Congratulations if you are reading this. It means you are still mentally healthy.  Your mind is still functional despite your age. You can understand and make clear and sensible decisions; it doesn’t flit between fantasy and reality.

You still discern colors, sights and sounds around you; feel the warmth of your children’s hands and the smooth skin of their faces as you trace a finger over them. You heart still overflows with joy each time they say, “I love you Dad,” or “I love you, Mom.”

They don’t call you senile or be constantly reminded to take your medicines on time can feed yourself. Nobody is hovering over so you won’t fall or get lost around the neighborhood.

And of course, you want to stay that way for as long as you want – to be able to make choices, go places, play your favorite sport or fly a drone or assemble a remote-controlled car.

You can.

There is no limit to what you can do – even in your latter years.

How?

Read through until the end and be put up to speed about the following:

• What is “mental health”
• Mental health risk factors
• Mental health symptoms

What is Mental Health

Mental health is a person’s level of emotional, pasychological, and social well-being.

It shows on the way you think, feel, and act. Your mental health can be discerned by the way you handle stress, relate with others and make choices, among others.

Contrary to popular belief, mental health, per se, is not age-related.  But aging brings about changes that may affect you physically, emotionally and psychologically. Failure to cope with these changes will impacts your mental health negatively.

These days mental problems have become too common. You hear about mental health issues among, students, celebrities, sports superstars or, at home. Sadly when people talk about “health,” what they mean physical health – forgetting the fact that anything that affects the body, affects the mind as well. And vice versa.

Mental Health Risk Factors

For most, retirement is a time to celebrate. After working for the better part of their lives, they can now relax, stay home with family and friends, travel, or engage in a hobby or sport.

It is the time to enjoy and quench your thirst for a stress-free and enjoyable life.

However, life does not follow this script for some. More too often, the things you did in  your younger days will come to roost – like karma. Even if they don’t, your current circumstances such as loneliness and financial problems will wrankle your mind, affecting your mental health.

Aside from that, the following age-related issues brings about the same effect:

• Health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease.
• Chronic pains in the joints, neck, back, shoulders, and nerves
• Side-effects of medication.
• Loss of income, relationship, independence, self-worth, or mobility, etc.
• Change in living arrangement, i.e., independent living to a nursing facility.
• Social isolation
• Hospitalization.
• Anniversaries of traumatic or sorrowful events and experiences.

Nearly 95% of adults 60 years old and above have at least one chronic condition. And as previously mentioned, all these will affect mental health in varying degrees. And if not properly handled or managed, they can drive one to self-destruction

Mental Health Symptoms

Mental health disorders are treatable if detected early. However, these symptoms are often taken as a result of old age – which, most often, they are. But they should not be brushed aside as one of those things.

For example, if you feel any of these things, consult your doctor:

• Eating or sleeping too much or too little
• Shying away from people and usual activities
• Lethargic or feeling lazy
• Loss of purpose
• Unexplained aches and pains
• Smoking or drinking more than usual
• Crave for harmful drugs
• Being confused, forgetful, edgy, angry, or scared
• Showing episodes of emotional outbursts against family or friends
• Frequent mood swings that affect relationships
• Negative thoughts or recalling old memories
• Hearing voices or believing things that are not true
• Having suicidal thoughts
• Inability to do daily routine tasks

Don’t take them lightly, especially if they start affecting your daily routine.

How to Stay Mentally Healthy in Old Age

Depression, anxiety. and dementia are the common mental health conditions among people. They affect about 7% of people aged 60 and above. Though not many, they should not be taken for granted.

Here are a few things you can do to prepare for its onset – if ever.

Be ready for the changes that come with aging

Being old and retired is a different ball game and you must be to embrace it with grace.

While it may be great to be spared of your daily rush-to-work routing each morining, but you must have a plan to take up the slack so you won’t fine yourself looking up at the ceiling wondering what you will  do rest of the day. God said, “Idleness is the handmaided of temptation.”

For live-along seniors, prepare for bouts of loneliness and isolation, chronic illnesses, and living off a meager pension. While being old age may be liberating, it also imposes limitations that may need assitance from within of without.

