Tips For Fitness After 50

Kevin D. Steele, Ph.D.

As you age, your body doesn’t have to become weak, frail and depleted of energy! In fact, many of the stereotypical symptoms of aging stem from not having a positive attitude, not eating properly and not exercising enough. And since you have considerable control over how you treat your body, staying fit depends in large part upon you!

 

Why must you exercise to feel and look great the rest of your life? Scientists are finding that your body ages faster when you don’t exercise. Your body wants you to walk, run, dance, and rejoice! It withers when you don’t allow it this freedom. One study showed that young, male athletes lost 30 percent of their fitness level after just three weeks of forced bed rest. If three weeks can do so much damage to young athletes, just imagine what a lifetime of sitting in an easy chair can do!

 

If you exercise regularly, you will reduce your body’s aging process. You can, for instance, form new bone tissue. As you age your body’s store of calcium is slowly depleted, specifically in post-menopausal women who don’t exercise, and men who are sedentary and have poor calcium nutrition. This is called osteoporosis and can cause many serious problems – from bone fractures to a dowager’s hump. But exercise, especially weight-bearing exercises such as walking, can help your bones become stronger and less susceptible to injury.

 

Exercise also helps maintain your sense of balance and agility, thus reducing your risk of injury from a fall. It keeps your muscles from shortening and tightening, so you can move more easily. It makes your heart stronger, your muscles stronger, and your body more flexible. In addition, exercise often keeps arthritis from progressing, and can be used to control such life-threatening problems as diabetes and high blood pressure. Whether you’re 22 or 82, it’s never too late to don your swimsuit and head for the nearest pool!

 

Exercise, though, is just part of staying young. A host of positive changes also occur if you eat properly. You decrease your risk of developing heart disease, hypertension, and some types of cancer, diabetes, and osteoporosis. Annoying conditions, like constipation, may subside, and you’ll be more likely to maintain a desirable, healthy weight. Eating well will help make you look and feel vibrant and healthy!

 

Factors besides the lack of exercise or not eating properly also mimic the aging process. Cigarette smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, for example, contribute to many diseases usually associated with "just getting old", and too much sun exposure not just aging may be responsible for excessive sagging and wrinkling.

 

Improving your body image is not the only benefit of leading a healthy lifestyle. You may also improve your mind and soul! Being healthy tends to chase away depression and gives you a fresh outlook on life. You look better and therefore feel better about yourself. You have more energy to pursue and fulfill your hobbies, interests and dreams. Daily chores won’t tire you, and you’re able to meet life’s little challenges with more enthusiasm and strength. While you’re at the track, spa, swimming pool, or walking around the neighborhood, you meet new people and make new friends. Your horizons are broadened, and one day you realize that you’ve taken control of your life.

10 Essential Health Tips

(The Basics to Practice Every Day)

"He who has health has hope, and he who has hope has everything."

-Arabian Proverb

1. Move More

Make it a daily challenge to find ways to move your body. Climb stairs if given a choice between that and escalators or elevators. Walk your dog; chase your kids; toss balls with friends, mow the lawn. Anything that moves your limbs is not only a fitness tool, it's a stress buster. Think 'move' in small increments of time. It doesn't have to be an hour in the gym or a 45-minute aerobic dance class or tai chi or kickboxing. But that's great when you're up to it. Meanwhile, move more. Thought for the day: Cha, Cha, Cha…. Then do it!

 

2. Cut Fat

Avoid the obvious such as fried foods, burgers and other fatty meats (i.e. pork, bacon, ham, salami, ribs and sausage). Dairy products such as cheese, cottage cheese, milk and cream should be eaten in low fat versions. Nuts and sandwich meats, mayonnaise, margarine, butter and sauces should be eaten in limited amounts. Most are available in lower fat versions such as substitute butter, fat free cheeses and mayonnaise. Thought for the day: Lean, mean, fat-burning machine…. Then be one!

 

3. Quit Smoking

The jury is definitely in on this verdict. Ever since 1960 when the Surgeon General announced that smoking was harmful to your health, Americans have been reducing their use of tobacco products that kill. Just recently, we've seen a surge in smoking in adolescents and teens. Could it be the Hollywood influence? It seems the stars in every movie of late smoke cigarettes. Beware. Warn your children of the false romance or 'tough guy' stance of Hollywood smokers. Thought for the day: Give up just one cigarette…. the next one.

