16th Sep 2009
See Yourself as You Want To Be
I don’t want this to be lost on you, but here are some incredible ideas about mental health & wellness for healthy aging.
Diet is the perfect place to start with changes for healthy senior years. A handful of studies show that your eating habits in middle age can have an effect on your Alzheimer’s risk. Poly and mono saturated fats are best. As your mother used to say, ‘eat your vegetables’. Do as she says and also add fresh fruit to your diet if it is not a part of it already., Stop the fast food routine now and eat only vitamin rich foods. A study also found that the risk of developing dementia is raised by 50 percent if you don’t eat fish or take fish oil. B vitamin is associated with cognitive function.
Be careful not to blame ANYTHING on your age and don’t let anyone else’s opinion of what is possible become yours (unless, of course, it helps stretch your beliefs even more!). One of the risky parts of healthy mental aging looks to be the horde of well meaning professional types gathering on the horizon and preparing to descend on the Boomers to protect them from….getting older. Just be sure not to let the media or other people tell you what is possible (or impossible!)
You are only as old as you tell yourself. Don’t stop doing the things you love; don’t think you can’t start new activities, either. Instead of remembering what I used to be able to do when I was twenty, I have developed a habit of wellness in mental health listing the things I can now do that I couldn’t do then – and practice gratitude for them each day. With age comes wisdom and the ability to enjoy life with confidence. It’s important to have a clear vision of how you want your life to look in the next 10, 20 or even 30 years.How do you want your body to look and behave.
Mental wellness is one of the keys to carefree living. Trying to remain stress-free isn’t easy. Stress reduces the ability of your immune system to protect their body. If you keep your mind and your body active – through exercise, diet, learning new things, and interacting with intelligent people – you stand a good chance of living a happy and intellectually stimulating life. Who you are BEING is far more important than anything you DO, and once you make a commitment, it is easier to remain true to who you want to BE.