Ageing gracefully

Dr. Brian Tucker
And
Dr. Kanakadurga R. Poduri

“AGE  IS  AN ISSUE  OF  MIND OVER  MATTER
IF  YOU  DON’T MIND  IT,  IT DOESN’T  MATTER”
Mark Twain

Introduction:
The concept of ‘Ageing Gracefully’, is a topic which has fascinated us for quite a while. With the passage of time, we found ourselves crossing over that thin invisible line of obsession, to “map” the outline milestones for aging gracefully. William Shakespeare in his farsighted wisdom centuries ago, composed a very famous poem titled” The Seven Ages Of Man “, perfectly describing the “Aging Process”. In short, we all come into this world with absolutely nothing, not even our teeth. This is how we literally leave this world. It is a natural cycle, no one can escape. In a nutshell we all must “AGE”, whether we like it or not. So why not age in style, gracefully, and happily.

Age, generally refers to the “length of life”, or “existence” or to the “later part of life”. In short, ageing just means “GROWIG OLD”. Our first impulse, tempts us to say that, it is the “ATTITUDE” of an individual nearing middle/old age, which is vital in the person enjoying his twilight years optimistically to the full, or facing it with an inner dread, fear, and sense of insecurity. The single most powerful investment we can ever make in life is investment in ourselves. It is the only investment we have with which to deal with life.

By and large, the tendency is, “PEAR” of aging. With fear comes a whole host of doubts. How will I look when I grow old? How will I manage and cope with problems as I now do? Can I depend upon others to help me, when in need of any kind? Is my independence threatened and vanishing? These doubts and fears are endless, but quite natural and understandable under the circumstances.

If we want to change a situation, we first have to change ourselves. To change ourselves effectively, we first have to change our perceptions. Having a pessimistic outlook is useless.

After decades of scientific observations, studies, and statistical evaluation of people, transcending from middle to old age, “FIVE” milestones were identified, to guide, and steer people to a “LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER SITUATION”. These 5 gems of ageing gracefully, may surprise you, not only with their simplicity, but also from the fact that they may already be, part and parcel of your daily life, without you even being aware of it.  In short, these 5 milestones are

1. SMOKING TABOO 2. DIET WITH A DIFFERENCE 3. MANAGING YOUR STRESS IN STYLE 4. ENJOYABLE EXERCISE, 5. ANNUAL MEDICAL ANNIVERSARY WITH YOURSELF

Ist  MILESTONE - SMOKING TABOO

“MERCHANTS OF DEATH” - The global unparalleled Mafia. They sell death in the form of tobacco. The most foolish, paradoxical, catch - 22 situation. We buy from them to kill ourselves. Then when we are about to die, we don’t want to die. These merchants of death are true parasites we pay them, to live off us, and ultimately kill us with minimum effort. It has been proved time and again, beyond a shadow of doubt, the direct and indirect links between smoking and ill health. Worse still, not only to the smoker himself but also to the innocent bystanders around. There is an old saying, that, “There is no smoke without fire”. “There is no fire without Smoke”, this simply means, not to light the cigarette.

IInd   MILESTONE - “DIET WITH A DIFFERENCE”

More often than not, the word “DIET” sends out a wrong signal. There is a definite misconception about the word. All the word, “DIET” literally means is, habitual food, or restricted selection of food. No where does it mean, eating less quantitatively, or starving. No one wants to change anyone’s food habits, or food items. Why don’t we stop for a moment, and use our God given vivid imagination (we all possess, but seldom use) to analyze and believe that the word “DIET” could also mean, D - DESTINY, I - INTENDED, E - EATING, T THOUGHTFULLY. That it is our “FATE”, which is in our hands, which we control, which allows us to choose from natures fabulous, bountiful ‘MENU’. To eat our way to a fully, healthy, and happy life.

DIET WITH A DIFFERENCE, here means, that it is very necessary to add FRESH GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLES, and FRESH FRUITS, to supplement your daily intake. From the array of fruit and vegetables available to us, taking the seasons into account, one can regularly change these items. When one considers he is dining straight from natures table, he should consider himself indeed a very lucky guest.  All the vitamins, proteins, etc are in their most purest natural form, hence more effective than all the numerous tonics and capsules, offered to you by all the multinational drug companies put together in the world. Consider yourself lucky indeed, to be able to obtain those treasures of nature, and make full use of your riches. THESE SUPPLEMENTS HOLD ONE OF THE MOST VITAL KEYS to the secret of Ageing Gracefully. Our greatest concern is the cooking medium, or “COOKING OILS” used.

