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The multiple roles they are expected to function in, often with no support or encouragement, is believed to be the main reason why women are twice as likely to develop depression or anxiety as men. Besides, according to the National Institute of Health autoimmune disorders are about three times more common in women. We know that such disorders begin when your body turns against itself, and Dr.
Keesha Ewers has repeatedly found that in most cases these diseases are triggered by being angry with yourself, or by feelings of guilt, shame, frustration, or fear. Modern society has given the women the right to work, drive a car, own property, vote, move freely, choose to get married, and choose to have children.
However, besides these liberating roles, women are expected to maintain their traditional roles as devoted mothers, faithful wives, good daughters, helpful neighbors, loving cousins, and hard-working employees. On top of that, at work place, a woman often faces unfair competition, lower pay than their male colleagues, sexism, sometimes even open hostility. As a woman you have a lot on your plate, and self-care is your secret weapon to use while wearing many different hats, each one of which requires something different from you. Lavishing yourself with love and care will help you cope in the hectic, competitive, and often unfair world we live in.
If you know what makes you tick, why not do it as often as yo can. The nourishment, physical, mental and spiritual, you get from doing things that bring you joy, is what makes you come alive. Taking care of yourself is not difficult, but you need to make a conscious effort to do it: Emergency self-care are the things you learn to do daily that support you functioning well even when a crisis hit. You take inventory of your vulnerabilities: The hectic pace of modern life often makes women forget about their own needs.
Besides, there are only so many hours in the day and somehow, your own needs always come last. Self-care is about nurturing yourself — physically, mentally and spiritually — as you would someone you loved very much. To adopt, and maintain, as many self-care habits and practices as you can, I encourage you to stop pushing yourself to be the perfect high-performer in your professional or private life.
Be true to yourself, be honest about your thoughts and feelings, be clear with your boundaries, and for a change, start putting yourself first.
While on your self-care journey decide what you are committed to doing differently…. Which areas of your life are most in need of self-care? Are you letting go of your looks or health because you never have enough money or time for your own needs? Are you failing your friends, aging parents, children or partner because you exhaust yourself at work? Stretching exercises are an ideal way to warm up before and cool down after endurance exercise. Like strength training, 20 minutes of dedicated time two or three times a week is ideal. Yoga classes are very helpful, but most men can learn to stretch for health on their own.
Exercises for balance will also help retard some common effects of aging. They will help you move gracefully, avoid injuries, and prevent the falls that cripple so many older Americans. Helen Hayes was right when she proclaimed, "Resting is rusting. Even a balanced exercise program won't keep reading glasses off a man's nose or prevent cataracts from forming in due time. Exercise can't keep a man's prostate small or his testosterone levels high, but it can reduce his risk of erectile dysfunction.
To keep your body as young as possible for as long as possible, keep it moving. As usual, Hippocrates got it right about 2, years ago, explaining, "That which is used develops; that which is not wastes away. A proper exercise program will help men delay many of the changes of aging, particularly when they combine it with other preventive measures see "Not by exercise alone," below.
And the same program can help ward off many of the chronic illnesses that too often tarnish a man's golden years. Heart disease is the leading killer of American men. Because exercise helps improve so many cardiac risk factors cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and stress , it should have a powerful protective influence on heart attacks — and it does.
It was a groundbreaking observation, and it's been confirmed many times over. Stroke is the third leading cause of death in America. Like heart disease, many strokes are caused by atherosclerosis, which is why heart attacks and stroke share so many risk factors. It's no surprise, then, that exercise can reduce the risk of stroke. Cancer is different — but exercise can also help fight the nation's second leading killer. Although the evidence is far less conclusive, regular exercise may even help prevent prostate cancer.
Exercise is wonderful for health — but to get gain without pain, you must do it wisely, using restraint and judgment every step of the way. Here are a few tips:. Get a medical check-up before you begin a moderate to vigorous exercise program, particularly if you are older than 40, if you have medical problems, or if you have not exercised previously. Although treadmill stress tests were once considered an important precaution, they are not necessary for most people who are healthy, even if they are senior citizens.
But even if stress tests before exercise are not useful for healthy men, they are mandatory for anyone with heart disease or symptoms that suggest problems. Eat and drink appropriately. Don't eat for two hours before you exercise, but drink plenty of water before, during, and after exercise, particularly in warm weather. Warm up before you exercise and cool down afterward. Stroll before you walk, and walk before you jog.
