Rochelle Elijah MD

Products I use:

Thorne
Creatine, Collagen, Magnesium & Ashwagandha
https://www.thorne.com/u/PR575614

Pendulum
Metabolic Daily
https://pendulumlife.com/?referral_code=ROC4ZPKD1

BioTE
Omega 3 + CoQ10, ADK 5 & Methyl Factors+
https://patients.shopbiote.com/customer/account/create/?cid=1943&utm_campaign=0002QR&utm_medium=QRCode&utm_source=d2

Affiliate disclosure: Some of these are affiliate or referral links. I may receive a commission or product credit if you purchase through them, at no additional cost to you.

I’m not trying to stay young. I’m trying to stay capable.

Capable of getting on the bike.
Skiing another season.
Traveling somewhere I've never been.
Trying new things.
And enjoying a great meal and a glass of w**e along the way.

As I get older, I'm less interested in the idea of “anti-aging.” Aging is happening whether we approve of it or not.

What interests me is how well we age.

For me, exercise, strength, nutrition and taking care of my health aren't the end goal. They're the tools that help me keep living the life I want.

The goal isn't younger. The goal is more years of feeling strong, capable and fully engaged in life.

I used to think cardio was enough.

But as we get older, maintaining muscle and strength becomes increasingly important, not just for how we look, but for how we live.

Resistance training helps support strength, bone health, balance, metabolic health and our ability to stay active and independent.

For me, that means Lagree Pilates 3 days a week. I’m not training to lift the heaviest weight in the room. I’m training so I can keep hiking, biking, skiing, traveling and saying yes to adventures for as long as possible.

The goal isn’t just a longer life. It’s being strong enough to enjoy it.

What are you doing to stay strong as you age?

Are you actually getting enough protein?

One of the things I pay much more attention to as I've gotten older is my protein intake. It's surprisingly easy to think you're eating plenty until you actually track it for a few days.

1️⃣ Total protein matters.
For many healthy, active adults over 50, a reasonable target is around 1.2–1.6 g/kg/day, particularly when we're resistance training.

2️⃣ How you spread it out matters too.
Rather than getting most of our protein at dinner, I like aiming for a meaningful amount at each meal.

3️⃣ Try tracking it.
You don't necessarily need to count protein forever. But tracking for a few days can be eye-opening and helps you learn which foods actually get you to your goal.

For me, protein isn't about chasing a number. It's part of maintaining muscle, strength and function so I can keep doing the things I enjoy as I get older.

Protein needs are individual and may need to be adjusted for certain medical conditions, including kidney disease.

If there’s one thing I wish more women focused on as we get older, it’s maintaining muscle. 💪

Muscle isn’t just about how we look or how much we can lift. Maintaining strength and muscle mass helps us stay independent, active and resilient as we age.

These are four things I personally pay attention to:

🏋️ Resistance training
This is the foundation. Walking and cardio are important, but they don’t replace progressively challenging our muscles. I make resistance training a regular part of my week.

🥩 Protein
I actually pay attention to how much protein I eat rather than assuming I’m getting enough. As we get older, adequate protein becomes increasingly important for maintaining muscle, especially when combined with resistance training.

🥄 Creatine
Creatine is one of the most extensively studied sports supplements, and its benefits aren't limited to bodybuilders. Combined with resistance training, it can help support strength and lean mass. I use creatine regularly.

☀️ Vitamin D
Vitamin D is important for bone and muscle health. I think about vitamin D as making sure we're sufficient rather than assuming more is better. Depending on the person, that may mean food, sensible sun exposure, supplementation, or checking a level.

There is no magic supplement that replaces the basics.

Lift something challenging. Eat enough protein. Stay active. And use supplements to support the foundation, not replace it.

Healthy aging isn't about trying to stay 30. It's about building a body that lets us keep doing the things we love for as long as possible.

It’s been a while since I’ve been active here, so I thought it was time for a reintroduction.

I’ve been practicing family medicine for nearly 30 years, and one of the things I’ve come to appreciate most is that healthy aging isn’t about one medication, supplement, diet, or latest trend. It’s about the things we consistently do over time.

Outside of medicine, I’m passionate about fitness, travel, outdoor adventure, skincare, nutrition and continuing to learn how we can stay strong, healthy and active as we get older.

I recently decided to bring this page back to life and share more of what I’m learning, doing and actually using in my own life, along with evidence-based information from the medical side of things.

Expect a little medicine, healthy aging, fitness, skincare, travel and probably a few things I discover along the way.

Here’s to staying curious, strong and adventurous at every age.