Baby Boomers Tips For Staying Healthy

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The Baby Boomers’ 50th birthday 2

The Baby Boomers’ 50th birthday 2 (Photo credit: Christchurch City Libraries)

The U.S. Census Bureau regards baby boomers as those who were born between 1946 and 1964. Landon Jones, in his book Great Expectations: America and the Baby Boom Generation (1980), characterized the baby-boom generation as being from 1943 through 1960, when yearly births increased over 4,000,000. Authors William Strauss and Neil Howe, well-known for their generational theory, define the social generation of Boomers as the age group born between 1943 and 1960, who were too young to have any personal memories of World War II, but who are old enough to recall the post-war American High. (Source: Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby_boomer#Definition) 

However one defines a Baby Boomer, the fact is that we are all aging. Growing older can be a frightening process for anyone and Baby Boomers are certainly no exception. For many, growing older is often about loss: loss of agility, loss of health, loss of friends and family, loss of employment, loss of independence. All these losses can cause emotional stress and can carry the possibility of hopelessness and depression. 

None of us can doubt that we are aging rapidly when arthritis makes strangers of our hands and knees and when it’s so difficult just to get out of bed in the morning. Then having the media inundated with flu warnings for seniors and Alzheimer’s stats, it is a wonder that anyone can look at the future with a positive attitude. There is some evidence that what Baby Boomers fear most is the loss of their memory and mental functions. There are countless stories in newspapers, radio and television about people who are living with a lost sense of their own identity. That would frighten anyone.

We cannot stop the aging process, but we can definitely fight the accompanying debilitation that so many of us simply accept as part of our lives. We can repair some of the damage we have done over the years and restore some mental and physical fitness.

Every day medical science is working on finding new drugs or herbal concoctions that might help preserve failing memories or hopefully even restore them. The delay between discovery, testing and release to the public is quite long. But in the meantime, there are a few simple things that we can do to help our memory and thought processes and some activities we can engage in that will improve our physical fitness and nutrition levels. All of these are totally up to you and don’t rely on medication or joining a gym. 

Solve Puzzles

Puzzles are excellent for tuning up your mind. It doesn’t matter if you are solving crossword puzzles, word search puzzles, Sudoku puzzles, or any other type. The only thing that matters is that puzzles will help to keep your memory and mind active. Jigsaw puzzles are another great activity for mental welfare. Solving the daily crossword in your newspaper while drinking your morning coffee is no longer a waste of your time!

Find a Hobby

Another great activity that is important for healthy aging is participating in hobbies. Again, it doesn’t matter which hobby turns you on. Keeping your mind busy with a fun hobby makes the time fly by. Knitting a blanket for a grand-baby or finding new things to do with a piece of wood is pure mind-strengthening gold. Why not try doing genealogy research for your family? Write your life story, create a lovely scrapbook. All of these ideas involve multiple techniques and cognitive processes. Regard them as mind exercises. These types of activities release stress and add balance to your emotions. 

Physical Activity

Along with your hobbies or crafts, adding some type of physical activity is helpful to both your mental and physical health. Physical activity is a very important factor in brain fitness and can help delay or prevent Alzheimer’s. We now know that physical exercise increases our chances of living longer, with fewer possibilities of disease or disability. It is also clear that those who participate in regular physical activity have younger bodies than people of the same age who are not active. 

You don’t need join a gym unless you want to. Just incorporating some simple activities into your daily life will be quite beneficial. Walking for 15-30 minutes every day is known to help sustain health. It is commonly recommended for those with Type II diabetes. 

Try walking in the local park or garden. If you live near the beach, that’s perfect for a walk. Take your digital camera, snap some photos along your way for use in your scrapbook, or make a slide show for your grand-kids.

If you walk in a park with a lake and ducks, carry some bread or hot dog buns and you’ll soon draw the quacking crowd. If the weather is bad, try the mall for some window shopping while you walk. Some malls do open early for seniors to walk before the regular shoppers come in.

Gardening

Gardening is a great type of non-stress activity. Planting flowers or vegetables will increase your flexibility and will lessen the chance of falling. It also has mental benefits such as planning, watering and looking forward to the harvest.

Social Contact

Social contact is a great way to get out of the house and moving. Take a dance class with friends or meet new ones there. Go bird-watching, join a gardening club or get a space in a community garden. Start a picnic-in-the-park group with your friends or neighbors. You’ll be outside enjoying nature at a pleasant social function that will be good for everyone involved. 

Nutrition

Lets talk a moment about nutrition. Our bodies are not as forgiving as they used to be years ago. In addition to diminishing exercise, our diet has become a lot less nutritious over the years since we left our mother’s kitchen.

