Five Pillars of Aging Well: nutrition, hydration, physical, social, and cognitive stimulation

I recognize I am aging and need to work on this. But who says it is easy! Nutrition means the right food for me, and it is not going to be the least expensive alternative. Hydration – I want to have water that is not filled with invisible toxins and micro-plastics. Physical – not just losing weight but keeping my muscles strong. Thanks to NFBPWC, I have plenty of social stimulation, and I work on my cognitive ability at least a couple of hours a day. But it feels like a fulltime job. Why do I do it? Because when we age, we hit cliffs where we suddenly lose a lot of functionality. If massive biological shifts occur in our 40s and 60s the question is, can we dampen those curves through intentional increases in functionality? (read more here)

Changing my diet meant trying out different things. I am not lactose intolerant, but milk products that are overprocessed, without live cultures, do me no good. I have substituted onions with leeks. I bake all of my bread mixing seeds and grains. No processed foods, and no added sugars or sweeteners. I only use avocado oil and almond oil, and I eat avocado as my last meal of the day because it helps strengthen the lining of my gut. My gender, height and weight suggest I eat 140 grams of protein a day for brain health and to regrow cells. Not that easy – but I am conscious of favoring protein-rich foods. I use the bowl method – my main meal is lunch, and the entire meal should fit in a single serving bowl. Except for my vegetables, which I enjoy mostly raw. But it is a trial- and-error effort.

Hydration – too much is not good, too little is worse, so I usually try to drink my filtered water by the quart. Sometimes with lemon or lemon verbena or thyme in it (yum). But I drink more after exercising, which is increasingly chair movements and isometric strength building workouts, unless I am on the gym bike, trying to win a challenge. My knees are shot – no soft tissue, no ACL in either leg, and no one wants me to have a replacement yet (tried several surgeons). Some things I cannot do (like the back against the wall seated posture – the noise is at a fourth of July firework level!). But there are many things I can do, and my cardiologist is delighted with the results.

I test my memory, my ability to notice things, word games on the phone, and speed tests through various applications. I can see some slowing down but

not too bad yet. Luminosity is a good way to sharpen the mind with its various challenges. Well social – that is where I have not yet slowed down, and where I try hard to be present, active, and engaged.

So, this is some of what I do to stave off having to depend on others. Unlike when I was younger and found no time to be intentional about any of this, I am really having fun. 

“Beauty lies not in a flawless complexion but in the stories that are told by each transitioning line on a woman’s face.”

– Alyscia Cunningham

Nermin K. Ahmad

Secretary 2024-2026