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"Have you ever heard that someone can live to be 100 years old without exercising all their lives?" Aunt Li told her friends about this interesting point.
Mrs. Li used to be a bank clerk, and she kept that ordinary and stable job all her life until she retired. Today, although she is over 80 years old, she is in good spirits and often shares the wisdom of life with the young people in the community in a humorous and witty way.
Her views may come across as counter-intuitive, but she has a point. "Everyone knows that exercise is good for health, and that's true, but have you ever thought that excessive exercise can also be a burden? Especially for seniors like us. Aunt Li said.
In fact, for the elderly, moderate laziness is beneficial. Excessive activity can accelerate the wear and tear of the joints, leading to inflammation and even joint lesions. Older people who do high-intensity exercise frequently throughout their lives are actually more likely to develop osteoarthritis than those who exercise moderately.
Rather than encouraging everyone to stop exercising altogether, Mrs. Li emphasized moderation and balance. "For example, I do half an hour of Tai Chi every morning, which is enough to maintain physical flexibility and muscle strength." Her lifestyle is regarded by many doctors as a model for the health of the elderly.
Mrs. Li believes that for the elderly, proper forgetting is also a way to protect brain health. "You may think that poor memory is a sign of aging, but in fact, allowing the brain to 'rest' occasionally and forget some unimportant information can reduce the burden on the brain." She laughs and tells everyone that this kind of 'selective memory' actually allows the brain to process important information more efficiently.
Aunt Li mentioned laziness about eating - not eating less, but eating simply. "Everyone knows to eat whole grains and eat more fruits and vegetables, but in fact, the digestive system of the elderly is not as strong as it was when they were younger. Therefore, simplifying the diet and choosing foods that are easy to digest can not only reduce the burden on the stomach and intestines, but also help us absorb nutrients better. ”
She explained in detail how to choose foods that are suitable for the elderly, and emphasized that it is important to pay attention to the digestibility of food while maintaining dietary variety. For example, while red meat is rich in iron, older adults should opt for easily digestible sources of protein, such as fish or chicken.
Mrs. Li's conversation turned to another interesting point, arguing that the proper pursuit of "laziness" by the elderly has an unexpected effect in maintaining the quality of life. "People think that seniors should be busy with housework and social activities all day long, but I think it's actually better for health to know how to slow down and enjoy leisure at the right time."
She elaborated on how to maintain mental and physical balance by reducing unnecessary social activities. "I have an old friend who used to be busy with this and that, but then she had some health problems, and the doctor advised her to reduce her activity."
She started to change her lifestyle and socialize less, and as a result, not only did her health improve, but she also felt better. She says this slow life gives her more time to do the things she really enjoys, like gardening and painting. ”
Mrs. Li emphasized the importance of maintaining an appropriate pace of life for the heart health of the elderly. "It's not about asking people to do nothing, it's about choosing activities that are less burdensome on the heart. For example, walking, yoga, these are all good options. ”
She mentioned that older people who can do at least half an hour a day of low-intensity activities, such as walking or gentle gymnastics, can significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Mrs. Li also talked about another benefit, which is to improve the quality of sleep. "If you are too active at night, or if you are still dealing with complex things at night, it is easy to affect your sleep. If you can rest earlier in the evening, it will help you get a better quality of sleep. ”
At this moment, a listener next to me, Mr. Zhang, a neighbor of Mrs. Li, asked a question: "Mrs. Li, you said that reducing activities at night can help you sleep, but I always have difficulty falling asleep at night, is there any good way to improve this situation?" ”
Aunt Li said: "My suggestion is that you can try 'cooling time before bed'. That is, at least an hour before bedtime, do not watch TV and do not use mobile phones. This helps the brain relax and fall asleep. It's also important to keep your bedroom comfortable. These may be a great help for your sleep. ”
What do you think about the elderly? Welcome to discuss in the comment area!