The art of accidental beekeeping sleep and other things to do in lockdown

On 23rd March ,when the UK entered into a form of suspended public life, in all homes across the land, millions of us pondered first to know how and then scrambled into actions designed to survive whatever the unseen threat of Covid-19 might throw at us.At the start, I took to heart some self care tips I discovered from busy Mum and not-for-profit entrepreneur Beth Kanter. For me, the key questions became: how to ensure a supply of vital food and paper products and, how to maintain at least our current level of physical fitness and mental health.How were we going to survive what for most of us looked like being an indefinite period of staying at home?It made us look at a significant adaptation of the way we were accustomed to live everyday.

Eat well.Exercise appropriately.Sleep well

8 Tips for Nonprofits To Boost Resilience During A Pandemic

Many of us will have watched the daytime TV offerings with keep fit and cooking guru Mr Wicks, or perhaps preferred for those with longer memories ,the Green Goddess,Diana Moran.Perhaps then we turned to platforms like Zoom or Skype to keep in touch with loved ones from whom by edict we had been summarily parted.As the weeks went by, we may have looked to revive long abandoned hobbies – the long spell of warm dry weather has caused the bee populations to work the harder but more of that later- or brush up on old skills, or even taken-up new ones. Behind all of this we will have realised, I most certainly did, that a strong routine to back our resilience was essential.It became important to eat and sleep well, and to exercise appropriately.This still applies even as we face a slow return out of lockdown.We will all have learned more about ourselves and will be able to carry forward the positive aspects of our enforced isolation.

Resilience Pandemic or No

It occurred to me that for many of us over the last months life may not have changed all that much. In laterlife, often after retirement, adaptation to a different way of life has always been important health and wellbeing.It has often been thrust upon us and surprises us even when expecting it.With fewer family members, friends or work colleagues around, a greater degree of self-sufficiency is required to manage a degree of isolation.Obviously some of us are better equipped to deal with these challenges than others.What has hit me forcefully is that resilience is therefore not only required for lockdown but for always.Many older people were challenged in life before the pandemic struck and will likely live with many of the same challenges later when hopefully it has passed.Maybe the takeaway is that what we have learned to cope with through the threat of covid-19 will stand us all in good stead in the future laterlife.

Disturbed Sleep

Some breaking news comes from Kings College London about the effects of lockdown on our sleeping habits.Researchers there report that we are all experiencing a worsening of our sleep patterns with one half of the people covered by the study saying that their sleep had been more disturbed than usual.

Good refreshing sleep is one of the three key essentials mentioned in my opening comments.Sleep isn’t just a way to refresh your body and mind and prepare for the next day. As something that takes up approximately one-third of your entire life, your body and mind both take advantage of this large amount of time to help repair and restore the body to its normal functioning.

Getting the recommended amount of sleep each night is a solid start, but you also need to guarantee that the sleep you’re getting is of high quality. This will allow your brain to optimise the body’s condition to provide the greatest benefit in the long term.

Here are some body processes that your brain can more effectively initiate when you’re getting enough sleep, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

● Removal of toxins from within the body
● Reduction in the development of chronic conditions (heart disease, diabetes, depression)
● Repair of cells in the brain and body
● Improvement in memory and brain functioning
● Energy production

When you lack the appropriate amount of sleep, you’re severely limiting what your body and mind are capable of doing. Unfortunately, the importance of sleep is often understated, and many fails to recognise just how much sleep can impact your health.

Lack of restful and revitalising sleep is not a new phenomenon at any age as recent reports have pointed out.You can try some sleep tips and keep in mind my favourites:

keep a temperature you are comfortable with in your bedroom
settle down with the minimum of distractions. TV and other electronic devices should be switched-off
use bedding you feel most comfortable with

The bees have it

Ah, yes the bees I mentioned earlier. A bunch of bees has taken over my bird box in the garden adding adding accidental beekeeper to my list of lockdown interests!

But finally…

…as we continue to abide by and make the best of lockdown I leave you with a mantra which inextricably links the three key essentials to help keep you in best of health in these and all times :

eat well – exercise appropriately – sleep well.

Do tune in again next time.

5 Steps to Giving Your Spring Lawn the Care It Deserves

It is Springtime again and time to visit your garden! If you have a lawn you may find the Winter months have not been too kind and some care is needed.There maybe discolouration in parts or areas which look rather straw-like (like mine) rather than green and some indication of moss.

At this time in the UK , a first cutting will be important. The following are 5 steps to help you with that first post-winter cutting and to set you up for looking after your lawn to maintain a healthy and good-looking feature for your garden throughout the rest of the year.

How to give your spring lawn the care it deserves

Remove thatch

The first step that you have to take is to remove any lawn debris that has accumulated during the Winter.You can do this by raking. This also gets up any leaves that have fallen to the ground and died, but it also can help keep your lawn free of thatch in the coming months.

Thatch is made up of the stems and roots that didn’t complete a decomposition process. You’ll find thatch around the living grass at the top of the soil. For people who did a thorough raking job in the Autumn, the thatch buildup should not be as thick.

If you leave thatch, it can create patchy areas in your lawn because the new grass can’t push through this to the surface.

So, as soon as you see signs of new grass growth, you need to take a fan rake and remove all traces of dead grass and worm casts.

2. Set your lawn mower correctly

Your first cut should not be a close one. The blades should set so that about one third of the height of the grass will be taken off the top.This will allow for a good cover overall and avoid scalping the lawn and so exposing soil and taking or dragging out grass at root level.

3.Choose a fine day

You do not want to cut your lawn when the grass is wet. This will only damage areas where you tread heavily and the mower may tend to tear rather than cut the grass. The effect when the grass has dried out will not be tidy.So if your grass is showing growth choose a dry day particularly before you make your first cut. Also, mow at a steady pace.

4.Remove grass cuttings

Do not leave any grass cuttings on the lawn.Ideally remove these to compost. For maximum performance your mower should be cleaned after use and the blades lowered for next time, usually in about a week.

5.Re-cut the edge of the lawn

After the winter the edges of the lawn will show some damage and unwanted growth.Take a half-moon edger and use the edge of paving as a guide to redefine the area of grass or, if improving a flower border, use a plank on the edge of the lawn as a guide and to protect the grass.The edger is preferred at this time to using a strimmer. Maintenance of the edge can now easily be done with a pair of edging shears after each time the lawn is cut throughout the year.

Now you should be off to a fine start for the Spring!Please look out for further gardening tips as we go through the year.In these unprecedented times an interest in gardening however small will help both body and mind if you are careful.

The truth about stress in later life and how to deal with it

message from Nungwi beach in Zanzibar,Tanzania.This is paradise for no Stress!

“It has been verified through scientific exploration that more than 80 percent of all diseases are due to stress and strain that originate in the mind and reflect on the body.”

– American Medical Association

This stat looks bad.It must be said ,though, that not all stress is the same.We will all have benefited from positive stress at some time in our lives and also suffered to some degree from negative and corrosive stress.Working with the positive stress and binning the rest is good for your mental and physical wellbeing.We need to be mindful both of the dangers and of the solutions that are available to us.There are things we can do.

When we were younger the challenges in life tended to be far different from those which we experience in older age.As we age our bodies cannot deal with these as well as they once did. This change may also come at a time when we are least prepared for life challenges previously unfamiliar to us.

Stress factors.According to the Harvard Health Watch team there are health factors which can reduce our mental ability to cope with stressful events. They report that stress may also be caused by different factors that could be more complicated than the issues you faced in your younger years. For example, losing family members, leaving a career, changing financial circumstances, or perhaps moving home, for example, may hasten on physical effects of which we are often not immediately aware. Some of these effects may include raised blood pressure, suppressed appetite, and increased and prolonged muscle tension.

The researchers at Harvard say these problems can result in signs of stress which mimic symptoms of memory loss or dementia or include appetite changes, headaches, anxiety, irritability, or trouble concentrating. They suggest we can help manage stress by

using relaxation techniques
getting involved in community activities
taking care of yourself
eating right and
getting enough sleep

Now for the good stress. At healthline, Clinical psychiatrist Dr. Michael Genovese refers to eustress which works as a positive force and is good stress causing a nerve response in our bodies from for instance the excitement of challenging and realistic goals.It gives a good feeling of wellbeing.

Some further articles on stress for information are to be found at

Stress management is more difficult as we age

Relieve stress anxiety

5 Ways older adults can reduce stress

16 Ways to relieve stress anxiety

Wishing you a good stress only day today!

10 Things that can help towards a longer and happier life

Simple Life Reunion 2057 — Gruhn creative commons

Hi Everyone!

Last time we looked at why sense of purpose in older age is so important. In today’s world, the pursuit of happiness is an ingrained concept. We’re often taught to expect our lives to be fairly happy, and we’re encouraged to do whatever it takes to achieve that. Also, we want to live long and well forever. I’m no exception. As we saw in the previous post the Okinawans know a thing or two about achieving satisfaction, happiness and meaning in life.As a people who live long, they would broadly recognise the following principles or beliefs.So without being ‘preachy’, this is my take from online sources on what we should be doing as we get older: Continue reading “10 Things that can help towards a longer and happier life”

Why sense of purpose in older age is seen as so important

The inhabitants of the Japanese island of Okinawa have long been known for their healthy lifestyle and longevity.They live longer than any other people in the world.This is largely attributed to having a sense of purpose, and therefore a reason to live, which is focused on a concept the Japanese call Ikigai which they believe to be deep seated within everyone of us. The big secret is to find it and so benefit from longer and better quality of life, by finding meaning to your life and happiness.

So do we all really have a sense of purpose in life?

Continue reading “Why sense of purpose in older age is seen as so important”

21 Things You Can Do To Look After Your Brain’s Health

the60life life skills

Hi Everyone!

It is well known that as we get older we are likely to lose some mental acuity.Also, it is common knowledge that changes in lifestyle can provide incremental benefits to both mind and body.Such lifestyle changes include: taking both regular physical and mental exercise and following a Mediterranean diet.

Perhaps you are older and you find you have more time now, with family or career commitments much reduced, and you are able to think more about yourself and your wellbeing. Although holding back the years is much like the task of the unfortunate Sisyphus of Greek mythology, who was destined to fail in keeping a stone he had to roll up a hill from rolling back down again, you can work at preventing cognitive decline. The following 21 suggestions of activities and interests may help you to look after your brain’s health. Continue reading “21 Things You Can Do To Look After Your Brain’s Health”

Why mushroom in your coffee is good for you

Hi All!

I have always enjoyed eating mushrooms. Usually, I have them gently fried with a little olive oil.So I am gratified to have further recent confirmation they are very good for you.Now this versatile edible fungus and beloved ingredient of the all-day breakfast, soup, and pizza has a coffee named after it.

Do you take mushroom in your coffee?

What I am surprised to learn is that many coffee shops in the UK are now feeding this rising trend: the mushroom latte. Continue reading “Why mushroom in your coffee is good for you”

How to keep your memory fit as you get older

How to keep your memory fit as you get older

Without taking appropriate action the avoidable debilitating effects of getting older may catch-up with the inevitable passage of time.We are often preoccupied with the physical decline in our bodies but what is possibly worse is when our mind begins to show signs of failing.Forgetfulness and becoming slower in our thinking can give rise to great upset and a feeling of isolation, even if the cause is not the result of any specific condition such as dementia. There is good news. According to The Harvard Medical School decades of research conclude that certain strategies will help protect and sharpen our brains.With some time and effort put in the brain can be strengthened by certain training just like a muscle, preventing some of age-related cognitive decline so as to keep your brain sharper.

Exercise

What is not often appreciated is that exercise can help strengthen your brain as well as keep your body strong and healthy.Short-term memory improvement is one of the main benefits noticeable in older people who have started an exercise regime and particularly one involving lots of cardiovascular work.

brain training

Use

Regular use of your brain in creative ways can avoid it deteriorating.The saying ‘use it or lose it’ applies here.

Experts at Harvard think that advanced education may help keep memory strong by getting a person into the habit of being mentally active. They say that challenging your brain with mental exercise is believed to activate processes that help maintain individual brain cells and stimulate communication among them. Many people have jobs that keep them mentally active, but pursuing a hobby or learning a new skill can function the same way. Read; join a book group; play chess or bridge; write your life story; do crossword or jigsaw puzzles; take a class; pursue music or art; design a new garden layout.That said though, anything will help – even just reading occasionally.

Diet

Although healthy eating lowers your risk of diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease, it’s not yet clear if that’s true for Alzheimer’s disease as well. It’s not a lost cause though. Here are 9 foods that researchers think will keep your whole body, including your brain, healthy.

The right diet can do wonders for looking after your brain and helping to prevent the onset of various neurological diseases or general deterioration. Particularly useful are fatty acids such as omega 3 which you can get from fish and supplements, vitamins such as B9 (also known as folic acid) which can be found in fruits and veg and amino acids (proteins) which you can get from meat or from supplementation – from ‘Age Slower’ by David Jones

Lifestyle

Your lifestyle can also impact on your mental health. Your sleep regime and fresh air can affect your brain, and alcohol consumption can also have a big impact.

Some easy steps to a better quality of sleep

Staying Active

In Japan, particularly in Okinawa, always keeping busy is seen as giving a sense of purpose in life and supports a concept known as Ikigai. Having something to get up in the morning to do is central to their way of life and is credited with giving the Okinawans a long life expectancy such that they tend to live much longer than those in the rest of the world’s population.What is more they enjoy enviable levels of vitality and health unthinkable for people of advanced age almost any where else in the world.

“One surprising thing you notice,living in Japan, is how active people remain after they retire .In fact, many Japanese people never really retire – they keep doing what they love for as long as their health allows”

– Ikigai – The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles

How to get active in your 60s,70s and beyond

Introduction

The Daily Telegraph reports that new research concludes that sitting for hours a day speeds ageing. This shows how important it is, particularly as we become older,that we take regular periods of physical movement throughout the day, and not live a sedentary lifestyle so as,literally, to shorten our lives and reduce quality of life.

So let’s MOVE IT!

This could be an intro for a book : SOD SITTING Get Moving! by authors Diana Moran and Muir Gray.

In order to do what is required for our good health a guide book is essential to ensure that we stick to our task.Well, we are in luck! Continue reading “How to get active in your 60s,70s and beyond”

Some easy steps to a better quality of sleep

Resting – (Oksay Mark @ dollarphotoclub)

Ageing Can Make For Sleepless Nights You may find as you age that your ability to live longer is rewarded with insomnia. It does not seem fair that you worked so very hard to stay healthy and fit, and in return you are much more likely to suffer sleepless nights as you grow older. But when you look at it from a purely physical point of view, the ageing / insomnia relationship makes a lot of sense. Beginning at about 50 years of age, your body begins to grow weaker faster. Both inside and out, your body is simply not as healthy as when you were younger.

Continue reading “Some easy steps to a better quality of sleep”

What you need to know about tomatoes and lycopene

tomato motif — by courtesy of dollarphotoclub

In the Europe of the 1700’s “the golden apple”, so described by the herbalist, Pietro Andrea Matthiola ,about two hundred years before,was still often viewed with suspicion because it was closely related to certain plants like the poisonous nightshade vine.Happily, the much beloved fruit and now essential food survived being stigmatised for ever as the “poison apple”.Today,we know the health secret behind the shiny red skin of the large majority of the over 5,000 varieties of tomato that are grown worldwide.The truth about lycopene is now known.

Gina Crawford the well known and highly respected author of many books on cooking and eating healthily has recently written: 5 Things You Need to Know About Tomatoes and Lycopene.

Have you ever wondered where tomatoes get their lovely red colour?
The answer is lycopene, a powerful, naturally-occurring substance that does wonders for your health. Here’s what you need to know about it:

1. Lycopene is an antioxidant

This means that it fights against harmful free radicals, lowering the risk of chronic diseases like cancer, heart disease, and macular degenerative eye diseases.

2. Your body stores lycopene in its tissues to fight cancer

When you consume enough lycopene, your body stores it in your
liver, lungs, prostate gland, colon, blood, and skin. The higher these levels of lycopene are, the lower your risk of developing cancer in the prostate, digestive tract, upper respiratory tract, and lungs.

3. Cooked tomatoes are best

Unlike many other nutrients found in fruits and veggies, the
availability of lycopene is actually increased when tomatoes
are cooked. Good sources include tomato paste, tomato
sauce, tomato juice, and of course tomatoes that you’ve
cooked yourself.

4. You should aim for 30 mg per day

Eating 30 mg of lycopene per day can lower your risk of heart
disease and stroke. One raw tomato contains only 3 mg of
lycopene, but you can get all you need from half a can of
tomato paste, two glasses of tomato juice, or four tablespoons
of ketchup.One small can of tomato paste provides 62 mg of
lycopene. Two glasses of tomato juice, four tablespoons of
ketchup per day or a bowl of tomato soup provide an ample
amount of antioxidant protection for your body.

5. Lycopene is fat-soluble

Your body will absorb far more lycopene if you consume some
fat at the same time, so add a little extra virgin olive oil to your
tomato sauce!

6. Lycopene lowers ‘bad’ cholesterol levels

In doing so, it prevents the hardening of your arteries and lowers your risk of coronary heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes.

NOTE: The amount of lycopene varies in tomatoes. Tomatoes
allowed to ripen on the vine contain the most lycopene. The more brilliant red a tomato is, the more lycopene it contains.

Gina Crawford

Italian food ingredients on wooden background (dollarphotoclub)

There you have it.In summary,unlike other fruits and vegetables, where nutritional content such as vitamin C is diminished upon cooking, processing of tomatoes increases the concentration of bioavailable lycopene. Lycopene in tomato paste is four times more bioavailable than in fresh tomatoes. Thus processed tomato products such as tomato juice, soup, sauce, and ketchup contain the highest concentrations of bioavailable lycopene.

