Health And Hope

OVER THE HILL?!

You do not have to be. Here are some tips given by a lady of 88 whose hobby is climbing mountains - big mountains! And some other observations, too. With these tips you can still be climbing and not over the hill.

Take an interest in life. Make sure you know what is happening in the world. Find out the details. Be interested in what other people are doing around you, and be enthusiastic for them.

You may know a great deal from experience too, but you do not have to share that with your friends and family! That was your experience not theirs!

Cultivate gratitude and cheerfulness. An old lady with a very disabling illness was a tonic to all that came to visit her. She was always so grateful to the Nurses that came to call and usually had something humorous to recount. Even though she was in a chair all day and could not see beyond the four walls of her room, she was a pleasure to be with. She hardly ever reminisced. She always had something topical to talk about, and sometimes a small gift to share.

Find someone to help. Volunteers are needed everywhere. A middle-aged lady who had always lived with her mother and had a tendency to despondency and shyness was totally bereft when her mother died. But she drew on the resources she had and built up a shopping round in the block of flats where she lived. It took very real effort, but it helped her through many dark days. Our health does improve when we are helping someone else.

Take care of your body. 'Only one body per customer'!
That is a serious thought. It means that we have to take care of the one we have as we will not get a second chance to look after it. Make sure you use whole grains, fruits and vegetables as fresh and natural as you can with some nuts and seeds and a helping of beans each day. It is good to have a few olives or some avocado as a natural oil source.

Another man we knew, also in his 80’s, chose to follow the Health and Hope lifestyle. For him it was a last resort as his health looked to be almost gone, and the end was looming. He contacted us after about three months and said that he had followed it to the letter and he was now walking on the sea front for three miles and thoroughly enjoying life, but also, becoming very impatient with those who commented on the good changes but said that they could not make these changes for themselves—it was too much effort.
The same was the experience of a older retired doctor who wrote to us. His wife said she had a new man. He was involved with charity work in India, and had been able to carry on with far more than he had ever imagined, which was very satisfying to him. The resistance of others saddened Him also.
Our choices can affect our lives more than we know. We only have one body. It is never too late to make changes. The blessings of God in this lifestyle of health and hope, and by using His gifts, can make very big changes even to our later life. It is never too late!

Make sure you exercise each day. All our parts are intended to move, and so, each day we should move as much as we are safely able to. It is good to get healthily out of breath from time to time during the week too. Try moving up and down on a rebounder but holding on to someone. This increases circulation and oxygen to our bodies.