Getting older fight back

Mark twain said, "Age is a matter of mind over matter, If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.”

In the Wall Street Journal today SUMATHI REDDY reported on a study the aging process as it effects the eyes, ears, brain, bones and strength.

In all of these areas we can develop strategies to slow loss of function to maintain the ability to bugger on.We need to begin fighting back on aging from our 30s on. With hearing we may have to do it sooner.

For myself having cerebral palsy my balances always been a struggle. As we get older many of you will begin to have problems with your balance. Balance can be improved by paying attention to our strength.

Source Wall Street Journal

Our ability to learn new things peaks in our 20’s. By our 40’s it is harder to learn new things. I have found personally in the workforce that we are often thrust into new jobs or opportunities that require us to learn new things. It won't work to just say, “I’m an ole dog and I can't learn new tricks.” What we lose in our memory task we can adjust by our acquired ability to stay at until we learn. As we get older were pretty good at that. 

If we are passive and ignore the normal decline when we get older it will become harder to deal with things. If that is the case, I think it's a good idea to not give up. We still can improve the quality of our life and it is still possible to add some time to our life. I have reported several times that if we begin with a health team from our 30s on and practice what is good lifestyle habits we can gain as much is seven years to our life. For Scientific and medical support for that you can check out Dr. Kenneth Cooper’s Cooper aerobics, Real share with Dr, Oz, the American Heart Association to cite a few.

If we make lifestyle changes in our 50s we can average about two years to our lifespan. We all know that medical intervention has improve our life span from the 30s to the 70s in the last hundred years. 

Ignoring and possibly fearing the unknown in aging won't do at all. Facing up to our health with a good GP and medical support can make all the difference in the world. From time to time I was treated for physical therapy. For me it works much better then all the painkillers. Recognizing that I had a problem with depression help me find professionals and put the depression in recession. There're other things that I have down to prevent cancer and heart disease. Anecdotal evidence isn't always the best, but my brother ignored the warnings of smoking and heart disease and he passed away way to young. 

Source: WSJ

Reddy reported strength training can help balance. Today I did my strength training with my fat man exercises and my resistance bands. If our core and lower body has strength we will have better balance. I am counting on that helping me with aging and CP. Thank God most of you just have aging deal with. Please observe older people. In order for you to move around independently you are going to need spend time with strength training. I love the training that people can do sitting when they are aged. If you want mobility, than you will need to keep moving. 

Invest in resistance bands or tubes, dumbbells. Learn to do body strength exercises. Added strength training program in your retirement. It will be good for your heart and help you keep your independence. Keep walking

Check out the articles

http://www.wsj.com/articles/dont-wait-until-youre-older-to-fight-getting-old-1472488840?tesla=y

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27356977

The internet can be good

One of the newspaper postings I get links stories from the Washington Post on health. One helpful article is titled, "It Is Family Not Friends Who May Help You Live Longer." Within the article linked were two studies supporting how longevity is improved with family and also friends. 

When we retire being alone can be one of our biggest enemies. We can benefit from reduced stress from work, but I suspect there is a people element in our work that is good for us. Studies in health are often a numbers game. Exercise, Family, Friends, or lack of has an impact on our longevity.

Two of the studies followed people 6 years after retirement. The other study look at social connection throughout life.

Often social media and the Internet is criticized for people posting off-the-wall kind of stuff and bad information. In my own way, I like to push back a little bit and look for many of the good benefits of social media and internet research. In the fatman blog I focus on things that concern an old man about life and health. 

In my Liberian posts I am pursuing my passions to help Liberians fulfilling a lifetime ambition to serve the Lord anyway I can and show His love and care. I trained to be a missionary in psychology and pastoral care. As a missionary, education and medicine play a part.

As we age it is good to know what helps us and what doesn’t. 

If we are connected to the family only 6% of us will die in our first six years. If we do not have a good family connection then it is 14% more likely that we will die in the first six years. 

Being a cub fan I have seen the Cubs under bad management. There were so many mistakes every game and that added up to more losses then wins. This year we have good players but I've also seen the difference in having a good manager. 

In health I have seen an analogy that we are players. The coaches and manager could be our health team. If we look at good reports and information, we have a better ability to make good decisions on the field of life. No doctor or manager can replace our involvement in our health plan. 