Tomatoes provide an essential ingredient in the Mediterranean Diet..Healthy,easy to grow and delicious, cooked or eaten raw in salads,it is little wonder they are one of the most popular of foods. See Mediterranean Diet for Beginners. for a quick start guide.

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Best fitness exercises can delay or prevent illness in later life

An image of some people doing yoga exercises -dollarphotoclub credit

One of the abiding myths as we age is that illness and loss of physical ability are inevitable, and much reduced quality of life must follow.The good news is that this is simply not true.Although,when you grow older, keeping energy up, your independence intact and staying free of illnesses and pain does become more difficult.

According to the nihseniorhealth website – staying physically active and exercising regularly can produce long-term health benefits and even improve health for some abler people who already have diseases and disabilities.That’s why health experts say that older people should aim to be as active as possible
Continue reading “Best fitness exercises can delay or prevent illness in later life”

8 surprise health benefits of walking up and down stairs

What Are the Health Benefits of Walking Up Stairs …

Introducing this topic is “What Are the Health Benefits of Walking Up Stairs?” by Brenda Scottsdale. “Use the stairs at work instead of taking the elevator. … If you have health problems, …” Continue reading “8 surprise health benefits of walking up and down stairs”

Simple mindfulness fundamentals

If you have visited a good bookshop recently you will probably have noticed the groaning shelves straining to support the great number of books written about the simple meditative state of awareness which is called mindfulness.Largely unknown in the West until the 1970s, Asian religions have been been practising meditation techniques,including mindfulness, since around 5th and 6th BCE.

What is mindfulness? Continue reading “Simple mindfulness fundamentals”

Why volunteering to serve others is good for you

www.volunteersweek.org
2016 logo

Volunteers’ Week this year has been stretched to run from the 1st -12th June.It is held annually in celebration of the work that many thousands of people in the UK put in freely to help in their free time with tasks,projects for the benefit of others in their community or country.
Continue reading “Why volunteering to serve others is good for you”

23 tips to reduce your osteoarthritis pain

oa-infographic

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis in the UK and is a condition in which the joints of the body become damaged, stop moving freely and become painful. – Arthritis Research UK

The risk of developing osteoarthritis increases from the late 40s.

Also according to arthritis research UK, 8.75 million people in the UK have sought treatment for osteoarthritis.This is how the figures stack-up: Continue reading “23 tips to reduce your osteoarthritis pain”

The Best of the60life in May

via dollarphotoclub - the good life — via dollarphotoclub – the good life

Nearing the end of a busy month. The following are the Best of the60life in May which you may have missed: Continue reading “The Best of the60life in May”

Why the way we breathe is so important to our health

Who says so?

It seems a great many people do. A current google search using a keyword such as “breathing” will produce many tens of millions of references, many pointing to advice and information, much of which is clear It and helpful in our daily lives. It is clearly an important subject.So why add to the many millions of words already swirling around the internet, and elsewhere in books and magazines? Some messages are so important that they cannot be reinforced in the general population too often, one such is : Breath is Life. Continue reading “Why the way we breathe is so important to our health”

The short guide to dealing with stress in later life

Boredom in retirement -that'll be the day! — Boredom in retirement -that’ll be the day!

Of course stress has no respect for age.We know it’s part of life.Its destructive nature can affect anyone at any time, and the long term effects can creep up like a shadows in the night inflicting their damage to our health, catching us unawares.The natural ability to withstand the persistent onslaught of stress is much degraded,as we grow older, but succumbing to ravages to health is not inevitable. Continue reading “The short guide to dealing with stress in later life”

Why changing some habits can benefit you in older age

How's this for a good habit? — How’s this for a good habit?

Breaking old habits of a lifetime is just what the doctor ordered if,for your health’s sake,you take for inspiration that you’re never too old to adopt new healthful habits. The rewards: In the Johns Hopkins-led Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis,which tracked more than 6,000 people ages 44 to 84 for over seven years, those who made good-for-you changes like quitting smoking, following a Mediterranean diet, getting regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight decreased their risk of death in the time period by 80 percent. The following changes not only keep you healthy, they can help slow down the ageing process, inside and out. Continue reading “Why changing some habits can benefit you in older age”

9 of the best websites for walking events in the UK for all ages

Regardless of the growing success of the month of May as National Walking Month, the appeal of gathering and walking in groups has risen apace in many other months of the year.This can only be to the general benefit of the now large number of people who look to walking in groups as a fun and healthy thing to do. Continue reading “9 of the best websites for walking events in the UK for all ages”

How to be physically flexible at any age

Flexibility is something we all need in our everyday lives in order to function properly and with relative ease.It provides a range of movement in a joint or joints, and muscles across joints.Without this ability, everyday activities, even simple personal ones, become more difficult to carry out. Also a person’s balance can be seriously affected leading perhaps to being prone to falls resulting in further injury.The problem is that as we age our flexibility tends to deteriorate,and also this resultant lack of function has often become worse over time because of a sedentary lifestyle.Many of us take take flexibility for granted until we begin to lose it. Part of the problem is therefore unconsciously self-inflicted.So what to do if afflicted, say, with back pain or loss of mobility? Continue reading “How to be physically flexible at any age”

5 mythbusting articles you may have missed at the60life blog about your health in later life

There are many misconceptions about getting older.One of these is that older people inevitably will suffer from significant age-related decline in health.This is what many parents and grandparents of those now in their 60s and 70s were led to believe.With a lower life expectation they also seemed to be condemned to a short retirement in ill-health before death. Society and culture did not expect any more from older people. The stereotypes were out there with ‘pipe and slippers’ often the onlyreward at the end of a working life. Nowadays so much has changed and with good reason.Apart from people wanting more out of life the realisation has surfaced that in reality something can be done to prolong an active life.

Myth 1: Trying to improve fitness in older age is pointless Continue reading “5 mythbusting articles you may have missed at the60life blog about your health in later life”

The really simple way to walk for health in later life

Happy senior couple hiking in the park (dollarphotoclub)

INTRODUCTION

The problem for many of us today is that we just do not exercise enough. This can have dire consequences as we age.

According to the Lancet medical journal,about two thirds of the adult population in the UK does not take sufficient exercise and are endangering their health.The British Heart Foundation 2015 physical activity survey revealed that only 30% of over 75s meet a reasonable physical level of activity. These are astonishing statistics,and if we don’t use our physical ability to take reasonable levels of exercise we will eventually lose it.

In the UK and the US health authorities tend to agree that we should strive to achieve 10,000 steps each day equivalent to about 5 miles.The average person in the UK reaches around 3000-4000 steps daily according to the NHS( in the US this figure is said to be around 5,200 -5,900)

There is a simple way we can individually deal with this problem of low activity, and that is by walking for health in later life. Continue reading “The really simple way to walk for health in later life”

Top March event Sport Relief 2016 discovered Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em still

Sports Relief 2016 gave a platform for Michael Crawford to reprise his Frank Spencer character last played on TV 42 years ago.With an hilarious ten minute sketch Frank has several hair raising adventures on bicycle or roller skates in his typical physical comedy style.Although the sketch was widely acclaimed much comment has been made about the fact that Michael Crawford is 74 years old and, of course,considered to be a pensioner.What’s he doing all this for at his age? Many might say :Is he up to it?Wasn’t it all a long time ago when the series he starred in finished?

Apparently, this sketch was to be a ‘one-off’ in aid of charity.It took many weeks to bring to the screen.Michael might be a little stung by the age remarks.It seems he is not concerned.As in his earlier career, he did all his own stunts.Which brings us nicely to a wonderful web page featuring other senior people acting in most unexpected ways. Is it not time that the ‘old person’ stereotype was buried once and for all? Times they are a changing in our senior classes.Many people are not settling for retirement from life.They are embracing later life with both hands,working enthusiastically at remaining fitter for longer, and enjoying active and fulfilling lives.

So do spend a few moments here being entertained and amazed by a veritable ‘troupe’ of impressive people who are destroying age stereotypes.

Oh…and you can still donate to Sport Relief 2016 to support its work on projects for people in essential need in many places around the world.

5 Tips to Give You Time to Enjoy Your Healing garden

Over many centuries monasteries and hospitals have valued the restorative benefits of having a garden in close proximity to people who are suffering sickness. A garden setting provides calmness, a path to creativity and a new appreciation for everything that surrounds us. It transports us from the stress of the world to a place of peace and tranquility and restores our minds and bodies like nothing else can do.You can benefit from the healing properties of nature by planning your own healing garden. Continue reading “5 Tips to Give You Time to Enjoy Your Healing garden”

How to Lift Your Health, Balance and Strength Using Light Weights

As we age, most people notice a range of changes in their health. One change might not seem like such a big deal, but more than one can add up to poor health long-term. For example, we might notice we are not as strong as we once were. We might discover that our balance isn’t what it used to be. As a result we may be prone to losing our balance and injuring ourselves due to slips, trips and falls. Continue reading “How to Lift Your Health, Balance and Strength Using Light Weights”

The 17 health benefits you can hold onto in later life

17 Health Plus Benefits

7 strength training benefits for older people

17 Health Benefits
Following an earlier article on the 60life.com, this article introduces a major series to be posted on this site about the numerous benefits of strength training at any age.

Until recently, loss of muscle was generally believed to be inevitable as we progress into later life.This discouraging belief has now been firmly dispelled by the findings of new scientific studies which show that an increase in frailty with age is not inevitable and can be controlled to a significant degree through lifestyle change, particularly through taking more exercise. Continue reading “The 17 health benefits you can hold onto in later life”

If you must spend time on the sofa do this for your health and wellbeing

sofa so good - @ dollarphotoclub — sofa so good – @ dollarphotoclub

This piece is about spending less of our waking day sitting down and using more time throughout the day improving your wellbeing and fitness. The importance of exercise at whatever age for longer life has been bandied about a lot in the media recently.It seems we are not listening.But scientists confirm exercise is the answer to keeping fit and well.
Continue reading “If you must spend time on the sofa do this for your health and wellbeing”

Youthful strategies for Boomers and beyond

As we age, changes occur in our bodies and minds, but there are certain ways you can resist the downside of ageing and take steps to prevent diseases which prey on older bodies. This report gives you guidance on steps to take to help you feel spry and live longer as the years pass.

No matter what your age or level of fitness, you can begin an exercise programme to help you overcome the many detrimental changes which make you look and feel old. For example, certain exercises can help your balance – so you don’t fall as easily and risk broken bones and a long term recovery period.< Continue reading “Youthful strategies for Boomers and beyond”

Why you can profit from being over age 65 if you are older active enough?

Derrick Evans, better known as "Mr. Motivator” with aerobics team, Harry Nash, Nigel Iskander, Anthony Shorter, Hi Chu Yap, Judy Hill, Mangala Harris, Green Park, London — Derrick Evans, better known as “Mr. Motivator” with aerobics team, Harry Nash, Nigel Iskander, Anthony Shorter, Hi Chu Yap, Judy Hill, Mangala Harris, Green Park, London

Calling all you older actives who follow active lifestyles and love to keep fit!

If you are over 65 and think you are able and fit enough you can enter a national competition sponsored by Ateronon to find the 2015 Older Actives Champion.There will be prizes for the the winners of nine regional heats who will go on to the national final to be held later this year.Each of these winners will receive a medal together with £500 worth of Ateronon products and £100 of Marks and Spencer vouchers. In addition to the prizes won at regional level, the 2015 Champion will receive a trophy and £1,000 worth of UK holiday vouchers. Continue reading “Why you can profit from being over age 65 if you are older active enough?”

How to harness the vast health benefits of the tomato for later life

Almost 200 years ago, the tomato as part of the nightshade family was considered poisonous. It is therefore hard to believe that this fruit has been rehabilitated as a wonder food. Tomatoes are a rich source of vitamins A and C and folic acid. They contain a wide array of beneficial nutrients and antioxidants, including alpha-lipoic acid, lycopene. The consumption of tomatoes has been credited with beneficial health qualities including the prevention and alleviation of a number of serious health conditions including Continue reading “How to harness the vast health benefits of the tomato for later life”

How you can take charge and simply reverse ageing

Getting Older Doesn’t Mean You’re Finished!

Are you concerned with the quality of life as you age? Do any of the following resonate with your experiences?

The thought of sliding into infirmity leaves you frightened and depressed
On more than one occasion you struggled to find the words to complete a thought
You fear losing your independence and ability to take care of yourself
The thought of just fading away in loneliness and isolation is downright depressing
It seems that worrying about growing old is constantly nagging at you

You aren’t alone.

There are almost 40 million people over the age of 65 in the United States. That is nearly 13% of the population. By 2030 there will be more than 72 million older persons making up 19% of the population.

The trend is similar for European countries. It is estimated that during the period from 2013 to 2080 the percentage of the working age population will shrink, while people over 65 will account for an increasing share of the total population. Continue reading “How you can take charge and simply reverse ageing”

7 Easy Tips to help you sleep better at night

At any age lack of sleep is damaging to your health.Enjoying a restful night’s sleep is an essential prerequisite for preserving your health.If you are suffering from insomnia you are not alone. According to report of the World’s largest online sleep survey held in 2016 three quarters of people in the UK failed to wake-up refeshed.In an earlier national sleepio survey held, it was reported that almost one half of the over 60s will suffer insomnia sometime. The best way to make yourself sleep better is the natural way. Without drugs you can train yourself to sleep.Here are some quick tips for a more restful night. Continue reading “7 Easy Tips to help you sleep better at night”

Reverse the effects of inflammation in the arteries with the Mediterranean Diet

Enjoy the benefits of the Mediterranean Diet.

You may worry about inflammatory disease such as arthritis or hardening of the arteries which can cause heart problems, many cancers and even Alzheimer’s disease. It’s very important that you discuss with your doctor any treatment that’s right for you. But, the good news is that you can help prevent or reduce the symptoms of these chronic diseases by adhering Continue reading “Reverse the effects of inflammation in the arteries with the Mediterranean Diet”

Why with exercise being over 60 does not mean over the hill

According to recent a medical research study at King’s College, London carried out to determine if there is a relationship between age and physiological function, we would be advised that appropriate regular exercise taken as we grow older is beneficial to Continue reading “Why with exercise being over 60 does not mean over the hill”

7 Helpful Tips for getting the best out of the Mediterranean diet

Generally, medical health experts agree the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle provide the best ways to living a healthy and happy life. As a lifestyle it can keep you healthy from a young age to a ripe old age and help you feel, look and think the best you can be.

For the best results,the Mediterranean diet Continue reading “7 Helpful Tips for getting the best out of the Mediterranean diet”

Why leaving your chair could add five years to your life

It perhaps should no longer be necessary to remind people that physical activity is essential for health and longevity.Medical research into reducing the risk of heart disease,diabetes and cancer in older people continues to support this truth.The results of recent large studies by the Oslo University Hospital, Norwegian School of Sports Sciences, confirm a strong association between physical activity and Continue reading “Why leaving your chair could add five years to your life”

How to apply the 80/20 principle to gardening in a small space

vegetable garden Alix Marina @ dollarphotoclub

No space for a garden?

Over thirty years ago, Mel Bartholemew devised a system of gardening which enabled him to yield over 80 percent of his crops of vegetables and flowers from 20 per cent of the area normally required for traditional gardening methods.This gardening example (loosely applied) of Pareto’s 80/20 principle,like so many things of genius, was derived from a simple concept.Mel has continued to experiment and improve his way of gardening in a limited space using small square foot plots to the present day.

Continue reading “How to apply the 80/20 principle to gardening in a small space”

On Gardening…

How green spaces make you feel better

potted glory — (c)to35ke75@dollarphotoclub

Green spaces provide areas where you can relax and de-stress from the turbulence of modern living, and help your physical and mental health and wellbeing.They are also good for the environment.

You don’t need a large area in which to create your own green space at home.If you have recently downsized to an apartment, where space for a garden is severely restricted, this idea may particularly appeal to you.With a little thought, you can bring a sense of the country into your own living space with some oxygenating plants in containers,and perhaps a water feature.Even a balcony or patio can be transformed into a container garden easy on the eye and the ear.If space permits you may wish to extend it into an even more environmentally-friendly area.

Your green space can serve many functions.It can provide a buffer for noise,a refuge, or simply be a place in which you can be calm and relax.

A green space can have any function that you want it to have. They can be noise buffers, recreational, a refuge or simply to relax and calm you. No matter what size your garden space, you can incorporate elements that make it your very own green space. Continue reading “How green spaces make you feel better”

Mediterranean Diet for Beginners: A Quick Start Guide to Heart Healthy Eating, Super-Charged Weight Loss and Unstoppable Energy Book Review

Introduction

The title of Gina Crawford’s most recent book says it all. For an introduction to an exciting new lifestyle you need an easy to read quick guide delivering “no fluff,no filler, and going straight to the point” as Mrs Crawford would put it. This book is just that.

Mediterranean Diet for Beginners: A Quick Start Guide to Heart Healthy Eating, Super-Charged Weight Loss and Unstoppable Energy was released in January of 2015, and reveals the “healthiest, most well respected and scientifically documented diet in the world.” Continue reading “Mediterranean Diet for Beginners: A Quick Start Guide to Heart Healthy Eating, Super-Charged Weight Loss and Unstoppable Energy Book Review”

What Food Choices Make up a Mediterranean Diet?

When you think about Mediterranean food do you think of pitta, lasagna, plenty of white bread, lamb and pizza? If so, you are missing the point.

The Mediterranean Diet, proved time and again to lead to less disease, a healthier heart, better brain function and a multitude of other health benefits, has been misrepresented in recent years. A true healthy Mediterranean Diet is based on the eating habits of Greece, Crete and Southern Italy of around 1960.

