Stronger After 55: The "Must-Do Checklist" to Help You Live Stronger, for Longer.

Your weekly guide to help support your plans for future care, provide insights on self-wellness tracking, and allow you to envision a lifestyle full of strength, longevity, and prime health. This issue addresses the real world questions of what we can do now to start building small, achievable habits that will allow ourselves and our loved ones to put the prime years of our health right in front of us. 

SECTION 1: TOP CONCERNS & REAL WORLD ISSUES 

The daunting question arises when we hit 55+: what will our future look like as we age? Many of us are against the idea of living in senior living communities - away from the familiar warmth and emotional comfort our homes provide us with. Yet, aging can bring on a multitude of healthcare diseases and conditions. Are the very family members and loved ones we have spent our entire lives looking after truly ready to become a caregiver for us? 

These are the pressing issues many of us fear when looking forward to the future. Many of us choose not to look at them at all. Yet, this is one of the biggest challenges we can brace ourselves for - to ensure we remain healthy and active throughout the bright years ahead while not concerning ourselves by coming off as a “burden” to our loved ones while we age. With modern day longevity and wellness on the rise, we can set the stage for our prime healthspan in the present, and the many years ahead. And here’s how: 

SECTION 2: MUST-KNOW WELLNESS ADVANCEMENTS 

How-To: Live Stronger for Longer 

We’ve heard the usual advice: “Stay physically active”, “Exercise is key”, “Proper nutrition for your gut health”. But here’s how we can make that actionable. 

Though starting a new exercise routine, or trying out that new pilates class, is typically the most difficult step to overcome, it is the most intimidating one. Many of us shy away from starting new exercise habits simply because our brains set up an overwhelming facade that expects this new habit to be something extreme and exhausting. However, this is not necessarily the case. 

Even spending 30 minutes of moderate exercise can improve memory and cognitive performance by myriads. It is not about extremity, or exhaustion, but about building reliable consistency through small steps that can create big wins. It takes 21 days of consistency to start building a habit, and that could be difficult when we don’t see results immediately. But what if we could? 

Turns out, gait speed and leg strength are two powerful longevity predictors. By starting these short, effective exercise habits can lead to an increase in your walking speed - showing you a way in which you can actively monitor your endurance over time. Longevity is not something that can be achieved overnight, but it starts with the steps you take, and a routine you create to truly optimize wellness. 

Here’s your challenge: start by taking a 30 minute power walk in the evenings with your loved ones, or even a 30-minute at home yoga routine. Getting started by taking these small steps is the hardest part, and overcoming that will launch you on the path to expanding the years of your prime health. 

SECTION 3: BEHAVIORS TO BE STOPPED

Ignoring pain or mobility issues

We all associate aging with decline, believing that the pain we experience as “normal” signs we are growing into the later stages of our life. 

That is not the case. 

Ignoring pain or mobility issues can lead to delayed treatments, causing conditions to worsen over time. Early detection of pain and difficulty are highly encouraged, as the faster you catch the problem, the higher likelihood of stopping it, alleviating the pain, and treating it before the situation gets out of control. Preventative medicine and early detection of conditions are one of the best ways to reduce mortality rates, and improve the quality of life we experience in the future. 

Not planning for future care

The number one person many individuals tend to overlook is themselves. While we plan futures for our loved ones, our careers, and fields of interest, many older adults tend to avoid the conversation needed the most - how can we prepare for future care? The avoidance or lack of preparation is what often leads to crisis-driven decisions later on down the line, and it is a stress no individual should worry about in the present or in the future. 

How can we prevent that? 

Talking to your loved ones to settle upon future healthcare plans, and best solutions to combatting conditions that may impose risk in the future is a preparation that can tremendously assist you and your family in future challenges, should they arise. It is never too late to start, and never harmful to create a backup plan so that you can create informed decisions, combat future stress, and exhibit independence over your own life going forward. 

Preparing ourselves for the future is the best way we can age with health and wellness. It is the epitome of how we can boost our energy, mindset, and activity while slowing down decline and living a life full of longevity and healthspan. Remember, the best years are not past you, they are unfolding on the journey ahead. Conquer it.