Some years ago, it was believed that the only way to lose weight was to eat less and increase our exercise. Counting calories was almost a religious experience. Now it is pretty common knowledge that counting calories is less important than knowing what to eat and how to do it. Avoiding all fat is not the way to go. Healthy fats are necessary. Some healthy fats include virgin olive oil, walnuts, almonds, flaxseed, avocado.

Yams, brown rice, pasta, rice, whole wheat bread, oatmeal and sweet potatoes are natural carbohydrates. These are beneficial for energy and heart health. Green vegetables, in addition to onions and mushrooms will also support the body’s health.

Grass-fed beef and low-fat dairy are healthy additions to our diets, along with tuna, salmon and chicken breasts. If we give our bodies what they need to improve our health, we will have less disease in our lives. 

Staying in the house or apartment, spending the time with the TV set and refrigerator is the path to depression and loneliness. Being around people is as important to your mental health as getting active and solving puzzles. 

It has been said that Baby Boomers are known for being creative. So, use that creativity for better health. Don’t waste the post-retirement years sitting on the couch or avoiding people. If old friends and family are gone, make new friends. Invite a neighbor for a walk, play cards, go to the movies and share popcorn. You will benefit and you’ll feel better for the effort. 

The mental stimulation and companionship will keep your mind sharp and can reverse the damage that may have already been done. It’s never too late to take charge of your own future.

Make a Fashion Statement With a Vintage Style T-shirt

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Vintage Style T-shirts 

Vintage Style T-shirts are a very hot item right now and there are many online businesses that have become very successful in producing their own t-shirts and selling them. The reason the t-shirt industry is so profitable is because almost everyone around the world wears t-shirts. You can find virtually any kind of t-shirt you want to fit whatever kind of mood you are in and whatever kind of message or fashion statement you are trying to get across. T-shirts are made to appeal to everyone and they do, it’s one of the very few markets that have that universal appeal. 

People like to re-live a time in their past that they really enjoyed and feel very nostalgic about. They often go looking for retro or vintage designs and t-shirts that they might have worn back when they were a kid. Many times it can be a reminder of a simpler, better time in their life when they weren’t dealing with the difficult events of current everyday life.

Designs From the Past

There are t-shirt companies that are actually reproducing old designs from the past and making new shirts from these designs. This is great for people looking for these vintage t-shirts because it makes it easier for them to track down that perfect design they have been looking for all this time. Since they are being reprinted, finding a size is often not an issue as well. Many online websites even offer customization to the shirt including adding a graphic you like on almost any color. You can have the perfect shirt that you have either always wanted or have been looking for forever.

If you find a design that you love, a lot of the online shops also have the option of putting them on other objects and gifts as well. You can put it on objects like hats, mouse pads, coffee mugs, tote bags, ties, hoodies, sweatshirts, teddy bears, key chains and many other things. If it has the ability to be printed on, there should be no problem in customizing it to fit your needs.

The Good Old Days

Vintage style t-shirts and gifts are not only great for you, but can be the perfect thing to give another person. If you know that a person is very nostalgic and likes to talk about “the good old days”, finding a design that they remember and giving it to them as a gift on a t-shirt or another object can bring a smile to their face. Everyone likes being reminded of a cherished time in their lives, and getting them a vintage style t-shirt is a one way to help them do that. Not only will they think about the good old days when wearing or using the gift, but they will think about the person who gave the gift to them as well.

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Take Charge of Your Finances

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Money

Take control of your finances.

Today’s economy has put some hardships on almost everyone, but it is particularly difficult for those on fixed incomes. If you are retired or close to being retired, you might be surprised by how tight your budget can become. You have to take charge of your finances!

With just a bit more focus on exactly where your hard-earned money is going, you could save a hundred dollars or even more this month without feeling deprived. The following strategies can help you maintain your life-style without giving up the things you most appreciate. You may even find yourself enjoying some surprising bonuses! So here are some tips for saving money.

Shop Your Own Refrigerator

Have you run out of milk? Do you need a couple more slices of bread for a sandwich? Rather thangoing to the store (where you’ll undoubtedly purchase more than the strictly needed items), postpone that grocery store trip and shop in your fridge and kitchen cabinets instead. Get creative and make a sandwich with muffins or tortillas. Make a wrap using lettuce or prepare a salad and put your tuna on the top. Skip the cream or milk when drinking coffee and save a few cents and a few calories.

