Technology Well being is an award-winning documentary that explores the lives of Canada’s lively seniors, particularly these of their 70s and 80s. Directed by Elton Hubner and produced by Eyes Multimedia, the movie challenges standard views about growing old and highlights some great benefits of sustaining a wholesome, lively life-style in later life.
Within the video above, you will hear inspiring tales from seniors who proceed to have interaction in difficult actions and stay lively lives regardless of going through vital well being challenges corresponding to most cancers, arthritis, and coronary heart illness.1
Technology Health emphasizes that age isn’t any barrier to health and should encourage you to pursue an lively life-style and discover pleasure in life. Moreover, this documentary exhibits how making daring decisions that carry you pleasure can considerably improve your psychological well being and bodily well-being.
Wholesome seniors show age is only a quantity
Think about that at age 82 you’re a full-time ski teacher. That is simply at some point within the lifetime of George Tjelios-Nicholas, one of many lively characters within the movie. Outdoors of winter, yow will discover Tjelios-Nicholas biking or paddleboarding round Whistler.2
“George Gelios-Nicholas is likely one of the topics of this documentary, and, effectively, such a personality! He used to smoke, had a number of surgical procedures, and nonetheless suffers from fixed again ache – all of which he suffered throughout his keep in An excellent purpose to attend for time to cross at house.3 Nevertheless, Tjelios-Nicholas didn’t anticipate this:4
“Instructing skis is so rewarding! That is why I like ski faculty. I like individuals and it is my job to make them really feel snug. It is an enormous motivation to maintain going… It is arduous for me to consider it, however technically , I’m nonetheless getting higher at snowboarding and folks say to me, “Oh, you’re too previous for this. “I am not loopy, I can not do huge jumps or something like that, however I skate fairly quick.
I had stitches in my head from a ski hit on my head, a dislocated shoulder, and two tibial osteotomies as a result of my knees had been worn out from snowboarding…after which I had two knee replacements. I additionally had prostate most cancers however I overcame that. I’ve a whole lot of again ache and I’ve arthritis however I’m nonetheless lively however I consider the extra lively I’m the much less it’s going to have an effect on me.
Different characters within the movie embody Lawrence Huzar, a 79-year-old retired mechanical engineer who performs hockey 3 times every week and spends the remainder of his time constructing and repairing issues in his yard. The proper distraction. “I’ve by no means been sick in my life. I did not actually have a physician,” he mentioned.5 Though Huzal lives alone after the loss of life of his spouse, he’s not alone.
He mentioned he is content material to be alone and enjoys spending time with the opposite hockey gamers on the group – a number of of whom are related in age. MacFarlane is one other inspiring athlete within the movie. At 81, marathon world document holder, retired trainer and most cancers survivor continues to race regardless of accidents:6
“There are lots of people on the market who will allow you to, and naturally there are a whole lot of operating teams you’ll be able to be part of, so if you wish to exit and do one thing, you’ll be able to, however it’s important to be prepared as a result of nobody can push you to do something…my breasts Most cancers has made me very, very constructive.
Now every single day I get up and I am grateful as a result of when one thing like this occurs to you and you do not know if you are going to get out of it, you are simply completely happy to be alive and face it right now is gone, neglect about it and begin a brand new one tomorrow at some point. I am pondering 100 occasions, not less than 100 occasions, and till then I need to run as a lot as attainable. I do know I’ll decelerate, I do know, however I am not going to cease.
Optimism, happiness and social connectedness are widespread themes
Whereas everybody within the movie has completely different pursuits and life tales, you will discover some widespread threads together with optimism, pleasure, and a real pleasure for all times. They every have sturdy social connections of their communities and take part in every day with a way of objective whereas absolutely residing within the second.
Regardless of going through well being challenges, lack of family members, and different setbacks, everybody within the movie leads vibrant lives full of pleasure and fervour. This pleasure is carefully tied to their bodily actions and the sturdy sense of group they construct by way of shared experiences and social interactions.
“The best pleasure for me is giving myself one thing to provide to others,” says Ava Stone, a yoga teacher in her 70s. She makes use of her class time to show not simply respiration and stretching methods; Meditate, share tales and inform jokes. Outdoors of sophistication, she enjoys driving round city in her black sports activities automobile and inspiring others to have enjoyable and create their very own happiness:7
“Right now’s stress comes from not appreciating the scenario, not appreciating life, and never appreciating the life you create. We blame stress outdoors of ourselves, as whether it is attributable to some mysterious different particular person. In brief, you You already know what stress is? This second you might have proper now, you don’t prefer it, you need to eliminate one thing you don’t need, otherwise you need one thing you don’t have.
