“If I could offer you one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it.
The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proven by scientists whereas the rest
of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience.
I will dispense this advice now…”
Tom Waits

         Singer, songwriter and philosopher Tom Waits and I live parallel lives in that often times we find ourselves in the position to advice others on graceful aging. Between the two of us, we’ve covered all the bases. While Waits is gently reminding us to “keep your old love letters; throw away your old bank statements,” I’m admonishing at least sixty-four ounces of water daily. And while Waits calls to mind that we should “Dance… even if you have nowhere else to do so but in your own living room,” I’m advocating a thorough exercise program and sensible nutritional guidelines. To simplify the plethora of advice one receives on this quest for the fountain of youth, Waits and I will now attempt to expound upon our most profound tips for graceful aging…

DIVERSITY
In his song “Everyone’s Free To Wear Sunscreen,” Waits humorously reminds us to “do one thing everyday that scares you.” I refer to this as stepping out of your comfort zone in that we tend to get stuck in an exercise routine which causes lack-luster results, a mundane, almost zombie-like existence in the gym and possibly even, abandonment. Instead, continually think out of the box! Try Zumba or Bikram, reverse your pedal direction on the elliptical machine, ask your Yoga instructor to teach you an inversion, sign up for a Gyrotonic session, do your bicep curls on a Bosu, or replace your desk chair with a Physio ball. And remember, there are seven components to general conditioning: strength, balance, cardio, flexibility, power, coordination and agility – all of which should be embraced.

TECHNIQUE
Waits also mentions, “Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone.” Trust us on this one and insure that you’re exercising with proper form, technique, alignment, rhythm and range of motion. There is one area whereby Waits and I beg to differ. He jokingly says, “Read the instructions even if you don’t follow them.” I encourage you to read the instructions and follow them emphatically with immense body awareness, precision and an uncanny ability to find the level of intensity that suits you best. Hire a professional to assist you in developing a safe, effective, custom workout program and if you’re concerned about the expense, simply cut back on dining out. In doing so you’ll cut calories as a bonus!

STRESS MANAGEMENT
“Do not worry about the future,” Waits says… “Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum.” This is a great reminder that tension is the number one aging factor and exercise is a key tool in stress reduction. Have you noticed that one never regrets completing a workout no matter what painstaking tenacity was employed to drag oneself to the gym? You arrive with the weight of the world on your shoulders, your trainer nonchalantly adds a 35 pound bar to that load and asks for 15 sumo squats. Low and behold, 20 minutes into the session, you and your endorphins are jumping for joy and your troubles are long forgotten! Add some quality sleep, a funny movie, some lean protein and a walk on the beach with your lab and voila… the perfect recipe for graceful aging.

RELATIONSHIP
Research has shown that those successful at maintaining strong, healthy relationships with friends and family live longer, higher quality lives with fewer medical setbacks. Waits suggests we “Remember compliments received; forget the insults, don’t waste time on jealousy or be reckless with other people’s hearts, and get to know your parents – you never know when they might be gone for good.” Relationships provide a sense of meaning and purpose in our lives that encourage us to channel energy toward caring better for ourselves inside and out.

BASICS
As Waits kindly reminds us to “Floss, stretch, get plenty of calcium and do not read beauty magazines – they will only make you feel ugly,” we come to realize that our body really is a temple! And as confusing as it may seem due to the overwhelming amount of information one absorbs regarding health, it’s really quite simple. Drink lots of water, make good food choices, exercise regularly, rest adequately and be happy. Oh, and just one more thing… “Trust me on the sunscreen!”

Inversions are one of the most profound categories of postures in Yoga.  I hesitate to list all of benefits for fear the reader will be overwhelmed with this plethora of information so let’s leave it at this… Inversions improve the health of your cardiovascular, lymphatic, endocrine, hormonal, skeletal, soft tissue and nervous systems.  In other words, there’s not much inversions don’t have a positive effect on in the human body.  But, it’s difficult to invert without a device and many are spacious and expensive.  One great solution is the Gaiam Yogacise Body Lift… As a Yoga instructor I bought 12 of them in 2005 to use as an essential prop and my students loved them so much that I’ve continued to utilize them through the years and continually find innovative ways to create safe and effective postures for students ranging from beginner to advanced.  The Yoga Lift allows practitioners to invert without the years of preparation and muscular development that freestanding inversions require.  There ARE contraindications to inversions so please make sure to consult a qualified instructor prior to turning upside down.

If you’re trying to shed a few pounds but you’re plagued by the “munchy, crunchy, salty, bready” craving or the “sweet, sugary, chocolate, ice cream” craving, try supplementing with Chromium Picolinate. I was so pleased to see Dr. Oz do a segment on this effective remedy because my clients have had unbelievable success with this natural supplement with no adverse side effects. Take it in the morning and it will push a glycogen reset button for healthy cravings all day.

There’s nothing not to like about this innovative design and one year later I’m still coming up with new exercises and stretches to add to the basics.  It still amazes me that you can take a simple pushup, for example, and recreate it on the TRX to double the efficacy and core stability challenge.  I have two of the  TRX Pro Packs and one  TRX Force Kit.  They seem about the same to me but I like the earthy tone of the TRX Force.  I completely recommend purchasing one with a door anchor.  Oh… and by the way, once you have your TRX, check out the TRX 40/40 Challenge on youtube for added motivation!

The Chi Machine is a fantastic way to create subtle spinal adjustments as an alternative to expensive, time consuming and sometimes harsh chiropractic care.  Lying supine with your ankles cradled in this small, portable device, for 10-20 minutes, can relax your disc/vertebral joints to manifest a healthy spine.  In the process, you’ll also experience increased circulation, improved lymphatic flow, stress release, establish consistent sleep patterns, boost immunity and stimulate hormone production.  Two visits to the chiropractor will more than pay for your own Chi Machine.  My clients love it, especially the surprise element one experiences just after use…

If you’re looking for an affordable and efficient way to stay on track with your energy output and caloric intake, purchase a Fitbit Ultra. This little guy discreetly attaches to you and accurately tracks your daily steps, stairs climbed, distance, calories burned, and activity level via 3D motion sensor and altimeter technology.  It also measures how long and how well you sleep – just wear it on your wrist at night with a Fitbit wristband (included).  Then you just wirelessly upload the data on your computer to Fitbit.com to track your results.  And there’s no monthly fee!  I just love mine in that it provides me with a reality check so that I know I’m not taking in more calories than I’m burning and when I want to drop a few extra pounds it helps me create a caloric deficit.