Live longer, live better
More people are now living for longer, sometimes much longer. But we don’t want to just live, we want to live well.
So how can you make the most of a long life?
Exercise
It doesn’t have to be the gym – do some housework, go for a walk or get on YouTube and grab a workout. Don’t despair if you don’t have exercise in your daily routine, you stand to gain more than the gym bunnies by adding in just a little exercise. Think of it like putting pennies in a bank – they all add up but if you never put anything in, you won’t grow any savings. It’s better to move for ten more minutes every day than beat yourself up for not doing enough exercise.
The hidden value of exercise brings more than just improved muscle tone and fitness – it’s great for your mental and emotional health too. And if you have a tendency to over-eat, it’s a great way to distract yourself from that habit – it’s hard to eat crisps when you’re riding a bike or swimming!
Diet
This is not an endorsement of fad diets! Like exercise, a little change can make a big difference. Think about what you are putting in your body and how it makes you feel. Your body sends you messages all the time about what is good for you. Do you get a headache after eating chocolate? (Cruel but common!) Try swapping a chocolate snack for a healthier snack. Do you get indigestion after eating fatty foods? Look for lower fat alternatives to your favourite foods.
It’s ironic that quick and unhealthy snacks tend to leave us hungry and unfulfilled. Protein-based foods fill us up and give us energy throughout the day so saving us from wasting calories on high fat, high sugar, low-value foods. When you eat fruit, you’re still eating sugar but it’s not processed sugar and you’re getting other benefits like vitamins. Having a bowl of soup is a filling way of consuming more veggies and fibre but is super-tasty and can’t be beat on a cold, rainy day!
Shape and weight
Instead of focusing on target weights and weight loss goals, ask yourself if you have a healthy weight and shape. It’s a hard truth when it’s a common problem for many people, but carrying extra weight round the waist puts your vital organs at risk. If that is a reality for you and you’ve read the paragraphs above, you already have half an idea of how to tackle this.
The same is true if your BMI tells you that you’re overweight or obese. This isn’t a vanity issue – it’s a health issue. Your joints will thank you for relieving them of a bit of their burden – think how good that’s going to feel when you’re a pensioner with a skip in your step! But don’t feel you have to rush to lose a load of weight all at once – patience is a virtue. If you want to reduce your weight, aim to go slow to keep it off.
How are your muscles? Maintaining (or building) strength as you age is a great way to minimise the effects of old age and enjoy better health. Measuring simple things like your grip or how much you can lift or carry will tell you how you’re doing.
Smoking
We all know the harmful effects of smoking and tobacco use. You’re unlikely to start smoking in adulthood so if you’re a smoker, can you give it up? As Yoda says, “Do or do not, there is no try.” There is plenty of support out there if you quit but you have to decide to do it – nobody can make up your mind for you. And don’t think it’s too late. Your body can recover from smoking but only if you stop. There are too many sad stories about people deciding to quit once they’ve been diagnosed with cancer.
Brain activity
Keeping your brain active means addressing these functions:
- Cognition – thinking, learning and remembering
- Motor function – making and controlling motion, including balance
- Emotions – how you understand and react to positive and negative emotions
- Tactile function – feeling and responding to touch, including pain and heat / cold
- Senses – seeing, hearing, smelling and tasting
If you feel all of these aspects are functioning well, great – you are enjoying good brain health. Responding to early signs of disorder in any of your brain functions can give you a head start on dealing with potential issues. And if you are not using your brain to its fullest – perhaps you’re not being challenged or learning new skills, your brain health is in your hands and you can take steps to exercise your brain, just as you would with the rest of your body.
Feed your soul
What makes you feel good? Do more of it if you can. See friends, mend relationships, take time to relax, enjoy nature, whatever makes you happy.
Sleep
(Except if you have a baby – but hang on in there and sleep will come back one day.)
Otherwise, get in to a healthy bed-time routine and give yourself enough time to sleep. You’ll know how much sleep makes you feel good and many of us are not getting enough. If it’s a racing mind that is keeping you awake, then it’s time to manage…
Stress
The silent killer. Don’t take it lightly – no medical condition is improved by having high stress levels. And once you hit forty, watch out for…
High blood pressure
You may not feel it but your body does. Get it checked and if it’s high, get it down. Your older self will thank you.
Alcohol
This can be a contentious issue but you’re not daft, you know if you’re drinking too much. And if you are but you don’t know, there will be signs from people around you that you should limit your intake. If you’re trying to manage your weight, your smoking, your brain health and really all the factors above, alcohol is not your friend. So take control of your alcoholic consumption to help you take control of your health.
Here’s to living longer and living better.
