Keep moving, eat right and stay social.......

We know that as we age, some of the activities we once enjoyed may now be harder to do. Maybe we can't do crossword puzzles as fast as we once did, or can't swim as many laps...What is important is to keep our body and brain active. It's OK to go at a slower pace and go easy on ourselves.

Everyone tells us that exercise is good for our body, but it is as important for our brain. Physical activities increase blood flow to our brain and prevent strokes and other problems which in turn can contribute to memory loss or confusion...So here are some suggestions to stay active: (don't overdo, of course, and check with your doctor before you start)

• Move your body everyday and change the routine so it doesn't get boring..
• Take the stairs whenever you can
• Walk as much as you can
• Swim if you can
• Dance (great social activity that also keeps your brain sharp)
• Don't forget to stretch and do some strength training with weights
• Go bike-riding with a friend 
• Go shopping. You don't need to buy anything, just walk the aisles and look at the items
• March in place during television commercials or do some stretching exercises
• Put away your remote and change channels the old-fashioned way-get up and walk to the TV

It is also important we eat right, and all the fruits and veggies that are good for our heart and body are good for our brain as well. 

• Drink plenty of water. Dehydration can cause mental confusion
• Eat fruits and vegetables of many colors
• Eat fish (contains Omega 3 fatty acids which protects brain cells)

Last but not least..............Stay social

From what I have observed over the years, this is a big one.  Close friends and relatives who did things with others, seemed to be more alert then the ones who kept to themselves and were more isolated. It seems that leisure activities that provide physical, mental and social stimulation are the most likely to prevent dementia. Spending time with friends and family can improve your mood as well. So, get involved, go places, do things and meet new people.

• Keep working if you like what you do
• Volunteer to help a cause
• Take a class to learn something new and meet new people
• Join a book club
• Call a friend  (and walk around the house while talking on the phone)
• Visit with a friend for coffee/tea and fun conversation 

Until next time......Stay healthy and Enjoy life 

Keeping our brain active helps prevent memory loss

A few months ago, Galen and I attended a Senior Health Fair which was very informative. We have been to a couple of them the last 4 years, and I do recommend you attend, if there is one offered in your area. I wish I had been to one years ago when my parents and in-laws were having some challenges with old age. We could have used all this knowledge. Instead we struggled through things the best we could. Among other things, these Expos offer free screening tests. Galen discovered he had a problem with bone density, which we would not have known. He consulted with his doctor who ran some additional tests. As a result we were able to address the issue before it was too late.

Anyway, as we age, most of us experience some memory loss. Although it may be 'normal', research has shown that we can take steps to delay or perhaps even prevent some types of memory loss or confusion.

I will share some of the suggestions that are recommended.

Keep your brain busy and in top shape every day

     An active brain makes new connections between cells and also may protect against dementia.
     These connections help our brain store and retrieve information more easily and faster, regardless
     of our age.

•  Do crossword and jigsaw puzzles (I was never good at them but some people love them)
• Play card games, or Bingo (my mom loved both and it was a social thing getting together with her friends) 
• Read the newspaper, magazines, or books that interest you (the more variety I think the better, it keeps us exposed to new ideas)
• Knit, paint, draw or do carpentry projects (I do enjoy knitting, painting and refurbishing old things and  Galen is very good in making things. We always have new and different projects going on) 
• Take up a musical instrument (I am not good in this area at all, I tried learning to play the guitar when I was in my teens and gave up after I discovered how much I had to study and practice)
• Learn a new language ( I have always loved learning new languages, and at one point I spoke 6-7 languages, not all fluent, but could get by. Like anything else if you don't continue to practice you lose it..I need to get back to it..maybe learn to speak Spanish or brush up on my Swedish)
• Stay up to date on technology (I try, Galen is very good at that..he likes new gadgets)
• Learn to use the computer and surf the Internet (If we don't, we will be left out, and left behind)

OK, so much for today.....next time I will talk about Staying Active and the impact it has on our brain.

Until then, enjoy your day!

Father, I wanted a car, NOT a Bible........Are you missing God's Blessings???

Are we missing God's blessings because they are not packaged the way we expect them to be?

