Healthy Enough for the Life I Still Want to Live

I turned 60 this year. My husband, Kenneth, and I are raising our nine-year-old twin granddaughters. We also have two grandsons. There are school schedules to keep up with, ballgames to watch, and a business I'm still building.

When I talk about healthy aging, that's the life I'm thinking about.

I want to be able to participate. I want to enjoy my family and keep making plans. A number on the scale can't tell that whole story.

I also know what it's like to look at your body and wonder why it isn't responding the way it used to. Years with Graves' disease and then life without a functioning thyroid gave me plenty of questions. Learning more changed the questions I was asking.

That's where I want this blog to begin. With room to ask questions and language you can actually understand.

Start with what you've been noticing

Before you try to explain everything, write down what has changed. Be specific enough that you could describe it in a conversation.

What have you noticed about your energy? Has your sleep changed? Are everyday activities taking more out of you than they used to? When did you first notice the difference?

You don't need to turn those notes into a diagnosis. They can help you explain your experience and decide what you want to ask a qualified healthcare professional.

Then ask yourself something that matters just as much: What do I want to have more energy or capacity for?

For me, the answer includes our grandchildren. Yours may be something different. Put your own answer on the page.

A place to begin

I created the Cellular Wellness Assessment as a way to reflect on experiences over the past four weeks. It asks about energy, focus, sleep, recovery and comfort, and managing daily demands.

It's for education and personal reflection. It doesn't measure cellular health, diagnose a condition, or replace medical care.

If you'd like a starting point, take the Cellular Wellness Assessment. Bring the questions it raises into your next conversation.

There is still life ahead worth being healthy for.