Heart Disease

Whatever time of the year the media finds ways of focusing on the latest information for keeping heart disease at bay. It is always important to encourage people to do the things needed to stay heart-healthy physically. Eating right, exercising regularly and managing stress are all steps in that direction. 

There is another type of heart disease the media seldom discusses: the broken heart. Hearts can be broken in so many ways: seeing a child suffer; supporting a spouse or sibling through a long illness; losing a mate; losing a close friend; or having to put down a cherished pet. We’ve all had our hearts broken along the way, in some cases many times. And as the years pile on, we’re bound to have our hearts broken many more times.

But to me it’s when our hearts are broken that we know we have loved, that we have shared life with someone who has enriched us. Having faced the trauma of the emotional disease that is a broken heart, we go on stronger than before. What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger, the saying goes, and as we know a broken heart doesn’t kill, it makes us more compassionate and understanding when troubles befall others. We can support them because we know that, as I suspect all grandmothers say, the grieving shall pass and the heart will go on much richer.

 

 

 

 

 

Living Longer

Reading some of the medical opinions being advanced to live longer, it seemed to me to be simple common sense. But, I suppose, it’s a good idea to be reminded from time to time that what we do or don’t do affects the state of our health and quality of life. Not smoking is high on the list, followed by exercising 30 minutes each day, choosing to eat a well balanced diet with at least five servings of fruit and vegetables every day, controlling blood pressure, and learning to relax to decrease stress. All very sensible things, but not the only ones.

If you increase your social networks and reduce stress you may reach a biological age benefit of up to 30 years according to the RealAge science team, while laughing a lot can give your immune system an eight -year boost. Things certainly worth considering especially since such changes can only make life that much more enjoyable.

Telling funny jokes seems to be second nature to some people. They don’t forget jokes and have the ability to keep you in stitches for a long time. I regret that I’m not in that category. I have absolutely no talent for telling jokes. Especially when I try to impress my grandchildren. They simply roll their eyes while saying: Good one, grandma! Well, at least I try. 

I know some people who seem to be afraid to laugh. It’s simply not in their nature. Life is hard and then you die appears to be their motto, no doubt born of some type of depression or anger, or both. These people don’t even seem to have the ability to smile. One woman of my acquaintance is especially notorious for admonishing those who do enjoy a good laugh. To her it’s silly. Personally, I see it as sad because she’s not only missing out on a lot of fun, she’s also punishing her immune system. After all, who wouldn’t want to have the age benefit of laughter.

 

 

 

 

 

Small Choices

No matter our age, it is easy to make the choices that will keep us healthy. These choices need not be difficult, but they are cumulative when repeated every day.

We all know that after 50 our waistlines seem to magically thicken. Unless we choose to keep our weight under control, we can be at risks for a variety of ailments including diabetes and heart disease. Taking steps to ensure our nutritional intake is as healthy as possible is a good start, but it must be combined with regular exercise if fat is to be lost. Diet without exercise will result in a loss of muscle rather than a loss of fat.

But a regular exercise program need not be anything complicated. Walking every day is the easiest and safest form of exercise. And once it is part of your life, you will feel energized as you lose unwanted pounds. A lady I know who had long neglected any form of exercise decided one day to start walking. It was a nice day so she walked for an hour. She felt good and proud of herself for having done it, however the next morning her legs were sore, so walking fell by the wayside. Small steps should be the rule, not an all-or-nothing approach. If you haven’t been walking a great deal, like any other form of exercise, it is best to start slowly by gradually increasing time and pace.

Studies have shown that walking 30 minutes every day not only results in weight loss but has other health benefits such as lowering blood pressure, increasing lung function and strengthening bones to prevent osteoporosis. And walking is also great for lifting the spirit, especially if it is done outside in nature.  When that’s not possible, combining mall walking and window shopping is a fun alternative. There are walking clubs in almost every community, so the idea is to find one and join a group that will bring a social dimension to a walking regimen. A perfect combination!

 

 

Food for Thought

Subtle changes occur in the body as we age, and boomers will testify that those changes necessitate that our food intake be modified to accommodate digestive modifications. One thing is that we have to eat less, avoid rich and fatty foods if we want to feel our best. Teenagers seem to be able to eat anything at any time without ill effects. After fifty, whether you like it or not, your body tells you that some changes are necessary if you want to enjoy life.

            As the years pile on people develop sensitivity to certain foods which they were able to tolerate well when they were younger. In my case, somewhere along the line, I slowly became aware that I experienced digestive problems after eating chocolate. Think about it: chocolate! Why could it not have been something like spinach or broccoli? On occasion when I try a little piece of chocolate to see if by some miracle my body no longer resents it, I get a quick negative response.

            Whatever food sensitivity you may have developed, all is not lost. Think of all the other foods you can enjoy without problems. And to feel your best, choosing lighter versions of your favorite foods is key. Ideally, we should prepare and cook our meals at home as much as possible to ensure we know exactly what we’re eating. Of course, preparing food at home is time consuming, but those of us who have cooked for the family all our lives can now focus on the foods we like best. And we can modify our cooking habits. Personally, I spend a half-hour a week making a huge pot of soup then freeze some of it so I can enjoy it whenever. I do the same with things like turkey or salmon loaves. It’s always easy to double or triple a recipe. Then meals can be put together in a jiffy.

