Global average life expectancy has more than doubled since 1900. Today, a 50-year old could easily have an additional 33 years tacked onto their lifespan. That’s not a problem if you’re in good shape. However, if you’re already struggling with health issues you could be in for an uncomfortable few decades.
The upward spiral of health care costs isn’t helping matters, either. One study found that 44 percent of Americans didn’t go to the doctor when they were sick or injured because of financial concerns. That’s a real concern.
Sometimes life happens. You get injured in a car accident or you fall off your bicycle and break an arm. There’s unfortunately not a whole lot you can do to avoid those things.
Instead, turn your attention to those areas of your life that you do have control over. Your overall health and well being, for example, is very much in your hands. The trick is not to wait until you get sick to figure out how to get better. Start your wellness journey when you’re well.
Lifestyle diseases such as obesity, diabetes, stroke, hypertension, etc. can easily be avoided by ditching bad habits and replacing them with healthy ones. As Dr. Oz so rightly says, “Genetics loads the gun, lifestyle pulls the trigger.”
Improve Your Diet
When it comes to taking control of your health, by far the quickest way to remedy existing conditions and avoid new ones is by improving your diet. What you put into your body is what you’ll get out.
The world’s longest lived cultures – who also happen to be among the healthiest people on the planet— all eat a plant-slanted diet. For them processed food and take-out simply isn’t an option.
Move Your Body
Most people nowadays lead sedentary lives. We drive to work, sit all day at our desk, drive home again and then spend the evening sitting on the couch.
Spending an hour at the gym every morning is great, but it’s by no means enough. According to Katy Bowman -author of Movement Matters and Don’t Just Sit There – there’s a difference between exercise and movement.
She says we need to engage in low-grade, constant movement throughout the day. Which is another thing the Blue Zones centenarians have in common. They spend their time doing natural things like walking and squatting as they move through their daily chores.
Still Your Mind
Our always on world has led to us being more stressed out than ever. Believing that our worth is measured by our productivity, we leave no room for leisure time, family time or me time.
Ironically, when we crash and burn we’re still surprised.
The science is unequivocal when it comes to the benefits of meditation. Along with promoting emotional health and enhancing self-awareness, it also reduces stress and lengthens your attention span.
Round up a Crew of Health Practitioners
There’s no doubting that Western medicine has earned its place in the healing hall of fame. The mistake comes when we believe that the allopathic approach is the only approach. It’s in our best interests to seek out complementary and alternative therapies as well.
The benefits of acupuncture have been proven over thousands of years. And while kinesiotaping is comparatively brand new, when it comes to addressing your ongoing back pain, for example, both can help. You just need to choose the one that resonates.
Whether you utilize these therapies in a complementary role or in isolation is ultimately up to you. The important thing is that you surround yourself with like-minded health practitioners whose only concern is your health and well being.
On their own, each of these suggestions can have a profoundly positive impact on your life. Applied in unison, their benefits are exponential. By taking a more holistic approach to your health you’ll be able to circumnavigate many of the issues synonymous with aging.