c a n a d a The Balance Sheet balance, health & wellbeing January 2014

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“Leave Aging in the Dust:Healthy Strategies for Vibrant Aging”

By making healthy lifestyle choices, we can slow the aging process and potentially offset age related health issues and disabilities. Come to this session to learn how you can leave aging in the dust and create a healthy vibrant approach to the best years of your life!

Click Here to Register for the Webinar or email ppccanada@ca.ppcworldwide.com Wednesday, January 29th @ 12:00 PST/3:00 EST

Don’t smoke The number one leading cause of preventable premature death in North America is smoking. If you smoke and want a longer life, stop now. Smoking is considered a major coronary risk factor. Smokers are two-times more likely to have osteoporosis than non-smokers and it is a proven fact smoking causes lung cancer.Stress Recent research suggests that prolonged exposure to the stress hormone can increase brain aging in later life. Long-term stress can potentially cause hypertension, can affect the immune system, cholesterol level, cardiovascular system and digestive system. The unhealthy effects of stress do not occur so much from the stress itself but rather from how we perceive and deal with the stress. Relieving stress in your life leads to a longer healthier life.Stay social Being alone for long periods of time during middle age and beyond can be a health risk. To expand your social circle, revive old friendships, volunteer, write letters and email, make phone calls or get involved in your community or church. Staying social will keep your mind working and your emotions in check.ConclusionWhile researchers have their suspicions about the affects of aging and how they can manipulate human genetics to slow it, there are some things people can do now to slow the effects of aging. So don’t wait for the latest miracle cure to pop up on your television screen, use the tried and true method of fighting off age with a healthy lifestyle.

Exercise Working out can make you feel younger. Researchers reported that 80 percent of the people who exercised at least 30 minutes three times a week had a slower decline of their cardiovascular system. The heart’s ability to use oxygen declines at a rate of about 1 percent a year and exercise impedes that decline. It has also been found that benefits of exercise can be achieved in as little as four months. Walking can be a great way to start.Fruits and vegetables Eating fruits and vegetables containing antioxidants can help you reduce the levels of toxins you have in your body, according to research. Antioxidants can help you live a longer, healthier life. Most yellow-orange, dark-green leafy vegetables and fruits such as kale, romaine lettuce, beet greens, cassava, broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, pumpkins, spinach, yams, tomatoes, apricots, papaya, peaches, cantaloupe, coriander, basil and parsley have antioxidants. As we age we need to have more vitamins and minerals, so eating the recommended daily allowance of six fruits and vegetables per day really improves your health.Limit sugar As the body ages so does its ability to handle sweets. The risk of diabetes increases with age. According to research, about half of all cases of diabetes occur in people 55 or older. It is difficult to give up sugar altogether, so instead, choose a favorite dessert and enjoy it occasionally. Another way to cut back is to opt for smaller portions of your favorite concoctions.Weighty issue Men and women in their 50s are more likely to be obese than at any other time of their lives. With every 10 percent increase over normal weight, men and women have about a 20 percent increase in risk for heart disease. 30 percent of the average North American’s diet consists of junk food. Eat a diet high in grains and cut back on fat, fried foods and red meat. Avoid fad diets.Supplemental information In the fight against aging, antioxidants equate to a longer, healthier life. Vitamin E, C and A are three of the vitamins that can help you rid your body of toxins, or free radicals. Although studies have shown that most North Americans don’t get enough essential vitamins, make sure you talk with your doctor before taking supplemental vitamins.

Why Do We Age?Aging affects all of the body’s organs, tissues and cells. There are two main theories about why we age. One theory is that we all have some internal clock which slowly makes our bodies self-destruct. The other theory is our bodies contain genetic mistakes, or flaws, and combined with the wear and tear of life - our bodies become damaged beyond repair.Scientists and researchers don’t have hard data explaining why we age. All they have are theories and hypotheses. While scientists keep poking and prodding to find the cause, there are some things that are known about aging.As the body ages many changes occur. From a slower metabolism to hearing loss to stiff joints, eyesight deterioration and bones which are more brittle - it seems every component of the body feels the effects of growing older. However, there are some things you can do to slow this process. The following tips won’t make you feel like you are 25 again, but they will help you have more energy and address some of your body’s needs.

Slow the Aging Process

January’s Employee Webinar:

According to the 2011 Census, for the first time in census history the number of people aged 55 to 64 outnumbered those aged 15 to 24. In the near future there is only one person entering the labour force for every person leaving it. A decade ago that ratio was 1.4 to 1.

Aging Workforce

Did Know?you

muscles, lowers blood pressure and reduces levels of hormones that create stress and suppress immunity. Research shows that facial expression can change a person’s mood - and ultimately their outlook on life.