That diet is based on whole foods, plants and vegetables. To these basic essentials small portions of lean, healthy meat can be added, as well as seafood 2 or 3 times a week. The idea is that good fats replace bad ones, and you should always eat a breakfast rich in high-fibre foods, fruits and whole grains.Though allowed,daily products, are used in limited amounts.

Below are a few popular food choices which make up a healthy Mediterranean-style diet.

Whole wheat, whole grains and oats
Good fats like extra-virgin olive oil, sunflower seeds, nuts and avocados
Fish like salmon and sardines, tuna and herring
Shellfish, such as clams, oysters and mussels
Herbs and natural spices
Fruits and vegetables of all kinds
Whole foods (foods that are as close to their natural state as possible)
Foods you should avoid or eat less

An understanding of your eating options also means knowing what foods you should avoid, or simply cut back on. If you limit your intake of the following food items and components, and you will be making smart Mediterranean food choices.

Fast food and fried food
Processed and red meat
Products made with white flour
Refined sugar
Bad fats like hydrogenated oils, saturated fats and trans fats
Butter, margarine and lard
Salt
Monosodium glutamate (MSG is found in up to 80% of all processed food)the
Isn’t this rather too strict a diet?

It doesn’t have to be.You can see the above are foods to avoid or eat less of and are not all strictly forbidden. Eating red meat a few times a month is considered alright. And sea salt can be used in limited quantities since it is not processed like table salt. Essentially, it is important to focus on eating more fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains, and less processed and refined food, salt, sugar and unhealthy fats.The wide variety of foods available and good for you means that the diet is not boring.

Gina Crawford has written a comprehensive guide to the real deal Mediterranean Diet with many delicious and easy to produce recipes.

Making smart food choices is the basis of the Mediterranean Diet. Before you prepare your next meal, be honest with yourself. Is your diet primarily whole food, plant and vegetable-based? Does it substitute healthy fats for bad fats? Will it ensure that you eat fish 2 or 3 times each week, and red meat no more than 2 or 3 times a month? If so, you are well on your way to choosing the foods found in a Mediterranean-style diet that lead to fewer diseases and better overall health.

Ease into the Mediterranean diet today

cestino di pane con verdure - dollarphotoclub — cestino di pane con verdure – dollarphotoclub

Media headlines often tell it all:

Sensible diet cuts heart attack risk within weeks (The Times)

Obesity threatens chronic ill health in older age

Dire warning of [adult] obesity as [youngsters] pile on the pounds(The Daily Mail)

but many of us still don’t respond to the headlines, or even read the rest of the article,news item,or report we maybe reading.

Despite the sheer volume of scientific evidence written today about the likely consequences of poor diet Continue reading “Ease into the Mediterranean diet today”

Focus on the public face of dementia

Much has been said lately about the scourge of dementia in all its forms.And now,just a few days ago,Sir Terry Pratchett,author of the fantasy book series Discworld, and recently often considered a public face of dementia, passed away. He had been diagnosed in 2007 with early-onset Alzheimer’s.

According to the Alzheimer’s Society, an estimated 850,000 people currently suffer from dementia in the UK.The government is promising a new,long term strategy focused on boosting research,improving care and raising awareness of dementia. Not before time a deep searching light is to be shone on this growing mental disease which threatens to grow into a worldwide epidemic. Continue reading “Focus on the public face of dementia”

Walking really works for your health

Standing-up for your health really works

Scary headlines jostle daily in the media to attract our attention.Many do not deliver on the message and become just so much unnecessary distraction in our everyday lives.Now, where our health maybe concerned most of us will always prick-up our ears and take notice for fear of missing something of importance. Standing-up for your health is a theme that has gained traction in the last few years, but does it work? Sitting is killing us? Continue reading “Standing-up for your health really works”

We should be all together now

www.alltogethernow.org.uk

All together now!

It’s not what I expected to find on my recent visit to a local garden centre.It was not so much that I would not expect to see free newspapers or promotional material on a stand at the check-out point for passing customers to pick-up.No, my surprise was that I had not seen this publication before. I duly lifted a copy of All Together Now! returned to a seat in the coffee shop and read it from front to back.Having nursed a cup of coffee for as long as I felt was reasonable, I went home.

Now in its ninth year of publication

Chock-full of entertaining but above all informative articles and news items, All Together Now! is the messenger for a registered charity dedicated to providing a a top class news service for anyone whose life is affected by disability,long term health conditions or age. Now in the ninth year of publication, its area of coverage is the North West of England, although it now reaches a much wider audience with its digital newsletter offspring. The content is light in touch, bright, positive in tone, and above all likely to be very helpful for a range of age groups and disabilities.

In the June/July 2014 issue, features and news include:

-the creation of robots that enable people to walk again
-latest developments designed to make it easier for those with hearing or speech disability to make phone calls
-how yo obtain a downloadable easy read guide on using a mobile phone for people with learning difficulties
-news of improvements to be made in access at train stations for disabled people
-how to protect yourself from bogus callers at home
-recently announced changes in ISA rules
-views on the future of caring for older people
– a driving licence renewal reminder and tips for the over 70s,
and much, much more

I like its light, but not flippant, way of reporting serious issues affecting health and age challenged people particularly in the North West, and also elsewhere.

There is plenty of human interest and inspiring personal adventure stories galore,and hand in hand there is a wish to its readers to have fun and seek to be entertained.

I am signing-up for the digital fortnightly e-newsletter. This is a publication that deserves a much wider readership in the UK.

Are you still stepping-up your exercise in 2014?

So how is it going for you this year,so far? Did you start the year with a resolution to exercise more?Maybe you bought a pedometer, or some such aid, to help you set targets and measure your exercise levels.Just maybe, though, you will have followed the over 80% or so it is reckoned fall away from achieving their resolutions.

Well,I did make a resolution to achieve a daily average of 10,000 steps a day within the first three months of the year. I bought the pedometer and I have tried to build-up my daily step rate.At the moment I am achieving around 6,000 steps on average. So some days, I do more than 6,000, other days more around 5,500. My current rate is classed as just above a sedentary lifestyle, an improvement, but I must do much better in the coming weeks.

If you have never measured your walking steps, it does require some application to achieve the higher step rates for beneficial exercise. There is no doubt I feel much better for the challenge.

The thing about going for a good walking habit is that if you falter, you can quickly step it up again without too much loss of benefit. I find now that I think about how to step-up my effort during the day.So,for example, instead of driving the car short distances, I will take that 10 minute walk.I will take the stairs in a public building rather than a lift.

Would you feel better for that extra exercise? Well,don’t just take my word for it: research studies in Brazil and the US have concluded that taking 6,000 or more steps daily can decrease the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.They found that typically an adult male walks 5,117 steps in a day, equivalent that is to a walk of about two and a half miles and, apparently adding a further 1,000 steps to this tally may be just enough to lower this health risk by reducing abdominal obesity.

The research also indicates that your daily quota of steps does not have to be concentrated in an exercise programme.The health benefit can be gained if the physical activity is spread throughout the day.

Daily there is much talk about the growing levels of obesity throughout many parts of the world. You can help yourself by keeping to this simple daily exercise plan to walk more each day. Set yourself a reasonable and effective target.

Have you planned your New Year Resolutions?

The old year has nearly gone

and many of us will go through that timeless ritual of seeing the New Year in with one or several resolutions. We will be in earnest.But how many of us will manage to keep any of those promises to ourselves or others?According to some estimate as few as 1 in 10 of us will manage to achieve this self inflicted goal.

So why do we fail? It seems straight forward enough when the idea of self improvement,or perhaps a worthy cause, is born on the wave of a rush of blood when the sentimentality of the waning year is upon us. Why don’t our resolutions work out?

These key questions, and others, are answered in an excellent book which also provides an easy to follow blueprint based on 12 good habit types…to read more

Life is such a bore so pensioners say

Life is but a bore so pensioners say

According to a recent survey carried out by the Skipton Building Society, one half of a group of retired people canvassed said that within ten months of retirement they were bored with life! Having spent most of their working lives dreaming, scheming and saving for a life in retirement they found the freedom to do whatever they wanted with their time had not given them the happiness they had hoped to have.

Retired people, it seems, feel there is a stigma attached to their new life, and they resent being termed ‘old’.

For some,the extra lie-ins and the opportunity of watching daytime television had quickly palled in appeal.No longer did they feel useful or able to rely on a structured work life to offer meaning to their everyday existence. Sometimes loneliness had replaced the comfort of camaraderie in the workplace. Also of course, for some, the cause of dissatisfaction was a shortage of disposable money to indulge themselves, or at best to maintain their standard of living on a reduced income.

Work to remove those retirement blues now

If you are like a rudderless ship, you should look to find a new structure for your life, and one which will utilise transferable skills employed prior to retirement. Of course your health may dictate what you can and cannot do but your future activities can be tailored to your abilities. There is an opportunity to learn new skills and acquire new interests.

Essentially, you need something to get out of bed for in the mornings.

I hope that you will regularly return to these pages where we will be offering solutions to help drive away the hopelessness many feel when faced with the challenges of a new life beyond work – work of another nature, paid or unpaid, may also,of course, be a part or the whole of the solution to this dilemma.

The opportunity for beneficial retirement covers a wide field…

… but offers one wherein everyone will find something that will help improve their lives. For now, I leave you with this thought : during a busy work life the successful order of things rested heavily on acts of behaviour or routines very much driven by habit, like buying a newspaper on the way to the bus stop, or cutting-up for your lunch box,simple things which you did without much thought or extra learning, but if you missed out doing them it mattered to your general wellbeing. The number of these good daily habits was large, and probably ranged from the trivial to the vital,but all together played their part in keeping your life together and moving forward with some meaning.

Develop good daily habits

In retirement,or any new life, we need to develop a new set of good daily habits some of which we may or may not have incorporated in our previous life.It is a time to sort through and retain what is useful from the past for the future.

The good habits may help us in retirement to:

eat well and exercise for health;
likewise sleep better
take on new learning, doing something each day in which we excel utilising our experience or skill;
reduce stress;
socialise, or at least make yourself known;
do things that make you feel better, this might be for instance helping someone else through a problem;
have a routine when you first wake-up

Many of these interact,and there are many others, which will be covered in detail soon in future posts on this site, and in my newsletters.

Having a happy and fulfilling laterlife is the very essence of what this site is all about.

You can read a Skipton Building Society report on aspects and attitudes relating to retirement

Walking back to health and happiness

Walking has been described as the most underrated of human activities, and yet, when I last searched on Google there were 499 million entries for this one word alone! Clearly there is a vast interest in walking but are we reaping the full benefit of this most natural of skills? In health matters and particularly in terms of preventable serious illness, it seems we are not. Insufficient physical activity and an overly high intake of calories in food and drink are causing widespread chronic diseases in the general population of many developed countries.

Should I do this?Will I benefit?

People of all ages can greatly benefit from walking for exercise. And the fantastic news is that it is never too late to start taking advantage. From the outset, you should listen to your body and only do what is comfortable for you. If you are not a walker for fitness you should build-up your level of activity introducing walking into your daily life until it becomes a habit you enjoy and don’t wish to lose. Importantly, it should become fun,and you should feel better for it.

The benefits of walking are :

– More active life

– Losing weight

– Having fun

– Gaining a purposeful habit

– Saving money

– Expanding social life

– Providing protection against serious illness

Many of us need help later in life to sustain the level of physical activity required to ensure we give ourselves the best chance of living long and healthy lives. Significant changes in our lifestyles can affect our attitude to exercise. Often,when we reach a certain age and move away from busy family and business schedules to finding more time on our hands, we can tend to slow down. The equation we need to guard against this:

High calorie Intake + Low Physical Activity = Obesity,diabetes, and other chronic diseases.

So what will help? A good habit of taking exercise regularly and within our individual ability can pay high health dividends. In order to acquire this habit most of us need to see the measurable results of our efforts indicating clearly our progress towards incremental and reasonable improvements in our fitness. We need targets to aim for and the ability to measure easily how we are doing. The answer is to use a physical activity monitoring device everyday.

Activity Measurement

I recently bought a pedometer. This I believe will help me to build-up my daily walking activity. Already I have noticed a significant change in my daily walking activity. I will let you know how I get on. Over the next few weeks, I would also like to bring you some tips and related information about the benefits of the free at the point of action gift of walking to help ourselves sustain or improve the quality of our lives.So, if you don’t want to miss out,you can sign-up for my regular newsletter, in the box at the right of this screen- no obligation, and certainly no danger that your details will ever be used elsewhere.

Continue reading for details about the Omron Premium Digital Pocket Pedometer…pedometer review

Green exercise from gardening is good for you

Last post-up,you were promised a follow-up to cover the benefits to health of exercise from gardening.

Well, big in the news recently is the survey carried out for the BBC’s Gardner’s World Magazine. The results of the survey have certainly and rapidly circulated around the world. Many newspapers have carried the bloomin’ good message: gardening can make you happier and more satisfied with life.

The results of the survey of 1,500 people in the UK showed that 80% of gardeners in the sample were satisfied with their lot, whereas just 67% of non-gardeners felt the same way.Furthermore, 97% of those who gardened regularly believed the green exercise they enjoyed improved their mood.

Researchers at the University of Essex believe gardening to be a great benefit in the battle against depression.Short term benefits can help over the longer term.

So there you have it. It seems that the simplicity and tranquility found in the garden,and the responsibility for care-giving to growing things that gardening engenders adds to a person’s general wellbeing.

Also remember, during a heatwave, to take it easy in the garden as little really needs to be done. Why not sit in the shade and enjoy looking at all your good work!

For two items of press coverage you can go here for blooming’ cheer and for benefits of green exercise here.

5 ways to harness the exercise habit for a better life

The exercise habit can lead to a healthier life.

Keeping physically fit is universally acknowledged as a ‘no brainer’ so far as leading a healthier lifestyle is concerned. So why do so many of us not bother, or almost as bad, like a New Year resolution vow to exercise more and regularly but fall away after after a short time?

Let us take five affordable and effective ways to exercise, first. These are:

1. Running for your life and enjoyment

2.Walking Even a mere 15 minute walk can be so beneficial

3. Swimming Acknowledged by medical people to provide excellent but not over taxing strength training

4. Cycling Age is no bar for this activity

5. Gardening. Even gentle pottering around the garden has been shown to aid balance and make for greater flexibility

The benefits of regular exercise doing one or more of the above activities will reward you with greater :

flexibility
muscle strength
balance and co-ordination
stamina

Now, the above activities can be done in short programmes to suit yourself and your physical abilities. You can go to the above resource links against each activity ( gardening will be dealt with in a later post ) for further information to help you.

And there’s the rub. In our heads most of us know what is good for us, but many of us do not persist long enough to receive the sustainable rewards. So we fall down. This is where we all need some help. After working out what we can and should do, we need to change our daily pattern of behaviour to include our chosen

activities – often, in order to receive the benefit, we may only perhaps need to exercise every other day. But it must become a regular feature in our lives. Yes, it should become a habit.

A habit has been described as: ” a regular tendency or practice.It’s something you do almost without thinking.In some cases,our habits even come to to define us as people.” S.J. Scott –77 Good Habits To Live A Better Life

Powerful stuff ! We need the habit to keep us exercising.

To acquire a good exercise habit it helps to have the support of others. We can join clubs and associations, or a group of like-minded friends. In this way we can encourage and be encouraged in what we are doing.

In a series of posts to follow, we’ll go in more depth into these activities to increase our fitness and wellness . Also we’ll look into how exercise can become an indispensable part of our lifestyle. Hope to see you next time.

7 strength training benefits for older people

According to the authors of a report published in Mature Fitness for the American Senior Fitness Association adults of all ages can benefit safely and effectively from strength training activity. Here,though,I would always caution with the need to consult a medical practitioner before embarking on unaccustomed exercise.Not everyone at any particular age is of course capable of safely achieving, without detriment to health, the same levels of physical activity. The main benefits of a professionally supervised program of resistance training for senior fitness are claimed as :

an increase in muscle strength and size
reduction in resting blood pressure
enhancement in glucose utilization
easing of lower back pain
an increase in bone density
an easing of arthritic discomfort
the relief of depression

To read the full report on strength training

Other related resources of interest are eldergym and Huffington Post 50

How To Help Avoid Losing The Meaning Of Life Visit The Over 50s Show

Are you over 50 and at a loose end? Don’t know what to do next in your life? Well, the Over 50s Show could help you find your way.

Billed as the biggest show for active Over 50s, The 50+ Show hits town again for the seventh time with a three day event taking place in July at the Olympia’s Grand Hall in London.Following last year’s successful event, the organisers are determined to make this year’s show even better and expect 12,000 people to attend. As an added attraction this year, celebrities have been drafted-in to help the full and varied programme go with a swing.

On the main stage area during day two consumer champion, Esther Rantzen CBE,will be introducing her new charity The Silver Line. On the Saturday,day three, it will be the turn of journalist and TV broadcaster Angela Rippon, who will be giving ‘an audience’ and host a question and answer session.Opening the show on day one, Thursday, will be comedian and actor, Brian Conley, who will entertain with his particular style of stand-up comedy.

The main focus of the Show is ‘Making the Most of Life : Positively, Actively and Creatively.’

Sponsored by the Prudential, the show will have something of interest for most people covering a range of practical skills, including craft work, cookery, gardening, fashion, and keeping fit. Making the most of ourselves is what it will all be about as you visit the many exhibitor stands.

The 50+ show will be joined by the 50+ Travel and the Health Tourism Shows to provide a packed programme of activities including:

fitness sessions and a climbing wall
free health checks
cookery demonstrations – led by Beer Chef Richard Fox
wellness-based travel
holidays for mature travellers
fashion shows
flower arranging workshops – run by the national Association of Flower Arrangement Societies (NAFAS)

If you would like further details you can visit the official 50+ Show website

If you can’t make the London venue don’t worry! There are other venue dates to choose from for later in the year at Birmingham,Manchester and Glasgow, and there maybe others.

