Inside and Out

Let’s face it, there are a million things we are told to do to stay healthy and age well. It is almost a full-time job that can be exhausting. Eat this, don’t eat that, exercise, meditate to calm your brain, do puzzles to stimulate your brain. We all want to do the right things, but when those things keep changing, according to the latest study, it can feel like just too much.

So, what can we do? Let’s break it down into three basic categories. We have to prioritize according to our needs and life situation. But in order to do that, you have to know what will benefit you. Everyone is different, and some things that might be a problem or a benefit for one person might not have the same effect on the next person. Your doctor is the best source of information about your body. But you also have to be aware of how you are treating your body. Just like any piece of equipment, your body needs specific things for optimal performance.

So let's look first at the inside, be body aware, and pay attention to how what you consume affects you. If you have high blood pressure, you might want to cut down on salt, whereas someone else could eat the same amount of salt and not be bothered by it at all. You have to know your body and how it reacts. Your doctor does not live in your body; you are the only one with a front-row seat. Our bodies are affected by caffeine, sugar, water, fiber, sleep, etc. You don’t have to wait until that next annual checkup; there are things that you can do to get a sense of how your body is functioning: like taking your blood pressure, checking heart rate and blood sugar, modifying your diet and lifestyle, and getting plenty of exercise. Being proactive can go a long way in keeping you healthy and feeling good.

Just like you need to understand your own body, you need to understand your own mind. You need to be mindful. You need to understand how your mind works. Your mind has a huge effect on the rest of your body. When you become mindful, you are better able to understand how your thoughts are physically affecting your body. Anxiety is a perfect example. Anxiety can cause innumerable physical symptoms. It has been proven time and time again that there is a direct connection between your mind and your gut. The connection between the mind and the gut, also known as the gut-brain axis, is a two-way street where both organs influence each other. So how do you learn to be mindful? Meditation and Yoga are great ways to connect with your mind. Yoga cultivates present-moment awareness through focusing on breath and bodily sensations during postures. This improved focus can translate into better concentration throughout the day. Yoga can boost your ability to cope with stress and difficult situations. The practice of perseverance and discipline built on the yoga mat can translate into greater mental resilience in daily life. Meditation can positively impact your health in various ways such as stress reduction, enhanced sleep, and pain reduction.

So, what about the outside? Sensory aids like hearing aids and glasses, vision correction like contact lenses and cataract surgery, and mobility aids like canes are not things to avoid. They are things to be thankful for that help you to continue to live an active healthy lifestyle. Studies have shown a clear link between hearing loss and an increased risk of developing dementia. The risk appears to be higher with more severe hearing loss. It is normal for all of us to avoid typical symbols of old age like hearing aids. But avoiding them has a direct effect on your brain, which is no longer getting the stimulation that it needs to function properly. I wear hearing aids which I got preemptively when I noticed I was not able to pick up things like English Accents on the TV. Things like this were little signs that things were not as good as they used to be. I spent a year doing research on hearing aids before I actually purchased them. The effort was well worth it. Sight is another area that we tend to ignore. Your eyesight is another direct connection to your brain and another stimulation that it needs to have to operate properly. When I realized my vision was not what it used to be, I had cataract surgery which completely opened up my world. Between the hearing aids and the cataract surgery, I felt I had regained years of my life that not only allowed my body to operate better but mentally it had a huge effect on my outlook on life in general.

Yes, these are changes that none of us look forward to, but a positive attitude will put you on the right path to enjoying your life regardless of limitations. These things are much more valuable than the latest cosmetic procedure. As these are the things that contribute to a properly functioning body and mind. Whereas chasing your youthful looks and avoiding anything that hints at getting older only creates direct conflict in your mind and your body. When you take on that fight it is a fight you cannot possibly win. It's a much healthier approach to embrace aging and focus on well-being rather than fighting a losing battle against time. There's nothing wrong with wanting to look and feel your best, but it should come from a place of self-care and appreciation.

Inside and out, you do have the ability to control many things that happen as we age. Aging does not have to be something that happens to you. While the biological process of aging is inevitable, there's some truth to the idea that you can influence how you experience it. So, while the hands of time will keep ticking, you can take charge of your health and make conscious choices to optimize your experience of aging. It's a shift from passively enduring it to actively managing it for a healthier, more fulfilling life, inside and out!