AGING IS A CHOICE PART 16 – Practices for Better Aging
By Robert Manni
Every day is another day older. It’s just a fact of life. As time continues on, undefeated, it will eventually take us all. However, aging is a choice. There are things we can do to remain robust and vital throughout our aging journey. With a little bit of work, we can embrace certain practices and continue to improve the quality of our lives. I offer a few for your consideration.
Drumroll please…
EATING WELL
There is no doubt that we are what we eat. I love food, but over the years I have learned that not all food loves me. Over the past fifteen years I have shifted my mindset from living to eat to eating to live. I’ve eliminated meat, alcohol, and as much processed foods and sugars from my diet as possible. As a result, I feel better, a whole lot better, and no longer miss any of the foods and beverages I have given up or replaced. I’m not suggesting you make the same choices as I have but encourage you to do some self-research into what foods make your body feel good, and which foods do not. Try reading the nutrition and ingredient labels of the foods you commonly eat and start a dialogue with yourself about your choices. This might open the door for you to make better food decisions and chip away at unhealthy eating habits.
EXERCISE
If you can, exercise daily. Doing so will make a huge difference in how you feel and how you age. It’s important to hold this mindset of keeping active even when physical limitations keep us from doing everything we did when we were younger. Some changes may be in order. Maybe you can’t get around the tennis court as quickly. If so, consider pickleball. Maybe you can no longer run the five miles you ran for years. That’s okay. Ask yourself if you can take a long walk. In most cases, physical activities are available for almost everyone regardless of our personal limitations. And if you don’t have any physical limitations, ask yourself this. What’s preventing you from getting the exercise your body needs?
REST
As we age, we need more rest, not less. Unfortunately, too many people over fifty don’t get enough of it. Sleep, crucial to any age, is especially important as we get older. Our bodies need time to rest and resuscitate. My best advice for getting more sleep in our busy lives? Set a sleep schedule where you go to bed at the same time. If you are getting enough physical exercise during the day and you are not staying up for the sake of staying up to watch yet another show or movie on your screen, sleep should come pretty naturally. For myself, I’ve dialed back my schedule to go to bed earlier so I can wake up earlier. This has paid off handsomely. I have more energy and feel more rested than at any time in the past.
STAYING SOCIAL
Staying young means thinking young and having new interests and ideas. That’s hard to do if you spend most of your time alone. I’ve found that maintaining connections, especially with people younger than I am, keeps me on my toes and learning new perspectives. That’s a good thing. Sometimes, we have to give ourselves a push to break free of routines and venture out to make new connections. This is true for joining a new sports league, going out on dates, or joining a Meet-up. I say, maintain your friendships, but keep on making new ones because sometimes, it’s the connections we make that give our day-to-day lives meaning and purpose.
BE FLEXIBLE
As we get older, it’s easy to become complacent. We get locked in certain points of view, thinking we have all the answers. Guess what? We don’t. Information is always evolving or changing. What held true to us twenty years ago may not feel true to us today. We are always growing, even when we think we haven’t. Giving ourselves room to change our minds and be wrong sometimes allows us the mindset to try new things and espouse fresh ideas. Even something as simple as reading or watching the opposition’s media networks and platforms helps me understand the rationale behind other people’s beliefs. And, on a few occasions and topics, I have expanded and even changed my point of view by seeing the other side. So, stay flexible. Keep an open mind. Sometimes, not having everything your way is the best way to experience yourself grow and keep things exciting.
MEDITATE
Studies show that meditating regularly can lower your blood pressure, improve sleep, lower anxiety, and reduce stress. That’s a winning combination at any age, and even more so when you are growing older. For myself, meditation has helped me in so many ways. I have gained a clearer more balanced mind, a calmer emotional footing, and numerous health benefits. It only takes the decision to start to set you on a path to reaping the rewards. There are so many guided meditations online and meditation apps to get you started. Remember, stay flexible and you will find the one that’s a good fit for you.
These are some core practices that have made a difference in my life. You might want to choose a few to incorporate into your life and see for yourself about the benefits. Again, what works for me may not be right for you, but there’s no harm in finding out. You only need to do what feels right for you. Until next time, let’s keep growing older youthfully together.