Brian C Jensen says if you think that as we grow older our health will inevitably decline and we must then suffer from some chronic diseases or disabilities, you are wrong! The decline in our health might actually be due to the lack of certain habits that we had when we were younger. We must not forget that aging is a natural process and it should be see like that, as an opportunity for improvement.
Here is an Advice on maintaining a healthy lifestyle as we grow older:
Physical activity:
Staying active is probably the best way to maintain good physical condition at any age. If you start exercising regularly you will quickly see how your body improves; first on the energy levels but also on the immune system strengthening and last but not least on muscles strength. You need to make sure however that you choose some exercises adapted for your current state (for example if you suffer from arthritis or some knee problems then swimming might be a better option than running). Do not underestimate the importance of exercising and give it a good try for at least 4 weeks to see how it affects you, explains Brian C Jensen.
Diet:
Your diet is essential in keeping your body healthy and active, especially considering that we are more quickly if we are prone to overweight or obesity, so really pay attention what you eat. Make sure you eat healthy food such as fruits and vegetables but also small quantities meat (or fish) and plenty of cereals (e.g.: Oat meal). Also avoid any processed food that might contain too much fat or sugar; they usually don’t contain many nutrients and will make you gain weight easily. Get use instead to cook your own meals because restaurant food often contains too many salt and other additives which aren’t good for you. Also try to reduce the intake of alcohol because it is very likely that you will abuse it, and if you do then remember that your liver is probably weaker than when you were younger.
Meditation:
This is actually something I believe everyone should practice since its benefits are huge! Meditation is known to be able to reduce stress levels (and thus improve your daily life), but it also improves your immunity strengthening, manages pain and increases your creativity; what more can we ask? It does not matter where or how long each time, 10 minutes every day would already make a difference (of course more is better). You might however find this article on mindfulness meditation, which might help learn how to apply this technique better.
Spirituality:
Religions are created with the purpose of giving people guidelines that would help them live in peace and harmony, but spirituality just like meditation is not necessarily linked to religion, says Brian C Jensen.The easiest definition I can give about this topic is that you should follow your heart to find out what makes you feel good because it will surely show you how to lead a more fulfilling life. Of course there are many things we must abide by if we want society to function well (e.g.: keep up working so everyone could earn their living), but don’t let yourself be dragged down by everyday problems because they will never miss your life if daily negative feelings become too much for you; only then you might need others’ support or even professional help.
Conclusion:
I guess this is a good list of habits that we must not forget in order to maintain good health and condition; do you think there are other habits that I might have forgotten? Do you practice some of them already or plan on changing your lifestyle after reading this article?
As you can see, this list of habits is far to be complete but they are surely the ones that should be implement in your life to improve your physical condition while growing older. If you follow these simple steps then you will manage not only to age better but also avoid any chronic disease or disability that could reduce your quality of life drastically!
As you can see aging is not just about decline, it is also about improvement and becoming wiser. It is up to you to decide how your life will unfold, but taking the above mentioned advices into consideration might help you improve your daily routine which would make you live longer (not only because of delaying chronic diseases), happier!