Have you made your new year’s resolutions yet? If you have, some may involve getting back in shape or loosing weight. After all, have you felt the physical effects of getting older? You can’t indulge in ice cream and french fries as you used to. The gray hairs show up and you need glasses to read. You’re not as stress resistant and you can’t bounce back from a bad nights sleep. When on your feet, you feel the fluid collect in your feet. Perhaps it’s your hormones that are causing your moodiness or the weight gain. Moreover, the loss of function may bother you most.
Read on about new year’s resolutions for aging gracefully at a chiropractic care center.
Your Muscles
Since metabolism slows as you age, you may accumulate more fat and lose muscle. Some causes are eating empty calories such as sugar, flour and overly processed foods. The solution is to save and build your muscle mass as you age by eating right and exercising.
Exercise for at least 30 minutes, 5 days per week. A balance of cardio and strengthening is important. Walking, swimming, bicycling, and weight bearing/ resistance training exercises are good. Firstly, increasing your muscle mass from strength training keeps the metabolism going. This will help your body burn fat. Secondly, strength training exercises will help your bone density. Lastly, strength training opposes the hormonal and metabolic changes that could lead to osteoporosis.
Many studies have found that physically active people live longer than inactive people. It’s never too late to gain this mortality benefit. Even if you’re seventy and you’ve never exercised, it’s never too late. And even if you’re overweight, it’s better to be obese and active than obese and inactive.
Instead of empty calories, eat the following: 5-10 cups of vegetables per day. Minimize refined carbohydrates. Avoid sugar and processed foods. Reduce unnecessary inflammation by avoiding most foods you might not tolerate such as gluten and dairy. Eat wild caught fish, minimize red meat and use olive oil. Eat more homemade meals. Studies have found that eating out frequently increases the risk of diabetes and obesity.
Your Hormones
Your hormones change for the worse as you age causing fat deposits, hair loss and heart disease. Also, your thyroid gland doesn’t function like it used to and you may gain a few pounds a year. By correcting and providing proper eating, sleep, exercise and detoxifying, you may reverse hormone problems associated with aging.
Your Nervous System/ Brain
As you age, your nerve cells lose speed and flexibility. You might start forgetting more and remembering less. You will need antioxidants (like vitamins A, C, and E) to counter the oxidative stress of aging. Eating right and supplementing with a multivitamin everyday will help.
Moreover, your gut is important for the health of your nervous system. Eat probiotic-rich foods such as kefir, yogurt, kimchi, kombucha and miso at least twice a week. Problems with your gut may lead to anxiety ad depression among other things. You may crave sugary foods if the bacteria in your gut are out of balance.
Stimulate your brain to learn new things. Relax and find peace through meditation and prayer. Sleep at least 7 to 8 hours a night and nap if you are still tired. Sleep is necessary for your body to remove waste and plaque that may cause Alzheimer’s disease. Exposure to toxins is important for staying younger. So avoid toxic environmental agents that may hurt you such as pollution, mold, pesticides, cleaning products etc.
Finally, this is where your chiropractic adjustment comes in. Getting regular adjustments to get your body aligned keeps your nervous system/ brain functioning at it’s optimum.
As I mentioned previously, it’s never too late. It may take some time to see results and a buddy to encourage you along the way. Remember, slow and steady wins the race. And aging gracefully is something everyone can attain.
Contact your West Palm Beach Chiropractor at 561-253-8984 today to make an appointment or to learn more about New Year’s Resolutions for Aging Gracefully at a Chiropractic Care Center for your whole family!
