Thriving Beyond Fifty – by Will Harlow

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We’ve featured this author sometimes in our video section; he’s an over-50s specialist physiotherapist with a lot of very functional advice to offer.

In this book, Harlow focusses heavily on three things: mobility, strength, endurance.

You may not want to be a gymnast, powerlifter, or marathon-runner, but these things are important for us all to maintain to at least a fair degree:

  • Mobility can be the difference between tweaking one’s shoulder getting something from a high shelf, or not
  • Strength can be the difference between being able to get back up, or not
  • Endurance can be the difference between coming back from a long day on your feet and thinking “that was a good day; I’m looking forward to tomorrow now”, or not

One of the greatest strengths of this book is its comprehensive troubleshooting aspect; if you have a weak spot, chances are this book has the remedy.

As for the style, it’s quite casual/conversational in tone, but without skimping on science and detail. It’s clear, explanatory, and helpful throughout.

Bottom line: if you’d like to maintain/improve mobility, strength, and endurance, then this book is a very recommendable resource.

Click here to check out Thriving Beyond Fifty, and keep thriving at every age!

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  • Managing Chronic Pain (Realistically!)

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    Realistic chronic pain management

    We’ve had a number of requests to do a main feature on managing chronic pain, so here it is!

    A quick (but important) note before we begin:

    Obviously, not all chronic pain is created equal. Furthermore, we know that you, dear reader with chronic pain, have been managing yours for however long you have, learning as you go. You also doubtlessly know your individual condition inside out.

    We also know that people with chronic health conditions in general are constantly beset by well-meaning unsolicited advice from friends and family, asking if you’ve heard about [thing you heard about 20 years ago] that will surely change your life and cure you overnight.

    It’s frustrating, and we’re going to try to avoid doing that here, while still offering the advice that was asked for. We ask you, therefore, to kindly overlook whatever you already knew, and if you already knew it all, well, we salute you and will not be surprised if that’s the case for at least some readers. Chronic pain’s a… Well, it’s a chronic pain.

    All that said, let’s dive in…

    How are you treating your body right now?

    Are you hydrated; have you eaten; are you standing/sitting/lying in a position that at least should be comfortable for you in principle?

    The first two things affect pain perception; the latter can throw a spanner in the works if something’s not quite right.

    Move your body (gently!)

    You know your abilities, so think about the range of motion that you have, especially in the parts of your body that hurt (if that’s “everywhere”, then, our sympathies, and we hope you find the same advice applies). Think about your specific muscles and joints as applicable, and what the range of motion is “supposed” to be for each. Exercise your range of motion as best you can (gently!) to the point of its limit(s) and/or pain.

    • If you take it past that limit, there is a good chance you will make it worse. You don’t want that.
    • If you don’t take it to the limit, there is a good chance your range of movement will deteriorate, and your “safe zone” (i.e., body positions that are relatively free from pain) will diminish. You definitely don’t want that, either.

    Again, moderation is key. Yes, annoying as the suggestion may be, such things as yoga etc can help, if done carefully and gently. You know your limits; work with those, get rest between, and do what you can.

    For most people this will at least help keep the pain from getting worse.

    Hot & Cold

    Both of these things could ease your pain… Or make it worse. There is an element of “try it and see”, but here’s a good general guide:

    Here’s How to Choose Between Using Ice or Heat for Pain

    Meditation… Or Distraction

    Meditating really does help a lot of people. In the case of pain, it can be counterintuitively helpful to focus for a while on the sensation of the pain… But in a calm, detached fashion. Without judgement.

    “Yes, I am experiencing pain. Yes, it feels like I’m being stabbed with hot knives. Yes, this is tortuous; wow, I feel miserable. This truly sucks.”

    …it doesn’t sound like a good experience, does it? And it’s not, but paying it attention this way can paradoxically help ease things. Pain is, after all, a messenger. And in the case of chronic pain, it’s in some ways a broken messenger, but what a messenger most needs is to be heard.

    The above approach a) is good b) may have a limit in how long you can sustain it at a time, though. So…

    The opposite is a can be a good (again, short-term) approach too. Call a friend, watch your favorite movie, play a video game if that’s your thing. It won’t cure anything, but it can give you a little respite.

    Massage

    Unless you already know this makes your pain worse, this is a good thing to try. It doesn’t have to be a fancy spa; if the nature of your pain and condition permits, you can do self-massage. If you have a partner or close friend who can commit to helping, it can be very worth them learning to give a good massage. There are often local courses available, and failing that, there is also YouTube.

    Here’s an example of a good video for myofascial release massage, which can ease a lot of common kinds of chronic pain:

    !

    Some quick final things to remember:

    • If you find something helps, then it helps, do that.
    • That goes for mobility aids and other disability aids too, even if it was designed for a different disability. If it helps, it helps. You’re not stealing anyone’s thunder (or resources) by using something that makes your life easier. We’re not in this life to suffer!
    • There is no such thing as “this pain is not too much”. The correct amount of pain is zero. Maybe your body won’t let you reach zero, but more than that is “too much” already.
    • You don’t have to be suffering off the scale to deserve relief from pain

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  • Remember – by Dr. Lisa Genova

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    Memory is often viewed as one thing—either you have a good memory, or you don’t. At best, a lot of people have a vague idea of selective memory. But, the reality is much more complex—and much more interesting.