 

4. Reduce Stress

Easier said than done, stress busters come in many forms. Some techniques recommended by experts are to think positive thoughts. Spend 30 minutes a day doing something you like. (i.e.,Soak in a hot tub; walk on the beach or in a park; read a good book; visit a friend; play with your dog; listen to soothing music; watch a funny movie. Get a massage, a facial or a haircut. Meditate. Count to ten before losing your temper or getting aggravated. Avoid difficult people when possible. Thought for the day: When seeing red, think pink clouds….then float on them.

 

5. Protect Yourself from Pollution

If you can't live in a smog-free environment, at least avoid smoke-filled rooms, high traffic areas, breathing in highway fumes and exercising near busy thoroughfares. Exercise outside when the smog rating is low. Exercise indoors in air conditioning when air quality is good. Plant lots of shrubbery in your yard. It's a good pollution and dirt from the street deterrent. Thought for the day: 'Smoke gets in your eyes'…and your mouth, and your nose and your lungs as do pollutants….hum the tune daily.

 

6. Wear Your Seat Belt

Statistics show that seat belts add to longevity and help alleviate potential injuries in car crashes. Thought for the day: Buckle down and buckle up.

 

7. Floss Your Teeth

Recent studies make a direct connection between longevity and teeth flossing. Nobody knows exactly why. Perhaps it's because people who floss tend to be more health conscious than people who don't? Thought for the day: Floss and be your body's boss.

 

8. Avoid Excessive Drinking

While recent studies show a glass of wine or one drink a day (two for men) can help protect against heart disease, more than that can cause other health problems such as liver and kidney disease and cancer. Thought for the day: A jug of wine should last a long time.

 

9. Keep a Positive Mental Outlook

There's a definitive connection between living well and healthfully and having a cheerful outlook on life. Thought for the day: You can't be unhappy when you're smiling or singing.

 

10. Choose Your Parents Well

The link between genetics and health is a powerful one. But just because one or both of your parents died young in ill health doesn't mean you cannot counteract the genetic pool handed you. Thought for the day: Follow these basic tips for healthy living and you can better control your own destiny.

How Are You Using Your Cosmic Resources?

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MESSAGES FROM ARCHANGEL MICHAEL * LM-2-2001 - TRANSMITTED THROUGH RONNA HERMAN

 

 

Beloved masters, we wish you to know how much we look forward to our time together each month. Even though you may not realize it, we are aware of each and every one of you even as we monitor what is taking place on Earth moment by moment. We sense your frustration, your fear and your pain, and in every way possible under the law, we send you hope, inspiration and guidance to assist you during your testing times. We create small miracles and gently nudge you back on the path when you falter and move out of your center of love and peace. We also bask in the aura of your loving thoughts and radiance. Just as you draw strength and inspiration from those of us in the higher realms, we also draw forth the accumulated positive thought forms of love from your prayers, meditations and unselfish acts of kindness. In the past, we have explained how all the positive energy sent forth by humanity into the ethers is harvested each year and added to the allotment of cosmic life force energy for the coming cycle.

 

The time of harvest is during your months of October, November and December and during the times you call January, February and March we are very busy assessing the state of the world and taking inventory, you might say. First, there is the energy of the collective consciousness of all humanity on Earth and then it is broken down by country, regions, and finally individually. The God Source is constantly radiating forth from within the core of Itself streams of primal life force energy. The Earth, just like every other planet, star system, galaxy and universe, receives a predetermined allotment of this life-sustaining energy of creation.

 

Envision yourself coming before the great Cosmic Board bearing the fruits of your labors of love for the past year. What does your gift basket hold, beloveds? Is your cosmic bank account overflowing or do you have what might be seen as a debit balance, whereby you have overdrawn your account? Those of you who have stored your riches in heaven while going about your worldly life, will draw forth great gifts from your spiritual storehouse-gifts of wisdom, inspiration, assistance, and miracles large and small to smooth your path.

