Healthy Aging Tips

Healthy Aging - How to Feel Great, Look Fantasic, and Fit it all into a Busy Life 

The reasons are subject to controversy and beyond the purpose of this article. If you would like to read more about the results, point your browser to http://hrsonline.isr.umich.edu/. This article, instead, is asking; what can you do about it, now? I’m here to tell you, LOTS! But, I will also warn you that you actually have to make a serious effort, you can’t work towards feeling great, looking fantastic and fit it into your life without real commitment to make it happen.

First, what does feeling great mean to you? Fewer aches and pains? Getting a good night’s sleep and waking with anticipation to the day? Feeling in charge of your life? Well, perhaps if you can accomplish the first two, you will accomplish the last one. If you do suffer from aches and pains, feel tired and not in control, there are several things you can do now to help resolve that. Multiple studies have shown that exercise improves sleep at night. Look at the amount of exercise you get each day. Health organizations are recommending 60 minutes of cardio per day. You can even mix it up into 10 minute slots, six times a day! If you want to, anyone can fit 10 minutes of walking into various slots of their day. Just stop for a moment and recall what time it was when you began reading this article! Set a timer, in fact, and realize how quickly 10 minutes flies by.

The Benefits of a 10 Minute Walk

Let’s imagine a typical day. You wake up, but today you wake up 15 minutes earlier than usual so you can put your shoes and sweats on and take your first 10 minute walk outside (or on that treadmill that you have to uncover). You bring your walking shoes with you to work, and in the morning break and afternoon break, you again walk for 10 minutes each time. Then at lunch you walk for 10 minutes before you eat. Wow; you’re half-way there! When it’s time to leave work, you allow for a quick 10-minute walk before heading home. But, you have some shopping to do, first, so, put those shoes back on and walk around the parking lot or in a local park, first. You’ve already put in 50 minutes of exercise, today! When you get home, you may be rushed, so if you don’t have time for a quick 10 minute walk before dinner, or while it’s cooking, take it after dinner. There you have it! While you’re sitting there (with the timer on), pull out a piece of paper and figure out where YOU can fit six 10-minute walks in tomorrow.

The advantages of exercise lead to more than just better sleep, however. Once you have been doing it for just a couple of weeks, you will start to feel better, emotionally. Stress levels decrease with consistent exercise. Also, eventually you will start to notice a change in your body. Granted, with simple walking, you may not see a big change on the scale, but if the walking motivates you to pay closer attention to what you’re eating, not only will you notice your clothes fitting better because of the decreased body fat from the exercise, but also because of the decreased calories, leading to weight loss.

Benefits of Fish Oil

But there is more you can do to feel better. Many of the aches and pains we suffer as we age are due to inflammation. Taking medications and over-the-counter anti-inflammatories just mask the causes. The foods you eat can make a difference in how ‘inflamed’ your joints are. Fish oil supplements are showing great results for general arthritic-type symptoms. Discuss them with your doctor or a registered dietitian to learn what would work for you and to make sure they would not interfere with other medications you are taking. Make fish a regular choice in your diet; even nuts, measured out in moderation, help with inflammation. Increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables can also help you feel better. Not only will the antioxidant properties help fight your risk for diseases such as cancer and heart disease, but can also help you feel better, physically. Your skin will start to glow, too!

Fighting Fat with Fat