The next part of 12 Ways To Age Gracefully, by Susan U. Neal RN, MBA, MHS (chapters 4-10) covers:
- Keeping your brain young
- Getting rid of toxins in your environment
- Balancing hormones
- Overcoming the battle with stress
- Keeping a positive outlook on life
- Guarding your mental health
- Balancing work and community
I am still highly recommending that you purchase the book because of the depth of information the author covers. In this post, I just want to look at several of the ones we all deal with the most, beginning with…
KEEPING YOUR BRAIN YOUNG
We walk into a room, stop, and can’t remember what we came to get. We misplace items and have to pray for God to help us find them. Everyone experiences forgetfulness. My grandchildren seem to forget more than I do, so even the young brains struggle at times.
Some things that can affect memory loss are:
- Stress
- Side effects of medications
- Head injuries
- Lack of sleep
- Vitamin deficiencies like B12
- Thyroid issues
- Depression and anxiety
The words we really dread hearing are Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. But there are things you can do to prevent cognitive decline which include… having an exercise program, eating a healthy diet and avoiding foods that cause inflammation (like Omega-6 oils, and sugar), eating more brain-healthy foods packed with omega-3 oils (like olives, avocados, nuts, and seeds), getting more sleep, providing yourself with mental stimulation (and stay off that incessant scrolling on your phone 😉 which dulls the mind), controlling medical conditions (like high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and thyroid levels), and managing your stress.
Speaking of which… lets look at…
MANAGING STRESS
I don’t know anyone that is not dealing with some form of stress these days.
Marilu Henner says:
“Stress is an important dragon to slay – or at least tame – in your life.”
and…
“Being in control of your life and having realistic expectations about your day-to-day challenges are the keys to stress management, which is perhaps the most important ingredient to living a happy, healthy, and rewarding life.”
and…
“Lack of time is a real health killer.”
There’s a lot of wisdom in those quotes when you are dealing with stress.
Google symptoms of stress and you will get…
Physical symptoms:
- Headaches
- Muscle tension
- Fatigue
- Digestive issues
- Increased heart rate
- Sleep disturbances
- Skin issues
- Dizziness
- Chest pain
- Teeth grinding
- Susceptibility to illness
Emotional symptoms:
- Anxiety and worry
- Irritability and anger
- Difficulty Concentrating
- Mood swings
- Feelings of Hopelessness or despair
Behavioral Symptoms:
- Changes in eating habits
- Social withdrawal
- Procrastination and avoidance
- Nervous habits like nail biting and fidgeting
Once you are seeing symptoms in yourself… try to figure out what is causing it. When you nail that down… see what you can do about making changes that will help alleviate that stressor, then find things to do that help you reduce your overall stress.
Some of the top stress relievers are reading, being in nature, exercise, gardening, napping, and special things like an afternoon coffee or tea time.
Susan mentions in her book, “Notice when your body goes into the fight-or-flight response and talk yourself down, so you do not respond to the strain.”
Susan goes through a great Biblical study of verses that help you get control of your stressors on pages 107-111. And, she addresses dealing with relational issues and setting boundaries on pages 111-112. Two other big reasons to get the book.
CHOOSING TO HAVE A POSITIVE OUTLOOK ON LIFE
Maintaining a positive outlook on life, no matter what you are going through, will keep your body healthier as you age. There was a study started in 1986 that focused on a group of 678 Nuns. They had to be 75 years old to sign up for the study and at the time of their deaths, their brains were donated to examine the effects of Alzheimer’s development on the brain. Some of the major finds of the study according to Wikipedia were:
- Lifestyle and education may deter Alzheimer’s symptoms
- The use of higher, complex, and fluent vocabulary contributed to better outcomes
- Those who wrote positively in their personal journals were more likely to live longer
- Three indicators of longer life in the study of the Nun’s autobiographies showed the use of positive sentences, positive words, and a variety of positive emotions
- Participants who had some sort of daily exercise were more likely to retain cognitive abilities with age and “participants who started exercising later in life were more likely to retain cognitive abilities, even if not having exercised before.” (This all came from Wikipedia, but I’ve heard about and read about the study throughout the years from other sources.)
Having a strong relationship with God provides positive outlooks even when the world around you seems to be falling apart. You can find verses in the Bible to uplift you no matter your circumstances. God has the answers. The Psalms are my go to when I am dealing with stress.
Here are a few great verses to cling too when you are struggling with life:
“Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.”1 Peter 5:7 (NLT)
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV)
“Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He will never permit the righteous to be moved.” Psalm 55:22 (NKJV)
Have you developed a good way to deal with stress in your life? Care to share??
Have a great week!