AGEING WELL, LADIES??

 

When do we feel like we have “aged”? Is it when we see a strand of grey hair on our scalp or is it when we start paying taxes? Or is it when we start experiencing back pain? Well, to be honest, in the present era of stress and improper diet, graying of hair, and body pain are not at all considered symptoms of ageing – even 3-4 year old kids are sometimes found to have grey hair and wearing spectacles! But ladies, irrespective our heartfelt desire to stay young, ageing is a natural phenomenon and is a sign of maturity. Unlike our grandmothers or even mothers, who had experienced abundant physical labor and good nutrition, we are not undergoing sufficient physical activity – our hectic and busy schedule being a primary reason for this; they may not be experiencing any tiredness after a whole day work, even at the age of 60, while we feel completely exhausted after a 9-5 job at 30. Though there is no way of reversing the clock, there are drills which can be followed to enjoy the journey of ageing. After all, we don’t want to be bed-ridden in our prime itself, isn’t it?

Health should take a priority on our list and NOT work. A minimum of 30-40 minutes of some form of physical activity is a must in our lives. This is not only limited to “sweating out” in the gym; brisk walking/ jogging can also be a physical activity. Coupling it with some form of yoga/ meditation can add the extra rejuvenation or boost to kick-start a good day. Food is another parameter that contributes immensely to the health. A diet should be prepared and most importantly, followed, because there is no magical potion that will burn off the fats from our body (and making us fitter) within 10 days (We don’t live in Oz isn’t it?!). Foods that are high in protein/ fiber and low in calories should be prioritized – this includes fruits, vegetables, eggs, meat, diary etc. Another important fact is women are highly prone to osteoporosis or decrease in bone density; hence, a calcium rich diet is equally necessary – there is no harm in taking calcium supplements and health drinks – it just shows that we are taking care of ourselves and are conscious about our health needs! And it goes without saying: we need to hydrate ourselves adequately!

Ageing is directly proportional to maturity and experiences. Hence, reading good books especially autobiographies and life stories of great, women personalities like Sarojini Naidu, Virginia Woolf, Michelle Obama can help us age maturely as we can learn many important lessons from their experiences. Changing the way of lifestyle can have a beneficial role in ageing – now this doesn’t really mean that we start wearing skirts and pants, even if it makes one uncomfortable. It just means that we need to sort and organize our life – YES! Easier said than done – but why not atleast head-start in that direction? We should devote time to our hobbies and creative selves – doesn’t matter how crude it may sound but our hobbies are a part of our “me time”. It is not something that we need to do and showcase to the world by putting up on social media, with different hashtags – it is something that we need to take pleasure in and rejoice; it can take us back to the crafts classes that we had in school! Also if anyone has the time and money, she can pamper herself with a monthly session in the salon; if not, then why not get refreshed with a homemade paste of sandalwood, turmeric, curd and besan? We can even do our own pedicure/manicure at home. These simple activities have a very positive impact, even on our souls.

Above all, pray! We should be grateful to the Almighty for every single day that we have been blessed with. We should smile enough, help others in distress and stop comparing ourselves with others. We might tend to compare our lives with those of other women who have achieved a lot at the same age as ours, but ageing of each lady and the experiences gathered in that course is unique for each one. So ladies, let us all make an effort to age well!!