It happens to everyone eventually: You look in the mirror and notice those tiny little laugh lines starting to appear on your face, and a few gray hairs on your head. This article contains many tips and tricks for maintaining that youthful appearance and vigor that everyone strives for as they enter their golden years.
Don’t get swallowed up by guilt. Guilt is a big enemy to healthy aging. As humans live longer lives, there is more and more to look back on and regret. But the exact opposite is true, too. There are more and more things for you to reminisce about in a positive way, as well. Don’t mull negatively over the past, as it can only hurt your health for the future.
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Step up your workout routine. As you get older, your body requires more time and energy to maintain its strength and flexibility. Take at least five 30-minute walks each week. Compliment this with a few weight lifting workouts a couple times a week. This will keep your body in shape and will help stave off some of the physical effects of getting older.
One of the hardest things to manage for the person who is aging and for those around him or her is dementia. If someone you love, has dementia be as patient as possible with them. Often, they don’t know the severity of their own condition. To help your own spirits, take their dementia as a mercy, as it must be hard to die having all your memories intact.
All women over 65 should be tested for bone density since this is the only way to diagnose osteoporosis. Some doctors recommend baseline bone density scans at menopause and at regular intervals after. Predicting fracture risk and determining rate of bone loss can help in the monitoring and prevention of osteoporosis.
Depression is a “hidden” risk for developing osteoporosis. Cortisol is a stress-related hormone related to depression that depletes the bones of minerals. Studies have shown that women with depression have lower bone density in their spines and hips. So, if you’re feeling down, see your doctor to find out if you have depression.
Do not let others make you feel as if you are less of a person now than you were in your youth. You may require more care from others than you used to but you are just as important and it is crucial that you remember who you were and who you are for the rest of your life.
Eat more nuts throughout the day. Nuts are a great food to help prevent aging. They have many healthy vitamins, minerals and fats, which will help balance your daily nutrition. Plus, they are an excellent way to stop your processed food cravings between meals, leading you to a much healthier lifestyle!
You must maintain a healthy body weight into your golden years. If you are overweight there are obvious health risks that you face but there are equally dangerous risks involved with being underweight. Talk with your doctor to learn what your ideal weight is and strive to reach that weight.
Get quality sleep on a regular basis to keep your body balanced and better equipped to age gracefully! Many people of all ages suffer from lack of sleep and poor quality of it and it is even more important to us as we get older. Seek medical advice if you are not getting the sleep you need and do not underestimate the importance of it to you!
As you age, your skin needs more care since it is aging also. When outdoors, you need to protect your skin from the harmful rays emitted by the sun. You should apply a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) which is at least a 15. Spending too much time in the sun without proper sun protection can also lead to those unwanted, dark age spots which are associated with aging skin.
Be careful with your heart. Cardiovascular disease is the number one problem in society, so be aware of the organ in the center of your chest so that it keeps you well. Eat a proper diet, get enough exercise, and make sure your doctor runs tests on your heart to make sure that it’s working as it should.
As we age, we like to reminisce. While being reminiscent, do not let your mind take guilt trips. Instead, take a trip to a favorite vacation spot or the mall. Have a trip on a cruise ship to exotic ports. Travel to a foreign country you have always wanted to visit. Guilt trips take you nowhere. Remember, you cannot undo what has already been done, so guilt trips are useless.
Now that you have been able to peruse through some of our great suggestions for maintaining the youthfulness you have always dreamed of, you just need to make up your mind about giving them a try! Staying young is not as hard as you think, it’s largely a matter of positive mental attitude. Hopefully this article has you feeling very positive!