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12 Things You Want to Know About Aging and Pain
The choices we make everyday definitely have an impact on our well being. As we know, odds are in our favor to stay independent well in our later life, if we take care of ourselves. But it’s hard to know with certainty what the future will bring for anyone. The time to start planning for the best possible outcome is now. As we age, our joints, bones, muscles age with us. The cartilage in our joints can slowly wear away and can lead to aching, soreness, and chronic pain.
We may develop a number of health conditions that cause both acute and chronic pain that can dramatically diminish your quality of life. It can prevent you from doing things you once loved and cause you to feel depressed and isolated, but this outcome is far from inevitable. Developing a plan is a first step to help you live a long, fulfilling and independent life.Here are some steps that are likely to be helpful no matter what your circumstances.
Pain Is Not a Normal Part of Aging
Many people avoid seeing their doctors when they experience new pain because they’re under the impression that pain is a normal part of getting older. In reality, pain is your body’s way of alerting you that something is wrong, and this is true at any age and its not a normal or inevitable part of life. All pain is treatable and should never be ignored, belittled or underestimated. Pain that is present every day or lasts for many months or years is often caused by conditions such as osteoarthritis, diabetes, spinal stenosis, rheumatoid arthritis, MS, and many more…
Poorly treated pain can have significant consequences in your life expectancy. Traditional medicine is valuable, but alternative therapies can often provide relief without the risk of side effects or addiction. There are many alternative therapies you can choose from depending on your individual condition and needs.
Lifestyle Changes Can Help at Any Age:
In many cases, simple lifestyle changes can reduce pain and slow down aging. Examples include letting go of stress or holding grudges, following a healthy and balanced diet, losing weight, staying active, getting plenty of sleep and avoiding bad habits such as smoking and excess consumption of alcohol and caffeine.
1. Eating Healthy – – Yes, you must have heard this a million times, because it’s true. Fresh, nutritious food has tremendous impact on your cells and your overall health. Try to include in your diet everyday fresh fruits, vegetables, good quality protein, nuts and seeds, green tea and a little red wine.
2. Think About Your Lungs – – Regular exercise can increase your lung capacity by 25% which helps to oxygenate your blood cells. Practice deep abdominal breathing , ideally 12-14 breaths per minute. Bonus: A slightly alkaline pH in the body mean also higher levels of oxygen uptake.
3. Watch Your Weight – – Being heavier can put a lot of stress on bones and joints which can cause joint pain make it more difficult to enjoy your activities.
4. Build Muscles – – Maintain or improve your muscle mass. If you don’t want a decline in your metabolic function, which in turn helps protect you against hormonal decline, obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease start incorporating in your daily routine gentle muscle building exercises, which also enhances your cognitive functions. Aging does not cause stiffness, stiffness causes aging.
5. Sexuality – – Having a healthy sexual life is a great tool for protecting or improving your health, and it’s certainly not only for the young. It improves mental and physical health, it cause the brain to release endorphins, and drastically reduce anxiety and increase your lifespan. A good sex life can add years to your life.
6. Drink Plenty of Water – – Drinking water doesn’t have to be boring or feel like a chore. Make it fun! Flavor your water with berries, cucumber, herbs, or with your favorite fruits and vegetables.
7. Vitamin D – – In summer much of the vitamin D we need is created by a reaction in the skin powered by sunlight. In the darker winter months vitamin D comes largely from food such as cod liver oil and mackerel. Previous studies have suggested that vitamin D may help moderate the immune system and aid the treatment of immune-related disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and type one diabetes.
8. Take a Walk – – As simple as walking 20 minutes or more, 3-4 times a week can reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Walking can alleviate constipation. Evening walk can even help you sleep better and get rid of insomnia. By walking 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in the afternoon can also provide you with pain relief. Check your blood pressure and heartbeat rate before and after. Do not push yourself too far, rather work gradually towards taking longer and longer walks.
9. Avoid Stress – – Avoiding chronic stress is essential to your longevity and overall well being. Stress can manifest itself in many ways. Whether it comes from work, family, or traffic jams, the fact is that stress affects your body in more ways than you can imagine. If you don’t properly deal with the stress in your life, your body gets tense, and you may see a rise in your heart rate and blood pressure. You may also experience headaches or an upset stomach, and you may find yourself quick to anger. All of these stress responses take a toll on your body. Proper stress management skills can slow down the aging process and can improve painful conditions. Try to integrate stress management in your life, like mediation, conscious deep breathing, relaxing massage therapy, yoga.
10. Cut Back On Sugar – – Sugar suppresses the activity of our white blood cells which makes us more susceptible to infectious disease like colds, flu and so forth, as well as cancer. Sugar intake damages the body, which speeds up aging. There is mounting evidence that sugary products may be responsible in the development of the chronic degenerative diseases associated with aging, including but not limited to; cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, connective-tissue damage, chronic inflammation, cataracts, vascular tightening, and diseases of the pancreas and liver. Several studies have shown that restricting sugar intake can increase lifespan.
11. Smile and Have a Positive Attitude – – Having positive attitude about getting older can create a self-fulfilling prophecy which help you stay mentally, physically, and psychologically younger. On the flip side, having negative attitudes about aging will negatively affect both physical and cognitive health in later years.
12. You Don’t Have to Live With Pain – – These pain relieving tips will improve your mood and allows you to live a full life. It is important to understand that pain doesn’t have to rule your life at any age. Not all pain can be permanently cured, but the vast majority can be managed with smart strategies. If your age-related pain has been dismissed or not fully addressed by your doctor, consult a pain specialist or alternative practitioner in any of these complementary medicine: Rolfing, Acupuncture, Myofascial release, Reiki, Reflexology, Naturopathic medicine, Registered dietitian, Therapeutic massage, Cognitive behavioral therapy and many more…
“As long as I am breathing, in my eyes, I am just beginning.”― Criss J.