Tips On Staying Fit and Healthy as You Age

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle as we age is critical to continue living an active and complete life. Healthy aging is about living your best life and having physical and mental health. As you age, you notice a changing figure, wrinkles, fading hair color, etc. You may also observe other changes, such as decreased energy or endurance, altered sleep, the onset of health problems, etc.

Health is a valuable asset that we often overlook when we are young. As we get older, we become more aware of its importance and its vulnerability. As a result, we must increase our efforts to preserve it.

Aging is unavoidable, but it is possible to smile through it all. While you can't change your age, you can slow down the aging process by making wise decisions. You can adopt good habits and a healthy lifestyle to help you live better and possibly longer. Taking charge of your well-being and health will help you face the future with confidence and optimism.

Everything you consume and how you exercise, and your friendships and retirement objectives impact how quickly or slowly your body ages.

Here are some suggestions on how to stay fit and healthy as you age. It's also never too late to start.

1.   Take Care of Your Mental Health

Being joyful and stress-free can help you live and age healthily.

To Keep Your Spirits High:

• Maintain Social Contact with Family and Friends. Maintain your physical and emotional health by having meaningful relationships and staying socially connected as you grow older. People who contact others more frequently are generally healthier. Positive emotions and stress reduction are brought about by social engagement. Alzheimer's disease is less common in seniors who are more social.

Getting out of the house for a healthy lunch or going for a stroll with a buddy are great ways to keep you in touch and sustain friendships. Small group exercise courses can also help you keep to an exercise routine while creating a sense of community. Don't forget about your furry family members; having a pet has been related to lower stress and blood pressure, decreased loneliness, and improved moods¹.

• Engage In Activities That You Enjoy. Invest time in activities you enjoy, as it can only increase your happiness. Spend time in nature, acquire a new skill, or volunteer — whatever makes you happy. Try to participate in group activities, as it is one method to keep you socially active.
• Accept your chronological age. There is evidence that persons who have a positive outlook on aging live longer and recover more quickly from disabilities. Aging is unavoidable and learning to accept it can work wonders².

2.   Drop Some Pounds

Small weight changes can have a significant impact on health risks. It has been shown that losing just 5% of your body weight can lower your risk of diabetes and heart disease while also improving metabolic function in the liver, fat, and muscle tissue³. That means losing 10 pounds for a 200-pound person can result in significant health benefits. While we'd all like to lose all of our excess weight, starting with a 5% weight loss goal and sticking to it is much easier.

Weight loss may necessitate more than a daily commitment to exercise and nutrition. Your way of living significantly influences your capacity to reduce weight.

3.   Consume A Well-Balanced, Nutritious Diet

When it comes to healthy aging, eating nutritious foods is the way to go. Slight modifications in your eating habits can reduce your risk of several aging-related disorders.

According to the American Dietary Guidelines⁴, you should consume:

• Fruits and vegetables, fresh, frozen, or canned.
• Lean protein-rich foods such as fish and beans.
• Eat three ounces of whole-grain cereals, bread, rice, or pasta per day.
• Three servings of low-fat or fat-free vitamin d-fortified dairy products, such as milk, yogurt, or cheese.
• Wholesome fats.

Here are some more suggestions for healthy eating and lifestyle changes:

• Instead of solid fats, utilize oils in your cooking.
• Limit your salt consumption to keep your blood pressure in check.
• Try to consume more low-calorie-density foods like lettuce, spinach, fruits, and soups. Because these foods are high in water, they have fewer calories per unit of food consumed.
• Cook more meals at home; it lets you know exactly what is in your food.
• Always check the labeling. You'll know what you're putting into your body this way. Avoid processed foods and focus on eating fresh, healthy foods. Keep an eye out for fake substances and high sodium levels.

It's just as crucial to eat certain meals as it is to avoid others:

• Avoid processed sugar-containing foods, such as cookies, cakes, and candies.
• Avoid refined carbs and unhealthy fats.
• Reduce your intake of white starches, such as refined grains and refined sugars. These foods may boost your appetite and trigger cravings. Replace them with whole grains.
• Avoid processed meat. Processed meats like hot dogs and sausages have been salted, cured, or smoked to improve flavor and shelf life. Several studies have discovered links between eating a lot of processed meat and ill health. According to a Harvard study⁵, consuming one serving of processed meat per day, such as bacon, sausage, and deli meats, was linked to a 42 percent higher risk of heart disease and a 19 percent higher risk of diabetes. Processed meats have also been linked to a higher risk of colon cancer in other studies⁶. However, eating unprocessed red meat did not increase the risk of cancer.
• Avoid processed foods. The best way to age healthily is to avoid processed foods and beverages. This will eliminate added sugars from your diet immediately. 

If you stop eating packaged meals, you'll consume more fruits and vegetables, lean meats and fish, and whole grains. This is essentially a Mediterranean diet, which has been proven to be healthy in multiple studies⁷.

4.   Regular Exercise Will Keep You Physically Active

Regular exercise keeps you strong and healthy. It reduces your chances of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity, and even cancer, and it helps you keep your mobility for longer. Keeping active can also help you feel better about yourself, sleep better, and have more energy.

Exercise is essential as we age. Sedentary behavior can result in weight gain. Recent studies have shown that too much sitting is harmful to our health and waistlines. Physical activity can help you maintain a healthy weight and lower your blood pressure⁸.

