Be-well: If you’re going to live longer, you should also live happier! Adopt healthier daily habits.
If you’ve lived at least forty of your glorious years on this earth, you’ve become well acquainted with the fact that our bodies change as we grow older. We may move a tad bit slower than five or ten years ago, and we’re wondering how rapidly this trend will progress moving forward. We’ve grown up hearing older family members talk about their aches and pains, and at times felt like their claims may have been laced with a bit of melodrama. That is, until we began to recognize some telltale signs later in our own lives. When the first signs of similarity to these stories emerge, we may experience a sense of panic and helplessness. “Oh well, it’s just going downhill from here”, I’ve heard some friends and family express. However, recognizing the signs of aging need not send you running for the hills, to hide from your middle life transitions.
"This is the time in your life to exercise mindfulness and apply some well-deserved self-care".
So, what exactly should you do, and where exactly should you start, you ask?
Well, that all depends on the variables related to where you are in the whole spectrum of wellness. With that in mind I want to alert you to seek the assistance of your primary care doctor and other healthcare practitioners like a dietician or nutritionist to ensure that your developing regimen works well for you – if you plan to embark on this wellness venture with a friend or other workout partners, they should do the same to ensure that everyone is engaging in a wellness path and routine that meets everyone’s needs.
The following are general recommendations from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Mayo Clinic.
Tip #1 – Incorporate some daily movement and weekly exercise –
Incorporate intentional movement into your daily routine. Regardless of the condition you may think you’re in, research shows that any amount of movement in your day will improve your health and boost your feeling of wellbeing! The benefits aren’t just physical – surely, you will feel and look better. Yet, there are also psychological benefits as you will develop a much clearer mindset about the things that are truly important to you. A general rule for boosting your current level of movement is to make a personal assessment first: do you typically get about 3,000 steps in per day doing general tasks in or outside of the house? If so, the Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) recommends increasing your movement by 1,000 steps within a timespan of two weeks. (One thousand steps is the equivalent of approximately ½ mile.) https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/age-chart.html
Tip #2 – Pay attention to the foods you’re eating – and the portions too!
My personal rule of thumb based on assessments and recommendations from my PC and trustworthy nutritionists, is to eat all foods in moderation. But keep in mind that moderation is relative to every individual. Your current health condition will very much determine what you should eat and the amounts that your body can manage, to maintain good health. I’m told however, that as we get older we should decrease the amounts of certain foods per week. That is especially true if you live with high cholesterol, high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes, among other conditions that you might have to monitor. I have verified that I have to consume lesser amounts of certain foods than I did even five years ago. For most of us, that would include processed foods such as white flour and white sugar, salt, saturated fats, caffeine, and alcohol. It is also important to note that certain foods that are considered “good for you” can end up being too much of a good thing, if you’re not managing your portions.
Get in the habit of reading the labels of prepackaged foods, then check against your allowed amounts based on your weight and height, and medical condition.
Another important recommendation if you live with any of the above mentioned ailments, is to increase your intake of fresh foods such as fruits and vegetables. Always remember to “eat the rainbow”. Fall in love with leafy green vegetables such a spinach, kale, a variety of lettuces such as romaine, red, green, orange, and yellow bell peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, the now popular brussels sprouts, tomatoes, avocadoes, red and white onions…and the list of tasty options goes on…
My motivation in this area, is finding wonderful and easy recipes that make these fresh foods delicious while super good for you.
So here are the overall takeaways:
These practices will increase your longevity and will do so, as you’re feeling increasingly healthier and more vibrant! The way I see it, it’s good to know that medical advances have resulted in us living longer lives than our ancestors were afforded a century (and even just a couple of decades) ago, but in doing so I want to ensure that those additional years on this beautiful earth will be healthier years during which I will have my opportunity to do the things I’ve always wanted to do in life.
If you want to enjoy your post-retirement days feeling healthy enough to travel a bit (or a lot!), and enjoy your family and friends, you’d want to do the work now to make it happen later.
The sooner you begin to establish better eating habits, the better your gut will feel and the more energy that you will have! The better you care for your body – by exercising at a pace that is adequate for you, the more flexible you become every day! The better your eating habits become, the more fuel you will be adding to execute your plans for the day, and in turn, the more days you’re literally adding to your life!
To me, looking at these benefits makes the process of embarking on my own healthy lifestyle, a no-brainer! I want to live my best life, of course! But most importantly, I want those extra years to be full of joy and wonderful memories with my friends and loved ones. The way to make it happen is to start where we are right now. If you start walking around the house 20 minutes more than you have in the past, you can easily work your way to 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week, or 75 minutes per week of more rigorous exercise. Studies show that adding this level of exercise can add three extra years to your life! Let’s go for it!
Now, let’s face it - you may feel like any, or all of this is more than you need in your life right now – you may feel like you should leave well enough alone. After all, you’ve been doing “just fine” thus far! I wouldn’t take that approach if I were you. Remember, as we age, we all benefit from a determined amount of movement and strength building exercise. Whether you’re one who gains motivation and energy from being surrounded by others at a gym, or you’re the type who prefers to go for a brisk walk around your neighborhood, just be sure to get your deserved amount every week – yes, I said your deserved amount - in a good way. Don’t you deserve to live a longer, healthier, and happier existence through midlife and beyond? Of course, you do!
Coach Mandy S.
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