10 Tips to Take Care of Your Body As You Age
Aging can be defined in a lot of ways, however, to keep things brief, it can be referred to as progressive changes as you grow older. While the changes that are physiological that influence the age might derail the quality of life in your late 60s, 70s, and beyond from being what it was during your prime years, it is a naked truth that there are a lot of things that you can do to improve your health even as you age. There are measures that you can implement to reduce your risk for mental and physical problems.
So the question now becomes, how do you gift yourself the ultimate opportunity for a long, healthy life? So today in this article, we are going to discuss in details some of the key aspects to maintain a healthy living even as you are aging.
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1. Maintaining proper nutrition.
Most of us probably by now and in this era, are aware of which type of foods are good and bad for our health. There are those type of foods that pose health risks to you and should clearly be avoided at all cost. However, the greatest advice about nutrition is that you should not make yourself miserable by consuming foods you donít like just to stay healthy or lose weight. Just take the foods you love, but be honest and smart about the portions. To maintain good health, eat a balanced diet that comprises lots of vegetables, fruits and healthy fats such as canola oil or olive oil. You should avoid taking trans fats, saturated fats, and cholesterol.
A balanced diet nourishes your brain apart from helping your body to function in a healthy manner.
2. Getting exercise.
If you didnít know, keeping your bones and muscles younger and active depends on how frequently you use them. Move. Just keep on moving. Try to find an activity that you can enjoy. Staying active can help you maintain flexibility, strength and boost your vitality as well. It also reduces the risk for health problems and improves your mental function. You should try to incorporate strengthening exercises, endurance activities, balancing and stretching exercises. Practical choices include swimming, biking, walking, tai chi and special classes meant for seniors.
3. Getting enough sleep.
It is common sense that if you donít get enough sleep, you'll find it harder to concentrate the next day. Many adults, when they get older, they tend to forget about having an adequate sleep. During this stage, insomnia and excessive sleepiness during daytime become very common. Getting enough sleep not only makes you maintain a sharper memory but also has a profound positive effect on your general health. If you are having troubles when sleeping, you can enhance your desire for sleep by making your bedroom quiet and dark, adjust your bedtimes, wind down before bed by listening to good music or taking a bath before you eventually retire to bed.
4. Controlling stress.
If you didnít know, stress is a huge motivator of aging. Very few factors age us faster than stress. We all experience stress in our lives. There are many ways you can implement and reduce your stress levels. You should understand that the moment you let stress become part of your everyday life, it begins to take it toll, and youíll dearly pay for this. Engaging in productive activities that relate to exercise, is part of controlling your stress problems.
5. Managing your blood pressure.
As a matter of fact, hypertension has become a common problem in our current society, in particular among the elderly. If not adequately controlled early enough, it can perform serious damage to your body and place it at risk for vascular disease and even stroke. Try as much as possible and regularly check your blood pressure and keep it under control. For if you fail to man it, it has the potential of placing your life at risk, with diseases such as stroke and atherosclerosis.
6. Staying positive.
If you decide to see yourself as old and incapable, the chances are that you will likely carry yourself in that manner. You have a choice depending on how you see everything in your life, and that includes even yourself. With proper and a positive attitude, you can effectively manage circumstances that are out of your control. Don't allow yourself to get stressed, as this can trigger adverse health effects such as high blood pressure which can accelerate your aging process.
7. Exercising your brain.
If you didnít know, the state of your brain is what defines who you are. When you are getting older; efforts should be made to keep your brain healthy and younger. It holds every emotion and memory of your life. It gives you the chance to laugh, cry, create and even the capacity to appreciate and love. Keep using your brain positively as this is the only way of keeping it healthy. Keep it always challenged, by probably replacing your routine with current things. Keep on learning and become a student your entire life.
8. Avoiding smoking.
We all understand that the practice of smoking has the potential to cause significant lung and heart diseases. However, research has proven that in addition to that, it also accelerates aging, specifically of your skin. If you are a smoker and have tried quitting but to no success, donít beat yourself up. Don't give up either, bearing in mind that many have successfully managed but after numerous attempts.
9. Socializing.
As you are getting older, you should understand that the hurt of isolation and loneliness can go beyond emotional pain, and impact negatively on your health. Always try to be around others. When you get older, things might change, and maybe you could lose friends and relatives. But again, you can simply go out and make new ones as well. Always stay involved with other people. You can take classes, volunteer, or even take someone out for lunch at a decent restaurant. And studies has shown that that married people live longer than their single counterparts.
10. Safety considerations.
To many seniors, safety is a serious issue. Particularly for those who are living on their own. Injuries to your head or even to other vital parts of your body can cause catastrophic damage to the brain, apart from unwanted deaths. Hazards such as falls, choking, and other accidents are common, but there are measures that you can put in place to minimize their occurrence. While using the road, always remember to put on your bike helmet or tie your seatbelt. Also, take a proactive approach and protect yourself against falls even when at home. Eliminate any clutter that might trip you down, make sure your stairs has handrails. You can also seek advice from your health care provider, about fall prevention classes.
In conclusion, we can all expect to live longer. However, there are lots of things that you have to put in place to make this a reality. Even though you can't fully influence how longer yo can live, the above-described tips are essential. It is all about a good and quality health, and it is a choice as well. Be smart.