Stretches and light calisthenics are ideal warm-up and cool-down activities. Unless you are ill or injured, try to exercise nearly every day, but alternate harder workouts with easier ones. Give yourself enough time to recover from injuries and illness — and remember that recovery may take longer as you age. Explore a variety of activities to find what suits you best. Variety will keep your muscles fresh and will keep you from getting stale or bored. Build a well-rounded program. Add strength training, stretches, and exercises for balance to your basic endurance exercise.
Consider getting instruction or joining a health club. It makes little sense to reduce your risk of heart attack or stroke by increasing your risk of accidental injury or death. Adjust your routine in weather that is hot, cold, or wet. Listen to your body. Learn warning signals of heart disease, including chest pain or pressure, disproportionate shortness of breath, fatigue, or sweating, erratic pulse, lightheadedness, or even indigestion.
Do not ignore aches and pains that may signify injury; early treatment can often prevent more serious problems. Do not exercise if you are feverish or ill. Work yourself back into shape gradually after a layoff, particularly after illness or injury.
Helping to prevent heart disease, cancer, stroke — exercise is worth the effort. Physical activity can help reduce your risk for many of the chronic illnesses that produce so much distress and disability as men age. The list includes hypertension, diabetes, osteoporosis, and even Alzheimer's disease. It also includes "minor" ailments such as painful gallbladder attacks and bothersome symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Regular exercise helps people age more slowly and live healthier, more vigorous lives. And it also helps people live longer. Calculations based on the Harvard Alumni Study suggest that men who exercise regularly can gain about two hours of life expectancy for each hour of exercise. Over the course of a lifetime, that adds up to about two extra years. Maximum benefit does require regular exercise over the years, but it doesn't mean a trip to the gym every day.
In fact, just 30 minutes of brisk walking every day will go a long way toward enhancing your health. Calculations are one thing, observations another. Scientists have evaluated men in Hawaii, Seventh-day Adventists in California, male and female residents of Framingham, Massachusetts, elderly American women, British joggers, middle-aged Englishmen, retired Dutchmen, and residents of Copenhagen, among others.
Although the details vary, the essential message is remarkably uniform: Regular exercise prolongs life and reduces the burden of disease and disability in old age. In reviewing the data, Dr.
Department of Health and Human Services concludes that regular physical activity appears to reduce the overall mortality rate by more than a quarter and to increase the life expectancy by more than two years compared with the sedentary population's average. Insurance agents are not alone; doctors would also like to predict disability and longevity. Between and , they evaluated about 8, healthy men with an average age of Each volunteer was tested for his maximal handgrip strength along with conventional risk factors.
The scientists tracked the men for an average of 25 years. Grip strength in midlife did not predict longevity, but it did correlate with disability. The men who were strongest in middle age had the lowest risk of disabilities and dependency in old age, even after chronic illnesses were taken into account. Cardiovascular fitness and aerobic capacity do predict longevity. In the Hawaiian study, muscular strength did not, but it did predict infirmity in old age. One of the most impressive things about the Dallas Bed Rest and Training Study was that the men responded nearly as well to exercise training at 50 as they did at In fact, men can benefit from exercise at any age, though senior citizens do need to take extra care, especially if they are just getting started.
Perhaps the most dramatic example comes from a Harvard study that demonstrated important improvements in to year-old nursing home patients who were put on a weight-lifting program. This study evaluated muscular function, but the Harvard Alumni Study examined mortality. The maximum benefits were linked to an amount of exercise equivalent to walking for about 45 minutes a day at about 17 minutes per mile. On average, sedentary people gained about 1. Studies from Harvard, Norway, and England all confirm the benefits of exercise later in life.
It's important research, but it confirms the wisdom of the Roman poet Cicero, who said, "No one is so old that he does not think he could live another year. Exercise is one way to slow the aging process, but it works best in combination with other measures. Here are some other tips to help you age well:.
Reduce your consumption of saturated fat, trans fatty acids, and cholesterol. The omega-3s and monounsaturated fats in fish, nuts, olive oil, and possibly canola oil are desirable in moderation. Eat lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nonfat dairy products.
Favor complex carbohydrates and high-fiber foods, but reduce your consumption of simple sugars. Cut back on salt and processed foods. Keep your caloric consumption down and stay as lean as possible. Keep your mind active and stimulated. Mental exercise is an important complement to physical exercise.
A balanced program is best. That's why Cicero proclaimed, "Exercise and temperance will preserve something of our youthful vigor, even into old age.