Olwyn KinderWhat's positive about ageing?
August 28th 2010 01:40
Its not too difficult to realise that we are no longer as young as we think we are when our knees ache, arthritis makes our hands stiff and sore and mornings are dreaded due to the association with painful joints. We are constantly bombarded with warnings and news alerts as to what we should be doing to guard against our failing health and optimising our quality of life as we age. It is little wonder that, at times, it becomes increasingly difficult to adopt a positive approach to the future as our bodies grow old.
We are only too aware that we cannot stop the ageing process, but we can certainly delay the debilitating process that so many just accept as part of their lives. You do have the choice of slowing down the ageing process and reversing some of the damage you've done to yourself over the years and restoring some fitness once again.
There are three simple ways to do this by yourself. The big three are physical exercise, better nutrition and mental stimulation. All three of those remedies are totally under your control and do not depend on medications or joining expensive gyms.
Physical Exercise Is Positive
There is a growing collection of evidence that physical exercise affects your chances of living longer, with less chance of suffering from physical disabilities or incapacitating disease. That evidence also proves that people who have regular physical activity are physically younger than people the same age who do not participate in physical activity.
As you age, the "natural" decline of your muscle strength can be reversed with simple exercise and light muscle resistance training. The easiest way to exercise is to take walks in local parks or gardens or on the beach if you live near the ocean. If the weather is bad, visit the mall and window shop while you walk up and down the aisles. Some malls open early for seniors walking to exercise before the shoppers arrive.
Gardening is another form of non-damaging physical activity. Bending and planting flowers and even a tomato plant or two will increase your flexibility and reduce your chances of falling. It also has mental benefits from the planning, planting, remembering to water and anticipating your harvest.
Better Nutrition Is Positive
Let's face it. Our bodies do not forgive us like they used to when we were young and spritely. Besides diminishing exercise, our diet has a habit of becoming less nutritious as we find it more difficult to get out and about and do grocery shopping on our own.
It is important that we know what to eat to stay fit and healthy. Avoiding all fats is not the way to go. Healthy fats are walnuts, almonds, flaxseed, extra virgin olive oil, avocado.
Natural carbohydrates and whole grains have benefits for your energy and heart health, like old fashioned oatmeal, yams and sweet potatoes, brown rice and 100% whole wheat bread and pasta. Any green vegetable, along with onions and mushrooms will quietly support your body's health.
Low fat dairy products and grass-fed beef are healthy additions to your diet, along with salmon, tuna and chicken breasts. If you give your body what it needs to improve your health, you will have less disease in your life.
Mental Stimulation Is Positive
Many older Baby Boomers have become more and more isolated as their bodies get more fragile and their health is less than it was. Friends move away or need to enter assisted living facilities. This emotional isolation can have a disastrous effect on your mental abilities. Add lack of physical activity and a poor diet to that and you have a perfect formula for memory loss for whatever reason.
The solution is very simple. Maintain social contacts; make new friends if necessary and develop a social life. Do the crossword puzzle in the newspaper with your morning coffee. Get a book of Word Search puzzles and solve different ones frequently. Try to solve Sudoku puzzles. Play video games on your computer.
The mental stimulation and companionship will keep your mind sharp and can reverse the damage already done. It is never too late to start taking charge of your own physical and mental future.
We are only too aware that we cannot stop the ageing process, but we can certainly delay the debilitating process that so many just accept as part of their lives. You do have the choice of slowing down the ageing process and reversing some of the damage you've done to yourself over the years and restoring some fitness once again.
There are three simple ways to do this by yourself. The big three are physical exercise, better nutrition and mental stimulation. All three of those remedies are totally under your control and do not depend on medications or joining expensive gyms.
Physical Exercise Is Positive
There is a growing collection of evidence that physical exercise affects your chances of living longer, with less chance of suffering from physical disabilities or incapacitating disease. That evidence also proves that people who have regular physical activity are physically younger than people the same age who do not participate in physical activity.
As you age, the "natural" decline of your muscle strength can be reversed with simple exercise and light muscle resistance training. The easiest way to exercise is to take walks in local parks or gardens or on the beach if you live near the ocean. If the weather is bad, visit the mall and window shop while you walk up and down the aisles. Some malls open early for seniors walking to exercise before the shoppers arrive.
Gardening is another form of non-damaging physical activity. Bending and planting flowers and even a tomato plant or two will increase your flexibility and reduce your chances of falling. It also has mental benefits from the planning, planting, remembering to water and anticipating your harvest.
Better Nutrition Is Positive
Let's face it. Our bodies do not forgive us like they used to when we were young and spritely. Besides diminishing exercise, our diet has a habit of becoming less nutritious as we find it more difficult to get out and about and do grocery shopping on our own.
It is important that we know what to eat to stay fit and healthy. Avoiding all fats is not the way to go. Healthy fats are walnuts, almonds, flaxseed, extra virgin olive oil, avocado.
Natural carbohydrates and whole grains have benefits for your energy and heart health, like old fashioned oatmeal, yams and sweet potatoes, brown rice and 100% whole wheat bread and pasta. Any green vegetable, along with onions and mushrooms will quietly support your body's health.
Low fat dairy products and grass-fed beef are healthy additions to your diet, along with salmon, tuna and chicken breasts. If you give your body what it needs to improve your health, you will have less disease in your life.
Mental Stimulation Is Positive
Many older Baby Boomers have become more and more isolated as their bodies get more fragile and their health is less than it was. Friends move away or need to enter assisted living facilities. This emotional isolation can have a disastrous effect on your mental abilities. Add lack of physical activity and a poor diet to that and you have a perfect formula for memory loss for whatever reason.
The solution is very simple. Maintain social contacts; make new friends if necessary and develop a social life. Do the crossword puzzle in the newspaper with your morning coffee. Get a book of Word Search puzzles and solve different ones frequently. Try to solve Sudoku puzzles. Play video games on your computer.
The mental stimulation and companionship will keep your mind sharp and can reverse the damage already done. It is never too late to start taking charge of your own physical and mental future.
| 27 |
| Vote |
Add Comments
Read More
Comments (1)
