What to expect as you age? - Page 7

Zhills · ‎11-15-2011

There is a big difference in denial and just going slower so you have time to smell the roses as you go!

tarsmom · ‎03-21-2010

@Suzeecat wrote:
I'll soon be 63 and still work full time in a high-stress law office. I have definitely noticed less pep in my step. As I have gotten older I have had to deal with relatively minor health issues but the number one issue affecting my energy level is chronic insomnia.

I am more focused on healthy living than ever before. I exercise regularly, see my dr. regularly, take supplements, eat healthy, basically do everything I can to live a healthy independent life as long as possible. I live alone and want to stay independent. I also find myself being extremely cautious about trips, falls, etc. As we age, we don't bounce back as quickly. I've seen people deteriorate quickly and dramatically after a serious illness or inury at this age.

@Suzeecat, Insomnia is something I don't have. I had a hysterectomy at 38 so that might have something to do with not experiencing some of the same things the 50-60 somethings went thru since I did it earlier. I am (was) a hurrier, and now I am mindful about not doing that because you're right, a fall could be a big problem! I go to bed at 10 and get up at 5:50 a.m. - in the past 5 years, I can no longer "sleep in" like I used to.

tarsmom · ‎03-21-2010

@mousiegirl wrote:
@tarsmom I expect to go along as I did in my thirties, but at the end of a long day in the garden, I am dragging. This is what I miss about being older, not having as much stamina, and of course the body gives pay back if I overdo. I can remember decorating Christmas cookies at 11:00 at night when younger, not any longer, lol.

@mousiegirl, exactly. We had a work event on a Saturday night a couple of years ago (dining, and 80's party theme, dancing, etc. ) and I said to my coworker (age 40) about 9:45 pm - "I gotta go, my arthritis in my fingers is flaring up." That's when I really started noticing it!

tarsmom · ‎03-21-2010

@Pook wrote:
Sure, at 65 I have aches and pains I never had before. One thing I just won't do is not work out daily - no matter how I feel. I had some health issues and found myself falling into a pattern of just wanting to give in to not be as active and just accepting I was aging but thank goodness I kept working out at a slower pace. Now I can do longer and heavier workouts again and am fit and feeling great in spite of the stiffness, aches and pains of aging especially in the morning. If I had given up this would not have been the case. Working out early in the morning before anything else is priority - the heck with housework if I don't get to it! As a result I find that I can be more mobile all day. I know if I stop I will feel worse and just want to not move around much and my energy level will plummet because of it.
@tarsmomI know that many have health issues but I would say do some physical activity daily at a level you can (and push a little more) and just don't give in to aging. It will also help with your mental attitude.

@Pook, that is great advice! I am very disappointed that I am not doing that right now. I used to get out of work and walk my dog for 40 minutes. I just don't feel like it and what I SHOULD do it what you're doing, do it first thing in the a.m. Funny my mother never worked out and she was heavier than me but she still lived on her own until age 92.

tarsmom · ‎03-21-2010

@Shanus wrote:
@blueroses47 wrote:
@Shanus wrote:
I guess I can say I’m 70 (10 days away) w/o too much of a cringe. Having always worked from home, I made my own hours...never felt pressured except jewelry orders due at holidays or wedding season.

I always made time to keep up w/ my exercise routine. Except for arthritis in a few fingers, neck & shoulder pain if I try to work too long w/o stopping to stretch, I’m physically doing OK...I just knocked on wood. 😜

What I’m seeing the last few years is that I do have less tolerance and a shorter fuse. I get frustrated in situations where, for example, orders are wrong, banks make a mistake, the cable guy forgets to show up, etc. These things never stressed me out before. That’s what I’m working on.

I don’t want to be a sour old lady.
Shanus, this part of your post made laugh, because that is something that is happening to me too. And my husband also.   At one point he said to me "we're turning into two angry old people." I saw it happen to my mother, as well. What's that all about? I used to be more low-key. Oh well.
@blueroses47 Hopefully just a lack of patience. I see it happening w/ other folks in my group...a short fuse.

I'm in banking and I do see this in older people. I had one lady call me an idiot and insult me in another comment. I told her you know, I don't appreciate the way you're speaking to me when I'm trying to help you. My mother just died.
After that, she was sweet to me forever (she was in her 80's).

I always have a lot of patience with older people because I figure a lot of them have aches and pains, but I do have a limit to what I'll take verbally

tarsmom · ‎03-21-2010

@jannabelle1 wrote:
Yes we do slow down as we get older - how much we slow down depends on our health and life style - and also some unknown thing within our brain, I guess! When I was 64 I still loved my job, but I could tell that my enthusiasm wasn't what it used to be. When I turned 65 I decided to give it another 3 months....during that 3 months I decided it was time. Retirement and aging is what you make it and what you feel like doing. I'm 70 and have never regretted retiring. I love the freedom and I'm fortunate to not have aches and pains. That said - I don't accomplish anything close to what I used to when I was younger, but that's to be expected and I don't worry about it. DH has health issues and so I do a lot more taking care of things he used to do. It is what it is and we make it work. Retirement is great, but keep active - accomplish something every day, even if it's something small. We all age and we slow down as we age - nothing wrong with that as long as we don't spend every day sitting in a recliner unless we have to for health reasons.

