Not Your Grandma's Aging Journey
Tippy Missick – Active Aging Specialist CPT, ET, AAS
At the young age of 18, I discovered my passion and moved forward pursuing that passion. I became a Fitness Specialist with the focus on teaching my holistic tips and tricks to staying active, alert, and happy during the aging journey. In college, I studied Gerontology and Physical Education, while continuing my education by receiving several specialized Fitness certifications! Now, 44 years later, I continue to share my passion, experiences and education, helping others age actively by improving their physical and emotional health! It has been an amazing journey!
Today’s topic is near and dear to my heart. My Dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in his 80’s and I become his companion, caregiver, and voice. This was the most rewarding time of my life, and I am grateful for every minute I spent with him!
So, lets dig into it.
Simple Steps to Improve Your Focus and Protect Your Memory
Aging is inevitable… And we need to be grateful, for the alternative is not ideal!
Normal aging leads to gradual changes, some we notice, and some go unnoticed until it may be too late. That is why I believe in using and promoting holistic preventive techniques and products to help with aging gracefully!
Some of the visible signs we experience include the graying of your hair, a decline in vision and of course, those famous fine lines and wrinkles. But there are many more that come as we add years to our lives.
Today I want to share with you the gradual changes that may come with focus and memory. You might be finding it harder to focus your attention and absorb information quickly. This slowdown in processing can lead to a bottleneck of information entering your short-term memory, reducing the amount of information that can be acquired and encoded into long-term memory.
By 60, over 50% of adults are concerned about their memory. It is normal to experience minor memory lapses as we age which are not usually signs of a serious problem. These are simply the result of normal changes in the structure and function of the brain.
I am 66 years old and experiencing some of these “normal” changes. This is my holistic approach to keeping my focus and brain healthy. Add some of these suggestions to your daily routine to enhance and exercise your brain to improve your focus and memory, too.
Holistic solutions to help reduce your risk of cognitive decline
1. Practice eating a healthy, balanced diet every day. My suggestion is choosing to follow the Mediterranean eating plan.
2. Stay hydrated by drinking 8-10 glasses of water every day.
3. Maintain a healthy weight, your doctor can help you determine what that should be. The more overweight you are, the more your brain is likely to shrink and that will affect your memory.
4. Try to fit in at least 30 minutes of exercise daily.
5. Limit your alcohol intake. Excessive drinking will affect your decision making, ability to communicate, affect your memory and even your physical ability to function properly. Be aware!
6. If you smoke...STOP! Even vaping is a detriment to your health! STOP!
7. Take time to learn something new. Choose something you know you will enjoy! Like, pottery, a new language, or a musical instrument. Just have FUN!
8. Improve your awareness by involving your senses. sight, touch, smell, taste, and hearing
9. Let go of Google Search and embrace your mind and memory.
10. Stay active doing things you really enjoy.
11. Get and stay organized. “There is a place for everything and keep everything in its place.” According to my Mom!
12. Be sure to get 7-8 hours of sleep nightly. Need help with falling and staying asleep? I highly recommend using the REM PATCH: Sleep Like Never Before!
I put one on 30 minutes before bedtime and I am sleeping better than I ever have before!
13. Shut down your electronic devices about an hour before heading to bed.
14. Reduce your stress level: When you’re stressed, your body releases stress hormones like cortisol. Cortisol has been shown to greatly impair the brain’s memory process.
PEACE PATCH: Deal with Stress Like Never Before!
15. Make new friends and keep old friends! We are social creatures, and our friends are a great support system. Socializing also slows cognitive decline
16. Become one with nature! Be aware of the beauty found in every single day!
Memory strength is just like muscular strength. The more you use it, the stronger it gets. But you can’t lift the same size weight every day and expect to get stronger. You’ll need to keep your brain constantly challenged. Learning a new skill is an excellent way to strengthen your brain’s memory capacity.
I hope you enjoyed my blog! I would appreciate any feedback you would like to share. If the is a topic you are interested in learning more about, let me know. I truly enjoy sharing my knowledge and experience:)
I hope you have a blessed and beautiful day
Tippy
This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.