On a monthly basis, the following guideline ratio of cooking oils may be considered
SATURATED FATS                                                 -20 %
MONO SATURATED FATS                                    - 50%
OMEGA- 3 POLYUNSATURATED FATS             - 30%

“CHOLESTEROL” The dictionary meaning states that “It is a fatty animal substance, thought to cause the hardening of arteries”.  Good nutritional habits never seem to be in focus. Our comfort has perhaps lulled us into a false sense of living in the “FAST LANE”. Thinking that may be “FAST FOOD”, red meats, fried and processed foods, represent technological advances. Repeatedly, we are more concerned about ease, than we are about the “QUALITY OF NUTRITION”, which will foster a long life and good health. More often than not, we equate the most comfortable life style, with the most convenient, sacrificing health and vigor. The link between increased body cholesterol, and heart disease is overwhelming.  Cholesterol is not static; it changes with our AGE, DIET and LIFESTYLE.

A few supplementary “TIT - BITS” which aid in reducing CHOLESTEROL.
1. Have low FAT, high FIBRE diet. High fibers, include, Fruit, vegetables, whole wheat, seeds, nuts, beans etc.
2. Eat LESS, ANIMAL FATS, PROCESSED foods, and FRIED foods
3. AVOID, RED meats, Ice-creams, Cream, Butter, whole Milk
4. TAKE Skimmed milk, low FAT dairy products, Margarine, fish and rice
5. Always READ the FOOD LABELS
6. AVOID, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOURING and COLOURING
7. LOSE WEIGHT to be within 10% of your body weight
8. ‘GOAL - To eat food GOOD FOR YOU, and GOOD TO YOU.

A FINAL word of warning regards “MAJOR RISK FACTORS” contributing to HEART DISEASES
a. Increased Serum Cholesterol
b. Positive family history of coronary heart disease in a first degree relative, i.e. parents, or sibling.
c. Hypertension
d. Smoking
e. Male gender
f. Diabetes Mellitus
g. Congenital Heart diseases
h. Lack of Exercise
i. Obesity
j. Excessive Stress

Summary:

GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLES and FRUITS, TO SUPPLEMENT your DIET.
COOK AND EAT YOUR FOOD SENSIBLY.

IIIrd MILESTONE - “MANAGING YOUR STRESS IN STYLE”

“STRESS” is a disagreeable side effect of an active life. You can’t avoid it, and the stress from a situation sends you tense into the next. But there’s strong evidence that meditation, of any type can help you cope with it.  Stress in abstract, it cannot be SEEN, but definitely FELT. Nervousness is the hallmark of stress. On analysis, this nervousness is just a form of ENERGY, “Nervous Energy” I energy isn’t GOOD or BAD, and it is how you HANDLE it, which is the secret. It is natural to be nervous from time to time, under varying conditions. You just have to find your own formula of managing it in style. For example, when you are upset about something, the first thing is to try to calm down immediately.  Tell yourself “I CAN DO IT”.  Then you find yourself actually saying to yourself “I DID IT”. Remember your “SUBCONSCIOUS” mental apparatus, believes whatever “YOU TELL IT”. A clue to help you along the way to your goal, is to find a “ROLE MODEL PERSON” one whom you admire for the way he carries himself, and takes on the world in his stride.
No amount of money in this world can ever get you this pleasurable contentment. Remember the following lines.

“No horse gets anywhere till he is harnessed
No stream or gas ever drives anything until it is confined
No Niagara is ever turned into light and power until it is tunneled
No LIFE ever grows great until it is focused, dedicated, and disciplined”.

Smoking, Excessive intake of Alcohol, Eating “Fast Foods”, Environmentally vehicular traffic, coupled with sound pollution, materialistic attitudes, sanitation, and reforms in consumerism, are common precipitating factors for the stress related disorders. Inter related, to make matters more complex are, pathologically related coronary Heart Disease, Diabetes, Hypertension, Respiratory Diseases, Orthopedic disabilities, and Accidental deaths to name a few.

