Do you want to talk about Aging…?

Lots of people, maybe most people that are “older” in their own eyes, don’t feel comfortable talking about aging, and it seems to just fade into the back of their mind… until weakness and ill health begin.  Then I hear all sorts of conversations about how bad “old age” is.

I think we’d all be better off if we talked about it… not about all our aches and pains… but about actual “aging”, and how it can be.

What do you think about aging?  Some people right now in the health community are talking about living to 120–with full health and strong mind.  Do you think that’s possible?  It is possible.

And our health does have so much to do with it. 

And our health consists of so many things! 

It’s not a simple list of foods to eat, exercises to do, sleep to get, and water to drink, etc.  People are different from each other.  And Life is different for different people, which makes my own personal “list of improvements” for better health, possibly different from yours.

Even though everyone is different, and starts in a different place, there are basics of poisons (junk) not to eat, and other things you can do and not do that would improve your health in general.

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And if you blame your genes for your bad health, please know this:

We control our genes to a larger extent than ever thought possible.

Everything we do speaks to our genes—the food we eat, our relationships, our environment.  Everything works together.  You’re either telling your genes to age faster, or to age slower.  If your genes age faster, you’ll likely come up with some of these “age-related” illnesses.

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It seems to be “common knowledge” that we slow down as we age.

Is that the truth? 

Do you think maybe there could be another cause for this “slowing down” … maybe not caused by age?

Do you think this “common knowledge” takes into account that these people possibly ate the Standard American Diet? 

Do you think it’s possible that these “statistics” of suffering people have spent most of their life “running, running, running” all day, every day, pushing to get everything done … no rest, no space in between, just running, and squeezing everything into the day that they can…?

Did they get sunshine every day?  Did their body get exercise every day?  Did they have regular, relaxed social time with friends and family?  Did their bodies and brains get to re-build and restore during a good sleep at night?

Is it possible we’ve lost sight of how our bodies can heal themselves, and how our lifestyle, including the way we eat, can help us be well?  Have we believed wrongly so long that we can’t change that belief? 

We can change our belief.  We can believe the truth.  We can be healthy.

You can be healthy.

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So, if we’ve been (wrongly) conditioned to believe that the natural act of aging includes: Diabetes, heart disease, dementia and Alzheimer’s,  we need to correct that knowledge.

Do you realize that most of us consider “natural aging” to include arthritis, diseases of diabetes, heart disease, dementia and Alzheimer’s?

Do you realize these are actually symptoms that are related to something totally different?

We need to condition our thinking that these ills, plus so many more, instead, truly are related to Mitochondria Dysfunction.

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So, What does Mitochondria have to do with Aging??

Pretty much Everything.

Our Mitochondria can help us be healthy longer, or if it is damaged, can cause us to have a shorter or less quality life.

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Mitochondria make energy in our bodies.

There are thousands of mitochondria in every cell. 

They are mostly in our muscles, our heart and our brain.

They are very sensitive and very easily damaged—and can shut down entirely.  It can cause uncontrolled oxidative stress (as rust, in our bodies)

If your mitochondria are not taken care of, you will suffer:

Low Energy;

Memory Loss;

Pain;

Rapid Aging,

and many more similar conditions.

So, these little powerhouses are very easily damaged by:

Sugar

Environmental toxins

Infections

Medications

Allergens

Stress

Smoking

Unhealthy oils

Chemicals in our food

and much, much more. 

But the biggest insult by far, according to Dr Mark Hyman, M.D., seems to be eating too many (empty) calories.  These (empty) calories consist of nutrient-depleted sugar and starch that comes from eating an ultra-processed-food diet (Standard American Diet)

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You’ve probably heard of the “Blue Zones”.

There are 5 of these “zones” in the world:

Okinawa, Japan

Sardinia, Italy

Nicoya, Costa Rica

Ikaria, Greece

Loma Linda, California.

