The famous writer Mark Twain once said, “age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter”. So true!
This quote brought me back to a moment last spring when my mother said to me, as she gazed in the mirror, ‘ you know I still feel like an 18-year-old girl trapped in a 80-year-old woman’s body’.
I thought this was particularly poignant in this day and age of instant gratification and multi-tasking complexity, because as women over 50 we sometimes find ourselves lost in the mine-field of social connection, finances and most importantly health.
If you are over 50, you’ve probably noticed a number of changes in your body: a few extra wrinkles here, hair in strange places, sluggishness and lack of energy to name a few; but it doesn’t have to be that way.
You are only as old as you feel; so if you feel you’re over the hill, you will be, but if you decided to change your mind right now to be healthier, your wellness journey will take you to places you could never imagined. Don’t believe me?
In the next few minutes you’re going to learn some ‘outside the box’ wellness tips for the mind and body that will serve you well, now, and for the rest of your life:
Over-50s health risks
Beyond loud, wild teenagers, and the occasional road rage lunatic, the clear and present health dangers that over 50s face—other than cancer, heart disease and diabetes—are loss of hearing, failing vision, high blood pressure, memory-loss & mental disorders, and osteoporosis.
A lot of over 50’s think they need to relax and engage in less exercise because of brittle bones and less flexible muscles, however, exactly the opposite is true. Being over the age of 50, more than any other age group, you need to boost your mental and physical fitness levels so you can maintain mobility and independence, recover from illness and reduce your higher than average risk of disease.
To begin with, your mind is the most important tool you have in your arsenal; therefore, you first need to have the right mental attitude and ask yourself, ‘do I want to be healthier and live a fuller, more exciting life? You do? Then read on!
Over fifties mental health tips
1. Simplify your life by cutting out information overload like watching too much TV, movies and excess social media surfing, and instead read information that will enhance your life rather than trashy magazines and newspapers that may entertain for a moment, but won’t serve your goals.
Only focus your energies on information and tasks that take you closer to your personal, work and wellness goals—forget the rest if they don’t serve you.
2. Learn the art of being in the moment and seeing everything for what it is. Take a moment to focus on one single task ‘right now’ and completely embrace it without letting anything else ruin your concentration. This sort of Zen contemplation (or meditation) every single day will take you away from the grievances of the past and the anxiety of the future.
3. Remember there are only ever three choices you can make in every situation: change it, accept it, or tolet it go. Make this choice today in regards to your wellness.
4. Incorporate the above mental attitudes to strengthen your spirit and shield you in sudden misfortune.
Over fifties physical health tips
Unfortunately, when you’re over 50 the days of recklessness and shunning pesky health tests are gone. For men and women the most important checks to take on a yearly basis are for: blood sugar, cholesterol, renal function & faecal occult blood testing, and hearing and vision tests. Every two years it is also important for men to have a prostate exam, and for women pap smear and breast screen. Ask your doctor for more information.
1. HEARING: Other than cleaning your ears regularly and protecting your hearing in noisy environments, here is an inventive way for you to prevent the loss of hearing.
Try this ancient Chinese method of ear health called ‘beating the heavenly drum.’ Place your index fingers on the skin protrusions at the bottom of your ear canals on each side and push them forwards (like ear plugs) so that they cover your ear canal. Next gently tap your middle fingers (at a steady pulse) on your temples, so that you hear a metallic banging sound. Do this 36 times and repeat the sequence 3 times while focusing on the sound and sense of the vibration.
Remember once you lose your hearing, there is no going back, other than with the help of a hearing aid, so protect them with ear muffs and a ‘NO LOUD NOISES’ sign if you need to—well maybe not that far, but you get the picture!
2. VISION: Don’t take your eye health for granted because like your hearing once it disappears—that’s it. Other than wearing 100% UVA and UVB sunglasses with wraparound lenses, visiting your eye doctor regularly, and preventing computer vision syndrome, here is an novel way to protect your eyes.
This ancient Chinese exercise will increase circulation, improve vitality, and also help reduce stress on your eyes.
Massage the area around your eyes—this is a major acupressure point—by anchoring your index fingers on your forehead near your hairline and using your thumbs to softly rub the bony rims around your eyes in small circular motions.