Good habits can help in times of stress

Research findings in the Psychology Department at the University of California suggest that our habits grow stronger under stress, whether they be good or bad.

The considered view is that when we are under stress ,this could be from a life event bereavement or perhaps a personal illness, for example,our longer term decision making ability is much reduced and we tend to go for short term comforts. We may fall back on bad habits ,say, of eating.The guilty pleasure of fast food may perhaps become our focus, once again; or we may default to an habitual behaviour of eating more healthily. When we are under stress we have less self- control, and we look for the ‘easy fix’ where longer term planning is not involved. If that is a good habit to fall back on, it will be reinforced.

Wendy Wood the research professor at the University of California says, ‘ getting enough exercise,eating right,getting enough sleep, not smoking, all of this should become an automatic part of your day.’ Enough said.

If you develop good habits now, you can rely on them to see you thorough the tough times – it is never too late for any of us.They will be part of an automatic response. You will benefit strongly in health terms, for instance, by eating sensibly,having good sleep patterns, and so on.

You can continue reading: stress can lead to good habits too, here.

Don’t let your laterlife ruin your health

Life expectancy is increasing significantly for many of us as a result of medical breakthroughs, and general improvements in living standards. Why then do many people over 60 feel they are entering an age of fear? Losing the meaning of life, they can succumb to a declining spiral resulting in greatly reduced physical and mental powers. While growing older does, of course, create challenges for us all, perhaps leading to loss of purpose and self-worth, it is not an inevitable part of the ageing process.

The seeds of a problem

These may have been sown much earlier in our lives, when our lifestyles were dictated by different pressures than now from work,family,personal ambition, fashion, or a more youthful culture. There are also poor habits and activities which we may have practised in our earlier daily lives that are inappropriate for sustaining the wellness we hope for as we grow older. Unfortunately, there are also arbitrary stages in our lives, retirement age being one of them, family leaving the home, when change is forced upon us which can affect our view of the future and ability to cope.

So what to do?

There are steps we can easily take to make daily progress towards halting the degradation of our lives, and actually going some way to improving them, raising our enjoyment and enabling us to reach greater fulfilment.This in turn will make us feel better about ourselves and better able to take on new interests and challenges if we need them.

At the heart of a revitalising process for a better and less fearful life are what may be called good behavioural practices, or habits, in our daily lives. We can either do nothing and allow the spiral of decline to claim us,or we can take positive actions. According to writer and entrepreneur, Steve Scott, daily habits are what help define us as people. He has written a book called : 77 Good Habits To Live A Better Life. Although probably written more with younger people in mind, who wish to grow in their lives in terms of work, and success, many of the Habits covered apply to all generations. They are powerful and can significantly help 60lifers improve the quality of life, particularly, in the matter of health. Some habits are ones we may have lost over the years, or may never have had. This is knowledge many of us already have but often we never put it into practice. Just a few small and easy steps introduced as part of our every day lives can transform them.

One of Steve’s easy habits which can benefit the over 60s is : Eat within 30 minutes of waking. He says, even a very light breakfast of ,say, an English muffin smeared with a little peanut butter is sufficiently nutritious to ‘kick-start’ your body for the day. A banana can also suffice. Another half-breakfast ,after an hour or so continues to give the right signals to our body’s metabolism.

If you like me, as a younger person, allowed little or no time for this habit to form because of a busy work life, you have absolutely no excuse in laterlife to find the time to keep this habit. It is never too late to improve your health, to help you reach your maximum potential.

It is not true that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks!

In future posts,I will cover more easy lifestyle habits to keep – so don’t miss anything.You can sign-up for my brief emails on this page.

As inspiration to us all, Sir Bruce Forsyth, the British entertainer, recently celebrated over 70 years in show business. By all accounts he is fit and well, and continuing his career.He has recently been a co-host for the highly popular British TV show: Strictly Come Dancing . In celebrity interviews, he puts down his longevity and physical flexibility – he can still show many young’uns how to dance- to daily exercise routines carried out as soon as he wakes in the morning, and before he rises, including body stretches,hand and finger exercises, and for toes and ankles. He is clearly a man of good habit.

Go Brucie! Wishing you many more years beyond your current 85 years of age.

Before I go please let me know your comments on not letting your laterlife spoil your health.Perhaps you also have some good habits to share.

Discover how strength training can help you easily regain your zest for life

As we grow older, many of us begin to lose our ability to keep-up the lifestyle we once took for granted. For instance,we may not indulge as often as we did in certain sports and recreational activities that we previously enjoyed. Even normal everyday physical activities are perhaps becoming increasingly more difficult. If you fit into this category, or feel this could happen to you, then something I have been looking into for a while may be the most important thing for your wellbeing that you have read in a long while. Today, I am inviting you to join me in a journey to discover how strength training taken in easy steps could transform your life.This is the first of a Lifestyle and Your Health series of posts about easy exercise to grow stronger and live better as you get older. Here is an introduction to strengthening exercises.

The age of fear for the over 60s?

One third of people in their 60s experience a ‘later-life’ crisis

The other day ,The Daily Mail reports, the Harrogate conference of the British Psychological Society heard from Dr Oliver Robinson, a lead researcher at The University of Greenwich, that in a survey of 282 people aged 60 or over, 32 per cent of men and 33 per cent of women said they had had a crisis since the age of 60.

At the centre of this later-life crisis for many over 60s is the big question : What is the meaning of life?

Why particularly at this time of life? Is it not stating the blindingly obvious, you may say, that as we become older we fear more, and feel more vulnerable? Illness and isolation become the enemies to be feared, and very often actually endured. There may be loss of family members and friends, or of gainful employment or occupation; physical or mental disability may restrict activity, and a break in connection with the world outside. This is said to be different from the ‘mid-life’ crisis of younger people.

The survey’s findings may perhaps not surprise. For some over 60, the figure of a third may seem rather low. What is there left to do, and where is it all going?

The questions are hugely important,so too is helping to find some answers. The experts conclude that unless the ‘triggers’ of a crisis, for example, bereavement or illness of a loved one, are properly addressed, then a spiral can often develop leading to and accelerating personal decline into physical and meant suffering.

It seems that two or more stressful life events, and the subsequent sense of loss, are likely to raise an acute awareness of mortality and frailty.

In Dr Robinson’s words: “It was important for people in their 60s to recognise the signs and for some to seek help.” It was not something to be ashamed about, either having these experiences or seeking help.”

And the Good News…Overcoming, the crisis can often make life seem even better than before.

Where to go to for help? Obvious immediate answers may be : your general medical practitioner, at first instance, or close family members and friends. In these pages ongoing, we will try to offer some regular and helpful information to help fill the knowledge gap, in what is a large and complex area to cover. If you see in the near future, on the side-bar of this page, an opportunity to sign-up for regular updates and news about what you have just been reading – Do sign-up! There is no cost, and no obligation, your details are treated as strictly confidential and will never be passed on elsewhere.

Health Disclaimer! The information provided on this site should not be construed as personal medical advice or instruction. No action should be taken based solely on the contents of this site. Readers should consult appropriate health professionals on any matter relating to their health and well-being. The information and opinions provided here are believed to be accurate and sound, based on the best judgment available to the authors, but readers who fail to consult appropriate health authorities assume the risk of any injuries. The publisher is not responsible for errors or omissions.

You may wish to follow full reports covered in this article and related articles:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2307843/One-60s-hit-later-life-crisis-meaning-life.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

One in three over-60s are hit by a ‘later life’ crisis about the meaning of life

Keep an eye also on updates to Your Health here>>

Why a tomato pill could cut your risk of heart attack

Following a study by experts from Cambridge University, claims by scientists have been recently reported that a single pill taken daily could quickly and dramatically reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke.

According to Ian Wilkinson, director of the University’s clinical trials unit , “these results [from the study]are good news and potentially very significant .” The “wonder pill”, a natural health remedy is packed full of bio-available lycopene obtained from the skin of tomatoes. Called Ateronon,this pill allows a modified type of lycopene to be easily absorbed by the body in the blood stream. Normally lycopene from our diet , which is known to be beneficial in softening hardened and damaged arteries and aid blood flow, is not so easily taken into the blood stream.

Ateronon, being hailed by experts as “very exciting indeed” has been around for a while, and was seen primarily as an aid to improving arterial efficiency. Now, it is believed, the benefits of taking a single pill each day extend to significant reduction in the risks of heart attacks and strokes, and may even offer the potential to fight other major illnesses.

Now before we get ahead of ourselves, the exciting study was taken of a small group of people , average age 67 years , in certain at risk categories – some with pre-existing heart disease – and,it is acknowledged by the Cambridge experts that these are preliminary results and need to be backed by much longer and wider clinical trials, to confirm these early findings. Promising,though, and something to keep our eye on as further information from promised future trials comes through. To read further about this health product claimed to have captured the health secret of the Mediterranean diet… Also interesting to note that the health product has caught the attention of the American Heart Association’s Winter conference attended by 17,000 cardiologists and circulatory specialists.

Stand up for your health

Over recent years,there have been academic studies which have concluded that sitting down too much during each day is bad for us, and may significantly reduce our lives, perhaps by several years.

Standing too much,too, may also not be good either. What seems to be important from all these studies is regular physical movement. So if you are inclined in the day to sit a great deal for whatever reason, it is beneficial to move about say every 20 minutes,or so. Why not programme into your day, if you are stuck at home for instance; a regular cup of tea(which you get up and make yourself), or make a bed ;or perhaps potter in the garden if the weather permits; or do that small fixing job you’ve been meaning to do for a while.

Taking regular light exercise, whether at home or at work which breaks up otherwise lengthy sedentary periods during the day may help ward off long term health issues which can arise from excessive sitting. Now it is easy to read these academic reports and terrify ourselves with the long words and dire consequences described, the easy bit though seems to be a truly simple solution – we just need to get off our butts more each day.

The sooner we start the better, but it is never too late too tweek our lifestyles a little – small adjustments make a big difference according to most of the studies on the dangers of excessive sitting.

How long do you sit down on average each day? Apparently, according to the Daily Telegraph some figures show some of us in the UK spending up to 14 hours per day sitting down!

So let’s MOVE IT!

Looking at the wider opportunities for taking regular appropriate exercise, may I leave you today with a great link to exercise tips you can consider building into your lifestyle practice. For those who don’t swim there is a great section on swimming. It is never too late to learn.Let me know how you get on.Maybe you have tips to benefit others.

Revealed the 6 food types to cut your cholesterol

The old cliche, you are in health what you eat is as true today as it has ever been,according to a recent report in the Daily Mail. There are ,for example,food types which can effect our health in a positive way by helping to lower high cholesterol levels. As high cholesterol is frequently blamed as a key factor in developing heart disease.To me, this is encouraging. Eat well, stay well.But how?

Information overload…?

…The information out there is confusing.There is a lot of it.The clear message coming through is that you can protect yourself with simple changes in diet and lifestyle. So let’s take the diet and food angle. This alone can significantly reduce cholesterol levels. The trick seems to be to use specific types of cholesterol-busting foods in certain daily amounts. The Daily Mail features expert advice received , including guidelines on changing your daily food diet, and recommended consumption of the following six foods to introduce into the diet mix:

1. Smart Foods

2.Fibre

3.Nuts

4.Soya

Also de-mystified,is the question: What is good and bad cholesterol all about?

And before you go, there’s more useful information provided by the British Heart Foundation which is currently running its Love Your heart Campaign bringing tips and expert advice to change our lives. It’s never to late to benefit from simple changes to diet, and also give us further benefit from appropriate (for our time of life) exercise routines and lifestyle changes.

Austerity diet rules?

No.Not okay. This is not in the message. Lowering your cholesterol is also about working within a low-fat diet. In following a balanced heart healthy diet,total deprivation from all those things you love to eat like cheese and chocolate is not the name of the game. Eggs, too, are good for you.

2 Types of physical activity to help make the most of your laterlife

How is your year going ,so far? All those resolutions you made, a distant memory? Like I am going to get myself fitter this year to reap the benefits of a fuller and more active lifestyle. I for one can confirm, it isn’t easy.But it is worthwhile.Even small, incremental, improvements to flexibility,balance and energy levels are within all our reach,and it is never too late to pick-up on what we need to do.So if, like me,you need a reminder every now and then,and some encouragement, this page is a good place to visit regularly.

There are two types of activity strongly recommended for older people: aerobic exercise, and exercise to strengthen muscles.Exercise routines using these two types of activity will help protect you in your current and laterlife.

Good aerobic exercises can be derived readily from walking,jogging and biking. Muscle strengthening exercises involve light weight resistance activity for muscles, in all areas of the body including the arms,legs,chest and abdomen. Both types should form part of a weekly quota exercising habit.It is important, however, to know your physical limitations ,and not overly sap your energy or overstrain. If you have not taken regular exercise of this nature for a while you should check out with your medical practitioner that your intended exercise plan is appropriate for you and your future health.

When starting any exercise, it is always important to gently warm-up your body with some light stretches and balance exercises, in comfortable loose clothing in a dry, warm, and ventilated room. The big question I hear you ask is: how much exercise should do? Some useful guidelines for taking aerobic and muscle strengthening exercise, depending on age and physical condition, are provided on the NHS website. So let’s get that heart pumping a little more. More information coming here soon with tips and advice on looking after yourself.Do let me know how you’re getting on and what works for you.

Towards a healthier later life : walk to live

By staying physically fit we can both extend our lifespan and age healthily.Fact. This message is the clear conclusion of an extensive study carried out by researchers at the UT Southwestern Medical Center and the Cooper Institute.

Today, there is such overwhelming medical evidence out there from many of the best research centres in the world that we can greatly improve our chances of living not only much longer, but without many of the chronic diseases that often beset people in their later life. It has been long known that adjusting our lifestyle -even a little- can be good for our health. We are advised to exercise more; reduce alcohol intake; stop smoking; and maintain a normal weight. We know it’s right. It’s just that we treat these lifestyle changes much like new Year resolutions, and frequently fail to act. What the above study report tells us is that even a little exercise – just 150 minutes a week – can make so much difference to our longevity and our quality of life.Even regular light walking as on a gentle stroll, is good.

It is never too late to improve for the long term our fitness and our lives. Although the Southwestern study reported on the beneficial effect of being physical fit in your 30s,40s,and50s when reaching 65 and over, the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, as reported on the British Medical Journal website,has produced research results which point to a benefit of an extra 6 years in people over 75 who have reduced some or all of the above risk factors causing chronic ill health. Activities seen as particularly beneficial include walking and swimming.

Debate on Statins for all over 50

In these pages we shall inevitably cover ‘burning’ health issues of the day. One such is the taking of statins to help to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease and stroke and seems to flare-up occasionally in the press to rekindle a raging topic for debate. According recent reports in the Daily Telegraph and other newspapers, everyone over the age of 50 should be given statins because the “cholesterol-busting” drugs reduce the risk of a heart attack even in healthy people. This latest conclusion is based on studies by researchers from Oxford University and the University of Sydney, funded by several institutions including the Brotish Heart Foundation,the UK medical research Council, and cancer Research UK.

The use of the ‘bad cholesterol-busting (known as LDL cholesterol)’ properties of statin drugs is suggested by the research findings for the medication of all people over the age of 50 whether considered at risk from vascular problems or not. Currently,guidelines for prescribing statins are based on a number of risk factors including age, cholesterol levels,blood pressure, and lifestyle issues like smoking.The benefits of taking statins are seen as outweighing ‘any known hazards of taking statins.’ For a full and rounded report you can read the article published by the UK NHS website.The debate does seem set to continue to rage. One or two people have commented at the website on concerns that statins may impair cognitive ability in those with dementia.

The NHS site says,”There is good existing evidence that a healthy lifestyle (including regular exercise, stopping smoking and a healthy diet) is an important factor in cardiovascular health.” We are told that the guidelines on statin drugs will be considered again soon.All the available information needs to be carefully considered.

Over 40s can expect to live happier as they grow older

5940252_s2 — A never say die thirst for adventure

Are you time poor and in your 40s? Mortgage burden, job or career concerns,growing and demanding young family are draining your fount of well-being?

A recent Warwick University research report finds evidence to show that a typical individual’s well-being reaches its lowest ebb in middle age.From age 45 years,though,you should,all things being equal,expect to become happier as the years go by.The evidence shows this to apply to both males and females, and to populations on both sides of the Atlantic.How so?

An explanation it seems is that as we grow older our life experience tells us to count our blessings. When others of our peers are beginning to fail,ail or even die this intensifies a need to make the most of our remaining years.This is my interpretation of the view of Professor Andrew Oswald who was one of the leaders of the Warwick University research project. The research also found that older people sleep longer at night which may give them the edge over younger people who survive on less regular rest.

Christine Webber ,author of Too Young To Grow Old,found through a survey of 45 to 65 year olds that most respondents who felt happier now than when they were young claimed increasing age had given them a growing confidence.There are also clearly things we can do to help raise our happiness levels.

This time last year

We quoted from a report from the Kansas City Star:

‘Apparently, men do not get meaner, irritable and more sarcastic as they get older. In fact, among the men participating in the Study of Adult Development — the longest longitudinal study of adult life ever conducted — men seem to get happier as they get older.The study has followed two groups of men for 68 years: 268 men who graduated from Harvard University and 456 men who grew up in the urban neighborhoods of Boston.

‘Depression in men, characterized by irritability and anger (and sarcasm is a form of anger) did not increase with age, according to the study ‘,carried out at the Department of Psychiatry at Brigham and Women’s Hospital of Harvard’s medical school.’

Reverting to the Warwick project, evidence is revealed of well-being following a U-shaped curve through the life cycle, the upward end of the happiness curve picking-up from around age 45 years.