By delaying that visit to the grocery store, you will save money. The bonus? Food won’t waste, spoil or be forgotten if you’re digging deep into your refrigerator and pantry. In addition, preparing a list before grocery shopping will help you avoid impulse buying and will save even more money.

Don’t Super-Size

Whether you’re ordering fries to go with your Big Mac, or buying your morning cafe-latte, opt for the smaller size. Sure, you may get a better deal by super-sizing, and the temptation is to get the most for the money, but ultimately, you’re taking additional money from your wallet if you purchase a larger size. The bonus? Consider the calories you’ll avoid!

Have a Potluck Dinner with Friends as an Alternative to Going Out

Rather than going to your preferred bar or club to watch Monday Night Football, host everyone at your house, and divide the responsibility for the meal and the snacks. No costly bar tabs, no tipping the waiter – just lots of homespun fun. The bonus? New recipes to share and money saved.

Put Your Change In a Jar

Every evening empty your pockets or purse of all your loose change and put it inside a glass jar. Those nickels and dimes accumulate fast! The bonus? Spending “found” cash on something special. With a little time, you may be able to save enough money for that getaway you might not have considered before.

Make Use of the Library

Check your local library. You might be pleasantly surprised. You can find the latest DVDs, attend networking events, and scoop up New York Times bestsellers. You may want to just chill out and browse the most recent issue of Sports Illustrated or Cosmopolitan – all free of charge! You’ll save on movie rentals, book purchases, and much more. The bonus? Meeting other people like yourself with very similar interests. The library just may be the ultimate “social network.”

Drink Water

If you’re eating out, one of the high-margin items on the menu is the drinks. If you’re eating at your home, choosing water instead of soft drinks or alcohol equals big savings. The bonus? Your body’s organs, your weight and overall fitness will improve.

Put One Back

While at the supermarket, shopping mall, or on the internet, do all your shopping then before you check out, put one item back. Whether it’s one of the two or three CDs that you were about to buy or one of the two pairs of shoes you wanted, cut your spending by letting one go. In the long run, you very likely won’t even notice the loss! The bonus? The clutter factor goes way down!

Plant Your Own Garden

This is a biggie! We’ve talked about this before in another article but it’s worth mentioning again. Even if you live in an apartment, you can garden on your balcony, porch or patio. This method of gardening can easily be scaled down to whatever size you need for your particular porch, balcony or patio. And, seed companies offer various choices for growing mini vegetables in containers. Just think…fresh vegetables and fruit right outside your sliding glass door.

Check your garage or storage shed for planters, boxes, hanging baskets, large flower pots or even wooden barrels. Don’t use containers with narrow openings as they will confine the plant’s top growth. Ask your friends and neighbors if they have any suitable containers.

Old or inexpensive plastic pots, like those plants come in from the stores, may start breaking down in the sunlight from the UV rays. If you decide to use Terra-Cotta pots, be diligent about watering as they tend to dry out quickly. Redwood or cedar pots are a good choice because they resist rotting. Just make sure they haven’t been treated with some toxic compound, like creosote. You are going to eat what you grow in those pots.

You will need at least ½” holes for drainage in whatever pots you choose, especially ceramic pots. If you are concerned about losing soil through the holes, line the pot with shelf-liner that has a mesh-type composition or newspaper. The bugs will stay out, the soil stays in and the water drains.

A good choice for potting soil is a soil-less mix that can be found in most garden centers. A discussion with a Master Gardener or the manager of the garden department will help you make the best choices. What you want is a planting mixture that will drain quickly and is free of weed seeds.

Be sure that there is plenty of sunlight on the site you’ve chosen for your garden. At least 5 hours of direct sunlight daily is ideal for a good crop of most plant types. Grow lights can help you with that and are found in any garden center.

Container gardening has become a fashionable market. Seed companies have formed large product lines for miniature vegetables and fruits that you can grow on your balcony.

Fruiting vegetables, like cherry tomatoes, peppers and eggplant are easily grown in containers. Root vegetables, like baby carrots, radishes and green onions will also give you a containercrop you can be proud of. If your pot is large enough, you can tuck some quick-growing, small herbs or leaf lettuce in the pot and grow them with a larger vegetable.

Surprisingly, there is even a strain of orange tree developed specifically for containers. Another option is a miniature mandarin orange tree. Both will put fruit on your table, but probably not the first year. Check parkseed.com for info and to purchase one of these trees. Alternatively, do a Google search to find competitors and possibly save even more money.

Creativity and the desire to take charge of your finances can make you an expert at saving money.

