inMotion Magazine

Living Well 3 Watch what you eat. Get fresh air and exercise. Don’t smoke. All of these things are important for living a long life – but there’s more to it than that. What you really want is to live longer well , to be healthy enough to continue doing the things you love. A positive mental attitude, the ability to laugh and find the humor in situations, getting outside of yourself and helping others, working at something you love to do, and having the will to beat the odds – all of these contribute to a long and healthy life. But living life to its fullest can be challenging in today’s world, can’t it? For people with limb loss, the physical challenges are even greater. However, the most difficult barriers are the ones in your mind. But it’s easier to deal with the physical barriers if you can get a handle on the emotional ones. The way to learn to overcome these perceived obstacles is by recognizing that you’re still basically the same person inside that you were before the amputation. Successful adjustment is achieved by learning to do the things you enjoyed before (even if you have to learn to do them in a different way) and seeing yourself as a whole person who just happens to be missing a body part. The focus should no longer be on what’s gone, but on the future. In its simplest sense, living well includes taking proper care of your body through exercise, nutrition and routine medical exams. But you shouldn’t forget the whole – mind, body and spirit. For example, consider techniques for tending to your mind like visualization and guided imagery to deal with tension and anxiety or playing games to maintain mental sharpness. Or nourishing the spirit through meditation, prayer or letting go of resentment and self-criticism. We hope that this issue will provide some insight into achieving balance in your life. Whether you’re already on the road, or you’re just starting, or even getting back on track after a temporary setback, the integration of mind, body and spirit is the key to living well. The secret to living well and longer is: Eat half, walk double, laugh triple and love without measure.” ~ Tibetan proverb Editor’s Message LIVING WELL ~ Bill Dupes, Editor-in-Chief Focus on the Future, Not What’s Gone