How to Age Proactively
Ageing is privilege that not all of us get to experience. That’s why I love to celebrate the continuation every day with gratitude and an attitude towards proactive ageing. The polar opposite of anti-ageing. For me, proactive ageing is living in the flow of life, not against it. It is living in the natural world, not against it. It is harnessing the vitamins & nutrients found in plants and nature to heal and re-boot our human cellular system. It’s about eating a diet that is rich in antioxidants, vitamins and phytonutrients that offer the body exactly what it needs to function at optimal health and vitality. It’s about living a grateful life. It’s understanding our uniqueness in the world, releasing us from trying to fit in, or be someone that we inherently know we are not. It’s about choosing love over fear. It’s about creating a Channel One frequency, and focusing on who we want to be, by the thoughts we think and the choices we make, every moment of every day.
To Good Gut Health or Not to Good Gut Health
“Let food be thy medicine, thy medicine will be food.” – Hippocrates –
Not such a new concept, but vegan and plant based diets have only just started ‘trending’ in the past 10 years. Why would such a thing as living in tune with nature be a trend? We have been so flooded with marketing about how meat offers the protein your body needs, when in fact that simply isn’t the case. Certainly not in societies that eat meat daily. The body struggles to process such dense protein that it can more often than not, cause a toxic and acidic [pH] balance in the gut. Acidity can lead to all kinds of diseases.
How to age proactively
First for me, in this proactive ageing process, is keeping a healthy gut [pH]. It’s paramount in maintaining proactive ageing. It’s all about the plants and fruits and veggies, the nuts and seeds and herbs. It’s within this realm that I find all the protein, fibre, nutrients, vitamins, phytonutrients, antioxidants, fatty acids, collagen, digestive aids, and many other ingredients that assist the body in healing itself naturally every single day. Sustenance that assists the body in creating more energy, more vitality, more collagen, and more agility. So I choose carefully what I eat every day with mindful intention and when I veer off track due to being very busy and eating quick fixes, I always ensure to get myself back on track with a fast solution that quickly assists in balancing my [pH]. This fine fellow is our common all-garden Bicarbonate of Soda. Or Sodium Bicarbonate. But I choose the variety found in pharmacies as this is the pharmaceutical version and works super well. I put 1/5 a teaspoon in a large glass of (filtered or natural spring) water and stir then drink.
Its superpowers come from a two-letter term: [pH]. That stands for “potential (or power) of hydrogen” to make something either an acid or a base (alkaline). Bicarb is an alkaline substance. When it mixes with an acid, it alters the [pH] level. That’s why it can quickly soothe an upset stomach or cover a bad smell, to to mention remove acid-like feelings in muscles and joints. It’s also helped me recover quickly from a cold or flu. I’m a fan.
Ni.B Don’t take within 2 hours of other medications. When the bicarb lowers stomach acid, it can slow the rate at which your body absorbs some medicines and change the way others work. Avoid giving it to a child under 6 unless your paediatrician says that you can.
Skin Deep
Second in my quest for proactive ageing is my skin. Skin being the largest organ of the body, absorbs everything that is applied to it. Have you heard of Transdermal Administration. Transdermal is a route of administration wherein active ingredients are delivered across the skin for systemic distribution. Examples include transdermal patches used for medicine delivery. The drug is administered in the form of a patch or ointment that delivers the drug into the circulation for systemic effect.
How to age proactively through Skin
So with transdermal top of mind, I now read every single ingredient on every personal care product and all cosmetics including make-up and perfume. If I don’t know an ingredient, I will bust it straight into a search engine and google the light into it. If it’s something nasty, I will avoid that product completely. I only use 100% natural ingredients for all my personal care products like deodorant, skincare, toothpaste, shampoo & conditioner as well as all my make-up. I’m aiming for totally toxin-free every day.
Thirdly on my path to proactive ageing, is my mind wellness. I try to keep my mind strong, my emotions stable and my thoughts balanced. What I mean by that is, I wake up every morning at 5.45am and meditate, with my cat on my lap (the purring is healing and soothing). I focus on gratitude and the day I would like to unfold. I choose ChannelONE. Then I practice yoga and stretching, followed by 5 minutes of rebounding on a mini trampoline. Then, my favourite new addiction is cold water submerging. I’ve been doing this for 2 years now and it’s changed my life and re-booted my health is such profound ways.
Proactive ageing is existing in the excitement of another new day. It’s is about flowing with life’s experiences and not against them. Of feeling adaptable to change and able to step out of the drama. It’s about finding ways of exercising that gets you into nature. For nature heals. Nature soothes. Nature invigorates.
Go on beautiful, go age proactively, it really is delightful and very joy-filled.
Love
Nicole x