Have someone to talk to

Each time I feel like being pressed from all side, I go out to a coffee shop near me. Or I get in touch with my daughter of sister who lives nearby. These may not help in getting rid of the demons of lonliness but they can surely provide relief. It’s always good to have someone to talk to.

Don’t be a hamster of a wheel. Go out and talk to someone – anyone. If you do, don’t unburden your problems to them. That is the surest way of driving them away. Talk about the weather, about politics, religion, of anything under the sun, except your worries.

Talk to a:

• close family members or friends
• a specialist, someone who can help you in a professional way
• someone who shares your concerns
• trustworthy and won’t make your mental problems go viral.

Make it conversational. For God’s sake, don’t cry a bucket of tears in front of other people – if you can help it. Keep it simple. Skip the drama and don’t come out as a cry baby.

Listen, too.

A good conversation is a two-way street. Doing a monologue will defeat the purpose. Besides, nobody really wants to know about your problems, but being lent a sympathetic ear is blessing enough.

Seek help

Follow this formula, “If you need anything, just holler.”

There is nothing wrong with asking for help. It is not a sign of weakness, but acceptance that things are going as well as expected. Acceptance is the first path in untangling the knots on your

Seek help from:

• family and friends
• health professionals
• support groups
• online sources or social networks.

Make a  plan

If my daughter and her hubby (both doctors) go out of town for several days, they make arrangements with a nearby hospital and a fellow doctor to attend to me should I need medical attention.

Though I have never availed of such a plan so far, it is reassuring to know that help is available if needed.

Life is uncertain at best. At our age, each day is a blessing. While the life of an elderly is a toss of the dice, you can improve your odds by having a  plan.

For example:

• Plan whether you will spend the rest of your days at home or in a care center
• What measures to take in case of health and mobility problems
• Are your finances in order
• Do you have quick access to medical facilities and transport
• Who will take care of you when you no longer can’t?
• Have you made your will or funeral arrangements in case of death?

Never leave these things to chance to prevent chaos for those you leave behind. Having them in place is mentally reassuring.

Exercise and have enough sleep

Exercise is important to people regardless of age. It is a must when they hit the 60s and beyond. Not only is it physically good, but mentally as well.

Here’s how exercise keeps you mentally healthy:

• Boosts self-esteem, raise self-worth and self-confidence
• Helps lower blood pressure, strengthens the immune system and many others
• Promotes better sleep
• Provides a good opportunity to meet other people.

And sleep?

Don’t fall for the fallacy that elderly need fewer hours of sleep each day. Sleep is as important as food and you should get the full serving of 7 to 8 hours a day. Anything less will result in:

• poor concentration
• bad mood and irritability
• feelings of lethargy
• a weak immune system

Eat well, drink moderately and stay hydrated

Eating well is not going on a diet – as the word is commonly defined. It is getting the right kinds of nutrients in your meals.

Eating well helps you maintain a healthy weight, blood pressure and the energy to stay active. It is a hedge against arthritis, diabetes, and various heart conditions.

Old age affects a body’s ability to absore alcohol – too much of it. But it is healthy if taken moderately like one or two drinks in a day. However, consult your doctor regarding this as it doesn’t sit well with certain medications and may exacerbate some forms of medical issues.

And don’t substitute it for water. Stay hydrated. Dehydration can result from some pysiological changes due to aging. Several studies have shown that dehydration has a negative impact on cognitive functions such as memory, focus, and critical thinking.

Relax and enjoy life

If there is a time in your life to relax and enjoy life, it is now. The kids are done through college, mortgage payments are done with (presumably), and you have all the time in your life to do whatever you wish to do – travel, write a book, engage in a hobby or your favorite sport.

Reach out to old friends or establish new ones. Don’t withdraw into your shell, but be in the hub of activity, of action and adventure, of laughter and merrymaking. Your brain’s synapses never stop growing and these things are the nutrients for their perpetual growth.

Make your life as stress-free as possible.  Stress makes your thinking murky, as a drop of ink does to a cup of water.

