A Giant Difference – Proactive Aging

 

 

 

Last week I read a story about Donald Henderson a U. S. Doctor who led the successful campaign to wipe out small pox worldwide. He was 87 when he died. He was hailed as a “giant” in the field of public health. He advised three Presidents. I wondered how many people read his obituary and how many people knew who he was?

Small pox was a highly contagious virus. It is the only infectious disease to have ever been eradicated. Smallpox has been recorded in the human population for over 3,000 years. A man who lived to 87 eradicated a virus that managed to live for 3000 years! Amazing! This man definitely proactively aged.

Proactive aging is a dedication towards something bigger than you. It transcends your aches and pains, your sadness and your pleasure. The eradication of anything that has the potential to create harm takes time, patience and dedication. All of those attributes can only come with time. With time come age and the question, “what are you doing with your time?” Most of us will never be the “giant” Dr. Henderson was, but we all have the potential to create a better world.

Violence has existed since the beginning of time. If you live to be 87 and beyond (and I hope you do) remember in 87 years you too can eradicate something that has lived for millions of years. Simply do your part to help your fellow humans and to protect the environment. Work to eradicate violence through benevolence and compassion and although you may never be called a “giant” together we can all make a giant difference!  

Doctor Lynn

http://www.facebook.com/DrLynnAnderson

Two Faces in the Mirror - Proactive Aging

 

Which face is the one I see in the mirror? One mirror has lighting that makes me look younger, fresher and with hardly a trace of wrinkles. The other mirror shows every line, crease and flaw.  Depending upon the mirror we all proudly show our face to the world or hide it beneath the shadows of dim light. Our mood is greatly set by the person we see in the mirror. As I look to one mirror and see my aging self and then to the next and see a more youthful version of me I wonder which one of these faces am I?

Have you ever looked in the mirror and wondered exactly what you look like? As a mirror reflecting back at you, I can tell you that all those flaws you see and wrinkles you try to hide are not visible to me. Yes it is true that good lighting can hide a multitude of sins. But it is also true that natural lighting reveals the truth and the truth is we are never what we think we look like. We are recognized by our outward appearance and quite often judged by how we look. But the real person behind the reflection reveals your true identity.

We cannot hide anger, deceit, greed and pride. The best lightening and pounds of make-up will not hide character.  We may choose to only look into the mirror that reflects back the best of our physical attributes, but it will quickly fade as soon as we walk into natural light.  The real reflection of you is not found in the mirror. It is found in your character. So reflect to the world a sense of caring, a sense of joy, compassion for all and a deep understanding of the true essence of life.  You are neither of the two faces you see in the mirror.   When you understand this you will no longer be concerned with the wrinkles and flaws. Instead you will look to your character and know from your soul that the best reflection of all is the one that respects and honors all of life for its beauty and not its flaws.  This is proactive again. Appreciate yourself and honor your soul.

 

Doctor Lynn

http://www.facebook.com/DrLynnAnderson

Slow Down –Proactive Aging

 

 

 

When the moment of slow down comes you will know it. It will most likely come with some aches and pains and a bit of exhaustion.  Slowdown is the voice that says “time to slow down and take a rest or at least pace you.” This is not an easy thing for me to do. Arthritic pain, a pinched nerve and a damaged rotator cuff has brought me to that moment of slow down and reassess. What can I cut out of my day to help me heal? What should I do to help me heal? This is not about slowing down, but about healing. However, healing is going to require that I slow down.

So I did an assessment of my daily activities and divided them into the must dos, I would like to dos and the fun dos that I can put aside. I am going to physical therapy which I believe is one of the best tools for bringing the body back to balance. Further I always eat healthy and exercise and I get plenty of sleep. But when I am awake it is tough for me to slow down.

I need to spend less time at the computer and more time restfully moving. Like going and having my nails done, reading a magazine and just putting my feet up with a cup of tea. I need to teach my classes but I can modify my movements so as to minimize my physical activity. I need to write and work on my projects. But I think I will limit this computer time to only a few short hours a day.

Right now I have time to kick back and rebalance. Right now I have time to refocus. Right now I have time to take care of me. Right now I am just going to slow down and enjoy some quiet moments. This is a must do!  This reminds me of a Neil Young song; Slow Poke. The faster I ran; the further behind.  It is time to slow down.

Doctor Lynn

http://www.facebook.com/DrLynnAnderson

My Hands – Proactive Aging – they are the markers of my life

 

Gazing down at my hands my age is revealed. No longer do my hands look young. Although long they are thin and prone to wrinkles, ridges and age spots. I can hide my sagging body from the world, but not my face and my hands. The hands are a dead giveaway as to a person’s age.

I look with an inquisitive nature. How did my hands get this old? I don’t feel this old and yet my hands tell me something different. I have a slight bit of arthritis in my hands. I know this will only get worse with time.  I wonder if someday I will not be able to use my hands. I hope not because they have served me well. I cook, clean, create, hold, hug and reach out with these hands. I have prayed with these hands. They are the markers of my life. So I have decided to accept the wrinkles, sags and aging spots, to be kind to them every day and appreciate the many things they can do.  

The palms of my hands reveal the lines of my life. My life line indicates good health. My heart line reveals that I am satisfied with my love life and my head line indicates that I am practical, intelligent and look at many possibilities before taking action.

My index finger represents my ego and my thumb is my higher power. Every day I take a moment to bend my index finger and place my thumb on top reminding myself to bow my ego to something bigger than my earthly self.  

