September 7th, 2021
The weather was beautiful this weekend. I can’t think of a better way to recharge my battery after a long work week than spending time with my family, enjoying the sunshine, and making memories! How did you spend your last weekend of summer? I like to think of Labor Day as the beginning of football season, instead of focusing on the end of long days and sunshine. This month we will be talking about the aging process and how to age healthy and in a graceful manner.
According to PubMed, the aging process can be defined as, “the progressive accumulation of changes with time that are associated with or responsible for the ever-increasing susceptibility to disease and death which accompanies advancing age.” Sounds a little depressing to me and not exciting at all. There are several contributing factors that can speed up/slow down the rate of aging. I believe that we can prepare and support our bodies today to make the aging process more manageable and more enjoyable. This sounds like a more promising prospect, right?
Aging is a normal process, but the rate can be impacted by several factors including your exposure to free radicals, diet, exercise level and genetics. You may be asking yourself, “What are free radicals?” Free radicals are produced in the body as a byproduct of metabolism (known as oxidation) or by exposure to environmental toxins (tobacco smoke, UV light, etc.).
Self-care is a great place to begin! It can improve your quality of life as well as your quantity of life. The good news is that antioxidants can reduce the damage free radicals would cause to our bodies. The better new is that many fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants, so fill your diet with these to lower your risk of diseases. We can also limit our exposure to synthetic chemicals by changing our hygiene and cleaning products to natural products, using essential oils instead of candles, and eating fewer processed foods. Exercise can slow the aging process by maintaining many body systems, including muscle, bone, and immune systems. We can’t change our genetics, but we can be more aware and proactive in the aging process. This is not an exhaustive list, but it is a good place to begin making small and lasting changes! As always if you have any questions, please contact me to schedule an appointment to take a deeper dive into the subject.
Whether this is the first time reading my blog, or you are a loyal subscriber, Thank you! I am so glad you tuned in this week! Do you have a friend or family member that could benefit from this blog? Tell them to subscribe!
Have a blessed week ~ Lacey
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