Walking in Beauty Katie Sharpton

Walking in Beauty How To Stay Healthy And

Fit As You Age

By Katie Sharpton

Around this time of year, I always look forward to the family time at Thanksgiving and spending time outside in the crisp, fall air. As we approach the busy time of year, do not forget to be mindful of your health. It is important to consider your health at an early age in order to promote healthy living long into your senior years. Diet is one of the most important health topics when it comes to healthy aging. Eating a wide variety of vegetables and fruits with a balanced intake of healthy meats and fats can go a long way in improving your overall health (a statement we have all heard, time and time again). By decreasing processed foods and increasing your intake of a variety of whole foods, you will be much better equipped to meet your body’s needs for vitamins and minerals. Besides the diet aspect, what are other approaches for healthy aging?

Check out the Nutrition Facts Label on popular items like soda, fruity drinks, and frozen food products. On all the labels now, you can see how much sugar has been added to the products. If you see fructose, sucrose, or glucose in the list of ingredients, those are a few of the names of sugar to watch out for on the labels. Reduce the intake of sugar because there is little to no nutritional value and excess levels can lead to weight gain and blood sugar issues. Another approach to healthy aging is to get moving. Physical activity is any movement of the body that requires energy expenditure. Aerobic exercise is the most beneficial for your heart and lungs, while also having a serious impact on weight management. Walking, hiking, swimming, and tennis (my favorite!) are a few examples. Try to find something that challenges you and go have fun with family, friends, and co-workers!

Sports practices, meetings, holiday shopping, work deadlines, lack of sleep, and busy schedules can all lead to stress. Stress is the response to a physical, chemical, or emotional factor, which causes bodily or mental tension. Around this holiday season, it is easy to become overwhelmed and burned out. Here are some ways to manage stress: journaling/ documenting gratitude, spend more time with family and friends—try to laugh, learn to say “no” when your schedule is already full. Practice mindfulness. Lastly, challenge your mind. Maintaining brain health is a cornerstone of well-being as we get older. Try using your non-dominant hand in different activities throughout the day. Challenge yourself to read more books and solve crossword puzzles. By aging healthy, you can live happier.

Gallup is full of parks and useful space that allow for many community building events. This sports complex trail is a great place to get out and test your stamina and legs.

City and county government is an important aspect of any community. All of us should be as involved as we possibly can to make Gallup even better.

The renovation of the Courthouse Square gives the community a beautiful venue to hold many functions. It also provides us the opportunity to celebrate why we were voted the most Patriotic City in our country.

Every August our community hosts Native American Tribes from around the area and guest from around the world for the Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial. It is a great time to immerse yourself in Native American and Gallup culture.

Parade day during the Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial offers you a wonderful opportunity to see amazing dances as well as witness the most photographed participants of all the Zuni Olla Maidens.

Every fall and spring the youth of our community play sports. It is our responsibility as members of this community to get out and encourage and support these young athletes.

Every school year our teachers have the opportunity to get our young people outside and to explore. Nothing creates a better backdrop than our high mesa walls for kids to have fun.

The heart and soul of any city is its downtown. Here you will find a number of historic buildings, museums, restaurants, locally owned businesses, and popular events such as ArtsCrawl and the Inter-Tribal Ceremonial events.