Posted By 
By Kelsi Burley
Special to the Financial Independence Hub
Just because you get into your old age it doesn’t mean you have to slow down and stop exploring and living your life. A study by the U.S. Center for Disease Control found senior adults who were still in employment had better health than retirees of the same age. And older adults who worked in physically demanding jobs had the best health overall.
Physical activities are great for promoting health and keeping your mind sharp after retiring. The following are eight simple and fun things you can do to an awesome retirement:
1.) Find other people to exercise with
What makes a fun activity even more interesting is doing it with good buddies. If you can find just two people who share your interest for biking, mountaineering, cycling, bowling, or even fishing, you will find that your days start to get more interesting; and you will feel more energized and creative.
2.) Combine physical and mental exercise for healthy aging
One of the ways you can take care of both your physical and mental health is by taking up a less strenuous activity that engages both body and mind. So swimming can be great for your mental and physical health, but yoga is even better because it strengthens the muscles and joints, helps you to build energy, and promotes calmness and mindfulness: both qualities we need to stay healthy.
3.) Start watching TV with friends
Perhaps at a local joint where you can then walk home and grab some food on the way (basically establishing a routine that allows you to stay in contact with other people, and not withdrawing to yourself). Simple things like watching football in your neighborhood with people whose company you enjoy may not appear so important when you’re younger and obsessed with growing your business or attaining career goals, but when you’re older and left with few physical pursuits, finding time to enjoy the little things will help to keep you grounded and content.
4.) Eat a good balanced diet
We can’t stress this enough; especially if you’re prone to drinking a few malts every now and then. As we get older, the immune system fails to function as effectively as it did during youth; however, there are some things you can do to improve your body’s ability to remain healthy. Some of these things include providing the right nutrients to get rid of toxicity, improve digestion, supply electrolytes, and keep you hydrated.
Try a few healthy diets and figure out which kinds of foods are best for keeping you energized and NOT constipated. Avoid eating red meat, and if you can, add some more fruit to your diet.
5.) Pay attention to your body
Watch closely how your body responds to food, a change in weather, or physical exertion. The idea is to watch out for physical and mental strain that may cause your bio system to get out of balance: which in turn might cause disease or limit your energy significantly.
6.) Always go for check ups
This should be common practice for people of all ages, regardless of how healthy a person feels at any time. For seniors, it is far more important to go for checkup because of the increased risk of diseases such as cancer, arthritis, dementia, Alzheimer’s and many more that pop up when the body starts going through changes brought on by old age.
7.) Pick a sport you enjoy
You don’t even have to play the sport; just having something new you like will keep you preoccupied and having fun through any stage of life. Find a sport with people you enjoy watching games with, and take time out of your week to spend time enjoying the sport.
You might feel a bit uneasy at first if you haven’t been into sports before, but that’s the exciting part; the fact that you step out of your normal routine and experience something new. You never know, it might be serious fun!
8.) Rely on good friends
Having friends also means that you have someone you can talk to if you have some new idea, or want to do something new (such as start blowing glass), or taking up karate.
Whatever it is; whether it’s good or bad, having other people to share your life with makes it much more meaningful to wake up in the morning. And as you go through your day, you will have more reasons to do the things you do, and that’s part of the beauty of life (building those attachments, however long they last).
As a nature/natural-living enthusiast and passionate researcher with ten years in the cannabis industry, Kelsi Burley enjoys playing her part to educate the world on the benefits of alternative health and medication options