Many of these tips on saving money involve cutting back on our consumption and others are as simple as container gardening. Some involve lowering costs by avoiding impulse shopping, and others require us to end our bad habits. But you will see that taking charge of your finances will bring about some serious savings in your household budget.

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Balcony or Patio Container Gardening

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Tiered succulent container garden

Tiered succulent container garden (Photo credit: ballookey)

Today’s economy has put some hardships on almost everyone, but it is particularly difficult for those on fixed incomes. If you are a retired Baby Boomer or close to being one, you might be surprised by how tight your budget can become.

Of course you have to keep up with your payments, power bills and rent or mortgage outlay. There’s not much you can do about that. What you can do something about, though, is the quality of the food you eat and where you get it.

One very good option is container gardening on your balcony or patio. Seed companies offer several options for growing miniature vegetables in containers and, effectively, you can have a smaller version of your neighbor’s backyard garden on your own balcony. Think about it. Fresh vegetables and fruits right outside your sliding glass door.

This method of growing your own vegetables can be easily scaleddown to your porch, balcony or patio. You won’t even have to dig in the dirt or buy normal gardening tools. What you do need though is an assortment of containers suitable for what you want to grow.

Check your garage or storage shed for a stash of planter boxes, hanging baskets, large flower pots or even wooden barrels. Some guidance might help you to make good choices. Don’t use containers with small or narrow openings because they will restrict the plant’s top growth.

Old or inexpensive plastic pots, like those plants come in from the stores, may start breaking down in the sunlight from the UV rays. If you decide to use Terra-Cotta pots, you will have to be diligent about watering as they tend to dry out quickly. Redwood or cedar pots will be a good choice because they resist rot. Just make sure they haven’t been treated with some toxic compound, like creosote. You will be eating what you grow in those pots.

Make sure you have at least ½” drainage holes in whatever pots you choose, particularly ceramic pots. If you are worried about losing soil through the holes, line the base of the pot with newspaper or plastic shelf liner that is not solid, but has a mesh-like composition. The bugs stay out, the soil stays in and the water drains.

A good choice for potting soil is a soil-less mix that can be found in most garden centers. A discussion with a Master Gardener or manager of the garden department will help you make good choices. What you want is a planting mixture that will drain quickly and is free of weed seeds.

You will need a good amount of sun, so watch the amount that falls on the site you’ve chosen for your garden. At least 5 hours of direct sunlight daily is required to harvest a good crop of most plant types. Grow lights can help you with that and can be found in any garden center.

What used to be a very thin selection of plants suitable for growing in containers has expanded into a popular market. Seed companies noticed that popularity and developed large product lines for miniature vegetables and fruits that you can grow on your balcony.

Fruiting vegetables, like cherry tomatoes, peppers and eggplant can be easily grown in containers. Root vegetables, like baby carrots, radishes and green onions will also give you a containercrop to be proud of. If your pot is large enough, you can tuck some quick-growing, small herbs or leaf lettuce in the pot and grow them with a larger vegetable.

Love oranges and cannot afford them anymore? There is a strain of orange tree that was developed specifically for containers. Another option is a miniature mandarin orange tree. Both will put fruit on your table, but probably not the first year. Check parkseed.com for info and to purchase one of these trees. Alternatively, do a Google search to find competitors.

If you have a 5-gallon window box, you can grow beans, beets, carrots, lettuce, onions, radishes and spinach. A 5-gallon pot will hold one plant of broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage or tomatoes. Pots of varying sizes can be used to add cucumbers, eggplant, garlic, peppers and squash.

Creativity and the desire to take charge of some of your life can make a fantastic container gardener out of you. Happy harvesting!

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The Good Old Days

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Ah, the good old days. As we age, it seems we think about them more often and more fondly. But why? Were the good old days really that good? Certainly some of them were.

It seems that the older we get, the better “The Good Old Days” seem. Some of the funny old memories might make us smile as they flit in and out of your memory. Did you drive a muscle car and go drag racing on Saturday night? Do you remember your first crush? How about the “away ballgames” where you had to ride the school bus at night with all your friends?

As a Baby Boomer, it’s not the same world today that you were raised in or the same one you raised your kids in either. Schools changed, food changed and your perceptions of right and wrong may have changed.

Today’s problems in schools include drugs, alcohol, guns, sex and pregnancy, to list just a few. Some of the stories you hear about violence in schools are unbelievable, but true.

Have your lives been improved by frozen food, credit cards and “fresh” food processed until there’s no “fresh” left in it? Have you gained anything by the industrialization of family farms and orchards, other than vegetables and fruits ripened with a gas because they were harvested before they were naturally ripe?

