Living a Vibrant Life
William Fraser | Chair , Wellness Committee
“ Beautiful young people are accidents of nature , but beautiful old people are works of art .”
— Eleanor Roosevelt
When I first heard the word vibrancy , I thought in terms of colour . Then I remembered watching my youngest grandson playing video games . With the controller in his hands and his eyes on the screen , he is continually in motion — bouncing , ducking , twisting , vibrating . I was jealous of the energy level and pure fun he was experiencing .
From this observation , I developed my own personal definition of vibrancy regarding health and wellness . It is the ability and energy to enjoy life at any age . Research at Johns Hopkins Medicine showed that adopting smart behaviours reduced the chance of death by eighty per cent . Their study provided a to-do list for achieving a vibrant life .
● Be active more often — at least thirty minutes a day . This could be a regular daily walk .
● Improve your diet with a view to eliminating health risks — not just concern about weight . Make a good start by reducing meat , sugar , and processed foods , and eating fruits and vegetables , whole grains , olive oil , and fish . The energy-boosting vitamins are D and B12 . Sources of vitamin D include fatty fish and seafood , egg yolks , mushrooms , and sunshine . Vitamin B12 specifically is found in meat , fish , dairy products , poultry , eggs , soy products , and fortified cereals .
● Get quality sleep — which might be easier said than done . Most sleep problems are a result of snoring , medication side effects , and underlying health conditions . All of these should be addressed with your doctor . Enjoy more satisfying sleep by creating a calming space , dedicating enough time for sleep , and practising relaxation techniques .
● Stop smoking — you know that . Improved health begins in as little as twenty-four hours after quitting .
● Challenge your brain — like every other part of your body , the brain needs to be exercised . Some ways to give your brain a workout could include finding a new driving route to a regular destination , learning a language , participating in music-making opportunities , playing games , and solving puzzles .
● See your doctor — regularly . Review your medications for their efficacy and side effects . Maybe you can eliminate some or replace others .
Joy for life at our age may not exhibit itself in an energized bouncing , ducking , twisting , vibrating response to fun but , with attention to our health and wellness , we can still experience vibrancy in living .
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