Every day I exercise my hands.  Not to remove the aging, but to take care of them because in life a limber outstretched helping hand is all that is needed to  live a full life, keep the heart loving  and  to stay open to all the possibilities of life.  Love your hands. That’s proactive aging.

Doctor Lynn

http://www.facebook.com/DrLynnAnderson

Fashionably Nerdy- Proactive Aging

 

 

Normally I would not wear such an outlandish combination of ankle socks and sneakers, but I am about to participate in a game that requires comfortable feet. When I was younger I would never have worn these ankle socks with my shoes and if I did they would be very plain and nondescript. However, most of the time I would end up with sore aching feet and blisters. I paid a high price for being fashionable.

One of the great things about maturing is realizing that common sense and comfort always outweigh fashion.  Fashion may look good, but if you are uncomfortable it is guaranteed you will not have a good time. Remember a time when you forwent comfort for fashion and your feet were sore and aching? Did you really have a good time?

There is a man named Victor who I see every week when I go to play lawn bowling. He has a style for the outrageous. His colorful ankle socks rise above his brightly colored sneakers. His clothes are bright, always matching the color of his socks. But he is always comfortable in his shoes with his socks popping with colors in patterns and stripes. I always feel lifted and happy when I see Victor because he is having so much fun with color and does not give a rat’s ass what anyone thinks.

 I think I am starting to like being fashionably nerdy. My feet don’t get blisters any more. When I look down at my ankles and see them covered with bright colors I smile at what a long way I have come. It’s not the nerdy part that I like, but the part about not giving a rat’s ass what anybody thinks! I am comfortable in my own skin and my nerdy socks.

Being comfortable is the most stylish version of yourself you can portray to the world, because comfort never goes out of style. Stay fashionably nerdy and enjoy your stylish comfort. That’s proactive aging!

Doctor Lynn   

 

http://www.facebook.com/DrLynnAnderson

 

I Feel Wasteful – Proactive Aging

 

I feel a sense of waste. I am not a wasteful person. I don’t waste money, food or the environment, but I have lately begun to see myself as wasteful. Perhaps it is because I have travelled the world and seen so many have so little and so few have so much. The wealth of the world is definably disproportionate.

I am very comfortable. Some would say I am more than comfortable. I enjoy my comfort and the ability to afford some of the luxuries of life. However, I have been on the other side of life struggling just to pay the rent. I definitely prefer being comfortable, but not because of the things I can buy, but because of the stress that is removed. I no longer carry the stress of paying the bills with nothing left over for emergencies. Now my energy goes into what I choose to do with my time and my money. What I choose to do is teach others the merits of health.

Most of my friends are comfortable. Or should I say all of my friends in comparison to the world are comfortable. Some have more and some have less, but we all live a comfortable life and have more than we need.  We’ve worked hard and are now reaping the fruits of our labor. Retirement brings with it a sense of security. But I’ve begun to think about what happens when you have more than you need. It is breeding ground for waste. If water is abundant showers are long, lawns are green and swimming pools are full. Prosperity is good. But waste is foolish. “Waste not want not”, was my mother’s motto.

If I buy a pair of shoes (that I don’t need) am I putting people to work and supporting the economy, or am I foolishly wasting my money. Would it be better to just give the money away? In India I learned that to give something for nothing takes away a person purpose and dignity. Everyone should contribute to the betterment of life. I saw healthy people begging. I saw a woman with no arms selling her painting that she did with her feet. Who should I support?

I pay very high taxes without a grudge. I live well and have no problem sharing my wealth with those less fortunate. My tax dollars I hope go to feed, clothe and provide healthcare for the poor. I just hope my efforts are not being wasted by wasteful spending on things we don’t need at the expense of what we do need. With age comes certain pensiveness for things such as waste. They say so much is wasted when young. I would agree. It’s nice to finally have the time and the money to stop wasting time on the things I can’t change, focus on the things I can change, and to finally know the difference.

Doctor Lynn

http://www.facebook.com/DrLynnAnderson

http://www.doctorlynn.com

 

  

 

Girls Love to Dance – Proactive Aging

 

 

 

When asked by three women in their seventies what I teach I replied, “Spin, yoga and dance.”  Their faces lit up with delight! “Dance”, they proclaimed, “what fun!” I explained that the dance class was designed to work the entire body in a gentle and fun way. Anyone can do it and the ones who do it really love it because it is fun. Immediately they were intrigued and asked where they could find my DVD.  http://www.doctorlynn.com of course!

I created Doctor Lynn’s Anti-Aging Yoga Dance as part of my recovery from cancer surgery, but mostly as a dance yoga program that would give the participant the most bang for the buck. It includes yoga moves for balance, strength and flexibility, as well as low impact easy aerobic dance and a short meditation at the end; combining all five components of the perfect workout.

Flexibility, balance and strength are all components for keeping us fit as we slide into the later years of life. Lose one you will surely lose all. Keep practicing and you will retain your balance, range of motions and stability. We also need to add the aerobic component to keep the heart strong, the brain humming and weight under control. The meditation is like the icing on the cake. It is sweet and smooth rounding off the texture of this recipe for good health and fitness.

Girls love to dance. No matter what age; girls love to dance. Something about music turns quiet mice into roaring lions. So girls - get up and dance because the best way to stay young in body, mind and soul is to kick up your heel, throwback your head and move your body.   When it comes to aging, be proactive. Balance, flex, strengthen, dance and relax.

Doctor Lynn

http://ww.doctorlynn.com