As you grow older, your risk of developing serious illnesses goes up. Aging is a risk factor for several diseases, including cardiovascular disease, neurodegeneration, and cancer. While no one can tell the future, if you are an older adult, you can make adjustments that can ensure that you live a long, happy, and healthy life. Here are some things you must do to protect yourself from getting sick:
Regular Checkups
Even if you have no existing conditions, monitoring your health regularly becomes more necessary. Seeing your general practitioner frequently allows them to spot a potential issue before it becomes a bigger problem.
To avoid heart disease, for example, a doctor needs to keep an eye on a patient’s blood pressure, blood glucose, cholesterol levels, and other factors. As soon as they see irregularity, they can recommend a preventive measure the patient can adopt to reduce their risk.
Some may get a private MRI scan in London to examine your entire body. The short, non-invasive procedure may be able to catch a serious disease in its earliest and most curable stages.
A Healthy Diet
In your youth, a diet of fast food may not lead to immediate consequences. However, for seniors, it is important to maintain healthy eating habits.
The food that you consume plays a significant role in keeping you strong. A balanced diet that includes generous amounts of fruits and vegetables boosts your immune system which helps your body fight illnesses. Moreover, regular servings of fish and nuts that are packed with omega-3 fatty acids keep your mind sharp and lessen your likelihood of getting Alzheimer’s.
Coupled with exercise, eating a healthy diet is your key to living a long and happy life.
Exercise Regularly
Your body is not as strong and energetic as it used to be. That is not an excuse to spend your every day seated on the couch.
Seniors still have to follow an exercise routine. In fact, you need to have 150 minutes of physical activity every week. Although ideally, you should be involved in different kinds of exercises (aerobic, flexibility, and strengthening), experts say that any form of physical activity will provide noticeable benefits to your health.
You can take up walking as your daily exercise routine. Getting a dog will encourage you to go around the neighbourhood at a leisurely pace. If you want a low-impact activity, tending to your garden will give you several opportunities to keep moving.
Train Your Mind
Cognitive decline becomes a problem as you age. Aside from eating food that provides nutrients that your brain needs, you can also sharpen your mind by participating in certain activities.
At home, you can try and solve crossword puzzles that come with your newspaper or invite a friend over to play chess. Learning a new skill or hobby can also help. By keeping your mind engaged in activities that stimulate multiple parts of the brain, you can improve memory and reduce the risk of cognitive decline.
With age, you can expect your body to go through changes. However, that does not mean that you have reached the end of your life. As a senior, you can continue to live independently or pursue your goals. When you make lifestyle choices that prioritize your health, you can live a long and fruitful life.