Here is a little story I read (I don't know if it is a true story, but nevertheless it makes the point). I think one time or another we all have been there.

A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealers showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted. As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car.

Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study, told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and how much he loved him. He handed him a beautifully wrapped gift box.

Curious, but somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with his name embossed in gold. Angrily, he raised his voice to his father and said: "With all the money you have, you give me a Bible?" He stormed out of the house, leaving the Bible behind.

Many years passed, and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and a wonderful family, but realized his father was very old. He thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. But before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him that his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to him. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.

When he arrived at his father's house, sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father's important documents and saw the Bible, new, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened it and began to turn the pages. His father had carefully underlined a verse, Matthew 7:11, "And if ye, being  evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father, who is in Heaven, give to those who ask Him?"

As he read those words, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words...PAID IN FULL.

How many times do WE miss God's blessings because they are not packaged as we expected?

Maybe we need to be a little more patient and a little less impulsive, so that we don't jump into premature conclusions. Because the young man stormed out of the room so quickly, without having all the facts, he ended up with anger, sorrow and regrets. The lesson for us all is to accept all gifts with gratefulness and just say 'Thank you".   

 

"If you want to feel rich, just count all the things that you have that money can't buy!"

WOW, I can't believe that more than half of 2015 has already passed us by, and some of you will be returning from summer vacations and the kids will be going back to school. Before we know it, Thanksgiving and Christmas will be upon us. For some, it has been a great year with many fun memories, blessings and  many accomplishments. For others, so far 2015 may not have been what they had hoped for. They may have faced some disappointments they did not count on, or they may have lost jobs, marriages, or loved ones to illness and death. Whatever our experiences have been so far this year, there is one thing we CAN  and MUST do: forget the the things that are behind and reach forward to those things which are ahead. While it is wise to learn from the past, we should not live in the past. We cannot redo or undo the past, but by God's grace we can press forward -- and go anywhere--provided it is forward.

Did you know that two of Australia's indigenous creatures, Kangaroos and Emus, have something in common? They seldom move backward. Kangaroos, because of the shape of their bodies and the length of their strong tail, can bounce along with a forward movement, but cannot shift easily into reverse. Emus can run fast on their strong legs, but the joints in their knees seem to make backward movement difficult. Both animals appear on Australia's coat of arms as a symbol that the nation is to be ever moving forward and making progress.  In 1965 my parents had a choice to immigrate to Australia, or Sweden and they chose Sweden because we would still be close to friends and relatives who lived in Turkey and Greece. Australia seemed soooo far away, and it was... So, we lived in Sweden for 5 years before finally immigrating to the United States, my dad's lifelong dream. I often wonder what our lives would have been like if my parents had made a different choice...I guess, I will never know.

Anyway, I read this little very touching and thought provoking story, that many of you may have read already, but I think it is worth sharing in case you haven't. It is really about changing our thinking..

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time on his back. The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives, families, homes, jobs, their involvement in military service, where they had been on vacation.

Every afternoon, when the man by the window could sit up, he would take time to describe to his roommate things he could see outside the window. The man in the other bed began to look forward to those one hour periods where his mind would be broadened and be enlightened by the activity and color of the world outside. The window overlooked a park with a lake. Ducks and swans played in the water, children sailed their model boats, lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the skyline could be seen in the distance.As the man by the window described in exquisite details, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine this picturesque scene. One warm afternoon, the man by the window described a parade passing.  Although the other man could not hear the band, he could see it in his mind's eyes.

Days and months passed............

One morning, the nurse arrived to find that the man by the window had peacefully passed away in his sleep. She called the attendants to take the body away. As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved near the window.  The nurse was happy to have him switch, and making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone. Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up, to take his first look at the world outside. He strained to look through the window beside the bed. IT FACED A BLANK WALL..........

The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate to describe such wonderful things outside the window? The nurse responded that the man was blind, and could not even see the window. She said "perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."

There is a tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situation. Shared grief is half the sorrow, as they say, BUT happiness, when shared is doubled..If you want to be rich, just count all things that you have that money can't buy.

Today is a gift, that's why it is called the Present!