Calm Mind and an Active Body
A Calm Mind and an Active Body? Growing older is a part of life, and not something that be controlled or prevented. However, over time, researchers have found that certain factors contribute to longevity. This blog develops on Dr. Mercola’s 10 ways to live longer, by beginning with A Calm Mind and an Active Body.
To note, “Centenarians are the fastest growing segment of the U.S population, with numbers doubling every decade; by the year 2050, the number of people who will have reached the century mark is expected to pass 1 million.”
That means people living really long lives is increasing dramatically, and the research on current Centurions can provide guidance for lifestyles and mindsets to strive to for old age.
Best Centurion tips for A Calm Mind and an Active Body
Those of society who have made it to the Centurion mark in their lives often have several factors in common. The list below is a culmination of their responses to research, when asked about their lifestyles.
- Keeping a positive attitude
- Eating good food
- Participating in moderate exercise like walking, gardening, swimming, etc.
- Living clean (not smoking or drinking excessively)
- Living independently
- Having family to interact with
- Having a circle of friends
- Being born with “good” genes
- Having faith/spirituality
- Staying mentally active and continually learning
Interesting to note further understand is that, as a group, their cardiovascular health and brain activity are superior to the scans done of people who lived less time. Anecdotally, this could mean the less stress a person feels throughout their life contributespositively to a longer life.
Why a Calm Mind and an Active Body?
There are a few important factors, of these 10 suggestions, that can apply to most people. Being optimistic, getting adequate rest, focusing on proper nutrition, maintaining brain health, and limiting toxins are targeted ways to stay sharp with age.
Being optimistic is does not require a trouble-free lifestyle, anyone can use their thoughts and mindsets to create optimism in their life. The majority of people have stressful lives, and avoiding stress is not an option.
That being said, stress hormones are known to cause physiological stress on the body, contributing to cardiovascular issues like heart attacks and high blood pressure. Scientists and researchers have found more than one link to this pervasive issue.
Harvard researcher Julie Boehm explained that, “We found that factors such as optimism, life satisfaction and happiness are associated with reduced risk of CVD regardless of such factors as a person’s age, socioeconomic status, smoking status or body weight.”
Importance of Sleep
Getting adequate rest is another simple, but key step in a longer life. Much like environments create feelings of stress, sleeplessness causes bodily stress. Research has proven this point many times in that interruptions to a person’s sleep/wake cycle, or circadian rhythm, are damaging.
“Irregularrhythms have been linked to various chronic health conditions, such as sleep disorders, obesity, diabetes, depression, bipolar disorder and seasonal affective disorder,” say scientists from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences.
A study on adult twins showed that a balanced sleep schedule is critical, getting too much or too little sleep, both, has challenging effects on the body. When sleep is not an option, meditation and mindfulness activities can also induce resting in the body.
Nutrition
Focusing on proper nutrition, is essential in any healthy lifestyle, and even more so from a longevity point of view. The Doctors at Reed Chiropractic advise heavily on considering fasting as part of a regular diet, and the research shows this to be a viable decision to advanced age.
- Cycle high and low protein intake
- Combine protein restriction with time-restricted eating
- Followed that by increased protein intake on strength training days
- Fast 16 to 20 hours each day
- Avoid eating two to three hours before bed
Maintaining brain health is a growing concern with age. The instances of cognitive decline are much more prevalent as time goes on, and the affects of that decline are very unfortunate. Luckily, there are options to integrate into a regular lifestyle to help combat cognitive decline.
Try these as supplements, or better yet, increase the intake of foods with these nutrients. For a more explanatory breakdown of the less common nutrients, read Dr. Mercola’sarticle.
Commonly known:
- Vitamin D
- DHA
- Folate
- Magnesium
Less commonly Known:
- Astaxanthin
- Ergothioneine
- PQQ
Lastly, reducing and, potentially, eliminating toxins from one’s diet can produce a huge boost in the likelihood of longevity. These can be toxins like cigarette smoke or alcohol, but it also includes household chemicals and micro-plastics.
The elimination of toxins is not a simple feat, as it expects a determined look at one’s lifestyle. Things like cleaning products and food storage are part of evaluating household toxins. Dr. Mercola explains:
“This includes tossing out your toxic household cleaners, soaps, personal hygiene products, air fresheners, bug sprays, lawn pesticides and insecticides, just to name a few, and replacing them with nontoxic alternatives.”
All and all, these are not complex solutions to the problem of aging, but they offer everyone and anyone a chance to live a full and healthy lifestyle, however long it is. Maintaining a Calm Mind and an Active Body will help bring health into old age.
Reed Chiropractic, Inc.
250 W. Baseline Rd. #107
Tempe, AZ 85283
480-785-1355
