Training

Ausreichend Schlaf Enough Sleep

Erfüllende Beziehung Fulfilling Relationships

Why are we not focussing on prevention? Why do we allow people to get to the point where they need care, become dependent and immobile? Doesn’t this require a paradigm shift, a rethink?

The focus must be on actively maintaining physical and mental abilities. To do this, we need intact, functioning and efficient muscles. In order to maintain and streng then them, we need competent training, functioning cells and sufficient macro and micronutrients. The «Fit&Healthy VIVO» Concept But the «0815» scheme is not enough, it has to be personalised! Based on this background and Charles Eugster’s motivation, I developed the «fit&healthy VIVO» concept. In October 2017, I opened the first training and competence centre for over 60s in Switzerland and probably the only one of its kind in Europe. It is a matter close to my heart and my vision to pass on my knowledge and experience in training and professional updating. This concept is a matter of people for people at the service of society. The approach is salutogene sis , i.e. we start from health and want to maintain and improve it - at any age. Dr Aaron Antonovsky (1923-1994, sociologist) coined the salutogenetic approach, which is not concerned with the question «Why do people get sick?» , but with the question «What keeps them healthy?» .

cont.. page 16

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Cont. page 15

2017: The future of healthy «OLD» people has begun. Dr Charles Eugster (98), athlete, and his trainer Sylvia Gattiker (62)

The senescent cells are dysfunctional cells and remain in the body. They are «senile» and continue to roam the body. With increasing age, these cells grow in number and attack organs, thus contributing to the onset of chronic and other diseases as well as to the signs of aging. We can positively influence our cell metabolism through our lifestyle, primarily with nutrition and muscle training. In fact, the regulatory capacity of cells is indepen dent of age. That is the basis of a healthy life. Below are the factors that are beneficial to our health: Not only skin and bones age, but also the cells of the immune defence system. With a healthy lifestyle, which requires a combination of health-oriented muscle trai ning, exercise for endurance, nutrition, sufficient sleep and the avoidance of oxidative stress, we can keep our cells and our body effici ent and counteract metabolic ageing. The better the general condition of our body, the stronger our defences are. These are facts that cannot be denied. Unfortunately, conventional medicine is very one-dimensional, mostly focussed on one indication, one symptom or one spe cific clinical scenario.

A holistic approach is required, the importance of the cell with its pow erhouse of mitochondria must be recognised. PD Dr Bodo Kuklinski (nutritional physician) made the following state ment during a lecture:

«People don’t fall ill because they lack medication, but because biochemical disor ders occur in the body that are not recog nised and corrected in time.»

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Is there a perfect training station for at home or in a retirement home?

There is no simple answer to this question. It depends on how FIT or TRAINED someone is. How much training experience do they have? Already trained in a gym ? Never trained before? Either way, multi-training stations, e.g. from the manufacturer BodySolid, make sense for older women and men who really want to regain their muscles and thus their independence. The G9S station shown here with two weight magazines costs CHF 4,790.00 (exclu ding VAT, transport/assembly/installation). Dimensions: Length: 2.260m, width: 1.830m and height 2.133m. The good thing about this training station is that it has a leg press, which can also be used to build up the calf muscles. All other body parts can be trained very well with the various options. An investment is also worthwhile for tenants in a residential property. Possibly use the room for drying laundry (which may no longer be used) and share the cost of the investment. Investing in your muscles is always worthwhile. Info. www.sharkfitness.ch

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STRONG and VITAL No. 4 - 2024

©

No. 1 August/September 2024 www.strongandvital.com LONGEVITY SELF DEFENCE • TECHNIQUES FOR HEALTHY PEOPLE 60 PLUS • GET YOUR BLACKBELT Online only

Get Your HEALTH Back

Become a HEALTH Model, STRONG and VITAL

Time to tackle a new project: STRONG Longevity SELF DEFENCE Attacks on people aged 60plus to 100plus will soon cause great suffering to these age group. That’s why: • I WANT to train this age group to get HEALTHY by building muscle . • I WANT seniors to be able to prove their «everyday FITNESS» status at any time through health tests. • I WANT as many people as possible to learn how to defend themselves against aggression (Aegism) with SELF-DEFENCE courses. The Right Attitude Can Move Mountains. This type of training can be offered in gyms and health centres, as well as physiothera py practices, retirement homes and clubs for seniors. Only 20 SELF-DEFENCE exercises in total are necessary plus a KATA to progress from YELLOW BELT to BLACK BELT 1st DAN , in 24 months. If you are interested in becoming a STRONG Longevity SELF-DEFENCE trainer , please send me your coordinates to the following e-mail address: info@strong.swiss . The first training with diploma starts soon. Jean-Pierre L. Schupp, 5th Dan black belt holder (WAKO founding member 1977).

