I remember
it like it was yesterday. I can recall it with the kind of vivid clarity that
your mind only reserves for the worst of memories, the ones that haunt your
dreams and never quite dim. I had always known in the back of my mind that I
was aging. But, generally, I felt good, and aging was still something that
happened to other people.
I woke up one morning to sleep
lines on my forehead. I thought nothing more of
them; they're a fact of life, aren't they? I rubbed at it and applied my
makeup, as usual, expecting it to fade during the day as the others always did.
It didn't
fade. It lingered there, and there are still some remnants of it today- and
it's brought a few friends. Gone were the days when issues were cured by a good
night's sleep; some things were going to hang around.
It made me look at where I was at in life. I ate fairly well if perhaps more of an emphasis on fruits than vegetables.
I have always had a hatred of green, leafy veg, and even the sleep line that
didn't know when to quit couldn't convince me otherwise. In the end, I settled
for a juicer as a way to get the nutrients I needed without the food I
disliked.
I took a long, hard look at my physical condition. The
cartwheels I was happy to leave in the past, but I didn't want to lose my mojo
when it came to running. Considering Olympians compete in the marathon into
their 40s, I knew I had time on my side.
I looked into programs that could tackle everything at
once. I tried acupuncture - famed to help mind and body - but found it
unsettling. I'm an active person, and I found lying there, pins in me, just a
bizarre experience. I tried and enjoyed cenegenics,
appreciating the feedback from medical professionals.
After the
oddities of the silence of acupuncture, it felt great to have someone to talk
to while going through the issues I wanted to tackle.
Yoga
didn't work for me. I think it's the same problem as above; my chatterbox
tendencies don't sit well with the idea of Zen. As I was in pretty good shape,
it was recommended I tried Pilates. So often they are used as if they are the
same thing, but Pilates has more emphasis on a thorough workout than a calming
workout.
Finally, I addressed the skin issue. I found that a silk
pillowcase made a huge difference to preventing new sleep lines. It didn't
remove the ones I already had, but I accepted that the best I can do now is
prevent further issues. I've tried a variety of lotions and potions, but
nothing has worked so well as organic argan oil.
A year on,
I feel like I have made great strides. I am fitter, healthier and have a better
idea of what the future may hold. In the end, that errant sleep line might have
been the best thing ever to happen to me.
Yes, it really can be hard getting older. I have a silk pillowcase and love it. My lines are mostly around my eyes. I wish I could afford plastic surgery to help smooth them out. I do feel good about myself for my age. I eat a lot of fresh salads with spinach, chard and healthy veges in it. I seem to like getting my veges in a salad with a healthy salad dressing.
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