When you’re finished look to the upper left, then down and left, up and right, down and right, and back to the upper left, completing a figure 8. Complete eight repetitions of the exercise in one direction, followed by eight repetitions in the opposite direction. Rest your eyes by rubbing your hands together for a few seconds and placing them over your eyes and letting the heat seep in.
Important vitamins for the eyes are: Flaxseed and fish oil, Omega-3 essential fatty acids, Vitamin A, C, E and Zinc.
3. OSTEOPOROSIS: Osteoporosis occurs when bones lose minerals like calcium more quickly than the body can replace them. Prevention is better than cure; so a healthy balanced diet (with a diversity of food choices), light moderate exercise (like yoga or walking) and being aware of your surroundings is your best bet.
Important vitamins that aid in osteoporosis prevention are vitamin D and calcium. Of course you can get this from milk and cheese, however, you can also find your calcium from a mix of: sesame seed, brazil nuts, parsley, celery seed, poppy seed, flax seeds, and almonds that you can sprinkle on your dark leafy greens (they also have calcium in them).
4. HEART DISEASE & CANCER: For heart disease and cancer there are the usual dietary (i.e. limiting processed foods and sugars and adding more veggies to your diet) and exercise (1 hour per day) recommendations, which you can find online, however, there are also some more unusual ways you can keep your body heart disease and cancer free.
4. HEART DISEASE & CANCER: For heart disease and cancer there are the usual dietary (i.e. limiting processed foods and sugars and adding more veggies to your diet) and exercise (1 hour per day) recommendations, which you can find online, however, there are also some more unusual ways you can keep your body heart disease and cancer free.
The gentle practices of Indian Yoga and Chinese Quigong (similar to Tai Chi) have been known for centuries to help people over 50s stay strong and healthy; preventing heart disease and cancer and allowing them to gain the serenity and vitality of a Zen monk or Indian sage.
Acupuncture is also a great alternative. Cardiologist John Longhurst MD, PhD, suggests stimulating a few key acupoints near the elbows and knees, which releases neurotransmitters that travel to areas of the brain that regulate the cardiovascular system. Twenty minutes of meditation per day also helps to reduce stress and anxiety—two of the leading factors that lead to heart disease.
It is also important to get regular health screening for diabetes and to check your blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Acupuncture, meditation (especially image guided) and a ‘green’ diet are also highly recommended for cancer, while the Controlled Amino Acid Therapy (or CAAT Protocol) has been known to help patients who have been diagnosed with cancer. Regular cancer screening is also very important to detect cancer before it begins.
Important vitamins that aid in the prevention of heart disease and cancer are Omega-3 fatty acids (salmon, mackerel, flaxseed), CoQ10, B complex, Curucumin, turmeric and Danshen (used in China), vitamin D, Vitamin A, Retinoids and Provitamin A Carotenoids. Smart milk formula ‘Age+ 50 Plus formula powdered milk also aids in heart disease and cancer prevention.
Additional super 50s health tips
For the prevention of all the above issues there are also some universal methods that you should take into account.
For the prevention of all the above issues there are also some universal methods that you should take into account.
Eliminate, or at least reduce your sugar intake by replacing it with a ‘natural’ substitute like Natvia. Add more greens and lean proteins to your plate and eliminate, or limit, processed foods and simple carbs like white pasta, rice, bread etc.
Drink lots of water (weight in ounces / 2 = H2O intake), get 7+ hours of sleep per night, exercise at least 1 hour per day (yoga and calisthenics are a good option), learn the art of meditation and contemplate adding supplements to your diet.
It is also important to detox your body regularly, which you can do with a once a week fruit and vegetable juice day, along with a liver flush drink (2 cups orange juice, 1/3rd cup lemon juice, 1/3rd cup extra olive oil, dash cayenne pepper, 3 cloves, ½” fresh ginger). You can also add liquid Chlorophyll to your daily diet and dry brush scrubs that will help move your lymphatic system and clear your skin of toxins.
Remember energy in = energy out…
It’s inevitable that you will grow older, but by following some of these tips you will have at your disposal a wellness system that will serve you well into the future—especially when you begin with the mind.
True beauty lies in the wisdom and stoicism of age, and like a grand architectural building your legacy will live on in the way you interact with yourself and those that you love. All the excitement and joy of life starts with the foundation of health—so don’t ignore it.
At the end of the day, you really are only as old as you feel—so make feeling great your number one priority.
Source: http://www.weighitup.com.au
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