Get the Physical Proof of

Your Fitness and Get the BLACK BELT

More Info: www. strongand vital.com

STRONG and VITAL No. 4 - 2024

17

The Path to the 1st Dan Black Belt 60 plus

Longevity-Self-Defence

first requires the BASIC HEALTH TEST.

Only those who pass the BASIC HEALTH TEST, can prepare for the YELLOW BELT (3-6 months). First BRONZE HEALTH TEST than (6 months) GREEN BELT exam. Same applies to the SIL VER HEALTH TEST for the BROWN BELT exam (6 months) Of course, a woman or man must first pass the GOLD HEALTH TEST before they can register for the BLACK BELT exam (6-9 months). Get your BLACK BELT within 2 years ! Those responsible politicians, as well as the digital and print media world, must stop portraying old people as FRAGILE creatures who can only move around with a walker or in a wheelchair.

Many older people are still very strong and vital. Thanks to muscle training most can live independently at home up to 100+. There are more and more FIT, HEALTHY and ACTIVE 60 plus to 90 plus women and men. Life is getting dangerous. So learn to defend yourself. But remember: without MUSCLES nothing works! 90% of all care assignments in nursing homes are necessary because of a lack of body muscles. a) Stage 1: Muscle training in a well-run fitness centre or, even better, a "health centre" where you receive personal support; b) Level 2: My basic self-defence courses online in English; (subtitles available in various languages) c) Level 3: Meetings among like-minded people to earn the awards.

QR code sports panorama on Swiss TV from 1978. Demonstration with Peter Harbrecht, world champion and Jean-Pierre Schupp (organiser of the WAKO tournament in the St. Jakobshalle in Basel). Obtain a Black belt in ALL-STYLE MARTIAL self-defence 60+

JEAN-PIERRE SCHUPP, born in 1954, health expert, publisher and author. Five-time fitness decathlon world champion from 2004 to 2014. Multiple decora ted black belt in various martial arts styles (1st Dan to 5th Dan). Multiple martial arts champion (karate, kick boxing). Co-founder of WAKO in 1977 and still an active 100m sprint athlete. Strength training 3 times a week.

* HEALTH TEST Certificate

Self-Defence DEGREE

You cannot buy a LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD , you have to earn it by living in an exemp lary and preventive manner in the name of HEALTH as an active role model. All details and requirements can be found on the website www.strongandvital.com

Pelvic Floor

«Since I ’ ve been coming to you for back training, I no longer have a weak bladder». This is what a customer told me 30 years ago after doing back training regularly for three months.

I was perplexed. What does back training have to do with the bladder? What did the customer mean by «no longer having a weak bladder» ? I immersed myself in the subject and could not let go. The pelvic floor and back are still the main focus of my therapeutic work today. I am always fascinated by how the pelvic floor and back work together with all sta bilising core muscles and breathing. It is also exciting that the diaphragm, the pelvic position and also the foot and leg position have a direct influ ence on the tone of the pelvic floor. In any case, posture is the be-all and end-all for the pelvic floor and back. Our daily toilet routine also directly influences our well-being and the strain on the tissue.

However, it always amazes me that many women and men still do not know the basics of a healthy pelvic floor. Many are also unclear about how they should perceive or tense the pelvic floor. My mission is to pass on to women and men my fascina tion with deepening body awareness and maintaining a healthy pelvic floor. Every time you get to know your own body is like a journey of discovery, even an adventure to yourself! I am now a complementary therapist with a state diploma. I want to explore an alterna tive approach together with my clients that is integrative and supportive.

elderly in the nursing home, but I saw these as measures for unavoidable old-age ailments. It was only when I delved deeper into the subject that I learnt that weak bladder and incon tinence are a huge issue for women and men from mid-life onwards that is not talked about, but that a lot can be done about it. Now the question arises: What is it like today? Is it talked about more today? My observation is that there has been a change in gynaecology over the last 30 years. Back then, there were almost exclusively male gynae cologists, today there are almost exclusively female gynaecologists. Back then, hysterectomy was still the routine operation for women over 40. Today, hysterectomy is only perfor med with great reluctance and the gynaecologist’s questions about bladder function, prolapse symptoms and incontinence are now standard. YouTube is full of pelvic floor exercise videos and there are new books on the subject every year. Pelvic floor therapy has also become established in physiotherapy and in yoga, Pilates and senior training. The instructor repeatedly tells partici pants «tighten the pelvic floor» . Men now also realise that they have a pel vic floor. Many things have changed for the better.

