Getting older is inevitable, yet, it doesn’t mean that it has to show. Healthy aging starts from within. While there are aging factors that we cannot control such as genetics, there are a lot more things that we can do to prevent the signs of it.
Aside from what’s on the outside, older people tend to face a lot of health issues as well. This includes a decline in cognitive functions, heart diseases, weaker bones and joints, and a compromised respiratory system among others.
Scientists are still actively investigating ways to decrease or stop the physical health impairments that come with aging. Luckily, they have already found numerous techniques to increase the likelihood of a long and healthy life. However, they do not come without hard work and sacrifices.
If you are ready, here are some tips you can do to lead a healthy lifestyle and age gracefully.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle requires a lot of effort and perseverance, especially as you age. As your mind and body ages, unfortunately, you become more susceptible to a lot of diseases and health issues. But what if I tell you that it could be prevented if you start maintaining your health early on? How? Let’s find out.
Doing physical activities is not something you can bail out on if you want to stay healthy for a long time. Exercising is fundamental not only to healthy aging but to a better living as well. Moving around and doing physical activities saves you from a lot of joint pain in the later years of your life. It also boosts your mood which is important to your overall well-being.
Contrary to popular belief, healthy exercising should not be forcing you to do physical activities that you hate. In fact, to enjoy it, you must find physical activities that make you happy or something you find fun.
For instance, if you hate planks, then don’t do it. Instead, find an alternative exercise that you find easier to do. If you hate leg workouts, you could opt to buy a mini fitness trampoline and use that for weight loss exercises at home while toning your legs and whole body in the process. Hate the gym? Do swimming lessons instead.
Having fun and enjoying your workout routine helps you to stick with it and look forward to your scheduled exercise day.
Doing tons of physical activity is nothing if you love to make bad food choices. Staying healthy and fit consists of both physical activity and a proper diet.
Make wise meal choices and avoid health issues as you get older. A good diet may even aid with improving brain function. Eating healthy is not simply about your weight, it is about the quality of the ingredients you take.
Sure, all those years you have lived unhealthily cannot be reversed instantly. That’s why it is best to take little steps at a time. Find healthy food ingredients that you love eating and incorporate them into your diet. That way, you will not feel that you are being deprived of delicious food. Doing so will allow you to stick to your diet plan much longer.
Another thing to take note of is to never starve yourself. Eating healthily and maintaining health does not involve starvation. If you have been quite a big eater all your life, do not cut your food intake in half the next day. Instead, gradually decrease it so that your body can adjust to your new eating patterns.
Read Also: Six Reasons for the Importance of Primary Care for the Elderly
You can maintain your health and alertness by getting adequate sleep, not to mention the wonders it does for your skin. While older adults require the same seven to nine hours of sleep as other adults, they frequently fall short of this requirement as elders tend to have more trouble sleeping and staying asleep.
Memory and mood are affected by the quality of sleep. A person who doesn’t get enough good sleep may become agitated, unhappy, forgetful, and more prone to mishaps like slipping or falling.
You can do a lot of things to improve your sleep quality, such as keeping a regular sleep pattern. Make an effort to stick to a regular bedtime and wake-up time each day. Avoid taking a sleep in the afternoon because it can keep you up at night. If you exercise before going to bed, it can also make you sleep faster and deeper.
Smoking is never good for anyone, at any age. If you are on the road to healthy aging, all those nicotine is not something you want to consume. Studies have shown that smoking increases your risk of dying early.
Having vices is never good for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. While drinking alcohol occasionally wouldn’t hurt, drinking regularly will have detrimental effects on your health. In terms of substance intake, it will never do anything good for your body, mind, and skin so stay away from them as much as possible.
Healthy aging depends on routine doctor visits for health exams. Regular check-ups help doctors identify chronic diseases early and can assist patients in lowering risk factors including high blood pressure and cholesterol. Regular healthcare visitors report a higher quality of life and healthy sentiments.
Regular examinations can detect illnesses and problems early on. This includes diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease that you may not be aware of. If you just go to the doctor when you have symptoms, it might be too late. Thus, getting regular checkups is essential for ensuring healthy aging.
Staying healthy doesn’t come naturally. You need to put in a lot of effort and strictly adhere to good decisions to achieve it. However, these changes in your lifestyle should not be grand. You can improve and lengthen your life by even making tiny adjustments to your regular routine.
Replace rigorous and stressful routines with more fun and steady-paced ones. This will help you follow them more easily and you will not be tempted to expect cheat days often. For example, if you find it difficult to commute to the gym every day, you could always get a fitness trampoline and make working out fun at home!
While, scientifically, there are still a lot of things to learn in terms of healthy aging, you can always do your best on things that you can control. Happy aging!
