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Age Gracefully: 5 Holistic Health Habits

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Age gracefully: 5 holistic health habits

Retirement and the golden years are meant to be cherished, carefree days that you’ve worked hard for throughout decades. But the allure can wear off as many older adults start to experience health complications, loneliness and an overall lack of enthusiasm.

A holistic approach to healthy aging can cohesively improve all aspects of your life, so you can live a well-rounded life. From nurturing relationships and exercising, to practicing faith and playing brain games, holistic health care can transform your later years into the best ones yet.

Cardiovascular Fitness

The sedentary lifestyle is a threat to your health as it can shorten your life expectancy and expose you to an increased risk of disease, high blood pressure and other concerning conditions. Physical activity, like a simple 35-minute walk every day, provides great health benefits, like muscle strength, agility, mobility and independence, according to AmericanTrails.org.

Movement increases the likelihood to do more positive and meaningful things. Walking, hiking, swimming, biking (especially outdoors) — these exercises are all accessible to older adults and can improve moods and everyday life. For extra safety, a medical alert system like Lively Mobile, can give you confidence and comfort that when you exercise. You can wear the portable medical alert device and reach immediate help with the push of a button. The fall detection feature will even automatically contact medical services if a fall is detected. So you can get outside and be active knowing that help is easily available if needed.

Volunteering and Community Service

Many people who are retired lose their sense of purpose, which can lead to depression. Volunteering can improve the well-being of aging adults. Not only does it help pass the time, but it also helps to form new relationships, whether it be with animals or people. Being involved in a volunteer group gives you something to do or look forward to each week. The psychological effects of giving back keep you connected to the community and instill self-worth.

Social Engagement and Relationships

Personal connections can profoundly affect mental health and emotional well-being. Try not to get stuck in being withdrawn and isolated. Reclusiveness and a lack of interaction with others can prolong feelings of loneliness and depression. A lack of social ties can lead to cognitive decline and increased mortality. Make this the time of your life! Take a risk on love with online dating, explore senior meetups and senior activity centers. Move toward family, spend time with grandchildren or bring home a pet. Even get involved in social media like Facebook and Instagram.

Tapping into Your Spiritual Side

Spirituality has a tendency to increase in value throughout the adult aging process. Embarking on a spiritual journey can mean moving away from life goals of accomplishment, career advancement, status and wealth to enhancing relationships and embracing faith. Becoming more open spiritually is an opportunity to redefine self-purpose and empowerment in your life. A renewed sense of meaning for life can help you live more presently and confidently. This may be the right time to explore your spirituality and interconnectedness with everything more deeply, seeing yourself in the context of a higher power greater than you.

Boost in Brain Power

When it comes to matters of the mind, “use it or lose it,” says authors Alan D. Bragdon and David Gamon, Ph.D to AgingCare.com. Nourish, challenge and exercise it. Aging doesn’t have to correlate with a loss of healthy brain function and memory. Cognitive training can help keep the mind sharp by improving memory, reasoning ability and information processing. Boost your cognitive ability, complete daily activities (like managing finances and cooking) and reduce personal stress by engaging in brain training. Video and computer games and brain training apps will test your mental skills and give your mind that workout.

Don’t fear getting older; instead, use the time to do things you put off during working years. Keep yourself healthy and fulfilled.