We all know we're aging. The point isn't to try and stop it, but how to do it better, living your best life and having the physical and mental health to enjoy it.
Genes play an important role in how we age, but some of the most essential factors to aging well are within our control.
We're conditioned through TV, books, movies, music, and culture about how we should act, look, and even feel as we grow older. We incorporate these beliefs into our subconscious and they become part of the factors that control how our genes work. The bottom line: If you think you're old, you may act old.
Despite popular belief, mental decline isn't an inevitable part of getting older. Studies show that regularly engaging in mentally stimulating activities, like prayer/meditation, journaling, and blogging all slow and can even reverse mental decline. It's never too late to start! Even in your 70's and 80's improvements have been seen in those who take up blogging. It combines both passive and active thinking.
Folate and Folic Acid are used interchangeably and are both forms of Vitamin B9. Davide Mischoulon, M.D., Ph.D., assistant psychiatry professor at Harvard Medical School, conducted research that revealed an association between inadequate levels of folic acid and an increased risk of dementia and depression. To ensure you get enough folate in your diet, load up on foods like leafy green veggies, citrus fruits, dried peas, and beans. Subtle signs of folate deficiency include digestive disorders, headaches, irritability, and forgetfulness. The FDA recommends 400 micrograms of Folate daily.
You will be disappointed at age 60 if you haven't taken care of your skin in your 30's, 40's and 50's. The worst habits I see are:
• Not cleansing your skin every.single.night
• Thinking a little chemical-laden moisturizer is all you need
• Not wearing sunscreen daily.
Skin that ages the best is skin that has been loved and cared for. Treat your skin right, and it will age better. It's a fact.
A basic post 50 skincare routine should include:
The addition of exfoliants, facial masks and eye creams/gels are the ideal and best possible skincare regime.
Most of us don't think about balance training before our mid-sixties, but it's never too early to add it to our daily routines. Balance training is for everyone at any age.
Balance training involves doing exercises that strengthen the muscles that help keep you upright, including your legs and core. These kinds of exercises can improve stability and help prevent injuries and falls. They can also improve your posture, an important factor ageless aging.
Good posture at any age is important but even more so after 50. Poor posture often stems from our habits of working in front of a computer, slouching on a couch while watching TV, or looking down at a smartphone.
The consequences of poor posture are your center of gravity goes forward, increasing your chances of falling. It can also cause back or neck pain and headaches.
Here's a simple exercise to improve posture. Practicing good posture is a healthy habit for ageless aging.
Sit up straight facing sideways in a chair. Clasp your hands behind you, locking your fingers so your palms face you. Lift your hands upward to the point of tightness. Hold 10 seconds and return to the starting position. Repeat two to four times.
The single most important factor in healthy, ageless aging is cultivating a positive outlook.
How do you maintain a positive attitude? It's all about outlook. Begin by accepting that nothing in life is permanent, and try to look for the silver lining in every situation. A great attitude can help you enjoy the aging process, instead of dreading or simply tolerating it.
Spot on Kelli! I like how you have taken the basic elements of aging gracefully and articulated how we can apply them over time. For me, it requires a daily consciousness, intention and follow through. Practical habits are one thing but cultivating the positive outlook is so important overall.
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Kelli Parisian
Author
Kelli Parisian - Founder of Parisian's Pure Indulgence Organic Skin Care. Contributing writer to LivingBetter50 online Woman's Magazine. Come along with me, and learn how to have a healthy, vibrant, beautiful life after 50!