Having a strong family

One of my health advisers

supporting us can improve our chance to survive six years after retirement by 8%. There is no guarantee, but if we know the numbers, that may help us pay attention to the importance of family when we get older. 

We are better off being connected socially with others in church or other interest groups. Loneliness can be like sedimentary living, bad eating habits, and smoking. If we make the right choices concerning these things we improve our chances. 

I think you will find the following articles from the Washington Post interesting. This connection was made possible by the Internet. Think of the Internet is a tool. If we learn to use it can be a great benefit. As always keep walking
Reviewed by Barb Reeves RN.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/08/22/its-family-not-friends-who-may-help-you-live-longer-study-says/?wpisrc=nl_lean&wpmm=1

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/01/05/your-relationships-are-just-as-important-to-your-health-as-exercising-and-eating-well/?tid=a_inl

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/02/16/joining-a-book-club-church-or-sports-group-linked-to-longer-life-after-retirement/?tid=a_inl

The danger in drifting and neglecting spiritual disciplines

True story baby rescued

 Can you imagine sunbathing and looking up and seeing your baby 1km away drifting out in the ocean. This true story ends well but the parents neglect could have been very costly.
After studying Hebrews 2:1-4 I made the following note. Neglecting our  spiritual life can cause us to drift away from the Lord, Reeves - neglecting here gives a warning but the warnings in Hebrews will explore even more dangerous problems. Drifting is so easy to do. When we neglect spiritual disciplines such as reading the Bible, praying, going to church, witnessing, Bible study, devotions, seeking daily cleansing and forgiving, encouraging others, loving others as Christ loved we open the door for drifting. Some of these disciplines are more important than others, I list them because by neglect in these basic practices we can lose ourselves. We find ourselfes without purpose and discouraged with the trials and struggles of life. 

In Africa the most dangerous creature is the tiny mosquito that carries malaria. It kills thousands of people every year. Snakes, large predators such as lions, hippos and elephants each only kill over 100 every year. The mosquitoes so small he would hardly notice. Yet many more suffer by this tiny creature. 

Drifting seems so small in comparison to other actions that Hebrews warns about, but more Christians suffer spiritually from drifting and neglect then any other problems.

Picture ourselves in a boat and we fail to anchor or tie the boat up. Without a motor or paddle the boat will move with the current. Sometimes we are playing in the waves and are not aware that we are in a rip tide that can carry us quickly out to sea. People unaware of what they were facing have died trying to swim back in. Many of these people are strong swimmers. You can't swim straight into shore. Knowing you are in a rip tide and swimming parallel to the shore you can quickly be out of the rip tide and able to swim in. My knowing this saved my life or at least saved a lifeguard coming in the water and get me. I singled to him to let him know I was going to swim parallel, which I did about 50 feet then I easily was able to swim into the shore. The riptide was really strong and carried me a good hundred yards before I knew what was happening. They are capable of taking you out several miles. For a minute I was just playing in the water not knowing that I was in danger. 

Drifting tumbleweed wasted life

That is how neglect and drifting work the Christian life, we are in lala land and all of a sudden we're hit with danger.

From neglect we find ourselves at a lost in trials and temptation. When an unexpected danger comes we are unprepared.

Let me illustrate personal safety, if we neglect being alert for those who might hurt us, or not being aware of our surroundings we will not notice the predator lying in wait. A shopper goes out to the car arms filled with bags, not looking around will not see the thief hiding near by. Neglecting watching may cost a life. Always use your eyes and walk back to the store if you think you are in danger.

OK staged, but he would be in trouble

When it comes to our spiritual life we can neglect so many things. I know church is filled with imperfect people, but we need them for encouragement. We have so many bibles today to enjoy, we need to read them. Prayer is simple to do, talking to God will get you talking to His so much God won't be able to shut you up. You have troubles and cares take them to the Great Physician for understanding and care. These are also practicing your spiritual muscles to fight sin and evil. We are to overcome evil with good. People today need love and encouragement from you. That is God's #1 way to love people today. 
I'm an old man and I am trusting God to yet work through me. e can neglect these thing and drift away. Keep walking

Being in tune with God helps us face our darkest and difficult times.