We can choose from the time tested, proven methods, like “YOGA”, “MEDITATION”, and SOCIAL SERVICE for the betterment of your immediate society, for starters. “YOGA” is an ancient art form, which has survived for thousands of years for a reason. The breathing, stretching, and relaxation exercises, taught in a yoga class are very beneficial. It is highly effective, not expensive to learn, and can be practiced by anyone, anywhere, anytime. Stretching exercises are merely variations of simple yoga positions. “Your YOGA” techniques should be tailored to your needs and enjoyment. In a nutshell yoga consists of “ASANAS” (physical postures) “PRANAYAM” (breath control); “KRIYAS” (cleaning techniques), MUDRAS and MEDITATION (for mind control). YOGA addresses mental and physical problems, while integrating body, mind, and the spirit. “MEDITATION” gives one mental rest. It is amazing what one “feels” just sitting still, with the eyes closed, and the mind thinking of nothing - “BLANK”. One feels caught up in an alien, silent, x-zone, with practice, this regular forced mental “blackout”, gives one a real positive, satisfying, charged up feeling. Your mind actually takes rest.

Summary:

Apart from yoga, meditation and social services, to choose from there are other aids, which can be considered to help combat mental stress. Fengshui, Hypnotherapy, Laughter therapy, Massages, Music therapy, Naturopathy, Prayer, Reiki, Shiatsu, Unani and Water therapy, to name a few.

So the bottom line, to this vital milestone of, “Managing your stress in style”, needs the “strength” of your mind, your will power, coupled with your “Humility”, to “FORGIVE”, and to shun the ego factor. This is indeed a very practical formula of stylish stress management.

4th MILESTONE – ENJOYABLE EXERCISE

Most of us think, we don’t have enough time to exercise. What a distorted paradigm! We don’t have time not to. I am talking about 3 - 6 hours a week, or a minimum of 30 minutes a day.  Even every other day if need be. This hardly seems an inordinate amount of time, considering the tremendous benefits of the impact on the other 162-165 hours of the week. Regular, monitored exercise, irrespective of the type of exercise involved, goes a long way in guiding us to Age Gracefully. It is generally accepted that 30 minutes a day, of exercise, which must cause you to break out in a light perspiration, is vital. For example, taking a walk for 30 minutes at a leisurely pace is not exercise. It is more like going for a “stroll in the park”. But the same walk, done briskly, causing you to sweat lightly is the actually exercise. Exercises include walking, swimming, jogging, cycling, cross country skiing, aerobic dancing etc. This helps weight loss, lowers blood cholesterol levels, increase energy levels, increases the general feeling of well being, and longevity, and what’s more delightful is that its inexpensive.

Then there is this popular time tested, time weary excuse. “I am so busy”, “I am always travelling,” “I always work odd hours”, and so the excuses pile up. to the time tested “ANTIDOTE”, “When there is a will there is a way”. All that is needed by those busy executives are a little foresighted planning.

It causes better oxygenation in the lungs. Deep breathing exercises help specifically. Exercise also improves Digestion and Bowel function. Improves sleep at night. Finally the most important benefit of exercise is on the nervous system and the psyche.

The current concept is that a 5-10 km walk would do more good to an unhappy but healthy adult than all the medicines and tonics in the world.

Summary

Thus Exercise, 30 minutes a day investment, a self investment at that, is the surest way of attaining your goal of Aging Gracefully.

5th MILESTONE - ANNUAL MEDICAL ANNIVERSARY WITH YOURSELF

This may appear the last, but is the most important mile stone of all. We all have birthday and Wedding Anniversaries, in life, which we generally celebrate with happiness and gaiety, every year. Have we ever stopped to realize, that those auspicious, treasured days can be further extended year after year, with a better environmental quality of life “. All we have to do is to add one more anniversary to our life, to celebrate, perhaps, the best of all, more so that it is this event, which the other anniversaries yearly existences depend upon. It is the day you choose to do your yearly ANNUAL MEDICAL CHECK UP. Stitch in time saving nine” - applies here. Both ways we cant loose. If our readings are normal, we are happy, that we have total control of ourselves. If we get abnormal readings, then we are also happy that we have spotted the problem and will rectify it at the earliest. Invest in yourself, and for yourself, every year. You just can’t go wrong.

Conclusion: Keeping a commitment or a promise to oneself is a major deposit into the “Emotional Bank Account”. Breaking a promise is a major withdrawal. When we make withdrawals we need to apologize sincerely. Our security does not lie only in our jobs, but lies in our power to think, learn, create, and most of all “ADAPT’.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A STATE OF POSITIVE HEALTH AND A STATE OF MERE EXISTANCE MAY MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH.

LIFE IS A GAME - PLAY IT
LIFE IS A CHALLENGE - MEET IT
LIFE IS LOVE - ENJOY IT
LIFE IS A DREAM - REALISE IT

“WHAT MATTERS IS NOT TO ADD   
YEARS TO YOUR LIFE,
BUT TO ADD LIFE TO YOUR YEARS”