Words from a Reader

The “Writing Life Stories” e-mails I receive are such treasures. As soon as I see there is one in my inbox, I read it immediately. I look forward to them and never know how they will touch me. They can be interesting, informative, humorous, and/or touching.

Tuesday, June 29, 2021

AGEING WELL TAKES FOCUS AND PLANNING

Maintaining friendships and being socially active are important parts of healthy, happy aging. This is one of the most important activities for us as we grow older. This keeps us out of the hospital.

We have found this more difficult during the pandemic as we isolated ourselves from others, especially close family and friends. I found myself becoming depressed and unhappy for a while in 2020. It made me realize how much I enjoyed and depended on having a social life with friends and family.

The isolation was extremely hard for those of us who live alone with no partner to talk with. Many of us turned to food to soothe our feelings and often we ate the wrong things. I know I craved my comfort foods - mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, bread, especially biscuits. I found myself wanting ice cream and cake at ten o'clock at night.

This is what I should eat:
 Fatty fish: Salmon, mackerel and sardines are high in omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty fish lower levels of beta-amyloid which is a protein that causes Alzheimer’s, says a study by Tufts University.

I wish I knew a good way to eat sardines - a way to make them taste good. If anyone has a suggestion, please tell me.

I have become quite fond of salmon now. I buy fresh wild-caught salmon each week and have at least two meals from it. I also buy canned salmon and thanks to my dear departed friend, Ginny, I mix it with a little mayo, pickle juice and I eat it with crackers. Delicious. Makes a great lunch.

As we grow older our body changes, and it is even more important to have healthy eating habits
Our metabolism slows, and our senses of smell and taste can change. I know mine has, especially since I had a virus in early 2020 before COVID 19 tests were available.

I have never been one to eat lots of processed food. I have always bought fresh produce, fresh meats and dairy. That was the food I ate growing up on the farm. I cook much like my mother cooked. But that means I have to cook every day.  One of the problems as we age is we often don't feel like standing in the kitchen for long periods and preparing food. 

With my recent health issues, I can't stand long before I am in pain. So, I want to take shortcuts with my meals. If it takes thirty minutes to make a meal, I am too fatigued to clean up the kitchen after I eat. I am more inclined to eat out because of this. 

Malnutrition is one of the major health problems with older adults. My brother, in his nineties, tells me he doesn't get hungry and eats very little. He is extremely thin and I worry about him. However, he does take supplements religiously, and I hope that will keep him from becoming malnourished. 

Last year I was fortunate to have someone do my food shopping. But I still had to prepare it. Now I am going to the grocery market and stopping at the roadside stands for corn and tomatoes. This time of year, I really enjoy fresh Georgia peaches, vine-ripened tomatoes like my daddy grew, and corn on the cob so sweet you don't need to season it.

We know that our diet must be high in fiber, vegetables, fruits, and lean protein. These foods keep our energy up and aid our slow digestion. I have learned that I must limit red meat in my diet. I am learning how I can get protein from other sources. Beans are good but green leafy vegetables, spinach and collards and turnips are good for me. I try to eat them every week also. Like most people in the United States, I eat chicken every way possible.

My biggest problem with health care is a lack of physical exercise. 

A study conducted in Sweden found exercise to be the number one contributor to long life.  I want to walk, swim, to dance, but recently my balance is not too good and chronic pain interferes. Our muscles stiffen and shorten when we do not exercise but stretching improves that. Five minutes of stretching daily can make all the differenceThat is why I feel so much better after my PT appointment. With physical therapy and my determination to keep moving, I am getting stronger and managing my life better and better.

Having a purpose in life is important to age well. 
Although I am visiting my sister and enjoying a vacation, I have responsibilities for my work. That is another reason to enjoy life and accept the challenges I face as I mature in wisdom. I have a purpose. 





10 comments:

  1. I hear you on not wanting/being able to cook every day. So I often 'batch' cook. I make up large quantities of a dish I like and freeze some for meals on days when I cannot face cooking. It works for me.

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  2. So true. The quality of life depends a lot on us, what we consume and do. I hope you recent issues resolve and you feel so much better soon.

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  3. This is great advise for we who are young at heart. I am trying to eat better, trying to exercise, trying to keep a positive and happy outlook on life. As things open up, I feel we will all get to feeling much happier.

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  4. I am so fortunate to have a husband who likes to shop for food and fix simple uncomplicated meals. I usually spice things a little bit and pop it into the microwave, and nobody spends too much time cooking. And as you know, I love to exercise so I get much of what I need every day. Summertime heat does interfere now and then. :-)

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  5. I agree it's hard to be motivated to eat the foods you should and not eat the foods you shouldn't. But it sounds like you're doing well. I found this post interesting.

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  6. EC, I often batch cook also, but get tired of the same food day after day. If I put it in the freezer, I forget it or just don't think of it when I am hungry and want something quick. But I do make some dishes I enjoy and freeze them in small packets.
    I make my mother's south Georgia vegetable soup and I can eat that every day with some cornbread.

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  7. Marie, thanks for your good wishes. I am enjoying time with my sister and feeling so much better now. We had a wonderful day today and I will be home very soon.

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  8. DJan, you are very fortunate to have your smart guy and that he is helpful with the cooking. My niece has a husband who cooks and she enjoys that as she is in real estate and very busy at this time.
    I most admire your ability to hike and get your exercise.

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  9. I agree, Brenda. I am already feeling so much better about things and look forward to each day. So glad you will be participating in the Festival on the Square booth for Netwest this year.

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  10. Hi Abbie, thanks for stopping by. The older we get the harder it is to maintain all the good habits and take good care of ourselves. I learned a long time ago that I must be my own advocate when it comes to my health. I read about health for seniors and learn about alternative methods of caring for my body and my mind. I fully believe we must consider our mind, body and spirit for good health.

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I really appreciate your comments, and I love reading what you say.