Good genes, good luck, good lifestyle – get all three right and you can look forward to a healthy life in your 60s & 70s and later.
Let’s look at all three –
Good genes: Not much you can do about that now. It’s probably too late to sue your parents.
Good or bad luck: While we can’t stop good or bad things happening to us, we can control how we respond to events that impact on our lives. So we aren’t totally helpless where luck is concerned.
Good lifestyle: Here’s where we are very much in control. If we decide to adopt a positive and healthy lifestyle, it will have a substantial impact on our quality of life. Obviously if you adopted a healthy lifestyle 20 years ago, it would be better than starting today, but if you start now, it will still make a positive difference to your health over the next 5 – 10 years.
We all know that a healthy diet is important if we are going to control our weight and our overall health. There’s tons of advice about healthy eating on the internet and in magazines and books. However just reading about it won’t make you thinner.
Minimising stress, getting plenty of regular sleep and having a positive attitude are also very important. Well known cardiologist, Dr Ross Walker says “The most powerful “drug” on the planet is happiness, peace & contentment.” Our book offers some useful advice on all of these topics.
Regular exercise is also important, especially if you are over 50. You don’t have to exercise like a first grade footballer, but you do need a range of exercises covering movement, stretching, balance, strength and cardiovascular. A word of warning, especially if you haven’t exercised for a while. It’s a good idea to talk to a fitness coach who is trained and experienced in working with older bodies before you start any exercise program. A 30 minute brisk walk is great exercise, but you still need to cover the 5 groups I mentioned. I’ll write more about this in future columns.
Our book titled “How to stay Healthy, Active and Sharp in Retirement” tells you all you’ll need to know to keep both your body and your brain fit and healthy. There’s a money back guarantee if you’re not totally satisfied. You can find out more on this website.
The secret to a healthier, longer life
