Time and Health
Time is free, but it's priceless. You can't own it, but you can use it.
You can't keep it, but you can spend it. Once you've lost it you can never get it back.
Harvey Mackay
The busyness of life seems to present challenges in making some things a priority, such as health. Reflecting on the above quote, I find myself analyzing my allocation of hours within my days. As I write, I am 40years old and according to the average life expectancy, I am around halfway through my journey.
As sobering as that half time bell is, within the bell is a call to action. If I would be so lucky as to meet the average life expectancy I would consider that a blessing. With the myriad of health conditions that we may encounter in our life journey, being aware of what conditions we are susceptible to and under which conditions, can empower us to take action in doing our best at avoiding them.
Second to that, if we are so unlucky as to experience a health setback and have led a desirable healthy life, our chances of a speedy recovery are increased by our previous practices and likely now established desire to continue to carry on with our healthy habits.
4 Pillars of Good Practice
There is enough evidence to establish several behaviours that are key in transforming the quality of life an individual may experience whilst in the absence of disease and are equally important when a health event becomes apparent. Overwhelmingly 4 practices/pillars are absolutely essential for optimal physical and mental health.
Regular Exercise
Quality Nutrition
Quality Sleep
Community
No matter how much money you make, exercise, sleep, and community are within reach. Granted, organic food can be expensive, though there are blog posts and websites that can help with meal planning on a budget and orienting nutrition toward whole foods. Ultimately, whatever your circumstance, doing the best you can with the resources at your disposal, will have a huge impact on your health and wellbeing.
Morning or evening?
Health is a Practice
So now that the fundamentals are laid down, we will take a look at some common health issues that current populations are experiencing. The good thing about conducting an ageing health awareness list, is that it can change anytime for you as you have the power to change your health trajectory.
The example here is that if you are sedentary and increase your weight, you will likely become a statistic within a disease category. How long you stay there and chances of complications arising from this state will be determined by your course of action.
Change lifestyle = Improved outcomes. Do nothing = More health issues.
Consider it a mathematical formula, rather than a shame or a reprimand. It is simply how human physiology and pathophysiology works.
As we age, the health issues either compound, plateau or regress, depending on our capacity to act. Obesity, if left unchecked is linked to almost every chronic disease humans experience. The good news is, that it is a choice to retain the weight or to drop some. A simple choice in attempting to remedy or a choice not to. If you choose to go about reducing your weight, focus on doing it through a practice of finding health, not just weight loss.
In order to address health, one is required to reflect on and implement the 4 Pillars of Good Practice, mentioned earlier and contrast those to how we are living in the now.
Awareness Brings About Change
Taking a walk through the decades from a health perspective can be uncomfortable, perhaps even confrontational. Remaining open to discovering what health challenges may appear or are being laid down provides an interesting thought piece. Especially if you have not had the ideal health journey because lifestyle modifiable disease plays a role in multiple disease complications.
The real power in this analysis is that health can be regained. The body responds well to the introduction of healthy habits and practices - extremely well. Humans were built for it so you need not fear an endless road of potential ill health, providing you adopt healthy practices.
The Decades
In our 20’s
Generally, health should be going well. It is important to realise that what you do now sets you up in later life, such as your healthy habits - exercise, nutrition, and friendships. Typically at this age, it is about the damage that excesses, such as excessive smoking, drinking, and poor diet have on health. Increasingly, a sedentary lifestyle is thrown on top and fast becoming the norm. Obese teens are becoming obese adults with a reluctance to reduce their weight.
Keep an eye on - Weight gain, mental health, immune disorders, STDs.
During the 30’s
It makes sense that what you have done in your 20’s is setting up your 30’s. Poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle modifiable disease will be evident while possibly adding the layer of juggling a family and career = increase in stress. Unfortunately, this tends to have individuals putting their health in the back seat, dropping physical activity, good nutrition and even flowing onto friends.
Keep an eye on - Weight gain, mental health, immune disorders, STDs, cholesterol, breast cancer, testicular cancer, melanoma, blood sugar levels.
During the 40’s
For some, there is an opportunity here to regain some time and focus on health, as children may be a little more independent. For others having children later, they may now be time-poor balancing family and career placing their health in the back seat.
Keep an eye on - Weight gain, mental health, immune disorders, cholesterol, blood sugar levels, cancers, bone mineral density, muscle loss, menopause, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, stress.
During the 50’s
Generally, individuals are experiencing the effects of the decades previous. If health has taken a back seat for the past 2-3 decades there may be many health challenges.
Keep an eye on - Weight gain, mental health, cancers, bone mineral density, muscle loss, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, metabolic disorders, stress, kidney and liver function, iron levels.
During the 60’s
This may be the beginning of retirement and more time to enjoy the things that bring you joy. Perhaps travel or a new exercise routine. After all, the healthier you are, the longer you will have independence.
Keep an eye on - Weight gain, mental health, cancers, bone mineral density, muscle loss, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, metabolic disorders, stress, kidney and liver function, iron levels, fall prevention.
During the 70’s
Your health directly correlates to quality of lifestyle with independence being a common focus. The years preceding have set you up for this decade and beyond.
Keep an eye on - Weight gain, mental health, cancers, bone mineral density, muscle loss, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, metabolic disorders, stress, kidney and liver function, iron levels, fall prevention.
The best time to plant a tree was 100yrs ago. The next best time is today.
If your journey has not been ideal and you are suffering from a dis-ease state, connect with your care provider and discuss options to regain your health.
Use the 4 pillars of good practice above like a beacon to guide your core priorities. Develop habits and begin. Just like that - begin.