As we age, both our body and mind undergo a number of irreversible changes. And while there’s no remedy against getting old, there are a number of effective tricks that can help us manage our health and maintain a decent quality of life as we age, to allow us to age well.
Healthy aging isn’t something unattainable. There are great psycho-social activities out there that have been proven to help seniors lead an independent and rewarding life without pain and emotional discomfort. All you need to do is to open up to new opportunities and embrace both physical and mental challenges that may come your way.
Below are some simple yet effective steps you can take to stay sharp, active, and confident as you join the ranks of the aging population.
Get Moving
Aches, fatigues, and the inability to engage in strenuous exercises are natural concomitants of aging. Still, giving way to inertia and passivity is the last thing you need, especially if your goal is living well into old age.
Those who exercise regularly tend to live a longer and better life. It’s a well-known fact. Sports lovers are less likely to find themselves afflicted by chronic pain, disabilities, obesity, low mood, and depression. Not only does physical activity contribute to your overall wellbeing but also helps maintain regular social contacts, which is also beneficial to your mental health. So, don’t skip your gym routine or sacrifice workouts because of your advanced age.
Don’t Give Up On Your Love Life
People’s desire to engage in sexual activity may decrease with age. But it doesn’t mean you have to leave sex behind in later life.
Changes in sexual desire, low libido, and troubles with arousal might have their roots in chronic illnesses, mental disorders, and/or imbalanced hormone levels. So, it’s important that you take care of your sexual health and have access to relevant resources that will help you optimize it in the future. You can start right now by visiting a dedicated sexual health portal at nowgreenhealth24x7.com.
You should never be reticent about your sexual struggles. Voice and discuss your concerns with both your doctor and partner. Otherwise, you won’t be able to address your issues in a timely manner. It’s a good idea to initiate an open dialogue with your GP and ask for professional help if you think your sexual health is deteriorating. This will surely help you enjoy your sexuality and intimate relationships as you enter your later years.
Make Smart Food Choices
In older age, your body might require different nutrients, vitamins, and minerals to function properly. And your task is to ensure that your organism receives them in sufficient amounts.
If you don’t have any chronic conditions and your doctor doesn’t recommend any special diet, include more protein-rich foods in your diet. Make sure to put more lean meat, poultry, fish, and seafood on your plate and be sparing with dairy products. Vitamins and dietary supplements also can be a valuable adjunct to your main diet if chosen and taken wisely.
Give a low-sodium diet a shot, if you want to keep high blood pressure, obesity, and heart diseases at bay. In combination with a largely favored Mediterranean eating pattern, which emphasizes fresh produce, seafood, and whole grains, the low-salt diet can help you remove unwholesome foods from your diet without missing out on essential nutrients.
Quit Smoking
Even a young organism can suffer from the adverse effects smoking is notorious for, let alone its aging counterpart. Even if you’ve been smoking your whole life, you can improve your health drastically by quitting now. Despite its being a tough habit to kick, you should try and smoke fewer cigarettes each day and gradually taper off the nicotine. Nicotine replacement therapies in the form of lozenges, patches, or gum can also go a long way in weaning smokers off tobacco. Quitting the harmful habit at any age will help you improve your blood circulation, stamina, lung capacity, sense of taste and smell, sexual health, and more. So, don’t hesitate to boost your chances of healthy and happy aging by ditching cigarettes today.
Try Something New And Embrace Mental Challenges
If you think that engaging in novel activities at an older age is a waste of time, think again. Research indicates that those seniors who tend to take up mental challenges and exercise their brain are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s or other types of dementia. Elderly adults can improve their memory, boost their brainpower, and enhance their vocabulary if they regularly solve crossword puzzles and play other brain games, which represent an excellent source of constant mental challenges.
Learning new skills and engaging in mentally stimulating activities is a great way to stay sharp and enhance a wide variety of cognitive abilities in older age. So, why not start learning the musical instrument, master the art of public speaking or editing photos? It’s never too late to learn and become a better version of yourself, even when you are 90.
