7 Top Health Tips As You Age

If you are worried about your health as you get older then now is the time to get on top of it and create a good routine for yourself. Remember, age is just a number and you are only as old as you feel. There are so many tips and tricks in the media these days about what is good for you, but which ones are actually good for you? Take a look at the article below to get started on your new health journey. 

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Diet

One of the first things you might be worried about is your diet. Don’t think about what you are eating as such but how much you are piling on your plate. A lot of people have this problem when it comes to their diet. You can eat all the right things but if you have too much food on your plate then you aren’t going to see many health benefits to this. You will be more at risk of weight-related conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. 

Ideally, you should be enjoying a healthy balanced diet that consists of all the basic food groups. These include carbohydrates, proteins, fats, dairy, fruits, and vegetables. When serving these up make sure the biggest portion on your plate is fruits and vegetables, the smallest should be the carbs and dairy. 

Exercise

What tends to go hand in hand with what you eat? How much you are moving is vital to your everyday health and well-being. If you don’t want to become a couch potato then you will need to find the motivation to get off the sofa and move around. As you age you may notice that you aren’t quite as mobile as you used to be. If you incorporate, this is simply due to your joints becoming stiffer. If you do regular exercise now then you shouldn’t be impacted too much when the stiff joints hit. Regular movement and workouts mean your joints remain supple and won’t stiffen like others. 

The key to working out is to find something you enjoy doing, this could be anything from swimming to yoga. As long as you get your heart rate up and move for around 45 minutes a day then you are doing the best you can do. If you don’t want to work out on your own then you could join a community workout group. This will also give you the chance to meet like-minded people who live in your neighborhood. 

Water

If you are trying to be a healthier version of yourself then you need to ask yourself how much water you are drinking throughout the day. It is becoming increasingly common for individuals to not like drinking water. However, as your body is made up of 60% water it is essential you replace the water lost throughout the day. This happens when you breathe, sweat, and visit the bathroom. Ideally, as an adult, you should be drinking around eight glasses of water a day. 

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Check-Ups 

Something else to consider is how often you are going for routine checkups. It is essential you take the time to visit the doctors when you are getting older. You never know when something will crop up and you need to get it looked into by a professional. As you age you may be called for screening tests to check for certain cancers, including breast and bowel. If you wear glasses or use hearing aids then you should also schedule regular checks for these. Keeping on top of your appointments means you will always be receiving the best possible care and you can ask all necessary questions such as how long do hearing aids last? Your doctor will be able to give you hints and tips that will help you manage your health and well-being better. 

Sleep

As you get older you may begin to notice that you are feeling more tired than usual but you are also having trouble sleeping. This could be due to the various aches and pains you feel when you lie down and try to sleep. As an adult, you should be getting around six to eight hours of sleep each night. If this isn’t happening then you need to find out why. If it isn’t due to existing medical conditions then it could be that your mattress has seen better days. If you haven’t replaced your mattress in over ten years then now is the time to do this. 

Ideally, you should get a new mattress between the eight and ten-year mark so you don’t reduce the quality of your sleep. If you are stressed about anything then maybe try and talk to someone so you can get your sleeping back to normal. 

Socializing 

Another thing to consider when it comes to looking after your health is how much you get out, meet your friends, and socialize. As you age it can become more tricky to arrange meets as a lot of your friends might be moving on with their life. However, you should try and stay in touch as much as possible so you can go out a couple of times a month. Getting out of the house and meeting friends can reduce your risk of developing cognitive decline issues such as dementia or Alzheimers. 

Mental Health

Finally, it isn’t just your physical health you should be worried about but your mental health as well. They work well together but don’t always work when they are separated. If you are feeling a bit down in the dumps then you may not want to go anywhere or do anything. This can have an impact on your physical health as you aren’t moving about as much. If this happens regularly throughout the year or you constantly feel down then it may be worthwhile talking to someone about your problems. You can find many local therapists who offer a variety of different services, one might not work for you but another could help you find the light at the end of the tunnel. 

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We hope you found this article helpful and that it gave you some useful advice on how best to look after your health and well-being now and in the future.