Of course, we all need a break from our routine once in a while so we buy prepared dishes. The idea here is to take time to read the list of ingredients. I go by the motto that I don’t buy anything when there is more than one ingredient I can’t pronounce. And I make sure to check the sugar content because amazingly sugar seems to be added to everything these days. And that is certainly one ingredient we should restrict in our diet.

But, of course, feasting on a food or dish that is less than perfect for our health is okay once in a while. A sweet pleasure!

               

 

Empty Nest

 

All boomers with children do become empty nesters at some point or the other. The fact that the children are grown up and begin living lives independently of their parents can be a period of adjustment for all concerned. It’s a time of change especially for mothers whose lives revolved around their children. As one cartoon lady put it: I’m all alone, except for my husband and the dog!

            It can be a time of conflicting feelings. On one hand parents are glad to have more privacy and more time to pursue their own interests, but they might also worry about adjusting to their new reality. Like any other major change in life, learning to be an empty nester is a gradual process. It takes time to completely let go of one’s children while planning for a new stage in life.

            It can also be a time of worry. Are the children ready to step out on their own? What if something happens? How will they manage? etc.  Children move out on their own, but they do not disappear. Parents are only a phone call, or text, away. Always there to give advice and help out when a problem arises even when far away.

            Younger people no doubt adjust quickly to their new independent lifestyle, faster than their parents adjust to being on their own for the first time since they were married. But for boomers, it quickly becomes very rewarding time when a new adult-to-adult relationship with their children becomes established.

            And I can attest that that stage of life is indeed very gratifying.

 

To Sleep or Not to Sleep

As the years pile up, sleep patterns can change. The reasons for this state of affairs are as varied as there are people. For some it’s recurring pain, for others it could be worry and stress, medication or depression. The list goes on and on. But being unable to sleep at times just proves that we are human. The question then becomes: what are you supposed to do about it? Or rather, with it?

My sister tells me that every so often she spends a whole night awake, unable to sleep.  While I believe she may be awake for part of the night, she probably dozes off here and there without realizing it. She has a TV in her bedroom and she says she watches infomercials until it’s time to get up. I am of the opinion that she sleeps through many of them. In any event, having a television set in the bedroom is not a good idea because we may be tempted to watch movies or shows that may keep us on the edge of our seat—rather our bed—making it hard to fall asleep afterwards.

Sleeping when away from home can be a problem at any age. Many people cannot sleep, or at least sleep soundly, when in a bed other than their own often because the mattress is much softer or harder than the one they are used to. It is certain that we all get used to our own space. I live in the city, and two of my grandchildren live in the country. When visiting me one weekend, my young grandson was unable to fall asleep. It was a warm night and I had opened the window to let in fresh air, but at the same time I let in noise. My grandson complained that the neighbors talking on their balconies made it hard for him to sleep. He is used to complete silence, something I find difficult to adjust to when I visit his family. 

Lack of sleep is no laughing matter, and a doctor should be consulted if it is the norm rather than the exception. You might simply need more exercise, and an after-dinner walk can do wonders for the body. Or your spouse may be a loud snorer or a restless sleeper and thus affect your own sleep. Because we tend to become light sleepers as we age, outside sounds such as an airplane, a loud car or thunder can wake us up without our realizing exactly the cause of the problem. To counteract such things, some people use earplugs, but I doubt that everyone would be comfortable wearing them to bed. 

Some of the reasons we do not sleep well can be remedied once we become aware of what they are. We all need our sleep, and we can only be our best when we are rested no matter our age.

 

Laughter

Laughter is definitely the best medicine, but especially when things are tough. And the fact that we can laugh, is a blessing. Experts tell us that laughter increases immune function, relieves stress and even possibly offers protection from heart disease.

 A laugh, even a forced one, can be beneficial. Case in point is laughter-yoga where laughter is forced to create real laughter. The result is that those who practice it experience the positive attributes of traditional natural laughter leading to relaxation, humor and a sense of well-being.

A good belly laugh dissipates worries, pressures and regrets, according to laughologist Albert Nerenberg. He says that when we are laughing we are living in the moment, and thus forget about stress, bills, taxes and so on. By going through the motions of happiness when forcing ourselves to smile and laugh we can actually feel these emotions for real. Nerenberg says that while there might be a natural taboo against acted emotions, which are perceived as dishonest, we should force ourselves to be happy and feel good. And nobody can deny that feeling good is a powerful antidepressant. And for that reason, laughter therapy is widespread now to counteract the anger often resulting in depression.

We all know that laughter and smiling are infectious. Perhaps the reason is that we’ve been built to get along and enjoy each other’s company and have fun. Of course, laughter and smiling will not cure cancer, but it will make someone else feel good, and that smile might come back to us at a critical time when we most need it.

We don’t stop laughing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop laughing. All together now, let’s laugh.