Stay Healthy As You Age
Here are some things you can do to keep up your health.
September is Healthy Aging Month. Time for an annual checkup.
Get an Annual Physical Exam
When was the last time you visited your primary care doctor? Seniors should see their doctor at least one time per year to stay healthy, or every 6 months if your doctor suggests. Be sure to write down a list of your questions for your doctor.
Here are some things you might want to discuss:
- Screenings – Ask your doctor if you should be screened for diseases like cervical, colorectal and other cancers.
- Vaccines – Ask your doctor if you are up-to-date on your immunizations.
- Your Body Mass Index (BMI) – Are you at a healthy weight? Calculate your body mass index at your next appointment and discuss with your doctor.
- Family Health History – If you have a family history of illnesses such as cancer, high blood pressure or diabetes, you might want to tell doctor about these so he/she can advise you on specific steps you can take to stay healthy.
- Daily Habits – Do you smoke or use drugs or alcohol? Would you like to begin an exercise program? Are you having trouble sleeping? Do you feel depressed? This is the time to ask your doctor for advice about these and other issues.
- Medications – What medications do you take? Do you have any questions about these?
Get outdoors. Outdoor activity improves mood and energy level.
Enjoy The Outdoors
Make it a habit to get outside. You don’t need to jog! Even if you just sit outside, you will benefit according to Jeremy Jacobs, MD with Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center in Israel.
Go outside and enjoy the fresh air, particularly in nature. This has been shown to improve mood, cognition and emotional health.
Need A Boost? With the shorter autumn days many people feel less energetic and become prone to sitting and resting. When the changing seasons, the “blahs” can set in. This is the time to get the energy boost you need to keep active during the winter months.
Stay Active With Exercise
We all know that exercise is an important component to healthy aging. But sometimes it is hard to stay motivated. Here a few tips to overcome that problem:
- Set some goals and track how you are doing by writing it down.
If you have questions about your personal health, this is the time to ask your nurse or doctor.
- Start small. A simple 10-minute walk can re-energize you.
- Try self-monitoring your heart rate during exercise with a Garmin, a Fit Bit, Vital Fit Track or Apple watch.
- Develop a reward system for yourself when you exercise.
- Find a friend to exercise with you.
When you exercise your cells burn energy and circulate oxygen in your blood, making you more alert. Your mood improves. Your memory and focus improve, too, with exercise.
Your family history has an impact on your personal health.
Stay Hydrated
Dehydration causes fatigue and a feeling of lethargy. Get plenty of fluids so you can keep your electrolytes up. Besides water, milk, fruits and vegetables will help you stay hydrated.
Eat A Healthy, Well-Balanced Diet
Dump the junk food in favor of fiber-rich, low-fat, and low-cholesterol eating. Cut out the carbs. Processed foods high in carbohydrates can leave you feeling sluggish and tired. Carb-rich foods do give you a boost in energy. But that short-lived boost is followed by a crash and a drop in blood sugar levels.
Sleep Hygiene
Adopt a better sleep routine. Go to bed earlier. Get up on time. Avoid caffeinated drinks, like coffee, in the evening. Avoid alcohol in the evening too. You may feel a little sleepy initially, but alcohol is a major sleep disrupter. It often causes waking in the middle of the night and difficulty falling back asleep. Lower the thermostat. Experts say 65 degrees is the perfect temperature for optimal sleep.
Talk With Your Doctor
Schedule a visit with your doctor. Get your labs checked. Thyroid issues, anemia, depression and some medications may be making you feel sluggish. Low levels of Vitamin B12 adversely affect blood cell health and energy production and may also contribute to low energy.
Get Regular Eye Exams
Adults over 40 should have an eye exam.
Seems obvious, right? Surprisingly, many people who care about their eyesight aren’t always that good about getting to the doctor. A survey by the American Optometric Association (AOA) found that 85 percent of people valued their sight as their most prized sense, but less than half of that group had had an eye exam in the past two or three years. What gives?
Adults, especially those over 40, should have yearly eye exams, particularly to prevent age-related ocular conditions. Developing conditions like macular degeneration (The part of the retina that processes light deteriorates), cataracts (The lens of your eye becomes cloudy) and glaucoma (Pressure in the eye damages the optic nerve) are more common as you age.
Give Your Eye Doctor Your Health History
Patients often don’t realize that there’s a connection between illnesses in the body and eye issues. Hypertension, blood pressure and diabetes can all be detected by looking in the back of the eye, so “alert your doctor to your risk factors so she can take the right course of action during the exam.” Also mention your hobbies to your doctor—knowing what sports or leisure activities you like to do in your free time makes it easier for him or her to make appropriate recommendations for correcting vision and keeping your eyes healthy.
Control the Air Quality in Your Home or Office
Your diet can affect your eye health.
In the winter, the heating systems in homes and offices create dry air. Consider using a portable humidifier to keep the air moist, which will help prevent eye irritation caused by dryness. If you have a pet, keeping their hair off areas where you sit or lie down, like couches and chairs, is important as well.
Drink Caffeine—But Not Too Much
Here’s good news for coffee and tea drinkers. Two servings of a caffeinated beverage daily are good for protecting against dry eyes. Caffeinated beverages help produce tears, which keep the eyes moist. But more than two servings can deplete your tear film and dry out your eyes, which contributes to irritation.
Eat Leafy Greens, Dark Berries and Cold-Water Fish
Eating carrots to improve our vision is an old wives’ tale. But don’t discount the power of other fruits and veggies. Dark leafy greens like spinach, kale and Brussels sprouts, as well as dark berries, like blueberries and blackberries, are rich in lutein, a type of carotenoid that protects against macular degeneration, the leading cause of vision loss in people over 60. Foods rich in omega-3s, like walnuts and fresh cold-water fish, have been found to reduce inflammation in the blood vessels of the eye.
Protect Your Eyes as You Would Protect Your Skin
Every time you lather on sunscreen, think about shielding your eyes from the sun as well. A lifetime of UV light exposure can contribute to cataracts and macular degeneration, so always wear sunglasses with 100 percent UVA and UVB protection.
What do centenarians have in common?
Help your loved one get to regular doctor appointments and keep up with her healthcare needs.
People who live to be 100 have two common traits. (1) They don’t look back at the past and have a forward-looking attitude about life, and (2) they have a good sense of humor and laugh a lot.
There’s truth in the saying, “You are what you eat.” If you need a special diet, keep to it. Even if you simply want to eat better, get help with shopping and meal-planning if necessary. Our home care professionals help you with shopping and meal preparation, so you get the nutrition you need! Call us. (314) 330-7992
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