How you can go to ‘pot’ and live more happily

Gardening is good for you.Yes, its official! Go potting and help your wellness.Gardening could soon be prescribed by your doctor if you are feeling depressed and under the weather.

Potting plants rather than popping pills may soon be the order of the day to deal with depression and related illnesses, with consequential health benefits to the patient ,and significant financial benefit to the UK National Health Service budget.

Sir Richard Thompson, President of the Royal College of Physicians, and a long time advocate of gardening as an important alternative therapeutic remedy for depression,has recently confirmed he is strongly in favour of gardening courses being used as an alternative to medicines in many cases. This was said by him recently in the context of greater choice likely to be made available under health reforms going through the UK Parliament.

Whether or not the NHS through the GPs support this development, the message from many quarters – Alan Titchmarsh is reported very keen on this-is : gardening is good for you , and it is free! You can also catch a news report from last year on gardening courses to help beat depression from the Daily Mirror.

How to stay alive and enjoy life more

This sound like something that would interest you? The benefits of keeping physically fit seem rather obvious at whatever age you are. So why is it that when we get older we feel the need to stop having an active life altogether? Rather than merely slowing down a little, but keeping body and mind in good running order commensurate with our age and taking into account our physical limitations, we settle for the ‘easy life.’The easy life begins to define the reality and limit of our abilities;it is not taxing, but comfortable. This can often result in a lethal spiral leading to feelings of unhappiness and lack of self-worth. In a Daily Mail Online report the stark warning to the over-70s from the medical experts is : Don’t suffer death by Armchair.

It seems whatever your state of health, you can improve it and gain a noticeably more active and enjoyable life. If you are restricted by disability,you should consult your GP to discuss what you would like to achieve, and you will probably be most surprised at what is possible, to achieve safely and reliably.

A website focused on encouraging older people to adopt a keep-fit mindset is run by Gina Jones who herself fought a debilitating spinal injury. She acknowledges that though not easy, keeping fit when you get older is so worthwhile for wellness. You can begin to enjoy life more ,and with greater confidence. Take a big step and find out more. For a start, visit the Home Exercise & Rehabilitaion website here…

Another useful source of health information can be found at spirehealthcare.com

The most important meal of the day at any age? Yes, that’s breakfast.

Staying on top of your game whatever your age can very much depend on your diet. The most important meal of the day is breakfast.This appears to be the universal fact wherever you look given by reputable experts on nutrition and wellness. So,how important is breakfast?

Eating a meal within 60 minutes of waking in the morning,comprising essential nutrients from three out of four certain food groups can help to keep obesity,diabetes, and the risk of heart attacks, at bay.

There is a mindset about breakfast. Often we are just too lazy or feel too time poor to eat breakfast. But really eating a breakfast well balanced with a selection of certain food groups is an easy to set-up process and can take little time at all. Just how difficult is it to shake cereals into a bowl and add skimmed milk, or to boil an egg for three or four minutes to suit, and perhaps pop a slice of whole meal bread into the toaster?These foods will help boost your day at any age, and help pace your food intake for the rest of the day. A healthy breakfast should consist of a variety of foods, easily prepared. It should contain complex carbohydrates, protein and fiber. Protein can come from eggs, beans, or soy. Fibre and carbohydrates can be found in whole cereals, grains or in fruits. A good example of a healthy breakfast might be something like a boiled egg, an orange, and a bowl of whole grain cereal with skimmed milk.What constitute’s a healthy breakfast? Here.

Take the Good Food Guide for the 60 life

banners-bannieres_450x100-eng — Canada Good Food Guide

Continuing our theme about vitamin sufficiency, we have been looking widely for a consensus view around the world. The clear simple general message is that you are what you eat; also, there are important requirements for people at different ages and stages in life.

Trawling the world for clear, impartial and comprehensive advice on eating well for the over 50s, we have the Canadian authorities sponsored Good Food Guide which is readily available as a download for all.This is a well written, easy to follow,nicely illustrated guide for all age ranges. It does however enable the special requirements for older people to be identified in clearly defined categories: food groups and and daily portion control are explained.

The issue of Vitamin D deficiency is fully covered. You can read more on the Canada Food Guide here>>

Should I be taking a Vitamin D supplement?

photo_62687_20111030 — fish: a vital source of vitamin D

According to most good medical advice, a balanced diet should provide many of us with all the Vitamin D we need to sustain our general health and wellbeing. However, particularly in the UK where,for instance not all milk is fortified with vitamin D as in the US, the medical authorities identify certain groups who are at particular risk of suffering a deficiency of this vitamin. Our interest group includes those over the age of 65 ,who should check out with their GP to see if they should take a supplement to prevent the risk of harbouring a calcium deficiency possibly leading to a weakening of the bones and osteoporosis.

In a addition to the benefits of bone-health, vitamin D is reported widely to reduce the risk of liver diseases, eyesight deterioration, and help prevent bowel disease – a benefit seen particularly for women by medics in the US where it is of course often very sunny! For a number of the most recent reports covering these and other health matters read more here at the Vitamin D Council dedicated to these issues, but please do come back!

In the UK, the health issue is currently being raised because it appears awareness of the need for action by or for members of certain risk groups is not considered sufficiently high. Indeed, generations have been brought up ignorant of the importance of Vitamin D intake, or with the concern that if this was too high it was was bad for their health. The NHS health websites in the UK are a wealth of knowledge in this area providing best current guidance and practice. If you are a 60-lifer, reading these reports is highly recommended, as is taking the advice of your usual medical practitioner. The time for action is now.

On remaining physically active as we age: 10 key benefits of swimming

That we should be reminded of the great benefits to us all of regular safe leisure swimming exercise is important. Swimming is safe and easy on the body.It allows full movement of the body without bearing weight and ,therefore, there is far less stress placed on joints and bones while exercising. Consequently,aging does not need to mean substantially decreased mobility as swimming can lengthen the number of years we can pursue vibrant lives with enthusiasm.

The Centers for Disease and Prevention extolls the benefits of regular swimming exercise on mental and physical health.

Water-based exercise can help reduce stress,improve cardiovascular quality and posture,tone muscle,and help in weight and diet control. For a full list of the 10 main benefits of swimming read on..

Confirmation that Greater Wisdom does indeed come with age

The journal Cerebral Cortex reports that those clever people at the Institute of Geriatrics, University of Montreal,have produced compelling research that confirms what we older parents probably already suspected: the older you get the wiser you become. The Daily Mail reports on this finding: “The over 55s use their brains more efficiently than their younger counterparts, as they are much more likely to shrug off mistakes, say scientists.

“And while they may take more time to come to a decision, they are simply conserving their energy.”

Younger people, the report goes on,by contrast, give the impression of being sharper, simply coming-up with answers more quickly.The researchers say this maybe a sign of inexperience rather than wisdom. It seems “as the brain becomes older, it learns how to better allocate its resources.”

A group aged between 55 and 75, although they took longer to complete certain tasks, roughly matched the performance of a group aged 18 to 35, the journal Cerebral Cortx reported.

You can read a fuller report on the results of this research into greater wisdom comes with age

The gastric band question for the over 60s

Hi. In these times, we are everyday hearing of pioneering surgery and rapid developments in medicine ,unheard of even a decade ago.

If successful these are life-changing for the person whose wellness has been improved. But are these remarkable advances only for the relatively young, when factoring in the cost and the employment of scarce medical resources? Should a person over 60,for example, be given the chance to benefit? Is the risk worth taking, and should it be allowed? As food for thought and further discussion ,I give you today the link to a recent report posted at the timeswellness.com website:

‘Madeleine, who lives in Gosport, Hants, with husband, Bill, 68, is one of the [gastric band] procedure’s success stories. In the 14 months after her bypass she has gone on to lose an amazing 10 stone and is now a size 8/10 with a BMI of 24.9 (the ideal is 20-25).

She says,“I read the letter I wrote to my daughter recently and it was full of sadness and so far from the person I am now. I took great pleasure in ripping it up.

“The operation cost £12,000 and I had to take out a loan to pay for it but it has at last given me, albeit in my pension years, the life I’d dreamed of.”

But sadly, major weight-loss surgery doesn’t have such a happy ending for every older patient.’

For the full story you can go to:

Should-the-over-60s-be-banned-from-gastric-surgery?

If you must live longer for goodness sake stay fit and healthy

This seems like sound advice. It may seem rather obvious but as many of us are tending to live longer it is becoming more important for us to to take action to prevent the preventable things we become more susceptible to as we grow older.In this we should also be striving to preserve quality of life.

According to the people at Health Fair Services ‘Americans are living longer, making it even more important for them to stay fit and healthy. HealthFair the nation’s leading provider of mobile health screening services, is celebrating National Senior Health and Fitness Day by reminding seniors that proper nutrition, physical activity and preventive health care services are the foundation for proper cardiovascular health. In addition, HealthFair is giving a free CD of their test results to any Seniors (those 65 or older) who mention Senior Health and Fitness Day when they schedule their appointment on May 25, 2011.

‘Doctors say diet, exercise and preventive health screenings can potentially provide the tri-fecta of senior health. “Proper diet and exercise can help keep your blood glucose (blood sugar), blood pressure and blood cholesterol in the recommended range, therefore lowering the risk of diabetes,” said HealthFair Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Robert Oristaglio, D.O.

‘The American Diabetes Association states that there is a big link between diabetes, heart disease and stroke. In fact, the organization says, two out of three people with diabetes die from heart disease or stroke, also called cardiovascular disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one American will have a coronary event every 25 seconds. Although most cardiac conditions have risk factors, very few have outward signs or symptoms.’

Even if you don’t happen to be American, this advice is also probably good for you.

If you wish to read the whole of the Health Fair press release you can access it here

Want to become the next big author?

Want to become the next big author? Tips and Quips.

Could you write your autobiography?

Are health-related websites good for your health?

Three questions for you this week, with some more information I hope will be of interest to you.

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Want to become the next big author?

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From Laurie Pawlik-Tienlen, writer and blogger, who writes Tips and Quips for Successful Writers:

‘These writing tips from famous authors will help you learn how to become a writer. After all, the first step to becoming a writer – to calling yourself a “real” writer – is defining what “real writer” means to you. And that’s what these writing tips and quips from famous authors are all about!’

Catch these Tips and Quips at:

theadventurouswriter.com

She continues:

‘To get the ball rolling, here’s one of my favourite quips and tips:

“What I did have, which others perhaps didn’t, was a capacity for sticking at it, which really is the point, not the talent at all. You have to stick at it.” ~ Doris Lessing.

There will be more on becoming the next big author next time.

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Are health-related websites good for your health?

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Last time, I drew your attention to a number of websites which have been accredited with the Information Standard for reliable information on health matters. The internet is an amazing source of information on health related matters, but it is also a place of misleading and downright wrong information for the unwary.

In addition to the 10 sites I posted to the Your Health page at

http://www.the60life.com , here are two more which are certified members of the Information Standard:

1. At the National Electronic Library for Medicines, you can find out more about a particular drug which may have been prescribed for you by your doctor.

http://www.nelm.nhs.uk

2. The second site is BootsWebMD , where in addition to lots of health advice for both men and women, you can access a sophisticated symptom checker giving an A-Z of health conditions.

http://www.webmd.boots.com

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Could You Write Your Autobiography?

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In case you missed this last topic time, here’s a writing project with a difference. Could you write your own autobiography?

This report from the website, laterlife.com:

“Now you can receive expert guidance from published author Jackie Sherman who has been running “Writing your Autobiography” courses since 2008 and for the first time is offering a home-based course for Laterlife visitors with personal feedback at the end of every module.

Do you regret not knowing more about your parents or grandparents and don’t want your descendants to feel the same way?
Do you have stories in your head that you really want to share?
Have you been asked by family or friends to write your memoirs but keep putting it off?
Do you want to be a writer but don’t know what to write about, or wonder if you will be good enough?

Do you know someone else who is always talking about their life but needs encouragement to put their story down on paper?”

You can check-out the home-based course at

laterlife.com

’til next time.

Study shows men get happier as they grow older

So Victor Meldrew, beloved leading fictional character in a once long running BBC TV sitcom series,’One Foot In The Grave’, should be looked on as much misunderstood.

According to a correspondent for the Kansas City Star newspaper : ‘the perception of the elderly as a bunch of wrinkled curmudgeons who mope around the house looking deflated and defeated is wrong. And that misperception has prevented many elderly from being diagnosed and treated for depression.

Read more: at kansascity.com -men get happier as they grow older

health talk online

It helps to talk, they say. When it comes to health matters, this is clearly true for so many who find they need the support of other people’s true life experiences and knowledge. Recently, I posted a page on this site called Your health – this can be accessed via the button at the top of this page – listing responsible health websites which have been checked-out by The Information Standard as providing reliable information.

Shortly after posting this page, ITV’s This Morning programme with Dr Chris and Hugh Grant featured the website healthtalkonline which is one of the sites on my list. Appearing on the show was the site’s founder Dr Ann McPherson. You can see more of this report here at

thismorning.itv.com/thismorning/health

What you may not know about your health

What you may not know about your health
How to avoid losing your garden plants to disease
Could you write your autobiography?

This week we look at websites providing information on health and related matters. Are they any good? Well, although not infallible, below are three tips on testing the quality of the sites you are accessing.

We also look at a potential problem in the garden. Yes, we are looking at the spectre of disease spreading to our plants this year. Good simple gardening habits may chase this one away.

Ever thought of writing your autobiography? Oh, I see, only the famous qualify for a worthwhile level of readership? Do read on.

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What you may not know about your health

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What you may not know about your health, you may not find out on the internet. The internet is an amazing source of information on health related matters, but it is a place of misleading and downright wrong information for the unwary.

Apart from the erroneous stuff there can be presentation of information that, taken out of context and interpreted by the medically untrained, is utterly scary. So to avoid undue anxiety, you should at least follow the following three search tips:

1. To identify the seriously informed and balanced treatment of content from the purely frightening and the commercially exploitative, look out for domain names that include endings like .org, .gov ,.edu , or.ac. These names indicate that the site is an academic one, perhaps run by a charity; and is probably a not -for-profit operation.

2. Search for appropriate websites using words which will bring you a result that is nearest to what you are looking for specifically. For improved relevancy enclose your search words in inverted commas, and be as specific as possible, e.g. “rheumatoid arthritis”, rather than “arthritis” which will throw-up many more results than you need.

3. Lastly, when you access a site look for the Information Standard mark which certifies its reliability.http://www.theinformationstandard.org

For a list of 10 health sites certified by the Information Standard go to the new Your Health page athttp://www.the60life.com/?page_id=579

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How to avoid losing your garden plants to disease

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Here are three tips to help keep your plants healthy and free of disease:

1. Don’t water from the top of the plants. Fungus loves moisture. If
you wet your leaves and stems, you’re just encouraging fungal growth.
It’s better to use a soaker hose so your plants aren’t getting wet.

2. Don’t water at night, especially if it’s humid. Watering at night
keeps things moist for longer. This might be ok if you live in the
desert, but it’s a bad thing if you live where it’s humid. As such
water during the day to give your plant leaves and stems a chance
to dry out. Doing so helps prevent fungal disease.

3. Do clean your tools. Some plant diseases are catchy, like a virus.
You can prevent the spread of disease by frequently cleaning your
tools (and even your shoes) as you tend to your garden.

For a fre.e Organic Gardening Academy e-course go tohttp://www.growingorganicnow.com

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Could You Write Your Autobiography?

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Here’s a writing project with a difference. Could you write your own autobiography?

From laterlife.com:

Do you regret not knowing more about your parents or grandparents and don’t want your descendants to feel the same way?
Do you have stories in your head that you really want to share?
Have you been asked by family or friends to write your memoirs but keep putting it off?
Do you want to be a writer but don’t know what to write about, or wonder if you will be good enough?

Do you know someone else who is always talking about their life but needs encouragement to put their story down on paper?”

You can check-out the home-based course at

http://www.laterlife.com/laterlife-writing-your-autobiography.htm

Finally, if you haven’t already done so, grab that e-course from The Organic Garden Academy which is available to you now, without charge, athttp://www.growingorganicnow.com

Back soon…

Do remember you can pick-up more regular tips and news athttp://the60life.com

Yours,

Mike Paterson,

The 60Life Weekly

[email protected]

Why having a laugh can make you more creative

From Mike Paterson at The60LifeWeekly

15th January 2011

• Why having a laugh can make you more creative

• Where you can find much you need to know as a new or established writer

Hi,

I hope the New Year is going well with you.

As well as bringing to you a wide range of information covering many issues and content of particular, but not always exclusive, interest to the 60-lifer, I am reminded that writing, and learning more about writing, is important to you. This week, then I am looking at a handbook that should always be readily to hand on your bookshelf.

Another ready source of inspiration and guidance that we can access to follow our hobbies, sports, or business interests is the ubiquitous magazine or periodical. Yes, they do tend to be almost everywhere, in the library, newsagent, superstore, and doctor’s surgery for example, but do we actually read them critically as a source of valuable ideas and content? Many magazines have an online presence now which can give you a valuable insight into the printed publication, as well as good free information. More about my Magwatch coming soon in a later issue…

As for this week, let’s start with a laugh…

******************************************************************
Why having a laugh could make you more creative******************************************************************
As the old saying goes, laughter is the best medicine. Well now to the natural health benefits which can be attributed to a happy mood, we can add the benefit of greater creativity. Yes, it is now official: A Positive Mood Allows Your Brain to Think More Creatively.