And then you definately inform your mates, pay attention, I am beneath a lot stress and you may’t consider what the husband and the youngsters have accomplished. Oh, at work…but you retain creating it…resisting life as a result of all it exhibits you is your stress. This consciousness brings me a whole lot of pleasure and it comes from yoga and if you’re even just a little sensible you understand that the thoughts helps you keep wholesome. Open your eyes and perceive the world.
The world right here is basically wonderful, is not it? One other pleasure is the individuals who have been coming to see me over time, they get it, they preserve coming again, they need me to speak and need to take pleasure in enjoyable and loopy issues. So, these persons are alert, take pleasure in life and socialize.
…Solely those that have objectives, plans, and happiness hope that their our bodies can lead them effectively. Conserving your physique lubricated and transferring to construct power, preserve your muscle tissue working, digest and sleep effectively is simply to maintain you wholesome so your communication with life can proceed. You have got peace, you might have pleasure.
From this pleasure and peace you achieve the pure information that if I’m not completely happy, it’s solely me who’s creating it. Self is one thing you create from day one and must be vital and proper. Whenever you let it go, nothing issues anymore. Then you definately change into calm, however it’s important to follow it, really feel it, cross it on, and you may solely have enjoyable for those who do not suppose too arduous. If individuals suppose every part is so severe, the place’s the enjoyable in it?
Optimizing mitochondrial operate promotes completely happy life decisions
Basically, happiness comes from curiosity and the flexibility to make decisions in life. But when you do not have sufficient mobile vitality, you’ll be able to’t suppose straight, not to mention have sufficient vitality left to make constructive life decisions. That is why boosting mitochondrial vitality manufacturing can carry you happiness.
Your mind is probably the most energy-dependent organ, making up solely about 2% of your physique weight however consuming 20% of your total physique’s vitality.8 Due to this fact, a surplus of mobile vitality manufacturing is critical to permit your mind to operate optimally.
Avoiding dietary pitfalls, corresponding to extra linoleic acid in vegetable and seed oils, may help optimize mitochondrial operate and maximize your skill to expertise pleasure. Components corresponding to estrogen and endotoxins additionally deplete mobile vitality.
Nevertheless, common bodily exercise can also be an efficient method to improve mitochondrial well being and assist enhance vitality metabolism. Train promotes the manufacturing of recent mitochondria and helps current ones work higher, producing extra vitality extra effectively.
Bear in mind, when you enter your 40s and 50s, and definitely your 70s and 80s, train needs to be enjoyable and stress-relieving, not aggressive. In his evaluation, Dr. James O’Keefe, a heart specialist on the Mid-America Coronary heart Institute at St. Louis Hospital in Kansas Metropolis, emphasised the significance of “social train” over solitary train: taking part in a hockey recreation with pals, for instance.
O’Keefe and colleagues printed a research in 2018 that checked out detailed, long-term knowledge on bodily exercise and lifespan.9 It has been confirmed that taking part in tennis can prolong life by 9.5 years, badminton by 6.2 years, soccer by 4.7 years, jogging by 3.2 years and collaborating in well being membership actions corresponding to weight lifting and treadmill operating by 1.5 years.
At first, O’Keefe thought one thing was unsuitable with the evaluation. However then he realized that it was the social side of the game that introduced further advantages.
“Exercising and constructing social bonds on the identical time, that is an absolute goldmine of longevity actions. Meaning even along with your canine or your mates or [playing] Pickleball is large…the entire thing is about transferring your physique in a enjoyable, playful manner and making it a social exercise.
Happiness and well being go hand in hand
This mixture of enjoyable social and bodily actions is obvious in Technology Match. Moreover, the idea of “vorfreude” or anticipated pleasure additionally means that you can benefit from the anticipation of future pleasure, thereby considerably rising emotions of happiness and well-being. The individuals within the film additionally appear to totally embrace this idea, collaborating in every day actions that they take pleasure in and look ahead to every single day.
Happiness and well being are deeply and complexly linked, and the individuals within the movie take pleasure in each. Fairly than dwell on difficulties or losses, they select to concentrate on the nice issues round them. This skill to acknowledge and alter unfavourable pondering patterns is one other key to creating a happier mindset.
As a substitute of specializing in the unfavourable, shift your perspective to understand the small joys and social alternatives. Finally, as Stone says, you’ll be able to create the life you need, and it’s by no means too late to show the web page:10
“If persons are older and lonely, there are a whole lot of issues for older individuals. They’ve to speak to pals, neighbors and say what do you do, the place do you go, the place is the following group heart, what applications are there? It needs to be A behavior like brushing your enamel or doing one thing and also you begin having fun with it. There is no such thing as a happiness on the planet, solely the happiness you place there.