Be grateful

No matter how down on your luck you may be, there is always a reason to be grateful. The grass on your neighbor’s yard may not be green but parched arid and overgrown with weeds.

You don’t have enough money Be grateful you are not in a shelter for the homeless.

Suffering from chronic illnesses Bear in mind that a lot of people your age are on life support or have but a few hours or days to live.

Be grateful that you are walking above the ground while many of your relatives, associates or friends are six feet beneath.

Things are never worse than you think they are. The Dalai Lama said,

“Gratitude is the healthiest of human emotions.”

Other than emotional health, gratitude:

• improves relationships
• is good for physical and emotional health
• enhances empathy and reduces aggressive behavior
• can help you sleep better
• increases self-esteem
• increases mental strength

Being mentally healthy doesn’t mean you won’t suffer the pangs of loneliness or the wretchedness of depression. You may hurt others due to occasional mood swings. But a healthy mind can recognize these as nothing but momentary episodes of emotions stoked by stressful events or circumstances.

Worldwide, avout 16% adults aged 60 and above suffer from a mental disorder. Not a shattering figure but still of serious concern as the population ages.  That leaves you with a choice whether to live among the ranks of elderly people living in the darkness of their thoughts or bask in the sunshine of a healthy mind.

And do help others by sharing this modest piece.

~oOo~

The post How to Stay Mentally Healthy in Old Age first appeared on Age With Charm.

Let’s get real.

Health in old age is not a parting gift you get when you retire at 60 or 65.

Or is it a reward from Heaven for a lifetime of good behavior.

Rather, it is like a retirement fund you build by saving consistently through the years.

But just as a retirement fund can be lost to mismanagement, fraud or other economic factors, your health, no matter how well you take care of yourself, can take a nosedive when you get old.

Age affects practically every organ of your body, i.e., eyes, ears, limbs, circulatory and nervous systems, the heart, brain, etc. In one way or another, they can make your health a little fragile, a little delicate than when you were young.

But it doesn’t mean you can’t lead an amazing and healthy life at 60 and beyond.

In fact, even if you get down with one or two the common chronic diseases that afflict 80% of seniors, you can still live a normal life.

Here are some excellent ways of doing it:

1.  Exercise:

Exercise improves stamina and strength. It slows down muscle deterioration, works up the heart and the circulatory systems. It also makes the brain manufacture more dopamine, endorphins, and serotonin – the happy hormones.

No need for a club membership or expensive outfits because you can do it anywhere if you want to. The parking lot of a mall early in the morning is as good as any.

Keep away from junk foods and All it needs is the discipline to do it consistently.

2.  Eat well:

This means never to go hungry or to over-eat. Both are bad for your health.

It also means a little care in what you eat. Old age affects the digestive system and metabolism, so temper your diet with fruits and vegetables, lean protein from lean meat, seafood, eggs and bean), whole grains and low-fat fat dairy products.

If you can’t get the full serving during regular meals because of appetite problems, eat snacks in between.

3.  Get enough sleep:

Don’t fall for the regular belief that old people “sleep less.”

Regardless of age, sleep experts say seniors should have about 7 hours of sleep to stay functionally healthy.

I sleep an average of 6 hours but take 45-min mid-day naps. Anything less would make me feel light-headed and lethargic.

4.  Don’t be a recluse:

While being a recluse if often necessary to get our bearings, to find ourselves, keeping away from the mainstream for long periods of time can have a negative impact on your health.

It can lead to negativity and depression. It can affect your immune system, your sleep cycle; makes you clumsy in social interaction and may even shorten your life.

So get out and be with family, friends, neighbors or even strangers (with care, of course), if need be.

5.  Travel:

If you feel claustrophobic and stress out, go for a drive or pack your overnight bag and travel.

Travel is my favorite therapy for loneliness and boredom.

Travel improves mental, emotional and physical health. It is educational and can leave memories and impressions that you can talk about with family and friends.

6.  Do volunteer work:

Another way of staying healthy at 60 and beyond is to offer your skills and expertise to a good cause.

Not only does it drive away loneliness, improves your mental health and is a good exercise, to be of help to others is an excellent way of having a purpose in life.

