Are You Investing in Your IRAH?
You’ve heard of an IRA, but have you heard of an IRAH? An IRAH is your Individual Retirement Account for Health. Think about it: all the money and prudent planning in the world can’t help someone who has not invested in their health. There is nothing more precious than our health.
And as you grow older, there is no better way to ensure you can enjoy the years ahead than by taking care of yourself.
Remember this: Life span is different than Health Span. Your goal should not be just to live a long time and accept the “consequences” of age. Many people these days are choosing to accept the fact that their aches and pains and fatigue are symptoms of age.
But that does not have to be true.
As you prepare to develop and “contribute” regularly to your IRAH, I want you to envision your ideal Prime-Time. Whether in your 40’s, 50’s, 60’s or older, what does that look like for you? Does it include less sickness and pain? Does it involve continuing to do your favorite things? Does it include travel and exploration? Spending time with family and loved ones? Staying active in your community? Volunteering?
Keep these goals and desires at the top of your mind as you begin to work on your IRAH and concentrate on your Health Span. Start by visualizing your best life. Take some time to think about what you really want your Prime-Time to be and use those mental pictures as your inspiration.
Also, think about what you don’t want to become. Are there family members or friends who have not planned their IRAH? Remember what their lives look like too, and use them to motivate yourself to live a higher quality life.
The truth is, many people are living longer and living better. Dr. Bill Sears, a noted author and physician who has been in private practice for over 40 years, has done research in this area. Here’s what he found.
Centenarians and Longevity
Dr. Sears wanted to know the secret sauce behind the long, healthy lives of a special group of people: Centenarians. We tend to hear about them mainly from the news.
We sit and marvel at how someone who is 113 years old sounds healthier and more able-bodied than many people half their age. Most have some very important things in common. If you want to set your sights on a health span that happens to equate to a long life span, here are a few things you should know about those who have aged healthfully.
They move. Vigorous centenarians spend much of their day doing physical exercise, whether in their gardens or on a golf course. Their joints don’t have a chance to get stiff or their bones and muscles frail.
They love. They have deep intimate relationships.
They’re lean. As they aged, they neither gained fat or lost muscle. Because of their healthy living and eating habits, centenarians have higher blood levels of adiponectin, a hormone that regulates metabolism and acts as a natural anti-inflammatory. Centenarians are not skinny; they are lean, which means they have just the right amount of body fat for their body type.
They eat less. Centenarians tend to eat 10 to 20 percent fewer daily calories than people on the standard American diet.
They graze. They eat smaller meals more often and take more time to eat.
They eat pure. They eat real foods (mostly fruits, vegetables, and fish) and shun processed, packaged foods and chemical additives.
They laugh. They enjoy themselves. Humor is therapeutic!
Are you ready to live like a Centenarian? Let’s work together to make these “secrets” part of your everyday life experience too. Contact me for more information.