Your Bones
Medline Plus says that as people age, their bones lose mass, or density, and get thinner and more fragile. This can sometimes lead to osteoporosis. If you don’t have enough bone mass, you’re more likely to break bones, including the vertebrae (the bones of the spine). This can cause you to stoop and lose height. Women are more likely to have low bone mass and osteoporosis, but men can also get them. Talk to your doctor about what you can do to keep from getting osteoporosis. A broken bone is often the first sign that you have it. You can content ndis service providers Perth when you get old.
Your Soul
Your large arteries get stiffer as you get older. This is called arteriosclerosis, and it makes your blood pressure go up. Plaques, which are fatty deposits, also tend to build up on the walls of the arteries. This makes the arteries hard and narrow, which cuts off blood flow to the heart. Atherosclerosis is the buildup of fat deposits, and coronary artery disease is the buildup of plaque in the arteries that lead to your heart. This is a major risk factor for a heart attack. Even though not all of the changes that happen to your heart and blood vessels as you age can be stopped, eating well and staying active can almost always help keep your arteries and heart healthy for longer.
Your Brain
As people get older, it’s common for them to forget things a little bit. Their ability to learn new things or do more than one thing at once may also slow with age, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But if your confusion and memory problems are more than just an occasional “senior moment,” that’s not normal and you should see a doctor. You might be in the early stages of dementia, or you might have a brain condition that can be treated.
Your Digestive System
As you get older, your digestive system slows down and doesn’t contract as often as it did when you were younger. This can make you feel constipated, sick, or both. Many medications also cause constipation or make it worse. The Mayo Clinic says that you can avoid these digestive problems by eating a diet high in fiber, drinking lots of water, staying as active as possible, and doing your best to deal with stress.
Your Senses Medline
Plus says that as you get older, you may notice that your hearing, sight, taste, smell, and touch aren’t as sharp as they used to be. Changes in the way the ear is put together can cause some hearing loss and can also throw off your sense of balance. Your vision may become less clear, and you may need reading glasses. Because you have fewer taste buds, you may start to lose your sense of taste. Because of this, flavors might not seem as clear or vivid to you. Your sense of smell may get worse as you age because you make less mucus and lose nerve endings in your nose. You may also notice that you are less sensitive to touch, pain, pressure, and vibration. However, some people become more sensitive to touch because their skin gets thinner.
Your gums
and teeth Over time, the hard enamel that protects your teeth from cavities can start to wear away. This makes your teeth more likely to get cavities. Also, the American Dental Association (ADA) says that as you get older, the nerves in your teeth can shrink, making you less sensitive to pain and possibly making it harder to figure out if you have cavities or cracks on the outside of your teeth. And, according to an article in the American Journal of Public Health from June 2017, more than half of people over 65 have moderate or severe gum disease. The same article also says that around 400 commonly used medications can cause dry mouth, which increases the risk of oral diseases.
Your Skin
Your skin loses its elasticity as you get older, and it may start to sag and wrinkle. But your skin will look better as you age the more you protected it from sun damage and smoking when you were younger. The American Academy of Dermatology says that the two most important anti-aging products you should use our sunscreen and moisturizer. The skin on your head and face will also be protected if you wear a hat with a brim. Start taking care of your skin now to stop it from getting worse and lower your risk of getting skin cancer.
How Your Sexual Organs Work After menopause, when periods stop and estrogen levels drop, many women notice changes in their bodies, such as less lubrication in the vaginal area. The North American Menopause Society says that these changes can also make you less interested in having sex. Men often get erectile dysfunction as they get older, but this is not a normal part of getting older, says the American Sexual Health Association. It could be a sign of a deeper health problem or a side effect of a medicine. Many of these physical problems can be easily fixed or, if they can’t, can be worked around by partners who are flexible and willing to try new things.
You should have been doing healthy things your whole life, if possible. But even if you haven’t, it’s never too late to start taking steps to keep your health in good shape or even improve it. Small changes to your lifestyle can make a big difference, and if you pick up even a few of the following habits, you’ll be on the right track:
1. Keep moving to keep your body and mind healthy.
Keeping active can help fight off many of the effects of getting older. Medline Plus says that working out regularly can help you keep your balance, keep you mobile, improve your mood by making you feel less anxious and depressed, and help your brain work better. It’s also an important part of treating some long-term diseases, like diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, breast and colon cancer, and osteoporosis.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that any exercise is better than none. They suggest 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (like swimming or taking a brisk walk) each week. This can be broken down into 30 minutes of activity five days a week. It also suggests doing muscle-strengthening activities twice a week. Here is a list of activities that have been approved by the CDC.
