In this month’s “two-part” men’s health blog, we are sharing mind-body-spirit tips to help men stay young and improve their whole health. Last week, we focused on ways men can take care of their health including feeding the body proper nutrients, boosting physical activity, dressing with confidence, and reducing exposure to toxins.
This week, our focus is on the mind and spirit. Check out our second set of men’s mind-body-spirit health tips:
1) Take Care of Your Brain Health
As your body ages, so does your brain. You may experience memory lapses, and your reflexes get slower. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2596698/)
According to a study at the Mayo Clinic, mild cognitive impairment may increase your risk of later progressing to dementia, caused by Alzheimer’s disease or other neurological conditions.
It is important to stay cognitively active by doing things that stimulate the brain including reading books, attending lectures, watching movies OR playing brain-teaser games like scrabble, crossword puzzles, and chess. This helps sharpen the memory. Engaging in artistic hobbies like painting, drawing, sewing, knitting, fashion design and building models also help improve cognitive health.
2) Add Positivity To Your Life
According to recent studies, patients with depression have been shown to have shortened life expectancy and to be associated with multiple age-related systemic diseases.
It’s important to surround yourself with positive people, and that includes your intimate relationships. If your social circle consists of Debbie Downers, Negative Nancies & Pissy Peters, then it’s time to re-assess those relationships. Life can definitely throw curve balls our way. When setbacks happen, try to always see the positive side of things.
Maintaining an optimistic mindset has been linked with an array of positive health behaviors. A University of Michigan study shows the association of pessimism with inflammation and hemostasis. Pessimistic people tend to have more heart diseases. Optimism (a positive attitude), on the other hand, is associated with a low risk for heart diseases and death.
When you feel down, consider watching “feel good” movies or comedy shows. It will boost your mood. And don’t forget to laugh out loud. It’s good for the soul!
3) Keep an Active Social Life
Getting older doesn’t mean you need to stay home and isolate yourself. Did you know that isolation & loneliness will make you age faster?
Social disconnectedness diminishes your physical and psychological well-being. There is evidence that the subjective experience of loneliness can significantly contribute to premature death independently of other physical, behavioral, or psychological factors.
Keeping an active social life will actually help you maintain good health. Make it a point to spend quality time with family and friends as it keeps the brain active.
Being socially active will make you happier and healthier. So get out there!
4) Volunteer For Community Services
A growing body of research shows that volunteering may be good for the body and the mind.
Volunteering provides tremendous mental health benefits. Not only does it make people feel socially connected, but it also reduces the risk of loneliness and depression. However, additional research shows that people who donate their time may also experience better physical health and even live longer.
According to a Carnegie Mellon University study, those who had volunteered at least 200 hours in the 12 months prior to baseline were less likely to develop hypertension.
Find time to donate your time to helping others. Not sure where to start? What social causes are you passionate about? You may want to support those causes and charities right in your community. Some popular causes include educational & religious organizations, health charities, animal groups, as well as arts, culture and humanities charities.
Did you miss last week’s blog featuring our 1st set of tips on how to improve men’s health & stay young? Check out our first set of mind-body-spirit tips by clicking here
