Page 29 - OCT 2018 The Castle Pines Connection proof 1

Developing healthy habits
Article and photograph by Barbara Ne
For many, the chapters of life that include careers, the building of nancial security and child rearing also include lack of time or energy to focus on self. When children leave and careers wind to a close, a real opportunity presents itself.
Developing healthy habits can be di cult after many decades of putting self last while tending to others. Learning to concentrate on diet, exercise, spiritual growth and self care could be called a shift in consciousness, and it can be an enjoyable, even thrilling shift.
Retired re ghter and Castle Pines resident Bill Schaefer developed a strong desire to practice healthy eating habits
in middle age as a disease preventative. Good nutrition has become Schaefer’s passion; so much so that he is in the planning stages of launching a business based on alternative healing and nutritional awareness.
When asked about his reasons for becoming an advocate for healthy eating, Schaefer replied, “I wanted to maintain my energy level and avoid being held hostage to big pharma.”
Stories of seniors embarking on amazing journeys of athletic accomplishment abound. Today, 92-year-old Johanna Quaas is a competitive gymnast. Dr. Charles Eugster was a competitive sprinter until the end of his life in 2017 at age 97. While Quaas and Eugster set the senior athletic bar high, their levels of tness are not and probably should not be the tness goals for most people. Reaching modest, achievable goals can also be immensely bene cial and rewarding.
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The Next Chapter
in the golden years “I wanted to maintain my
energy level and avoid being held hostage to big pharma.”
Simple steps toward a healthier life make sense for most. Sometimes all that is needed to embark on a healthier lifestyle is awareness, an idea and a modicum of self discipline.
Douglas County residents are fortunate. Fitness opportunities are just outside our front doors. With miles and miles of hiking trails in Douglas County alone, a simple walk in a beautiful, natural setting can be the perfect rst step toward a healthier life.
The nal decades of life sometimes present voids. One smart way to ll the voids
can be new devotion to all forms of self care, including regular tness routines and healthy eating. It is never too late.
Retired re ghter Castle Pines resident Bill Schaefer believes in healthy nutrition as a way to prevent cancer and other health problems.
The Next Chapter
There is an ever-aging yet very active population of individuals in Douglas County entering the next chapter of their lives. Whether transitioning to empty nesters, retiring from the corporate world, caring for elderly family members, or just turning the page to see what is to come in their life’s journey, readers are wanting more information about events, activities and programs geared toward the 50+ age crowd.
The Castle Pines Connection is committed to its readership and has incorporated more of these type stories in its editorial content in “The Next Chapter” section of the paper. We would love to hear your thoughts, ideas and suggestions. Email us at editor@castlepinesconnection.com.