In the “Blue Zones” it is common to have people who live into their 90’s and 100’s more than other places in the world. 

They eat diets rich in colorful vegetables, blueberries, beans, almonds, and olive oil, and do include meats and some bread.  Some call it a “plant-slant” way of eating.

They also tend to collect moments, instead of things.

Dan Buettner spent lots of time with the people in these Blue Zones, getting to know them, and learn about their lives.  He then wrote his book around what he learned, The Blue Zones. 

He says most of the people in these places do eat some meat, and bread (typically sourdough or whole grain), but eat plenty of in-season fruits and vegetables, and “good fats”.

These people also tend to stop eating before they are full.  Many older residents of Okinawa say the words “hara hachi bu” out loud before they eat—as a blessing, and also a reminder to stop eating before they feel full.

In the “Blue Zones” people walk…a lot.  Some walk their dog to help them walk more.  They don’t use treadmills, etc.  They just walk to places naturally.

(Some suggestions for us to make changes might be:

Taking stairs instead of elevators;

Meeting up with a like-minded friend for walks;

Keeping sneakers and workout clothing in “the perfect spot” so they’ll be easy to use;

Limiting your workweek to as close to 40 hours as you can;

Take an afternoon nap, if possible (I know, that’s a stretch!);

Checking in on loved ones;

Time with friends and food.)

The families in the Blue Zones tend to get together a lot.  And friends spend quality time with each other regularly.

They prioritize peacefulness.  And thankfulness.

They typically have their own gardens, which helps with exercise but also gives them quality food that has not been exposed to toxins prevalent in most places in our world.

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We KNOW we’re going to age if we continue to live. 

But can we keep our bodies strong for as long as we live? 

And can we keep our brain thinking good for that same time?

Well, Yes.  Yes, we can.

If we could help our bodies live longer, healthier, and more mentally aware, where would we start?

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Do you feel it is time to Reclaim your “Life”?

If you are ready, what aould be some suggestions on changing your lifestyle? 

Here are some ideas:

In my own life, I’ve left off a lot of care of myself for the past several weeks—lots going on, lots of good (not healthy) food, not taking time to walk or exercise, and doing some over-stressing.  You know, how life just seems to take over. 

My body shows the results, in the way it looks and in the way it feels.

It’s time for me to take back control.

I want you to know, I know how it is.  But it’s not that hard to just turn it around again.  A decision is the hardest part.  Then, a plan.

I have re-committed to loving myself enough to do the hard things.  Because I know that after a short bit of time, it won’t be that hard, and I will FEEL so much better!  Then my habits will change back to my normal.

I want to live long, and I want to be strong for the duration of my life.  I want to have a fully functional brain that can think through things, until I leave this present world.

As a health coach, it’s my job to help you with knowing the good foods from the not-so-good ones, helping you to see the lifestyle changes that make differences in your life, to help you see hurdles lurking here and there, and help you shift with the turns your path takes.

Let me know how your changes go.  Or if you have any questions at all, or if I can help you with your knowledge, or with your journey.

Thank you for reading; I truly appreciate you. 

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First:  If you eliminate sugar and junk food, it will help keep your mitochondria from getting overwhelmed.  This will lessen your production of free radicals, which will lower your inflammation.

It also keeps insulin levels down, which helps improve insulin sensitivity, which helps your mitochondria to be resilient, strong, energy-burning machines!

And once you get your body back to health, go for that occasional treat!

Second, Get plenty of fiber, eating plenty of non-starchy vegetables and low-glycemic fruit; eat healthy fats from avocados, nuts, seeds; eat extra virgin olive oil, grass-fed butter and ghee; eat high quality protein from grass-fed beef, fish, and pasture-raised eggs.  And

Season your foods with lots of herbs and spices.  These will help keep your overall inflammation low, and give your mitochondria the fuel they need to thrive.

Drink plenty of water every day.

