Aging requires a constant attention to the foundations of our health. As a “mature individual” something that has been bothering me for the last decade is the assumption or rather expectation that being healthy is a rare thing. It is like the population default mechanism is set now on the side of poor health instead of the opposite end of vibrant health.
Without a doubt there will be many things that happen to us as we go through life, get a cold or fever, hurt ourselves in a recreation or sport, be rear-ended by another driver, get ourselves run down by too much work or stress or many other health setbacks. This is NOT to downplay the suffering and or challenges many individuals face with illness be it mental or physical, our hearts go out to them. They need our support.
This is about a collective (some might say government) push to create an atmosphere that health is not attainable, especially for those of us of a certain age. That we should all have a list of ailments, medications and that daily activity should be a struggle. How can we reset the default towards vibrant health?
Growing up in the Midwest I was taught if you have a critique offer some solutions. Here’s a few ideas.
- Build yourself a well-being team
- Invest now in prioritizing your health
- Mindset matters
- Find your tribe
Teamwork
We all know our doctor and dentist, what about the other members of your team? And not to be harsh, but when it comes to preventative health and wellbeing the medical establishment has not really be a winner the last 50 years. Understatement of the year.
Find players who will help you build tools of resiliency, support better metabolic health and invest in mental strategies for life. Tap into this team on a regular basis, not only when it is a 911. Also, as we age our “wellness team” might need revisions and additions.
Prioritize
As a health coach daily I say to clients, if it is not on your calendar, it is not going to happen. It will float around in the “hope” it lands but often gets pushed aside. If you need to work on stress then prioritize, quiet time, practice breathing, get regular sunshine and adhere to consistent exercise/movement.
Whatever tools you have in your box use them regularly. The more you practice prioritizing your health the easier it gets.
“In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is.”
Yogi Berra
Mindset
I refuse to feel old. OK, there I said it. I think one of the biggest keys to not feeling over the hill is staying active, physically, and mentally. The foundations of that are consistency and dedication, back to the idea of default. Make movement a ritual in whatever way lights your fire and stick with it. Here’s are two previous posts on on How to Make It Stick in Exercise, link here and In Nutrition, link here.
There is ample research to show mindset matters when it comes to our health and performance. Look at the work of Alia Crum and Andrew Huberman, both from Stanford University. Here’s a podcast with both of those thought leaders on topic, link here.
Your Tribe
Something I learned during my decades of living in the Netherlands, see post here, is find people who make you think critically. Colleagues, friends, and individuals who encourage debate and dare to think different. If we are going to change this mantra that Aging = Illness, then we need a tribe to push us in a different zone.
Additionally, if you have found some particular lifestyle choices that work really well for you, tap into those tribes for enthusiasm, support and ongoing encouragement. Social media while it may have its’ downsides, does offer a chance to interact with various communities.
I recently had a conversation with a young individual (in high school) who wanted to chat about lifestyle choices as an aging female. How cool is that? We found each other on Twitter!
Final Note
Change happens one conversation, one meal and one household at a time. Embrace the challenge that health is attainable. Dare to think different.