    Dr. Genova lays out clearly and simply the various different kinds of memory, how they work, and how they fail. Some of these kinds of memory operate on completely different principles than others, and/or in different parts of the brain. And, it’s not just “a memory for faces” or a “memory for names”, nor even “short term vs long term”. There’s working memory, explicit and implicit memory, semantic memory, episodic memory, muscle memory, and more.

    However, this is not just an interesting book—it’s also a useful one. Dr. Genova also looks at how we can guard against failing memory in later years, and how we can expand and grow the kinds of memory that are most important to us.

    The style of the book is very conversational, and not at all textbook-like. It’s certainly very accessible, and pleasant to read too.

    Bottom line: memory is a weird and wonderful thing, and this book shines a clear light on many aspects of it—including how to improve the various different kinds of memory.

    Click here to check out Remember (we recommend to do it now before you forget!

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  • Jasmine McDonald’s Ballet Stretching Routine

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    Why Jasmine’s Video is Useful

    Jasmine McDonald is not only a professional ballerina, but is also a certified personal trainer, so when it comes to keeping her body strong and flexible, she’s a wealth of knowledge. Her video (below) is a great example of this.

    In case you’re interested in learning more, she currently (privately) tutors over 30 people on a day-to-day basis. You can contact her here!

    Other Stretches?

    If you think that Jasmine’s stretches may be out of your league, we recommend checking out our other articles on stretching, including:

    Otherwise, let loose on these dancer stretches and exercises:

    How did you find that video? If you’ve discovered any great videos yourself that you’d like to share with fellow 10almonds readers, then please do email them to us!

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Related Posts

  • Healing Arthritis – by Dr. Susan Blum
  • Beyond Balancing The Books – by George Marino, CPA, CFP

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    We hear a lot about the importance of mindfulness, yet how can Zen-like non-attachment to the material world go well with actually surviving (let alone thriving) in a Capitalist society?

    Books that try to connect the two often end up botching it badly to the level of early 2000s motivational posters.

    So, what does this book do differently? Mostly it’s because rather than a motivational speech with exhortations to operate on a higher plain and manifest your destiny and all that, it gives practical, down-to-earth advice and offers small simple things you can do or change to mindfully engage with the world of business rather than operating on auto-pilot.

    Basically: how to cut out the stress without cutting out your performance.

    All in all, we think both your health and your productivity will thank you for it!

    Take Your Business (and Brain) “Beyond Balancing The Books” Today

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    Learn to Age Gracefully

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  • 6-Minute Core Strength – by Dr. Jonathan Su

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    We don’t normally do author biographies here, but in this case it’s worth noting that Dr. Su is a physiotherapist, military rehab expert, and an IAYT yoga therapist. So, these things together certainly do lend weight to his advice.

    About the “6-minute” thing: this is in the style of the famous “7-minute workout” and “5 Minutes’ Physical Fitness” etc, and refers to how long each exercise session should take. The baseline is one such session per day, though of course doing more than one set of 6 minutes each time is a bonus if you wish to do so.

    The exercises are focused on core strength, but they also include hip and shoulder exercises, since these are after all attached to the core, and hip and shoulder mobility counts for a lot.

    A particular strength of the book is in troubleshooting mistakes of the kind that aren’t necessarily visible from photos; in this case, Dr. Su explains what you need to go for in a certain exercise, and how to know if you are doing it correctly. This alone is worth the cost of the book, in this reviewer’s opinion.

    Bottom line: if you want core strength and want it simple yet comprehensive, this book can guide you.

    Click here to check out 6-Minute Core Strength, and strengthen yours!

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  • Brave – by Dr. Margie Warrell

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    Whether it’s the courage to jump out of a plane or the courage to have a difficult conversation, bravery is an important quality that we often don’t go far out of our way to grow. At least, not as adults.

    Rather than viewing bravery as a static attribute—you either have it or you don’t—psychologist Dr. Margie Warrell makes the case for its potential for lifelong development.

    The book is divided into five sections:

    1. Live purposefully
    2. Speak bravely
    3. Work passionately
    4. Dig deep
    5. Dare boldly

    …and each has approximately 10 chapters, each a few pages long, the kind that can easily make this a “chapter-a-day” daily reader.

    As a quick clarification: that “speak bravely” section isn’t about public speaking, but is rather about speaking up when it counts. Life is too short for regrets, and our interactions with others tend to be what matters most in the long-run. It makes a huge difference to our life!

    Dr. Warrell gives us tools to reframe our challenges and tackle them. Rather than just saying “Feel the fear and do it anyway”, she also delivers the how, in all aspects. This is one of the main values the book brings, as well as a sometimes-needed reminder of how and why being brave is something to which we should always aspire… and hold.

    Bottom line: if you’d like to be more brave—in any context—this book can help. We only get one life; might as well live it.

    Click here to check out Brave and give your life a boost!

    Don’t Forget…

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