Aging and Physical Discomfort

Are we doomed to start feeling poorly as we age? Maybe not. If we are able to maintain a healthy lifestyle with a well balanced diet, activity and stress management we may find that we feel more comfortable in our skin even as we age.

All of this is fairly easy to say, but how do we actually accomplish this in our everyday lives? The first step is finding what motivates you. If you can find something that truly motivates you, like wanting to spend more time playing with your grandchildren before getting tired, you will be more likely to stick to a plan of action. When beginning an activity practice, start small. Take a walk around the block, walk up and down your stairs, run, swim, whatever you enjoy that will get you moving everyday. As you get older, your blood vessels and arteries become stiffer, by staying active we can help keep our blood pressure down and maintain a healthy weight. You will be somewhat sore whether you exercise or not - so why not exercise?

Eat a diet that focuses on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Limit your intake of red meat and processed meats. Do your best each day to make ½ of each plate that you eat fruits and vegetables. Check the ingredients of the grains that you intake and ensure that the first ingredient listed is “whole grains.” If you can’t do this, do what you can. The more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains you can incorporate into your daily life, the better. Even if that is just one serving.

Manage stress. Manage stress in any way that works for you. Take at least 10 minutes of each day to do something that relieves stress. Maybe meditation, walking around the neighborhood, snuggling with your pet, anything at all. Get enough sleep every night. 7 to 8 hours of good quality rest each night can help repair and heal your heart and blood vessels. Create good sleep health. Turn off all of your electronics at least 30 minutes before bed so your brain has time to produce the sleep hormone melatonin. Allow yourself this time to relax, take a bath, read a book, drink a cup of chamomile tea and then get ready for bed. We guarantee you will sleep better if you start this nightly practice.

Adding in a few quality routines into your daily life may make all the difference in how you feel as you age. If you are tired of feeling weak, sore, and achy, give these things a try for about a month and see how it will change your life for the better.