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"Eating a healthy diet means enjoying your food and having plenty of variety so you get all the nutrients you need and maintain a healthy weight and stay well," Abrahams explained the importance of eating well. However, equally as important is staying social.
"Keeping up our ties to friends and family and taking part in social activities is an important tool to helping us stay sharp as we age. Keeping active, in particular, has many benefits besides fighting off illness, such as: lowering the risk of depression and dementia or developing heart disease. It also reduces the likelihood of having a stroke, and lowers the risk of some cancers," Age UK's Charity Director went into detail about the many pros of moving more.
"Moving more can help our thinking skills too—like problem-solving, decision-making and remembering facts and words. It can also lessen aches and pains, help us to stay steady on our feet, improve our sleep, and boost our mood."
In general, choosing to move more, especially in nature, is better than moving less. Physical activities done in the great outdoors have the most benefits. So walking out in the countryside or choosing to walk instead of driving is better than nothing.
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"Making sure that regular exercise stays a key part of our routine is one of the best ways to stay well and therefore stay independent," Abrahams pointed out the importance of getting into the habit of moving.
She stressed that it's never too late to start being more active. That doesn't mean that we all have to aspire to be marathon runners, however! "Being more active isn't about working up a sweat or running marathons. It's simply about moving more each day, in whatever way works, within our own capabilities. Even a small amount of movement can make a big difference to our mental and physical health.”
You can find some more advice from Age UK about staying healthy as we age right here and here.
Looking great and always feeling energetic gets harder and harder as we get older. It’s only natural, as our bodies slow down and start wearing and tearing. However, it doesn’t mean that feeling young is impossible when you leave your twenties, thirties, and beyond! With the right mindset and habits, like having a healthy diet and getting plenty of exercise, you can live a high-quality life (and be way more capable than when you were younger).
One of the main things that contribute to faster aging is stress. Now, obviously, stress is unavoidable. However, we can change how we react to stressful situations to make sure that we come out on top.
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It might sound cliched, but meditation really does help us relax, focus, and get our priorities straight. Furthermore, it's a wonderful antidote to aging. Even a 10-minute meditation session can help you forget about minor quibbles at work and recenter yourself. But it’s not a one-time fix—meditation is something that you need to get in the habit of doing daily. It’s a lifestyle change. Not a bandaid.
If you’re planning to live to be over a hundred, you’ll want to start making changes to your lifestyle right now. According to the authors of ‘Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life,’ people tend to live longer by staying busy and slowing down at the same time. It might sound like a contradiction, but it’s not.
It means having an active social life, moving lots, spending tons of time in nature on the one hand, as well as saying ‘goodbye’ to a life full of rushing and much ado about nothing on the other hand. Oh, and one last tip—eat a variety of different foods but avoid overeating. When you feel that you’re four-fifths of the way to being full, it’s time to stop eating and go do something else. Like following your ‘Ikigai,’ your true passion. Or meeting with your loved ones. Preferably, somewhere out in nature!
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