There’s no doubt that health, both physical and mental, can pose challenges to lifestyle. Yet we all know of people in the country – even in our own community – who are admired for their ability to overcome or work around the very challenges many others would regard as immovable obstacles. If we have any doubts, we have only to look at competitors in the Paralympics, or to the late Sir Robert Martin, knighted for services to persons with disabilities. While overcoming health challenges isn’t for the faint-hearted, it is something to aspire to when we think creatively. Check out the following tips for overcoming obstacles that may be intruding on your own ambitions:
Dietary changes
Learning of a need to change habits for the good of our health (reducing salt because of blood pressure, for example, or quitting a couple of kilos to help with joint pain) can hit any of us hard. In fact, at first, it can feel downright impossible to do. But perhaps you’re looking at change-making as a burden rather than something exciting to be explored. If we accept we can’t add salt to our food but make plans to trial a new cuisine that embraces, for example, spices, instead, we’re building adventure into the challenge. If we accept we must say farewell to junk food to shed the kilos, and head to the internet or library for recipes incorporating our favourite fresh fruits and vegetables, we have a delicious incentive to make the switch. While we’re at it, we might even shout ourselves a new appliance (such as a high-speed blender) as added encouragement!
Travel
Mobility issues need to be considered when it comes to travel, but they don’t have to prevent us from venturing out in the world. There are specific opportunities such as scenic train journeys, and cruises dedicated to providing 100% accessibility. Helpful internet sites, such as Disabled Holidays, offer suggestions of mobility-friendly accommodation. If your budget is limited, take a peek at AirBnB’s accessibility section for accommodation that won’t break the bank. Or head to NZ Camping’s directory of campgrounds with mobility facilities. Talk to a travel broker, such as Grownups Holidays about holidays that work to meet your health challenges.
Family commitments
It can be all too easy to withdraw into your own world when confronted with health challenges – it can be easy to turn down invitations to social functions, and too easy to opt out of precious time you could be spending with grandchildren and family. Instead of saying ‘no,’ try working around the challenge. If you can’t go out to a club meeting, perhaps it’s possible for members to come to your home instead. If you can’t attend a social gathering for its entire duration, ask a family member to collect you early, or call an Uber when you feel tiredness coming on. If your energy levels are limited, invite friends or family around, and order takeaways instead of trying to prepare a meal. Work with the health levels you have, rather than those you don’t.
Activity
Physical activity is one of the most common areas to be challenged as we grow older, but only when we view it in a negative sense. If you’re determined to keep active, and provided you have the blessing of your medical professionals, there’s all the reason in the world to keep active with a more suitable pursuit. To find out what exercise best suits your physical needs, head to the internet with a ‘Best Exercise for xxx’ search to come up with suggestions. You’ll be surprised by the variety of activities that suit your challenges.
Life is for living. It may not be the way you always imagined it, but with a positive attitude, the possibilities are infinite!