Are you investing in your health pension?

Whilst in hospital recently recovering from an unplanned operation Camilla Parker Bowles was having a chat with Gloria Hunniford about osteoporosis as her mother and grandmother had been diagnosed. Now daytime tv is not my usual style but as I was unable to get out of bed and have got osteoporosis myself this really caught my attention!

Camilla mentioned that we as a nation are conditioned to think and plan for our pension in the form of money but what about health. After all, it’s a bit pointless getting to a ripe old age only to find that you have the money to enjoy life but not the health.

Health really is wealth. And as I lay in my hospital bed, I would have given whatever amount of money to be back to my usual healthy self!

At the Hut we look after a lot of families and family really was highlighted in my recent health crisis. At the end of the day, family are there for you whether they be blood-related or not. Looking out for the people we love is what matters. And for me personally, this is what got me through my recent operation. Well, that and mindset but we’ll get onto that another time!

Camilla pointed out a very true fact that what we do now affects us later on in life. So, that extra biscuit one day, turns into every day and turns into three every day which in turn can result in diabetes and so on.

Creating good habits from an early age allows you to nurture your body with the aim of enjoying retirement, being well enough to play with the grandchildren and living your best life.

So, what can you do now?

Diet

You should ensure that your diet covers all of the following:

• At least 5 servings of fruit or vegetables every day – aiming for 30 different plant-based foods a week for optimal gut health.
• Add protein into all your meals in the form of beans, pulses, fish and meat to help your bones, muscle and blood.
• Choose whole-grain options over white – e.g. swap white rice for brown.
• Include a daily serving of healthy fats – such as avocado, nuts, olive oils, these support your heart, lowering cholesterol leaves and help with brain function.

It is also vital to keep hydrated. As you get older dehydration can lead to confusion, drowsiness and headaches. We should all be drinking at least 8 glasses of water every day.

Exercise

Physical exercise is important for both your physical and mental health. No matter how busy you are, just 10 to 15 minutes a day of exercise can help reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Alongside cardio, you also need to keep your body supple with stretching – classes such as Yoga and Pilates are great for this and the postures you learn are good to practice at home in between sessions.

Mind Games

There are lots of apps to help with this, but how about trying something slightly different too from the list below:

• Write or do tasks with your non-dominant hand
• Turn familiar objects upside down – when objects are upside down it triggers the right brain network which helps you to interpret the colours, and shapes
• Switch seats at the table – the majority of people tend to sit in the same seat when eating dinner in the home. Why not try a different view and let your brain explore things from a new perspective?
• Reading aloud to someone – this is a great one for those with children or grandchildren but you can also use it as a great way to spend time with your partner. Reading aloud uses very different brain circuits to reading silently.

Vitamins/Supplements

There are so many to choose from but the main ones to support the optimal function of your body are:

• Vitamin D – especially in the winter when we have a lot less sunlight
• Iron – to help oxygen be transported effectively around your body
• Calcium – to keep your bones and teeth health
• Vitamin C – to help iron absorption and also maintain a strong immune system
• Probiotics – for a healthy gut
• Vitamin B – especially if you follow a plant-based diet
• Omegas – to help keep your joints working properly

How can complementary therapies help?

Here at the Hut, through Kinesiology, we can determine what nutritional deficiencies, food sensitivities and emotional imbalances you may have!

And as someone who has osteoporosis, I totally support Camilla’s advice that investing in our Health Pension is just as important if not more so than our financial pension.

I was diagnosed with osteoporosis 12 years ago, and through weights, nutrition and kinesiology it is now osteopenia, the stage before.  I think that is pretty amazing and it just shows that it really does pay to approach health earlier rather than later.

Let’s get ahead of our health as maintenance really is better than cure

Please get in touch for your MOT

Health matters, you matter, your family matters.