In Good Company: Good Health!
Enid Blackburn told of becoming increasingly health conscious in this article written some decades ago.
As my grey hairs increase I find I am becoming more and more interested in survival – mine. I have always been addicted to the ‘How to’ manuals. ‘How to Eat, ‘How to Stop Eating,’ ‘How to Relax’ and ‘How to Jog’ all find their way to my shelves.
Some are a little beyond my scope like Mr and Mrs Vidal Sassoon’s beauty book. When I copied her hairstyle, I found I looked more like him, but these epics have seen me through many a bad patch. Shepherd Mead’s ‘How to Stay Medium-Young Practically Forever’ was particularly stimulating as it gave me the courage to send off my first article.
One book I intend to read is ‘Change and Choice – Women in Middle Age,’ which is all about women over 50 having more zing than ever. It sounds just up my street.
It contains interviews from women who insist that the menopause is merely the gateway to a more exciting life ahead, a life in which we should feel fitter, more energetic, take up new careers and interests, and travel to different places.
In other words ladies, our liberation has hardly begun. One day, the reasons why young men marry older women shall all be revealed. I have only read the reviews, but I feel better already and will certainly buy it.
It is 20 years since I read Betty Macdonald’s ‘Anybody Can Do Anything,’ but I still believe it. Providing there’s a book about it I’ll tackle it.
Dr Magnus Pike, still energetically clawing the air in his 71st year, tells us in his latest book, ‘Long Life – Expectation for Old Age’ that one of the blessings of growing old is that you can enjoy eating rhubarb or mutton fat because the taste buds diminish. Sounds fun, hic! He also adds that couples can continue to be sexually fulfilled as long as they wish. Apparently whether you favour rhubarb, dripping or an early night, there will be something to satisfy all appetites – providing we can keep going long enough.
Although brain cells decrease with age some scientists made discoveries when they were 100 years old reports Magnus. According to scientist Virginia Satir, what the world needs to survive is four hugs per day - eight are good for maintenance and twelve for growth. The question is, are you getting your healthy share of hugs?
I must confess the idea of being on hugging terms with everyone sounds great, in theory. But when our yoga class was asked to massage each other once, I was ready to roll up my mat in embarrassment. My partner that evening was my daughter’s mother-in-law.
Now Eileen and I have an excellent relationship and other couples were soon enthusiastically kneading each other like Friday night bakers. Even my daughter started poking half-heartedly at my mother’s varicose veins, but my partner and I were blushing body-pinchers. In the end I swallowed my reluctance and performed some hefty biceps massage I learned when my husband was a crippled footballer. It put Eileen out of action for a week but she didn’t hold it against me!
Now I can’t say I have experienced this non-touch inhibition with the opposite sex – on the contrary – but that’s another story.
One tonic you can’t afford to miss is your share of sunshine, as good as a bottle from the doc and much cheaper. Get out and notice the effect the pleasant weather has on everyone.
Have a laugh at the odd outfits the first waft of spring brings forth. Walk to your nearest bowling green and admire the blooming rows of bent backs as husbands’ creep out of hibernation and - Good Health!
