LAS VEGAS, NEV. Dec. 22, 2016- Most people look and feel their age. Few people think that 60 is young. Yet there are a growing number of people who feel and look much younger than their age. What are their secrets? Let’s get some hints by learning a little about 61-year-old, Edward Southwick.
Edward, who is also the author of ‘The 10 Habits of Happy People’ also teaches about 50% of age Super Health. He is 61 years old, but there is nothing 60-ish about him: 60 is the new 30 video. He has the energy, power, and body of a very athletic 30-year-old. He runs a 5 minute 15 second mile and easily won the 200, 400, and 800 meter races in the 2016 Nevada Senior Games and the Huntsman World Senior Games in Utah. From the age of 26, he committed to make health a top priority in his life. For the past 35 years, rather than getting overweight, out of shape, and feeling old he has basically been able to maintain the same body he had at age 30.
Edward notes, “At a young age it was obvious to me that we only get one body in this life and that there is nothing more important than keeping that body healthy and in good shape because you live with it 24/7.”
Here are some of his secrets:
First, and of major importance, always think of yourself as younger than your chronological age. Edward doesn’t allow himself to believe that he is getting older. He seriously believes his body to be 50% of his actual age (and for over 30 years his body’s appearance and performance have seemed to confirm that). He gives the following example of how young thinking mentality works: There was a study done by a Harvard graduate psychologist who took 2 groups of 75-year-olds and had them live in 2 different small abandoned towns for a few weeks. She told the first group to just live there with no special instructions. She told the 2nd group to live there and to try and believe and act as though they had gone back in time 20 years and were only 55 years old. She even made sure there was only music from 20 years before as well as all the decor and appliances. After the 3 week experience she had a group of people judge the age of both groups without knowing anything about their experience. On average, they guessed the first group’s age to be about 75 years old as expected. But surprisingly, they judged the 2nd group as being more than 5 years younger. From this experiment, there is a definite mental effect on our age and how we feel and act. Edward logically concluded that the 2nd 75-year-old group must have begun physically moving more like they did when they were 55 and becoming a lot more active. Edward also recommends that in thinking of ourselves as younger that we should interpret things differently when it comes to our body. For example, when he has soreness or stiffness, he doesn’t think of it as “I’m getting old”, he thinks, “I must not be stretching or moving around enough, so of course, I feel stiff”. Then he makes sure to do more stretching or whatever is necessary to not feel stiff or sore. Of course, there is also a major physical component to feeling and becoming younger. We must do the obvious things that we’ve heard for years. Eat healthy food, exercise regularly, maintain our ideal weight, reduce our stress and get enough sleep.
In more detail, we should do the following:
1- Eat a lot more vegetables and fruits than we normally do. We should also eat a large variety and try to eat foods that don’t have a lot of chemicals and pesticides in them. Eating vegetables and fruits with pesticide spray on them could be worse than not eating them at all. So, although it costs a little more it is important to try and eat organic labeled foods as much as possible. Our bodies need a wide variety of vitamins and minerals which come from eating a large variety of vegetables and fruits. Try and eat all the different colors of vegetables (Edward eats a 12-vegetable medley cooked in a slow cooker/crock pot that has everything from broccoli and mushrooms to carrots and zucchini).
2- Increase your overall physical conditioning by doing at least 2 full body exercise routines a week and trying to get in some daily aerobic activity like jogging or bicycling (or at the very least some brisk walking).
3- Try and keep your weight the same as your ideal weight (or at least as low as when you were 20 years old). Edward is 6’1″ and only weighs 165 pounds (5 pounds less than he did when he was 20). Many Americans might think that he is an exception and that it is unrealistic, but Edward notes that most Japanese elderly people weigh less than when they were 20. They also eat a very healthy diet with a large variety and portions of vegetables (and they seldom eat processed foods). So along with becoming a lot younger than our chronological age we can also remain the same weight as our younger selves.
4- Reduce your stress by doing daily meditation and deep breathing exercises as well as really unwinding by doing something you really enjoy every day. You should have something to look forward to at the end of your work day and on the weekends.
5- Get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night. Edward notes that he has gone through short periods when he only got 6 hours or less of sleep a night and realizes that very busy people may push that kind of lifestyle. However, if they do, the body will usually pay for the reduced sleep and body replenishment time. This comes out in various forms such as more illnesses, increased stress and even weight gain (and aging more quickly). Edward recommends making enough sleep a priority just like good eating and exercise.
For more tips contact Edward Southwick at www.allabouthappiness.com
The health and happiness coach previously appeared on national TV and radio as well as did seminars all over Japan. Now he works on bringing awareness in America to those who think they must “act and feel their age”.
Distributed by Shenteria Marie
Media Contact
Company Name: All About Happiness
Contact Person: Shenteria Marie
Email: shenteriamarie@gmail.com
Phone: 702-502-4843
City: Las Vegas
State: Nevada
Country: United States
Website: www.allabouthappiness.com