Exercise helps to lower the risk of high cholesterol and blood pressure. It can also help you keep all the activities you enjoy in your daily life by reducing weariness and shortness of breath. Exercise not only lowers the risk of heart disease but also improves the quality of life.

According to Health and Human Services Department⁹, you should perform the following:

• Moderate-intensity exercise 2.5 to 5 hours per week, vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise 1.25 to 2.5 hours per week, or a combination of the two.
• Muscle-strengthening activities of moderate-intensity or more that activate all major muscle groups, two or more days per week.

In addition to cardiovascular and muscle-strengthening exercises, older folks should focus on balance training activities. Weights or resistance bands can be used to perform muscle and bone strengthening workouts.

Swimming is an excellent kind of exercise for seniors to stay physically fit. It raises the heart rate while being mild on the joints. Swimming is an excellent way to combat depression, especially if the pool is outside and the sun is shining.

5.   Take Care of Your Skin

Your skin is the largest organ in your body. It can protect your body from the environment and regulate your body temperature if you take care of it. To maintain it's looking and working its best as you age, follow these steps:

• When outside, use sunscreen and wear protective gear.
• Get a skin cancer screening every year.
• In your anti-aging skincare routine, choose gentle products.
• Use ŐsiMagnesium Products for youthful and moisturized skin.
• Maintain hydration.

6.   Reduce Your Stress

Stress has a wide range of consequences on your body, from premature aging and wrinkles to an increased chance of heart disease. Stress can affect your weight, so try to keep it minimum. Many people use food as a coping method when they are stressed. Cortisol, a stress hormone, can impair your metabolism if you have too much of it.

You can use these effective methods for reducing stress, including:

• Meditating, breathing exercises, and yoga.
• Getting enough sleep.
• Talking to a friend.
• Use a E.A.L's Stress Reliever Kit to reduce your stress efficiently. It contains OSI Magnesium Bath Flakes, H.E.A.L's Relaxation Essential Oil, Magnesium Oil, and OSI Magnesium Body Lotion. All of these are very helpful in making you feel relaxed and stress-free.

7.   Reduce Your Alcohol Consumption and Stop Smoking

Both smoking and drinking have been shown to accelerate aging and raise illness risks. If you did not already know, smoking is harmful to your body and brain. It has been connected to various health issues, including heart disease, lung cancer, and bronchitis.

Although quitting smoking is difficult, there are options available to assist you. Speak with a doctor about quitting. Giving up smoking will enhance your circulation, lung capacity, and energy levels regardless of your age.

To avoid health hazards, limit your alcohol consumption to the prescribed amount to keep your energy levels up, your body in shape, and your mind sharp. One drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men¹⁰.

8.   Drink An Adequate Amount of Water

Drinking enough water keeps you regular and enhances your energy and cognitive functioning. It helps maintain skin healthy and reduce indications of ageing¹¹. The amount of water you must drink is determined by:

• Your thirst.
• Your level of activity.
• How frequently do you urinate and defecate.
• How much you sweat.
• Your gender.

Refer to a doctor if you have any questions or worries regarding your water intake.

9.   Maintain Good Dental Hygiene

Not only does ignoring your teeth age your smile, but it also puts you at risk for gum disease related to heart disease, stroke, and bacterial pneumonia. Regular dental visits are vital in addition to good oral hygiene. A dentist can detect indicators of nutritional deficiencies, infection, cancer, and other disorders like diabetes. American Dental Association recommends¹² brush your teeth twice a day, floss at least once a day, and use a mouth rinse. Food particles and plaque are removed from between the teeth by flossing, which helps to prevent gum disease.

10.        Laugh Often

It's no joke; having fun is possibly the simplest lifestyle modification. The idea that laughter is good for you isn't new; scientists have long demonstrated that it helps us live longer. It can help the heart by improving blood flow, lowering stress hormones, and increasing infection-fighting antibodies. Sign up for a dance class to get those endorphins flowing - you'll have fun, have more energy, and live longer.

11.        Sort Out Your Sleeping Habits

Sleep is vital to your physical and emotional well-being. It also has an impact on the health of your skin. Many of us have trouble getting asleep — or staying asleep — as we get older. It can make you feel tired and irritable.

Reduce daytime naps, develop a nighttime routine, and go to bed at the same time each night to avoid insomnia. Strive for seven to eight hours of sleep every night. Before going to bed, apply Bodytox Lavender Sleep Patches on your feet. The lavender oil in the patches helps you sleep better and longer. It helps you sleep better by relaxing your body and mind, eliminating tension, and soothing your nerves without being toxic.

Getting adequate sleep has been shown to help with:

• Reduce the chances of heart disease and stroke.
• Decreases anxiety and sadness.
• Reduces obesity risk.
• Enhance focus and concentration.

Sleep deprivation can lower growth hormones and make you seek sugar and junk food. Inadequate sleep causes a cascade of chemicals that alter appetites and contribute to weight gain. Additionally, not getting enough sleep will make you tired and inattentive during your workouts¹³. Sleep is often forgotten, but it is a crucial aspect of any fitness program since many recoveries and repair happens while you sleep.

The Bottom Line

Healthy aging is more about being happy and fit than keeping wrinkles at bay. Maintain a healthy lifestyle, spend time with people you care about, and engage in activities that make you happy. Though aging is unavoidable, it's reasonable to be concerned about the difficulties that aging can bring, so don't be afraid to talk about your worries with a trusted family member or close friend. A doctor or a counselor can also provide professional assistance.