Depression and the elderly

• Remain physically active
  The activities might well change as time passes, so as to accommodate the effect of age on our bodies. But the positive impact is still highly significant.

  It’s not necessary to do anything fancy – simply walking as a daily habit works wonders. And, if you can walk, you can just as well do it to music, and it becomes your own dance and a whole lot more fun!

  There are so many benefits to be had: boosted mood, less likelihood of developing dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, strong and healthy bones and muscles, improved balance, better sleep, boosted mood and sense of well-being, effective weight management,  and a reduced chances of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

• Eat well
  This is a lifelong mantra, actually, but as we age we might need to pay special attention once more. As you age it might just feel like more of a chore to prepare food and pay attention to what you are eating, but it remains important.

Simply put, we should eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, lean meat, fish and chicken, and much less sugary and processed foods, fatty meats, bad fats and empty carbohydrates (cakes and cookies).

There are many studies that support the idea that what you eat determines your longevity and quality of life! Especially important is that, if you start soon enough, you can prevent or delay the onset of many chronic diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, joint disease, diabetes, and deteriorations such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. Ongoing mental health is also a huge plus. In my book, anything I can do to achieve those benefits would be worthwhile!

Just an added point: it is also true that it becomes more difficult to actually get a good ‘dose’ of all the important nutrients on board through diet alone, especially on a day-to-day basis.. We tend to have less interest in preparing food, smaller appetites, and are less efficient at chewing, digesting and absorbing our food. So I strongly recommend nutritional supplements and personally take them on a daily basis. And I don’t recommend just any supplements but a range that I have investigated and used consistently for about 3 decades now. I’d love to share that information with you if you are interested! My contact details are given at the end of this article.

• Maintain your social connections!
  Being well and happy is what we all hope for, and it turns out that there really is a lot we can do to make it so.

Close relationships with at least 3 people have a significant impact on our health and well-being. These are people to whom we can go when we need support, people who really do have our backs, people that we trust. Such people would be family and close friends.

But more important than those strong relationships, as it turns out, is the social network that we enjoy. Even just a passing greeting, a chat with the guard at the gate, or an interaction with another person at any level matters – both weak and strong bonds contribute.
Loneliness increases the likelihood of depression or even dementia. It also weakens our immune systems so we are more prone to infections.

Face to face interactions release a cascade of neurotransmitters which lower stress, give us a ‘high’, reduce pain, and show us again that we are thinking, feeling, sentient beings who belong to the community.

• Develop your Happiness Quotient

Chances are you haven’t heard of this before? So the Happiness Quotient is a measure of our general state of happiness and contentment.

About 60% of our Happiness Quotient is determined by our genes and our life experiences, so the good news is that about 40% is directly within our control. In a very real sense we are the masters of our own fate as far as happiness goes.

That’s both the good news and the bad news! Bad because no-one else is to blame for how we feel, and good because we have it within our power to determine how happy we feel.

So what are some things we can pay attention to?

• Be compassionate towards others. Give them the benefit of the doubt before you judge their actions or words and they will respond kindly towards you in return.
• Monitor your thoughts. We are constantly bombarded with bad news and we need to be very vigilant as it has a negative impact on our happiness. What you focus on becomes your reality, so focus on good things.
• Stay connected. Regardless of how challenging that might be, there are always ways and means. Make the effort to do so – both you and the other people in your life will be the happier for it.
• Do what you love. Find something that brings you joy and start doing it. Then do more of it! Remember Grandma Moses became a world famous naive artist but she only sold her first painting at the age of 79!

So it does look a bit like a ‘good news, bad news’ story, doesn’t it?
But knowing that we each have such power to influence the state of our mental and physical health and well-being is such a gift.

If you want to know what I have used and recommended for 30 years please leave a message for me on +27 (0)84 506 3643 and I will get back to you.

Or you can take a look here: https://neolifeafrica.com/positiveoptions/shop/

Disclaimer:

The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions and experiences of the author. They are for information purposes and do not replace a consultation with your doctor.