The Older Generation Begins the Big Retreat  

    Years ago, when I was working with the elderly, one of my goals was to help them become active in their community.  Even though they listened to me and smiled, I was unsuccessful.  I think I finally know why.

    I have now come face to face with the same problem.

 

     As we age, venturing into the community can be uncomfortable because everything has changed or is changing.  The music certainly has changed. The dress of the day seems to be too casual.  Many of the people around me appear to have no manners and show little respect for anything.  We, the elderly, seem to be pushed aside.  Our knowledge and what we know is no longer relevant.  

   This past Thanksgiving, we decided to treat ourselves to a fine dinner out.  We made reservations at what we believed was a fine restaurant with a menu of many dishes that whet our appetites.  I was really looking forward to this. Finally, I could get dressed up in some of my good clothes that have hung in the back of my closet for the last year, wear my fine jewelry and best of all, I did not have to cook and do dishes.  On Thanksgiving Day, we were dressed up in our Sunday best.  We even took pictures to show the children that we were stepping out.  To find the restaurant easily, we entered the destination on the GPS and were on our way. 

   When we arrived, we found there was very little parking, and we were told to park across the street, or the valet would park the car for us.  Since parking across the street looked like we might have to go around the block to get there, and my husband had difficulty walking due to knee pain, we opted for valet parking.

    The car was parked, and now, all we had to do was find the dining room.  This was not a simple restaurant but a hotel and restaurant combination.  Naturally, we came in the wrong door, and a pleasant hostess had to show us to the dining room.  Because we were early, we spent the time engrossed in our favorite sport, people watching, all the time anticipating the taste of the finely prepared food.  

    Other people arrived and signed in with the hostess.  One couple was dressed casually. He wore shorts and flip flops.  She wore pedal pushers and pushed a stroller with a four-year-old child.

   Oh my, would we have to listen to a belligerent child while we ate? 

    A family of six arrived.  They were also not, as we believed, dressed for the occasion.  In a past life, we would have dressed in this manner to go to the grocery store.  Some of my joy was beginning to ebb.

    When we were all seated, I looked around at the rest of the patrons.  There was only one other couple dressed for this occasion of fine dining, and they looked like they were seventy years plus.  

  The food was to our expectations, and the service was outstanding.  

 

     The bright spot of the day was the four-year-old child.  He sat in his chair, did not scream or make a lot of noise. Amazingly, he used the cracking instrument to break open the king crab legs as he ate them.  This was one family that had spent time with their child and taught him proper manners.  On the way out, I stopped by the table and congratulated the mother on her child’s behavior.

    When we arrived home, we talked about how things have changed and how disappointed we had been.  I suppose our expectations were too high.  We put our good clothes back in the closet because we did not know if we would ever try fine dining again.

Diet Changes Come With Aging

     I had become aware of the difference in the food we are eating compared to that we ate when we were younger.  I thought it was because we changed our diet, but when I sit back and think about it, it may be that our own bodies are responding to the aging process.  

 Food was consumed for enjoyment.

     When we were young, Sunday was a special day, and a big meal was prepared for the family.  Birthdays required a cake, sodas, sandwiches, chips and ice cream.  The holidays, Christmas, 4^th of July, Thanksgiving and Easter, were celebrated with piles of food.  Funerals brought all the relatives together, and everyone gathered at the table laden with food.

     In our forties, food covered the table. The vegetables, potatoes and salad were served in bowls, and the main course appeared on a platter.  After saying grace for all this food, those around the table filled their plates and often refilled them two or three times until all the food was gone.  Dessert: pie, cake, cookies or custard, followed.  There was always room for something sweet.

Self-gratification comes to a halt

     When we reached seventy, all that food still lured us to over indulge. However, when we did so, our bodies rebelled.  We became bloated, had a stomach ache and sometimes suffered for a day or two.  It took us longer to get the body back to working properly.

     Today some of us have arthritis, diabetes, heart problems, gout, brittle bones, etc., and we have learned our consumption of food may be the cause.  The food we have eaten over the years has been stored throughout our bodies, much to its detriment.

     As we aged, we became wiser.  The bowls of food were no longer on the table, and the meal was plated.   That meant the food we were to eat was on the plate, and there was no more on which to gorge.  What we didn’t realize was that we were satisfied with the lesser amount of food.  Our bodies were not urging us to eat anymore, and we did not fall onto the couch after dinner.  The body was saying thank you.

     As the years passed, our bodies became weaker and stiffer, and our movements slowed down, and we became concerned about the food we were eating. Those around us who were overweight wanted to know the fat content of foods.  To stay regular, we heard we needed roughage; just what is roughage, anyway? We seem to be eating less; perhaps we need to supplement with vitamins.  Which foods have the vitamins we need?  We turned to our daughter, a health and life coach, for the answers. http://georgiegrossman.com/…/reviewing-personal-health-plan/

The start of a new lifestyle 

     Her basic instructions were, “Eat fresh fruits and vegetables with a limited amount of meat, exercise daily, drink plenty of water, and continue serving plated meals with measured portions. Do not over eat!” 

    Gordon, who does the grocery shopping, began to view the produce section as a drug store and a fun place to shop.  As a child, his family didn’t eat fruits and vegetables that were out of season and he now enjoys buying and eating these foods all year round.  Berries and fruits are high in Vitamin C. All dark green vegetables are high in Vitamin A, iron and calcium. Yellow and orange vegetables are high in beta-Carotene and are good for the eyes.  As we changed our shopping habits, we became aware of how the food we eat really works in our body.

     The problem for me has been trying to drink eight glasses of water a day. That was a tall order as I used to drinking only minimal amounts.  

     To start each day, I prepare a smoothie; fruit one day and veggie the next.  The Ninja is filled with  veggies or fruits and eight ounces of water and ice.  A few good bursts of the Ninja and Viola! Our healthy day has begun.   

Amazing Results

      In the first two years of this lifetime change, we each lost over twenty pounds without feeling hungry between meals.  We are now taking less over the counter supplements, and our medications have certainly decreased.

     As for our food intake, we eat at home most of the time, and when we do eat out, we order one meal and ask for an extra plate.  We eat anything we want but only in moderation.  Life is good.