There is never a shortage of activities to volunteer into like your church projects, senior citizens centers near you, or half-way houses for kids.

7. Take care of yourself:

But the backbone of all these is your health. As the saying goes, “You cannot give what you do not have.”

So take care of yourself. Never miss consulting your doctor, and listen to your body for signs of potential health problems. Never take them for granted.

Remember that you are on your last leg of your life. Live it to the fullest. Celebrate for having reached this far. Now is the perfect time to be bold and brave for having survived everything life has thrown at you.

Please share this ray of hope to other seniors.

~oOo~

The post 7 Ways to be Healthy at 60 and Beyond first appeared on Age With Charm.

Do you want to live a healthy life Then don’t burn your midnight candle searching for ways from the Internet. You can’t find them there. Don’t fall for things like:

–  Foods that Lower Cholesterol Naturally,
–  Super Foods that Help You Live Longer,
–  Walking may Reduce Cardiovascular Disease by 50% and many others.

They don’t work any more than I become a Caucasian by dying my Asian hair black. Here’s why:

1.  Old age brings a lot of medical issues. Nothing in the world can make you healthy if you are afflicted with any of them. You can only cope with them if you want to enjoy life.

2.  But if you are healthy at your age, nothing can make you any healthier than you already are.

Don’t change anything, just temper them. Changing your lifestyle is stressful and restrictive. It will rob you of the pleasures and joy of old age.

Health is not purely about healthy eating:

Good health for seniors is not just about nutritious foods. There are more important things that make one healthy.

For example, the leading causes of deaths among people 65 years old and above are heart disease and cancer. While these figures are irrefutable, saying that improper diet is one of the major causes of these diseases is going to polarize the health community.

Some will insist that food is crucial to good health, while others won’t. And both sides will present voluminous data to support their stand.

Joshua Rosenthal, founder, and director of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and author of the book Integrative Nutrition will not be on either side.

Mr. Rosenthal says,

“Eating well helps, but don’t expect it to work miracles. It can fill you, but it cannot fulfill you.”

Then he adds,

“If we are not physically starving, other dimensions of human experience are much more important than what we put in our mouths. The foods you eat are secondary to all other things that feed you – your relationships, career, spirituality and exercise routine. All that we consider today as nutrition is really just a secondary source of energy.”

To emphasize the point that nutrition, alone, cannot make you healthy, Dr. Mark Hyman, chairman of the Institute for Functional Medicine and author of the book Blood Sugar chimes in by stating:

“95 percent of all illnesses are caused by or worsened by stress… it can disrupt almost all your body’s processes, making none of our organs immune to its effects. Heart disease, diabetes, obesity, cancer, hypertension, depression, ulcers, headaches and chronic anxiety are all scientifically linked to chronic stress.”

Then he adds, “…the health of your mind and spirit and your sense of connection to your community has an immense impact on the health of your body, In fact…the biggest predictor of longevity is psychological resiliency – being able to roll with the punches life throws at us.”

My take on this…

Two weeks ago, I had chest pains in the evening which forced me to see a doctor the following day. After some examinations and questions, he said that it was not a heart attack.

However, he said that chest pains must not be taken lightly and told me to have some lab tests. He also cautioned me against my smoking – not for cancer because even non-smokers can get cancer. But it is a risk factor for heart attack or stroke at my age.

Towards the end of my consultation, I mentioned in passing that I regularly go for long drives or an overnight stay in beach resorts. He said, “That, too, contributes to good heart health.”

Nobody knows your overall health better than you. You, alone, know what is good or bad for you, what works or doesn’t work. And by this time you must have learned to do what is best for you and do things your way.

Note: All my lab tests were good, i.e., blood chemistry, ECG, and Treadmill.

Please share with other seniors to brighten their day – and do things their way!

~oOo~ 

The post Be Healthy by Doing Things Your Way first appeared on Age With Charm.

“Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are,” Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, 18th-century French lawyer, cum epicure, and gastronome.

It’s been a long time since he said those words, but it was as true then as it is now. The increasing problem of obesity and chronic diseases more than says it all.

