You are approaching a big birthday and as you look in the mirror you see more grey hair and a few wrinkles around the eyes that you hadn’t noticed before and all seemed to appear overnight! You are not alone, there are negative attitudes about aging; a culture of fear about getting older. Advertising and social media have an obsession with eternal youth, promoting make-up brands, anti-aging skincare products and beautiful models on magazine covers. We live in a society where getting older is a curse rather than a blessing. However, getting older should be seen as a blessing as there are many people that die young and don’t have the privilege of growing old. We should be looking at ways to stay positive and engage with life. Instead of thinking about all the negative situations in the future and what could go wrong, we need to change our mindset about getting older and focus on healthy and positive ways to age gracefully. But how do we do this when we continue to lose the things and people we love as we grow older? There are so many disappointments in failing relationships, loneliness, our children moving away and living their own lives. Here are 8 holistic tips to help you stay healthy as you get older:
- Meditation: Learning to manage stress is a priority as you get older as constant stress can cause many health problems. Studies in positive psychology have shown that meditation for as little as twelve minutes a day can have positive health benefits to the mind and body. There are many ways to meditate, engage in activity that brings you joy; praying, journaling or just be still with your eyes closed.
- Exercise and flexibility: Muscle mass decreases 3-8% every decade after the age of thirty and declines further after the age of sixty. Maintaining strength and flexibility is important as you grow older. Find an exercise programme that you enjoy and include weights in your exercise a few times a week. Yoga can increase muscle flexibility and help you to stay positive. Keep moving to maintain a strong mind and flexible body.
- Do what you love: It’s never too late to start a new career, study and complete a course. Spend your time doing things that speak to your soul. Many people in their fifties and beyond start their own businesses or travel. Setting goals is positive and you always have something to look forward to completing. If you pay attention to positive experiences, you shift the focus of your brain from the negative so you can feel happier as you grow older.
- Eating healthy: Listen to your body, if you don’t feel good after you have eaten a certain food, it can be your body’s way of telling you that it doesn’t agree with your body. Foods that you were able to eat when you were younger might not agree with your body as you grow older. Buy lots of fruit and vegetables and make meals from scratch, avoid processed foods and convenient packaged meals. Fish and pulses are some of the foods that can help slow the aging process. Drink as much water as needed and listen to your body, it will tell you what it needs by how you feel. Choose healthy food that will give you energy.
- Get enough sleep: Some people need more sleep than others, it’s all about how you feel when you wake up in the morning. Getting enough sleep is important for renewing cells, it can help to lower the risk of heart disease, depression, stress, stroke and improve concentration.
- Laugh a lot: Life should not be taken seriously as anything can happen at any moment. You are here today and you are alive, learn to laugh at yourself and whatever life decides to throw at you. Everything is a lesson, an experience. Laughter can boost immunity and can make you feel good and improve health and vitality.
- Spend quality time with people you love: Create a strong social network of people you trust and can enjoy spending time with them. If you live alone, think about getting a pet as this can help to increase your mood and mental wellbeing. Stay connected with family and friends and schedule time to meet them for a coffee, lunch or dinner during the week.
- Love yourself: Accept every stage of your life and love your age. Schedule time for self-care and pamper yourself, connect with your inner self and love the person you are becoming. Try to remove fear from your life and focus on what you can do and everything you want to achieve in the future. You are here for a reason, there is a purpose for your life. Move forward with faith and courage and know that you are always guided in this universe. You are never alone.