Getting Older - It's Not All It's Cracked Up To Be...

A friend of mine and her daughter were here this last weekend for a climbing competition.  Her daughter is an incredible climber and they were in Boulder for the nationals.  

During the long weekend, my friend and I were discussing some of our pains and illnesses that seem to be coming on more and more as we get older.  We did not anticipate getting older when we were young and strong (she was a Stanford woman's softball coach, so when I say young and strong, I mean it!). And my first injury or serious pain in life was when, as an adult, I got a whiplash from a roller coaster ride in Santa Cruz. 

So what is it like to get older?  That's hard for me to put into words, but I'm going to try.  I know myself so much better than I ever could have when I was younger.  I like myself and my friends more than I did when I was younger.  My friends now have a certain grace that comes with aging.  Plus, I choose my friends more carefully now than I did before.  

My body is definitely changing.  I just laughed out loud at that simple statement.  I can't keep weight off like I used to.  My skin is not as taunt as it once was.  My feet hurt sometimes.  Overall, I am thankful I am healthy and strong.  I just wish...

that as we aged, we did not have as many illnesses and diseases -- just like when we were younger.  It seems like once we hit 40 and 50, surprises come our way that we never thought would happen to us.  Like the increase in cancer and heart disease.  Diabetes.  Arthritis. And dementia.  Yes, at 40, dementia is now easy to diagnose and is a scary thing to live with, along with all the other diseases that are prevalent as we get older.

If you are in your 40's or 50's and you have not yet taken care of you will, guardianships for your children, and powers of attorney for medical and finances, to name a few, please think about it.  No one ever expects to age.  Don't ask me why.  Nor do we expect to have serious medical conditions where we possibly cannot fend or make decisions for ourselves.  That only happens to other people.

Take a minute and think about my 9 step program found on my website at:  http://www.kaydiller.com/9steps. I promise you, my 9 step program will help you get things organized and in order in a simple and effective way.  Go do it now, before something else takes away your attention, like that back pain that wasn't there yesterday!

Take care,

Kay

Getting and staying strong

Staying healthy is a challenge, especially for those of us no longer in our 20's.  Avoiding medical emergencies such as diabetes, heart failure and even cancer can be minimized by watching our weight and what we eat and making sure we get enough sleep - or in other words, by changing our life style to one where we take better care of ourselves.   


I've been reading lately about the importance of sleep.  I did not realize that cancer loves it when we don't get enough sleep (Yikes, when I think of those sleepless nights when I knew I was going to lose my job!). Cancer also loves sugar and hates oxygen, so lowering our sugar intake and exercising (which increases oxygen in our bodies) are great ways to keep ourselves healthy and looking great, too! 

I have a saying that I tell my kids all the time:  You cannot avoid life.  

There are challenges and obstacles in life even when we do everything we are supposed to do for a life style that is conducive to good health and well being. 

By being mindful of what we eat, how much sleep we get, and the quality of people we hang out with (positive people help our immune system) can make the difference between unnecessary medical emergencies and hospital stays that we could have avoided.  

Did I mention that sharing time with positive people has a strong impact on our immune system, too?  Well, it was worth repeating.  


Take care,
Kay