How To Age Gracefully And Continue To Stay Healthy, Fit, And Happy

You cannot delay or prevent aging but you can choose to live healthy, fit and be happy! Aging is beyond the change in your outer appearance, wrinkles, and greying hair. Beyond these physical signs indicating that you are getting older and wiser, you may notice other changes as well: decreased energy or endurance, altered sleep, onset of health problems, etc. What you should remember is - health is valuable at all ages that is why it is essential to take care to maintain it.

Here are some simple tips for taking charge of your body, health and wellness while you progress in your experience of this world.

 

• Maintain a healthy weight or body mass index: Weight management is crucial as you age. A healthy BMI lowers your risk for chronic lifestyle health conditions like cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancer.

• Consume healthy food: Eating a balanced meal full of nutrition is very important. Seasonal fruits and vegetables are the best friends of your body’s functioning.

• Exercise regularly: Exercising helps to boost your mood and improves your sleep quality thus reducing your risk for mental stress, and age related loss of memory. Not only does it manage your mobility, balance and flexibility, it also improves your immune system and digestive functioning. Being physically active goes a long way in blood pressure management, retention of bone density, and lowering your risk of Alzheimer's, CVD, diabetes, and certain cancers.

• Keep your blood glucose and cholesterol in control: High sugar and cholesterol can  work together to put you at risk for cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

• Don’t laze, be active: This is apart from your exercise routine - use every opportunity to be active, like taking the stairs instead of the elevators.

• Avoid bad health habits: You should quit smoking as soon as you can, and also keep your alcohol intake in moderation. Opt to eat freshly made food instead of processed foods. 

• Pick a hobby, have fun: Keeping yourself busy with something that interests you is crucial for your mental health. Also, take out time to laugh, meet your friends and enjoy yourself. Your  happiness contributes to your health. Spend time with the ones you love, follow your hobbies, explore new things.

• Be regular with your full body checkups: Health screenings are important to analyze the status of your current health. Knowing about your health status empowers you to take appropriate steps to live a healthier life.

Can Yoga Help You Control Anxiety And Panic Attacks?

Anxiety and panic disorders can have some harmful impact on your life - they affect your mind, body, mood and wellness. These causes that trigger these attacks are difficult to manage and can adversely influence the quality of living.

 Self help techniques, breathing exercises, affirmations and positive visualization can help you in dealing and alleviating the symptoms of panic and anxiety attacks. 

 

Exercise and the role of endorphins in calming you down

Exercising releases endorphins - hormones that develop a happy feeling. Endorphins act as analgesics, which means they diminish the perception of pain. They are manufactured majorly in the brain and spinal cord and released in response to certain brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. They act as sedatives but do not lead to addictive dependence.

 

Ease your stress and manifest mindfulness with daily yoga

Yoga involves your complete  body, mind, and spirit through specific breathing techniques, and movements. Yoga helps you in restoring a sense of balance. It also helps you in developing the strength of your body, improves balance, and enhances your body’s flexibility. 

 

How does yoga help with easing anxiety and panic attacks?

Yoga eases the physical discomforts caused by these attacks, like tension and pain sensitivity. The various yoga poses stretch and balance your muscles, and release the muscular tension and stiffness in your body.

It also helps you in appreciating the stillness after you unplug from the world and devices around you. As yoga is all about controlling your breathing, it enables you to control anxiety and panic attacks. Yoga makes you conscious of your breathing.  

Try these yoga poses to alleviate stress, depression, panic and anxiety 

• Ustrasana (Camel pose)

• Paschimottanasana (Seating forward bends pose)

• Marjariasana (Cat cow pose)

• Balasana (Child's pose)

• Shavasana (Corpse pose)

Remember, it is important to get help from an expert if your symptoms are severe and persistent. Although yoga can help you with lowering stress and keeping your body healthy, you should also go for regular full body checkups. Checkups can find out any physical disorders that might have developed as a side effect to anxiety and panic attacks, or a depressive episode. Early detection leads to successful treatment and cure.