b'MS Focus ActivitiesLO LiiffeessttyylleeCChhaannggeessaannddMMSSOuurrrreessppoonnssiibbiilliittyyttoopprroovviiddeeoouurrsseellvveesswwiitthhrroouuttiinneeccaarreeBy Marcia HarrisIf any of you have read my previous articles,Changes to maintain youthyou may recall I quoted my mother and saidIn an article by Megan Weigel (an advanced I am (spelling it out) O-L-D, old. I often saynurse practitioner), Staying YouthfulAre you this jokingly when speaking to clients my ageas old as you think you are?, she gives some or younger than me. We may compare notesinsight into how healthy lifestyle changes can about how things that once bothered ourlead to staying youthful. Some of these include: parents now make us a little crazy too.Add a handful of greens to your lunch and Though some of my coworkers tell me Idinner plates. look and act young for my age, I am approaching Remove soda and sugar-sweetened beverages. my 70th birthday this year and continue to Add 10-15 minutes of daily fresh air exposure. work full time at MS Focus: the Multiple Sclerosis Stop using single-use plastics and microwaving Foundation. I am 5 feet 5 inches and weighin plastic containers. 143 pounds on a good day. I am not a person Add 10 deep breaths a day and a positive who enjoys exercising, but I do know it isaffirmation to your daily routine. important. At my most recent check-up, I told Stop excessively news watching and spending my doctor that I walk, and he commented thattime on social media. it was not enough. However, I know there areShe also said that taking care of your body those who would argue that point. I probablyby undergoing regular health check-ups for dont eat as healthy as I should, but whengeneral health and MS is an important part there is only me to cook for, I nd myselfof preventive healthcare. usingthemicrowaveororderingtakeoutLifestyle tweaksmore often than I should.We do know that memory loss can come As I continue my role of overseeing thewith either aging or MS, or sometimes both. supportgroupsandhealthandwellnessJust like your muscle strength, you have to programs, I have also started to answer callsuse it or lose it. Your lifestyle, habits, and daily through our Help Line. It can become quiteactivities have a large effect on your brain intense because there are numerous people withhealth. so many needs. Being able to keep my work/lifeIn an article on healthy aging, the staff of balance intact requires some additional self-careMayo Clinic suggested the following seven and routines on my own part. tips to improve your memory: msfocusmagazine.org 30'