The difference between LIFEspan and HEALTHspan.... Do you have a Mentor?
It’s finally warming up outside, and with the pandemic on the outs, I’m really getting pumped about enjoying the outdoors with my family and friends; how about you???
Would you do me a favor? Over the next few days (including the Memorial Day holiday weekend), I’d like you to think about where you’d like your health to be (20) or more years from now. Look around at those you see, and notice who looks radiant and healthy…..
Have you ever thought about asking them (especially those your parents age) what their personal secret is to their healthy persona? Their answers might surprise you….
Some might say, “Oh, it’s in my family genes” or “ I don’t know, nothing special”…. But, press them a little further, ask them about their daily routines, their typical food preferences, their exercise, their spiritual and family values……
It is estimated that about 25% of the variation in human life span is determined by genetics. Lifespan and Healthspan are intimately related, and individuals who live exceptionally long also tend to be healthy for much of their lives. A landmark study of the health of super-centenarians (aged 110–119), semi-super-centenarians (aged 105–109), centenarians (aged 100–104), nonagenarians, and younger controls found that the older the age group, the greater the delay in onset of major disease. Read the full report HERE.
I bet when talking with your healthy older people over the next few days, you’ll find something interesting….. most of them have figured out how to balance their exercise and food intake. Maybe not consciously, but as a Lifestyle.
Do these health mentors have a secret?
Here are some of the questions you can ask these radiant and healthy folks…..
What is your normal daily routine during the week?
What is your most favorite chore to do around the house?
What’s your favorite meal of the day, and why?
How were things different when you were growing up?
Do you have an exercise program, or do you still do things that other people often-times pay others to do?
What foods do you try to stay away from as much as possible?
What was the best advise your parents gave you?
If I was to ask you how you stay so healthy, what would you want to tell me?
The Ultimate Goal
Let’s face it, our ultimate goal in life is to live a healthy lifestyle to where we don’t have to be a slave to anything! That includes the food we eat, the exercise we get, the people we surround ourselves with, etc.
"The ultimate goal is freedom in your life, so you have the freedom to choose what you want, based on how you want to feel."
If our every day “daily” routines are healthy, the body has the ability to overcome a rough, emotional, or cheat day. You will naturally gravitate to the healthy options, because they make you feel the best.
Would you pass the MARSHMALLOW TEST? If you’ve never heard of it, we’ll discuss this later in this newsletter and include a link, but first….
As time goes by… Health is Wealth, really!
Nobody likes getting older. One of the biggest reasons why is because our muscles become weaker, making the activities we used to enjoy more difficult to do...and less enjoyable.
But what if you didn't have to get weaker as you got older? What if you could actually become stronger?
Almost everyone begins experiencing some degree of age-related muscle loss starting between ages 40-50 (the scientific term for this phenomenon is sarcopenia) see link HERE
It's perfectly natural and nothing to worry about; however, it can make it harder to exercise or even perform routine activities you take for granted - like playing with kids or pets, or carrying groceries.
On average, people lose about 0.5%-1% of muscle mass each year. By age 50, the loss of muscle mass increases to 8%, by age 60 it increases to 16%, by age 70 increases to 40%, and by age 80 or more the loss of muscle mass increases to 50%.
While the preliminary loss of muscle mass may sound minor, it can certainly add up over years and decades. Increased frailty is a big reason why elderly people are more prone to falling down, which can lead to prolonged bed rest or hospital stays, which can mean even more muscle loss, in what becomes a vicious downward spiral.
Health experts have long believed age-related muscle loss is simply an inevitable aspect of getting older, with the only way to slow it down being to increase dietary protein and do more exercise.
While next week’s newsletter will go into more detail on medical myths about aging and how to prevent muscle loss, I’d like you to watch and ask those HEALTHY older folks around you what they perceive to be their best kept health secret. How do they stay fit, radiant and healthy?
Your Personal Power
What seems to be forgotten amid all this hurry-up, immediate gratification world we live in today, is the simple fact that our daily routines really do make a HUGE difference in our every day health. Those small choices (as small as they may seem) add up to routines and lifestyles that can empower us, or enslave us.
"You can either discipline yourself, or someone/something else will."
I cannot think of an example where that maxim does not apply. Self discipline is the common denominator that separates the successful from the rest. Where self discipline is applied, instant gratification is denied for a long-term benefit.
It takes a tremendous amount of self discipline to succeed in sports. Every sport has its grind: early mornings, long runs, grueling conditioning, and the mental aspects of staying positive. It is way easier to quit, and instantly get gratification from the free time...or to eat that junk food.
I know, because I thought about quitting every day for my first four months of Medical School. I'm so glad I didn't. I’m here as your doctor today because I made those every day small choices and stuck with my study routines!
So, would you pass the MARSHMALLOW TEST? Check out this VIDEO!
Remember the (5) Essentials we talk about at Ferguson Life Health Centers…
MINDSET
Nerve Supply
Nutrition
Exercise
Minimizing Toxins
Helping you find your personal, natural health and wellness plan for LIFE is my priority. IT IS possible to live in harmony with your in-born wealth of health. Your built-in power is not only reassuring, but also worth preserving.
I look forward to hearing about your personal interviews with those HEALTHY older folks around you, and what they perceive to be their best kept health secret. Email me at LifeHealthCenters@gmail.com and let me know what they tell you… How DO they stay fit, radiant and healthy?