Hello! It’s National Healthy Aging Month in the month of September! What is healthy aging you ask? Healthy aging is defined as the process of developing and maintaining the functional ability that enables well-being in older age.
As we age, a lot of things about our body change both physically and mentally. It’s very important to be open to adapt healthy habits and behaviors as we grow. Physically, getting involved in an exercise program with friends or within your community. You can use preventative services and manage your health conditions regularly by seeing your physician once/twice a year with follow-ups to make sure you’re in the best possible health. Going over medications with your MD and knowing, as well as understanding, risk factors as you age is also important. Maybe that blood pressure medication you were put on before is not needed now due to improved health! Making changes in nutrition is important as well, such as less sodium intake in the foods you eat. Make a goal to stop smoking or smoke less than you used to before. Get your balance and vision checked to prevent falls. These are all great things you can do to maintain a strong healthy body.
When it comes to mental aging, make sure to always have that support group around, whether it's in a community, friends, family, or just someone to always talk to when things are going right or wrong. Knowing that you have support and people who are there for you is very important in aging. Be sure to engage the mind in puzzles, sudoku, crosswords, reading books and/or magazines. We all hear of dementia/Alzheimer’s disease to be a very difficult disease to see in our loved ones, so keeping our mind fresh is key to prevent this horrible disease!
It’s never too late to start improving your health no matter what age you are! These changes can make a big difference in your health and can add years to your life!