While it is an embarrassing fact that in some parts of the world, malnourishment and hunger face the people each day, in the more developed countries food scarcity is no problem. The problem is what to do with all the food available to them.

The most convenient solution is to over eat; go on binge eating and drinking.

While there is nothing wrong with that per se, over the long haul, your health will suffer.

Especially when you are an elderly.

Why is overeating bad for seniors?

Overeating, at any age, is always bad for health over the long haul. It is disastrous for seniors because they are no longer capable of going an extra mile. You take life one day at a time and consider each a blessing.

You are no longer capable to handle an increase in weight, blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Or the mood swings like anger, sadness, distress, disappointment – negative feelings caused by too much eating.

While it is almost like a cliche, old age is an age of temperance.

You mellow down a bit. Be more discriminating with friends, social involvement, lifestyle, etc. You get rid of old habits and form new ones – including eating habits.

How to develop a healthy eating habit:

Developing a new habit is always difficult. I never liked raw tomatoes and onions. But I persisted until they became a part of my daily meals.

It requires dogged perseverance in doing things over and over again until they become a part of your system.

Here’s how to do it.

1. Make a weekly menu:

Yes, a menu. It is not as ridiculous as it looks. In fact, it will make your life easier.

It will allow you to plan ahead, i.e. what ingredients to buy, and what to prepare on a daily basis. It removes the guesswork out of what to eat, minimizes errors and assures that you only eat nutritious foods.

Make it a point to have foods that support good health. You may include one or two that may increase your uric acid or sugar levels to provide variation. But they should not occupy a large part of your menu.

2.  Cook them yourself:

Home cooking is always better than pre-cooked foods bought from a restaurant or diner.

You can either do it yourself or have someone prepare them for you. That way you have full control of what you eat. I have someone cook for me but she doesn’t do anything except what I tell her to do.

Prepare just enough to cover the next meal, never beyond that. Foods reheated multiple times lose their flavor and ruin their nutritional value.

3.  Be creative:

These days it is easy to provide variation to the food you prepare even if you are not a culinary expert. Just Google it.

The Internet is full of sites devoted to cooking all kinds of meals. You can have as many variations you want for a healthy breakfast, lunch or dinner. Even snacks.

I do it the old-fashioned way – asking from friends who know how to cook – of which I have many.

4.  Don’t glut yourself:

Don’t eat as if it were your last meal. Just eat enough to last you until the next meal, not two meals ahead. Overeating is just as bad as undereating.

If this means you have to take a snack, then go for it (I always do). Snacks are good for seniors because they reinforce the sugar content in your blood. They keep you going between major meals.

5.  Avoid sodas:

It is very tempting to grab a glass of soda after a hearty meal. Resist it as much as you can. Behind its sparkling sweetness and taste, lurks a lot of dangers to your health.

Sodas contribute to obesity and diabetes. The sugar in soda coats your teeth which attracts teeth-damaging bacteria, they can damage your bones and, according to some research,  they can damage major organs like the kidneys and liver.

So far nothing beats the good old water to flush your meals down your stomach.

6.  Drink lots of water:

There are a couple of good reasons why you should drink lots of water.

First, you won’t overeat because it makes you feel full.

Second, to avoid dehydration.

Seniors are prone to dehydration because age causes the body’s water content to decrease, it also causes a diminished thirst sensation. This is further exacerbated if you are suffering from incontinence, or taking drugs for heart disease or depression.

Dehydration can precipitate emergency hospitalization and has been associated with higher mortality rates among elderly people.

Having a healthy habit is crucial for you to have a happy and exciting retirement life. It can help maintain a healthy weight, stamina, and a good hedge against developing chronic diseases like arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, etc.

According to statistics, 1 in 4 senior Americans has poor nutrition. Don’t be one of them.

Believe me, eating healthy makes a lot more economic sense than being sickly.

Please share with others so they will know how to do it, too.

~oOo~

The post Six Ways to Develop a Healthy Eating Habit first appeared on Age With Charm.

When was the last time you went for a vacation If it was too long ago to remember, then it’s time to have one.

Do it now while you can. Going on a vacation and the traveling that comes with it is like a body-mind workout.