Third, Omega-3 fats are critical for keeping your mitochondria resilient to oxidative stress.  And pay attention to where your omega-3 fats are coming from.  Dr. Hyman recommends wild-caught salmon or a Caesar salad with anchovies as a couple of great sources.

Fourth, Exercise is a must.  Natural exercise is best, as you go about doing things that you want to get done each day. 

Realizing that most of your day is not spent “moving” that much, it’s SO necessary to work in a walk, or workout of some kind.  Gardening is perfect, especially if you can do it every day.

          High-intensity interval training helps your mitochondria to work more efficiently, and strength training increases your muscle mass, also increasing the number of mitochondria in your body.

          Get outside every time you can.

Fifth, you need to build Rest into your life.  Going continuously full-speed has to stop if you plan to live well as you age.  Your body needs to rest. 

You need to take a break during the day to just catch your breath and be still.  And you need to rest at night.  The breaks during the day will help you rest at night—especially if they are outside.

Sixth, Have people you love, around you.  Do things for them.  Show them your love.  Don’t require things of them.  Overlook irritations from them.  Appreciate them—let them know.  Care about them.  Spend time with them.

Then there are a few more:

Cold Therapy is pretty common because of the ability to feel increased energy right away.  One suggestion would be, at the end of your shower, to turn the water to cold for a few seconds.  You can gradually work your way up to a minute or two.

Detoxify.  Get rid of the most common sources of environmental toxins in your life: for most people it’s plastics, fragrances, toxic chemicals, pesticides and heavy metals, to name a very few.

          My home is pretty much chemical-free.  I clean my house using essential oils; I use Norwex products for laundry and other cleaning solutions. 

I use glass storage containers (or other plastic alternatives) in the kitchen.

I use coconut oil to clean my face.  I use beauty products that don’t contain all the poisons.  I still use hair spray—I need to search for an alternative there.

Supplement.  Some of the recommendations from Dr. Hyman for energy-boosting nutrients specifically to help protect your mitochondria, are:

Acetyl-L-carnitine, alpha lipoic acid, CoQ10, N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC), NADH, D-ribose, resveratrol and magnesium glycinate.  In case you haven’t heard of these, it’s ok—most people have not, and don’t feel compelled to take them all.

This is not an exhaustive list of ways to improve your health.  It is only a guideline.

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Are you thinking it’s too late to make simple, sustainable changes that could add years to your life?  And Life to your Years?  I can tell you, it is NEVER too late!

If our GOAL was to take good care of our mitochondria, these are the changes we would see:

We would be leaner. 

We would be smarter.  

We would age much more slowly. 

We would have more energy.

Try some of the things; make a little progress.  See how you feel.  You WILL feel better, with only a few of these changes.

And your life can change dramatically if you decide to prioritize them.

And if you mess up, just say OK, acknowledge it, and go again.  Maybe even plan eating something you LOVE once in a while (not often), so you can actually enjoy it without guilt.  Truly enjoy it.

Live your life “happy”.  And “thankful”.  We need to enjoy our lives.  And if it means once in a while doing something you love, contrary to your goals, and enjoying it—especially if it’s relaxing, just have a small dessert or enjoy that other pleasure, then go on with your original plan.

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And here’s a poem for you:

Aging looks good on anyone who believes that it does.

It’s an inner light kind of deal.

It shines through skin, bone, muscle and sinew—

          bathing everything you see in a luminous glow of peace,

          acceptance and utter loveliness.

It’s some sore of chemical reaction when self-love (at last) meets Mother Nature.

Then wisdom and hindsight all join together too, and cast their magic—

Until when you see is a woman who has evolved, grown, learned and risen many, many times.

And it’s a beautiful sight to behold.

So, age however you like because if something is not making you happy, that will show.

Time can’t erase your beauty my friend, only negativity can do that.

—Donna Ashworth

Thank you again.

Sharon

P.S.

It is health that is the real wealth; not pieces of silver and gold.

—Mahatma Gandhi