@jannabelle1 I do worry a little about that. I am social so I am going to have to volunteer at least here and there. I can't sit around all day at least not indefinitely. Right now though I don't have much time or energy for friends (especially my retired ones). Balance is going to be the key - I know I'll figure it out!

mousiegirl · ‎03-09-2010

@tarsmom wrote:
@Pook wrote:
Sure, at 65 I have aches and pains I never had before. One thing I just won't do is not work out daily - no matter how I feel. I had some health issues and found myself falling into a pattern of just wanting to give in to not be as active and just accepting I was aging but thank goodness I kept working out at a slower pace. Now I can do longer and heavier workouts again and am fit and feeling great in spite of the stiffness, aches and pains of aging especially in the morning. If I had given up this would not have been the case. Working out early in the morning before anything else is priority - the heck with housework if I don't get to it! As a result I find that I can be more mobile all day. I know if I stop I will feel worse and just want to not move around much and my energy level will plummet because of it.
@tarsmomI know that many have health issues but I would say do some physical activity daily at a level you can (and push a little more) and just don't give in to aging. It will also help with your mental attitude.
@Pook, that is great advice! I am very disappointed that I am not doing that right now. I used to get out of work and walk my dog for 40 minutes. I just don't feel like it and what I SHOULD do it what you're doing, do it first thing in the a.m. Funny my mother never worked out and she was heavier than me but she still lived on her own until age 92.

@tarsmom Your Mother's story reminds me that doctors put so much STRESS on patients re weight, diet/food, etc., and yet people can live to a ripe old age without living so ridgedly. I am going to tell my doctor at the next visit that I don't want to live the rest of my life being nagged about this or that, so far I am healthy and very active, so bug off, LOL. I will leave the latter three words out.

sidsmom · ‎11-25-2011

@tarsmom wrote:
@sidsmom wrote:
The older I get, the more & more important it is to get
the proper nutrition.

The body wants to have whole foods, plants and little fat.
People will imply they have Superman blood while eating
a diet of candy, hamburgers & milk...but the body doesn’t do
well with eating foods not designed for humans for optimum health.

The aches & pains associated with age is inflammation.
Change the diet, reduce the inflammation.

And like @qualitygal using the car analogy , I equate food to a fuel. Optimum food is the optimum fuel for our bodies.

You can have a $500,000+ Rolls Royce, but use icky fuel?
It’s totally useless.
I agree with you about the food. I generally eat pretty healthy - I don't eat pizza, drink soda, (although I love candy and cookies (homemade). I also don't drink more than 1 drink a week, nor do I smoke. BUT, my own mother weighed more than me, took less medicine than I do and she ate chips, ice cream, store bought baked goods (yuk), loved hot dogs, etc. She died at 93 and and her mother lived until 95. I know you make a good point, and I'm interested in the "diet for inflammation" comment. What do you recommend? @sidsmom -

@tarsmom

Thank you for allowing me to answer your question.

Plant Based, Whole Foods, Low Fat.

Translation: no animal products, no dairy, no eggs, no processed oils/foods...low fat = 10%-15% of total daily calories...and what you’re

left with is lots of starches (potatoes/rice/corn/etc), beans/legumes, fruit, vegetables & occasional nuts/seed/avocados.

Just Goggle nutritionfacts.org & search ‘inflammation’.

There’s mountains of info from so many sources about food

being a direct link to inflammation.

Diabetes, heart disease, obesity, Alzheimer’s, arthritis...so many

condiitons related to inflammation...with nutrition being the

major, most fixable, cause.

BTW....everyone has a family member or knows someone

who knows some who ate/drank/smoke crud and lived

until (fill in the blank). My mother is 94. We grew up on the

farmland of the Midwest...my dad lineage is lengthy, as well....

but I would never pattern my nutrition of today from their diet.

Our parents didn’t have the length of processed foods like

we have today...processed foods, portion sizes, salt/oil/sugar

in everything...fat poured onto vegetables. My long-living relatives

adopted some of those habits later in life, but not in their youth.

Really can’t compare. But we can make a change! HTH 🌼💛

Burnsite · ‎03-10-2010

I don't see much of a difference from earlier in life (I am 69), but though I work out and walk quite a bit for exercise, I think it's just the luck of the draw.

I have had serious health problems starting in my twenties and not ending then, but my energy is OK for what I have to accompllish, something I accept as a blessing among life's many challenges.

I think that because I almost died in my 20s, I am able to just be glad I am still here. I've been aware for quite a while that every day is a wonderful gift, and one to be grateful for.

Cakers3 · ‎06-17-2015

@tarsmom wrote:

If you are retired, did you get your energy back after you stopped working? Or are my energetic days behind me? Most days something is hurting, not bad enough to stay home, but I am feeling it.

It would help me to hear your thoughts

Thank you!
Edited to add: I had a recent physical and everything looked good - blood work, slightly high cholesterol - everything else ok.

@tarsmom What do you determine to be "energetic"? I think that is the whole issue for you.

For me? My energy levels are directed to different paths now. I don't get all into decorating for holidays; I have downsized and kept things more simple.

I don't bake a zillion cookies at Christmas anymore; gift wrap is a gift bag now.

These are just examples. What I'm getting at is that my perceptions and interests are different now-not that I am not energetic but I'm just directing myself in different ways.

I know the aches and pains-lol. I guess once you retire and work is no longer what gets you up in the morning I hope you will find something new to take its place-or reaquaint yourself with something you've put aside for lack of time. A hobby, a skill, something new to learn-it's all there for you.

Like I always say to my DH-we may have a little hitch in our giddy-up now but we still can enjoy life one day at a time.

You'll be fine. You take care of your health and that's a great start.

We just never know what a new day will bring so just enjoy yourself as best as you can and don't fret thinking others have more energy than you have.

It's all in your perception; you will be what you think you can be.

Besides, we are hardly Methusalah. LOL

"" Compassion is a verb."-Thich Nhat Hanh