Wellness
This page on HealthMBA.com is about wellness and health. It covers wellness issues such as physical, mental, and emotional balance. Wellness through spiritual and phyicial control as well as many general wellness related topics. Wellness is becoming a key life focus of many individuals.
It’s about Quality of Life
by Jim McDonald
Even small talk can turn serious. One lady wanted to know where Olga and I went for our bike rides, another told me she was going to buy our book for her daughter, a doctor in Singapore. And a young looking senior told me a silly story about a travelling salesman. We were chatting with a group of seniors after my presentation on active living.
I approached a lady, whom I’ll call Jean, sitting alone at a table. She looked up at me and said, “You know, I don’t do any of that exercise stuff you talked about, and here I am still kicking at 81.” As we spoke, it became apparent that Jean was content with her sedentary lifestyle, and I wasn’t about to knock the wind out of her sails, with a private lecture on the benefits of active living.
Jean was questioning the health benefits of exercise. Basically she was saying, “Look at me, I’ve reached the ripe old age 81 and I don’t do Yoga, go for walks, swim, or ride a bike. While you’ve been sweating it out with all that body movement, I’ve been sitting on the couch doing nothing. Who’s the winner now?”
Jean measures success in terms of how many years one can “hang-in-there”. But I say, of what value is a long life or an abundance of money, if health problems remove you from the pursuit of an enjoyable life; especially if your problems were brought about by inactivity, something you have total control over. The objective is not more years; it’s quality years.
In 2002, the World Health Organization said this about inactivity.
Sedentary lifestyles increase all causes of mortality, doubles the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and obesity, and substantially increases the risk of colon cancer, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, depression and anxiety.
Scary stuff. So why not take the precaution of becoming active now before you are beset with health problems that will prohibit you from doing so later in life. Ask yourself, “How long has it been since I felt really great?” Could it be that you have forgotten what if feels like to have a zest for life, be full of energy and bursting with enthusiasm. If so, don’t blame your fatigue on age, even if you have hit 60, 70 or more. Old and tired has more to do with attitude, outlook and lifestyle than the calendar.
Nine million Canadians have passed the 50-year mark, and almost 40 percent of them live an active lifestyle. Aim to become a part of that group. Exercise is your responsibility; and you’ll never find a substitute inside of a pill bottle. If you want quality of life during your second half, do something now to get your body moving. Pick an activity that you’ll enjoy and get started before it’s too late.
