I remember my Dad saying to me a few years ago that when he looks in the mirror he sees this old man staring back at him and he cannot understand as he still feels like a 30 year old on the inside. 

Well my father is celebrating  his 87th birthday this Saturday and in traditional Australian style we will all gather for a bar-b-cue. 

When I say all, I mean his 10 children, 30 something grand-children and half a dozen great grand-children and of course, my Mum.  I have been thinking about what he said a few years ago and its only now that I understand and can identify what he means. 

I went back to work full time recently only to be told quite nicely that I was in fact the oldest person in the Company!  Now in my defence I can only say that being a web development studio that doesnt necessarily mean I am that old as typically most people in this industry are quite young.  Anyway the comment rattled me a bit and when I went home that night took a good long look in the mirror. 

My goodness he was right!  Age had begun to creep up on me without me noticing.  I still feel in my twenties in so many ways but am struggling to understand how the world sees me.  Even when I go to buy something to wear I now have reached the point of questioning appropriateness for my age!  Can you believe it!  Where in the rule book is it written that we have some dress code we are to adhere to once we reach a certain age?  I want to fight it and wear what the hell I want to regardless of what anyone thinks and then I have to stop myself…..the children, what will they think? 

My children are all in their mid twenties but who wants to see their Mum strutting her stuff in a mini skirt? 

So as I think about my father’s impending birthday celebrations I remember my daughter saying to me once “Mum  you will never be this beautiful again, so get out there and wear whatever you want!  I think age is such an over-rated topic, and society really imposes all sorts of ideas on what we should and shouldnt do or think or wear and I say “to hell with it, we pass this way but once, make the most of it!”

Written by

MaryAnn Roche

It really does pay to  take care of your mind and body as you grow older. To make this decision to care for yourself will enable you to slow the aging process down somewhat and also allow you to enjoy your older years, maintaining overall fitness and an active brain.

When you take care of yourself, it slows the aging process and you can stay fit and alert well into your senior years.

The major areas to focus on to maintain  optimum health are diet, exercise and activity that keeps your brain active. When you pay attention to these key health elements, you can help yourself to stay young and slow down the aging process.

Here are some excellent anti-aging techniques for you to try daily:

1. Take antioxidants as they are vital to your health. They reduce free radicals that are known to contribute to common diseases in aging individuals.
  Note that fresh fruit and vegetables are an excellent source of antioxidants.  Including a daily vitamin is also important.

2. Exercise and strength training. Exercise keeps your body strong and helps fight off any infection and stops the body from breaking down. Not only will you feel better, but you’ll also get a lot healthier at the same time!

Exercise provides:

* Increased stamina
* Greater muscle strength
* Better balance
* Clarity in thinking
* A stronger immune system

3. Stay alert and sharp. You can keep your brain sharp by being constantly aware of your surroundings. This sounds rather simple, but how often do we let loose and daydream, instead of focusing on the present? When you stay alert, you’re fully present in the moment and you’re better able to make quick and accurate decisions.  Undertake activities such as puzzles and crosswords that help keep your brain active.

4. Try to constantly learn new things. Remember your brain need constant stimulation. You can easily avoid this by keeping your brain active via constant learning and reading.

* A simple tip is to vary your routines and strive to learn something new each day.

5. Challenge yourself. It always helps to use the problem solving portions of your brain. These skills need to be utilized and if they aren’t, will fade over time.  Puzzles and games are a great way to keep your brain active.

6. Don’t stress over health issues. You see statistics everywhere about certain health conditions that are more likely to affect you as you age. Of course it is important to be aware and to always  be checked by your physician, but don’t waste your precious time worrying about an illness you may never get.
* Ease your stress by taking action to strengthen your health instead of worrying.

7. Get an adequate amount of sleep. Getting enough sleep at night is very important for maintaining good health. 6-8 hours every night is the number you should be working toward. Your body and mind need that time to recoup, and you may be more susceptible to stress or disease without it.

8. Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol. Smoking is a guaranteed way of putting your health at risk and not only that, but it ages your skin and the rest of your body. The harsh reality is that you are shortening your lifespan if you choose to smoke. If you do smoke, then I would strongly suggest breaking this habit as soon as possible. When it comes to alcohol, small amounts here and there won’t cause much harm, but drinking can be a slippery slope into disease if you abuse it.

9. Look after your skin.  I cannot stress this enough, you must moisturize and moisturize and stay out of the sun.  The sun quite simply will age and damage your skin, quicker than anything.  Be sure to establish a daily skin care routine and try beneficial anti-aging gels and creams.

10. Reduce grains and sugar in your diet. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables maintains good health and keeps your calorie intake at an acceptable level. Remember, carbohydrates are necessary for your nutrition, but is eaten in excess they contribute to increasing your insulin levels and speeding up the aging process.

If you include these strategies every day, you’ll notice a big difference in the way you look and feel. Getting older doesn’t have to be synonymous with deterioration. Begin right now to take care of your body and mind and it will serve you well in your later years.

By

MaryAnn Roche

What is Guided Relaxation and why do I need it?

There are many forms of guided relaxation techniques available to each one of us and it’s simply a matter of find the method that best suits us.

How much do you really suffer stress?

Well maybe you don’t really think you suffer from stress but let’s see. Do you jump in your car or catch the train or the bus to get to work?  Or are you lucky enough to live around the corner from your workplace and you can simply stroll into work? If you are like most people the daily commute to work can often be a stress.  what if you are a Mum with litte ones at home, all needing your attention and you not getting enough sleep!  What about the stress of medical bills, or phone bills or electricity bills.  And what about the new stress of trying to find work in a world where things have become so difficult?

If you arent suffering any form of stress then to be honest I would really like to hear from you!  Let me know where you live, and I am moving there lol.

Learning to Relax

A lot of us actually find relaxing difficult, as we rarely give ourselves permission to just be.  Just to sit and listen to soft music, or lie on the couch for ten minutes  without interruption.  Close your eyes and allow your mind to wander and thoughts to come in and out. Can you actually just allow yourself this quiet time? If you try to do this every day after a while your mind and body will learn to relax.  Welcome to the world of guided relaxation!

Can you reduce stress?

Realizing and understanding your stress is the key. When you tap into what your stresses are, you can then find the resources you need to lead you to guided relaxation.  It’s generally not a one size fits all theory. Firstly before looking out its probably important to look within. Stilling yourself and finding peace within you comes first.

Another important factor in reducing stress is the opportunity to rest and rejuvenate.  Our world is so pressure filled and it sometimes feels that there aren’t enough hours in the day to catch up on rest and relaxation.  By pushing yourself too hard and solving problems and running around you are not allowing yourself enough time for the mind and body to relax.

External relaxation is often found in the form of yoga.  It is a self-teaching exercise and you learn to stretch your muscles and joints which helps in relieving overall tension.

There are so many great books and CD’s about yoga on the net.  Sounds True is a Company I can recommend and they are currently offering a discount on their yoga products:

There is also a form of yoga referred to as Nidra Yoga which is a form of yoga that allows you to melt away the tensions and pressures of everyday life while at the same time repairing and recharging your mind and body, leaving you refreshed and relaxed.

Finding material that guides you to relaxation:

To get the information  you need to get started on learning about relaxation, you can find a wealth of resources online. Books videos, mp3′s and courses – all there for you to choose from.  In fact you will find a great source of soothing relaxation music at music source.

If you know you are suffering stress, then don’t wait to do something about it!  Stress is a hidden danger, bad for your help and can kill you slowly if you don’t start eliminating it from your life. It can tend to take over and control your life in so many ways.

Begin by looking at the stress you are suffering, make a list of those things you would like to undertake in the form of guided relaxation and DO IT!

By

MaryAnn Roche.

There is much to learn on the subject of stress and how to treat it. It is extremely detrimental to our health as well as our mind and we need to learn guided relaxation techniques to combat it. It can take control of you of you and sometimes make you quite sick. You need to be healthy and possess a strong mind to fight it off. A lot of us don’t seem to actually know that much about stress and the damage it can cause ones body and mind, let alone what sort of relaxation technique they need to use!

