Yes, I am a Baby Boomer and among the thousands of Americans who’s worst fear is developing Alzheimer’s disease as I age. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia (memory loss) that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. Typically, symptoms develop slowly and get worse over time. Eventually they interfere with your daily life. Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease and is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. People with Alzheimer’s live an average of eight years after becoming symptomatic yet can live up to 20 years depending on their age and overall health. There is no cure at the moment but researchers are working hard to improve treatment options and find a cure.
Recently I read a report that suggests Alzheimer’s can be a form of diabetes of the brain. This discovery may lead to new disease-modifying treatments that could make a positive impact in the lives of those suffering from Alzheimer’s. It also leads me to wonder if what we eat can make an impact. Nutrition feeds our bodies and our brains so it only makes sense to do our best to eat right for life so as to hopefully stave off illnesses such as Alzheimer’s.
I also think that living in “fear” is not healthy. If you can be proactive by eating right, exercising and taking the best possible care of your body and brain, then you know you’ve done your best to hopefully avoid, or at least minimize, the impact of diseases like Alzheimer’s. So eat right for life, exercise daily (even if it’s as simple as taking a walk), meditate or pray daily and keep a positive attitude (that’s the most important).
Be Present, Be Purposeful, Be Well
Thanksgiving is tomorrow plus there are a multitude of holiday celebrations between now and the end of the year. It’s a time of celebration yet what many people don’t realize, it is also a time of challenge. You may find yourself challenged by a feeling of obligation to “have a good time” when you really are not. Or, you may find yourself tempted by all the delicious, fattening and unhealthy foods that keep appearing before you. The holidays are tough, I get that. So what can you do to ensure the holidays don’t get the best of you this year? Here are a few suggestions:
- Participate only in those parties or activities that you want to. Stop doing things out of obligation unless you can find a way to be okay with it. Put yourself first. When you take care of yourself, you are better able to take care of others.
- Focus on what is good in your life. Count your blessings and maybe even record them in a gratitude journal.
- Eat a snack before going to a party. This will ensure you won’t arrive hungry and will make it easier not to over-indulge. And, I like to play a little trick with myself. I tell myself to “skip it now” and if I really want it tomorrow, I’ll go out and get it. Most of the time I don’t want it later therefore I saved unnecessary calories.
- Choose drinks that are lower in calories like wine (fancy holiday drinks are loaded with sugar & calories) and drink a glass of water in between cocktails so you consume less alcohol. Not only will you save calories, you might save a life by not driving under the influence.
One more thought about this holiday season. If you want to be alone, do it. If you want to be surrounded by family and friends, seek them out. Remember to make this a time of choice and not necessity. You deserve to enjoy!
Be Present, Be Purposeful, Be Well.
With Thanksgiving only a week away, I’ve been noticing fewer random acts of kindness. Odd, isn’t it? You would think that people would be thinking about how grateful they are for what they have and yet few seem to be doing this. Lately I’ve noticed way too many people driving recklessly because they’re too involved in conversation on their hand-held cell phones, others getting impatient because they have to stand in line at a store cash register due to employee cutbacks, and the list can go on. Yes, I acknowledge that life has become more challenging during these tough economic times but does that translate in forgetting to be grateful for what you do have?
Being grateful is not only polite to others; it is a critical component of your wellness. By living a life of gratitude you live in positive or anabolic energy. You look at life from a perspective of abundance and joy versus lack and sadness. As you think about that, notice your immediate energetic response. Do you choose abundance and joy or lack and sadness?
If you choose abundance and joy (which I think many of you do), here are a couple of ways to express and/or notice your gratitude.
- Keep a gratitude journal. Once a day write down 5 things for which you are grateful. They can be simple or complex, it’s up to you.
- Offer someone a compliment each day. Be sure it is genuine or the value is not felt by you or the recipient.
- Do one random act of kindness each day. It can be as simple as offering a stranger a smile, saying “thank you” or letting a car switch lanes in front of you.
As you do these or any other of your choosing, notice how it makes you as well as the recipient feel. Together we can create a holiday season filled with kindness and positively affect our wellness.
Be Present, Be Purposeful, Be Well.
To your wellness!
Many of you live a “sick” life. Namely, you react when you get sick. You have a medicine cabinet filled with over-the-counter medications to take for pain, coughs, colds, allergies, stomach upset, etc. When you don’t feel well, you respond by taking some sort of medication to relieve the symptoms. That’s normal but I challenge you to consider if it is healthy or not.
Living a “healthy” life is behaving in a preventative manner. Instead of waiting to not feel well and take medications, you live a balanced life with proper nutrition, sleep, exercise and positive mindset. You don’t wait to feel “sick,” instead you work to feel “well.”
What would it take for you to make a paradigm shift from reactive to preventative care? Imagine the difference between living a proactive life versus a reactive life, especially when it comes to your overall wellness. I know which I’d choose, how about you?
Be Present, Be Purposeful, Be Well
We all know that eating fresh fruits and vegetables are good for us. Did you know that they are also the foundation of an anti-inflammatory diet? If you suffer from any inflammation from arthritis, MS or any other illness, try adding more fresh fruits and veggies to your daily diet. Here are a few especially tasty ones to always have available:
- Sweet potatoes – rich in beta carotene and are the most alkaline/low glycemic load vegetable
- Spinach – contains antioxidants, calcium and folate and works well when cooked or used raw
- Onions – along with the power to lower blood pressure and cholesterol as well as being another very alkaline food, they add a ton of flavor to your cooking with very few calories
- Cabbage – high in fiber and vitamin C and is a great vegetable to add to salads or stir-fry's
- Garlic – (my favorite) moderately alkaline, flavorful and has the power to boost your immune system (and keeps vampires away!! Ha, ha!)
Above I mention about the veggies being high alkaline. Eating a high alkaline diet (versus a high acidic diet) can help heal your body. Consuming an abundance of fresh fruits and veggies boosts your intake of antioxidants therefore increases your immune system strength while lowering blood pressure and inflammation. Sounds delicious!
