My essential, easy guide to staying young & feeling great
BY DR MIRIAM STOPPARD (AGE 79)
ALL through my life, each decade has been better than the last – and now with grandchildren, a writing career, my Mirror health columns and a garden to tend to, this is still the case.
As one of the oldies who trekked to India to see if retirement there is better than the UK for the new BBC1 series of The Real Marigold Hotel, I was struck by how fit you have to be to travel.
I’ve always aimed to keep fit and healthy, not just to be able to go places, but to see my grandchildren grow up.
Those ambitions have inspired me to eat healthily, stay active, exercise my brain and be engaged with life – even at 79.
The basis of everything I do is embedded in science, and not in fashions and fads, which I dismiss.
Each time a piece of research appears – which shows, for instance, a new way of eating, new benefits of a food or a new way of exercising – I look at the evidence and if it’s sound, I adopt it and live by it.
This has meant that over the years I’ve amassed a lot of information, which I believe helps me to age well.
My body and mind are in the best condition I can remember. My body responds when I call on it to perform strenuously, and my brain works nearly as fast and as clearly as it did when I was 27 (I think). Here’s what I’ve found works for me: My brain is stretched by several jobs and by working with a team of young people. I give myself lots of time-outs. My husband is supportive and encouraging.
I’m in touch with my family all the time.
I have a close circle of loving girlfriends.
I eat healthily 80% of the time (10 or more fresh fruit and vegetables a day, lots of fish and few fatty foods). I don’t smoke. I exercise every day. Also, because I’m fitter than I’ve ever been, I find I have more hours in the day to live life to the full.
I no longer tire out in the early evening as I used to before I took regular exercise.
So over the next four days, I’m going to share my secrets with Mirror readers.
Today we look at nurturing your mental wellbeing in your later years.
Accentuate the positive – have optimism! If I were to choose one factor above all others to foster mental wellbeing, it would be optimism.
This can give you real resilience as you get older – it’s a great healer.
Research has shown that people with positive attitudes have fewer illnesses and if they do get sick, they recover more quickly because of a strong immune system.
Optimists are more likely to feel that they can take charge of their health and not just passively slide into old age. They tend to take better care of themselves too. They sleep better, don’t drink or smoke too much, exercise regularly and are freer from depression.
They live longer and age more gently. They stay in touch, have more friends and an active social life.
Believe me, it’s worth cultivating optimism because it makes you ready to open up your mind to new possibilities.
Exercise can really lift your mood Physical activity can boost both physical and mental wellbeing, and can change your outlook on life. It can even prevent problems starting in the first place.
I know from personal experience that regular physical activity can lift your mood and help you deal with negative emotions, such as anger and depression.
It brings you a general sense of optimism and mental wellbeing, as well as making you feel in good physical condition. I’ve noticed if I wake feeling a bit down, 30 minutes on my exercise bike cures the blues. That’s because exercise floods the body with hormones which reduce tension levels, and feelings of stress and fatigue. And there’s no time lag – I find these changes happen straight after a session, even though I don’t pedal strenuously. No wonder I’m addicted to it – I can’t miss a single day.
Make yourself feel good with self-affirmations Teach yourself to think well of yourself. Being negative about yourself usually stems from experiences which have stuck with you from childhood – and they can be difficult to erase.
Affirmations in the form of positive ‘self-talk’ can help get rid of a negative self-image and help you rebuild self-confidence and self-esteem. Design your own. Say them out loud. I’m a good person. I believe in my potential to succeed. I can make my life better and better. I love and accept myself for who I am.
I wasn’t put on Earth just to please others. I’m getting stronger, healthier and more energetic. I deserve to be happy.
Relax, feel good and rejuvenate Deep breathing This lowers stress levels and is an instant tranquilliser. Take very slow, deeply inhaled breaths, followed by long slow exhalations to a count of five – five in and then five out. Repeat two to three times. Stress gone! Yoga There are different types of yoga, some of which emphasise exercises and others meditation. All types teach relaxation and breath control. Yoga postures exercise every part of the body, and result in increased suppleness, endurance and strength. Harmonisation of breathing with yoga postures helps you achieve a state of relaxation, and is very useful in relieving stress and keeping you strong. Meditation The aim of meditation is to free the mind from the usual everyday clutter. This promotes mental relaxation, which is then followed by physical relaxation. Most of us need a focus, a word (mantra), but you can meditate on anything, anywhere – a flower, a painting, a smell, music. Just go into it and free up your mind.