What is Healthy Aging?

What is healthy aging? Healthy aging is a very personal thing. Aging in a healthy manner is different for everyone. Each person places importance on different aspects of his or her life. If you truly enjoy eating, and are miserable while dieting, consider adding another five years to your life by eating healthy foods. If you spend those years miserable, what is the point? What have you gained or lost? Here are some aspects of healthy aging, including happiness, relaxation, exercise and staying involved.

Are you happy? What is happy? Happiness comes from inside yourself. It cannot be given or purchased. Even the term - "make someone happy" - is contradictory. No person or thing can make another individual happy. Some people think true happiness is when your insides match your outsides. Your time is spent on those things and people that are most important to you. Others believe happiness comes from a sense of balance between those things we are required to do and those things we enjoy. For every person. it is different.

Retirement: what does that mean? Endless relaxation? The loss of goals, expectations and potential? Are you really relaxing or passing time? For those of us with too much stress in our life, relaxation is difficult. Relaxation is time spent thinking about all those things in your life that are stressful. Cut those stressors out of your life. Use meditation, yoga and music to find ways to relax - truly relax. Relaxation is the ability to enjoy the moment, living and breathing deeply.

If you don't use it, you lose it, so move! When was the first time you said to yourself, "I can't do that"? Weakness due to muscle loss is progressive. You start out saying, "maybe I should not do that," and the more you don't do, the more you can't do. Strength, flexibility and good muscle tone are the best fall prevention medicine there is. Since falls account for the debilitation of many older adults, it is worth acting on.

Exercise is not difficult. You don't have to go to an aerobics class; just use your muscles. Walking is a wonderful exercise and can be done safely by most people. Just to be safe, your physician should approve all exercise programs. For those with arthritis or other chronic pain issues, try water exercise. Held usually at park districts, recreation centers or the YMCA/YWCA and sponsored by the Arthritis Foundation, water exercises can change your life by increasing your muscle tone and flexibility. For those who are not able to walk or water exercise, try flexing those muscles while sitting in your chair or lying in bed. Tighten those muscles for five seconds, then relax. Do 25 or so several times a day and you will increase your strength. Gradually increase the exercise - STOP IF YOU FEEL PAIN - and enjoy the results.

Eating well is something we all know we should do and feel better when we do. The most important thing is to find a balance. Avoid those foods high in fat or sugar and eat a good balance of protein, fruits and vegetables. Enjoying what you eat can add to the pleasure in your life. Meals can be shared with family and friends and become social events. Enjoy in moderation.

Activities are a reason to wake up in the morning, a reason to set your alarm, a reason to go to bed early. Activities, whatever they are, help set short-term goals. It is a good idea to set goals for yourself. You now have the time to accomplish things you never had time for. Learn a new language, read poetry, maybe learn to draw. Stay involved in something you enjoy. Volunteer at a hospital, social service agency, your local elementary school or library. Visiting with children reminds us of the joy and energy in spontaneity. Computers and the Internet can open up a new world, especially for those who are home-bound. Travel to those places you dreamed of, fish the stream you drove by all those years, visit those friends who miss you. Create a family history using scrapbooks, audio tapes or a book of questions. Your family will cherish your memories.

Healthy Aging can also be an ounce of prevention. In order to maintain your health, get regular check-ups and the immunizations recommended by your doctor. Many older adults succumb to flu or pneumonia when a simple and inexpensive vaccine is available. Who is in charge of your health? Don't just follow your doctor's order, but empower yourself with information regarding any condition you may have or medication you are taking. Good communication with your doctor, not just answering questions, will improve your medical care.

Good medical care will not make you happy, relaxed or get you involved in those things you care about. It will enable you to reach for these goals. Maybe for the first time in your life, you will make time to take care of yourself. Be happy.