As people age, they become more vulnerable to a number of health problems. Besides the fact that the body isn’t working as efficiently as it once did, the negative effects of unhealthy lifestyle habits begin to increase. In order to live a long, healthy life, it’s important to start focusing on your health right now. Here are six tips for improving your health as you age.
Get More Exercise
Scientific research has only begun to discover the vast benefits of exercise for health and ageing. It has been shown to increase resistance to common conditions like cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Exercise has even been found to not only reduce stress but also its negative effects. Furthermore, exercising regularly can help slow down the ageing process, keep joints in good condition and help maintain essential muscle mass.
Get Better Sleep
During sleep, your body takes the opportunity to carry out its most intensive repair and maintenance functions. This is accomplished by releasing a cocktail of hormones, such as human growth hormone, that rebuild cartilage, produce brain cells and create energy. It’s generally recommended people get eight hours of uninterrupted sleep each night, but many older people may find they require a little more.
Kick the Junk Food Habit
Junk food got its name for a good reason. These foods provide little real nutrition and are often packed with refined carbohydrates, chemicals and too many calories. In addition, they are usually enriched with cheap synthetic vitamins that are hard for the body to absorb and use. Studies have shown that eating a diet rich in junk foods can speed up ageing, cause inflammation, promote disease and lead to weight gain. If you want to get healthy, you should eat only foods that are fresh and wholesome.
Play Video Games
If you’ve scoffed at playing video games, you might be surprised to learn they help the brain stay young. Several studies have discovered people who play video games enjoy sharper cognitive ability, better executive function and quicker mental reaction time. They can also help you improve your visual acuity and enhance your environmental awareness.
Strength Training
Levels of hormones decrease with age, leading to symptoms like low energy, dwindling muscle, flagging libido and mood problems. However, training with weights can bring hormone levels back to an acceptable level for both men and women, according to a Richmond in home care facility.
Take a Multivitamin
The body’s ability to absorb adequate nutrition from food become less efficient with age. Naturally, this inefficiency can lead to nutrient deficiencies, which cause other problems. For that reason, it’s recommended you take a quality adult multivitamin designed to fit the needs of your gender and age group. Besides providing anything that is missing, multivitamins also enhance your ability to absorb nutrients from food sources.