2. Keep in touch with friends, family, and people in your community.
Putting in the effort to spend time with family and friends can help your health in many ways. In January 2019, an article in The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences found that participants over the age of 65 who reported more social activity were more likely to feel happier, have fewer bad feelings, and be more active physically.
If you don’t have many friends right now, look for ways to get in touch with old ones or make new ones. Find people with the same interests as you through church groups, volunteer work, gyms, alumni groups, or any other group that fits your interests.
3. Eat a well-balanced, healthy diet
Make whole foods that are high in fiber and low in saturated fat the base of your diet. This will give your body the nutrients it needs and lower your risk of long-term conditions like heart disease. Getting there can be easier if you follow a plan like the Mediterranean diet. Olive oil, nuts, seeds, fruit and vegetables, whole grains, beans, and fish are all important parts of the Mediterranean diet. It doesn’t have a lot of red meat, full-fat dairy, or processed foods.
4. Don’t forget about yourself. Set up checkups and keep them.
Checkups with your doctor, dentist, eye doctor, and other specialists give you a chance to find problems early and treat them before they get worse.
The American Association of Retired Persons suggests making an appointment with a geriatrician if you have one or more long-term health problems, take a lot of medications, have problems with your memory or mobility, or have just been released from the hospital. Geriatricians are doctors who care for and treat older people as their main job. After your first appointment, they can refer you to other specialists, help you coordinate care and treatments for health problems, and help you make a care plan that is just right for you.
5. Take all of your medicines as your doctor tells you to.
Even though it may seem obvious, it’s important to say again that you should always take any medicine your doctor gives you exactly as he or she tells you to (or doctors). But it’s also a good idea to check in with your primary care doctor every so often to see if you still need all of your prescriptions. The more drugs you take, the harder it can be to remember when and how to take them all, and the more likely you are to have bad drug reactions and interactions between drugs.
Rarely should you stop taking a drug without first talking to your doctor, but it can be a good idea to review the need for all the drugs you’ve been given. And remember that your pharmacist is another person you can talk to about drugs, their side effects, and how they work with other drugs.
The dangers of cutting pills and not going to the doctor
6. Limit Your Alcohol Consumption
The 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services say that women should drink no more than one drink per day and men should drink no more than two drinks per day. But a more recent report from the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee says that men should also limit their drinking to one drink per day.
The more recent advice is based on studies that show that both men and women are more likely to die if they drink more than one drink per day on average.
7. If you smoke, you are more likely to get cancer and heart disease.
If you currently smoke, you should quit as soon as possible: SmokeFree.gov says that quitting smoking is good for your health because it lowers your cholesterol, blood pressure, and heart rate. It also lowers your risk of cancer, diabetes, and damage to your lungs, and it makes your bones, muscles, and immune system stronger.
8. Sleep as much as your body needs.
The National Sleep Foundation says that adults over 65 should sleep between 7 and 8 hours every night. As you get older, your sleep schedule may change so that you are sleepier in the early evening and ready to wake up earlier in the morning. This is normal and shouldn’t be a problem as long as you continue to get the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep each night. Talk to your doctor if you have severe or long-term insomnia. He or she can help you figure out what’s keeping you up and suggest ways to fix it.
9. Take care of your teeth every day.
The American Dental Association (ADA) says that to protect your teeth and gums, you should brush your teeth twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush, floss every day, and clean your dentures regularly. This routine will not only make your teeth and gums healthier, but the American Academy of Periodontology says that preventing inflammation in your mouth through good dental hygiene can help you manage other chronic inflammatory conditions like diabetes and heart disease.
10. Talk to your doctor about changes in your sexual function
Talk to your doctor if changes in your libido or sexual function are making your sex life worse. The National Institute on Aging says that you can get help in the form of physical aids, medications, talking to your partner, and trying out new ways to be physically and emotionally close. Your doctor may be able to refer you to a sex therapist who can help you figure out what a satisfying sex life for you would look like and how to get there.
