‘There’s fear in the Air’ Series

I had no fear of getting older. I thought everything would be great since I would be on my own and be able to do whatever I wanted to do. I had my life planned well. My best years happened when I was 22 and 28. I graduated from Biola University when I was 22 and I was in my best health when I was 28. I loved being 28. And from my perspective I was on my way to that good old Golden Years that I heard about.

My mistake was partly due to the fact that I never thought I would age. Okay, I laugh now. But when you are in your 20’s you have the world by its tail and everything is great. Had I applied my learning as an RN better, I would have been forewarned and perhaps prepared better for the process of aging. So looking back, here’s some of my regrets, some of my wisdom and some of my experiences I never want to repeat.

Health in the 20’s

• I can remember I felt I could stay awake all night studying and it would never bother me. Wrong.
• Sleep deprivation affects health at the cellular level. Get at least 7 to 8 hours of solid sleep a night.
• My bicycle was my friend, even in the city during my studies (until it was stolen). I loved the outside, but I did not get out to nature sites much. I feel that reflected on my health in the restful stage. I became very depressed during my studies, and outdoors could have helped immensely.
• Get outside to green nature and relax frequently and regularly.
• My family was important to me, and even though we were not close, in relationships or in location, the letters I received were very important to me. I claimed the chance to go home, just to be at home, whenever I could.
• Make friends and be with them and with family often.
• I loved cooking, but there was no way I could could in the dorm. Make sure you take advantage of it if you are in an apartment and cook often. It can become addictive and fun!
• Eat lots of fruit and fresh vegetables. It enhances your brain function – which you will need in later years.
• Avoid anything that is addicting in a bad way, for your health. Addictions affects your cellular health and sets up an early disease state because your body is not healthy enough to ward off diseases.
• Drink pure water. Your body is made mostly of water and requires water to cleanse impurities.
• Exercise regularly. It keeps you active, and your bones as well as your mind and emotions healthy.

The 30’s Challenges

• Childbearing problems can occur with any pregnancy at any age. There are risks in being pregnant when you are a teenager, and there are risks of pregnancy complications in the 20 – 30’s age ranges.
• As we age, we become more aware of the aging process. So, the need to protect ourselves from some of the aging process becomes a need rather than a prevention.
• Hair loss and putting on weight too easily is a difficult change during this time. It is very normal for women to put on weight after having children, but in the 30’s there is another process going on with hormones that cause us to gain weight easier.
• Continue with the habits started when you were in the 20’s.
• Be aware of what you eat.
• Exercise.
• In your diet, make sure you have enough water, vegetables and fruit, protein and balanced carbs.
• Avoid bad addictions.
• Be in control of your emotional health.
• Sleep well.
• Cook your own food.
• Enjoy being outside and enjoy your family fully during these years.

The 40’s Comeback

• From the 40’s on, there is an obvious and apparent increase in happiness.*
• One health issue to watch out for is autoimmune diseases, like Rheumatoid Arthritis. Bone health and ovarian health are areas of vulnerability and need to be monitored.
• So, keep your nutrition healthy. Keep those body systems working well at the cellular level.
• Keep exercising, getting outside and spend time with your family even more frequently.
• Avoid bad addictions and negative thoughts. This may be a good season to address past traumas.
• Isolation needs to be addressed so it does not sneak up on you later.
• Keep your hobbies up, or start a new one.
• Get a good 8 hours restful sleep to replenish depleted cellular nutrition.
• Cooking your own food keeps you in control of what you eat.
• It’s a good idea to get farmers produce, or grow your own food garden to get nutritious food.

The 50’s Surprise

I was never more surprised at the activity I could do in my 50’s. I started a new career, I was very active and felt very healthy after a very stressful 40’s. I started menopause abruptly at 40, just like my mom did. That was a little scary, but maybe it opened up the 50’s to be a better time for me. I did not handle some issues well in my early 50’s, but I had plenty of time to recoup. Actually my whole family fell apart and I had to hold everything together. I think that helped me through many issues, because I was forced to deal with them.

• Menopause usually arrives unannounced sometime during the 50’s years. The imbalance of hormones cause a lot of emotional conflicts and physical responses. The hot flashes and short term memory loss are really a bit too real.
• Along with menopause comes a bone mass loss, unless you have prepared for this and have stocked up on good nutrition and good minerals, vitamins and exercised regularly.
• Many women start having problems with lead and other metal toxicities. I had a patient who was having difficulty clearing the dye they use for the MRI’s. The reason for this toxicity is the bone mass loss that is starting to happen. When the body is first exposed to metals, lead or other kind of metals, it stores them in bones. It is not easily excreted without going through a detox program. When the bones start loosing their mass, the lead or other metal that is stored there is released into the blood stream and starts poisoning the kidneys, causing high blood pressure and also hardened arteries. All that process puts the body at risk of disease. *
• Other problems that may indicate aging progression is dry eyes and digestive problems.
• That is why it is important to live a preventative life starting, actually, in childhood. In my 20’s I would read Prevention Magazine, learning all I could about living nutritionally right.
• Continue to eat well, exercise, get outside, connect with family and friends, sleep well, and avoid negativity.

The 60’s Fall Attempt Failed

• There is a great sense of freedom in this season of life. If you have kept yourself aware of any potential health problems and worked on being as fit as you can, you may avoid some of the disease processes that may start in these years. Heart disease, stroke, hearing loss, a weak immune system and vitamin deficiencies, especially of B12 may try to worm their way into your life.
• Continue to work on keeping fit with exercise and eating very good.
• Try adding more nutritious oils and eating only when you are hungry.
• Take supplements, especially vitamin D and absorbable calcium.
• Bone loss continues and complications may develop but exercise and the right nutrition helps ward them away.
• Take great care to monitor your health and watch for any signs of deterioration of body systems. This is where good research comes in, either on the internet, or in books. I have a pile of good nutrition and health care books that I can re-read.
• Live a calm and wise life. Avoid negative thoughts that lead to depression and illness.
• Try starting a business, that will keep you young if you do it right, or make you old if you give in to the stress.
• Keep connected with family, but remember they have a life to live.
• It may be a great time to start putting those retirement funds to good use and make sure you have a place you can retire in and keep your independence. Make sure your family knows what to do if you can not care for yourself when you are older.
• You are still young with lots of life stories to make yet!

70’s, 80’s and More …

• There does not need to be a change in health in these years. Make them the best years because you provided for yourself financially, physically, emotionally and spiritually in your early years.
• Remember your bones make get weaker as you age, so be careful of your lifestyle choices.
• Also make sure you keep your eyesight healthy, cataracts may develop and you will need medical help to keep your eyesight.
• Keep exercising to keep your bones in good shape, but do not overdo it.
• Make your mind work and keep active doing the things you love to do.
• Settle down but do not become complacent. Enjoy life whether you love to travel or whether you love to settle down in one place. Find your safe, happy place with the people you love.
• If you find yourself in a place you never planned for, make plans now to keep positive.
• The most important job you have now is to pass down your experience and your wisdom to people who need you. Do not fall into the mis-belief that you have nothing to offer. Someone around you needs your support.

*Source: https://www.womansday.com/health-fitness/womens-health/g27101631/health-issues-by-age/?slide=4

*Note: ‘There’s Fear in the Air’ Series was planned back in September of 2019, before the COVID19 global crisis and it has prepared me for this season.