Today’s health care doesn’t even resemble the family doctor who came to your house when a family member was sick. While the personal touch you remember might have been comforting then, today’s medical care has extended lives for 30 or 40 years beyond what could be expected when you were young.

Extended families lived together 40 or 50 years ago and everybody got along under the same roof. Grandma would always be available with warm cookies and Grandpa had a lap and a hug when you needed it. The entire clan lived and worked in the same town their entire lives.

Jobs were traditional and mothers rarely worked outside the home unless it was an absolute necessity. Sons tended to follow in their father’s footsteps when it was time for them to take a job. Daughters might work in the town bank or clerk at a local store until they got married. College educations were not a necessity yet.

Options for satisfying careers were not readily available like they are today, and marriage is no longer a requirement for a satisfying life. Now, women are running corporations and working on the cutting edge of technology, even flying off to outer space.

When the Baby Boomer generation was born, the entire world began to change around them. Life moved faster and faster while you were building careers and starting families. Some amazing enhancements to everyday life changed the way you lived as children and young adults.

Television brought the big world into your living rooms and expanded your compassion for people living in war zones or trying to survive disasters. General living conditions became easier with the arrival of air conditioners, central heating, dishwashers, motorized lawn mowers and electric blankets.

Speaking of new toys, look around the rooms in your home. How many new gadgets can you find, like televisions, stereos, DVD players, camcorders, digital cameras, cell phones, video game consoles, computers, and printers?

The answer to the question in the heading, “How Good Were The Good Old Days?” would have to be that they were as good as they needed to be at that time. Life is always in a state of change, but it happened at a much slower pace than it has after 1946, when the first Baby Boomer was born. When your children and grandchildren are your age, I wonder how they will answer that question.

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Benefits of Creating Memoirs Now

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By Ryan Rivera

I am not a baby boomer. I missed it by a short period of time. But I am someone that is close personal friends with many of the baby boomer era, and I’ve talked to them often about their lives.

One thing I hear from all of them is a fear over the future. Baby boomers have already started to reach retirement age, and many of them have fears over the uncertainty that the future offers for them:

  • They fear not knowing what to do with their time and their life.
  • They fear forgetting things as they watched the memories of their parents fade.
  • They fear that they won’t have something that future generations can use as a legacy.

It’s a fear that can be controlling at times, and affects anyone that is faced with coming to terms with their own aging and mortality. But it’s also a fear that is too debilitating. This generation is healthier, “younger,” and more exciting than generations past, and allowing yourself to be a slave to these fears is needlessly making your life harder.

How to Solve The Fear

The best thing you can do to prevent this fear from having this type of control over you is to address it now. Whether you’re retired or nearing retirement or determined not to retire but still part of the baby boomer generation, you need to address this anxiety as soon as you can, because it happens to nearly everyone, and it’s a natural part of living a successful life.

So solve that fear by making it a goal in your life to start writing your own life story and memoirs right now. It’s not for a novel. It’s not to become famous. You write out your life story so that you can put it in a permanent place that you’ll never forget.

Why is This Beneficial?

There are many benefits to taking the time to write out your life story, no matter how “boring” or uninteresting you believe it to be. Just a small sample of these benefits includes:

  • Reminders – Writing out your life story gives you an opportunity to go back into your memories and share what you can remember. It’s a positive reflection tool, where you can laugh about the things that happened to you in your life, and remember all of the things that made you who you are today. Those reminders are great at a time when too much of your life is spent paying attention to fewer things of importance.
  • Memories – Similarly, by writing it out you can use the document to help you keep those memories for longer. Many people fear forgetting, and have anxiety over the idea that these things that used to be at the peak of their conscious will someday be forgotten. This helps you create a place you can refer to any time you feel like you’re forgetting anything. Reread what you wrote, and remind yourself of your life.
  • Helping Others Understand You – People have a desire to be understood by friends and family. They have a desire to be remembered. These notes give someone that ability to get to know you no matter where you are. You can share them with others, or you can simply put them in a place that others can access with permission. You’re not only creating a memory for yourself with these memoirs – you’re making a memory for others as well.

These are things that can provide you with some relief from those anxieties, knowing that your story is all in one place. You can always add to it over time even after completion, especially if you do it in digital form, and you can save it in multiple places so that it is never lost. Take the time to compose your life history in document form, and you’ll find some really powerful relief from the normal signs of becoming an aging baby boomer.

About the Author: Ryan Rivera has seen the way that baby boomers are affected by anxiety and fear. He writes about overcoming anxiety at www.calmclinic.com.