Aging is a natural process that all of us will go through one day. Many people dream of aging gracefully which can seem like an unattainable feat at times. However, with the right tips and advice, aging with grace is much easier than you think. This article contains a number of pieces of advice about aging.
Work with some weights to keep yourself looking younger. A toned body is a young body no matter what the chronological age may say. Working with the appropriate weights for your health will help you keep your body toned and looking fit, which will take years off of your body and soul.
As you grow older, many hear the reminders of how important it is to eat healthy everyday; a treat once in a while can bring a smile to your face. Don’t you just love to eat your favorite food? Maybe chocolate chip cookies are your pick? Bake up a batch and enjoy them with a friend or family member. Enjoy the companionship of someone you love with something you enjoy!
Shake up your life to lead a healthier one. Just because you’re aging doesn’t mean you can’t shake things up, in fact it’s healthy to do so. It stimulates your mind and keeps you physically active. This can help improve your mood, your fitness level and your overall health, so don’t be afraid to take a step outside of your normal zone of comfort!
Pre-plan for the time when you are going to need senior services. This may be planning for your retirement home, nursing home or home health care. If you take the time to plan it while you are able to, you are sure to end up in the place that you want to and that will bring you peace.
Maintain your muscle mass by getting exercise on a regular basis. Use a pedometer and make sure that you are taking at least 5,000 to 10,000 steps each day. If you maintain your muscle mass, you are sure to avoid some of the terrible falls that you would otherwise incur.
Just because you are aging doesn’t mean you should just sit back and take it easy. To maintain good health, you need to continue to be as active as you possibly can. Sure, you may not be able to go out and race in a marathon, but you still can incorporate some activity into you daily activities. It is suggested that you include at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day. Maybe you could take a 15-minute walk twice a day. Dust off that old bike and take a ride around the neighborhood.
Eating small amounts of food more often during the day instead of big, heavy meals all at once, will work wonders for your entire system, and help you to control weight gain as you age! Your ability to absorb nutrients is greatly aided by frequent, small portions of food and can also cut down on your heartburn. So plan these mini-meals out in advance and stick to the program. Your body will thank you for it!
There are 19 foods that are considered to be must have items in your refrigerator and pantry, and they will work wonders for your health and vitality as you age. Write these down and post it somewhere in your home to keep yourself reminded to stay stocked: seafood, dairy, spinach, nuts, olive oil, broccoli, oatmeal, flax seed meal, avocados, pomegranate juice, tomatoes, tofu, yogurt, red onions, garlic, beans and lentils! It may seem like a lot but it is the least you can do for yourself and the best results you can yield from your meal planning efforts!
Try having a glass of red wine with dinner each night. There’s a chemical found in red wine called resveratrol that has excellent anti-aging properties. But remember you should only drink alcohol in moderation. Drinking a moderate amount of red wine has also been shown to reduce your risk for heart problems.
Write your life story down. It doesn’t have to be a major novel, but create some account of your life so that your children or grandchildren can get to know all of the things you’ve seen and gone through during your life. No children? Do it for relatives or friends.
Despite popular dogma, older folks need as much sleep as younger people, which is at least 7 or 8 hours nightly. If you get that much sleep and still feel sleepy during the day, see your doctor because you may have sleep apnea. People afflicted with sleep apnea repeatedly pause breathing while asleep. Left untreated, this disorder can increase your chances of heart disease and other problems.
Have regular hearing screenings as you get older. Loss of hearing is something that happens gradually, so you may not even suspect that you have hearing loss until something drastic happens. Have hearing screenings done so that you know if your ears are still working well or you need to consider a hearing aid.
To combat the aging process one of the things that you can do is get some sun. This will help you to maximize the way that you feel and get vitamin D into your system, which can be very beneficial for your looks. During the spring and summer, spend at least an hour in the sun to look much younger and feel great during the day.
As you get older, your metabolism slows down, so what you eat counts more. Strive to make every calorie count. You still need to meet dietary requirements of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, but since your system can’t handle as many calories as it used to, it’s even more important to make healthy choices and avoid as much junk food as you can.
As was stated in the beginning of this article, aging is a topic that is on a lot of people’s minds and many feel it seems so difficult to accomplish. However, it becomes much easier to age gracefully when applying the right advice such as the advice mentioned in this article.