Other midlifers make conscious decisions to improve themselves and do the things that life’s demands never previously allowed them to do. Many spouses who have worked in the home choose to return to school in order to complete or further their education, while others choose to get part-time jobs outside the home. Still other midlifers choose to “give back” by volunteering for non-profit or civic organizations in their communities. This trend toward self-improvement instead of self-indulgence as people move through their middle years is just another indicator of the shifting mindset about how our perspectives change.

Midlife has entered a new realm, and many of its past limitations no longer apply. No longer is this the “autumn” of your years, but a sort of second spring. It is a time to transform yourself, as you did in adolescence, in preparation for the important years to come. This second coming of age also has its great firsts — first vacation without the kids, first gold watch, first grandchild. Making your middle years into the best years of your life is possible; with the right mindset and the right direction, you can make life more fulfilling than it’s ever been. Revel in this time, for though you may not have that idealized youthful vigor, you now have the freedom to make yourself — finally — into the person that you’ve always wanted to be.

sending the youngest child out into the world, ending or beginning a life relationship, feeling less in tune with previous activities — are naturally stress-inducing situations. As such, conflict and emotional changes are perfectly normal.

In spite of the difficulties caused by these changes, most midlifers polled in a recent MacArthur Foundation study said they feel more fulfilled during this life phase then they have in any other. Most reported a sense of control over their life’s direction and a good bill of health, both physically and mentally. According to Carol Ryff, a University of Wisconsin social psychologist, “Midlife has purpose, meaning and goals to live for. You have quality relationships with other people, and you are able to realize your talent and potential as a human being.”

Still, there are those who say that age is merely a state of mind, that most 50 year olds are in “mid-youth” and so forth. This seemingly positive spin on aging is born from the notion that midlife doesn’t really have much to offer its occupants, that the crest of the hill has already been reached. The romantic notion that your life-view is the same as a 20 somethings’ diminishes the very significance of what these middle years mean for you.

Realize that you are indeed the age that you are. Most midlifers are happy due to the experiences, education, opportunities and stability that they’ve gained through their years. The benefits you currently harvest are the product of the seeds you sowed in your youth. The most sensible approach for a midlifer is not to act as a 25 year old in a 50 year-old-body, but rather be a 50 year-old who is glad to be who and where you are.

Maintain a Healthy Spirit

Exercise and healthful eating might help keep you going, but successful aging is also a psychological feat. Studies show that loneliness can speed aging no matter how well you care for your body. People who maintain a network of social support do best. Companionship aside, healthy people seem to share a stress-hardy personality - an ability to manage stress and see change as a challenge in life.

Keep your sense of humour. A good laugh relaxes

Adolescence is often spoken of as “coming of age.” During that time, many aspects of your life are changing; school, your body, your relationships and even your priorities. You’re learning to work, going off to college and discovering love. The script is yours to write, and your life is wide open to do with as you see fit. It can be the most joyful and fulfilling time of your life, and you may think that you can never recapture those times.

Those feelings may seem long gone. You completed your schooling, started into the workforce, settled down and got married, had children, raised them well and sent them off to college. You have made it; you’re family relationships are successful, your career is going well and the house may nearly be paid for.

Still, in every aspect of your life, you seem to be at a crossroads. You may be too young to retire, but perhaps are considering stepping off the corporate ladder. You may have sent your youngest to college but now may want another baby. Your spouse might have retired and now you may want to get a job. In short, you may have reached the end of the script, but the story isn’t over. Finding a new direction for the next 10-20 years of your life is a real challenge — a second coming of age, if you will.

(Mid)Life is Beautiful

You are not alone in this position. A great many middle-aged persons find themselves questioning their direction once the hustle and bustle of raising children and building a career has subsided. Though you may be experiencing some conflict and emotional changes, this does not mean that you are having the classic “midlife crisis.” According to one major study, only one in ten of all midlifers experience what can be termed a “midlife crisis.” The very profound changes that occur during these middle years — such as

The Second Coming of Age: Becoming a Healthier and Happier Midlifer

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Every step counts!If you’re not active now, adding any amount of physical activity can bring some health benefits. Take a step in the right direction. Start now and slowly increase your physical activity to meet the recommendations.Physical activity has been shown to reduce the risk of over 25 chronic conditions, including coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, breast cancer, colon cancer, Type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis.Regular physical activity and higher levels of fitness allow daily tasks to be accomplished with greater ease and comfort and with less fatigue. Research shows that as much as half the functional decline between the ages of 30 and 70 is due not to aging itself but to an inactive way of life.Visit http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/ for more info on healthy living and exercise.

Call us at 1-800-663-9099 24/7/365 for confidential assistance with any of life’s challenges.See our Employee Portal at www.ppconlineinfo.com Username: healthy Password: living