Over the weekend, I caught a television programme in tribute to Ronnie Barker of the 70s/80s tv comedy show ” the two Ronnies.” The sketches – you can see the “Fork handles” sketch on youtube.com – were so funny and the word craft so skilful, I had to watch it all, and felt so much better for having done so. Apparently, watching funny films or video can create the right mood to enhance a person’s ability to be more creative. Ronnie Barker’s successful comedic career may prove the point. I believe he wrote most of the material used. His average working day, apart from being very productive, must have been a riot! He was very funny, and a very clever man.

“Generally, positive mood has been found to enhance creative problem solving and flexible yet careful thinking,” says Ruby Nadler, a graduate student at the University of Western Ontario. She and colleagues Rahel Rabi and John Paul Minda carried out a new study published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. For this study, Nadler and her colleagues looked at a particular kind of learning that is improved by creative thinking.

a-positive-mood-allows-you-to-think-more-creatively

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Where you can find much you need to know as a writer
*******************************************************************
For many years, I have bought the Writer’s Handbook published by Macmillan and edited by Barry Turner. This year is no exception. I am again the proud owner of a handy 786 pages just brimful of useful information; this 2011 edition includes articles on
• characterisation,
• writing children’s books,
• ghost writing,
• and what makes a successful writer, and much more…

There is something of interest for everyone. I also particularly like the access owning a copy of the Writer’s Handbook 2011 gives me to a dedicated website and searchable directory.
The Times rate this work: ’The book no writer should be without.’

Now, there are other excellent reference handbooks for writers, if you want to shop around. One such is the Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook 2011

If you have been thank you for tuning-in! More soon…

Do remember you can pick-up more regular tips and news at http://the60life.com

Yours,

Mike Paterson,
The 60Life Weekly
[email protected]
If you have missed earlier issues of The60Life Weekly – these can be found by scrolling down the categories in the right hand column at http://www.the60life.com.

Why you should not thow your apple peel away

From Mike Paterson at The60LifeWeekly

14th December 2010

• Why you should not throw your apple peel away
• Hints to Wives on the Way to Charm Their Husbands
Hi,

The other day, I was thumbing through a magazine dated January 1891 (as you do) when I came upon some interesting headlines, including:” Hints to Wives on the Way to Charm their Husbands”, of this more later; and “The Deadly Cold Bed”- a dire warning never to sleep in cold or damp beds, given by Good Housekeeping magazine, which I see also recommended at the time the use of soda under “Soda Will Save You Soap”. It is encouraging that the latter advice is still consistently promoted, for cleaning sinks and washing dishes, on the Good Housekeeping website today, more than a hundred years later.

****************************************************************
Hints to Wives on the Way to Charm Their Husbands****************************************************************
As an example of written material that can be sourced quite easily by the frequent writer of articles or short stories, the above may seem rather outdated by some stretch for today’s society, and perhaps hardly rates as a potential best seller ‘How to’ publication. There is however an immense amount of potentially useful content available in the public domain.

The magazine content from which I took this headline is not protected by copyright, and thus can be used freely. This maybe is a route for you to explore. Apart from being a fascinating study, the information is often available at a modest price, or for free – the subject matter can be as ‘fresh’ and as useful for today’s consumption as it was when written. Just because something was written, say, over a hundred years ago does not necessarily mean it does not have value, or is lacking in good advice or ideas.

If you are curious about knowing the” Hints To Wives…” you can go to my the60life.com where they will be posted very soon.
Or, perhaps you would like a recipe for Tipsy Pudding, or to find out about “The Modern Old Lady”! If you wish to find out more about the fascinating world of the public domain and how it could help you with research for your writing or to provide great ideas to profit from with your own information products let me introduce you to a leading expert in the use of Public Domain information, and someone whose products and resources I regularly refer to in my researches. He is Tony Laidig, the Public Domain Expert, and you can see an introduction to his Public Domain Toolbar , a remarkable research tool, at Public Domain Toolbar

Tony starts his introduction with an amazing statement about the Public Domain, in this way: “Most people do not realize it, but when the copyright or patent expires on a creative work (book, work of art, etc.), anyone may freely use that work LEGALLY in any manner they choose without the obligation of paying royalties to the creator of the work. This is HUGE…it’s like legalized stealing except that it IS legal.

“PICTURE THIS…Here is what is waiting for you RIGHT NOW in the Public Domain:

• Over 85 million books, many written by the greatest authors and thinkers to have ever walked the earth…

“…This is MASSIVE for anyone doing business online for one simple reason…

“It’s easier to create a product from something that already exists, rather than create it from scratch. You can read about this massive opportunity at Public Domain Toolbar

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Why you should not throw your apple peel away***********************************************************
If you are a regular follower of the 60life weekly, you will know that I occasionally’ throw-in’ a recent report on a health-related topic. Today’s Daily Mail has a short article about a report published in the journal Nutrition and Cancer that eating the peel of an apple can cut the risk of prostate and breast cancers. As one who has usually peeled his apple, and thrown away the peelings, I shall probably be eating the lot in future (well, maybe not the core!). If you want to read the article you can check it out at dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1284820/Apple-peel–secret-weapon-cancer

Do stay tuned-in! Above all stay warm!
Remember you can pick-up more tips and news at http://the60life.com

Yours,

Mike Paterson,
The 60Life Weekly
[email protected]
If you have missed earlier issues of The60Life Weekly – these can be found by scrolling down the categories in the right hand column at this page

Do you suffer from this frustrating problem?

– Do you suffer from this frustrating problem?
· – 20 Ways to make your Christmas easier
· – Try these amazing seasonal recipes for eating and drinking

Hi,

With clear evidence of Winter outside and Christmas not far away, this week we turn our thoughts to keeping warm and well fed, and preparing for the festive season. Also, we take a quick look at a frustrating problem many writers suffer, and we are introduced to a vast free source of material that can help us with ideas and content for our writing, whether fictional or non-fictional.

***************************************************
Do you suffer this frustrating problem?
***************************************************

Debra at publicdomaintreasurehunters.com asks these questions?

‘Are you an idea junkie? Do you have a notebook filled with great ideas? It’s a problem I fight every day.
‘Why is it a problem? It is because great ideas can lead to overwhelm.’

Many of us writing every day have too many ideas and often don’t know where to begin with a writing project. This effects many successful people, and Debra says,

‘Sometimes You Have To Put Things On Hold Even If They Are Good Ideas.’

To catch more on this issue, and to take some inspiration and comfort (and also a sneak peak into the world of the Public Domain), check-out more from Debra at Sometime you have to put things on hold

**************************************************
20 Ways to make your Christmas easier

Good to Know have got 20 quick tips on how to make cooking for Christmas simple and stress-free, from cheat’s tricks to time-saving tips for classic Christmas recipes. So more time to sip sherry and open presents!

Go to the Good to Know site at

20 Way to make Christmas easier

****************************************************************
Try These Amazing Seasonal Recipes for Eating and Drinking
****************************************************************

Seasonal recipes for winter Eating and drinking hot seasonal food and drink can help to keep you healthy over winter. Most winter fruit and vegetables contain the nutrients you need for the season, and there are lots of great recipes to choose from. Guardian Lifestyle ,a href=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/food-and-drink”>Guardian Lifestyle

has some wonderful winter recipes from across the country. Good to know at Good to know-Winter recipes
has a wide choice of dishes from casseroles to delicious desserts. The ever-popular River Cottage is another good option. Go to : 20 Way to make your Christmas easier

And if you need a new cooker, slow cooker or microwave. Or intend to buy kitchen electricals as Christmas presents? Look out for the Energy Saving Trust Recommended logo to save money on running costs.

Energy Saving Trust

As the first Christmas cards drop through the letterbox, I am reminded that perhaps it’s time I drew-up my list and addresses, and wrote my cards.

Do stay tuned-in! Above all stay warm!
Remember you can pick-up more tips and news at the60life.com

I do hope you will join me again next week for more build-up to the festive season. There will be more about the Public Domain, and opportunities it can provide to pick-up free ideas and content for use in your writing, whether fictional or non-fictional. Also here, and at the60life.com, I will also be taking you back to 1891 and give you a little insight into North American life at that time.

Yours,

Mike Paterson,
The 60Life Weekly

[email protected]

7 Tips to help keep you well this winter

11th November 2010

· 7 Tips to help keep you well this winter
· How to become a well paid writer with five minute writing
· Will you be ready when your energy bills hit the doormat early next year?

Hi,

How are we to face the shorter days of winter, the awful weather, and the inevitable colds and sniffles? A recent Daily Mail report looks at practical ways to help us stay well this winter.

**************************************************************
7 practical ways to help keep you well this winter
**************************************************************

· Your mother knew best how to keep the common cold at bay

· Beat the bug

· Don’t feel SAD. As the nights draw in, a fifth of us have the winter blues …advice from the SAD Association

· What you need to know about the flu jab

· Use a range of herbal remedies and plants as the best defence to colds

· Boost your immune system with the 10 foods that are so beneficial to your health they are known as ‘super foods’.

· Have a very healthy Christmas

Are you taking enough interest on your savings?

From Mike Paterson at The60LifeWeekly

28th October 2010

· Are you taking enough interest on your savings?

· Introducing you to Five Minute Writing

· A stretching exercise by Dr Art Brownstein

Hi,

The above question, for many of us who may be on fixed or reduced incomes, could perhaps be better expressed as: Are you taking enough interest in your savings? It seems many of us are resigned to receiving little or no interest on our savings deposited with financial institutions; or perhaps we don’t spend even a little time regularly checking if we can do any better…

*****************************************************************
Are you taking enough interest on your savings?

*****************************************************************

According to Which? , the consumer watchdog organisation, the banks are being rather shy about the interest rates they are giving to savers. A common rate is as little as 0.1% per annum, equivalent to just £1 interest for every £1,000 saved. Many savings account higher rates are offered for a limited period only, and on expiry of the introductory offer, revert automatically to the lowest rate, often without informing the saver that a new rate is being used to calculate interest payments. There is a call for greater transparency, and regular information to be given on statements about current rates for savers.

A clear message to savers is: be vigilant about the amount of interest you are receiving and, if necessary, vote with your feet for a higher (and fairer) rate.

At the Which? web site, you can use a free calculator to determine the best rate for you, and calculate what money you may be losing by not shifting your savings to a better rate.

Check out what Which? is calling The Great British Savings Scandal at The Great British Savings Scandal

**************************************

Introducing you to Five Minute Writing

**************************************************
Five minutes is all it takes…to phone a friend…peel potatoes for dinner…pick the grandkids up from school…or write a few words that could earn you anything from a plastic apron or ballpoint pen ,to a dream house in the sun, a top-of-the-range car, or a magnificent hoard of cash prizes and luxury goods!

Becoming a well paid writer could be a dream you’ve cherished for years but never quite got round to fulfilling. So why have you left it so long to experience the thrill of being paid for something you really enjoy doing? Like writing!

So, do you only make money if you successfully write full length novels and plays? No, not exclusively ,there are in fact many other ways to earn your living as a writer, not all of which bring real fame and fortune, but provide a steady income nonetheless, and few of which are anywhere near as time-consuming and stressful as being a full-time novelist or playwright.

Five minute Writers are in great demand around the world, from paying clients, including editors and publishers,

Taking just minutes to produce, short written pieces can cover far more enjoyable and profitable writing projects than most people appreciate…projects covering everything from

· readers’ letters and fillers,
· mini-articles,
· puzzles and quizzes
· recipes and household hints
· photographs and cartoons
· greeting card verses
· competition slogans, and
· much, much more…

you can read more about five minute writing next week, and also at the60life.com

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A stretching exercise by Dr Brownstein

*************************************************

On the NaturalNews website Dr. Art Brownstein writes: ” Back pain is twenty times more painful than other body pain, because these complex muscles are located so close to the spinal cord.” He reveals a natural exercise treatment you can try at home.

“1. Lie on your back. Very, very slowly bring your right knee in toward your chest, only as far as it feels comfortable.
2. With your hands on your shins, hold this position for 10 to 20 seconds.
3. Slowly release and gently let your leg down to a slow count of 5.
4. Repeat with the other leg.

Do this exercise 5-6 times in the morning before getting out of bed and again at bedtime.

Dr. Art Brownstein is a physician and author of Healing Back Pain Naturally. You can check-out more at Healing Back Pain Exercise

Don’t miss your next weekly issue!

If you have missed earlier issues of The60Life Weekly – these can be found by scrolling down the categories in the right hand column at the60life.com

Yours,

Mike Paterson,
The 60Life Weekly

PS: Please, if you have your own stories, tips, or feedback send them to me at

[email protected]

Disclaimer: It is always my intention to be as accurate in fact, detail and comment as possible. However, I cannot be held responsible for any error in details, accuracy or judgement whatsoever. This e-letter is produced on this understanding.

More creative writing tips for you

From Mike Paterson at The60LifeWeekly

21st October 2010

· More creative writing tips for you

· Could you profit from writing and publishing an e-book?
· This one’s for the guys: this simple test could save your life

Hi,

This week, the news in the UK is full of the Government’s announced spending cuts, and their likely impact on services, benefits, and employment… but last week, there was news that could be very good soon for men of a certain age…check it out…

*****************************************************************
Check this out. A simple test may save a man’s life
*****************************************************************
Occasionally, we have to look at the hard stuff: According to a report on the saga.co.uk website, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK with new cases reported annually. Every year about 10,000 men die of the disease.

However, scientists may have found a way to create the first effective urine test for prostate cancer, reports the Nursing Times.

‘A protein called MSMB found in urine is present at a lower level in men who have the disease. Its level also seems to be influenced by how aggressive the cancer is.

‘Hayley Whitaker, from Cancer Research UK charity’s Cambridge Research Institute, where the study was carried out, said: “We looked in tissue and urine from over 350 men with and without prostate cancer to find out how much MSMB they had. We then looked to see who had the genetic change. It was really exciting to find out that the genetic change and the amount of protein were linked.’

“The protein is easy to detect because it is found in urine and would potentially be a very simple test to carry out on men to identify those most at risk of developing the disease.”

Look after yourselves. Check it out

prostate-cancer-urine-test

————————–Advert—————————————-

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Could you profit by writing and publishing an e-book?
******************************************************************

“How to write and publish your own OUTRAGEOUSLY Profitable eBook in as little as 7days- even if you can’t write, can’t type and failed school English class!”

If you want the financial independence and passive income stream from selling a popular ebook, the satisfaction and prestige that comes from being an author, and if you want to do it while you’re still young enough to enjoy it….then this might be the most important letter you’ll ever read. Click below now.

write and publish your own eBook
——————————-advert—————————————————-

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More creative writing tips for you

********************************************

Michele Roberts as the Writer-in-Residence at Bookbite has a new blog on its website, providing writing tips. She was born in 1949, and has published 20 books of fiction, poetry and essays. Her novel ‘Daughters of the House’ won the WH Smith Award and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize.

You can now follow her tips on her blog at

more writing tips for you

This week on her blog she’s looking at: re-writing, re-discovering and working with the negative

more writing tips for you

____________________________________________________

Did you know? Authors who started writing in their later years include Kenneth Grahame, who wrote’ The Wind in the Willows’ in his retirement, and Frank McCourt, who had ‘Angela’s Ashes’ published when he was 66.

____________________________________________________

Don’t miss your next weekly issue!

If you have missed earlier issues of The60Life Weekly – these can be found by scrolling down the categories in the right hand column at the60life.com

Yours,

Mike Paterson,
The 60Life Weekly

PS: Please, if you have your own stories, tips, or feedback send them to me at

http://[email protected]

Warning, how to avoid this online threat to your money

From : the60Life Weekly

7th October 2010

· Warning, how to avoid this online threat to your money
· Why we should get hot and sweaty in our 60s
· Tip of the Week: Shrug your shoulders!

Hi,

This week, let me share with you one of my daily concerns about the internet, security. The internet is a wonderful space, but for the unwary it has become a dangerous place. You may have heard recently of the couple who booked a holiday abroad only to find when they arrived at their destination that the accommodation they thought they had did not exist. Their money was lost. You can check out other similar stories below…

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Warning, how to avoid this online threat to your money
********************************************************************

The City of London Police has received dozens of reports of advertisements for non-existent villas and apartments since the establishment of the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) in June.

Villas in popular destinations, such as Cyprus, have been the target of fraudsters advertising non-existent holiday rentals

Det Supt Bob Wishart, from the City of London Police’s Economic Crime Department, advised travellers to take extra care when booking properties over the internet, and warned agents to be wary of which suppliers they work with.

“As a result of the work of the NFIB we are seeing for the first time substantial numbers of people reporting villa fraud,” said Mr Wishart . “We’d advise anyone looking to book a holiday online to use reputable websites, and look for agents who are ABTA and Atol affiliated.”

Research carried out by Get Safe Online, a government-backed initiative aimed at increasing awareness of internet scams, revealed that one in three internet users failed to check whether the company they booked with was a member of a recognised travel association.

For more on the stories of internet fraud and tips to help you avoid becoming a victim of fraud you can check out the Daily Telegraph report at

Police-warning-over-fake-holiday-villas

The link for the Government backed Get Safe Online is

getsafeonline.org-for free advice

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Why we should get hot and sweaty in our 60s

********************************************************

Bestselling novelist Rosie Thomas says exercise is vital as you get older. She takes some exercise for at least an hour a day.

Running a marathon in 2006 at the age of 59 showed her how vital exercise was to her. Although now ” a leisurely six miles is about my limit ” She strongly believes ” that as we hit our ‘free time’ in our 60s, instead of slacking off we should increase our activity levels – gently at first, if we’re not used to it, but deliberately – to the point of regularly becoming sweaty and breathless.” Her GP agrees.

You can read more of Rosie’s exploits and exercise regime in the Daily Mail report at

Rosie-Thomas-says-exercise-vital-older

I am looking to review Rosie’s latest novel which is available in bookshops now: “Lovers and Newcomers”( published by Harper)

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Tip of the Week: Shrug your shoulders!
**************************************************
If you, like me, spend time at your computer, why not try this when next you feel tired, and your shoulders are stiff with tension. Step away from your computer and, while standing straight take a deep breath, raise your shoulders as though in an exaggerated shrug, and hold the position for several seconds. Then exhale and relax your shoulders.

