August Focus: Ageing Well
So another month has passed by in a blaze of heat and wildfires. It's been so sad to witness the devastation caused by these wildfires in so many countries, from the Cairngorms to Madrid and Bordeaux. This is a sign of climate change; it’s happening, it’s real and we need to take it seriously.
Our weather patterns are changing, with severe drought and extreme heatwaves hitting so many countries, destroying crops and impacting wildlife. Here in Scotland we seem to be avoiding the worst of the heatwaves and we always have rain, so we are well off compared to other countries. I’m counting my blessings for sure.
On the plus side, it’s been lovely enjoying al fresco dining, with lots of lighter food, salads, dips and cooling drinks, which was our theme last month. No one wants to be slaving away in the kitchen when the weather is hot, so we have been keeping it light.
We spent a lovely week on Mull, staying with our eldest daughter Emma, and just having fun being outdoors and exploring this lovely island. I really do love Scotland, it’s such a beautiful country, especially when the sun shines.
We also celebrated our 41st wedding anniversary at a cool treehouse with a hot tub in Perthshire which was great fun and so relaxing. Craighead Howff, if anyone is interested in a totally unique experience, surrounded by beautiful countryside and lots of animals and birds.
So on to our theme for August, which is the massive topic of ageing, which none of us can (or should want to!) escape from. The whole anti-ageing market is enormous, worth billions and growing every year. Supplements, creams, lotions and potions, procedures and promises galore to reduce our wrinkles, erase our grey hair, ease our joint pain and promise us eternal youth!
I have a real issue with this, we start ageing as soon as we are born! Ageing is inevitable, but we can age well or badly- it's a choice! Only 20% of ageing has a genetic basis, so don’t think that if your parents aged poorly then the same fate awaits you; it’s simply not true!
With advancing years comes wisdom from a life lived through challenges, choices made and lessons learned. Wrinkles and laughter lines are a sign of our life experiences and do remember that growing old is a privilege denied to many.
So we will be looking at the many ways we can age well, from our skin to our memory, joints, bones, muscles and metabolism.
As always, food is key to reducing inflammation associated with age-related chronic health issues, and plants, herbs and spices all play a key role.
Lifestyle choices like exercise, weight management, sleep quality, muscle strength and stress levels are also really important.
Our chronological age isn’t the most accurate predictor of lifespan. Predicted age span in the UK is 79 years but our health span is only 68 years, which means that most of us live our last decade in poor health.
As I mentioned earlier this is not set in stone and we can change the trajectory of our health as we age, without numerous medications.
I am hosting a retreat at Ardmay House this month with Margaret and Sacha, called Cultured and Wild, celebrating the best of Scotland's food and drink with a focus on fermentation in all it’s many guises. We have daily excursions planned and a delicious menu with daily ferments, which I am massively looking forward to. I have been busy preparing all the ferments which are looking vibrant and colourful to dazzle our participants!
We are still gaining members over on our Gathering Space on Circle which is fabulous, so do remember to come and join us, here. We have regular Workshops and chats which are recorded and available to view for the full month.
In good health,
Janice
