Happy Monday!
August is almost gone and September is almost here! How does time pass so quickly these days?? I look at my older grandchildren and it seems like just a few years ago that I was their age! Unfortunately, every morning, I look in the mirror. That’s a little like getting on the scale. We need to just stop!
We may not quite be ready for the alternative to aging. We can age more gracefully though. If we realize that we are a unique creation of God, there are no others just like us and we need to value ourselves as such, then we can see why we should be good stewards of our bodies.
Let me stress an important principle of The Daniel Plan. We strive for 90/10. That is trying to eat clean and healthy 90 percent of the time and allow ourselves some grace 10 percent of the time. If I go to a friend’s house for dinner, I am not going to stress out about what I eat. I am there to enjoy the fellowship and appreciate the invitation. If I have something that isn’t DP compliant, it falls within that 10 percent. When I am home, I try very hard to stay in the 90 percent bracket. I don’t feel deprived and that is what it is about. The cravings go away and that 90 percent nourishes your body, mind and spirit.
That brings me back to this article. If we nourish our bodies, minds and spirits, then we are being good stewards of what God created us to be. If we do this, our bodies, minds and spirits are going to respond accordingly and we will naturally age more gracefully. It’s a win-win situation!
Are you aging gracefully? What can you do to change your life for the better?
Pray Unceasingly!!
In His light,
Lois
5 Things to Do Now for a Long, Healthy Life
Dr. Jennifer Perlman – Source: MindBodyGreen
Your health is not entirely predetermined by your genetic code. In fact, lifestyle and environment play a big role in determining how your genes get expressed, how healthy you will be, and how well you will age.
In other words, you can age proactively. But to age well requires that we first understand why we are aging. As we approach midlife, we begin to face accelerated loss of vital factors: our hormones, our nutrients, our sleep, and our telomeres. As a result of these losses, rapid aging ensues.
By selecting the right foods, getting enough exercise and sleep, minimizing your exposure to harmful chemicals, and supplementing your diet strategically with the right science-based supplements, you can make the most out of the genetic deck of cards you were dealt.
As a medical doctor focused on women’s health and aging, I often counsel women on the best ways they can optimize their health and aging. Here are my top tips:
1. Avoid refined and processed sugars.
Always read food labels to look for hidden sugar. Sugars entering your bloodstream attach to proteins, forming harmful molecules called AGEs. The more sugar entering your bloodstream, the more AGEs tend to be produced. Refined and processed sugars are more potent than those found naturally, such as in fruits.
AGEs accumulate and can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease and possibly other diseases as well as age your skin.
2. Eat the color wheel.
Phyto-nutrients found in colorful fruits and vegetables provide the essential vitamins, antioxidants, and micro-nutrients that we need for optimal functioning. In particular, B vitamins found in many fruits and vegetables help support cell turnover, energy production, and neurological function.
3. Don’t be afraid of eating fats.
Your body needs healthy fats to absorb certain key nutrients. Low- or no-fat diets may lead to poor skin and nails. I recommend eating plenty of healthy fats, including those found in seafood, nuts, and avocados.
4. Move your body.
Physical activity is required for healthy metabolism as well as maintenance of your lean body mass such as muscle and bone. Exercise, especially outdoors, has been shown to reduce stress levels and cut the risk of depression, memory problems, heart disease, and diabetes. Even a 30-minute moderate-intensity workout can help lower your blood sugar.
5. Get enough shut-eye, every night.
Sleep is your body’s repair cycle. Lack of sleep is associated with depression, heart disease, and obesity. Our brains require adequate sleep (usually six to eight hours) to store memories, learn new information, and reboot to be able to function properly the next day.
As we age, our sleep quality and quantity can be reduced, and it may take more effort to maintain sleep. A calming bath in warm water with essential oils in the evening can help ready you for sleep. Keeping the bedroom free of work and worries can also free your mind for shuteye.