Activities That Promote Healthy Aging

This being another health post, I wanted 2018 to have an article for the ages (so to speak) or was that for the aged? Well, at any rate, being old enough to be a card-carrying AARP member, I thought it important to share some tips on aging gracefully, not that I have, but who's to say you can't, right?

Growing older doesn't have to mean declining health or loss of physical ability. By following just a few simple rules and guidelines it's possible to maintain & enjoy our youthful vitality well into our later years. I never let a little grey hair slow me down and you shouldn't either.

If you have followed me for any time at all, you know that I'm a tireless advocate of walking to improve health, try walking each and every day, you might be surprised by the results you experience. A word of caution: BE PATIENT. It takes time. You won't see drastic changes overnight, but you will see changes.

The benefits of walking are numerous, varied, and significant. Walking loosens the muscles, reduces stress and depression along with anxiety. And when we reduce negative factors like depression, stress, and anxiety, it helps us elevate a host of other beneficial factors such as recovering from workouts more quickly, sleeping for longer and deeper periods, and enjoying a greater sense of well-being, just to name a few. So, when we wake up in the morning we feel happier and more rested.

Exercise also promotes a good night sleep, which in turn promotes a healthy metabolism. Without the proper amount of sleep, our body is forced to slow down our metabolism which puts the body in a state of craving energy due to low bloodstream insulin levels needed to produce the energy we require. This state causes the body to gain weight through fat storage, rather than controlling weight through fat burning.

If you decide to start a walking program for yourself, kudos to you. Congratulate yourself on making a wise decision. A little tip here – Research suggests that you are more likely to stay with an exercise program if you do it with someone, so find yourself a workout partner. It's a lot more fun than doing it by yourself and it's also a lot harder to stop because you won't want to let your exercise partner down. It can be a great way to be more social with your neighbors. And who knows, you just might help a neighbor out to, who maybe doesn't get out much or doesn't know many people, or hasn’t seen or talked to anyone in a few days. Getting healthy while making new friends is a great way to live.

I'm an outdoor person, so I prefer to do my exercise at a park rather than a gym. I like to get my walking in early in the day, especially in the hot summer months. In the winter, I walk a little later to allow time for the temperature to warm up a little. An early morning walking program can help to wake you up while boosting your energy. Your joints will feel more flexible so you will move more freely. Additionally, walking will increase the number of calories and help you burn fat. You should notice a big change in how you feel the rest of the day.

Begin by walking at a slow steady pace for as far as you are comfortable. You can increase the pace a bit and walk further every day. Just remember that you want to work up to a steady brisk walk to make you sweat but not get out of breath. Try to take a short walk before meals to calm your nerves, and burn calories, it will give you energy, relieve that stress from the long day and help you sleep.

After burning through a brisk walk you need to be sure to do a cool down. By walking at a bit of a slower and relaxing pace until you’ve cooled down and your heart rate has returned to normal. When walking at a vigorous pace your heart rate will go up and it needs to come back to normal.

Here is an article on the benefits of exercise by the Harvard Medical School - Exercise 3.14

By contrast, a lack of activities can prevent you from living a healthy life. If for whatever reason, you do not enjoy activities, you may feel uncharacteristically fatigued or even find it very difficult to sleep at night. So naturally, upon waking in the morning, you'll probably continue to feel tired until you again finally fall back asleep. Research has taught us that as we age our body changes, and as a result of that change, we may have to make accommodations in our lives to make up for those changes. As we age one change we may experience is that we may tire or become exhausted more easily and/or more quickly.

A daily multivitamin can help stabilize your energy. You can't find a more complete vitamin supplement than Its Vital.

A common response when a person feels exhausted is that as they become weak, they may refrain from the very thing or things that would benefit them the greatest, for example, in this case, that would be to be engaging in and enjoying any physical activities. This often compounds things and leads to additional problems. A lack of physical activity can lead to unwanted-uncontrolled weight gain, stiff muscles & joints, painful & limited joint movement, decreased heart & lung function, weakened immune system...and many many more negative things.

Believe it or not, the best place to start is with a good night rest. Are you getting a good night sleep? Research has proven time again that a good night's sleep is necessary for maintaining proper health but just as important, the research also showed that as we age it becomes even more critical to get sufficient rest (6 hours to 8 hours every night) to support our mature mind & body. I don't suppose that applies to me though because nobody ever accused me of being mature...

A good night's sleep allows the mind to think more clearly and boosts the body's energy while at the same time giving the body what it needs for controlling your weight. Researchers have found that lack of sleep reduces the bodies production of growth hormones, without which we lose muscle mass and often this loss of muscle mass is accompanied by significant accumulations of fat to many areas of the body.

Sleeping well at night strengthens our immune system and reduces stress, which again helps to keep us healthy. Sleeping provides balance for our bodies, leading to more activities, that will then satisfy our sleep needs.

To ensure proper rest try to avoid these things if you can. Reduce your intake of caffeine, nicotine, harmful chemicals (such as over-the-counter meds that keep you awake), and alcohol. Try to avoid drinking anything but water after 8 p.m. in the evening. Hydration is very important to a healthy lifestyle. Nicotine should be avoided at all cost, however, if you must smoke try not smoking after 8 p.m. And lastly try not to work out or do any strenuous exercise within 2 to 3 hours of bedtime.

Sleep being very important overall, it actually still takes second to being active - just by participating in physical activities we are improving our health. And if you're having trouble sleeping, instead of turning on the TV to try some meditation, it's much more effective and a whole lot better for you too.

So there you have it, some activities to promote healthy aging. I hope this information is helpful.

Please leave a comment below to let us know how we're doing.

Feel free to leave any suggestions for future posts or content. Or ask any questions regarding anything you don't understand or need help with, I would be happy to help in any way I can.

BE WELL MY FRIENDS,

Christopher Gibson

P.S. Healthy aging requires strength. Strength of mind and body. Yet it’s not always possible to get all the vitamins and nutrients that our minds & bodies need for proper functioning and optimum performance from the food we consume. It’s Vital to ensure that you get your complete nutritional requirements every day.

P.S.S. Getting healthy and supporting our members is what we're all about here, get all the information HERE if you would like to be a part of our special community.