Studies show that those who don’t seem to understand stress and the repercussions, often suffer more problems than those who do.

Guided Relaxation:

Guided relaxation is a process designed to help you manage your level of stress and daily activities. Sometimes when you feel completely and utterly overwhelmed, stress takes takes hold and practising the art of guided relaxation can help you to keep stress in perspective.

Discovering Guided Relaxation:

You can go online and check out guided relaxation products. Some of the products offered include eye pillows. Eye pillows are terrific for refreshing your eyes and relieveing stress. I know for me, often stress causes insomnia and headaches and I try to keep an eye pillows handy to relieve my stress. I have a great herbal pillow filled with lavender seeds, which not only enduces sleep but helps relive puffy eyes!  The herbal pillows are usually made of smooth satin and helps to relieve tension. You can also use the pillows as an acupressure cooling system. Lavender is my favorite, however these pillows are created with Rosemary, Chamomile, Peppermints, Basils and refreshing Marjoram.

Stress can have you feeling tired and worn out at the end of the day. To relieve stress you have to find the guided relaxation tools that work best for you. The most fundamental thing you can do when combatting stress, is to eat right, exercise daily and to stay away from chemicals and substances like alcohol and drugs.

Online you will find the CDs designed for guided relaxation. These CDs are specially designed to help you to enjoy living as you unwind to the sounds of the forest or the ocean. The CDs are therapeutic and teach you how to relax your mind at a deep level. A guided relaxation CD trains your mind and body to relax and unwind. In doing so you learn how to tune out your problems. Your adrenaline relaxes as your nervous system experiences the sensation of relaxing sounds or music.

Guided relaxation CDs are available and when used regularly you will experience peace and harmony in your life. Peace and harmony is vital to have in your everyday life and helps keep your life in balance. In undertaking guided meditation, you calm your mind while at the same time allowing your creative mind to happen. Generally on a guided relaxation CD there is a soothing and calming voice that helps you to develop new ways to relieve stress and to teach you how to listen to your body’s inner self.

Not only do you need to learn to relax as an individual but it helps to have a relaxed and stress free home.  If you don’t, or you don’t know how to achieve this, there is a great article to be found here on easy ways to create a happy relaxed home.

By

MaryAnn Roche

So many people today talk about modern day stress and I cant argue with this as stress seems to be everywhere we look.

The stress of gaining income, providing for a family, getting to work everyday in peak hour traffic, the stress of studying at school, at University, the stress of being a young girl in a society where you are accepted if you are thin and pretty, the list of stress just goes on and on.

I was just talking to my daughter earlier today about stress and explaining to her that although this level of stress is everywhere, there is another stress that people tend to not acknowledge or not even be aware of.  I am referring to the stress we place on ourselves everyday.  It is almost what I call an internal stress that we place  upon ourselves which to me can often be worse than the external stress we all have to live with everyday.

The stress we place on ourselves in the workplace – is my work up to standard, am I working hard enough everyday, will I get a promotion, am I earning enough money. As a parent  we place enormous stress upon ourselves, are we a good parent, am I teaching my children the right thing, what if I get this parenting thing all wrong, and so it goes.

I think external stress is much easier to deal with if perhaps we can firstly relieve the pressure a little but reducing our internal stress.  One of the most effective ways to do this, in my opinion, is through meditation.

I am a firm believer in meditation and truly believe it calms and stills our mind, and brings our mind to rest.  Sure the external stress still goes on, but taking that twenty minutes or so out of our day, to quieten our mind and relax our body, helps us cope with those external pressures much easier.  It also allows us to know what external stress  is really worth worrying about.

I find that if we can just allow ourselves some quiet me time on a daily basis, to do just  a very simple uncomplicated meditation, our overall functioning is greatly improved. It helps us to be better partners, daughters, sons, parents and so on.

I genuinely believe we can quiet down our lives, or simplify our lives and eliminate stress for our daily existance.

By

MaryAnn Roche