A short while ago, I was approached about a project called 'A Healthier Life'. The background on the project came from some research completed by Simply Health which found that most of British over 45s soon develop diseases such as coronary heart disease, high blood pressure and arthritis – all of which can be prevented by leading a more active life. It’s never too late to try to improve fitness levels and even just getting out of the house rather than watching TV is a start towards a healthier life.
It's like they connected to one of my aims in life - to get my mum to be more active to live long and healthy! We had the choice of going for a dance lesson, to see the cricket or visit botanical gardens. My mum and I came to the conclusion together that we would go to Kew Garden for the day!
picture credit: simply health
Really, only pictures can do this day justice so here are a select few I took before my camera decided to stop working that afternoon!
new friends 
mumsy
wheels
garden
Here is what my mum had to say:
I had to endure many years of commuting into and around London until I retired in 2008; since then I have avoided the underground unless absolutely necessary! I had mixed feelings when Elle asked about choosing an activity that the two of us could do; to be truthful, it didn't fill me with glee! I thought of many reasons why I would not be able to go out: my hay fever was in full swing, I hadn't budgeted for any extra outings, it would be crowded and much more, anyway I bit the bullet and we decided on a day out to Kew Gardens.
Well, the day arrived and I made the journey, by now I was looking forward to our day out! We explored the gardens on foot and on the Kew Explorer; I enjoyed the trip! On a serious note, it is sometimes difficult for older people to sustain social activity for a number of reasons such as ill health, financial difficulties or just the fact that some people tend to disengage socially when they retire. It is however crucial that they remain active and participate in social activities as this contributes to their overall well being. I have been motivated to increase my activity level and I am looking around for a beginner level Zumba class to attend!
Check out the infographic published by Simply Health and their article 'Are You Ageing Healthily?'. The statistics are very positive and all point to the fact that it is never too late to start being active!
benefits
no excuses!
As long as I have been exercising, the main reason has been to invest in my health! ...I know I share that with many of you out there, but maybe, just maybe we can take along some of our family members for the ride?! Time spent with parents and grandparents is precious, why not make it an active enjoyable time!
ageing healthy
What do you do to keep healthy as you age?! Join the conversation - comment below, via Facebook or Twiiter! #healthyageing
Elle :)