With life expectancies increasing and our knowledge of ageing and health improving all the time, it’s become all the more important that we focus on our health and wellbeing. A healthy diet and exercise, along with regular check ups with your GP, will help you to maintain a healthy body to ensure that your golden years are healthy and active ones. There are small changes you can make, too, to help boost your wellbeing that little bit more. Making small changes to your daily habits and lifestyle in general can make a huge difference in your health regardless of what age you are, but particularly for senior citizens.
As you age, eating healthily becomes increasingly difficult – the metabolism slows down, your memory decreases so remembering to eat could become a problem and your nutrition can suffer. Planning four or five smaller meals throughout the day will help to ensure your body is well nourished, as well as helping to keep your energy levels up. Your diet should be low fat, rich in lean meats, fruit and vegetables, and fibre – this will make sure that your body works as efficiently as possible.
Exercise is also important for keeping your body flexible and maintaining a healthy weight. It also reduces the risk of conditions such as osteoporosis, which are generally linked to age. Getting regular check-ups may be a nuisance, but it does help you to stay on top of any health problems you may have. It also helps you to identify any mental or physical conditions which may develop due to age, before they become too serious. Maintaining an active mind is also vital – keeping hobbies such as reading, being creative and taking time to relax all help to reduce stress and maintain a healthy mind.