The aim is to find out together what is needed in terms of perception trai ning, drinking and toilet behaviour, holistic and specific muscle training, an optimal lifestyle for each indi vidual to maintain their own pelvic floor healthy and how this valuable experience can be successfully inte grated into everyday life,

I was shocked 30 years ago that as a qualified ACP nurse and state recognised fitness instructor, I had never heard of the pelvic floor. Okay, I was young at the time, had not had any children yet and nobody in our family suffered from a weak bladder or incontinence. I learned how to catheterise the bladder and how to change the nappies of the

www.rueckencenter.com

Yvonne Keller

Born 1965

Curriculum vitae and contact see:

www.strongandvital.com

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STRONG and VITAL No. 4 - 2024

HALL OF FAME

HALL OF «LONGEVITY» FAME In this new section, role models in the 60+, 70+, 80+ and 90+ age categories will be honoured for their lifestyle and health in old age with a

© and

©

LONGEVITY HALL OF FAME and with the LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD * will be honoured

Category 90+ women The still active and oldest female personal trainer TAKISHIMA MIKA (born 1931) from Japan will be inducted in the 90+ age category.

Category 90+ Men Also the deceased Dr. CHARLES EUGSTER (1919-2017)

from Switzerland (world champion at 92-97 in the fitness decathlon Strenflex and 200m, 400m sprint world record IAAF). Photo right at 95, below taken at 96:

Other categories: 80+ women, 80+ men, 70+ women, 70+ men, 60+ women, 60+ men.

Send us your application (500 words) stating your age and life goals to:

info@healthtribune.tv , Thank you.

Price: CHF 450.00 incl. one A4 page report in the StarkVital60+ print magazine in German for people from German-speaking Europe and....

... Price: 450.00 EUR/US$ a report in the online

« STRONG and VITAL» magazine in English)

* An application does not automatically mean that an award will be conferred

STRONG and VITAL No. 1 - 2024

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Repor tage

Athletics New Record in the W90plus Age Group «The excitement of a competition keeps me going.»

Emma Maria Mazzenga is the name of the athlete who is breaking records in athletics. What makes her spe cial is that she will be 91 years old in August. The retired chemistry teacher from northern Italy recently became a worldwide sensation after she set the world record over 200 metres in her age group W90 at the indoor athletics competition in Padua (Italy) last January. She reached a speed of around 13 km/h. The senior runner achieved this remarkable feat in just 54.47 seconds, beating the then record of 1:00.72 set by Canadian Olga Kotelko. In an interview with Vogue Ita lia , the senior athlete revealed that she was not entirely satisfied despite her success, as she had even comple ted the 200 metres in less than 50 seconds in training the year before.

The senior athlete stopped running for many years after getting married and having two children. Her running career as a Masters athlete, which she began at the age of 53, was an important consolation in her later years, as the sport helped her to get through some difficult times in her life, such as the loss of her husband decades ago. Even during the COVID-19 lockdown, when it was forbidden

for older people in Italy to leave the house, she perse vered and waited until dark to sneak around the house incognito. Today, the soon-to-be 91-year-old continues to lead an active lifestyle. She starts every morning with a walk alongside her friend and incorporates cycling into her exercise routine, but when it rains, she is forced to use her exercise bike at home, as she explains. Her successful preparation pro gramme also includes three regular running training ses sions per week. «The adrenaline that every training session triggers in me is pure energy for my day.»

This performance is all the more impressive given that the runner resumed training less than a month before the competition after taking a break to recover from a sternum fracture. «It’s perseverance that leads to success.» Emma Maria Mazzenga set another world record in the W90 age group in May when she ran the 200 metres outdoors in 51.47 seconds, beating the previous record of 53.35 seconds set by Japan’s Emiko Saito (2022). The elderly woman currently holds five world records, nine European records and 28 Italian bests in various Sprint Mas ters categories. «Competitions are all opportunities The Italian athlete has now become a sporting legend. Her performances have been described on social media as «incredible» and «great». In her W90 age group, she normally has no direct competitors and knows from the outset that she will win. For this reason, her main goal is to run a good time. And the good thing is that the best victory is always the next one, because every athlete strives to keep improving. Emma Maria’s resilience and commitment stem from her life long passion for running, which she developed during her time at university. to get to know new people and compare myself with others.»

The retired chemistry teacher has a son and a daughter as well as a 20-year-old grandson. At almost 91, she still drives her Fiat 500 and when she is not training, she tidies up her house full of medals and trophies, reads, watches TV, goes to the cinema, is active on social media and visits exhibitions. The bundle of energy never stands still and loves being around people. This exemplary lifestyle keeps her active, curious about the world and always up to date. Emma Maria’s story reminds us that age doesn’t have to be a barrier to pursuing your passions and even breaking records. «The secret? Never stop.» Her next commitments include the World Masters Athle tics in Gothenburg (Sweden) in August 2024. Otherwise, the runner prefers not to make any long-term plans. But one thing is certain: Quitting running is out of the question.

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