how to be old!

Aging gracefully is no joke. We live more sedentary lifestyles as technology enables us easier ways of living, this means that a lot of us have regressed in the way we treat our bodies. Especially as we age. I will outline the main views I have on being able to live as you live now as you get much older, and set yourself up for the future.

One of the most common reasons old people rapidly deteriorate is if they can't get back up off the floor if they fall over. This can be for a multitude of reasons:

• inflexible joints
• lack of muscle
• brittle bones due to lack of load bearing exercises over decades
• low cardiovascular load over decades

These all pinned together are a deadly and debilitating combo. You can barely move around your own home, it takes forever to do anything and you will feel like the only reason you're alive is to live to the next day. It's hard to explore anything knew due to your immobility and the mental strain that you'll feel knowing full well it's a risk to explore something new will also prevent you from doing so.

How do we combat this?

• Consistently loading your bones and joints with weight in the gym can drastically improve your bone and joint strength. You'll be able to hike, run and cycle further into the future. You'll be able to walk up stairs in your own home, you will be able to live more normal life for as long as possible.

• Low intensity cardio is also a big one. Being able to partake in low intensity cardio such as gardening or walking far is vital to keep your organs in check. When you do things that are hard for your body, it will force your body to adapt and cope with these tougher situations. Cardiovascular health is of utmost importance as it fuels all of the activities you do.

Game plan

1. Get into the best shape of your life by 30
   • Get lean and muscular
   • Endure long ass activities
   • Pick-up heavy stuff and put it back down again. Repeat.
   • Your 70-year-old self will thank you Just look at Arnold Schwarzenegger now!

2. Eat healthy always, make it the default

   • Allow yourself enough colorful foods
   • Cook from scratch when you can and figure out how to get enough protein
   • Breads, cakes and starchy things you should avoid - in this day and age we already are tempted by enough carbs
   • Don't keep food that you know is bad for you in the house - it makes it so much harder to cave when you're having an off day

3. Sleep and wake up at the same time every single day. Create a routine which works for you, make enough silence and darkness for you to get your 8 hours. It's never enough in the high action frequency and serotonin inducing world we live in today. So allow yourself 9 hours, you can always do with an extra hour in the morning anyway ;)

4. Take care of your back. Visit a chiropractor. Do your stretches. Sit on a yoga ball at work. Get a sit-stand desk. Do core workouts. A good back means you'll sleep better and feel better generally, it's so important to figure out how to maintain a healthy back especially in a lifestyle with an office job.

5. Brush your teeth twice a day, don't eat too much sugar - you'll avoid most cavities and save money. Rinse your teeth after coffee / tea, it'll stain over the years.