 

Those of you who have almost depleted your account will be shown in many ways that a time of accounting is at hand. That is what is taking place all over the world at this time. You can no longer ignore the signs and portents before you. Energy is energy no matter what form it takes: be it electricity, natural gas, oil or water, these are all forms of primal life force energy which produce power of various kinds. Even though there is an unlimited amount of life force energy from the Creator, there is a limit to the Earth's allotment and if you continue as you have in the past, it will not be too long before that allotment is depleted.

 

The blackouts, shortages and rising prices for energy resources around the world are all warning signs. It is only the beginning if you do not take heed and begin to conserve and preserve your energy resources. The solution is not further pillage and depletion of the Earth's resources; the rape of the Earth must stop-no longer will it be allowed. Not only is it critical that you add your loving energy via your thoughts and deeds to replenish your personal cosmic account, but you must join together to stop the depletion of the Earth's energy resource account as well.

 

You all know what to do: become conscious and grateful for the water resources that are so readily available and affirm that you will take steps to conserve in every possible way. Use your power resources sparingly and make a concerted effort to use 15%, 20% or even 25% less than in the past. Return to the simple pleasures of nature and develop unique ways to use or spend your "cosmic resources." Know that each and every spark of loving life force energy you use in a positive way or radiate forth from within will be duly noted and recorded, and then returned to you at least one thousand-fold.

 

At various times, we have of spoken of how it was in the higher realms when you were in your shining Spirit form, and we have told you many stories of your early adventures on Earth. During some of the seminars held by our beloved messenger, we have spoken of your journey to Earth as a Light Being and how you gradually assumed your cloaks of flesh. We also related to you how it was during the beginning times on Lemuria, and what eventually took place when the laggard souls were allowed to come to Earth. Many of you have expressed a desire to know more about these events. In some of your personal messages, we have told many of you that you were there, and that you did not fail. Even though the story must be given in a very condensed form, we think it will give you an understanding of how all of you have been affected by what took place on Lemuria so many aeons ago. Even if you were not there, it has still had an effect on you because of the heavy influence of the mass consciousness belief structure.

 

Lemuria was the third Golden Age on Earth. Wise, experienced souls from many far-distant galaxies and even other universes volunteered to be a part of the grand experiment, along with the newly-awakened holy innocent souls. These souls, taken from what you might call the cosmic incubator, were bestowed with individualized consciousness, and then were given an opportunity to have their first experiences as conscious Beings on planet Earth.

 

The Earth was the Garden of E-don, a shining planet of unsurpassed beauty. All of you who were there in the beginning times reveled in the joy of creation and the wonder of physical sensations as you gradually created your perfect physical vessels. You lived in joy and spontaneity with the innocence of children. There were wise guardians, later to be called priests and priestesses, who guided, taught and protected you as you became acclimated to your new home and gradually incorporated your physical emotional nature/desire body. The Mother-Goddess was the overlighting influence of the Lemurian race, which emphasized the intuitive, nurturing, inward-focused facets of human nature.

 

Many thousands of years later, during a time much like the present, a cosmic event took place. It was decreed that it was time for another solar system within your galaxy to spiral forward/upward into a more refined frequency level. There was a planet, much like planet Earth is now, which was lagging behind the rest of the planets in its solar system. The souls who inhabited this planet were a very aggressive, militant race who had strayed far from the path of Light. There were not many options and the cosmic hierarchy and karmic board did not wish to see the planet destroyed, leaving the souls allotted to it with no place to continue the process of evolution. Many alternatives were discussed, and the Earth was often mentioned as a model of perfection, whereby the souls had made astounding strides in cocreation and had enjoyed great success over three major cycles of time (three Golden Ages). Finally, it was decided that some of the great masters would visit the guardians on Earth. The grave situation would be explained to the Lemurian leaders and a possible solution proposed. They would ask the guardians of Lemuria if they would agree to allow the leaders of the laggard planet to come to Earth to be taught and reintegrated into the Way of Light.

 

They would be given much guidance and assistance from the higher realms, and if the rehabilitation and integration of the few proved successful, gradually more and more of the laggard souls would be brought to Earth in great ships of Light. And eventually, they would be introduced into the Lemurian race via the birth process.

