September is Healthy Aging Month and it is important no matter what
your age that you are living a healthy lifestyle, and if you are not,
TODAY is the day to start!
Here are 10 Tips for Reinventing Yourself during September Is Healthy Aging® Month:
Do not act your age or at least what you think your current age
should act like. What was your best year so far? 28? 40? Now? Picture
yourself at that age and be it. Some people may say this is denial, but
we say it is positive thinking and goes a long way toward feeling better
about you. (Tip: Don’t keep looking in the mirror, just FEEL IT!)
Be positive in your conversations and your actions every day.
When you catch yourself complaining, check yourself right there and
change the conversation to something positive. (Tip: Stop watching the
police reports on the local news.)
Ditch the downer friends. Have negative friends who complain all
of the time and constantly talk about how awful everything is? Drop
them. As cruel as that may sound, distance yourself from people who do
not have a positive outlook on life. They will only depress you and stop
you from moving forward. Surround yourself with energetic, happy,
positive people of all ages and you will be happier too. (Tip: Smile
often. It’s contagious and wards off naysayers.)
Walk like a vibrant, healthy person. Come on. You can probably
do it. Analyze your gait. Do you walk slowly because you have just
become lazy or, perhaps, have a fear of falling? (Tip: Make a conscious
effort to take big strides, walk with your heel first, and wear
comfortable shoes.)
Stand up straight! You can knock off the appearance of a few
extra years with this trick your mother kept trying to tell you. Look at
yourself in the mirror. Are you holding your stomach in, have your
shoulders back, chin up? Check out how much better your neck looks! Fix
your stance and practice it every day, all day until it is natural. You
will look great and feel better. (Tip: Your waistline will look trimmer
if you follow this advice.)
How’s your smile? Research shows people who smile more often are
happier. Your teeth are just as important to your good health as the
rest of your body. Not only is it the first thing people notice, but
good oral health is a gateway to your overall wellbeing. (Tip: Go to the
dentist regularly and look into teeth whitening. Nothing says old more
than yellowing teeth!)
Lonely? Stop brooding and complaining about having no friends or
family. Do something about it now. Right this minute. Pick up the
phone, landline, or cell and make a call to do one or more of the
following: Volunteer your time, take a class, and invite someone to meet
for lunch, brunch, dinner, or coffee. (Tip: Volunteer at the local
public school to stay in touch with younger people and to keep current
on trends, take a computer class or a tutorial session at your cell
phone store to keep up with technology, choose a new person every week
for your dining out.)
Start walking not only for your health but to see the neighbors.
Have a dog? You’ll be amazed how the dog can be a conversation starter.
(Tip: If you don’t have time for a dog, go to your local animal shelter
and volunteer. You will be thrilled by the puppy love!)
Get a physical. Make this month the time to set up your annual
physical and other health screenings. Go to the appointments and then,
hopefully, you can stop worrying about ailments for a while. (Tip: For a
list of recommended annual health screenings, a great resource is the
My Health Finder. http://healthfinder.gov/myhealthfinder/
Find your inner artist. Who says taking music lessons is for
young school children? You may have an artist lurking inside you just
waiting to be tapped. Have you always wanted to play the piano, violin,
or tuba? Have you ever wondered if you could paint a portrait or scenic
in oil? What about working in wood? (Tip: Sign up now for fall art or
music classes and discover your inner artist!)
A SENIOR CONNECTION
We specialize in helping families with Assisted Living, Residential Home Placement and In-Home Care Services.
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