The Best of Senior Life
Chiropractic Wellness & Fitness With Dr. Suzanne Osborne

Here you will find the KEY'S to living a wonderfully healthy and productive senior life.

In recent years, a promising trend has emerged that has significantly changed the way our modern society views aging and longevity. I like to call it the "Older and Better" trend.

Fortunately, the current crop of fitter, more health conscious baby boomers is not going to sit back and age the way their parents did. As the first wave of the 78 million strong Baby Boom generation approaches its golden years, many of today's seniors are remaining productive and influential in the workforce well into their 60s and 70s. Researchers are finding that far from wearing people down, meaningful work can actually help keep seniors both mentally and physically fit.

Thanks to modern technological and medical advances combined with an increased utilization of alternative and holistic health care systems such as Chiropractic, our senior population is staying healthier longer. Today's 60, 70, and even 80 year olds are working longer and contributing more to society than ever before. Seventy-nine year old Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan is a perfect example of someone who has helped change the old practice of being "put out to pasture" once you hit the magic age of 65.

You don't have to look far in everyday life to find examples of people over 60 who simply do not think of themselves as old. These optimistic seniors refuse to accept the outdated fears and beliefs related to growing older, and are not afraid to take charge of their own health and well being. The end result is that they are living healthier, and more exciting, and more productive lives than their predecessors.

Living in South Florida retirement paradise has certainly changed my own personal beliefs about aging and longevity. My older, fit friends often outplay me on the golf course and outwit me on the tennis court. In addition, they give me hope that if I just keep practicing, one day, maybe, I'll be as good as them. The lessons that I have learned from my senior friends remind me that there is no substitute for life experience, whether it's being applied on a tricky green or in a high-pressure corporate boardroom.
 

Dr. Suzanne Osborne (also known as Dr. Suzy) is a recognized leader in the holistic health and fitness movement and the author of the book Pure Life,  a groundbreaking guidebook to optimal health. She has helped thousands of individuals across the world create healthier, stronger, and more energetic lifestyles since 1986. Dr. Osborne has appeared frequently on national and international television as a health expert. To find out more about Dr. Suzy, please visit www.pure-life.com

Key # 1 Maintain a positive mental attitude

Practically every day, I am impressed by people in their sixties and seventies who seem to be more energetic and younger at heart and in their minds than many of the twenty and thirty year olds that I know. To me, it appears that one of the secrets to aging gracefully is maintaining a positive mental attitude and living fully in the present moment. Those who age elegantly don't spend their day's ruminating about the past or discussing every detail of their recent doctor visits. They no longer accept the notion that as we age, we will carry around a plethora of pill bottles and become sickly, senile, and frail.

Sure, most people slow down as they get older and there are certain physiological changes associated with aging that we have no control over. The positive thinking seniors that I admire seem to realize this fact and concentrate instead on doing something about the things that they can do something about that will have a positive impact on their health.

Key # 2 Engage in Regular Physical Activity

In my experience, those who have mastered successful aging almost always engage in some form of exercise and physical activity on a regular basis. The benefits of exercise for seniors are seemingly endless and can include weight control, improved circulation of blood and oxygen, increased muscle mass, better mood and improved balance.

Even in moderate amounts, exercise can help seniors enjoy life and avoid diseases that many people mistakenly believe come automatically with age. You can reduce almost half your risk of dying prematurely if you exercise every day or nearly every day. In addition of enhancing your mood, and helping to manage stress, regular physical activity cuts your risk of a multitude of diseases including heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, osteoporosis, and osteoarthritis. Exercises that emphasize endurance, such as dancing, walking, or bicycling, may be not only more beneficial but also more enjoyable.

Key # 3 Engage in Regular Mental Activity

Just as physical activity keeps your body strong, mental activity exercises your mind, keeping it sharp and agile. One way to do this is to continually challenge yourself by learning new skills, such as computing or learning a new language. If you continue to learn and challenge yourself, your brain continues to grow. An active brain produces new connections between nerve cells that allow cells to communicate with one another. This helps your brain to store and retrieve information more easily, no matter what your age.

Some other good news is that modern science is making headway in preventing and treating certain disease processes [such as heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes] that directly impair brain functioning. As a result, memory and other functions are improving among the elderly.

Key # 4 Antioxidants, Diet and Supplements

Today's informed seniors are also aware that eating a diet high in cholesterol rich foods can help protect and nourish brain cells. In addition, antioxidants may help prevent cholesterol from
damaging the lining of your arteries and slowing your brain flow to your brain. Foods high in antioxidants include colorful fruits and vegetables, such as oranges, berries, broccoli, spinach, carrots, sweet potatoes and tomatoes. Supplementation is also a very effective way to be certain your body is getting all the necessary antioxidants.

Key # 5 Strong Sense of Community

Another integral part of the healthy lifestyles of the Super-healthy Seniors that I know personally seems to be a strong sense of community and an involvement in meaningful, purpose driven work, including volunteer work. Some of the most interesting seniors that I have worked with over the years are extremely eco-conscious individuals who sincerely care about the future of the fragile planet that they will be leaving behind to coming generations. They are making a positive difference on a local and global level and paving a new way for those who will follow in their footsteps. We could all learn some valuable, life changing lessons from those who are growing old elegantly. It's never to late too stop long enough to pay attention to what they have to share and benefit from their cumulative experience and practical knowledge. No matter what age you are, the next time you blow out your birthday candles, keep this thought in mind: "you're not getting older, you're getting better!" CWFM