A recent study from The Health Foundation found that by 2040 people who are 70 years of age will be living with 3 chronic health conditions. such as heart disease, diabetes and chronic pain.
Dementia cases will have risen
by 45%, heart failure by 92%, cancer by 31% diabetes by 49% chronic pain by 32% and anxiety and depression by 16%..
The report states "There will be particularly big increases in people living with anxiety and depression, chronic pain and diabetes. Obesity is one of the major factors that will drive rises in illnesses."
Other areas of the report mentions younger people will also be affected by chronic health conditions.
A comment on the report from Dr Layla Mc Cay, of the NHS Confederation, which represents health managers, said "there needed to be a greater focus on prevention to reduce the numbers living in ill health."
The report also mentions that there is no silver bullet to help support these chronic illnesses.
As a nutritionist I would disagree. Good nutrition over a long period of time is possibly the silver bullet that maybe the NHS needs. But good nutrition cant make billions of pounds profit for a pharmaceutical company!!!
As a nutritionist yoga teacher and personal trainer I also believe that movement and exercise using the correct form and alignment focussing on every detail to ensure the movements are executed correctly will reap the rewards but these are long term rewards. The number of people I see exercising listening to music through head phones, looking at their mobiles, completely NOT FOCUSSED on their bodies is unbelievable- no wonder people get injured!
If you want to workout but are unable to go to a gym, my on line programmes may be of benefit- very prescriptive and only £2.50 per class.
The exercises are described in detail and you will work out with me virtually all pre recorded. You will not only be doing them but doing them correctly!
You have a choice of yoga, fitness or both.
More information can be found below
So where will you be in these statistics in 17 years time?
Will you be one of the older adults living with 3 chronic health conditions, or a younger person who is also affected by chronic health?
Or will you be living your best life and thriving with optimal health and no chronic conditions. We don't have a Christal ball to know what the future will bring us in regards to our health but we can determine some outcomes by how we treat our bodies, what we eat, what we drink, how we breath and how we move as well as how we care for ourselves.
How often have you grabbed something to eat because you have not planned your meals - but you would never not plan for a work meeting or an important interview.
How regularly do you spend scrolling social media, reading bad news stories, watching recordings of cute dogs doing silly things and then tell yourself you have not got time to exercise?
How much money do you spend on "things" and then realise you do not have enough money to invest in working with a trainer or nutritionist.
When, if you do exercise do you actually make sure your body is in the correct alignment and your muscles are engaged correctly? Or do you just throw yourself around to the beat of the music?
Self care is non Negotiable. It should be the first item on your daily agenda whether you are working fulltime, self employed, not working. It does not have to cost a fortune or take up hours of your day or evening and if you do decide to invest in looking after yourself you really will reap the rewards.
What are you doing now at this moment in time and how are your lifestyle choices affecting what you will be able to do in the future.?
Are you actually bothered?
If you are read on.....
Self care is like saving for a pension
With a pension, its a long term investment. You cant see the benefit of putting money away every month for when you retire but the longer you do it for the greater the reward.
Preventing chronic illness is all about self care over the long term and taking full responsibility for looking after your amazing machine called your human body not just for a few weeks or months but FOR THE LONG HAUL.
In 17 years time it may be too late to undo the damage that poor lifestyle choices over a sustained period of time have caused.- Just like saving for a pension a year before you retire!- There will not be a lot in the pot!
Daily choices its up to you
The choices you make every day can have a huge impact on your long term health and wellbeing - both psychological and physiological.
If you don't take care of yourself the chances are no one is going to do it for you. Its not someone else's fault or someone else's responsibility. But its fascinating the number of people who blame their partners or their children! for their food choices, drinking choices,, exercising ( or lack of ).
Don't blame others for the choices you make in regards to what you eat, drink, and how you live.
Its not about spending loads of money on only organic produce, going to a gym and working out every day, Removing alcohol completely or going on some crazy health kick. Its far more simple than that.
What can you do?
Here are some self care ideas that you may find helpful and which I actually deem NON negotiable.
Before you start try this activity. I ask many of my clients to try this and work with them over the long term re visiting this activity as they achieve goals and move through their journey.
1) Take time to write down one of your health goals. Then write down all your daily habits and behaviours. Next pull out those behaviours that you feel are negatively contributing to your health goal and may be linked to your long term health. Then starting with JUST 1 negative behaviour start to change it to a more positive behaviour. FROM NOW. It will probably take a few weeks for the positive behaviour to overtake and become a habit. Then once this has become a good habit move to the next item on the negative behaviour list.
What you are doing here is behaving how you want to become - You don't become a mountain climber by never climbing a mountain or a marathon runner by never running a marathon! But change needs to be brough in gently and over time. You don't run a marathon until you have ran 10K! - Its unfortunate that we live in a society which demands change yesterday! Change takes time. Be patient with yourself.
2) Put 10 minutes aside every day to focus on YOU not your mobile phone! Not your work, not your housework or your kids, pets or partner (although stroking a dog or cat is very calming for both parties involved) - this could be breath work, exercise, It could be planning your meals, Or working on your health goals. Or just looking at the rain on the window pane!
3) When and if you exercise focus on the exercise NOT on the music in your headphones- maybe try to work out without them you will be amazed at how your muscles respond!
4) Invest in the knowledge and tools to help you achieve your goals. Work with a personal trainer or a nutritionist. Learn about your body and take good care of it.
5) rest and get good sleep. Sitting in front of the tv for 3 hours every night is NOT resting. Follow the ancient principles of Ayruveda following the lunar and solar rhythms of nature.
6) Learn about nutrition find out what your body needs rather than what your body wants!! The 2 are VERY different.
7) simple self care routines such as tongue scraping, self massage, skin brushing, drinking water with lemon and ginger, Are virtually of no cost and only take up a few moments of time but give fabulous care to the amazing machine called your human body.
Enjoy taking care of your body.
Om shanti
Helen
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