Navigating new cities, exploring museums, conversing with other people, practicing new languages, and seeing sights can flex your mental muscles, making your brain active.keeping your brain active.

And walking around city streets or museums, taking public transports and many other physical is good exercise.

Then, of course, the relaxation aspect, which is the main purpose of going for a vacation.

But things may not always go as planned. A lot of things can go wrong, i.e., missed flights, hotels below expectations, the weather is bad, and overshooting your budget, etc.

I’ve had so many vacations that went sour because of one thing or another; because I did not plan them well enough. And it can happen to you.

They gave me valuable lessons (and bad memories) and I am sharing these with you to spare you the anguish and waste of money.

1.  Choose where to spend your vacation:

With the ease provided by the Internet, choosing a vacation destination is not difficult. On the contrary, choosing one is a challenge.

There are so many things to consider like, distance from home, weather, places of interest, cost, etc.

My rule of thumb is to get inputs from friends and acquaintances. Ask around. It is better to get it from the horse’s mouth than from well-written, and often misleading, magazine sales articles.

2.  Decide when to go:

This is often dependent on the purpose of taking a vacation – for fun or relaxation – and your budget.

Go on “season” months if you want to have fun. But be prepared to spend a little extra because everything will be expensive, food, hotel or resort, souvenir items, and the like.

You will also be pushing and shoving against other tourists for a place to stay, a place to dine, a quiet spot on the beach, on public transports, etc. But it will be fun, right?

If you want to relax, go on “off-season” months. Everything will be cheaper plus the added bonus of not having to bump into people wherever you go.

I never go on “season” months. It defeats the purpose of having a vacation.

3.  Book a flight:

I always book a flight a lot way ahead than choosing a place to stay to avail of airline promos which have become common these days with the increasing penchant for people to travel.

The downside of this strategy is you won’t get a refund in case you miss the scheduled departure. It is a kind of “all or nothing” deal.

4.  Choose a place to stay:

Like choosing a place to vacation in, choosing a place to stay has become easy with so many travels cluttered across the Web.

Go through travel sites that offer lower rates for the same hotel or resort. Note down their contact details, i.e., email address, web URL, and telephone numbers.

Then check amenities to see if they offer everything to make your vacation remarkable and the Reviews section.

I go for hotels or resorts with a strong wifi signal in the rooms and a large swimming pool 

Read as many reviews as you can to have a good balance between the Pros and Cons. People have different tastes. Give emphasis on reviews similar to yours.

Once you have decided on a hotel or resort, give them a call or book your reservation yourself. Don’t do it online through travel sites. They may not be updated and you may not get seniors citizen discount privileges. It happened to me with Expderia.com during my last travel.

5. Make the necessary preparations:

Even if your scheduled departure is weeks or months ahead, it is better to start making preparations. Play them inside your head over and over again. In time, you will add or remove some items from your list of things to bring along.

Make a list of things and garments to bring along. No sense in bringing heavy clothing if you are going to the tropics and vice-versa. Never forget toiletries, undergarments, medicines, telephone numbers of family and close relatives or friends you can call in case of emergency.

Make sure your credit card can cover the trip or your bank account have enough funds to cover shortfalls if any.

Familiarize yourself with the place you are going to, and the hotel or resort you are going to stay. Know the directions in getting there and how. Read about the climate, the food, the culture, and most of all, the people – whether they are friendly and helpful or run away with your baggage. If possible, know the crime rates so you won’t fall victim to scam artists of crime syndicates.

This part of your vacation plans is the most crucial. It can make it memorable or nightmarish.

As people retire, they get bitten by the travel bug. A study was done by the AARP showing that 55% of American retirees want to go on domestic travel, 44% both domestic and foreign, while 3% plan to travel abroad.

It is very heartwarming to know that seniors these days no longer want to lead sedentary lives their counterparts did a few years back had.

Neither should you.

Please help other seniors by sharing this. Better still, subscribe to my newsletter to get a weekly update of the exciting and bittersweet life of a senior.

~oOo~

The post Surprisingly Simple Ways to Have that Remarkable Vacation first appeared on Age With Charm.