Gym Shorts: Let’s remember and celebrate in June

June gives us many reasons to remember and celebrate.

For me, the first thing that comes to mind on this historical day is the reminder that June 6, 1944, is D-Day, when we honour those who fought on the beaches of Normandy, France. That day, troops with the Allied forces staged this key attack against Germany – the main event to help end the Second World War.

I also chose this same day to get married, back in 1986. I figured, why not? I thought it would be a great way for us to remember our wedding day. Okay, so perhaps I was a little self-centred and naively thought that it would be a great way for my husband to remember our special day. Well, that didn’t work. There are very few years I can count on one hand that Mr. David remembers our wedding date!
 

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Kim Dixon (left) and her husband, Jim David
 

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The good news is that we always remember and talk about D-Day and honour those brave souls who fought to keep the world a freer place. We do not often remember that wedding day. And no amount of vitamins is going to help him remember at this point either!

Memory can be a tricky thing. It works differently for each of us, and there are different levels of memory loss. According to the Alzheimer Society of Ontario, most of us will experience no problems with memory as we age. Even in old age, we retain the skills and knowledge learned throughout our lives.

But the society reports that we will have some form of memory loss after we turn age 65, and that memory loss will be mild and should not have a big or negative impact on our lives. That memory loss will not impact our daily living and quality of life. Losing some memory is the normal aging process and is referred to as “age-associated memory impairment.”

A small number of people will have dementia (about five to six per cent, according to the World Health Organization).

Not remembering where your keys are, or the name of someone you recently met … or the date of your wedding anniversary, is not a big deal.

Like your body, your mind can be affected by your genetics, lifestyle and environment. You can help look after your mind and health, by challenging your brain, eating a healthy diet, and being physically and socially active.

Each of us has a bag of tricks to help us remember things. Learning a new skill or taking on a hobby, especially after you retire, can be a great way to keep your mind active. I recently signed on to be a volunteer SMART (Seniors Maintaining Active Roles Together) leader in functional fitness for VON in Kincardine. After five months of on-line courses and in-class training, I was certified as a fitness instructor in May. Learning about all the different muscle groups was challenging but worth the effort.

It’s important to stay involved in activities that can help both the mind and body. Even a daily walk is good for the mind as it gives you time to think and, hopefully, to relax.

Other tips for keeping your mind and memory well-oiled, are to follow a daily routine, plan your tasks, and make to-do lists (my personal favourite). Write it down. You can also use memory tools, such as a calendar and, yes, Jim and I put our keys and eyeglasses in the same place every day.

I read somewhere that using your senses also helps you to remember. I was chatting with my neighbour the other day and we talked about how we each found something was off or odd in our respective backyards - she used her eyes to see that there was a problem and was able to address and fix it, and the sound I was hearing in my backyard told me I had an issue. We both laughed about how valuable our senses can be.

This year represents 38 years of marriage for Jim and me, and we laugh about it now – not the being married part, just the inability to remember our wedding date or the number of years. Every year, we have to do the math to remind ourselves what the number is. I’ve pretty much given up reminding him. But when he does remember our anniversary, it’s like a bonus round because he makes up for it on a large scale.

So, take the time to remember or honour something special in June – such as the fact that it is National Indigenous History Month in Canada. It’s also the start of Pride season. Also, don’t forget Father’s Day is June 16.

As a reminder, you should always consult first with a medical professional or coach before starting a fitness program.