Many seniors hope for a more refined and fulfilling retirement, striving for perfection in everything, which ultimately leaves them mentally and physically exhausted. It's better to live a bit more "roughly," allowing your later years to be more relaxed and comfortable.
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1. Diet: Brown Rice and Whole Grains Prevent Disease
A study by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health shows that a bowl of white rice contains more carbohydrates than two cans of sugary drinks. Eating an extra bowl of white rice daily increases the risk of diabetes by 11%, whereas adding 20% brown rice to white rice lowers the risk by 16%.
"Carbohydrates, abundant in staple foods, are an essential nutrient for the human body. This research is not an outright condemnation of white rice, but a reminder to pay attention to a balanced diet of both coarse and fine grains." In recent years, the Chinese people's intake of staple foods has decreased, while their intake of fats has risen, and their fiber intake is low. This dietary structure increases the risk of obesity, diabetes, colorectal cancer, and other diseases. Therefore, on the basis of ensuring adequate staple food intake, food variety should be pursued.
A diet centered on grains is a key feature of an ideal dietary model. The "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents" recommends a daily intake of 250-400 grams of grain and tuber foods, including 50-150 grams of whole grains and miscellaneous beans, and 50-100 grams of tubers.
Experts point out that a "rougher" healthy diet also includes flexible application on the basis of following dietary principles. "Don't get too caught up in the precise daily achievement of dietary diversity. The important thing is to have a health-conscious mindset and to let nature take its course."
2. Exercise: Set Goals and Act Within Your Means
Many older adults are overly cautious when choosing exercise routines. They find the morning air unsuitable for early exercise, and they fear muscle strains from strength training, leading them to ultimately give up exercising. In fact, scientific exercise is a philosophy. As long as you master correct exercise postures, warm up beforehand, and reasonably schedule your exercise and rest times, you can minimize the risk of injury within your physical capacity. It should be noted that for seniors with chronic illnesses, it's advisable to reduce activities like mountain climbing and stair climbing to lessen knee wear. Experts suggest that when setting exercise goals, you can also remember this exercise mantra: Keep a workout diary, carry a pedometer; remember to sit quietly after exercising, find a partner to go with, and reward and praise yourself from time to time.
3. Psychology: Be Easygoing and Don't Sweat the Small Stuff
Lin Daiyu, meticulous in her thoughts, is certainly pitiable, but her excessive sensitivity also added much to her suffering, making it hard for her to perceive the beauty of life. As a result, she was plagued by illness and ultimately died of depression. In real life, being overly sensitive to signals in interpersonal interactions can easily lead to misinterpreting others' information, expressions, and actions, causing anxiety over non-existent problems and bringing various mental pressures. Therefore, it's better to let your heart be a little "rougher," more magnanimous, tolerant, and detached. Be easygoing with people and generous with matters. You can start with the following points:
1. Focus on solving problems. When facing difficulties in work and life, prioritize solving the problem itself rather than getting overly caught up in whether you've offended someone or displeased others.
2. Be self-aware and self-reflective. Excessive focus on trivial matters, being calculating and cautious, and always worrying about gains and losses are often signs of inner sensitivity. Constantly reminding yourself to recognize these behaviors is the first step to consciously changing them.
3. Have a long-term perspective and learn to adjust. People who are "rougher" psychologically are better able to grasp things from a holistic perspective, not just being limited to the present. Learning to accept, face, express, process, and let go is key. Facing reality, regulating your psychology through self-expression, actively dealing with issues, and learning to let go are what allow you to not sweat the small stuff.
4. Health: Emphasize Prevention, But Don't Overthink It
"The more health knowledge some people acquire, the less happy they become," experts emphasize. It's very important to value disease prevention and control, but it's counterproductive if it becomes a psychological burden. For example, some older adults panic when their blood pressure is slightly high, increasing medication and seeking doctors frantically, only to see their blood pressure remain high. In fact, for seniors, blood pressure is considered normal as long as it is stable between 90-140 mmHg and does not exceed 150 mmHg. Keep a daily record, and if you find your blood pressure is high, first rule out factors like alcohol consumption or poor sleep. If it remains high after several measurements, seek medical advice scientifically.
Some diabetic patients avoid all sugary foods, resulting in hypoglycemia. As Niu Wenyi explains, as long as they maintain a balance between diet and exercise, diabetics can have a sugar intake of no more than 30 grams from snacks daily. The sugar content of one apple, nine grapes, fifteen strawberries, one mango, or one small bowl of cherry tomatoes is about 15 grams each.
5. Environment: A Clean, Casual, and Worry-Free Space
A study by the Harvard University Transhumanism Research Center found that people with messy desks are, on average, 50% more creative than those with tidy desks. Environmental factors affect behavior; a clean environment improves efficiency, but a messy one can also spark creativity. In the experts' view, ensuring basic cleanliness and then arranging your environment according to your own habits and lifestyle brings greater happiness. Deliberately organizing your surroundings to create a certain atmosphere is both time-consuming and energy-draining. In our daily lives, we don't need everything to be exquisite or every detail to be meticulous. Older adults have limited physical energy. Being a bit "rougher" and more casual saves time and effort, making life more flavorful and enjoyable.
Life is your own, and health is king. Living a little "rougher" can make life even more wonderful. Why not?
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