It's Better than the Alternative

It's Better than the Alternative

I am hobbling today after twisting my knee playing hockey yesterday. It gets harder to stay on the field every year. When I was bemoaning this ageing stuff to my teammate, she replied, ‘It’s better than the alternative.’ What a great reminder to appreciate what you have.

Ageing is inevitable, but there is a lot you can do to make the ageing experience positive.

Here are a couple of scenarios for you to consider:

  1. Your last decade consists of disability, short and lengthy hospital stays, being banished to a dementia ward, frailty and poor quality of life before you contract pneumonia, causing your organs to collapse before you die at age 85.

  2. In your last decade, you tackle cryptic crosswords, rock climb, dance and spend time with family and friends. You have a short window of sickness before you die at age 85.

Which of those scenarios would you choose?

I assume everyone would choose scenario two. If so, what you do now drives the probability of that playing out. Here are the key lifestyle drivers for maximising your chances:

  1. A diet high in fruit and vegetable fibres (complex carbohydrates) and polyphenols (plant compounds) and protein.

  2. A diet low in simple carbohydrates, sugars and processed food.

  3. Increase cardiovascular health through walking and other forms of exercise, which increase your heart rate.

  4. Increasing muscle mass - the forgotten organ and the only one you have control of; muscles play a critical role in removing glucose from your bloodstream and supporting bone density.

  5. Sleep well - even as you age, you still need 7-8 hours per night. Don’ t believe the people who say you need less sleep as you age.

  6. Reduce stress levels - not always possible, but do what you can with breathing, meditation, nature walks (whatever your jam).

  7. Socialising - humans need each other and studies show that a chat with a barista can make a difference for someone experiencing loneliness.

See you at the rock climbing wall!

 

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