I find if I do this gentle exercise two or three times, in quick succession, that much of the tiredness quickly goes out of my shoulders. Go on try it. It works for me. I try to remember to do this at the end of regular short periods at the keyboard, with beneficial effect.

Don’t miss your next weekly issue!

For earlier issues of The60Life Weekly – these can be found by scrolling down the categories in the right hand column at the60life.com

Yours,

Mike Paterson,
The 60Life Weekly

PS: Please, if you have your own stories, tips, or feedback send them to me at

[email protected]

How you can find cash in the attic

The60LifeWeekly

23rd September 2010

– How you can find cash in the attic
– Revealed 36 writing competitions to enter in 2011
– Water: are you getting enough?

Hi,

An often overlooked way to raise much needed cash is to sell stuff
you have been hoarding, or have left in long forgotten places at
home. So, should you remember the silver print autographed by
Laurel and Hardy which Uncle Arthur left you a long time ago, or
your Grandma’s 1907 Steiff teddy bear once cherished but now
languishing in the attic, what do you do? Should you sell? How much
are they worth? For modestly valued items realising value would in
the past be by’ trial and error’, selling through traditional
outlets: auctions, car boot sales, and so on. Now there is a cheap
way to establish value before taking action to sell, without even
having to leave your house. More below…

**************************************************

How you can find your cash in the attic

***************************************************
…there is now an online service where you can have your art and
antique treasures large and small appraised by a team of experts
who will provide, for the modest fee of £3.89 per item, a full
valuation report within 48 hours. The service is quick and easy to
use, and you can load-up to the site an image of your little ‘gem’,
or whatever.

The site as featured in the BBC ‘Dragon’s Den’ tv series is at
valuemystuffnow.com>

All the experts have worked at leading auction houses, including
Christies and Sothebys.
This looks to be also a useful service if you are thinking of
buying something. You could obtain an appraisal to aid your
decision.

Another, similar site, an American “money making resource” charging
$19.95 per valuation is at worthpoint.com

*************************************************************
Revealed 36 writing competitions to enter in 2011
*************************************************************
I have just read my October issue of Writing Magazine. Apart from
being full, as usual, of great articles with writing tips and
insights, it also includes a programme of writing competitions for
2011. If you are planning to write and need a focus for your
talents, you should look at this programme covering the rest of
this year and next. Some people find it helpful to strive for a
target like a prize, just to spur them into action and completion
of a writing project.

Editor of Writing Magazine, Jonathan Telfer, says:” But whatever
stage your writing is at , and whatever your genre- from flash
fiction and haiku to SF novels and screenplays- you’ll find
something to interest and inspire you in this special supplement
[to the October issue of Writing Magazine]”

This supplement contains the full details of writing competitions
for you to enter, from October 2010 to December 2011, with over
£372,549 in prize money to be won.

You visit the Writing Magazine site at
writingmagazine.co.uk

****************************************

Water: are you getting enough?
****************************************
The following brief report will probably amaze and startle you.

One glass of water shuts down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100%
of the dieters studied in a University study.

Lack of water is the No 1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day
could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of
sufferers.

A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory,
trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer
screen or

Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon
cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%,
and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.

Are you drinking the amount of water you should every day?

over50s.com/health

If you have, thank you for reading this far.

Don’t miss your next weekly issue!

If you have missed earlier issues of The60Life Weekly – these can
be found by scrolling down the categories in the right hand column
at http://www.the60life.com.

Yours,

Mike Paterson,
The 60Life Weekly

PS: Please, if you have your own stories, tips, or feedback send
them to me at
[email protected] – be great to hear from you!

Disclaimer: It is always my intention to be as accurate in fact,
detail and comment as possible. However, I cannot be held
responsible for any error in details, accuracy or judgement
whatsoever. This e-letter is produced on this understanding.

Where to find advice worth far more than £1000 for nothing

The60LifeWeekly

2nd September 2010

· How to boost your energy levels naturally
· Discover 10 Top Tips for short story writing
· Where to find advice worth far more than £1000 for nothing

Hi,

This week, where I live, many parents and grandparents are seeing their kids into full time school for the very first time. We have one of our own, a grandson…but let’s get on with the topics for the week: a look at short story writing; keeping those energy levels up; and easy ways to save some cash…

*****************************************************
Discover 10 Top Tips for short story writing
*****************************************************
Short Stories: 10 Tips for Creative Writers (Kennedy and Jerz)
What is a Short Story?
‘A short story begins as close to the conclusion as possible, and grabs the reader from the very first line. It conserves character and scenes, typically focuses on just one problem, and drives towards a sudden, unexpected revelation.’ (Kathy Kennedy and Dennis G. Jerz)

1. Get Started: Emergency Tips
2. Write a Catchy First Paragraph
3. Develop Your Characters
4. Choose a Point of View
5. Write Meaningful Dialogue
6. Use Setting and Context
7. Set up the Plot
8. Create Conflict and Tension
9. Build to a Crisis or a Climax
10. Deliver a Resolution
These tips are expanded in a report at http://jerz.setonhill.edu/writing/creative/shortstory/

—————————————–Advertisement——————————————————

When improving your fitness by stretching need not over stretch your pocket
If you have been trying for years to overcome painful back and joints and have been doing the wrong back and joint strengthening exercises then you need to try the exercises in this ebook.
Pilates is not just for movie stars who want to keep their firm and toned figures.
Pilates is for people at every age who want to look and feel their best!
You are about to learn the exercises that the author has been experimenting and testing on her own clients for over 10 years.
These back and joint exercises have been found to be most beneficial in relieving back and joint pain from activities of daily living, or even from degenerative conditions in the spine and from arthritis.
The new revised edition offers you 30 more detailed pictures and modifications on the Classic Exercises along with Pilates Principles and Standing Posture and Balance Exercises.
The author wrote this ebook to help improve the lives of countless people who are suffering.
CLICK HERE NOW!

pilates-back-joint-exercise.com/pilates

————————————————————————————————

***************************************************
How to boost your energy levels naturally
***************************************************
Boost your energy with food by Lynn Grieger, R.D., C.D.E. If you can’t function in the morning without gallons of coffee and you run out of gas every afternoon, then this energy-boosting food plan is for you.

With this diet plan, instead of relying on caffeine or a trip to the vending machine for a fleeting burst of artificial energy, you choose healthy foods to rev up your engine. Here’s how the Energy Booster Diet will keep you energised all day long:

Breakfast
Option 1
Plain fat-free yoghurt with low-sugar muesli and mixed fresh berries
Small glass of orange juice

Option 2
2-egg omelette made with low-fat cheese, chopped veggies and low-fat ham or turkey
1 slice wholegrain toast topped with fruit spread
Small cup grapefruit juice

Option 3
Shredded wheat cereal with skimmed milk and a banana
1 slice wholewheat toast with peanut butter
Small glass tomato juice

Points to note for the rest of the day:

•’The right combination of carbohydrates, protein and fat eaten at regular intervals will help keep energy levels high. This diet includes balanced meals designed to boost your energy throughout the day
•Eating healthy snacks will help keep your blood-sugar levels even so that you don’t have energy ‘highs’ and ‘lows’. This meal plan includes tasty food suggestions to eat every three to four hours to keep your energy level from falling
•Not drinking enough liquids can cause you to feel fatigued due to dehydration. That’s why this diet includes fruit juices and skimmed milk with every meal choice, rather than ultra-sugary sodas or sweetened beverages that can cause energy lows
•Eating fried or fatty foods can make you feel sluggish. This food plan emphasises natural, unprocessed foods like fruits and vegetables that won’t slow you down. ‘

Read more: Boost your energy with food http://www.ivillage.co.uk/health/hlive/eat/articles/0,,181039_532821,00.html#ixzz0yGd7pUFw

************************************************************************
Where to find advice worth far more than £1000 for nothing
************************************************************************

What does it take to waste £5,000 (say, $10,000) a year? Just £13.50 per day

The 5 Most Common Money Mistakes, according to goodhousekeeping.com are :

1.In rocky times, you can’t afford to play fast, loose, and clueless with your finances.
Minor money gaffes can add up to thousands of lost dollars (or pounds) over time. Avoid the five most common money mistakes, and you could add more than £5,000 to your savings this year.

It is not just the discretionary spending on the odd luxury- we do not intend in this service to be ‘killjoys’, there will be times for treating ourselves. Two-for-one deals, even in discount stores, and the occasional frapuccino can do real damage to your bottom line.

2. If you are still in employment and you are not taking advantage of your employer’s pension plan, you [could be] throwing money away.

3. Allowing your kids(or grandkids) their endless wish lists when you are out shopping. Adopt a ‘distract and delay’ tactic. This can mean fewer snacks, and less spend.

4. Spending and not saving every windfall: A tax rebate, birthday money present, an income raise.

5. You should not underestimate the contribution you or a partner make towards the household budget. It may pay to ensure that you are adequately (but not excessively) covered by appropriate insurance cover against those potentially costly events in life.

For the full information on the above check out
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/money/budget/common-money-mistakes-5

I do hope you find the above information useful. The final topic this week is not ‘rocket science’, but reminds me, for instance, how I can fritter away small amounts of cash on’ this and that’,when perhaps I could be saving an appreciable amount over, say, a year to put towards something substantially more beneficial.

Don’t miss your next issue on 9th September!

If you have missed earlier issues of The60Life Weekly, these can be found at www.the60life.com

Yours,

Mike Paterson,
The 60Life Weekly

PS: Please, if you have your own stories, tips, or feedback send them to me at
[email protected]

Why creative writing is all about ideas

The60LifeWeekly

26th August 2010

• Creative writing is all about ideas
• The fruit that may act as your brain’s natural housekeeper
• Dealing with the silence of the autodialers in our homes

Hi,

Recent feedback tells me that 60lifers out there are interested in more information about writing: both fiction and non-fiction; health issues including nutrition and appropriate exercise; and money management and related issues. So, I shall be including over the next few weeks what I can find on creative and non-fictional writing, and the other topic categories.

Below, please find three more topics for the week…

**********************************************
Creative writing is all about ideas
**********************************************
According to UK writer, Nick Daws :
‘Being a creative writer is all about ideas. Readers and potential writers are always asking successful and creative authors the question, “Where do you get your ideas?” – to which the writers often stumble in reply, or have no real answer. It’s an unsatisfying transaction every time – so why is it that writers can’t say where they get their ideas from? I think it’s partly because they don’t really know, and partly because the way they collect ideas is individual to them, and so any answer they gave would be no use to the asker of the question…

… in one of [Terry Pratchett’s ] books I noticed he postulated the theory in an aside that ideas were like rain. Great thinkers and writers stood out in it and caught as many ideas as they could, while non-writers and non-thinkers sheltered from it. A lovely thought – simple, beautiful and very Terry.’

Check out more of this fascinating insight at mywritingblog.com
Nick Daws’ blog is worth a regular visit if you are truly interested in writing.

—————————————–Advertisement——————————————————
When improving your fitness by stretching need not over stretch your pocket
If you have been trying for years to overcome painful back and joints and have been doing the wrong back and joint strengthening exercises then you need to try the exercises in this ebook.
Pilates is not just for movie stars who want to keep their firm and toned figures.
Pilates is for people at every age who want to look and feel their best!
You are about to learn the exercises that the author has been experimenting and testing on her own clients for over 10 years.
These back and joint exercises have been found to be most beneficial in relieving back and joint pain from activities of daily living, or even from degenerative conditions in the spine and from arthritis.
The new revised edition offers you 30 more detailed pictures and modifications on the Classic Exercises along with Pilates Principles and Standing Posture and Balance Exercises.
The author wrote this ebook to help improve the lives of countless people who are suffering.
CLICK HERE NOW!
pilates-ebook

————————————————————————————————

************************************************************************
The fruit that may act as your brain’s natural housekeeper
************************************************************************
According to Medical News Today :
‘Scientists have reported the first evidence that eating blueberries, strawberries, and acai berries may help the aging brain stay healthy in a crucial but previously unrecognized way. Their study, presented at the 240th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS), concluded that berries, and possibly walnuts, activate the brain’s natural “housekeeper” mechanism, which cleans up and recycles toxic proteins linked to age-related memory loss and other mental decline.

Shibu Poulose, Ph.D., who presented the report, said previous research suggested that one factor involved in aging is a steady decline in the body’s ability to protect itself against inflammation and oxidative damage.’

medical news today

********************************************************************
Dealing with the silence of the autodialers in our homes
********************************************************************
Britons receive six cold calls a month, finds Which? studyScams, sales pitches and ‘silence of the autodiallers’ all intimidate consumers
(1)Tweet this (22)Press Association
The Guardian, Thursday 26 August 2010 Article historyBritish consumers receive an average of six cold calls a month, a survey has found.

The study by Which? found that many of the calls are scams, but big industry is “just as guilty” of using the tactic.

A two-week diary kept by Which? members found British Gas, BT, EDF, E.ON, Homeserve, Sky and TalkTalk were among those who cold-called the most often.

The consumer group’s survey of 2,092 people found two thirds had received at least one cold call in the past three months, and the average was around six calls a month.

One in four people had found such calls intimidating and one in five had felt pressured to buy something.

The diary-keepers found that four in 10 calls were sales calls, which are legal if the householder has not taken action to prevent them.

Another 32% were silent calls, when “autodiallers” phone multiple numbers but do not have enough staff to speak to those who answer.

Among those surveyed, 75% wanted the calls banned and 60% said they immediately hung up on cold-callers.

guardian.co.uk/money/2010/aug/26/six-cold-calls-monthly-survey

I hope you find the above information useful. I’m going to follow Nick Daws’ blog .
Coming-up in the next issue will be three more items, giving news and tips about things that concern us.

Don’t miss your next issue on 2nd September!

Yours,

Mike Paterson,
The 60Life Weekly

PS: Please, if you have your own stories, tips, or feedback send them to me at
[email protected]
PPS: If you have missed earlier issues of The 60Life Weekly these can be found in the archives at
the60life.com

Discover why creative writing is for everyone

The60LifeWeekly

19th August 2010

· The essential vitamin that can both prevent and cure cancer

· Discover why creative writing is for everyone

· Are you losing money to an unnoticed waster in your home?

This week, I was reminded of my childhood when I learned that the longest serving actor in the long running radio soap, ‘The Archers’, is June Spencer who has played Peggy Archer (later Woolley) for 60 years! I sneaked in a post about her this week at
www.the60life.com

Below, please find three more topics for the week…

******************************************************************
Are you losing money to an unnoticed waster in your home?
******************************************************************

Saving Money and Energy in the Home with Efficient Appliances
MoneyHighStreet Staff report that:
For too many homeowners today, inefficient appliances are robbing them of hard earned money while wasting valuable energy. Refrigerators, washing machines, and dishwashers account for the bulk of these energy costs, with fridges being the most prolific. A fridge freezer must work all day, every day and that can mean huge costs for those people who aren’t buying the right appliances or using those appliances correctly.
Are you leaving money in your fridge?
Is your fridge costing up to two-thirds more to run than it should?
You may find the answer here:
moneyhighstreet.com

—————————————–Advertisement——————————————————

The author wrote this ebook to help improve the lives of countless people who are suffering.

CLICK HERE NOW! for pilates-ebook

————————————————————————————————

************************************************************************
The essential vitamin that can both prevent and cure cancer

************************************************************************
NaturalNews reports that:

‘half century ago, Linus Pauling began his pioneering research into how vitamin C impacts health (http://www.naturalnews.com/025802.html). Now, almost 25 years after Pauling’s death, a new study backs up his contention that vitamin C has remarkable healing and protective benefits. In fact, now scientists have discovered how vitamin C may put the brakes on the growth of cancer cells.

‘Margreet Vissers, associate professor at the University of Otago’s Free Radical Research Group in New Zealand, headed the study which was just published in the journal Cancer Research. “Our results offer a promising and simple intervention to help in our fight against cancer, at the level of both prevention and cure,” Dr.Vissers said in a statement to the press.”‘

Her research team’s findings suggested vitamin C can help in both the prevention and treatment of cancer, and it was of importance in keeping cells healthy. The research suggested that’ vitamin C might be able to limit diseases such as cancer that involve cells that go haywire. In the case of a malignancy, for example, cells have unregulated growth.’

www.naturalnews.com/029434_vitamin_C_cancer.html

*******************************************
Discover why creative writing is for everyone
*******************************************
This week I’ve found a real ‘gem’ of a site, chock-full of information and resources for the creative writer. The site introduces itself in this way:

‘There are literally millions of aspiring writers in every corner of the globe, all of whom are seeking to discover innovative ways to unlock their personal creativity and free the stories they yearn to pen. Yet so many of these would-be literary artists are stopped by overwhelming questions-How do I get started? Where can I find the inspiration? Am I really good enough to write?

‘At Scribblepad, our primary goal is to help adults (and older children and teens, too!) find and release their inner voices. From prose to poetry, Scribblepad’s expertly researched and authored features and articles give readers immediately implementable hints, practical advice and proven methods.’

www.scribblepad.co.uk

I hope you find the above full information useful.
Coming-up in the next issue will be three more items, giving more health and wealth related news and tips.

Don’t miss your next issue on 26th August!

Yours ,

Mike Paterson,
The 60Life Weekly

PS: If you have your own stories, tips, or feedback please send them to me at
[email protected]

PPS: If you have missed earlier issues of The 60Life Weekly these can be found in the archives at
http://www.the60life.com

Anyone for the next calendar,girls?

