"An Apple a Day"

By Dave Neumaier

Seniors can start living with more vitality today. Achieving a few daily resolutions can lead to improved health and happiness. Transform your next year by optimizing each day.

Goal number one is to create your ideal menu. Your doctor or nutritionist will help determine the quantity, quality and frequency of your meals. Read labels and observe the FDA's food pyramid by selecting organic, whole, fresh and local foods whenever possible.

Create an “apple a day” approach to get all the antioxidants, B12, calcium and other vital nutrients and flavors that you need without excessive fat, sodium, sugar or toxins. Remember, plenty of clean water and well-chewed food creates a more alkaline and disease resistant body.

Goal number two is to get moving and breathe deeper. Go outside and walk each sunny day to enjoy the fresh air. However, don't forget to protect your skin and to avoid falls by using proper shoes and walking assists. Find an exercise partner and go walking, golfing or swimming every day.

If you can't go outside, then occasionally open your window for fresh air. According to a NASA study, adding various plants such as English Ivy and Peace Lilies can also improve indoor air quality, which can be further augmented by a hospital grade electronic filter like IQ Air.

Maybe a Wii Fit or Xbox Kinetics system can help you exercise and improve your balance at home. Your doctor can recommend a suitable program. Remember, daily activity with deep breathing triggers vitality.

Goal number three is to stay connected with people everyday. Get involved in the community and laugh, sing and pray. Homebodies can hire a companion service to discuss topics of interest in person.

Stay active with your family and friends in all ways possible including regularly planned visits and events. Phone calls and email also keep families close. Consider in-home video conferencing solutions like Skype or Cisco's Umi for more intimate communication.

Add a connected independent living platform to help track falls, monitor daily activity and stay even more connected. Since, increased cognitive stimulation encourages continued new growth of brain cells in seniors, it is ever more critical to leverage technology each day to increase family connectedness.

So simply commit your “apple a day” goals to writing. Live them daily, track them and tweak them. Think young, act young and you'll feel young.