 

A great conclave was called and all Lemurians of influence made the journey to hear the proposal and cast their vote. They gathered in a sacred place which is presently called Maui, Hawaii, where the majestic Haleakala crater graces the land as one of the last remnants of Lemuria. After many days of lengthy discussion, out of great compassion and concern for their fellow souls, it was agreed to accept the laggard souls on Earth and to make every effort to rehabilitate them into the ways of Light. For hundreds of years, the Lemurians were successful as examples and teachers in the ways of peace, harmony and loving co-existence. But gradually over time, the negativity of the laggard souls began to contaminate the Lemurians, and more and more people began to display signs of impatience, anger, greed and a desire to dominate others. Everything possible was tried by what were now called the priests and priestesses of Lemuria, but to no avail. Also, dismayed by what was taking place on Earth, the Beings of the higher realms implemented everything allowed within the Universal Laws of Creation to assist humanity to overcome their very dire predicament.

 

All of this took place over many thousands of years, and by this time the fourth Golden Age of Atlantis was at the height of its glory. Many Lemurians journeyed to Atlantis and merged their gentle loving natures with the more mental Atlantean race. The Father-God was the overlighting influence of the Atlantean race: the will to create through dynamic, forceful, outwardly focused action.

 

As we explained recently, many more Lemurians, nudged by their Higher Selves, left the main continent of Lemuria in the Pacific ocean and were directed to many areas along the North and South American coasts and Australia. This was done to ensure that the purest, best attributes of the Lemurian race would not be lost. The Beings of the higher realms were now resigned to what must eventually take place. When there were no options left, they knew that the only solution was to end the age of Lemuria and stop the scourge of the laggard's influence which had contaminated, to one degree or another, the entire Lemurian race.

 

Those of you who were still attuned to Spirit were told by your Higher Selves what was taking place. You desperately tried everything within your power to save your beloved continent and its people. And ultimately, when you knew there was no hope, you either withdrew into the higher realms or journeyed to safe lands as an observer, watching helplessly as the cataclysmic event took place and your beautiful homeland sank beneath the ocean with all its remaining inhabitants.

 

Most of you reading this were there, and we bring you this information in order to help you heal and release the past. Beloveds, you all experienced great sorrow and overwhelming guilt brought on by a sense of failure. You felt betrayed and abandoned, and you have carried all of those negative energetic emotions and thought forms within your auric field and memory-in every lifetime ever since that time.

 

Will you listen and heed what I now tell you? YOU DID NOT FAIL! IT WAS NOT YOUR FAULT! YOU WERE NOT ABANDONED OR BETRAYED! As brave and loving souls, you agreed to a great sacrifice by accepting the laggard souls among you. Yes, there are times when even the greatest of plans from the higher realms go awry. Remember, only the Prime Creator is perfect. And that is the reason-because of your loving, unselfish actions-that we will not let you fail now; why everything and every means within God's creation is being implemented to help you to succeed as you strive to reclaim your place among the shining sacred stars of your galaxy. Because of the complexity of the experiment on Earth, and the fact that the Earth holds the Divine Blueprint and historic thought forms for all this universe, it is a key player in this grand march or spiral of ascension. Is it any wonder that we are here in such great force to assist you; to show you the way and insure that you reclaim your Divine Birthright as a shining Being of Light?

 

Beloveds, as you integrate more and more of your divinity and gain a galactic consciousness, you must begin to view the world and its events in a more expanded way. As you become more compassionate, loving and selfless, many of you may fall into the trap of trying to assume the burdens of others and the world. Under the law of non-intervention, we are not allowed to do so, nor are you. Your goal is to become compassionate and non-judgmental in every situation, and to rise above the imbalances of conflict and strife. Your task is to create a center of unshakeable peace, harmony and love within your heart center and then radiate your God-Essence to ALL. Remember the beautiful pyramid of Light you are building in the higher dimensions where you join with your soul families (those who are on Earth and those from the higher dimensions). See those for whom you have concerns joining you there, and see the situation in question being placed in the Violet Flame of Transmutation that blazes forth in the center. The secret is to release the situation and its outcome to Spirit for the highest good of all. Remember the key words we have given you: RETURN TO CENTER when you feel off-balance, and RETURN TO SENDER when you feel any discordant energy that is sent your way by another soul (always wrap it in love to diffuse it). Now we add: I AM AT PEACE, knowing that you rest in the hands of God. May all your golden promises be fulfilled and angels light your path. You are loved most dearly. I AM Archangel Michael.