BoomerGal’s New Fall Series on Staying Fit
Both Physically and Mentally for Life
There is no question, this has been a very trying time for this country and the entire global community. The COVID-19 pandemic has thrust each of us into a new zone which is not only difficult to comprehend, but equally difficult for many of us to adjust to as a new way of life. The game plan put forth by the so-called experts seems to change on a weekly basis, so how does one go about understanding next steps. If it’s a struggle to understand, then how do we ever structure our lives to what we’re all calling the new normal in this year 2020, which we will never forget.
And the drain it begins to take on our mental acuity and sharpness. Unfortunately, for some of us Boomers we cannot help the decline due to a serious illness or perhaps a stroke. We have a family friend who was always active but had a serious stroke causing his speech to be somewhat slurred. However, every day he works hard at regaining his motor skills and his speech and tries to walk at least five miles a day. Also, he told me he changed his diet and gave up his beloved barbequed hot dogs. It’s all about choices.
I’m turning 69 in another month. Some of the research we have done points out Boomers are being treated like our minds and abilities are no longer functioning. What??? Do not let society and the youth make you feel anywhere close to inadequate. We may not have the years on our side, but what we have lived through and enduring our life’s experiences are definitely on our side. I am still ‘relevant’ and ready to go each and every day! I think we could all use a boost and I am here to put some sizzle into our mental fitness and attitude. I’m here to help all you Boomers and seniors navigate through this extraordinarily unique time.
“The brain is a muscle that can move the world”
Stephen King
Think of your brain as your control center for every major body system. Your brain allows you to have emotions, communication skills, coordinated movement—it virtually controls all your voluntary responses and actions allowing us to do all things that make us human. And being human is what makes us special even with all our frailties.
“Anyone who reads too much and uses their brain too little
falls into lazy habits of thinking”
Albert Einstein
How many times have we walked into a room and wondered why did we go in there and for what was it that we were looking to get. You’re with your friends and you simply forget a word or you can’t remember a name or event. I can tell you from my experience, it seems to be happening a bit more lately, and I think it has to do with all the stress and overload from the barrage of information funneling down to us on a daily basis.
Not to worry, and whatever you do don’t start googling mental illness or signs of dementia. Rest assured some of these lapses in memory are perfectly normal. They happen to all of us, so put it behind you and move forward.
Joel Kramer, Ph.D., Director of the University of California, San Francisco Memory and Aging Neuropsychology Program states that many of our cognitive skills like multi-tasking and processing speed peak around the age of 30. Then they begin to decline very slowly with age. Please pay attention to the word “slowly,” because they don’t have to.
So I believe here is what’s happening, and by all means I’m not a licensed professional, just providing a glimpse of my own self-awareness. We are putting blame on our own cognitive abilities because of wearing a mask, having to immerse our hands with disinfectant wipes, practicing ‘social distancing,’ wondering about the outcomes of the virus, how will our lives be affected both short and long-term, etc. All of these new-found requirements are foreign to us and they make us feel like we’re functioning in a fog which I believe contributes to the brain drain even more than we think.
Or, maybe it as simple as not exercising our brains like we do our bodies.
“You can change your brain just by thinking differently”
Unknown
It’s really up to us Boomers and Seniors to make smart lifestyle choices which will help retrain your brain so it stays sharp and focused. In my blog next week I will offer up all the usual suspects of exercise, altering your diet to stay healthy, limiting the alcohol intake, staying in touch with family and friends, along with many different and new ideas to help you stay sharp and stay social. I am researching what experts are saying on this matter, but also giving you practical advice that I know works from my own life’s experiences.
Over the month of October I will bring tips from some of the experts and the brainiest people out there. Keep following us and keep reading. My BoomerGuy and I will help you keep your ‘noggin’ young and alert. He’s my researcher and he’s as sharp as they come.
It’s never too late Boomers to keep sharp and stay relevant.