It is vital that as you age you look after your health and wellbeing. Your health will start to decline after a certain age and if you are not ready for it, it can hit you like a ton of bricks. Your immune system starts to slow down so you could end up getting poorly if you fail to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Here are four ways you can stay on top form in your golden years.
Diet
You should be enjoying a healthy balanced diet, this consists of the right amount of each food group to keep your body healthy and functioning as it should. If you are unsure of what you should be eating then you could think about consulting the help of a nutritionist. The reason to focus on your diet is due to your metabolism slowing right down when you get older. This can lead to overeating and could cause you to suffer from weight-related conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.
As well as your diet it is important to ensure you are drinking two liters of water each day, this equates to eight glasses. Water keeps you hydrated, gives your skin a healthy glow, and ensures all your organs are lubricated and working correctly. You can go a step further to be more mindful of the kind of water you drink, as many believe that pH balanced water can neutralize acidic blood, reduce inflammation levels and substantially enhance overall health and well-being.
Health experts also suggest that a life revolving around maintaining a pH-balanced diet and lifestyle could be crucial in maintaining the optimal balance and curbing rampant illnesses. However, one thing agreed on unanimously is that clean, unadulterated water is imperative to a healthy lifestyle.
It may even be the case that you would like to consider weight loss surgery if you are not finding that methods such as dieting are providing you the results that you want. You have the right to be happy with yourself, and that means exploring all of the options until you are content with the results that you see. There are always plenty of options surrounding this, and it’s important to note that most surgeons will not perform certain procedures until you hit a certain target weight.
Exercise
When you get older exercise is still as important as it is when you’re younger. You may not be able to do vigorous exercise anymore but that doesn’t mean you just have to sit at home. There are plenty of exercises to take part in. As long as you are taking the time to do at least 30 – 45 minutes of exercise daily then you will be fighting fit for a while.
You could go for a light jog in the park if you enjoy the outdoors, you could also do home workout videos in the comfort of your own house. Another option could be to join an exercise class, this not only ensures you are getting the right level of exercise but you can also make friends while working out.
Studies have shown that regular workouts and social meetings with friends can fight off the early stages of Dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Check-ups
Checkups at the doctors are essential when you are any age but even more necessary when you get to the age of 50. Once you reach that important number your health can start to decline. You will be offered regular health screening to check for many cancers, such as bowel cancer and breast cancer. These are offered so they can be caught early enough to treat as unfortunately, they can go years and years hiding in the shadows before symptoms show up.
Getting checkups means your doctor can keep an eye on things such as your blood pressure and your weight. Regular meets with your GP can also give you the chance to talk about any issues you have with other aspects of your health and wellbeing.
As well as health checkups with your doctor, you should make sure you are regularly getting your hearing and sight tested. Hearing and vision can slowly decline when you get older due to no fault of your own. If you have noticed you can’t hear as well as you could before it might be worth getting it checked out. Hearing loss can be impaired by a number of other conditions, Rheumatoid Arthritis for example. This happens due to inflammation in the joints and bones in your ear causing what you think is hearing loss. You can learn more about the implications of Rheumatoid Arthritis on your hearing here.
Mental Health
When you think about health and wellbeing it is quite common to only think of your body. However, your mental health can be more important to focus on at times. You may feel down or sad about certain aspects of your life as you age. A lot can happen to you when you get older, you may face the concept of retiring and not know what you are going to do with your time.
One way to keep your mind active is by completing puzzles such as crosswords or sudoku. These ensure your brain is exercising the grey matter and is fighting off the early onset of age-related conditions.
Regularly meeting up with family and friends is also great for your mental health. When you are happy your body releases the happy hormones meaning you want to do it more often to get that same feeling.
We hope this helps you understand why leading a healthy lifestyle is important as you age. Look after your body and your body will look after you.