Alison Palmer for mirror.co.uk writes:

Esther Rantzen planned to celebrate her 70th by running round the garden naked while Helen Mirren still packs a punch in a bikini at 64, recently posing naked in a bath. And these three women [pictured in a recent article for mirror.co.uk -see below for link to this article] prove hitting your 60s doesn’t mean giving up on your body.

PA Catherine Taylor, 62 [pictured top left in news article] lives in London with her husband, Andrew, 59, who’s retired. They have two grown-up daughters.

“I like my body now more than I’ve ever liked it. It’s not perfect – it’s the body of a 62-year-old – but I’m comfortable in my skin and I don’t worry about it any more. As long as I have my health, that’s the main thing.

“It’s odd I like my body more now as it’s probably less toned and a little heavier than it has been for years. For 20 years I ran six miles three times a week and swam regularly. But that stopped at Christmas when I tore my cartilage.

“I have to have keyhole surgery in September but I’ve joined a gym so I can get back to it. I like exercise because it’s when I think and plan things but it’s not the only thing that maintains my figure. I’ve always eaten well – a Mediterranean diet with lean meat, pasta, vegetables, fruit and olive oil. I don’t like junk food, but I do enjoy a glass of white wine.

“I use £2 aqueous cream on my skin followed by Boots No 7 Protect and Perfect serum and a Clinique moisturiser I’ve used for years.

“I do spend a fortune on my hair. I used to have black hair but it’s …

Why do optimistic people live longer?

The60LifeWeekly

12th August 2010

· Why do optimistic people tend to live longer?

· 8 ways to improve your finances in just a few minutes a week

· How to increase your chances of preventing cancer

This week we look at three more topics of interest to most of us.
At any age, our health is of paramount importance to us. Also, at any age, our wealth, or lack of it, is a frequent pre-occupation…

**********************************************************
Why do optimistic people tend to live longer?
**********************************************************
First up, though, a question: are you a glass half-full person, or does your glass tend usually to be half-empty?

According to a recent study by the Mayo Clinic optimistic people live longer lives, by almost 20%!!!

From a report written by Jonathan Wells – Advanced LifeSkills]:

‘Most of us enjoy being in the company of positive, optimistic people. Their sunny outlook on life is both refreshing and encouraging. It is easy to see the benefits that we gain from associating with those who are filled with optimism, but what about them?

Have you ever wondered whether or not there are any tangible, long term benefits associated with having a positive outlook? Does our attitude really affect our health as some have claimed, or is this just one of those scenarios that sound reasonable but can’t be proven.

Science meets the challenge

The BBC recently reported on a long term study conducted by the prestigious Mayo Clinic aimed at finding the answers to those very questions.

Between 1962 and 1965 they interviewed more than 1,100 patients and gave each of them an optimism ranking based on their perception of life. Then they tracked those people for the next 30 years to see if they could identify any noticeable differences.

For a full report, and tips for a longer happier life you can check-in at

familyhealthguide.co.uk/10-tips-for-a-longer-happier-life

********************************************
8 ways to improve your finances in just a few minutes a week

********************************************
So how much time does it take to turn-off unnecessary lights, switch-off the TV, and other appliances, when not in use? Hang out more clothes to dry on a line instead of using the tumble dryer. Money Mail reckons these few small steps alone can save the average family about £82 per annum. And there’s more…

1. Switch to paying your car insurance premiums annually
as many insurers charge interest of up to 15% if premiums are paid in monthly instalments.
2. Trace missing funds- a dormant account or a deferred/lost
pension . Start by going to www.unclaimedassets.co.uk to point you in the right direction.
3. Track down the cheapest motor fuel in your area by entering your postcode at www.petrolprices.com
4. Visit www.saynoto0870.com if you are calling 0845 or 0870 numbers to see if there is a local number you can call.
5. Search the internet for the latest offers and vouchers. Among the best sites is www.vouchercodes.com
6. Take-out for free that DVD or book that you are only ever likely to read but once from your local library (if you have one)
7. Obtain a railcard to save almost a third off your travel costs.
8. Check you are not paying too much income tax. A quick look at your coding notice should help. If you are in doubt check it out at the HMRC helpline on 0845 3000 627

And there’s more, another you can check out 42 more ways to make or save money at thisismoney.co.uk

*******************************************
How to increase your chances of preventing cancer

*******************************************
According to familyhealthguide.co.uk :

Diet and Lifestyle Tips to Help Prevent Cancer

[From a report by Millie Barrett BSc(Hons), mBANT]

There are more than 293,000 new cases of cancer diagnosed each year in the UK, and more than 1 in 3 people will develop some form of cancer during their lifetime. More than 1 in 3 people – that is a shocking figure.

According to Cancer Research UK, approximately half and probably more, of all cancers could be prevented by diet and lifestyle changes.

So we do have the power to act and reduce our personal risk of developing cancer – but how?

The following nine recommendations come from the World Cancer Research Fund Global Network (WCRFGN), which is made up of a panel of international experts working in the fields of cancer prevention, epidemiology, human nutrition, obesity and public health. Many of the recommendations are familiar public health goals based on maintaining a healthy weight, regular exercise and a well-balanced diet.

The WCRFGN recommendations:

· Be as lean as possible within the normal range of body weight
· Be physically active as part of everyday life
· Limit consumption of energy-dense foods and avoid sugary drinks
· Eat mostly foods of plant origin
· Limit intake of red meat and avoid processed meat
· Limit alcoholic drinks
· Limit consumption of salt and avoid mouldy cereals or pulses
· Aim to meet nutritional needs through diet alone
· Mothers to breastfeed and children to be breastfed exclusively for six months and as complementary feeding thereafter

You can check out more at familyhealthguide.co.uk

I hope you find the above full information useful. Often a simple reminder of things we should do helps save cash in these times of ecomomic difficulty. Yes, I will switch-off that light next time when I leave an empty room!

Coming-up in the next issue will be three more items, giving health and wealth related news and tips. Debt relief tips, flagged last time, will be for another week.

Look out for your next issue on 19th August!

Yours ,

Mike Paterson,
The 60Life Weekly

PS: If you have your own stories, tips, or feedback please send them to me at

[email protected]

PPS: If you have missed earlier issues of The 60Life Weekly these can be found in the archives at

www.the60life.com

5 moneymaking opportunities

The60LifeWeekly
5th August 2010

• 10 More good reasons to include regular cycling in your life
• 5 Moneymaking opportunities for that little bit extra to spend
• 4 easy ways to a richer life

Hi
I hope you are enjoying your summer.
One good reason for rising early each day is to enjoy the light
fresh mornings and the opportunity to take out your bike to a safe
place for a ‘spin’, while it is quiet and few people are about…
some more on cycling below…we also look at opportunities that can
offer a fulfilling interest and a little extra cash. This area,
particularly home based ‘biz opps’ and pursuits, will be regularly
revisited over the next few months to bring-out something for
everyone in due course…
**********************************************************
10 More Good Reasons to take-up Cycling
**********************************************************
According to cyclinginfo.co.uk/blog there are ten good reasons
to take-up cycling:
1. Freedom
2. Quicker Travelling
3. Save Money
4. Reduce Weight
5. Health Benefits
6. Relieve Stress
7. Reduce Global Warming
8. Less Accidents
9. It’s Fun!
For the fuller report and other cycling info go to
http://www.cyclinginfo.co.uk/blog
If you are not yet convinced :
“Because the bicycle supports your body, cycling isn’t necessarily
a weight-bearing exercise (although this depends on your
technique). This means it’s good for people with certain bone and
joint problems, but it may be less effective for protecting against
osteoporosis, although all exercise helps strengthen bones and
muscles to some degree.”
For more great information related to all things cycling check out

http://www.crank-it-up.org.uk/pages/cycling/older.html

********************************************
5 moneymaking opportunities
********************************************
Extra cash is always welcome. Here are five business or moneymaking
ideas from moneymagpie.com .Click on the link below for more
information:

• Use your life experience to your advantage
•
•
Make up to £20 an hour by joining a focus group

Housesit with your partner and make money together

• Cash in on your hobby

• How to make ultra easy money!
http://www.moneymagpie.com/article/919/money-making-ideas-for-the-over-60s-2
•
•

*******************************************
4 easy ways to a richer life
*******************************************
While cash and the material stuff are important in your life, you
might want to check this out for a richer life at any age:
“Life’s a zero-sum game, right? The more you strive to win in one
dimension (e.g., your work), the more the other three dimensions
(yourself, your home, and your community) must lose. Not according
to Stewart D. Friedman, a Professor of Management at the University
of Pennsylvania. You don’t have to make trade-offs among life’s
domains. Nor should you: trading-off can leave you feeling
exhausted, unfulfilled, or isolated. And it hurts the people you
care about most.”
Although, Friedman’s Idea was developed with leadership in mind, it
seeks to improve satisfaction and performance in all four
dimensions of life.
The four easy steps to a richer life are:
1. Reflect – on each of the four domains of your life -work (if you
still do), home, community, and yourself. How important is each to
you? How much time and energy are you devoting to each, and how
satisfied are you in each?
2. Brainstorm possibilities- develop a list of small things to do
that may help you to get greater satisfaction in all four (or
three) domains. For example, join a club to help forge closer
friendships, or exercise several times a week, which could give you
more energy.
3. Choose the three most promising from 2. above – these should:

• Improve your satisfaction and performance in all the dimensions
of your life

• Have effects viewed as positive by the people who matter to you
in every dimension of your life.

• Be the most costly–in regret and missed opportunities–if you
don’t do them.

• Position you to practice skills you most want to develop and do
more of what you want to be doing
4. Measure your progress – always important know whether what you
are doing is working in order to encourage you to continue with the
process.
If you feel, most, if not all, of this would be helpful in your
circumstances check-out the full report at
http://www.bnet.com/cp/be-a-better-leader-have-a-richer-life/197383
•

Coming-up in the next issue will be three more new items, giving news
and tips, including debt relief tips.

Look out for your next issue on 12th August!
Yours ,
Mike Paterson,
The 60Life Weekly

PS: If you have your own stories, tips, or feedback please send
them to me at
[email protected]
PPS: If you have missed earlier issues of The 60Life Weekly these
can be found in the archives at
http://www.the60life.com

Disclaimer: It is always my intention to be as accurate in fact,
detail and comment as possible. However, I cannot be held
responsible for any error in details, accuracy or judgement
whatsoever. This e-letter is produced on this understanding.

How to stretch your way to fitness

The60LifeWeekly

29th July 2010

• Save money with this summer holiday offer only open until the end
of August

• Discover a world of writing for pleasure and profit

• How you can stretch your way to fitness

I’m spending a wonderful few days break surrounded by the
spectacularly beautiful scenery of North Wales in the UK. So where
exactly am I? If you would like to you can check it out here at
http://www.porthtocynhotel.co.uk
For my headlined summer holiday offers find for this week, though,
please see below – I have absolutely no affiliation with
these holiday opportunities, or the one above, and therefore
receive no payment or commission of any kind.

**************************************************************************
Save money with late summer holiday offers
*************************************************************************
• You can access a number of exciting offers for a late summer
booking.
Last minute deals
Guardian.co.uk posts its editor’s picks:
“We trawl through hundreds of deals from tour operators and hotels
each day to bring you the pick of the best offers
around.Guardian.co.uk receives no payment or commission of any kind
from the operators listed”

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/lateoffers
Or maybe you would particularly like to travel in Ireland :

From Discover Ireland:
“Here in Ireland we believe in rewarding maturity and experience so
we’ve worked hard to bring together amazing deals throughout the
island of Ireland so Silver Surfers can put together an ultimate
summer package that won’t break the bank. Even better – you don’t
need to travel with another person over the age of 66 to take
advantage. Our 2-for-1 and reduced rate accommodation offers
require only one Silver Surfer between two, and if you want to go
self-catering then you only need one pass for the whole property.
And this summer you can travel by rail in the Republic of Ireland
and Northern Ireland for free if you are over 66 – it’s called the
Golden Trekker.

These super summer savings are only valid from 17th May to 31st
August, so don’t miss out! All you have to do is surf through our
offers, download your Silver Surfer Summer Savings Pass and, most
importantly, remember you’re never too old to have the experience
of your life!”

http://www.discoverireland.com/gb/campaigns/silver-surfers
.

****************************************************
Discover a world of writing for pleasure
and profit
****************************************************
For excellent writing resources, providing tips, guidance and
inspiration you can subscribe to leading magazines (or perhaps read
in a public library) like Writing Magazine or Writers Forum. The
latter publication welcomes readers to its site thus:
‘Each month Writers’ Forum helps thousands of new and aspiring
writers to achieve their dreams. It’s packed with up-to-date market
information, advice from experts in the publishing industry and
inspiring stories and tips from fellow authors and writers.
We also feature interactive reader workshops in fiction, poetry,
children’s books and self-publishing, so you can see at first -hand
how to improve and successfully target your own writing.’
http://www.writers-forum.com
There is a vast amount of information on this site as well as
http://www.writingmagazine.co.uk

********************************************************************
How you can stretch your way to fitness
********************************************************************

At the pilatesguide.co.uk a forum member asks:
‘Am I too old to do Pilates?
I am a 63 year old woman and want to start a Pilates class but I am
worried that I am too old and that I could injure myself
________________________________________
Answer from Brenda Phillips, Cheltenham:
You can never be too old to do Pilates. If you feel fit enough you
can do it at any age. The beauty of Pilates is that all the
exercises can be adapted to meet the specific needs of each
individual which means it can be tailored for you no matter what
age you are. Pilates can be adapted to make it less strenuous and
gentler so it will suit any ability. A lot of older people are
turning to Pilates to keep themselves suppler and fitter. Pilates
is known to help prevent age related conditions such as
osteoporosis.
http://www.pilatesguide.co.uk/answers/8.html
and for more health benefits check out:
http://www.naturalnews.com/pilates.html
Coming-up in the next issue, news and tips about:
• more good reasons if needed to include regular cycling in your
life
• looking at ‘home’ business opportunities (‘biz opps’)
• 4 easy steps to a richer life

and soon, we’re looking at personal computing: problems and remedies

Don’t miss your next issue by email on 5th August.

Yours ,

Mike Paterson,
The 60Life Weekly

Disclaimer: It is always my intention to be as accurate in
fact,detail and comment as possible. However, I cannot be held
responsible for any error in details ,accuracy or judgement
whatsoever. This e-letter is produced on this understanding.

5 reasons why cycling should be part of your fitness regime…

From : The60LifeWeekly

5 reasons why cycling should be part of your fitness regime

Why regular use of the internet could stave-off dementia

Is this the most dangerous business opportunity ever?

My grandchildren take some keeping-up with. I love playing ball games in the park with them, but boy does it take some work! Great fun, though.

That brings me nicely to one of this week’s key themes. Luckily, I have recently rediscovered the joy of cycling…

**************************************************************************

5 reasons why cycling should be part of your fitness regime

**************************************************************************

According to the website, over50s.com, cycling is one of the easiest and effective ways of keeping fit. The website reports:

Researchers have found that ” in England ,just 32% of men over 50 and 21% of women undertake the ’ recommended’ 30 minutes of daily exercise.”

The article goes onto say: “Five reasons why cycling should be part of your exercise regime:

1. It keeps your knees and hips flexible.

2. It is an aerobic exercise and releases ‘feel good’ chemicals in the brain.

3. People who regularly cycle have the fitness level and body of someone 10 years younger.

4. If you are overweight cycling is the perfect exercise because it doesn’t put any pressure on your joints.

5. As part of a healthy lifestyle, regular cycling can reduce your risk of Type 2 diabetes and heart disease by around 50 per cent.”

Seems like a win/win situation to me. Before you embark on any unaccustomed exercise you should see your doctor first just to check-out that what you plan is appropriate for you. For more on this story, including the benefits of an electric bike, check this out:

http://www.over50s.com/health/power_assisted_cycling.aspx

****************************************************

Why regular use of the internet could stave-off dementia

****************************************************

Natural News reports that” University of California at Los Angles (UCLA) scientists have found a way adults who are middle-aged and older can enhance brain function and thinking ability in just one week. This amazingly powerful prescription doesn’t involve a drug. Instead, it’s simply a matter of learning to surf the Web.

Research presented October 10th at the 2009 meeting of the Society for Neuroscience held in Chicago suggests older people with little Internet experience can trigger key centres in the brain that control decision making and complex reasoning in about seven days after they are taught how to use the Internet. What’s the connection? Apparently, Internet training stimulates specific brain cell activity and could even potentially play a role in preventing dementia.”

You can read the full report here at

www.naturalnews.com/027369_internet_brain_the.html

********************************************************************

Is this the most dangerous business opportunity ever?

********************************************************************

I think not. This is not about putting your finances on the line

moneymagpie.com has a number of great ideas which you can put into practice now to improve your income.

You can

•Use your life experience to your advantage

•Make up to £20 an hour by joining a focus group

•Housesit with your partner and make money together

•Cash in on your hobby

•How to make ultra easy money!

There are loads of fantastic and simple ways to make money on the side, and lots of them are tailor-made for people over the age of 60. We’ve put together a list of the best moneymaking ideas for seniors so take a look and see what suits you.

http://www.moneymagpie.com/article/1549/money-making-ideas-for-the-over-60s/

The first tip above about cycling is definitely something I’ll be following through with now. Especially in preparation for when the grandkids visit. In the next issue, I’ve got news about developing your creative writing skills, getting the best price deal on gas and electricity, and a special report about financial security in retirement. Look out for your next issue on 22^nd July

Yours

Mike Paterson,

The 60Life Weekly

PS: If you have your own stories, tips, or feedback please send them to me at

[email protected]

Disclaimer: It is always my intention to be as accurate in fact, detail and comment as possible. However, I cannot be held responsible for any error in details ,accuracy or judgement whatsoever. This e-letter is produced on this understanding.

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