There are three areas to focus on in slowing the aging process.
DIET
* Stay active - burn 1,500 to 2,500 calories a day; activity is a big factor in weight control and digestion.
* Eat a varied diet - easy on salt and fats, increase carbohydrates and fiber; stay away from chemically processed foods.
* Eat small meals - avoid the coffee breakfast, sandwich lunch and big plate dinner; instead, have four or five smaller meals evenly spread out.
* Hydrate yourself - don’t dry up; drink six to eight glasses of water a day
ATTITUDE
* Have the right mental outlook - believe that a long, fulfilling life is realistic
* Be an optimist - don’t dwell on the negative; don’t be discouraged by occasional setbacks
* Stay in control - Self-sufficiency, autonomy and independence are critical to successful aging
* Maintain your creative spark - stimulate your creativity; read, study a new language, take an art class, tend a garden, learn a musical instrument
* Train your brain- Smart people live longer; train your brain
* Make yourself necessary - do volunteer work, care for a pet, do projects with grandkids
* Have sex - disregard the myths; new evidence says that physical causes (chronic illness, prescription drug use), not psychological causes, create sexual problems for the elderly. Have a robust sex life into your 90s and beyond.
* Sleep - get enough sleep; older people experience disturbed sleep; however, the real culprit may be inactivity. After exercise, older people fall asleep quicker and sleep longer.
EXERCISE
Start with short walks and work your up; optimal value comes with three half-hour exercise sessions per week at an intensity that increases heart rate, makes you sweat, but you can still carry on a conversation.
To accomplish the above, remember
* It’s going to take time
* Look for role models for encouragement - 80 and 90 year olds getting college degrees, etc.
* Don’t allow small failures to become excuses to quit
Happy 100th birthday—in advance!
DIET
* Stay active - burn 1,500 to 2,500 calories a day; activity is a big factor in weight control and digestion.
* Eat a varied diet - easy on salt and fats, increase carbohydrates and fiber; stay away from chemically processed foods.
* Eat small meals - avoid the coffee breakfast, sandwich lunch and big plate dinner; instead, have four or five smaller meals evenly spread out.
* Hydrate yourself - don’t dry up; drink six to eight glasses of water a day
ATTITUDE
* Have the right mental outlook - believe that a long, fulfilling life is realistic
* Be an optimist - don’t dwell on the negative; don’t be discouraged by occasional setbacks
* Stay in control - Self-sufficiency, autonomy and independence are critical to successful aging
* Maintain your creative spark - stimulate your creativity; read, study a new language, take an art class, tend a garden, learn a musical instrument
* Train your brain- Smart people live longer; train your brain
* Make yourself necessary - do volunteer work, care for a pet, do projects with grandkids
* Have sex - disregard the myths; new evidence says that physical causes (chronic illness, prescription drug use), not psychological causes, create sexual problems for the elderly. Have a robust sex life into your 90s and beyond.
* Sleep - get enough sleep; older people experience disturbed sleep; however, the real culprit may be inactivity. After exercise, older people fall asleep quicker and sleep longer.
EXERCISE
Start with short walks and work your up; optimal value comes with three half-hour exercise sessions per week at an intensity that increases heart rate, makes you sweat, but you can still carry on a conversation.
To accomplish the above, remember
* It’s going to take time
* Look for role models for encouragement - 80 and 90 year olds getting college degrees, etc.
* Don’t allow small failures to become excuses to quit
Happy 100th birthday—in advance!
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