10 New Years Resolutions for Successful Aging
Do you have New Year’s resolutions for successful aging you’d like to share?
We’re all aging right now. And although genes dictate a lot, we also have a lot of control in how we age.
Here are 10 resolutions for traveling the path of successful aging.
Get a Physical: Find out what your health is like today. What health risk factors do you have? Work on a plan to address them.
Exercise Your Brain and Body: Physical exercise (30 to 60 minutes of fast walking a couple times a week) has been proven to reduce the risk of dementia. It also makes you feel a lot better when those endorphins are pumping.
Make Meaningful Connections: You just feel better when you have someone you can share with. Animals count.
Do Work You Enjoy: Even if you’re retired, and you didn’t like the work you did, now you have time to do work you enjoy. Work also means volunteering.
Nurture Your Spirituality: The mind-spirit-body connection works together. Spiritual experiences give greater vibrancy and meaning to our daily lives.
Learn and Teach: The people who always seem most vibrant are those who are continually learning. Often those are the same people who help others grow by sharing that knowledge. That sharing feels good, too.
Define Your Legacy: How do you want to be remembered when you leave this earth? Write it down. Act upon what you write.
Smoking: STOP.
Eat Smartly: Mayo Clinic specialist Dr. Edward Cregan says emphasize green leafy vegetables, four to six servings of fruit each day, fish and poultry rather than red meat (in moderation), and attention to unsaturated fats such as olive and canola oil. You don’t have to be a total vegetarian, just be sensible.
Plan: Where do you want to live when you are 100? Will home be your home now or somewhere else? If you need care, who will provide it? You can make options realities with planning.
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