Another Kind of Fitness

Mostly when I write these posts, I focus on what I call physical fitness. Keeping my body healthy so that I am able to hopefully enjoy a long life full of QUALITY. I want to be able to stay active and workout into my 80s or 90s! But lately, I have been thinking a lot about another type of fitness...mental fitness. I believe that physical and mental fitness go hand in hand. Part of why I work so hard to stay fit is that I am scared to death of an ugly, ugly disease called Alzheimer's.

My Dad is in the early stages of this terrible disease and I have read that to a certain degree, there is a small genetic component to this. I have discovered a great Alzheimer's resource site for anyone dealing with this disease in any capacity.

One of the biggest things on this site that jumped out at me was under the Who's At Risk section: "The genetic make-up inherited from parents may also influence risk of developing the disease, and when. Other non-genetic, environmental, or lifestyle factors might play a role in brain health and the development or prevention of Alzheimer's disease. Many of these can be controlled or mitigated, including physical activity, diet, control of chronic diseases, social engagement, and intellectual stimulation."

Did I read that right? Does it say that physical activity (the stuff I talk about all the time here), control of chronic diseases, social engagement (wine nights with my gal pals) and intellectual stimulation (reading, playing games, learning a new piece for the piano) can HELP CONTROL this awful disease?? Then why oh why, would I refuse to do any of these things that could possibly help, slow down, or eliminate the threat of this happening to me?

Watching this happen to my Dad is one of the hardest things I have ever experienced. For those of you who know me, I am the ultimate Daddy's Girl. My Dad is, always has been and always will be my example of how to live my life, how to treat people, and how to smile through the tears. So please, bear with me as I learn more about this disease and ways that being Fit For Life and help.