Instead of a long list of things I can no longer do, here's what I've learned to do:
- Try to exercise every day, even if it's "just" yardwork or a long walk.
- Manage my level/duration of exertion so that I don't overdo it. Two sets of squats or lunges are just as good as three when done with intensity.
- Give myself a recovery day. Just one is good enough. Two is "lazy".
- Keep a racquetball by my reading chairs for working on grip strength.
- Log it. Nothing persuades me to exercise better than a blank exercise calendar... or reading obituaries of my college classmates.
- Coffee after workouts. The caffeine helps with muscle pain & recovery. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it. But no caffeine after 3 PM.
- Lots of bright light for reading and fine vision, even going outdoors with small print. Backlit e-readers are essential. We just put a new ceiling light in our garage and whoa-- what an improvement.
- Ibuprofen after the exercise-- not before-- or I'll push too hard during the exercise. Ibuprofen again at bedtime so that I don't wake [-]my spouse[/-] myself up when I try to roll over.
- No alcohol. In fact, I probably should stop drinking liquids after 7 PM.
I'm also mulling over two new products to license to a major consumer-goods company for a huge fee:
- Chocolate-coated (sugar-free!) ibuprofen. You know those four-pound bags of chocolate chips that you can buy at Costco? Just do that with the ibuprofen pills, sell it on the aisle with the other painkillers, and it'll help me reduce my consumption of chocolate chips.
- Aspercreme hand soap. Pain relief is the first thing I reach for after washing my hands from yardwork or repairs, so why not massage in a dose of relief while I'm scrubbing away the dirt?
Have you tried a needle threader (picture below)? Probably you have, but if not it might possibly be somewhat helpful.
I spent the first four decades of my life finding those things in sewing kits, wondering what they were, and throwing them away to make space for more needles.
During my fifth decade it suddenly became very evident how those threaders are used...
Approaching 57 and I can relate to all these things. I haven't seen it mentioned in this thread, but I really liked "Younger Next Year" by Chris Crowley & Henry Lodge MD. Common sense advice on keeping active, healthy & feeling good. (There is a separate version "Younger Next Year for Women", too).
Every guy looking out for his best interests-- especially
married guys-- should read the first couple chapters of the women's version of the book for their description of "Old Fred". If I ever meet Chris Crowley I'll have to administer an appropriate demonstration of my thanks for the stereotype he's foisted on us.
The "Old Fred" term has become verbal shorthand in our house for certain acquaintances of both genders.