How to age gracefully
It seems like nobody wants to get old these days, and elderly people are usually stereotyped with certain characteristics like driving slow for one. However, ageing is a beautiful process and if we’re fortunate enough we will experience it. Have no fear of ageing; there are countless of people that defy the stereotyped grandpa or grandma. Look at Jack LaLanne he’s over 80 and still going strong. The secrets to ageing well are
- Eat a well-balanced diet
- Stay active
- Stay socially and mentally intact
Eat a well-balanced diet, I know you probably heard this a lot but it’s true. Putting garbage into your body will make your body function like it in the long run. It’s hard to believe when you’re young but as you age how you treated your body earlier will start to show. It could show through physical or mental signs, so make sure to start today in taking care of yourself.
Stay active, staying active is very beneficial for you as you age. You don’t want to get sedentary as you age; you want to become more active. If you don’t exercise, not only will you gain weight, but you may also have a lot of other health-related problems such as high blood pressure and cholesterol. If you have an office job I will recommend going to your local gym during your lunch break. Also, start lifting weights and that includes women. Weight lifting will help strengthen your bones and puts you at less risk of having osteoporosis which is debated to be irreversible. The best antidote is prevention.
Stay socially and mentally intact, sounds awkward? Staying socially and mentally up to date is very important as you age. These two are correlated. If you try to stay socially up to date, you will have to research and find out what the current trends are going around the world. You need to test your mind to make new transitions which are easier said than done. For the mental part, exercising your mind is extremely crucial for ageing gracefully. I would recommend taking a course at your local university about a topic you are interested in learning. Never stop learning, as you learn your cognitive abilities increase and your brain becomes more elastic. This is what you want because it could help lower your risks of getting Alzheimer or Parkinson disease. You don’t want your brain to deteriorate so keep it active.
